John Kuester -- aka Kid Millions -- and Chris Schulist have launched a new label, Dope Folks Records, that is reissuing rare rap records. They get the party officially started on Aug. 14.
"We are doing limited edition rare rap 12"s from the '80s and '90s," says Kuester. "Our (first) release is coming out Monday."
That record is the "Turntable Scientist" EP by Greensboro, N.C.-based Mixmasta "D". The platter -- first issued in 1993 -- is limited to 300 copies and runs $20.
For its next trick, Dope Folks will focus on its hometown, says Kuester.
"Our second release is scheduled to come out around mid-to-late September and is from Milwaukee," he says. "The group is called Stranj Child and this is all material from around 1995 that never came out."
The label's third release is also a Milwaukee nugget: two EPs by Rock La Flow recorded circa 1994-96.
While you wait for those to arrive, check out the Dope Folks Records Release Party Record Spin at Blackbird on Saturday, Aug. 14 at 10 p.m.
And click here to hear a track from Dope Folks' debut release.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
