Mon, 15 February 2010
"Gazing at the worldly things like a showcase..." - Killah Priest Podcast podcast number nine... been a quiet month for me but a bad month or so in music with Teddy Pendergrass, Sha Lumie and Apache all passing away due to illnesses. Appreciate your favourite artists while they're here! Playlist/Notes Ghostface Killah ft. Raekwon & Cappadonna : Camay A love song, Wu-Tang style, from Ghost's "Ironman" album, which is actually still my favourite album of his! This samples the late great Teddy Pendergrass' "Can We Try?" Jamal : Fades 'Em All (Pete Rock Remix Instrumental) One of those beloved 90s Pete Rock remixes pretty much unknown to those outside the Hip-Hop scene. Jamal was one of the MCs in the kiddie-but-not-kiddie group Illegal whose album "The Untold Truth" had one of the most amazing lineups on the beats you can imagine - Lord Finesse, Erick Sermon, Diamond D, and more...how did they pull that off? And while I'm asking questions, anyone know what Malik is doing these days? Sunz Of Man : No Love Without Hate An old favourite of mine from the extended Wu camp, I got a RealAudio (remember that?) file of this from the net, recorded it to tape and had it on my walkman heavy - perfect soundtrack to those nighttime walks trying to get my head right. Not sure how other people will feel about this tune but this is almost the poster child for the podcast - a track I loved which I never get chance to play anywhere! Scritti Politti ft. Lee Majors & Mos Def : Tinseltown To Boogiedown (Pete Rock Variation) Green Gartside & co have always had an affinity with Black music so it's not totally surprising to see this collaboration. Some of you will remember the track they did with Shabba Ranks ("She's A Woman") and Roger Troutman worked with them on the "Provision" album, there's a nice bit of trivia for you. I love Scritti Politti actually, will have to play some more in future - not even remixes, just straight up 80s pop styles! Masta Ace & Stricklin : The Hitman Produced by Create & Devastate, a nice little 2006 12" release, shouts to Reptile of the Assmatics crew for putting me up on this one when it was first released. I've just given this one a little edit to make it two verses and then instrumental just to let the beat ride by itself for a few bars :o) Not sure if the producers have done much since but Masta Ace continues to put out good music today a full twenty years after "Take A Look Around" - how time flies... Da Beatminerz ft. Sha Lumie : Hip-Hop (Da Essence) Truth be told this is not my favourite Beatminerz production by a long way, but I always liked the lyrics and they're even more striking now with the passing of Sha Lumie this year. "Stay in tune to the game 'til my heartbeat stop..." Those who knew him and have spoken about him publicly will say that he certainly did. Hyenas In The Desert : Concubinez (Instrumental) As far as I'm aware these guys only released one EP on Chuck D's Slam Jamz label and then pretty much disappeared. There were a few decent tracks on it but this was the clear winner, just a big pounding tune which moves a big sound system (get a copy and try it)! J Sands : Southern Lady This is one I do actually play a bit in clubs, taken from the "Hip Hop Love Soul" compilation on Fat City; I love that quasi-Charleston flavour with a bit of added bump! Someone called Beats Fa Daze (90s-style phonetic spelling there) did the production on this one - can't find credits on any other releases, but would be interested to hear more! DJ Jazzy Jeff ft. J-Live & every DJ ever : Break It Down There's another version of this floating about with a different beat which I don't think suits it, but this is the one on my vinyl copy of DJ Jazzy Jeff's "The Magnificent" album on BBE and I'm glad for it! Teacher/MC/DJ J-Live skips in and out of the beat and there's a huge roster of DJs on this track giving you a few quick cuts each; great idea! Bet there were a few wreck crossfaders behind this one... MC Serch : Here It Comes Again From the "Return Of The Product" album comes the much-improved version of "Here It Comes," drums galore and the former 3rd Bass frontman on the mic in his pre-executive days. You barely hear any Hip-Hop this speed these days - whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your taste! Fun-Da-Mental : Tribal Revolution (Homeland Mix) A UK 12" from an Asian and Black crew which I picked up for a bargain price many years ago, before I was DJing - this is an instrumental, and a good one, but their lyrics are always political and forthright, which is to be respected! DJ Shadow ft. Chris James : Erase You A track I initially overlooked from Shadow's "The Outsider" album, only to discover it when my iPod was on shuffle one day. This is some of the most outrageously good drum programming you'll hear anywhere, a brilliant production job all round to give it that live performance feel - right down to what I assume is an artifically-inserted feedback squeal partway through the vocals, have a listen out for it! Chris James of the band Stateless (Leeds stand up!) is the featured singer and I'll be checking for their own material. Gaelle : Separate Rooms Does anyone remember a late-90s house track called "King Of My Castle" by Wamdue Project? Well, this is the same vocalist, several years later and with some very silky production. If you like this kind of thing at all, you must buy her "Transient" album because not to put too fine a point on it, it's pure quality. I've been waiting for a chance to slot this tune in and this segment of uptempo tunes fits nicely. D-Train : You're The One For Me 80s classic! Big club track from 1981 (no, I'm not old enough to have been clubbing