Broke Ass Jam

The Living Legends are one of those groups that outside of America are either highly rated or completely unknown.   Given the solo success of people like Murs, it surprises me how they have remained so underground and undiscovered to so many.  So whether you're a Living Legends fan, or one of the uninitiated, here is your chance to see them in action on their Broke Ass Summer Jam tour.

Although the video's title says 2007, this concert was actually recorded in 2006.  Along with the Living Legends, there are also guest appearances by A Plus, Micah9, Saafir and others. This isn't a glossy DVD with HD visuals and sound, but let's be honest, that isn't what anyone would expect from this sort of group.
The running time is around 80 mins.

Game of Survival

The Live Squad are best remembered for their outstanding track Heartless and their early association with Tupac.  Unfortunately the group were deemed 'too violent' by their label Tommy Boy Records and their LP never saw the light of day.  Lead vocalist Stretch was later murdered in what is widely believed to be connected to the shooting of Tupac in NYC the year before. 

But before all the problems and tragedy, they made this home movie to accompany their album.  This was released officially, but it seems that many people missed it as it was never properly promoted.  It's essentially the three videos for their early singles, loosely held together by some 'hood' acting (you know what I mean!).  It's maybe not the greatest of these promo videos, but it's a classic bit of early 90's hip hop that's rarely seen, and a great introduction to the Live Squad's all too short catalogue of music.

Art of Rap

Well, after all the hype, opinions and criticisms, if you haven’t yet seen Ice-T’s rapumentary Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap then here is your chance. Although a minority have criticised it for one reason or another, the majority seem to have welcomed its presence and feel that it fills some of the gaps that previous documentaries have failed to cover. And, it does attempt to cover the art of emceeing, rather than being a collection of interviews with old schoolers talking about how hip hop got started.

For me, this film is a welcome addition.  No single film is ever going to document hip hop perfectly, or explain the art form in consierable detail, and no matter how many people you interview there will always be an alternative opinion from someone.  But hey, it's that complexity that makes hip hop so compelling and captivating to such a broad audience.

Given that this is Ice-T’s directorial debut, I think he’s done a pretty good job. Yes it could have been better and yes it could have included so-and-so. But in fairness to Ice-T, I guess this is what happens when you have to make the film a certain length and appeal to broad enough audience that you can justify the filming costs and get it onto the big screen. With that in mind, I think we’re onto a winner. After all, when was the last time you saw a rapumentary hit the big screen like this one did?

The DVD was released yesterday and although I can’t confirm it, it appears to be longer than the film, so I’m guessing it will contain additional footage and interviews, which may go some way to pleasing the critics.

Peace
Mike Check


Note: - To get the film to play without the advert, make it full screen. Alternatively, you need to click a little x that usually appears somewhere beneath the green 'download' button.  This will close the advert and allow you to play the film at the smaller resolution.  Don't download the advertised software as you don't need it and it'll probably screw up your computer.

Scratch That

I'm sure many of you will already have seen Scratch, the feature length documentary on DJing and turntablism released in 2001.  But whether you've seen it already, or missed it the first time around, it's an excellent film that truly captures the world of the DJ and is certainly worth another watch.

The most poignant moment for me was seeing DJ Shadow sitting in the basement of a 2nd hand record store surrounded by towers of vinyl and telling how it's a humbling experience being a part of the big pile of people's broken dreams, and how every artist will eventually end up there.  So true, and it also highlights the many dedicated, lonely hours that go into making those beats and giving those broken dreams another chance at being heard, even if it is only for a few seconds.

Mike Check

De La Soul

The month of April saw the (incredibly quiet) release of De La Soul's Plug 1 & Plug 2 presents... First Serve, the latest LP from the group’s front men.

I’d forgotten that this LP was in production and its stealthy release did nothing to bring it to my attention, nor will it help its sales.  As a result, I’ve not yet listened to it so I’m not going to comment on it.

Instead, when I accidentally spotted that the album is now out, it reminded me of several De La Soul videos I have sitting in my archive, and I subsequently realised that De La Soul haven’t made an appearance on this blog yet. So I think it’s time to put that right.

I wanted to upload the original 3 Feet High and Rising VHS release from 1990 that accompanied their debut LP, but I haven’t got the time to convert if from a vob file at the moment, so instead I’m going to hit you up with this rare concert footage from 1997.

This concert was filmed in Belgium at the Lokerse Festival. In an effort to make it a little more interesting than just the plain raw footage of Plug’s 1, 2 and 3 on stage, the editor has added some visual effects. Although the effects don’t detract from the concert or the music, they’re a little odd as the quality falls somewhere between amateur home video and authorised professional release. If these effects had been added to the video when it was recorded in 1997 then I probably wouldn’t have commented, but according to the closing credits the film was edited in 2008!

