The Hell’s Kitchen rapper is posted at the 161 Street Yankee Stadium subway stop, spitting bars & will drop five exclusive music videos with MASS APPEAL, following him through all five boroughs of his city. In this edition, Craft references the legendary 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, where in 1973 Kool Herc threw what’s generally recognized to be the first hip hop party. There are a number of crafty touches on gentrification, specifically how The Bronx is one of the only places in the city that has resisted it so far. Stepping out of the 4 train, MCraft rhymes, “The BX, where hipsters ain’t driven up property yet.” His lyrics aren’t the only thing paying homage to his city. The beat on this track is a classic Big Pun joint: hard-hitting drums, piano riffs, with some spray paint shaking sound effects thrown in for good measure. Keep an eye on Marlon Craft, I have a lot of confidence in this kid.
Before there was an Instagram, Das EFX's PR team issued this "Dasogram" to media, alerting us to their performance on The Arsenio Hall Show on Friday, July 31st in 1992. The Hit Squad made its presence felt with none other than the Funk Doc, Redman; holding Skoob & Krayz Drayz down on the turntables. The group performed their lead single, 'They Want EFX,' off the smash album, 'Dead Serious.' People forget how influential and forward-thinking Arsenio Hall was to support hip-hop on his show (in 1992!) and bring the music to millions of people. Many of the live performances on his show were the biggest platforms artists could reach at the time. 25 years later, enjoy the video clip below of the performance. I'm sure you'll find the All-Star tribute if you search Youtube, too.
'Tails from the Hood R.a.t.s.' ... DJ Hazey 82 put One Be Lo's vocals to great use over the 'Storytellin' beat by Romanian producer, ILLusionist. If you're not familiar with ILLusionist, go cop his EP, 'The Uplift' and instrumental album, 'My Way.' As for One Be Lo, he's an independent hip-hop veteran; known for his group, Binary Star, and their classic, 'Masters of the Universe' (now re-issued), as well as the highly acclaimed solo release, 'SONOGRAM' + more. Full disclosure: I work with One Be Lo, but let's be f'real, this track goes - an ill storytelling track. Props to DJ Hazey 82 for the mash-up.
The Fabulous Chi-Ali, Native Son of the Native Tongues. Yes, at the time of his release, he was 15-16 years old and the youngest member of the Native Tongues. Making early appearances with De La Soul & Black Sheep, he later released his first solo single in 1992 with 'Age Ain't Nothing But a #.' Ali had 2 follow-up singles with 'Roadrunner' and 'Funky Lemonade' found on his debut album with Relativity, 'The Fabulous Chi-Ali.' Production on the album was handled mostly by The Beatnuts & Mista Lawnge of Black Sheep, with features from Dres (Black Sheep), Trugoy (De La Soul), Fashion (The Beatnuts) & Phife Dawg (ATCQ). My favorite Chi-Ali track was a Q-Tip remix of 'Roadrunner' - ironically called the 'Puberty Mix' - which was not included on the album. The track was released on vinyl, CD and cassette with Chris Lighty & Violator added to the fold. Chi-Ali's career was cut short by a manslaughter charge, manhunt and eventual spot on America's Most Wanted - he was caught 14 months later and received a 12-year sentence. He served his years and I saw him down in Atlanta not long after his release. He's since put out a few singles, done a few features/remixes, but above all else, I'm sure he's just enjoying his freedom. Happy 25th anniversary to the 'The Fabulous Chi-Ali' album. It's out of print now, but you can certainly still find copies on Discogs. Listen to the 12"...
This article in The Source (Jan. '96) gives me a good laugh. In the midst of a second golden era, artists still had their frustrations with the music, the business and the industry as a whole. To all the fans complaining now: it's not a new concept! Commercialization, false images, poor live shows, props for the underground, business, rap vs hip-hop, wack lyrics, East Coast vs West Coast beef, drugs, credibility and classic responses like Erick Sermon’s 'my record sales’ to the irony of Puff to say ‘the egos’ lol Artists and fans will forever have their gripes, just like our parents hated our music, we take issue with the new generation's music. I'd argue that there has been a significant decline in what's covered in the mainstream - especially the diversity of it - but it's a circular argument, so I won't waste your time. I remember all the wack stuff I suffered through in my teenage years, but you didn't have as much noise and we had DJs that were better filters to provide balance in the underground. We had venues and record stores that were necessary to the culture as meeting places to discuss and break records. You don't have to leave your house now, but honestly, are you better for it? The one thing I'll forever agree, artists need to learn more about business so they can make the most of these assets (their songs) that they create. More below...
