Up North Trips

Somebody from the site just put me on to Up North Trips. I'm telling you that you could easily spend hours just checking out their archive.

Wait are you waiting for? Up North Trips

DJ Stretch Armstrong “Volume Four” Mixtape (1996)

As I continue on through the box of tapes that I located in my basement, here is a semi mysterious DJ Stretch Armstrong "Volume Four" tape. I could find zero info on this one, so I turned to (the mixtape master of the Philaflava forum) Andyman187 for some help. He determined that this tape is a recording from a Stretch & Bobbito show on Hot97 that aired Sundays from 12pm-2pm sometime in 1996. Andyman187 was also kind enough to study the audio and put together a tracklist for me. If anyone out there can help by filling in the blanks or correcting any mistakes, please leave a comment. And the .rar files contain all the scans plus the full j-card.

Side A
01 KRS-One & Lord Finesse - SP-1200 Freestyle
02 Jay-Z - I Shot Ya (Remix) Freestyle
03 Busta Rhymes - Freestyle
04 Capone-N-Noreaga - Freestyle
05 Beatnuts - Find That
06 Bahamadia - Three The Hard Way
07 Pete Rock & The Large Professor - The Rap World
08 Capone-N-Noreaga - Illegal Life
09 Artifacts - Art Of Facts
10 M.O.P. - World Famous
11 McGruff feat. LOX - Reppin Uptown
12 Sun Dullah (aka King Sun) feat. Doo Wop - NY Love (2Pac Diss)

Side B
01 Heltah Skeltah - Intro (Here We Come)
02 Heltah Skeltah - Freestyle
03 Heltah Skeltah - Sean Price (Exclusive)
04 Heltah Skeltah - Soldiers Gone Psycho
05 Akinyele feat. CJ Moore - Freaky
06 Mobb Deep - Street Life
07 Shadez Of Brooklyn - Change
08 De La Soul - Itzsoeezze
09 Shabaam Shadeeq - Freestyle
10 Shabaam Shadeeq - On A Mission
11 Stretch & Bobbito - Shout Outs

DOWNLOAD SIDE A

DOWNLOAD SIDE B

enjoy,
--dirt_dog

Mark 563's Hip Hop Portrait Sketches: East Coast

Mark 563 is a DJ, a graphic designer, he is also into amateur photography, but he also dabble into illustrations.

He is also a proud owner of one of the greatest vinyl collection i have ever seen.
Stay tunned after this one, cause soon after we will show you some more of his great work.
Enjoy and pleas leave the feedback, thanks.

** Click on the image to see it in a bigger resolution.













-- Markshot

Ego Trip's Great Fuckin' Clean Versions

"This one definitely goes out on a censorship tip
So everybody sit back, relax and have a champagne sip"

None of us like clean radio versions! Every time your hear something, it's always gotta be raw uncensored! That's the truth! Some artists just have their curse words bleeped on for their clean versions while other actually record a new version with changed vocals. Some don't have new vocals but instead of it just being muted, scratching and sound effects are used to replace these blanks. A list titled "Great Fuckin' Clean Versions" from Ego Trip's Book of Rap List basically listed the clean versions that were worth listening to. Like Thun said, "Ego Trip made it a hot list, we made it a hot compilation". Last year, I compiled DJ Premier's Underacknowledged Cuts from Ego Trip's list. It received props all over the net.. even from Elliot Wilson! Enjoy this one!

Download

additional artwork by dirt_dog

-- Thomas V

Adrian Champion “Stars & Stripes: The White Stripes Reimagined”

This in one of my favorite mash-up/blend/remix projects from 2009. You're all probably like, WTF? But seriously, give it a chance. It's brilliant. This is only one of a few things from last year that's still in the rotation and if he'd press up a physical disc, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.

