Reasonable Doubt enacts the glamorous dream  of every young rapper. Age 27 when his debut was released, Jay-Z was much older than most rappers releasing a debut album and the depth of his life experience brings a gravitas to Reasonable Doubt that few rappers could achieve in 1996. “Regrets” is a song of a man re-examining his past, not grabbing at the flash of the future. But unlike the wizened admonishments of a rapper like Scarface (whose influence looms large on Reasonable Doubt), Jay-Z would never sound younger than he does here. He had spent years honing his rhyme craft, and he moves through every song with swiftness and self-assurance. Reasonable Doubt is the one album Jay-Z created before having to contend with multi-platinum pressures and superstar responsibilities. It remains his most consistent album because it was the only time Jigga made no compromises. The young rapper had been waiting 27 years to tell this story, and there isn’t a measure misplaced. The great Pharoahe Monch and Prince Poetry’s (Organised Konfusion) second collaborative effort, will forever be defined by hip-hop lovers accross the globe, as one of the most spectacular hip hop albums to date. The album, released in 1994 under the duo’s Hollywood Label, unequivacally matches the production of thier first album ‘Organized Konfusion’ (1991), another classic of its kind, whilst he pairs third album The Equinox was released in 1997. Track seven’s ‘Bring It On’,  displays the true inventiveness of Pharoahe Monch and The Prince Poetry. Pharoahe reaches a pinical of insane lyrical creation, with unstructured original styles, which takes rapping to heights never reached since. The Coming is the first solo album released by former Leaders of the New School member, Busta Rhymes, in 1996 by Elektra Records. With his funky dreads, raspy growl of a voice, and outrageous videos, Busta Rhymes has always stood out as a very unique rapper at the mainstream level. While he had not yet established a great name for himself prior to this release, “The Coming” produced a wave of excitement from fans who took to his spacey beats, wild lyrical flow and image. “Woo Ha!! Got You All In Check” was his big single off the debut, helping him to build a name for himself as one of the top MC’s in the Rap Business. The humming began for Nas’ 1994 release Illmatic, once the hottest producers in New York – DJ Premier, Pete Rock, the Large Professor, Q-Tip, L.E.S. – completed their parts on Illmatic, and Nas stepped to their tracks (many smooth and mellow, a few hard and biting, all mid- to low-tempo) and vaulted himself into the elite group of MCs. Not because of an ultrabutter flow and boldly distinctive voice like Q-Tip or Slick Rick but because of sharp articulation, finely detailed lyrics and a controlled tone reminiscent of Rakim. Those sounds and Nas’ no-nonsense urban tales pair Ill’s every beautiful moment with its harsh antithesis. From “One Love,” Nas’ letter to homies in jail – “So, stay civilized/Time flies/Though, incarcerated, your mind dies/I hate it when your moms cries/It kinda makes me wanna murder” – to the end of “Life’s a Bitch,” when his father, Olu Dara, steps in over the beat with a muted trumpet, searching for the tone with which Nas expressed the futility of his life, it’s all like a rose stretching up between cracks in the sidewalk, calling attention to its beauty, calling attention to the lack of it everywhere else. Infinite is Eminem’s first full-length and professionally packaged album. After years of cutting demo tracks with his mentors, the Bass Brothers, at their Ferndale, Michigan studio (dubbed “The Bassmint”), Eminem was ready to release his debut album. The album was written and recorded in 1995. At the time the album was first conceived, Eminem had been using the stage name M&M. However, he changed his stage name after the release of his first official single, in early 1995. Infinite marks the debut of the name “Eminem”. The album was only released on cassette and vinyl, and was originally sold through Mathers himself. Only 1,000 cassettes and 100 vinyl records were made. Eminem himself, and old friends from around the time Infinite was recorded, have claimed the laid-back and humble nature of the album is due to Eminem purposely making “radio-friendly” songs in hopes of getting on the air of Detroit’s leading Hip Hop radio station, WJLB. The Album remains a classic amongst true hip hop-heads, with Eminem’s fearless flow, and rhyming styles displaying why he is consistently recognised as one of the best emcees ever to reach for the mic.

