The House List - Ep #143 : House of Phat Beats feat Souls of Mischief - 9/21/95 - KVRX

"College radio holds as special place in my heart. A non-commercial student run control room is my *happy place*. Records scribbled all over, racks of carts that haven’t been touched in ages, dust balls floating while local rappers freestyle their asses off late at night to a captive audience usually sitting in cars, parking lots and living rooms drinking 40’s and fingers crossed taping it all. At least that’s my vision of it. This episode of the is an offering of just that from 25 years ago (original recorded on cassette). On September 21st 1995 from the campus of the University of Texas in Austin in broadcast studios of student radio station 91.7FM KVRX on it’s greatest weekly export the House of Phat Beats show with Les aka DJ Lil Tiger and Kari Orr aka Koolaid. You may be wondering how I came to find this show and these guys, well I’m glad you asked. It’s because of rec.music.hiphop an accent early-internet forum of many decades ago - Kari Orr was respected voice amongst a gaggle of angsty teenaged Rap opinion-havers while his partner in radio Les would post their radio show playlists weekly. Back then we all were eager students in the tape trade - largely informed by Stretch & Bobbito and The Wake Up Show among other hip-hop radio in major cities. Sharing joints especially if it was unknown, unreleased or rare. Show after show 'House of Phat Beats' were an exemplary example of this. On this recording we’re blessed with an off the cuff freestyle appearance by Souls of Mischief, in Austin promoting their then sophomore album No Man’s Land. Appearances by Tee Double, Mad One, among others! Listen to this like you would the radio in the mid 90’s even if you weren’t alive in the mid 90’s. The volume jumps a bit up and down, stay close to the volume button aka knob. Most importantly, enjoy this letter from the old school, just for you. Les remembers "We had two turntables in the control room, but they were wired to run remotely through two channels on the large control board where we managed all the other machines (CD players, minidisc players, cart players, cassette decks). We had no DJ at the show. We just played tunes, and worked with what we had". I'll post the tracklist on my IG @culturama" - courtesy of Peter Agoston 

The House List · Ep. #142 : DJ Nikoless - Production Credits: Showbiz (DJ Mix)

Peter Agoston and his House List Podcast are back with this very special mix done by Kevin Beacham a.k.a DJ Nikoless, recorded in '98/99 but never previously released. 
This is The House List - Episode #142. 

"Although I'd been dabbling in DJing since '85, being that I was busy with MCing, Breakin'/Poppin', and Production (and I didn't own proper turntables), I didn't start focusing on DJing until '97/'98 when I started recording mixtapes with borrowed turntables and mixer, recording into my Tascam 688 8-Track. 

I exclusively focused on concept mixes, and one idea was to honor my favorite Hip Hop producers, and I started with Showbiz! I never officially released this mix, but I did give out and sell a few handfuls of dubs of it. But, I wanted these Production Credits series of mixes to be official, and being I never got the drops and other pieces from Showbiz, I didn't properly release it. That also led to me not finishing the other planned volumes; Prince Paul, Large Professor, and DJ Mark The 45 King, although the last one I did record 10 years later and that is on my Mixcloud page!

A couple months ago Peter Agoston hit me up asking if I had a new or unreleased mix I could share on his House List Podcast (Good looking out!). I wanted to record a new mix, but some of the stuff I need for that are still in storage, so I dug this one up.

This was recorded in '99, in fact, in the middle of recording it, Big L passed away, which was terrible news to receive. 

The mix features Jermaine Pratt doing a juggle of the Artifacts and Juan Presyce Cervantes doing all the scratches which are featured on the intro and then some more over the "Buckshot Lefonque" beat. " - courtesy of Kevin Beacham 

1) Introduction (Medicine Inst & You Know Now Inst) w/DJ Precyse on the cut!

2) Check It Out - Show & A.G.

3) Q & A - Show & A.G. w/ Ghetto Dwellas

4) Get Dirty - Ghetto Dwellas

5) Who's It On - The Legion w/Show & A.G.

6) N S E W Remix - Black Sheep (w/I'm No The One Instrumental Blend)

7) Wishful Thinking - Big Pun w/Kool G Rap, Fat Joe, & B Real

8) The Ultimate Remix - The Artifacts (w/DJ Pratt Beat Juggle)

9) Mind I C Mine - Scramanga

10) Time For.... (Demo Version) - Show & A.G.

11) Confrontations - Organized Konfusion (w/You Want It inst)

12) The Crow - O.C. (w/The Session Inst & Represent The Real Hip Hop Inst)

13) Breakfeast At Denny's Remix - Buckshot Lefonque (Bonus Cuts By DJ Precyse)

14) Blowe! - KRS One

15) All Out - Show & A.G.

