The Source: March 1993 issue featuring Naughty By Nature

Life has been hectic lately but I’m back with another issue for everyone. (Side note – I have a couple of never before posted magazines that will hit this site very soon). Now, who didn’t love Naughty By Nature? While Kay Gee and Vinnie played the background perfectly, I had always likened Treach to Busta Rhymes in that he seemed to have that natural charisma and appeared to be friendly with almost any other rapper at the time. Combine that with Naughty’s penchant for crafting catchy hip-hop jingles and they just couldn’t lose. And to top it off, they had Spike Lee directing the video for the lead song from their second album, ‘Hip-Hop Hooray’, with no less than a hundred guest appearances from the hip-hop world at the video shoot. How could they lose?

Well, they didn’t. I’m sure they went gold and platinum with their singles and albums (check here: http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH) and they didn’t have to give up an ounce of credibility. I think it’s safe to say that they peaked in 1993, too. But here’s a question for you, should Treach have gone solo for an album or two? I think so. And why isn’t Treach ever brought up in a discussion of the best rappers of that era and of all time? Is it because he’s from New Jersey and not New York? Does his voice wear on you? What is it?

Source March 1993 issue

If you're looking for something else, then head on over to THIMK.

And don’t forget, the pw = thimk.

~Vincent Lopez~

Random VLS Drops: Diamond D - What U Heard

Fresh rip at 320kbps

A1. What U Heard [Radio Edit]

A2. "*!*!" What U Heard [Original LP Version]

A3. I'm Outta Here (My Name Is John Doe)

B1. You Can't Front (...It Is Real) [Vocal]

B2. You Can't Front (...It Is Real) [Instrumental]

B3. I'm Outta Here (My Name Is John Doe) [Radio Edit]

[Download full 12" single here.]

This isn't only worth having for the ill cover art, but you also get a great B-Side, featuring Sadat X and Lord Finesse. Everything on this was produced by Diamond D, with Buckwild on the co production for "You Can't Front", Showbiz on "I'm Outta Here", and Lakim Shabazz on "What U Heard".

You know the shit is real, you can't front, jack.

Peep the video for "What U Heard":

--Verge

The Source: February 1993 issue featuring Run-DMC

Way back in ‘82/’83, there was a time when I believed hip-hop could get no better than Melle Mel. My uncle had every Sugarhill Record ever released but when he came home with “The Message” record, it blew my little kid ears away. Later, when he bought “White Lines” and “Beat Street”, it solidified that thought in my mind. Melle Mel was the king of hip-hop to me and no one would ever replace him. Funny how hip-hop had a way of evolving though. I don’t know where or when I first heard “Sucker MC’s” but my mind immediately began a tug of war with Run vs. Melle Mel. I was so enamored with the seemingly hungrier Run that I remember saving my lunch money as a little boy to buy Run-DMC's very first tape, which I still have to this day. I couldn’t wait for my uncle to buy the album this time. I needed my own copy. And as bears love honey, you could not separate me from that tape until their second album dropped. So please understand me when I say that I was very leery of a Run-DMC’ return in ’93. They were and still are the greatest group in hip-hop to me but the 1990 album, Back from Hell, left a very bad sound in my ears. The group as I had known them had ceased to exist. But once again, it’s funny how hip-hop had evolved once more and their career was briefly resurrected and saved by the one and only Pete Rock. They were older, more mature, focused and displaying an outwardly Christian image. It still bothers me that younger hip-hop fans really haven’t heard their albums. And many people don’t realize how their success in hip-hop (world tours, gold/platinum albums, endorsement contracts, movies, etc.) has carried forward exponentially to many other artists to this day. Long live the Kings from Queens and R.I.P. Jam Master Jay.

And let’s not forget, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic received 4.5 mics in this issue? Do you think it should have been rated 5 mics? 4 mics?

Source February 1993 issue

If you're looking for something else, then head on over to THIMK.

