Thursday, February 28, 2019

Album Review : Champ MC - Ghetto Flava - 1994




From The Source - September 1994 - Scan courtesy of Frederic Thecle 












Blacktivity - #UNCIVILLEFTS - 2019




Brand new project released by the Pittsburgh producer Shade Cobain and Michigan emcee Ill-Tone better known as Blacktivity.

"This album particular is about the problems of black communities & self awareness. The entire album is not a history lesson but weaves in topics that one may have to ask himself to be at his best to figure things out to avoid repeating past failures. 
Social injustices, prejudice, racial issues & situations we witness on a daily basis by an authority, at the same time painting the African man as a menace to society not knowing what we contributed to society. 
Once Shade came up with Uncivil Rights, I immediately started thinking about what was happening around us & who it was happening to. Around the time of all the #BLACKLIVESMATTER movement & all that shit was going on. I also looked around at the message being presented by the mainstream rappers and it all looks & sounds like coonery! Not at all trying to add some intelligence. Products of the environment. " - Ill Tone


01 - Intro 
02 - Ascension
03 - Been Woke
04 - Africa (Interlude)
05 - Black boy
06 - Fire Drill
07 - Frankenstein
08 - God Rap
09 - I Got a Question
10 - Black Power (Interlude)
11 - Just Enough
12 - Noght Of The Living
13 - Sex Thoughts
14 - The Hang Over
15 - Black Consciousness (Interlude)
16 - The System
17 - They Hate Us







Listen to the full album Here  

De La Soul '3 Feet High and Rising' 30th Anniversary Mixtape




"On March 3rd 1989, De La Soul released their critically acclaimed debut album and Hip Hop music changed forever. At a time when samples of James Brown and breakbeat staples ruled supreme, De La Soul production partner Prince Paul cast the net far wider, snatching up snippets of vintage Soul, Rock n Roll, Disco, Spoken Word and children's records to create a collage the likes of which had not been heard before. Lyrically, the album married zany humor, real life observations and social commentary. Released less than a year after NWA's ground breaking 'Straight Outta Compton' and Public Enemy's politically charged opus 'It Takes A Nation of Millions', '3 Feet High and Rising' offered a light hearted counterpoint to harder edged sounds emerging on both coasts.
In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of this classic LP, we've teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape of album tracks, sample material, alt versions, interview snippets and more, mixed by Chris Read." - WhoSampled 







