Funkin' Lessons - Ep #69 - February 28, 1996

Funkin' Lessons was a hip-hop Radio Show hosted by DJ Blaze and Dr. Phibes, aired on 2MBS (102.5 FM) from 1993 to 1996 and based in Sydney, Australia. 

 Here is the Show #69 from February 28, 1996 

The Sunlight On The Garden by Palm Skin Productions
Drumz Of Passion by Dontay
Annalillia? by Aceyalone

Tongues Of The Next S**t by Mad Skillz ‎Featuring Kalonji The Immortal
Who Got The Funk by Science Of Sound Featuring Phife
I Shot Ya (Remix) by LL Cool J Featuring Keith Murray, Prodigy, Fat Joe & Foxy Brown
In The PJ's by Big Daddy Kane Featuring Big Scoob
No Justice No Peace by Lakim Shabazz
Amazing by Grand Puba
Living Underwater by Da Grass Roots Music Featuring Elemental
Don't Make Me Try by Triflicts
Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check by Busta Rhymes
Jive U The Mann by Mannish
Man On by Tony Da Skitzo
E=MC5 by Key Kool & Rhettmatic ‎Featuring LMNO, Meen Green, Ras Kass & Vooodu
Milk by Young Zee ‎Featuring Busta Rhymes & KRS-One
Suspended In Time by Group Home
What Goes Up (Radio Remix Version) by Mack da Maniak Featuring Chubb Rock & King Just
Shaolin Anthem (Radio Version) by Rugged Scientist
Rock On by Diamond Shell
Perpetual Motion (Continual Motion) by DJ Crystl
Jack The Ripper by LL Cool J
One Little Indian (Radio Version) by Little Indian Featuring The Foreigner
E-Z On The Motion (Radio) by Ghetto Concept
Word Up (Radio) by Hyperdermic Needlz
New & Improved (Clean) by Puppets Of Chaos
Crumbs On The Table (Stimulator Dummy Mix) by D-Nice
Bottom Line (Street Mix) by Militant Mind State
Rakin' In The Dough (Uptown Bounce Mix) by Zhigge
Feel The Boom by Kirk
Crime Saga Remix (Death Be The Penalty - The Sequel) by Shabazz The Disciple
Up North Trip by Mobb Deep
Boon Dox by EPMD
Unknown Instrumental by Unknown
Feel Tha Flava (Instrumental) by Mad Flava

Unknown Instrumental by Unknown

Tracklist courtesy of Robert Sacchinelli

About 2 Blow : Jurassic 5

From Rap Pages - June 1997 

Trybal-Men ...

I've been a huge fan of the "Survival Series - 11355" EP since day one, this wax means a lot to me and when B2DS released the JAM Dot Project in 2017, I felt very lucky to be able to cop the unreleased tracks from this group. I wish the same thing could happen with Trybal-Men... 

Trybal-Men members consisted of Dre Don a.k.a Don Mega and KapGain. They came out of Wastelanz (Flushing Queens, NY) the same neighborhood as Large Professor, Chyskillz RIP (producer of the first Onyx album), Mic Geronimo, and Royal Flush...

KapGain & DreDon - 1996  with Ran / B.U / Leep / Big Bro & L.A. - Photo courtesy of KapGain

EP - 1996 - Mr Eggs Records

The "Survival Series - 11355" EP came out in 1996 on Mr Eggs Records, a record label managed by Dj Eggs from Flushing Queens as well. Trybal-Men dropped 3 songs on the A-side of the wax. "Down Like That" was the first track and was produced by B.G Skillz (Bern.Got Skillz).

B.G Skillz : "I'm from Flushing Queens, NYC and Large Professor was my mentor, I produced under his production company PaulSea productions. Chyskillz, my older brother, and myself deejayed together in the neighborhood. Dre, KapGain and Me all grew up together and lived in the same building. We would go over each others house and practice deejaying, rhyming, etc... Dre and KapGain decided to form a group, I was more on the production and deejay side of things so I would always give them beats, but DreDon and KapGain do beats as well."

Dre Don : "We formed the duo in the mid 90’s...We were all from the same hood, matter of fact the same building. And BG Skillz crib is where a lot things connect at. I started Djing before rapping. His older brother had 1200 and a lot of records. And BG and I were the same age and he could cut so I was amazed... his household had an influence on me..."

KapGain : "Around '95 we formed the group. I was focused on rapping, money, and girls at the time. Our neighborhood was full of talent and opportunity to make money illegally or with music, we chose music. We would go to BG Skillz house and he would make beats on the sp1200 that large professor gave him, large professor lives a block away from our building (a good friend). Also at the time in hip-hop or basically in the 5 boroughs it was all about rap groups. So we decided to form a group and just start recording since we had the resources right at arms reach.

Trybal-Men was formulated between myself and Dre Don. We wanted a way name to separate ourselves from the rest, at the same time describe how we operate and move in the street. We were 15-16 years at the time, but did things that grown men would do.

Survival Series 11355 EP was a great piece of work, and I  didn't realize that it would circulate from our hometown of Flushing Queens, to around the world. It was an amazing time in hip hop my friend."

The other tracks "Watch Me Blow" and " Money To Make" were produced by Dj Sur, who is Dj Eggs's Brother. He was also known as the legendary graffiti artist named SUR167 (RIS / TPA / KAT...) aka Surviver 167 since the early 80s. 

