Guru “Jazzmatazz Live! (2001)”

Have you ever been digging through a box of cd's only to find something better than what you were originally searching for? Clearly, that happened to me over the weekend when I found this one. Here is Guru's Jazzmatazz Live! at Radiomafia, Belford, France on September 27th, 2001. He's on tour promoting his Jazzmatazz Streetsoul (volume 3) album. I think this was recorded from the radio as there is a French introduction, but an absolutely perfect listening experience.

Download

enjoy,

-- dirt_dog

Gang Starr “Transmusicales, Rennes, France (2003)”

Here's one just for fun. It's Gang Starr on their Ownerz Tour making a stop at the Transmusicales Festival in 2003 (tagged as 12-05-2003). I have a feeling that this 24 minute performance was recorded straight from the radio as there are a few small voiceovers, but doesn't interfere and the quality is superb (although there is some slight static noise at the beginning of track 9). Here's a link to some really nice pictures from the set. And I threw together a quick cover for those (like me) that have to have an image when listening to any audio on their iPod.

Download

enjoy,

-- dirt_dog

Gang Starr - Non-Album Tracks Volume 7

Here is the final installment of the Gang Starr Non-Album Tracks Series. What we have here is a phenomenal soundboard recording from a '98 show that they did in Amsterdam. As far as I know, Gang Starr doesn't have any other live bootlegs in circulation, which is a god damn shame. Grateful Dead got like 20,000 of 'em, but we only get one from a legendary hip hop act like Gang Starr? What a crock of shit, huh? Anyway, enjoy the concert, and make sure to check for all of the previous volumes.

Gang Starr - Non-Album Tracks Volume 7
1. DJ Premier In Deep Concentration
2. Manifest
3. No More Mr. Nice Guy
4. Code Of The Streets
5. Code Of The Streets (Continued)
6. Work
7. Royalty
8. Above The Clouds
9. The Militia
10. Crush
11. F.A.L.A.
12. Just To Get A Rep
13. Take It Personal
14. Dwyck
http://www.mediafire.com/?fzfqoddf1jm

Preview:

DJ Premier In Deep Concentration


Manifest


No More Mr. Nice Guy


--Roy Johnson

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol.5

Here we have the fifth volume of the DJ Premier Thunderstorm radio show on WBLS. On this show, you can hear DJ King Tech from the Wake Up Show calling the station giving a nice shoutout to DJ Premier. Besides that, you can expect another dope live mixing session from Christopher Martin!

Tracklist
01. Gangstarr - Code Of The Streets
02. M.O.P. - How About Some Hardcore
03. King Just - Warriors Drum
04. Nice & Smooth - Old To The New
05. Jayo Felony - I'ma Keep Bangin' (Original Version)
06. Beatnuts - Props Over Here
07. Lords Of The Underground - Flow On (Pete Rock Remix)
08. Lady Of Rage - Afro Puffs
09. De La Soul - She Fe Mc's
10. Jeru The Damaja - D.Original
11. Fat Joe - Shit Is Real (DJ Premier Remix)
12. Nas - It Ain't Hard To Tell (Large Professor Remix)
13. Terminator X - Under The Sun
14. Nice & Smooth - Blunts

Download

Shout Outs to Serch4beatz & Ho1ogramz!
Cover Done By Dirt_Dog

-- Thomas V

Gang Starr - Non-Album Tracks Volume 6

Here is installment #6 of the Gang Starr Non-Album Tracks Series. I wanted to save all of the oddities and live material for last. Stay tuned for Volume 7, which is an outstanding soundboard from a '98 concert in Amsterdam.

Gang Starr - Non-Album Tracks Volume 6
1. Red Alert Chant
2. Dwyck (Spinbad Blend)
3. Code Of The Streets (Thunderstorm Mix)
4. Mass Appeal (Thunderstorm Mix)
5. Manifest (Jazzy Jeff Mix)
6. You Know My Steez (Spinbad Mix)
7. Dwyck (Jay Dee Blend)
8. Dwyck (Yo! MTV Raps)
9. Dwyck (In Living Color)
10. Reality Check (Skit)
11. Tony Touch Freestyle
12. Doo Wop Freestyle
13. Funkmaster Flex Freestyle
14. Mass Appeal (Arsenio Hall Show)
15. Ex Girl To The Next Girl (Uptown Comedy Club)
16. Slammin' Magazine Interview
17. Just To Get A Rep (Madlib Remix)
18. Full Clip (Live)
http://www.mediafire.com/?lvmwrt0y4yd

Preview:

Dwyck (Spinbad Blend)


Code Of The Streets (Thunderstorm Mix)


Mass Appeal (Thunderstorm Mix)


You Know My Steez (Spinbad Mix)


Tony Touch Freestyle


--Roy Johnson

Space Is The Place w/ Kool Keith, DJ Qbert, Mixmaster Mike, etc

When I set out to make a space-related compilation, I knew that it was gonna be some crazy shit by default, but this may very well be one of the dopest compilations that I've ever put together. It took me months to research, accumulate, and isolate all of the audio for this project. I tried to limit this to 100MB, but I accumulated close to 250 MB worth of space-related tracks, so I'll probably make a second volume at some point. If you have any recommendations, please drop me a line in the comments section.

