{{Short description|Canadian/American hip-hop group}} {{more citations needed|date=February 2012}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Main Source | image = File:Main Source Group.jpg | caption = Main Source circa 1991. From left to right: Sir Scratch, Large Professor and K-Cut | background = group_or_band | origin = Queens, New York City, U.S.<br>Toronto, Ontario, Canada<ref name="allmusic"/> | genre = East Coast hip-hop | years_active = 1989&ndash;1994, 2002 | label = {{hlist|Wild Pitch|EMI}} | website = | current_members = | past_members = Large Professor<br>K-Cut<br>Sir Scratch<br>Mikey D }}

'''Main Source''' was a Canadian-American East Coast hip-hop group based in New York City/Toronto,<ref name="allmusic"/> composed of Toronto-born DJs and producers, K-Cut and Sir Scratch, as well as the New York City natives, DJ J.O.D and record producer Large Professor. Later, another Queens MC, Mikey D (Michael Deering), replaced Large Professor.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/main-source-p15099 | title=Main Source - All music.com | access-date=April 7, 2011 | author=Kellman, Andy| website=AllMusic }}</ref>

==History== Main Source was founded in 1989.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=Main Source|editor-last=Bynoe|editor-first=Yvonne|title=Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip-Hop Culture|year=2006|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=0-313-33058-1|oclc=60835444|page=239}}</ref> The group released its debut album, ''Breaking Atoms'', on July 23, 1991.<ref>{{cite news|last=Patch|first=Nick|date=2016-08-15|title=Main Source: A hip-hop classic with Toronto ties turns 25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815153846/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2016/08/15/main-source-a-hip-hop-classic-with-toronto-ties-turns-25.html|archive-date=August 15, 2016|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2016/08/15/main-source-a-hip-hop-classic-with-toronto-ties-turns-25.html|access-date=2021-02-01|work=Toronto Star|language=en}}</ref> The album is notable for featuring the first on-record appearance of Nas on the track "Live at the Barbeque," alongside Joe Fatal and Akinyele. Other tracks include "Looking at the Front Door", "Just a Friendly Game of Baseball", and "Watch Roger Do His Thing". Because of business differences, the group broke up before its second album, tentatively titled ''The Science'' could be released. However, Sir Scratch and K-Cut released a second album under the Main Source name titled ''Fuck What You Think'',<ref name="LarkinDM">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|page=209}}</ref> with new recruit Michael Deering aka Mikey D on vocals & featured another first on-record appearance for The Dog Pack which would later become the Yonkers rap group The LOX on "Set It Off"; however, the album was shelved due to inner conflicts between Wild Pitch Records and group management.,<ref name="LarkinDM"/> The singer Madonna sampled the bassline from "What You Need" on ''Fuck What You Think'' in her song "Human Nature," which appeared on her 1994 album, ''Bedtime Stories''.

thumb|left|Main Source logo

Prior to Main Source, Mikey D was also one third of the Laurelton, Queens-based hip-hop group Mikey D & The L.A. Posse. The group also consisted of DJ Johnnie Quest and engineer/producer Paul C (who was also the mentor of Large Professor). In 1988, Mikey D was also the winner of the New Music Seminar battle for world supremacy.

Large Professor went on to be an instrumental producer for hip-hop stars such as Eric B. & Rakim, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Nas, and Diamond D. He references his falling-out with Sir Scratch and K-Cut on A Tribe Called Quest's third album ''Midnight Marauders''. On the track "Keep It Rollin'" he says, "I'm Uptown chillin', takin in this Grandmaster Vic blend/from the projects, the PJ's, fuck them two DJ's; Self mission."

K-Cut also produced for a wide range of hip-hop artists, including Big Pun, Maestro Fresh-Wes, Fu-Schnickens, Queen Latifah, and even NBA star Shaquille O'Neal. He also mentored another Toronto-based producer named Watts.<ref name=hiphopcanada>{{cite news |title = Watts Interview on HHC |url = http://www.hiphopcanada.com/2007/08/interview-austin-watts-garrick/ |publisher = Hip Hop Canada |access-date = 2017-01-02 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150509142348/http://www.hiphopcanada.com/2007/08/interview-austin-watts-garrick/ |archive-date = 2015-05-09 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

On December 22, 2002, at a concert in Toronto, the original members of Main Source performed together for the first time in nearly 10 years.<ref name="now">{{cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/raps-main-source |title=Rap's Main Source |website=NOW |date=19 December 2002 |accessdate=August 2, 2021}}</ref>

''Breaking Atoms'' was named as one of two jury vote winners, alongside Buffy Sainte-Marie's ''It's My Way!'', of the Polaris Heritage Prize at the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.<ref>[https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2020/11/16/2020-slaight-family-polaris-heritage-prize-winners-named "2020 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize Winners Named"]. ''FYI Music News'', November 16, 2020.</ref>

==Discography== ===Studio albums=== * ''Breaking Atoms'' (1991) * ''Fuck What You Think'' (1994)<ref name="LarkinDM"/> * ''The Science'' (2023) (Album recorded between 1991 and 1994)

===Singles=== *"Think" (1989) *"Looking at the Front Door" (1990) *"Watch Roger Do His Thing" (1990) *"Just Hangin' Out" (1991) *"Peace Is Not the Word to Play" (1991) *"Fakin' the Funk" (1992) *"What You Need" (1993)

===Guest appearances=== * The Brand New Heavies - "Bonafide Funk" from ''Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1'' (1992)

==Charts== {| class="wikitable" !align="center" valign="top" width="40"|Year !align="left" valign="top"|Song !align="center" valign="top" width="40"|<small>US Rap</small><ref>[https://www.billboard.com/music/Main-Source/chart-history/RSA] {{dead link|date=December 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> !align="left" valign="top"|Album |- |align="center" valign="top"|1990 |align="left" valign="top"|"Looking at the Front Door" |align="center" valign="top"|1 |align="left" valign="top"|''Breaking Atoms'' |- |align="center" valign="top"|1991 |align="left" valign="top"|"Just Hangin' Out" |align="center" valign="top"|11 |align="left" valign="top"|''Breaking Atoms'' |- |align="center" valign="top"|1992 |align="left" valign="top"|"Fakin' the Funk" |align="center" valign="top"|1 |align="left" valign="top"|''White Men Can't Rap'' |- |align="center" valign="top"|1994 |align="left" valign="top"|"What You Need" |align="center" valign="top"|48 |align="left" valign="top"|''Fuck What You Think'' |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.myspace.com/mainsource1 Main Source] at MySpace * {{Discogs artist|Main Source}}

{{Main Source}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Main Source}} Category:African-American musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1989 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1994 Category:Musical groups from Toronto Category:Hip-hop groups from New York City Category:Canadian hip-hop groups Category:East Coast hip-hop groups Category:Wild Pitch Records artists Category:EMI Records artists Category:1989 establishments in Ontario Category:1994 disestablishments in Ontario