GONNA TAKE YOU BACK>>>> WAY BACK>>>TO THE OLD SKOOL>>>>


Yo, step back two centuries — we talkin’ Industrial Revolution, fool. Steam engines, smoke stacks, and stacks of paper. No cameras, no Insta, no TikTok. Nah, this hustle wasn’t televised, but the grind was real.

Way back in the day, a tight-ass crew rose up from Benwell — real OGs of the West End. Their turf was Newcastle, their game was industry, and the coin? Flowin’ like the Tyne, baby. Big cribs, long streets — mansions for miles. It was paradise for this original world class wreckin cru, real G status.

And the shot-caller? William Armstrong, the muthaf***in’ Baron of Boom. This dude ain’t play — he made bank off iron, steel, and killin’ machines. Tanks, guns, the whole nine. But yo — he said it was all in the name of peace... yeah, a’ight. Still, homie stacked bills like Lego.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Armstrong,_1st_Baron_Armstrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKT7VHCXrl8#t=21

The West End dons didn’t just run biz — they ran dynasties. Kept it in the fam, yo, ‘cause blood is thicker than contracts. Land in Northumberland, castles on hills — they flipped their street cred into lordship. Royalty, G-style.

http://www.biblio.com/book/benwells-big-houses-social-history-greatbatch/d/797305742

But like all empires, their game started to slide. Industry fell off, but the paper? Still stacked. The hood changed, Benwell got civilian’d out. The OGs bounced, took their loot elsewhere. From factories to finance — global domination on the down low.

These Gs saw the future, dawg. They switched it up — dropped the old names, played it humble. But behind the scenes? They moved weight. Banks, offshore accounts, multinational smoke screens. From local bosses to the Great & Good — the same Gs, just new suits. Slicker than ever.

Statues went up. Streets took their names. Suddenly they was heroes. Ain’t nobody asked who paid the price. The little people? Left in the dust yo. That’s the street, man — cold world, no mittens.




Later on, they dressed up like they cared — joined the dev agencies, urban projects, community talk. “For the people,” they said, while countin’ them dividends. New mask, same grind. Ain’t nothin’ changed but the branding.

Follow the funds — from Armstrong to Ridley, from Spence Watson to Lamb — the names might be old, but the hustle’s eternal.
http://indiamond6.ulib.iupui.edu/cdm/ref/collection/CDP/id/908

The OGs of the West End became the global ca$h cru and they still run the game, they don't have a hood anymore, they don't need one, it's all one big hood.

So next time you walk through Benwell, see them statues, ride down Armstrong Road in your low rider — remember the OGs who laid the bricks... and counted the coins.
OGs of the West End — >4 LIFE<.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Newcastle_upon_Tyne#Industrialisation

Armstrong
Ridley
Clayton
Stephenson
Buddle
Pease
Ridley
Richardson
Joicey
Cookson
Noble
Spence Watson
Lamb

BOOGIE DOWN BENWELL WAS MIXED LIVE AT THE WEST ALLOTMENT LABOUR CLUB BY DJ ARMORER DONKIN FROM THE SIGNALS PROFESSIONAL DJ TEAM™

Signals From The North - Boogie Down Benwell

brief biog kind of stuff.... I took the usual avenue into dj’ing for somebody from my generation: proper electro, chicago house then found detroit techno...and never looked back.
I started djing in early 90’s playing parties and just being a very eager young un, willing to play anywhere.. The first proper gig I got was playing at seminal newcastle techno night Bloated, then got involved in a night called curious yellow in newcastle in the late 90’s that brought surgeon, lost’s steve bicknell, james ruskin and space djz amongst others to the toon. not long after that I was one of the residents at reverb, a techno and drum n’bass weekly in newcastle playing alongside carl craig, baby ford, dj bone, mr c, vince watson and many other techno and house luminaries of that era. In that time I dj’d at a fair few parties and clubs around the northeast and further afield, put out a few 12”s then took a break from djing wanting to spend time with family. after a few years off the scene I finally ended up regularly spinning for the signals crew in newcastle, playing old school chicago, detroit techno and H.O.U.S.E.

Signals is a record label based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. 

Limted edition vinyl, cassettes & limited artwork multiples.

Signals From The North - Boogie Down Benwell

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