Space Is The Place Volume 1
1. Mf Doom - Arabic Gum Intro (Instrumental)
2. Ultramagnetic MCs - Kool Keith Model Android #406
3. DJ Qbert - Destination Quasar 16.33.45.78
4. DJ Z-Trip - Black Hole
5. Mixmaster Mike - Solar Panel: Audio Mass
6. Kool Keith - Bitin' My Space Shit (Interlude)
7. Kool Keith & DJ Spooky - Object Unknown (Remix)
8. MF Doom - Star Anis (Instrumental)
9. DJ Qbert - Inner Space Dental Commander
10. EL-P - Iron Galaxy (Instrumental)
11. Akbar - Space Odyssey
12. DJ Qbert - Cosmic Assassins
13. Mixmaster Mike - Cosmic Rays
14. D-Styles & D-Flare - Who Killed Two Pac!
15. Sir Menelik & Kool Keith - Space Cadillac
16. DJ Qbert - Invaders From The Planet Scratch
17. D-Styles & D-Flare - Spacecamp Massacre
18. Mixmaster Mike - Astronaut
19. Quasimoto - Astronaut
20. D-Styles & DJ Qbert - Return To Planetary Deterioration
21. EL-P - Deep Space 9mm (Instrumental)
22. Chief Xcel - Fully Charged Outro (Instrumental)
23. Hidden Track
http://www.mediafire.com/?otiydni5zfo

Preview:

DJ Qbert - Destination Quasar 16.33.45.78


DJ Z-Trip - Black Hole


Kool Keith & DJ Spooky - Object Unknown (Remix)


DJ Qbert - Inner Space Dental Commander


EL-P - Iron Galaxy (Instrumental)


Akbar - Space Odyssey


Mixmaster Mike - Cosmic Rays


D-Styles & D-Flare - Spacecamp Massacre


Quasimoto - Astronaut


Chief Xcel - Fully Charged Instrumental Outro


--Roy Johnson

No Rhyme Or Reason

Over the weekend I found myself listening to these random tracks for no rhyme or reason. So with that I came up with this little mix conveniently titled No Rhyme Or Reason. Hopefully some of you will put this to good use. --Philaflava

DOWNLOAD

T.R.O.Y. Presents - No Rhyme Or Reason

1. Geto Boys - Gangsta of Love
2. Above The Law - Game Wreck-Oniz-Iz Game feat. Eazy-E
3. Grand Daddy I.U. - Don't Stress Me
4. Sha'Dasious - Da Whole Shabang feat. Ram Squad, 50 Grand & Task 4rce
5. Max & Sam - Young Man Rumble (Smooth Philly Style Mix)
6. Punk Barbarians - Eclipsin' Niggas
7. Ras Kass - Remain Anonymous
8. Aceyalone - The Faces
9. Souls of Mischief - Rock It Like That
10. People Under The Stairs - Acid Raindrops
11. InI - What You Say
12. Red Foo & Dre Kroon - The Freshest feat. Evidence
13. Mike Zoot - Service
14. Raidermen - Strategy feat. Natural Elements, Lace Da Boom & Mike Zoot


Stay tuned for the May edition of Sounds Like The 90's...

Diggin' On Jazzmatazz

The Jazzmatazz projects were the brainchild of Guru and started back in 1993. He was involved in much of the coordination and arrangement. Jazzmatazz was ground-breaking on many accounts. It was not the first time that live instruments and hip hop beats were put together. However it was and still is one of the most successful blends of jazz and hip hop that ever happened. Yes, there were other groups doing similar things at the time but the lasting power of the Jazzmatazz projects is without question. Groups like Greyboy, The Solsonics, and Bill Laswells 'Bluescreen' also combined live jazz-oriented instrumentation with hip hop beats. One primary difference was the ensemble approach of Jazzmatazz. Perhaps the most famous musicians to participate were Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers, both of whom had long and storied careers prior to 1993. To most educated heads they need little introduction. At least 10 other artists were featured on volume one alone though. The breadth of scope and the number of musicians would have been a potential cause for inconsistency had it not been for the vision and oversight from Guru. More than a decade later Jazzmatazz is still one of my favorite groups. Included in my post today are the instrumentals for both albums as well as the albums themselves. I wanted to highlight the instrumentals because they are unique and creative. The remixes are a part of this too. They are dope and deserve as much shine as the albums themselves. You'll notice volume 3 was left out. Why? Er.. let's not go there. Guru should have left well enough alone after volume two was finished but sometimes too much of a good thing thins the broth and dries out the tobacco.

