Southern Series Volume 4 (1991-1999)

Coming up hard out of the South again today with the 4th volume of my southern series. This one really exposes dixie country in all its true colors. Don't run away thinking this is all bass though! There are numerous styles represented. I'm sure even fans of radically differing tastes will be nodding heads in the course of this 68 minute journey. Tracks like 'Weakness' or 'Damn Duckets' will surprise you with their texture and musicality. For those who like live instruments, don't sleep on track 2. I'm a fiend for good guitar licks in hip hop and Racola Jam does it right.

Although the state is well known for booty shaking, Florida delivers solid contributions on this compilation. Tap, Ghost and Phobia was the first group Funkghost was involved in. The track featured here is from their 2nd release, 'Rugged Aspects In The Diary Of Funk'. The first tape was the self-titled 'Black Saturday' ep from 1992. In 1993 they changed their name to 'Tap, Ghost And Phobia' after Cypress Hill released the famed Black Sunday album. 'Rugged Aspects' is an unknown jewel and this track stands out in particular. 'Starshine' dropped 6 years later and illustrates Funkghosts progression over time. No, I can't pick between them. What about you? When I posted volume one ages ago 'scott T' commented that his east coast bias was smashed. This volume should do the same.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=C56GH5QF

01 (1:22) Javier And The Str 8 Jackers - Intro (Atlanta 1991)
02 (4:07) Racola Jam - Lookout For The Cookout (Houston 1991)
03 (3:46) Total Kaos - Man's Best Friend (Florida 1993)
04 (5:21) C-Bo - The Autopsy (Sac ?)(1994)
05 (2:05) Gank D And Keys 108 - Welcome To The N.O (New Orleans 1995)
06 (4:44) Street Military - Another Hit (Texas 1992)
07 (5:11) Gank D And Keys 108 - Itchin To Shoot (New Orleans 1995)
08 (3:39) Xtra Large And E. Vicious - Jealous Ass Nigga (Remix)(Lousiana 1994)
09 (2:47) MCM And The Hype Crew - This Is Where I`m At (Atlanta 1994)
10 (5:15) 90 Mph - Weakness (Atlanta 1994)
11 (3:21) Choc-Lit-Sit-E - Choc-Lit-Life (Houston 1994)
12 (4:52) Tap, Ghost And Phobia - Damn Duckets (Tampa 1993)
13 (4:56) M-Team - Black By Popular Demand (Memphis 1991)
14 (3:00) Dan Prothero - Swing Thing (Instrumental)(Memphis 1993)
15 (3:23) Deuce - Dark Moon Over The Ghetto (New Orleans 1993)
16 (3:05) Funkghost - Starshine (Tampa 1999)
17 (7:01) Dj Wen - Sample Of What's To Come In '96 (Atlanta 1995)

I hope there are some new cuts in here for our readers and I really look forward to hearing what you all think!

--Schenectadyfan

Southern Series Volumes 2 & 3 (1990-1995)

Today I am posting 2 compilations at the same time. The reason being that they contrast sharply and I want to give you readers enough variety to keep everyone interested. As usual I have a fair number of compilations along these lines, so I will generally be bringing you the southern underground series one volume at a time. Hip hop scenes below the mason-dixon put forth enough unique sounds that 'southern rap' almost defies categorization. Volume 2 has more 'gangsta rap' and volume 3 has more 'hip hop' but both are varied. Personally I like both styles but I find it's difficult to split hairs. Neither term really does justice to the music. To illustrate the difference between., for example, Black Rhino and Hip Hop Dickheads with such limited language is an exercise that doesn't really do justice to the state of mind which came from the artists. In your opinion, what are the qualitative differences between these 2 sub-genres ? Is hip hop more 'aware' ? Is gangster rap only ego and bravado ? Is it solely based on production style ? Whose studio time is financed with drug money and whose is not ? How are these distinctions fueled by cultural and musical influences in a particular region ? I think we all know the answers aren't simple, but the questions beg investigation. To me, alot of gangster rap displays a greater degree of depth and insight than it is given credit for. The hard-knocks meditation on violence found in 'Don't Kill Your Brother' by Game Boyz is infinitely more meaningful than much of the odd-ball backpacker garbage passed off as 'conscious hip hop'. Sometimes we can get stuck on image and miss the message. Let me hear what your thoughts are, I am curious to know. Feel free to leave some comments, right wrongs, officiate, fornicate, pontificate, stand on your head, and talk about the musical ideas presented here.