Step 1: Watch the trailer




Step 2: Visit STARS & STRIPES and go to "download" (instrumentals are also available for those who need everything)

01 Bombs Over Orchids (The White Stripes + Outkast)
02 Icky Says (The White Stripes + Pharoahe Monch)
03 Ante Up Every Way (The White Stripes + M.O.P.)
04 Turn It Up (The White Stripes + Kanye West)
05 Ms. Doorbell (The White Stripes + Mos Def)
06 Cash Run (The White Stripes + Notorious B.I.G. & 2Pac)
07 Got Yourself a Cannon (The White Stripes + Jay-Z)
08 Jolene's Ether (The White Stripes + Nas)
09 One More Corner (The White Stripes + Common)
10 Dangerous Love (The White Stripes + Busta Rhymes)
11 Fucking Apples (The White Stripes + Eminem)
12 Tha Countdown Blues (The White Stripes + Redman)
13 Stars & Stripes (The White Stripes + Adrian Champion & Brian Jacobs)


Step 3: Go to his BLOG and you can pick up the bonus track

14 Bound to Pass Me By (The White Stripes + The Pharcyde)


Step 4: Enjoy


--dirt_dog

Is it just me or is KRS-One completely bat shit?

From his comments last month calling Lil Wayne the "Greatest MC alive" to saying "Jay-Z vs. 50 Cent would be the greatest Hip-Hop battle of all-time," he has completely lost it. Am I right? Do you think with his comments and recent material taint his legacy in Hip-Hop? --Philaflava

Many Styles

Many Styles
1. Beastie Boys - The New Style
2. BDP - The Style You Haven't Done Yet
3. Poor Righteous Teachers & Krs-One - Conscious Style
4. Original Flavor, Jay-Z & Freshco - Many Styles
5. Masta Ace Inc - Crazy Drunken Style
6. Method Man - PLO Style
7. Cella Dwellas - Medina Style
8. Funkmaster Flex - Butterfly Style (Live MSG Mix)
9. Yaggfu Front - Fling-A-Ling Style
10. Alkaholiks - Funny Style
11. Pharcyde - Funny Style Part I
12. Styles Of Beyond - Many Styles
13. Styles Of Beyond - Styles Of Beyond
14. Alkaholiks - Funny Style (Instrumental)
http://www.mediafire.com/?5eztogfxt3n

Preview:

Beastie Boys - The New Style


BDP - The Style You Haven't Done Yet


Poor Righteous Teachers & Krs-One - Conscious Style


Pharcyde - Funny Style Part I


--Roy Johnson

DJ Mister Cee “The Best Of Jay-Z”

Here it is, the final installment of the DJ Mister Cee “Best Of” mixtape series. Although Jigga-Man is not one of my favorite artists, I thought it was very important to present the entire library. My review wasn't going so well, but I think turntablelab says it best in the following two blurbs:

“Mister Cee goes in hard (Aquaman style!) for this comprehensive and really fascinating career-spanning Jigga collection. Starting way back with the Big Jaz collabs and freestyles, Cee forgoes chronological worries and moves in for the kill, dropping track after track of classic Jigga, from "Hawaiin Sophie"(!) to "Hard Knock Life." Even the most studious of Jay fans will find new shit on this one: rare early tracks, remixes and unreleased freestyles from Cee's vault all surface here. You know this shit is made by an insider when there are tracks with titles like "Freestyle – Live at Big Daddy Kane's Movie Release Party at The Ritz (1993)." Considering the age of some of these, this sound quality on this mix is pretty incredible. 36 tracks total. Recommended.”