back then, unless you count eating Club biscuits or clubbing people with soft toys), keyboard overload with a real sanger over the top, no Autotune here! Exile ft. Ta'raach : Move On 'Em 80s through the looking glass :o) Exile flips a strangely familiar groove, adds some serious Moog and lets Ta'Raach get busy on the mic on this selection from the "Dirty Science" album. Nature : Don't Stop (Instrumental) Trackmasters production on this instrumental of a track from the "For All Seasons" LP. Nature's lyrics on the vocal version of this are a little forgettable, but he will always get props from me for his opening of Noreaga's "Banned From TV." DJ Spinna ft. Jigmastas : New York Monster tune with one of those sample usages that makes you wonder why you never thought of doing it! I'm a big Spinna fan but it was my man Gez who originally let me know about this one by sending me a link to the video which immediately made it into my list of all-time favourites; just check the camera, editing and colour work! I think I'll do a post on favourite Hip-Hop videos of all time in a blog post sometime... As I say every month, if there's stuff on here you like then do support the artists - look into their catalogues and buy some of their work and/or go to see them live! Whatever you can do, it all helps fight back the forces of wackness... Comments[0] |
Sun, 17 January 2010  "Weapons of mass percussion." - Invincible Happy New Year! Welcome to the first episode of the decade, 50+ minutes of audio gems for your headphones, car, shop... Big event of the month has unfortunately been the tragic earthquake in Haiti - if you have a little spare cash, please donate to any of the many organisations trying to help out there. Playlist/Notes Fugees ft. A Tribe Called Quest, Forte & Busta Rhymes : Rumble In The Jungle One of those tracks which did make noise even commercially right when it came out but then seemed to disappear altogether; very underrated track as far as I'm concerned. Sample is of course Abba's "Name Of The Game" - I heard somewhere that this was the first time they ever cleared a sample, so the Fugees beat Madonna to the punch on that by a long way :o) Mobb Deep : Extortion (Instrumental)Havoc on production on this instrumental of the track from the "Hell On Earth" album. Portishead : Revenge Of The NumberI know hardly anyone listening knows this one :o) Top remix of Portishead's "Numb" (so the title isn't pronounced how it looks) from the Rebirth Of Cool Phive album, also on the B-Side of the "Numb" 12" I think. The original is great and so's this...I wouldn't necessarily say better but different and just as good. Nas : Book Of RhymesAn underrated gem from the "God's Son" album, Alchemist on production. I don't know if these are definitely rejected rhymes or not, but I love the idea and execution, right down to the sounds of flipping pages. The 'new' verse where he talks about being jealous of his baby daughter is gold. Mos Def/Pure P : Ms. Phat BootlegAs you can probably guess from the title, this is a remix of Mos Def's "Ms. Phat Booty," from Pure P's "On My New York Sh*t Pt.2" 12". A bit summery-sounding for the vicious cold weather we've had lately, but maybe that's a good thing... Air Adam : Relief (Instrumental)Something from my archives (originally titled "Seer" until Manchester singer Aileen wrote lyrics to it), keeping the vibe gentle for a few before turning up the heat on the next track! Ta'raach & Invincible : Bombs AwayFrom Waajeed's "War" LP on Fat City Recordings, big stomping track. Ta'raach is definitely dope on this but Invincible just smashes it with her mic time. Detroit come through with a winner. Marco Polo ft. Large Professor : The Radar (Remix)A thing of beauty - hardcore, unapologetic Hip-Hop. Hard drums, dope rhymes and some excellent cuts courtesy of DJ Linx who I've never heard before but whose name will certainly ring bells for me now. Attention music industry: more like this please! Kardinal Offishall : Husslin'Coming in from Toronto is the firestarter himself! He's a very underrated MC who has the ability to blend the Caribbean style with classic Hip-Hop and can hold his own on the mic with anyone; if you heard Episode 1, you'll have heard him sharing vocal duties with the incredible Pharoahe Monch, and in a situation where many MCs would have been annihilated he showed he belonged! If you can get a copy of "Firestarter Vol.1 : Quest For Fire" then pick one up - and if you can get vinyl instead of CD, they're worth a fair bit now... Tek : Nothing's Gonna ChangeGerrard C. Baker on production, for the record - not heard of him previously but this is on the B-side of the "Number 1 Sound" single - "G Walking" rounds out the selection of reggae-flavoured Hip-Hop on that essential 12". O$$ Bo$$ : Wu-TingDancehall riddim borrowing from ODB's "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and Wu-Tang's "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit." The vocal track on the other side of this 7" ("Camel" by Dolce & Gabbana) doesn't add anything at all to it truth be told, so the instrumental gets the nod - and usually gets a great reaction when I play it out! Slick Rick ft. Raekwon : FrozenFrom Rick's 1999 "The Art Of Storytelling" LP, his first full project after his release from prison in 1996 - it should be noted here that he was eventually given a full pardon. In the 80s he was fly and here...still the same! Raekwon guests on this and represents well - maybe after/if the rumoured Kool G Rap & Raekwon album happens, these two should do a project together? "We Will Rob You" was just a tease... (and as an aside, check out this video which came up in the same Youtube search, and watch