Divine Sounds
Divine Sounds was an old school rap group from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, featuring Disco Ritchie, Shelton D & DJ Mike Music. The name "Divine Sounds" was inspired by DJ Mike Music's cousin's involvement with the "5 Percenters".
History
DJ Mike Music began DJ'ing in the mid-70s during his high-school years. His brother, Disco Ritchie, and he had written the song What People Do For Money, but Disco Ritchie decided that he needed a partner. One day at a rap contest at 309 Park in bedford Stuyvesant, Disco Ritchie competed and came in first place, but even more importantly, he noticed Shelton D (who was in a group named "The Bugouts") and liked his voice. He also felt that they would look good together, and so he gave Shelton the lyrics. They both felt Shelton sounded good on the song and that they made a good fit. At first he wanted to use his younger Brother Brian which had a subdivision group called Young Divine. Before ever recording, the group was known for playing music in Bedford Stuyvesant Lafayette park. The Brooklyn Dee Jays were known for playing funky base line grooves. Dee Jay Mike Music Brought the funk into the hip hop game in the eary years.
Success
The group went to many record companies pushing the song, but it was at Streetwise that the suggestion would be made to have some females sing the hook of the chorus instead of Ritchie. The girls that did backing vocals for Kool and the Gang ended up being singing the hook and it pushed the song into popularity with 6 months of airplay in New York. Also the group had a smash hit in New York which old school rap shows play today "Do or Dir Bed-stuy" a big hit for the Brooklyn based hip hop trio.
Releases
- What People Do For Money/Dollar Bill (12") 1984
- Changes (We Go Through) (12") 1984
- How Fast Money Goes (12") 1985
- Me & My Posse (12") 1986
- ''My Mother (12") 1986
"boy your too fat"
"do or die bed-stuy"
"do or die 2"
"The Circus"
Trivia
Ritchie claims that DJ Mike Music was the first DJ to rap on a record. No other dee jay was recorded on wax before D.j Mike Music
The track "Do or Die Bed Sty" is sampled in the song "Baby Battle Scratch" by Lemon Jelly