Black Sabbath Vs. Hip-Hop

From KRS-One kickin' crazy fresh lyrics over the iconic main riff of AC/DC's "Back in Black" on "Dope Beat" to Chuck D and Flava Flav lambasting chicken heads amidst the monstrous riffage of Slayer's "Angel of Death" on "She Watch Channel Zero?!", hip hop's greatest emcees and hard rock and metal's greatest groups have coalesced to form unholy alliances. Moreover, hard rock and metal songs have provided some of the most memorable breaks - Mountain's "Mississippi Queen", Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks", and Rolling Stone's "Honky Tonk Women" are all prime examples. Do a little research and you'll see the influence of rock and metal is not just centered on production, but also lyrics, choruses, and name checks.

In the history of hip hop's convergence with hard rock/metal one group, however, is conspicuous by their absence because they are the most influential metal band of all-time - of course, I speak of the almighty Black Sabbath. The list of songs that sample Black Sabbath is pretty short (as you will see). Even their most "famous" drum break from "Behind The Wall of Sleep" was used by only a handful of artists. The thoroughly mediocre Steve Miller Band, on the other hand, probably stacks more chips off of "Fly Like An Eagle" during a single year than Sabbath has in their entire illustrious career.

You might contend that plenty of greats like Thin Lizzy and Deep Purple are not exactly caking off royalties from sampling licensing either. True, but this is Black FUCKING Sabbath. Why hasn't Black Sabbath had as large an impact on hip hop as they have had on the greater musical world? Maybe it's because they're too metal; but if that were the case, would Slayer be front-and-center on what many consider the greatest hip hop album of all-time? Okay, so maybe it's because Sabbath couldn't lay down a chunky groove? No. No fucking way. Have you heard "The Wizard"? "N.I.B."? "War Pigs"? "Faries Wear Boots"? "Supernaut"? "Hole In The Sky"? Well, maybe Sabbath is reluctant to give sampling clearance in fear of tarnishing their legacy? Well, first of all, guitarist Tony Iommi has had no problem trying to tarnish their legacy (see Born Again). Second, there is the matter of the Busta Rhymes remake (or human rights violation, depending on your perspective) of "Iron Man" on Extinction Level Event featuring...Ozzy!?!?!? *shudders*

So the question remains - why aren't producers exploiting Sabbath's catalog of incredible music? After compiling this mix of songs that sample Sabbath, I think this is partly due to a lack of imagination and partly to ignorance. When most people think of Black Sabbath they think of the chugging "Paranoid" or the plodding "Iron Man" but I would argue that is akin to thinking if you downloaded "Streets of New York" and "Ill Street Blues" you would have "heard" Kool G. Rap. In both cases, there is a lot more depth and variety in the artist's catalog than most casual listeners think.

There are tons of amazing grooves and sick breaks waiting to be extracted from Sabbath's records and made into filthy beats, but few producers have either the skill and/or vision to accomplish this. Hopefully this modest compilation will show the small impact Black Sabbath has made in hip hop. Better yet, perhaps some producer out there will see the potential to craft amazing beats from Sabbath source material and bless us with a masterpiece like Muggs did on "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That". In the meantime, download the tracks and praise Satan for giving the world Black Sabbath.

Without further ado, here are 12 songs that sample Sabbath as well as the 9 Sabbath songs in their original form. (Note: The Sabbath song appears before the tracks that sample it.)