from 20 seconds in - an inspiration maybe?) Ice Cube : Jackin' For BeatsI feel really old realising this tune is 20 years old this year! This is the first Hip-Hop track of this type I can remember, taking beats from popular Hip-Hop records of the time and stringing them together for this instrumental. The last beat is X-Clan's "Heed The Word Of The Brother," sampling Zapp's legendary "More Bounce To The Ounce" which was also famously used on... EPMD : You Gots To Chill...back in 1988. Nothing much to be said about this classic single but if you want a smile brought to your face, watch the video :o) They don't make 'em like that anymore! DSP ft. Chill Rob G : BullshitFrom DSP's "In The Red" album on Ninja Tune, only came across this recently despite it coming out in 2002 but there's some interesting stuff on there and this stood out for me - nice to hear Chill Rob G in the modern day! If you didn't know, he was badly ripped off on Snap's "The Power" - summary of the story here. Freddie Foxxx : Hey Ho (Instrumental)Oprah's favourite Hip-Hop track...well, maybe not! 2004 12" on Wildlife records, Amed on production and on the vocal version (which you can also find on the "Street Triumph" mixtape), the always-abrasive Freddie Foxxx aka Bumpy Knuckles on the mic. The 3rd Generation Band : Because Of Money1973 track from a Ghanaian army band, the African flavour is in full effect but you can here the influence of funk/soul of the time. I got this on a great compilation called "Ghana Soundz," if you're into something a bit different it's worth picking up! Remember, if you like any of the artists' work you hear then please try to support them in whatever way you can! Showing that the quality material has an audience willing to put their hands in their pockets to show support will help the constant struggle against the cheap knockoffs that currently take up the radio and TV time... Comments[4] |
Sat, 12 December 2009 
"Everybody else on the Earth don't exist."- Crooked I I suppose this is the Christmas episode, not that I've got any Christmas records to play! I did think about putting sleigh bell sounds behind some of the tunes but decided against ;o) Ah well, time to close out 2009 with this one, and looking forward to heading onwards and upwards for 2010! Playlist/Notes Camp Lo : Son Of A... Great
track - if a little short - from Camp Lo's new album "Another Heist,"
setting things off with a funk vibe. Ski is back on full-time
production for them on this album which will please many - personally,
I actually liked a good chunk of the Apple Juice Kid production they've
had lately (*ducks*) and I love the stuff they've done with Tribeca in
the past, hope he makes a return too! El Michels Affair : Glaciers Of Ice / Raekwon: Glaciers Of IceModern
funk maestros with a version of the classic Raekwon cut from the
original "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..." - this is taken from the album
"Enter the 37th Chamber" which is a collection of instrumental
interpretations of Wu-Tang tracks, definitely recommended - it's on
Spotify if anyone wants a listen! Ghostface Killah ft. Trife & Twiz : TheodoreI don't know if anyone else likes this track, but oh well :o) The bells, the bells... Genius : Words From A Genius (Prince Rakeem Remix)Yes, it's that
Genius, aka GZA from the Wu. This is the (almost) title track from his
first album "Words From The Genius" on Tommy Boy a couple of years
before the Clan emerged on the scene. I first heard this on Pete Tong's
Rap Selection on Radio 1 when it came out in 1991, taped it off that
show and loved it - with no idea of who this guy was or the huge impact
his crew would eventually make on the scene. And Prince Rakeem? For
those who don't know, that's the man better known as RZA, the producer
and prime mover behind the Wu-Tang movement! Termanology ft. Royce Da 5'9", Crooked I, Akrobatik, Consequence : The Music Industry (Remix) I said on the voiceover that Term is from Boston, but in fact he's from nearby Lawrence, Massachusetts - oops! Anyway, rarely do you see so many guests on a single track, or at least on one that's any good which this certainly is. Fizzy Womack of M.O.P is on production and Statik Selectah adds some very nice cuts. Patrice Rushen : Remind MeClassic
80s single from the multi-talented
singer/songwriter/pianist/composer/musical director - and it's been
sampled plenty of times. Even if you don't recognise her name, you may well know her hit "Forget Me Nots," famously sampled on Will
Smith's "Men In Black." Pharcyde : Drop (Instrumental)One of those "Dilla before everyone (including me) knew who he was" beats,
though that's not to say that when this came out everyone wasn't loving
it, and it still moves floors today. The video is also a classic - bit
of trivia, they actually had to rhyme all their lyrics backwards to
make it work visually, which is quite a feat! Shara Nelson : Friendly FireTitle track of the second solo album from the former Massive Attack vocal lead, if you see a copy it's definitely worth picking up! Tajai : Who Got It?Solo excursion for one of the Souls Of Mischief MCs, one of those B-sides I never get to play anywhere! Foreign Beggars : Black Hole Prophecies (Jehst's Wild Wild East Remix)A gem from down London town! While
there was a little run of American artists using Asian music samples, I
always thought it'd be more natural for UK producers to do it since we have
a large Asian population and you do hear the music a lot, depending on
where you live. Shout out to DJ Reptile of Assmatics who put me up on this track. Byata : Byata Is The IllestI think there's someone rhyming on here, but I'm not sure because my word, that beat is dominating!
