Nick Wiz Presents: Cellar Sounds, Vol. 1: 1992-1998

In an industry where both longevity and productivity can be fleeting, few producers can claim the continued diligence of Nick Wiz. Born in NYC, but raised across the river in nearby Teaneck, New Jersey, Nick Wiz has been a Hip-Hop mainstay since his teenage years. Having first impacted the early 90's Hip-Hop scene with his beat contributions to Ecko Unlimited's "Underground Airplay" cassette series (which are now highly collectable); Wiz's sound was a considerable part of the early Lyricist Lounge movement. Working with Lounge alum, The Cella Dwellas, on their classic 1996 debut album, further cemented Nick Wiz as an up-and-coming beat phenom. From there his unique fusion of filters, horns, smacking SP-1200 drums and dense bass-lines were soon heard on projects from Mad Skillz, Darc Mind, Chubb Rock, Chino XL, Rakim and others. With this influx of production work coming his way, Nick's New Jersey studio, appropriately named "The Cellar", was constantly flooded with both Hip-Hop's elite talent and the best of the 90's underground scene as well. While a lot of the material produced and recorded by Wiz found its way to full-length CD releases, countless other tracks were unreleased, relegated to vinyl bootlegs / 12" only versions, or cassette only. With the help of No Sleep Recordings, Nick Wiz has finally pulled out his original DAT tapes and un-vaulted some gems. "Cellar Sounds Vol. 1" is an anthology of vintage unreleased material from the likes of Rakim, The Cella Dwellas, and Channel Live all the way to underground favorites like Shabaam Sahdeeq, Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard and Lord Have Mercy. Also found on this incredible 2CD set are selections from the obscure "Underground Airplay" tapes, unreleased remixes of classic songs, and amazing demos from lyricists throughout NYC and New Jersey. Forty-four tracks in total, spanning from Wiz's early recordings in 1992 to his zenith in 1998, this is a true time-capsule of the Nineties underground Hip-Hop sound; presented in perfect digital quality! Part three of the "For Those That Slept" series.