Mar-Kel Records

Mar-Kel Records started in 1985 in North Carolina. They released their first single on a 45 record entitled “Honey Child” by the group Kleen Band on R&L Records. Mar-Kel Records was named after their two sons, Tarone Marcel Johnson & Kelvin Darrall Johnson. In 1987 Mar-Kel released a four song EP by the group Kleen with songs like “Krazy, Love Trance, Call Me and True Love“. East Sounds Studio, where the projects were recorded, released two additional 12” singles by Marcel and Kelvin also known as Hi-Post (Marcel) and Lo-Key (Kelvin)”. Mar-Kel Records and East Sounds Studio continued to release projects, (Lyrical Black Jack – New Jersey / Pam Jones – NC / Tim Coley – NC), major record labels were focusing their attention the group Hi Post - Lo-Key with their single “Who Rip the Rhyme“. November 29th, 1993 Hi-Post and Lo-Key were murdered and their dreams were cut short. This was a tragic set back for Mar-Kel Records, but it was the fuel to keep their names alive. The dream continued with the release of the group Raw Damage (now known as Ten Up) in 1995 and the well received “EAST and WEST COAST COMPILATION” album in 1997 with Ten Up featuring their single “To All My Peeps“. Mar-Kel Records has since relocated its offices in Atlanta, GA in 2000.