T.R.O.Y.

Sounds Like The 90s (Best Of) Vol. 12

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:53:00 +0000

I can't believe it but this marks the 12th edition of Sounds Like The 90s. Instead of bringing you new music this month we're bringing you a recap of sorts. Below is a double disc compiled of the best of Sounds Like The 90s throughout this year. And to close things out it was only right we brought back Blake and Tal for the artwork.

Many of you will remember the De La Buhloone Mindstate ad featured in various Hip-hop mags in '93. The image below is actually the real ad taken from URB when it was still a Cali-only free newspaper. The image was scanned straight from the paper and left in its current condition. Its not Sounds Like The 90s, this shit IS from the 90s.

So here is to another month of music and a nice way to close out 2009. A special thanks goes out to all the artists who have contributed, graphic designers and of course you for supporting. We'll be continuing the SLT9s series in 2010 but for now enjoy this double fix. --Philaflava

Sounds Like The 90s (Best Of) Vol. 12

1. Prince Paul Intro

2. Cormega - Fresh feat. DJ Red Alert, PMD, Grand Puba, KRS-One & Big Daddy Kane

3. Kurious - Benneton feat. MC Serch & DOOM

4. DOOM - Gazzillion Ear

5. Raekwon - Criminology 2 feat. Ghostface Killah

6. Marco Polo & Torae - Hold Up feat. Masta Ace & Sean Price

7. Statik Selektah - Critically Acclaimed feat. Lil Fame, Saigon & Sean Price

8. Brother Ali - Best At It feat. Freeway & Joell Ortiz

9. Shawn Jackson - Feelin' Jack

10. Open Mike Eagle - iRock

11. Musab - Get Life

12. Murs - The Science

13. Jay Electronica - Exhibit A

14. Praverb - The King

15. Superstar Quamallah - You Need Knowledge

16. Focus - Homage To Premier feat. Royce Da 5'9, Phonte & Stat Quo

17. Focus - Homage To Pete Rock feat. Rapper Pooh, Shha Stimuli & Kurupt

18. Juice Crew All-Stars - Mr. Magic Tribute

B-Side:

1 Cormega - Who Am I feat. AZ & Nature

2 Wu-Tang Clan - Radiant Jewels feat. Cormega & Sean Price

3 Mos Def - Auditorium feat. Slick Rick

4 Jay Electronica - Suckas

5 Nut-Ragous - NYC To LA feat. Jay Rock

6 DJ JS-1 - Ridiculous feat. OC & Pharohe Monch

7 Insight - Strategy feat. AG & EDO. G

8 Cormega - Define Yourself feat. Tragedy Khadafi & Havoc

9 BK-One - Here I Am feat. Phonte, Brother Ali & The Grouch

10 Drake - Think Good Thoughts feat. Phonte & Elzhi

11 Fashawn - Samsonite Man feat. Blu

12 Godamus Rhyme - Passin Me By 2009 feat. Stik Figa

13 Tha Connection - Take It Higher

14 Nero - Alive & Vibrant

15 Bobby Creekwater - Junkie

16 Notes To Self - Yellow & Grey (Remix) feat. Dilated Peoples

17 Finale - Heat

18 Fresh Daily - Supaspectacular!
19. Jay Electronica - Exhibit C (Bonus Track)

Download Vol. 12

Download all 12 volumes here.

Props to Strategy for the tagged version, Blake Reznik and Tal Danan for yet another sick cover.

Happy Holidays From Us

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:48:00 +0000

The folks here at the T.R.O.Y. blog wish you a happy and healthy New Year. For the next few days we'll be taking a break from providing you with blog goodies, while we prep for the new year that awaits. We do have a little treat for you, but you'll have to check back in a bit as we finish up the wrapping on it.

In the meantime if you haven't collected all 100 tracks from our latest compilation, 100 Tracks You Need To Hear (97-99), then take the time now to catch-up. A lot of work went into creating this bad boy so we don't want anyone to miss out.

Don't forget our little brother Steady Bloggin' and remember you can always stay connected with us via Twitter, Facebook and Myspace.

Peace and enjoy the holidays.

100x - Philly Niggas International feat. Black Thought, Malik B & Rasheed Wallace
2Rude - Innovations feat. Saukrates & Pharaohe Monch
3X Krazy - Keep It On The Real
Above the Law - Deep Az the Root
Aceyalone & Abstract Rude - Me & My Main
Adagio - The Break
Agallah - Crookie Monster
All City - Afta Hourz
All Natural - Writer's Block
Arsonists - Fat Laces
B-1 - Life We Lead
Bee Why - Come Up
Big Kwam - The Reunion
Binary Star - Evolution Of Man
BQE - Last Messiah
Brainsick Enterprize - Time To Shine
Brick City Kids - What What
Burnt Batch - Temptation
Camp Lo - Black Nostaljack (Remix) feat. Kid Capri and Run
Capone-N-Noreaga - Closer (Sam Sneed Version)
C-Bo - Money By The Ton
Chubb Rock- The Mind
CNN feat. Nas - Bloody Money Part IV (Remix)
Connecticut Cartel - All Out
Cru ft. Black Rob - Nothin' But
D. Auguste - Sunset
Da Great Deity Dah - Ready To Kill
Da Ruckus & Eminem - "We Shine"
Danja Mowf - Make It Hot feat. Lonnie B
Defari - Say It Twice
Demastas - Feel No Guilt (Feat. Nine)
Devin The Dude & K-Dee - "One Day At A Time"
Diamon D "Flowin"
Digital Underground - The Odd Couple (Humpty Hump and Biz Markie)
Divine Styler - Before Mecca
DJ Shadow - Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)
Dres - Hi & Lo
Equilibrium - Windows '98
Finsta Bundy - Don't Stress Tomorrow
Fly Guy Kool Kim - Ya Gotta Know (Dolo Fly Guy Version)
Foul Play - Break It Down (Maylay Sparks)
Frankenstein - "Rain Is Gone"
Govna Mattic - Family Day feat. Redman, Tame One, Young Zee, Pace Won, Runt Dog & Roz Noble
Grouch "Once Upon A Rhyme"
Guerilla Maab - "Keep Watching Me"
Haiku De'Tat "Non Compos Mentis"
Handsome Boy Modeling School - The Truth" feat. J-Live & Roisin Murphy
Herbaliser - 8 Pt. Agenda feat. Latryx
I-Power - Under Da Sun
Ice-T - NY NY
Ill Advised - Mic-Adelphia
Jedi Son of Spock & Yeshua dapoED - "Spitmode"
Killarmy - Allah Sees Everything
Kool DJ EQ - Three Emcees feat. Casual, DEL & Xzibit
Kool Keith - Plastic World
K-Otix - Do You Wanna Be An Emcee?
La The Darkman ft. Raekwon "Az The World Turnz"
Last Emperor - "Echo Leader"
Living Legends "Hip Hop"
Lords of the Underground - Retaliate
L'Roneous da Versifier - L'chemy
Mac Dre - Rapper Gone Bad
Mike Zoot feat. Royal Flush - The Turn Pt. 2
Moodswingaz - Musslin
Mountain Brothers - Thoroughbred
Mr. Live & Tony Bones - Splashin' Over Monica
Murs - All Day
Neek The Exotic - Exotic Is Raw
No I.D. - Original Man
Non-Phixion - How To Kill A Cop
Outsidaz - Money Money Money
People Under The Stair - The Turndown
Pep Love - Trinity
Planet Asia - Kalidascope
Pyro - Status Quotient
R.A.W. - Linguistic Ventriloquist
Rakim - Waiting For The World To End
Rasco - Heat Seeking
Rezidue - Droppin Rezidue
Saafir - I'm Saafir (the Saucy Nomad)
Sach - Poetical Me
Scaramanga - Holdin' New Cards
Seagram - Sleepin In My Nikes feat. Scarface
Self Scientific - Degrees
Shamus - Tight Team
Slick Rick - King Piece in the Chess Game
Souls Of Mischief - Shooting Stars
Spice 1 - Suckas Do What They Can Real Playas feat. Yukmouth, Too Short and Roger Troutman
Storm The Unpredictable - MC's Be Killin Me
Street Smartz - Don't Trust Anyone
Tasc 4orce - Root Of All Evil
Thrust - Emcee
Tony Da Skitzo - Let's Drift
Ugly Duckling - Einstein's Takin' Off
Voodu - Introduction
Wee Bee Foolish - The Kid
Witchdoctor, Khujo, & T-Mo Goodie - Smooth Shit
Wu-Syndicate - Where Was Heaven
Yah Supreme - Old & Wise
Young Lay - Got 2 Survive feat. Mac Mall, Ray Luv & 2Pac

