Vocalist Rob Birch, and DJ/producer Nick Hallam, founded their Gee Street recording studio and record label, with money they were given to leave their London flat and, instead of using a backing band, travelled to early gigs on buses, with bags of tapes. When Gee Street caught the eye of 4th and Broadway, they recorded the debut Stereo MCs' album 33-45-78 (1989) on a shoestring budget with DJ Cesare, drummer Owen If and backing singer, Cath Coffey. In 1990, "Elevate My Mind" by the Stereos was the first British hip hop single to reach the U.

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