DOWNLOAD

1. Black Sabbath "Black Sabbath" from Black Sabbath (1970)
2. Ice-T "Midnight" from OG: Original Gangster (1991)
3. Busta Rhymes "Blackout" from Busta's Back (2008) - Busta gives us another lazy use of a Sabbath sample with horrible rapping to boot.
4. Presage "Why?" from Outer Perimeter
5. Black Sabbath "The Wizard" from Black Sabbath (1970)
6. Cypress Hill "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That" from Black Sunday (1993) - Perhaps the best song that makes heavy use of a Black Sabbath sample. I'm almost positive the eerie sounding feedback is from the end of "Behind the Wall of Sleep". Can anyone confirm/deny?
7. Black Sabbath "Behind the Wall of Sleep" from Black Sabbath (1970)
8. Jungle Brothers "Beeds on a String" from Done by the Forces of Nature (1989)
9. Too $hort "Paystyle" from Cocktails (1995)
10. Black Sabbath "Wicked World" from Black Sabbath (1970)
11. The Beatnuts "Reign of the Tec" from Intoxicated Demons (1993) - Neck and neck with "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That" for best song to use a Sabbath sample although the sample is short and only used during the chorus.
12. Black Sabbath "A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning" from Black Sabbath (1970)
13. DJ Mayonniase "DJ's Shouldn't Talk/Ozzy Rules" from 55 Stories (1999)
14. Black Sabbath "War Pigs/Luke's Wall" from Paranoid (1970)
15. Ice-T "Intro/Rhyme Pays" from Rhyme Pays (1987)
16. Black Sabbath "Planet Caravan" from Paranoid (1970)
17. L Roneous Da'Versifier "In the C.O.R.N." from Imaginarium (1998) - Great song from an underappreciated album. Beautiful use of the sample.
18. Black Sabbath "Iron Man" from Paranoid (1970)
19. Busta Rhymes feat. Ozzy "This Means War!!!" from Extention Level Event (1998) - I had to listen to it so you have to listen to it.
20. Black Sabbath "Sweet Leaf" from Master of Reality (1971)
21. Beastie Boys "Rhymin& Stealin" from Licensed to Ill (1986) - First use of a Sabbath sample in hip hop?

-- Money Gripp

Triple Crown Classic (Ohio Hip Hop)

Editor's Note: DJ Pos 2 stays deep in the Ohio rap scene, (particularly the one that is centered around his home city of Columbus) as both a participant and a fan. Impressed with Schenectady Fan's coverage of Ohio's underground, he now steps forward with his own compilation titled Triple Crown Classic (the triple crown refers to Columbus, Cincinatti, and Cleveland). Download the compilation, turn up the volume, and read what a scene verteran has to say about the artists and songs. For more on the Columbus scene peep Pos 2's blog The BustownStomp.

Download Triple Crown Classic Here

Intalec - "Frustration" ('96 Columbus)

Intalec's nickname is "Mentor For The City." He is the one that mentored the mhz as far as production, rocking shows, so on and so on. He was the Rakim to us in columbus, well to most of us anyways. No idea what he is doing these days.

Bros. Grimm - "Grimm Technique" ('96 Columbus)

Bros. grimm grew up in Columbus but moved to Philly sometime ago. They were one of the 1st groups to put out material in the Columbus hiphop scene as early as '94.

Andrew Bagadonuts - your finished! ('00 Columbus)

I put this one in here for Kevin B. he was a big fan of Andrew's and always wanted to know more of him. He was in Spitball for a lil bit and this is one of the songs he did solo. Beat produced by Przm, give a million bucks to anybody guessing that sample. It's from a n64 exclusive game.

Afaliah Afelyone - "Inhale/exhale" ('98 Columbus)

She was very popular in the late 90's in the columbus scene. I believe she is still around doing shows and such. This track was on a compilation from J.Rawls' Buka Records.

Foulmouf Dux - "Don't Get Confused" ('00 Columbus)

Supergroup of dj przm, jakki da motamouth, and copywrite. This song is from the EP they were working on that was eventually erased by Przm because he did not like how it was recorded. Here is one of the few tracks that exist.

BJ Digby - "Surrender" ('01 Cincinnati)

BJ digby is also known as Holmskillet. That's about all I know.

Johnny O and Sorcerer Crew - "Legally Def "/ "It Pays the Cost To Be The Boss" ('88 Cleveland)

This record here is actually from a compilation of Cleveland artists. It's hard to match up song titles with artist so this could be incorrect. But regardless, great LP coming out of cleveland in '88.

Mission Control ft. Rubix and Talib Kweli - Millionaires ('99 Cincinnati)

One of my fav. 12" releases. This is from the Mission Control compilation. Everywhere I looked I saw a sticker for this CD droppin back then.

Is What!? - "Parachutes" ('01 Cincinnati)

They are a live band hiphop group. I remember them doing shows in columbus as far back as '98.

Tha Alkaholiks - "21 And Over" ('95 Columbus/Cali)

Tash is originally from Columbus, Ohio and this is the song where he tells a story about the east side of Columbus.

Tavaris ft. Coolio - "Straight Butta Remix" ('95 Columbus)

This song was everywhere in Columbus and the video was played on Rap City but the crazy thing was dude was still working at a grocery store, then a few years later Foot Locker. I put the rmx on here because people are more familiar with the single mix, if they are even familiar at all.

