Draft:Needle to the Groove
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| Submission declined on 6 September 2025 by Perryprog (talk). This submission does not appear to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. Entries should be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources. Please rewrite your submission in a more encyclopedic format. Please make sure to avoid peacock terms that promote the subject.
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Comment: It'd be appreciated if you could convert all external links to be references. This page should give you some good pointers on how to do that. Perryprog (talk) 23:28, 6 September 2025 (UTC)
Needle to the Groove (often abbreviated as NTTG) is an American independent record label,[1] DJ collective,[2] and two record shops based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Specializing in vinyl records, cassettes, CDs, and limited-edition merchandise, it operates locations in downtown San Jose and Fremont's Niles District. As one of the few Black-owned record shops in the United States, NTTG (San Jose location) has become a center for music enthusiasts, emphasizing vintage curation, community events, and releases through NTTG's label arm.
NTTG has been featured in local press (including but not limited to) Content Magazine (Issue 16.2, "Sight and Sound")[3] and KQED,[4] respectively, for its vinyl curation and community role, as well The San Jose Mercury News[5] for its role in local music culture, specifically downtown San Jose. Notable visitors include comedian Bill Burr, seminal rap group Atmosphere, and acclaimed DJ and record impresario, Peanut Butter Wolf. The shop hosts DJ sets and participates in civic collaborations like San Jose's Music in the Park (opening sets for (Toots and the Maytals, Brenton Wood, and others), and community events at venues such as San Jose's Mexican Heritage Plaza[6] and San Jose Jazz Summer Fest.[7] In 2023, it released its first unofficial RSD title and is an annual participant in Record Store Day.
History
[edit]Needle to the Groove originated in Fremont, owned by Dan Bernal, before expanding to San Jose in 2014. The San Jose location was founded by Allen Johnson (known as DJ Albert Jenkins) with encouragement from Bernal, and managed by Michael Boado (DJ Basura). It began in a small storefront on East Santa Clara Street before relocating to a larger 2,500-square-foot space at 424 E. Santa Clara St. in 2018..[8] The shop celebrated its 10th anniversary in San Jose in 2024 with a party at Still O.G. Hi-Fi Vinyl Bar, and marked 11 years in 2024[9]
Record Label
[edit]Johnson brought prior experience from running Birthwrite Records in Chicago during the early 2000s. The label arm launched around 2016–2018, headed by David Ma[10] long-time music journalist and editor (whose work appears in NPR, Rolling Stone, The Paris Review, Wax Poetics, Complex, The Ringer, etc.) with Jeff Brummett, Johnson, Boado, and Bernal as partners. By 2025, NTTG had released nearly 40 titles across formats, focusing on unsung creators and diverse genres. NTTG's label releases limited-edition music on vinyl, cassette, and digital formats, often in small runs (100–500 copies). Releases emphasize non-mainstream adn at times niche sounds, drawing inspiration from Stones Throw's integrated business model. Notable pressed media include remastered vinyl editions, exclusive tracks, and cassette-only projects. The label has collaborated on events like record swaps, curated stages at festivals,[11] and organized release parties across the San Francisco Bay Area.[12]
Artists
[edit]The label features a mix of local Bay Area artists and broader acts. Key artists include:
- Prince Paul & Don Newkirk (By Every Means Necessary, Vol. 1,[13] the musical score to the Netflix documentary film, Who Killed Malcolm X?)
- Valley Wolf[14] (Modesto Latin rock; full-length debut produced by Eduardo Arenas of [Chicano Batman)
- Fatboi Sharif[15] (remastered debut Ape Twin DELUXE with exclusive tracks on vinyl)
- Will Sprott (former frontman of San Jose's The Mumlers, member of Shannon & The Clams; album Natural Internet)
- Casual[16] (Oakland collective Hieroglyphics, STARDUSTER EP)
- Aceyalone[17] and MUMBLES ("Courage Under Fire" b/w "Freedom Now" 45 release due fall 2025)
Connection to San Jose
[edit]Rooted in downtown San Jose (DTSJ), NTTG supports the local music scene by amplifying underrepresented artists and combating industry challenges like radius clauses and overall representation. Co-owner Boado[18] is a partner at The Ritz[19] nightclub, while Ma teaches an "Introduction To Hip-Hop" course at San Jose State University.[20] The shop fosters an inclusive atmosphere in a tech-dominated city, blending vintage sales with modern label output, preserving and adding to Bay Area music culture.
References
[edit]- ^ Roos, Brandon. 2024. Needle To The Groove. Content Magazine
- ^ Gee, Andre. 2023. Celebrate Hip Hop's 50th Birthday. Rolling Stone.
- ^ Roos, Brandon. 2024. Needle To The Groove. Content Magazine
- ^ Meline, Gabe. 2024. Rap Legend Reaches New Heights. KQED
- ^ Pizarro, Sal. 2018. Spinning Vinyl Pays Off. San Jose Mercury News
- ^ Trujillo, Damien. 2023. San Jose's Mexican Heritage Plaza Celebrates 25 Years. NBC Bay Area
- ^ Whale, Brave. 2024. San Jose Jazz Fest Artist Lineup. San Jose Jazz
- ^ Pizarro, Sal. 2018. Spinning Vinyl Pays Off. San Jose Mercury News.
- ^ Yuuriar, Melisa. 2024 Needle To The Groove Marks 11 Years of Vinyl Curation. Metro Silicon Valley
- ^ Wang, Oliver. 2019. David Ma On GZA's Liquid Swords. Heat Rocks Podcast
- ^ Gee, Andre. 2023. Celebrate Hip Hop's 50th Birthday. Rolling Stone
- ^ Meline, Gabe. 2024. Rap Legend Reaches New Heights. KQED
- ^ Suarez, Gary. 2020. Prince Paul and Don Newkirk Talk About Bringing Golden Age Hip Hop Skills To Netflix Series. Forbes Magazine
- ^ Roos, Brandon. 2024. Valley WolfISSUU.
- ^ Gee, Andre. 2023. Fatboi Sharif's Experimental Raps Are Anything But Weird. Rolling Stone
- ^ Thorn, Jesse. 2024. Casual on the Song That Changed His Life. NPR: Bullseye With Jesse Thorn Pdcast
- ^ Morrison, John. 2018. Hidden Gems: Aceyalone - A Book of Human Language. Bandcamp Daily
- ^ Yuiar, Melisa. 2025. Atomic Marks 20th Anniversary. Metro Silicon Valley
- ^ Chuyang, Alison. 2023. A Brief History of The Ritz Nightclub. SJ Today
- ^ Tran, Christine. 2023.Professor Spits Game On Hip Hop. The Spartan Daily