Short interview with Bobbito Garcia, radio show host, DJ and enterpreneur, he speaks on working behind the scenes with Russell Simmons at Def Jam records, where he was overjoyed to receieve early demos from Akinyele, Nas, Organized Konfusion and Onyx. I wasn't aware he held such an important position up at the label, I mainly knew of him from his radio show at 89.9FM. Bobbito sites this early 90's period of his career at Def Jam as a sour turning point for the label, going from releasing records based on their belief of the artist's talent and originality, to relying solely on breaking commercially successful hip hop singles. It's something to think if you're a listener and consumer of hip hop, how certain label and industry politics may sometimes hinder our ability to receive genuinely good music.
Nas - It Ain't Hard To Tell Original Demo (stream)
Simply II Positive MCs (Organized Konfusion) Audience Pleasures demo
Mr. Krum and his blog "Mr. Krum And His Wonderful World Of Bizarre" is a great educational source of overlooked music, he gives a lot of insight from the perspective of a record collector who willing to dig for eclectic gems of hip hop, jazz, funk, soul, rock, etc. In discovering his blog and reading through many great posts I always hoped he would come out with a podcast, and now he has.
The title of Mr. Krum's blog "Wonderful World of Bizarre" is part of what defines the variety of music he brings, it's an interesting mix of good material from various genres, sort of like a digger's delight from a hip hop fan's perspective who has elevated to a broader appreciation for music. This is also what defines the sound you hear in the podcast, something that may educate you and allow you to reminisce on songs you already love.
Listen here at Mr. Krum's blog
Download
A nice, reflective song by Common which is unreleased from Finding Forever, produced by Kanye West. This song is deeply written by Common who evokes deep images of hope and struggle faced by African Americans throughout history, painting his pictures with words towards the feeling of life attained by watching the Color Purple and Roots. The combination of Common's poetic talent,vision and passion for life with Kanye's musical depth on this track is a success, a brief example of the great artistic growth I remember from Finding Forever which brought a ray of hope towards greater inspiration of life to hip hop.
I don't normally create posts for every single new song that is released online, but if there is one which presents something special in the inspirational, creative and artistic qualities likw this I will, an example of what gives me an opportunity to express my thoughts and spark my imagination as I listen.
After listening to the song I realize the overall mood in the music and message presented probably strayed too far off from the lighter, feel-good mood of the rest of Finding Forever, one reason why they might have left it off. I don't think the seriousness of Strange Fruit would have fit within the sound scape and flow of songs like I Want You, Drivin' Me Wild and Start The Show which feel like an escape from harsh reality into carefree happiness.
To accompany this unreleased song, here are a couple flashbacks to mid-90's Common who was still on straight boom-bap, scratch chorus hip hop, before combining with Jay Dee and The Soulquarians to change the sound of hip hop.
KRS One & Common Back To Back Freestyle
Common at 89.9 WKCR 1994 freestyling over the Artifacts' C'Mon Wit Da Git Down Remix instrumental
Large Professor picks from his crate and displays some vinyl gems that can be found at Amoeba Records store in this interview, and also gives a brief history of how he became a record collector through other influences in his life. I've seen a few interviews with other great artists at this store before, because of that I'm now waiting for the day I can actually make the trip out to California to visit one of Amoeba's 3 locations. I lived in California between 5th and 7th grade, so I remember the laid-back vibe, nice weather and scenery, it is great to experience that while traveling around and looking for records. This is some inspiration and basic knowledge of how to look for records from an expert to prepare you for your next trip.
Pete Rock Interview @ Amoeba Records Feb. '09:
Alchemist & Evidence Shopping @ Amoeba May '09
Street knowledge, intellect and spirituality is on full display as The Guru and DJ Premier perform their classic single from Hard To Earn. This event takes place on MTV's "The Grind" which was a dance music show hosted by The Real World's Eric Neiss. In Gangstarr tradition, Preemo is on the live rhythm scratch, backing the unique voice of The Guru and Biggest Gord who keep the crowd rocking. If "Hard To Earn" is one of your favorite Gangstarr albums, add this to your list of memories associated with that classic LP.
