London Style & Fashion (an early 90s UKHH compilation)

Out of Eddie's collection emerges a healthy amount of early 90s UK artists on rap radio. Freestyles and live recordings taken from Richie Rich's Rap Academy and Max & Dave's show on Kiss FM, and Westwood. Rather than drip feed them I thought I'd gather them up in one big zipfile for you. It's mostly names you'll recognise if you're familiar with that scene although there is a couple of lesser known artists. This era is kind of a niche sub-genre of hip hop and in terms of the history of the UK scene its often overlooked in favour of the 80's golden era (London Posse, Monie Love, MC Duke etc) and the early 00s generation (Jehst, Klashnekoff, Task Force). 

Essentially the dance music explosion of the 90s sidelined hip hop for most of the decade in England. I was going to go into more detail but this article covers a lot and is worth a read if you want to know more. 

As for the comp, I've posted the two MC D freestyles before, and I think the Caveman one is from somewhere else (?) but the rest is brand new. Enjoy. 

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Blade - Kiss FM Rap Academy (April 91)

Brotherhood - Radio 1 Rap Show (June 95)

Cash Crew - live in London (Dec 90)

Caveman - Capital Rap Show

Deadly D, Def K & DJ Cel - Kiss FM Rap Academy

Gunshot - Lightning 90.8FM (Nov 90)

Guttersnypes - Choice FM freestyle (Dec 93)

Hardnoise - Live To London (Aug 90)

Honey B & Culture Shock - live (Sept 91)

Katch 22 - Kiss FM Rap Academy (Feb 92)

MC D - DJ 279 special (July 93)

MC D - Kiss FM freestyle (July 93)

Sir Drew - Capital Rap Show promo

SL Troopers - Kiss FM Rap Academy (Feb 92)

Son Of Noise - Freestyle (July 91)

Have to big up Eddie once again for these. If you're sitting on a box of tapes get in touch and let's free the gems!

If you're in the mood for some more classic UKHH then GM B-Eazy just dropped a new mix...

Chuck D & House Of Pain - Westwood dubplates (1992)

Chuckie D and Everlast going off dancehall style and fashion for Tim over the Bam Bam riddim (Murder She Wrote). Sounds weird right? Seems like this was recorded as 2 seperate sessions rather than at the same time but on the tape I have they're played back to back. Shame Tim had pretty much phased these type of things out by the time he got to Radio 1.

Steady Pace & Master Ace on the Capital Rap Show (1990)

Here's a short but enjoyable clip of Master Ace and his DJ Steady Pace on Westwood's show in October 1990. Steady does his thing on the 1200s for just under 10 minutes while Ace handles the mic. It cuts off before Ace kicks any rhymes unfortunately but it's a good listen nonetheless.

Big Daddy Kane & Scoob Lover freestyle (1989)

Taken from a  Mr Magic show but played by Westwood on the Capital Rap Show, here's Kane and hype man/dancer Scoob Lover (who eventually became Big Scoob) going back and forth for 9 minutes.

Flavor Flav on the Capital Rap Show (1992)

The world continues to be a mess and the amount of idiots piping up with an opinion just drains the soul at this point so take your mind off it for 5 minutes and check Flav doing More News At 11 on Westwood's show.

London Posse - Capital Rap Show freestyles (1992)

Not one but two London Posse freestyles from Westwood's show in '92. The first one above you may have heard before as it has appeared online in the past. It's the one with Rodders and Bionic going off over the remixes of Its A Boy and Shut Em Down and Check The Rhime. Classic material as you would expect.
The second one hasn't been shared before as far as I know and sees the duo doing their thing over Scenario and Uptown Anthem for 8 minutes,although that includes the odd false start Bionic decides to censor himself.



Thanks again to Eddie for the tapes of these ones.

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previously: London Posse - Live To London (May '91)

Capital Rap Show - LA Gear Rap Exchange 29.07.89

One of few positives of this current shit show is that DJs are having to focus their attention on whatever they can do their homes. In MK's case he's gone into his stash of tapes and commenced to ripping some gems. First up is the first LA Gear Rap Exchange where Tim linked with Marley Marl. You already know what to do...

Capital Rap Show 19.11.93 with Onyx

"we just found out about somethin we don't like out here, knowumsayin, called the BNP or summ'n like that, and we ain't havin it..."

Onyx pass through Westwood's show on a Friday night in 1993 having just performed on The Word (here on youtube at 3:30). They mention they had a 2nd album with a planned release date for early 94 and it wasn't called All We Got Iz Us so who knows what became of that and whether it was scrapped, pushed back or they just changed the title.

