The Villain In Black

What other MC can rap about;

religion;

Fallin' on your Jesus, comin' for the pork chop
Wake ya out your sleep, shit is deep, about to wreck shop
Bombs goin' down a mile deep, pushin' up a mile high
Nigga ain't allowed to cry while they disbelieve his God

the darkest streets;

Then every nigga had to get a turn
To make sure that this mothafucka learn
Niggaz kickin' him - hittin' him with bricks
Check it, and my homey lit his pitbull bite off his dick
And to top it off before my brother left the scene
He emptied off his clip with the whole 15

police brutality;

Now it's time for the camouflage
And all the niggaz I can fit in back of the Dodge
Bound to go to war but this ain't the Middle East
We're killin' motherfuckers for revenge, fuck peace
So if ya see us, this is what ya do
Grab your shit and come along, we're killin' cops in blue

and pussy;

Go back to the crib, we do that soopafly scene
Fuck your ass in the tub, rub my dick with vaseline
Make my shit stretch all down your throat
Quit tryna talk with that shit in your mouth just write a note
Or use sign language if you need some air

Only one does it with enough credibility for us to forgive his ex-group's ugliest FAILS.

This two volume compilation is just to give MC Ren the proper respect he has gained. Here's the rundown of the tracks I picked and why:

VOLUME 1 : MC REN

DOWNLOAD HERE

-from NWA's "Straight Outta Compton" (1988)

- Fuck the Police(MC Ren only version) - I put this together just because.
- If It Ain't Ruff
- Something Like That
- Quiet on the Set

-from NWA's "100 Miles and Runnin" (1990)

- 100 Miles and Runnin'

- from NWA's "Efil4Zaggin" (1991)

- Niggaz 4 Life

- The Dayz Of Wayback - so many tracks to pick from on this album, so I just picked two of my favorites, fuck it.

- from "Kizz MY Black Azz" (1992)

- Final Frontier - This promo track was burning radio's before the album dropped. THIS is the way to debut!! Bobcat produced a perfect East/West coast mesh utilizing Parliament funk and BDP's classic "Bridge is Over" piano.

- Right Up My Alley - Scariest rap track ever written. No one will imagine a Compton alley the same way after hearing this track.

- from "Shock of the Hour" (1993)

this album is divided in two. Ren started walking down his islam path while he working on the album. He could have not included his earlier songs, but he stated that it was important to show his growth as a person, so kept them as the first half of the album, while finishing the LP with more islam-compromised tracks

- Mayday on the Front Line - the first promo single for the album was the only track he would ever put out under the MCA label. This is probably why this track was included on the MCA soundtrack for that funny ass CB4 movie. Below is a funny video of Chris Rock confronting Eazy and MC Ren about the obvious mocking of NWA on his CB4 movie (also interesting is hearing Eazy claim that NWA was back but sucka-free without Dr.Dre).
- Shock of the Hour

- from "Villain in Black" (1996)

I would have happily put up the whole album. Just my opinion, but this is not only MC Ren's best album, but also, one of my top ten west coast albums.
- B**ch Made Ni**a Killa
- Live from Compton 'Saturday Night'
- Great Elephant

- from "Ruthless 4 Life" (1998)

-Voyage To Compton - This could have been a dope radio hit, and would have put Ren into a new limelight. But instead he rapped about "Fuck your ass in the tub, rub my dick with vaseline / Make my shit stretch all down your throat". NWA hadn't died in MC Ren.
- Must Be High - I had to put this track on, due to his impressive flow, and the beat is equally fresh.
- Who Got That Street Shit
-Pimpin' Is Free - More obsession with BDP? He recreates "The P Is Free" chorus for this track.

- from "Renincarnated (Advance)" (2003)
I got this album from the internets a while back and I haven't ever found much info about this album at all. Bigg Rocc and John Doe both appear on almost every track of the album.

- America
- Deadly
- Radio

- from "Lost in the Game" (2004)

Another album that flew waaaay under the radar. This EP was done to accompany a DVD Documentary with the name.
- Lost in the Game

- from "Renincarnated" (2009)

Again, another album that I should have just uploaded the whole album.
- Villainist Tales
- Black Star Line

VOLUME 2 - MC REN GUEST SPOTS :

DOWNLOAD HERE

- 2 Hard Muthas - Eazy E w/MC Ren
- Tha Muthaphuckkin Real - Eeazy E w/MC Ren

- Wanna Ride - W.C. w/ MC Ren, Ice Cube
- Legend of Jimmy Bones - Snoop w/RBX, MC Ren
- Hard Truth Soldiers -Public Enemy w/Dead Prez, Paris, Concious Daughters & MC Ren
- Raw Shit -Public Enemy w/Paris & MC Ren
- Roll On 'Em - Crazy Toones w/W.C., Xzibit, MC Ren, Maylay
- Killaz in the Park - Above the Law w/MC Ren
- Process of Elimination - Above the Law w/MC Ren
- Ballad of a Menace - CPO w/MC Ren
- Gangsta Melody - CPO w/MC Ren
- The Shit -D.O.C. w/Ice Cube, Snoop, MC Ren, 6Two
- Set It Off - Snoop w/MC Ren, Nate, Lady of Rage, Ice Cube
- Chin Check - Ice Cube, MC Ren, Snoop
- Hello - Ice Cube, Dr.Dre, MC Ren
- Stallion - Yukmouth w/ MC Ren & Tech N9ne
- The Hardest - Kurupt w/ Xzibit, Nate Dogg, MC Ren
- Have Dat Money Rite - Chill MC w/MC Ren
- 2 G's From Compton - King Tee w/MC Ren)
- Down Fa Mine - Kam w/MC Ren, Dresta
- Southland Killers - Cypress Hill w/MC Ren
- Bangin - Ms. Toi w/MC Ren
- Still Aint Free - MC Ren produced by Paris

