J.PERIOD Presents The Live Mixtape: Shaolin Edition. His Tribute to Wu-Tang Clan, Part 1, was recorded LIVE on August 3, 2020. The 90-minute tribute to Shaolin's finest features Wu exclusives, new J.PERIOD remixes, rare freestyles, demos tracks and lots more! Keeping up with his prolific pace of releases, J.PERIOD released a Part 2 a week later, and included additional remixes, featured tracks and more. These Live recorded mixes have added a new texture to mixtapes and certainly change the way we experience them. There are a few other DJs that have brought us similar experiences, such as Statik Selektah, DJ Evil Dee, MICK Boogie, DJ Mighty Mi and so on. All very dope! Click through to read the track lists for both mixes, or just listen to them streaming below...
The LOX have released their new 14-track album Living Off Xperience on D-Block and Roc Nation Records. The album features the legendary DMX of Ruff Ryders, Grammy-Award winning producer Scram Jones, consistent hit-maker T-Pain, Jeremih, both Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher from Griselda Records, and more. The new album also features additional production from a who’s who of legendary producers including Swizz Beatz, Scott Storch, AraabMuzik, Nottz, Statik Selektah, and Large Professor. The Yonkers’ trio of Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch have after 22 years since their debut album released their fourth group studio album together and their first in almost three and a half years since their successful ‘Filthy America… It’s Beautiful’ which charted well in late 2016. This new album clocking in at 57-minutes sees The LOX return as expected with their signature gritty lyrical delivery coupled with the traditional New York sound that is likely to be well received by their legions of loyal fans accumulated over the years. - via The Source. Dig in...
With the global, breakthrough success of D-Nice during COVID, I thought I'd share a throwback mix he did in 2008 for the movie soundtrack to The Wackness, which I happened to rewatch recently. Released as promo through Jive Records, D-Nice took us on a mini-trip through the 90s, including the movie's tracks from A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, The Notorious B.I.G., KRS-One, Black Moon, O.C., Craig Mack, Group Home, Biz Markie, Nas, and more. The soundtrack from the Sundance submission of the movie differs from the final edit, with several tracks either being shifted, replaced, or cut out of some scenes possibly due to issues of licensing, but the movie did include some incredible joints. You can tune into D-Nice for some feel-good vibes through his IG live HERE, where you'll see anyone from presidential candidates to your favorite celebs in the chat.
Big ups to the kid, DJ Camilo, on this classic mix from '95, Tape #12. The mix features tracks from Bushwackas, Raekwon, Lin Que, Mobb Deep, Blahzay Blahzay, Lord Finesse, KRS-One, Method Man & Redman, Large Professor, Das EFX, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Mary J. Blige, Crooklyn Dodgers, Rakim, Fat Joe, Heather B, Cypress Hill, Shabazz The Disciple, Erick Sermon, Special Ed, Kool G Rap, Grand Puba, Jay-Z and more! When I look back at all the mix tapes I've shared/reposted over the years, damn... a lot of them are from '95! It is what it is, dig in below, and thanks to DJ Step One for the link!
"This release marks an exciting collaboration between me & 90's Tapes in which I have chosen along with the crew to release some of my favorite demos fans and collectors alike have sought after and asked me to "please make available" for years in a format like this. During the whole thing the HHV staff have been super cool from the start. They listened astutely, and invited me to offer any suggestions every step of the way, and made it a smooth, easy going affair overall - resulting in what I believe is a simply marvelous release that I sincerely hope will entertain and be enjoyed by all!" - Godfather Don. Released via 90s Tapes, this is a really dope selection of tracks. The blog era and message boards gave a second life to a lot of rare gems and build the word of mouse that led to labels reissuing and unearthing these types of records. Godfather Don's catalog been dope: DIG!
In 2003, after the mishandling of A Prince Among Thieves, Prince Paul found himself in a dark space and made an album reflective of his negative feelings about the music industry. Devoid of his signature skits and melodic samples, Politics of the Business is Prince Paul at his most cynical. He tells the story of putting the album together, its critical/fan reception and how he feels about it now. Politics of the Business features Dave Chappelle, Ice-T, Chuck D, Jean Grae, MF Doom and more! Another great episode from Prince Paul and Open Mike Eagle! Hit the tags for more episodes of the What Had Happened Was Podcast, and a lot more related content. Did you like Politics?
