Filling The Gaps

Being a bit of a nerd for hip hop trivia, I was pleased to see the soundtrack for the early 80's movie Breakin' 'n' Enterin' posted up on the 1994hiphop.net blog.  I blogged about this movie last year so if you aren't aware of it, check out this post for more info.

Although the availability of the soundtrack was of interest to me, it was the narrative that accompanied it that intrigued me the most:

In 1983 director Topper Carrew produced a documentary about the Radio Club called “Breakin’ ‘n’ Enterin’”. For this early piece of West Coast History Ice T, Egyptian Lover and The Glove recorded five songs which were released on the legendary ‘Radio Crew’ EP. The artist Dupont who also first appeared on the soundtrack did three songs for this documentary; filled with vocoder voices and electro beats, which were well ahead of their time, but his tracks never made it on to the original vinyl pressing. The EP is one of the rarest pieces of vinyl in Hip Hop history, only pressed 25 times for the cast of the documentary.

This 2008 release contains the original 5 tracks that appeared on the EP in addition to the Dupont tracks.

If you've watched the movie then you'll know that Dupont's music is heavily featured, in fact it kind of becomes the films theme tune!  So it's seems harsh that it was left off the original EP.  But regardless, it's nice to have access to a 320kbps rip all these years later, especially as I'm never like to find (or afford) one of the original EP's.  Here's the track listing and download link, and many thanks to Juicy for sharing the link and his knowledge.

01 Ice-T – Intro
02 Radio Crew, The – The Glove – 6 PM Mix
03 Radio Crew, The – Spray It – Super AJ
04 Radio Crew, The – Breaking & Entering
05 Radio Crew, The – The Glove Meets The Egyptian Lover
06 Radio Crew, The – The Egyptian Lover’s Theme
07 Ice-T – Breaking & Entering (Rap)
08 Dupont – Burn
09 Dupont – Break Dancer
10 Dupont – Let’s Rock

Download

Quinine 2 - Part 1

What ya want Nine? Phat beats for my rhymes!  I remember when those lines first blasted from an episode of Yo! MTV Raps.  With the somewhat infectious baseline, Nine's gruff voice and a style that epitomised 90's NY hip hop, this was surely a new talent destined to go far.

Well to my surprise Nine's career was fairly modest.  Two critically acclaimed albums and signing to a major label should be considered successful, but to me, Nine never really had the recognition he deserved.  And then he disappeared from the scene after his 2nd album was released in 1996.
Well, that's not entirely true.  He did do a couple of guest spots for some unheard groups, and in more recent times he had a little MySpace thing going on, but even that went quiet a few years back.

But Nine has always been active and you may be surprised to know that he's released several albums since his MTV days in the 90's.  In 2007 he released Return of the Hardcore and followed it up in 2009 with Quinine.  Return of the Hardcore was nowhere near to the same standard as his early work and feels more like a mixtape or cuts that didn't make an album, but Quinine is a good album, more cohesive and a return to his previous form, so it's well worth a listen.  If you were a fan of Nine back in the day, then I'm sure you'll enjoy both albums, but Quinine is by far the better choice.

And whilst sharing some of Nine's hard-to-find back catalogue, you might also be interested in the Bootleg & Unreleased album.  This is a compilation of tracks that aren't on the first two albums, including the mighty Famaldahyde 12", his smash single with Funkmaster Flex (under the 'Nine Double M' moniker) and various remixes etc, this is golden era Nine at his finest.

But the real rarity here has to be his 1991 debut on Warlock records.  It's a 3 track single, all of which were produced with Funkmaster Flex.  It's fair to say that Nine sounds much different (he was much younger and still mastering his craft) on this 12" and he certainly hadn't fully evolved the distinct gruff and grimy voice that later became his trademark.  I've got to give thanks to Juicy over at the 1994 HipHop Blogspot for recently uploading this.

So why is the title of this post Quinine 2?  Good question, and I may not have a definitive answer, but hopefully all will become much clearer in part 2 when I bring things up to the current day.

