I really miss the days when I could go to Tower Records and spend 2 hours in their record store digging in the crates. Sometimes I had enough for a CD or a cassette tape and other times I just went there to browse and look at the front and back of albums. I would sit on the ground and read magazines, put their headphones on to listen to new releases and just kill time in the place I loved most. It wasn’t just Tower either… in San Diego we had Wherehouse Music, Sam Goody, The Music Trader, and more. You could even catch me at Kobey’s Swap Meet trying to find a gem in the used bins from time to time. Between 1993 - 2005 you could find me at record stores ranging from Amoeba and Rasputin’s in the Bay to Zia Records and Stinkweeds in AZ.

When all of the big record stores started shutting down and the rise of the DSP’s (Digital Streaming Platforms) began, record stores just didn’t have quite the same buzz that they used to. I would still hit a store up from time to time for nostalgic reasons but it just wasn’t the same feeling. But during the pandemic, I started playing some of my old cassettes and forgot about the true appreciation I had for tapes. Is the sound quality suspect at times? Oh, for sure! But letting a tape ride without rewinding or fast-forwarding allowed you to know an album from the intro to the outro. So yeah…. I was officially back to the rap collecting game and adding new used cassettes to my collection felt great. And then my homie sent me a pic of his collection and I knew I needed to step it up. It was like that Mr. Doctor album in the upper left corner was talking to me and telling me, “This sh*t is on….”

My homie had told me about some record stores to hit up here in San Diego, one was Beatbox Records in Barrio Logan and the other was Fivespace in North Park. So on my birthday a few months ago, I strolled into Fivespace having no idea what to expect. My wife and baby waited in the car as I told them I wouldn’t be long. Little did I know that I was about to step into heaven and my family would have to wait for over an hour for me to return.

This tiny spot in North Park was all I ever needed in a record store. Rap tapes and records from wall to wall and an owner who I quickly vibed with as we talked hip hop. And then with each customer who came in, we all continued talking rap and for that hour, I was taken back to the mid-late 90’s when I used to go to the record stores with my friends and do nothing but talk music for hours. Those were the days!

I ended up dropping over $400 that day at Fivespace but I walked back to my car with the biggest smile on my face. I told the owner Sir Froderick I’d be back and ever since then I’ve been back about 4 times. And the money I’m dropping? Those stimmy checks gotta support small businesses right?! My last time there I brought in some Yo! MTV Raps Series 2 unopened packs to rip. If unfamiliar, Yo MTV Raps Series 1 are pretty easy to find but Series 2 has gems like the MF Doom KMD rookie, the Busta Rhymes rookie, Large Professor Main Source rookie card, and several more. Would I actually pull something good from these old packs from 1991??

Fivespace is a record store that has been open for 5 years. I feel like I’ve lost out on some valuable rap time by not knowing that this record store existed. The only way I thought I could better informed about this great store was to ask the store owner a few question. He gladly obliged.

Timmy C: Where are you originally from?
Sir Froderick: Philly
Timmy C: How did you first get into hip hop?
Sir Froderick: My brother and father were DJs so I had all types of music around me... We listened to everything from Nat King Cole to Fishbone and every random genre in-between. But hip hop truly didn't hit me hard till my big bro put me onto the album, 3 Feet High and Rising from De La Soul.

Timmy C: 3 Feet High and Rising was big with me too. I had the single for “Me, Myself, and I” and I would write raps to the b-side instrumental of the song. Who were some of the other early rappers/groups that you were listening to?
Sir Froderick: Beastie Boys, Native Tongues, EPMD, Juice Crew, DITC, and many more…

Timmy C: What are your favorite rap albums of the 90's?
Sir Froderick: Enter The Stage, Dare Iz A Darkside, The Awakening, Daily Operation, Paul’s Boutique, Midnight Marauders, Bizarre Ride, No Need For Alarm, Black Sunday, All In My Mind, ALL OF EMMMMM!!!!
Timmy C: Dude…. Did we just become best friends? You literally rattled off a few of my favorites right there. That No Need for Alarm artwork should go in the Smithsonian for the 90’s vibe that we all refuse to let go of.

Timmy C: Had you had other businesses before you opened your record store?
Sir Froderick: Yes...A graffiti shop in Philly called RAREBREED.
Timmy C: What inspired you to pivot from the street art scene and open a record store all the way out here in San Diego?
Sir Froderick: Seeing how passionate me and my wife are about finding vintage vinyl and clothes out in the wild.
Timmy C: Dope answer! How long has your record store been open for.
Sir Froderick: Over 5 years now.
Timmy C: That’s impressive man! I've been blown away by the amount of customers you've past times I've been there. I know sports cards have been fueled by the pandemic, are you seeing the same with records and tapes?
Sir Froderick: I'm meeting more collectors and beginners that are fascinated with cassette tapes.

Timmy C: Outside of your physical store location, where else can people find you?
Sir Froderick: My IG handle is fivespaceshop and you can find my online store at https://fivespaceshop.com/.
Timmy C: Any shout outs or final words for this interview?
Sir Froderick: Respect all, love, and trust a few.