'Maybe with my first album, I was kind of arrogant ... I thought I was the shit, but after a couple of months ... everybody's like, 'Man, 'Flow Joe' is the only hit Joe can make. So I came up with some ill shit. I learned to appreciate the fans more - I know it's because of the consumer that I'm here.' (Vibe, March 1996) He definitely came back hard with his sophomore album, 'Jealous One's Envy.' I remember back in the days of exchanging dubs with my friends, I bought another tape and my boy got Joe's album. We exchanged copies and I was like man, I bought some bullshit by comparison, lol. I've probably told that full story before, if not, it's definitely still fresh in my mind. To this day, the DJ Premier remix to 'The Shit Is Real' is one of the most nostalgic songs for me. 20+ years later, Fat Joe still knows how to stay relevant with a hit or 2 every few cycles. The album with Remy Ma kinda came and went, but the single was a smash and it won't be the last we hear of Fat Joe.
"Until the arrival of this record, the subterranean links between hip-hop and avent-garde techno were a well-kept secret. Given that many of electronic music's most daring practitioners grew up listening to hip-hop... this project is not the misalliance it might at first appear to be. Tried By 12 makes those links explicit and reveals the complicity of the two genres, which should never have been separated at all. This record's humble beginnings lie in the East Flatbush Project's original single "Tried By 12," a sparse, arid indie hip-hop single produced by Spencer Bellamy and released in 1997 to critical acclaim and widespread underground success. The folks at Chocolate Industries in Miami decided to ask their colleagues to remix the track in any way they saw fit..." Cont'd below...
"What distinguishes this effort from the plethora of remix work is that on first hearing, some of the reinterpretations bear absolutely no resemblance whatever to the original, but that impression is deceptive because they all retain the parched groove and moody, contemplative textures of the original version. Only Herbaliser's mixes are hip-hop in the traditional sense... This is where experimental electronics and hip-hop meet in a way that will change the received wisdom about each form." - CMJ, December 1998. The full review - based more in electronic music - is below.
This is a fresh 12" from Innersoul out of Harlem, on Mix-It-Up Records. In June of '96, Billboard magazine reviewed ‘It’s The Right Time’ saying: ‘Innersoul, aka newcomer Chris Sawyer, sets himself as a source of positivity on this call for the rise of youth education and empowerment. Wise and clever rhymes are woven into a musical fabric that wriggles with retro-funk rhythm and atmospheric, jazz-spiked keyboards. DJ Choco steps forward with a remix that has a raw street-flavor needed to connect with its intended audience of kids and rap purists. And for the rest who just who something smart and catchy, stick with Carlos Bess’ tight original production. A cool introduction to a rapper with the juice to go the full distance.’ The song is also featured on Innersoul’s debut ‘The Theory,’ a gem I recommend diggin' up. You can listen to the full 12" below...
Now known as a 20-year veteran in the underground hip-hop scene and turntablist community, it was back in 2004 that DJ Killa-Jewel put out her Triple Five Soul sponsored mixtape, 'The Official Misstape.' I was put onto the mix through my artist, Eternia, who like DJ Killa-Jewel represents out of Canada. Eternia blessed a freestyle on the intro and an exclusive joint called 'Spring Fever,' which remains a fan-favorite. The misstape also features tracks by Non Phixion, Defari, D.I.T.C., Gang Starr, Godfather Don, Slum Village, Bumpy Knuckles, Group Home, A Tribe Called Quest, Zion I, No I.D, Lord Finesse and lots more. Killa-Jewel's seamless mix showcased her ear for good music and her skills on the turntables. These days, her credits include a collaboration with DJ Q-Bert on his 'Do It In NYC' Vol.2 DVD, participation in the Canadian DMCs, and various competitions and sets all around the world. Thanks to WaxMonger for the fresh audio link, check out TheOfficial Misstape below...
