Saturday, September 30, 2017

Ill Legitimates - Ruthless Bastards



From Hip Hop Connection - February 1998


12" - 1997 - Flowmaster Recordings





Melanin 9 - Old Pictures - 2017



CD - 2017 - Red Snow  



1 - 3am
2 - Memento
3 - Polaroid feat Karl Sage
4 - Solace feat Juicebox
5 - Passive Aggressive
6 - Burdock Root feat Milano
7 - Heart Shaped Box
8 - Cousin Ra Ra
9 - Black Dahlia
10 - Btchs Bru feat Bisk & Mach Hommy
11 - Silk Crows (Her Song)







Melanin 9 is back with his new project. It will be available on October 23rd 2017 on CD format, 300 copies only. No more info about a vinyl release.



Thursday, September 28, 2017

Starvin Art Clique ‎- Starvin Art Clique EP - 1998


EP - 1998 - Overkast Records 



Baltimore based group which consisted of Christopher "30 Fingaz" Gittens, Robert "Hawaii" Russell, and DJ Joe "Guess Who?" Davidge.
Since 1995 the group appeared on local radio, been featured in The Sun and City Paper, and released its first album, Starving Art, on Davidge's own Overkast Records in 1998, produced by Guess Who? and Shane "The Doctor" Faber. But the full album was only released on CD. 





"On the self-produced album, both 30 Fingaz and Hawaii exhibit a lyrical density and maturity that belie their age. They engage true life with wordplay and metaphor for a result that works on several levels, and Guess Who? complements the duo's lyrics with beats and sounds. Instead of the typical stripped-down bass and drums that producers usually place beneath "reality" lyrics, Guess Who? swirls horn lines and piano around the griminess of the rhymes in way that is jolting but effective."

The only vinyl version you 'll be lucky to find online or at your local record store is the Starvin Art Clique EP, composed of five tracks and one Instrumental. Everybody hopes for an upcoming reissue of this album on vinyl ... maybe one day with the help of a dope indie label, fingers crossed ! 








Album Review : Ice Cube - Amerikkka's Most Wanted - 1990



LP - 1990 - Priority Records 



Album press release from Priority Records, Page 1. 1990. Courtesy of the Adler Hip-Hop Archives / Cornell University Hip-Hop Collection










From XXL Magazine - June 2010 - Scans courtesy of The Martorialist 









Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Blak Forest - You Are Now Entering The​.​.​. (20th anniversary edition) - 2017


CD-R (Digipack) - 2017 - Beat Freq Recordings 








"Lurking in the shadows of the bright lights, glitz and glamour of Hollywood is an organically grown crew of authentic artists that counter the hyper sensationalist portrayal of the people in our beloved City of Angels: welcome to the Blak Forest. 

Through the early ‘90s, major label representation of hip-hop from Los Angeles was predominantly “gangsta rap,” and understandably so; the impact of N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton” had record companies in a gold rush type frenzy; and while the industry and media were focusing on one vertical of L.A. rappers, a movement of talented artists born and raised on hip-hop as b-boys from the early ‘80s, honed their writing and performing skills through to the early ‘90s, were beginning to create and release some of the most vibrant, unadulterated hip-hop music by the mid 1990s. An entire movement had begun, and as independently produced vinyl records started circulating through mix shows, mixtapes, and grungy clubs in cities throughout the globe, the golden era of Los Angeles underground hip-hop was gaining worldwide recognition. While the many of the groups to emerge from the L.A. underground have become highly recognizable names in music, the 1997 Blak Forest album “You Are Now Entering” captures the true essence of hungry, talented artists, that present an honest streetwise sensibility, battle rap ferocity, interlaced with consciousness and intellectualism, over masterful production that sound like instant classics on the first needle drop, making this record, “the album that every true hip-hop head needs to discover.” 