James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006)

Dilla is one my personal favorite hip hop producer… His influence on the music world is obvious. His raw style and distinct drum programing has made him one of the most loved, respected and mimicked producers of our time.
Dilla has had such a strong impact on me and the way I make music that his name itself has become an adjective in my vocabulary.
“..Dilla that up” will be heard in my lab when the drums don’t have the swagger I want or the raw edge isn’t there.
Coming to the end of 2009 Dilla’s legacy is set in stone with countless “Dillaciples” keeping his memory alive as they take his enormous influence and it let inspire a whole new era of music. Long Live J Dilla…..
“J Dilla was one of the music industry’s most influential hip-hop artists”
-NPR

Interview

Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth make me want to be about a decade older than I am. I wish I could have enjoyed their music as it was being released. 1992’s Mecca and the Soul Brother is one of those albums you can just keep coming back to. It was, however, overshadowed by other great hip-hop album decuts of the time, notably The Chronic by Dr. Dre. The first single ‘They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)’ is a standout track (video attached after the jump) and a dedication to their former bandmate Heavy D. The group picked up more acclaim after featuring on the Menace II Society soundtrack. Mecca and The Soul Brother was selected in the Top 100 Best Rap Albums in 1998 by The Source. For another great track, check out ‘The Creator‘ too.

I know that’s a lot of tags. Sorry, blame it on me. (Okay, my fault, no more Akon references. Gosh.) Up to this point, I’ve written on and off about any and all kinds of music. Most notably, I’ve contributed a number of entries to the official Rhodes Radio blog, covering everything from Kid Cudi to the Dirty Projectors. This post is an archive of my previous writings.

2009 09 12 “The Pursuit of Happiness“

2009 09 11 “Empire State of Mind“

2009 09 10 “Enjoy a video today, part six“

2009 09 09 “The British Re-Invasion“

2009 09 08 “We’re still here… and so is Talbot Tagora“

2009 08 26 “Let This Beat Ride“

2009 08 26 “awesome authentic autumntime video #259,978“

2009 08 25 “awesome authentic autumntime video #259,977“

2009 08 24 “Who the f*%# is B.o.B? (Who the f*%# is Bobby Ray?)“

2009 08 24 “Enjoy a video today, part cinq“

2009 08 23 “sweet sweaty summertime video #259,976“

2009 08 23 “Enjoy a video today, part quatre“

2009 08 23 “13 Sunny Songs for a Summer Afternoon“

2009 08 22 “ba de ya, dancin’ in September“

2009 08 21 “Enjoy a video today, part trois“

2009 08 20 “New Music: Tegan and Sara do it up with Tiësto“

2009 08 10 “sweet sweaty summertime video #259,975“

2009 08 10 “Jay Reatard documentary: Waiting for Something“

2009 08 07 “Internat’l Correspondence“

2009 07 31 “oh!9 jamz, pt. II“

2009 07 31 “Enjoy a video today, part deux“

2009 07 26 “Artist Spotlight: the Avett Brothers“

2009 07 24 “oh!9 jamz, pt. I“

I’d like to note that, while I do my best to be meticulous in my blogging — often going back and checking links, etc. — some content may not be available at this point. Websites like YouTube don’t own the rights to things like music videos, so they’re occasionally removed. You know this. While we’re on the subject of YouTube though, here’s one from the (Epitaph Records official YouTube page — it’ll stick around) archives called “First One On the Blog.” Huh.

I usually try to keep up to date wih anything concerning my favorite producer, Pete Rock. Last time I counted I had exactly 100 albums and 12″s that include one or more beats by the Soul Brother #1. Now collecting classic hiphop, you will get a lot of his beats and remixes anyway, but at least half of that is stuff I’ve bought mostly because of that name on the label. Somehow I missed the most recent 12″ from NY’s Finest though. It’s Ready Fe War b/w Best Believe and It’s So G and it was released back in March(!). There’s even something like a music video for it on youtube:

Speaking of Pete Rock essentials that I missed: I found this interview with the man himself over at unkut.com. It’s from April and it’s probably the best Pete Rock interview I’ve come across. As you may know, he is a man of few words and a lot of interviews with him come off as not very informative. But this one is the real thing. Just a couple of highlights form the interview, to whet your appetite:

When speaking on how PM Dawn used to “reserve” records at NYC record conventions back in the day: “What used to make me mad was that at a record convention, you see a record, and then the guy that’s selling the record tells you ‘I’m holding that for somebody’. You know? ‘I’m holding that for PM Dawn’. Like ‘Who the fuck is PM Dawn?! Yo, I’m Pete Rock, dog! Give me that fuckin’ record!’ I don’t care about no PM Dawn“.

Or when talking about the state of hiphop: “Hip-hop has changed, and it’s changed into a way where it’s now about politics and money. People are in this to make a fast buck now. You can tell and you can hear it in the music – it doesn’t come out as good. People don’t put enough effort in their music and their songs. They just slap some shit together and try to get it done as fast as they can possibly make it happen. I believe in putting a little more effort into your music.”

Pete Rock also speaks on that infamous Kanye West quote about taking shorts to fake the funk, read that over at Unkut.com. I really recommend this interview!

