Close Edge

I put this mix together just recently as a demo of sorts, really just something to move the crowd. It includes some electro/house/hip-hop stuff and some straight club and hip-hop stuff as well, ranging from independent/progressive to big mainstream radio hits. Folks who know me may be surprised with some of these selections, but it's all about the context and the vibe... I understand that not everyone can tell a good DJ from a mediocre/wack DJ, and some folks dig deeper than others in their music listening habits, so I'm trying to bridge the gap a bit with some more recognizable tracks and some less known tracks.

Over the years I've become familiar with and had the pleasure to listen to and learn from a lot of dope DJs, where skill and crate knowledge were the primary job requirements. I'm not sure if those attributes are as much the case with your average "DJ" in 2008, but that's where I come from, and that's what I'm trying to do. Without further delay, here it is...so see what you think. Hope you enjoy it.

Wondermike - Close Edge mix

1. Eric B & Rakim - Juicy (DJ Eli remix)
2. Windimoto - Don't Let Me Leave Alone (Nicolay remix)
3. Poly - My Emotion
4. Fergie - Glamorous feat. Ludacris
5. King Tutt - Justin remix
6. Usher - Love in This Club
7. Usher - Confessions Pt. II
8. Trick Daddy - I'm A Thug
9. Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River
10. Game - Dreams

Time for the interpolator...

or really just straight jacking for beats. But I’ve got no problem with it (why would I?), especially when the source material is this nice. I’ve come across this tune a bunch of times recently so I figured I’d put the pieces together and put it out there a bit.

The names Holland and Dozier are attached to the original tune from Dionne Warwick’s 1973 album Just Being Myself. If you’re a Motown head, that probably means something to you. Not much to say about this music, except that I’m glad to have it in my collection. To know that these cats created this 35 years ago is crazy to me. Those dudes were on something else. Jay Dee, Just Blaze and Holland and Dozier all on a same plane seems to make sense too.

Also included below is part of a live performance from J Laine and the Players, with MC Grap Luva from Subsoniq’s broadcast of Dilla Day on XM Radio a while back…dope to check in a live environment. And props to Norman Rexwell for putting me on to the original track.

Dilla / Dionne / Usher / Subsoniq
Dilla – Stop! (Stones Throw)
Dionne Warwick – You’re Gonna Need Me (Warner/Spy)
Usher – Throwback (LaFace/Jive)
J Laine + The Players feat. Alison Carney (Subsoniq/XM)