The evolution of hip-hop music into a greater art form will never occur if the artists and their producers themselves don't grow as individuals. Outkast and their producers, Organized Noize, understand that without growth, audiences mature beyond the artists. Their sophomore release, "ATLiens," represents a big change in faith, philosophy, and deed for the Atlanta duo. As the album title suggests, Big Boi and Dre have gone out of this world into a new dimension of sight, sound, and mind. While Big Boi speaks of embracing the responsibilities of manhood on cuts like "Decatur Psalm," Dre, like a disciple cleansing himself in baptismal water, gives voice to personal spiritual rejuvenation and renunciation of his former worldly ways on songs like "Babylon," "E.T.," and "Millennium." Outkast transcends by descending neighborhood scenery, leaving the audience to expand its imagination. "ATLiens" is socially responsible, spiritual, and street all at the same time. Almost like in the Twilight Zone, or the Million Man March, or at a southern Baptist revival, "ATLiens" embodies the power and the spirit of black music. When the offering plate begins to make its rounds, your undivided attention is the only payment required. - The Source, '96. Listen below...
The B-Side to the picture disc copy of OutKast's ATLiens LP...
For the second volume in his stunning 'A Jawn Supreme' series, Philadelphia’s own Small Professor proves yet again that he’s one of the hardest-working, and also most talented, producers in the game today. Just like with Vol. 1, the second volume demonstrates the breadth of his skills as he provides remixed and remastered versions of tracks from his various Jawn projects over the years. In doing so, he puts all of these instrumentals into an entirely new context, with Vol. 2 feeling like a sincere ode to the Golden Era. Free from pretension or pandering, the 12 tracks on this release bridge the decades-long gap between the beginnings of boom bap and modern hip-hop. Dig into it...
This is a Columbia Records mix tape from DJ S&S in 1994, called "Buttah Tape." If you were outside at the time, you probably remember the compilation CD that Columbia Records sent out called No Doubt ... This Is What It's About. It featured early tracks from Nas, Big L, Kurious, Fugees, Jamal-Ski, Tiger, Diana King and others. This mix tape is very similar in terms of track selection and artists, although it also includes tracks from Kris Kross, Schooly D and Super Cat. Columbia Records also sent out the infamous slipmats with logos from Nas, Kurious, and Big L in black and orange. Anyhow, it's a fine mix tape, which was uploaded by DJ Step One via Grime & Lime - much respect to them!
Here's the original slipmat in case you aren't familiar & tracklist from the CD...
The Baltimore Housing Project is the sophomore full-length album from Baltimore's Jay Royale. He brings production to the LP from J Soul, M.W.P., Ray Sosa, Ice Rocks, Trevor Lang, Mika Dough and Level 13, as well as heavy features from Skyzoo, Ransom, Ill Conscious, and Termanology. There's a really solid scene in the underground out in Baltimore, they've contributed a lot to the culture in the last few years. This is another fine release, matching ill beats and with potent lyricism. Dig in...
L'Orange & Solemn Brigham are Marlowe. Marlowe is a collaborative alt-rap project from North Carolina-based hip-hop producer L'Orange and rapper Solemn Brigham. Their unique blend of quick-fire vocals and dusty breakbeats is most well-known on tracks such as "Lost Arts" and "Tales From The East." The project came together in 2018 with the intent of marrying Brigham's lyrics concerning social commentary, police brutality, and poverty with L'Orange's thudding beats and crackling vinyl samples to achieve a new, refreshing take on hip-hop in modern times. Marlowe 2 seeks to continue that legacy. Dig into Marlowe's latest LP released via Mello Music Group below...
This is DJ Evil Dee's Tape Kingz release of Nasdee Bushwick Joint, and it's yes, it's NASTY! The mix tape features joints from 1995 with Junior M.A.F.I.A., Redman, Grand Puba, Whitey Don (ft. Phife & Chip Fu), Lords of the Underground (ft. Keith Murray), Gang Starr, Onyx, KGB, Mobb Deep, AZ, GZA, Special Ed, Tha Alkaholiks, Pudgee The Phat Bastard (ft. B.I.G. & Lord Tariq), Kali Ranks, Little Shawn, Raekwon, U.T.D., and more! DJ Evil Dee was holdin' down Hot 97 on Monday Nights at the time, and it felt like the inmates were running the building. He's always represented for the underground heads. Listen to the mix below and much respect to DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt, two of the nicest brothers!
Baker's Dozen is a vinyl series that shines a spotlight on instrumental music and the personalities behind the craft. To commemorate the 13th and final release in series history, Fat Beats Records aims to focus on thirteen of its most respected producers with the aptly titled compilation "Baker's Dozen: XIII". It features a legendary collection of producers (in tracklist order): Damu The Fudgemunk, Block Head, Pete Rock, Statik Selektah, Madlib, Kutmah, Alchemist, Onra, Black Milk, Tokimonsta, Flo Filz, MNDSGN, & Mitsu The Beats! Much respect to Fat Beats, pushing the culture forward since the 90s as a record store, label, distribution: an institution to be celebrated! Dig in...
