...And It's Still All Good

Come And Celebrate A Milestone In Hip Hop Culture!

2008-04-25T07:25:00.001-07:00

Video Music Box 25th Anniversary Concert

Friday, July 18, 2008
From 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Admission: FREE
Central Park SummerStage

Hip Hop's Dick Clark: Ralph McDaniels

The influence of "Video Music Box" stretches far and wide, as the show is one of the first and longest running outlets for Hip-Hop since the genre’s inception. Twenty-five years after its debut, Ralph McDaniels hosts a celebration concert featuring performances by a who's who of hip-hop icons from the series’ illustrious history.

I AIn't Dead Yet...

2008-04-11T06:08:00.000-07:00

...bitchez.

Proud To Be Black...The "Movement"

2008-02-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

Remember when Hip-Hop was proud to be something? Proud to be strong men? Proud to be beautiful women? Proud to be black? Now I like a fat, brown or beige gelatenous ass bouncing ass much as the next guy but when did it just become that?

Back in 1990 when my flat top was bangin, we were all concerned about dancing and "mackin' honeys" (not "ho's" because they weren't really ho's till Snoop told us he didn't love them in '93). With your Kane's, Heavy D's, Kwame's and Kid n' Play, the good times were in full effect but we wanted more. PE reminded us It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and it resonated through the "community" but when Brother J, Professor X The Overseer, Sugar Shaft and to a lesser extent Isis came along and said "You're black and you came here from Africa, did you know that?", it set off a short lived "afro-centric" movement.

When To the East, Blackwards dropped, it was a breath of fresh air to rap. We always had "message rhymes" from Just-Ice, KRS and PE to balance out the comedy, lover men and thugs but this was "African History 101 Rap". Dressed in tribal garb and leather medallions (which some genius made a mint from off me and my friends alone by mass producing them), they inspired a trend ridden by Tragedy, Poor Righteous Teachers, Lakim Shabazz and others. With in-house production on the entire album, the Clan relayed their message over familiar, yet hard hitting samples (Verbal Milk, Grand Verbalizer What Time Is It?, Heed The Word Of The Brother) and outright jacks (In The Ways Of The Scales which is basically Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love and M's Pop Muzik). While the music wasn't necessarily ground breaking or innovative, it was jarring and dealt with timely subject matter and as a teen, it did instill some pride in me.

Two years later they returned with Xodus with a little more fanfare but still less than stellar results (both albums peaked at #11 on the Billboard R&B charts but Xodus surpassed "East" on the Billboard Top 200 by peaking at #31 to its predecessors #97). The group disbanded after that with J forming Dark Sun Riders and X seriously taking up community activism. Sadly Professor X died in 2006 from complications from meningitis. A new Clan album was released in '07 with nary a blip on the radar.

In these days of jingle singing, buck dancing Youtube rappers (yes, YOU Soulja Boy), I often get nostalgic for the "afro-centric 90's. The listening public wouldn't get behind something like that today. We can slap an ass, "body" an adversary, make up a dance that sets the race back 100 years, we can even promote being addled to the point of being near death but...not too many people proud to be black anymore.

Oh well... "Whooo, Crank dat Soulja Boy! *vomiting*

Take some time to listen to a great album:

X Clan-To The East, Blackwards

http://www.zshare.net/download/903882fae4d8/

Be Back Soon...

2008-01-17T12:26:00.000-08:00

Technorati Profile

Back In The Day...Downtown Science Room To Breathe

2007-12-19T14:11:00.000-08:00

Can I tell y'all that to this day there is no show like Video Music Box! Ralph McDaniels and The Vid Kid didn't just show the mainstream cats like Tribe, Leaders, Kane...whoever was big when I was watching it but they also gave lesser known indie and even poorly pushed big label acts some spins. One of those acts was Downtown Science.

In 1991, 3rd Bass boardsmith Sam Sever and his producing partner/MC Bosco Money put out a self titled debut album on Def Jam records. Room To Breathe was the first single and it was a smooth banga. Over a futuristic sounding loop, Bosco states pretty much what DTS is about: Sam's sick samples and his own positive rhymes. Bosco's style and cadence evokes a less political Chuck D, whom I honestly thought may have had a hand in writing this back then but I have to chalk that up to my youth. When I was younger I would break on his hat but now I appreciate the dudes lyrics and the decision to kick positive, clean rhymes.

The song was a minor hit in wide release but was pretty dope with DJ's and "headz" alike. The loop was resurrected three years later by Redman on "Bobyahed2dis" off the Dare Iz a Darkside album.

Check the leadoff single from the group and if you like it, it's available at:

Downtown Science-Downtown Science (Def Jam Records 1991)

Room To Breathe-Downtown Science

1. Room To Breathe (Radio Mix)
2. Room To Boom (Dub)
3. Room To Breathe (Instrumental)
4.Out There But In There (Main Mix)
5. Out There But In There (Instrumental)
http://www.badongo.com/file/7451926

DJ's: Rescue Your Vinyl!

2007-12-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

Break out your old 12"'s and get busy. Rescue your vinyl with this simple device. As a former DJ who no longer has his 1200's, this is a godsend!

FROM THE ION WEBSITE:

The ION TTUSB05 is the perfect turntable for archiving and digitizing your vinyl music collection. USB connectivity simplifies conversion directly into your computer and with the included software for recording your music, you can now listen to your favorite music on CDs or portable media players. The ION TTUSB05 even features a standard, RCA line output for connecting to your home stereo or home theater system with no hassles.EZ Vinyl Converter by MixMeister is included free with the ION TTUSB05 and provides the easiest way to convert your records to your computer's digital music library. Simply plug in your ION TTUSB05 turntable, specify track information and in a few mouse clicks you're done!

EZ Vinyl Converter automatically imports your songs directly into your iTunes library. Once digitally converted, you can sort your music, make custom playlists, and easily take songs with you on an iPod or play them directly from your computer. Finally your record collection can be available wherever you are.In addition, the ION TTUSB05 comes with free Audacity software for editing your recorded tracks. Audacity helps remove clicks, pops and other noises from your recordings to restore the full quality of your vinyl.

It even enables you to convert 78 RPM records.

At $99.00 USD, the ION TTUSB05 is afordable for what it can do. Imagine saving hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of records on this thing. OK, maybe I'm late and all of y'all are laughing at me right now but I don't give a shit. I'll have this soon and that means more remixes and good shit for you all.

You can purchase it here:

http://www.ion-audio.com/store/index.php

Better Than The Original: Remix-A-Palooza II: Mix Harder

2007-12-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

re·mix (rē-mĭks') tr.v., -mixed, -mix·ing, -mix·es.To recombine (audio tracks or channels from a recording) to produce a new or modified audio recording: remixed a popular ballad and turned it into a dance hit.n. (rē'mĭks')

re·mix·a·pa·looza (rē-mĭks'-a-pa-loosa') tr.v., -mixed, -mix·ing, -mix·es.To take dope shit you heard in your youth (audio tracks or channels from a recording) and put them together into a compilation to share with other headz, leaches and blog raiding sons of bitchez: when Animal Mother goes through his mp3's and picks out unique shit he loves.n. (rē'mĭks'-a-pa-loosa')

Yup...I'm back. It's that time again. I went to the vault(hard drive) and picked out some more of my favorite remixes and compiled them in a little collection for you. More big names! More "Oh yeah...I remember them cats."! It's all here. I usually like a uniqueness to my remixes so if they kick new lyrics, it's always a plus. I'm also particular to certain producers (Pete Rock, Beatnuts, Showbiz, Diamond D, Salaam, etc.) so there is alot of their work here. Let's get to it shall we?:

You Must Learn (Live From The Caucus Mountains Remix)-Boogie Down Productions: Leave it to the Teacha to get you out of your seat while diggin in your brain. With the assistance of hypeman Willie D, KRS takes the serious tone of the album version and gives it an almost block party-like feel. He's still teaching you about Benjamin Bannicker but he's also making you clap ya hands on this lively remix complete with mic checks, call and response with the crowd throughout the song and false stops. "We're not done...we're not done...CHECK THIS OUT!"

Toss It Up (The After Party)-Zhigge: Remix? Remake? Whore. Chick who bones after dinner on the first date. It's all the same man. I found the first Toss It Up a little too busy for me. "The After Party" sounds just like that, after the party when everyone is blunted out. The refrain is even changed to a laid back : "Toss it up. Toss it up, yeaaaaahh." Salaam Remi took a fiddle-driven sample(how often do you hear THAT in Hip-Hop?), added some horns and a nice snare and made a mellow, jazzy 90's type groove. Zhigge was an OK group for their time wonder how they'd rhyme today?

Silence Of The Lambs (Remix)-Showbiz & A.G.: I loved the original down to the happy flute that played in the background. On the remix however , Show went back to the lab and came out with a banger. This version was definitely made for the radio as all the profanity from the original is gone. The beat however is alot more sinister and the horns are more prominent. The interlude at the beginning with Kid Capri is one of my favorite beats that I used to go back to back on regularly. BX classic!

Case Of The P.T.A. (Remix)-Leaders Of The New School: You had to wait for the Sobb Story 12" to get this version. With in house production by Cut Monitor Milo, L.O.N.S. revisit the hallways of their first single and rip it with all new verses. Still makes you wanna East Coast Stomp. (Remember that?)

Yes You May (Remix) (feat. Big L)-Lord Finesse: This is kind of a two pronged attack. You have The Funky Technician who with the assistance of producer T-Ray took a minimalist approach to this remix. Standard early 90's jazzy type break with punchlines like: I'm spinnin' the action like a whirlpool/get wilder than a rapist in a catholic all-girls school Nothin' special right? Oh, did I mention that it's the first professional appearance on wax by an MC the name of Lamont Coleman? Listen to one of Hip-Hop's most underrated rhymers and a fallen great on this D.I.T.C. gem.

Oh My God (UK Flavor Remix)-A Tribe Called Quest: What's an Animal Mother comp without Native Tongues Posse representation? Not much of one if you ask me. Producer Tosh supplied Quest with a straight up outer space type sounding beat. It's more uptempo than the album version and I noticed that Phife's "Anti-batty boi big up is who I be" line wasn't cut. I suspect this was around the time of the Boom Bye-Bye hysteria. Dope track nonetheless. If anyone has the No Naim Remix with the vocals, holla at a brother. I wanted to add that one.

The World is Yours (Q-Tip Remix)-Nas: Esco got back in the studio with Tip behind the boards and blessed this jazzy remix with a few new lyrics and the Abstract chanting the chorus. The Pete Rock original stands on its own but this is a job well done by Q-Tip.

Flow On (Pete Rock Remix) (feat. Dai One & Sah-B)-Lords Of The Underground: Did somebody say Chocolate Boy Wonder? Had to get him in here! I didn't care much for the album version. The beat was nothing special and the upbeat tempo and grating chorus annoyed me. Pete who's half man/half SP, slowed the tempo down and gave it a much better baseline and the somewhat off key singing in the chorus worked. Funky and Doitall have always been underrated lyricists and they both turned in solid verses. A definite upgrade from the original.

Return Of The Crazy One (Lean Butter Bean Remix)-Digital Underground: The original "Crazy" was hot! The beat was thumpin' reminiscent of "Humpty Dance" minus the killer bassline (has there ever been a more identifiable bassline than "A-doooo-re-doooo-re"?) and Shock/Hump's vocals were sick as ever. I like this version however because it sounds like they were having FUN! From the nonsensical lyrics, to the slicked out R&B pace and the butchering of Bobby Caldwell with Hump wailing a digitally altered "I guess you wondered where I been", I'm all for it. Great f'in song!

Ego Trippin Part (Part Three) (Egoristic Mix)-De La Soul: De La done did it again! This was a bonus track featured on the Ego Trippin' (Part Two) 12". It's an entirley different song with a new beat that evokes thoughts of a carnival atmosphere and all new lyrics. Pos' "Johnny Feva..." verse may be one of my favorite verses of all time. He absoultely rips it, intentionally flubbing the line and starting over twice until he kills it! I was all smiles when I finally hunted this down on MP3(Thanks, Trav!)

It's On (Beatnuts Remix)-Naughty By Nature: The bassline at the beginning surges as if something's about to happen, and it does. Les and Ju put out another track that eclipses the original. The funky organs, 90's horns and Biz Mark "On and on..." sample are all keepers!