volume one
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KIVSH7SW

01 Loungin
02 When You´re Near
03 Transit Ride
04 No Time To Play
05 Down The Backstreets
06 Take A Look
07 Trust Me
08 Slicker Than Most
09 Le Bien, Le Mal
10 Sights In The City

volume one instrumentals
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DEXBG6YU

volume two
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X54N1IBP

01 Intro (Light It Up) / Jazzalude I / New Reality Style
02 Lifesaver
03 Living In This World
04 Looking Through Darkness
05 Skit A (Interview) / Watch What You Say
06 Jazzalude II / Defining Purpose
07 For You
08 Insert A (Mental Relaxation) Medicine
09 Lost Souls
10 Insert B (The Real Deal) / Nobody Knows
11 Jazzalude III / Hip Hop As A Way Of Life
12 Respect The Architect
13 Feel The Music
14 Young Ladies
15 The Traveler
16 Jazzalude IV / Maintaining Focus
17 Count Your Blessings
18 Choice Of Weapons
19 Something In The Past
20 Skit B (Alot On My Mind) / Revelation

volume two instrumentals
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2S0GH0PE

the remixes
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=M0SMJYHD

01 Respect The Architect (Buckwild Remix)
02 Respect The Architect (Instrumental)
03 Watch What You Say (Chucky Remix)
04 Watch What You Say (C.j. Remix)
05 Momentum (Instrumental)
06 Loungin' (Square Biz Mix)
07 Loungin' (Guru Meets The Professor Mix)
08 No Time To Play (C.j. Longer Radio Mix)
09 Trust Me (Mackapella)
10 Le Bien, Le Mal (Instrumental)

--Schenectadyfan

Recap 4/19/09 -4/25/09

It Takes Anonymous Trolls To Call Us Wack

Gang Starr Month; Stop Frontin'

Gang Starr: Non-Album Tracks Volume 5

Guru Behind The Boards

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol. 2

DJ Premier "Planet Of The Beats Volume 1"

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol. 3

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol 4

What We Do

Best Of VLS Vol. 5: "Clouds Of Smoke" - We don't endorse weed-addled buffoonery but dope music is dope music.

Kwame - A Day In The Life: The Polkadelic Adventure (1990) - Today's blog rappers wish they had this much swag and/or flow.

Yazoo "Situation" - Rap been jackin' pop for beats, and here's the proof.

East Coast 12 Inch Rarities Volume 3 - You don't have this. But now you do.

Touring The States: Forestville, MD - G-Funk from immediately below the Mason-Dixon.

Various Artists: On The Down Low (New York, 1995) - Any compilation featuring Pretty Tone Capone and Preacher Earl is worth a download, innit?

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol.4

Here we have the fourth volume of the DJ Premier Thunderstorm radio show on WBLS. On this friday night show, Jeru the Damaja is chillin' in the studio with Premier and talks about a little bit right before Premier spins the Pete Rock Remix of Flow On by the Lords Of The Underground. I know that a lot of tracks on here have already being played many times on previous volumes but no matter what, it's always great to hear live vintage mixing from the legendary DJ Premier!

Tracklist
01. Private Investigators - Mom Dukes
02. Da King & I - Tears
03. Guest W/ Jeru The Damaja
04. Lords Of The Underground - Flow On (Pete Rock Remix)
05. Wu Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.
06. YG'z - Ghetto Celeb
07. Nas - It Aint Hard To Tell
08. Jeru The Damaja - D.Original
09. Black Moon - I Got Cha Opin (Remix)
10. Original Flavor - Keep On (Searching)
11. Conscious Daughters - Somethin To Ride To
12. Ice Cube - U Know How We Do It
13. Intelligent Hoodlum - Street Life (Return Of The Life Mix)
14. Shyheim - On And On (DJ Premier Remix)
15. Edo G. & Da Bulldogs - Love Comes And Goes

Download

Shout Outs to Serch4beatz & Ho1ogramz!
Cover Done By Dirt_Dog

-- Thomas V

Various Artists - On The Down Low (New York 1995)

This is a very dope cd I picked up awhile ago called 'On The Down Low'. It was recorded at House Of Hits, which I think is in New York. It was put out in 1995. All of the artists are from New York to my knowledge. A few of them I know other tracks from like Pretty Tone Capone and Preacher Earl. Pretty Tone Capone had some earlier releases too that are worth finding if you are not familiar with him.

