Got some sad news today that Chilly B, from New York old school rap crew Newcleus died yesterday of a stroke, at only age 47. It’s sad news for all electro funk and old school hip hop fans, Newcleus had some really huge hits in the early 80s…classic old tracks like Jam On It, and Jam On Revenge, I Wanna Be a B-Boy, Computer Age and I Am Not a Robot.
I’ve picked one of their lesser known tracks, from their first album Jam On Revenge, released in 1984. It’s much deeper and darker than most of the electro of its time, with live bass guitar (played by Chilly B), beautiful dark strings and arpeggio synth lines over a heavy drum track. It’s atmospheric and a little melancholy, and really I think it sounds more like the electro being produced in the last few years as opposed to something that’s nearly 30 years old now. A real future jam.
RIP Chilly B, my thoughts to your family and the rest of Newcleus.
For a better look at the history of Newcleus (and one of their classic party jams to listen to) check out this article over at Cold Crush: Chilly B of Newcleus: A Tribute
Ps, there are a whole stack of Newcleus albums for sale at the official Jam On Productions online store. Check it out because by buying from there you are supporting the artists directly so go on and show a little love!
Wow, Newcleus had a wayyy darker core than I realized—a far cold cry from the wiki-wiki-wiki chipmunk voices that I heard booming from ghetto blasters in ’83.
If there’s one thing I love about music, it’s discovering lesser known tracks that blow me away. So I have you to thank for this one. Superb, thanks for the share.
Yeah man, this is the jam. Real deep dark piece of electro. Expect it in an upcoming mix soon!
Just stumbled upon the sad news about chilly B, I recently reached a grand age of 40, as a young teenager in England/ Bolton, I was swept up in what people now call old skool hip hop or techno rap? Us ancients new it as electro – a name we took from street sounds original compilation releases, at the time Newcleus were pretty underground, but established themselves across the scene, a personal, later, favourite of mine was Automan a futuristic romance of a kind.
I’ll always have found memories, popping and breaking on lino in town, to Jam On It or Jam On Revenge(wiki wiki song – Electro1).
So here’s to Chilly B – the surefire, full blooded bonafide house rockin’ Jam-On Production MC – Gone, but never forgotten.