Blogwatch - December 2011

Although 2012 is now here, I've taken the usual look back over the last month of 2011 and pulled together some of the highlights from around the internets various sites and blogs etc.  Although the Xmas and New Year parties have now finished, I've decided to lay on a retrospective buffet of hip hop for you to feast upon, there's plenty more after the jump:

Public Enemy in Concert

The boys over at the T.R.O.Y. blog have found this great recording of P.E. live in concert.  Although it's a recent concert, they showcase many of their hits from over the decades.  Why not digest nearly 2 hours of truly classic hip hop?

Oh, and if you're wondering about the characters in the image above, these are Public Enemy toys that you can buy.  Don't all rush out to buy them at once!!!
Stream or download the 128 bit mp3 at NPR


Red Bull BC One (2004)

Props to Janka Man for uploading the DVD rip of the very first Red Bull BC One contest.  Here we see 16 of the finest b-boys at that time battle one on one for the title.  Essential viewing for all b-boys.
http://www.multiupload.com/68UA4N38VS


Jay-Z - Early Interview - 1996
Back in 1996 Egotripland's Chairman Mao did an interview with Jay-Z for Vibe magazine.  They edited his submission in a way that Mr Mao was unhappy with, but not to worry as 15 years later he gets to set the record straight with this version, which is much nearer to the original.
http://www.egotripland.com/jay-z-first-vibe-magazine-interview/


The 50 Greatest Hip Hop Skits
I don't know about you, but around 90% of the time (if not more), I could quite happily say that I wish the skits had been left off an album.  They rarely add any value, and if anything they're usually used as an attempt to portray the artist as a particular character (hustler, player, sex god, add any other exagerated role here).  It even annoys me to have to press a button in order to skip them.

So when I saw this countdown that's been compiled by Complex.com, I was pretty much expecting to see a collection of my worst nightmares. But then I noticed some gems that had slipped my mind, and I got drawn into the whole list in a way I never thought possible, so see what you think.  Oh, and you can listen to each skit, just in case you forgot them.
http://www.complex.com/music/2011/12/the-50-greatest-hip-hop-skits/#gallery

Some of my favourites:
Ice-T - Black & Decker
Gravediggaz - 360 Questions
Jay-Z - Okay, I'm Reloaded
N.W.A. - Just Don't Bite It
Wu Tang - Torture Skit
And here is a little background info for you regarding the Jay-Z skit (just the first minute):



K-Def's 10 Favourite Sample Flips
Over at EgoTripLand, producer K-Def hits us up with his 10 favourite samples and he talks about what makes this selection so special.  From their rarity to the way they were used, it all adds up to an interesting read.  Samples for each break are also provide in order to make the direct comparison.  I love that Nas sample for Represent, classic DJ Premier at work.
http://www.egotripland.com/k-def-10-favorite-sample-flips/

And, if you're feeling this, then you might also want to check out J-Roccs 10 favourites too.
http://www.egotripland.com/j-roccs-10-favorite-sample-flips/


Guru's Demo Tape

Any Gang Starr fan will be interested to see this.  Guru's original demo tape has been released by The X Label (the official label sanctioned by the Elam family).  What makes this release so unique (apart from the obvious) is that it's been reproduced on tape!!!  What the X Label have attempted to achieve here is something that is as close to the original as you could expect.  They've not even attempted to improve the sound quality (maybe that will be done in a future (CD?) release).

Copies can be purchased here, but also check out the special combination package containing the tape along with a t-shirt and shoe that have the demo tape artwork printed on them.

Hope you found something interesting to digest,

Mike Check.