DJ Premier on production for this absolute banger - it's also one of those
beats you couldn't mistake for having being done by anyone else (To be fair, Byata puts in a solid performance as the track goes on). I don't know much about her other than that she's of Russian descent and that she's apparently been on a Wu compilation; if she's done anything else like this, do let me know! Mark B & Blade ft. Phi Life Cypher : Ya Don't See The Signs (Phi Life Cypher Remix)I
think this is better than the original, which is how a remix should be;
the beat is much darker and Phi Life, as always, absolutely destroy their
verses and provide a complementary vocal textures to Blade - all three MCs
on this are hall-of-fame level when it comes to British Hip-Hop. Kool G Rap & Ma Barker : Bout That (Instrumental)Produced by VIC and Mike Heron of the Ghetto Pros, diggers extraordinaire! Jerry Beeks : Microphone MingusFrom the home of Hip-Hop! Coming out of the Bronx, Beeks shows the skills over production from Touche on this album cut from "The Crop Report." Still got some stuff we've done together stashed away in the vault, will let you hear some on a future episode if you eat your vegetables ;o) Roy Ayers : I Did It In SeattleFrom "Virgin Ubiquity", a collection
of unreleased recordings from the late 70s to early 80s. Picked this
one up on a day off work in a sale at King Bee Records down in
Chorlton, a familiar spot for Manchester diggers - if I'd not got there until the weekend, it'd have been looong gone! Roy Ayers is an amazing musician and his tracks have provided the backdrop for many a quality Hip-Hop release over the years so it's worth searching out whatever you can find. Royal Flush ft. Noreaga : What A ShamePS - I'm not sure what he did in Seattle! Mid
90s Queens thug flavour from Flush's "Ghetto Millionaire" album,
speaking on life locked up. Smooth track produced by EZ Elpee,
with the first verse and closing by Nore, who is famously a man
who knows of what he speaks... Kaze : Locked In Chains (Instrumental/Clean)Khrysis on the boards for this one, this is on the B-side of "Last Laugh" - the uncensored version is only on the "Spirit of '94:Version 9.0" album I think. Not heard much else by Kaze but he rips this one! Insight : Visual Audio (Instrumental)Even though I'm just playing the instrumental here, it must be noted that Insight is multi skilled - he's an MC, producer, DJ, does engineering I believe and I've heard he's a software developer! If he learns to take photos too, none of my jobs are safe... DJ Jazzy Jeff & Big Daddy Kane : The GardenOne of the standout tracks from Jeff's
second solo album "Return Of The Magnificent," and one of the very few five-star tracks on my iPod! A lot of people just
think of Jazzy Jeff as that guy that got thrown out of the house a lot
on "Fresh Prince," but as well as being a pioneering and influential DJ
he's a very gifted producer and has coached a lot of other
up-and-comers via his A Touch Of Jazz studio/company. A quick aside - I'm no expert but when I listen to the actual sonic quality of this track, I feel like there is nothing at all that could have been done better!
As I always say, if there are things on here you like please do search out other material from the artists, buy the best of it and even better, try and catch them playing live! Comments[0] |
Sun, 15 November 2009 
"Don't be shady, just pay me" - Roger Wow, it's been half a year already! It's a challenge to keep coming up with stuff but the feedback I get makes it all well worth the effort, especially when people are discovering something new. Anyway, let's have a look at this month's offering... Playlist/Notes Little Brother : Atari 2600 A very limited release 7" single out of the Justus League crew with a hilarious take on what a promotional piece for the vintage console would have sounded like if endorsed by RZA and a similarly vintage singer... Air Adam : Bench PressureA little beat I dug out from a few years ago; I did this in a Swedish hotel room on a little Korg Electribe ES-1 sampler, and as such it's on my "Swedish Hardcore" beat tape which I might make available sometime if people want it! Goldfrapp : You Never KnowI was really, really late on Goldfrapp but thanks to the wonders of the internet started checking them out and found some stuff I really liked on the "Supernature" album, including this track; the "We Are Glitter" remix project has some good tunes on it too. Alison Goldfrapp's voice and those synths go together nice like chicken and rice... Jay-Z : This Life ForeverNot a massively well known track by Jay, but I managed to pick this one up in a local charity shop on 12" - this is from the soundtrack to "Black Gangster," based on the Donald Goines book of the same title. Interestingly though I'm not sure the film was ever made - the soundtrack was done first with a view to making the film if it took off! The soulful backing track is provided by Ty Fyffe, someone who's not a huge name compared to many others but always seems to pop up with something good. Blak Twang : Real EstateA classic UK Hip-Hop single from 1996; Tony Rotton aka Blak Twang with a tough track about the runnings of the inner cities of the UK. It's our own State of the Nation Address, and it's nothing nice. Thirteen years later and a new government later, has anything really changed? Jacky Jasper ft. Roger Troutman : Mad GameIf there was a Devil, and he had a car with a big system and