Download:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/r6jdi7015dypmyu/Nine_-_Bootleg_%26_Unreleased_Shit.rar
http://www.mediafire.com/download/hjzp1lcakf1vybh/Nine_-_Quinine.rar
http://www.mediafire.com/download/9t21ui7aad5nhsa/Nine_-_Return_of_The_Hardcore.rar

Funkmaster Flex & Nine Double M - F.A.L.L.I.N. (And Y'all Can't Get Up) (VLS) (1991) (320 kbps):
http://ad08aa84.linkbucks.com/url/http://ad08aa84.linkbucks.com/url/http://ul.to/kt6siag5
http://ad08aa84.linkbucks.com/url/http://rapidgator.net/file/e9de9964601019a6b95a6af1468e4613/(1991,_Single)_F.A.L.L.I.N._(VLS)_[320].rar.html

What do you ask god?

It's been an interesting month on the internet.  Aside the drama around Tim Dog's supposedly fake death, and the passing of one half of Kris Kross, there's also been some retro goodness.  Here we go....

The Microphone Master

The Red Bull Music Academy has been consistently representing good hip hop for a few years now, but now they bring us nearly 2 hours of discussion with hip hop's greatest emcee.  I don't think I need say any more, let Ra do the talking.

NYC Live Throw Down: 1979-1985

Just take another look at that image!  26 hours!!!  Props to Janka-man for sharing this.  It turned up on one of the best websites there is for finding obscure and out of print records.  I'd never seen it before, so I'm assuming many of you won't have either.  Here's the description:

Over 1 full day (33 live performances) of vintage and official live throwdowns, spanning from 1979 to 1985.  New York City's original school together in one complete set.  This collector's set includes one data DVD containing 3.5 GB of high quality (320 Bit Rate) mp3's.  Each show is ID'd and sequenced, resulting in convenient use and enjoyment, as opposed to each show being one thirty to ninety minute-long continuous track.  

No collection is complete without the infamous Kool Moe Dee / Busy Bee scuffle, or the notorious routines of the Force MCs, Treacherous Three, and Cold Crush 4 MCs.  The list of essentials on this disc is endless. Includes a 24 page full color booklet of vintage NYC show flyers and artwork.

If you're an old schooler with a passion for this type of stuff, then download, buy some food supplies and lock yourself in a room for a couple of days whilst you reminisce.  All the links and a detailed track listing can be found here:

http://1994hiphop.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/nyc-live-throw-down-1979-1985-2007-dvd.html

G.U.R.U.

Last month was the 3rd anniversary of Guru's death.  Somehow this tribute track from Marco Polo, Talib Kweli and DJ Premier completely passed me by, which is a shame, because it's pretty nice.  See what you think.

Would You Like a Demo of ESP?

Nope, I'm not offering to read your mind, or bend a spoon.  I'm talking about the demo tape of Tha Alkaholiks when they went under their previous name, the Educated Street Poets or ESP.  I've previously covered this demo (and 29 others) here, but the tracks were embedded and were not available for download, whereas this downloadable version contains all 6 tracks.  Props to Warlord for sharing this rarity.

http://www.fileswap.com/dl/OuO8V1ygRV/Tha_Alkaholiks_aka_E.S.P._Demo.rar.html

More of the God MC

Producer Dominic Owen has released the 3rd instalment of his unreleased Rakim tracks.  This time round we're blessed with Get Visual (which eventually made it onto Rakim's debut LP The 18th Letter under the title When I'm Flowing).
For me, this is an interesting piece of history that adds another layer to this track.  As you can see from the Soundcloud title, Dominic produced this track in 1995, but the LP wasn't released until 1997!  This version is far superior to the album cut, but then I've always hated the LP version.  Why?  Because there is another (bootleg) version that ranks as one of my all time favourite Rakim tracks.  Both versions are presented here, you decide which is better, but don't waste your time with the LP version.

Wu Excitement???

1996 was probably the last time I put those two words in the same sentence.  Maybe that's a little harsh, individual members of the Wu have certainly shone at various times, but in my mind the Wu Tang have been fairly underwhelming since around 1996/97.  That is, until now.

You've either been in a coma, working on the international space station, or stranded in a desert somewhere if you've missed all the hype around the latest Ghostface Killah project Twelve Reasons to Die.  But just because there's been a lot of hype, it doesn't mean that you've paid it any attention.  I haven't, because experience has taught me not to get excited about the Wu, and I'm sure I'm not on my own.

