A couple folks asked me about this edit when I played it last night.
Generally, you can't go wrong with anything from DJ Day, so take a little time and check out his stuff on Soundcloud...his blog site is pretty great too.
Looks like the homie has a new album dropping in the new year too!
I picked up this Elektra/East West "iLLSTYLE LIVE" showcase record from a friend recently (S/O to DJ Eurok at Upset the Setup.)
My initial reaction upon playing it was "who A&R’ed at Elektra back in the day?" Seriously, what an amazing roster they had. It's crazy to think how many of these artists' (most?) albums went unreleased.
My reason for writing today is to introduce you to one of the artists featured on this 1995 Live album: Omniscence is his name (I'll take his word on the spelling.) He's from North Carolina, has/d a ridiculous punch-line battle rap-type flow, and just has some serious ENERGY on the mic. It’s possible this got some burn back then on college radio or mixtapes and the like, but this is the first I’ve heard it.
In terms of the audio below, here's what we've got:
Omniscence on the mic
+ Big Kap on hypeman duties
+ a bangin’ beat provided by DJ Rheji Burrell+ a freestyle over a classic Biggie beat (to get you warmed up)
+ Pete Rock on the decks?= some barely released classic mid-90’s unforgettable hip-hop shit.
5 years ago, Alpha Pup Records released Glitch Mob member edIT's second album, "Certified Air Raid Material." Around that time, I had the opportunity to chat with both edIT and Ooah (also of the Glitch Mob) about their recent releases, inspirations, and the Live performances that they'd become known for.
Some things have changed in the past 5 years, but these guys are still doing their thing...and well, I might add.
Here is the full edIT + Ooah interview, as it aired back in 2007. Big shout to Alpha Pup Records, and of course edIT and Ooah for the time.
I have a small collection of cassette tapes that I've held onto over the years...mostly stuff that I've never come across on record, or mixtapes and the like which were never released in any other format. I appreciate tapes, not just because they are a cheap way to experience music I don't otherwise have, but because there's no easy way to skip over the music and move on to the next track. You actually had to listen to the music on a tape...the limitations of the medium acted as a sort of quality control measure, or at least that's my theory.
I remember getting my hands on a couple of these tapes, "The Staple Sessions," back around 2001 when I worked with the FADER magazine/Cornerstone Promotion. Jeff Staple and Staple Design did a bunch of work for the magazine then, and so I landed these tapes from hanging around the offices.
Anyway, I was recently listening back to DJ Chillout (aka Harry Chronic) "The Sessions: Volume One" and heard a number of songs that I want to track down. And in most cases, I've been able to figure out the Artist/Title of these songs, but there's one tune in particular that I can't pinpoint who it is...
If you have any thoughts on who the artist might be, please throw some ideas up in the Comments section. I can't seem to get this out of my head...
I'm sure many of you recall the over-abundance of Made Men advertisements in The Source back when, or are perhaps otherwise familiar with Ray Benzino through his involvement with 80s/90s Boston hip-hop group The Almighty RSO??….or maybe through that whole stabbing situation with Paul Pierce back in 2000???
Ok, well, if you are familiar, you probably have some preconceived notion of his music… and if you're not already familiar…shoot, honestly, I don't know what to tell you if you are not at least somewhat aware of this dude…
In my experience, from the stuff I've listened to, Benzino never really made too m(any) records worth remembering…and so, in a possibly regrettable assertion, I'm crowning this song his GOAT (with much thanks to the canvas provided by Ray's production crew, Hangmen 3.)
Heavy D was a talented dude. Without necessarily knowing everything he had a hand in, I was/am fairly familiar with a bunch of his work, moreso through Uptown Records than anything else. Still, somehow it's this cameo in Nick Gomez/Spike Lee's "New Jersey Drive" that seems to come to mind more than anything when I think of him. Heavy was a gifted musician, but he also was a strong actor, as you can see here.
While we're talking about it, the soundtrack for "New Jersey Drive" is real nice too. Tommy Boy released it in 2 volumes, and there's some truly classic records on there, including BIG & Total's "Can't You See," Outkast's "Benz or Beamer," and a few others.
This one below from Latifah really speaks to me, though. As someone who has spent some time in Jersey over the years, albeit not in Newark, I love this record..and I love that Biz Markie sample too!!!
Not sure the back story on how Nu Shooz became a hit record, or even a big record amongst the hip-hop crowd...but considering how addictive this song is, I'm not really sweating it too much. When my friend DJ Shame first put me onto this single back in the mid-90's, I had no idea what it was, but just picked it up on the strength of his recommendation...and I'm glad I did, because to this day, it's still something I play from time to time. "I Can't Wait" was first released around 1984, so I don't know that too many younger folks are familiar with it...but it's something that I figure anyone can relate to, so I think it's worth showcasing here.
