Artifacts (group)
Newark underground duo known for "Wrong Side of Da Tracks".
The Artifacts is an underground hip-hop group from Newark, New Jersey, originally consisting of El Da Sensei and Tame One, with DJ Kaos joining later. They are best known for their single "Wrong Side of Da Tracks" and other songs such as "Easter", "C'Mon wit da Git Down", and "The Ultimate (You Know The Time)".
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
- Genre
- Underground hip-hop
- Years active
- 1988–1998, 2009–2022
- Past members
- El Da Sensei
- Tame One
- DJ Kaos
Facts from the source article.
History
Known as the Brick City Kids, the duo the Artifacts dropped their debut album Between a Rock and a Hard Place on October 25, 1994. It was a hit with underground hip-hop fans, leaning into b-boy and graffiti culture, with production from Buckwild of DITC and T-Ray of the Soul Assassins. Their follow-up, That's Them, arrived on April 15, 1997, offering a similar sound but failing to match the debut's acclaim. The group broke up shortly after. Tame One later joined the Weathermen in 2003, a collective featuring Cage Kennylz, Camu Tao, Aesop Rock, and El-P. With Cage, he formed Leak Bros and released Waterworld. In 2009, Tame One teamed up with Del the Funky Homosapien for Parallel Uni-Verses. El Da Sensei put out multiple solo records, collaborated with Poland's The Returners in 2008, and worked with the East Coast group The Immortals Project in 2009.
Reunion
In 2009, during the Rock Steady Crew Anniversary Weekend in Newark, the Artifacts had a short reunion when El Da Sensei performed. Tame One later said the two hadn't settled their issues, but the horn riff that kicks off "Wrong Side of da Tracks" made him want to join in. The following year, on August 2, at the Rock Steady Crew 33rd Anniversary Celebration in Newark, El Da Sensei, Tame One, and DJ Kaos officially performed together as the Artifacts, mixing solo tracks with group material. They then started work on a new album, and Tame One confirmed their reunion in a March 22, 2013 interview. After signing with Redefinition Records, the group put out their first new music in over a decade on the label's SoundCloud. In 2022, the Artifacts released No Expiration Date, their final album, produced with Buckwild. It was the last record Tame One appeared on before his death.
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