The Blak Forest resides within the streets of Los Angeles County, but the actual home of the Blak Forest was the Treehouse, located somewhere around where the 710 freeway ends in East LA. As you entered the old cable company property converted into a studio, the aromas of burning chronic blunts permeated the air, and tiny billows of smoke seemingly puffed out of the eggshell studio soundboards to the rhythm of the hard-hitting drums knocking out of the studio speakers. 
Behind the board is the ultra calm, glassy-eyed Wiz1, one of the gifted producers of the Blak Forest, who earned the name Wiz while working at an Atlanta studio as a teenage prodigy that introduced techniques to producers such as Organized Noize (Outkast). In the room, and scattered throughout, are various members of the Blak Forest having loud, animated conversations, laughing and talking shit, thoroughly enjoying a drink and a smoke while hanging with friends and making music. From thick, vibey, jazz-laden tracks; hard-hitting, rhyme inducing beats; to shiny, soulful, ear-pleasing production; the soundtrack that Circle of Power (Mone, Wiz1,and Jess Luv), and DJ ICD (Urbanites) provide for their crew captures a feel-good affinity for music approach that exemplifies the honest passion of the B.F. lyricists throughout the record; a genuine quality that is a rarity amongst the plethora of music that simply sounds manufactured. 

The original release of “You Are Now Entering” was on L.A. hip-hop pioneer Steve Yano’s Skanless Records, (Rest in Power). Over a decade before, Steve owned a record store at the Roadium Swap Meet in Torrance, CA. He was “the man” that DJ’s from all over Southern California would call to get the newest hip hop releases, and was instrumental in “breaking records” on the West Coast. Yano sold the famous Dr. Dre Roadium mixtapes, and subsequently ended up introducing Dre to Eazy E, which resulted in the forming of N.W.A. The group’s independent releases turned into platinum success, dramatically influencing the course of commercial rap. The Blak Forest was one of the few groups that Steve signed to his own independent label. Steve always knew a good record right when he heard it, and he knew that the Blak Forest was something special. 

Steve Yano, N.W.A., and the L.A. underground, were driven by passion and the need to express, and are connected as contributors to the same movement: Los Angeles Hip-Hop. Twenty years ago, the Blak Forest planted their seed in the movement, and for those who did not know, “You Are Now Entering…”"



100 copies only...
Order the Album Now (CD-R) !!!! 



Trooperz ‎- Underground Railroad 6 (Troop Collection) - 2009


Mixed CD - 2009 - Southpaw Chop  






Rockiem - We Gotta Polly
Danja Mowf - Dangerous
Double S - Mob One
Homeless Nation - That Mood
Hycelph Da Supreme Child - One Rhyme 97' Introduction
Neso - Mad Coolout
Sparrow - The Chase
L - Relax Your Mind
Mic Geronimo - Untitled
Ruff Draf - Rounda
Illcrook - Illcrook
Ruff Draf - Da Clipz Go On
Gas House - Avengence
Cash Crew - The Real Hiphop
Mytee G Poetic - Brick City Blue'z
Dice Murder - Rumble In The Bronx
Heavy Weightz - All Different Techniques
Da Youngsta's - Every Man 4 They Self
The Annexx Click - Do Or Die
Mytee G Poetic - Com'n Wit Nuff Ruffness
Raggetty Man - Rag's Freestyle
Da Great Deity Dah - Rapmatics
Pen Powz - Penz-N-Needlez
The Annexx Click - In Baltimore
Sparrow - What You Expect
5 Bros - Put It On The Five


Props to DJ MP45 


Mix : DJ Suspect - Straight From The Soul - 2017







Contact : Dj Suspect


Monday, September 25, 2017

Various ‎- Tha East Comin' Thru EP - 1994


12" - 1994 - East New York Records  



"Tha East Comin Thru" EP is a various artists compilation released in 1994 on East New York Records. Main tracks of the EP are "Walk Thru Hell" performed by Madman Shawn a.k.a Shawn October , and "S.O.N.S (Same Ol' Next Sh*t)" performed by The East Click composed of Madman Shawn, Full Clip (Mackwell a.k.a Gigantic & Brook-Len) and the well-known Pudgee the Fat Bastard. Both tracks are produced by Fran Lover, core member of ENY Record label. 








This EP is very rare but Madman Shawn's single"Walk Thru Hell" has been reissued on 7" vinyl in 2012 by the the excellent canadian label Roots Forward


2 other songs are on the tracklist : "Do You Hear?" performed by Full Clip, which is as the same style as Onyx due to the fact this track was produced by Kool Tee who also produced Onyx's single "Da Nex Niguz" in 1993.  The other one isn't really interesting because it's RnB stuff...


