Jan 30, 2018
"Making the most of the moment 'mong the living."
- Glenn Lewis
Apparently, it's not just me that feels like it's been a very long January indeed. That said, it didn't feel long while I was trying to decide what tracks to play!
Here's the upcoming J Dilla tribute night in Manchester - February 22nd, hope to see you there!
If you want one of the limited run of "Manchester Marauders" t-shirts, check out Eastern Bloc Records in Manchester
Twitter : @airadam13
Playlist/Notes
Run The Jewels ft. Zack De La Rocha : Kill Your Masters
The second movement in the two-part track "A Report To The Shareholders/Kill Your Masters", this is a heavy-duty number to end the "Run The Jewels 3" album - straight revolution music. With that in mind, the Rage Against The Machine frontman is a fitting choice to come in and guest.
Agallah : Morgue Music
Brownsville's Agallah is always working on something. For a selection of his MPC work sans vocals, check this 2014 mixtape of his instrumentals.
Camp Lo : It's Cold
It is indeed. Anyway, this is a headphone and car system favourite with a real midnight creep vibe thanks to the beat from Ski. Cheeba and Geechi are on their usual slang-heavy verbal manipulation all over this one, with the only break being the hook, which is maybe a little spare. The "Ragtime Hightimes" album is somehow almost three years old already, but still gets play regularly over here.
Maffew Ragazino : Snowing In Jerusalem
I came across this one a week or so ago and when the bass hit at the start of the first verse I was sold right there! New York street talk courtesy of Ragazino with production by Switzerland's Sebb Bash on this 2016 single release. I did have to smile at the expression "gee willikers" on the hook, given that there's no restriction on being profane elsewhere on the cut! :)
Apollo Brown & Skyzoo ft. Stalley : Payout
"The Easy Truth" album was a solid release from Apollo and Skyzoo, tunes to contemplate with the headphones on. The struggle and the quest for just a little more is a topic many MCs can draw on, and Skyzoo does so with skill here alongside Stalley.
O.C. : Going Nowhere
O.C. came into the game calling out shallow, image-driven nonsense, and on his fifth album ("Smoke and Mirrors") he's not done by a long chalk. Mike Loe's soulful beat is the perfect backdrop for O.C. to contrast himself against the fake and make a call for higher standards; as relevant now as back in 2005.
1983FILM : セクシーな溝市
Ok, this one is just weird, but the low end does hit decently! This is an example of "vaporwave", a genre best described by someone else in more detail than I could here. Some I like, some I just can't deal with at all - but I do enjoy the 80s influence and samples!
3rd Bass : Steppin' To The A.M.
At the very tail end of the 80s, 3rd Bass released their "The Cactus Al/bum" (or "Cee/D" or "Cass/ette", depending on the format you bought) on Def Jam, and this is our first visit to an LP that was among the first in my collection. The Bomb Squad (the Shocklee brothers, Chuck D, Eric Sadler, Terminator X, and co.) produced this one, which should rouse anyone who's physically able to bust a few moves :) Trivia note: pay close attention and you'll notice that they refer to themselves at one point by their group's original name, "Three The Hard Way". Also, if you play this podcast at precisely 23:38 and 27 seconds, the bells will come on at midnight...
Ilajide : Do It Again
One of the best young artists out there, the primary producer behind Clear Soul Forces (and a skilled MC to boot) gets busy with a short but infectious number based around a classic funk break. His debut solo album "Heet Tape" is well worth adding to your collection.
Showbiz & A.G. : Soul Clap
Coming back with that same break again, we go with a classic tune that brought it to the attention of many. The title track from the debut Showbiz & A.G. EP (with an edited version on the "Runaway Slave" album is an early-90s monster, with A.G. taking the reins on the mic and Showbiz co-producing with Diamond D. This is a great piece of work from the Diggin' In The Crates crew in the early days.
Styles P : Soul Clap
Ah, another kind of clap. Styles P of The Lox/D-Block thugs it all the way out on DJ Shok's "Soul Vibrations"-sampling beat, complete with firearm accompaniment on the hook. I don't know if this tune from "A Gangster and a Gentleman" was big in The Tunnel, but it sounds like it should have been!
[Nick Fury] Jigmastas : Stones (Instrumental)
The vocal version of this was on the podcast all the way back on episode 16, so I thought it was a long enough break before coming back for us to hear Nick Fury's killer beat again!
Sadat X : The Bass Player
This has been a rewind favourite over the last month, though it's not a track that's just been released. It's great to see that an artist who was getting his start when I was in my early high school years is still recording and putting out quality albums to the present day. 2016's "Agua" is the source of this Beatminerz-produced heater.
De La Soul ft. Glenn Lewis : Am I Worth You?
I just realised how much the bassline here is reminiscent of "U Can Do (Life)" from the "Art Official Intelligence : Mosaic Thump" album, the intro to which is the source for this podcast's own intro! Given the topic, and the fact that Supa Dave West produced both, the similarity may very well be intentional. There's another track on "AOI : Bionix" which we'll definitely play in the future, but this is a great sample of the work on there.
Tall Black Guy Productions : The_Time (I Need)
Went back to the "Mini Therapy Chops" series for this one, the signature low-end bump combined with a little spaciness over the top.
The Mouse Outfit ft. Dubbul O and Sparkz : Slicker Than Average
A single-only release from a few years ago, with two excellent Manchester MCs on a track that manages to be laid-back and fairly uptempo at the same time, thanks to the production skills of The Mouse Outfit and the guest instrumentalists Andy Byrne and Ashley Henry.
Grap Luva : West Side Highway
From the "Neva Done" EP, Grap displays some of that Phillips family talent, with a beat that definitely has a dash of Pete Rock influence but is still distinct in style.
Phi Life Cypher ft. Skit Slam : The Three
It's a real shame that Phi Life Cypher are no longer together - Si Phili and Life are a ferocious rhyming combination. It takes a brave man to step on the track with them, but Skit Slam does so here, as on the rest of the collaborative "Higher Forces" album. Battering bars from start to finish (and I do like the finish) on DJ Nappa's instrumental.
Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!
