Tape Kingz #5: Tobes

 You may know Tobes from the dope Sparkle Motion mixes (with DJ Yoda) and as part of Blood Money (with DJ Dub), or for his work on Spine Magazine back in the day. He's also a mixtape aficionado and has contributed some of his extensive collection to this site in the past. Here's his top 3...

Doo Wop - Spring '94 (1994) 

To be a teenage rap fanatic in the Spring of 1994 was a true blessing. Looking back, I honestly feel so fortunate to have experienced it all. As consumers we were completely spoiled for amazing music on a weekly basis. This tape was a perfect snapshot of the time. Completely unskippable, every track a banger. Plus you had the Bounce Squad intro, and Wop hyping every song like crazy throughout the tape. I listen to this one every now and then and the memories come flooding back. It was an amazing time.      

Ron G - Mixes 12 (1993)  

I have every Ron G mixtape he put out in the 90s. This is probably my favorite along with It's On Pt. II and 187. Mixes 12 featured classic hip hop beats paired with various acapellas, everything from Tina Turner to Buju Banton. It was a big influence for Sparkle Motion's 'Mega Blends' mix which has Ron on the intro. He had the art of the mixtape blend down to a science. The opening Jomanda 'I Like It' / Steady B 'Use Me' blend is so cold. I would play the transformer scratch he did on that over and over and over again, completely mesmerized. It was so ill. Still is. I feel like Ron G never got the props he deserves. His R&B/hip hop blends helped shape the sound of 90's/00's R&B as we know it. Ask Puffy. 

Kid Capri - 52 Beats (1991)  

The fact that this tape was recorded live in one take just makes it so ill to me. When the records skip a few times and Capri jokes "ooops excuse that!" gave it that raw factor, along with tons of tape hiss. I miss tape hiss! It was all breakbeats, but it doesn't get any more hip hop than this. So many break mixes came after, but none were as good. It's a magical listening experience that every hip hop head should be forced to listen to!

BONUS! Tobes and I collaborated on the internet hood classic A Queensbridge Project a few years back which you should definitely check out when  you're in the mood for some early 00s QB raps.

Blood Money - Breezes Volumes 1 & 2

Blood Money is Tobes and DJ Dub and their latest project for your quarantined dome piece is two hours of smoothed out hip hop instrumentals from '95-'99...

Download Volume 1

Download Volume 2

Nuthin But A 5G Thang

DJs be busy right now. Quick round-up for you and yours...

Filthy Rich has dropped 2 mixes recently - a tribute for Big L's debut, and a Pete Rock x Q Tip mix

DJ Yoda - A Written DOOM (the Jay Electronica album, minus Jay Z, with MF Doom beats)

Jaguar Skills - Hip Hop Timebomb 2010

Tobes & DJ Dub - Heatwavez (80s freestyle & electro)

DJ MK - Foundation Vol 1 and Vol 2 (breaks, electro and early hip hop)

Sparkle Motion presents Special Mixx Vol 1 (2017)

Sparkle Motion once again! Over to Tobes:

"New mix from myself and Yoda inspired by early Mr. Magic and The World Famous Supreme Team radio shows. Feelgood uptempo rap, pop and R&B jams from the early to mid 80s with a few secret treats thrown in along the way... hope you guys dig it..."

Step One & Mr Tobes present A Queensbridge Project Volume 1

Another mix, another collaboration. This time out I linked up with Mr Tobes and we've put together a selection of some of QBs finest from the early 00s. There was a flood of material coming out of Queensbridge at the turn of the decade and it was kind of hard to keep track of at times but the fact that Alchemist and Havoc were supplying beats for the likes of Cormega, Tragedy, CNN and an impressive array of Mobb Deep affiliattes meant that the quality was usually on point. This mix goes hard thunn...