It's the photo that broke the hip-hop internet. The research for this book [Contact High] turned up a never-before-seen image of young Tupac and Nas at a party at Club Amazon on the West Side of Manhattan. Al Pereira was already known for his shot of Biggie, Tupac, and Redman that was taken on the same night, but he didn't realize the other image existed until he looked at the contact sheet nearly twenty-five years later. According to Al Pereira, he was shooting photos of Tupac, "then Redman jumps into the shot and this big guy came over. I had no idea who Biggie was, so to me he was just some guy ruining my shot of the famous guys. Nas was the other guy in the frame that I didn't know, but he came over and they were all posing together, having fun. I was just clicking and in the energy of it all. I also love that the image meant so much to Nas as it showed one of his closest confidants, Draws, in several frames. I am thrilled that my photography contributed to hip-hop history and the narratives of two legends before they were famous, just hanging out." The pic was taken in 1993. If you don't own Contact High - once again! - go pick it up!
King's Disease is the thirteenth studio album by legendary eMCee, Nas. It was released today through Mass Appeal Records. The album features appearances from Foxy Brown, Dr. Dre, Cormega and AZ as The Firm, as well as Anderson Paak, A$AP Ferg, Big Sean, Brucie B, Charlie Wilson, Don Toliver, Fivio Foreign, Hit-Boy and Lil Durk. The album is produced by Hit-Boy, with additional production by Gabriel Zardes. King's Disease is the first album I've listened to on the day of its release in quite a long time. Although I'm still making my way through it - slowly digesting it - I've enjoyed what I've heard thus far! I've been disappointed by the early reviews I've read: fans/media are still comparing new material against his debut opus Illmatic and complaining that the music is catering to the mainstream. I'm amazed this is still a conversation in 2020, lol. Sure, I'd like to hear a Nas and DJ Premier album, too ... but I wasn't expecting some underground shit from Hit-Boy and I'm not gonna discredit the content and the skill of Nas, just because it's not 1994 anymore. Cut it out. Mind you, that's coming from someone who hustles nostalgia, the irony isn't lost on me! There's plenty to dig into with this release, just approach it with an open mind. And I can't let this post go up without saying that AZ is still razor sharp, too: "Dialog superb, flyest cars on the curb / word, when I evolved the higher God emerged..." Possibly the best verse on the whole project. Update: I've now sat with it for a few days and think it's a solid album. It's got replay value, to me! Dig in...
Dancehall blend tapes with hip-hop beats might not be the craze today, but back in the mid-90s, these tapes were in high-demand! Anyone remember the Tape Kingz catalogs? If you were ordering your mix tapes, there's a solid chance you gambled and picked up a copy of a Nick Bondz tape, and were hooked. He put in some quality blends, and dancehall/reggae selections on ALL of his mix tapes, of which there were over a dozen. This here is Uplifting Selections #7 from 1996. It features blends from Cutty Ranks, Beenie Man, Capleton, Mega Banton, Jigsy King, Buju Banton, General Degree, Spragga Benz, Lady Saw, Burro Banton, Junior Reid, the Fugees, Beenie Man, and more. If this tape sounds like it's for you, it is! Dig in, and hit the tags below for more dancehall content...
Bite the Bullet is a collaborative album between Daniel Son, Asun Eastwood and producer Futurewave! Canada's bringing more underground heat to the table with this one, but y'all already know that Toronto has had held some of the best talent for years now. The 12-track LP boasts guest appearances from 36th Cypher, Kardinal Offishal, Mooch, Rob Gates, Rome Streetz and Saipher Soze. I appreciate the nod to Redman with the dope artwork, and the overall consistency of the raw beats and rhymes featured on the project. Definitely check out Bite The Bullet below...
On the latest episode of Prince Paul and Open Mike Eagle's What Had Happened Was, Paul tells the stories of forming Handsome Boy Modeling School with Dan the Automator. If you're not up on the music that Prince Paul and Dan The Automator created together, you've already missed so much, but it's not too late! Listen to the music, then come back and enjoy this phenomenal (and entertaining) episode of their podcast. Dig into the archives for past episodes and lots more...
