Thursday 26 September 2013

Audio Two 'Top Billin' Supa Blends remix (1998)

Here's something I picked up on an otherwise unremarkable party breaks 12" a few months ago. Milk's legendary vocal is blended with the 'Phone Tap' and 'One More Chance' instrumentals.



It sounds like a strange combination but as DJ 7L mentioned in an interview for this very blog, tracks like 'Top Billin' were still getting played in the clubs in the mid-to-late 90s, 10 years or so after they first dropped and this works pretty well.

Sunday 22 September 2013

Skillz - Rawkus promo EP (2002)

The career of (Mad) Skillz has been a strange one. After a promising debut in '95 he got lost in the shuffle in the late 90s, only to re-emerge at a time when fellow Virginians Timbaland and Pharrell were running the clubs and radio. Collaborations followed and Skillz bagged himself a deal with Rawkus, yet somehow despite having the 2 biggest producers in the game on board, he failed to blow. Rawkus disappeared not long after and aside from a couple of 12"s, all that was left to show for it were the tracks on this promo EP. A mix of freestyles over Neptunes beats and some original tracks.

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Some of them eventually got an official release a few years later on Skillz' 'Confessions Of A Ghostwriter' album but the moment had passed and he's since carved out a career with his regular end of year 'Rap Up' and touring as Jazzy Jeff's hypeman. So in comparison to alot of his 90s indie contempories he ain't done too bad I suppose.
I've got a few other loose Skillz freestyles from this era that I can zip up if anyone wants 'em.

I'll try and get back to posting more frequently but can't make any promises. I'm off up t'radio in a bit for tonight's Infinite Hip Hop Show,  9-11pm on Kane FM. Special guest mix by Jorun Bombay. Tune in if you can.

Friday 13 September 2013

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)