Prince Be is the late co-founder, producer, and lead singer of PM Dawn. “Set Adrift On Memory Bliss” and a handful of their hits were mainstays in the 90s and the style of hip-hop he helped create paved the way for many, from Kanye West to Justin Timberlake. “You are a huge influence on me and so many,” wrote Timberlake, upon Be’s death in 2016.

As a producer, Be worked with Timberlake and The Backstreet Boys, The Bee Gees, Earth Wind & Fire, and Elton John. He was always digging and was a constant fixture at record shows, including the now legendary Roosevelt Conventions in New York City. When the Stark Reality was a $500 album and Mulatu of Ethiopia was exchanging hands for $125 these were considered impossible sums for many open-minded collectors. Be was making hits and spending his hard-earned dough in search for the perfect break-beat and sample.

His record collection bears witness to this. His collection touches all genres - soul, jazz, rock and sound library records - from the common to the obscure. On the obscure, he went deep. There are the spiritual jazz records on the lauded Tribe label, the 90s-grails which have gotten no easier to source, like Dennis Coffey’s Hair and Thangs, and thousands of other albums.

Prince Be’s long-time friend Georges Sulmers, who issued some of Be’s music as Mood Swingaz on his Raw Shack Records imprint in the 1990s, has gone through and curated a series of records from Be’s collection that he will sell at this, the first installment of a handful of Rappcats pop-ups.

“My relationship with Be started because of our love of music. We were able to make some cool records together, but it is our friendship and brotherhood that I cherished the most.” Georges says. “ I'm honored and grateful The Cordes family has allowed me to be a part of this.”

PRINCE BE RECORD COLLECTION

Saturday, September 17, Noon-6PM
Rappcats, 5638 York Blvd, Los Angeles

All of these records are being sold on behalf of Prince Be's family and come with a Rappcats card that testifies to the records’ provenance. Be’s son Brandon gives his thought on his collection:

“Aside from his musical creations, my father’s record collection was his life’s work I feel my father looked at his collection as if it was his own personal time machine! I think he left his collection behind as a blueprint for my brother, sister and I to dive into our own taste and go on our own sound safaris. I am eternally grateful to him.”

Photo of Prince Be and Pete Rock, Roosevelt Hotel Record Collection, 1990s – by John Carraro, courtesy of Waxpoetics.