16) Yes You May Remix - Lord Finesse w/Big L [Remixed By T Ray] (R.I.P BIg L)

17) It's Up To You - Show & A.G. w/Lord Finesse

18) A Lil Sumpin - Lord Finesse

19) Soul Clap - Show & A.G. [Co Produced By Diamond D]

20) It's My Turn [DJ Nikoless Beat Blend Remix] - Uptown (w/Bring It On Rmx Inst)

21) Never Less Than Ill-Show & A.G.

22) A Friend - KRS One

23) Parental Discretion - Big Pun w/Busta Rhymes

24) Stone To The Bone - Big Jaz

25) Freestyle - Funkmaster Flex Presents Jay Z (Stages & Lights Inst)

26) I Don't Understand It - Big L

27) Represent - Show & A.G. w/Lord Finesse, Ice Water Deshawn, & Big L

28) Hands In The AIr - Lord Finesse

29) Fine Tune Da Mic - Maestro Fresh Wes w/Showbiz

30) Stand Strong - Show & A.G. (w/Dignified Soldiers Inst)

31) More Than One Way Out Of The Ghetto - Show & A.G.

32) Drop It Heavy - Show & A.G. w/Big Pun & KRS One

33) Neighborhood Sickness - Show & A.G. w/Pary Arti

34) Themes, Dreams, & Schemes - D.I.T.C

35) Feel The Vibe - Diamond D w/Showbiz

36) Mic Mechanism - Maestro Fresh Wes

37) Set It Off - Lord Finesse

38) Return Of The Funkyman - Lord Finesse

39) Giant In The Mental - Show & A.G.

40) Party Groove Inst (w/Showbiz Verses: Hold Ya Head, Fat Pockets, & Silence The Lambs) - Showbiz

41) Devils Son - Big L

42) Fire Water - Fat Joe w/Raekwon, Big Pun & Armageddon

Mad Props to Peter Agoston & Kevin Beacham 

Interview : The House List Ep. 101 - The Legion (Dice Man + Molecules)

"In this episode I travel back up to the Bronx to catch up with Dice Man Cee Lo and Molecules from The Legion. Dice just released a brand new album called 'The Power of Now', which we discuss. We also just dig our heels into some real Bronx talk. Growing up, context and perspectives. It's another great one. Don't forget to subscribe and help spread the word." - Peter Agoston 

Interview : MF DOOM in Pound Magazine + The House List

From Pound Magazine #19 - October 2003 - Scans courtesy of Tim Burton 

"We've made it to 100 episodes! Thank you everyone. I wanted to do something extra special for the heads on this one - so who better than DOOM. Culled from a handful of conversations recorded onto cassette, MF DOOM and I discuss the then unreleased and to me, unheard, 'MM FOOD' album. This was originally recorded in May 2003 for an expansive cover-story I wrote on DOOM for Elemental Magazine. But ... just let the convo really do the talking here.

The written-piece was a broad take on his life and work, where I interviewed many of his then collaborators. Like most of my work, I carefully archived the tapes with the hopes to one day revisit. Well, 16 years later I did just that. Digitizing the tapes at DiJiFi in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Josh Berg who engineered/mixed our Alias tribute show was brought in to lend his talents to bringing these tapes to life.

After listening to these again, there is no doubt in my mind how talented, intuitive and inventive DOOM is. It of course goes without saying, but I do feel like these chats I had with him shed much more light on how he willed some of the best hip-hop music of the last 20 years out of sheer desire to create, if even sometimes under a state of duress. A master collage-artist, poet, author, satirist, DJ, producer, performer. I truly hope this episode (like them all) will serve as a living document to his great accomplishments in music and art. I am appreciative of the time we had recording these and the few musical collaborations we did some 20 years ago now. Hey, what can I say, it's out 100TH EPISODE! Thank you to all the listeners as this is fully listener supported." - Peter Agoston

Interview : The House List Ep. 99 - Godfather Don

"We've made it to 99 episodes (!) and what a better way to hit that mark then with an EXTRA special conversation, only available on The House List. So who better to sit down with than the highly revered yet largely unknown Godfather Don. In what marks his first real, long-form interview - Don is extremely cool, affable and open. And that was mostly talking about music (we hoped and plan to get a more esoteric, next time)! He has been a personal favorite of mine for a long time. A lifetime resident of Brooklyn, we discuss it all. Picking up a guitar as a small child, to making beat-tapes with a guitar pedal. Many where introduced to Don's seminal work on Ultramagnetic MC's 'Four Horsemen' (Wild Pitch 1993) album, others with his actual debut 'Hazardous' (Select 1991). He had a prolific run doing the indie/underground boom between labels Fondle Em and Hydra, which resonates widely to this day (seen in the many limited reissues of his work). Yet all the while, Don has seemingly been shrouded in mystery.