Dan-E-O - Dear Hip Hop: 20 Years Later + Interview


CD - 2017 - Urbnet 


1 - Dear Hip Hop
2 - Constipated
3 - Mental Mirage
4 - Son Daze
5 - Mic Surgery
6 - Dear Hip-Hop (The 2nd Letter) feat Choclair, Grimace Love & Frankenstein
7 - Incarceration
8 - So Deep
9 - Danish feat Nish Rawks
10 - Dear Hip-Hop Remix
11 - League of Legends feat Maestro Fresh Wes, Moka Only, Thrust, Eternia & Big Kish
12 - Rap Essentials feat Deuce Deuce & Mathematik
13 - Spit feat Illa J
14 - 20 Years Later feat Fraction & Cable



"On November 5, 1996, Toronto-based label, Beat Factory released the seminal Canadian hip-hop compilation, Rap Essentials Volume One. Helping to further energize the already-established careers of such north-of-the-border lyrical heavyweights as Kardinal Offishall, Choclair, Ghetto Concept and Rascalz, the album is also credited for launching the career of Scarborough lyricist, Dan-e-o. 

With his featured single, “Dear Hip Hop”, Dan-e-o immediately cemented himself as one of Canada’s premier MCs. A quasi-love letter to the music and culture he adores, the Scam-produced single has stood the test of time and has garnered itself “classic” status in the annals of Canadian hip-hop history. 

With his fourth album, Dear Hip Hop: 20 Years Later, Dan-e-o both commemorates the two decade milestone of the release of his legendary debut and pays tribute to a long list of inspirations. “The artists I pay tribute to on this album by including them as guests helped pave the way for me to become the artist I am,” says Dan-e-o, “But they themselves have also enjoyed the last 20 years or so of invigorating hip-hop culture. So this new album is as much about celebrating Canadian hip-hop as a whole as it is about my first single. Really, I’m just a chapter in a much bigger story.” 

Among the honoured guests on the album are URBNET label mate, Moka Only, “Northern Touch” legend, Thrust and the Godfather of Canadian hip-hop himself, Maestro Fresh Wes. They all appear on the posse cut and lead single, “League Of Legends”, which is produced by Scam – reuniting Dan-e-o with the producer of “Dear Hip Hop” 20 years after its release. 

Dear Hip Hop: 20 Years Later is a unique combination of re-mastered gems recorded during the mid-90’s and brand new golden era-esque bangers, which include “Rap Essentials”, an ode to the compilation that started it all with alumni, Mathematik and Deuce Deuce of Concrete Mob and a symbolic tribute to J Dilla entitled “Spit” featuring the late legend’s brother, Illa J. "





The album is now available for Pre-Orders on CD + Digital format.
Release Date :  October 6th 2017 


If you want more information about Dan-E-O and the Toronto's Hip-Hop scene history, you can also check the  new episode of Views Before The 6 hosted by Big Tweeze and Thrust. "In this episode they sit down with Dan-E-O and talk about a ton of stuff from how he found hip hop, getting discovered by Lindo P, battling on Electric Circus when he was 13, his classic 'Dear Hip Hop', the Mighty Monolith crew and much much more...."







Video : Hex One Feat. Skyzoo - Peep the Steeze - 2017





Brand new second single video from Hex One's official debut solo album "Words Worth a Thousand Pictures"


Interview : NWA - The Strength of Street Knowledge





From The Source - May 1989 - Scans courtesy of Babylon Falling 



Sunday, September 24, 2017

Da’ Mad Scientist - Never Fear / Maintain - 1994




Da’ Mad Scientist also known as Phase, is an emcee from Queens New York who was one half of the duo Brokin English Klik. 


"With his formative years steeped in crime and seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, Phase left Queens, New York for the somewhat sumptuous surroundings of Miami. 
« I was getting into mad troubles in New York , like drugs and things, so my mum sent me down to Miami to cool off. I went down there and met Mack-10 and we both embraced hip-hop, because there was nothing else to do, It was just hot. »"
Along with Mack, Phase released the duo’s first and only full length self titled "Brokin English Klik" album in 1993 on Wild Pitch Records. The group had a few 12” singles around the time the album dropped but they never expanded beyond that. 




As an emcee Phase didn’t release much material on his own but after the group split in 1994 he released the 12” single "Never Fear" under the alias Da’ Mad Scientist.


