MIXTAPE MADNESS

Snippet One: Play

Young Jeezy, T.I., Bun B, Scareface, Slim Thug - Warriors Rap Figures III
Jay Z Verse (Queens Logic Harry Mix)
Lloyd Banks, Cam'Ron, Game, Fat Joe - Warriors Rap Figures IV
Young Jeezy, T.I., Young Buck, Lil Flip, Lil Wayne - Warriors Rap Figures I
Fat Joe, Big Pun, Freeway - Get Your Grind On
Styles P and Ghostface - Can't It Be So Simple
Nas w/ Papoose, Blitz - Across The Tracks
Nas - Nasdaq Season Begins `06
Kanye West with Papoose - Hey Mama (Dirty Harry production)
Krucial - Take The Hood Back (Kerry "Krucial" Brothers production)

Snippet Two: Play

Cam'Ron - Oh Yes/ Mr. Postman
50 Cent and Kool G Rap - Hustler's Theme
T.I. - Ride With Me (Murder Mix)
50 Cent - Simple Ain't It (Dopeman Mix)
Nas and Killah Priest - The Saints
Cam'Ron - Do Your Thing (BDP Mix)
AZ - On My Home
Juelz Santana - Can You Count Suckers

Between the numerous Tony Starks articles at The Fader are The Warriors, which are not too far behind the several Dipset articles found off second-rate entertainment news wires, and it's OK. Although hipsters endorse the shit out of this film and anything associated with it, that's not the reason this 1979 cult classic is internationally approved.

The Warriors pioneered the "lost in the struggle" imagery that generates appeal to people of all demographics. And why wouldn't people eat up a story with 100 gangs and 10,000 hardcore members that want to Timberland the NYPD?

Dirty Harry embraces The Warriors nostalgia to package a mix CD with 100 per cent mad cow beef that deaf kids would bop to. Serious blends like Cam'Ron's "Do Your Thing" and BDP's "The Bridge Is Over" hold enough weight keep a gang of strippers happy. Take two Queens Bridge beats, HOVA's rhymes on "Go Crazy" then cut that up with Cam'Ron's "You Got To Love It" and the result is one audio headline for rap's pet beef that is titled "Jay-Z Verse."

Rappers de jour are featured on four tracks titled "Warriors Rap Figures" and these tracks are arranged according to The Warriors' trek back to Coney Island - yes, that is cool. Example, "Go Crazy" production with Lloyd Banks, M.O.P., Beanie Sigel, Sheek and Jadakiss rapping hard like the Gramercy Riffs on The Rogues.

Productions by Dirty Harry for Kanye West and Nas add two exclusives to The Warriors that cannot be found anywhere (yet). Fitting in like an adopted child is West's "Hey Mama" featuring Papoose (watch Pap and Kay Slay get ignorant) and Tre Williams. But, having this unreleased joint - pulled from College Dropout (sample clearance?) - is definitely worth having for status. Nas and Killah Priest lyrically command "The Saints" over a production that can be called boring, but will be dismissed by fans as classic Illmatic sounds. Although "The Saints" is produced by Dirty Harry and is an exclusive to The Warriors, the track can also be found on 730 Hip-Hop Disciples 15 that is hosted by Killah Priest. Another bonus on The Warriors is Krucial's "Take The Hood Back" and should be noted for that ultra-hard-gun-clapping arrangement.

It's been said that Stephon Marbury is the best thing to come out of Coney Island, but with a season average of 16.5 PPG in 2006, the Knicks' guard is being replaced by The Warriors - yes, yes we can dig it!

Grant Green: Vibes And Stuff

Grant Green: Let The Music Take Your Mind and Down Here On The Ground
From: Alive! [Blue Note, 1970]

When it comes to live albums I'm normally a little bit reluctant to play them out, the poor sound quality and scatty nature not appealing to my listening preferences. However, it's a foolish man indeed who would ignore the live recordings of sixties funk and jazz. The performances often eclipse the studio versions, the improv nature of the gig allowing the artists to elaborate and develop on their themes, wandering off from the originals blueprint into something new and exciting.