These are the type of releases that give me a rush to get up and go to the record store and buy, heavily anticipating the listening experience on my way back home as I read over the album credits. I hope this is something you would like to treat yourself or someone else as a gift since the release of these is near the holidays, there is enough good music in each purchse to go around:
'Dillanthology Box Set: Dilla's Best' (3 CD Box Set) release date: 11/20/2009
It's unfortunate that Jay Dee couldn't be hear to bless us with his presence and music during this release of his best work, but this gift he has left us of his outstanding body of work in hip hop is a good way to remember him as an artist. In looking over the scope of his work, I appreciate how he bounced from straight underground, dark hip hop sound to more soulful collaborations like Erykah and Brand New Heavies, showing a diverse array of musical taste & appreciation.
Disc 1: 'Dillanthology 1: Dilla's Productions For Various Artists' purchase here at UGHH.com
2. The Pharcyde - 'Runnin' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
3. Slum Village - 'Fall In Love' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
4. Common - 'The Light' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); Soulquarians)
5. Erykah Badu - 'Didn't Cha Know' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); Erykah Badu)
6. De La Soul - 'Stakes Is High' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); De La Soul)
7. Busta Rhymes - 'Show Me What You Got' (Produced By: Busta Rhymes; Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
8. The Roots - 'Dynamite' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); Grand Wizards)
9. AG feat. Aloe Blacc - 'Hip Hop Quotable' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
10. The Pharcyde - 'Drop' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
11. Amp Fiddler - 'You Play Me' (Produced By: Amp Fiddler; Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
12. Steve Spacek - 'Dollar' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
13. Chino XL - 'Don't Say A Word' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
14. Frank-N-Dank - 'Okay' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
Disc 2: 'Dillanthology 2: Dilla's Remixes For Various Artists'
16. De La Soul feat. Mos Def - 'Stakes Is High (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
17. The Pharcyde - 'Y? (Be Like That) (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
18. Masta Ace Incorporated - 'Sitting On Chrome (Ummah Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
19. Slum Village - 'Fall In Love (Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
20. Four Tet feat. Guilty Simpson - 'As Serious As Your Life (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
21. Busta Rhymes feat. Rampage - 'Whoo Ha (Jay Dee Bounce Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
22. Artifacts - 'The Ultimate (Unreleased Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
23. Mood - 'Secrets Of The Sand (Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
24. Spacek - 'Eve (Jay Dee Mix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
25. DJ Cam feat. Cameo - 'Love Junkie (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
26. Brother Jack McDuff - 'Oblighetto (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
27. The Brand New Heavies feat. Q-Tip (of Tribe Called Quest) - 'Sometimes (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
28. Disc 3: 'Dillanthology 3: Dilla's Productions'
29. WorkinOnIt (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
30. Pause (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
31. Jaylib (Jay Dee aka J. Dilla + Madlib) - 'Raw Shit' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
32. Nothing Like This (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
33. Anti-American Graffiti (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
34. Glamour Sho75 (09) (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
35. Won't Do (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
36. Baby feat. Madlib & Guilty Simpson (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
37. It's Like That (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
38. Off Ya Chest feat. Frank-N-Dank (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
39. Crushin' (Yeeeaah!) (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
40. Reality Check feat. Black Thought (of The Roots) (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
41. Me And My Man feat. Phat Kat (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
42. So Far To Go feat. Common, D'Angelo (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
Natural Elements'1999: 10 Year Anniversary' Buy Here
I remember these guys from way back as a promising trio, one of the groups who defined "underground buzz" to me in the beginning of an era of many memorable independent hip hop releases in the vein of lyrically focused, creative underground acts such as Company Flow, Juggaknots and The Artifacts. Mr. Voodoo, A-Butta and L-Swift of the Natural Elements rose from near obscurity on the airwaves of NY to slowly build up an impressive body of work. They are one of those groups that unless you were a DJ, radio host or real critical shopper and listener of underground records you may have missed some of their releases, only to find out years later that they've got some overlooked gems. This compliation which marks their 10 year anniversary brings a lot of their material in perspective for you.