I'm not going to post the original or one of the remixes that most DJs play, but instead I wanted to share this unplugged/acoustic version below. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do..
This may have been the best $5 I ever spent in my life when I bought this record back in '01. Too bad Bathgate's album never came out though...
Just thinking about it for a second, I group this record in with Sporty Thievz "Cheapskate" and similar songs...not that that's a bad thing, but sort of a novelty I guess. Either way, check this joint out.
Shout out to Cornerstone mixtape for putting me on to this track in the first place too..
I remember we got this 12 inch in to XM a few years back. I had heard Cappadonna was living in Baltimore, supposedly driving a cab for a living, but I'm not sure about that and am too lazy at the moment to look into it. Dude definitely can rap..as for whether you can understand what the hell he's talking about, that may be up for individual interpretation. Apparently this is from his 2003 album "The Struggle," but I didn't check it..or at least I don't recall listening to it. If you listened to it & have an opinion, feel free to chime in with a comment. Or if you like/dislike this joint, let me know what you think. Regardless, this song stood out to me then, and I still keep it in my collection. Wu Tang Forever.
A few weeks back I had the pleasure of interviewing DJ Shadow with my buddy KB for Subsoniq Radio. Shadow's 5th studio album "The Less You Know, The Better" just dropped in early October.
In our conversation, Shadow spoke at length about a number of topics, including some of the folks who inspire him (Bambaattaa, Premier, Mannie Fresh etc,) what it was like working with Zack de la Rocha, & why he was surprised by the feedback he received from his 2006 album, "The Outsider."
You can listen/download the entire interview over at SubsoniqRadio.com. And definitely hit up DJshadow.com to cop the new album...digital download, CD, vinyl, pick your poison.
In the meantime, I've extracted a segment from our chat to share with you here. In this excerpt, the discussion focuses on some of the featured guest artists he's brought to light through his last 2 full-lengths, most notably Chris James of Stateless, and on the new record, vocalist Tom Vek:
Last but not least, for all you remixers & producers out there, Shadow is running a remix competition for the tune "Scale It Back," which features Little Dragon. The contest runs until November 25th and the winning entry will appear as part of an official remix package through Island Records.
Although I've gotten rid of a bunch of records in recent years, I still have a good sized collection. I don't know that I'll ever get rid of all of them, under any circumstances. For me, there are few things in this world as grounding and energizing as playing my records; every time I put the needle to the groove, I'm reminded of why I DJ and why I love music as much as I do. This stuff keeps me sane.
And while I did not grow up on house music, I'm thankful to the folks who have put me up on electronic music over the years, be it House, Electro, Drum n Bass and whatever other iterations of computer-based music that have found their way into my crates.
Lately I've been re-visiting this excellent compilation from BBE Records called "Mad Styles & Crazy Visions," which was put together by none other than Louie Vega of Masters At Work. (The compilation is available as a 4-LP un-mixed collection, or as a 3-CD pack, with one disc being the mixed set from Louie, and the other 2 containing the un-mixed tunes.)
Here is one of the songs that stands out to me. I don't know much of anything about the artist Abstract Truth, the vocalist Monique Bingham, or the remixer Matthias "Matty" Heilbronn, but I know enough to pass this along and let you in on how great this music is. Hit me in the comments or on email if you want/need a copy and I'm happy to share. Or of course you can get it on Amazon or Traxsource.
The Dream's last album had some ridiculous songs on it...it also had some kinda forgettable stuff though too, in all fairness.
But check it, just the other week @MrTeriusNash released a new (digi-maxi) single via his site www.RadioKillaRecords.com and it is some amazing, futuristic Prince-inspired (I'm sayin) dopeness.
It's a 2-song medley, and it's available for free download.
Mom and Dad, put your kids to sleep...
And check this interesting interview with The Dream from "Honey" magazine. Good read...
So I said I'd make more of an effort to share & showcase some of the tunes I'm loving and listening to these days...here goes!
Whether you know the name or not, you very likely know their voices, because Nina Sky have been on some pretty big records in their time. Move Ya Body, Hold You Down...well, I guess that might be about it(!?), but still, those are 2 big songs in my book!! As I think about it, what's most appealing about their sound is that it immediately reminds me of New York...which, I suppose makes sense since they are from Queens.
Anyways, Nina Sky kind of disappeared for a period, but they have resurfaced recently with a new EP called 'The Other Side'...and their sound has definitely grown a bit. While I'm not enthralled by every song on the EP, they DO have some great stuff on there.
It's nice to hear their Sagat-borrowing "Funk Dat" rendition ("You Ain't Got It,") and "Only You" is a good one also. But the real hit on this EP is "Beautiful People." Just some feel-good party stuff...kinda like what put them on the map in the first place. I can only hope that DJs aren't sleeping on this one, especially in New York.