Main Source - What You Need

Nas - Ain't Hard To Tell (original version)

Das EFX - Kaught In Da Ak

Snoop Dogg - Gin & Juice

Domino - Getto Jam

Lords Of The Underground - Here Come The Lords

Onyx - interview

Ice Cube - Ghetto Bird

Wu Tang Clan - 7th Chamber

Wu Tang Clan - 7th Chamber pt 2

Onyx - interview

Slick Rick - Behind Bars

Shaquille O'Neal - Shoot Pass Slam

live callers

Onyx - freestyle

The Principle ft Silent Eclipse - Reality

Forte - Run Don't Stop

Ice Cube ft K Dee - Make It Ruff, Make It Smooth

Das EFX - Krazy Wit Da Books

UMCs - Time To Set It Straight

Download at the Hip Hop Radio Archive

As usual with these shows from the early 90s, there's always at least 1 track I don't recognise. This time it was Run Don't Stop by Forte, which is an early Funkmaster Flex production. Shout out to Rob Pursey for the knowledge on that one.

Another one out of the RRR collection - limited edition Live On Air mixtape available now! 

Chubb Rock - Capital Rap Show freestyle

Chubb Rock is very good at rapping but doesn't really get the props he deserves. He kills this appearance on Westwood while Clark Kent mans the tables cutting up Welcome To The Terrordome.

This turned up on a tape Craig gave me, which is labelled July '95 so maybe Westwood dug it out of the archives for a Radio 1 show off the back off Chubb's sterling performance on the Crooklyn Dodgers record.

Capital Rap Show 14.01.94 with Afrika Islam

Afrika Islam gets in the mix Zulu Beats style on the Capital Rap Show back in '94

Melle Mell & Afrika Islam on the Capital Rap Show (1993)

Mell & Iz pass through the Capital Rap Show whilst in the UK for some shows and have a chat with Timothy before Melle drops a 10 minute freestyle. The OG version of It Aint Hard To Tell is on here at the top of the show too, alongside tracks from Doggystyle, which was about to drop the following week.

tracklist

Nas - It Ain't Hard To Tell (original version)

Wu Tang Clan - CREAM

Shyheim - On & On (DJ Premier remix)

Snoop Dogg - Murder Was The Case

Snoop Dogg - Serial Killa

Snoop Dogg - Pump Pump

KRS One - Hip Hop vs Rap

Leaders Of The New School - Classic Material

Melle Mell & Afrika Islam - interview

Cold Crush Brothers - Fresh Wild Fly & Bold

Melle Mell & Afrika Islam - interview & freestyle

Buju Banton - Deportees

Capital Rap Show 17.07.92 with Super Cat

The Wild Apache in London and on Westwood's show back in '92 when Ghetto Red Hot was starting it's journey towards certified classic status. This is quite a rare radio outing for him as far as I'm aware so big up Mr Lawson for the tape of this one.

Thanks to Salaam Remi, Super Cat pulled off the reggae hip hop thing better than anyone, with only those anonymous white label remixes of Bounty Killer tracks that were around in the mid to late 90s offering anything in the way of competition. If you're into that kind of thing check out Filthy Rich's Hip Hop Reggae mixtapes.

Capital Rap Show 03.12.94 with Funkmaster Flex

New York Rap Exchange from December '94 and the last show before Westwood bounced to Radio 1. Shook Ones part 2 is on it's way to ubiquity at this point, and Group Home's 'Supastar' isn't far behind. This tape is the one that put me on to 'Spread It' by Kamakaze and Rayvon's 'Pretty' and also includes the remix of 'What Can I Do' which might be the last great Ice Cube track. You also get the dope freestyle session with Scarface, KRS One and MC Serch (which has appeared on this blog a couple of times over the years), and Charlie Brown of LONS' unreleased solo shot 'Whatcha Gonna Do For Me'...