45 LIVE: CLASSIC RAP 45S BOX SET release date: November 06, 2009 Buy Here at Stones Throw
If you know Stones Throw Records, you see a group of people who appreciate the history of hip hop and love for it's founding classic elements. Besides that, the staff made of of DJs just have a good ear for all types of music and are willing to share their experience with others.
As a fan of digging for Golden Era hip hop vinyl, this set of classic hip hop 45s by DJ/producer Peanut Butter Wolf is one of the most enticing gift packages I've come across in my holiday shopping.
Contain ten 45s:
“Rockin' It” - Fearless Four, b/w
“Love Rap” - Spoonie G
“Tricky Tee Rap” - Tricky Tee Rap, b/w
“At The Place To Be” - Sweety G
“Dancin Heart” - Universal Two, b/w
“This is the Way You Do the Break Dance” - Super Coper & Clarence Breakers
“Sucka DJ” - Dimples D, b/w
“It's Yours” - T La Rock
“Cold Getting Dumb” - Just Ice, b/w
“It's My Turn” – Stezo
“Make The Music” - Biz Markie, b/w
“Just Rhymin With Biz” - Big Daddy Kane
“Marley Marl Scratch” - MC Shan, b/w
“Marley Mark Scratch (Demo)” - Marley Marl
“Strong Island” - JVC Force, b/w
“The Bridge Is Over” - BDP
“Jimbrowski” - Jungle Brothers, b/w
“Tuff Crew” - My Part Of Town
“Mighty Hard Rocker” - Cash Money & Marv, b/w
“Hardcore Hip Hop” - Mantronix
Daptone Gold Compilation - The Best of Daptones Records release date: 11/20/2009 Buy Here
I think while many people dig hard into the catalogs of deep funk and traditional soul, some people sleep on the contemporary soul and funk artists who are able to bring the great feel, sound and performance of those late 60's-70's classic records. The artists of this compilation capture the essence of the sound from that era in a way that is unmistakable and excellent, through the work of current musical talent. I admit, I'm one of those people who needs to get more caught up on artists like Menahan Street Band, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Antibalas and others, I was turned on to them from the few people who sampled their music recently. Be sure to check this one out.
Here's a summary of this compliation:
"Daptone Gold is a collection of hits and obscurities, album favorites and unheard exclusives from the Daptone Records catalog. Since first rearing it's head in 2001, Daptone has upheld it's reputation as both a premier source of new raw soulful music and a model for the possibilities of independent music today. With a library of albums and 45's spanning from rhythm and blues to afrobeat, gospel, and funk, Daptone has established a sound that is consistently sincere, heavy and soulful."
1. Binky Griptite - Introduction
2. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'I'm Not Gonna Cry'
3. The Budos Band - 'Up From The South'
4. Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens - 'What Have You Done'
5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'How Long Do I Have To Wait?'
6. Lee Fields - 'Could Have Been'
7. Antibalas feat. Mayra Vega - 'Che Cole Makossa'
8. The Budos Band - 'Budos Rising'
9. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Got A Thing On My Mind'
10. Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band - 'The World (Is Going Up in Flames)'
11. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Make It Good To Me'
12. Lee Fields, Sugarman & Co. - 'Stand Up'
13. Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens - 'What Is This'
14. Binky Griptite, Sugarman Three - 'A Lover Like Me'
15. Menahan Street Band - 'Make The Road By Walking'
16. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Tell Me'
17. Sugarman & Co. - 'Down To It'
18. The Dap-Kings - 'Nervous Like Me'
19. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Giving Up'
20. The Budos Band - 'Ghostwalk'
21. Cynthia Langston & The Gospel Queens - 'I Need You To Hold My Hand'
22. Binky Griptite & The Mellomatics - 'The Stroll Pt. 2'
23. Sharon Jones & Lee Fields - 'Stranded In Your Love'
a couple tracks from the set:
The Red Bull Big Tune 2009 Finals recap in Atlanta: this years winner was Frank Dukes, here is his production discography at UGHH.com, it looks like a promising start for this producer from Toronto.