DOWNLOAD THEM ALL

100 Tracks You Need To Hear (97-99) Part IV

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:01:00 +0000

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear Part IV

1997-1999. You swear it wasn’t that long ago, but you know it might as well have been eons ago. Depending on your outlook, this is either the tail end of a gilded age or the beginning of the apocalypse. During this time, the hip hop artists born circa 1970 who catapulted the genre forward as teenagers and young adults in the ’87-’94 heyday are beginning to mellow out or gloss it up. Sampling laws are enforced more than ever but the indie labels are resolute in refusing to go the glittery route. Radio is dominated by obvious samples and tales of upward mobility and debauchery, while the underground mixshows stay saturated with eccentric rhyming clinics and surreal poetics. The divide is not entirely clean, however. In this era you can find surreal poets waxing profound on diamonds and champagne, gritty crime narratives on major label releases, and a whole host of songs that defy categorization (and a few that even defy simple explanation). This series is for those of you who know that the late ‘90s is deeper than just Organized Konfusion, Ras Kass, Mase, Nas, and Company Flow (no disrespect intended of course). This is for those of you that know that great hip hop comes from all corners of the USA and around the world, that the b-sides of overlooked 12”s and the album cuts of long forgotten tapes contain true gems. Songs that speak to our hunger for dope beats and lyrics and manage to stand out from the crowd. We made a special effort to seek out songs that you probably haven’t heard or don’t really remember too clearly, while making sure that each selection hearkens backs to the last era in which musical diversity and quality could be taken for granted. You need to hear this. Enjoy our 100 picks, coming at you at the rate of twenty five per day just in time for the holidays.

R.A.W. - Linguistic Ventriloquist
Straight out of Delaware, R.A.W. drops a relentless rhyme style over a crisp, jazzy beat. A rare but very worthwhile treat.

Rakim - Waiting For The World To End
The God MC describes life in the bleak world of Wyandanche, Strong Island over understated but fitting production.

Rasco - Heat Seeking
Rezidue - Droppin Rezidue

Saafir - I'm Saafir (The Saucy Nomad)
I image some west coast G-Funk producer left his studio door open by accident, then a drunken MC walked in and recorded some fucked up vocals over the beat as a joke. Yet it worked out even nicer than any gangsta rapper could have done it.

Sach - Poetical Me
One part of The Nonce group, Nouka Basetype, now known as Sach, has dropped a cassette only album, with really dope cuts on it. On this track you can check how poetical he can be.

Scaramanga - Holdin' New Cards

Seagram - Sleepin In My Nikes feat. Scarface
This is such a creepy track as it starts with Scarface reminding us that Seagram Miller is no longer alive, so I automatically imagine Seagram in a coffin with his nikes on. I truly think this is the coldest track in hiphop history.

Self Scientific - Degrees
Oh man, this beat was truly next level and would probably be revered by
other 'trippy' types of genres, if they only knew. Chase Infinite truly drops
degrees here, well after it was the 'cool' thing to do.

Shamus - Tight Team
New York's obscure artist has released his first and only album, EP style. A very dark and obscure release. Two tracks, including this one were produced by Buckwild.

Slick Rick - King Piece In The Chess Game
Unfairly overlooked and underrated gem from Ricky D's "Art Of Storytelling" album. The fact that this joint was originally released on white-label under the name "Panties Stay Wet" should be enough reason for you to listen.

Souls Of Mischief - Shooting Stars
Opio catches wreck over a most unorthodox beat, getting great mileage out of his extended metaphor and devoting the last verse to clowning Chino XL

Spice 1 - Suckas Do What They Can Real Playas feat. Yukmouth, Too Short & Rouger Troutman

Storm The Unpredictable - MC's Be Killin Me
Oxon Hill's greatest rapper of all-time? Boom-Bap lyrically lyrical shit that you just don't find today. Storm was that dude.

Street Smartz - Don't Trust Anyone
Buckwild laced a smooth melodic beat backed up by F.T rugged flow. DJ KO scratches the line "Ain't No One We Can Trust" from Onyx's Evil Streets for the chorus.

T Love - I'm Coming
A Kid Called Miles lays down a murky, funky banger for the West Coast femcee, off of her extremely underrated debut EP.

Tasc 4orce - Root Of All Evil
Thrust - Emcee
Tony Da Skitzo - Let's Drift

Ugly Duckling - Einstein's Takin' Off
Einstein leaves his physics on the side and starts his theoretical work on SP 1200.

Voodu - Introduction
Western Hemisfear rapper and producer brings to you the darkest introductio from his dark regions.

Wee Bee Foolish - The Kid

Witchdoctor, Khujo, & T-Mo Goodie - Smooth Shit
A true gem from one of the Dungeon Family's most prolific yet ignored talents. The title alone tells you what to expect, so just kick back and vibe to the Witchdoctor's unique blend of spirituality, smoke, and sex.

Wu-Syndicate - Where Was Heaven
All That I Got Is You Pt.2", Mylanski talks about his young life growing up in the VA projects.

Yah Supreme - Old & Wise
Not enough can be said of this emcee who disappeared as quick as he emerged. In a class of his own, style similar to none, this song is a perfect intro to his music and a gem you should never forget.

Young Lay - Got 2 Survive feat. Mac Mall, Ray Luv & 2Pac

Underrated producer Khayree and his label Young Black Brotha Records deliever another Bay Area collabo that leaves you missing this very sound is missed today.

[Download Part IV here]

100 Tracks You Need To Hear (97-99) Part III

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:01:00 +0000

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear Part III

Ill Advised - Mic-Adelphia
Straight from the Quake City valuts boasting a Sadat X sample and Illadelph swag.

Jedi Son of Spock & Yeshua dapoED - Spitmode
Classic late 90’s indie flava from Yesh’s ill-named protégé. The two display some amazing back-and-forth chemistry, trading verses like water over dapoED’s organic production.

Killarmy - Allah Sees Everything

Kool DJ EQ - Three Emcees feat. Casual, DEL & Xzibit
An unusual combo that works wonders.

Kool Keith - Plastic World
"Payola scams switched DJ’s like a rubber band. Everybody clear with beats trying to be Premier..."

K-Otix - Do You Wanna Be An Emcee? feat. DJ Jazzy Jeff
Texas meets Philly and asks the most common rap question.

La The Darkman - Az The World Turnz feat. Raekwon

Last Emperor - Echo Leader
Last Emp gets down for the dorks. Pop culture references abound amidst the crunching instrumental on this ’98 banger.

Living Legends - Hip Hop
Lords of the Underground - Retaliate
L'Roneous da Versifier - L'chemy

Mac Dre - Rapper Gone Bad
Fools who think Ronald Dregan could only rap about ecstasy pills and going dumb are about to get wig-flipped. While Dre is no Rakim, he proves he can easily hold his own on the centerpiece from his 1999 album of the same name. Yadadi?

Mike Zoot - The Turn Pt. 2 feat. Royal Flush
Moodswingaz - Musslin

Mountain Brothers - Thoroughbred
Styles, Peril-L & CHOPS over funky basslines break down their throughness lifting a Posdnous line from "Stakes Is High."

Mr. Live & Tony Bones - Splashin' Over Monica
Goofy platter from one of rap’s most underrated duos. Funky enough…for a state dinner? Echo Leader thinks so.

Murs - All Day
When Nick Carter was just having fun, sampling De La Soul and would drop lines like "on Monday nights I watch RAW (WWF) and Ally McBeal.

Neek The Exotic - Exotic Is Raw
This is Neek's first solo record from 98'. Still down' with Large Pro, Extra P gives him one of his best head-nodding signature beat. Neek truly shows his rawness on the mic.

No I.D. - Original Man feat. Dug Infinite
Chicago producer teamed up with his Chicago fellow, Dug Infinite, to make this very slept on album. On this track their slogan is simple: They originate, you duplicate.

Non-Phixion - How To Kill A Cop
The most prominent conspiracy theorists in rap flip Redman’s original concept to a T, trading blunts and chickenheads for Glocks and dust. Some may call it heresy, but I call it hilarity.