Letterman (Pete Rock Remix)-K-Solo: P to tha R gives his own spin on the Atomic Dog sample as Kevin Madison kicks one of my favorite rhymes of his. Always tight production from one of the best in the game and a solid lyrical effort by the former Hit Squad member.

The Shit Is Real (DJ Premier Remix)-Fat Joe: Primo laced Don Cartagena with his siganture sounds and scratches to make this probably one of the best songs Joe has ever done. Lean Back? Nah, I don't think so!

Searchin' (Remix)-Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth: A perfect way to end this comp! This is a great remix of the original Searchin'(which was a hell of a song) off the much over looked The Main Ingredient LP. Once again, Pete and C.L. shun the acapella over a new beat approach and have the Mecca Don lace the track with new vocals. A catchy hook and a sample of the original turn it into a great new interpretation. Overall, another Pete Rock banga.

If y'all like this, let me know. Part III is being worked on as you read this.

Animal Mother's Remix-A-Palooza II: MIX HARDER-Various Artists

http://www.badongo.com/file/5577651

20G WOW!

2007-12-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks y'all...(by "y'all" I mean the other thousand that visited besides my 19,000 relatives) Let's keep it goin'! I hope the few people that check in from time to time enjoy what I do. Sometimes it's hard for me to get on my grizzle like some of my contemporaries but I'm trying.

24 Hours Of Insanity: A Tragic Loss And Another Senseless Act

2007-12-05T10:48:00.000-08:00

Can we put the old school love on hold for a minute? Hip-Hop lost a pioneer in its powerful Southern Rap scene with the death of Pimp C on December 4, 2007. He and Bun B have been at it since '92 or so. To casual fans, he's one of the cats from Jay-Z's Big Pimpin' but UGK has meant so much more to the game.

Details are sketchy at the time but he was basically found expired in his room. I will not speculate on the cause because to each man what they do privately, behind closed doors is just that but it's definitely sad. Not only will he leave behind throngs of adoring fans but never forget that these are human beings and they leave behind loved ones as well. I thought about upping Too Hard to Swallow but out of respect for C and his fans, it's not the right time to give away his stuff at the moment, so I WILL NOT.

R.I.P. Chad "Pimp C" Butler

Another sensless act in the long line of continuing violence against black men by black men occurred yesterday when Bay area artist Spice 1 (born Robert L. Green, Jr.) was shot in the chest last night. His injuries aren't life threatening but what the fuck man? Growing up in the Bronx, I remember cats shootin' the fair one. You know, WITH THE HANDS!?! If you lost, you lost but you got to talk shit about it the next day. You and your friends might see duke one day and then it's on and he gets stomped out but guess what...he'll live! I'm not advocating violence as a means of resolution to life's everyday problems but god damnit, there's finality in a bullet. You can't blast someone and then say sorry.

I don't care if a dude skeeted on your chick and you caught him, snuffing out or trying to snuff out the precious gift we call life for any other reason but being in mortal danger yourself is wrong. Take a drink. Puff something. Hump something. This casually trying to end a dude's life for bullshit (and I know it was.) is straight wack juice.

One.

Back When he was Nasty...but not quite Esco

2007-11-26T11:16:00.000-08:00

In my humble blogosphere relevant opinion you can't like Hip-Hop and not like Nas! There I said it. Am I a fan? Yup! Do I think he won the Ether/Super Ugly war? Man.. Ether was like being locked in an elevator with Kimbo Slice after telling him you skeeted on his girl...it was pretty much finito, man. This ain't about Esco or Mr. Kelis, this is about young Nas...Nasty Nas...if your nasty...or something like that.

This collection(which I "leached" earlier this year before I started blogging. Big ups to whoever I got it from.) showcases a post BBQ/Illmatic Nas growing as a lyricist. This also contains real freestyling in it's purest form. "What does that mean" you ask? Stuttering, pauses beteween bars and some lines that will make you wince more than cheer. That's what comin off the top of the dome is about. Not your cribbed 16 on a sheet of notebook paper that will be on your next album. There are even some structured sets as well as him kicking his "Barbecue" verse again. He's no MC Supernatural or Craig G but Mr. Jones is definitely skilled.

While I believe it's incomplete, it's definitely a keeper. Some of the stand out cuts are The Foulness, a cautionary tale about jockin your neighborhood thug, a DJ Clue assisted spit session with The Firm wrecking the Road To Riches beat as well as a few Stretch and Bobbito appearances. Listen for young Akinyele and Noreaga as well as Cormega making guest appearances. Be warned: It's copied from tapes (remember those things?) so the sound is pretty tinny on some tracks but it's worth it just to get a glimpse at one of the greatest MC's who was developing his style at an early stage in his career.

Nas: The Early Freestyle Collection
http://www.badongo.com/file/5301081

IT'S COMING...

2007-11-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS BITCHEZ.

Rappers Don't Dance...Anymore...

2007-11-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

Kane, Scoob & Scrap, Heav & The Boyz, Chubb Rock and Hot Dog, remember when it was cool to know how to shake your ass? Not this forced, "how to" finger snapping, let's name a dance after food or a cartoon character garbage but that good old Kid n' Play kind of kick step shit. Call me nostalgic but damn, it seems like everything was better back then when dudes were worried about mackin' chicks and looking cool doing it than how many bodies they caught. Then again rappers don't dance anymore.

I remember back in high school when me and my boys would watch Video Music Box and try to catch all the steps and learn them before we went to the clubs or parties. From Redhead Kingpin's leg catching trick to anyone of MC Serch's nonsensical moves, we wanted to do that. We never thought dancing was corny or soft (...OK, Kid n' Play would present a strong argument to the contrary but y'all all loved House Party! DON'T FRONT!). LL danced in Jingling Baby and even when Kane did Arsenio Hall, we knew when he finished rhyming, he was gonna get busy with moves...and he did and everyone talked about it the next day.

I think dancing got a bad rap when everyone and their mother wanted to be Nino Brown . Gangsta-ism pretty much put a stranglehold on the creativity and originality in Hip-Hop. Like I said before, it even had Cool J talking about "puttin slugs in domes". Dudes even stopped smiling unless they had a woman's ass in their face. One interview in particular always stuck in my mind: Fat Joe was asked about Hammer during his Pumps And A Bump phase and he said: "He all dancing around in a bathing suit, with a waterfall and girls, THAT'S NOT Hip-Hop." Fast forward to the last six years and any Terror Squad video and you can see the silly posturing and hypocrisy behind that.

All I'm saying is: It's ENTERTAINMENT, man! Entertain me. I don't care how many of your childhood friends you can fit on stage with white towels in their hand ice-grillin', do something! And not these cats who make songs about dancing. That's gimmicky and all they talk about is how to do the dance. Unless you're gonna actually start shooting people in your videos, smile a little. Move a little. If you really got skills, no one will think you're a cornball. Look at the "Hip-Hop honors" from last year, Common was break dancing and Kane did his thing. IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WHOLE DAMN SHOW! 'NUFF SAID!

Ahhhh, I'm taking it back to the early 90's. Older heads watch these vids and remember how good it was.

Know Your History: Hugh Masekela...Still Grazin'

2007-11-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

"Sure is mellow grazin' in the grass"-Nice and Smooth knew that 16 years ago. However, you'd have to go back 23 years before that to truly understand the impact of that one song.

In 1968 South African trumpeter, Hugh Masekela had a huge hit with his jazzy instrumental Grazing In The Grass. The 4 million selling song was a giant mash up of instruments including: cowbells, drums, horns and piano. It was also one of the few instrumentals to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Only a year later the R&B group The Friends of Distinction had another top 10 hit with their version of Grazin' now with lyrics.(Nerd Trivia: In "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" when Jim Brown and Isaac Hayes are driving around it's playing on the radio. The irony is Brown used to manage the group back in the day. Can you imagine telling that dude he can't get more than 10% of your shit?)

I have to admit, I had no idea the two were the same song. It wasn't until I started reading liner notes as a DJ that I got the correlation. In '91 Nice & Smooth effectively used the sample on One, Two and One More Makes Three off of their album Ain't A Damn Thing Changed. It was a noisy homage to Masekela's original with the "impeach" break draped over it and classic Greg Nice-isms like: "Almond Joy/Butta Finga/rapper actor and a singer/jump start the mic like it ain't no thing-a". While The Friends version has been used in everything from GAP commercials to the Anchorman trailer, I prefer the jazzy, laid-back vibe of the genuine article.

Check 'em out and see for yourself.

Grazing In The Grass (1968)-Hugh Masekela

http://www.badongo.com/file/5138754

Grazin' In The Grass (1969)-The Friends Of Distinction

http://www.badongo.com/file/5138820

One, Two And One More Makes Three-Nice & Smooth

http://www.badongo.com/file/5138837

Looka What I Got: Hard To Find Album Drop

2007-11-05T12:23:00.000-08:00

Back in the early 90's, the Blackwatch movement was in FULL EFFECT. X Clan dropped two well received albums and with that success comes spin off joints. Rebel Soul is one of those offshoots and Isis (Lin Que to the uninformed) is a capable MC. Out of the three including Queen Mother Rage and Professor X's own solo joint, this one showed the most promise. She delivers her rhymes with an intensity that makes you take notice and her lyrical content wasn't about "I'll steal your man" or how fat her ass was, she spoke of love of her African heritage and black unity (whatever happened to that, Hip-Hop?). Stand out cuts are title track and The Power of Myself is Moving. Didn't change the face of rap but it's a nice piece for X Clan completists.

Rebel Soul-Isis
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3M7BKCYB

Rebel Soul (3:49)

Face The Bass (5:42)

Great Pimptress (3:37)

In The Mind Of One (4:16)

Hail The Words If Isis (5:04)

To The Crossroads (6:42)

The Power Of Myself Is Moving (3:12)

The Wizard Of Optics (3:54)

The House Of Isis (5:32)

State Of Mind (3:51)

Pretty much in the tradition of the Mr. Magic series, The Propmaster puts his own stamp on the compilation market with a nice collection of hits at the time. Kinda hard to find and I may have to re-up as I'm having problems.

Red Alert Goes Berserk-Various Artists
http://rapidshare.com/files/36708789/redalertgoeesbasurk.rar

Tracklisting:

Salt 'N' Pepa-My Mic Sounds Nice (4:52)

Black Rock & Ron-That's How I'm Living (4:42)

Boogie Down Productions-South Bronx (5:06)

Ultramagnetic MC's-Bait (2:27)

Kings Of Pressure-Armed & Dangerous (3:40)
Producer - Carl Ryder , Hank Shocklee (Bomb Squad drop, Trav!)

Ultramagnetic MC's-Ego Trippin (5:28)

Salt 'N' Pepa-I'll Take Your Man (6:05)

Masters Of Ceremony (2)-Cracked Out (5:03) (old school PUBA!)

Sparky D -Don't Make Me Laugh (5:17)

Ultra-Stans RAISE YOUR HANDS!

2007-11-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

Remember the weird kid in class? Not the booger picker or the dude that had the doo-doo breath and big ass dandruff but the kinda cool kid that talked to them? The one you would scratch your head and ask: "Why the hell is he doing that?" Ultra was that weird kid. In 1988 when It Takes A Nation Of Millions was making most of my friends angry at "the man", Critical Beatdown was making me nod my head. It's not that they didn't care it's just that it wasn't their niche.

Sometimes I feel Ultra gets a little disrespected with their place in "history". While Keith's rhymes are definitely some of the most bizarre lyrical tangents on wax, Ced's production is often overlooked. He was one of the first producers to cull different samples together and form cohesive songs from that...yes, pre-Bomb Squad! His uncredited work on BDP's Criminal Minded will attest to that. A perfect example of this is Traveling At The Speed of Thought with it's guitar-heavy, "Wild Thing" sampled riff.

After Beatdown they released Funk Your Head Up, which to me missed it's mark and didn't really stand out other than the immortal Poppa Large and the subsequent East and West Coast remixes(if anyone has that West Coast, holla!). The Four Horsemen is actually my favorite Ultra album. With the assistance of Godfather Don on the boards, they really laid down some dope shit. Raise It Up has my second favorite Keith verse (They said yo Keith yo Kool you usin big words/I went to college I'm even more stupid herb). Also give The Saga of Dandy, The Devil & Day, Yo Black and the Man On The Street a listen. More of a companion to the first album then Funk in my opinion.