Thought Set - Thought Set ('04 Columbus)

A group of juveniles that were once labled "the baby mhz." The Catalyst, who rhymes first, is still active with music and is signed with Kool G. Rap's label. This 12" was released overseas. Thought Set have not released any other material officially but Catalyst did a mixtape with Team Invasion in '08.

3ms ft. Metro (SA Smash) and Bru Lei - "Stop Frontin" ('01 Columbus)

This is the original to Camu Tao's classic "Hold The Floor." The sirens in the background are from Przm recording with his front door open while Bru was recording his verse.

Letter People - "Notcha Average" ('00 Columbus)

From a Przm-produced compilation of Columbus artists. This is one of the standout tracks from that CD.

Iyan Anomolie - Amazing Year (early 2000's Cleveland)

Iyan did his thing in Cleveland for a number of years and then went to cali in '06. He made an impact all thru ohio and was known to put on a very good show.

-- DJ Pos 2

Gang Starr Month: The Readers Respond

Editor's Note: Earlier this month we posed the question "where were you when you first heard a Gang Starr song?" We got a pretty decent flood of responses from around the globe, with readers naming various media outlets (from music video TV shows to to radio to video games) as their introduction to the duo's music. The songs that were mentioned span the entirety of Gang Starr's career, (even the days prior to their first record deal) and it appears that people from a wide range of ages count themselves as fans. All in all, this was a fun interactive piece, and the final product testifies to the group's enduring legacy and undeniable impact. Enjoy.

Video Shows

At RJ's crib, watching the video (Positivity) on Rap City. - Boothe

Rap City (muchmusic canada), saw Just To Get A Rep video. - Anonymous

On some alternative video show that had NitzerEbb, Front 242 and them BLAM Gangstarr with Manifest.. - Cenzi Stiles

5th grade. Living Room. Rap City. Mass Appeal. Epic. - Joshuawun

Just to get a rep, 13-14 years old, video on Yo MTV Raps, jaw dropped. - PAS

1989. I was hanging out at my friend's house watching videos on 'The Box' when the Manifest video came on. The song was so good that instead of going out to play football, we waited an hour until someone else requested it so that we could see it again. From that day on, I went to the record store faithfully twice a week just to buy that cassette as soon as it dropped. I think I still have it somewhere in a box. - Vincent Lopez

Watching TV at my Grandma's house and Manifest came on Pump It Up. - Ominous Red

The song that got me was 'Just To Get A Rep'. I was about 14 and living with my Moms at the time. I got home from school and would watch Ralph McDaniel's Video Music Box religiously. That day that 'Just To Get A Rep' got played, I went bananas. That was the most incredible sample I had ever heard. - Verge

Came home from high school back in 8th or 9th grade, and it was old skool wednesday on Rap City. They played the Mass Appeal video, and i was hooked right after that. that beat is very infectious. i remembered the lyrics to the song about 3-4 time i heard it! this was around late '96 early '97. - Brandan E.

Words That I manifest, 1989, I saw this on videotape because my g-parents refused to get cable, so my uncle's friend used to record Yo! MTV Raps for us. - Andrew Fly

I think I saw "DWYCK" on MTV in '94 – Anonymous

At my godfather's house b/c his daughter used to watch my brother and I after school. His daughter was watching The Box and I think it was Mass Appeal that came on... rediscovered many years later at a smoke and chill party w/ my friends in N. Philly – livininphilly

Rochester, NY. Circa 1989-90. Rap City with Da Mayor..."Manifest" video and the whole Malcolm X motif...classic HIPHOP, dubbed the whole tape from my man when it came out. PEACE – Anonymous

Probably the Just to Get a Rep video on Video Music Box. Shout out to Uncle Ralph! – Adam Rashid

I was watching and taping Yo Mtv Raps! when I heard ' who's gonna take the weight' I was hypnotised by the screeching horns. I recorded it to cassette with a homemade cable from my television to my tapedeck so I could listen to it on my walkman. I also remember renting the step in the arena-cd at the local moviestore. – Pierski76

I was like 9 or 10 watching Rap City at the Crib on Camac st. in Logan and Words I Manifest video came on and I've been a fan since – Phil Wilson