Outsidaz - Money Money Money
Young Zee & New Jeruz' most maligned rap crew tear up this atmospheric ode to the green. Who says that acid and rap don't mix?

People Under The Stairs - The Turndown
One of the funniest and doppest PUTS tracks. Have you ever experienced that kind of the turndown like they did?

Pep Love - Trinity
Hiero's most underrated talent flows effortlessly and revives the lost of art of rap storytelling at the same time, with a biblical twist that doesn't come off to preachy.

Planet Asia - Kalidascope
Track off Fresno's native debut release. I will quote one of his lines: "Adjust your lenses, and analyze the scenes that I wreck."

Pyro - Status Quotient
Chicago native and then-Harvard graduate student delivers a thesis on race relations and the corporate co-optation of hip hop, in rhyme form. It turns out much better than you'd expect.

[Download Part III here]

100 Tracks You Need To Hear (97-99) Part II

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:01:00 +0000

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear Part II

D. Auguste - Sunset
The Bostonian emcee celebrates dusk as the time to "relax and chill" and also to "step out and build" over music that sets the mood precisely.

Da Great Deity Dah - Ready To Kill

Da Ruckus & Eminem - We Shine
Life’s a b up in the D.

Danja Mowf - Make It Hot feat. Lonnie B
Supafriendz go line-4-line over this '97 IRC favorite that you could have found in either #Dalnet, #Undernet or where Danja and Friendz would dwell, #Efnet.

Defari - Say It Twice
Evidence on another sound mission with Defair Heru deliever the goods.

Demastas - Feel No Guilt feat. Nine
Virgin Island's hip-hop crew Demastas & Nine kicks rhymes on one of the illest piano sampled beat with a classic Audio Two sample produced by Rob Lewis who also produced many of Nine's classics songs. This was their second 12" but unfortunately nothing ever followed.

Devin The Dude & K-Dee - One Day At A Time
The Dude connects with MIA Ice Cube-affiliate K-Dee to kick a message everyone can relate to. Just remember to hit 'em with the dub when you see 'em out mobbin'.

Diamond D - Flowin
If you aren't feeling this song you just weren't meant for this life.

Digital Underground - The Odd Couple (Humpty Hump and Biz Markie)
This classic mashup of the two oddest MC's in the hiphop game will forever be the closest that hiphop will come to making Rap-Stand-Up-Comedy.

Divine Styler - Before Mecca
The god released this banger, ripping it reminiscent to his earlier days,
and was able to pull it off with divine results. Sadly the album was way
under the radar and none of the beats quite lived up to this one.

DJ Shadow - Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)
When "Endroducing" dropped in 1996, I always wished that "Organ Donor" was longer. Turns out there was an extended version on the "High Noon" single. Just took me a few years to find it.

Dres - Hi & Lo
It's strange to hear such a clever MC who always has a joke on deck get deep about the low's that he's hit as a musician. One of Dres' dopest tracks.

Equilibrium - Windows '98
Ill Bill Gates rides for Equilibrium.

Finsta Bundy - Don't Stress Tomorrow
An anthem for us who have always struggled to keep food in fridge,
it still holds weight today more than ever. But hey, don't stress tomorrow.

Fly Guy Kool Kim - Ya Gotta Know (Dolo Fly Guy Version)
Solo track from UMC member, produced by Haas G. Equally as good was the b side "Skilz R Amazing."

Foul Play - Break It Down (Maylay Sparks)
Before Rahsheed aka Maylay Sparks got down with Ill Advised he was making noise with his original crew, Foul Play.

Frankenstein - Rain Is Gone
Frank is one of Canada’s most underrated producer/MCs and this song, his ode to the backstabbers, will show you why. Lace up your boots and zip up your goose, it's about to get chilly.

Govna Mattic - Family Day feat. Redman, Tame One, Young Zee, Pace Won, Runt Dog & Roz Noble

Grouch - Once Upon A Rhyme
He's far from Rakim on the mic and he's hardly Pete Rock behind the boards. Yet somehow Grouch makes it all work, really well.

Guerilla Maab - Keep Watching Me
Z-Ro shows why heads who know still check for him in this slightly head-spinning double-time SUC exhibition.

Haiku De'Tat - Non Compos Mentis
Eschewing the abrasiveness that often characterized Freestyle Fellowship songs, Aceyalone, Ab Rude, and Mikah-9 drop mellifluous rhymes over smooth live instrumentation and the result is something transcendent yet palatable.

Handsome Boy Modeling School - The Truth feat. J-Live & Roisin Murphy
Herbaliser - 8 Pt. Agenda feat. Latryx
I-Power - Under Da Sun

Ice-T - NY NY
This track starts off with a drop by Onyx representin' NY. You already know that Ice-T represents LA all the way to NY. Marc Live gave Ice-T the perfect beat for this type of song.

[Download Pt.2 here]

100 Tracks You Need To Hear ('97-'99) Part I

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:01:00 +0000

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear ('97-'99) Part I

100x - Philly Niggas International feat. Black Thought, Malik B & Rasheed Wallace
Courtesy of L.E. Square's private stash, 100x teams up with Roots Crew members and Simon Gratz stand-out and NBA's public enemy #1, Rasheed Wallace.

2Rude - Innovations feat. Saukrates & Pharaohe Monch

3X Krazy - Keep It On The Real
Bay Area heads will no doubt recognize this classic track from the trio’s “Stackin’ Chips” album. Ethereal Oaktown madness.

Above the Law - Deep Az The Root
Although they are better known for living like hustlers, this acoustic guitar-laced track renders homage to the sadder events that have made them stronger. The chorus ask "Everyday is an episode, can you handle the load?"

Aceyalone & Abstract Rude - Me & My Main

Adagio - The Break
Consisting of Big Cousin "The Obvious Wonder" and Reign Supreme, Adagio repped hard between Uptown and Philly. Their signature ill smoothed out approach to beats is evident here and Reign Supreme's mic demolition is in full swing. They were down with the Juggaknots, nuff said.

Agallah - Crookie Monster
What do you get when you cross a beloved Muppet and one of the Alchemist’s illest beats? That’s that Crookie, duns.

All City - Afta Hourz
Better check how they do it or you can get robbed blind quick before you can blink.

All Natural - Writer's Block
Capital D draws the listener into his fictional world and tells a story we can all relate to.

Arsonists - Fat Laces
The Bushwick crew eschew their usually obstreperous deliveries for a much smoother approach on the mic, and it works wonders.

B-1 - Life We Lead
Bee Why - Come Up

Big Kwam - The Reunion
I swear I can hear a faint trace of Minnie Riperton howling in the background of this. Kind of a Natural Elements influenced duo, they both tear it down back and forth. Ring The Alarm!

Binary Star - Evolution Of Man
Pontiac, Michigan duo, brought to us an excellent underground record with some pure gems on it, similar like this one here.

BQE - Last Messiah
Brainsick Enterprize - Time To Shine

Brick City Kids - What What
Recorded under the BCK alias in order to avoid contract violation, El Da Sensei and Tame One flip rugged braggadocio over some Ghetto Pros heat. Classic ‘Facts, undeniably Jerz.

Burnt Batch - Temptation
The Stockton, CA crew narrates cautionary tales of lust, crime, and deception over a shimmering Crusaders sample.

Camp Lo - Black Nostaljack (Remix) feat. Kid Capri and Run
Capone-N-Noreaga - Closer (Sam Sneed Version)

C-Bo - Money By The Ton
Math lessons from the gas chamber.

Chubb Rock - The Mind
CNN - Bloody Money Part IV (Remix) feat. Nas

It's not mentioned anywhere, but there is a (recycled?) verse from Big L in here. And I believe this was only released on some bootleg vinyl.

Connecticut Cartel - All Out (97)
Cru - Nothin' But feat. Black Rob

Download Part I

The Bridge is NOT Over pt. 1

sonicwater@gmail.com (Cenzi Stiles) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

This is not a collection of hip hop instrumentals. It isn't a collection of beats with played instruments like De La Soul's "I Be Blowin", nor will you hear sample-rich beats with layered pieces meshing harmoniously like the Cunnylinguists perfectly executed Remember Me [Abstract Reality]. None of these work alone. They are part of the song, "musical bridges" that usually join two halves of songs.

I'll start this off chronologically(and then proceed to completely lose respect for father time).

