Raps-N-Snaps feat. DJ Pez

The Dungeon

The Cole Street crew changed residences in 1995. They went even deeper into the historic Pine Knolls neighborhood, down the street from Doug Clark's eye-catching house that the Hot Nuts built, ending up at a duplex apartment at 135-A Johnson Street. It was instantly dubbed the Dungeon.

Owned by recently-gone-bankrupt local slumlord (or "real estate baron," as he preferred to be called) George Tate, the Dungeon was an unforgettable spot. Not very big, but home to outsized egos, and a never-ending supply of plots and schemes. Roy Ayers' "Running Away" was the unofficial theme song. Plans and strategies to change the world were abundant. Grassroots business ventures were hatched, and you never knew if whatever you did (or with who) might end up on video. But times were tight, the heat didn't work very well, and the winter of '95 was a cold one.

The Dungeon phone has been long distance disabled to prevent the kind of outrageous unknown phone charges that were plaguing them, what with random motherfuckers rolling through at all times. - Letter to Dana, 4/10/95

Life in the Dungeon finally drove N'Gai to the ultimate act of desperation – moving back into the Pink House in mid-1996.

N'Gai, the generous host

Spent way too much of my sunny, 80 degree afternoon with a pack of Dungeon-dwelling knuckleheads who go by the names of N'Gai, Lem, Dawad, and Charles. And look at N'Gai, newly paid, all ready to be the generous host, shelling out for two large pizzas with delicious toppings like barbecued chicken, broccoli and pepperoni. Accepting donations on credit from all the rest of us dollar-less fiends. Like I said, way too much of the day. But then again, it was Sunday, and it's always important to kick back with the fellas once in awhile.

- Letter to Dana, 4/10/95

Cole Street

Lem, Dawad, and Derek Elliott set up their own post-Pink House crash pad on Cole Street during the spring of '94, in the shadow of UNC's Cameron Avenue power plant. The apartment was one half of a duplex, the other side rented by Charles McNair and Denise Matthewson. Meredith Smith lived down the street in a hipster bungalow with some musician she was dating, and Cole Street quickly became another stopping point on the Pink House legacy tour. It was on the couches of Cole Street that our jaws dropped as every TV station broke into live coverage of O.J. Simpson's infamous Ford Bronco chase on June 17.



All year long, Cole Street was the spot to be. Countless jams packed the place to capacity, and Pez's reputation as a DJ reached lofty heights. The vibe was strong, and Jungle Juice flowed freely. Other heads including Cherryl Aldave moved in and out. Lem left for a more secluded lifestyle living with his girlfriend Ebony. Derek eventually decamped for his own bachelor's lair in the back of a stately home near UNC Hospitals. At the time, N'Gai was traveling in Japan, Thailand, and other Far East destinations. When he returned to Chapel Hill in early '95, he moved in, too.

Yaggfu Front album release party at Great Hall