listened to Hip-Hop, he would play this on repeat - super dark production for real! I've played this tune for a few people and got great response, but no-one seems to have it or even have heard of it, so it was an obvious candidate for inclusion at some point. Turn it up! Black Moon : Buck 'em Down (Remix Instrumental)Took me a while to appreciate this in its own right after being such a fan of the original but this is a must-have 12" - if not for this, then the killer (no pun intended) B-Side "Murder MCs." Black Moon : Buck 'em Down (Original version)Grimy Brooklyn Hip-Hop from one of the great groups of the 90s. Perhaps besides the mighty "Who Got The Props?" this was my favourite track on "Enta Da Stage" and I played my vinyl copy of this every day for months... Rae & Christian ft. Veba : All I AskThis somehow didn't properly penetrate my consciousness when it first came out, but a couple of friends played it for me last year (shout out to The Mojos!) and this time I was ready; gorgeous track, if you close your eyes and turn the heating up it could make you believe it's summer...quite an achievement for a song coming out of the heart of rainy Manchester! DJ Quik ft. Mausberg & Raphael Saadiq : WellFrom the underrated (even by Quik) "Balance & Options" LP, a brilliant piece of laid back production with plenty of flourishes - instrumentation is courtesy of the South Central Philharmonic Orchestra. Cormega : Soul FoodA very different track from Cormega to the one I played last month ("No Equivalent"), I've been meaning to play this for a while and found a spot for it here. Erick Sermon : Hittin SwitchesBlast from the past - though it doesn't seem like that long ago! 1993 track from the "Who's The Man?" soundtrack which also ended up on Erick's debut solo "No Pressure." Craig Mack : Get Down (Q-Tip Remix Instrumental)Q-Tip is so well known as an MC (helped by his distinctive voice) that it's sometimes easy to forget his production work; in the early- to mid-90s he did some great beats outside A Tribe Called Quest, with the kind of smacking drums you often don't hear these days! Souls Of Mischief : MedicationSoM are best known for their incredible debut single "93 Til Infinity" but this is a great single from their "Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution" album with a different but yet somehow familiar sound. Their extended crew, The Hieroglyphics were not just ahead of their time with respect to their music but with their recognition of the potential of the Internet in promoting themselves and operating independently. Edgar Allen Floe : Floe Almighty (Desperado Remix)Excellent MC name :o) Anyway, when you twig to this tune it ought to smack you in the face how genius it is. On first listen I thought "hang on, did he just repeat the first verse?" - then the lightbulb went on and I gave him a mental standing ovation! Floe is part of the North Carolina Justus League collective and certainly shows some super MC powers on this track. Red Rat : 40 LegPicked this up in a big stack of reggae/dancehall 7" singles on eBay and it's a bit of a jewel to me - can't get enough of that Jamaica meets the Scottish Highlands flavour! I just have visions of a traditional pipe and drum band skanking along in a dancehall style... Ludacris : Southern Hospitality (Instrumental)Booming Neptunes production on this B-Side to "Area Codes" - almost forgot about this tune until I came across a used vinyl copy! DJ Revolution & KRS-ONE : The DJGets bonus points for (coincidentally) using a line I once did a T-shirt design for - "A DJ is not a jukebox!" On the spiritual sequel to his 1996 track "The MC" from the "I Got Next" album the legendary KRS-ONE (for those that don't know - "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone") breaks down the proper place and conduct of the DJ, with particular respect to the culture of Hip-Hop which was of course started by DJs - rhyming came along later, not that you'd think it looking around these days! One of his central points is that it's the job of the DJ to break music to the people, not to just reflect what they think they want to hear - in some small way, I'd like to think this podcast honours that. Comments[2] |
Thu, 15 October 2009  "I love this game." - Cormega This is the first month I've had to go into my boxes of cassettes to find a particular tune for you, hence the title of this episode! Thanks to the wonders of modern technology I recorded it into my computer and can manipulate the sound with the turntables via Serato - very space age. Ironically, I think this is the first episode which isn't quite short enough to go on one side of a tape... I've got a bit of a bad cold this month, but have tried to do a decent job on the voiceovers - bear with me! Playlist/Notes Count Bass D : Junkies One of the best all-round musical talents in Hip-Hop, shout out to Mathmatics for putting me up on him back when the "Dwight Spitz" album came out. Paul Wall : Sittin' Sidewayz (Inst)Yes, this is one of my all-time favourite beats. Most people think immediately of the huge bassline as the main focus but I actually think the track is centred around the little bluesy guitar riff - have a listen and see what you think! The Cool Kids : Black MagsBefore this record, there were acute shortages of Hip-Hop tracks about BMX bikes. Problem solved :o) Massive Attack : Inertia CreepsI was really late on these guys, and while not all of their stuff is to