Tape Kingz #8: DJ Skully

The 8th in the series and this time DJ Skully steps up. Skully is a former DMC Champion, DJ'd for Klashnekoff's Terra Firma crew and hosted the rap show on Kiss FM for a few years in the early 00s. He's recently been sharing some mixes and shows from his archives exclusively on this site and here's his Top 3 + 1...

DJ Greenpeace - Fat Lace Volume 1 (1998) An important tape for me at a time when hip hop was changing quite drastically and I was favouring that underground sound. It's not really a skills tape, but the selection of exclusive joints on this was incredible and the placement of tracks is just right. Classic Lootpack, Dilated, Medina Green, Scaramanga, Rugged Man and loads more. Heavy rotation for months and months, from a dj/journalist who spread the word on independent artists more than most! 

DJ Riz - In The Mix (1997) Riz was a hero of mine throughout the 90’s and this mix is a great example of why. The choice of underground tracks was exactly to my taste at that point in time, and I rushed out to purchase any vinyl that was available in the record shops. The selection is consistently on point, with a perfect amount of deadly turntable skills. I still get a buzz when Tragedy, Beatnuts or Dwellas drop, DITC gets cut up, or Das EFX gets juggled! 

PF Cuttin - 5 Deadly Venomz of Brooklyn (1997) Even though this is just a small section from a classic mixtape, it still deserves a mention, it’s that good! I owned a record shop around this time and spent most of my days trying to perfect those raw PF skills. From the transform cuts on the intro, to Verbal Hoods, Breez Evahflowin, the Busta juggle, Powerule and everything in between, this short mix has some superb tracks and the sickest, most stylish table techniques.

Honourable mention: DJ Spinbad - Needle To The Groove Spinbad has to be one of the cleanest djs to ever do it, surely? Some of my mates used to be quite stubborn when listening to genres other than underground hip hop, but anyone who heard Needle To The Groove could not help but fall in love with it. Such a great mix of classics, tight mixing and super clean skills. I used to carry this cassette around with me and play it anywhere that had a tape deck, and still play it to this day. A truly superb mix from a world class dj.

Tape Kingz #7: DJ Diablo

Aside from having contributed a ton of tapes from his extensive collection to OB4ZL, DJ Diablo is also a founder member of The Brotherhood, was resident at legendary London club night The Hop, DJ for Roots Manuva's Banana Klan crew and most recently held it down on BBC 1Xtra with a guest spot on the Heartless Crew's sunday night show. Here's his top 3 mixtapes...

DJ Riz on the Capital Rap Show (1994)

No one had ever heard a mix like this before, everything about it was perfect the cuts, the blends, the mixing. Westwood first played Riz's mix in '93 but only dropped 20 minutes of it and due to popular demand he had to play the whole thing. Simply untouchable. 

 Mr Wiggles - Rock Steady Vol 1 (1994)

Another incredible mix for its time influencing many copycats, some good some and not so good. Using a 4 or 8 track mixing classic breaks with Zulu Nation gems. The definitive B-Boy mixtape. 

 DJ JS-1 - Flashbacks  

Another mix that blew my mind. Insane cutting and mixing with legendary tunes that birthed the culture. Flawless from beginning to end, JS-1's masterpiece is still in heavy rotation today.

DJ Riz on WKCR (10.08.00)

Not sure where or when I originally downloaded this but I discovered it on a hard drive recently and it's great. Riz appears on Bobbito's CM Famalam show back in 2000 and goes in with an hour of unreleased/bootleg/promo only joints. All that under the counter, in the know, holy grail shit that alot of us hadn't even seen until the internet arrived.

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DJ Riz - 5 Minutes Of Funk (2017)

DJ Riz being disgustingly good at DJing for 20 minutes. This is very good and well worth a watch.

DJ Riz on Hot 97 (2015)

Hot 97 took a break from being terrible to let DJ Riz get busy for an hour last week. The man is a beast. He has the acapella for I Got Cha Opin for starters. Nice to hear a mix with the Hot 97 drops after all this time too. "The beat was s'posed to drop right there..."

DJ Riz on Hot 97 (28.08.15) by Djstepone on Mixcloud

Download at Riz's Facebook page

The more astute of you might notice that parts of this (specifically the opening section) are pretty much identical to the live club set of his I posted back in 2010. Still dope regardless.

