bang the box

Bassdrive // Third School of Thought - Ike Throwdown

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:58:09 -0500

It's been a rather sporadic week with school kicking up, and simultaneously being an arm-chair meteorologist; trying to predict what's going to hit, and what isn't -- lumped in with the usual routine (read as: busy). There's no worse feeling than scrambling to prepare and not having enough time to, or not having [sufficient] supplies for what could be a long-haul after a storm passes. That being said, I've been a little quiet this week in preparation for what could be a direct hit on South Florida.

I know I mentioned yesterday that there was a frenzy in the streets already, and true indeed. Although, when the crowds start forming in the bottled water aisle, and store employees are posted up at the end-caps, ready for constant re-stocking of those shelves -- take note.

Needless to say, I anticipate working like a fool over the next few days (mainly because of Ike); but then again, what else is new? Nothin' but the rent.

Back to business...

For those new to the blog, I've produced a weekly Drum and Bass radio show every Friday from 4-6pm Eastern on Bassdrive now going on 7 years. I welcome you to tune in and hear how I do my on-air thing as you prepare for the weekend. Interact with myself and other listeners via the Bassdrive chatroom or via AIM: Thirdschool.

LINK: Bassdrive - Worldwide Drum and Bass Radio

Hurricane Ike

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:31:16 -0500

It never fails. Lately, whenever the hurricane season gets busy and there's multiple tropical cyclones around; the atmosphere in the streets, gas stations, and grocery stores just feels thick. People who have been complacent over the years, now know better and respect the weather events they once shrugged off as much ado about nothing.

It'll miss us. Yeah, alright.

It doesn't take Andrew 1992 to fix that kind of thought; but if you've been there, you know. Of course, people generally tend to forget these lessons as time passes, certainly over a decade. Although, I think the week-long (weeks in some cases), city-wide black-outs Katrina and Wilma gave us are still fresh in the minds of South Floridians; such that the frenzy of preparation is definitely out there.

You learn to keep a watchful eye for whats brewing in the Atlantic between June and November.

Google // Chrome Browser Beta

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:23:43 -0500

Google steps into the open-source browser arena with their homegrown product -- Chrome Beta. In a nutshell, G has rebuilt the browser from the ground up, offering not only added functionality but an entire overhaul to the inner-workings of the application.

I've been messing with it a bit this morning, and so far so good. It's seemingly light on the operating system, loads up pages quickly, and offers a lot of the functionality that I've grown to love about Firefox. I still think it has a ways to go, but it's a great start on what could be a decent (and free) piece of software.

LINK: Google Chrome [BETA] for Windows

Don LaFontaine // RIP

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:32:20 -0500

I'll spare you the In A World Where... jokes, but with all due respect: Condolences and deepest sympathies to the friends and family of one of the industry's most prolific voice talents. Don LaFontaine's body of work encompasses not only voicing movies, television, and radio; but also includes acting, writing, and duties as executive producer. His voice has graced over 5,000 movie trailers and over 300,000 radio and television commercials. Even Drum and Bass.

Indeed, the voiceover King. Another legend. Rest In Peace.

East Flatbush Project ft Black Mirage & Stress // Thirsty

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:45:59 -0500

Hot damn. See, I've been on that El Michels Affair tip all morning, and this is that vibe.

DOWNLOAD: East Flatbush Project ft Mirage & Stress - Thirsty

Yes, khal!

At least we [South Florida] better enjoy the nice, albeit spotty, weather before it really gets nasty next week.

2 Live Crew // Get It Girl VLS [1987]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:01:34 -0500

Adding to TSS' 2 Live Shots, here's a 12" from my own collection.

2 Live Crew - Get It Girl VLS [Luke Skyywalker Records, 1987]

A Get It Girl (Club Remix) (Vocal) (6:22)
B1 Get It Girl (Club Remix) (Instrumental) (6:22)
B2 Cut It Up (Vocal) (3:48)

DOWNLOAD: 2 Live Crew - Get It Girl VLS [Luke Skyywalker Records, 1987]

Big Daddy Kane // Raw'91 VLS [1990]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:41:09 -0500

Big Daddy Kane - Raw'91 VLS [Cold Chillin', 1990]

