Boostin' Kev

Reminisce about the golden era of hip-hop.

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stype_ones
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Boostin' Kev

Post by stype_ones »

This is true TROY shit right here..

Boostin' Kev was a Lo Life (for anyone not familiar, the Lo' Lifes were a crew from Brooklyn NY- a merging of the Polo USA crew (United Shoplifters Association) from Marcus Garvey Village in Brownsville and Ralphie's Kids from St. Johns Place and Utica Ave in Crown Heights. I'm sure most know the history, but there is extensive information on the LL's on the net for those who wish to go deeper. The Source did a 2 or 3 part series in their later years on the crew. Big Vic-Lo, BKA Thirstin Howell III is one of the founding members of the crew, which came about officially around 1988 in Brooklyn, although it really was never about Lo as much as it was about poor, grimey dudes in BK who were just trying to be fly by any means. Throughout the early to mid 90's, the lore of Polo Ralph Lauren, and the claims of being a "Lo' Life" grew and the number of people throughout NYC, then the states, and eventually the world (especially Japan) would grow at a rapid pace.

From what is known, Boostin' Kev hung himself in his jail cell at some point in perhaps the late 90's or early 2000's. I am not privy to all the info, so anyone who can shed light would be well appreciated. DJ Premier gives him a RIP shout out in the Gang Starr track "Eulogy" from the 2003 album "The Ownerz", therefore we can all infer it was prior to that.

Kev first started making recorded music in 1991. He was akin to a Biz Markie type. Not the greatest MC per se, but someone who seemed to embody Hip Hop in terms of the time period and nostalgia in retrospect, but never one who you thought was pushing the envelope and being a trendsetter from a lyrical standpoint. Just dope music for what we here call the TROY era.

I never want to talk anything about the dead, but there is an article about some Lo Life's that I will try to dig up that tried to discredit Kev as a real Lo Life, but I am not an expert on the specifics about early 90's BK drama, although I do consider myself someone who knows a good deal about the LL's and throughout my time have known some and have rocked much LO personally- not anywhere as much as some of my friends, but more than a few for sure. Over the last 10-15 years I consider myself an RRL head and can display a closet that will show and prove.

But I digress. My reason for the post is I wanted to hear Kev's " That Be Boostin Remix" for some strange reason today at work and went on youtube. To my shock, the video for the original was uploaded. This is indeed a rare find. My boy had it on VHS back in the day, and I never thought I'd ever see it again. So peep below for the video and some joints to start the thread, and in :phila: fashion, add on with anything you can if you're into it..



The remix beat is better, from the dope 12" from 95..




Smoke You On The Mic



Dunt Da Dunt Dunt


stype_ones
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by stype_ones »

Go Parker The DJ




I'm A Booster


stype_ones
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by stype_ones »

Apparently, based off the link in the video on youtube, his demo has emerged on Soundcloud..

https://soundcloud.com/hidingplaceplace ... n-kev-demo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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fatboybrandon
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by fatboybrandon »

He definitely sounds up there in terms of skill within the history of the few good Polo boostin MCs in Hip Hop. This is my first time hearing of him.

Here's a Lo Life history podcast by one of the gang members, he's got a lot of cool stories and interviews: https://www.spreaker.com/show/shillz-da ... esq-s-show" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I remember the early 90's being a crazy time to go to public school here in NYC because of the aspiration of all these ghetto kids wanting to be dipped.
Audio: Organized Konfusion Interviewed by DJ Riz & WildMan Steve, 1994 http://bit.ly/stress1994" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScholarWenis
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by ScholarWenis »

Good read, I always wanted to know more info on this guy. I heard his single "That Be Boostin" a few years ago and thought it was really dope.

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WiCkEd22
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by WiCkEd22 »

Dope post. I bought that Boostin' Kev 12inch new back in 1995 from Zeebra Records in San Francisco as Zeebra always had all the latest New York indy underground HipHop 12inch singles and what not. I had no clue who he was when I bought it, but as I regularly did back then, I took a chance and I'm glad I did. I did end up hearin "That Be Boostin" on a couple of College Radio HipHop Shows soon after...

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gusty wingers
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by gusty wingers »

I think premo also shouts him out on in memory of...
Bury me with the Sergio Tacchini on

Verge
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by Verge »

nice quality on that video. Its amazing the amount of videos have surfaced of shit i never knew had videos. I always loved that Boostin 12. Thought he was Bizmark when i first heard him rhyming but figured it out. I envy the vintage Lo gear heads have, lol.

HeRBaN LyRiX
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by HeRBaN LyRiX »

Yo, these tunes are pretty interesting thanks for introducing him to me...






1
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clark bent
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by clark bent »

dunt da dunt dunt was my shit

had no clue he was in that lo lifes crew

mathematik
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by mathematik »

WoW that remix was fire! "Tellemblancosentya" recently posted a pic of Boosting Kev on ig and every was discussing his life and boosting skills. Never knew he rapped

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TheBigSleep
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Re: Boostin' Kev

Post by TheBigSleep »

pradadon wrote:From what is known, Boostin' Kev hung himself in his jail cell at some point in perhaps the late '90s or early 2000s. I am not privy to all the info, so to anyone who can shed light, it would be well appreciated. DJ Premier gives him a R.I.P. shout out in the Gang Starr track "Eulogy" from the 2003 album "The Ownerz", therefore we can all infer it was prior to that.
August 10th, 1997.

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