For nostalgia's sake, I'm putting up Beatdown for a limited time.

Critical Beatdown-Ultramagnetic MC's

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZWPG0RH9

If you want to get Horsemen which is a great album, purchase it here:
The Four Horsemen -Ultramagnetic MC's

The Cream of The Crap...er...Crop:The Top 10 REALLY BAD Ideas/Trends In Hip-Hop #5-1

2007-10-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

Let's continue/cuz I got more"-Cool Chip

-Cont'd-

5. Horrorcore:

Abortions with rusty hangers? Check! Impregnation by demons and sex with corpses? Check and DOUBLE CHECK! Carrot Top? Ok, he doesn't have shit do with this but have you seen him lately? He scares the hell outta me. Around 1994, Russell Simmons coined the term when describing his group Flatlinerz and their type of music. He said it was the next phase of Hip-Hop. I think he also said that he and Kimora would last forever around the same time as well... Anyway, other than the Gravediggaz and RA The Rugged Man's Crustified Dibbs experiment, it amounted to little more than a bunch of cats trying to outgross each other and alot of A&R types signing anyone who could rhyme something with "fish hook up the ass". In one way, I think guys like RZA pushed themselves creatively to do this stuff...but then again the original title of the Diggaz album was Niggamortus. Fortunately, a little album called Ready To Die changed alot of people's tastes that year and Horrorcore took it's rightful place in the morgue...or the .99 cent bin at Tower Records.

4. New Jack Swing:

Damn you Teddy Riley! I love Heavy D. and Redhead Kingpin was my shit back in the day but Wreckxxx N Effect? Guy? Christopher Williams? Hip-Hop had an affair with new wave R&B in the early 90's. They used the same breaks and beats as rap but they sang over them with an occasional "guest rap". In one way, it was very radio-friendly and softened up MTV and other stations (VH-1) for the urban-heavy rotations that would come later on. However it was mostly forgettable, rapidly dated stuff that didn't stand the test of time. Does anyone realize that this music is responsible for Color Me Badd? That's like knowingly dropping a cannister of Ebola in Times Square! You're out of you're frickin' minds over there at Viacom. Hip-Hop Honors my ass.

3. ...UNSPEAKABLE

In 1993 this happened:

...YES that's big homie from Juice...yes...Steel!

In 1995 THIS HAPPENED! Do I have to say anything else? DO I? There's a Ron Jeremy and DJ Polo single out there too. BAD IDEA? Nah, I'm buggin'...

2. Ballas "Rappin' ":
Now I'm not talking about the immortal Jewelz LP by the lyrical dynamo known as A.I. This even predates the Roy Jones holocaus...er...album. Back in the early 90's, Shaquille O'Neal launched a multi-media camapign the likes of which no one had seen before. Shaq was in movies. He had action figures, a Pepsi deal, there was even Shaq-condoms (which he never took advantage of...OK I'm lyin'about the hats but dude got swimmers.) He even released an album with some decent rhymes that had some top shelf producers at the time. So what happened next? B-Ball's Best Kept Secret, a collection of really (below) average NBA player/ rhymers paired with the likes of Grand Puba, Diamond D, Warren G., Clark Kent and few others. Shaq appearing on this collection was like a guest appearance from Hov. They were all that bad! What did it produce? A Cedric Ceballos single and an in depth interview on Inside Stuff about his upcoming album and single "Ain't That Type of Party" *shudder* A MERCIFULLY SHELVED SCOTTIE PIPPEN ALBUM! Dude talks like the illegitimate son of Cleveland from Family Guy and Barry White. Manure like this is the reason why people even entertained the idea of Iverson or Jones. Bad Hip-Hop! *slaps its hand* Bad HIP-HOP!

1. Nice & Smooth team up with...NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!?! A collab is a collab, right? The Fat Boys teamed up with The Beach Boys and Chubby Checker! Big Daddy Kane looked like the black member of Sgt. Pepper when he teamed up with Patti LaBelle in that video! PE did a song with Anthrax! This however is like going to a cemetary, digging up a corpse re-burying it face down and then taking a steaming dump on the site. This is the unholiest of unholies. Here's the story: After a bit of a layoff, New Kids got tired of being a running joke in the industry and tried to make a comeback. So what did they do? They Bin Ladened my Hip-Hop. Just look at the video with all the cliche's(hoodies, bonfires, Timbs, ROTTWEILERS!) The unkindest cut was listening to Greg Nice deliver this gem: Yo (yo) why you wanna act like a tramp? (tramp)/a wet food stamp. That was like getting kicked in the nuts by Hercules. Even worse...the production isn't half bad. They even sampled James Brown's Papa Don't Take No Mess and DWYCK. Still, definitely one of the darkest days in music and an ENORMOUSLY BAD IDEA. Just watch:

Famous Firsts: They Let The Roadie Kick A Rhyme?

2007-10-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

When did he know? When do you think Tupac Amaru Shakur or Lesane Crooks (according to some "documents" of dubious origin) realized he was gonna be one of the greats? Not just a good or passable rapper as this first song shows but a titan. If you played Same Song from Digital Undergrounds This Is An EP Release and said that to me, I would have slapped the looney clean out of you.

In 1991 Digital Underground was on top of the world off the strength of Humpty Dance and Doowutchyalike. They could basically write their own ticket and release throw away material that people will buy anyway...and they did. Between Sex Packets and Sons of the P, Shock G., Hump and the boys released This Is An EP Release to satisfy DU fans cravings for new material. The first single was Same Song which was released to coincide with their cameo in the Dan Ackroyd/Demi Moore crapfest Nothing But Trouble. The video was the usual underground craziness but they had another dude. It was a young X Clan-ed out Tupac being carried on throne as he delivered a rhyme that was anything but spectacular. My man Humpty was talking about "sweat drippin'/girlies in the limo eatin' chicken" and this cat was talking about clowning around with the Underground? Whatever, but like I said in the Common post...baby steps, man.

Later on that year a month or so after DU dropped Sons Of The P, Tupac (now 2Pac) dropped 2Pacalypse Now. The album came out at a bad time in rap when every politician was scapegoating rap for damn near the cause of hunger in 3rd world countries. Even with Brenda's Got A Baby and Trapped, the album was a dud at the time and we wouldn't get an album from him for two years until Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.Z. We all know what happened after I Get Around and Keep Ya Head Up came out so it would be redundant to retell it. It's safe to say that average XClan rapping cat stepped his game up and poured his heart into a pen and then put it to paper. He is maybe one of the 10 greatest rappers of all time but you wouldn't guess it by his first display. Then again, Kobe averaged 7.6ppg his first year and he turned out decent.

Although 'Pac only rhymes on one track, it's an important part of the puzzle for 2Pac completists. The album has only two exceptional songs: the Jimi Hendrix sampled The Way We Swing and the very jazzy R&B-esque remix to Sex Packets. If not for it being the world premiere of one of the gods of rap, I'd definitely tell y'all to leave it alone.

Digital Underground-This Is An EP Release

http://sharebee.com/69a8d226

I Shouldn't Have Done It: The Top 10 REALLY BAD Ideas/Trends In Hip-Hop #10-6

2007-10-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

When you love something, you love it warts and all. You take the good and the bad. If you have a funny Uncle Cleofus who's funny as hell but he smell like ass, you still hug him at the cookout but you keep it movin'...FAST. Well, I love Hip-Hop in all it's forms (even New Jack Swing but VH-1 was out of their flippin' minds however...) and even if there is an Uncle Cleofus or two, I'll hug 'em and keep it movin'. These guys get the Hug n' Move treatment:

10. LL Cool Thug, Gangsta Hammer & The Blue Cheese Guys Carry Machetes:

People do things to stay in the public eye. Britney shows that twizzy whenever she gets in and out of cars. Other celebs call the paps everytime they step out to go throw out the trash and rappers change their style. Fruits of Nature was dope! I understand that there was more to them than that image but Unleashed with the bonfires, hoodies and machetes? Come on man. I found out that lack of label support had a lot to do with this by third party accounts as well as reading stuff from Kool Kim but Timbo Hammer and Grimey L? Bad judgment. I understand this all happened Post-Wu and Pre- Shiny Suit but you can't introduce yourself wearing Genie pants and Solid Gold dancer gear and then all of a sudden you embrace your inner Treach and start stompin' in a speedo with boots and a skully. Uncle L? The man who made earrings jingle and needed love talking about shooting people in the head? Survey says: "ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

9. Rigeddy-Rawr!!!:

Who started it? Who igiddy-ed in my biggidy? Some people say it was Jaz and Jay-Z. Other people claim Das took it to the next level but due to HEAVY jock riding, it got tired real quick. Chip-Fu gave me a headache and Original Flavor (feat. Jay-Z) was more of the same. When this cat started doing it weekly on 90210 (hey my sister used to watch that shit...) and had the cajones to "drop" a RAP ALBUM? NO MIGGIDY MAS!!

8. Female Versions of Male Groups:

Whyyyyyy!?!

Aquaman had Aqualad. Flash had Kid Flash. Then there was BWP, H.W.A. and The Ghetto Girlz...*channeling Nancy Kerrigan* WHY!?! I don't remember thinking to myself: "Golly I wonder how Scarface would rap if he was a chick?" This was a cheap marketing ploy made up by dumb ass record execs who would rather jump on the back of something than create from scratch. I remember in that wack ass "My Man's Playin Tricks on Me" video that they had a midget there...TO BE A MIDGET! That's it! Word to Bushwick, that chick didn't say shit. She just completed the group! Good news is that the guy that signed them now has a part time job testing bullet proof vests. Ok...well...he should...

7. Kid Rappers Mean Muggin' and Growin' Up Fast:

Remember Illegal? Remember how frightened you were when you saw Malik and Jamal on camera and thought: "Where the hell are their parents?" Remember when Da Treach-staz...er Younstaz decided that they weren't gonna pass the mic but crack it over your fuckin' head? The saddest part about that was I remember listenin to No Mercy (Where the oldest one had to be 16) and on one of their songs, they "reminisced" about "goin' in raw without wearin' a hat." I guess nobody wants to Miss The Bus anymore? Jesus.

6. The Hip House Movement:

Don't kill me! I don't mean the legendary I'll House You or "dance rap" like Doug E. Fresh's Summertime or Rob Base's It Takes Two. I'm talking about the shit that had me and my friends puttin colors in our flat tops and wearing big ass leather shoes with metal tips on them and baggy open shirts (Ahh..shut the hell up!). House music was big and at one point alot of artists had a house cut on their album (see: The House That Cee Built or EPMD's It's Time To Party) but I'm sorry most hip house music was boring and repetitive and most importantly had extremely short shelf life. You'd bus' out Rock Box in your ride today but you wouldn't dare pump any of that nonsense. Even De La Soul was sick of it as evidenced by Kicked Out The House off the De La Soul Is Dead LP. I get it, "Get up dance, shake your butt...etc." but Do It To The Crowd? Neneh Cherry on Video Music Box every week? KYZE (The Stomp! Move Jump Jack Your Body dude)? Kill me...No seriously...KILL ME!

-Cont.-

You Can't Have That: The Art & History of Beatboxing

2007-10-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

"Yeah but...HE AIN'T NICE LIKE JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE!" I never understood why adults wanted to slap the shit out of teenagers on principle until that moment. I was on the bus with some cookie cutter wiggas (don't like the word but can't find another one that fits...) and heard the tail end of a conversation about BEATBOXING and JT was being considered as ONE OF THE BEST? If you want to pretend to know about a culture you so recklessly steal from, at least watch some old stuff or crack a book. The knowledge is out there. The legends deserve better than this.

Modern Beatboxing (the true 5th element of Hip-Hop) really took hold in the early 80's. A young MC by the name of Doug E. Fresh appeared on a single called Pass the Budda with Spoonie G. in 1983. Fresh would claim that he invented beatboxing even before the release of that single. Fresh was known for his rapid and deep bass sound as well as his tongue clicks. Now there is dispute and even a little friendly beef from back then as Darren "Buffy" Robinson of the Fat Boys had come out around the same time and was called "The Human Beat Box". It was his style that helped the then Disco 3 win a talent contest and record contract. Robinson's sound was very bass heavy and relied more on heavy exhaling and clapping his hands closely to his lips. It was unique in that he liked to talk and say his name while doing it. In the legendary La-Di-Da-Di/The Show single, The Get Fresh Crew (Chill Will, Barry B. and Slick Rick) referred to Doug as "The Original Human Beatbox". For many years, these two were the standard that all were measured by.

