New York, NY (TREA DAY MANAGEMENT & PUBLICITY) - Profiled by MTV in the late 90's as representatives of the sound of New York's underground, Nervous Records is back in action and poised to regain its position at the forefront of hip hop with A-Alike's 2006 release, I Eat You Eat.
The ambitious label that pioneered the success of notable acts such as Funkmaster Flex, Smif-N-Wessun and Black Moon, emerged in 1991 when Manhattan's 12' vinyl stores were teeming with activity on Friday nights. Nervous President Michael Weiss recalls, '…when local indies would make drop offs, the deejays hanging by the counters would nervously grab at records when the boxes were opened.'
This energy of anticipation ignited Weiss to get in on the action, and also inspired the label's name and logo. 'I remember a time at Vinylmania when a worker tossed a 12' to an anxious customer and mistakenly hit someone in the head.'
Since then the NY-based attorney helped make a few hits of his own while fostering Nervous' objectives to represent the hottest, newest sound of the East coast and give that talent the means to develop, expand and finally be discovered. This mission was exemplified in Black Moon's Enta Da Stage (350K), Smif-N-Wessun's Dah Shinin (300K) and Mad Lion's Real Ting (200K).
Like any other burgeoning label, Nervous has endured its share of bumps and bruises. One of the more publicized challenges stemmed from their parting of ways with Buck Shot and Duck Down. In an attempt to dispel rumors, Weiss states, 'Buck Shot never had any equity in Nervous…our breakup was simply a case of too much happening too soon. Both parties would have probably been better off had we stayed together, but it wasn't meant to be.'
'Despite all of the animosity and hostility that existed between Nervous and Duck Down during our break up, currently both entities have a solid working relationship. We are collaborating on a DVD anthology that will include nine original videos from Black Moon and Smif-N-Wessun,' Weiss added.
No stranger to the industry, Weiss' 'musical' lineage dates back to the early 50's when his father Sam Weiss got his start in the jukebox business and eventually opened Win Records, NY's first record distribution company. Prior to this landmark, few major labels controlled their own distribution. Sam's brother Hy Weiss headed the promotions department at Staxx Records in the 60's, ruling the R&B genre with artists like Isaac Hayes and Johnny Taylor.
Keeping inline with such ground breaking style, the A-Alikes's I Eat You Eat project according to Weiss, 'poses the perfect opportunity to give back to music consumers what seems to be missing in this current force-fed climate of empty lyrics and mediocre talent.'
Nervous Records remains true to their commitment to put out music that is not watered down by commercialization or internal corporate politics. 'We will continue to allow people to hear music as the artist wants it to be heard, the A-Alikes and their strong messages deserve that voice,' proclaims Weiss.
'With the release of the single 'What's Your Politic?', I am confident that Nervous will supersede its success with Black Moon that lead to Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and the Boot Camp Clique…I would like to see this happen for the Guerilla Nation and RBG Movement.'
To learn more about Nervous Records and the A-Alikes, visit www.nervousnyc.com, www.aalikes.net. Media inquires contact Trea Day Management & Publicity at 404 460-5557 or visit www.treaday.com.