Volume 2 -
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3QMW7S13

01 (4:04) Azim - Scream It (Texas 1993)
02 (4:52) E.R.C. - Visitations To Blackland (New Orleans 1994)
03 (4:30) Gangsta Tribe - Diary Of Death Row (Atlanta 1995)
04 (3:06) Black Rhino - Definitions (Texas 1994)
05 (3:25) Dynamic Syncopation & Mass Influence - Dedicated (Atlanta 1995)
06 (5:02) Lowc - Livin' Like Animals (Atlanta 1995)
07 (3:53) G Town Hustlers - What-U-Wanna-Do (Memphis 1995)
08 (3:13) Lethal Conceptions - Foxx Murder One (Texas 1994)
09 (4:28) Mace - O.G. Hustler (Memphis 1995)
10 (3:52) Murder Inc. - Playin For Keeps (Texas 1995)
11 (5:04) Organized Crime - When The Spot Light.. (Texas 1995)
12 (4:57) Trick Daddy & SNS All Stars - Nineteen Ninety Until.. (Memphis 1990)
13 (5:31) Ovatone - Deep In The Mind (Memphis 1995)
14 (3:43) Lil Slim Feat. Pxmxwx & Pimp Daddy - Blunt After Blunt (New Orleans 1994)

volume 3 -
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OWKOKKDL

01 (4:26) Hip Hop Dickheads - How Many Kids (Original Mix) (Tampa 1995)
02 (4:52) Willie D - U Got Homeboys, We Got Homeboys (Texas 1994)
03 (4:27) K-Rino - Four Dimensions Of A Universe (Georgia 1994)
04 (4:50) Al Kapone - Trouble On My Mind (Atlanta 1994)
05 (3:02) South Memphis Kings - Da Real Side Of Me (Tennessee 1991)
06 woops
07 (3:48) Azim - Solo Creep (Houston 1993)
08 (4:45) Greek (S.P.C.) - U Betta Ask Somebody (Texas 1993)
09 (2:07) Lethal Conceptions - Light Tha' Herbs (Fort Worth 1994)
10 (4:25) Jazzie Redd - Mile High Madness (Houston/Denver 1994)(he moved)
11 (4:48) Game Boyz - Don't Kill Your Brother (Houston 1994)
12 (3:55) Street Military - The Episode (Atlanta 1991)
13 (6:28) Lokee - Puttin Niggas On Da News (New Orleans 1995)
14 (0:32) Game Boyz - Words To The Wise (Houston 1994)
15 (5:33) Snake Eyez - Spook N Tha Corna (New Orleans 1995)
16 (4:20) Death - Life As A Psycho (Louisiana 1995)
17 (2:21) Lokee - Mr. Groove (New Orleans 1995)


Enjoy these 2 compilations, I'll be bringing more to your sound system just around the corner so stay tuned!

--Schenectadyfan

Southern Series Volume 1

Yesterday I went ski-biking. I removed the wheels from my bicycle, and put a set of short skis on. Great for downhill turns! What does this have to do with hip hop from the south ? Southern beats and rhymes keep me warm up here in the arctic north. The selection I am posting today is the 1st of a series of southern compilations I put together, starting back in 2005. Although a few of these tracks are not exactly T.R.O.Y. material, they are dope and deserve some recognition. Killer Mike's tale of betrayal is one of my favorite 'contemporary' tracks for instance. Track 3 is a mystery to me. I found this one about 10 years ago. It's a banger! To this day, I have been unable to find anything else by Camakazie. It's not an uncommon name, which is a bit of a hindrance to the search. If anyone out there can provide some background info that would be awesome.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5XOUU10J

01.(03:54) scarface - the white sheet [texas 1994]
02.(03:35) willie d - play witcha mama [texas 1994]
03.(03:56) camakazie - walk, Bounce, Shake [texas ?][1998 ?]
04.(04:35) mass influence - nightime groove [atlanta 1998]
05.(04:02) success n effect - ultimate drive by [atlanta 1993]
06.(03:59) t isaam and dj magic mike - nigga need a job [florida 1993]
07.(03:45) geto boys - no guts, no glory [texas 1992]
08.(05:46) akinyele - down south {from new york, with some southern rappers} [1999]
09.(04:12) killer mike - scared straight [memphis ?][2004]
10.(04:12) terror squad - hum drum [atlanta ?][2002]
11.(04:00) y'all so stupid - family tree [atlanta 1994]
12.(04:21) outkast - player's ball [atlanta 1994]
13.(05:20) witchdoctor - the ancient sahore [lousiana 1998]
14.(04:01) big gipp - history mystery [new orleans ?][2001]
15.(03:23) audio assault squad - streets of ftw ( texas 1993)
16.(04:10) dj magic mike & mc madness - slow draggin [florida 1992]
17.(04:44) tap, ghost and phobia - daddy mad skillz [florida 1992]

Hope everyone likes this one. Let me know!

--Schenectadyfan