1. RUN DMC - RAGTIME

Run DMC were pretty much breaking ground with each song they made on their first three albums, sometimes to amazing success. On the other hand they tried a few experiments that didn't even dent hiphop's history. Mixing hiphop with a Big Band sound was one of those. After hearing "Ragtime" though, I personally would not mind hearing more of these experiments ;)

2. DIGITAL UNDERGROUND - NUTTIN NIS FUNKY

Although "Same Song" would fit MUCH better in this compilation of instruments wildin' out over hiphop tracks, I fuckin' hate the organ sound they used on that track. Instead, "Nuttin Nis Funky" provides a great slow galloping beat for a very hiphop-ish instrument to freestyle with tranquility: The turntable. DJ Fuze is by far my favorite DJ, so I place this track on a pedestal with a plaque under it that says "DJ's: You Will NEVER Make Nuttin Nis Funky".

3. BRAND NUBIAN - CLAIMIN' I'M A CRIMINAL

One thing I would never have expected was Brand Nubian + acoustic guitar solos...

4. DJ QUIK - ONLY FOR THE MONEY

Dj Quik showed you how classy and musical he could be on his second album "Way II Fonky". In between his gangbangs, his late nite pimpin' and his soulglo-spraying, he managed to find time to really add to his tracks with instruments.

5. MC EIHT - STREIHT UP MENACE

And now for his one time biggest enemy, MC Eiht. Yup no G, just like Quik said "you aint got no G in you". When I heard "Streiht Up Menace", I figured that this would be the sound of his first solo album. I was wrong.

6. TOO SHORT - ONLY THE STRONGEST SURVIVE

Also on the Menace II Society album, we have a Too Short track, produced by the Dangerous Crew who have more than earned their bragging rights with their talented musicians to add mad depth to their tracks. Did that just read bork bork? Sorry let's let the music speak for itself!

7. D-NICE - STRAIGHT FROM THE BRONX

With his sophomore album "To The Rescue", he pulled a Kool G Rap on us with this track. They are the same in the respect that they both utilize fake instruments played by keyboards, in this both cases being a cheesy casio-sounding saxophone.

8. KOOL G RAP - STREETS OF NY

And now for the original 5-cent sound of that jazz musician trying to impress you for some change. With those minor piano chords, I'm impressed, here's 10 dollars, buy yerself a flask of moonshine.

9. EAZY-E - EAZY STREET

All Eazy E fans know that he's probably funnier than he is a cold hearted killer and this freestyle "skat" leaves NO doubt behind.

10. FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP - INNERCITY BOUNDARIES

South Central, LA, home to another gang-riddled area, gave birth to another hiphop act influenced by jazz-skatting: Freestyle Fellowship. This Daddy-O produced track (crazy huh?) lifted the whole album by 100 cool points when he made the four MC's flow over this all-instrument played track.

11. GOLD MONEY - NOTHING

I was just mentioning this album in the Pee Wee post I did. It's the longest in this list at 3:41, and it's also the most unique. I say this because it's obviously jazz, but its got this funky backbone that makes your head bop hard. The drums are tremendously Digital Underground, and make you realize that, yes, they had their clappin-snappin sound 15 years before it got overused ad-nauseam in so many 2000ish hit songs.

I have more to come, but if anyone can help me identify more of these, I would love to actually blend these together in the future.

Zigg Zagg? (Priority, 1994)

noreply@blogger.com (Thun) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

No, not the pasty, sickly looking broad who is associated with Brother Lynch Hung.

This is a group that was signed to Priority Records in 1994. Two of their tracks appeared on Priority samplers around that time with promises of a forthcoming LP titled Touch The Sun that never saw the light of day (no pun intended).

Kevin Beacham was kind enough to upload the two cuts "All In Your Mind" and "On and On" into a single file for your convenience: http://rapidshare.com/files/308152807/Zigg_Zagg.zip

You can preview these tracks via YouTube. You will notice that these songs are both really dope, with hard production and nimble rhyming reminiscent of something DJ Mark the 45 King might've been involved with - but there really is little to no information about the group or its music anywhere.

If you have any information on the group or the shelved LP, hit us up!

-- Thun

James Brown - Samples Volume 3 & 4

noreply@blogger.com (verge) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Rounds 3 and 4 from Roy Johnson, over at Scratch Reaction, as he continues his James Brown month. Check out 1 and 2, either here or there, or get down with the T.R.O.Y. forum. You won't regret it.

James Brown - Samples Volume 3

1. James Brown - Ain't It Funky Now (1969)
2. Mysterme - Unsolved Mysterme (Instrumental)
3. Kev-E-Kev - Listen To The Man
4. Black, Rock & Ron - My Hometown
5. Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies
6. Afrika Zulu Kings - Cars (Instrumental)
7. James Brown - Nose Job (1969)
8. Gang Starr - What You Want This Time
9. BDP - The Racist
10. James Brown - The Chicken (1969)
11. Main Source - Think
12. Big Daddy Kane - Calling Mr. Welfare
13. James Brown - In The Middle (1969)
14. Chubb Rock - The Organizer
15. James Brown - Soul Pride (1969)
16. Craig G - Ripped To Streads
17. Digable Planets - 9th Wonder
18. James Brown - Why Am I Treated So Bad (1969)
19. The Associates - From The Ground Up (Instrumental)

Download Vol.3 here.

Previews:

James Brown - Ain't It Funky Now (1969)

James Brown - Nose Job (1969)

James Brown - Soul Pride (1969)

Producer Info:

Mysterme - Unsolved Mysterme (Produced by Joe Quixx)
Kev-E-Kev - Listen To The Man (Produced by Paul C & Ak-B)
Black, Rock & Ron - My Hometown (Produced by Paul C & BRR)
Beastie Boys - Hey Ladies (Produced by The Dust Brothers)
Afrika Zulu Kings - Cars (Produced by Afrika Islam)
Gang Starr - What You Want This Time (Produced by DJ Premier)
BDP - The Racist (Produced by Krs-One)
Main Source - Think (Produced by Paul C & The Large Professor)
Big Daddy Kane - Calling Mr. Welfare (Produced by Easy Mo Bee)
Chubb Rock - The Organizer (Produced by Howie Tee)
Craig G - Ripped To Streads (Produced by Marley Marl)
Digable Planets - 9th Wonder (Produced by The Digable Planets)
The Associates - From The Ground Up (Produced by Rhettmatic)

James Brown - Samples Volume 4

1. James Brown - There Was A Time (1969)
2. Chubb Rock - Treat 'Em Right
3. James Brown - There Was A Time II (1969)
4. Downtown Science - Keep It On
5. James Brown - The Little Groove Maker Pt. I (1969)
6. De La Soul - Me Myself And I (Oblapos Mode)
7. James Brown - Mother Popcorn Pt. I (1969)
8. Doug E Fresh - On The Strength
9. James Brown - Popcorn With A Feeling (1969)
10. Brand Nubian - Who Can Get Busy Like This Man
11. James Brown - You Got To Have A Mother For Me (1969)
12. Schoolly D - Gangster Boogie
13. Bizzie Boys - Say When
14. LL Cool J - Why Do You Think They Call It Dope
15. James Brown - Baby, Here I Come (1969)
16. EPMD - The Big Payback
17. James Brown - Lowdown Popcorn (1969)
18. Organized Konfusion - Audience Pleasers Demo

Download Vol.4 here.

Previews:

James Brown - There Was A Time (1969)

James Brown - The Little Groove Maker Pt. I (1969)

James Brown - Mother Popcorn Pt. I (1969)

Producer Info:
Chubb Rock - Treat 'Em Right (Produced by Howie Tee)
Downtown Science - Keep It On (Produced by Sam Sever)
De La Soul - Me Myself And I Remix (Produced by Prince Paul)
Doug E Fresh - On The Strength (Produced by The Bomb Squad)
Brand Nubian - Who Can Get Busy... (Produced by Brand Nubian)
Schoolly D - Gangster Boogie (Produced by Schoolly D)
Bizzie Boys - Say When (Produced by Jamal-Ski)
LL Cool J - Why Do You Think... (Produced by LL Cool J)
EPMD - The Big Payback (Produced by EPMD)
Organized Konfusion - Audience Pleasers Demo (Produced by Paul C)

Peace and props to Roy Johnson.