The 1st is Case Dismissed / Kidnapped (1992)
The 2nd is Across 110th St. / Sexy / Marked 4 Death (1993)

Anyway, back to this particular release. I know our readers are fans of that timeless mid 90's boom bap and this cd is an unrecognized gem. What an amazing score for less than 3 dollars. In terms of content and temperament, I could probably compare the music here to the early lyricist lounge tapes from 1992-1997. I'm a sucker for these sorts of compilations and 'On The Down Low' hits like a champ. There are 2 r&b tracks on here, numbers 4 and 8. Given the strength of the other 10 selections, a couple of r&b tracks are excusable foul balls.

Here's the link and the tracklist --

01 (04:43) five & five - keys & g's
02 (04:26) big ds - keep it ill
03 (03:50) t-r-y-a-d-z - tryadz
04 (04:15) brown sugar - dreamin'
05 (05:32) xtra pleza - warpath
06 (03:37) kay superior - focus
07 (04:00) pretty tone capone - g-spot
08 (05:07) maurice - let me fix you
09 (04:21) gorilla l - on & on
10 (03:02) preacher earl & the ministry - 14 floors to the lobby
11 (04:30) phorced n' tre - the newcomer
12 (05:13) dem nigs - many styles

Download

Mixed by Evah Gorman, Norman Bullard, Kenny Ferracho, Sack Entertainment, Hitmen Productions, The Phathedz, Larue Cheatham, Soundwave Productions, and Ron Bowen.

I dont think many of these tracks appear anywhere else. Hit me up with some comments if you like this cd and I'll work hard to post more in the same vein.

--Schenectadyfan

Touring The States: Forestville, MD

Chink - Capers (1995)

This dope MC is coming out of Forestville, Maryland. For a foreigner like me, the only thing that reminds me on Maryland is the Homicide series. I remember talking with friends and wondering about how rap from states and cities, besides NY, LA, NJ, Chicago, or Boston might sound. In the era of super fast internet we can download and search about it within seconds. This is the main point of starting Touring The States series - to present you with some good albums, some great albums, some classic albums, and albums that simple have a great vibe. It might happen that there are better albums out there, but undoubtedly the albums that we serve to you are 100% enjoyable if your ears are open for some music from outside NY and LA. This album by Chink is one of them. Though it is short, it is a must have in your collection. I don't know much about him, so as I always say, if you have some more info, feel free to tell us. Thanks.

Chink - Capers

01. Executioner
02. Nine Millimeter
03. Recognize
04. Another Day
05. Capers
06. Nine Millimeter (Radio Edit)
07. Capers (Radio Edit)

Listen to some samples which will ensure that you download this:


Download Here With Cover Pictures

-- Markshot

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol.3

Here we have the third volume of the DJ Premier Thunder Storm radio show on WBLS.

Tracklist
01. Da King & I - Tears
02. Lady Of Rage - Afro Puffs
03. Trends Of Culture - Who Got My Back?
04. Ill Al Skratch - Where My Homiez (Come Around My Way)
05. DFC feat. Mc Eiht - Caps Get Peeled
06. Smif N Wessun - Bucktown
07. Lords Of The Underground - Flow On (Pete Rock Remix)
08. Warren G feat. Nate Dogg - Regulate
09. Jeru The Damaja - D.Original
10. Intelligent Hoodlum - Street Life (Return Of The Life Mix) Instrumental
11. Controversy - 2 Da Beat Y'all
12. Das Efx - Baknaffek
13. Gangstarr - Mass Appeal
14. M.O.P. - How About Some Hardcore
15. Tha Alkoholiks - Likwit

Download

Shout Outs to Serch4beatz & Ho1ogramz!
Cover Done By Dirt_Dog

-- Thomas V

Yazoo "Situation"

Yazoo were a short-lived but highly successful British electro-pop duo consisting of Depeche Mode mastermind Vince Clarke and singer Alison Moyet. In the US they were simply known as "Yaz" and had a couple of hits in the early 80s. "Situation" was released in 1981 and also appeared on their debut album "Upstairs at Eric's".

If I were to make a top 3 list of my favorite hip hop tunes, Newcleus' "Jam on it" would be at number one, and Man Parrish's "Boogie Down Bronx" would take third position. Quite interestingly, both songs were directly based on "Situation."

Once you compare the tunes, this becomes quite obvious. In Newcleus' case it is the prominent bassline – probably THE most famous bassline in all of hip hop – that is influenced by "Situation." "Boogie Down Bronx" borrows even more heavily from it.

