Black Market Empire – Da Underground Noize (1994)

Black Market Empire – Da Underground Noize (1994)

A highly underrated crew from North Memphis, Black Market Empire featured core members like DJ Flex, Hard D, Mastermind Mick, and Rockmaster Rick — the latter of whom produced this rare, 30-minute cassette. Released independently and with little documentation, Da Underground Noize appears to serve as a raw street promo for their later full-length Blow Da F** Up*, which likely dropped in 1995.

While the exact release date for this tape remains unclear, it’s safe to place it between 1994–1996. The cassette label even includes a website — an unusual detail for the era — making it harder to definitively date. To add to the mystery, several track titles listed on the tape don’t match what actually plays, suggesting a quickly produced, limited-run promo.

Despite that, Da Underground Noize stands as a gritty and authentic snapshot of mid-‘90s North Memphis underground rap — full of dusty production, aggressive flows, and the unmistakable energy of a group poised for more.

Tracklist:

1. Introduction

2. Sneaking Out Tha Back Door (LP Version)

3. U Can’t Get Near Me (Psychotic Mix)

4. I Don’t Mean 2 Be The Bad Guy (Demo Mix)

5. Maintaining

6. Touched

7. Sneaking Out Tha Back Door (Demo Mix)

8. Hard D, DJ Flex – Show That Sh*t

https://untitled.stream/library/track/YLiS5peA1mVpe2pQKubxZ