--Verge

Touring The States: Birmingham, AL

noreply@blogger.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:00:00 +0000

4-2 Tha Dome is a duo, consists of G-Money & Mr. Tre-8.
Producer of the album was P.D. aka Pump Dog.
Album is short, only 5 tracks, but it perfectly representing you street life in the city of Birmingham and how this duo struggling and surviving on those streets, dealing with crooked policemen etc.
Check it yourself and we will hope that you will like it.

4-2 Tha Dome - Blame It On Society (1995)

01. Intro & 2 Glocks

02. Lesson 1
03. Blame It On Society
04. One In The Chamber
05. Laws Get Me Pausing

Preview:

DOWNLOAD

--Markshot

MC Shan - Feed The World (1985)

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

"You got dropped off MCA cause the rhymes you wrote was wack..." KRS-One

Here's MC Shan debut record on MCA Records in 1985. This is Shan's first and only major-label release. Marley Marl is the producer. MC Shan would later get dropped from the label. KRS-One mentiones it when he disses Shan on BDP's "South Bronx".

This was ripped directly from my vinyl, I haven't seen it on any blogs even though it's actually a collectible record!

Download

-- Thomas V

Universal Beats 1990-2001

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Dope production is not limited to any one area as these compilations show. Yes production styles change from region to region but an ear for music is something anyone can appreciate, regardless of where they're from. I had been thinking about instrumentals after I put together a mostly east coast break beats compilation sometime last winter. Here is a link and the tracklist to that one.

mostly east coast breakbeats--
01 (3:35) Jeep Beat Collective - Scream (Boomsday Of Rap) 1995
02 (4:21) Dontay Prezentz - No No No! 1994
03 (4:14) Dj Spinna & Nkansa - Check It Out 1994
04 (5:01) The Herbaliser - Up 4 The Get Downs 1995
05 (3:20) Redrum Breakbeats - Da Man 1993
06 (4:09) Crooklyn Clan - This DJ (Orginal Mix) 1993
07 (2:17) Jeep Beat Society - Na Naa Naaa (East Coast Breaker) 1994
08 (0:26) Wreck All Stars - Hit Em Like This 1994
09 (5:52) Rusty Killa Productions - Hipnotic Realism 1994
10 (4:33) Frankie The Pacemaker - Big Up (Six Shot Mix) 1993
11 (2:22) The Herbaliser - Da Trax 1995
12 (2:44) Jeep Beat Collective - Hip Hop Hate Pt4 1995
13 (2:31) Jeep Beat Society - Reggae Muffin Style'N 1994
14 (3:56) Redrum Breakbeats - Here We Go 1993
15 (2:20) Brooklyn Slumlordz - Nobody (Beats) 1993
16 (0:36) Dontay Prezentz - Tay Skit 1994
17 (3:08) Dj Fashion - My Peoples 1995
18 (3:08) Dj Spinna & Nkansa - Tear It Up Y'all 1994
19 (3:52) Dontay Prezentz - Drumz Of Passion 1994
20 (4:26) Redrum Breakbeats - Blue Note Take Three 1993
21 (4:20) Rek Shot Rebulz - Full Moon Drama 1994
22 (3:00) Frankie The Pacemaker - Get Lifted 1993
23 (1:37) Jeep Beat Society - Hey Mr Dj (Bonus Beat) 1994
24 (2:26) Brooklyn Slumlordz - Some Ol' Party Beatz 1993

Download here.

'Full Moon Drama' is something I heard on the radio when it came out. I fiended to own this lp for years. If anyone out there can tell me exactly who's on this track I'd love to know. Anyway, Jeep Beat Collective and The Herbaliser are from the UK but everything else there is east coast. Sometimes though what I like best about hip hop from the west coast, south, or midwest for example, are the beats. In homage to beatsmiths everywhere, I offer up these 3 instrumental compilations to you. Here are the links and tracklists.

Universal Beats Volume 1--
01 (4:52) The Herbaliser - Battle Of Bongo Hill (UK 199?)
02 (0:48) Public Enemy - Final Count Of The Collision Between Us And The Damned (NY 1990)
03 (3:48) Mumbles - The Guidelines (Los Angeles 1994)
04 (4:28) Hieroglyphics - The Who (Del Instrumental) (Bay Area 1997)
05 (4:25) Mama Mystique - Tremendous (Dub Mix) (Philadelphia ? 1996)
06 (3:08) Dj Fashion - My Peoples (New York 1994)
07 (1:58) Dj Vinylfiend - Dig This (UK 199?)
08 (4:24) Dj Cam - Gangsta Shit (France 1995)
09 (4:31) Beat Detective - Chops (Salt Lake City 2001)
10 (4:46) Anomaly - Back Pressure (Minnesota 1998)
11 (2:29) Analyst - Dark Mood (Sacramento 2000)
12 (2:08) Vakill - Final Thoughts (Instrumental) (Chicago 1997)
13 (3:57) Just Ro - Confusion (Instrumental) (Chicago 1996)
14 (3:26) DJ Thief - Movin On (Thiefs Theme) (Wisconsin 1997)
15 (3:24) Fat Jack - Beat 2 (Los Angeles 1998)
16 (4:13) Primeridian - Jigsaw (Instrumental) (Chicago 1997)
17 (2:21) Lokee - Mr. Groove (New Orleans 1995)
18 (3:25) Geetas - D. Inst (Bay Area 1993)
19 (4:05) Nex To Kin - When It All Started (Slick Mix Instrumental) (Maryland 1997)
20 (3:27) Chunk - Dying Black Race (Instrumental) (Bay Area 1992)
21 (7:31) Outkast - Git Up Git Down (Instrumental) (Atlanta 1994)

Download Vol.1 here

Universal Beats Volume 2--
01 (3:34) African Identity - Slap Me Five (Instrumental) (Bay Area 1992)
02 (4:39) Xgovernment - Madina (East Coast Instrumental) (Virginia 1994)
03 (3:51) I.B.P. - Get 'M Up (Ice Man Dub) (New York 1993)
04 (5:06) High Performance And The 23rd - You Cant Fuck With It (Instrumental) (Seattle 1993)
05 (3:53) Common Sense - Take It EZ (Jazz Instrumental) (Chicago 1992)
06 (6:19) The Pope - Pope Of The Hood (Dub From Above Mix) (New York 1992)
07 (3:53) T-Max - Executioner Style (Remix Instrumental) (Boston 1996)
08 (2:55) Jeep Beat Society - Hoo... Call (Break Beat) (New Jersey 1994)
09 (4:36) Gumbo - Basement Music (Milwaukee Instrumental) (Wisconsin 1993)
10 (1:18) Demon And The Knomadz - Bonus Beat (Chicago 1998)
11 (3:48) Hyperdermic Needlz - Always (Instrumental) (Conneticut 1994)
12 (4:01) T Dub - T Dub Vs The Weed (Virginia 1997)
13 (3:08) Analyst - Clouds (Sacramento 1999)
14 (3:05) Funkghost - Tampa International (Instrumental) (Tampa 1999)
15 (4:27) Anomaly - Intricacies (Minnesota 1998)
16 (2:03) All Natural - Drug Wars (Instrumental) (Chicago 1997)
17 (4:27) Threatt II Society - Lynch - Tro - Mental (Tampa 1994)
18 (4:16) Kronic - It Beez Like That (Prod. By Eric Sermon) (Atlanta 1994)
19 (1:37) Ray Luv - Outro Instrumental (Bay Area 1992)

Download Vol.2 here.

Universal Beats Volume 3--
01 (4:12) Raheim - Life After Hip Hop (Instrumental) (Florida 1997)
02 (2:05) King Tee - Free Style Ghetto (Instrumental) (California 1995)
03 (3:08) E.C. Illa - All Night (Chicago IL 1997)
04 (3:54) Funkghost - Tampa International Remix (Inst) (Florida 1999)
05 (2:57) Da Phathedz - Mind Of A Thinker (New York 1996)
06 (2:30) Frankenstein - The Filter (New York 1994)
07 (2:01) Spliff - Devils Advocate (Instrumental) (Denver 1995)
08 (1:20) The Rza - Samurai Theme (New York 1999)
09 (4:11) Live And Die Reck - Boom, It's The Bonus (New York 1993)
10 (4:16) Kenny Dope - That Gangsta Shit (New York 1994)
11 (2:14) Jeep Beat Society - Here We Go (New Jersey 1993)
12 (3:32) DJ Fashion - Keep That Ass Clappin' (Instrumental) (New York 1995)
13 (3:25) Butta Fingaz - Five Boroughs (New York 1996)
14 (3:08) Dj Spinna & Nkansa - Tear It Up Y'all (New York 1994)
15 (5:47) Rhyme Poets - Roadblock (Illinois 1993)
16 (5:57) The Deckwrecka (With Mad Money Wah) - Rice Cakes (New York 1996)
17 (3:44) Gripsta - Pop Goz The 9 (Instrumental) (California 1994)
18 (5:35) Kobie Dee & Tha Deeluh - Ole' Ge (Instrumental) (Ohio 1995)
19 (0:55) Young LaRai - Egypt (Instrumental) (Portland OR 1997)

Download Vol.3 here.