http://www.myspace.com/frankdukes
I really appreciate the creation of Red Bull Big Tune's Beat Battle/Producer Showcase as an outlet of hip hop competition that sort of takes me back to the feeling of listening to up and coming talent on 90's underground college radio. In the digital age where hip hop media tends to get presented so fast and similar in style to each other, I feel like this beat battle gives me something I can be entertained by and remember, from the professional presentation of cutting-edge, aspiring production talent who are eager for their breakthrough moment in the industry. We always need the element of competitive skills and encouragement of higher goals artistically to keep good music around, I'm glad this showcase can bring this feeling back in front of the hip hop audience.
Red Bull Big Tune 2008 (Welcome To Oakland)
Get ready for that Oasis album from this new duo, it's sure to be a great addition to the already outstanding D.I.T.C. catalog.
Here is their 10 25 09 appearance on DJ Eclipse's Rap Is Outta Control Radio Show, taking phone calls from listeners and premiering some songs: http://www.box.net/shared/si69hqpn52
If you would like to stream their new album Oasis in it's entirety, head over to their myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/ocandag
2. Mafia Don
3. Charlie
4. Gangsta Groove
5. Monumental
6. Incredible
7. It’s Not Enough (feat. Wordsworth)
8. Not 2 Far (feat. D’Aguste & Tajai)
9. Nile Nutrition (feat. Chief Kamachi)
10. Mystery Man
11. The Official (feat. Big Pops)
12. Heavyweight Invincible (not included in the zip for some reason)
13. The Anthem (feat. Baby Blak)
14. Animalistics
15. Evolution (feat. Vinia Mojica)
16. The Booth
17. Man of the Year
18. Get Into It 2012
19. Secret Wars 2
20. Halftime Show Freestyle
Freestyle on Martin Moore & Mayhem's Halftime Show at NYU:
Good to see these guys on stage together to provide the magic that exist in their music catalog, it's a welcome addition to other legendary artists we currently have on tour. Even if they haven't officially announced a reconciliation after their split I'm glad Pete & C.L. can be out here to show newer generations a great example of a hip hop duo. When I heard they would be doing a new tour I wondered what the effect of the performance might be, considering their differences shown in media, but from the looks of these great pictures and video it must have gone well.
Photography courtesy of JM Golden Years.
"Take You There" Live in France. C.L. has incredible breath control when performing, still flows like water and delivers his verses like on the record! I remember the remix Pete Rock did for this song he played on Future Flavors but never got released, whoever has a copy hit me up!
"It's Not A Game/In The House Live"
T.R.O.Y. Live in London 9.11.09
B-Real, Sen and Muggs sit down at a Los Angeles radio station to discuss their classic 1991 debut. Take a trip back to the heavy underground circulation of their classic single, How I Could Just Kill A Man. This group was a slow burn which eventually gained momentum into higher levels of media despite their dangerous image. The overall market of hip hop around this time was based on grimy hoodlums such as Cypress who had talent. As a result enough shine was available for Cypress and others who brought the darkness of Hip Hop into the light.
In this interview the 3 members speak humbly as artists who seem uncertain of what is to come, or the impact they would eventually leave on hip hop. It's a down to earth and humorous discussion about their life in L.A., the meaning behind some of their songs and future plans.
