"Its All About The Benjamins" original unreleased mix (1996)

A few hours digging for vinyl yesterday yielded some interesting results. One of the records collecting dust in the middle of the endless copies of Ja Rule and D12 promos was this white label which includes the original version of the classic 'Its All About The Benjamins'.

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According to DJ Mike Nice this version "was released on a Bad Boy 'Shot Callers' promo tape given out at one of Puff's parties"

Wikipedia has a bit more info:
The song debuted in 1996 on DJ Clue's Holiday Holdup mixtape. This version of the song only featured Puff Daddy and the rap act The L.O.X. (excluding Styles P). The song was later added to Puffy's debut album, No Way Out, in a remix, "It's All about the Benjamins (Remix)", which added two new verses by Lil Kim and Notorious B.I.G. Lil Kim also provided the song with a chorus which the original version lacked. This version of the song also omitted the word "Hebrews" out of Jadakiss' verse, however, the word was left in on the first pressing, subsequent pressings removed the word. Additionally, when it was released on the Bad Boy's Greatest Hits Vol. I album, it retained the word. This single made it to No. 2 on the Billboard charts and its video won a Viewer's Choice award at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards show. Due to the rarity of the obscure mixtape version, the remix featured on No Way Out is often considered the song's definitive version to avoid confusion

something for the people...

I haven't had much time to rip tapes or make mixes recently but I'm aiming to get back on track this week.
Here's a few things I've come across that are worth checking in the meantime:

Rakim & Biz Markie live at a Wyandance High School jam back in 1985

The best rap singles of the noughties

Good piece on Rap-A-Lot's production team

Dope (and seriously thorough) write up on UK legends London Posse

A seemingly endless supply of classic mixtapes

Shout to all the blogs that regularly update with original content!

DJ Books presents Nas - The Thief's Theme mixtape (parts 1 & 2)

Another sure shot from DJ Books. This time he's hooked up an exhaustive 2 part mix showcasing the catalogue of Nasir Jones.



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DOWNLOAD PART TWO













"Peace to the whole mixtape/blog family. Just wanted to pass this your way...This is pure Nas...mixed as a Nas fan would like to hear it. This was done in 2006 right after Hip Hop Is Dead. We thought it was time to pay homage to one of the greatest MC's of all time. Of course its a double...as one mix IS NOT ENOUGH for the hip hop heavyweights IMO" DJ Books

Dr Dre 'Puffin On Blunts...' (Video)

Another bit of previously unreleased material from the Death Row archives. This was the b-side to 'Dre Day' and was all over the mixtapes back in 1993. Kurupt absoloutely murders it.

Shout to Magneto for the heads up.

Money B - Rock That Shit!

Good mix of rock-influenced old school Hip Hop by Money B of Digital Underground fame

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Tracklist
1. INTRO - MONEY B
2. DOPE BEAT - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
3. I'M NOT PLAYIN' - ULTIMATE FORCE
4. THE WAY WE SWING - DIGITAL UNDERGROUND
5. BREAK 2 - MONEY B
6. ROCK BOX - RUN-DMC
7. NEW YORK NEW YORK - GRANDMASTER FLASH & FURIOUS 5
8. HOW I COULD JUST KILL A MAN - CYPRESS HILL
9. SHUT 'EM DOWN - PUBLIC ENEMY
10. BEAUTIFUL BUT DEADLY - THE D.O.C.
11. BREAK 3 - MONEY B
12. HERE I GO - INFAMOUS SYNDICATE
13. SLOW AND LOW - BEASTIE BOYS
14. GANGSTA OF LOVE - GETO BOYS
15. BREAK 4 - MONEY B
16. TRICKIN' - CLEE AND DRANK A LOT
17. ITS TRICKY - RUN-DMC
18. WILD THING - TONE LOC
19. WE WANT SOME PUSSY - 2 LIVE CREW
20. GO CUT CREATOR- LL COOL J
21. 8 MILLION STORIES - KURTIS BLOW FT. RUN-DMC
22. OUTRO - MONEY B

Tony Touch - Tape # 65 (2001)

Another banger from Tony Touch. All the East Coast heavyweights are on here: Mobb Deep, Busta, Jay Z, MOP, The LOX, Gang Starr and loads more.

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DJ Rhude - Before The Roc (2002)

Just came across this DJ Rhude mix of rare and unreleased early Jay Z and Sauce Money material. There's some essential bits on here you might not have heard.

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Tracklist
1. Original Flavor - Can I Get Open
2. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money - Broken English
3. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money - Pass the Roc
4. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money - Get Off My D!ck
5. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money - Rippin It Up
6. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money - Nothing But Love
7. Sauce Money - Money Aint A Thing
8. Sauce Money - Serious
9. Sauce Money - Check Out The Horns
10. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money - Under Pressure
11. Jay-Z - Understand Me
12. Jay-Z - The Greatest MC
13. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money & Jaz - Cant Get Wit Dat
14. Jay-Z - In My Lifetime
15. Jay-Z - In My Lifetime RMX
16. Jay-Z feat. Mic Geronimo, DMX & Ja Rule - Time To Build
17. Jay-Z - Cant Knock the Hustle (OG Version)
18. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money - Dead or Alive
19. Jay-Z feat. Sauce Money & Memphis Bleek - Game Made Me
20. Jay-Z - Wishing On a Star
21. Jay-Z - This Life Forever (Unreleased Mix)

Thanks to Kool Max Power at TROY for the link and tracklist.