Here's the breakdown part in the middle of "Situation":

And here's the beginning of "Jam On It":

And finally, here's the beginning of "Boogie Down Bronx":

Actually, that's not the whole story. Check out "Situation" again and listen to the heavy, thunderous tom-tom rolls:

Is it a coincidence that another Man Parrish tune "Hip Hop Bebop" also has a lot of prominent tom-tom rolls? I don't think so ...

Finally, I'd like to direct your attention to a little percussive detail in the background of "Situation" - a sound that always seemed to me like water drops:

And once again, there's a hip hop tune (or rather a breaks record, but a very influential one) that has a similar sound – I am talking about the Jive Rhythm Trax 122bpm:

The whole Upstairs at Eric's album is great, and you should definitely try to hunt it down. My favorite Yazoo song is also on that debut album – it is called "Don't go." And I guess you won't be suprised when I present you a hip hop tune that is influenced by it. When I say hip hop, it is in a very broad sense: I am talking about Planet Patrol's "Don't tell me." Planet Patrol was Arthur Baker's electro soul / r&b outfit. They sound like a soulful version of Afrika Bambaataa which comes as no surprise since Arthur Baker re-used a lot of his Bambaataa material when producing Planet Patrol. One detail I am interested in is the arpeggiated melody that's playing in the background of Yazoo's "Don't go" - here's an isolated excerpt:

And here's the beginning of Planet Patrol's "Don't Tell Me":

I always find it interesting to reconstruct the musical paths that led to the creation of hip hop and electro. In the early 80s, hip hop hadn't crystallized into a rigid form yet and influences were drawn from all kinds of music. There was no canon, and it was a period of openness that encouraged experiment and eclecticism. At its best, the resulting music was a cross-cultural rollercoaster ride where funk rhythms collided with pop or avantgarde music. Needless to say that today's state of hip hop is a step backwards in both musical and cultural terms: Flamboyant artist like Man Parrish would be considered gay and their music would stand no chance whatsoever.

-- Cosmic Rockers (check out more cosmic electro madness at the Cosmic Rock blog)

DJ Premier “Planet Of The Beats Volume 1”

I got this LP years ago from hiphopsite.com. I can't quite remember the year, nor can I find any real information about it, so let's just say it was 2002. I placed my order, waited several weeks only to find out they had sold out and wouldn't be getting any more. They issued me a store credit and I moved on with my life. About 2 months later a mysterious package arrived on my door step, and now I share with you:

"DJ Premier presents Empire Management production. An original one of a kind release "Planet Of The Beats Volume 1". A reflection of classic hip hop instrumentals combined with movie dialogues from great movies. Featuring music from DJ Premier, Mobb Deep, A Tribe Called Quest, The Beatnuts, DJ Spinna, Show & AG & others. Recorded at D&D Studios N.Y.C., U.S.A."

A1 Count Down

A2 Lift Off

A3 On A Mission

B1 Up, Up Into The Sky

B2 High & Higher

B3 Into Space

B4 Stars In My Eyes

B5 Space Is Awesome

C1 All Alone In Space

C2 A New Dimension

C3 A New Time Zone

C4 Our Solar System

D1 Is This For The Love Or The Money

D2 Lets Get Busy

D3 The Journey Home

D4 Hold Tight

D5 Crash Landing

Download

enjoy,

-- dirt_dog

East Coast 12 Inch Rarities Volume 3

Today I am bringing you volume 3 from my east coast 12 inch series. I know I've said it before, but there are mountains of these. I just completed volume 115 the other day so there is a ton of music in store for you fans of that grungy, dark east coast hip hop. Most of these artists are from New York except for track 5, and I THINK Black Eye is from Washington Dc, but do not take my word for it. It might be New York too. The other exception to the NY rule is Real Live, apparently from New Jersey. These east coast 12 inch compilations have been a long time habit for me, and this is one of my early efforts. One of my favorite tracks is number 6. The Flatlinerz have in my own humble opinion, been unfairly labeled as wack imitators by fellow heads. I have to cry foul at this merciless accusation and rush to defend their product as high-grade. Maybe I'm smoking something but I've always dug them. Here's a link and the tracklist. Enjoy!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7A77IQXA