12" - 1994 - Roach Music 











Saturday, September 23, 2017

Boogie & The Barber w/Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito - Oct 20th 1996 - Hot 97 WQHT


Boogie & The Barber w/Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito Hot 97 WQHT October 20, 1996





Sadat X - Promo
Finsta Bundy - Feel The High Part 2
Erick Sermon, Heltah Skeltah, O.G.C. & Trigger Tha Gambler ‎- If You 
Redman feat K-Solo - It’s Like Dat 
Xzibit feat Mobb Deep - Eyes May Shine
J-Live - Can I Get It 
Adverts
Talk Break
Company Flow - Freestyle
Keith Murray - Hot To Def
MF Grimm & B1 - Emotions
Organized Konfusion - Decisions
KRS One - The MC
Adverts
Mobb Deep - G.O.D Pt III
Large Professor - Ijuswannachill
1:10:00 ? (know it but can’t remember sorry…)
Royal Flush - Iced Down Medallions
Thrust - Light Camera Action Remix
Camp Lo - Boogie & The Barber Promo
Sadat X feat Grand Puba & Lord Jamar - The Lump Lump
Mic Geronimo - Unstoppable
Large Pro - Hard
Talk Break
Hillfiguz - Up on Prospect
Jeru The Damaja - Too Perverted
Shabaam Sahdeeq feat Shadows in the Dark - It Could Happen
A Tribe Called Quest feat common -  The Remedy
Mobb Deep - Hell On Earth
Talk Break


Props to Dj Eclipse 


Friday, September 22, 2017

Hex One of Epidemic - Words Worth A Thousand Pictures - 2017


LP - 2017 - Mic Theory



A1 - Intro
A2 - Yes, Y'all
A3 - Where I'll Go
A4 - 4 My Story
A5 - Sallyble Mux-ip
A6 - Back To The Boom
A7 - Extraterrestrials
B1 - Leave It All Behind
B2 - Flava For Ya Mind
B3 - I'm Gone
B4 - Peep The Steeze ft. Skyzoo
B5 - Energies ft. Tek-Nition






Pre-Order your copy : Vinyl / CD / Tape 


Mix : Dj Mattnyce Presents Midschool Heat 3 - 2013








1. D.j. Mattnyce - Intro
2. Justin Warfield - Bug Powder Dust (D.j. Muggs remix)
3. D1 - Fakes
4. Snoman - If You’re Happy and You Know It
5. L.E.S. Crew - Grab Ya Head
6. Urban Native Sons - Of the Native (Brothers Grimm Remix)
7. Ill Breed Militia - What’s An I-Eleven
8. Grand Puba - I like it (Buckwild Remix)
9. Suave - Break ‘em Up
10. Culture Productions - Roughnecks (radio version)
11. Jeru the Damaja - My Mind Spray (D.j. Mattnyce funkymix)
12. Strugglin Souls - Can’t Find my Tribe (D.j. Mattnyce funkymix)
13. Original - Dead Presidents (D.j. Mattnyce funkymix)
14. 4th Quarter - C-notes and Grants (remix)
15. Mighty Ethnicz - Bedrock
16. Private Eye - A and B plan
17. Aphillyation - Cryed The Tuff Guy
18. Lost Trybe of Hip Hop - Lampin in the Layer
19. D.J. Mattnyce - In ya Grill with Mad Skill
20. M.F. 911 - King in a Cell
21. Raw Breed - How many lumps
22. M.C. Thick - Bitch control
23. Boys about beats and lyrics uptown - The Beats
24. Chase & Destroy - Everybody hit the floor
25. D’adore - Unda ground radio (phatful mix)
26. Da ooh - Watch out
27. Dolomight the Lyrical Genius - Keep it live (remix)
28. Circle of Power - Unseen offspring (D.j. Mattnyce funkymix)
29. Underground Flava - gotta luv my style
30. Another Nasty Move - It only takes one
31. The General Sekwan - Thanks for Nothing
32. I.P.B.- Get m up
33. Stylz & the J.i.z. - Look Like You


Contact : Dj Mattnyce  

Album Review : The Jaz - Ya Don't Stop EP - 1991


EP - 1991 - EMI  


From The Source - December 1991