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Intro

Capone N Noreaga & Mobb Deep - Queens Finest

Cormega ft Prodigy - Thun And Kicko

Infamous Mobb ft Prodigy - Gunz Up

Mike Delorean - QB interlude

Lake - Crushed Linen

Run DMC ft Nas & Prodigy - Queens Day

Cormega - The Legacy

Alchemist ft Nas & Prodigy - Tick Tock

Mobb Deep - When You Hear The

Mike Delorean - Thunn Language interlude

Tragedy Khadafi, Nature & Blaq Poet - Kings Of Queens

Nas - Let Em Hang (solo version)

Tragedy Khadafi ft Headrush - Bing Monsters

Tragedy Khadafi ft Havoc - What's Poppin

Mobb Deep ft Nas - USA (Aight Then) - unreleased version

Big Noyd ft Mobb Deep - Louder

Nature - Don't Stop

Capone N Noreaga, Cormega & Lake - We Gon Buck

Infamous Mobb ft Prodigy - We Work For This

Mobb Deep - The Illest

Cormega ft Tragedy Khadafi - They Forced My Hand

Screwball ft Cormega - Loyalty

Sparkle Motion - Make The Music (2016)

After a series of essential mixes, Sparkle Motion take it to the next level...

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Known for their expertly-crafted mixes and deep knowledge and appreciation of 80’s and 90’s Hip Hop and R&B, SPARKLE MOTION take their first foray into the world of original production with the release of MAKE THE MUSIC, a dazzling exploration into a world of filtered R&B vocals, golden-era rap samples, masterful keyboard arrangements and bouncy 808 bass lines. 

This strictly all-instrumental beat tape draws on a variety of influences and artists, from BABYFACE to LEVEL 42 via CAM'RON and BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS. 

Armed with a magic bag of samples that might only be identified by the most seasoned crate-digger, this is essential for fans of KENNY DOPE, ARMAND VAN HELDEN, MARK RONSON, ONRA and DAFT PUNK, while also appealing to instrumental junkies and beat-heads alike. 

From the spaced out, intergalactic vibes of ASTRO BREEZE to the pounding, synth odyssey that is TECH NOIR, MAKE THE MUSIC is a full, electronic turbo-charge of sophisticated compositions and melodies, arranged to give a retro feel while keeping things fresh, modern and cohesive. 

CRUISE CONTROL finds us riding shotgun on a misty tropical highway among the stars; soothing chords and the perfect bass guitar lick make it sound like something you'd find on a modern day OUTRUN soundtrack, while the title track MAKE THE MUSIC - featuring whirling police sirens, firey synthesizers and the perfect old-school rap vocal - wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtrack to a remake of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. 

Another highlight is the uptempo, soulful disco thump found on INSPIRATION, which borrows the perfect vocal chop from one of pop music's all time greats - while also paying respects to the “French Touch” sound of the mid to late 90’s. 

Indeed, showing respect and appreciation is what MAKE THE MUSIC is all about - SPARKLE MOTION pay homage to the artists and sounds they obviously loved and listened to growing up, while creating something new and unique that sounds like little else right now. 

Blood Money - Pillow Talk (2015)

Another seamlessly mixed set from R&B connoisseurs DJ Wax On and Sparkle Motion's MR TOBES, 'Pillow Talk' sees Blood Money return with a stunning selection of early to mid-80s quiet storm jams, all expertly blended together for your listening/love making pleasure.

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Mister Tobes & DJ Dub present Heatwavez (2014)

80s R&B kingpin MR TOBES (Sparkle Motion) recruits electronic music mastermind DJ Dub (Invader FM) for an hour's worth of top choice female Freestyle and Electro grooves from the mid to late 1980s...

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Featured tracks include the Bernard Edwards produced magic of 'Don't You Want Me (Remix)' by Jody Watley, the Kurtis Mantronik Trap-blueprint-brilliance of Nocera's infectious 'Summertime, Summertime', the Armand Van Helden sampled smash 'Do You Want It Right Now' by Siedah Garrett and the timeless pop classics 'Crush On You' and 'Tell It To My Heart' by The Jets and Taylor Dayne, respectively.