Photo courtesy of Greed 

Dre Don : " Dj Sur lived up the block so he’s from the neighborhood as well. I believe we linked with him through the good brother JAM... Matter of fact that’s false Eggs was the plug in the neighborhood and going to his crib to get right is how I found out his brother made beats."

KapGain : " Sur & Eggs... we met them through a mutual friend and they also lived in our neighborhood. We noticed they had equipment and were DJ's. And DJ Sur made beats, they took an interest in us and wanted to put out a record.
For the Survival Series 11355 EP, Eggs owned the label so he wanted his brother Larry (DJ Sur) to have a beat on the record, we had a chance to have BG Skillz do a track, and we mutually liked "Money to Make" instrumental so we did that track too."

The same year the group released an other 12" still on Mr Eggs Records "Down Like That / Greenary (What Would Do For...)". 

12" - 1996 - Mr Eggs Records



On the A-Side, you can listen to "Down like that" which is the same song taken from the Survival Series EP.  The song is available in its Radio Mix, Album Mix, Accapella and Instrumental versions.  On the B-side, "Greenary (What Would Do For...)" is available in its Radio Mix, Real Deal Mix and Instrumental versions. It's a new Trybal-Men's song produced by Dj Sur and introducing two other emcees named G.A.M (GrownAssMan) and Infinite, but KapGain doesn't feature on this track due to law problems at the time... 

From Left to Right : G.A.M. / Ice Bezel / Dre Don & KapGain - Around 2010

Could you give me more info about Infinite & G.A.M ? 

Dre Don : "GAM was around for our entire musical journey, he was rolling with us perfecting his craft. Very talented MC from the neighborhood. I put him under my wing early on. When things went left, I formed Shadow Company and made him the front man. 

Infinite was a dope MC also from the neighborhood who I brought in to collaborate on the record."

KapGain : "Infinite, G.A.M... We all are from the same neighborhood in Flushing... They had to keep the music flowing in my absence... Everyone at that time did beats, sold drugs, or rapped. That's was our common bond amongst each other." 


Why is there no album released by Trybal-Men after that in 1996 ?

KapGain : "... Great question... at the height of the album and also us being in high school, I was battling a court case that set us back from getting signed to a major at the time, we had the buzz, records were selling like crazy, apparel etc... So literally one week before I went to jail we went to the studio and Don Mega brought G.A.M. with us. I had him rhyme for me and I was like ok cool, as long as y'all keep recording something while I'm gone...

Once I came out there was a lot of discrepancies between us and Mr Eggs Records. So we left them, and Don Mega and G.A.M. formed a group called shadow company. I was more interested in recording and mixing artists music, and just helping them put their music out without getting jerked. I recorded many more solo tracks and did alot of beats for mcs..." 

Mad Props to KapGain, Dre Don & BG Skillz, It was nice to talk with you. Peace
Vinyl rip courtesy of 90's Hip-Hop blog . 

Record Report - The Source January 1995

From The Source - January 1995 - Scans courtesy of Frederic Thecle 

Taiyamo Denku x Bo Faat - Kollab Kong - 2020

CD - 2020 - CyphaDen Music

"Kollab Kong" is the new project dropped by the Milwaukee-based emcee Taiyamo Denku & the German beatmaker Bo Faat. The album includes guest appearances from Conway, Planet Asia, 38 Spesh, Skyzoo, Sadat X, Busta Rhymes, Tragedy Khadafi, El Da Sensei, Smoothe Da Hustler and many more .... Artwork by Awol One

Order  

Blu & Exile - Miles - 2020

3xLP - 2020 - Dirty Science Records 

Blu & Exile are back with a double album "Miles : From An Interlude Called Life" which will be released this summer (July 17, 2020) on the Los Angeles-based Hip-Hop label Dirty Science Records. The album includes features from Aloe Blacc, Fashawn, Artful Dodger, Choosey... just to name a few. 

Pre-Orders : Bandcamp / Fat Beats 

Foul Child Trailer + Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous (25th Anniversary Edition Bundle) - 2020

"Foul Child: The Legend of Big L, a new mini-documentary film chronicling the trajectory of the profoundly influential and visionary Hip Hop artist Big L, coming May 29th via Mass Appeal & Certified Classics. Featuring exclusive interviews by RZA, Buckwild, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Twelvyy, Dave East, Stretch Armstrong, Bobbito Garcia and Peter Rosenberg." - courtesy of Mass Appeal 

For the info, this mini-doc has nothing in common with the official documentary "Street Struck: The Big L Story" which is still in production. 

3xLP - 2020 - Get On Down 

A1. Put It On   

A2. MVP   

A3. No Endz, No Skinz    

B1. 8 Iz Enuff

B2. All Black

B3. Danger Zone 

C1. Street Struck   

C2. Da Graveyard

C3. Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous

D1. I Don't Understand It

D2. Fed Up Wit the Bullshit

D3. Let 'Em Have It "L"

Bonus LP:

E1. Devil's Son

E2. I Shoulda Used A Rubba

F1. School Dayz

F2. Times Iz Hard

F3. Da UnExpected Flava

Devil's Son 7":

A. Devil's Son

B. Devil's Son (Instrumental)

1000 sets available, Shipping Date : Late July 2020 

Pre-Orders  

Record Report - The Source September 1993

From The Source - September 1993 - Scans courtesy of Vincent Lopez