my liking this tune is very heavy - deceptive in its simplicity I think! From the "Mezzanine" album. Piece of background trivia, as told by producer Neil Davidge - apparently the guys used to carry tape recorders everywhere and record whatever might be interesting; this track is based around a snatch of a recording from a Turkish (or was it Moroccan?) market - you can hear it bare just before the main beat comes in. Cormega ft. Tragedy Khadafi : No EquivalentI read someone on a message board recently say that Cormega is "too manly for this generation", which made me smile - I think a better way to describe him is "no-frills" - he's steadily worked at his craft for years, doesn't have a gimmick and gives a great interview. This is from the Special Edition pack of "The Realness" and "The True Meaning" - which is a top notch album. Camp Lo : World HeistLow key headnodder from the Bronx slang-editorialising, diamond heisting, 70s dressing duo; from the B-side of their first single "Coolie High" which is of course a classic - run to hear it right now if you never have before! Shyne : More Or Less (Inst)Fierce instrumental, produced by Kanye West in his pre-"College Dropout" years. The original version of this track was called "When I Die" - not sure why it was changed for its appearance on the "Godfather Buried Alive" album but the dubbing over of the hook was pretty weak... Roc Raida : One Man BandRIP Grandmaster Roc Raida. Check out his title-winning performance here. Michael Jackson : Sunset DriverUnreleased track from the "Off The Wall" sessions - I don't know how this didn't make the album, but this offcut is fifty times better than a lot of other peoples' best track. Zapp : I Can Make You DanceIt's true, you know. Just one of Zapp/Roger Troutman's killer dancefloor movers. For a funny sampling of this, check out Compton's Most Wanted's "I Don't Dance." As it happens, that tune is really danceable as well! Gap Band : Beep A FreakPS "You dance in the morning when you eat your cornflakes" - lyrics. Wilson, Wilson & Wilson with a treatise on communication problems in male-female relationships circa 1984. Orbital : InitiationI had to convert this from tape - the version on the "Gap Band VI" vinyl is better sound quality of course but a quite different mix, and the beeper noise runs through the entire song and would have driven a lot of you mad... From their 2003 soundtrack to a film called "Octane" - I only found out about this record a few weeks ago myself! Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five : The TruthTaking it old skool for a minute. Note to youngsters - Pete Rock, Biggie, and Tribe are not old skool. This is definitely one of my favourite F5 tracks, tough tough tough! I've never heard anyone else mention it until I found a fellow appreciater on this blog. Eric B & Rakim : I Know You Got SoulOne of their best known tracks of course, playing this one as a special request for the man Mr Mari - enjoy! EPMD : The Big PaybackEPMD (Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith, for those who don't know) are without doubt one of the greatest MC duos of all time and this is probably my favourite track from the 1989 "Unfinished Business" album, although "Get The Bozack" is another killer on there which unlike this was never a single. Zero 7 : Light Blue MoversThis was on the vinyl of the single "Somersault" and is just an irresistible head-nodder; that bassline just sticks in your head. Raekwon : Canal StreetFor the Manchester listeners - no, not the Canal Street in the Village... The "Cuban Linx Pt.II" album has barely been out of my car stereo since it was released and this is one of the many gems on it - if I hadn't played this, it would probably have been "Surgical Gloves" which is one of the most relentlessly evil beats I've heard in a long time (courtesy of The Alchemist), with Raekwon on the mic coming off almost MF DOOM-ish. As for this, it feels like it came out of a 70s crime film soundtrack, and in a world of autotune and snap beats, thank goodness someone is making tracks like this! Comments[3] |
Fri, 11 September 2009  "Sometimes you gotta do right." - Garrett Been an interesting month, from hanging out with the guys at Non-Stop sneaker store in Madrid to playing at the first night of Neighbourhood for a top crowd - oh, and assembling this of course! Still not used to the sound of my own voice on the voice-overs, maybe I should just prepare statements and have them read by a lawyer? :o)As Columbo would say, "just one more thing" - after many years of waiting, Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Part II" is finally out this month - do yourself a favour and grab a copy! Playlist/Notes Natural Elements : Paper Chase 2005 Natural Elements are some of the most talented MCs you'll hear in your life; unfortunately, record company politics meant they never quite got a fair shake. This track is one I personally like (which of course is why it's on here) but it's not even their very best work...find everything you can they've ever been on! Jan Hammer : Tubbs & ValerieFrom the "Escape From Television" album, made up of music taken from Hammer's brilliant work on the "Miami Vice" TV series. Everyone knows "Crockett's Theme" and the TV show theme, but this album is well worth picking up. Reks : Say GoodnightSpacey DJ Premier beat (but with the usual rock-hard drums), and Reks doesn't waste it! Apani B-Fly Emcee : EstragenThat third