I watched video shows (Video Music Box, Rap City, Yo!) after school every day; and they started playing "Manifest," which I loved. - Werner Von Wallenrod

Watching Video Music Box @ home summer vacation and "Words I Manifest" came on.. Great times - brooklynsidv

Radio

That would be 1987 ... WRBB radio. – Dart Adams

i was in high school when i first heard words i manifest a buddy taped the song off of whpk here in chicago - Anonymous

Used to hear "Here Is The Proof" all the time on KZSU, didnt know it was the G to the A-N-G, so technically the first time I heard a song and knew it was them was when I saw the "Words I Manifest" video on a Saturday morning episode of Yo! Raps. – bottomlesspedro

I think the first time I heard of Gang Starr was on P-Fine's show way down in the 80s side of the dial (can't even remember the station anymore but best believe I still got the tapes to prove it!) and the song was the original mix of Manifest! that joint was crazy! – rhartworks

I was a DJ at radio station KZSC in Santa Cruz CA in '89 when the Words I Manifest 12" arrived. A big moment. - nachmann

Other

I heard "Above the Clouds" at my local megamart. I scanned "Moment of Truth" into the machine, crossed my fingers that the system wouldn't recognize the explicit lyrics sticker and deny this 14 year-old entry, and skipped to the song with Inspectah Deck." - Tom Doggett

I had finished my 3rd symester of community college and was at a party. I had taken the prom queen from the graduating class that year to a party. We ended up hooking up at this house party and ended up pushing in my regaurds in the master bedroom of the house. After all was said and done, my friend mentioned earlier put the cd 'moment of truth' in and skipped to 'jfk 2 lax'. I could hear it through the bedroom walls got up and went out to grab a beer only to forget i left homegirl in the bedroom and never came back. - randomkage

Honestly.. I dont know for sure. Gang Starr is honestly an act that crept into my pores and become as synonomous to me as hip-hop itself at some point. - restless _43

Well, I won't get much cred for this one, but the first GangStarr song I really paid attention to was "Right Where You Stand." I was about 12 when it came out and just getting into good rap music. - Anonymous

I heard Gang Starr for the first time playing streetball with some friends, one of whom brought the boombox and CD. The song was Above The Clouds, and I got instantly hooked by Gurus and Decks verses and this irresistible beat so much that it distracted me from the game. - Anonymous

I was working as a public defender in the South Bronx the birthplace of hip hop!! - Matt

Seventh grade, while playing "Thrasher: Skate & Destroy" on my PlayStation. That game had the dopest soundtrack of any I've ever played; that's the first I also heard Tribe, EPMD, Ultramag, Bam, etc...but "Just To Get A Rep" was the song that really resonated with me. - Echo Leader

Um, I was probably in my dorm room at Duke freshman year, downloading whatever crap on Kazaa RapReviews.com said was classic. - tray

i heard about gang starr in a video game i used to play as a kid haha.i believe it was dave mirra pro bmx. i dont rememeber if the cut was mass appeal or moment of truth. it was like 98 or 99. either way i was hooked.... still am - BYL

"Manifest" off a friends single when it came out...I was hooked on that freaking loop...have rarely complained about a Primo beat and I actually salivate when I hear a new one...best hip hop producer period. – DJ Seen?

I was in my friends basement stacked with hip hop cassettes. He had just picked up Daily Operation a couple days before and put it in his tape player. – tk burton

Just before they got signed...I used to chill with most of them...lil dap (group home), jeru tha damaja...those were the days.... Urban Jibaro

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)

Trans Europe Express Revisited

In my last post on this subject,  I broke down the famous train sound pattern from Kraftwerk's "Trans Europe Express." For the sequel I put together an (incomplete) selection of tunes that all sample this particular sound. The diversity of the material truly reflects Kraftwerk's cross-genre appeal. Keep an open mind!

DOWNLOAD TEE COMPILATION

1. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock (1982) 

The most famous sampling of TEE – not the beat though. An emulated version of the train sound is played in the background when the synth melody from TEE sets in. Check my blog for more stories about this song.

2. Anthony Rother – Trans Europe Express (1998) 

That's a no brainer ... outstanding remix and probably the only one that can hold up to the original. To quote myself: Rother "took the sluggish juggernaut steam engine and remodeled it to a REAL express train by increasing the bpm ...  Whereas the original version was still rooted in a long musical tradition - a symphony that went through several movements, Rother's tightly composed TEE has finally arrived in the Modern Age, thus realizing what was only hinted at but not unfolded by Kraftwerk."