It's been a minute since I did a Playlist post, but I was on Soundcloud and looked into what I've liked on my company account and created a quick playlist from it. It's about 30 joints, some I've already posted on here, and others I probably meant to in the first place. To give you an idea of what to expect, it includes tracks from: Awon, Anti-Lilly, Reks, Apollo Brown, SRAW, Philanthrope & Omaure, DJ Low Cut, Blu, Emanon, Hubbs, Yogisoul, Hy-Definition, Bluestaeb & Juju Rogers, Joe Budden, Torae, Logic and a dozen more. I mean, if you've been paying attention to the 'Selections' posted on this site, then you already know what to expect. I'm overdue for another Instrumentals playlist too, I'll have to remind myself to like more material, so the playlists will be ready when I go to make them, lol. A lot of the projects included have digital AND physical copies that you can support, so do look into purchasing what you enjoy from the playlist. I need to do more, I know...
As I always say, creators are gonna create. Regardless of the medium, there are people born with innate talents and they manifest in different ways. Enter the good brother, Sto The Last. I don't know what talent came first: his writing, rhyming, poetry or his people skills, but combined they could turn any introvert into an artist on their way to Afropunk to perform in front of thousands of people. Sto & I have crossed digital paths countless times over the years; in many ways he reminds me of a good friend named Praverb, may he Rest in Peace. A selfless brother who put the culture first and nurtured relationships to the tune of others finding paths to success. Both of them MCs who found writing along the way, too. Sto works at Dead End Hip-Hop - home of some of the best album reviews - and has taken a crack at artist publicity where he's already seen success. When I read on my timeline that he was a contestant in the running for a slot on Afropunk, I was quick to lend my vote(s) and was proud to see he was chosen out of many to perform. Posted to Bandcamp is Sto's Afropunk EP; it's 5 short tracks, but it packs plenty of content. It feels good to see good people win; our wins are always hard-earned & less publicized. That said, dig into the EP, and as always, I recommend you follow the breadcrumbs wherever they take you. (Updated)
DJ Troubl released this excellent mixtape in December, 2008... It's called "A Journey Into Fresh Diggin: Quasimoto Meets Himself," and features tracks of Quasimoto, Lootpack, Declaime, Madvillain, Jaylib and others that center around the theme of the mix. DJ Troubl unintentionally caused a stir with this mix when it first came out - it seemed Stones Throw was adamant about letting fans know that it was not an unofficial Stones Throw Records release. Nevertheless, it was released on cassette and CD so you can still dig up a copy. In the meantime, you can listen to the mix below...
"Been busy the last couple of weeks so haven't had a chance to rip some of my old radio tapes. I did however record a new mix for Street Legal Radio for their 4th of July episode. The recent nice weather in NYC had me feeling like listening to some 'feel good' music. I dug through some joints from the past decade or so from producers like 9th Wonder, Nottz, Dilla, Black Milk, Exile and others that make that shit that puts you in that vibe. Here's to a great summer." - via DJ Eclipse.
Set amid many of the defining events of the past four decades, The Defiant Ones tells the stories of Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre -- one the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman, the other straight out of Compton -- and their improbable partnership and surprising leading roles in a series of transformative events in contemporary culture. From director Allen Hughes (Menace II Society) this revealing, compelling and often-gritty story takes place in recording studios, in humble homes and massive mansions, in criminal courts and in the highest corridors of corporate power. Hughes shows how decades of defiance and determination helped Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre build a few empires, make a series of American dreams come true and transform two American street kids from different tough neighborhoods into a global force to be reckoned with. This epic look at America shows how you can consistently defy conventional wisdom and even logic, and still win big. The four-part documentary event is told with the help of many of the most notable artists and figures of our time, reflecting Hughes' unfettered access to Iovine, Dre and the remarkable cast of figures who have been a part of their success story. In addition to extensive interviews with Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, who speak frankly about their highs and lows, the show includes interviews with such music icons as Bono, David Geffen, Eminem, Nas, Ice Cube, Gwen Stefani, Jon Landau, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Snoop Dogg, Bruce Springsteen and will.i.am. The series also features never-before-seen footage from a multitude of recording and writing sessions with Eazy-E, JJ Fad, Stevie Nicks, N.W.A., Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and U2, among others. The Defiant Ones is a Silverback 5150 Pictures Production in association with Alcon Television Group; executive producers, Allen Hughes, Doug Pray, Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Laura Lancaster, Jerry Longarzo, Michael Lombardo and Gene Kirkwood; written by Allen Hughes, Lasse Jarvi, Doug Pray; edited by Lasse Jarvi, Doug Pray; music composed by Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Claudia Sarne; producers, Sarah Anthony, Steven Williams, Fritzi Horstman; directed by Allen Hughes. — HBO. Highly recommended mini-series.