A1 Ooh,Aah,Nah-Nah-Nah (Master Mix) (3:47)
Producer - Big Daddy Kane
A2 Raw '91 (4:30)
Producer - Big Daddy Kane
A3 Ooh,Aah,Nah-Nah-Nah (Instrumental) (3:47)
Producer - Big Daddy Kane
B1 It's Hard Being The Kane (Remix Radio Version) (5:10)
Producer - Prince Paul
Remix - Marley Marl
B2 Taste Of Chocolate (Remix) (3:48)
Producer - Big Daddy Kane
Remix - Big Daddy Kane
B3 It's Hard Being The Kane (Album Version) (4:58)
Producer - Prince Paul

DOWNLOAD: Big Daddy Kane - Raw'91 VLS [Cold Chillin', 1990]

Big Daddy Kane // Get Into It VLS [1987]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:22:50 -0500

Cause all I have to do is pick-up the mic, and live from New York, it's Saturday Night.

Big Daddy Kane - Get Into It VLS [Prism, 1987]

A1 Get Into It (Vocal) (5:08)
A2 Get Into It (Instrumental) (5:11)
B1 Somethin' Funky (5:07)
B2 Just Rhymin' With Biz (4:03)
Rap [Featuring] - Biz Markie

DOWNLOAD: Big Daddy Kane - Get Into It VLS [Prism, 1987]

DJ Premier // Penalty Recordings [Mixtape]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 10:10:05 -0500

'95 classics mixed by DJ Premier.

DOWNLOAD: DJ Premier - Penalty Recordings [Mixtape]

via the GULLY

Biggie Smalls // WKCR Freestyle

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:48:11 -0500

I hadn't heard this one before, but it comes off of the Stretch & Bobbito Show.

DOWNLOAD: Biggie Smalls - WKCR Freestyle

Royal Flush // Shut Em Down Remix Freestyle

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:13:21 -0500

Royal Flush spits a few bars over the ubiquitous Pete Rock remix of Public Enemy's Shut 'Em Down.

DOWNLOAD: Royal Flush - Shut Em Down Remix Freestyle

via Hip Hop Giant

A Tribe Called Quest ft Brand Nubian // Georgie Porgie [Unreleased]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:49:54 -0500

More unreleased Tribe action surfacing. The story behind this one goes something like this:

Story goes this version was rejected by their record label Jive Records due to the homophobic lyrics, so they made a new song out of the same beat. Apparently Grand Puba didn't want to re-do the song with a new topic which is why he's not on "Show Business".

I can certainly heard Lord Jamar, and obviously Puba on that tip, but Tribe?

DOWNLOAD: A Tribe Called Quest ft Brand Nubian - Georgie Porgie [Unreleased]

via It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold This Sac

Bass 91.7

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:28:54 -0500

So I'm about to step out and get some wings, when I get drop kicked by my reader. It seems TSS has gone and served us up with some 2 Live Shots.

I'm from Miami. I'm all about 2 Live. I grew up on it.

Do yourself a favor, go over there and download all that shit.

LINK: The Smoking Section - 2 Live Shots

You're welcome. Wings, I'm out.

Guilty Simpson // Ferocious

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:41:55 -0500

[image - Tobias Schneider]

Ferocious is one of the many adjectives I would use to describe Guilty Simpson. Among one of the game's most underrated emcees, he is exemplary proof of what a unique lyricist should sound like -- in my opinion. There are quite a few unique lyricists out there, I'm not arguing that, but there are far too many that sound the same; and Guilty Simpson isn't one of them.

Off DJ Design's Jetlag, out on LOOK Records:

DOWNLOAD: Guilty Simpson - Ferocious

And holy shit son, hollar at this Mark Pritchard flip of For The D:

DOWNLOAD: Guilty Simpson - For The D [Harmonic 313 Remix]

And on the bonus, off Block Barkley's Michigan Nights EP forthcoming on WEAINTMUSIC:

DOWNLOAD: Block Barkley & Guilty Simpson - Michigan Nights

Salute Sweeny!

?uestlove // Goodbye Isaac

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:36:14 -0500

Self-explanatory. I found this one while cleaning out the reader.

Needs to be out there.

DOWNLOAD: ?uestlove - Goodbye Isaac & El Michels Affair - Walk On By

Props to Khal.

Sauce Money // I Ain't No Joke 2008

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:58:20 -0500

Sauce pays homage to the legend, Rakim.

DOWNLOAD: Sauce Money - I Ain't No Joke 2008

via GRANDGOOD

Ill Bill // Society Is Brainwashed [prod by DJ Premier]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:44:51 -0500

Off of Ill Bill's forthcoming, The Hour Of Reprisal. Premo and Bill get sinister on it.