Emphasizing the value of art over commerce with an assured probity seldom demonstrated by his contemporaries, O.C.'s debut album, Word...Life, was a spirited boon to hip-hop purists that had been searching for an icon to articulate their ideology. Rare had an MC preached the importance of street credibility and ghetto gold with a blatancy as evident as O.C. did on "Time's Up." Strangely, his meager commercial success seemed to strengthen his underground support and, for better or worse, he became the purist's model spokesman. Three years later, and facing the litmus test of his sophomore album, O.C. responds on his second single, "Far From Yourz," in a way not even his most devout fans would expect: the female crooning of R&B singer Yvette Michelle. Whether you view it as a either soulful shading or an attempt at greater appeal, one thing is certain on Jewelz: O.C. is hardly compromising his MC abilities or selling out. While his first album was an exorcism of personal beliefs-memories of growing up, expositions on inner ideologies-his second album is more of an exercise in pure skill. For the most part, O.C. doesn't have anything to say that carries the same weight as "Time's Up," but you're drawn to the ways he says it. Brimming with East Coast-style musical textures, the Lord Finesse-produced title track and the Buckwild-blessed "The Chosen One," elicit the same type of emotive spirit found on album one, but it's the cuts like the DJ Premier-produced "M.U.G." (with Freddie Foxxx), and "My World," that are indicative of O's new steelo: non-stop, bending lyrical rhapsodies. Although Jewelz doesn't possess the conceptual glue necessary to hold this album together, O.C.'s ability to captivate a listener with the purity of his delivery is what drives this album. Unlike most rappers, he is a skilled wordsmith with a sincere dedication to his craft. Still shining and still climbing. - The Source (9/97). I still love this album, revisit it below...
The original 3.5 mic-review in The Source (September, 1997)...
Iron Mic by Josiah The Gift has been out almost a month - YUP, I'm 100% late to the party on this one, but give me a pass and embrace that I finally showed up! Iron Mic is a 17-track offering from the Jersey MC, who built the inspiration for the project off the heavyweight champ, Iron Mike Tyson. A hint of Ghostface, too - not only the tribute track but filtered throughout his flow and delivery on the LP. The album features production from Rob Deniro, Mosbeats, King David Beats, Nautilus, The Roses, The Prospect, Freemind, Bishop, Pad Scientist, Frank Grimes, Kheyzine, Farmabeats, and Hobgoblin, as well as features from HooksArthur, DJ Jon Doe, Generalbackpain, Snotty, Pro Dillinger and Jamil Honesty. Dig into it below and much props to Ficlopsis on the artwork.
The high-profile album that is hyped and delayed beyond expectation only to fail to live up to the fanfare is an all too common tale in hip-hop. Such is not the case with Murda Muzik, the fourth joint from Queensbridge alchemists Mobb Deep. Unquestionably one of the most anticipated rap releases of the year [1999], Havoc and Prodigy's basement-born collision of ominously minimalist breakbeats and insightfully infamous poetics have never sounded so mature and defined, particularly on the tracks such as "Allustrious" and "Quiet Storm." Even the album's newest cuts impress, particularly "Can't Fuck Wit" with Raekwon and "It's Mine" with fellow Queensbridge product Nas. Cop that! - CMJ (9/99). Man, I remember coppin' a bootleg of Murda Muzik at a neighborhood carwash! in the spring of '99, lol. That's how much this project was leaked, bootlegged and highly anticipated! The production was incredible, adding The Alchemist's production to Hav and P's already gritty soundscapes, and also featured vocals from Big Noyd, Cormega, Lil' Cease, 8 Ball, Kool G Rap and, of course, Lil' Kim on the smash remix to "Quiet Storm." People don't talk about Murda Muzikas much as they do The Infamous or Hell On Earth, but the replay value is nearly as intense, so revisit this classic below - released on this day in 1999! Dig up the bootlegs, too, for some extra tracks! lol.
Below is a review in Spin Magazine + the Platinum Party flyer...
Wax Poetics explains, "Yo! MTV Raps exploded onto cable television on August 6, 1988. Yo! MTV Raps was a huge hit because it was necessary. Perhaps the most potent catalyst in hip-hop’s infiltration of the mainstream, Yo! beamed future superstars and regional rap heroes alike into living rooms for the first time ever." On August 17, 1995, Yo! MTV Raps aired its final episode, which concluded with an epic freestyle cipher featuring legends like Rakim, KRS-One, Erick Sermon, MC Serch, Redman, Method Man, Craig Mack, Chubb Rock, Large Professor, Special Ed, and hosted by Doctor Dre and Ed Lover. From 1996 to 1999, MTV repackaged it as simply Yo! The repackaged version was far more stripped down. Yo! had a weekly slate of special guest hosts. For instance, Angie Martinez and Fatman Scoop served as its hosts. By 1998, Yo! had no guest hosts and became a one-hour program airing late Friday nights at 1 a.m. or 1:30 a.m. In 2000, MTV's outlet for hip-hop videos became Direct Effect, known since 2006 as Sucker Free. As time goes by, MTV has played less and less music videos, but you already knew that! I miss these old days, so once again, reminisce with me below...
