As Hip-Hop first exploded throughout New York City's boroughs and
surrounding towns, a new generation was emerging--the first to be raised
on the genre. At the center of it all was a collective known as the
Juice Crew, led by the charismatic radio personality Mr. Magic, whose
Rap Attack was the first program of its kind on a commercial station.
His DJ/engineer Marley Marl pioneered production techniques that defined
the golden era of Hip-Hop and formed the basis of Cold Chillin' Records,
which was founded in 1986 by Len Fichtelberg and Tyrone Williams.
Goin' Off chronicles the rise and fall of Cold Chillin' and its
partnership with Warner Bros. Records. It follows the careers of the
label's recording artists through first-hand accounts of industry
players, producers, MCs, and DJs: Roxanne Shanté was a fourteen-year-old
battle rapper who spawned the diss record; MC Shan engaged in a
legendary cross-borough feud with KRS-One; Kool G Rap was a foundational
participant in what the media dubbed "gangsta rap"; Big Daddy Kane's
quick-witted lyricism changed the way people rhyme; the collegiate Masta
Ace sought to uplift his community during the height of the crack
epidemic; The Genius (aka GZA) co-founded the rap dynasty Wu- Tang Clan;
and the enigmatic Biz Markie had the world singing along to his hit
anthem "Just a Friend." Plagued by corporate censorship and a landmark
sample-related lawsuit in the 1990s, Cold Chillin' folded, leaving
behind a legacy shrouded in controversy and a catalog that influenced
multiple generations of rap artists.
