Its approaching that time of year when every blog, forum and DJ will compile a selection of 'summer joints' which without fail always feature the same tracks year in, year out. If you want an alternative to 'Regulate', 'Summertime' and the usual R&B standards you could do a lot worse than bump this blend tape from 2001(ish) by NYC's DJ Silva Sirfa...
Although I'm not exactly a big fan of Lil Kim, this track grew on me as a result of rinsing DJ Rectangle's excellent 'Deadly Needles' mixtape back in 97.
I got hold of the 12" you see below and was dismayed to find that it was missing Jay Z's cameo, and so wasn't the version included on Kim's 'Hardcore' album. Instead there were 2 mixes, one of which I assume to be the 'original' (edit: see update below) which makes use of the awesome Love Unlimited Orchestra sample also used by Real Live and Jemini around the same time, and one labelled 'remix' with the same beat as the album version. The real talking point is the lyrics that didnt make the cut on the album...
The track features Kim taking a few shots at Faith Evans and 2Pac and must have been (like most/all of her songs) written by Biggie. You can hear his cadence and humour all over it...
"Uh, who shot ya? Who knows how they got ya? Fed up...wet up Maybe next time your punk ass will Keep Ya Head Up!"
I'm not sure but would guess that the lyrics were removed from the official release due to Pac having died just before it came out. Its a bit of an under-the-radar track and well worth a listen. If you're a stubborn boom-bap dinosaur who wouldn't dream of checking for Lil Kim, its all ok because its produced by Stretch Armstrong.
Thanks to Addicted 2 Retail for having a decent Kim photo I could use!
UPDATE 16/12/11: Theres a bit more info on this in the comments section from Stretch. After asking a few more questions (via Twitter) it appears he pressed up 500-1000 copies of the 12" himself. Mike Nice has also put me up on a demo version of this track with Biggie doing a hook to the tune of 'Sweet Dreams' by Eurythmics. This was scrapped after Nas came out with 'Street Dreams' although apparently Kim's track was made first. Also, I've re-upped the files as the album version was corrupted and I've re-titled the 'original' as 'Stretch Armstrong mix'.
Russell Simmons, Method Man and Nelson George guest on this Westwood show from December 95. Uncle Russ selects ten of his favourite tracks from the label ("I ain't mad at 'The Rain' though") and Meth gets wasted. GZA and Shaggy make a brief appearance aswell...
Tracklist CRU ft Slick Rick 'Just Another Case' remix Missin Linx 'MIA' Beatnuts ft Big Pun & Cuban Link 'Off The Books' Rakim 'When I Be On The Mic' Kasino & The LOX 'Men Of Respect' OC & Big L 'Dangerous' DITC 'Internationally Known' Jay Z ft The LOX, Beanie Sigel & Sauce Money 'Reservoir Dogs' Suga Free ft Playa Ham 'If You Stay Ready' Clipse 'Got Caught Dealin pt 2 (We Get Money)'
Used all vinyl on this.The only problem was whereas my MP3s are sorted by year, my vinyl is A-Z so I kept drawing a blank on what to play next (which is why I stopped while I was ahead!)
I've been wanting to drop a compilation like this for a while. This is a collection of some of the highlights of the career of Bronx mixtape king Doo Wop , probably the best DJ-on-the-mic and not a bad producer either. There's some great stuff on here, alot of which never saw an official retail release.
Tracklist
'Original Flavour 95 intro' ft Biz Markie
'Xmas Jams 93 intro'
'Da Bouncemaster'
'Hit Em In The Head' ft Da Bounce Squad
'Bounce Rock Skate Roll' ft Da Bounce Squad
'Gotta Go Down' ft Akinyele, Lord Tariq, Fat Joe & Pretty Boy Floyd
'Freestyle (1998)'
'Things I Do' ft Don Blaq
'Ten Tape Commandments (revisited)' ft Rahzel
'Castle To Castle' ft Raekwon
'Henny & Coke' ft Mr Cheeks & Noreaga
'Not A Game'
'One Tape'
So you've got a couple of freestyle intros from his tapes (incidentally these are also the first 2 mixtapes I ever purchased, on New Years Eve 94, from DJ MK at Handspun Records when it was on Oxford Street) followed by 3 tracks from the aborted Bounce Squad album. 'Gotta Go Down' was the b-side of the legendary 'Break A Bitch Neck'and the 1998 Freestyle is taken from the Diaz Brothers mixtape (aka 'Hip Hop On Wax' which I posted here recently). The 'Rockcreek Park' sampling 'Things I Do' was a promo 12" taken from the Flip Squad album and feaures sometime collaborator Don Blaq. 'Ten Tape Commandments' is, as you've probably guessed, Wop's take on the Biggie classic and was a 12" release that has the Raekwon collabo on the flipside. 'Henny & Coke' is an East Coast take on 'Gin & Juice' and 'Not A Game' is from the 'Gangstas Paradise' mixtape. The set concludes with another remake, this time of 'One Mic' where Wop speaks on the ups and downs of the mixtape game.