The title ["Stress--The Extinction Agenda"] explains their album in two ways... The first part of the title, "stress", represents the time frame from before they finished their debut LP up until now and simply reflects all of the different ups and downs the group went through. Stress in the form of five deaths in their crew, disappointing sales from their first album resulting in money being short, disappointing listeners who did not want to figure out and appreciate their music. Prince explains the second part of the title, "Extinction Agenda" -- "extinction means to put something out permanently and we're trying to tell people that whatever's stopping you from getting ahead you gotta make them extinct, put them on the side, make them stay there, let them be dead. It also means Organized is gonna go all out, and do whatever we gotta do to get where we gotta go". "Stress--The Extinction Agenda" is as much about struggle as it is about how to deal with it. The two songs that best exemplify the dichotomy of their title would be "Stress" and "Black Sunday". In "Stress" they energetically shout in the chorus the directive to "Krush, Kill, Destroy Stress". In "Black Sunday", the group reflects on what they had to do to get where they are and being thankful for it, but still realizing they have a way to go to get where they want to be. Other key conceptual songs that fulfill the albums meaning are "Fight for Life", "Maintain", "Stray Bullet", and "Why". "Fight for Life" and "Maintain" tell people to do just that. "Stray Bullet" is about the unfortunate growing incidences of innocent bystanders, young and old, being struck and murdered by bullets that have missed their criminal targets. "Why", which is a sureshot anthem, is about as Prince explains "some girl shit where girls try to play n!@@-- out who have their shit on point!"
....But of course it wouldn't be Organized Konfusion without the confusion and the rest of the album is a testament to why they are considered pioneers on the cutting edge at lyrical mastery and innovation. On "Bring It On", Monch rips a phoenetical freestyle frenzy with a pronounced stuttering style for the duration of three lines on his verse (warning: this should not be tried at home!) On "Extinction Agenda", Prince flexes a boast rap but takes it to the extreme where wack MCs fall off in a "scenario of a barren land... and you see limbs and body and he's corroded". The album rounds off with two pleasant surprises -- "Thirteen" which is a Monch solo and "Bounce" which is Prince's solo. "Bounce" features quick cameos from their boys OCee and Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest on the chorus. ... In a time where most Hip-Hop artist have big singles but disappointing albums Organized Konfusion offer a refreshingly complete package and show the sum can and should be greater than its parts. In a time also where most Hip-Hop artists depend heavily on gimmicks and/or portraying gangsters or politicians that they are not, Organized Konfusion show that you can draw from within and still be accepted. "We put our hearts and souls in it. While we gettin' payed at the same time we want to be real." - Bio, 1994. Also, check out 2DBZ's great look back at the album in 2015. One of my favorite projects [ever], read the full biography of O.K. below. As of today, the LP is not available on streaming platforms, but I trust they are working on it! MORE.
Here's the latest remix project from David Begun; it's entitled All Eyez On The Hussle. David Begun shares the following message along with its release, "Nipsey Hussle was dubbed by many people as his generation's 2Pac. From his music and words to his tragic end, he embodied the spirit that Pac had and left behind. This mashup combines Nipsey's powerful lyrics with the music from Pac's catalog. Their combination blends together and it seems almost as if Nipsey's words were destined for the vibe that 2Pac himself rapped over almost two decades ago." Unfortunately, I can't promise this project will remain online, so listen while you can and give me a shout if it gets taken down. Rest In Peace to both 2Pac and Nipsey Hussle, two of the most impactful artists from our culture. It's also Nipsey Hussle's born day today - I don't have a playlist ready, so I hope you'll dig into this...
The Bronx's Al-Doe is inspired by the late 90s/early 2000s era of New York Rap. Mentored by fellow Latino Bronx native Fat Joe and inspired by another legend of the Bronx, Big Pun (R.I.P.), Al-Doe is a hard-edged independent rapper. Although he has modeled and acted, including small roles in the television movie Thicker Than Blood and the series As the World Turns and Law & Order, Al-Doe eventually devoted most of his time to rhyming, a talent he started to hone during his late teens. His latest collaboration is with fellow Bronx producer, Spanish Ran, entitled Dona Blanca Trilogy. Spanish Ran is also an A&R at Jamla/RocNation Records. The dope duo has given birth to this magnificent Trilogy, a real homage to the beloved New York sound illustrated here with dusty latino soul samples, boom bap drums accompanied by harsh and aggressive flows from Al-Doe. Dig into it...
