Artist
The East Flatbush Project
Why we feature this artist East Flatbush Project: Spencer Bellamy’s independent route A Madman’s Dream offers an early doorway into East Flatbush Project. The production gives the rapper a distinct setting without overwhelming the performance, an approach that…
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Why we feature this artist
East Flatbush Project: Spencer Bellamy’s independent route
A Madman’s Dream offers an early doorway into East Flatbush Project. The production gives the rapper a distinct setting without overwhelming the performance, an approach that becomes easier to understand through Spencer Bellamy’s own account of learning to make records and building an independent outlet for them.
From DJing to 10/30 Uproar
Bellamy described beginning around Howie Tee’s DJ crew before becoming interested in the studio process. Watching other producers work, then finding opportunities to use equipment himself, became part of the practical education behind his own recordings.
After an early experience producing for another artist and a period finishing his education, he formed East Flatbush Project. His 10/30 Uproar label provided a route for the records to reach listeners without depending entirely on an outside company’s timetable.
The singles tell the story
The catalogue is especially well approached through individual records. A Madman’s Dream and Can’t Hold It Back later appeared together in a Funky Dividends reissue, preserving the pairing in a compact vinyl programme. Tried by 12 supplies another important point of recognition in Bellamy’s work.
The attraction is in the production’s economy. A particular musical figure and the weight of the drums establish a setting quickly; the vocal then gives the track its changing detail. The instrumental identity remains strong enough to be remembered on its own.
Begin with A Madman’s Dream and continue to the companion single. Bellamy’s firsthand history adds useful context, showing how these recordings emerged from a producer learning the practical and business sides of independent hip-hop.