Perfect for the beach, gym or your next B-Boy/B-Girl showdown. Download and enjoy the sizzle...

TRACKLIST:

Shannon - Stronger Together
Sweet Sensation - Hooked On You
Wish f/Fonda Rae - Touch Me (All Night Long)
Jody Watley - Don't You Want Me (Remix)
Taylor Dayne - Tell It To My Heart
Carmen - Time To Move
Brenda K. Starr - What You See Is What You Get
Nu Shooz - Don't Let Me Be The One
Jets - Crush On You
Pretty Poison - Catch Me I'm Falling
Siedah Garrett - Do You Want It Right Now
Eileen Flores - Touch Me With Your Heart
The Jets - Cross My Broken Heart (Extended Version)
Xena - On The Upside
Pyjama Party - Yo No Sé
Exposé - Point Of No Return
Vikki Love With Nuance - Just Love You
Exposé - Come Go With Me (Extended Mix)
Rochelle - Magic Man
Angela - All Hung Up
Nocera - Summertime

Sparkle Motion - Mega Blends (2014)

Them Sparkle Motion boys done did it again...

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Sparkle Motion 'Night Hype' (2013)

Sparkle Motion are back with another speaker smasher for ya boomin' systems: 'Night Hype' takes it back to the days of stonewashed jean-jacket combos, doorknocker earrings, hi-top fades, 8-Ball jackets and customized Dapper Dan leathers.
During the late 80s/early 90s, R&B music was only just starting to flirt with a harder hip hop sound. Getting rappers to feature on R&B tracks was something very new at the time. Producers started moving away from polished record production to drum machine-backed rhythms that included hip hop influences.
This mix is dedicated to that era, and intended to seriously cold rock the hypest house or block party. Once you hit play, prepare for fly honeys and bass devastation everywhere. Word to ya muthaaa.

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Tracklist
Pebbles - Mercedes Boy (Remix Radio Edit)
Paula Abdul - Knocked Out (7" Version)
Pebbles - Girlfriend (Extended Version)
Sybil feat. Salt-N-Pepa - Crazy 4 U
Johnny Gill - Wrap My Body Tight
Tony Terry - She's Fly (Dub Mix)
Sparkle Motion - Can't Stop The Show (Blend)
Al B. Sure! - Off On Your Own (Street Mix)
Jody Wately feat. Eric B. & Rakim - Friends (Remix)
Pebbles - Giving You The Benefit (Extended Version)
Bobby Brown - Every Little Step (Remix)
Today - Girl I Got My Eyes On You (12" Version)
Johnny Gill - Fairweathered Friend (Radio Remix)
Karyn White - The Way You Love Me (12" Hype Mix)
The Gyrlz - Wishing You Were Here (Boyz Meet Gyrlz 12" Mix)
Jody Wately - Real Love
Mac Band - Roses Are Red (Extended Version)
Stacy Lattisaw - Dance For You (Extended Version)
The Good Girls - I Need Your Love
Alyson Williams - Sleep Talk (12" Mix)
Sheena Easton - The Lover In Me (7" Version)
Vanessa Williams - The Right Stuff (Dub-A-Delic)

Sparkle Motion 'Flight School Volume 2'

This is the second installment of 'Flight School' by Sparkle Motion aka
Tobes and DJ Yoda. I'll let them tell it:

"By the power of jheri curl juice, Sparkle Motion (DJ Yoda & TOBE$) are back with more synthesized fire to take you higher and higher!

After the phenomenal success of Vol. 1, step on board for another hour of 80s R&B breaks - no vocals, just uptempo boogie bangers and slow jam burners for you to break out the scented oils to"

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"Hang tight for the second volumes of "New Jack City" and "Slow Jamz", and a new series "Miracle Blendz".

Sparkle Motion are the new Bell Biv Devoe! (But DJs)."