NOTE: I've posted the video version for download. The EP features a different version, but this is the one you want.
So I was driving the other night and popped in my CD copy of "Reverse Discourse" from my man Joe Beats...it had been a while. A long while in fact. But, without fail, as track 1 got underway, and seemlessly blended into track 2, I quickly recalled why I fell in love with these sounds in the first place.
I won't pontificate too too much here, but just believe me when I say it, that Joe is truly one of THE BEST true school hip-hop producers of our time. Further, he's got the mindset of a DJ and most of his solo albums play as a continuous mix...which makes sense since much of his work is of the instrumental variety.
I had the chance to catch up with Joe back in 2008 when he rolled through DC on tour, and we sat down for an interview that aired on my show "Pitch Control" on XM. We talked about a lot of things, but more than anything, just our mutual love of hip-hop, and DJs and stuff.
Below is a link to the interview as it aired. I will listen to this over & over again..it was one of those instances where meeting an artist in person re-affirmed what I thought I already knew about them: this cat lives hip-hop.
"I take it more as a positive bitterness, if that makes any sense..cuz this guy was such a pioneer on every level. Back in the day, people pretended not to hear the beat from Mecca & The Soul Brother, cuz it was too complicated, it was too deep, and they weren't ready for it. Mr. Long and Large Professor would go 3 or 4 loops deep, whereas Pete Rock was going 6, 7, 8 loops deep to make a beat...he was that ahead of the game." (Joe Beats, 2008)
I love music. and I love DJing too. What I don't really love is that everyone thinks they are a DJ nowadays and that mad people flood the market with fancy-looking "mixtapes" and other projects. But, as in anything, the cream always rises to the top.
I've uploaded a few of my own mixes here in the past, and I stand by them. I've also shined a light on some cats whose music and craft I admire. I figure, as much music as I listen to, maybe I should be doing this more often. So, what I'm here to do today is to share with you a couple mixes that have resonated with me in recent years.
First up, a mix CD that really stands out in my mind as a message, from my man DJ Eskimo..."The Pulpit." There's tracks on here I still don't know what or who they are, but I love it. I'm not even that hard-pressed to figure out who the artists are or what the songs are called, because the manner in which this is presented is what makes it proper that we call this cat a true DJ. The mixing, the selection, the pace and the energy...top notch. The one part of this mix that folks ALWAYS seem to mention when I hear them talk about it is Eskimo's Sade blend...which, for the record, is ridiculous.
You can check out "The Pulpit" in its entirety over here and be sure to check Eskimo's site too - www.djeskimoshow.com; but while you're here, to whet your appetite just a little bit, here's a rip of that Sade blend...please, I repeat, PLEASE! leave some feedback on this stuff. Let me know if I'm alone and/or wrong for loving this stuff.
Another DJ who I've become familiar with in my time in DC is Roctakon. He doesn't live here anymore, but I first heard of he and his crew The Goonies and The Trooperz crew back around 99/2000 when they were hosting Open Table events and bringing cats like P-Trix to town to showcase. It was dope to see big-named DJs like P-Trix do their thing, but to be honest, some of the talent here in DC have reached some pretty high heights as well...and I still look to these cats as some of the best I've ever heard.
Anyways, I've heard a couple edits that Roctakon has done over the years, though I'd not heard a mix of his before. So, when he dropped this "Finding Directions" mix not too long ago, I felt compelled to pick it up. I used to love scratching, trying to be a battle DJ and all that...and I still love rocking parties and blending, etc......"Finding Directions" is definitely geared more towards the dancefloor than anything...but there's more to it than just playing records. As Turntable Lab describes it: "this is all about disco, house and techno...but even I was taken back by how hardcore it is." True indeed. So, while it may take a couple listens to fully grasp all that's going on in this mix, I'll venture to say that it's damn near timeless.
Below is an excerpt from "Finding Directions" so you can get a sample of what it is and how much this cat puts into his craft. Also, check the CD cover for some words on what he was going for:
I remember when I was in high school getting a Dilated Peoples "The Platform" maxi-cassette single, with the remixes and maybe another song or two on it. Same program on both sides. I burned that joint all summer long in my tape deck. I recall taking lunch break from the bank where I was working and just marveling at the cuts that Babu ripped on those tracks, just in dumbfounded that a DJ could make a record sound like that. To this day, I'm not sure I know exactly how he does it or if I'd even believe it if I saw it in person. As a Beat Junkie fan, I try to keep an ear out for what Babu and crew are up to, and so it was cool to see this recent reminder that the apple never falls far from the tree:
Seeing that post jogged my memory back a few years when I checked out Peanut Butter Wolf here in DC and grabbed a copy of the Stones Throw tour promo CD. Long story short, there's some ill music on this CD. I played this bit (below) a few times on my show on XM back when, and I love what it embodies. It's all in the family...check my man Oh No, Aloe Blacc, and the junior jedi himself, Babu's son Niko ripping the mic & telling tales of a youngster living life in California...CHECK THE RHYME!!!