The Holy Trinity: Darren "Buffy" Robinson, Biz Markie & Doug E. Fresh

As the 80's rolled on, a young DJ by the name of Biz Markie started beat boxing for Roxanne Shante and a group of friends known as the Juice Crew. Biz did the usual bass, treble and clicks as the guys before him but by adding what looked like a light chop to his throat, he was able to greatly distort the sound that came out. He would often name his crew, himself and other things while "choppin" and later mimiced beats from popular songs by artists like Nu Shooz and Whistle. This inspired a whole new legion of beatboxers to try and improve upon what the men before them did and catapulted it to the mainstream. It is being kept alive today by innovators like Rahzel, Kenny Muhammed, Click The Supah Latin and a host of others.

For a real treat, try to pick up or rent Breath Control: The History of the Human Beatbox, a documentary by Joey Garfield. It has interviews from the aforementioned trinity and other experts at their craft such as Emanon, D.O.A. and Scratch. It feels short at 73 minutes but it's crammed full of good info and anecdotes. And to those Ecko wearing walking stand up routines, Justin Timberlake is NOT Hip-Hop! Those two idiots in the McDonald's commercial are NOT Hip-Hop! Sweater vest from American Idol IS NOT HIP-HOP! Don't let some corporate a-hole from the 'burbs tell you what is. Know your history and respect the culture. As a favor, I've included a Beatbox Sampler that includes:

Stick 'Em-The FatBoys: Buff overhsadows the 'Boys with a fierce beat boxing sessions that starts off with his version of The Star Bangled Banner.

La-Di-Da-Di-The Get Fresh Crew:The seminal hit which features Doug's signature bass and clicks.

A-One-Two-Biz Markie: The Inhuman Orchestra starts off with the naming of his crew but then gets ridiculous by singing in between and doing his versions of Just Buggin' and I Can't Wait.

One.

...And It's Still All Good Presents: Da Beat Box Sampla

http://www.badongo.com/file/4690997

Hey, That Sounds Like...: Justin Warfield vs. Q-Tip

2007-10-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

They say (whoever "they" are) that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." If that's the case, then Q-Tip must have been rendered speechless after he heard Justin Warfield's Season Of The Vic. I know I was.

Now in Hip-Hop or any musical genre there is always someone emulating a style. From half the groups in the 60's trying to sound like the Beatles to most of the industry trying to riggety-rhyme like Das EFX at the height of their popularity, if a sound or style is catchy or profitable it will be recycled ad nauseum. What was peculiar to me was that wasn't the case with Vic at all. Tribe was big at the time ('91), with everyone feeling the Low End Theroy but people moreso tried to emulate the Native Tongue Posse's style than their flow. Other MC's rocked funky shirts and beads with medallions but no one tried to sound like De La, The JB's or Quest for that matter.

I believe that when I first heard Warfield it was on the New Music Report, a late night video show that was affiliated with RUSH/Def Jam. I said "What album is this on?" It quickly became: "Oh shit...that's not Tip!" QD III crafted a listenable, soothing track but it was Jus' flow that was throwing me off. Either consciously or subconsciously (I hope) he was pretending to be Mr. Davis. Not just in vocal tone but even cadence of the rhyme. If you listen to Quest's Pubic Enemy (Saturday Night Virus Disco Mix) on the b-side of I Left My Wallet In El Segundo after the second verse, you can seamlessly lay it down in Vic. Was it a tribute that they used samples from Beyond This World and yes, Description Of A Fool or just young Quincy thumbing his nose at them?

In any event, I find it funny that Warfield's song warns people to "watch their booty" for jackers, thieves and grubbers as it thieves and jacks from another group. Don't get me wrong though, IT'S A GREAT SONG! Although it's bereft of any originality, it's a song I liked because I wished ATCQ had made it. Eventually Warfield rejected the style on his next album and went on to found the group She Wants Revenge. Tip did OK too. Tribe cemented their place as legends in Hip-Hop and broke everyone's heart when they called it quits in '97. Even though it was attempted, what they did cannot be imitated or duplicated.

Nice try though...

Season Of The Vic-Justin Warfield

http://www.zshare.net/audio/40697277420ff1/

Pubic Enemy (Saturday Night Virus Disco Mix)-A Tribe Called Quest

http://www.zshare.net/audio/40698545f96b4e/

Know Your History: Pop Goes The Weasel...So The Bass Goes Pop

2007-10-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

Looking back at the lyrics to Pop Goes The Weasel off 3rd Bass' second LP Derelicts Of Dialect, you have to smile at the unintentional naivete of it all. With lines like: Gettin' paid to peddle sneakers and soda (pop pop pop!)/Pop goes the weasel them draws (drop drop drop!) , Serch and Pete would have had beef with the entire industry today. With the Vitamin Waters, clothing lines and reality shows, the line between selling out and "stayin' real" has become almost invisible.

The song however is a statement. Not just on wack MC's gettin paid for being company men but also taking someone's beat and loopin' it (loopin' it.). On the surface, it seems like a straight up jack of Peter Gabriel's huge 1986 hit Sledgehammer but it's so much more. The song is in fact layered with quite a few beats and samples.

Stevie Wonder is actually credited as a writer on the songs Universal Music entry on Youtube as well as he should be. The song borrows greatly from his hit You Haven't Done Nothin'. It also encompasses portions of The Who's "Eminence Front" and other groups. This song was an obvious response to Ice Ice Baby which is one of the best examples of straight up jacking with no creativity. To make it worse, Ice Van Winkle lied and said it wasn't the same beat and ended up getting sued. The underlying message of the song I believe was: "If you're gonna take something familiar and use it, this is how you do it! Make it interesting." Which is exactly what they did.

I'm pretty sure their approach to the use of the samples( and the video with Ice catchin' a good ol' fashioned mash out) is the reason why the song was so well received. At first listen it seems simple enough to get where the sample came from. It's after a few more listens where you realize the complexity that went into getting all the samples to go together just right. For that I salute the 3rd and their producers...I'm still mad as shit about that White Rapper Show though.

Damn Serch...

Pop Goes The Weasel-3rd Bass

http://www.badongo.com/file/4577935

Sledgehammer-Peter Gabriel

http://www.zshare.net/audio/4071299a72c6d1/
You Haven't Done Nothin'-Stevie Wonder

http://www.zshare.net/audio/4055785df9b5cd/

Have You Seen Me?: Roxanne Shanté

2007-10-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

Assuming Nas doesn't do a 1985-89 Where Are They Now? remix, there's a few people I'd like to know about. As amatter of fact, he could do just a Juice Crew mix. Those are the cats that I want to catch up with. They were like A Hip-Hop Justice League. You had Kane who was their Man of Steel. The quintissential Supa MC whose weakness wasn't Kryptonite but corny lover man raps. Marley and MC Shan, the Dynamic Duo. Masta Ace who was like the Green Lantern, mad powerful but he didn't necessarily have to tell you. You'd find out when it was too late. And you had Roxanne Shanté who at the time was definitely rap's Wonder Woman. Strong enough to take on UTFO but still too young to drink.

What happened to Wonder Woman though? She came on strong with Roxanne's Revenge and Have a Nice Day. I remember when she came back in '89 with Bad Sister and the hit Live On Stage (which was in HEAVY rotation on Video Music Box at the time.) However, after that...poof...she's gone. Chick pulled a Keyser Söze. Finito. Or was she? Unlike a lot of rappers in her day, Shanté took the initiative. She knew fame was fleeting but knowledge lasts forever as this Youtube clip will attest to.

Yup Dr. Roxanne Shanté, bitches! Appearantly, she still gets down with a guest appearance here and there but the girl is no fool. Pregnancy didn't stop her. A changing rap game was a momentary speed bump. And she took that advance money and didn't buy a car or a house, she bought herself a future. Which at least assures her of not ending up on VH-1...unless she chooses.

What she did:

Roxanne's Revenge-Roxanne Shanté

http://www.zshare.net/audio/15787569bc5bfe/

What she's been doing:

Yes, Yes, Y'all-Mekon feat. Roxanne Shanté

http://www.zshare.net/audio/3353450380f515/

I'm Back BITCHEZ!!: Attack of The Killa Collabos

2007-09-30T02:23:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't been around in a minute. I love the web and all the blogs but that damn "real life" keeps getting in the way. Divorce laws suck camel dick but I digress, this ain't the place. Let's talk Hip-Hop!

Nothing is as synonymous with Hip-Hop as the collaboration. From 1985's Slick Rick/Dougie Fresh masterpiece The Show/La-Di-Da-Di all the way up to any current remix featuring MC My Man, White Towel Guy From the Stage Shows...and Lil' Weezy, the collabo is the defining piece of a rap album. While it's been overused as of late, there are still some that make an album that much more rewarding. I've put together a collection of some of my favorite and some not so popular or familiar ones for y'all to bump. It'll go from "Oh thas my shit!" to "What album is that on?" LET'S GO!:

The Symphony (feat. The Juice Crew All-Stars)-Marley Marl:How can you do a collection of of collabs without possibly the G.O.A.T.? Marley took this collection of still young and hungry MC's and had them kick possibly their best lines over a hard, piano-driven loop. Kane's verse at the end is simply the knockout blow after Ace, G. Rap and Craig G. lump you up against the ropes.

Headbanger (feat. Redman & K-Solo)-EPMD: The infamous "Impeach" break appears in no less than three cuts on this collection, this is the first. E Double and Mic Doc traded verses over the familiar break but are overshadowed by Redman who was "wicked with the style like he had cerebral palsy."

Pimpin' Ain't Easy (feat. Nice & Smooth)-Big Daddy Kane: This was one of Greg Nice and Smooth B's first real high profile gigs. Not only is the chorus catchy but Kane's line of "I see trim and bag it/Take it home and rag it/the Big Daddy law is anti-faggot" shows how much times have changed. Warner Brothers would have NEVER gotten away with releasing it today and I'd be suprised if that isn't bleeped on re-issues.

Doin' Our Own Dang (Remix) (feat. Q-Tip, De La Soul & Monie Love)-Jungle Brothers: I love this remix! And I love the Native Tongue family feel of the song. They added a house/club beat(which was big at the time) and the familiar "Do it" sample makes it memorable. Not quite "Buddy" but another example of how great this crew was. Unfortunately with qoutes like this from an interview earlier this year:

AFRIKA: I want everyone to know the truth about the Native Tongues. They have been trying to erase the Jungle Brothers out of the books, when I was the one that started the whole thing. This has been going on for years. There’s a reason we haven’t been able to do a Native Tongues reunion: It’s because there are house niggas and real niggas. The Jungle Brothers are real niggas. Maseo has always been good people and a real dude. But Q-Tip and Pos, I don’t know.

I'm pretty sure any chance of a reunion is dead.

Fanatic Of The B Word (feat. Mike G. & Dres)-De La Soul: Another Native Tongues creation. Another dope track. I was surprised this wasn't a single on the De La Soul Is Dead album. I really enjoyed the bass line at the beginning and the way the beat pounds when it kicks in reminiscent of "Can I Kick It?" in many ways. Dres definitely spits a good verse on it. Check this one for sure.

Go Where I Send Thee (feat. Master Ice & Uneek)-Masta Ace: There goes that "impeach" break again. Ace & Co. got biz on this track. It's actually one of my favorites from him. I'm positive it's the way they looped a christian children's song (Children Go Where I Send Thee) that made it stick in my head for about 15 years. Hot. (Thanks Trav!)

The Basement (feat. Heavy D., Grap Lova, Dida & Rob-O)-Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth: Did I mention I'm a Pete Rock stan? The P to the R can do no wrong with me and this is no exception. The trademark horns are there as well as a great usage of Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam". Much better than Skinz, the other posse cut from Mecca & The Soul Brother.