Download at the Hip Hop Radio Archive

tracklist

Mobb Deep  - Shook Ones pt 2

Craig Mack - Get Down (Q Tip remix)

Group Home - Supastar

Kamakaze - Spread It

World Reknown - How Nice I Am

Ice Cube - What Can I Do (remix)

Fu-Schnickens - Breakdown

Brooklyn Slumlordz - Some Ole Party Sh!t

Da Youngstas - Mad Props

Rayvon - Pretty (Before I Go To Bed)

Nas - One Love

MC Serch, KRS One & Scarface - Freestyle

Keith Murray & 50 Grand - Freestyle

Simple E - Neck Work

Heather B - All Glocks Down

Notorious BIG - Warning

Tim Dog - Dog Baby

Charlie Brown - Whatcha Gonna Do For Me

Capleton - Tour (remix)

Method Man - Bring The Pain

Capital Rap Show 11.06.93

Diablo's collection is still throwing up some great Capital Rap Show tapes. This one has the original version of 'Outta Here' with the Mr Magic dis and a few deep cuts by the likes of Strickly Roots, Trends Of Culture and Juice With Soul. Crazy to think that the likes of Sound Of Da Police, Insane In The Brain, Come Clean and 93 Til Infinity were all hitting around the same time too.


Tracklist

KRS One - KRS One Attacks

KRS One - Sound Of Da Police

Cypress Hill - Insane In The Brain

Big Shug ft Guru - Stripped And Pistol Whipped

Fat Joe - Flow Joe

Jeru The Damaja - Come Clean

Souls Of Mischief - 93 Til Infinity

Akinyele - Ak Ha Ha? Ak Hoo Hoo!

KRS One - I Can't Wake Up

Juice With Soul - Just Because You're Black

Trends Of Culture - Hassle On The Iron Horse

Mesanjarz Of Funk -Funk In Da Trunk

Ultramagnetic MCs - 2 Brothers With Cheques

Fu-Schnickens ft Shaquille O'Neal - What's Up Doc

Wu Tang Clan - Method Man

CDLD - I'm The Man

Strickly Roots - Duck Da Boyz

KRS One - Outta Here (original unreleased version)

Funkdoobiest - Freak Mode

Ron G mix

Funkmaster Flex on the Capital Rap Show (October 1994)

2 NY Rap Exchange shows from October 1994. Similar playlists on both (hence the one post) but also some treats contained within. There's a few dubplate specials plus freestyles by Redman and Keith Murray, OC and Mad Skillz. Ghetto style buckwild New York City style one time for your mind make em bounce aaight etc

Capital Rap Show 04.03.94

aka The One Where Tim Gets A Promo Of Illmatic...

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Nas - The Genesis

Nas - NY State Of Mind

Main Source - Diary Of A Hitman

Now Born Click - Now Born Soldiers

Das EFX - Baknaffek (remix)

Gang Starr - Words From The Nutcracker

unknown - party break

Nas ft AZ - Life's A Bitch

Nas - One Love

Main Source - Only The Real Survive

Now Born Click - Mad Sick

Scientists Of Sound - Bad Boy Swing

Cash Crew - Bring It On

Kaliphz - Tru Skool M Bassadaz

Kaliphz - Vibe Da Joint

Nas - Memory Lane

Nas - The World Is Yours

Wu Tang Clan - CREAM

Vice Grip, Building Block, Herbal E, Starchild, Cella Dwellas & Lord Digga - Cypha Session part II

unknown - unknown

Militant Mix part 2

pretty sure this is also the show where I heard a great blend of Method Man over Tha Shiznit but it's been cut out, which is gutting, but that bit of scratching at 19:34 with the "give it to em" sample, which suddenly cuts to Tim mentioning Kid Capri and a "turntable remix" of Method Man at least solves the riddle of who was behind it after all this time. I lost the tape with it on a long time ago but did get hold of that instrumental a few months back so maybe I'll recreate it at some point.

Capital Rap Show 11.02.94 with Snoop Dogg, Daz & Kurupt

I was amped to find this tape of Snoop, Daz & Kurupt on Westwood's show from February '94, as I had it back in the day and played it to death to the point where I could pretty much recite the live calls word for word (turns out I still can). This was also the only place I had the dope remix of N!ggaz Don't Give A Fuck which wouldn't appear in better quality until a few years ago. Once I had uploaded the freestyle for one of the first posts on this blog back in 2009, I sold the cassette to some dude in Germany who then stuck in on a CDR and tried selling it , with what I assume was limited success. Diablo's recording ended before the freestyle finished so I replaced it with the high quality copy straight from the DAT that Westwood himself shared a couple of years back,

download

Tracklist

Wu Tang Clan - CREAM

Wu Tang Clan - Method Man (remix)

UMCs - Hit The Track

MOP - How About Some Hardcore

Heavy D ft Tru Kula & Notorious BIG - Jam Session

Slick Rick - Behind Bars

Casual & Souls Of Mischief - ?