But don’t let any of this deter you from watching this DVD as the trio delivers a balanced mix of tracks from their early albums (which some might say was when they were at their best), all tightly pulled together and well performed.

Tracklist and embedded video after the jump.

What is Rap SM?

If you liked my recent Pharcyde post then you might also like this live concert from Oakland's Souls of Mischief. 
The gig was filmed at an event in Helsinki, Finland called Rap SM.  I don't know anything about this event, but it's billed as a 'Freestyle Battle' [if any of our Finnish readers want to expand on this, please feel free to update us in the comments section].  Having looked at the Rap SM website, it seems like an event for Finnish emcees to battle each other, and each year they get a major US underground artist to perform at the event.  The last two years have seen Elzhi and Wildchild perform, but in 2009 it was the turn of the Hieroglyphic affiliates.

All to often, the footage of your favourite rapper in concert turns out to be a grainy, muffled, dimly lit and filmed from the back of the stage on a mobile phone type of affair, which is more than a little disappointing (whoever thought we wanted to see the back of an artist?).  And I'm not talking about the crap you find on YouTube filmed by paying fans, this stuff is frequently padding out full price retail DVD's!
So footage like we have here, with clear audio and visuals (where you can actually distinguish the faces of each emcee) feels like a real treat, especially when it's for a group that these days receives a minimal amount of exposure.  Read more after the jump...

What is Cydeways?

Well, there's a clue in the title.  Yup, you probably guessed it, The Pharcyde are cydeways, and it's a pretty good way of describing their musical style.  As it happens, I own very little of the Pharcyde's catalogue, but there's no denying that they are one of the most original hip hop groups ever to hit the industry.

The Pharcyde are often cited as one of 'the greats' and their debut LP Bizarre Ride to the Pharcyde is an agreed classic, but too often it is forgotten that The Pharcyde's creativity doesn't stop with their music.  Their music videos have been consistently innovative since day one, and if they don't opt for a zany concept, they do something with the visuals to keep an otherwise simple video very intriguing.

Hip Hop Legends DVD (2007) - Repost

Update - I'm reposting this article as I have now found links to a downloadable copy of this documentary to replace the Megavideo version. 

This is an interesting documentary that is really worth watching. The production quality with its cheap graphics and basic editing isn’t the greatest, but what it lacks in presentation it makes up for in content.

Instead of seeing the usual bunch of contributors who always seem to be readily available to tell their version of the history of Hip Hop, the film makers made the effort to track down some of the less familiar (but often more important) names and get them to provide the commentary.

This results in the viewer seeing some insightful claims and memories, such as Pow Wow claiming that Lovebug Starski invented the term Hip Hop and Bambaataa decided to use it as the name for the evolving culture.

It also steers away from using the same archive footage that any long term Hip Hop fan has seen 100’s of times before. So I can reliably report that you won’t have to watch Kool Herc driving through the Bronx with his ‘Herculoid’ speakers in the back seat of his convertible, or hear Malcolm McLaren talking about his 'first experience' of Hip Hop, nor will you see any mention of Blondie, Fab 5 Freddy or the Sugar Hill Gang!

Instead we’re presented with many new and original clips. Ok, the clips aren’t anything to write home about and the producers haven’t managed to uncover any unseen clips of Kool Moe Dee battling Busy Bee, but what they have got helps to give the film a different feel to the usual trip down Hip Hop’s memory lane.

The main focus of the film is about how the whole culture got started during the 1970’s (which seems to be slightly at odds with the films title). It explores Kool Herc bringing the sound system style from Jamaica to the Bronx, Bambaataa working with gang members to form the Zulu Nation, how breaking, DJing and MC battling evolved and it gives us a timely reminder of what Hip Hop culture was originally all about. The narrators repeatedly express their concern for what Hip Hop has become compared to it’s original intentions and foundations (but keep in mind that this film was released at a time (2007) when the phrase ‘Hip Hop is Dead’ was in wide use).

The main contributions are from DJ Skribble, DMC, Bambaataa & Grandmaster Caz. But there are also many appearances from rarely seen pioneers such as Pow Wow from the Soul Sonic Force, EK Mike C from Crash Crew, Busy Bee and old skoolers Rob Base & EZ Rock.

