Da Hoodzmen Reunite for 2027 International EP Release as Debut Recording Is Discovered in Cornell's Hip-Hop Archive

"The Reminder" connects the group's 1993 beginnings with a new chapter featuring production from Mike Martinez, Maestro Z, Kut One, and Baby J.

ORLANDO, FL, Da Hoodzmen are coming back together with a new perspective on their past and new music for the future. Featuring UniqMe, now known as Cydney Poitier, and Jah Born, alongside DJs Ray Swift and Mike Nice, the group is preparing "The Reminder," a new EP slated for international release in 2027.

The project will feature production from Mike Martinez, Maestro Z, Kut One, and Baby J, bringing together a lineup of producers to help shape the group's next chapter.

As the members reconnect more than three decades after their 1993 debut, they have discovered that their first EP is preserved at Cornell University Library. Cornell's catalog lists "Da Hoodzmen - Da Hoodzmen E.P., 1993" within the Afrika Bambaataa hip-hop archive, part of the university's broader Hip Hop Collection.

The discovery adds historical meaning to the reunion. A record that introduced Da Hoodzmen to listeners in the early 1990s now has a documented home where researchers and future generations can explore hip-hop's development.

Originally released through the British label Music of Life, the four-track EP established a connection with international audiences that remains part of the group's story. In a 2016 interview with HipHop4Real, UniqMe recalled his early partnership with Jah Born and the circumstances that brought their work to label founder Simon Harris's attention. Later coverage of UniqMe's 2018 "Born 2 Do It" EP identified DJ Ray Swift as a DJ associated with the original Da Hoodzmen project.

That history continued to resonate overseas. In June 2018, a London event at Chip Shop Brixton celebrated the debut EP's 25th anniversary, with UniqMe returning to the United Kingdom for the occasion.

Its preservation at Cornell gives that history another dimension. Established in 2007, the Cornell Hip Hop Collection holds more than 250,000 items documenting the culture's origins and evolution. Its mission includes preserving recordings, photographs, flyers, manuscripts, and other materials while making them available for research.

For Da Hoodzmen, the significance lies in the survival and accessibility of their work. Their debut is part of a historical collection that allows hip-hop's story to be explored through original materials, including recordings from artists whose contributions extend beyond mainstream charts.

Now, UniqMe, Jah Born, DJ Ray Swift, and DJ Mike Nice are bringing the focus back to creating. With production from Mike Martinez, Maestro Z, Kut One, and Baby J, "The Reminder" will connect the group's shared beginnings with the experience and perspective its members bring today.

Further release details, including the tracklist, lead single, and release date, will be announced as the project develops.

Da Hoodzmen are back with "The Reminder," slated for international release in 2027.