Spoken Word
The Beat Generation & The 3 Angels
The original Beats made their own rules, celebrating life at the margins of American society. The movement that begun in the 1940's with Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs soon swelled to include other avant-garde poets and writers, as well as filmmakers and visual artists on both the East and West Coasts. There are many parallels between the Beat Poets of the past and the musical Beats of the now.

Although once rejected by mainstream society as outlaws, rebels, and being morally dangerous, today the Beats are recognised as icons of America's counterculture and as one of the most influential cultural movements of the 20thcentury. This statement originally made about the writers of the 50's is also a true expression of Hip-Hop music and its relationship with society.

The Beat Generation is a dynamic series of albums. It has started a frenzy of dialogue amongst the worlds 'beat' community. There are going to be some very exciting musical years- 'oh uh get ready...'

Releases are forthcoming from King Britt and DJ Spinna, as well as current Beat Generation releases:

DJ Jazzy Jeff exploded onto the music scene with partner in crime Will 'The Fresh Prince' Smith. With over 10 million records sold, 3 Grammies & continual guest appearances on a spin-off TV show, Jeff was soon a household name. 5 years later Jeff went on to start A Touch of Jazz, a full scale, musical production facility housing a team of talented young producers.

One of hip hop's legends delivers his first solo album in recent years. The album features appearances from legendary hip hop artists Big Daddy Kane and Capone as well as the talents of the all time great jazz funk maestro Roy Ayers and Edwin Birdsong.

The Music The Black Eyed Peas' music incorporates everything from hip-hop, jungle and trip-hop, so, the title of their sophomore album Bridging The Gap was no surprise. "I'm trying to bridge the gap to those closed minded people who think hip-hop is only a certain way because they've just been listening to it for so long," explains will.i.am, the groups lead rapper. "They fell in love with it when it was about gun toting."

Best known for his work with CL Smooth, and his remixes for Public Enemy, House of Pain, Mary J Blige and Mick Jagger to mention a few. The SoulBrother Number One's album is a beats album with a total of 5 MC cuts across the two different pressings, including a new track with CL Smooth.

Whether you know it not, Jay Dee's been rocking you for years, producing chart topping hits for rap luminaries Jay-Z, Common, De La Soul and Busta Rhymes, Tribe and Erykah Badu, as well as Janet Jackson and The Brand New Heavies, this is the roll call of how Jay Dee blasted off.

"My undertaking of the beat generation came about from me having a desire to provide a creative platform for some of my favourite producers - that was simply the connection...the series unfolded from a series of coincidences - a combination of chance meetings and the power of the hip-hop grapevine ...and has been successful as it has enabled them to incorporate within their music the different influences that have inspired them so far...I realised that most of the producers that I admire have vast record collections including a great amount of music they are not as well known for...like Brazilian, rock, jazz, disco, house and so on....so I decided to give them the opportunity to show people a different side to their skills, one which major labels and the mainstream audience would not normally recognise them for...and of course running a label I am always concerned with putting out quality music, real music for real people...All the producers I admire listen to all types of music and I wanted them to create a mirror image of themselves"

"The No 1 Label in the UK" (Gilles Peterson 14/6/1)
"Hip hop is returning to its rhythmic roots" (Hip Hop Rap News)
"The Concept of the Beat Generation is based on artistic freedom. Major labels wouldn't appreciate the artistic freedom like BBE" (Pete Rock)
"Releasing music was more a result of unfulfilled desires than as part of a business plan" (Peter Adarkwah)
"Europe has long been known as the place where artists could create in an environment where they're not taken for granted" (Source 2001)
"Experimental ear candy" (Source 2001)