verse has multiple MCs on it and goes on for a while so I cut it short this time; the full list of guests for the whole track is (deep breath) - Lyric, Helixx C. Armageddon, Ayana Soyini, What? What?, Pri Da Honey Dark, Yejide The Night Queen, and Heroine. Chuck D : NoOf course, Chuck D is one of the elder statesmen of Hip-Hop (and has been since he started - released the first Public Enemy album at 27) and can always be counted on to bring an adult voice to proceedings - literally and figuratively. Above The Law : Harda U R Tha Doppa U FaalSeriously overlooked crew from Pomona, California, these guys spent years in the metaphorical forest smashing down every tree in sight, but with not enough people to hear the sound. They were doing the G-Funk sound before Dr.Dre, Cold 187 and KMG were a fantastically complementary mic tag team and overall they were just ahead of their time. This is one of those album tracks which I love but have never heard mentioned anywhere, ever. 9th Wonder : Unreleased InstrumentalAllegedly "Volume 3, Beat 5" on a bootleg-looking pressing. If this has been used, let me know! Brand New Heavies ft. Q-Tip : Sometimes (Ummah Remix)Common ft. Erykah Badu, Pharrell & Q-Tip: Come Close Remix (Closer) ft. Dilla (& Q-Tip) double bill! Two of his best smoothed-out remixes - but *do not* sleep on the bassline of that Common track. Try it out on a decent car system if you have one! It's worth noting is that there's also a Dilla remix of BNH's "Saturday Night" which is serious dancefloor business. The Away Team : Scream Out!The Away Team are Justus League affiliates out of North Carolina, made up of Khrysis (producer) and Sean Boog (MC). I found this online while browsing around for Sean Price stuff I hadn't heard (he features on the same album this track is from, "Training Day") - this plus the track "Awesome" had me ordering a copy the same night! Gang Starr ft. WC & Rakim : The Militia IIJust one thing though - "month" and "us" do not rhyme... The original was a classic of course (with the killer Bumpy Knuckles third verse) but this is a worthy sequel; solid Primo beat and three quality verses. Torae : SwitchKiller "impersonation" track where Torae takes on the flow of a different MC every 4 bars; some of them are absolutely dead on! Can anyone name them all? J-Zone : Prima Donna (Instrumental)J-Zone is one of the most original, inventive producers out there as well as a highly entertaining MC. He doesn't actually rhyme himself on the vocal version of this but do seek out his stuff if you like good music and have a sense of humour :o) Tommy Tee : AerosoulOne of the standout tracks from Bomb Records' "Return Of The DJ Vol II" - not a super-technical turntablist track but a great piece of production with solid, tight scratching and excellent choices of samples. If you do hear anything you especially like then do get in touch and let me know, and please support the artists - find more output of theirs on Spotify to get a feel for it, go to live shows if you can (that's where they really get paid) and buy the stuff you like the most! Comments[2] |
Thu, 10 September 2009 
Neighbourhood The place: Saki Bar, Wilmslow Road, Manchester The time: First Friday every month, 9pm-3am The tax: £4 before 11pm, £5 after Facebook group: http://groups.to/neighbourhood There's a new night starting up in Manchester, bringing the finest in Hip-Hop, Reggae, Funk & Dub on the first Friday every month! It's split over two floors - "The Block" and "Yard", each taking turns to bring in a headline act in the appropriate style. We're all about finding the best talent even where that means not going for the biggest name, and above all creating an environment for the good party vibes! The resident DJ lineup is one of the strongest you'll find, including; Joe W - Mind On Fire band member and organiser http://www.mindonfire.co.uk Myself; Air Adam - Family Gathering/Assmatics http://airadam.com DJ Mischief - The Pinch / MyFirstMoth Records http://www.myfirstmoth.co.uk Ed Speed - Dub Smugglers Sound System http://www.dubsmugglers.com/ Louis Longshot – Drum Music/Longshot http://www.longshotsoundsystem.com http://www.drummusic.org Omas – At Large http://www.myspace.com/atlargeprodu Next party is Friday October 2nd, with MEGA RAS and WIZZY DAN headlining for Yard; come down and party with us! Category: general -- posted at: 7:34 PM Comments[0] |
Wed, 12 August 2009 
This episode's title is a quote from "At War" by Snowgoons - it's been tickling me since I heard it a few months ago :o) Anyway, here's another podcast of audio goodness for you, just about the right size to fit one side of a cassette if you're so inclined...hope you all make some discoveries this month, let me know what you think. Quick mention - thanks to Coxy's Blog for the article on the podcast last month! Playlist/Notes Chic : Sometimes You Win Quality album cut from the "C'est Chic" LP. Five Deez : Latitude (Instrumental) Lisa Shaw : It's Been Awhile There's a real clarity to her voice which I love; this is from her first album "Cherry" which is excellent, and the new album "Free" is out at last - definitely worth checking out. Ice Cube ft. Das EFX : Check Yo Self ("The Message" Remix)Am I the only one who remembers that the very end of the video for "It Was A Good Day" lead into the start of the video for this one? Top idea. This was in the days of only seeing stuff at a friend's house on "Yo! MTV Raps" though, so I only saw