3. Kool G Rap – Rhymes I Express (1989) 

Only samples the pattern in the chorus but it's such a dope song that I had to throw it in. Nice play on the double meaning of "trans" and "express." 

4. Special Request – Salsa Smurph (1983) 

Electro novelty track that was quite a hit back in the days. I have no idea why; it's just SO odd. Weird sounds, lo-fi production, weird keyboard playing ... did I mention this is really weird (and fascinating)?

5. Kartoon Krew – Inspector Gadget (1984) 

Nowhere near my favorites from the era but it still is a nice little tune, featuring some solid synth and vocoder work. 

6. Sir Mix-A-Lot – Society's Creation (1990) 

Heavy minimalistic beats and some unusual socio-political commentary from the Bumpasaurus. We are treated with a chopped up and barely recognizable version of the Kraftwerk sample. The 909 snare drum sounds a bit too technoid for my taste ... but then again even Mantronik used the 909 and he is the king of the beat, so who am I to complain?

7. Ras Kass – Ghetto Fabulous (1998) 

That song is way past my usual timeframe, but it is a strong track and remarkable in its own right for slowing down the Kraftwerk sample to the point of disintegration. The relation to a train sound is completely lost, but it still retains its floating, ethereal character.

8. Professor Griff – Last Asiatic Disciples (1990) 

PE's own conspiracy theorist/wingnut Professor Griff with a nice upbeat version of the sample which drops quite unexpectedly and is over before you know it. Well seasoned dosage of subsonic boom provided by Luke Skyywalker of 2 Live Crew fame. 

9. Ultramagnetic MC's – Crush Kill Destroy (1984-1990)

"Traveling At The Speed of Thought" isn't the only Ultra song sampling Kraftwerk. I think I even prefer Crush Kill Destroy for its raw and unpolished minimalism ... even if the production is a bit on the „raw and unpolished“ side, too. Call me biased but how can you not like Kool Keith's wacky space scientist lyrics? 

10. De La Soul – Ghetto Thang (1989) 

Very subtle use of the pattern and a great example of freeing a sample from its original context to create something completely different. 

11. Wolfgang Riechmann – Wunderbar (1978) 

Riechmann was a contemporary of Kraftwerk and part of the Düsseldorf electronic scene. It is not exactly the same pattern as in TEE but you can clearly hear the similarity. This is a wonderful song with a slight spaghetti western feel that always reminds me of the For A Few Dollars More theme (as used by Babe Ruth's "The Mexican"... as used by Planet Rock) ... and there we are, full circle.

12. Cosmic Rockers – Exodus (2007) 

I couldn't resist sneaking one of my own songs in. Probably the darkest and most Detroit sounding tune I ever made. The percussion pattern adds to the chilling and mechanical atmosphere. A little challenge (not too tough though): Can you ID the two vocal samples?

-- Cosmic Rock

Jingle Jangle: Rock The Sleigh Bells

Nah this ain't a post about The Legion featuring Dres, duns. This is yet another homegrown T.R.O.Y. Forum treat, this time with a holiday twist, courtesy of Hullabaloo:

Sick of your 9-5's holiday carols? Try the Slayed Bells mix. I went through my library listening for that telltale jingle jangle to give you the perfect stocking stuffer and me a crazy migraine.

The sleigh bells have had a torrid history in hip hop production. Golden Age producers like Pete Rock, Buckwild, and Large Professor built careers off the sample, imbuing their beats with a soulful, whimsical, swinging groove, that often enticed some of the best performances out of an emcee's career. Sleigh bells can be the focal point of your track (Eric B and Rakim - Microphone Fiend), relied on as a hi-hat stand-in (Big L - 8 iz Enuff), or lurk subtly deep within the mix (Lord Finesse - Flip da Style).