If you're paying attention you'll notice track 5 on volume 3 here is the same beat as 'Kay Superior - Focus', which is on that cd I posted called 'On The Down Low'. If you slept make sure to check it out too.

http://philaflava.blogspot.com/2009/04/various-artists-on-down-low-new-york.html

Your head should be noddin' for awhile. Please leave some comments, let me know if you like this idea and I'll put together a few more volumes. Enjoy!

--Schenectadyfan

Random VLS Drops: Percee P - Nowhere Near Simple

noreply@blogger.com (verge) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:10:00 +0000

Another fresh 320kbps random vinyl rip for the fam

A1 Nowhere Near Simple(Clean Edit)

A2 Nowhere Near Simple(Street Mix)

A3 Nowhere Near Simple (Instr.)

B1 Don't Cum Strapped(Street Mix)

B2 Don't Cum Strapped(Instr.)

Download here.

Preview:

Just adding on to the last post that Thomas V graciously blessed us with here. I just happened to have ripped this vinyl to mp3 about a week or two ago, and this seems as appropriate a time as ever to share it with the T.R.O.Y. fam and followers.

Percee P needs no introduction if you're a regular around here. I can't front, this record damn near blew my mind the first time I heard it on the Stretch and Bobbito show. Not just his lyrical miracles with the unorthodox rhyme flex, but finessing that line from Group Home into a dope hook is what always got me.

Enough blithering already. Download and enjoy this record.

--Verge

Percee P - Live @Fat Beats LA 12.12.09

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Percee P performs in-store live @Fat Beats LA on December 12,2009 doing a free show for the true hip hop heads. It was raining hard that day in LA but a lot of fans still came through to check it out. I gotta say that this was definitely a perfect performance. Percee P performed his best tracks and dropped knowledge for the fans. This man is a real legend! The Legendary Percee P!

Percee P performs Man To Praise off Perseverance.

Percee P talks about being around with Lord Finesse, DMX, Eminem, & Fat Joe.

Percee P performs Ghetto Rhyme Stories Remix off Perseverance: The Remix.

Percee P performs The Lady Behind Me Remix off Perseverance: The Remix.

Percee P spits one of his favorite rhyme acapella.

Percee P spits his two classic verses from Lord Finesse's Return of The Funkyman album. Don't forget he earned the hip-hop quotable in The Source for Yes You May. Hear him talk about it.

Percee P spits one last acapella.

Percee P talks about The Almighty KG from the Cold Crush Brothers and B-Boy Records(Scott La Rock, KRS-One).

Buy Percee P's catalog @FatBeats.com

The opening performance was probably the best I have ever seen. Check out "All In" from Versis. I had never been impressed by an opening performance like that.

-- Thomas V

LL Cool J: Respect The Architect

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Sometimes you just gotta give it up for LL. Yeah he hasn't made the most memorable albums in the past 15 years but he is still making music. He gave us Radio, Bigger And Deffer, Walking With A Panther (my fav), Mama Said Knock You Out, 14 Shots To The Dome and Mr. Smith to name a few. Since them he's sprinkled us with some vintage LL, like "Ill Bomb."

LL, at age 41, still has it. He doesn't flex it like he can but if push came to shove LL could definitely retire a rapper of choice should he feel inclined to. While I can't validate whether or not this is a real album or that LL will even see a dime on it, I can say they are high quality (remastered) tracks of some of his greatest cuts. Even though we all could do without a handful (or even more) of some of them, the great tracks certainly overpower the weak ones. Download this jawn and remember just how vicious LL Cool J was on the mic. Hey Rick Rubin if you're reading this why not hit up James Todd Smith and do another album together? Go out on the right note. --Philaflava

LL Cool J: All World 2

01. Rock The Bells (Produced By Rick Rubin)
02. Dear Yvette (Produced By Rick Rubin)
03. I'm That Type Of Guy (Produced By LL Cool J)
04. Big Ole Butt (Produced By LL Cool J)
05. Pink Cookies In A Plastic Bag Getting Crushed By Buildings (Produced By Marley Marl)
06. Around The Way Girl (Produced By Marley Marl)
07. Jack The Ripper (Produced By Rick Rubin)
08. To Da Break Of Dawn (Produced By Marley Marl)
09. I Shot Ya (Feat. Fat Joe, Foxy Brown, Keith Murray & Prodigy)(Produced By Poke & Tone)
10. Ill Bomb (Feat. Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap) (Produced By DJ Scratch)
11. Phenomenon (Produced By Diddy)
12. 4, 3, 2, 1, (Feat. Redman, Method Man & DMX) (Remix) (Produced By Erick Sermon)
13. Luv U Better (Produced By The Neptunes)
14. Paradise (Feat. Amerie) (Produced By Poke & Tone)
15. Headsprung (Produced By Timbaland)
16. Hush (Feat. 7 Aurelius) (Produced By 7)
17. Baby (Feat. The-Dream) (Produced By C. "Tricky" Stewart & The-Dream)

Download

Recap: Early December

noreply@blogger.com (Thun) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:15:00 +0000

Yo! Take a winter break and listen to some rap!

It's December and that means holiday season stress. But don't hibernate on the T.R.O.Y. blog, your only connection to escape from these rough and rugged times.

King Sun "Strictly Ghetto" EP

Midwest Series Volume 2

Produce-A-Lot

James Brown Samples - Volume 1

The Bomb DJs - Return Of The DJs Volume 1

James Brown Samples - Volume 2

Random VLS Drops

Touring The States: San Fransisco, CA

Wyandanche High School Jam '85 - early Rakim and Biz Markie

Various Artists - "Balance"

USC Hip Hop NYC Real Deal Underground

Pete Nice: Rags To Riches

Producer Highlight: Pee Wee

New Jersey Underground Part 8

Stay tuned!

The Basement Khemist

noreply@blogger.com (Thun) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Over at the forums, contributor Mr. J Selectah is an enthusiastic and generous fan of great 90s indie hip hop, always uploading rare treats for us to forage. Although he's quite knowledgeable he is also humble enough to to ask his fellow T.R.O.Y. denizens to help him out when he's stumped. It's this kind of symbiotic relationship that makes out forum a great place to visit for rap fiends. Recently, he posted a thread full of advanced level questions, many of which remain unanswered.

One of the questions that stood out to me was whether or not The Basement Khemist (or "Basement Khemists" depending on who you ask) ever released tracks aside from the ones that appeared on a five track bootleg in late 90s. Selectah was kind enough to provide us with divshare uploads of these songs, and Roy Johnson upped a glitch-free version of "Petrified":

Basement Khemists - Vibrate

Basement Khemists - Petrified

Basement Khemists - Everybody

Basement Khemists - I'm doin' ya

Basement Khemists - Correct technique

So does anyone have any leads? We know from other internet sources that "Vibrate" was released on vinyl but what else, if anything is out there? Anybody? Bueller?