01 Jay-Z-Freestyle Live At Big Daddy Kane's Album Release Party 1991

02 Big Jaz-Hawaiian Sophie feat. Jay-Z

03 Big Jaz-The Originators feat. Jay-Z

04 Jay-Z-Nigga What Nigga Who (Originator 99) feat. Big Jaz & Amil

05 Big Jaz-It's That Simple feat. Jay-Z

06 Rude Boys-My Kinda Girl (Remix) feat. Jay-Z

07 Glenn Jones-Good Thang feat. Jay-Z

08 Hi 5 Ski-She's Playing Hard To Get (Remix) feat. Jay-Z

09 Original Flavor-Can I Get Open feat. Jay-Z

10 Original Flavor-Many Styles feat. Jay-Z

11 Jay-Z-Freestyle Live At Big Daddy Kane's Movie Release Party 1993

12 Big Daddy Kane-Show Prove feat. Big Scoob, Sauce Money, Jay-Z, Shyheim & Ol' Dirty Bastard

13 Jay-Z-In My Life Time (Original)

14 Jay-Z-In My Lifetime (Remix)

15 Jay-Z-I Can't Get Wid Dat feat. Big Jaz & Sauce Money

16 Jay-Z-Dead Presidents Parts 1 & 2

17 Jay-Z-Ain't No Nigga feat. Foxy Brown

18 Jay-Z-Can't Knock The Hustle (Original & Remix) feat. Mary J. Blige & Melisa Morgan

19 Lil' Kim-Big Momma Thang feat. Jay-Z & Lil' Cease

20 Foxy Brown-I'll Be feat. Jay-Z

21 Jay-Z-Friend Or Foe '96

22 Jay-Z-Friend Or Foe '98

23 Jay-Z-Brooklyn's Finest feat. Biggie Smalls

24 Jay-Z-Love Is Love (Unreleased)

25 SWV-You're The One (Remix) feat. Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Mr. Cheeks, Trigga The Gambler & Smoothe The Hustler

26 Shai-I Dont Wanna Be Alone (Remix) feat. Jay-Z

27 Horace Brown-Things We Do For Love (Remix) feat. Jay-Z

28 The Braxtons-So Many Ways (Remix) feat. Jay-Z

29 Jay-Z-Foundation feat. Big Jaz & Sauce Money (Original & Remix)

30 Shaquille O'Neal-No Love Lost feat. Lord Tariq & Jay-Z

31 The Ranjahz-Kill 2 Live feat. Jay-Z

32 Tone Hooker-Crew Love 97 feat. O.C & Jay-Z

33 Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel-Crew Love 98 feat. Jay-Z

34 Jay-Z-You're Only A Customer

35 Jay-Z-Funkmaster Flex Freestyle

36 Biggie Smalls-I Love The Dough feat. Jay-Z & Angela Winbush

“Part 2 of Go-In Brother #1's Jigga retrospective focuses mainly on collaborations and the Roc-A-Fella era. Impossibly rare, hard-to-find and flat out unreleased tracks make their way into Mr. Cee's crate – check young Shawn Carter's "St. Ides Commercial," or "Roc-A-Fella Shit," which features the entire original Roc lineup (Jaz, Sauce, Bleek, Ranjahz, Diamonds, what!). Other highlights are "Young G's" with Biggie and Puff, and the unreleased solo joint "People's Court." Mister Cee has done the rap world a nice service by unleashing this shit. 25 tracks total.”

01 Jay-Z-Hard Knock Life

02 Jay-Z-Can I Get A...

03 Jay-Z-Money Cash Hoes feat. DMX

04 Jay-Z-It's Like That feat. Kid Capri

05 Jay-Z-Can I Live 99 feat. Memphis Bleek

06 Jay-Z-Paper Chase feat. Foxy Brown

07 Jay-Z-Peoples Court (Unreleased)

08 Jay-Z-Reservoir Dogs feat. The Lox Beanie Sigel & Sauce Money

09 Timbaland-Lobster & Scrimp feat. Jay-Z

10 Jay-Z-If I Should Die feat. The Ranjahz

11 Jay-Z-Ride Or Die

12 Jay-Z-Roc-A-Fella Shit feat. Team Roc (Unreleased)

13 Puff Daddy-Young Gs feat. Biggie Smalls & Jay-Z

14 Mase-Cheat On You feat. Lil' Cease & Jay-Z

15 Jay-Z-Pre Game Skit feat. Sauce Money (Unreleased)

16 Christion-Bring Back Your Love (Remix) feat. Jay-Z

17 Rell-Love For Free feat. Jay-Z

18 Jay-Z-St. Ides Commercial

19 Memphis Bleek-It's Alright feat. feat. Jay-Z

20 Jay-Z-Murdergram feat. Ja Rule & DMX

21 Jay-Z-Celebration feat. Team Roc

22 Jay-Z-What The Game Made Me feat. Memphis Bleek & Sauce Money

23 Jay-Z-Marcy To Hollywood feat. Memphis Bleek & Sauce Money

24 M.O.P.-4 Alarm Blaze feat. Jay-Z & Teflon

25 Jon B-Keep It Real feat. Coko & Jay-Z

Download Part One

Download Part Two

enjoy,

--dirt_dog

I'ma Addict For Sneakers

Stream the track while reading...

