It's not Epic it's Rocafella!

Live from Sylvia's in Harlem, Westwood hosts Cam, Juelz and Jim who drop a freestyle over The Roc (Just Fire) and What Happened To That Boy and Cam does his lyrics from Down & Out (2 years before that came out). Keith Murray is also in the building alongside 50 Grand for some more freestyle action.

On a related note, another Radio 1 Rap Show from the year before threw up this oddity on the Top 10 At Ten. It's a remix of Oh Boy, that despite being dismissed by Just Blaze* as a "fake DJ trickery attempt", is actually pretty decent and definitely better than the official 'Oh Girl' remix. I've no idea where the Cam verse came from if it wasn't done for this track but he's accompanied by 2 other dudes who despite sounding like State Property, appear to go by Frank Mueller and TD (Ted Dibiase?). Can't find any info on  them or this version so if anyone can help out please do.



*my DMs are hotter than yours

Funkmaster Flex & Cam'ron on Hot 97 (2002)

KFC on Hot 97 around the time Come Home With Me dropped. Baby phones in to the station for a bit of a love-in and we get a couple of Dipset mixtape joints (the Guess Who's Back and Show you freestyles) and the Oh Boy/Oh Girl remix which was never all that but by all accounts still better than the shelved mix that Jay Z did a verse for.

"What you know about goin out North West..?"

DJ Envy & Dipset - Bad Guys 14 (2007)

 

Having tape deck problems at the moment so its back to the CDs. This is a bit more recent than what I'd usually post (I say that, its already 7 years old) but the Dips seem to generate a fair bit of traffic around these parts. You've probably already made up your mind on whether or not you'll download this one. All I'll say is that if you're a fan its definitely worth getting...

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There's a few bits on here that I haven't seen elsewhere. Cam only features a couple of times but the SOS Band sampling 'Weekend' is a favourite, as is JR Writer's 'Xtacy' (mainly because it uses 'Moments In Love' which is pretty much fail safe). Its mostly a solid effort all round which is unusual for something like this. Also worth mentioning is that unlike alot of 00s mixtape DJs, Envy actually puts in the effort to drop the tracks in on time and sequence them nicely.

Diplomats Unreleased Throwbacks & Exclusives (2004)

One of a stack of CDs purchased on a trip to Canal Street back in 2004, this Street Sweepers set collates some of the Dip's finest mixtape moments...

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Highlights include the demo version of the unreleased 'That's Harlem', which I later found with an added chorus on this Rocafella promo 12", an always welcome appearance by Herb McGruff on 'Trendsetters pt 2' and the superbly titled 'Keep The AKs At Kay Slays'.
My personal favourite is 'World Reknown', which appeared on 'Come Home With Me' as 'The Roc (Just Fire)' with Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel replacing Jim and Juelz.  Although everyone turns in a worthy performance on both versions, Jim Jones really stands out for me with his verse. Its obviously debatable as to whether he wrote it but put that to one side and he presents a solid argument against those who lazily tag him a wack rapper based on 'We Fly High' and 'Pop Champagne'.
Admittedly he's helped by the beat. The Just Blaze production is one of the best of the era and is one of those instrumentals I never tire of, where you get the feeling it could make anyone that rapped over it sound amazing. 

The Evil Genius! Green Lantern blends and freestyles

During the mixtape boom of the early 00s, Green Lantern was absoloutely killing it. Whereas other DJs had their niche in exclusives, blends or dis tracks, GL would drop mixes filled with all 3. Its like Rectangle, Kay Slay and Dirty Harry combined. His knack for selecting dope beats enhanced the freestyles on his CDs and his attention to detail when he puts his blends together is ridiculous. With that in mind, here's a compilation of some of my favourite moments from a few of his mix CDs.

