Up Above, 2001. New Copy (pic cover)
Jay Dee kicks a hard, furious street bumper -- and fares just as exceptionally well as he does with mellow soul beats. Is there anything he can't do? Jay Dee for president!
...
|
10/30 Uproar, 1996. New Copy (reissue)
Since the day this single came out, it's been a favorite for MC's to freestyle over -- with just a simple drum line combined with a killer, killer koto sample, a big beat precursor to the Asian string fetish Timbaland and others used a full seven years later! The vocals are at least as dope as the
...
|
Stones Throw, 1996. New Copy
...
|
Stones Throw, 2003. New Copy (pic cover)
Fresh cuts from DJ J Rocc of the World Famous Beat Junkies -- his first (we think) effort for Stones Throw! "Play This (One)" is the kind of record that made DJs like Shadow and Cut Chemist saints of the sampler -- capital F Funky drums all over the track, plus a nice vocal sample from
...
|
Cold Chillin, 1988. Very Good (pic cover)
...
|
Sugar Hill, 1983. Very Good-
The follow up to "The Message", and another classic early 80s number from Grandmaster Flash and crew. Once again, the theme is the trials of city life, and once again, they come up with another winning message cut.
...
|
Rap-A-Lot, 1996. Very Good+
...
|
Immortal, 1995. Very Good+
...
|
Payday/FFRR, 1996. Very Good
...
|
Def Jam, 1994. Good+ (pic cover)
Some first round RZA joints, back when everyone was feeling the Wu, still sounding fresh and menacing today.
...
|
Warner/A Stable Sound, 2006. Very Good+
2 of the better tracks from Cut Chemist's Audience's Listening LP -- one an instrumental tapestry of Brazil-influenced moods -- one featuring a duo of underground MCs! "Garden" is built around an Astrud Gilberto sample, but that's just a starting point for some really great production
...
|
Uptown, 1987. New Copy (pic cover, reissue)
The seminal turntable cut up track reissued here with a reproduction of the original sleeve, and thankfully disposing of the flip (Finess & Synquis). They got the spelling right on Shan's name on the sleeve, too.
...
|
Enjoy/Tuff City, 1980. New Copy (reissue)
...
|
Tuff City, 1980. New Copy (reissue)
The full 16-minute version of Jimmy Spicer's tales of the "Adventures of Super Rhymes" over and early Sugarhill type rhythm section. This one, along with Grandmaster Caz, is supposedly one of the rhymes the Sugarhill Gang bit for "Rapper's Delight." The Maximus Three is a
...
|
Party Time, 1983. New Copy (reissue)
If we remember right, this cut by female MC Dimples D was the inspiration for Run-DMC's "Sucker MCs" and Roxanne Shante's "Runaway", or maybe it was the other way around. In any case, a nice example of early Marly Marl production over a snapping Lynn drum beat, that quotes Red
...
|
Jive, 1992. New Copy (reissue)
"Hot Sex" is a little harder than your usual Quest track, similar production to "Scenario".
...
|
Paul Winley, 1985. New Copy (reissue)
This is how it's done, straight beats and rhymes, a la '85. One of many lost pieces in the puzzle of early rap and hip singles, this single features two raw old school beats with drum machine, a little bass and some percussion to keep things fresh under the Rap Dynasty MC, doling out street
...
|
Paul Winley, 1980. New Copy (pic cover, reissue)
Repressing of the Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force old school classic on Winley. Along the line of the early Enjoy singles, but a little more funky. This is the one before they discovered Kraftwerk, with music by Harlem Underground and vocals by the Soul Sonic Force.
...
|
Newtroit, 1980. New Copy (reissue)
Spyder-D gets busy old school style, with "wave your hands in the air" style rhymes over a bouncing roller disco track on this great early single from the dawn of the rap age.
...
|
Hieroglyphics, 2000. New Copy (pic cover)
...
|
|