Southside Queens' Onyx originally consisted of Fredro Starr, Sticky Fingaz, Sonny Seeza (Suave'), Big D.S and producer ChySkillz. Onyx was one of Hip Hop's biggest groups, spearheaded by the legendary DJ - Jam Master Jay of RUN DMC. Onyx defied the odds in 1993 and took an aggressive sound, style and movement to become platinum-plus. This documentary, The Untold Story of Onyx, was written and created by James "Kraze" Billings and highlights their career in music, television as well as in film. If you've seen the documentaries on Audio Two, Stezo, Blahzay Blahzay, Biz Markie and others, then you know what to expect. Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz are still representin' the Onyx brand as a group and in their solo efforts. Dig into the archives for some of those releases...
"When you really want to hear something different take a trip deep, deep underground and you will find Cypress Hill ominously lamping in a thick cloud of buddah smoke. The Cypress Hill experience is purely pscyho-delic. Imagine a rhythmic, progressive tribe vibe combined with ultraviolent gangsta grooves. The music is dark and murky yet it remains hard and funky at the same time. Cypress takes a straight-up uncompromising look at life in the urban battlefield with songs like "Pigs," "Kill A Man," and "Hand on the Pump." DJ Muggs, formerly of 7A3, provides the heavily blunted beats while MC's Senen (Sen Dog) and B-Real kick ballistics in a crazy offbeat and unorthodox style.... this slamming debut album is one of the best new albums of '91. It will definitely have heads nodding - and nodding out - this summer and beyond." - The Source (August, 1991). That's a big compliment when you consider the classic albums that were released in 1991: NWA "Efil4zaggin," EPMD "Business As Usual," Brand Nubian "All For One," De La Soul "De La Soul Is Dead," Gang Starr "Step In The Arena," Main Source "Breaking Atoms," A Tribe Called Quest "Low End Theory" and Naughty By Nature's self-titled album, just to name a few! Cypress Hill was also named "Artist of the Year - Group" by The Source in '92. The LA Times gave the album a mostly-favorable review, however they felt, "the tracks are built around the simplest of repeated patterns, as if the producers had just figured out how to work a sampler." I think they missed the mark, not understanding the true genius behind Muggs' production. Their debut LP was released on this day in 1991, revisit it below!
Copies of some of the press for Cypress Hill's debut in 1991...
Paul began his journey in rap in 1977 as a DJ right when hip-hop was starting in New York. Shortly after that it turns into a career when he meets the rappers that would become the legendary group Stetsasonic. In this episode of What Had Happened Was, Prince Paul tells Open Mike Eagle the story of going from ‘sucker duck’ kid DJ to touring the world with Stetsasonic and the lessons that led him to strike out on his own with De La Soul. Hit the tags below for all the past episodes.
August 12, 2013: Coming off good kid, m.A.A.d city, one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the decade, rapper Kendrick Lamar could have rested on his laurels. Instead he stole the spotlight on Big Sean's 2013 single "Control," going bonkers with wordplay for almost three minutes and calling out 11 emerging rappers by name. More than a dozen response songs turned up and Billboard reported that Lamar gained more than 200,000 Twitter followers in the track's wake. Here's nine ways that this verse changed the game. While "Control" was serviced to radio stations, it didn't appear on Big Sean's Hall of Fame album, nor was it sold on iTunes or Amazon as a standalone track, nor was it given away as a free download. The official explanation is that No I.D.'s unauthorized sample usage precluded its sale, including Jay Z's "Where I'm From", Terrace Martin's "Get Bizy" and Seventies Chilean folk band Quilapayún's "El Pueblo Unido Jamas San Vencido." It's surprising that the biggest music conglomerate in the world didn't clear those samples for the most-talked about rap song of 2013. But perhaps that was the problem: "Control" arguably overshadowed Big Sean's Hall of Fame, a critical and commercial disappointment that only yielded a modest Top 40 hit in "Beware." ... "Control" inspired responses from B.o.B, Joell Ortiz, Lupe Fiasco, Joey Bada$$, Joe Budden, Meek Mill and many, many others. More than being the "Roxanne, Roxanne" of the new millennium, the subtext is that rappers responded to Lamar with actual songs and freestyles. Twitter rants, YouTube threats and random keyboard dissing no longer sufficed. - Rolling Stone (3/11/15).