A talented jazz guitarist, Green recorded a number of good jazz albums in the fifties and sixties for Blue Note, disappeared from the scene for a couple of years due to heroin addiction, and came back to record albums almost up to his death in 1979. Despite being a prolific performer, Green only ever appeared on two live albums and they're both killers. The first of the two, Alive!, marks the real moment when his focus turned away from jazz and more towards jazz funk and I personally don't think he ever came harder or funkier than this.

We'll start with another great, great, cover for you. Green's version of Kool and The Gang's Let The Music Take Your Mind is a classy piece of jazz funk. Warning, get your headnodding mode in full effect and turn up the bass cos the Idris Muhammad
drumming on this track is absolutely killing it. There's something about the live nature of this track which adds to the ambiance, the echo of the drums with Grants guitar and horns giving it an energy that I believe would never have been captured in a studio session.

Fans of ATCQ should have no problems recognising the first minute of Down Here On The Ground, those horn stabs and smooth percussion used to such effect in Vibes and Stuff. The track more than stands up on it's own two feet though, the way the keyboards slide in over the percussion is a masterstroke of composition as the rhythm builds up speed and intensity over the course of the playing.

I've never really understood why Grant Green isn't a lot more celebrated than he is, maybe it's his crossover from jazz or his heavy use of cover standards but when you hear tracks like these you know it's about time for a reappraisal.

They'll Never Stop Speaking It

Dos Noun - Proper English

I'm not exactly up on my mixtape game and I was even less up on it when the original dropped, so I could be wrong in asking the following question: why haven't more rappers done this?

Thanks to dudes with boomboxes on Dominican Day, I heard a "Spanish slang" version that was pretty tight, but that's pretty much the end of the list. I guess the idea is beneath E-40, who would be the obvious candidate.

Regardless, Dos is from Philly, and his assertion that he speaks with English slang and will never stop speaking it is a flat out lie. But check out his myspace page anyways.

Sounds Of Joy

Wayne Mcghie & The Sounds Of Joy:
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, Take A Letter Maria
From the album: Wayne Mcghie & The Sounds Of Joy [Birchmount, 1969]

Wayne Mcghie & The Sounds Of Joy, reggae choc' full of funk and soul straight from the heart of, Toronto? What the.. !! In actual fact the LP may aswell have been recorded in Jamaica, as it turns out over a dozen of Reggae's finest session musicians were flown over to Cananda along with Wayne to cut it to wax. Being best buddies with Jackie Mittoo (Studio One veteran) must have a been a big help to get the Steller line up of Musicians that play on the LP, some say Mittoo himself plays on there too. The record was made in 1969 Wayne was just 23 at the time, the band toured to promote the album but unfortunetly it did not sell well due to no support from the record label. The final nail in the coffin though (which would also propel the record into Grail-like status) was when the pressing plant where the record was being made caught fire! destroying all remaining copies of the LP, aargh!!

The original vinyl now pass's hands for $$$$ but thankfully its has been reissued by the lovely people at Light In The Attic Records and can be picked up for just $11, check out their website for much more information on Wayne and his music career.

De Drums, Boss, De Drums.

De Drums - Keith Jarrett
from Fort Yawuh released on Impulse! (1973).

In the past month the only artist I've listened to more than Keith Jarrett is Billy Packer, and Keith definitely has occupied the most mileage on my ears in the last year. His recorded catalogue is humongus, and while not universally wonderful, it is varied and ultra deep. Jarrett is undoubtedly one of the most important jazz pianists of all time and a great deal has been written about his life and music including this very nice, though slightly out of date bio.

Briefly, I'll just say that Jarrett was a genius from the gun, beginning as a child prodigy on piano and gigging professionally as an adolescent before getting a thorough musical education from two of the most stalwart learning establishments of all time: the Berklee School of Music and Art Blakey's Jazz Messangers. Jarrett is best known for his hour plus fully improvisational solo piano concerts, which are essential to the jazz enthusiast. Since the 70s he's led various small groups exploring many different facets of the jazz idiom.