Cypress Hill illustration by Tom HRVB
A great find within the collection of classic instrumental versions of hip hop albums floating around there on vinyl, Let's Get Free by Dead Prez.
You can tell a Hip Hop album is good when you can sit, listen to it and it still tells it's own story without the lyrics. Enjoy this great piece of revolutionary music.
I am happy to hear about the relaunch of one of my favorite urban music magazines which still lay scattered around my bedroom, VIBE. I remember the standard of presentation seemed a step above other ones I read, gathering many cultural elements I love of hip hop, R&B and soul into each publication through outstanding photography and journalism. It is even better to hear the story of this entrepreneur from Harlem NY who rose from a small dream of starting his own publication in 1994 after graduating college, to landing his current position of reviving the brand of VIBE magazine online and in print media. I always looked at VIBE as a triumph of the African American voice in print media, through the images and features of our artists, entertainers, actors, intellectuals and historic figures.
In these days and times we can use an example of someone who has the confidence to build and create something positive for themselves from little resources. The story of Leonard Burnett is an example of this positive drive, an individual who followed the dream of building his own magazine after leaving a full time job position working for a health care company. I look forward to seeing how he can use his experiences to continue the legacy which was founded by the great Quincy Jones.
Chris Brown in a shot from his Vibe cover shoot. Photo by Pier Nicola D'Amico for Vibe Magazine
"When Vibe closed down in June of this year, it was the end of an era for the iconic urban music and culture magazine. Following the closing, founder Quincy Jones said "They messed my magazine all up," and vowed to relaunch it with a focus on online. But it was Uptown Media -- the company co-founded by another Vibe veteran, Leonard Burnett -- that bought the title in August with plans to resurrect Vibe's unique perspective both online and off. With the mag's first new issue set to drop on December 8th, mediabistro.com met with Burnett recently in Uptown Media's Harlem offices to talk about his career, how the new incarnation of Vibe will be different, and the future of magazines online."
VIBE back issues on Google Books:
I was put onto the online archives of VIBE by someone else who posted some classic articles of the 90's, such a great find! I never thought to use Google Books until that moment. You can easily zoom in and flip through scans of each page of the magazine which people have archived with care, advertisements, covers and all. Check these out:
Here is a link to my library of issues, hours of great reading. I'll put more there as I find ones I like so check back often:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/google/AmZa
The last two weeks have been a pretty good time for hip hop radio: Stretch Armstrong and Eli at EVR dropping unreleased hip hop gems, J Rocc at Fat Beats Radio premiering Madvilliany 2 songs, and an inspirational interview with Bobbito on radio in Europe. If you manage to find the right shows online nowadays, it'll save a lot of time in narrowing down quality music you may like spun as a refined collection, in the midst of random mp3 files of songs we have introduced and promoted to us constantly nowadays.
J Rocc on Fat Beats Radio playing Madvilliany 2 Exclusives/Alchemist productions DJ set I have seen a number of features about this episode of Fat Beats radio online, but without mention of the great feature of past/present Alchemist productions spun earlier in the show. I included that part in the mp3 file with the J Rocc set.
Stretch Armstrong & DJ Eli's Delancey Music Service 11.10.09 - Hip Hop Demos & Unreleased Songs
a few highlights of this great mix:
Big Daddy Kane & Kool G Rap - Raw demo
Souls of Mischeif demos for 93 'Til Infinity
Artifacts - Wrong Side of The Tracks demo feat. Lord Jamar
Poetical Prophets (Mobb Deep) - Pumpin' Nickels & Dimes (their first demo for 4th & Broadway records)
LL Cool J - Jack The Ripper demo and 80's freestyle
EPMD - Rampage demo
Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang (demo for Enter The 36 Chambers)
Bobbito Interview and Latin Music DJ Set in Europe in between playing some nice latin jazz music, he speaks about his history on radio, appreciation of music and current ventures as a DJ/Enterpreneur.