Back To The Grill (feat Nasty Nas, Chubb Rock & Red Hot Lover Tone)-MC Serch: First let me say I used love Serch but The White Rapper Show is UNFORGIVEABLE! With that being said, for me this is kind of a sequel to Live At The BBQ. Serch rips it with the then popular Chubbster and Red Hot Lover Tone but it's young Nasty Nas that steals the show with his verse. They all hold their own but it's another glimpse at the future of Hip-Hop that makes this song a keeper.

Boriqua's On Da Set (feat. Doo Wop, Fat Joe & The Evil Twins)-Frankie Cutlass: My friends and I used to call this "The Puerto Rican Dwyck" which is basically what it is down to the similar break. Frankie Cutlass adds some tight production but it's really where Joe starts to evolve as an MC that makes the listen enjoayble. On this track he spits fire like he's got something to prove and easily outshines Doo-Wop and Co. Nice banga for the ride.

Rough...(feat. Treach, Heavy D. & KRS-One)-Queen Latifah: My favorite song on this collection. I think Black Reign slipped through the fingers of alot of heads back in the day. This is a far cry from the U.N.I.T.Y. Latifah from the same album. This track hits hard and all MC's involved rip some shit. Heav and the Teacha go above and beyond with exceptional bars. However, Treach in particular grabs you with his verse and practically strangles you with it. Definitely a stand out cut!

Rat Bastard (What The F---? Mix) (feat. Psycho Les)-Prime Minister Pete Nice & Daddy Rich: Let's be honest, this sounds like Poppa Large because basically it is. The two songs blend so effortlessly, it's criminal. Still a great song though and Pete's lyrics are tight throughout. Les who's never been a lyrical monster puts forth a solid effort. Even updating an old Rakim rhyme with "smooth but I don't get upset/I jig a hole in your stomach pull it out and I jet". Everyone loved Serch but Pete was slept on big time.

A Buncha Niggas (feat. Third Eye, Guru, Biggie Smalls, Rob-O & Busta Rhymes)-Heavy D: Damn, Heav was everywhere in the 90's! Everyone wanted Heav on their joint and he had no problem getting people for his. This cut from the Blue Funk album has an ecclectic collection of MC's. A young Biggie Smalls spit a good verse with some Akinyele-like inflections at the end of his phrases("Huuuuugh!" or some shit like that) that he thankfully abandoned. Guru, Third Eye & Rob-O have respectable bars and Bussa Bus inputs his own type of manic energy with a patented "powerful impact" verse at the end.

Crooklyn-Crooklyn Dodgers: The Crooklyn Dodgers were a collective specially assembled for the Spike Lee film of the same name. Buckshot, Special Ed and Masta Ace's flows all complemented each other and I wish they would have done more music together. The song is mellow and with all the love the MC's show in their verses, it makes you wish you were from BK.

Down The Line (feat. Preacher Earl, Melo T, Bass Blaster, Asu & Guru)-Nice & Smooth: Premier dusted off the break from the Manifest Remix, blended it with the ever present "impeach" break and had a hood classic on his hands. I'm from the Bronx and everyone was gassed when Preacher Earl shouted out Edenwald projects, it kinda legitimized the North East. Greg Nice and Smooth B. got mad love for this song...they lost it however when they collabo'd with NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK the same year. Damn...

Nuthin' But Flava (feat. Charlie Brown, Ol' Dirty Bastard & Biz Markie)-Funkmaster Flex: Poor Charlie Brown, this dope track was the last hot shit he did(please don't make me upload "Papermakers" with C&C Music Factory...what were you thinking C-Boogie?) Flex assembled a group of MC's, each one more flamboyant than the next. Biz and ODB on the same track? Can a straight jacket be far behind? Dope lyrics and good old fashioned jeep beat provided by Flex make this one worthwhile.

Animal Mother's: Attack Of The Killa Collabos

http://sharebee.com/9de20e1e

This collection was fun to put together and hopefully you'll find some new stuff that you like to go along with the familiar stuff here. Download and enjoy.

Be back with more new shit in the coming days. Glad I can do this again.

Famous Firsts: Consequence

2007-09-30T00:45:00.000-07:00

Winter, 14 Years Ago Animal Mother's Bedroom: Aww, shit! I had just bought the "Award Tour" 12 inch and I couldn't wait to play it! After going through my scratch, cut, mix routine I decided to listen to the b-side. Started playing the Chase Part 2 which intrigued me because I had yet to buy the album and hear part 1(at that time, I got the vinyl a little later and CD's were my last resort...can't play that on a 1200. Didn't know there was no part 1.). The beat was dope and I loved the Biz sample but I kinda laughed at the time: " Crooked toofed bandit? This dude sounds like G. Rap! What the f---?" Totally dismissed it.

Fast forward to 1996

Listening to Beats, Rhymes & Life (an album that has grown on me in the last 11 years), I hear G. Rap guy again. However he's not a guest, he's a frickin' member! It's Phife Dog, Tip and Ali, not those three and some other dude! This Hip-Hop cousin Oliver(He's actually Tip's cousin.) was all over this album and I blamed him for their demise. Even though he had gotten better, I didn't want him around.
I didn't hear from Cons again until about 2003 and man was I impressed. The dude's whole style changed. Sick metaphors and a more confident delivery. He also had alot of production help from some Chicago dude named Kane or what have you. In any event, this was not the same dude yelling into the mic on that Quest b-side 10 years earlier. He had grown by leaps and bounds.

The Con man that delivered 2007's Don't Quit Your Day Job, is an accomplished and well established MC. I'm really disappointed that his numbers weren't better. I think his association with Chicago dude had alot to do with it. I read on some blog that he sounds like 'Ye's son, which is funny to me and shows the guys lack of knowledge, as Dexter has Mr. West by nearly 10 years of professional MC'ing. The dude is sick with his now and deserves some recognition. From '04's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly to Feel This Way (feat. John Legend) Consequence shows that he's a high caliber MC and deserves some love from the hip-hop community.

I put up his first appearance on vinyl (The Chase Pt. 2), Mind Power as well as the Dilla produced Wordplay one of my favorite cuts from Beats, Rhymes and Life so you could see his marked improvement in just three years. If you want a real treat however, go out and buy Don't Quit Your Day Job! It's a good listen and I think it's one of this years slept on albums.

And It's Still All Good Presents: Young Con-Man

http://www.zshare.net/download/3934777bda19e5/

Famous Firsts: Common (Sense)

2007-07-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

Before he was Hova, Jay used to "iggiddy-bigiddy-digiddy" with the best of them. Remember when 2Pac used to "clown around with the Underground."? Yes, before an MC becomes great they have to take baby steps. And this right here is one of them.

Before Ms. Badu whipped that voodoo pussy on him and had him wearing burlap sacks, Lonnie Rashid Lynn was a hungry young MC from the Chi. The time was 1992 and everything from Chicago was poppin'. The Bulls were winning championships and even their former ballboy(Common Sense back then) dropped an album. Can I Borrow A Dollar? was the Illinois natives debut disc released on Relativity Records which was was beginning to have a nice stable with Fat Joe Da Gangsta (ne Fat Joe), Chi-Ali and the Beatnuts. To say it was youthfully exuberrant would be an understatement. Looking back, it was somewhat juvenile but then again so was I and it was the guys 1st album.

You can definitely see potential in the lyrics as well as the MC that would come to be known as Common. One standout track is Take It EZ, The first single which showcased a rapid fire delivery, a million pop-culture refernces and a hype-man/sidekick the latter which he has thankfully abandoned as his career progressed. The other notables are Breaker 1/9 and Soul By The Pound which seems to be the most acclaimed track on the album.

What strikes me most about the album now is the leaps and bounds he has made as an MC and in his subject matter. Songs like Heidi Hoe, Penny For Your Thoughts and a few others show his ingenuity and inventiveness with his rhyme scheme but also show a misogynistic and alcohol swigging Common that would get eaten for lunch by the vegetarian MC that stands before you today. You can chalk it up to maturity and "growth as an artist" but I'm glad for the change.

By no means is Can I Borrow A Dollar? a masterpiece(He actually stated in an interview that it's his least favorite). It is however a good listen and a nice glimpse at a dude who would literally step his his game up and get on some "next level shit"(like a lot of cats say but never do)

Compare this to his later works and be AMAZED!

http://d.turboupload.com/d/400809/Common_-_Can_I_Borrow_A_Dollar.rar.html

Give The Man Behind The Wheels Some Credit: DJ Audio 1

2007-06-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

"Nowadays cuz rap pays you got a million rappers and a thousand DJ's..." so said Tha Baby Face K-OS on We Run Things(It's Like Dat). He's right. From your Whoo-Kid's to your Clue's to your Mick Boogies. There are a lot of turntablists and they've all carved their niche from the old school on. Quite a few have put out old school comps but I'm gonna speak on my favorite.

I've heard alot of mixtapes with old jams but I happened upon this gem about 2 and a half years ago and I still bump it today. DJ Audio 1's High Skool Classiks 2.0 is an awesome collection of hip-hop that interestingly enough is actually from about the time I was there (High School, that is.). Why is it my favorite? One big reason: HE SHUTS THE FUCK UP! The man doesn't utter a word on this mix. Sometimes I just want beats and rhymes. I don't care about your crew, your block or the label that's sponsoring you. Shut up and mix.

Mix is something the Bay Area product also does well. Each song blends almost seamlessly into the other. Even when the track is cut in, it doesn't miss a beat. He also brought up some less popular jams that you may not hear on the average "Old School" mixtape. Songs like Stezo's It's My Turn, Eazy E's Gimme That Nutt and Kwest's 101 Things...are rarely thrown into compilations so it's a treat to hear them.

While there is a hiccup in the beginning mix and there is a bit of clashing somewhere towards the end. As a DJ myself, I can appreciate the work and time he put into getting his set together and coming up with his blends. Y'all take a listen and judge for yourselves.

High Skool Classiks 2.0-DJ Audio 1
http://www.zshare.net/audio/23354709130ad3/

Wake Up Intro/Nas - It Aint Hard To Tell (Danger Mouse Remix)

Run DMC - Ooh Watcha Gonna Do

Masta Ace - Music Man

Mobb Deep - Hit It From The Back

Del - Mistadabolina (Remix)

Jamalski - Jump Spread Out

Das EFX - Jussusmen (Pete Rock Remix)

Cypress Hill - Hand On The Glock

KRS-One - I Cant Wake Up

Black Moon - Who Got The Props

Special Ed - The Mission

Jamalski - Put It On (EPMD Remix)

Ice Cube - Givin Up The Nappy Dug Out

House Of Pain - Jump Around (Pete Rock Remix)

Stezo - It's My Turn

Eazy E - Gimmie That Nutt

KRS-One - HipHop Vs. Rap (Spinbad Remix)

Beastie Boys - Finger Lickin Good

Kwest Tha Madd Ladd - 101 Things To Do While Im With Your Girl

Stetsasonic - Talkin All That Jazz

Ice Cube - Wicked

Ice Cube - No Vaseline

Nice and Smooth - Sometimes I Rhyme Slow

UMC's - Blue Cheese

Tim Dog and KRS-One - I Get Wrecked

Ice-T - New Jack Hustler

Cypress Hill - Lick A Shot

Ultramagnetic MC's - Poppa Large

UMC's - One To Grow On

The New Style (Naughty By Nature) - Scuffin Those Knees

X-Clan - Funkin' Lesson

KMD - Peachfuzz

RBL Posse - Dont Give Me No Bammer Weed

Eric B and Rakim - No Omega

Organized Konfusion - Releasing Hypnotical Gases

He also has a great website with lots of info on dates and other music mixes to share. Enjoy this mix and let me know what you think in the comments section. Clocking in at just over an hour, it's perfect for that long ass bus ride or drive. One.

Animal's Most Wanted: Champion Of Love

2007-06-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight on Animal's Most Wanted, we take a look at the One and Done group: 991 Volts. 991-wha? Trust me, I know...to explain it, I would have to take you back to '89. So let's go...

In 1989 your host was the average 16 year old rap/beat junkie. I watched Video Music Box a hell of a lot more than I studied and they always had acts on that you would never see on MTV(which I didn't have at the time) or BET. Ther you could see peeps like Divine Styler(kind of a De La knock off in his video...oh yeah, listen to where House of Pain got the horns for Jump Around), MC Rell or 991 Volts. Admittedly, my knowledge of them is limited. As a matter of fact other than the lead MC being named Royal, I don't know jack about them. Boy could rhyme his ass off though.