Today I took a track from his Quintet's first album on the Impulse! label, Fort Yawuh (recorded live 24.2.1973). While Jarrett's work is celebrated as the forefront of the avant-garde, I chose "De Drums" to showcase Jarrett at his grooviest, riding a swinging piano lick and communicating extensively with bassist Charlie Haden (genius tone on this) and drummer Paul Motian. Along with the percussion work of Danny Johnson and sax of Dewey Redman, you can hear Jarrett sing and yelp along with his playing, which many say is annoying but I find endearing and accentuating. Since the track is long (12 minutes plus) and I wanted you to have it in somewhat high fidelity, I'm only posting this one track for now. This is far from a representative track of Jarrett's work, and I wonder if there is such a thing for him. But in the context of a relatively simple groove you get what I think is one of his absolutely strongest points and that is his ability as a pianist to be both percussionist and melodist at the same time (check the piano-bass breakdown at 9:30 for instance).

It seems Jarrett is recovering well from a sustained bought with chronic fatigue syndrome, and he is a joy to see live. I was deeply saddened to miss his recent performance at the San Francisco Jazz Festival.

Ear Fuzz Exclusive: Richard "Kush" Griffith

Uncut Featuring Richard "Kush" Griffith: Captain P
From: Blues & Rhythm. [Funk To The Max, 2002]

Richard "Kush" Griffith: Twilight Zone Of Our Love

So, last October I brought you exclusive new music from true funk fellas fONKSQUISh (damn, doesn't time fly). Today I'm back with some music from their associates in the funk stable Uncut Musical Products (UCMP) led by true legend of Louisville funk Richard "Kush" Griffith. Now that name may not ring any bells straight off but howsabout if i told you that this man played with the JBs, Parliment, Fred Wesley & The Horny Horns and Bootsy's Rubber Band. See what I mean? Funk Legend. You can read more about him on his official site.

Kush has had a pretty interesting life to say the least, losing his sight in the seventies to diabetes, and the journey comes through in his recordings. The first cut I have for you, Captain Pee, is from Kush's 2002 album Blues & Rhythm, co-produced by Bootsy Collins. A funky little roller I present you a rawer stripped down version of the track for your enjoyment. Kush is backed on the recording by funkmeister guitarist Neal Landauer who, coincidentally enough, plays with fONKSQUISh as well. That's the funk existential blanket in full effect children.

The second song I have for you is Twilight Zone of Our Love (man I love P-Funk song titles) from his upcoming album entitled Funk Mediocre to be released by UCMP. While Kush may not have the greatest voice in the world it has that certain something that grabs the listener and won't let go. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's great to see this music still being made, as Chuck Da Fonk himself says, just "making funk however we can".

Back with the heavy shit later in the week but for now, enjoy the funk.

Leaving This Planet

Charles Earland: Leaving This Planet and Red Clay
From: Leaving This Planet [Prestige, 1973]

So, you know how I said I was going to drop the deep stuff for a while? Well, it's still cold and it's still wet so sod it let's burrow further.

Charles Earland actually forged an early career as a tenor sax player, touring with the legend Jimmy McGriff in the sixties. However, as the tours went on Earland developed more and more of an interest in McGriff's Hammond playing and it wasn't long before he switched full time to the organ of choice.

Earland released a number of extremely funky 45s at the end of the sixties and also produced his classic Hammond funk album Black Talk which is seriously worth checking out if you don't already own it. However, you can read all about Earland's early career in an excellently thorough piece over at Funky 16 Corners cos today we're focusing on Earland's later, fusion based, period.

Charles Earland's 1973 album Leaving This Planet is wonderfully, thrilling, complex funk fusion and really deserves much more attention than it receives. The title track is like some strange mix of Stevie Wonder and a whacked out library album as the spacey synth melody reverberates and warps round the soulful vocals. After the truly space heavy first section Earland lets the band's instruments move into the mix, his organ playing leading the way as Harvey Mason's percussion keeps the energy of the track high and pushing forward before the vocals resurface in the mix to carry the tune to the finish line. There's so much going on in this tune that it took me about three listens before I even noticed the wah wah guitar meowing way deep in the mix. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that this is also quite beautiful.