it once or twice myself. However, thanks to the joys of modern technology, someone's put them together for your retro viewing pleasure! DJ Quik & Kurupt : Do You Know? This is from the recent collaboration album "BlaQKout," which isn't consistent all the way through but there are definitely some serious high points, of which this is one - and you know with Quik on production that there'll be some originality coming to the table. Sadat X : The InterviewI think I heard this on Radio 1 (on Westwood's show when he still played good stuff) before the "Wild Cowboys" album came out and spent a lot of time rewinding my taped-off-the-radio copy until I got a better one! DJ Spinna : Spirit Of '94 From the B-side of the "Dillagence" 7" Jedi Mind Tricks : Monolith Zion I : Inner Light (Icey Mix) This is from their first album, "Mind Over Matter." Zion I are a very interesting group; they're always musically and lyrically interesting and inventive and have managed to carve out a very respectable multi-album career despite not been widely known in many circles; do seek out their stuff. Redman : SyrinxAmerican Cream Team : It's Not A Game (Inst) Slum Village : Conant Gardens A dedication for Titus "Baatin" Glover. Mark B & Blade ft. Rodney P : We Stay RoughTwo British Hip-Hop veterans on the mic here. Trivia for those who don't know: when Blade wanted to put out his first LP, he didn't have the money to record and press it, so he appealed for people to order it in advance of it even being made, and they did - mailing him the money strictly on trust. He got the album done, sent all the pre-ordered copies out and thanked all those people individually in the liner notes! Pumpkinhead ft. Archrival : SwordfishSkhool Yard (sic) : Here We Come (Inst) Phi-Life Cypher : ABC Top-notch verbal onslaught; after you pick your jaw back up off the floor, have a look at the lyrics written out here. They've made some mistakes transcribing it but it seems like all the lyric sites have just copy/pasted from each other so they're all just as bad! If you do hear anything you especially like then do get in touch and let me know, and please support the artists - find more output of theirs on Spotify to get a feel for it, go to live shows if you can (that's where they really get paid) and buy the stuff you like the most! Comments[2] |
Sun, 12 July 2009  Hi, I got a really good response to the first episode (thanks everyone!) so here we go with the second; you can expect a new one every month. I'll be aiming to keep it an easily digestible size every time, and to make it something to look forward to! Can't let this post go by without wishing Michael Jackson a peaceful journey - that was definitely one of those "where were you when you heard?" moments. I just had to include one of his tracks this time around... Playlist/Notes Peanut Butter Wolf ft. Encore : The Undercover Not a club tune; definitely glad to get a chance to play this one as it'd been on the shelf for years. Hammadi : Love To The WorldQ-Tip : Dance On Glass Coppershot : Hesitate Chester Copperpot with LongShot on the mic (see what they did there?) De La Soul : Respect Originally available on the Japanese release of the "The Impossible: Mission TV - Pt. 1" compilation of unreleased tracks, though this is on a 12" press. Erick Sermon : Music (Instrumental)Mobb Deep : Clap (Instrumental) The "Infamy" album wasn't a popular one but when the weather turns cold and the nights get longer, this is an essential headphone track. Kombo ft. Krondon : The WriteI got this 12" for 99p without even listening to it - winner. The other side, "Sands Of Time" is excellent too, though much more laid back. Rakim : New York (Ya Out There?)From the post-Eric B "The 18th Letter" LP, DJ Premier on the production for some classic boom-bap. Mic Geronimo : UnstoppableThe "Vendetta" album wasn't all that but this track cannot be denied. Anita Baker : How Does It Feel?From the 2004 "My Everything" album on Blue Note; definitely one of my favourite female vocalists, and the title links nicely with the next vocal track in the mix... Nas : The World Is Yours (Tip Mix Instrumental)Michael Jackson : Stranger In Moscow JS-1 : Move Like This (Instrumental) Foreign Exchange : Theme AZ : Sugar Hill (Remix Instrumental) N.O.R.E : Cocaine Cowboys Dark and bright all at the same time, this killer track has been getting a lot of play on my iPod lately; the documentary of the same name is well worth checking too, I got it for £4 on DVD the other day. If you do hear anything you especially like do let me know, and please support the artists - find more output of theirs on Spotify to get a feel for it, go to live shows if you can (that's where they really get paid) and buy the stuff you like the most! Comments[4] |
Tue, 16 June 2009  So without further ado, here's the first episode! Hope you enjoy it - do leave comments! Playlist DJ Spinna : Nostalgia Large Pro : 'Maica Living Zero 7 : You're My Flame (Dabrye Remix) Dela ft. Talib Kweli : Long Life Jean Michel Jarre : Oxygene 2 Jake One w/ Pharoahe Monche & Kardinal Offishal : Hurt Platinum Pied Pipers : Shotgun (Inst) Torae, Marco Polo, Masta Ace & Sean Price : Hold Up Nas : Where Are They Now? (90s Remix) Black Ivory : I Keep Asking You Questions Prodigy & Alchemist : Return Of The Mac (Inst) Jerry Beeks & Air Adam : Back To England (Part 2) Slum Village : Climax (Inst) Kool G Rap & Polo : Cars Gary Numan : Cars J Dilla : Trucks Comments[10] |