DJ Riz & DJ Eclipse - Halftime Show (1999)

Riz and Eclipse's Halftime Show on WNYU from April '99. Not too much talking on this one. East coast underground joints are the order of the day, plus Lil Cease and Mr Bristal pass through the studio.

If you want the Cease & Bristal freestyle seperately I posted it here a few weeks ago

Thanks to Tobes for the original tape.

Now available to download at Hip Hop Radio Archive

DJ Riz - In The Mix (1997)

Yet another one donated by Tobes. DJ Riz with some no-nonsense East Coast underground business right here...

STREAM SIDE A     STREAM SIDE B

(click on the image to enlarge)

In other news, the re-ups continue. If you missed 'em first time round I've hooked up fresh links for...

Noreaga, DMX & Canibus freestyle session on Hot 97 (1997)

KRS One, Mad Lion, Fat Joe & Lord Finesse live @ the Rocksteady Anniversary Jam (1995)

Pete Rock & The UN interview on Kiss FM London (2001)

DJ Riz & DJ Eclipse - Halftime Show (2001)

45 minutes of Riz & Eclipse's 'Halftime Show' from February 2001. Features music by MOP, Beatnuts, Common, Group Home and more...



Big up DJ MK for this one. He's unearthed another huge box of tapes and I managed to grab a few treats the other night, so best believe theres a few goodies on the way!

DJ Riz & DJ Eclipse - Halftime Show with Prince Paul (1998)

Riz & Eclipse on their WNYU show back in December 98. The show was an old school special so expect lots of 80s/early 90s material, plus Prince Paul is in the studio promoting his 'A Prince Among Thieves' album.

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Thanks to MK for the tape

DJ Riz on Hot 97 Street Jams (1994)

Riz dropping a guest mix on Funkmaster Flex's 'Street Jams' show. I ripped this a while back but just realised I never posted it. I'd guess its from around September 1994, so you know its worth a listen

Thanks to DJ MK for the original tape.

DJ Riz live in NYC (2010)

DJ Riz absoloutely killing it at a recent club night in New York

DJ Riz - Live @ Deko Classics Night (2010) by Djstepone on Mixcloud

Courtesy of DJ Klutch

DJ Riz & DJ Eclipse - Half Time Vol 1 mixtape (1999)

Riz & Eclipse come with a load of late 90s underground flavour on this tape, aswell throwing in a few freestyles and cuts-n-juggles for good measure.

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DJ Riz & DJ Eclipse - Halftime Vol 1 by Djstepone on Mixcloud

Thanks to DJ MK for the original tape. I should've posted more recently but Mediafire won't let me upload anything for some reason. Anyone who knows why this might be get in touch! I'm going with Megaupload in the meantime.

Doo Wop - 15.09.94 (Part 3)

By popular demand (seriously!), I've finally got round to ripping the rest of this tape.
Following the blends and old school on Side A, here's the 'new' part of the tape that made up the B side. I'll post up the tracklist in the comments section.

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DOWNLOAD PARTS 1, 2 & 3

I've actually cut the first part off. Its the Bounce Squad performing live somewhere but the sound is fucked so its basically 15 minutes of them shouting, dissing the soundman and occasionally rhyming. Quality on it isnt great but I'm gonna try and salvage the Snagglepuss freestyle.


I'm trying out mediafire as a replacement for zShare. Let me know if there's any issues.


ALSO
Good interview with DJ Riz by 7L HERE. He's also blessed you with the legendary mix Riz did for Tim Westwood back in 94.

DJ Riz - Live on Westwood (1996)

A full 90 minute mix from one of NYC's finest, DJ Riz. This was live on Tim Westwood's show in October 1996 when Riz was in the UK to promote his Shoot Tha Pump mix CD.
Theres not a bad track on this tape. Its 100% head nod Hip Hop: Pete Rock, Jeru, Royal Flush, ATCQ plus lots of indie stuff. The majority of it was brand new at the time so the fact that alot of these tracks are considered classics today is testament to Riz's selection skills.

DOWNLOAD    STREAM PART 1   STREAM PART 2

Mixes recorded in the 90s >>>>>> 90s mixes recorded in the 00s