Earland's version of Red Clay is great as well (are there any bad covers of this song? They're all so damn funky), Charles using the backbone of the original riff to take the tune into another dimension. A mean and dirty opening sets the scene as the combined talents of Freddy Hubbard and Joe Henderson bring their horn skills to the mix, Mason once again going crazy on the drum kit. Halfway through Earland decided it's time for him to take centre stage and goes seriously insane, keeping time with the drumming as the track builds up a euphoric mood as hard as any of the straight funk records you'll ever come across. I love this kind of fusion where all the different elements harmonise together, never losing the rhythm or mood. If only they made more albums like this.

Earland sadly passed away in 1999 but his music lives on. Play these loud and long.

Mister Supremely Intriguing

Danger In Your Eyes (Mr. Supreme's Buttery LP Mix) - Sharpshooters
from the 12inch single on Light In The Attic.

Deep Soul Pt. 1 - Ron Buford
from compilation Wheedle's Groove on Light In The Attic (originally from 7" on Camelot).

I've been reading this wonderful book recently, which is likely to be of interest to frequent readers of this site. Joseph Schloss's doctoral thesis was made into a very readable book concerning an "ethnographic" study of sample-based hip hop producers. It is a scholarly work but isn't too dry and is definitely informative. At its heart, the book is a sociological study of the sub-culture of sample-based hip hop producers which Schloss has studied through extensive oral interviews with members of this community. One voice that stands out to me as informative, entertaining, and interesting is that of Seattle based producer/DJ/record-collector Mr. Supreme (aka Danny Clavesilla).

Mr. Supreme teamed with Sureshot (aka Shane Hunt) to form Sharpshooters who put out a couple of albums in the 90s on Conception (Buck The Saw) and Shadow (Choked Up). Then in 2003, they released Twice As Nice on Light In The Attic, which featured many different styles of music compiled from their vast piles of samples and some live instrumentation. The track I've put up is my favorite off the album, namely "Danger In Your Eyes" which is just a lovely soul number that sounds like the best James Bond song that never has been.

As great as Mr. Supreme is as a producer, he speaks heavily in the book about record collecting, for which he is as least as well known. Lucky listeners got to share in some of his knowledge and effort when he put out the Wheedle's Groove compilation of "Seattle's Finest in Funk & Soul - 1965-75." I posted a single by Ron Buford entitled "Deep Soul Pt. 1" that is a short and fast little burner that knocks me right on my backside every time I hear it and then is over before I can even get up. Frankly, it isn't even the best track on this compilation which is completely fantastic top to bottom. And now it looks like a movie about this project is being put together.

So there you go, a couple of tracks to pique your interest in a book, two albums, and a forthcoming movie. Have a great weekend.

Mulatu!

Mulatu Astatqe: I Faram Gami I Faram (Heavy Latin), Ebo Lala, Mulatu
From the Albums: Afro Latin Soul [Worthy records, 1966] Mulatu Astatke [Soundway, 19??] Mulatu Of Ethiopia [Worthy, 1972]

Everything I here from this man never fails to blow me away, Mulatu's unique blend of Latin, Ethiopian and American Jazz is just sublime, this is how fusion should be done. Each time I think I've got used to Mulatu's Sound, I hear something new thats been dug up and it takes me off in a completly different direction. I've tried to illustrate my point with the three tracks I've put up for download, these are all perfect examples of his Ethio Jazz sound but each quite individual.

Astatqe has always described his music as 'experimental', experiments that were influenced from his extensive studies of music at University in Ethiopia, the U.K. and America. Mulatu never compromised or tried to conform with his music so that he could sell to the mass's, he was well aware at the time that his music would only ever be appreciated by a small audience but this didn't faze him, thank god

Original release's by Mulatu Astatqe sell for rediculous money but thankfully there are several labels who have reissued his work Soundway Records being one, thier 10" Mulatu EP is an essential record not only does it feature the absolutly banging Ebo Lala but also contains three other corkers!

You Don't Work, You Don't Eat

Marva Whitney: You Got to Have a Job and I'm Tired I'm Tired I'm Tired
From: It's My Thing [King, 1969]

It seems the perfect time for some funk sorbet to refresh your listening palette after the heavy duty nature of the last couple of posts. Part of the legendary triplet of James Brown divas with Lyn Collins and Vicki Anderson, Marva is possibly my favourite of the lot and comes across on record like a blast of raw soul.