And don’t forget, the pw = thimk.

~Vincent Lopez~

The Source: January 1993 Issue

After many re-up requests at THIMK over the past year and an invite from Mr. Philaflava himself, I’ve decided to post some old Source magazines right here on the T.R.O.Y. blog. We’ve decided to kick this off with the January 1993 issue, which is the 1992 year in review. I’m not sure about many of you but mid 1991 to late 1992 was a very significant time for me while a sophomore/junior in college and music played a huge part in that. From what I read, to how I dressed, to my socio-political views, my religious beliefs, and even how I ate; I can tie them all back to a particular, artist, album or lyric from that time period. Does music still have that kind of impact today? I almost killed myself trying to find a way to get home from college every other weekend just so I could visit Sound of Market and/or Funk-O-Mart to purchase the latest album The Source had advertised or reviewed and also get their latest issue. This was back when their rating system actually meant something and when my friends I literally fought over the ratings. Just take a look at that list of the supposed best albums of that time period below:

My personal top six albums (in no order) from ’92 would be:

Redman – Whut? Thee Album (4.5 mics, November ’92 issue)

Gangstarr – A Daily Operation (3.5 mics, June ’92 issue)

Boogie Down Productions – Sex and Violence (4.5 mics, March ’92 issue)

Pete Rock & CL Smooth – Mecca & The Soul Brother (4 mics, May ’92 issue)

Diamond - Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop (4 mics, November ’92 issue)

Showbiz & A.G. – Runaway Slave (4 mics, November ’92 issue)

Enjoy the issue if you haven’t read it already. You can also read the gibberish I previously wrote about this issue here, so click that before you download it.

pw=thimk

Source January 1993 issue

-- Vincent Lopez

Class A Felony...

Class A Felony-Class A Felony (1993)
Mercury Recordings

Now here is an album that really fits under the obscure banner, Class A Felony was a New York duo made up of DJ Stitches and the late Edward Dumar Israel aka Lord Dumar, who sadly passed away before the album was released, Class A Felony was their only album and had contributions by great producers like DJ Mark The 45 King (“Hyped Up”, Black Rain”) and Diamond D (“I Can’t Take No More”), which features Lakim Shabazz but oddly no Lord Dumar?.

Class A Felony was a decent album that relied on quirky (peep the warped funk of “Time To Make The Doughnuts”) and familiar samples and fat drum loops, alongside Lord Dumar’s gruff vocal tone which is sometimes reminiscent of King Sun.

The classic Warriors film gets sampled on “Warriors Come Out To Play” and the timeless Bohannon “Save Their Souls” gets flipped on “I’m No The Herb You’re Lookin’ 4” , James Brown’s “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” gets a workout on the dope “Papa Don’t Play” and a heavy dub sample is used on “Lyrical Bloodbath” while DJ Stitches get his time to display his skills and finesse on the 1's and 2's on “Electricity”.


The hilarious and late comedian Robin Harris is sampled on “I Got A Warrant” and is a great tale of Dumar being on the run,Lord Dumar also runs a sinister tale on “The Night Stalker” and like Guru once said It's mostly the voice and Dumar does indeed have a dope voice and rides beats effortlessly.

I wouldn’t go as far as to call the album a classic, but it’s an ill, lost album that should be heard.

Props to godmc for the hook-up.

Jaz

Download Here

01 - Intro
02 - Time To Make The Doughnuts
03 - Hyped Up
04 - Hostage
05 - I’m Not The Herb You’re Lookin’ 4
06 - Gotta Go, Gotta Go
07 - Papa Don’t Play
08 - Lyrical Bloodbath
09 - Class A Felony
10 - I Got A Warrant
11 - Warriors Come Out To Play
12 - The Night Stalker
13 - They’re All Gonna Laugh At You
14 - Rita
15 - Black Rain
16 - Electricity
17 - I Can’t Take No More