Happy 30th Anniversary to Bahamadia’s debut album Kollage, originally released March 19, 1996 (Note: select sources cite April 2, 1996 as the official release date.).
As I’ve written more than a few times, style often prevailed over substance in mainstream hip-hop during the mid to late 1990s. Rap artists were well aware that selling an image trumped skill if they were trying to secure play on radio and MTV (back when that was really important). But even during the nascent days of the “shiny suit era” of rap, there were emcees that chose to lead by example and stay committed to their craft as emcees. One of these emcees was Bahamadia.
Antonia “Bahamadia” Reed was as dope an emcee as any during this period of hip-hop history. Her monotone and raspy vocals were captivating, and her delivery was versatile. The Philadelphia native’s lyrical performance on her debut album, Kollage, released 30 years ago, is absolutely central to its creative success. As she told Sean Kantrowitz on the Can’t Knock the Shuffle podcast, “I was holding the flag for the B-Girl aesthetic.”
Bahamadia has been putting in work as an emcee since the early 1990s, first appearing under her government name on fellow Philly artist HanSoul’s “Imagination” remix in 1991. She then earned the attention of Gang Starr’s Guru through the solo track “Funk Vibe,” which appeared on Funky Vibez (1993), a six song EP featuring other independent Philadelphia rappers.
Guru was impressed and recruited her on one of his Ill Kid samplers that he released later that year. During the mid-1990s, through his Ill Kid Records imprint, Guru would press up vinyl copies of three to four song samplers of demos he’d heard and enjoyed. The aim was to get the artists record deals, and he had a remarkably high success rate.
The Guru-produced “Total Wreck” appears on the Ill Kid Jumbo Sampler (1993) with her credited as “Bahamadiah.” On a collection of really dope rough and rugged East Coast hip-hop, “Total Wreck” is its pinnacle. It’s a fittingly aggressive track, with Bahamadia delivering a relentless spray of lyrics. Her flow and breath control are impeccable over the song’s three verses, demonstrating her ample talent and potential.
Guru would help her secure a deal with Chrysalis, home to Gang Starr throughout much of their career. The label eventually re-released the “Total Wreck” 12-inch single in 1994, which featured an equally dope and jazzy remix by Guru on the B-side.
Kollage wouldn’t be released for another two years, but Bahamadia spent the build-up delivering a series of outstanding guest verses. She was a highlight of songs like The Roots’ “Proceed III,” Guru’s “Respect the Architect,” and Big Kap’s “Da Ladies In the House.” By the time her debut dropped, heads knew that she was a force to be reckoned with, and she did not disappoint.
Bahamadia opens Kollage with “WordPlay,” another Guru-produced entry. It’s a different animal than “Total Wreck” (which also appears on the album), in that it’s fairly placid. Guru executes a DJ Premier-esque chop of Paul Jackson’s “Funk Times Three,” taking pieces of its bassline and horn stabs. Bahamadia kicks three verses, but keeps things brief, mixing abstract imagery and pop culture references with her wandering, jazz-inspired flow.
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Bahamadia exercises her precision on “Rugged Ruff,” the best of three DJ Premier-produced tracks on Kollage. She again displays her mastery of cadence and breath control, repeatedly switching up her delivery and blending perfectly with the track’s understated horns and keyboards. She begins her second verse by rapping, “Compositions be causing calamities rapidly / What MC would dare take a stab at thee vocabulary mastery / Presented retention extended through iller style invented / Brain cells excel like V6 engines when I be entering.”
Bahamadia also secures production outside of the Gang Starr Foundation. On the Can’t Knock the Shuffle podcast, she revealed she originally hoped the production line-up on her debut would mirror Nas’ Illmatic (1994). Unfortunately, neither Pete Rock nor Q-Tip were available. However, she was able secure the services of other skilled producers of the era.
She enlists Da Beatminerz to craft the tracks “Spontaneity” and “Innovation.” Both songs feature her rapping in a mix of written rhymes and off-the-head lyrics to ethereal backdrops, as she touts herself as a peer to crews like De La Soul, Ultramagnetic MCs, and Freestyle Fellowship.