Read the full verison here!

Peace in the middle eas’!

The last four days on the mountain have been wild. Cracked ribs, bruised knees, flipping over logs, close calls, and lots of good music in my ears while I explored Vail. It was good to be back, not much has changed. Here is a song that will remind me of this trip forever.
Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth-Appreciate

listen up: “living for the city by rakim (prod. by pete rock)”

18th letter with pete rock composing.  This is rare unrealeased joint.  When you get a chance, check out The Underground Come-Up for a real education in classic hip-hop.  They really do their homework.  Big up to them.

So I got ready for winter and snow with a brand new pair of suede Timberlands today.

Now I respect Ghost as the wally champ. You know, as in: “I had a fight over my Wallies…you know, the blue and green ones!”. I know what Rae was talking about. And I have nothing but respect for DMC and the reverend and their Superstars. Or of course Pete Rock for that matter:

“Now – me and my Adidas do the illest things/We like to stomp out pimps with diamond rings/We slay all suckers who perpetrate/And lay down law from state to state/We travel on gravel, dirt road or street/I wear my Adidas when I rock the beat!”

“We had the bass pound speakers/Shell toe Adidas/Original rap with new school leaders/Graffiti art names with fat gold chains/Chock the world cousin, cause hiphop remains!”

Last summer I got a pair of those all white Swiss kicks, mainly thanks to AZ’s line on this joint:

“Swiss kicks/Crisp when I come to them picnics”

And I mos def know what Papoose is talking about, concerning the low Air Force 1’s. You know, when he says: “My pants stay with creases/Authentic kicks, I never wear fake releases/Lo-top Uptowns, one of my pair of favorite sneakers/I rock a pair-o-mids just like the landscape in Egypt…”

But for me, the classic beige suede Timbs rank as the hiphop footwear. I remember when cats used to rock them with basketball shorts and a t-shirt mid summer in photos on record sleeves. That might be a bit extreme in Stockholm in 2009. At least I’m not ruff enuff to pull that off. But come winter, you know I get hoodied up in my winter coat and step into those Timbos! Just ask Smif-N-Wessun. Ask Nasty Nas what made his cypher complete. Or go ask Smif-N-Wessun and Heltah Skeltah:

EDIT: Oops, I nearly forgot Joell! Or…I did forget…how do you forget an intro like this:

“Yo, do me a favor…accidentally step on your white sun glasses. We don’t wear those over here. This is Carhartt jackets, Timberland boots -  unlaced! This is Champion hoodies, chicken wings and french fries, RIP pieces on the handball court. This is us still fightin’ police brutality. This is hiphop!”

Peace in the middle eas’!

 Collector’s Item (5-Track Maxi-Single) by Pete Rock

2009 (5 tracks, 19:45)

hip-hop/rap

Boonie Mayfield

Hey All!!!

Took a break last week and I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving Holiday. This week I have a special treat for you. Early last week I got a chance to conduct a phone interview with one of my absolute favorite producers of all time. Boonie Mayfield exemplifies musically absolutely all that Old Soul in a Young Man encompasses. I often strive to reach the production level of his work. He comes to us from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He began break dancing at age 13 which really served as his personal gateway into the whole bboy/Hip-hop movement. He began MCing at age 16 and making beats between ages 19 and 20. He was a duo of the once Soundclick popular , Y.E.S.S.U.R.R. which was primarily a rap group, but topped the charts time after time with bangers ranging from all genres. The group eventually split from creative differences but both parties continue to make music. Boonie Mayfield gained much of his internet success from this past, but began posting Youtube videos of him in his personal home studio after being a victim of “beat thievery” on Rocbattle.com a website for producers to earn money through beat battles. His Youtube catalog has since grown and allowed him to reach many listeners over the years. I personally have been a fan for 7 or so years.  Boonie Mayfield calls on influences of a tribe called quest,j dilla, premo,pete rock,ski beatz, battle cat warren g and daz, many of whom I have posted tracks from. Below is a Youtube example of Boonie May working on 2 beats in his studio. It was great to have the oppurtunity to speak with him, and hopefully you all will enjoy his work. (Below the youtube linke is a link to the finished version of “Just Lay Back”)

Boonie Mayfield in the Studio

Link to final version of “Just Lay Back”

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8356321

2tall, DJ Clockwork and Kper present a decades worth of quality hip hop in a megachuck of a downloadable mixtape, yeah, it’s still called a mixtape even though tape bit of the mix ain’t been used since last week.

What’s on it?