-- cenzi stiles

100 Tracks You Need To Hear (97-99) Part IV

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear Part IV

1997-1999. You swear it wasn’t that long ago, but you know it might as well have been eons ago. Depending on your outlook, this is either the tail end of a gilded age or the beginning of the apocalypse. During this time, the hip hop artists born circa 1970 who catapulted the genre forward as teenagers and young adults in the ’87-’94 heyday are beginning to mellow out or gloss it up. Sampling laws are enforced more than ever but the indie labels are resolute in refusing to go the glittery route. Radio is dominated by obvious samples and tales of upward mobility and debauchery, while the underground mixshows stay saturated with eccentric rhyming clinics and surreal poetics. The divide is not entirely clean, however. In this era you can find surreal poets waxing profound on diamonds and champagne, gritty crime narratives on major label releases, and a whole host of songs that defy categorization (and a few that even defy simple explanation). This series is for those of you who know that the late ‘90s is deeper than just Organized Konfusion, Ras Kass, Mase, Nas, and Company Flow (no disrespect intended of course). This is for those of you that know that great hip hop comes from all corners of the USA and around the world, that the b-sides of overlooked 12”s and the album cuts of long forgotten tapes contain true gems. Songs that speak to our hunger for dope beats and lyrics and manage to stand out from the crowd. We made a special effort to seek out songs that you probably haven’t heard or don’t really remember too clearly, while making sure that each selection hearkens backs to the last era in which musical diversity and quality could be taken for granted. You need to hear this. Enjoy our 100 picks, coming at you at the rate of twenty five per day just in time for the holidays.

R.A.W. - Linguistic Ventriloquist
Straight out of Delaware, R.A.W. drops a relentless rhyme style over a crisp, jazzy beat. A rare but very worthwhile treat.

Rakim - Waiting For The World To End
The God MC describes life in the bleak world of Wyandanche, Strong Island over understated but fitting production.

Rasco - Heat Seeking
Rezidue - Droppin Rezidue

Saafir - I'm Saafir (The Saucy Nomad)
I image some west coast G-Funk producer left his studio door open by accident, then a drunken MC walked in and recorded some fucked up vocals over the beat as a joke. Yet it worked out even nicer than any gangsta rapper could have done it.

Sach - Poetical Me
One part of The Nonce group, Nouka Basetype, now known as Sach, has dropped a cassette only album, with really dope cuts on it. On this track you can check how poetical he can be.

Scaramanga - Holdin' New Cards

Seagram - Sleepin In My Nikes feat. Scarface
This is such a creepy track as it starts with Scarface reminding us that Seagram Miller is no longer alive, so I automatically imagine Seagram in a coffin with his nikes on. I truly think this is the coldest track in hiphop history.

Self Scientific - Degrees
Oh man, this beat was truly next level and would probably be revered by
other 'trippy' types of genres, if they only knew. Chase Infinite truly drops
degrees here, well after it was the 'cool' thing to do.

Shamus - Tight Team
New York's obscure artist has released his first and only album, EP style. A very dark and obscure release. Two tracks, including this one were produced by Buckwild.

Slick Rick - King Piece In The Chess Game
Unfairly overlooked and underrated gem from Ricky D's "Art Of Storytelling" album. The fact that this joint was originally released on white-label under the name "Panties Stay Wet" should be enough reason for you to listen.

Souls Of Mischief - Shooting Stars
Opio catches wreck over a most unorthodox beat, getting great mileage out of his extended metaphor and devoting the last verse to clowning Chino XL

Spice 1 - Suckas Do What They Can Real Playas feat. Yukmouth, Too Short & Rouger Troutman

Storm The Unpredictable - MC's Be Killin Me
Oxon Hill's greatest rapper of all-time? Boom-Bap lyrically lyrical shit that you just don't find today. Storm was that dude.

Street Smartz - Don't Trust Anyone
Buckwild laced a smooth melodic beat backed up by F.T rugged flow. DJ KO scratches the line "Ain't No One We Can Trust" from Onyx's Evil Streets for the chorus.

T Love - I'm Coming
A Kid Called Miles lays down a murky, funky banger for the West Coast femcee, off of her extremely underrated debut EP.

Tasc 4orce - Root Of All Evil
Thrust - Emcee
Tony Da Skitzo - Let's Drift

Ugly Duckling - Einstein's Takin' Off
Einstein leaves his physics on the side and starts his theoretical work on SP 1200.

Voodu - Introduction
Western Hemisfear rapper and producer brings to you the darkest introductio from his dark regions.