01 (03:48) Brooklyn Zoo - Masters Of Zooniverse (1995)
02 (03:26) Black Eye - Blue Black (Ghetto Dark Mix)(1995)
03 (04:40) Real Live - Real Live Shit (1995)
04 (01:21) Strickly Roots - Roots & Culture (1993)
05 (00:34) Another 1-4-U-2-N-V - You Gotdamm Right (1991) PHILADELPHIA
06 (03:44) Flatlinerz - Live Evil (Radio Edit)(1994)
07 (04:02) Da Nabahood Threat - Off Witcha Head (1994)
08 (04:13) Now Born Click - Movin (1993)
09 (03:31) Do It All - Dangerous (1992)
10 (04:52) Tucka Da Huntaman - Da Hunt is on (Radio Version)(1995)
11 (04:35) Two Outta Millions - Emcees Nowadays (1995)
12 (04:01) The Fab 5 - Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka (Radio Mix)(1995)
13 (06:10) Eric B. And Rakim - Casualties Of War (Extended Club Camouflage Version)(1993)
14 (03:45) Brother Of The Mind - Kick Facts (1995)
15 (03:30) Hoodratz - Murdered Ova Nuttin' (The Sneeze Mix)(1993)
16 (04:50) Rampage Outta Control Feat. Kool Keith Godfather Don & Grandmaster Mel - Street (1994)
17 (04:24) BLVD Boyz - Off Da Head (Original Raw Mix)(1994)
18 (04:20) Powerule - Dawn to Dusk (Main Mix)(1995)

I know the majority of these tracks will be familiar to avid diggers like myself but it's still a good lineup. Weigh in here and give me some feedback if these sounds are to your liking!

--Schenectadyfan

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol.2

Here we have the second volume of the DJ Premier Thunder Storm radio show on WBLS. Check out the new cover art done by the T.R.O.Y. Blog's newest addition dirt_dog. Make sure to replace the old vol.1's cover with the new version by clicking here.

Tracklist
01. Smif N Wessun - Bucktown
02. Heavy D. & The Boyz - Got Me Waiting
03. Mr Voodoo - Come Off Hard
04. Trends Of Culture - Who Got My Back
05. Private Investigators - Mom Dukes
06. LOTUG - Flow On (Pete Rock Remix)
07. Black Moon - I Got Cha Opin (Remix)
08. Ed O.G. And Da Bulldogs - Love Comes And Goes
09. PHD - Keep It Real
10. Operation Ratification - Tray Pound God
11. M.O.P. - How About Some Hardcore
12. A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation
13. Krs One - Mortal Thought
14. Controversy - To Da Beat Y'all
15. Terminator X - It All Comes Down To The Money

Download

Shout Outs to Serch4beatz & Ho1ogramz!
Cover Done By Dirt_Dog

-- Thomas V

Kwame - A Day In The Life (A Pokadelick Adventure) 1990

Here is Kwame's second album titled A Day in the Life: A Pokadelick Aventure from 1990. A strong follow-up to his '89 debut album "Kwame The Boy Genius".

Below is a legitimate review of the album written by Steve Huey of allmusic.com,

"A Day in the Life: A Pokadelick Adventure is the definitive Kwamé album, a concept record about his life as a high schooler, and also the one where he created his signature visual style with a wardrobe full of polka dots. A self-described "quiet nerd type" who even brags about his excellent grammar on one cut, Kwamé navigates a world of bullies, crushes, immature girls, gossip-mongers, parties, bad report cards, and -- of course -- sucker MCs. A few songs don't seem to have much to do with the concept, but it hangs together pretty well musically, with buoyant, Daisy Age-flavored production (partly by Kwamé himself). "Ownlee Eue" and "Oneovdabigboiz" are underrated singles, and Kwamé shows off his storytelling talents on album cuts like "Da Man," "Therez a Partee Goinz On," and "Whoz Dat Guy." A Day in the Life is filled with cartoonish, electronically altered voices commenting on the action and interacting with the bemused hero. It's all good-humored and colorful, if completely non-threatening, and it's too bad that Kwamé seems best-remembered today through disses by hardcore rappers like Tim Dog and the Notorious B.I.G. Sure, the polka dots are goofy, but in light of everything that's happened since then in hip-hop, they also hark back to a simpler, more innocent era, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that."

1		Da' Man (4:15)
2		Skinee Muva (4:44)
3		Yes Yes Yall (4:27)
4		A Day In The Life (4:12)
5		Itz Oh Kay (4:04)
6		Therez A Partee Goinz On (4:53)
7		Oneovdabigboiz (4:45)
8		Hai (Heart Symbol) (4:02)
9		Whoz Dat Guy (4:18)
10		Doin' Ma Thang (3:42)
11		Ownlee Eue (5:20)
12		Ownlee Eue (Reprise) (2:19)

Download

-- Thomas V

Guru Behind The Boards

We hope our readers have dug our spotlight this month on Gangstarr. As part of that effort I assembled a collection of underground hip hop produced by the legendary mc Guru. Originally from Boston, Guru moved to New York and went to work with Dj Premier. The rest is history. This compilation however, is a "somewhat" unknown part of that history. Largely known for his vocal skills, Guru collaborated with Dj Premier for Jeru The Damaja's 1st album 'The Sun Rises In The East', as well as the Gangstarr albums. The sound here is that dark moody boom bap which is so timeless and still celebrated with reverence all these years later.

