Dec 29, 2010
"My attitude is celibate...I just don't give a f**k"
- Kriminul
Here we are at the end of 2010, and for the first time ever the
podcast features a special guest! Danny Drive Thru is a
Manchester producer and DJ who has what can only be described as a
burning passion for music as well as a bucketful of talent. I met
him a few years ago at the scratch workshop A Kut Above The Rest
where he was already ferocious on the turntables but in the years
since then his production knowledge has really come along as well.
He's not only released solo material but has been drafted in by
names like Sneaky (Fingathing) and
Chima Anya to bring his
special flavour, and he's kindly come in for a chat and brought
along a few tracks for us to hear!
You can keep up with Drive Thru on Soundcloud and
on Twitter - good
things coming for 2011!
Apologies for the voiceover sound quality; I know the volume moves around a bit, but it was tough for us to both work around the one mic setup!
PS - the very fly "Boomboxatron" t-shirt in the photo was designed by Selina from Jelly Empire :o)
Playlist/Notes
Danny Drive Thru : Virtua Rap
We kick things off with a track from this month's guest, what can only have been a painstaking piece of work. This track was premiered at last year's C'mon Feet Xmas Party, and everyone (including me) lost their minds! Drive Thru had already made some noise with his "Virtua Ante Up," and this tune just took the concept to the level where no-one else should even attempt to do anything like it. Good way to open the proceedings!
For those that don't know, the tracks being versioned here are; "Simon Says" by Pharoahe Monch, "Full Clip" by Gang Starr and "Shook Ones, Pt.2" by Mobb Deep - three certified classics!
Air Adam : 1-Up
Just keeping things on a similar sonic vibe with this one; I did this track a few years ago for the Game Over graffiti crew strictly using sounds from old 80s arcade machines! I keep wondering whether or not to get an MC on this one...
Erick Sermon : Stay Real (Remix)
90s business! Not too many people seem to know this remix but it's classic Erick Sermon, reworking a track from his first solo album "No Pressure." I think I first heard this back in Leeds on a wicked DJ P-Wiz aka Oddball (formerly of Breaking The Illusion) mixtape, so it brought back memories to pull it out for this episode.
Otis Jackson : It's All The Same (Hip-Hop Version)
Remixed soul number for you; Otis Jackson is famously (well, amongst record geeks) the father of Madlib and Oh No, and it's Oh No who brings the remix flavour on this single. Isn't family a wonderful thing? The other side of this 12" has a version labelled as the "R&B version" which I think is actually better, but wouldn't have fit into this spot!
GZA ft. D'Angelo : Cold World (RZA Remix)
Very appropriate for the current conditions! Coming back with another 90s remix, this time from the Wu's big power streak of monster solo LPs. This particular version is the A-side of the "Cold World (Remix)" 12", which also includes a mix by the legendary engineer Bob Power and the brilliant "B.I.B.L.E (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)" by Killah Priest.
1982 (Termanology & Statik Selektah) : Word Up
This is taken from their smile-worthy free EP which you should be dashing to another window to download right now! The combination of these two has been very fruitful in terms of quality material, and I hope it's something that continues into the future!
Danny Drive Thru : Hound
The man's back again with a warped bluesy beat, showing how he likes to get dark and dense with the sound. This beat is available for any MC who thinks they can tame it - get in touch via his Soundcloud if you're interested!
1982 (Termanology & Statik Selektah) ft. Bun B & Masspike Miles : You Should Go Home
One of the tunes I've played a lot lately; I just couldn't resist having two tunes by these guys this month. An added bonus is the great guest verse by the Port Arthur, Texas legend Bun B of UGK (who has worked with Termanology previously on "This Is How We Rock" and the hook by Boston vocalist Masspike is good enough to make me wish I had the skills to sing along :o) Probably the most obvious choice for a single on the album, but also one of the best tracks on there regardless.
Larry Gold & Carol Riddick : Loving You
Larry Gold is a legendary string arranger as well as a cellist and producer, known and respected for his work for everyone from McFadden & Whitehead and Teddy Pendergrass to Mary J. Blige and Kanye West. Carol Riddick is a Philadelphia born-and-raised soul singer who has brought her magic touch to artists like Jill Scott and Musiq, as well as her own material. The two combine on this gorgeous track from the "Larry Gold presents Don Cello & Friends" album; you've got to like this, no matter how hard you are!
DMP : Don't Wanna Give That Up
Virginia in the house! Been meaning to play this for aaages! Nottz' production on this is nice and silky, and the lyrics are fairly decent but I think they should have kept the metaphor going for a while longer before revealing the real subject of the track; for me, it becomes obvious too quickly. Still, maybe I'm grading harshly - good tune.
Marvin Gaye : "T" Stands For Trouble
If you know your 90s Hip-Hop, you might recognise a sample here, and either way, you've got to appreciate the quality of this killer instrumental soundtrack cut. If you don't know about Marvin Gaye at all, you should probably go stand in the corner and think about what you did. Anyway, I've mostly been playing the "Here, My Dear" album this month but this is from his top-class "Trouble Man" soundtrack - do yourself a favour and buy both.
Danny Drive Thru : Eclipsemoonsun
Another instrumental from this month's guest, and funnily enough we also had a lunar eclipse this month! Once again, available for MCs, get in touch with Danny if you're interested.
Blahzay Blahzay ft. Ol' Dirty Bastard : Danger 2004
No-one seems to know this remix - I've played it out a few times but sometimes it's hard to appreciate a track for the first time when you've had a few drinks, so hopefully you'll enjoy it here! ODB was famously sampled on the legendary hook of the original and so it's fitting to have him on this version; can't even remember where I found the vinyl but it's a treasured piece, just that extra bass is worth the price of admission!
Jigmastas : Let Me Hear It
Yes please! This tune's on the Tommy Boy Black Label "Hip Hop 101" compilation which is where I first encountered it, but a little shopping trip in London uncovered it on a 12" - the instrumental will definitely come in handy! As usual with Jigmastas, DJ Spinna is on production and the bassline master brings a bouncy, squelchy low end and some cracking drums to this one for Kriminul to effortlessly ride over.
Doujah Raze : Irish Cream
Unashamed, straightforward, dope Hip-Hop, 2002 banger. Can't remember where I heard this first (probably on a download) but have had the 12" for a while and think it's one that every Hip-Hop DJ should have, even though it's not well known. Doujah Raze is a Virginian MC who's worked with Tribeca which is how I think I was introduced to him, and he just has a really confident flow on here. Production here is handled by someone called Rollen Salvenera; never heard of him before or since, but he smacks it out of the park and the scratching at the end is just ridiculous - I made a conscious decision not to even mix over it just so you could hear it as he intended!
Big Twan : One Time 4 The Lyricist
Love this - Spinna on production, hard vocals, and that Raekwon sample in the hook just completes it. This 12" is also worth owning for the wicked "Hellgate Rebel" which features Big Kwam on the mic and Tony Vegas of Scratch Perverts on the cut.
Alchemist ft. Twin : Big T.W.I.N.S (Instrumental)
Hard beat on this Mobb-connected number, Danny's next to me saying he's now amped up to go and make some beats that sound rugged like this one!
Chima Anya : Good Lord (produced by Danny Drive Thru)
This is a draft version, but Danny's kindly brought this along for you guys to have the first listen!
Remember to support the artists! If there's anything you like here, search out more of their material and try to buy the stuff you like the most - whatever the format! Seeing the artists live whenever they're in your area is probably the best way to put money in their pocket, so if you can stretch to it in these recessionary times then that's a winner :o) If you have Spotify in your country, it's a great way to familiarise yourself with a vast sea of tunes...