Wee Bee Foolish - The Kid

Witchdoctor, Khujo, & T-Mo Goodie - Smooth Shit
A true gem from one of the Dungeon Family's most prolific yet ignored talents. The title alone tells you what to expect, so just kick back and vibe to the Witchdoctor's unique blend of spirituality, smoke, and sex.

Wu-Syndicate - Where Was Heaven
All That I Got Is You Pt.2", Mylanski talks about his young life growing up in the VA projects.

Yah Supreme - Old & Wise
Not enough can be said of this emcee who disappeared as quick as he emerged. In a class of his own, style similar to none, this song is a perfect intro to his music and a gem you should never forget.

Young Lay - Got 2 Survive feat. Mac Mall, Ray Luv & 2Pac

Underrated producer Khayree and his label Young Black Brotha Records deliever another Bay Area collabo that leaves you missing this very sound is missed today.

[Download Part IV here]

100 Tracks You Need To Hear (97-99) Part III

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear Part III

1997-1999. You swear it wasn’t that long ago, but you know it might as well have been eons ago. Depending on your outlook, this is either the tail end of a gilded age or the beginning of the apocalypse. During this time, the hip hop artists born circa 1970 who catapulted the genre forward as teenagers and young adults in the ’87-’94 heyday are beginning to mellow out or gloss it up. Sampling laws are enforced more than ever but the indie labels are resolute in refusing to go the glittery route. Radio is dominated by obvious samples and tales of upward mobility and debauchery, while the underground mixshows stay saturated with eccentric rhyming clinics and surreal poetics. The divide is not entirely clean, however. In this era you can find surreal poets waxing profound on diamonds and champagne, gritty crime narratives on major label releases, and a whole host of songs that defy categorization (and a few that even defy simple explanation). This series is for those of you who know that the late ‘90s is deeper than just Organized Konfusion, Ras Kass, Mase, Nas, and Company Flow (no disrespect intended of course). This is for those of you that know that great hip hop comes from all corners of the USA and around the world, that the b-sides of overlooked 12”s and the album cuts of long forgotten tapes contain true gems. Songs that speak to our hunger for dope beats and lyrics and manage to stand out from the crowd. We made a special effort to seek out songs that you probably haven’t heard or don’t really remember too clearly, while making sure that each selection hearkens backs to the last era in which musical diversity and quality could be taken for granted. You need to hear this. Enjoy our 100 picks, coming at you at the rate of twenty five per day just in time for the holidays.

Ill Advised - Mic-Adelphia
Straight from the Quake City valuts boasting a Sadat X sample and Illadelph swag.

Jedi Son of Spock & Yeshua dapoED - Spitmode
Classic late 90’s indie flava from Yesh’s ill-named protégé. The two display some amazing back-and-forth chemistry, trading verses like water over dapoED’s organic production.

Killarmy - Allah Sees Everything

Kool DJ EQ - Three Emcees feat. Casual, DEL & Xzibit
An unusual combo that works wonders.

Kool Keith - Plastic World
"Payola scams switched DJ’s like a rubber band. Everybody clear with beats trying to be Premier..."

K-Otix - Do You Wanna Be An Emcee? feat. DJ Jazzy Jeff
Texas meets Philly and asks the most common rap question.

La The Darkman - Az The World Turnz feat. Raekwon

Last Emperor - Echo Leader
Last Emp gets down for the dorks. Pop culture references abound amidst the crunching instrumental on this ’98 banger.

Living Legends - Hip Hop
Lords of the Underground - Retaliate
L'Roneous da Versifier - L'chemy

Mac Dre - Rapper Gone Bad
Fools who think Ronald Dregan could only rap about ecstasy pills and going dumb are about to get wig-flipped. While Dre is no Rakim, he proves he can easily hold his own on the centerpiece from his 1999 album of the same name. Yadadi?

Mike Zoot - The Turn Pt. 2 feat. Royal Flush
Moodswingaz - Musslin

Mountain Brothers - Thoroughbred
Styles, Peril-L & CHOPS over funky basslines break down their throughness lifting a Posdnous line from "Stakes Is High."

Mr. Live & Tony Bones - Splashin' Over Monica
Goofy platter from one of rap’s most underrated duos. Funky enough…for a state dinner? Echo Leader thinks so.

Murs - All Day
When Nick Carter was just having fun, sampling De La Soul and would drop lines like "on Monday nights I watch RAW (WWF) and Ally McBeal.

Neek The Exotic - Exotic Is Raw
This is Neek's first solo record from 98'. Still down' with Large Pro, Extra P gives him one of his best head-nodding signature beat. Neek truly shows his rawness on the mic.

No I.D. - Original Man feat. Dug Infinite
Chicago producer teamed up with his Chicago fellow, Dug Infinite, to make this very slept on album. On this track their slogan is simple: They originate, you duplicate.

Non-Phixion - How To Kill A Cop
The most prominent conspiracy theorists in rap flip Redman’s original concept to a T, trading blunts and chickenheads for Glocks and dust. Some may call it heresy, but I call it hilarity.

Outsidaz - Money Money Money
Young Zee & New Jeruz' most maligned rap crew tear up this atmospheric ode to the green. Who says that acid and rap don't mix?

People Under The Stairs - The Turndown
One of the funniest and doppest PUTS tracks. Have you ever experienced that kind of the turndown like they did?

