FORCE M.D.'S "Step To Me" LP Mint, Still Sealed 1990 RnB/Swing HIP HOP

$

24

Force M.D.'s Biography by Steve Huey

Krush Groove

Although not as well-known as other New York hip-hop acts of the early '80s, Staten Island's Force M.D.'s were a vital crew in the early history of street hip-hop and one of the first vocal groups to fuse doo wop-influenced harmonies with hip-hop beats. Originally a street troupe known as the LD's, the group sang and danced on Greenwich Village street corners and the Staten Island ferry. Its members included brothers Stevie D and Antoine "TCD" Lundy, their uncle Jesse Lee Daniels, and friends Trisco Pearson and Charles "Mercury" Nelson. The group hooked up with DJ Dr. Rock and, billing themselves as Dr. Rock & the MC's, began playing in local hip-hop venues. However, by the time the group signed to Tommy Boy in 1984 as the Force M.D.'s (M.D. standing for "musical diversity"), they evolved into a more straightforward R&B vocal group, distinguished mostly by their street attitude. The M.D.'s had a string of R&B hits through the '80s, but their only pop hit was the Top Ten Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis-penned ballad "Tender Love," which was featured in the movie Krush Groove. 1987 produced the group's first R&B number one, "Love Is a House," but their popular appeal began to ebb the following year. Mercury and Trisco left in 1990 and were replaced by Rodney "Khalil" Lundy and Shawn Waters. The group released the album Get Ready in 1994 as several members worked with other artists as producers. Though Nelson, Lundy, and DJ Dr. Rock each died an early death (Nelson of a heart attack, Lundy of Lou Gehrig's disease), the group returned in 1998, signed to a contract thanks to fellow Staten Island natives Wu-Tang Clan. 2000's The Reunion, however, failed to chart, and while the group continued to play occasional live shows, they were once again touched by tragedy in 2016 when Trisco Pearson died following a battle with cancer. In 2017, a new lineup of the Force M.D.'s -- Jesse Daniels, Stevie D. Lundy, and Rodney "Khalil" Lundy -- appeared with a new album, Our Favorite Joints. Jesse Lee Daniels died on January 4, 2022 at the age of 58.

Force M.D.'s* – Step To Me

Force MD's - Step To Me album cover

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Label: Tommy Boy – TBLP 25893

Format:

Vinyl, LP

Country: US

Released: 1990

Genre: Hip Hop

Style: RnB/Swing

A1 Are You Really Real?

Producer – Full Force

A2 Step To Me

Featuring – Craig G

Producer – Marley Marl

A3 How's Your Love Life?

Producer – Marley Marl

A4 Walking Into Sunshine

Producer – Full Force

A5 After 12

Producer – Fred McFarlane, Timmy Gatling

B1 Somebody's Crying

Producer – Monte Moir

B2 I Only Wanna Be With You

Producer – Wayne Brathwaite

B3 What's The Name Of That Song?

Producer – Robin Halpin

B4 Watching You

Producer – Fred McFarlane, Timmy Gatling

B5 Why Can't We Be Friends?

Producer – Thomas McElroy

Barcode: 075992589314

GOLDMINE GRADING

MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.

NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.

VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.

VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.

GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.

POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.