History on the Rocks: Needle Drop

This event contains music with explicit content. Atlanta History Center encourages you to review and evaluate what is appropriate for you and your party before tickets are purchased. This is a 21+ event.

Save your spot early and enjoy discounted tickets — just $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers! Same day price is $25.

Some of the biggest music stars made their way to Atlanta in the 80s and 90s - Curtis Mayfield, Clarence Carter, Lil John, Sir Mix-a-lot, Ben E. King, Millie Jackson, the Three Degrees, Vanilla Ice, Roy Ayers, Deadeye Dick, Willie Clayton, and more. Across genres, they contributed to the development of a uniquely Southern sound, and they all passed through and released music through Ichiban Records.

The story of Ichiban Records - the independent record label that nurtured iconic artists and fostered a distinctive sound from 1985-1999 - has been largely untold, until now.

For one night only on November 19, join music industry legends and groundbreakers at Atlanta History Center for a special discussion and screening of our short documentary, They Were No. 1: The Ichiban Records Story.

Discover the rise and fall of this iconic record label, hear stories of the Southerns 80s and 90s music scene from the people who lived it, and - of course - listen to some great music with a complimentary drink in hand.

Each ticket comes with a free drink, with additional drinks available for sale at an onsite bar.

They Were No. 1:  The Ichiban Records Story.

Michael Crooms (DJ Smurf/Mr. Collipark)

Michael “DJ Smurf” Crooms helped shape the sound of Southern rap in the early 1990s. As a DJ and producer, he was able to blend the Miami bass sound with Atlanta hip-hop. He later reintroduced himself as Mr. Collipark and founded Collipark Music. Through Collipark Music, Crooms added the Ying Yang Twins and Soulja Boy to the growing list of stars he helped launch, taking his passion for independent music to the masses and creating the sound of a generation.

Buzz Amato

Arranger, keyboardist and producer, Buzz was a major creative force behind the sound of Ichiban Records. A long-time musical director for Curtis Mayfield, he gave the artistic touch to Ichiban’s catalog of R&B and funk records, performing on and producing dozens of releases. With his genius for groove, harmony and song structure, he helped Ichiban fuse soul traditions with Atlanta’s growing music scene.

Theodore Moy’e (DJ Easy Lee) 

Theodore Moy’e made his name as DJ Easy Lee, the turntablist for The Treacherous Three, the pioneering hip-hop crew featuring Kool Moe Dee, L.A. Sunshine, Special K, and Spoonie Gee. After helping shape the sound of early rap from behind the decks, he moved into label work, founding Wrap Records, which was distributed by Ichiban. Following his time at the label, DJ Easy Lee became a consultant for independent record companies, built a multifaceted career in production management, live sound engineering, and entrepreneurship.

John Abbey

John Abbey brought a lifelong passion for Black music to Atlanta, where he and Nina Easton founded Ichiban Records in 1985. Drawing on his earlier experience as founder of Blues & Soul magazine and Contempo Records in the U.K., Abbey shaped Ichiban’s identity as a home for soul, blues, and later, rock and hip-hop artists. Under his leadership, the label grew from a garage startup into one of the South’s most influential independents. After Ichiban, Abbey shifted into international artist management. He later served as CEO of Connor Ray Music, continuing his lifelong mission to champion and sustain soul music worldwide.

Shonda Jessie-Wheeler

Shonda Jessie-Wheeler began her career at Ichiban Records, working alongside John Abbey during the label’s early years and helping coordinate promotions, marketing, and artist support. After Ichiban, she co-founded a company with Ed Strickland producing music festivals in Rochester, New York, and securing distribution through E1. She continues to work in music consulting and advocacy, collaborating with DJ Easy Lee and contributing to the Hip Hop Alliance alongside KRS-One and Public Enemy.