In addition to all of the popular responses, there was the Juggaknots' Breeze Brewin - a favorite MC of mine - who slipped one under the radar. Bars like "...But this brother been thunderous, shit is a shame / I'm watching as the other than the under the bus they ain't giving props to / The negative get the focus, dude is better than that / He forever with hella quotes, a future veteran champ / But the disrespect to the meccas, come on fella relax / Shit is simple, expected better, I'm just telling you flat / See I ain't running up on you, I ain't trying to murder your vibe / In Terminal 5, it was me my son and my daughter / Was major when Section 80 was previous to the hoopla / I'm saying wrecking it crazy, I'll give it up to this dude, bars..." Ironically, at the same time as "Control" dropped, my artist Eternia had unknowingly released a song herself that day, amidst the internet going ablaze with commentary about Kendrick, and her song was a 'Tribute to Kendrick'as she flipped his "Hiii Power" single. Fortunately some publications still supported it, but needless to say, releasing music on the same day as "Control" was a case of bad timing at its worst, lol. "I got love for you all but I'm tryna murder you n!@@as..." Revisit the track, which was released on this day in 2013 above, as well as Breeze's response below, and apologies if the lyrics to Breeze's verse are incorrect, after all the pic of Breeze on Genius is actually J-Zone and still no one has fixed it!
NineToFive Records released My Favorite Vinyl Part 1 by KLIM Beats last year and now they're back with My Favorite Vinyl Part 2. A stunning collection of records by the talented producer KLIM Beats from Kiev, Ukraine. The mix was fully recorded live on vinyl at his home with the purpose of showing his love for these favorite records from his collection. A tracklist alone would not do it justice, I recommend clicking play below and taking a drive or cleaning your house or some shit lol. Yup, take a trip down memory lane and listen to some of his favorite records and inspirations...
On August 11, 1973, an 18-year-old, Jamaican-American DJ who went by the name of Kool Herc (Clive Campbell) threw a Back-To-School Jam with his sister, Cindy Campbell, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, New York. During his set, he decided to do something different. Instead of playing the songs in full, he played only their instrumental sections, or “breaks” - sections where he noticed the crowd went wild. During these “breaks” his friend Coke La Rock hyped up the crowd with a microphone. Herc called the technique the "Merry Go-Round." And with that, Hip Hop was born. The flyer for the jam was hand-drawn, and only cost 50 cents for the fellas and 25 cents for the ladies. Kool Herc is celebrated as the architect/founding father of Hip-Hop and 1520 Sedgwick Avenue is historically accepted as the birthplace of Hip-Hop in the Bronx. In 2017, Google celebrated the 44th anniversary of Hip-Hop with a special video (narrated by Fab 5 Freddy) and two turntables to mix "records" on their homepage. Watch below, along with art from Bizar Gomez & a note from Lyor C.
Today we acknowledge and celebrate a cultural revolution that's spanned 47 years and counting. It all started in the NYC Bronx, more commonly known as the Boogie Down Bronx. Following the fallout from the construction of the Cross Bronx Expressway in 1972 that demolished a lot of the neighborhood, times were particularly tough. The youth needed an outlet - a unifying sound, a beat, a voice to call their own. The Bronx DJ’s and MC’s rose to the task and the city loved them for it. Hip Hop was accessible. A kid with little means and hard work could transform their turntable into a powerful instrument of expression. Starting with folks like DJ Kool Herc, DJ Hollywood, and Grandmaster Flash, the grassroots movement created a new culture of music, art, and dance available to the 5 boroughs of the city and beyond. Hip Hop was also rebellion against several norms of the time, including the overwhelming popularity of disco, which many in the community felt had unjustly overshadowed the recent groundbreaking works of James Brown and other soul impresarios from the 60’s. Specifically, they felt that the relatable storytelling and emotional truths shared in soul and blues had been lost in the pop-centric sounds of Disco. So Hip Hop recaptured that connection, beginning with the pioneers who brought back the evocative BOOM! BAP! rhythms of James Brown's drummer, Clyde Stubblefield. It should be noted that early Hip Hop stood against the violence and drug culture that pervaded the time.... Hip Hop has done exactly what its founders set out to do, whether wittingly or unwittingly. It placed an accessible culture, relatable to any marginalized group in the world, at the forefront of music. In that spirit, here’s to BILLIONS of people getting a brief reminder that “Yes, yes y’all! And it WON’T stop!” - Lyor Cohen. Sources: 1, 2.
There are a few playlists in my iTunes that I haven't built up in Spotify... one of which is a list of album cuts from various albums I've posted to the site. Going back some years, I still consider most of these projects 'new' in the sense of them not being like most of the content covered on the site from 10+ years ago. It's gonna take a while to dig and add tracks to it, but to get it started, there's around 100 tracks in the playlist now. There are tracks from Blu & Exile, Big Ghost Ltd., Ty Farris, Black Thought, Dnte, Statik Selektah, Heist Life, CyHi The Prynce, Blame One, Noveliss, Apollo Brown, Bozack Morris, J Scienide, Xp The Marxman, Roc Marciano, Professor P & DJ Akilles, Lord Juco, Emanon, Evidence, Bishop Neru, Jericho Jackson, Royce Da 5'9", Torae, O.C., Eto, The AK's, Paranom, Waterr, Rigz, Brother Ali, Supastition, Choosey & Exile, Sa-Roc, Ivan Ave, Jonwayne, Iron Wigs, Westside Gunn, JoJo Pellegrino, Che Noir, Rasheed Chappell, Ka and lots more. I'd also like to try to add tracks from albums I never got to, but we'll see, for now enjoy the playlist below... Suggestions? Update: I am not sure if it'll show more than 100 songs in the browser so click through for more of the songs. Eventually I'll just make another instead ... and another ... you get the point. Dig in below...