Last year I really enjoyed the Trophies  album by Apollo Brown and O.C., in fact it ranked in my top three.  So when I saw that Apollo Brown had remixed the new Ghostface album I felt compelled to pay some attention to it, and I'm glad I did.  

I should probably mention now that the Apollo Brown remix is currently only available on a limited edition free cassette that accompanies the CD album.  Most (if not all of these) have been sold, but I can help you out there so keep reading.

Before I get into the music, let's just read the concept for the album, how it was conceived and understand that this album was recorded live.  

From the official website: As those involved tell it, the story came first, the music second and the lyrics last. Twelve Reasons to Die is the creation myth of a black superhero set in 1960s Italy, which looks a lot like 1990s Scorsese. The curtain opens on a young man born into a life of crime. But anyone familiar with Robert De Niro’s characters in Goodfellas and Casino knows what’s coming next when Ghostface’s character rhymes, “I was a boss among white boys, rocking a ‘fro.” He hits the ceiling, leaves to start a black syndicate, falls in love with a boss’s daughter and makes a ton of money importing cocaine. For these crimes, the criminal organization he came up in murders him and dumps his body in a vat of acetate. His former friends press 12 records from his remains, but when those records play, his vengeful spirit arises. Though he was rebuffed and disrespected in life, in legend the Ghostface Killah becomes immortal.

And just like it's cinematic concept, the album plays out like a film.  The production quality is akin to the same creativity that Rza showed in the early days of the Wu, often using simple, effective, stripped back melodies and beats that give everything space to breathe.

It's not my intention to write a review of this album, so that's enough of my analysis.  Why not check it out for yourself without having to part with your hard earned cash.  Even better, why not check out the Apollo Brown remix for free too?  And just for good measure, I'll even embed the video too.  If you're feeling this album, or just a fan of Ghostface, then you've got a full hit to you main artery here.

Mike Check.

Stream the original full length album...

Stream the Apollo Brown remix album - The Brown Tape...

Or watch the video for the lead single...

Jimi Zone

I didn’t know about this J-Zone release until very recently. It’s not really a mixtape or a mashup and it’s not a formal release either (so it’s not available from major retailers), therefore it’s kind of gone under the radar. "What is it then?", I hear  you asking.  Well, as J-Zone announces on the intro, he’s produced this LP to pay tribute to Jimi Hendrix whom he was a great fan of, and because it’s the closest he’ll ever get to working with him. We certainly can’t dispute that claim. But this isn’t a traditional tribute or remix album either (trust J-Zone to do something a bit different).

If you can imagine for a moment that Jimi is still alive and he calls J-Zone up one morning saying, ‘hey Zone, I need you to produce some tracks for my new album’, then this is possibly what J-Zone would have produced. It’s an instrumental album that fuses the funk and soul of Jimi Hendrix with the trademark production styles, infectious beats and zany samples that J-Zone has become so well known for. As an example of Zone’s wacky humour, there’s a bit where he and Jimi have a little conversation with each other, much like James Brown used to talk to his band.

It makes for an interesting blend of styles that actually works really well. It also reminds me a little of Dangermouse’s Grey Album (where he reworked Beatles records into hip hop beats for the Jiggaman). And just like the Grey Album, it strikes the balance of not sounding too much like a straight sample or loop of the original artist, but retains their unique sound.

https://hotfile.com/dl/178606867/e9420f5/J-Zone_-_Experienced.rar.html

And if you like this Jimi Hendrix and J-Zone LP, then you may also like this compilation from DJ Concept that is along similar lines and contains additional contributions from J-Zone.

http://execute1200.com/v2/2008/11/13/djconcept-a-tribute-to-experience-coming-soon/

Golden Era History

Large Pro breaks down his classic records

I think the title says it all.  Extra P tells Complex.com the stories behind some of his classic joints whilst this month sees him release his latest LP Professor @ Large.  Essential reading:

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/05/large-professor-tells-all-the-stories-behind-his-classic-records-part-i/#gallery

Nas - The Making of It Was Written

Complex.com has produced a number of gems this month.  As well as the Large Pro stories, they've also produced something that is long overdue, a proper look at Nas' 2nd LP It Was Written.  His debut LP Illmatic has been analysed, dissected and digested to the point where there is nothing new left to say, but his 2nd LP is largely ignored.  As Complex rightly point out, it's his best selling LP to date and there was so much riding on it.  How the hell do you follow up Illmatic?  It could have easily been a flop and signalled the end of Nas' career, but it didn't, so how was this achieved:

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/05/the-making-of-nas-it-was-written/

Free Ice-T albums

The OG rapper has offered to share two of his lesser known albums for free. 

