Today brings word of the passing of Steve Williams aka Stezo
Presumably from Covid
He was only 52
Stezo was actually from New Haven
As was his partner Chris Lowe
Who out out some new records with Large Professor when I was in college
I had a hip hop show on the radio station
He came by the studio to promote the record
Unfortunately, at the time I didn’t know about his connection to Stezo, so I missed the chance to talk about him
Stezo’s first single has been one of my favorite records for years
In a previous dose we reviewed a bit about Arthur Russell
The cellist, artist, dj, producer, avantist
He founded Sleeping Bag records, an independent NY label putting out the new sound in the 80s
It had a subsidiary (or maybe just sister) label called Fresh
Fresh was the hip hop side of the house
Mantronix, Just Ice, T La Rock
And most famously EPMD
Stezo was signed to Fresh
I’ll not certain, but I believe Kurtis Mantronik was responsible for signing all the hip hop talent
In addition to making the groundbreaking beats for Mantronix and others
Aside: if you want to hear the origin of today’s “trap” beats, and the 808 sound, listen to Mantronik’s production in the mid 80s
https://www.youtube.com/Ot3YiR7Y8kA
(for example)
I’m probably being a nostalgic lame, but they still can’t touch his shit 35 years later
Stezo’s debut single wasn’t by Mantronik, though, and had a completely different sound
The b side is the more famous
https://youtu.be/Z8C7G5D7HSc
Hear those fatback drums?
https://youtu.be/IiqO3fB4I78
That’s this, from a legendary (and rare) album from Skull Snaps
It’s probably formed the basis of 2 thousand beats since Stezo in 1989
It’s my second favorite break of all time
However, I love the a-side of Stezo’s first 12″ even more
Impossibly funky riff is courtesy of Bettye Lavette
And get appropriately-titled Soul Tambourine
*her appropriately-titled
https://youtu.be/jfkvFtjZ4cU
The record just oozes late 80s style
Visually, too. Please take a look at the jacket and sleeve
The high top fades, ripped denim, fronts, gold chains
“break from the pack – join the sleeping bag/fresh team!”
Close up
Other side of the sleeve shows the absolute murderers row they had
Stezo was also an incredible dancer
Not really a bboy, but he was the pinnacle of that kind of slide/spin/shake/step of the late 80s/early 90s
(I may or may not have embarrassed myself trying to copy the moves in my room)
Per internet accounts he was recently working as a barber, having just opened his own shop
Hard not to speculate on possible virus acquisition this way
Sad day, and terrible loss
Rest in Power Stezo