This is Volume 37 in DJ Juice's mix tape series in 1997. The mix features exclusive Juice remixes and classic cuts from Big Pun, Ja Rule & DMX, Capone-N-Noreaga, Cappadonna, LL Cool J, Redman, Gravediggaz, Rakim, Canibus, Busta Rhymes, Mase, The LOX, Christion and a whole lot more! Peace to DJ Step One, always getting to the uploads first and with much better quality, too - Salute! Check out the mix tape below, and click the tags for lots more classic mix tapes from the '90s...
Brown Bag Money recording artist Daniel Son (Toronto) connects with Crate Divizion master chef Giallo Point (London) for their latest offering, Remo Gaggi. Entirely produced by Giallo Point, the project boasts features from Raspy, Saipher Soze, Eto, Blizz, and Skuddy Ranks. If you dig boom bap production with some soul and real lyricism, then check out Remo Gaggi below. (Updated audio)
"Where I'm At: The Setup continues the honest, heartfelt, sometimes feminist raps that were such a dominant and refreshing part of Eternia's debut, It's Called Life. From an often personal perspective, E opens up about love gone wrong ("On and On," "You Ain't Real" and "Hold On"); abusive relationships on "M.V.P." with Toya Alexis; the difficulties of being female in the often misogynist, breast-obsessed world of hip-hop ("Throw Some D's"); and the struggles that exist on the hard streets on "Struggle with Wordsworth and Kenn Starr. A new New York resident, Eternia also gets homesick for Toronto on "The Mega, "Northside '07 and "Homebase with Nick Fury and Freestyle. Those familiar with Eternia will know she's equally skilled with raw braggadocio battle raps, which are displayed here in equal measure. She claims dopest female credentials on "The Setup," wears the pants in the relationship fantasy of club track "Like a Boy," eats your food on the extended metaphor of "Dinner is Served" and just generally brags and boasts on posse cut "Ladies & Gentlemen" with Polyrhythmaddicts. The beats, both dubs and exclusives, are an equal mix of banging boom-bap and smooth grooves, although there tends to be a high ratio of soulful R&B, which goes overboard on "Upgrade You" and "On Blast." With a good mix demonstrating her varied skills, The Setup might just earn Eternia the respect she deserves Stateside." - Exclaim! Celebrate its 10th anniversary below...
Happy 10th Anniversary to arguably the best Hip-Hop album to be released in the last decade. I have no trouble saying it's my personal favorite, without hesitation. I drank the kool aid the first time I heard the Advance copy, which was slightly different (not better or worse) than the retail version. With less than 3000 copies in its original CD pressing, the scarcity of the album, coupled with the quality of the music, gave birth to an unofficial word of mouth campaign that gave the album its biggest push. It took a while, but it all added to the self-esteem value fans felt having been in the know, and they gladly spread the good word. I remember employees at Fat Beats pushed to have the album listed on year-end lists when labels and journalists would call the store asking what people were buying, even knowing there weren't many copies in circulation. By the time an official vinyl pressing came around, I was eagerly waiting at the Fat Beats warehouse for the hand-numbered LPs to arrive, lol. "Below The Heavens" should be the benchmark for collaborative efforts and for artists like Blu who wish to be transparent and tell their story through their lyrics. They successfully crafted one of the most relatable records, and I believe it'll find new listeners for generations to follow. Shouts to J.Kim, who was instrumental in its success, and Exile, whom I'd already been following through Emanon and Dirty Science, as well as his early Eksile mix tapes.
"Under the initiative of your favorite label, Fel Sweetenberg and Finale decided to carry out a collaborative project untitled "Two Kings". When the excellence of Detroit meets the excellence of Camden, it brings an uncompromising project where each rapper rivals with his lyrics and technique, all exacerbated by the minimalist beats of Fel who entirely produced the album. See y'all real soon to listen to the 1st extract of the future deserved triumph of these 2 kings!" - Effiscienz
H3RO drops off the visuals to his latest record 'Tragic H3RO,' and you need to put eyes & ears on it! Since his first studio mixtape in 2010, H3RO has been attracting media attention and making a name for himself in the underground Carolina music scene. Born Justin Daniels, he grew up listening to hip hop with an affinity for lyrics & poetry. A student of the great Nasir Jones, the name H3RO manifested in '08 after the “Hip Hop is Dead” emcee dropped the single “Hero” off his Untitled LP.
