Biggie & Craig Mack on Hot 97 (1994)

Not a tape I've ripped myself, but something I recently came across when I was browsing Soundcloud for the first time in ages. Brandan (shout out to Brandan) posted this up 3 years ago so you may have heard it already. To begin with I assumed it would be the show that spawned the infamous Live at The Palladium freestyle that appeared on the Nuttin But Flava 12", particularly as the freestyle on this uses the same Mad Lion instrumental. This is before that though, and is probably the Bad Boy duo's first appearance on Flex's influential Street Jam show. He's asking Biggie where he's from, what name he's officially going under and what label he's on, and he later has the exclusive play of Juicy although as you'll hear from his conversation with Puffy, Unbelievable hadn't made it's way onto his promo CD at this point. Hearing Big drop (at that time unheard) lyrics from Juicy and Everyday Struggle over Impeach The President and Craig Mack following him with Flava In Ya Ear about to hit the streets is a pretty iconic moment so although I don't usually jack content from other people I had to have this one and give it some additional shine. I've edited it down so you'll have to check Soundcloud if you want to hear Flex in the mix for the 50 minutes that preceded this. It was ripped at a really low bit rate unfortunately but it's listenable.

If you don't have time for the whole thing, here's the freestyle...



If you need more Fat Chris in your life Filthy Rich just dropped a Ready To Die 25th Anniversary Tribute mix. Check his Gravediggaz/Organized Konfusion blend project too while you're there.

Also, I'm running low on tapes to rip at the moment so if you've got any an want to share get in touch. I can return them when I'm done.

DJ Filthy Rich - A Tribute To Craig Mack (2018)

Filthy Rich comes through with a mix dedicated to the Macklicious Fat Funk Flav boyaaaay!

Radio 1 Rap Show 23.06.00 New York Live with Craig Mack & Half A Mil

First up out of the insane collection of Westwood tapes I recently acquired is this edition of New York Live, which was Tim's regular link up with Marley Marl. Craig Mack is in the house for the first part and then the late Half-A-Mil steps up. Both sessions include stupidly long freestyles (mostly off the dome on Half's part which serves to remind me how much I prefer someone busting pre written rhymes). In what is probably one of the more random things I've heard recently,  Larry O (of Real Live) and TJ Swan both jump on the mic with him for a bit aswell.



This is the show that Tim recently posted video footage of, which isn't something that happens too often. Hopefully he's got more to come that will match up with these full shows I have.



Been considering creating a seperate site just for all these Westwood shows but we'll see how things go.

Funkmaster Flex & Tim Westwood with Craig Mack, Biggie & Puff Daddy (1994)

I think this was the first time Westwood & Flex linked up for their monthly 'Rap Exchange', where Tim would go to the US and host his show from Hot 97. This is from August 1994, when 'Flava In Ya Ear' was the biggest record in NYC and Craig Mack, Puffy and Biggie are in the studio for a freestyle session that would later appear on the b-side of Flex's 'Nuttin But Flava' single.

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Flex gets busy cutting up the dope (and overlooked) 'Uptown Style' by Kirk aswell as stuff by Lady Of Rage, Troubleneck Brothers and Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

Flava In Ya Ear remix (DJ Step One blend)

I haven't posted a blend for a while so here's something I just cooked up: the acapella of the 'Flava In Ya Ear' remix over the instrumental of Outkast's 'Southernplayalistic...'

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Biggie, Craig Mack, Biz Markie, Rampage & Mic Geronimo - Live Freestyle (1995)

Some rare audio footage here: Biggie, Craig Mack, Biz Markie, Mic Geronimo and Rampage freestylying live at an NYC nightclub.
Taken from an old DJ Clue tape, this isn't something out of my stash but I found it whilst googling for something else and as I hadn't heard it before thought I'd share it here.

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Biggie & Craig Mack - Tim Westwood freestyle (1995)

By request, another freestyle session off Tim Westwood's One FM Rap Show.
This time its from early 1995: Biggie & Craig Mack over Redman's 'Rocafella' instrumental.
It was the anniversary of BIG's death 2 days ago and every blog has been full of tribute posts, the best one being put together by the good peoples at
TROY which definitely has some audio and video you might not have come across before.

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EDIT: This tribute mix by J Period & DJ G Brown looks like its worth checking aswell