Lexicon - Nikehead


For as long as any of us can remember, sneakers have been synonymous with hip-hop. It's a perfect marriage and to this day both use one another for inspiration. Whether it was RUN-D.M.C. telling us about their Adidas or Nas' confessions on his addiction or favorite brand, sneakers have always been prevalent within the hip-hop community. Today it's common to hear cats like Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Bun B and T.I. to commonly reference sneakers. (Click all hyperlinks)

But out of all the sneakers, there is only one staple of the hip-hop community and that has to be the Air Jordans.


A few years back there was this preeminent documentary titled Just For Kicks. It was about the sneaker phenomena and the marriage of hip-hop. It featured the likes of Grandmaster Caz, D.M.C., Damon Dash, Bobbito Garcia & King Ad Rock spittin' their favorite stores or dropping science on the birth of kicks like Nike Air Force Ones aka Uptowns.

I would strongly encourage those, like myself, who are indeed sneaker addicts to cop the movie at your local store, but for in the meantime definitely check out the full 82 minute video here.

It's no secret that emcees influence many of us. It's also no secret that those very emcees are influenced by their environment, so in essence we all play a role in this. A lot of stand in line for hours (some days) at places like Alife Rivington Club, Flight Club, Shoe Gallery or Ubiq just for the latest limited release, retro or exclusive colorway.

While sneaker companies go to great lengths at befriending rappers like Bun B, Kanye West, Fat Joe or Nelly in hopes of promoting their brands to millions, it's ultimately us the consumers who dedicate what becomes the hot item. Because after all if it don't make dollars it don't make sense, right?

So next time you're in line at Foot Locker and you happen to do a double take because you think you just saw your favorite album appear on a sneaker shirt, rest assure you're the reason why. Jordan Brand is not run by Michael Jordan. It's not even run by the HDIC, Gentry Humphrey, who after all is just a Jordan stan. No, It's run by young guns scrambling to reconnect with you and take your dollars. The great MJ couldn't name 5 A Tribe Called Quest tracks if his life depended on it. It's the recent 20-something grad who his trying to appeal to the 30-something recovering addict. It's not a coincidence that Jordan Brand just released 3 hip-hop related themed shirts that all happen to feature 3 bona fide classic albums covers.


So next time you pop in that Midnight Marauders album will you be rockin' your Jordans to make the cipher complete? --Philaflava
Related Link:
Charles Barkley Limited Tees

Shout out to the folks at Nike Talk & KicksOnFire.

Original Flavor

Original Flavor-All That (LP Version) (1993)
Original Flavor-All That (Hard Beats Mix) (1993)

If there was one track that could define my short-lived relationship in the 9th grade it's gotta be this. For a group that had a rather lethargic rap career, Original Flavor had some decent cuts.

Made up of T-Strong, Chubby Chubb and legendary producer Ski. They dropped their debut This Is How It Is in 1992 with the help of then manager, Damon Dash and DJ Clark Kent. The album came and went with the quickness and was recently reissued by Traffic Entertainment, but it doesn't come close to Beyond Flavor, which I consider to be a guilty pleasure.

Flavor's sophomore release Beyond Flavor was released the following summer (93) and by the fall it could have been found at your local mom & pop's dollar bin. But that doesn't mean the album didn't have some gems. We all know the lead single "Can I Get Open" features Jay-Z in pre-Hova form but my personal favorites happen to be "Hit," "Keep On (Searching)" and of course "All That."

Don't get it twisted, Original Flavor were by no means lyrically lyrical. Their albums displayed forgettable verses backed by Ski beats but there's plenty here worthy of your attention. For those who never gave "Beyond Flavor" a shot, well here your chance. Enjoy or don't enjoy, quite frankly who gives a fuck it's free! --Philaflava

[click image to download]

Original Flavor - Beyond Flavor

1		Intro (0:54)
2		Can I Get Open (3:09)
		Featuring - Jay-Z
3		Beyond Flavor (0:14)
		Scratches - DJ Chubby Chub
4		Old School Skit (4:29)
5		Watchawant (4:25)
6		Stick It Where The Sun Don't Shine (4:25)
7		Blowin' Up The Spot (2:48)
8		Hit (3:22)
9		Nigga Code (3:34)
		Featuring - Clark Kent , Damon Dash
10		Many Styles (3:37)
		Featuring - Freshco , Jay-Z
11		All That (4:10)
		Scratches - DJ Chubby Chub Vocals - Michelle Mitchell
12		Shut Up And Manage (1:01)
		Featuring - Damon Dash
13		Here We Go (Fuck It Up!) (3:36)
14		Keep On (Searching) (3:54)
15		Shout Outs (2:22)

Shout to Jaz for the remix.