It's hard to believe that her 1969 debut longplayer, It's My Thing, isn't in fact a best off, the consistent quality of the output astoundingly high. In fact, Marva's original debut album, a more mellow affair, was shelved after the label decided they wanted to present her in all her houseshaking glory. While I'd still love to hear the other album (rumours are circulating of it being issued) I can't say that I'm not thankful that this album got made. Full to bursting with classic cuts I've decided to avoid posting up her most heavily sampled songs from the album and focus on some of the more lesser known gems on offer.

Confession time, I tend to avoid listening to much of the JBs output these days. James Brown's greatest hits are always on the radio, adverts etc so I've never felt much of a need to revisit most of his 60s catalogue. However, revisiting his duet with Marva on You've Got To Have A Job (If You Don't Work, You Can't Eat) reminded me just how good this music is. Starting off in the most innocuous fashion the track's groove slowly works itself under your skin and before you know it you're entirely caught up in the power of the piece. I love the call and response aspect with Brown instructing Marva to call to Maceo and when she does it's shivers time as the horns and her voice blend together. You wouldn't believe it to look at her but this woman's voice is pure dynamite.

I'm Tired I'm Tired I'm Tired (Things Better Change Before It's Too Late) displays a more carefully controlled vocal performance by Marva over a downtempo but still resolutely funky backing. However, more controlled isn't to say Marva doesn't deliver the works, hitting high notes, low notes and everywhere in between as the band bring the trademark horns and percussion to the mix, JB shouting out in appreciation as Marva straight out kills it.

Listening back to both tracks I've just noticed the companion nature of them, the former laying down the facts about working life, the latter not so much looking forward to change as praying that some thing's going to happen. Guess it's not so easy to avoid deep as I thought. Anyway, the "Soulsister No. 1" is still performing today and you can catch up on what she's doing at her Official Website

Ya Boy

Ya Boy: On Fire
Ya Boy: Turf 2 Tha Club
Ya Boy f/ Clyde Carson: Fly As This

While the bay hype machine is still grindin (see: just about any blog right now) and on the eve of the drop of his yay-ness's breakthrough album, maybe we should talk about 40's cousin, Ya Boy.

(On the real, Abbot and Costello jokes abound, and finding a pic for this post was annoying).

Someone put me on to a few of his tracks a couple months ago and they were cool, but what really caught my attention was hearing his verse on "The Deal" with the rest of the Done Deal Fam on Slump and Grind 2. Ya Boy doesn't really test limits with his lyrics, but he's got that finely tuned precision flow and those great one-liners that put him way above most other emcees. It's not even the one-liners that are great, but more than he actually has the charisma to pull off some stupid ass lines like "you niggas stay frontin, yall broke/I get ice dumped on me like a football coach." His album, Rookie of the Year, is front to back shit-talking, not in the T.I. tradition of "I worked so hard I know I'm the best," but just uncut arrogance. And, yeah, his crack talk is unbelievable and played out, but so much so it almost doesn't matter.

Beats provided by some unknowns but also your standard share of Rick Rock and flute-driven Droop-E hyphy goodness. King Cydal comes out of nowhere with crazy beats on "On Fire," "Turf 2 Tha Club" and another one. Smooth-ass Clyde Carson from The Team guests on "Fly As This," 40 himself and San Quinn show up elsewhere. Enjoy Ya Boy (ayo!) and impress your friends with some slightly off-the-map bay shit.

Funky Knights

Donald Byrd: The Little Rasti
From: Ethiopian Knights [Blue Note, 1971]

Ok ok, I know I've been on a heavy vibe recently and for that I can offer no real excuse. Maybe it's the fact that it's currently freezing here or belated post-xmas blues or maybe it's just that I'm getting old but I've been really feeling the trips to the dark side. However, I swear that I'll post this one last track up and then get back into the more lively end of the scale - perhaps with a belated nod to International Woman's Day (we don't have half enough female performers on this site as it is).

