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

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

Famous Firsts: Common (Sense)

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

Better Than The Original: REMIX-A-PALOOZA

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.)