1. Kermit Schafer - Side 3 [Extract] (sampled in 'Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)')
2. Steve Miller Band - Take the Money and Run [Loop] (sampled in 'Jenifa Taught Me')
3. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band - Hard Times [Loop] (sampled in 'Ain't Hip to Be Labelled a Hippie')
4. Chris Read - Theme #3 (Scratchapella)
5. Liberace - Chopticks Live at Carnegie Hall (Sampled in 'Plug Tunin')
6. De La Soul - Intro
7. The Turtles - You Showed Me (sampled in 'Transmitting Live From Mars')
8. De La Soul TV Feature 1989 [Extract]
9. Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude (sampled in 'Transmiting Live From Mars')
10. De La Soul TV Interview 1989 [Extract]
11. De La Soul - Transmitting Live From Mars
12. Barry White - I'm Gonna Love You A Little Bit More (sampled in 'De La Orgee')
13. De La Soul - De La Orgee
14. Manzel - Midnight Theme [Loop] (sampled in 'Description')
15. Sly & The Family Stone - Poet (sampled in 'Description')
16. De La Soul - Description
17. The Invitations - Written On The Wall (sampled in 'Plug Tunin')
18. Bar Kays - Son of Shaft (Live) [Extract] (sampled in 'Plug Tunin')
19. De La Soul - Plug Tunin'
20. Billy Joel - Stiletto (sampled in Plug Tunin')
21. Melvin Bliss - Synthetic Substitution (sampled in 'Pothles in My Lawn')
22. Eric Burdon & War - Magic Mountain (sampled in 'Potholes in My Lawn')
23. Brother Soul - Cookies [Extract] (sampled in 'Potholes in My Lawn')
24. Parliament - Little Old Country Boy (sampled in 'Potholes in My Lawn')
25. De La Soul - Potholes In My Lawn
25. Average White Band - School Boy Crush (sampled in 'D.A.I.S.Y Age')
36. De La Soul - D.A.I.S.Y Age
37. The Rascals - My World (sampled in 'D.A.I.S.Y Age')
38. Bo Diddley - Hit or Miss (sampled in 'Buddy')
39. The Commodores - Girl I Think the World About You (sampled in 'Buddy')
40. De La Soul feat Jungle Brothers & Q-Tip - Buddy
41. Taana Gardner - Heartbeat (sampled in 'Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)')
42. Freedom - Get Up and Dance [Extract] (sampled in 'Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)')
43. Bob James - Take Me To The Mardi Gras [Extract] (sampled in 'Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)')
44. De La Soul feat Jungle Brothers, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah and Monie Love - Buddy (Native Tongue Decision)
45. Headhunters feat Pointer Sisters - God Made Me Funky [Loop] (sampled in 'Take It Off')
46. De La Soul - Take It Off
47. The Sequence - Funk You Up [Loop] (sampled in 'This Is A Recording 4 Living In A Full Time Era')
48. The New Birth - Got to Get a Knutt [Extract] (sampled in 'This Is A Recording 4 Living In A Full Time Era')
49. De La Soul - 'This Is A Recording 4 Living In a Full Time Era'
50. James Brown - Funky President [Extract] (sampled in 'Ghetto Thang')
51. The Blackbyrds - Dreaming About You [Loop] (sampled in 'Ghetto Thang')
52. The Blackbyrds - Rock Creek Park (sampled in 'Ghetto Thang')
53. De La Soul - Ghetto Thang
54. The Monkees - Mary, Mary [Loop] (sampled in 'Change in Speak')
55. The Mad Lads - No Strings Attached (sampled in 'Change in Speak')
56. De La Soul - Change in Speak
57. Cymande - Bra (sampled in 'Change in Speak')
58. Lee Dorsey - Get Out My Life Woman [Loop] (sampled in 'Eye Know')
59. The Mad Lads - Make This Young Lady Mine (sampled in 'Eye Know')
60. De La Soul - Eye Know
61. Steely Dan - Peg (sampled in 'Eye Know')
62. Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock of a Bay [Extract] (sampled in 'Eye Know')
63. Sly & The Family Stone - Sing a Simple Song [Loop] (sampled in 'Eye Know')
64. Sly Stone - Crossword Puzzle [Extract] (sampled in 'Say No Go')
65. The Emotions - Best of my Love [Extract] (sampled in 'Say No Go')
66. Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) (sampled in 'Say No Go')
67. De La Soul - Say No Go
68. People's Choice - I Like To Do It (sampled in 'Tread Water')
69. De La Soul - Tread Water
70. Funkadelic - (Not Just) Knee Deep (sampled in 'Me Myself and I')
71. Ohio Players - Funky Worm [Extract] (sampled in 'Me Myself and I')
72. De La Soul - Me Myself and I
73. Edwin Birdsong - Rapper Dapper Snapper (sampled in 'Me Myself and I')
74. Ben E King - Don't Play That Song (You Lied) (sampled in 'A Little Bit of Soap')
75. De La Soul - A Little Bit of Soap
76. Lyn Collins - Think (About It) [Loop] (sampled in 'Jenifa Taught Me')
77. De La Soul - Jenifa Taught Me
78. Double Dee & Steniksi - Lesson 3 [Loop] (sampled in 'Magic Number')
79. Eddie Murphy - Hit By A Car [Extract] (sampled in 'Magic Number')
80. Bob Dorough - Three Is A Magic Number (sampled in 'Magic Number')
81. De La Soul - Magic Number
82. De La Soul - Magic Number (1-2-3 Mix)


Thrust - Past, Present, Future LP - 2019


LP - 2019 - Smoke On Records 



The Red Splatter Maple Edition Vinyl is limited to 350 copies. 
Produced by Frankenstein. 





