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.

Radio 1 Rap Show 10.03.00 with P Diddy and Tony Touch

Puff Daddy and, erm, Tori from WWE are in the studio for part one. There's a nice Tony Touch mix in part 2 and a cosy chat with Fabio about London's club scene in the 80s towards the end of the show.



This thing Westwood had for getting wrestlers on the show around 2000-2002 is a bit weird.

Radio 1 Rap Show 16.07.99 with P Diddy & Shyne

Puffy on Westwood's show from around the time 'Forever' dropped. He's also got Shyne with him, and it turns out this was the show that this freestyle went down on. Whole load of Bad Boy tracks get played, and then part two finishes off with the recording of Biggie performing at the Radio 1 Rap Show launch party in London back in '95.

Notorious BIG live in London (1995)

I picked this up last week and as today is the anniversary of Biggie's death its only appropriate I upload it.

STREAM PART 1    STREAM PART 2

This show was also the launch party for Tim Westwood's Radio 1 Rap Show (he'd moved from Capital FM at the end of 1994)  and he's recently posted some video footage



Big up Junior Pepaseed for the heads up on that.
In other anniversary related news, this blog was 4 years old yesterday so shout out to myself and everyone thats contributed over the last few years.

Previously
Busta, Maino, MOP, Sheek, Styles P, Lil Cease, Red Cafe & Uncle Murda 'March 9th'

Biggie & Craig Mack freestyle on Westwood (1995)

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.

"Its All About The Benjamins" original unreleased mix (1996)

A few hours digging for vinyl yesterday yielded some interesting results. One of the records collecting dust in the middle of the endless copies of Ja Rule and D12 promos was this white label which includes the original version of the classic 'Its All About The Benjamins'.

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According to DJ Mike Nice this version "was released on a Bad Boy 'Shot Callers' promo tape given out at one of Puff's parties"

Wikipedia has a bit more info:
The song debuted in 1996 on DJ Clue's Holiday Holdup mixtape. This version of the song only featured Puff Daddy and the rap act The L.O.X. (excluding Styles P). The song was later added to Puffy's debut album, No Way Out, in a remix, "It's All about the Benjamins (Remix)", which added two new verses by Lil Kim and Notorious B.I.G. Lil Kim also provided the song with a chorus which the original version lacked. This version of the song also omitted the word "Hebrews" out of Jadakiss' verse, however, the word was left in on the first pressing, subsequent pressings removed the word. Additionally, when it was released on the Bad Boy's Greatest Hits Vol. I album, it retained the word. This single made it to No. 2 on the Billboard charts and its video won a Viewer's Choice award at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards show. Due to the rarity of the obscure mixtape version, the remix featured on No Way Out is often considered the song's definitive version to avoid confusion