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Tracklist
1- Green Lantern 'Many Men'
Fat Joe, Eminem & Nas verses over one of 50's finest moments.
2 - Cam'ron & Jay Z 'Welcome To NYC' (Green mix)
Green chucks Cam & Jay's only collabo over the 'Can I Live' beat. There's not much I wouldnt do for an untagged CDQ version of this.
3 - Fat Joe 'U Dont Know freestyle'
A good example of the beat making or breaking the freestyle. Joey Crack over one of the better tracks from 'The Blueprint'
4 - CNN & MOP 'Stompdashitoutyou' (Green mix)
This 03 collaboration was on the Def Jam Vendetta "soundtrack". Turns out it sounds rowdier and better over the 'Straight Outta Compton' instrumental.
5 - Ghostface Killah 'Survivor freestyle'
Tony Starks over 'Ambitions Az A Ridah'? Its a wrap.
6 - Green Lantern 'The Throwback Mix'
Pretty sure I've mentioned on more than one occasion that everyone sounds dope over the 'Ikes Mood' piano break. This is no exception. Jigga, Styles P and Pac all get a run out on this one.
7 - Gang Starr 'Freestyle'
Because I had to get a Primo beat on here somewhere didn't I?
8 - Pharrell 'The Ice Cream Man'
Skateboard P over 'Ice Cream' and 'CREAM' (you see what I was saying about attention to details?). This is something of a guilty pleasure. It shouldnt work but it does. Just dont focus on the lyrical content too much.
9 - Green Lantern 'Addicted To Retail'
I don't recognise the beat used on this one (anyone?) but Biggie, Kanye and Foxy Brown all sound right at home on it.
10 - Jay Z 'Got Me On My Shit'
Another one that might aggravate hardcore Wu Tang-ers a bit. Jay over a beat that's basically 'Shadowboxing' with a few changes. I think the raps are off something on 'Blueprint 2'. Works.
11 - Redman & Paul Wall 'Freestyle'
From Green's show on Shade 45. This is pretty much settles the "writtens vs off-the-dome" debate. To his credit, Paul Wall rhymes off the top of his head, albeit with mixed results but then Redman steps up and kills it.

DJ 7L - Essential Dipset mix (2010)

DJ 7L dropped this 2 hour mix on his soundcloud page a couple of weeks ago. Highly recommended if you're a Dipset fan...

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Foxy Brown, Cam'ron, Mase & Pretty Boy 'Baby Baby Baby' part 2 (1997)

I picked this 12" up at the weekend, mainly on the strength of the other side, which is a Nas & Foxy Brown cut called 'Firm Members' (insert your own porno joke here). Unfortunately when I got it home it turned out to be that freestyle I uploaded a few months ago, albeit without DJ Clue yelling on it. 'Baby Baby Baby' on the other hand, I hadnt come across before. Its a bit of strange one really; the quality isn't exactly A1 and the lack of a chorus, or any real song structure makes it seem more like a cipher recorded for a mixtape. Even stranger given the song's title.

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An initial search didnt reveal too much info about 'Baby Baby Baby' so thinking I had a bit of a rare one on my hands I ripped it, scanned the label and was about to post it when I thought I'd dig a bit deeper. As far as I can tell, 'Part One' may have been a solo joint by Pretty Boy, or possibly a collab with Foxy (his sister) and Mase. This version featuring Cam'ron was actually posted on the Just Dipset blog back in March. But I'm guessing our audiences dont overlap too much and I'd put too much effort in at this point not to post it myself. Either way its a bit of an obscure one.

For more Fox Boogie business, check this recent Martorialist post

Kay Slay freestyles

Sorting through some CDs yesterday I found an old compilation of freestyles from Kay Slay mixtapes that I'd copped on a visit to Canal Street back in 2004. Here's the pick of the bunch...

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Tracklist
1- Big L, Black Rob, Puertorock & Bathgate
2- Cam'ron & McGruff
3- Capone N Noreaga
4- Da Ranjahz
5- Ghostface & Trife
6- Prodigy
7- Sauce Money

Dirty Harry 'All Star Killers' (1998)

Another strange 12". I can't find it listed on Discogs but this is - I think - a blend put together mixtape king Dirty Harry, although it could well pass for an original track. Despite the big name line up I dont recognise the verses from any other songs and they flow together nicely. It opens with a sample from 'Menace II Society' and features Big Pun, DMX, Method Man, Fat Joe, Cam'ron, Noreaga, Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz.

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Cam'ron - Tim Westwood freestyle (1998)

Seeing as Cam'ron is making something of a comeback right now I thought I'd post this freestyle he dropped on Tim Westwood's Radio 1 Rap Show.

This is from June 1998, when 'Horse & Carriage' was blowing up in NYC and Cam was just about to release his debut album. He drops a couple of verses over the 'Incarcerated Scarfaces' beat.