In-A-Minute Records

One of my all time favourite labels ever would have to be Jason Blaine's Oakland based In-A-Minute Records. The label started back in the very early '90's after the success of early Too $hort material and M.C. Pooh's '89 hit "Fuckin' Wit Dank". Jason Blaine started In-A-Minute due to all the unsigned talent in the bay area at the time, infact Too $hort has even got a double cd on the label titled "Greatest Hits - The Player Years - 1983 - 1988".

The label is probably most known for artists such as Dre Dog (Andre Nickatina), Totally Insane, I.M.P. and probably the most successful of the list, Hunters Point group R.B.L. Posse who Blaine approached and offered $10,000 on the spot to sign to his new label. R.B.L. who were happy just slangin' tapes around Frisco grabbed the chance and recorded the bay classic "A Lesson To Be Learned" in '92. They also released "Ruthless By Law" in '94 and "An Eye For An Eye" in '97 which was also on Big Beat before releasing material on other labels. R.B.L. left the label after realizing that Blaine was ripping them off.



The most surprising signing that the label made was was East Coast legend Just Ice who dropped "Kill The Rhythm (Like A Homicide)" in '95. East Palo Alto's Totally Insane released "Direct From The Backstreet" in '92, followed by "Goin' Insane" in '93 and then "Backstreet Life" in '95.



The successful Frisco rapper Andre Nickatina also got his start on the label under the name of Dre Dog with the "New Jim Jones" in '93 and "I Hate You With A Passion" in '95. The late Cougnut was a part of the I.M.P. crew that released the sample filled masterpiece "Back In The Days" in '93 and the not quite as good "Ill Mannered Playas" in '96.



One of In-A-Minutes first releases was The Real Untouchables (T.R.U.) "Understanding The Criminal Mind" ('92) that was also on No Limit Records and features E-A Ski and Master P who's debut album "Mama's Bad Boy" was also on the label, as were Pooh Man's '94 "Ain't No Love" and "State Vs Poohman" in '97.



There are a few not quite as known releases from the label such as Dogg Pound Posse's "Dogg E Style" that came out in '93, Mac Mill's 1995 E.P. " One Mill-Yon", Oakland group Criminal Behavior released "Portrait Of A Killa" and the West Coast Rhyme Sayrz dropped "The Land Of Pimps And Hoes" in '95 .



The R.B.L. "Eye For An Eye" album was the last I heard from the label and my best guess is that it's not around any more, I may be wrong but even if it is, it's definately not the legendary "In-A-Minute" I remember from the '90's. I'm sure that I have missed out a few groups here but I'm sure they would all be quality. If you look at some of the artists that released stuff on In-A-Minute Records in the early years such as Dre Dog and R.B.L. I'm sure that as much as they would resent Blaine and the label, they would agree that without them their careers may not have been as successful.






Jason Blaine

MP3's:
The Real Untouchables - Fuck The System
Dre Dog ft Cougnut - Muthafucka
I.M.P. - The Bay Way
RBL Posse - Blue Bird
West Coast Rhyme Sayrz - Straight Bumpin'
Just Ice - Bring 'Em Back Alive
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