So, on that note, what better way to get this out of my system than with Ethiopian Knights. There's deep funk, there's deep jazz, and then there's Donald Byrd's Ethiopian Knights LP. Although by no means the most famous album of a career spanning 5 decades, Ethiopian Knights is the album for me where everything came together perfectly. Unfortunately it was also the album that alienated Byrd from jazz purists, their feeling being that he had abandoned his jazz past. It's a bit of a harse judgement as this still feels like it has a jazzy vibe underlying the funk, admittedly it's an aggressively mind blowingly funky jazzy vibe, but a jazzy vibe all the same.

So, post bop and pre pop what you have here is Byrd at his funkiest, beginning to explore his interest in the african roots of jazz. Lasting just under 18 minutes, The Little Rasti is about as sublime as it gets. Byrd uses the extended length of the track to allow the sounds to develop, slowly building on Ed Greene's drumming as Wilton Felder lays down a killer bassline. What takes this track above and beyond is that the extended running time gives each area of the song time to breathe, never losing momentum or the listener's interest. I'm a big fan of the short sharp and sweet funk but sometimes you've just got to let things pan out at their own accord, Byrd waiting three and a half minutes before the track even starts properly, and when it does, it's bliss.

I toyed with the idea of giving you an edited version of this opus but that'd be missing the point - you have to experience the whole track to full appreciate it's genius.

Laughing At The Light

Norman Connors: Laughter and Butterfly Dreams
From: Dark Of Light [Cobblestone, 1973]

It looks like it's time to go deep again my friends and this time we're journeying into the dark of light with Norman Connors. A gifted jazz drummer from an early age, Connors had played with many of the greats by his early twenties, including accompanying Archie Shepp and Pharoah Saunders on tour. For this, his second album, Connors had the debt repaid with legends including Herbie Hancock and Gary Bartz accompanying him in the studio.

A mix of funk and jazz the album moves from dancefloor friendly grooves to experimental jazz noodlings at the drop of a hat, showcasing the different talents of the artists involved. As briliant as this is, it's a sound that Connors would move away from in later recordings, preferring what he deemed to be a more public friendly, commercial, vibe. A shame for fans of his early stuff but then people have gotta pay the bills.

Fans of old school Cut & Paste tracks should have no trouble recognising the intro of Laughter, an absolute killer of a bass riff kicking off the track. I love the way the drums permeate the mix slightly off beat as the flutes carry the melody forward, all the time that bassline throbbing underneath. As the keyboards get added to the mix you get the impression that this is carefully nurtured chaos.

Butterfly Dreams is one of those song titles that captures the essence of a piece of music perfectly. Ethereal vocals floating over staccato drums, keyboards, and an undulating bass. Constantly verging on confusion the track uses the melody supplied by the keyboard to draw the elements together into a coherent whole. Deeply delicious.

This Is The Lost Generation

The Lost Generation: This Is The Lost Generation and Sure Is Funky
From: Young, Tough & Terrible [Brunswick, 1971]

Time for some social commentary on the state of the nation through music from Seventies soul outfit The Lost Generation.

Starting with a bang, the group's debut album's title track, Sly, Slick and Wicked, was the hit record that paid for Brunswick to become an independent label from Decca. However, The Lost Generation's second album, Young, Tough & Terrible, failed to register any impact on the listening public and they soon went their separate ways, lead singer Lowrell Simon going on to have a major hit with the superb Mellow Mellow Right On in the early eighties.

This Is The Lost Generation has since appeared on a number of funk compilations and as soon as it starts it's not heard to see why. I love, love, love the intro to this song, the sweetest blend of bass and rumbling drums as Lowrell's vocals slide in over the top. Although the lightness of the melody may lull you into thinking otherwise, the lyrics are actually deceptively brutal. Lowrell argues that the older generations have failed to follow up on their original push for change, "bleeding for a cause", as the new generation are losing their way. Unlike many calls for change from the period, The Lost Generation choose to make their statement over the lushest of instrumentation, creating a song that, while powerful, seems embedded with a mournful sadness, as if resigned to failure.