One of my favorite flutists who has provided memorable, beautiful sounds for my ear through jazz and hip hop music, Hubert Laws. It is not just the signature sound of his flute performance, but a fusion of different influences of other music genres, good production, writing, and the collaborations with fine musicians to combine for a deep listening experience that stands out from many jazz releases I listen to from the 70's.
As a musician, Hubert Laws is a great storyteller providing compositions to draw you into different spaces of thought and emotion through jazz improvisation and structured songwriting. I appreciate the distinct variation of moods I get when going from album to album, from the themes presented with each album (Family, Romeo & Juliet, San Francisco Concert, The Rite of Spring, Crying Song) a testament to Hubert's craft as an artist in providing this great music that tells a story. During the jazz-fusion era of the 70's, I feel like his music and collaborations with artists such as Bob James, Wade Marcus, Herbie Hancock and Freddie Hubbard gave us a level of depth and creativity in songwriting to be treasured for years to come, one reason why the work of these artists is still covered and sampled extensively.
Here is one of my favorites of the Hubert Laws catalog, 1976's Romeo & Juliet, this one to me is like his dreamy, summertime, feel good album and brings together many of the great sounds I love about this period of jazz music . The music plays like a scene you saw from a movie where a person was enjoying the feelings and moods from that season of the year:
Hubert Laws & Hip Hop
Nas & Large Professor - One + One Large Professor was no fool at utilizing a Fender Rhodes piano in hip hop, neither was Hubert Laws in his music. This dream-like instrument from Laws' The Rite of Spring album is used to provide the backdrop for the delivery of two Queens MCs.
M.O.P. - Downtown Swinga '96 Premier channels the dark side of Mr. Laws for a hardcore street classic.
Large Professor - Spacey an example of the varied emotion you could find in Hubert Laws music, this one sounds like scientifical madness to me.
Pete Rock & Deda - Too Close beautiful Rhodes sample combined with the hard drums for a classic in a way only Pete could do it.
Onyx - Shout these guys used jazz in a way that was pretty unassuming, flipping different parts toward a darker feel which represented their persona. This one off their second album is one of my favorites.
Bushwackas - Caught Up In The Game (instrumental) produced by Buckwild. My favorite direct use of Hubert's flute in a hip hop production, the sound of it at the start sets the mood off nicely. This song got me through my senior years of high school.
Many people have speculated on what Shyne's next move should be after his release from jail, the majority of comments I've seen are about which record company he'll sign to next and dream collaborations with other established recording artists. After seeing pictures of him back in his homeland of Belize with family & friends, I definitely felt more happy to see him like that, rather than a product of the American record and entertainment industry. It shows there is more than one way to escape the problems of inner city America and the values corporations impose on us to find a better piece of mind.
Walking A Narrow Path:
The struggle for position, success and acceptance in the entertainment industry and America creates a difficult moral dilemma where a person is forced to choose between being their true self or going against their own heart for financial gain. Like many of my heroes of hip hop and entertainment, I'm happy to see a person who can be successful by existing within this system as a symbol of truth and humanity, or in Shyne's case escape it all together to represent himself and find those valuable human qualities in a different environment. I consider myself a person who represents truth within the difficulties of life, my positive outlook is one of my most treasured values. In some cases, less is more especially if you're faced with a situation that may force you to compromise you're values, which everyone has whether they choose to express them publicly or not.
Finding Our Way In Life:
I saw Shyne's press conference at MTV, and he expressed the new outlook of life he's gained from his experience. It is this pride of self and example of maturity that I hope more people express through hip hop media, showing the many directions we can all take in life from learning about ourselves and the goals attainable by expressing our true positive side. When more people find a way to use their voice around the part of society that promotes negativity and worship of money, heroes arise resulting in classic, influential moments of life that will be treasured for generations to come.