Most of the artists featured were affiliated with the Gangstarr Foundation/Ill Kid Records. Exceptions might be Deams, Cutthroats and Poverty. If anyone out there has background info about them let us know. Some of the obscure surprises on this compilation include tracks 2, 6 (co-produced by Guru), 7, 16, and 19. I have to say, the Deams track is off the hook. Holy shit that one is dope! This compilation is a tasty slice of Guru's early/mid 90's work behind the boards. I am sure however, that there are cuts out there I haven't heard. The man is a legend and it's certainly possible that in his huge volume of studio time he produced other artists who never made it onto legit releases. I salivate at the possibility of hearing these sorts of unreleased archives.


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2ALVV52X

01 (4:20) Operation Radification - Tray Pound 1993
02 (3:25) Deams - Mad Game 1996
03 (4:46) Stikken Moov - Beware 1993
04 (4:15) Group Home - Serious Rap Shit 1995
05 (4:09) Hl Rock (the Sly Fox) - Put You 1993
06 (3:52) Chapter 3 - Sounds Of Claps 1993
07 (3:59) Cutthroats - Stop Lookin' At Me 1993
08 (3:27) Bahamadia - Total Wreck 1993
09 (3:58) Guru - Feel the Music 1995
10 (3:00) Bahamadia - Wordplay 1995
11 (2:59) Big Shug - P.D.S. 1995
12 (5:23) M.O.P., Guru & Stikken Moov - Life 1995
13 (5:26) Stikken Moov, Guru, & Mash Out Posse - Life 1995
14 (3:48) Fabidden Frut - From Within Out 1995
15 (2:59) Guru & Big Shug - Momentum
16 (2:57) Poverty - Comin' Up 1993
17 (2:55) Group Home - So Called Friends 1993
18 (4:17) Gangstarr - Lovesick Upbeat Mix 1991
19 (3:05) Poverty - Peace With A Piece 1993
20 (3:40) Gangstarr - Form Of Intellect 1991
21 (3:01) Fabidden Fruit ft. Bu & Mic Rone - Cup Of Life 1995
22 (4:48) Operation Ratification - Rotten Apple 1995

I really hope our readers like this collection! Let me know what you think.

--Schenectadyfan

Best Of VLS (Vol.5): "Clouds Of Smoke - 4/20"

Once again, you can find Volumes 1 and 3 of this series here on the blog. But Volumes 2, 4 and maybe a few future drops will be exclusive to the Skypager mailing list. You can sign up by clicking here or by typing your email underneath the Skypager to the right of the page. There's a few other things you might be interested in at the Skypager group, too. And you can also refer to the link above to the past volumes to see the list of VLS blogs that have been linked and scoured in the making of these compilations. I must give Crates Of AG another shout for posting that Ill Distracxion track that I had been looking for.

Okay, so I never really got into the 420 thing myself, but I know there are heads out there that might not mind a little 'get high' compilation. I figured I would meld some known weed cuts with some of the obscure tracks from them VLS blogs out there and the finished product is pretty heavy. The instrumental supplemental only contains beats for half of the songs on the compilation this time around. Sorry about that but I couldn't find the rest.

Clouds Of Smoke:

01. Top Quality - Magnum Opus

02. Nice N Smooth - How Many Blunts (Vin Roc Mix)

03. Boodah An Da Bandit - Brain On Drugz

04. Lord Digga - High Like A Bird

05. Call O Da Wild - Clouds Of Smoke

06. Mike Zoot - Live and Stink

07. 50 Grand - Max Mode

08. Chief Kamachi, Rahsheed, Rich Medina - J. Edgar Hoover

09. Ill Distracxion - Calm Wit Da Trom

10. Supernatural - Buddah Blessed It

11. Rubbabandz - Purple Rain

12. HDM - Real MC's

13. Izm Da Mad Soul - Who Lit Dat

14. Finsta Bundy - Feel The High

15. PHD - Kick That Shit And Get High (ft.KL[RIP])

16. Channel Live - Mad Izm (Buckwild 95 Remix)

17. Royal Flush, Channel Live, Mic Geronimo - Smoke Session

18. Diamond D - Never (ft. Sadat X & K. Terribul)

Previews:

Download Compilation Here

Download Instrumental Supplemental Here

Back-Up Compilation Link Here

Don't sleep on the links. There's some bonus downloads, videos[besides the 2 above], information, and overlooked posts. Enjoy.

--Verge

Editor's Note: Certain installments of the "The Best Of VLS" series were only made available to members of our Skypager Google Group/ Mailing List, so sign up here or at the pager in the sidebar.

Gang Starr - Non-Album Tracks Volume 5

Here is installment #5 of the Gang Starr Non-Album Tracks Series. This volume contains Guru guest appearances from between the years of 1995 and 2000. Stay tuned for volumes 6 & 7.