Pre-Orders  
Release Date : April 2019


Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Jurassic 5 ... Original Flavor





From Rap Pages - April 1999 - Scans courtesy of Tim Burton 



The Hip Hop Spot - 90.3 WBAU - March 8th 1993


The Hip Hop Spot w/WildMan Steve & DJ Riz 90.3 WBAU March 8, 1993






Kool G Rap & Dj Polo - Ill Street Blues Remix 
Kool G Rap & Dj Polo - Ill Street Blues
Das EFX - If Only 
Pete Rock & C.L Smooth - It’s Not A Game
Brand Nubian - Allah U Akbar
MC Ren - Mayday on the Frontline Instrumental 
Talk Break
Yaggfu Front Interview
Yaggfu Front - Lookin’ for a Contract
Yaggfu Freestyle
Talk Break
Mad Kap Interview 
Mad Kap - Da Whole Kit & Kaboodle
Mad Kap Freestyle
Talk Break
LL Cool J - How I’m Comin’
?
Masta Ace Inc - Jeep Ass Niguh
Burro Banton - Big Man Chill
Talk Break
Charlie Brown (L.O.N.S) & RPM (Rumpletilskinz) Interview
Lord Damel & Charlie Brown Freestyle
Talk Break
Eightball Interview


Props to Dj Eclipse for the upload 


Saturday, February 23, 2019

Another Scam - 1993


EP - 1993 - MCI Ent. Records (Photo courtesy of Michel Mees)


Last time I talked about Most Crush Illin' Entertainment Records (a record label managed by Gazelle 'MCI' and Gamal 'MCI' Tabbwas when I blogged the story of Blind Mice back in 2018.  
 This label also released an other interesting EP named 'Another Scam' in 1993. The project was fully produced by Gamal 'MCI' Tabb and Ian 'Wolfman' Williams, and consisted of various indie hip-hop group or artists like Flow Asylum, Da Grip, M.C Slice, Brothers in Charge and Devious. 

You can search online ... unfortunately there is no info about them ! But I was lucky to have connections with one of the member of Flow Asylum named Mark Ashby a.k.a B-Mad, and with Gamal Tabb. As far as they can remember, they both gave me some info about the groups and this EP.  


Gamal 'MCI' Tabb : "Gazelle, Flow Asylum and Devious we all met in High School.  Gazelle and I first partnered up as freshmen. I had a home studio since I was in Junior High School. Besides working on my own projects, I would rent the studio for other artists to use.  This was the beginning of working with Mark Ashby, member of Flow asylum who originally was a member of another group named 'System X'."


Mark Ashby : "Flow Asylum ... There were 3 founding members: Myself B-Mad, Kraze and Frantik. We were under the MCI umbrella unofficially as artists. Frantik and I were from Brooklyn NY, and Kraze was from Jersey City NJ. I first met Kraze as a co-worker in Macy’s in Midtown Manhattan in the late 80’s (‘88). Frantik and I met at a job in Brooklyn about 2 years later, ‘91 or so. Gazelle and I attended the same high school (Brooklyn Technical HS) ... Guys knew that Gazelle and his partner Gamal had a small label they created. It was an opportunity for most in the school that had skills (or thought they did) to record and perform."

Their song "Pump It In Your Back Trunk" was the first track of the EP. 



Mark Ashby : "At about 1996 the original group disbanded. Kraze left the group leaving Frantik and myself as a remaining unit. We eventually merged with another member to attempt to continue but synergy was lost. Frantik and I parted ways as a group in 1997.
There were a few unreleased tracks I recall, but they were recorded at MCI Studios, which has been closed since the late 90’s."

The second track of the A-Side is "Hop Off The Bandwagon" performed by Da Grip. First time I heard this track it was on the excellent 'Who Got The Flava?' mixed CD released by DJ Koco. 





Gamal 'MCI' Tabb : "I started working with the Da Grip after being contacted by their DJ Teaspoon Calhoun, who has since passed, and was a big time DJ in The Bronx.


I don't have any other info about Da Grip's other members but according to Anthony Gray (Teaspoon Calhoun's good friend), Teaspoon a.k.a Terry Calhoun The Future Splitter was in the DMC Competition and Djayed with the Hypnotizing 5 MCs from time to time, also for PreSweet TR Nation Parties...