Now, Don is a actively performing Tenor Sax player around BK. He's recorded a new Jazz project, I saw him play - he's amazing. It's a fantastic transition into a different musical horizon. I highly suggest watching or listening, when you have the ability. I am needing to get our SoundCloud page to 100,000 streams - so please listen to this over and over and share/repost where you can! Thank you for supporting!" - Peter Agoston 

Interview : The House List Ep. 98 - Swigga / L-Swift (Natural Elements)

"Swigga once known as L-Swift has a story to tell. We do a deep dive live from the NorthEast Bronx in this revealing true narrative of how a young kid from St. Lucia in the Caribbean transplanted to New York City. Certain heads will know his work closely from the lore of his group Natural Elements, one of the city's most talented yet mysteriously never getting their proper due or platform. For added reference please listen to Episode 33 of this show to hear our talk with Mr. Voodoo (Natural Elements). Shouts to Eddie Brock (also a collaborator with Swigga in their group Northeast Wildcats), whom allowed us to record this conversation at his crib. Enjoy! The intro song is entitled 'Check Da Style', produced by Charlemagne and released on Fortress Entertainment in 1995." - Peter Agoston

Interview : The House List - Ep. 94 - Neek The Exotic & Large Professor

"For episode 94 I traveled deep into Flushing, Queens to record a conversation with Neek The Exotic and Large Professor. People across the globe will be familiar with the Main Source song "Fakin' The Funk" (from the 'White Men Can't Jump' soundtrack) which introduced the world to the voracious vocal delivery of Neek The Exotic. Large Professor needs no introduction as one of New York City and the genre of hip-hop on a whole, he is one of it's great producer/MC's. In this quick hour convo, I go back and forth with the two lifelong friends, dialoging about their work together and separately. Neek has a brand new album streaming everywhere right now entitled 'Hell Up in Queens'. It features Large, Q-Tip, Freddie Foxxx and more. With Large, I tried to touch on some productions and moments in his career that might not have been covered - all in the context of the few block radius many of the most well known Flushing-based hip-hop artists live and grew up in. I close with a track from Neek's new album." - Peter Agoston

Interview : The House List - Ep. 93 - Opio (Souls of Mischief)

"We triangulate our minds with the one and only Opio Lindsey on this week's epic episode. Known across globe for his work as master freestyler/rhyme-weaver with the definitively distinctive voice in Souls of Mischief and Hieroglyphics, our talk deeply delves into his story within the framework of their works and the many new endeavors in his catalog. This is a special treat for any hardcore fan. Recorded back in Brooklyn on a hot Sunday afternoon. It is a FULL ON coincidence that this is our 93rd episode of The House List podcast. My goal is to get to 100,000 streams on SoundCloud by the 100th show - so please help re-post!" - Peter Agoston 

Interview : The House List - Ep #61 : Danny Hastings

"Incredibly cool convo with the one and only Danny Hastings. His legacy as a hip-hop album photographer is one of legend - having shot multiple covers for Gangstarr, Group Home, Jeru, Wu Tang, Raekwon, Eminem, KRS-1, AZ, Fat Joe, Big Pun, Souls of Mischief, The UMC's, Keith Murray, Mad Skillz, PMD, LL Cool J, The Lox, Tha Liks, Mobb Deep, Tony Touch, Main-One and Rumpletilskinz!" - Peter Agoston

Check Danny Hastings's Website 

The House List Ep.49 : Sach (The Nonce) + Album Review

Last episode of the House List Podcast hosted by Peter Agoston : A great Interview of Sach of The Nonce . 

"The Nonce's '1995 album 'World Ultimate' remains one of my favorite of that year and genre. Sach, its producer and 2nd half aside the late Yusef Afloat (may his soul rest), created an unique sonic landscape capturing the airy/ethereal sound of Project Blowed and the innocent energy of being a teenager" Peter Agoston  

From The Source Magazine - April 1995

Interview : The House List Ep #33 - Mr Voodoo (Natural Elements)

"Back with another very special episode of The House List, here we sat down with Brooklyn's own Mr Voodoo - yes, that Mr Voodoo (aka Agu Obiakor) of Natural Elements. We track the history from childhood to present day. Canvasing a NYC of another era, where Agu, became the 'poet laureate' of beloved late night radio show 'The Underground Railroad'. Hosted by J-Smooth on the revered WBAI 99.5, Agu honed his craft from intern to co-host, all the while developing what come to be one of the 'underground' hip-hop era's most respected voices. With only a few physical releases to speak of, Voodoo's notoriety grew across the globe through the 90's as demos and never-released songs made their way to NY radio and on cassettes copied and traded the world over. Voo's work as a soloist, with Natural Elements and for the imprint Fortress Records are sought after pieces of art on wax. For the fans and heads - this will be a treat and for those who many only come to know of his this very moment, we hope it'll lead you down a path of discovery" Peter Agoston