-- Thun

New Jersey Underground Part 8

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Comin' at ya today with volume 8 from my New Jersey series. Getting off to a fresh start we have one of the best cuts on the Double X Posse album from 1995. I know I might get some flack for this but I actually prefer that one to their 1992 album. As often happens, a few tracks featured here are from different places other than New Jersey. I always find this stuff out later. For example I put this compilation together on 11/3/2007, but it was not until last year sometime that I found some of the locations are wrong. Oh well, hope y'all will forgive me. I swear, the person who makes a comprehensive encyclopedia of where hip hop artists are from is going to strike it rich. I for one would be hitting up a site like that constantly. Favorite tracks on volume 8 include numbers 1, 2 and 8. Here's a link and the tracklist --

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2H5PIGI0

01 (4:47) Double X - Wreckin it [Jersey City 1995]
02 (4:57) Mytee G. Poetic - Com'n Wit Nuff Ruffness [Newark 1995]
03 (2:25) The 45 King - Here I Go [Jersey City 1993] (Who is the mc ?)
04 (3:56) Redman - Blow Your Mind [Newark 1992]
05 (3:35) Raw Breed - Let The Dogs Loose [New York, woops 1993]
06 (4:37) Troubleneck Brothers - Fuck All Ya'll [New York, woops 1992]
07 (3:12) Naughty By Nature - Connections [Newark 1995]
08 (4:54) Black Prince And Aziatic Roger - Fuck The World [Trenton 1992]
09 (4:33) Black Caesar - The Symptoms [Jersey City 1995]
10 (3:59) Just Shawn - Just For A Look [Newark 1996]
11 (5:02) Lords Of The Underground - Lunatic Asylum [Newark 1995]
12 (3:53) Fierce - Come Close [East Orange 1996]
13 (4:13) Organized Konfusion - Bring It On [New York, woops 1996]
14 (4:04) Scott Lark Da Sensei - It Aint Goin Down {Trenton 1996]
15 (3:06) Young Zee - Jack Mode [Newark 1996]
16 (4:54) Chino Xl - Rappaz Are In Danger [Newark 1996]
17 (3:58) E. Bros - Toast [Chicago or something.. 1995]
18 (3:18) D1 - Fakes [Newark 1994]
19 (4:32) F.o.a. - I Keep A Muthf--ka Swoll [trenton 1992]

Let me know what you like. If you see mistakes in the locations feel free to correct them but do not miss out on hearing the other cuts because something is mislabeled. I hope y'all dig what you hear.

--Schenectadyfan

Producer Highlight - Pee Wee

sonicwater@gmail.com (Cenzi Stiles) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Damn, I really miss detailed credits on albums.

Credits are what made me keep an eye (ear) open for The Beatnuts, Battlecat and Sam Sever. But in the late 80's, the producer's role still wasn't really prominent, it was usually a list of musicians that could tell a story before you even heard the song. So going to my bay area favorites, as long as it said Shorty B on bass, I KNEW it was going to be deep, slow and funky.

Another name that kept popping up in the bay area was Pee Wee. Mainly this was because I have always been a big "Digital Underground" fan, and by 1991, Pee Wee was a mainstay in the group.

Once you popped in their third album "Sons of the P" into your yellow sony walkman, the first verse we heard was Pee Wee's:

DIGITAL UNDERGROUND - THE D-FLO SHUTTLE

Let me give your ears a baptismal
Dip into the pool and let me chisel
Chunks of ignorance out your brain system
As I implant wisdom in the name of d-flo
Here we go with this, let me flow with this
Holy glory, how the dolio flow in this

He came off as a new Digital Underground MC, since they are known to add new MC's on each album. But, a quicker look to the credits would prove that he also a major player behind the boards, ass he grabs the Producer credit for "D-Flo Shuttle", and to be behind the sounds that came out of that album was, and still is, quite impressive. I had to dig deeper.

It wasn't too hard, because Pee Wee and hiphop's deepest baritone voice ever, Big Money Odis, got together to put out "A Day In The Life of a Player", as the duo "Gold Money". It lacked charisma, but still had some absolutely ridiculous tracks in between, starting with the funkiest motherfunken pimp track ever "Youngblood" (everything played by himself!) and finishing the track with the most "pwnest" track ever recorded. It was a one on one conversation between Pee Wee and the group called "The Young Black Teenagers". They get served. then chilled. And are never to be heard of again. Throughout the production of the album Pee Wee really takes full control and let's the album slide through hundreds of genres within 11 tracks. "Mnniiggaahh" starts with Beethoven - Fur elise and crashes into a heavy-rock induced track, while "Nothing" starts funky, goes into jazz, and then just gets deep into some "Pink Pantherish" finger-snappin' nouveau jazz movements.

GOLD MONEY - YOUNGBLOOD

Now, this was a GREAT time for Digital Underground, because just a year before Raw Fusion came out with "Live From the Styleetron" and Tupac debuted with "2Pacalypse Now". I liked both albums equally at first, but every time I realized that Live From The Styleetron was kickin harder, I would be held back to the fact that "Trapped" was slowly becoming my favorite rap song, so that would keep my interest for Pac's album. The credits on his album were disgusting and fucked up beyond belief. For example, I could clearly hear Pee Wee rapping on "I Don't Give a Fuck", but nothing in the credits. So for many years I thought that Pee Wee was just MCing and probably lending a hand in production. And not bad, his lyrics BLASTED the cops and became Pac's anthem for his second album.

Niggas!, isn't just the blacks
also a gang of mother-fuckers dressed in blue slacks
They say niggas hang in packs and their attitude is shitty
Tell me, who's the biggest gang of niggas in the city

When I grabbed that "Trapped" single from someone's record crates, the credits were much clearer. It said in three words. Produced by Pee-Wee.

TUPAC - TRAPPED

Pee Wee's voice would pop out again on the Dangerous Crew's album "Don't Try This At Home". The track "Gone With The Wind" was so dope that it must have been on every mixtape I made during the next 8 years.

DANGEROUS CREW - GONE WITH THE WIND

When I had the opportunity to ask him about this project with the Dangerous Crew, he told me that the crew was actually him, Shorty B and Father Dom:

"We used that album to feature Ourselves, Bad Influence (for some reason didn't make the album), Father Dom, Goldie, the Lunies (ended up going to another label) and all of the groups on Shorts new Dangerous Music Label. That's why every body thought the DANGEROUS CREW WAS ALL THOSE PEOPLE. Hey if you have that album and you look at my picture, that's NOT ME. Somebody switched the pictures at the label. I still don't know if it was done on purpose or if it was an accident. But, I guess that "gone with the Wind " was my pre-warning to get out of there. I'm still cool with Short and Shorty B and all the Rappers"

This all sounds typical of the Industry Rule #4080.

You will hear Pee Wee poppin' up all over the place during the years that Bay Area rap was running things. "Menace II Society" has his sounds on Ant Bank's "Packin a Gat" and Too Short's "Only the Strong Survive". Goldy, a Too Short affiliated MC, also had quite a few tracks with Pee Wee's production. He got busy on the white and black keys all over Too Short's albums "Cocktales" and "Get In Where Ya Fit In". I am sure his guitars got some licks on those too. A few tracks on Spice 1's "Black Bosalini" album got the Pee-Wee treatment too.

As the Bay Area lost it's "hiphop clout", Discogs.com slowly loses trace of any more current things Pee Wee's on.

The last time we chatted, he didn't mention anything specific, but this was quite a long time ago, so I'll shoot him a quick message and let's see if he adds his two cents to this piece!

For now, I hope you enjoy the Gold Money album, VERY rare, but sadly I think that my CD Rip skips on one track. I will add a few other tracks mentioned here to the zipped file.

-- cenzi stiles

Pete Nice (3rd Bass): Riches To Rags

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:26:00 +0000

Sports Illustrated recently did a story on Pete Nice. It's a pretty great read and I encourage you all to check it because it's not your typical rapper tale. Below are some excerpts from the article. I felt like After reading you'll feel guilty for downloading Dust To Dust. --Philaflava

Pete Nice struts around a Hollywood soundstage, brandishing a silver-knobbed cane and spitting acid rhymes. "Getting paid to peddle sneakers and soda pop," he raps. "The thin ice you skate upon will break and set ya straight." In his boxy suit and slicked-back hair, Nash, 24, has a vaguely thuggish demeanor at odds with his Ivy League bachelor's degree in English. To his fans he is Prime Minister Pete Nice, of the interracial rap trio 3rd Bass. It is 1991, and the group is on The Arsenio Hall Show performing its biggest hit, the No. 1 rap single Pop Goes the Weasel. It's an extended verbal beat down of white rapper Vanilla Ice, whom it reviles as a culture thief, and it has helped pay for Nash's tinted-window Mercedes and his penthouse apartment in New York City. "Ya boosted the record, then ya looped it, ya looped it," Nash raps, "but now you're getting sued kinda stoopid."

Eighteen years later Nash sits in a café in lower Manhattan. At 42 he wears cuffed khaki pants and a short-sleeved button-down cotton shirt. He lives in a rental home in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with his wife and young son, and he has driven a sensible Honda SUV to this meeting. Since his moment of fame as a rapper for Def Jam Records, Nash has achieved a markedly different kind of renown -- among hard-core baseball memorabilia collectors who wouldn't know Def Jam from Def Leppard. Over the past two decades Nash has become known as the most prolific source of the rarest old-school material, especially from the 19th century.

