Originally released 10 years ago as individual CDs, this is the compilation that started it all and put WordSound and Crooklyn Dub on the map. Now available for the 1st time on CD as a 2-Disc set, Certified Dope Vols. 1 & 2 features the sub-bass styles of Bill Laswell, Spectre, Dr. Israel, HIM, and many, many more. This is the sound that defined the era of dark electronic experimentation now known as Illbient. 23 tracks in all, plus brand new liner notes by critically acclaimed journalist for Spin, Rolling Stone, Vibe and label founder Skiz Fernando, who describes it as follows: "A long time ago, in a ghetto far, far away, some serious subversive activity was going on in the subterranean realms of sound. A motley crew of iconoclasts captured the moment, and managed to ride a minor wave of notoriety that the music press dubbed Illbient [one of the contributors to this compilation, DJ Olive, had actually coined the term long before Illbient posta-child DJ Spooky ran away with all the glory]. Most of the people associated with Illbient hailed from the borough of Crooklyn, mostly clustered around the post-industrial wasteland that was once Williamsburg. Some of US knew each other from hanging out at this Manhattan club called the Cooler or from bumping into each other at Bass Mind Studios, the epicenter of much seismic activity in the neighborhood. Everyone was doing their own thing, but all of US were, in some capacity, influenced by dub. Of course, that dank, dungeon weed the Jamaicans on the Southside sold might have had something to do with it, too. We peddled sonic dope, thus was born the Crooklyn Dub Consortium. Volume 1 captured the raw energy of the era of '91- '94, when this burgeoning scene burst out of the underground. Hungering for an outlet for expression in the stale, corporate-controlled environs of music, we were also literally hungry because music like this didn't pay the bills. It was music for music's sake - the best kind. Other than super producer/ bassist Bill Laswell, who operated out of nearby Greenpoint Studios, we were all unknown quantities. Yet the compilation still managed to make an impact on the critics and connoisseurs alike, making WordSound a blip on the radar, and it set the stage for a slew of new releases as well as a Crooklyn Dub European tour featuring Spectre, Dr. Israel, Qaballah Steppers and WordSound I-Powa. It seems that we had stumbled onto something. The dub ethos of heavy bass, plenty of space, and studio manipulation guided US to further experimentation and the innovation which appeared on Volume 2. from the smokedout ravings of Torture (who later became Sensational, the star of the 2001 feature-length film Crooked) to the future-primitivism of Scarab, it featured an even more eclectic selection of heavyweight sounds. In addition to Bill Laswell, Dr. Israel, Scotty Hard, Spectre, and HIM, we even invited Manhattan act, Unitone Hi-Fi, across the bridge to the festivities. While London had a solid stake on the claim of dub capital, we put Crooklyn Dub on the map for keeps. And just for the record-this was well before people started talking about Illbient. Long out of print in their original versions, this release marks the first time these two discs have been reissued, so enjoy! Play it Loud! And pump that Bass!