Supastition pays homage to Ghostface Killah on his brand new track, "Thanks, Ghost." The self-produced single is inspired by one of Hip-Hop's greatest storytellers, Ghostface Killah, as Supa documents some humorous incidents that happened while ironically listening to Ghost. The song serves as the first single in the 'Solitaire' monthly series where Supastition handles all of the writing, recording, mixing and graphic design for each track. You can stream and download the track (and instrumental) for free below. Follow Supastition for all updates on future releases.
A "wow" throwback to the year 1998... Eternia was in 11th grade at the time! That's crazy. The crew was called Bomb Shelta and in '98, their album was called "Rebirth." In the MySpace days, the page said, "Formed in 1995 by Shylow, Fear and former member DJ Sinn, the BSA stood as a collective of MC's, DJ's and producers from across Ontario who's associations with one another were used to assist and better serve their common artistic goals as well as their individual endeavors .... "The Rebirth" album was recorded in 97/98; it was never released commercially, but garnered critical praise and gained worldwide recognition through word of mouth, hand to hand sales, and the internet." It's been a lot of years since I put this song on, but below is the 1998 track, "Seven Deadly Ciphers." Props to Shylow & Expertise of "First Division" and of course, Eternia, who sounds NOTHING like this today! I trust this'll get a reboot one day soon for those that missed it in 1998.
"The verdict's been in. The form of shock-hip-hop labeled "horrorcore" that enjoyed some burn a few years back was about as interesting as a bad hangover. Granted, I'm as big a Gravediggaz fan as anyone, but basically, you'd have to possess some sort of sick gift in order to pull of that kind of act today. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Cage. Dancing on the tombstone of horrorcore's long-buried corpse, this New York underground MC's single forges into its own steez of lunatic-fringe hysteria - Cage, and producer accomplice Necro, save their best move for the ingenious B-side, the Clockwork Orange homage, "Agent Orange." Lifting its melody from the motion picture's theme music and its chorus from the Genius' Liquid Swords album intro, Cage frenziedly transports futuristic ultraviolent thug life mentalities to fantasmagorical rhyme ciphers. "See me twisting leak with my peeps from psychiatrics / Get high, run up in your crib and fuck your moms backwards / Lost in the dust / Don't give a fuck about dangerous / I'm in it for the whip, plus the cream and the headrussshhh..." Demented rap strikes again." - Sure Shot Single in The Source, July 1997.
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Eric B. & Rakim’s Paid In Full album (originally released July 7, 1987), author Brian Coleman has teamed up with renowned DJ and radio personality DJ ECLIPSE to bring the world a new concept – a podcast using original interview tapes, blended with music including the tracks discussed in the interviews as well as the original music sampled to make those tracks. The interview in question, featured as the centerpiece of this new DJ Eclipse mix, was conducted by Coleman with the legendary MC Rakim in the early 2000s, and appeared in Coleman’s first two books, Rakim Told Me and Check the Technique [Volume 1]: Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies. Coleman’s most recent book, Check the Technique Volume 2: More Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies, was released in 2014. Stream the "Paid In Full" 30th Anniversary Tribute below.