The B-Side is composed of 3 tracks, 'Bitch Ass Niggaz' performed by M.C Slice, 'Don't Try To Step To This' performed by Brothers In Charge and 'Skinz Ain't What They Used To Be' performed by Devious. 







Gamal 'MCI' Tabb : "Devious was another school mate who rented the studio. I met M.C Slice through another artist that I worked with 'Microphone Professor', who was awesomely talented.  I invited her to the studio and in one session, she recorded a great record. In my opinion, one of the rawest records ever recorded by a female mc at that time. Brothers in Charge was also a very good group, from Queens. They were a very stylish group."



300 copies were pressed in 1993... this EP is very rare nowadays, anyway I've never seen a copy for sale in a Record Store, and if you want it at all cost you need to know that some cats are selling their copy for a crazy price online... Good Luck ! 





EWON12bit - One Time For Your Mind - 2019




" 'one time for your mind' is the first instrumental hiphop album by hiphop DJ/producer ewon12bit from Helsinki, Finland.  Following the never-dying recipe of traditional sample-based hiphop and keeping things simple like they were back in the days, ewon12bit's beats keep you vibin' from start to finish. 
Making this record by using classic hardware, vinyl samples and analog tape, a soundscape similar to those early 90’s hiphop records that many grew up listening to is created. No corners have been cut in terms of replicating the same sonic characteristics of what people refer to as the ”Golden era” of hiphop: heavy lowpass filtering, sample layering and slamming drums is what it's all about. These relaxed, soulful and misty beats of old New York flavor will get you in the mellowed-out zone. " - Bandcamp






Friday, February 22, 2019

Video : Kesper & LEX - My Way - 2019





First video dropped by the Queens based duo Kesper and LEX, off their album named  "An Honorable Exchange" released in late 2018. "My Way" is produced by PhybaOptikz. 

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Underground Persistence


From Spin Magazine - July 2000




Documentary : The Fabulous Chi-Ali





"The Fabulous Chi-Ali", official selection to the 19th annual Beverly Hills Film Festival taking place April 3-7th at the world famous Chinese Theater in LA. Directed by Thomas Colabraro and starring Chi Ali, Fat Joe, Black Rob, Kool DJ Red Alert, Posdnuos, Trugoy The Dove, Buckwild, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, Psycho Les, Dres, Mysonne, Sadat X... and more . 


"In the greatest era of hip hop, a 10 year old prodigal son named Chi-Ali was chosen to become the greatest artist hip hop has ever seen. As fame, money and pressure took over, he found himself turning to the streets and left with a decision that would forever change his life, and alter the history of hip hop." - Thomas Colabraro


Bee Why - The Lost Tapes (CD) - 2019

CD - 2019 - 16F Music  



A1: The Boros 4:45
A2: Remember The Time 4:06
A3: Reality 4:21
A4: G.A.T.S .4:02
A5: Playa Slaya 5:17
A6: Crazy Queens Nigga 3:35
A7: Good Die Young 4:25
B1: Come Up 5:03 
B2: Misunderstood 3:57
B3: You Know The Type 4:37
B4 Mic's I Blaze Em 3:52
B5: I Won't Stop 3:57
B6: Black Woman 4:50
B7: Murder Murder (Bonus Track)







Orders  



Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Album Review : L.O.T.U.G - Keepers Of The Funk - 1994



From The Source - December 1994 - Scans courtesy of Frederic Thecle 





Verbz & Mr. Slipz - Lessons Of Adolescence Deluxe Edition - 2019


2xLP - 2019 - Radio Juicy / HHV / Urban Waves Records


Originally released on cassette (50 copies) in 2017, Verbz & Mr. Slipz 's album "Lessons Of Adolescence" is now available on Deluxe Edition Vinyl with the help of Radio Juicy, Urban Waves and HHV Records. 

"Lessons Of Adolescence is the debut album by Croydon's finest up and coming wordsmith Verbz joined in force by Yogocop's legendary producer Mr Slipz. The album brings you heat for these cold Autumn nights and will satisfy all your head nodding needs."








300 copies only ...