He had a story teller style with a rapid fire delivery. Like an amalgam of Fresh Prince and Kwame on speed. I don't think they had an album but I do remember having the 12" for Champion Of Love/She's Sneeky. The B-Side is a total wipe from my memory but damn, Champion was catchy as hell. It was just the simplest of breakbeats with a sampled bass line and a chant of "Whoa-oh yeah!"(whose source escapes me but when I'm told I'll go "OH YEAH!" because it's familiar.) Royal had potential but I think he was a few years too early and wasn't affiliated with any of the hot crews at the time: Juice Crew, Native Tounges(who Divine Styler was down with as of De La's second album.) etc. I never heard from them again. And after high school, I think my DJ partner took that when we split the records. Either that or it's in one of my crates.

In conclusion, I loved this song and it's like a piece of my youth. If anyone out there in the blogoverse has this on mp3, holla at ya boy! I've tried searches and come up empty. There aren't even any pics of the group on the net. If anyone has any ridiculously hard to find request, post them in the comments or the CBox. Maybe we can all help each other?

Peace. One.

Better Than The Original: REMIX-A-PALOOZA

2007-06-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

Animal Mother in the studio...Bitches!

re·mix (rē-mĭks') tr.v., -mixed, -mix·ing, -mix·es.
To recombine (audio tracks or channels from a recording) to produce a new or modified audio recording: remixed a popular ballad and turned it into a dance hit.n. (rē'mĭks')

I wanna talk about something I love...REMIXES! I love when an artist can look at another artists work (or their own for that matter) and see where they can improve. Some of my favorites are Pete Rock, The Beatnuts, The D.I.T.C. Crew etc. Sometimes a remix can take a song like Nappy Headz for instance, and breathe new life into it. Think about it: No remix, possibly NO SECOND ALBUM! Nowadays unless it's Pharell or 'Ye doing the mixing and he spits on a verse on it, you ain't hearing it. So let's check out some of my favorite ones which you may never had heard unless you are a DJ or a ridiculous "head" which most people in the blogosphere are...even the leaches...

Lets get to it track by track:

Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Remix) (feat. Diamond D)-Brand Nubian: I love when artists go with the original concept but add new stuff to it. Not only is the beat jazzed up with ill horns, Dat X and Jamar spit new verses and Diamond D drops in to bless it as well.

Jazz (We've Got) (Re-Recording)-A Tribe Called Quest: This was on the B-Side of the original Jazz 12". I like it because I feel they went back and improved on the old one. Phife even weighs in on the Dr. Dre/Dee Barnes incident with: "I'm a negro he's a negro wanna be a negro too/ but beatin' on a girl is something that a puss would do" *Shortly after this, Tip was stomped out by Wreckx-N-Effect.

Grand Verbalizer What Time Is It? (Blackwatch Mix)-X Clan: X Clan were notorious beat jackers. I love them but it's not hard to tell where they got what. Sometimes, they didn't even try to hide it. The Microphone Fiend beat of the original is cool but being a DJ who loves old school, I have to go with the Heartbeat sample.

Funky Lemonade (Beatnuts Remix)-Chi-Ali: Les and JuJu don't only murda the mic, they slay behind the boards. I'm a huge Beatnuts fan and this is one of the many songs they blessed in the early 90's. Come on, the song and video made Chi. Did you care about him before this song? I didn't.

Jussumen (Pete Rock Remix)-Das EFX: Yes...I'm a Pete Rock Stan! Yes he produced 3 songs on this compilation! Shit, I was gonna make an all PR Remix joint but I figured it would be redundant. One of the greatest produceres EVER adds his signature sound to an already dope song. 'Nuff said!

Sally Got A One Track Mind (Showbiz Remix)-Diamond D: A dope D.I.T.C. collabo with Show on the boards lacing Diamond's tale of neighborhood ho business with a harder beat and some real crazy ass horns.(Horns were big in the 90's huh?)

They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) (Vibes Mix)-Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth: I know it's supposed to be a reflective song but DAMN, this beat bangs! Not only did they up the tempo but the baseline got Polio(that's sick for the uninformed) and C.L. re-did the vocals so it's not a sped up acapella, he's rhyming to the new break.

Ruffneck (Beatnuts Remix)-MC Lyte: The 'Nuts do it again by getting rid of that wack Casio beat on the original one and restoring some dignity to Lyte as far as I'm concerned. Chimes, pre-requisite 90's horns and a dope break bring it back from the wack bin. Be warned: Don't sing along! When you catch yourself, you'll feel ashamed and confused...yuck.

Check Yo' Self (Message Remix)-Ice Cube: When you dust off a classic beat, you better come correct. Not much was changed but Cube's vocals went perfectly with the beat. Having re-recorded them, he's now talking to the listener as opposed to yelling at them like in the original. I used to have The Message on an old K-Tel compilation cassette. Who's up on K-Tel? Holla!

Nappy Heads (Remix)-Fugees: Salaam Remi salvaged a song from the mess that was Blunted On Reality(Everybody remembers "Boof-Baf!" right?...right?) and gave the Fugees their first big hit. The remix gave the song a breezy, tropical flavor with the horns at the beginning even becoming their signature for a while.

Swing It (Original Mix)-Da Bush Babees: I really liked these cats. Their energy and Mister Man's vocals reminded me of the Pharcyde which wasn't a bad thing. Producer J. Prins gave this a very Salaam-ish beat(I actually thought it was him at first.) that was hype and made you wanna stomp everywhere. Years later, I actually bought the album because of this and was disappointed that the (Jazziness Mix) was the album cut.

Shut 'Em Down (Pete Rock Remix)-Public Enemy: I was always into PE singles but never bought full albums. Sometimes the Bomb Squad's sample-heavy sound was a little too cluttered for me. P to The R made this song sound like the hottest most stickiest night in the BX. It's dank, the horns are sinister and the overall beat gives Chuck's words more urgency. I can even forgive Puba for writing a party rhyme for Pete to say in the middle of such a serious song.

Yeah (Track Masterz Remix)-A.T.E.E.M.: Tone & Poke had an organist mess with the keys on a break to give this song probably the most original sound on this compilation. I'm glad for that. The T.E.E.M. never really stood out in the rap game but this song stood out for me.

Woo Ha!!! Got You All In Check! (Remix) (feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard): It had to happen! The most animated cat in the industry and craziest thing on two legs had to get together! They did and that shit was DOPE! The weird synthesizer in the background makes perfect sense because the two people rapping just DON'T and I LOVE IT!

Animal Mother's REMIX-A-PALOOZA

http://www.zshare.net/download/2189295f318874/

I hope y'all enjoy this little mixtape. I will be making more in the future. If I could get some help with the following remixes it would be appreciated:

Eat 'Em Up L-The one with the Keep Rising To The Top beat.

I Go On-MC Lyte

Poppa Large (Westcoast Mix)-Ultramagnetic MC's(also Black Baseball. Not a remix but I like the song)

EPMD-Give The People & Rampage(Not The Pete Rock One...didn't like it.)

Know Your History: Summer Madness Props

2007-06-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

What does June mean to you? No school? Cold drinks and barbecues til 2AM? Titties everywhere? I know that whenever June comes around it means one thing: I start hearing the GREATEST SUMMER SONG EVER!

In 1974 Kool & The Gang released their seventh album, Light of Worlds. Suprisingly the stand out track was one with no vocals whatsoever: Summer Madness. I take it this was a conceptual piece and man they executed it to perfection. From the moment the song begins, you can't help but imagine the coldest pool on the hottest day you can remember. The sheer mellowness of the song is incomprehensible. For 4:28 your entire life is in slow motion and you love it. The song went on to be featured in Rocky but it would take nearly 20 years for it to make a real impact on my life and Hip-Hop.

In 1989 I was really hitting my stride in Hip-Hop. I was buying albums on tape and vinyl and getting into DJ'ing and the art of mixing. When I purchased Gang Starr's No More Mr. Nice Guy, I remember putting it in the boom box at school and letting everyone listen, THEY LAUGHED. One dude even said: "Who the fuck is that rappin', Special Fred?". Kane and the Juice Crew ruled my school and maybe N.W.A. but nobody wanted to hear these "jazz rappin' cats." My favorite song on the album was DJ Premier in Deep Concentration an instrumental track that asked the listener to "give the man behind the wheels some credit.". The Summer Madness sample was utilized by Premier who took the song and cut up just about anything he could over the relaxing beat even taking the distinct synthesizer and "transformer scratching" the hell out of it. The song was a B-side to the Manifest single but it never achieved the notoriety it should have. The average rap fan has probably never heard it. It wasn't the end though and the Kool & The Gang sample would leave a mark...nah, a BOOT PRINT in the game that will never be erased.

Spring of 1991, I was watching the Fresh Prince season finale and through several commercial breaks the announcer said: "Stay tuned for a special video from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince!" I thought: "Oh god, not another Mike Tyson song from this corny dude!" I was wrong. I've never been more wrong in my entire life, that "corny song" turned out to be Summertime. They had me at "Drums please..." Once that beat dropped, it was a WRAP! I was shocked that not only did they freak the K&TG break but Will's vocals seemed like they were made for that beat and nothing else.

Homebase was the duo's fourth album and it achieved platinum status(I think on the strength of Summertime alone.) That summer you couldn't hear a car pass without that song bumpin out of their system. The video is burned into my mind as well with the barbecues, dancing, girls and driving around with your friends. That's what summer was and is still about, CHILLIN'. There has never been a song, a rap song for that matter that has ever made me nostalgic for my youth as much as this. I'm in my early 30's now and it still resonates with me today and brings a feeling of calm over me. About a year ago I was in a bar and they had it in the jukebox, I selected it and the minute it came on, all the older heads had this look of "Awwww, shiiiiiit!" and the head nodding didn't stop until the song was over. There will never be a song that relays the feelings of a moment like this and that's why I say that Sumemertime is THE GREATEST SUMMER SONG EVER!

So let's give props and thanks to Kool and the Gang for creating an amazing song. Gang Starr for dusting it off and DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince for making it an indellible mark in Hip-Hop history. If you get the chance, please support these artists and all of their fine works.

Kool & The Gang-Summer Madness

http://www.zshare.net/audio/21483746f69f74/

Gang Starr-DJ Premier In Deep Concentration

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2148576aafa868/

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince -Summertime

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2151026345a033/

Everybody Wanna Sound GRIMEY!

2007-05-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Back in the early 90's, G-Funk dominated the airwaves. You couldn't turn on the TV without hearing that synth or somebody rhyming reeeeeeal slooooow with a southern drawl bouncing in a lowrider. Even if an MC was from Michigan, that was far enough from New York to be "West Coast" and they were marketed as such. I'm from the Bronx, NY and that shit didn't fly right with me. I knew NY Hip-Hop was supposed to be on top but that gangsta shit was too strong so what did the east do? Go GANGSTA...BIG TIME! From the summer of '93 til about maybe mid-94 there was a fire sale on "grimey" which turned all my Hip-Hop into Grit-Hop. There was some good and some...uh not so good. Let's discuss.

Summer 1993: Young Animal Mother is working at the Wiz to pay for his vinyl and any other thing that needs to be payed for. There was alot of new music that summer and we always listend to tapes in the car stereo section. You couldn't go two feet without hearing "It's time to get live...live...LIVE LIKE A WIRE!" Onyx was the HOTTEST thing out and "Throw Ya Gunz" was the jam of the summer. These cats were crazy and all they talked about was smacking bitchez, stickin' hoes, and killin' punk ass mutha fuckaz...(the three elements of Hip-Hop! Just kidding Kris!) De La was on some next level stuff, L.O.N.S. were pretty much broken up and Q-Tip had just got thugged(beat the hell up) by Wrecx-n-Effect...yeah the Rump Shaker dudes. Everyone was a gangsta and it was either get g'ed or get gone.