Dilla, Spacek, Mos-Def, Co-Flow, El-P, Flying Lotus, Matty G, Loefah, Samiyam, GLK, Ras G, Mike Slott, Danny Breaks, Nosaj Thing, Group Home, High & Mighty, Shawn J. Period,  J-Zone, Lootpack, Madlib, Pete Rock, Cannibal Ox, Rdj2, DJ Shadow, Boards of Canada, DJ Vadim, Busdriver, Pharoah Monch, Slum Village, Jaylib, De La Soul+MF Doom , Dabyre, Vast Aire, Roots Manuva, Prefuse 73, The Bug, Boom Bip, Oh No, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Modeselektor, Onra, Rustie, Jneiro Jarel plus about three giga more.

Download here

Thanks to Daily Swarm for the heads up.  How goes it Todd?

If you’re going to be in North Carolina on December 12th, you need to get down to Cat’s Cradle and pay homage to Hip Hop producers Pete Rock and DJ Premier. The event will be hosted by 9th Wonder. Wish I could be there!

Have you heard one of the greatest stories ever told in Hip Hop?

This is my ode to a living legend. Pete Rock all but defined what is commonly known as “The Golden Era” of Hip Hop. His is the most unique and eclectic sound to ever bless our music.

He is best known for T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You) from 1992’s Mecca and the Soul Brother. Even if you don’t know the name of the song, you have heard it before. It’s an iconic piece of music that is etched in the conscience of Hip Hop. I had heard it when I was much younger. It really hit me after it was in NBA Street Vol. II on PS2. That game had so many scenes from NY street courts. T.R.O.Y. just complimented those scenes so well. It’s an auditory synonym for NY Hip Hop.

His first two albums, including 1990’s All Souled Out, were collaborations with CL Smooth. CL was the primary emcee for the duo, while Pete contributed verses as needed. His signature was taking sounds from several records and piecing them together. His first piece of equipment was the E-Mu SP 1200. He later shifted to the MPC 2000XL as his primary weapon of choice. He is an expert at tuning sounds from different sources to make them sound like they should go together.

Home

A selection of truely superb underground Hip Hop productions from 2000-present day, that aims to “shed some light on the fairly quiet revolution that has been taking place under the surface of mainstream media in recent years” as 2Tall puts it. He continues, “This is a journey from late 90s crate digging, to the circuit-bent soundscapes of the so called ‘post-dilla’ era”.

Download ‘A Boom Bap Continuum’ in 320kbps .mp3 format here (Right click, Save as).

Check the full tracklist here | Read more about the concept here

QUALITY!!! GOOD TO SEE THEM TOGETHER AGAIN!!!

 

The True School Corporation in conjunction with IWWMG/Jamla/The Academy Present:
A salute to Pete Rock & DJ Premier featuring: Skyzoo, Tyler Woods, Big Remo, Kaze, Thee Tom Hardy, Rapsody, Actual Proof, Cesar Comanche, Edgar Allan Floe, The Presidents, Jozeemo, & K. Hill
Music provided by Family Dollar Band.
Plus special appearances from Pete Rock and DJ Premier.
After party featuring 9th Wonder.

The Dan Greenpeace Show on Spine Radio spoke to them last week:

Recorded backstage at their reunion show in London last week. They discuss their first show in New York at Homebase with fellow Elektra artists LONS, Brand Nubian and KMD; Wendy Williams breaking ‘T.R.O.Y.’ on NY radio, how Sylvia Rhone taking over at Elektra is when “things started going haywire”, and more.

Along with remixes, b-sides, demons and other non-album cuts.

Audio: Pete Rock & CL Smooth Interview w/ The Dan Greenpeace Show

Via: Nah Right

01 Sittin’ Duck.mp3
02 Summer Song.mp3
03 Little Green Apples.mp3
04 Reuben Wilson – We’re In Love.mp3
05 Olliloqui Valley.mp3
06 Shirl Natural Illusions.mp3
07 I Remember Summer.mp3
08 In What Direction Are You.mp3
09 Repeat After Me.mp3
10 Hunk O’ Funk.mp3
11 Summertime.mp3
12 Mystic Brew.mp3
13 I Don’t Want Nobody.mp3
14 Turning Point.mp3
15 Wrong Or Right.mp3
16 Smiling Faces Sometimes.mp3

http://www.easy-share.com/1908442947/PRDigBlue.zip

At 14 y.o, Charles Misodi Njapa (not 88 yet) used to find loops for a big record vendor named John Carraro…

Some of you might know Carraro as that biker dude who -himself- used to sell loops to Pete Rock, Q-Tip, Large Pro and ‘em at the Roosevelt Hotel Record Convention in the early 90’s…
One day, during the summer of 91, young Charles saw his idol and future mentor park his silver 325i bima right in front of the shop… and this is how the story goes…