Hot 97 Radio Freestyles Pt.3 (1996)

Here's volume 4 of the Hot 97 Freestyle AllStars vinyl series. This is probably the release with the least rare freestyles since most of the ones included were featured on Funkmaster Flex "60 Minutes of Funk Vol.1". But for example, you get the full session of the Redman & Keith Murray freestyle which is 15 min. long while it was cut short to 4 min. in the Funk Flex mixtape. The other exclusive freestyles are from Da Bush Babees, Jay-Z, and Krs-One.

A1. Redman & Keith Murray - Freestyle
B1. Da Bush Babees - Freestyle
B2. Krs-One - Freestyle
B3. Jay-Z - Freestyle
B4. Fugees - Freestyle
B5. Erick Sermon - Freestyle
B6. Redman & Method Man - Freestyle
B7. Busta Rhymes - Freestyle
B8. Q-Tip - Freestyle

Ripped exclusively by dirt_dog for The T.R.O.Y. Blog

Download

-- Thomas V

Magneto's Vault Of Early Jay-Z Material

You've heard the story again and again. Young Hove is Big Jaz-O's lackey. Sells drugs. Gets shot at. Becomes fast rap whiz. Slows down flow, puts on friends, makes big bucks with Dame Dash, bags Beyonce, appears in computer commercials, retires eight times, etc.

But you probably haven't heard most of the gems from his very early career. Enter T.R.O.Y. forum regular Magneto. He took it upon himself to upload every Jay-Z rarity he could find and put it into one big ol' Mediafire Folder. It is highly advised that you click on that link immediately.

Why, you ask? Do rare freestyles, guest appearances, unreleased tracks and beats by DJ Premier interest you? Of course they do. Get to downloading and listening, and tell your crew the T.R.O.Y. Blog and Forum did it again. -- Thun

Freshco Compilation (1989-1994)

Yes you got style, but I rip it harder kid...
Almost snapped my neck off the spinal cartilage...

1. Are You Ready?
2. Ain't You Freshco?
3. Now Ya Know
4. We Don't Play
5. 4 At A Time
6. 4 At A Time (Remix)
7. N All Dat
8. How Could A Loser Ever Win
9. F Y'all
10. Ya Don't Stop
11. 1 Plus 1
12. Got To Be Real
13. Stress
14. 4 Ya Stereo
15. 100 Bpms Pumped
16. Handz In Da Air
17. Many Styles w/ Original Flavor & Jay-Z
18. Freestyle w/ Notorious BIG
19. Planet Brooklyn
20. Bring The Funk Thru
21. Da Sounz
http://www.mediafire.com/?izmdzmmnimd

--Roy Johnson

Blockhead Blesses Us - Part Deux

Stretch & Bobbito + Underground Railroad Freestyles

http://rapidshare.com/files/143437038/radio_freestyles.zip.html

1) smoothe da hustla on stretch and bob

2)l swift on NYU

3)percee p on stretch and bob

4)biz markie and redman live

5)jay-z on stretch and bob

6)artifacts on stretch and bob

7)kool kim on underground railroad

8)mf grimm on stretch and bob

9)omniscence on stretch and bob

10)genesis on stretch and bob

11)tash and mikah 9 on stretch and bob

12)artifacts on underground railroad

13)redman live

14)legion of d.u.m.e. on stretch and bob

15)godfather don and kool keith on stretch and bob

16)az on stretch and bob

17)special ed on stretch and bob

18)tony bones on stretch and bob

Another demo from Block's Stretch & Bob tapes

http://rapidshare.com/files/139340574/stretch_demo_s.zip.html

1)mr. cee mixtape session: master ace , paula perry and lord digga

2)both sides: surge

3)bustin' a nut: lord digga

4)born to live (demo version): O.C.

5)A.E.I.O.U.: the arsonists.

Apologies for the shitty quality on some of these but you motherfuckers know how old tapes can be.

-- Philaflava