Picking tracks for Slayed Bells has changed the way I hear my music. I am now conscious of the sleigh bell presence on songs I had heard hundreds of times before. I now notice how Large Professor uses three different samples on Nas' Halftime. I now consider it a travesty when producers opt for a tambourine, xylophone, slide whistle, or salt shaker instead. I am now acutely aware of songs that SHOULD have had some bells in the background. Close your eyes and imagine the jingling on Big Daddy Kane's Aint No Half-Stepping, Large Pro's Ijuswannachill, or Jeru's Me or the Papes. Yes, infinitely better. Yet the sleigh bell seems to be losing favor with today's top beatmakers. While famed producer Bruce Dickinson recognized the need for more cowbell back in 1976, today our collective eardrums just can't get enough of Crank That's steel pan loop that spent seven weeks at number one. Would we still be watching the young maestro supermaning hoes if he'd thrown down some sleigh bells under his hi-hats? You're damn right.

This mix focuses on classic material to illustrate how sleigh bells have been championed by some of our all time favorites. As the cabbie from the original Die Hard says to a crusty John McClane; "This IS Christmas Music!"

[Click To Download] Re-upped 12/19/09

1. Pete Rock and CL Smooth - One in a Million
2. AZ - Your World Don't Stop (Buckwild remix)
3. Real Live - The Gimmicks
4. Nas - Halftime
5. Common - Watermelon
6. Alkaholiks - Daaam (Buckwild remix)
7. OC - Word....Life
8. Snoop - Tha Shiznit
9. Bahamadia - Rugged Ruff
10. Big L - Street Struck
11. Outkast - Player's Ball
12. Main Source - Peace is Not the Word to Play
13. Lord Finesse - Flip da Style
14. Organized Konfusion - Invetro
15. INI - Props
16. Artifacts - C'mon wit da git Down
17. Ras Kass - Soul on Ice

Merry Christmas to our readers from Amsterdam to Australia and everywhere in between!

-- Thun

Kaotic Style - Streets Of Brownsville (REFRESHED LINK)

Kaotic Style is a rapper from Brownsville, Brooklyn whose name pops up every now and again on the rap blogosphere. He released some great vinyl-only material in the '90s and he is the only fat rapper who gets the seal of approval from Sean Price. Fortunately, the T.R.O.Y. Forum regulars are always on the job, and regular Philosophic recently uploaded this compilation, which originally surfaced at Isako's Hardcorerap Blog, and appears to include every song ever credited to Kaotic Style (Google it if you don't believe me). The cameo appearances read like a Who's Who of grimy Brooklyn hard rock emcees plus Memphis Bleek, which means this upload should go internet platinum in Holland, New Zealand, Japan, and Brazil while being virtually ignored in New York City. It's a shame too, because these tracks are pretty fucking dope. Also there's a video for "Get In Where You Fit In."

Kaotic Styles - Streets Of Brownsville 1993-1997 [Click To Download]

6 MCs

Bro To Bro (feat. Smoothe Da Hustler & Trigger Da Gambler)

Brownsville (feat. Stylemastaz)

Da Ones (feat. Memphis Bleek)

Down 4 Whatever

Freestyle

Get In Where You Fit In

Let A Nigga Flow

Mad Hardcore (feat. Heltah Skeltah)

Player (feat. Big Jazz)

Put Your Ear In Da Flava

Represent

Stick Up

Tales From The Sex Side

Top Billin 97

Whutcha Want (feat. Smoothe Da Hustler & Trigger Da Gambler)

--Thun

The Sopradope Vol. 02 - Mid 90s Indie Mix

Click Picture To Download

T.R.O.Y. Forum member I Joe blessed us with this vaguely Mob-themed continuous mix of grimy mid-90s hip hop. Peep his MySpace page and check for his streaming show on FM Campus Toulouse. -- Thun

01.A3 - "Woke up this morning"
02.SON A BLUNTZ - "Don't snooze"
03.MR D ORIGINAL - "Now u da man"
04.DA NABA HOOD THREAT - "Mind tricks"
05.BRASS TACKS - "Hidden insight"
06.WALKMEN - "The countdown"
07.POLECAT - "R.I.P"
08.MAJA LEAGUE - "Organized crime"
09.MAFIOSO CHAPTER - "Money ambitions"
10.MAFIOSO CRIME FAMILY - "Diniro"
11.NITTY GRITTY - "Tru-grain"
12.MONEY BOSS PLAYERS - "Gunplay"
13.C.H.A.O.S - "Death stalks"
14.CIPHER - "Peeps"
15.DOUBLE L - "Don't ever doubt"
16.DRAMA KLUB - "Goin down"
17.BLACK EYE - "Blue black"
18.NOMAADS - "The ultimate"
19.RUTHLESS BASTARDS - "Ruthless bastards"