Gang Starr - Non-Album Tracks Volume 5
1. House Of Pain - Fed Up (Remix)
2. Ini Kamoze - Who Goes There
3. Buckshot Lefonque - Black Monday
4. EZD - For Da Love
5. M.O.P. - Salute II
6. N'Dea Davenport - Bring It On (Remix)
7. Afu Ra - Trilogy Of Terror
8. Everlast - Guru
9. Group Home - The Legacy
10. Group Home - Be Like That
11. AG - Weed Scented
12. Choclair - Bear Witness
13. D.B.D. - Unknown Song
14. Masta Ace - Conflict
15. Masta Ace - Conflict (Remix)
16. Masta Ace - Conflict (Illmind Remix)
17. D-Flame - Universal
18. D-Flame - Universal (Remix)
http://www.mediafire.com/?towezk4mro4

Preview:

House Of Pain - Fed Up (Remix)


EZD - For Da Love


Buckshot Lefonque - Black Monday


--Roy Johnson

Blog Building: Peace To The Blogs

Before I get to the main topic of this post, I'll hit you off with some thoughts and ideas:

• Gang Starr Month is still in effect, and this week will be densely packed with Gang Starr related posts. Also, in last week's poll you chose "Soliloquy Of Chaos" as having the best lyrics out of the bunch. In this week's poll you'll be deciding who has dropped the illest cameo verse on a Gang Starr track, so head for the sidebar and cast your ballot.
• Skypager is our Google Group/ Mailing List. Members get access to music downloads and new items that will not appear on the blog. Over 120 of you have joined, but I suspect that many of you are not aware of its features. It is both a Google Group and a Mailing List. Once you sign up you can choose to receive updates by mail or choose simply to visit the group directly, where you can click on "Discussions" and review any previously posted topic (meaning you can get those compilations that were posted before you joined). You can post messages of your own to the whole group (please don't spam) from there, or email the group. You have to sign up first to do any of this, though, so look for the pager in the sidbar and get to it, already.
• To our friends on Twitter, if you like any of our posts, keep tweeting and retweeting them. And thanks for your support for us on followfridays - keep that up too!
• A reader has alerted us to the fact that the embedded DivShare players, which we use with nearly every post, do not display in Google Reader. This is odd because they display just fine in the actual site feed. This is hugely inconvenient to our subscribers who use Google Reader, and if any one reading this knows of an alternative to DivShare (we like them because the players are compact and easy to embed and their deals on storage and bandwidth are great) or a fix to the problem, please let us know.
• Are you keeping track of our a-alike blog, Steady Bloggin? Add them to your RSS Reader, or just check for their recent posts in the fancy dedicated widget in our sidebar.

Okay, now to today's business. I'd like to send a special shout-out to the blogs that have sent us the most traffic since we've been keeping track (three months). It may seem odd for us to show love to other blogs for a statistical reason, but it just so happens that our top blog referrers are blogs that we respect and check for on the regular. So, without further adieu, I'd like to direct the readers to these purveyors of that ol' blog bap:

It's Coming Out Of Your Speaker - They are temporarily de-funked, but their generous redirect to T.R.O.Y. has played a huge part in building our base in these competitive blogosphere. Thanks, duns, and we got your back when you return.

Cocaine Blunts - One of the most respected music blogs, period, and also among the most thought provoking. I rarely agree with Noz on contemporary music taste, but I fully support his notion that blogging should be about new ideas, first and foremost.

OhWord - My first home as a blogger. Rafi, if you're reading this, bring it back in full force.

Grandgood - If it wasn't for Ming-Tzu and co. I'd be even more clueless about contemporary rap than I am.

Wake Your Daughter Up - One of the first blogs out there to place a significant emphasis on throwback material and do it well.

Those are the top five, by far; following them are blogs like THIMK, When They Reminisce, Isako-Hardcore, Bust The Facts, Crystaline, CRDS, and others that regularly appear in our shared items. Props to all.

-- Thun

Recap 4/12/09 - 4/19/09

ill subliminal

Artists

Neek The Exotic: Non-Album Tracks

Original Flavor

Jimi Hendrix: Godfather

They Get Props Over There

Touring The States: Chicago, Il

New Jersey Underground Part 5 (1991-1997)

Gang Starr Month In Full Swing

Who Flipped It Better? Gang Starr vs Kwame

Gang Starr - The Video Collection (DVD rip)

Gang Starr: Non-Album Tracks Volume 3

DJ Premier WBLS Thunderstorm Vol. 1

Gang Starr: The VHS Video Collection

Gang Starr: Non-Album Tracks Volume 4

Doo-Wop: The Best of Doo-Wop Freestyles Volume One