Formed 30 years ago by a diverse collective of creative college grads from the University of Vermont and Champlain College, Belizbeha went on to become one of the biggest bands to come out of Burlington before self-imploding on the brink of signing a record deal and what seemed like a sure-fire trajectory of success. Known for its infectious mix of hip-hop, jazz, funk and soul that could whip capacity crowds into dancing frenzies or knock ’em out with beautiful ballads, the band released a couple of stellar albums — the now classic “Charlie’s Dream” in 1995 and the lauded “Void Where Inhibited” in 1998 — and were crisscrossing the country on nonstop tours. But it all came to a screeching halt shortly after, when inter-band relationships dissolved, and group members went their own ways.
“On our way to sign the record deal in ’99, the two couples broke up and the band just fell apart,” said Kyle “Fattie B” Thompson, the charismatic MC and Burlington hip-hop godfather. “Doing 200-plus shows a year with each other and just beating each other up on the road, we wanted to punch each other in the face and were fighting, and you could just see it crumbling.” Suffice to say, getting together for a reunion show was the last thing on the minds of band members.
“We were never going to do a reunion ever,” said the Bristol native, in a recent phone interview. “We didn’t like each other.” But not long after the dust had settled, a close friend of the .