Pep Love - Trinity
Hiero's most underrated talent flows effortlessly and revives the lost of art of rap storytelling at the same time, with a biblical twist that doesn't come off to preachy.

Planet Asia - Kalidascope
Track off Fresno's native debut release. I will quote one of his lines: "Adjust your lenses, and analyze the scenes that I wreck."

Pyro - Status Quotient
Chicago native and then-Harvard graduate student delivers a thesis on race relations and the corporate co-optation of hip hop, in rhyme form. It turns out much better than you'd expect.

[Download Part III here]

100 Tracks You Need To Hear (97-99) Part II

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear Part II

1997-1999. You swear it wasn’t that long ago, but you know it might as well have been eons ago. Depending on your outlook, this is either the tail end of a gilded age or the beginning of the apocalypse. During this time, the hip hop artists born circa 1970 who catapulted the genre forward as teenagers and young adults in the ’87-’94 heyday are beginning to mellow out or gloss it up. Sampling laws are enforced more than ever but the indie labels are resolute in refusing to go the glittery route. Radio is dominated by obvious samples and tales of upward mobility and debauchery, while the underground mixshows stay saturated with eccentric rhyming clinics and surreal poetics. The divide is not entirely clean, however. In this era you can find surreal poets waxing profound on diamonds and champagne, gritty crime narratives on major label releases, and a whole host of songs that defy categorization (and a few that even defy simple explanation). This series is for those of you who know that the late ‘90s is deeper than just Organized Konfusion, Ras Kass, Mase, Nas, and Company Flow (no disrespect intended of course). This is for those of you that know that great hip hop comes from all corners of the USA and around the world, that the b-sides of overlooked 12”s and the album cuts of long forgotten tapes contain true gems. Songs that speak to our hunger for dope beats and lyrics and manage to stand out from the crowd. We made a special effort to seek out songs that you probably haven’t heard or don’t really remember too clearly, while making sure that each selection hearkens backs to the last era in which musical diversity and quality could be taken for granted. You need to hear this. Enjoy our 100 picks, coming at you at the rate of twenty five per day just in time for the holidays.

D. Auguste - Sunset
The Bostonian emcee celebrates dusk as the time to "relax and chill" and also to "step out and build" over music that sets the mood precisely.

Da Great Deity Dah - Ready To Kill

Da Ruckus & Eminem - We Shine
Life’s a b up in the D.

Danja Mowf - Make It Hot feat. Lonnie B
Supafriendz go line-4-line over this '97 IRC favorite that you could have found in either #Dalnet, #Undernet or where Danja and Friendz would dwell, #Efnet.

Defari - Say It Twice
Evidence on another sound mission with Defair Heru deliever the goods.

Demastas - Feel No Guilt feat. Nine
Virgin Island's hip-hop crew Demastas & Nine kicks rhymes on one of the illest piano sampled beat with a classic Audio Two sample produced by Rob Lewis who also produced many of Nine's classics songs. This was their second 12" but unfortunately nothing ever followed.

Devin The Dude & K-Dee - One Day At A Time
The Dude connects with MIA Ice Cube-affiliate K-Dee to kick a message everyone can relate to. Just remember to hit 'em with the dub when you see 'em out mobbin'.


Diamond D - Flowin
If you aren't feeling this song you just weren't meant for this life.

Digital Underground - The Odd Couple (Humpty Hump and Biz Markie)
This classic mashup of the two oddest MC's in the hiphop game will forever be the closest that hiphop will come to making Rap-Stand-Up-Comedy.

Divine Styler - Before Mecca
The god released this banger, ripping it reminiscent to his earlier days,
and was able to pull it off with divine results. Sadly the album was way
under the radar and none of the beats quite lived up to this one.

DJ Shadow - Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)
When "Endroducing" dropped in 1996, I always wished that "Organ Donor" was longer. Turns out there was an extended version on the "High Noon" single. Just took me a few years to find it.

Dres - Hi & Lo
It's strange to hear such a clever MC who always has a joke on deck get deep about the low's that he's hit as a musician. One of Dres' dopest tracks.

Equilibrium - Windows '98
Ill Bill Gates rides for Equilibrium.

Finsta Bundy - Don't Stress Tomorrow
An anthem for us who have always struggled to keep food in fridge,
it still holds weight today more than ever. But hey, don't stress tomorrow.

Fly Guy Kool Kim - Ya Gotta Know (Dolo Fly Guy Version)
Solo track from UMC member, produced by Haas G. Equally as good was the b side "Skilz R Amazing."

Foul Play - Break It Down (Maylay Sparks)
Before Rahsheed aka Maylay Sparks got down with Ill Advised he was making noise with his original crew, Foul Play.

Frankenstein - Rain Is Gone
Frank is one of Canada’s most underrated producer/MCs and this song, his ode to the backstabbers, will show you why. Lace up your boots and zip up your goose, it's about to get chilly.

Govna Mattic - Family Day feat. Redman, Tame One, Young Zee, Pace Won, Runt Dog & Roz Noble

Grouch - Once Upon A Rhyme
He's far from Rakim on the mic and he's hardly Pete Rock behind the boards. Yet somehow Grouch makes it all work, really well.

Guerilla Maab - Keep Watching Me
Z-Ro shows why heads who know still check for him in this slightly head-spinning double-time SUC exhibition.