“Spontaneity” is the better of the two, as the production team utilizes the same sample that they’d give to Heltah Skeltah/OGC for “Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka,” adding in thumping drums and a few melodic breakdowns. Bahamadia gives another virtuoso performance, constantly modulating and modifying her flow as she lets her consciousness stream. She effectively sums up the album’s themes as she raps, “Depicted kicked it true / Vibes pops jazz but collaborated with the cool / Known flows, but unfamiliar grooves that soothe / Individuals’ moods like soul food for thought…”
She teams up with Ski for “Uknowhowwedu,” the album’s second single. The song is a dedication to the city of her birth, as she uses both verses to name check local hip-hop related legends and anthems, often focusing on the lesser-known personalities like the aforementioned HanSoul, Lady B, MC Jewel T, Divine Beings, and The Man They Call Lux.
Though Bahamadia handles most of the rapping duties herself, she occasionally works with other rappers. Most notable is “Da Jawn,” which is produced by The Roots and features verses from Black Thought and Malik B. The song’s music backdrop sounds in keeping with many Roots mid-1990s creations, with all three emcees delivering their verses to a vibe-heavy, dream-like groove. Black Thought leads off and, as would be the case through his career, sounds sharp as he raps, “I'm hailing from the brotherly land / I stand sharp, it started or began at the park / Expanded years and grew into careers / Competition? What? Fuck 'em! I cut 'em like shears.” Malik delivers a remarkably strong closing verse, boasting, “Most of y'all n****s with ya legislation / Revoke ya recitation and continue with my recitation.”
Bahamadia is joined by more Philadelphia-based peers on “3 The Hard Way,” with her, K-Swift, and Mecca Starr forming a formidable three-headed Cerberus. The track is a banging lyrical brawl, as Premier takes a string sample and backs it with rugged drums. Though neither K-Swift nor Mecca were rarely heard from after this song, both give memorable performances. Bahamadia both leads off and ends things with a pair of brief verses, flowing as effortlessly as ever. “Heads relax and play the back when I spill,” she raps. “I regulate a flow like chicks on birth control pills.”
Bahamadia does delve into some topical material on Kollage. Most notable is the Preemo-produced “True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Shit).” Over a mellow but bouncy track, she relates a night out in the club with her friend “Kia,” admonishing for her using overly sexually suggestive behavior and dress to attract the attention of rappers in attendance. “Your actions bounce on all these chicks in here like a reflector,” she raps. “I’m trying to school you sis; it’s plain that you don't know no better.”
Bahamadia’s pair of collaborations with producer N.O. Joe give the album a distinct sonic and thematic direction. The lush backdrops and live instrumentation are ideal for Bahamadia’s more earnest entries. I will admit that though I didn’t really dig either of these songs during my younger years, I’ve grown to appreciate both with three decades behind me.
On “I Confess,” she courts the object of her desire, known for his “roughneck mannerism, fly disposition.” Her flows and rhyme construction here are as complex as anything featured on the album’s other pure lyrical displays. The second, the album-closing “Biggest Part of Me,” is her heartfelt dedication to her son, as she hopes to guide him through his childhood and help him grow into a loving adult. Her son, Mah Jin Wong, has grown up to become a very successful fashion designer, even appearing on the 2016 season of Project Runway.
For whatever reason, Bahamadia did not release much material after Kollage. She recorded the independently released “mini-album” BB Queen (2000) as well as Good Rap Music (2005). However, she has stayed active, recording guest verses and loose solo tracks, along with touring extensively. Her name still rings out amongst hip-hop heads from around the world.
In an interview with Ambrosia For Heads in 2016, she lamented that “nobody has done any justice in terms of really documenting accurately the contribution that I’ve made towards the global community of Hip-Hop.” I’m far from an authority, but I’ll say that Bahamadia is an awesome emcee whose powerful rhymes spoke for themselves, as she used her abilities to make an album that is distinct in its greatness today. Maybe not as many people recognize that as they should, but it doesn’t make it any less true.
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