The Choice Is Yours (except it's not anymore)

I haven't downloaded (paid or otherwise) any new rap music so far this year. This is down to 2 things, the first being that nothing has really caught my attention and secondly I've become increasingly fed up with the restricted availability of certain songs. Before anyone draws for the 'old man yells at cloud' jpeg, I've tried to articulate this as best as possible without coming off too Abe Simpson about the state of things. I feel it's a legitimate grievance. Walk with me...and then tell me how you stay on top of everything in the comments section.

Firstly I should say that I always fully embraced music in a digital format. I downloaded my first track in 2002, and bought Serato in 2008. Unlike a lot of DJs I kept my vinyl, but if you were playing out it seemed insane that would prevent yourself from being able to access certain tunes that were only available on mp3. I don’t want to get into the pros and cons of vinyl vs digital as it’s a well worn discussion that - unbelievably - still gets bought up now.

My beef is with the current situation music consumers find themselves in, where there are so many platforms to acquire music from that it’s becoming impossible to keep up with what’s out there, and even if you have the time and motivation to do that, actually being able to buy what you want is a considerable mission.

DJ Shame - The Funky Abstract Brother (1992)

No cover for this one but it's DJ Shame of Vinyl Reanimators fame mixing up some '92 Hip Hop with a few original samples and breaks chucked in. This is about a "proper" a mixtape as you can get - no shouts or exclusives, just dope music for 90 minutes.

DOWNLOAD

I had to edit a few minutes out of each side as the tape had twisted up but the quality is otherwise pretty good.

Mystro on Kiss FM (2004)

The man now officially rolling as Mysdiggi up on Kiss FM with Big Ted and Shortee Blitz back in 2004 around the time he dropped the Music Mystro EP. As you'd expect with these 3 in the same studio there's jokes and jams and then a big freestyle sesh with Youngblood joining him on the mic.

It's good to see Mys blowing up off the back of that Sainsburys advert, which has almost banished the memory of that Christmas shitshow they dropped with the horrific vocal stylings of Bantz4Hire cheese monster J Corden. Almost.

Radio 1 Rap Show 19.03.99 - New York Live with Jeru, Black Moon, DJ S&S and Truck Turner

Even though I didn't catch many of them at the time, I'm starting to think that Westwood's New York Live shows with Marley are better than his Rap Exchange shows with Flex. DJ S&S is on the 1210s for a bit and all the guests drop freestyles on this one, with Craig G stepping up to rhyme alongside Truck Turner and Jeru. Pete Rock and TJ Swann are also in the studio. I imagine the #bantz was in full flow.

Part 1 with Truck Turner and DJ S&S


Part 2 with Black Moon and Jeru


and here's the the Buckshot and Jeru freestyles if you want them

Nas on the Radio 1 Rap Show (2003)

Nas on Westwood doing some promo for God's Son. Lost Tapes 2 definitely coming out apparently. No freestyle unfortunately but I've only got an hour of the show here. Hopefully the other tape will turn up  (I found tape 2 - still no freestyle though) I had the Made You Look remix in regular rotation for a couple of years so it was good to hear that again for the first time in a while.

CM Famalam Show 07.01.99

Bobbito & Lord Sear's CM Famalam Show on WKCR from January '99. The tape is a bit stretched (no pun intended) on this one which is a shame as it makes any tracks with pianos and strings - of which there are several - sound a bit off key. The recording was pretty bass heavy so I've done what I could to straighten it out. Minor issues aside it's decent enough to warrant posting. Enjoy.

March 9th and all that

Here's the full version of Biggie's 'Real Niggaz Do Real Things' (aka "the one over all the west coast beats") which was all over the mixtapes back in '95 but for some reason rarely found in the full version you've got here. As you'd expect it appeared on a ton of bootleg 12"s but usually in parts 1, 2 and 3. All a bit strange. Anyway, this Crib Underground 12" has the best quality full length version that I'm aware of and it includes the DJ Jam interlude and everything...



His Bigness drops some classic verses over Deep Cover, G Thang, Murder Was The Case remix, Black Superman and Gin & Juice. He even shouts out Death Row at the end. Probably one of my favourite Biggie tracks.
Side note: I recently watched The People vs OJ Simpson and the use of Black Superman for Johnny Cochran to walk into the courtroom was fantastic.

Radio 1 Rap Show 12.11.99 with JT Money

As far as 90s shows went, it was kind of unusual for Tim to have guests from outside of the East Coast. Off the back of the success of No Limit and Cash Money in the US, other rappers from the South started getting some attention and depending on who they signed with, had the opportunity to venture overseas to do a bit of promo work. I'm guessing that when JT Money inked his deal he didn't envisage rocking Huddersfield Uni but apparently this actually happened, although I'm told his London gig didn't so without eye witnesses who knows. Either way, he's up at the Beeb for this show and Tim is pretty amped (about 8/10 I'd say). I lost track of the amount of times he says "dirty south" but it's a lot. Part two has a lengthy Noreaga freestyle (taken from a previous show) and JT's DJ gets in the mix towards the end.

Guru interview on KXCI 91.3 FM (1997)

Interesting one this. Guru being interviewed over the phone on a small community station out in Tuscon, Arizona. You Know My Steez had just come out and Moment Of Truth was being finished up for release in March '98. He mentions that they were trying to get Busta Rhymes on the remix for Steez but ended up going with Kurupt (probably for the better imo). He also offers up an acapella rhyme but unfortunately the dude in the studio leaves a beat playing so it ends up sounding a bit off due to the time delay on the phone and what have you.

The latest additions to the Westwood Archives mixcloud have just gone up:

Radio 1 Rap Show 10.04.99 with Busta Rhymes

Mixmasters Weekend 11.01.97 with One Step Ahead & DJ Casualty