Sure Is Funky is a more regular outing for the group, an uptempo number with more than a hint of The Temptations about it. The tracks storms along with harking trumpets and a decent riff as the tensions build each verse before the group slows it right back down for the horn heavy chorus. Does exactly what it says on the tin.

You can read more about the group on Brunswick's rather nice website here.
Members of the band are still performing as The New Lost Generation today. You can see more about them at their official website here

Whatever happened to Tony Bones?

Placebo - Mr. Live featuring Tony Bones
from the 12inch The 10th Letter on Get These Records (1996).

Splashin Over Monica - Mr. Live featuring Tony Bones
from the 12inch promo on Get These Records (1997)

Brooklyn MC Mr. Live put out a bunch of different indy 12"s and EPs in the
mid-90s, bringing consistent lyrical work and always getting choice
beats. He frequently collaborated with British mic controller Tony
Bones, acting collectively under the name 88WhatsAName. I love the way
their voices work together on tracks and in particular think Tony
Bones's deeply accented flowis fantastic.
Placebo is probably their greatest achievement together as they set off a
beautiful true school style piano vamp and heavy bass beat with stellar
verses each. And in the background you can just faintly hear some bells
sampled in the mix. A really nice touch that I almost wish were higher
in the mix.
While Placebo is certified greatness, Splashin Over Monica
is more of a confectionary treat. Referencing President Clinton's
lately night action with intern Monica Lewinsky (remember when
Presidential marital infidelities was the biggest news in the nation -
just seems stupid now). Again Tony Bones drawls out a nice
multi-syllabic story about how Monica was really getting down with/on
him.
There was some love and hate being thrown around on the comments for the
Bay Area rap posts, but there is some great stuff in any regional scene
if you're willing to wade through a lot of crap to find the gold.

Next Level

Good or bad for the public image of hip hop?

MIXTAPE MADNESS

MIXTAPE MADNESS



About mid-February I bombarded cats with the idea of a mixtape series on Ear Fuzz. After strings of e-mails and scouting talent, I've been able to collect mixes from cats in North America, Europe and my own back yard. The series will run during March and April.

If you have a mix that Ear Fuzz should know about then read this and get at my e-mail.

Danke,

G147

Feelin Like Yeee! (remix)

E-40 and Keak Da Sneak - Tell Me When to Go (Trackademicks remix)

I see that some fools were hating on the hyphy production aesthetic in the comments of the last post, and as I recall,the Shadow/Keak/Turf track didn't go over well with some of our readers, either.

Haters: I dare you to front on this.

While Lil' Jon's original beat for "Tell Me When to Go" was a decent minimalist banger, continuing in the vein of Grindin'/Drop It Like It's Hot/Wait, Trackademicks (pictured above) reworks the track into something utterly amazing. Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies + trunk-rattling bass hits + some well-placed tom fills = certified slap.

If you like what you hear check out Trackademicks' MySpace page.

Feelin Like Yeee!

Bay Area Quick Mix


First post in a minute, I know. I've been logging heavy hours at the record store I work at (mp3 blogger working at a record store? now I've heard it all...). But my ongoing business is indebted at least in part to the constant efort to stay on top of all the great music coming out on vinyl right now. And if you pay attention to the internets at all, you probably have borne witness to the all the horn-honking (and dumb-going) over Bay Area rap, especialy amongst post-collegiate Bay expatriates (and wanna-be expatriates, you know who you are). Anyway, noise has been made, opinions formulated, roofs danced atop of. If you're not feeling this shit, hey, I'm sure we'll have something different up tomorrow. I tossed this mix together real quick-like playing through a stack of new and not so new records from the soil where the rappers be getting their lingo from. Newness first, moving into some of the formative hyphy cuts (like, uh, "Hyphy," for example. And also, uh, "Super Hyphy." Recognize the redundancy). Stunna shades a must.

Tracklist:
San Quinn f/ EA-Ski- "Hell Yeah"
Mike Marshall f/ E-40- "Trying to Leave With Somethin"
Nump f/ Federation & E-40- "I Got Grapes"
E-40 f/ Keak the Sneak- "Tell Me When to Go"
Federation- "Go Dumb"
Federation f/ E-40- "Hyphy"
Keak the Sneak- "Super Hyphy"