Haiku De'Tat - Non Compos Mentis
Eschewing the abrasiveness that often characterized Freestyle Fellowship songs, Aceyalone, Ab Rude, and Mikah-9 drop mellifluous rhymes over smooth live instrumentation and the result is something transcendent yet palatable.

Handsome Boy Modeling School - The Truth feat. J-Live & Roisin Murphy
Herbaliser - 8 Pt. Agenda feat. Latryx
I-Power - Under Da Sun

Ice-T - NY NY
This track starts off with a drop by Onyx representin' NY. You already know that Ice-T represents LA all the way to NY. Marc Live gave Ice-T the perfect beat for this type of song.

[Download Pt.2 here]

100 Tracks You Need To Hear ('97-'99) Part I

The T.R.O.Y. Blog Presents
100 Tracks You Need To Hear ('97-'99) Part I

1997-1999. You swear it wasn’t that long ago, but you know it might as well have been eons ago. Depending on your outlook, this is either the tail end of a gilded age or the beginning of the apocalypse. During this time, the hip hop artists born circa 1970 who catapulted the genre forward as teenagers and young adults in the ’87-’94 heyday are beginning to mellow out or gloss it up. Sampling laws are enforced more than ever but the indie labels are resolute in refusing to go the glittery route. Radio is dominated by obvious samples and tales of upward mobility and debauchery, while the underground mixshows stay saturated with eccentric rhyming clinics and surreal poetics. The divide is not entirely clean, however. In this era you can find surreal poets waxing profound on diamonds and champagne, gritty crime narratives on major label releases, and a whole host of songs that defy categorization (and a few that even defy simple explanation). This series is for those of you who know that the late ‘90s is deeper than just Organized Konfusion, Ras Kass, Mase, Nas, and Company Flow (no disrespect intended of course). This is for those of you that know that great hip hop comes from all corners of the USA and around the world, that the b-sides of overlooked 12”s and the album cuts of long forgotten tapes contain true gems. Songs that speak to our hunger for dope beats and lyrics and manage to stand out from the crowd. We made a special effort to seek out songs that you probably haven’t heard or don’t really remember too clearly, while making sure that each selection hearkens backs to the last era in which musical diversity and quality could be taken for granted. You need to hear this. Enjoy our 100 picks, coming at you at the rate of twenty five per day just in time for the holidays.

100x - Philly Niggas International feat. Black Thought, Malik B & Rasheed Wallace
Courtesy of L.E. Square's private stash, 100x teams up with Roots Crew members and Simon Gratz stand-out and NBA's public enemy #1, Rasheed Wallace.

2Rude - Innovations feat. Saukrates & Pharaohe Monch

3X Krazy - Keep It On The Real
Bay Area heads will no doubt recognize this classic track from the trio’s “Stackin’ Chips” album. Ethereal Oaktown madness.

Above the Law - Deep Az The Root
Although they are better known for living like hustlers, this acoustic guitar-laced track renders homage to the sadder events that have made them stronger. The chorus ask "Everyday is an episode, can you handle the load?"

Aceyalone & Abstract Rude - Me & My Main

Adagio - The Break
Consisting of Big Cousin "The Obvious Wonder" and Reign Supreme, Adagio repped hard between Uptown and Philly. Their signature ill smoothed out approach to beats is evident here and Reign Supreme's mic demolition is in full swing. They were down with the Juggaknots, nuff said.

Agallah - Crookie Monster
What do you get when you cross a beloved Muppet and one of the Alchemist’s illest beats? That’s that Crookie, duns.

All City - Afta Hourz
Better check how they do it or you can get robbed blind quick before you can blink.

All Natural - Writer's Block
Capital D draws the listener into his fictional world and tells a story we can all relate to.

Arsonists - Fat Laces
The Bushwick crew eschew their usually obstreperous deliveries for a much smoother approach on the mic, and it works wonders.

B-1 - Life We Lead
Bee Why - Come Up

Big Kwam - The Reunion
I swear I can hear a faint trace of Minnie Riperton howling in the background of this. Kind of a Natural Elements influenced duo, they both tear it down back and forth. Ring The Alarm!

Binary Star - Evolution Of Man
Pontiac, Michigan duo, brought to us an excellent underground record with some pure gems on it, similar like this one here.

BQE - Last Messiah
Brainsick Enterprize - Time To Shine

Brick City Kids - What What
Recorded under the BCK alias in order to avoid contract violation, El Da Sensei and Tame One flip rugged braggadocio over some Ghetto Pros heat. Classic ‘Facts, undeniably Jerz.

Burnt Batch - Temptation
The Stockton, CA crew narrates cautionary tales of lust, crime, and deception over a shimmering Crusaders sample.

Camp Lo - Black Nostaljack (Remix) feat. Kid Capri and Run
Capone-N-Noreaga - Closer (Sam Sneed Version)

C-Bo - Money By The Ton
Math lessons from the gas chamber.

Chubb Rock - The Mind
CNN - Bloody Money Part IV (Remix) feat. Nas

It's not mentioned anywhere, but there is a (recycled?) verse from Big L in here. And I believe this was only released on some bootleg vinyl.

