Music & Lyrics: The Soul Rays

Recorded by Ben and Harry in various rehearsal rooms and living rooms around Liverpool, Mixed in Harry's home studio

Musicians:
Fabia Anderson, Nina Cox, Madalina Gheza - Vocals
Phil Dolan - Drums
Ben Parkins - Bass
Harry Andrew Brown - Guitar
Malou Frieden - Baritone Sax
Lukey Beezwax - Tenor Sax
Ben Kennedy - Trombone
Emily McDaid - Trumpet

Girl's Got Game

Produced by: Dr Lekta and Philly Whizz
Beat: Dr Lekta
Music: Peter Hughes
Words/Cuts: Philly Whizz
Additional vocals: Average Keith and Chairman Meow 

Mixed and Mastered : Phil Webster

Strike A Nerve

The Shakti are a Hiphop/rap group from Merseyside/Liverpool. They existed from 2000 – 2008 (Roughly)

Comprising of: Ash The Gent and Philly Whizz – MC’s
                           D.J Rasp (DMC/ITF/Champ) – D.J/Turntablist
                           The Mak of all Trades – Producer, multi-instrumentalist and M.C
                           Sharlene Squire – Singer/Vocalist

The group first came into being in 2000. They immediately gained attention and notoriety due to being one of a few group groups from the North West with a distinctly northern sound/style. Combining Humour/skally lyrics with spirituality.  They gigged extensively in and around the North West, and had a number of labels and managers interested in them. However they decided to set up their own label and put out their own records. Their first E.P ‘Shaktipact’ received favourable reviews in Undercover mag and Big Smoke. Hiphop Connection placed it at number 7 on the U.K Hiphop chart.
With this release their reputation spread throughout the U.K. Resulting in regular gigs in London at Jamm Bar with the MuffJam crew and 93 feet east. They also headlined regular nights in Manchester at Dry bar and Night and Day café, as well as hiphop nights in Leeds and Hull. They also headlined festivals in Liverpool including Music week and the brouhaha and Dave The Ruff’s ‘UK Hip Hop’ showcases festival in Cheshire.
Around this time they released their 2nd E.P entitled ‘The Single File’ E.P this maintained their national distribution with CARGO and received regular radio play and magazine reviews. At this point they were asked to perform a showcase gig at St.Helens Citadel which resulted in a T.V appearance on Granada’s ‘Made in the northwest’
They then released their 3rd and final E.P ‘Sellin a Weed/Poor me’. Around this time one reporter in London’s Big Smoke magazine described them as, ‘ The best live hiphop act in the country’ in addition to this Undercover Mag reviewed the E.P with a 5/5 point award.
This was the last release they put out as they disbanded shortly after this E.P. However an album was recorded and is in the pipeline to be finally mastered and released. Over the years they toured all over England and headlined many events and festivals. The various members remained friends but went their separate ways and have all continue gigging and releasing music.



This archive dates from their first studio recording to the last. 
The first recordings were done in 2001 in Wayward studios in Wigan the songs recorded are:
1 - Rhyme is Meditation
2 - Deaf Dubbed and Smoking
3 - Connector the Connection
The first track feature’s live drums by Rachel, raps/lyrics by Phil and Ash, cuts by Rasp and Mak playing bass and guitar.
The second track gave birth to their infamous skally lyrics about their favourite pastimes i.e. Fighting, drinking, womanizing and drug taking.
The last track was produced by Chrome resident drum and bass beatmaker Mando

Jelly Jam Studio in Runcorn
4 – Northwest Escapades – This version of the track is different from the one that later appeared on the ‘Shaktipact E.P’. This version was released on ‘The Chemical Factory’ compilation album.

2002 – Frog Studio’s, Warrington
5 – Shaktipact
6 – Somebody to blame
These are from the second time The Shakti appeared in a recording studio. They won this studio time after taking first prize in an unsigned band competition at St.Helens Show the same year they headlined The Halton Show.

Maks studio, Toxteth 2005 -2006 ish
7 – Sellin a Weed
8- Poor Me
9 – Bang on
These are from the final recording sessions the band completed for the final E.P. ‘Sellin a weed’ is full of true life comedic tales and ‘bang on’ was an unused posse cut from the same sessions.


Shaktipact

Tracklist : 
1. Guts : Django
2. Dead Horse Beats : I'm Still Waiting
3. Lazlo :Muddy Waters feat. Automato - Walk into the blues
4. Brother Ali : Uncle Sam Goddamn 
5. Animal Nation  : Bacon & Eggs 
6. Gangstagrass : I've Endured
7. OutKast : Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me)
8. R.L. Burnside : Goin' Down South 
9. Chill Bump : The Eponym
10. Zo aka La chauve-souris : Burnin' Ft Phat Kat & Raashan Ahmad 
11. C2C : Dmc Set
12. S'il Vous Play : in the ghetto 
13. Waahli : Sundance
14. Gil Scott Heron & Jamie XX : I'm new here
15. Gil Scott Heron : Me and the devil
16. Omar : the man
17. Travelling Day : Riders in the Sky 
18. DJ Yoda's : Champion Jack Dupree - Walking the Blues 
19. Jukebox Champions : Celebrate
20. Smokey Joe & The Kid : Gone Feat. Sugaray 
21. John Forte : Give Me Water (feat. Valerie June) 
22. Anthony Hamilton & Elayna Boynton : Oh Lord (The Apple Scruffs Edit)
23. Dj Oil : Your Heart
24. Romanowski & Friends : Ghost Rider (Feat. Todd Simon) 
25. Kid Koala : 4 bit Blues

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Hiphop don't stop the Blues

Philly Whizz first became known as an M.C and founder member of Liverpool Hiphop group The Shakti. The group released 3 E.Ps to much acclaim, they toured nationwide and appeared in National press articles and reviews in Hip Hop Connection, Big Smoke and Undercover Magazine. They also appeared LIVE on Granada Television.
Philly released his solo album ‘Up The Wizards Sleeve’ in 2005. For which he teamed up with fellow St.Helens Hiphopper D.J Rasp (DMC/ITF/champ). The album reached ‘Number 4’ on the ‘Hiphop Connection U.K chart’. His video for the song ‘Yer Mam’s Yer Dad’ also became a regular favourite on Channel U. The album was distributed nationwide by CARGO, BOOMDOX and HMV. In 2007 he produced the RandomEra L.P ‘The Searching Years’ which was ‘Number 2’ on the U.K HipHop chart.
He has toured nationwide and received rave reviews. The  2nd  Philly Whizz album ‘Inside The Axe Wound’  was released in 2008. 
He has toured and shared stages with esteemed artists such as:
 Public Enemy, Gang starr, Goldie Lookin chain, Lady Sovereign, Ugly Duckling, DJ Format, Master Ace, Black Twang, Out Da Ville, Tommy Evans, Jehst, Braintax, Youngblood Brass Band.

Shaktipact

Philly Whizz

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