But on this afternoon in late July the tough-guy rapper turned baseball historian is mired in a widening scandal over the holiest relics of America's pastime. Nash recently lost a lawsuit against a leading memorabilia auctioneer in which he admitted to fraud, and, according to sources, the FBI is investigating whether he sold forged memorabilia. (Nash declined to comment on the investigation.)

Long before his unlikely rise to fame as a white rapper, Peter Nash was obsessed with the history of baseball. MC Serch, also of 3rd Bass, recalls the first time he visited the home of Nash's parents on Long Island, in the late 1980s. "Here was this 20-year-old kid," Serch says, "and he had all this stuff: three-fingered mitts and Ty Cobb baseball cards. It was his passion, more than I think emceeing was his passion."

By 2006 Nash cut the figure of a prosperous entrepreneur who might still be flush with music-business royalties. He drove a Mercedes SUV and owned a lakeside house in Cooperstown. But in fact he had acute money problems. Both the wax museum and Dreams Park partnerships had dissolved in lawsuits. His 3rd Bass royalties came to only about $5,000 a year, and an attempted reunion of the group, which included a performance at Woodstock 1999, never gained traction. Still, Nash showed no interest in a 9-to-5 career. "He never lost the celebrity attitude," says Fraser, who says he fell out with Nash after he refused to sell Nash the 1912 Red Sox trophy. "A regular job was beneath him."

Although Nash received a settlement in the Dreams Park litigation, the money went to satisfy legal and other debts. The house in Cooperstown was repeatedly under threat of foreclosure, the repo man was after his car, and Nash took to calling up friends for help in paying his basic living expenses: rent, a tank of gas, diapers, the phone bill. He seemed to be constantly juggling complex triangular deals in which he borrowed money (sometimes upwards of $100,000) using his baseball memorabilia as collateral. Sometimes he used the cash to hold off creditors, sometimes to buy more memorabilia.

"The only thing Pete failed at was being able to live without an object," says another collector and former friend of Nash's. "That's what always got him in trouble, because when he had money, he always needed the next thing -- and who can survive that, if you don't have a job?"

Nash, for his part, dismisses a suggestion that a 3rd Bass reunion might help solve some of his problems. "Serch has asked me to do certain things," Nash says. "It's not like there's any huge money in doing it. There's a lot of interest, but I mean, it's nothing I have that much of an interest [in]."

Click here for the full article.

U.S.C. Hip Hop NYC Real Deal Underground

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:00 +0000

When i first saw this compilation in the store, i must admit that the only artists that were familiar to me were Screwball and Godfather Don. After spotting the production credits from DJ Spinna, The Beatnuts, Erick Sermon and Marley Marl, I thought that I could handle the cost and copped it. I never regretted this investment.

There is no track that i can say is a weak link. I'm still unfamiliar with two names on here, Slade Savage and Big Meal, so feel free to fill me in on their info if you know anything.

You will enjoy this one, we can guarantee you that.

VA - U.S.C. Hip Hop NYC Real Deal Underground (1999)

1. Kamakazee - Snakes (Produced By Marley Marl)
2. Screwball - Cookies And Cream (Produced By Mike Heron For Ghetto Pros)
3. Powerule - Rock Ya Not Quick (Pdoruced By Erick Sermon)
4. Triflicts - Genuine (Produced By The Beatnuts)
5. IG Off & Hazardhous - In The Air (Produced By DJ Spinna)
6. Screwball - They Wanna Know Why (Produced By Mike Heron & Ghetto Pros)
7. Gab Gotcha - On The Job (Produced By The Beatnuts)
8. Hostile - Beatem In The Head (Produced By Bezo)
9. Fanat - Zoo York (Produced By A Kid Called Roots)
10. Godfather Don - Piece Of Action (Produced By Godfather Don)
11. Big Meal - Niggas, Pimps And Players (Produced By Vic For Ghetto Pros)
12. Godfather Don - Bomb Baby (Produced By Godfather Don)
13. Slade Savage - War Stories (Produced By Bezo)
14. Screwball - On Point (Produced By Mike Heron For Ghetto Pros)

Preview:

DOWNLOAD

--Markshot

Shup Diddy's 90s Mix via TwitVid

noreply@blogger.com (Thun) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Shup Diddy is one of our forum's most eccentric and humorous contributors, but he's also a super hip hop crate digging nerd and DJ in his own right. He shared a live, unedited mix with us called "I Believe In The 90s" which he filmed and put on Twidvid for our listening and viewing pleasure:

I call it "I Believe in the 90's"

pt. 1

pt. 2(had to edit cause of some issues)

pt. 3

i had to put it on twitvid cause gay youtube blocked the audio on every single video cause of that stupid sony/wmg deal.

Let us know what you think. -- Thun

Various Artists Cd - 'Balance' (Philadelphia 1999)

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:20:00 +0000

This is a somewhat obscure ep from 1999. Not sure how many of the tracks are exclusives but it's a nice lineup. It was co-produced by Cas and Omne, who had his hands in a number of other mid/late 90's philly releases. I really dig the 2nd cut 'the meanin' and 'so rich' by Ryan Banks. I have no idea if Ryan Banks did anything else, the track has grown on me. Also of interest are the 2 tracks by P.H.A., aka 'Power Hittin' Artist'. I became aware of him when Al at Crates Of Ag posted his 1st two singles. For those who slept, you can check them here --

http://alkuttraz.blogspot.com/2006/11/power-hittin-artist.html

Alkuttraz I hope you're reading man, this is some later material I hope is new to you. Here's a link for this cd --

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BUS8YTK7

1. (:37) cas - intro
2. (3:38) ag, kamachi & dj revolution - the meanin' (they don't know)
3. (3:52) power hittin' artist - walk the route
4. (3:28) kamachi - copperfield
5. (3:38) maylay sparks, kamachi & dj jay-ski - unusual styles
6. (:19) cas - interlude
7. (3:34) ryan banks - so rich
8. (2:44) power hittin' artist - beats and rhymes
9. (4:12) last emperor, kamachi & dj jay-ski - nile nutrition

The weak link in the chain is number nine, but at least it's last. Altogether this is a head nodding compilation that's not well known but entirely worth having. Buy the cd if you can find it, I picked mine up for 3 bucks. Enjoy!

--Schenectadyfan

Wyandanch High School Jam '85 - Biz Markie and Rakim

noreply@blogger.com (Thun) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Holy shit. This was spotted over at DJ Stepone's blog which linked to it from Old School Hip Hop Tapes. Back on the forum, our good homie DJ Mike Nice purports to be the internet originator of this tape. I don't know who had what first, but regardless this is an amazing find:

Wyandanch High School Jam (1985)
Featuring: Biz Markie, Kid Wizard Rakim, MC Chilly Dawg, Grandwizard BMC & DJ Fantasy, Inc.

(1 of 2): The pre-party festivities jumped off by DJ Fantasy, Inc. rocking over the vintage 'beatbox' drum machine.
http://www.zshare.net/download/6944664684337df6/

(2 of 2): The main event featuring Biz Markie with DJ Grandwizard BMC (from the group Groove B. Chill) joined by MC Chilly Dawg(aka Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, also from Groove B. Chill). Later on, a VERY SPECIAL impromptu guest appearance from none other than the Kid Wizard Rakim Allah!!! He drops a couple of verses during track #10 in the folder.
http://www.zshare.net/download/69447294fd7ebf19/

Holy shit. That's all there really is to say about this. -- Thun

Touring The States: San Francisco, CA

blog.philaflava@gmail.com (T.R.O.Y.) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Although they are from the Bay Area's Frisco city, Real Brothers delivers us different style than it was, at that time very popular all over the West Coast and the Bay Area, G-funk style of music.
This album have more accompanying sound to the East Coast standards.

Real Brothers - Soul Controllers (1992)

A1. Real Brothers
A2. Raise The Flag
A3. I'm A Get Mine
A4. Keep It Smooth
A5. Another Drug Song
A6. Two Heads Are Better Than One (T.O.A.M.P.)

B1. Soul Controllers
B2. Ya Burnin' Yourself
B3. Dream Seq. (Now We Got Africa!)
B4. Ease It Down
B5. What's Next?
B6. Mom Taught Me

Preview:

DOWNLOAD

--Markshot