"At first there was no concept at all," Paul recalls. "I was just in it for the beats and rhymes. But once we sat down and talked, we realized that the name would be most important. So we came up with Gravediggaz and built the concept around it. The guys' personas had to come right after the group name, of course. Rakeem said, 'Yo, I'm gonna call myself the RZArector,' and then that became RZA for short. So that's the first time he used that name.... Then Poetic said he'd be the Grym Reaper because he had the The Brothers Grimm group," Paul continues. "And at first I was like, I'll be the Pall Bearer (laughs), but then I chose The Undertaker, because I was the dude who prepped everything. [Author's note: Frukwan was The Gatekeeper.] After all that, we knew we'd be coming from a dark place. And my tracks at the time were already there." Importantly, and potentially unwittingly, Paul and the crew were creating a sub-genre within hip-hop at the time, which would come to be known as "Horrorcore." Paul explains the marketing, "Gangsta rap had already been so exploited at the time, so we went with horror. And then the guys would drop some non-horror hip-hop jewels in there from time to time. Basically, all three guys were in full character at recording sessions, starting from the earliest days. I didn't have to keep reminding them." Speaking on the recording process, Paul says, "Every verse we did and liked was always accepted, there was never any argument about whether we should re-do anything. We just knew." A death-defying demo was done by late 1992, with approximately six tracks on it. "I thought that what we had come up with was amazing, and I shopped that demo for a year," Paul explains. "But nobody would bite. Jive was interested at one point but someone there said, 'Why would you want to sign them? They're old and played out.' That was pretty depressing." Despite the industry's apathy to the Gravediggaz album, all was not lost. He remembers, "It was literally a week before the time we agreed that we were going to give up, in late '93, that Jon Baker at Gee Street came through." Click play, cont'd below...
Paul says that songs from the demo that Gee Street signed were the same as they appeared on the final album. "We didn't redo any of the demo songs," he explains. "They were on the album the same way. Tascam 8-Track cassette and [Akai] S900 samplers, straight up." ... Paul explains a producer technique he used, to get the most out of his motley crew of MCs: "I used to play those guys against each other, to push them. Poetic would rhyme in a normal way, and I'd be like, 'C'mon, man, you can't let RZA outdo you!' Or I'd tell RZA, 'Yo, Poetic ate you up on his verse.' Then they'd come back with something closer to what I wanted. I'd tell each of them that the other one was better - especially with RZA and Poetic - and they'd battle right there on the spot." ... Although the group was two years old by the time their album came out in late summer of '94, a bit of serendipity - or was it karma? - helped these misfits attract more ears to their sound. Paul says, "A lot of Wu-Tang fans were checking the Gravediggaz out because we were kind of an affiliate, so that wasn't a bad thing." RZA also brought in guest MCs from his orbit who contributed to Gravediggaz songs with which they were involved, including Scientific Shabazz (Shabazz The Disciple) and Killah Priest.... The album had two different titles, depending on where it was purchased. For most of the world, including Gee Street's birthplace in the UK, it was Niggamortis. In the US, it was changed to 6 Feet Deep. Paul says, "I think they figured the title Niggamortis wouldn't fly at places like Target or Wal-Mart. But it was always Niggamortis to us." Released in 8/94, the album reached #36 on the Billboard "Top 200" album charts and sold quite respectably, driven almost exclusively through its push at retail by the single and Hype Williams-directed video for "Diary Of A Madman."
Paul concludes, "That's probably the most fulfilling record I have ever made in my career. It stands right next to 3 Feet High And Rising and Psychoanalysis. For me, Gravediggaz was done to show the world that I wasn't wack. And to prove the same thing about the rest of the guys, too. People weren't looking out for me, Poetic, Frukwan or RZA in late '92.... It was all about achieving something collectively and gaining common ground. It was creative and it was harmonious." - Check The Technique Vol. 2 by Brian Coleman. If you don't own his books, please pick up a copy because there's some amazing content in there about 6 Feet Deep and many other classic albums. "Yo, I got one last question / Who killed Tommy's Boy?" Revisit the LP above, and some promo below... art by Cros2.