The first is an album that was originally recorded in 2004 when he was part of the SMG collective which consisted of Smoothe Da Hustler, Trigger Tha Gambler and the Ice man himself.  However this album was never released worldwide and therefore it is relatively unheard.

The second album is more recent and is released under his Twitter moniker, Final Level. 

To obtain your free copies, go to his bandcamp page and select to 'buy' the album.  Then enter 'zero' in the price box.

Peace
Mike Check

Show and A got the Flava!



Bronx heavyweights Showbiz & A.G. return with a new release and are back on top of their game. You may remember that back in November I spoke about their highly anticipated new LP Mugshot Music and shared some of the leaked tracks. Well the LP is still in production and scheduled for a late summer release, so to keep fans happy and to fill the interim gap they have released a free taster album called Pre Loaded.

Unlike most pre releases, this is a full length, top quality album. It’s not a mixtape, there are no DJ’s hollering all over the tunes, and its 15 tracks long. Okay, I acknowledge that most of the tracks are only 2-3 minutes long, but I’d rather it be that way than having some well known DJ shamelessly doing self promotion with an annoying voiceover.

And if you’re a die hard Show & A.G. fan that really can’t miss anything they release…. well, you can purchase a deluxe version from iTunes or Amazon. So what do you get for your extra bucks ($8.99)?  Just three more short tracks!
I’m not sure on the marketing strategy here; surely a free EP would have given listeners a greater incentive to part with their hard earned dough for the full length album. But I’ve only been buying records for 30 years, so what would I know!

Anyway, go and check out the latest offering from one of hip hop’s greatest duos, I’m sure you’ll be glad you did.

Free download: http://www.sendspace.com/file/emzn23

Mike Check.

Free Downloads

[Note to readers using RSS etc - You may need to come to the site to see the embeded music players etc]

There's a ton of free music out there, but finding the good stuff that is worth listening to can feel like a full time skilled profession.  Well hopefully we can help out a little by providing you with some great new tunes to bump in your iPod.

Has-Lo
First up is a new joint from Has-Lo.  Hot on the heels of his highly rated LP In Case I Don’t Make It released earlier this year, he now releases the follow up Conversation B. 
This free promotional track Light Years has been remixed by J-Zone.  It's not quite the usual style of J-Zone production that we're used to (although it still has his trade mark sound to it), but it's just as distinct and inventive.  It's also great to heat that J-Zone has returned to the production boards, as the news that he'd retired was almost like a bereavement. 

Who's The Martyr?

Immortal Technique has just released this free LP entitled The Martyr to accompany his tour of the same name. The album contains previously unreleased tracks and features major artists including Chuck D, Vinnie Paz, Dead Prez and Brother Ali. 
It's a generous, and well planned, offer from Immortal Technique to give us this album for free. It's another stab in the eye of corporate America and their attempts to own, control and contain hip hop culture. I know some people find him irritable, but I admire anyone who is prepared to head butt the system and deal with the consequences, especially when it leads to self sacrifice. So why not show your appreciation by downloading and supporting this album?
In its first 3 days this album had more than 250,000 downloads!!!  So who needs a major label to move units?

http://www.mediafire.com/?bm0wfu4wk8l9zzk

Also, check out the US tour dates and catch him in a town near you.

Mike Check

Blogwatch - October 2011

Damn, what a blistering month its been.  The summer hiatus is over and now I feel like I'm getting high on all of the dope content that is circulating around the web.  There's been so many great finds this month we've been spoilt for choice, so I hope you agree with my selection.  Here's the cream of the crop (incl. a free download!):

MC Lyte & Positive K
Ever wondered what happened to MC Lyte?  Well, like many of the artists from her era she's still going strong, just not on everybody's radar.  She recently hooked up with Positive K for this collaboration:




And if this is a bit too soft for you, then have a listen to this one where Lyte shows that she can still kick it hardcore.