DOWNLOAD: Ill Bill - Society Is Brainwashed [prod by DJ Premier]

Video // DJ Muggs On Versus Series & Pain Language

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:48:03 -0500

DJ Muggs speaking on the versus series, as well as past and future projects. I love it when cats have this kind of vision with what they do. Get personal with it and take it somewhere. This collab has presence. Muggs' beats and horns are just thick and in your face, and the bottom in Asia's voice is equally imposing from verse to verse. Everything I've heard so far, just bangs.

Pain Language drops September 16th, but get these now.

via SA

DJ Babu ft M.O.P. // Dearly Departed

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:21:25 -0500

STAND UP.

Wow. The track on this is serious. Babu flips some massive horns on a latin tip, with a sample I swear is Celia Cruz. It taps into the Cuban in me. I'm staring at the speaker with my head tilted to the side, ala Nipper, the RCA dog.

Look out for Babu's Duck Season 3, out October 28th on Nature Sounds.

DOWNLOAD: DJ Babu ft M.O.P. - Dearly Departed

Heltah Skeltah // Art Of Disrespekinazation

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:06:13 -0500

Matt serves us up some Heltah Skeltah, with Khrysis on the beat!

From the highly-anticipated D.I.R.T, out September 30th.

DOWNLOAD: Heltah Skeltah - Art Of Disrespekinazation

... and on the bonus:

DOWNLOAD: Heltah Skeltah - Shade45 Freestyle

Pain Language ft Killa Sha - Pain Language [Alchemist Remix]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:03:15 -0500

Alchemist brings a more synthed-out approach with Killa Sha on the guest verse. It's dope.

DOWNLOAD: Pain Language ft Killa Sha - Pain Language [Alchemist Remix]

via Soul Assassins & GRANDGOOD

Pain Language ft B-Real & Omar Cruz // Pain Language [DJ Muggs Remix]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:01:37 -0500

Remix pressure from the forthcoming DJ Muggs & Planet Asia collab album, Pain Language.

I'll definitely co-sign B-Real on some Muggs production, all day. This album is going to be sick.

DOWNLOAD: Pain Language ft B-Real & Omar Cruz - Pain Language [DJ Muggs Remix]

via Soul Assassins & GRANDGOOD

Blogger Arrested For Leaking Guns'N'Roses Album

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:32:14 -0500

This is crazy. One thing is a civil suit against a blogger, but this is criminal.

When you throw the RIAA in the mix with the Federales, what then?

Does it make you think twice? Drop a comment.

Excerpt:

The blogger suspected of leaking tracks from Guns N Roses' forthcoming album 'Chinese Democracy' was arrested in Los Angeles today (August 27).

FBI agents took 27-year-old Kevin Cogill into custody on suspicion of violating federal copyright laws. His bail was set at $10,000.

He is set to appear at Los Angeles' US District Court and faces up to three years in prison and fines of $250,000 (approximately £125,000) if convicted.

More info available at NME and Kerrang!

EPMD // Run It [Sinden Remix]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:13:45 -0500

Scion A/V follows-up their Ghostface Charlie Brown remixes with reworks of EPMD's Run It. Out October 20th, the release also features flips from Herve and Duke Dumont.

DOWNLOAD: EPMD - Run It [Sinden Remix]

Large Pro // Gold Dust [Mixtape]

bangtheboombox@gmail.com — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:52:48 -0500

Man, I'm hurtin' today. Got festive with the office folk last night.

Nonetheless, great music is still flowin'. Enjoy some Extra P.

1. Zion I- Rush
2. People Under The Stairs- Step Bacc
3. DJ Muggs & Planet Asia- 9mm (feat. B-Real)
4. Large Pro- Hardcore Hip-Hop
5. Brooklyn Academy- What's The Buzz
6. DJ Muggs & Planet Asia- Drama
7. Zion I- Juicy Juice
8. 40 Cal- On My Shit (feat. Sudaboss)
9. People Under The Stairs- The Wiz
10. Brooklyn Academy- Raise Ya Hands (feat. Jean Grae)
11. 40 Cal- Shooters On Deck
12. Outlawz- What About Us
13. Large Pro- The Hardest (feat. Styles P & AZ)

DOWNLOAD: Large Pro - Gold Dust Label Sampler [Mixtape]

via BGDB