Download is 700mb in two parts:
https://rapidshare.com/files/3341468394/Hip.Hop.Legends.2007.DVDRip.part1.rar
https://rapidshare.com/files/590620252/Hip.Hop.Legends.2007.DVDRip.part2.rar

Mike Check

Queensbridge History

In my recent Silver Anniversary review of one of Tragedy Khadafi's earliest singles, I promised to share the links to the documentary on his life called Tragedy: The Story of Queensbridge.

This documentary lasts approx 1 hour and was filmed in the Queensbridge projects across a two year period.  It attempts to capture the essential parts of his life that have ultimately shaped him to the be the man that he is, and it does this relatively well. 
Whilst following Tragedy on his journey, we are given a rare and honest insight into what Queensbridge was like in the 1980's when some of the biggest names in hip hop were exploding onto the scene.  Trag himself wears his heart on his sleeve and gives frank and open accounts of his past, each one helping to put pieces of the jigsaw into place.

There are plenty of fascinating bits of information, history, interviews etc that help to make this documentary a little different to most others.  Even those who may not be fans of Tragedy or QB hip hop will no doubt appreciate this documentary for the historical perspective it portrays.
There are appearances and commentary from Marley Marl, Mobb Deep, Capone & Noreaga amongst others.

You can either watch this documentary on YouTube (in 7 parts) or download a copy to view in a single part.  Either way it's the same version. 

Before I Wake

The 13th of September is the 15th anniversary of Tupac Shakur's death.  So it seems like a good time to share this DVD with you all and reminisce on the brilliance that was Tupac.  I know that many people have allowed time, the media and some of the posthumous (and thugged out) releases to taint their memories of Tupac, but let's not forget that before all the hype and the demise, he was a brilliant revolutionary with pioneering lyrics and concepts.

In the wake of both Tupac and Biggie's death's, I took the time to watch many of the video releases that the market was flooded with.  Unfortunately, most of these were torturous as they contained very little in the way of interesting footage or new information.  Mostly, they were interviews with a bunch of wannabe gang-bangers with tenuous links to Tupac (like they once bumped into Tupac in a liquor store, or they lived on the same road as him when he was growing up etc).

As a result of these diabolical releases, I didn't explore any of the later material that was published, until much more recently.  So when I stumbled across this DVD, I didn't hold out much hope, but I was wrong.  This particular documentary has an interesting twist, it's Tupac's story told by one of his long time personal body guards Frank Alexander (Tupac had 5 bodyguards).  It also contains genuine unseen and rare footage that really adds to the overall presentation.  And I'm not talking about the usual scam of including a 30 second clip of Tupac on stage, recorded on a mobile phone that allows the DVD to be labelled with 'Exclusive footage', uh uh, this is proper stuff.

Some of the footage is from Frank Alexander's own personal library, other clips appear to be the edited out sections from the interviews that we've all seen previously.  These additional/extended clips add interesting new insights into Tupac's life and character.  But the bulk of the footage in this documentary is the compelling interview with Frank Alexander, supported by reconstructions, a visit to the crime scene and accounts from one of the investigating homicide detectives and a reporter who was at the scene. 

Frank Alexander comes across as a very sincere person without any ulterior motives.  He was clearly a friend of Tupac's as well as his bodyguard and he, like the rest of us, could sense that something didn't add up about the whole event.  Frank gives his own detailed account of the day leading up to the shooting, he was in the car behind Suge Knight's and saw the shooting take place, and then most interestingly he details the events that unfolded over the next few days before Tupac died almost a week later.  This is a first hand, eye witness account which I've not previously seen anywhere else.

For conspiracy theorists, Frank's account might leave you with more questions than answers.  Why was security so lax that evening?  Why did Suge drive the particular route that he did?  Why was the crime not secured by the police?  Why were eyewitnesses not identified and questoned?  Why did it take so long for detectives to interview anyone?  The list goes on. 

This information really starts to help the viewer understand why nobody was ever charged or named as a suspect and why there is such a lack of meaningful evidence.

However, what Frank's account does give, is a believable insight into aspects of the incident that haven't (to my knowledge) been previously discussed or explored.  He appears to stick to the facts and avoids filling in the gaps or speculating on what might have happened.  This helps to give credence to his version of events.

Overall, it's an interesting documentary and Frank Alexander is a decent orator.  Lasting just over an hour and half, it doesn't feel padded out and neither does it drag.  So if you're only going to pick one posthumous  Tupac video to watch, I'd strongly recommend this one over the many others that are out there.