Showbiz & A.G. - More Than One Way Out The Ghetto
Infinito 2017 - A Free Man's Soul
For one of a few outlets I turn to for hip hop that pushes toward greater creative heights, DJ Khalil is one I feel I can count on for a high standard of music based on the range of choices for who he collaborates with. He sounds like someone who will continue to push the envelope of traditional hip hop production, maintaining the important classic elements of past eras while adding on with newer sound and ideas, so keep a look out for more work he brings.
Download the full interview with DubCNN from July '09 here (right-click & save)
some Khalil productions:
Dr. Dre feat. T.I. - "This Is Detox" (released back in February 09)
Defari - "Show Some Love" a West coast banger.
Bishop Lamont and Black Milk - Inconvenient Truth (off the CalTroit mixtape)
I was listening to these as I was getting ready to leave my house for the evening and decided to post them up for y'all, it's a solid package I received of Thriller demos which I hope gets released as an album, along with other great Michael Jackson music that is surfacing. I can't put into words how much I appreciate hearing these preliminary versions from an iconic musician and hero. Even in demo form, the great feeling and energy of Michael's music is undeniable, this is a prelude to the powerful writing, singing and explosive performance you would eventually hear on the full length Thriller album.
These are the full songs, not the excerpts you might catch on YouTube, the sound quality is pretty good too. The demo of Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' in this package is the 2nd one I've heard, a more refined version performance-wise where he shows more energy on the track.
I had to post this collaboration of Michael with Greg Phillinganes, 1984's Behind The Mask. I read he helped on the lyrics and this was an outtake for Thriller, a song originally written by the Yellow Magic Orchestra (Chris Mosdell and Ryuichi Sakomoto) and also covered by Eric Clapton. As a cover version of a song, I prefer this one from Greg & Michael from the thumping energy, singing and high pace of the song using the 80's synth-style. I keep this one on heavy rotation.
There are a number of documented moments which show the rise of the Clan from it's humble beginnings, but one of their greatest sources of promotion must have been Ralph McDaniels' Video Music Box show. This interview in a crowded club atmosphere features RZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Shyheim and a few members of GP Wu displaying their drive towards success and having a platform to express themselves through hip hop. At the point of seeing this interview back in 1994, I think I was just getting used to the original image and music Wu Tang Clan was coming with, after the heavy circulation of their first single, Protect Ya Neck/After The Laughter/Method Man.
Check for the freestyle from Shyheim near the end of the video, looking like he's about 12 years old, but attacking the mic with the drive of a seasoned MC. This is NY underground representation at it's finest.
One from my cassette archives, Pharoahe Monch interviews with Evil Dee up at his Monday Night Flavor Mix show on Hot 97, then kicks some live rhymes he's never recited on any song to date. This was after Stress: The Extinction Agenda was released, and he had a song on the New Jersey Drive Soundtrack with O.C. called You Won't Go Far. 
I don't know if Schallplattenpolizei, the publisher of this great video series of obscure funk records had the legendary D.I.T.C. crew in mind when making this, but it's some great music nonetheless. The style of funk to come from parts of Europe seems to have heavy American influence in it's sound, but still manages to bring a unique feeling of it's own in the history of music, they even cover some classic tunes written by Americans. Many great moments of hip hop production in recent years have come from the sampling of dark, cinematic creations by Dutch musicians of the 70's, as producers have expanded their reach beyond the U.S. into this sound. I get the feeling of watching an action/suspense movie when hearing sounds of these records, which seems to be an attractive part to have in some of today's beats.
Listen to Alchemist in an interview with Lijn5 Dutch radio, he mentions purchasing records from Europe for use in his production: http://www.lijn5.com/page/popupplayer/162499/01:02:05
I can't recognize any standout samples that have been used by Showbiz, Finesse, Diamond or Buckwild here, but if you're looking for insight to some foreign breaks in general, this is a good teacher. He selects interesting parts of these records to educate you to what's worth looking for.
View more parts of his series and tracklistings of songs played here
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