With its intricate (Roland TR) 808 drum patterns, snippets of "The Champ" by The Mohawks, and MC Tee's unorthodox cadence, "Fresh Is The Word" sounded like nothing before it. The song was an underground hit, dominating late night Hip-Hop radio shows, boomboxes and the NYC club scene. The second single by Mantronix, "Needle To The Groove," was as groundbreaking as the duo's first.

"Needle To The Groove," complete with one of rap's most iconic record covers, showcased Kurtis Mantronix and his incredible drum machine programming and scratching—even moreso than their previous single. The vocoder hook and bridge (famously sampled by Beck on 1996's "Where It's At") was the perfect compliment to MC Tee's wordplay. It can't be stated enough that rap records used the Roland TR 808 and 909 before Mantronix, but these singles were unlike anything the rap world had ever heard. Further Kurtis Mantronik productions for Just-Ice, T La Rock, and his own group, have prompted many fans to credit him as the father of the stuttering, rapid fire drum programming associated with trap production.

Though Sleeping Bag Records had existed as a dance music label since 1981, "Fresh Is The Word" introduced Sleeping Bag to many Hip-Hop fans. In 1985, Sleeping Bag started its subsidiary Fresh Records, which specialized in rap releases, and signed artists such as Just-Ice, Stezo, MC EZ & Troup (who would later record as Craig Mack), T La Rock and EPMD. Kurtis Mantronik signed EPMD and produced "Success Is The Word," which was the future Boogie Down Productions' debut single. Before calling themselves BDP, KRS-One and Scott La Rock released "Success..." under the moniker "12:41."

The success of "Fresh is The Word" and "Needle To The Groove" created the demand for Sleeping Bag/Fresh Records' first full length album, titled appropriately The Album. As many pre-CD albums often did at the time, this album contained seven songs, which would be considered an EP today. Included in those seven were the two previously released singles, and a "Mega Mix" essentially giving us only four new songs. The demand for new Mantronix music was so great, that there were no complaints. The four new songs were embraced and a couple became big hits, eclipsing the previously released songs.

"Bassline" was based around just what the title suggests—a catchy bassline—and showed a more musical and melodic side of the production of Kurtis Mantronik. It bridged the sounds of electro and club music with the sensibilities of hardcore underground rap. The dance potential of "Bassline" would cause a surge in the popularity of the group on both the New York and U.K. club scenes. "Ladies" would further cement Mantronix as a group with appeal beyond the traditional rap circuit that they originated in.

"Ladies" featured MC Tee extolling the virtues of the opposite sex over another melodic Mantronik track, and it shows just how dynamic his range as a producer truly is. "Ladies" pushed the group even further into the club world and birthed U.K. and club mixes and remixes of the track, a precursor to "Scream" and "Who is It?" from their sophomore album a year later. Unlike many of their contemporaries, the crossover success of Mantronix didn't bring their street credibility into question or cause abandonment from their core audience. For every successful club song that the group created, they created one for their original audience, and this stood true throughout this original lineup of the group.

"Get Stupid Fresh" was fundamentally an instrumental track that showcased Kurtis and his command of the drum machine, with MC Tee speaking at points in the song. "Hardcore Hip Hop" followed the formula of the early singles; with just a drum machine, scratches and MC Tee. The Album pushed the limits of what rap music could do, while staying in the confines of what was seen as dope and authentic for the time. It also set the framework for two more albums by Mantronik and "Crime Master Tee," (as Tee sometimes called himself.) Music Madness and In Full Effect released in 1986 and 1988, respectively, have their roots in The Album. Mantronix is one of Hip-Hop's great but undercelebrated groups, and they played an integral part in rap's transition from the drum machine-driven mid-1980s into the expansive Golden Era.