The success of the 2X Platinum album Bacdafucup had a ripple effect in the rap game. While it wasn't Chronic numbers, it showed that East Coast Rap was still a viable commodity. And with success comes alot of imitators and band wagon jumpers. Does anybody remember 14 Shots To The Dome? I guess Uncle L needed a scope because 12 of them missed. The album wasn't "wack" per say but it was not LL Cool J. With lines like: "...kill dead! Kill dead! Try to battle me I gots ta buck you in ya head!", was it any wonder that the two best songs and biggest hits from it were Back Seat Of My Jeep and Pink Cookies in A Plastic Bag...? Cuts with LL being LL talking about lovin' ladies and bein' too cool for this gangsta mess.

Even the great Run DMC had a career misstep when they adopted their bald headed army jacketed personas that year. They sent mixed signals with their "we're down with God." message and DMC saying: "So I pulled my jammie out cuz I'ma murda the man!" on Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do? The worst offenders were the record companies that tried to cash in on this by having artists try to out thug each other in an attempt to duplicate or surpass the Official Nastees. None of this happened and you were left with alot of talented dudes syaing things that were already being said. Come on man, the smiling Blue Cheese rappin' guys came out in hoodies WITH MACHETES!?!

One group the record companies churned out of the thug mill was Raw Breed who I liked from the start. Their first single Rabbit Stew off the Lune Tunz LP was a real upbeat joint. It was kind of an Onyx-lite with a bunch of guys talking about dicing MC's and puttin them in pots over an infectious beat complete with Reggae toaster Shawnie Ranks. Their whole gimmick was kind of a Looney Tunes on PCP. Other good songs on that album were Jimmy Crack Corn and my personal favorite How Many Lumps? I actually enjoyed their lyrical wordplay and enthusiasm but in the end, it wasn't enough to distance them from other groups at the time that wer ebasically on the same page.

Another notable Grit-Hop collective were Hoodratz who were basically Onyx minus two. I don't know if these guys intentionally came out like this or it was the record company's doing but they didn't even try to sound different. On the Sneekee Muthafukaz LP they had cuts like Bootlegga(Come on, I loved that shit. "If ya bootleg ya get ya leg broke!"), Street Smart Dumee and Murdered Over Nuttin'. The album was basically a collection of gun talk and murder fantasies to the nth power. After their album and R.A. The Rugged Man's Crustified Dibbs experiment, there was a testosterone overload and the Hip-Hop community quickly tired of this trend. As with anything too much of a perceived good thing is BAD.

About a year later, a fat dude from BK took those gangsta fantasies and weaved them with tales of being smooth and mackin ladies. Coupled with his intelligent wordplay and distinct delivery, he released an album entitled um...I think it was called Ready To Die but I don't remember much more about it. It did however signal the end of "Grime Time" for most rappers and heralded the beginning of the playa/shiny suit era but that's another post for another day.

In the meantime, enjoy the best of a not so original time in Hip-Hop.

Onyx-Bacdafucup
http://www.zshare.net/download/1374894bceea3b/

Raw Breed-Lune Tunz

http://www.zshare.net/download/20865407e32677/

Hoodratz-Bootlegga (m4a only)

http://www.zshare.net/download/2175901b6e4d7b/

Somebody Beat The Biz: 2 Lawsuits Change Hip-Hop FOREVER

2007-05-23T22:32:00.000-07:00

"Alone again...naturally." Remember that single from Biz Markie? It's on his 1991 album I Need A Haircut...No? You really shouldn't. It was never released as a single and the man on the left made sure that it would be removed from future pressings of the album forever. Is he a villain or just a pissed off artist who had every right to say that he didn't want to be associated with that noise they called "Rap Music"?

Biz was riding high off the huge success of the "Just A Friend" single and I'm pretty sure that Cold Chillin' Records wanted to capitalize off of that with his next album. The formula of Biz and comical hard luck stories would equal gold for them again but lightning didn't strike twice. When "Haircut" was released Hip-Hop fans were ready and I remember rushing home after school to listen to what the Diabolical had done this time. It was the usual silly, light-hearted Biz fare like Toliet Stool Raps, What Comes Around Goes Around, etc. but I really liked that song "Alone Again". Was it the clever wordplay and thumping beat? No, it was the fact that he was rhyming over a song that my mom used to sing when it came on FM93 WPAT, the easy listening station. Unfortunately Gilbert O'Sullivan, the man who recorded "Alone Again (Naturally)" didn't like it as much as I did.

After O'Sullivan got wind of the song, all hell broke loose and before Biz could say "A one-two..", the case of Grand Upright Music, Ltd v. Warner Bros. Records, Inc was filed and Hip-Hop would never be the same again. The Irish singer felt that even though only three words from his song were used along with a part of the beat, it was an outright theft of intellectual property and that it was willfully done after he denied usage. The New York State Supreme Court felt this way too as the ruling stated: "it is clear that the defendants knew that they were violating the plaintiff's rights as well as the rights of others. Their only aim was to sell thousands upon thousands of records. This callous disregard for the law and for the rights of others requires not only the preliminary injunction sought by the plaintiff but also sterner measures." The case was then referred to the US Attorneys office for criminal prosecution due to the intentional copyright infringement. This would cause a huge shift in Hip-Hop as sample heavy producers like the Bomb Squad had their production budgets crippled by clearance costs.

O'Sullivan's case was actually the second strike against Hip-Hop as just two years earlier The Turtles sued De La Soul for sampling the opening of their hit song "You Showed Me" for their interlude "Transmitting Live from Mars" from the 3 Feet High & Rising LP. Although the Turtles won the case, it wasn't nearly as ugly as the O'Sullivan one. They sued and got what they wanted and let De La keep the song. Never removing from future pressings or re-releases. They even explained: "We don't hate sampling; we like sampling. If we don't get credit, we sue, and all that stuff (a share of the royalties, plus punitive damages) comes back to us."

In my humble opinion, I think both outcomes differ greatly because of the way the samples were used. While neither act at the time obtained the proper clearance, De La used a snippet of the Turtles hit song and were very creative with it. "Alone" on the other hand was just a straight jack minus the bridge and the "Impeach" break just slapped on behind it. I'm glad the Turtles outcome was positive for both parties but I'm not entirely mad at O'Sullivan. The ruling forced producers and beat makers to become more exploratory and wiser with their sampling choices. It fostered the creativity of guys like Primo and Pete Rock. And also encouraged more ingenuity from musicians like Dr. Dre and later on Timbaland.

Alone Again (Naturally)-Gilbert O'Sullivan
http://www.zshare.net/audio/1999653e7a45ae/

Alone Again-Biz Markie

http://www.zshare.net/audio/19995319bcd7dd/

You Showed Me-The Turtles

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2000017b66971b/

Transmitting Live From Mars-De La Soul

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2000137f7ecc9e/

My First Cube: Kill At Will [EP]

2007-05-22T04:40:00.000-07:00

What in the HELL was goin' on back in winter of '90? I was in high school with minimal prospects of getting laid. We were about a month away from the Gulf War(which I was old enough to participate in as my pops constantly reminded me). and there was no N.W.A. Dre, Eazy, Yella and Ren were still there but there ain't no N.W.A. without Cube !

Amerikkka's Most Wanted had gone platinum off the success of the title track and Who's The Mack?(which is still a funny ass video and song today) and I thought to myself: "OK, Cube got his shine on. Now he'll go back and they'll make more hits, right?...right?" That wasn't about to happen and in December of 1990 Cube put out the Kill At Will [EP] With production by the Bomb Squad and Cube himself, the album hit hard and showed his growth as an artist.

The first single: Jackin' For Beats was Cube goin' East Coast on our asses rhyming over familiar samples from D-Nice, EPMD, Public Enemy, X Clan and a few others. This was my favorite song back then. I didn't think anyone was gonna do a song like that for a long time. It was hot and it hit hard and Cube was saying he didn't care, he was gonna rhyme over anybody's beat. Other highlights include Dead Homiez (a serious song about coping with the death of a friend) and Get Off My Dick And Tell Yo' Bitch (Remix), whose title pretty much defines the whole cut.

The Product is now my favorite piece from the album. It describes a troubled black male from conception to a life of crime(an unfortunate consequence of poverty). As a young black male from the Bronx, I often laughed at the gang banger shit out west because I always thought it was kind of corny. Cube laid it out for me and the lyrics in the song showed the futility that many men in that situation faced. My least favorite is the Endangered Species (Remix) featuring Chuck D. While the message is good, the song just didn't hit me and it's the one I always skip. The album ends wit the 3 plus minutes shout outs on I Gotta Say What's Up!!! where he name checks everyone who was hot at the time in the Hip-Hop community.

This was the first Cube album I purchased and it forever changed the way I viewed West Coast rap. As a lyricist, Cube was the exception and I never really cared about N.W.A. again after that because he was the driving force that made them what they were. Of course he went on to release Death Certificate which had No Vaseline (The GREATEST DISS TRACK EVER!) and the rest as they say is history.

To enjoy the full range of Ice Cube's talent, please seek out his discography and purchase it. Even though he comes off as a hypocrite now, he's still an important part of the Hip-Hop puzzle.

Ice Cube-Kill At Will [EP]

http://www.zshare.net/download/anditsstillallgood-blogspot-com-presents-kill-at-will-ep-rar.html

The Single That Never Was: Plumskinzz

2007-05-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

K.M.D. was an enigma to me. I wasn't quite sure what they were, but I liked them. They were into the whole black pride/power thing but they weren't "Blackety-black and I'm black y'all!" like X Clan. They didn't have the following of Brand Nubian or Poor Righteous Teachers (Whom I thought weren't as interesting as Zev & Co.) but I thought they had a better chance of making it by being down with 3rd Bass, another error on my part.

Peachfuzz hit hard in the winter of '91. Every weekend Clark Kent or Red Alert got it into their mix show. I was excited about getting the album but Mr. Hood just didn't do it for me. I wasn't really feeling the songs and I ended up only liking Who Me?, Humrush(yeah, it's weird but I like Bert humming) and Peachfuzz of course. After releasing Who Me? as a single and video(which didn't hit at all), I thought: "What could they possibly release next?" There wasn't anything I could imagine being worthy to be released from the album.

Much to my dissappoinment, Nitty Gritty was the next single. Never cared for it. Even the re-mix with The Now Rule Mob AND Busta Rhymes did nothing to pique my interest. Being the vinyl rat I was, I still bought it and kinda dismissed it to my "not for partyin' crate". As far as I know, there was no video for Nitty and it was never requested when I DJ'ed. There was this one song I kept hearing though during Clark's show that he kept putting on to talk over during the station I.D. breaks. It was a heavy samba-like break reminiscent of Mas Que Nada by Sergio Mendes. I taped it and took it to Beat Street and the cat that worked the counter listened to it and said: "That's K.M.D.! You have that already don't you?" It was the Plumskinzz (Instrumental) on the Nitty Gritty single.

I was so disenchanted by Nitty, I never listened to the other tracks. Not only was Skinzz a more enjoyable song than the single it was attached to, but there was also a great re-mix to Peachfuzz on there as well. Plumskinzz is not on the Mr. Hood album. My guess is: it was either a late scratch or something they did after the release of Hood. It is featured on the BL_CK B_ST_RDS album as well their Best Of album(inexplicably cut in half for some reason).

I've included the entire 12" single here as well as just the instrumental to listen to because I really liked it that much. Listen, enjoy and if you like these cats and you don't have Mr. Hood or BL_CK B_ST_RDS hunt them both down and purchase them.

Nitty Gritty/Plumskinzz 12"-K.M.D.

http://www.zshare.net/download/k-m-d-nitty-gritty-single-rar.html

Plumskinzz (Instrumental)

http://www.zshare.net/audio/06-kmd-plumskinzz_instrumental-mp3.html

Know Your History: Givin' Pot Bellied Props

2007-05-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Quick: What do Kid Capri, Main Source, A Tribe Called Quest and a large portion of the Hip-Hop community have in common? Bad publishing deals? No, Lou Donaldson. More specifically, Donaldson's often sampled "Pot Belly".

In 1970, Lou recorded Pot Belly for his album Pretty Things on Blue Note Records, a veritable jazz mill. This song had every element you could ever want in a jazz piece. Funky bassline and lots of high hats? Check. Signature Donaldson alto sax? Check. Psychadelic organs? Big check. The only thing missing from this song is a pair of dark sunglasses and a hand rolled cigarette. It was that cool!