MC Lyte has a host of other tunes that can be found on her website: http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/10434598.  She also has a free app that you can download for exclusive pictures, content etc.  It's so good to see one of the greatest female emcee's still in the game and still going strong. 


Jedi Mind Tricks Interview
On the eve of their new album Violence Begets Violence, Viinie Paz and Jus Allah talk about JMT's current sound and direction and the absence of Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind from the production boards.  They also reflect on nearly two decades in the game and a return to their earlier sound.

http://respect-mag.com/masters-of-lyricism-an-interview-with-jedi-mind-tricks/


Red Bull Music Academy - Slick Rick
Old School legend Slick Rick attends the Red Bull Music Academy's World Tour at the Bronx Paradise Theatre where he discusses his early hip hop influences, the development of his unique storytelling style and then revisits his classic debut album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick for a track by track breakdown, giving insightful recollections of their history.
The session lasts around an hour and a half and contains plenty of interesting history pertaining to Rick and some of his early associates.  Check the video out here:

http://www.egotripland.com/slick-rick-red-bull-music-academy-lecture/

Also, there are four more lectures like this from the Wu Tang Clan, Black Moon, Mobb Deep & Dipset.  Head over to Egotripland.com to see each video, although you might need some spare time as they're each an hour or more in length.

Murs Interview
Murs has got to be the most underrated and under recognised emcee from the west coast (feel free to disagree or suggest an alternative name).  Having just released his latest album Love & Rockets Volume 1, Murs takes time out to discuss this and previous releases as well as his attempts to have a greater understanding of homosexuality, working with O.C., family life and plenty more. 

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.1781/murs-reveals-why-he-left-la-bluroc-family-life-and-explains-kinship-to-black-hippy/


Lord Finesse Breakbeat Mix
The microphone master takes to the decks for a mix of break beats and hip hop classics.  As one of the golden era's finest producers, Finesse has an ear for excellent beats and demonstrates that in this nice little mix.

  Lord Finesse - WFMU Mix 6 October 2011


New Masta Ace LP
Last month I gave you the heads up on the new Masta Ace and MF Doom (MA Doom) collaboration LP that's due for release real soon.  Well, to give you a taster of the new LP, Ace has released a free promo single on his website to get us all in the mood.  This single is an exclusive that won't be on released LP, so go grab it whilst you can.
When I first heard this track, I really wasn't too sure about it.  It felt a bit like a DJ mashup, but trust me, it's a real grower when you give it a couple of listens, and I'm now even more excited about the new project.

http://www.4shared.com/audio/sCSONcBH/MA_Doom-PBS.html

Peace out,
Mike Check.

Blogwatch - July 2011

Apologies for the brief hiatus, it's that time of the year where holidays get in the way of blogging :)  Still, it's better get something late than not at all, so here goes.

July was yet another month of blogging goodness, with lots of rare rap vitamins and golden era minerals for your consumption.  As usual, I've scoured the blogging fields to find the best organic produce and then I freshly picked it for that perfect flavour.  Enjoy!

Rare Mixtapes
DJ Manifest has recently started a blog to share his vast collection of mixtapes.  There's some pretty rare, and old, stuff on there (Kid Capri, Ron G, Lord Finesse etc) and a promise of plenty more to come, so instead of me listing it here, why not go and check him out for yourself. 
http://onestopmusicplace.blogspot.com/

From Mambo to Hip Hop
My man Battlechasers has found a copy of the film "From Mambo to Hip Hop" which in his own words is a "Documentary on the creative adoption of Cuban rhythms to create the New York salsa sound, which laid the foundations for Funk and Hip-Hop."  Its directed by Henry Chalfont (Style Wars & Spray Can Art).
http://pieandears.blogspot.com/2011/07/from-mambo-to-hip-hop-documentary-film.html