RIP - Tupac Shakur (13th Sept 1996)

Download 700mb

http://hotfile.com/dl/128861041/3718360/Before_I_Wake.avi.html

Mike Check

Metal Advocates - Graffiti DVD

Many graffiti writers would say that if you haven't bombed a train then you're not really a writer.  Well, I'm not sure about that, but I understand their sentiments.  Like much of hip hop's history, the cultures and trends that were set in the early days have become the benchmark for what hip hop culture is about today, and back in the 1970's, trains were THE thing to paint, and that belief has never really died.

Which leads us to this DVD.  It's an Australian film which focuses purely on trains, most of which is filmed in Australia although there is the odd bit of European footage from France and Germany too.  Like most graffiti DVD's, the footage is a mix of day and night scenes.
It includes live actions with nice panels and some wholecars too.  The backing track is a nice blend of electro and hip hop that's been mixed by DJ Keen.

Download (Hotfile: 2 x 350mb)
http://hotfile.com/dl/121200491/f5b965a/Metal.Advocates.2008.DVDRip.XviD-AEROHOLiCS.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/121200393/1c4e909/Metal.Advocates.2008.DVDRip.XviD-AEROHOLiCS.part2.rar.html

R.A. The Rugged Man - Rare Promo DVD

This is a nice little rarity to share with you.  In fact it's so rare I can't tell you that much about it!  As it's a promo DVD it's not going to be listed or reviewed on any credible music related website or online store, and I can't seem to find any further info in any forums either.  So it's left to me to give you the low down on what to expect from it.
 
From what I can tell it was produced in early 2004 to promote his Die Rugged Man Die LP.  The first music video on this promo is for the hidden track at the end of his album called I Should'a Never.  Although this video can be seen on YouTube it has been censored due to the explicit content.  This DVD has the fully uncensored version which besides the female nudity, it also has scenes of R.A. removing his brain with a fork and various other provocative and suggestive imagery.

In many respects this is just what you'd expect from an R.A. video, his style and comedic approach are as prominent here as they ever have been.  However, this is from a time that isn't too far after his Crustified Dibbs era and so his rhyming style is the old, and less impressive, technique.  Whereas his latest reinvention with his verb flipping, tongue tieing, machine gun lyrics (as displayed here in one of my earlier posts) is definitively unique to R.A. and puts him firmly at the top of his game.

We're then blessed with a great little interview with Bobbito (of Stretch & Bobbito fame) where he talks about their history on the radio and his early beginings etc.  But this is followed by a series of bizarre film reviews with his girlfriend (he was writting movie reviews at that time).  R.A. showcases numerous retro B movies from his collection which all seems a bit pointless until he explains the title of his unreleased 1994 debut LP when he went under the Crustified Dibbs persona. 

There is also a trailer for what he describes as his own (soon to be released) movie called The Landlord Stretcher, but its actually a video for the rare track American Lowlife.

For a promo DVD it's very nice.  Promo's DVD's usually consist of one (two if you're lucky) full length music videos to promote a single or album.  But this is much better as it's running time is 42 minutes long! 
This isn't the kind of video that you'll watch time and time again, but if you're a collector of music videos, particularly the rarer stuff, then this is worth having purely for the uncencorsed version of I Should'a Never which I've not seen anywhere else (until now!).

Download (Hotfile 2x 350mb)
http://hotfile.com/dl/119787500/e7e4e5b/RA_the_Rugged_Man_-_Promo_DVDrip.part1.rar.html
http://hotfile.com/dl/119787344/996c24c/RA_the_Rugged_Man_-_Promo_DVDrip.part2.rar.html

Dead Prez & KRS One - Live from L.A. DVD

I’m not sure where this DVD has emerged from as there appears to be a distinct lack of information surrounding it. A Google search just finds a dozen torrent sites with it on their lists and the title claims it's a DVD rip, but not one major outlet has the DVD for sale and I can’t find any reviews or reference to it. This seems pretty strange given that it’s a professionally made DVD with two of hip hops biggest political heavyweights collaborating. So it falls to me to give some insight into what is in store for you.

Neither KRS or Dead Prez should need any introduction, but despite their similarities as conscious rappers who are not afraid to point out political errors, highlight deprivation or berate the corrupt record industries, I still would not have foreseen them collaborating in this way. That said, I’m glad they did as this DVD is a perfect blend of old school meets new school.  Each artist compliments the other as they highlight the different styles that they have adopted in an effort to achieve the same desired outcomes.

The crazy thing is, KRS wasn't even on the bill that night, he was in the audience watching the performance when M1 invites him to join them.  Kris then jumps on stage and rips through a collection of his own hits before dropping into some freestyle's.  In usual KRS fashion, he doesn't just do a quick 5 minutes, no, he gets right into it and pleases the crowd with a medley of hits.