Connecticut Cartel - All Out (97)
Cru - Nothin' But feat. Black Rob

Download Part I

The Bridge is NOT Over pt. 1

This is not a collection of hip hop instrumentals. It isn't a collection of beats with played instruments like De La Soul's "I Be Blowin", nor will you hear sample-rich beats with layered pieces meshing harmoniously like the Cunnylinguists perfectly executed Remember Me [Abstract Reality]. None of these work alone. They are part of the song, "musical bridges" that usually join two halves of songs.


I'll start this off chronologically(and then proceed to completely lose respect for father time).

1. RUN DMC - RAGTIME

Run DMC were pretty much breaking ground with each song they made on their first three albums, sometimes to amazing success. On the other hand they tried a few experiments that didn't even dent hiphop's history. Mixing hiphop with a Big Band sound was one of those. After hearing "Ragtime" though, I personally would not mind hearing more of these experiments ;)





2. DIGITAL UNDERGROUND - NUTTIN NIS FUNKY

Although "Same Song" would fit MUCH better in this compilation of instruments wildin' out over hiphop tracks, I fuckin' hate the organ sound they used on that track. Instead, "Nuttin Nis Funky" provides a great slow galloping beat for a very hiphop-ish instrument to freestyle with tranquility: The turntable. DJ Fuze is by far my favorite DJ, so I place this track on a pedestal with a plaque under it that says "DJ's: You Will NEVER Make Nuttin Nis Funky".





3. BRAND NUBIAN - CLAIMIN' I'M A CRIMINAL

One thing I would never have expected was Brand Nubian + acoustic guitar solos...





4. DJ QUIK - ONLY FOR THE MONEY

Dj Quik showed you how classy and musical he could be on his second album "Way II Fonky". In between his gangbangs, his late nite pimpin' and his soulglo-spraying, he managed to find time to really add to his tracks with instruments.




5. MC EIHT - STREIHT UP MENACE

And now for his one time biggest enemy, MC Eiht. Yup no G, just like Quik said "you aint got no G in you". When I heard "Streiht Up Menace", I figured that this would be the sound of his first solo album. I was wrong.



6. TOO SHORT - ONLY THE STRONGEST SURVIVE

Also on the Menace II Society album, we have a Too Short track, produced by the Dangerous Crew who have more than earned their bragging rights with their talented musicians to add mad depth to their tracks. Did that just read bork bork? Sorry let's let the music speak for itself!





7. D-NICE - STRAIGHT FROM THE BRONX

With his sophomore album "To The Rescue", he pulled a Kool G Rap on us with this track. They are the same in the respect that they both utilize fake instruments played by keyboards, in this both cases being a cheesy casio-sounding saxophone.





8. KOOL G RAP - STREETS OF NY

And now for the original 5-cent sound of that jazz musician trying to impress you for some change. With those minor piano chords, I'm impressed, here's 10 dollars, buy yerself a flask of moonshine.






9. EAZY-E - EAZY STREET

All Eazy E fans know that he's probably funnier than he is a cold hearted killer and this freestyle "skat" leaves NO doubt behind.





10. FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP - INNERCITY BOUNDARIES

South Central, LA, home to another gang-riddled area, gave birth to another hiphop act influenced by jazz-skatting: Freestyle Fellowship. This Daddy-O produced track (crazy huh?) lifted the whole album by 100 cool points when he made the four MC's flow over this all-instrument played track.




11. GOLD MONEY - NOTHING

I was just mentioning this album in the Pee Wee post I did. It's the longest in this list at 3:41, and it's also the most unique. I say this because it's obviously jazz, but its got this funky backbone that makes your head bop hard. The drums are tremendously Digital Underground, and make you realize that, yes, they had their clappin-snappin sound 15 years before it got overused ad-nauseam in so many 2000ish hit songs.

I have more to come, but if anyone can help me identify more of these, I would love to actually blend these together in the future.

Producer Highlight - Pee Wee

Damn, I really miss detailed credits on albums.

Credits are what made me keep an eye (ear) open for The Beatnuts, Battlecat and Sam Sever. But in the late 80's, the producer's role still wasn't really prominent, it was usually a list of musicians that could tell a story before you even heard the song. So going to my bay area favorites, as long as it said Shorty B on bass, I KNEW it was going to be deep, slow and funky.



Another name that kept popping up in the bay area was Pee Wee. Mainly this was because I have always been a big "Digital Underground" fan, and by 1991, Pee Wee was a mainstay in the group.




Once you popped in their third album "Sons of the P" into your yellow sony walkman, the first verse we heard was Pee Wee's:

DIGITAL UNDERGROUND - THE D-FLO SHUTTLE

Let me give your ears a baptismal
Dip into the pool and let me chisel
Chunks of ignorance out your brain system
As I implant wisdom in the name of d-flo
Here we go with this, let me flow with this
Holy glory, how the dolio flow in this

He came off as a new Digital Underground MC, since they are known to add new MC's on each album. But, a quicker look to the credits would prove that he also a major player behind the boards, ass he grabs the Producer credit for "D-Flo Shuttle", and to be behind the sounds that came out of that album was, and still is, quite impressive. I had to dig deeper.