When A Tribe Called Quest released People's Instinctive Travels and Paths Of Rhythm in '89, they were sampling jazz heavily. It was only a matter of time before they got to the Donaldson classic. The B-side of their second single "Can I Kick It?" was "If The Papes Come" which was basically Pot Belly being rhymed over. There was little tweaking to the song which was simply a loop of the original with Q-Tip and Afrika Baby Bam flowing over the beat. It wasn't on the intitial vinyl release and subsequent re-releases of the song have been the "re-mix" with Bam's vocals removed. It showed up again in 1990 on Main Source's "A Friendly Game of Baseball" and Kid Capri's (Yes, he had an album where he rapped!) "The Joke's On You Jack"

Pete Rock actually took the song and dressed it up nicely when he sampled it in 1992 for Heavy D's Blue Funk. I prefer what the Chocoloate Boy Wonder did with it than what the other producers had done previously. Instead of just picking out a section of the song and just looping it, Rock added his signature percussion, scratches and a sample of women singing to make you say: "Hey wait a minute! That's that song..." Like the jazz musicians before him, he took something and improvised and embellished on it to make it a part of what he does. He went on to use portions of the composition in remixes for Da Youngsta's "Pass Da Mic", and "Iz U Wit Me?" As well as House of Pain's "Jump Around".

So let's give props to Lou Donaldson. The great alto saxophonist who's one song in particular has been done and re-done so many times, you could probably make a full length disc of pieces that utilized it. It's the Kim Kardashian of Hip-Hop breaks: You know mad cats used it but you still want to use it yourself. I included the original version as well as "Papes" & "Blue Funk". Please go out and find some of Donaldsons albums as well as these Hip-Hop classics. Enjoy!

Pot Belly-Lou Donaldson

http://www.zshare.net/audio/lou-donaldson-pot-belly-mp3-7mh.html

If The Papes Come (feat. Afrika)-A Tribe Called Quest

http://www.zshare.net/audio/a_tribe_called_quest-if_the_papes_come-mp3.html

Blue Funk (Produced by Pete Rock)-Heavy D & The Boyz
http://www.zshare.net/audio/blue-funk-mp3.html

Famous Firsts: Jay-Z

2007-05-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Michael Jordan started out as the best player in the universe, didn't he? No? Well...Bill Gates always had more money than god...he didn't? Sean Carter wasn't always Jigga, S. Dot, Hov or even JAY-Z for that matter. Back in 1990 he was JZ and he was Jaz-O's (The Jaz back in '90) sidekick. Yes, Young Hov was someone's Robin or Tonto if you will. Hey, you gotta start somewhere.

Following the success of Hawaiin Sophie off the Word To The Jaz LP, Jaz-O released his follow up album:To Your Soul. The album was full of Afro-centric, positive rhymes as well as clever word play. Again, he let his boy rhyme on two tracks called The Originators and It's That Simple and the kid showed promise. "The miggity more that comes the miggity merrier right? Right." JZ ripped his verse on that song. Their deliveries intertwined perfectly to make one memorable single that I was so happy to get on VHS that I played it ad nauseum after school until I got the single. After this song, I didn't hear from Jaz until A Groove (This Is What U Rap 2) (which had a superior remix that was kinda Soul II Soul-ish) but there was no Jay on it. He moved on and the rest as they say is history.

Suprisingly, alot of people don't remember this single and tend to believe that Jay burst upon the scene with Can I Get Open by his cousins group Original Flavor. Nas said on H to tha O.M.O. (A Jigga diss track) : "Back in the days you used to rhyme like Fu-Schnickens..." Nah Esco, he was diggity-in and biggity-in before Das and Chip-Fu. Jay had talent and eventually his talent rose above all the others around him.

Really Young Hov

This is an example of a display of raw talent that would evolve and eventually dominate the rap game. Enjoy this song and if you can find To Your Soul, give it a listen. Not just for Jay but for Jaz, an overlooked MC who never got his due in my opinion.

The Originators-The Jaz (feat. JZ)

http://www.zshare.net/audio/jaz-the-originators-feat-jz-mp3.html

Better Than The Original (Ultra Shandilere Edition)

2007-05-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

Future Without A Past was the seminal release from Leaders of The New School and it was a well crafted first album. The first single: Case of The P.T.A., made it impossible for you to just sit down and listen. You had to bob ya head and east coast stomp til it was over. This was their signature hit and they never had another song hit as hard.

Sobb Story was kind of a mellow song. Very melodic and easy-going. It went along with the time it was released(summer of '91) and was perfect for driving. Even the video made you wanna chill and ride a bike.(Should a video about cars make you not want to drive one?)

However, when you hear that "Oh my god! Oh my gawd!" it made you jump out of your skin. The International Zone Coaster (Ultra Shandilere Tango-Trixx Mix) was that shit! It so eclipsed the original, it seemed like they're two totally different songs and let's be real, Busta's verses killed it. The original was so non descript, I was surprised that it was released. It didn't stand out on the album and I was unsure about paying $5 for the 12". Dante Ross and Co. added a sinister heavy baseline, new kicks and snares and a distinctive chime that gave the song a facelift and made it the banger it was. The original might as well have not been on the album this version makes it irrelevant.

Compare and contrast and leave your comments for me:

International Zone Coaster (Album Version)-Leaders Of The New School

http://www.zshare.net/download/the-international-zone-coaster-wma.html

International Zone Coaster (Ultra Shandilere Tango-Trixx Mix)-Leaders Of The New School

http://www.zshare.net/audio/the-international-zone-coaster-ultra-shandilere-tango-trixx-mix-mp3.html

Have You Seen Me?: Bo$$

2007-05-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

"I don't really wanna beeeeee your..." No disrespect to the Chili Peppers but if you're into Hip-Hop, that's Bo$$. It was 1993 and like the song said: "everybody wanna sound grimey..." Onyx had the market cornered on the growling, gutter sound that was turning rap into Grit-Hop. You had the aforementioned Official Nastees, Hood Ratz(Bootlegga) and Raw Breed(Remember Rabbit Stew? OK other than any of their relatives and me, do you remember it?) There was no female representative of that hardcore genre until Lichelle Laws a.k.a. Bo$$ stepped up to the plate and she did just that, REPRESENT...then she Keyser Söze-d.

Early summer of '93 I got my hands on the "Deeper" single and I was impressed. This was a woman who was talking about strugglin', , drinkin', gun violence and didn't give a shit if she was fly or not ("so who the fuck cares that I got gray hairs and can't sleep"). Her no-nonsense attitude and lyrical contenet was embraced by the masses. She was for female empowerment but took a different route from Latifah and others by calling herself a bitch. Born Gangstaz was a bonafide hit for the female MC(soundscan of 370,000+ uheard of for a female back then) but an unflattering article in the Wall Street journal, a huge Hip-Hop publication(*gagging*) made it a wrap for her.

It turns out the thugette from Michigan wasn't as "hood" as the purists would have liked her to be. She came fromn a *gasp* middle-class background and was raised by both her parents(WHAT?) She also had a decent education and participated in many extra-carricular activities such as dance, etc. Funny thing is: THIS WAS ALL EXPLAINED IN THE FIRST TRACK ON THE BORN GANGTAZ ALBUM VIA A RECORDED PHONE MESSAGE FROM MOM DUKES! I guess people thought it was funny hearing an old lady talk about someone they just knew had to kill like 50 people before she dropped her first single. All rappers are killas, dealers and pussy beaters right? Bo$$'s second album never came to be and she wasn't heard of after '94.

In these days of Killa's living in Connecticut and thugs walkin around with security details, does she seem like such a travesty now? This chick could rhyme better than most chicks then and probably could hang now. So what she didn't rhyme about men treating her right or how everybody wants to eat her, she rapped about what she liked and more importantly WE liked it...for the moment.

This is my favorite song from her "Deeper", of course. Check it out and give Born Gangstaz a listen even if it's just for nostalgia.

Bo$$ if you read this holla at your lad.

Deeper-Bo$$
http://www.zshare.net/audio/02-deeper-mp3.html

Know Your History: Givin' Props

2007-05-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

Let's take it back to 1988. All my friends were doing the skits from 3 Feet High & Rising verbatim...except for me because I didn't have it yet! I finally convinced my mom to take me to Caldors(Wow...is there still a Caldors?) and let me get this tape. I bought it and DAMN, it was dope! I must have listened to it back to back for a week straight! I then got it on vinyl and started to use it for DJ'ing. I came across the Say No Go single and loved the way they used The Hall & Oates sample. WHO & WHO!?! Yep, the two white guys that sang Maneater(did any producer ever use that bassline? That was hot too!)

I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) topped the charts in 1981 with it's sick bassline and soulful percussion. It was the duo's 4th #1 hit and knocked that god-awful Physical by Olivia Newton John out of the #1 spot.(That is the last time her name will ever be mentioned in a Hip-Hop blog.) I guess Prince Paul & Co. recognized the greatness of that beat and let De La rip it. I'm glad they did. It made 3FH&R an enjoyable experience.

...but wait THERE'S MORE!

Jump ahead to the summer of '90. That cute chick from the Buddy video dropped an album. Yup, Monie Love released Down To Earth and was riding the success of Monie In The Middle which was a huge hit. The second single was It's A Shame (My Sister) which I actually enjoyed more than the first one. The beat was dope and Monie kicked her rapid fire lyrics like they were made for it. It also had True Image(who I swore was Queen Latifah) singing the hook. This and the ensuing video mix would be the heights of her exposure. She never blew like I thought she would.

The song however has a great bit of history to it though. Not only does the title and hook owe something to the song It's A Shame by the Spinners but it sampled the opening guitar to great effect. And as an added bonus the backing beat is looped from Say No Go which as you now know comes from I Can't Go For That. So ya see kids, HALL & OATES ARE HIP-HOP...OK they may not be but they and The Spinners made an important contribution to it as you will be able to hear. The Spinners and Hall & Oates are just two of the many artists that Hip-Hop and it's fans owe a little gratitude to.

Please enjoy the originals as well as the songs they spawned:

Say No Go-De La Soul
http://sharebee.com/6d495f12

I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)-Hall & Oates

http://www.zshare.net/download/i-cant-go-for-that-no-can-do-wma.html

It's A Shame (My Sister)-Monie Love (feat. Tru Image)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/its-a-shame-my-sister-mp3-1w7.html

It's A Shame-The Spinners
http://www.zshare.net/audio/its-a-shame-mp3-gkf.html

Let's Start With The Letter: A

2007-05-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

As a young cat DJ'ing in the Bronx there were certain things you did to improve at your craft:

Listen to Radio Shows: In Control w/Marley Marl was mandatory shit. Marley always had good stuff on there before they came out on video, sometimes stuff that never got aired on Yo! or The Box. He even had a young dude on named Pete Rock...(what happened to him?) Also listened to Clark Kent and a few others...

WATCH VIDEO MUSIC BOX!: As I mentioned those other video shows before, I didn't have cable but I had UHF Channel 31 and Ralph McDaniels and the Vid Kid introduced me to more hip hop than any of those other shows could ever do.

That brings us to my first post: Akinyele-Vagina Diner. I remember Ak from Live At The BBQ from the Breaking Atoms LP. I even thought that voice dropping shit was gonna catch on.(What do I know? I thought the light skinned cat that did the bird call from Fu-Schnickens was the one with the future...) Anyway, Video Music Box made me go and search for this album by virtue of the two-fisted video Ak Ha Ha/Dear Diary. It was like a mini listening party. You had the fun-loving, infectious Large Professor produced first single with it's horns and playful video with Ak and his boys(including Extra P) jus' chillin. And then you had the grittier Dear Diary with Ak boasting about his skills while Rob Swift cut the hell out of Grand Puba saying "A yo bus it!" among other things. I was hooked and had to find it.

The album is surprisingly good with the production by the Large Pro and some of the stand outs include Bags Packed, Outta State, and Worldwide as well as the two aforementioned singles. Ak showed potential with his lyrics(C'mon, "I'm doper than heroin, so just take my name in vain" that was kinda sick for '93) and I thought he'd be a major player in rap. Of course he went on to have Put It In Your Mouth which blew up and became a cult classic but this is classic Ak for me. It was a good starting point for a cat who could have done big things.

Vagina Diner-Akinyele

http://www.zshare.net/download/vagina_diner-rar.html