Smif N’ Wessun: Tek and Steele Soon after their initial success, legal trouble arose over the group’s name in a trademark infringement case, with the Smith and Wesson gun company. In an attempt to avoid further litigation, Tek and Steele changed their name to, Cocoa Brovaz. In later tracks, they would express their frustrations about the matter: “Sent me multi-page contracts just to prove it/with trademarks on belt buckles, shirts and knives/ain't that the most off the wall shit you hear in your life?” This may have seemed like a dark time for the two, yet the soldiers trudged on. Buckshot, & The Cocoa Brovaz collaborated with 2Pac on the unreleased album, One Nation. Although not readily accessible to the public, the thought of the four working together would only result in being one of the rawest albums to date. In 1997, Tek and Steele joined: Buckshot, Heltah Skeltah (Ruck, a.k.a. Sean Price and Rock), and O.G.C.: Originoo Gunn Clappaz (Starang Wondah, Top Dog, and Louieville Sluggah), to release the Boot Camp Clik debut, For The People. It received mixed reviews, as fans compared it to Smif N’ Wessun earlier work on, Dah Shinin. “Pro“1-900 Get Da Boot,” was a collage of messages from fans calling the phone number; “Night Riders,” led to a later unreleased re-mix featuring late songstress Aaliyah, and “Headz Are Ready,” was the Camp at their best. The battalion attacked in a cipher formation rock’n the mic to no end. The year of 1998 marked Tek and Steels’ return under the name their new name, Coca Brovaz, releasing, “Rude Awakening.” Although the album received mixed reviews, the track, “Black Trump,” stuck out among the rest. Featuring the Wu-Tang Clan’s, Raekwon the Chef, the alliance would serve as a great moment in hip-hop, allowing for future Duck Down and Wu-tang projects. Legendary X-Clan member, Professor X also made an appearance. It would be their only release on Priority Records. Soon after, Tek and Steele were soon dropped from the distribution company.  Smif N’ Wessun changed gears, releasing singles and making numerous album guest appearances. The under ground classic, “Super Brooklyn,” featured an un-cleared sample from Super Mario Bros. video game. It sold over 30,000 vinyl records, as well as become the topic of conversation on the tongues of hip-hop elitists. The track led to a deal with Rawkus Records. Appearing as Coca Brovaz, Tek and Steele’s contributed to 1999’s Sound Bombing Volumes 2 (“Every Rhymes I Write”), 2000’s Lyricist Lounge Volume’s 2 (“Get Up; featuring DJ Hi-Tek”) 2002’s Sound Bombing Volume 3 (“Spit Again”). Whether known as Smif N’ Wessun or Cocoa Brovaz, they could release a single and have it chart with in the top 50 of the Billboard Top 100. next page