"Ayo the world is in turmoil b. I dont kno if yall heard but it turns out that global warming is a real thing. Icebergs meltin.. ocean levels rising...islands disappearing n shit..n the bee population is droppin at a CATASTROPHIC rate nahmean. Colony Collapse Disorder is real yo. Worker bees jus up n leave the hive n the queen gets left behind wit all the young bees to figure shit out on they own. Shit is tragic. Who is raising these young bees...b? Before you get to thinkin OH WELL ITS JUST BEES I GOT MY OWN PROBLEMS YO you gotta think bout the economical n agricultural impact that shit has. That shit affects you whether you kno it or not my g.. Ima break down the science for yall. First off bees dont only pollinate begonias n daffodils n shit.. They pollinate crops...such as fruits n veggies namsayin. So say you a mango or nectarine farmer n you gotta weak ass harvest on ya hands cuz the bees aint around to pollinate ya fruits n whatever...but you still gotta pay the fruit pickers n cop new tractors n shit.. You got no choice but to up the prices nahmean. So you sell that shit to Whole Foods for double...then Whole Foods turns around n doubles that price.. Next thing you kno people forced to pay $18.99/lb for damn nectarines. Regular hardworking families start takin out loans n killin they credit rating to buy produce for they babies n shit. Or worse..they say FUCK ALL THAT n stop eatin fruits n vegetables. Next thing ya whole family got scurvy b. You end up losin ya job cuz you never show up for work cuz you dyin from scurvy.. You got no health insurance.. Amidst all this fuckshit you still gotta worry bout all these environmental disasters...hurricanes, typhoons, fuckin tsunamis n shit. Meanwhile Korean Joffrey Baratheon tryna blow up the fuckin Western Hemisphere n Trump stays playin wild dick flute solos for Putin. AND you realize the KKK is alive n well on top of all this shit. Not just racist crackers in general.. cuz those inbreds never went nowhere...but these organized white nationalist supremacist shitheads n the nazi fuckfaces. And here come Kendall Jenner handin out Pepsis. All we got left is art. If you slept on Cocaine Beach its cool.. your loss G" - Big Ghost. Had to update to share that, stream it below.
"Another mix, another collaboration. This time out I linked up with Mr Tobes and we've put together a selection of some of QBs finest from the early 00s. There was a flood of material coming out of Queensbridge at the turn of the decade and it was kind of hard to keep track of at times but the fact that Alchemist and Havoc were supplying beats for the likes of Cormega, Tragedy, CNN and an impressive array of Mobb Deep affiliates meant that the quality was usually on point." - DJStepOne
Da Buze Bruvaz are a hardcore rap duo from Philadelphia. Him-Lo and Clever One are both members of the legendary NY posse the LoLifes, founded by Thirstin Howl 3rd. Known for their outlandishly over the top non politically correct lyrics. They’re a throwback to early, mid-90’s underground Hip-Hop. Though they have released limited collectors edition vinyl in the past, this is their first official LP. It has the rawness of a season of OZ in rhyme form, and should be taken with that type of entertainment value. "It should probably be rated at least R, if not X. Definitely not for Kids, maybe not even for some adults," says their press release. Listen to Da Buze Bruvaz's raw release "Adebisi Hat" below and man, if you've never watched HBO's OZ, go back and watch it ASAP!
A dope promo tape from Capone-N-Noreaga in '98, featuring released and unreleased tracks from "The War Report," as well as tracks from Noreaga's "N.O.R.E" album & a few other joints thrown in. The tape is awkwardly called "Ya Heard! Vol.1: The Penalty Mixtape;" mixed by Cipha Sounds & hosted by Funkmaster Flex who comes loud as can be on the mix, lol. Pics by me, but fortunately DJ Step One already has a nice copy of it on Mixcloud, so props to him for saving me the time ripping it, head over to his page for lots more content. Blast off with Funk Flex & Capone-N-Noreaga, enjoy "Calm Down," "Married To Marijuana," "Blood Money" and other dope throwbacks. Listen to it below...
"The Brooklyn-based MIKE announced himself to the wider world earlier this year as a precocious 18-year-old rapper packing a stash of lyrics written from a startlingly mature perspective. (An endorsement from Earl Sweatshirt also helped spread word about his talent.) Named after a comment his mom made about his musical work ethic, MAY GOD BLESS YOUR HUSTLE is a deep listen that rewards close attention, as MIKE’s baritone voice drops buttery verses that deal with his ongoing battle with depression while expressing the same sort of oblique commentary that MF Doom practices so well. “My poppa hate the fact I never talk about my issues / I’m too dismissive,” he slurs on the self-aware closing cut, “ROCKBOTTOM/PEACE TO COME,” before the song and the project dissolves to a poignant end." - Bandcamp Daily // Listen to the project below...
Peep this mashup of legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock with the illustrious lyricist Eminem. David Begun has layered Eminem’s lyrics over the beats from the Petestrumentals album and mixing in various Pete Rock original samples and scratches to form a picture of what Eminem would have sounded like over one of the most acclaimed producers of hip-hop music in the 90’s. Listen below...