The concert was filmed at the Key Club on the Sunset Strip in L.A. in August 2006.  Dead Prez perform a range of their best material from their first 3 CD's.  It's an incredible performance from both artists and I can definitely say that 'it's bigger than hip hop'.

If you enjoy this DVD then I would normally say go and buy it and support both of these artists as well as conscientious hip hop, but as nobody is selling it you'll have to make do with this DVD rip, enjoy.

Download Link (Hotfile - 690mb)
http://hotfile.com/dl/83783461/0a02d34/Dead_Prez__KRS_One_-_The_DVD_Live_From_L.A._2006.rar.html

World DMC DJ Championships 1987-2001

    



This nice little medley shows the DMC Champion for each of the years performing their winning DJ sets.  Seeing these performances back to back really shows how much turntablism has progressed since the early years.  From Chad Jackson scratching with a pool cue, to Rock Steady DJ's being the first crew to take the title, and then DJ Craze's amazing 3 titles in a row, total domination of the competition.

Here are the list of winners, the download link is below.

1987 - Chad Jackson (UK)
1988 - DJ Cash Money (USA)
1989 - Cutmaster Swift (UK)
1990 - DJ David (Germany)
1991 - DJ David (Germany)
1992 - Rocksteady DJs (Mix Master Mike, Q-Bert, & DJ Apollo) (USA)
1993 - Dreamteam (Mix Master Mike and DJ Q-Bert) (USA)
1994 - Dreamteam (Mix Master Mike and DJ Q-Bert) (USA)
1995 - Roc Raida (USA) - X-Ecutioners
1996 - DJ Noize (Denmark)
1997 - DJ A-Trak (Canada) - youngest ever world champion aged 15
1998 - DJ Craze (USA)
1999 - DJ Craze (USA)
2000 - DJ Craze (USA)
2001 - Plus One (UK)

Download Link (Hotfile - 700mb)
http://hotfile.com/dl/83600055/af9d6dd/World.DMC.DJ.Champions1987-2001.rar.html

Sabac - The Ritual DVD

Sabac Red (as he was formerly known in Non Phixion alongside DJ Eclipse, Ill Bill & Goretex) is an underrated political and conscious MC with a lot to say that will provoke the mind. He has released two solo projects since Non Phixion disbanded in 2006, both released on Necro's Psycho+Logical-Records, but each remain slept on by the masses (which is no bad thing).  His 2nd offering The Ritual came in two formats, one of which was accompanied by a DVD.

Although this DVD isn't a highly polished, big budget effort, it's certainly not one of those lame efforts which are just a collection of random clips.  You know the ones, where they use mobile phone footage of live concerts and call it 'exclusive content'. 
Sabac has really made an effort to engage with the viewer by giving them an insight into the work that he does behind the scenes to improve his community and educate the kids.  He commentates on his work and his feelings and this informal narration cuts in and out throughout the DVD and successfully pulls together the various other footage that we're presented with. 
 
The DVD is a full length film featuring videos, interviews, live European tour footage with Ill Bill & DJ Eclipse, freestyles, behind the scenes making of 'The Collabo Collection Vol. 2 Mixtape' and more.
 
Download Link (Hotfile - 690mb)
http://hotfile.com/dl/83638488/88aca73/Sabac.The.Ritual.Bonus.DVD.2008.DVDRip.rar.html

Eazy E - The Life and Timez of Eric Wright

This DVD is a bootleg rarity and took me a while to source, but maybe that's because it isn't as good as it should have been!  I'm not a massive fan of Eazy's, but let's not forget that he was one of gangsta raps pioneers and back in the day he was a real character, he was like the ol dirty bastard of NWA.

With this in mind, the DVD should have chronicled much of his success and achievements, but instead it seems to focus on his death and subsequent funeral.  There is a fair bit of exclusive footage and many famous west coast affiliates appear in tribute to Eazy (Above the Law, Yella, Bone Thugs & Harmony etc). 

One bizarre thing I noticed was that he had a gold coffin which looked like something only a gangsta rap star would have, but then he has the most understated headstone going (a small plaque laid flat on the ground).

Download Links (200mb each):
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Wild Street 2

Here at FoaWP our graffiti knowledge isn't our strongest asset, but we do try to represent all elements of Hip Hop and this DVD is certainly worth a look.  It focuses on a variety of Mexican graffiti styles and has a nice backing track of hispanic influenced Hip Hop.

Download Links (350mb):

Part 1
Part 2