It wasn't too hard, because Pee Wee and hiphop's deepest baritone voice ever, Big Money Odis, got together to put out "A Day In The Life of a Player", as the duo "Gold Money". It lacked charisma, but still had some absolutely ridiculous tracks in between, starting with the funkiest motherfunken pimp track ever "Youngblood" (everything played by himself!) and finishing the track with the most "pwnest" track ever recorded. It was a one on one conversation between Pee Wee and the group called "The Young Black Teenagers". They get served. then chilled. And are never to be heard of again. Throughout the production of the album Pee Wee really takes full control and let's the album slide through hundreds of genres within 11 tracks. "Mnniiggaahh" starts with Beethoven - Fur elise and crashes into a heavy-rock induced track, while "Nothing" starts funky, goes into jazz, and then just gets deep into some "Pink Pantherish" finger-snappin' nouveau jazz movements.

GOLD MONEY - YOUNGBLOOD




Now, this was a GREAT time for Digital Underground, because just a year before Raw Fusion came out with "Live From the Styleetron" and Tupac debuted with "2Pacalypse Now". I liked both albums equally at first, but every time I realized that Live From The Styleetron was kickin harder, I would be held back to the fact that "Trapped" was slowly becoming my favorite rap song, so that would keep my interest for Pac's album. The credits on his album were disgusting and fucked up beyond belief. For example, I could clearly hear Pee Wee rapping on "I Don't Give a Fuck", but nothing in the credits. So for many years I thought that Pee Wee was just MCing and probably lending a hand in production. And not bad, his lyrics BLASTED the cops and became Pac's anthem for his second album.

Niggas!, isn't just the blacks
also a gang of mother-fuckers dressed in blue slacks
They say niggas hang in packs and their attitude is shitty
Tell me, who's the biggest gang of niggas in the city

When I grabbed that "Trapped" single from someone's record crates, the credits were much clearer. It said in three words. Produced by Pee-Wee.

TUPAC - TRAPPED


Pee Wee's voice would pop out again on the Dangerous Crew's album "Don't Try This At Home". The track "Gone With The Wind" was so dope that it must have been on every mixtape I made during the next 8 years.

DANGEROUS CREW - GONE WITH THE WIND


When I had the opportunity to ask him about this project with the Dangerous Crew, he told me that the crew was actually him, Shorty B and Father Dom:

"We used that album to feature Ourselves, Bad Influence (for some reason didn't make the album), Father Dom, Goldie, the Lunies (ended up going to another label) and all of the groups on Shorts new Dangerous Music Label. That's why every body thought the DANGEROUS CREW WAS ALL THOSE PEOPLE. Hey if you have that album and you look at my picture, that's NOT ME. Somebody switched the pictures at the label. I still don't know if it was done on purpose or if it was an accident. But, I guess that "gone with the Wind " was my pre-warning to get out of there. I'm still cool with Short and Shorty B and all the Rappers"

This all sounds typical of the Industry Rule #4080.

You will hear Pee Wee poppin' up all over the place during the years that Bay Area rap was running things. "Menace II Society" has his sounds on Ant Bank's "Packin a Gat" and Too Short's "Only the Strong Survive". Goldy, a Too Short affiliated MC, also had quite a few tracks with Pee Wee's production. He got busy on the white and black keys all over Too Short's albums "Cocktales" and "Get In Where Ya Fit In". I am sure his guitars got some licks on those too. A few tracks on Spice 1's "Black Bosalini" album got the Pee-Wee treatment too.

As the Bay Area lost it's "hiphop clout", Discogs.com slowly loses trace of any more current things Pee Wee's on.

The last time we chatted, he didn't mention anything specific, but this was quite a long time ago, so I'll shoot him a quick message and let's see if he adds his two cents to this piece!




For now, I hope you enjoy the Gold Money album, VERY rare, but sadly I think that my CD Rip skips on one track. I will add a few other tracks mentioned here to the zipped file.

-- cenzi stiles

Produce-A-Lot

When we talk about our "Top 5" producers, we almost never see the following names: John Bido, N.O. Joe, Brad Jordan, Mike Dean or James Smith.

This production team is behind putting Houston on hiphop's map. They are Rap-A-Lot's in-house production team, behind Geto Boy's classics "Mind Playing Tricks On Me", "Gangster Of Love", "I Aint With Being Broke".

GETO BOY - I AINT WITH BEING BROKE


It's really hard to go through Rap-A-Lot credits, because they don't detail by tracks, but rather just put "album produced by" and then list off all the names. Those aforementioned names always appear on almost every Rap-A-Lot product, but in different order. Perfect example: 5th Ward Boyz - Ghetto Dope EP. "Producer - James Smith, John Bido, Mike Dean, N.O. Joe". Echo Leader mentioned this on his Vintage Rap-A-Lot post.




Mike Dean and Devin argue over weed

Sometimes you can tell who did which beat by the sound, for example Mike Dean plays a lot of crisper guitars, so you know it's him behind quite a few tracks on that Geto Boys "Resurrection" album. Mike also did quite a bit of engineering and mastering for Rap-A-Lot, so his name and sound appears even when his beats don't.


Brad Jordan

Brad Jordan, better known as the MC Scarface, likes his deeper yet nasal bass, so Menace Clan's "What You Say" has that signature synth bass that also comes up again in Scarface's "My Homiez". He also seems to enjoy slow-roll BPM's which is fine with me!