My first observation, this is my favorite artwork from DJ Jazzy Jeff and Mick Boogie in their Summertime series! Here we have Volume 8! Another classic mix featuring tracks from Beanie Sigel, Foxy Brown & Jay-Z, Heavy D, Super Cat, Pharrell, DJ Spinna, Babyface, SWV, Prodigy, Mobb Deep, Camp Lo, Raekwon, Soul II Soul, The Roots, Gang Starr, Beyonce & Jay-Z, KC & The Sunshine Band, Da Brat, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Ice Cube, 2Pac, Nas, UGK & Outkast, and more! Less tracks in this year's mix, but just as dope, check it out below! Happy 4th of July weekend.
"As a Canadian youth, I watched Much Music rather religiously... especially documentary-style news programs like The New Music as well as off-beat specialties like RU Receiving and The Wedge (Big up Sook-Yin Lee! Big up Larissa Gulka!). In one particular episode of The New Music, there was a spotlight on this Toronto based event called Honey Jam which was an all female showcase of urban artists, one of which was Eternia. I remember thinking about how bold it was that she was one of few rappers amidst a majority of r&b songstresses, rolling with the boys but still holding it down for - and with - the ladies. This was obviously long before I ever saw myself as someone who would dabble with writing bars at all. I just loved the idea of an all female showcase of that type. I loved the sense of community and support Honey Jam evoked by bringing these artists together. Back then and even more recently, I was often told that my singing voice was a strength, so I focused on building my strength as a singer-songwriter. Now that my horizons have broadened, hearing Eternia do her thing in present day induces some very potent feelings of nostalgia, pride and respect. I didn’t really follow her career closely over the years but I’d heard and wondered about her every now and then. This video makes me feel like I’m watching someone I grew up with achieve goals, slay the game, and “fight the system” ... the system that attempts to leave little room for obscure femme artists to blossom at the forefront of their scenes. Many are dismantling that system today and I’m pleased to give thanks to lyricist like Eternia who graciously lead the way." (This post was edited to include writing via @Arbor_Vitae's IG in 2019... because it fit this perfectly. Thank you).
On this day in 1996, NaS released his sophomore album, 'It Was Written.' A more commercial effort, NaS definitely received a fair amount of criticism for his direction on this release, as compared to his debut 'Illmatic.' The numbers show, however, that there was far more praise and had he not released this album, it's arguable whether or not Illmatic would have ever reached as many consumers and been heralded as such a classic. It Was Written was double-platinum, while Illmatic had sold nowhere near that at the time. Props to Steve Stoute and the Trackmasters for their work on the album, and of course, DJ Premier, L.E.S., Dr. Dre, Havoc and more. It surely had its misses, but there's a generation younger than mine that holds this up as their favorite NaS album. Go figure ... what do you think? In advance of the album, Columbia released Nas Is Coming with the July '96 stamp, and it featured The Source Freestyle, Silent Murder, Street Dreams, If I Ruled The World and Watch Dem N#ggas. The version of 'If I Ruled The World' was slightly different, if I remember correctly, but the smash single with Lauryn Hill would prove to be the push NaS needed in '96. Hit the tags to go back and read media reviews, but I remember stories of NaS' car being burned in the bridge (allegedly) in '96. A little dramatic, but I guess everyone feels entitled to a piece of the success when an artist blows up, or maybe it's just a hood myth to be ignored ... You decide.
Released about a year ago via LargeUp and Okayplayer, this is DJ Gravy & DJ Corey Chase's 'Double Barrel' mix. The mix blends classic Hip-Hop tracks with the Reggae songs they've been sampled from. 'Double Barrel,' is not only a record by Mad Lion and KRS-One from the 90s but originally the first reggae song to top the UK Charts in '71 by Dave & Ansell Collins. As LargeUp notes, it was later sampled by Special Ed on 'I'm The Magnificent' in '88. The mix also features tracks from Nas, Mos Def, Boogie Down Productions, and Ghostface blended with Super Cat, Sister Nancy, Junior Reid, Yellowman, Yami Bolo and lots more. You can stream the mix through Soundcloud and download the single-track version OR download the tracked-out version HERE. Click play and appreciate the sounds of Hip-Hop, with its deep roots in Jamaican culture. Should I post more Dancehall? Yes.