Many thanks to my man dirt dog for coming through with the artwork.
The post below reminded me of this similar 12" I've got in the collection. Its strictly UK emcees on this one, a few of whom were already established on the scene at the time and some others who would go onto to run things in the 'second golden era' of UK rap in the early 00s. Funky DL provides the beats (this is the 'jazz remix') and the first few bars and is followed by MC D, Skinnyman, Blak Twang, TY, ESP, Kwestman, Q Tee, Fallacy and Rodney P...
After watching a few videos of footage from Funkmaster Flex's legendary nights at The Tunnel in NYC I decided to put together this mix themed around the club in the late 90s . Enjoy...
Tracklist
Funkmaster Flex intro
The LOX 'Wild Out'
DMX, Jay Z & The LOX 'Blackout'
Crooklyn Clan 'Did I Do That'
DMX, The LOX, Drag-On & Eve 'Ruff Ryders Anthem' (remix)
DMX 'Get At Me Dog (DJ Step One blend)
BG ft Juvenile & Lil Wayne 'Bling Bling'
Juvenile 'Back Dat Azz Up'
OC ft Lord Tariq, Peter Gunz & Fatman Scoop 'Dangerous' (remix)
Puff Daddy ft The LOX, Lil Kim & Biggie 'All About The Benjamins' (DJ Step One blend)
Choke No Joke interlude
Jay Z ft Amil & Beanie Sigel 'Do It Again'
The Rite Bros 'Thug Anthem 2000'
Mobb Deep ft Lil Kim 'Quite Storm' (remix)
Redman 'I'll Bee Dat'
Cam'ron ft Mase 'Horse & Carriage'
Cam'ron & DMX 'Pull It'
Pharoahe Monch ft Lady Luck,Redman & Method Man 'Simon Says' (remix)
Capone N Noreaga ft Tragedy 'TONY' (DJ Step One blend)
CRU ft The LOX 'Live At The Tunnel'
The Firm 'Firm Biz' (World Famous remix)
MOP ft Jay Z '4 Alarm Blaze'
Memphis Bleek 'Mind Right'
Mase, Black Rob, The LOX & DMX '24 Hours To Live'
Hopefully the long delayed documentary will drop at some point
Got my ticket for this (and possibly a spare the way things are going). I'm more amped to see De La and Rakim for the first time than I am Mos and Talib but all 3 acts in the same night should be great. We don't get that very often in the UK! Just hoping Rakim shows up - he cancelled his last 2 UK shows in recent years. Good to see promoters in London keeping the shows coming. Check Ah Sh!t for the latest gig info in the capital.
I rarely post new stuff but I like this and think Stylah should get more exposure than he does. Here he vents his frustrations over Jay Z's 'Takeover' beat.
Right, back to business. This is 90 minutes of a Capital Rap Show from a friday night in 1993. Tim drops new Big Shug, Souls Of Mischief, Funkdoobiest, Pete Nice and Fat Joe, plus there's a bit of Ron G in the mix for the last part of the b-side (although the quality on that isnt great unfortunately).
Last night on Real Late with Peter Rosenberg, Danny Brown and Nick Catchdubs repped FG at the home of blazing hip hop and RnB. While Rosenberg spun “Ray Ban Vision (Remix),” “Greatest Rapper Ever” and “Guitar Solo,” Danny dropped knowledge on Tim Hortons, Eightball, and #dannybrownshair, then Catchdini took over the decks for a guest “throwback mix” featuring Cru, Brick City Kids, and more random rap nuggets.
Tracklist
Royal Flush ft Big Pun & NORE – Clap
Cru – Bubblin
Lost Boyz – Get Up (Remix)
Tom Tom Club – Genius Of Love
Redman – Brick City Mashin
Brick City Kids – Brick City Kids
Gang Starr – Brainstorm
The Roots – Thought At Work
Jay-Z f. Sauce Money – Face Off
EPMD – I’m Mad (DJ Scratch Remix)
Beastie Boys – It’s The New Style
Pharcyde – Drop
Rahzel – All I Know
Busta Rhymes – Rhymes Galore
Coco Brovas – Super Brooklyn
De La Soul – Ego Trip (Pt II)
Just a quick post until I get time to rip some new stuff. I've been away and busy with other stuff recently but regular posts should resume shortly...