"...I got more to do, walkin not crawlin, eatin solid food, Dad in the studio AND ON TOUR! mom workin at the bank TRYING TO GET MUCH MORE! As for me: I was rollin' up, no more baby bottles, I WAS DRINKIN A CUP! Potty-trained, well-dressed, LEARNED TO BRUSH MY TEETH! After this chorus I'll tell ya about Year 3!!!"
Speaking of brushing your teeth, keep 'em clean folks! A Public Service Announcement:
And speaking of family...check the Mochilla / Beat Junkie / Xecutioners homage to Grandmaster Roc Raida...Roc's daughter NYRaida even gets in the mix!!
When the 1-Year Anniversary of Michael Jackson's passing happened a little while back, it sort of caught me by surprise...not like I keep track of these things or anything, but it just felt like time flew by in the past year. The impact of Michael Jackson is surely hard to describe, but needless to say he changed the game in a major way.
I've heard many folks describe Roc Raida's influence on DJs and turntablism similarly. Dude was truly an innovator and someone who pushed things forward in his time. It's been a year since Grandmaster Roc Raida passed, and in that time I've read the thoughts of many other DJs who were inspired by and had the opportunity to meet Raida over the years. I too have been inspired and influenced by Raida, but I really think pretty much all DJs were who came up in the 80s, 90s and even the new generation. The X-Men were just superstars in my mind. I remember copping the X-Men videos with tons of live footage from Fat Beats in NY and at Raida's and Rob Swift's cribs, etc. They were just incredible! And then to be able to see them live and get to meet and speak with Raida and the guys at a show? It doesn't get much better... Soo dope! Dude was extremely humble and just willing to listen and talk with you like he really cared to be a part of the conversation. That says a lot about who he was.
Anyways, I love the X-Men and what they mean to DJing...and I got to speak with Raida a couple times in my life, the last of which was early in 2009 when he was on the road with Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star and they came thru the XM studios here in DC. I was watching Busta and Spliff perform in our studio, and I noticed from afar, a DJ that looked familiar in back of them...rockin a BIG L t-shirt...sure enough, the one & only Roc Raida! This made perfect sense to me (and I told him it after the show when I spoke with him,) for him to be working with Busta...I've seen Busta on-stage before, and this cat is a MONSTER!!! Busta and Spliff put on a DOPE SHOW, no question..so to see one of hip-hop's all-time greatest DJs working with them for their live show was a match made in heaven in my mind. In speaking with Raida, he was very gracious, humble, and always open to talk.
Below I've posted a bit that shows how funny Raida and the longtime homie Lord Sear are. If you're not familiar with the WHAT FM GONG SHOW, you're about to get familiar...Roc Raida was a genius, an incredibly funny man and also an ill DJ...and so much more. Enjoy this...and if you're not up on Raida's history and what he meant to the game, do a little searching, because there's plenty of stuff online that showcases how great he was...
Recently I came upon the website of my man Knocksquared aka Doug Lazy aka my former co-worker at XM and an all-around good dude...and dope artist and producer!
Through working with him I learned of his back catalog as a musician, most notably "Let It Roll" and some of the other jams from his "Gettin' Crazy" album from the early 90s. I guess the term hip-house is used most often to describe this style, and in my opinion, there's not a ton of hip-house tracks that stand the test of time (maybe I'm wrong??) but the BDK-sampling "Let It Roll" definitely does. Peep the instrumental here if you're not already familiar...
Anyway, my real reason for posting today was to share some more recent stuff with you...it's not a brand new track that's hitting on radio right now or anything...but much like all good music with staying power, this should reside in your crates going forward. Similar to what you hear in "Let It Roll" and other cuts he's done, this remix from Knock has such great style...drum programming, keys, Youtube porn (haha) it's all so fresh...I've not heard a ton of Snoop remixes, or maybe I've just not heard a lot that are worth remembering at all. But what my man Knock does on this is great...I think the Doggfather would approve...now courtesy of Speaker City which is slashing prices on everything from beepers to DVD players, give a warm welcome to my pal, and your favorite...Mr. Snoop Dogg!!!
Finally, this past year I got my hands on some old 12" singles, including some of Snoop's earliest material from Death Row. To my surprise, there are some dope remixes and freestyles on the old Death Row 12's. Here's one off the "Nuthin But A G Thang" single...freestyle featuring the Dogg Pound doing what they do...Daz, Kurupt, Snoop.
