TSL01

 Around the corner from The Sound Library–which budded off to birth Big City Records–owner Jared was casually thumbing thru records at a flea market before heading to work. He took his chances on an unmarked 7", gave the guy two bucks, and threw the record into his bag next to his bacon-egg-n-cheese.

He would get to store and drop the needle down to see what he had found...

Somewhere in Queens, the hair on the back of Q-Tip's neck would raise up. Surely, 20 miles away, PM Dawn got this tingly feeling in his fingers and turned the car around on I95. Large Pro, walking home from the store, would raise his head to the sky, drop his bag of bread and pickles, and dash off to the train. Pete Rock's powder-blue SUV almost busted through the storefront followed by what must have looked like a comic cover for the Black Avengers of Producers. Before Jared could finish off his Vitamin Water, his store was filled with NYC's top level beat diggers. Somehow they knew Jared had found something special and they all wanted it. 

And they would all get it.

Instead of transacting this one-of-a-kind gem for hundreds of dollars to the top bidder, Jared decided to do the exact opposite. He invested. Out of pocket, he paid to have this record recorded and pressed up in limited quantities. When I came in the next day, he told me this tale and handed me my copy.