Kaliphz

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Kaliphz were a British hip hop group from Rochdale, near Manchester. They formed in the early 1990s with 2-Phaan (Mush Khan) and Jabba da Hype (Jabbar Khan). They started in breakdancing and graffiti, then moved into rap and spoken word as more members joined.

The group had many members over the years, including Poet Saqi, Chok the Phunky Polak, DJ XL, Sniffa Dawg N.A.D, Seftonik the Demonik, and Wiz (Oddball). They released music with Payday and FFRR.

In 1993, producers FunkRegulators (Martin Price and Nel Johnson) helped them get signed to London Records and Payday in the US. They made their debut album Seven Deadly Sins (1995), which had strong political and anti-racist themes. They also contributed a track to the Shopping soundtrack.

The lineup grew with Wiz, and London’s Pete Tong suggested they move to Jive Records. Under the influence of Pete Waterman and label pressure, they changed their name to Kaleef and shifted toward a more pop sound. They released a second album, 53rd State of Mind (1997), but split up soon after.

Kaliphz appeared on the UK Singles Chart with “Walk Like a Champion” (1995) featuring boxer Prince Naseem Hamed. As Kaleef, they released “Golden Brown” (1997), a pop-flavored cover of the Stranglers’ song about drug use.