Pacewon & Mr Green
It's always nice to discover new releases that are worth sharing with others, and this new video from Pacewon is no exception.  Props again to Battlechasers for digging this one up.
http://pieandears.blogspot.com/2011/07/pacewon-and-mr-green-ever-since-2011.html
Also, if you didn't catch Pacewon's last single Can you hear me (A tribute to the people of Tunisia) then you need to catch that too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYGfxOP9dQs

Non Phixion Promo Tape
Philaflava over at T.R.O.Y Blog has shared this Non Phixion sampler tape.  It is essentially their debut album that they produced for Geffen but was never released.  The track listing is kind of strange as it contains old tracks like legacy (their debut 12", see my earlier post) and then Black Helicopters which didn't come out until their 2nd LP.  It's also got gems like 14 Years of Rap feat. The Arsonists and They Got which weren't on either of the albums.
http://www.thetroyblog.com/2011/07/06/non-phixion-the-past-the-present-and-the-future-is-now/

Fat Boys Documentary
This is a great watch for any old skool fan.  A 40 minute documentary on the Fat Boys that charts their beginnings, their rise and ultimately their
Commentary comes from many legends including their producer Kurtis Blow and band members Prince Markie D and (a very slim!) Kool Rock Ski.
http://pieandears.blogspot.com/2011/07/fat-boysthe-true-story-great-watch.html

The Conspiracy is back!
If you weren't a listener previously, then I strongly recommend you check out Mr Montana's show on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio.  The latest episode has interviews with: DJ premier talking about the early Gang Starr days, Canibus talking about his new album Lyrical Law, MOP, and much more. 
Conspiracy Worldwide Radio is dedicated to conscious underground artists with a so you won't find any of that mainstream bullshit we all run a mile from!  And the best bit.... if you can't check the show when it's live, the podcasts can be downloaded from the site or via iTunes.  So, what's your excuse for not checking them out?
www.conspiracyworldwide.podomatic.com

Humanity's on the brink of insanity.

Not a reference to a Geography Department in absolute chaos, but a clear nod to the 30% of people recently surveyed who believe George Osborne is making a good Chancellor. We'd be better off with Ozzy Osborne at the helm. Don't let the fact that he was born twenty years before George was given the keys to the country's stationary cupboard, ruin a rubbish attempt at a joke.

Worries about NHS funding aside, this particular duo released, in my opinion, a hip hop classic that didn't come close to receiving the props its innovations deserved. Signed to the now defunked. Sorry. Wlyd Pitch imprint, they seemed to be caught in the maelstrom of politics enveloping the label at that time, and went under with the ship, never to be sighted again. Not even by their families.

This has been a particularly difficult post to write; not because we all shared a night of passion and to reminisce is to cry, more that there is simply no information on our capeless crusaders around. I cannot recall the name of the DJ, so we'll call him Clive, but i do remember the microphone operative worked under the name of Hardhead, perhaps assumed after he had bravely sheltered the Coney Island seals from the inevitable, and together they, (as in Clive, not the grateful mallet tempters), fashioned an album that shone light into the darker corners of life. Hardheads considered lyrics tackled subjects as diverse as male rape, the likely fate of runaways and working for a racist employer. Meanwhile Clive manufactured an assortment of appropriate tones to solidify the image our lyrismith had skillfully conjured.

This album is now available on Amazon as a reissue and i strongly recommend a purchase. Please don't be put off by the cover, which appears to see our heroes candidly captured, blissfully unaware that someone has brazenly pinched their classroom with the inevitable repercussions for winter learning. It is fantastic album, a rare outing in which both musically and lyrically, consistent highs are simultaneously reached.

Purchase now!!

Wild Style Breakbeats

DJ Black Steel pulled this album of breakbeats together having taken the beats from the original Wild Style film.  Anyone who is a fan of the films original score will certainly appreciate this compilation, but for me what is more important is the flashback to that era that this type of breakbeat collection provides to the listener.  So if you loved Wild Style, then download, press play and reminisce on just how funky that era was and just how classic Wild Style is.  I can't think of another film from that era that has stood the test of time, or was as true to the culture as Wild Style.

Download (Hotfile - 52Mb)
http://hotfile.com/dl/88097340/05b78a1/DJ_Black_Steel_-_The_Original_Wild_Style_Breakbeats_Album.rar.html