Cash Crew ft Ses 1- Bring It On

Dogg Pound - N!ggaz Don't Give A Fuck (remix)

Snoop Dogg - Lodi Dodi

Snoop  Dogg  - interview

Dr Dre ft Snoop Dogg - Deep Cover

Snoop Dogg - interview

Snoop Dogg - Murder Was The Case

Gang Starr - Speak Ya Clout

live calls

Snoop Dogg - Serial Killa

live calls

Snoop, Daz & Kurupt - Freestyle

Capital Rap Show 17.06.94 with Jeru The Damaja

Jeru in the studio with Westwood promoting his upcoming debut LP. The recording (courtesy of that man Diablo) has been pause buttoned a few times but you get a decent chunk of the interview and some proper bangers either side of it.
I loved 'Sun Rises...' and probably played it as much as Illmatic when it came out. Premier on his A-game and no skippable tracks. It was one of those releases where mixtape and radio DJs were playing several tracks off it rather than just the lead single.  I know everyone enjoys the Group Home album but this was much better IMO.

stream/download at the hip hop radio archive

tracklist

OC - Time's Up

Rampage - Beware Of The Rampsack

Quo ft Redman - Huh What?

Slick Rick - Cuz Its Wrong

Dreadknotz - Tha Anthem

Mad Lion - Take It Easy

Jeru The Damaja - D Original

Jeru The Damaja - interview

Jeru The Damaja - Ain't The Devil Happy

Jeru The Damaja - interview

Jeru The Damaja - Come Clean

Jeru The Damaja - interview

Shyheim ft Big Daddy Kane, K Dee The Down Low Recka, Pop Da Brown Hornet & Rubba Banzs - Pass It Off (underground remix)

Kurious ft Sadat X & Mike G - Mansion And A Yacht (Groove Merchantz remix)

LL Cool J - Year Of The Hip Hop

Craig Mack - Real Raw

Mic Geronimo - Hemmin Heads

MC Eiht - All For The Money

>what sounds like an intro to a DJs mixtape

Nice & Smooth - Cash In My Hands

Capital Rap Show 09.07.93

One more out of Diablo's box before I head off for a week in the sun (hopefully). Could just be nostalgia as I don't remember noticing it at the time but Capital Rap Shows from 93 and 94 seem to have a different vibe to the Radio 1 shows of 94 and 95. The tracklists seems a bit edgier, although that could be a reflection of the music as a whole. In this instance the likes of Poor Righteous Teachers and Akinyele sit comfortably next to the Dogg Pound and Big Mike's dope solo cut off the Geto Boys album, with a Chris Goldfinger reggae mix closing the last 15 minutes of the tape...

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tracklist

Cypress Hill - I Ain't Goin Out Like That

Akinyele - The Bomb

Poor Righteous Teachers - Nobody Move

Geto Boys - No Nuts No Glory

Dogg Pound - Niggaz Don't Give A Fuck

Masta Ace Inc - Saturday Night Live

Cypress Hill - Hits From The Bong

Cypress Hill - Cock The Hammer

Poor Righteous Teachers - Black Business

Sham & The Professor - Who's At The Door?

Nice & Smooth - Cash In My Hands

Akinyele - Outta State

Funkdoobiest - Freak Mode

The Principle ft Silent Eclipse - Your Rap Machine Is Broken

Ice Cube - 24 With An L

KRS One - Higher Level

Da Hoodzmen - Rhyme Ripper             

>>Chris Goldfinger mix:

Shabba Ranks - Shine And Criss

Buju Banton - ??

Sanchez - If I Ever Fall In Love

Mega Banton - Soundboy Killing

Buju Banton - Good Looking Gal

?? - ??

Merciless - ??

Heavy D & Buju Banton - Hotness

That Premier beat on 'Higher Level' is a bit good innit? Wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Group Home album. Lovely stuff.

UPDATE: Turns out I posted the following week's show - with a not entirely dissimilar track list - 6 years ago. So I just added that to the Mixcloud page and Hip Hop Radio Archive. Go here.

Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince on the Capital Rap Show (1989)

Think this is something that I aquired way back from Dutch's site. Jeff & Will doing a 'Live At Union Square' type of thing for Tim Westwood back in his Capital Rap Show days. So that's something you don't get very often.
The full thing is 45 mins (this is the only part with Will on the mic) but I'm posting this at 7:30am and Jeff cutting up Rock The Bells into oblivion was too much to deal with. The file is really low bit rate as well so not sure how good it will sound played loud.
Couldn't have that El-P freestyle sitting at the top of the page for too long though or people might get the wrong idea.