MENACE CLAN - WHAT YOU SAYIN' (dope fuckin track!)


SCARFACE - MY HOMIEZ


Before we go any further, a perfect example of how they work together is adding Brad's slow gangsta funk wit Mike Dean's fascination for hi-figh sounds in Facemobs "Stay True".

FACEMOB - STAY TRUE


Bido has a dope production style. And he has had a lot of time and experience to perfect it, since he is definitely the first of the group to really put in work for Rap-A-Lot, through "Grip It! On That Other Level" back in '89. All those dirty vinyl drum loops and soul samples are brought to life through quite a few of his beats. Scarface's "Street Life" from the South Central soundtrack and Too Much Troubles "Family" show off this resurrecting style.

Geto Boys - Stret Life


Too Much Troubles "Family"




N.O. Joe

N.O. Joe brings more synth sounds, but always with real minimalistic results and his "gumbo funk" as he calls it. A non Rap-A-Lot track that really highlights his production is AZ's "Doe or Die", where only during the chorus are there more synthetic g-strings. Scarface's "Friday Night" from the Friday soundtrack showcases the same style.

AZ - DOE OR DIE


SCARFACE - FRIDAY NIGHT


They have recycled a few of their own beats for different albums. Maybe they really liked their own tunes? These two have the same piano loops.

Willie D - Die
Bushwick Bill - Ever So Clear

Willie D - Die


Bushwick Bill - Ever So Clear




And with these two, well, it certainly sounds like a "pt.1 and pt.2" situation.

Geto Boys - Straight Gangsterism
Big Mike - On Da Real

Geto Boys - Straight Gangsterism


Big Mike - On Da Real


Those four mentioned are the main musical producers, and I have a feeling that even though we see "James Smith" on production credits, he was probably more of the Executive Producer than the musical kind. James, or Prince J, is the business man/mind behind the whole Rap-A-Lot empire, so it doesn't surprise me much to see him dipping his hand in the production credits.

Now, mind you that I have only picked the songs that best describe each producers style, but one day I would like to make a Best of Rap-A-Lot, but until then, once again I gotta redirect you to Echo's recent post "Vintage Rap-A-Lot"


-- cenzi stiles

Tall Dark & Handsome - Jackson 5

Does anyone recognize a track that sampled the beginning of "Darling Dear" by The Jackson 5? The melody and the "La La La" singing?

Back in August, I posted on the "Track ID" thread from the T.R.O.Y. forum looking for the track that sampled it. I mentioned that the track was probably from the late 80's or early 90's. At first, I thought that it was Three Times Dope but after going through their albums, it wasn't. I was still pretty sure that it was done by a group. After 5 days, no one replied so I asked again. Fellow T.R.O.Y. Bloggers Cenzi, Verge, and another forum member said that it didn't ring a bell to them.

Today, November 7 as I'm writing, I don't really remember what triggered me listen to this track but I went on Youtube to hear Tall Dark & Handsome (self titled track) from their 1988 hip-hop album on B-Boy Records. As soon as the track started, I remembered that it was that song that I was looking for 3 months straight. I knew that I wasn't dreaming.. It's definitely a classic 'ahead of its time' type of joint! If you want their album you can buy the Traffic Ent. Reissue from 2005. I still included a link courtesy of bustthefacts for those who wants to give it a quick listen.

Peace,


Tall Dark & Handsome - T.D.H. (1988)

- Thomas V

Beef: X-Clan vs. Boogie Down Productions

This is a strange and unwanted beef between two crews of straight intellectuals, who both seemed to be on the same page. The main difference was (and probably still is) that one crew is pro-black while the other one was pro-human.





X-CLAN - FIRE AND EARTH





More than a diss record, they just happened to remember Kris's humanist stance, and in this pro-black track they had to air it out:



And here's a message to the Rainbow crew

And their fearless leader, Captain Human:

Revolution is not humanism!

Individualism and not separatism!



Even Professor X (RIP) raps on this one, instead of just "sissying" and "pink cadillacing".



Over and under as I progress to this

Got no time to be hanging out with humanists

Raise a flag, fly the, tag the hand, clutch the fist

Serve we nationally comes the diss

Humanity keep it with us we break edicts



On another track ("Grand Verbalizer") from their first album, Brother J also sends a direct hit to KRS:



Go from go from verb to verb,

Sit back and take heed, brother

YOU must learn!



Now to be fair though, there is an interview with Brother J over at Unkut.com where J states that there never was any hostile situations.

"The original situation with me and Kris wasn’t a beef, it was more of a misunderstanding on the audience’s part(...) All I was trying to state was that black people were not ready at the time for “humanism” views – we don’t have our house clean. (...) So my thing was to him [KRS] “You must learn”, take some time back and sit back and let’s build, sit down with some different elders and see it from different perspective before it goes out there like that. And the crowd instantly took it and said “Ohh, you beefing with KRS, the greatest MC of all time!”

Personally I call bullshit. I guess that memo never got to Kris, 'cause he put on his chef's apron and served them some craaaazy beef.







BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS - BUILD AND DESTROY





The great response by KRS was not only to destroy them as artists, but also went up against their beliefs. The fact that KRS got up in pro-black's asses with his two verses just proved that he wasn't afraid of ANYTHING.



He very cleverly showed and proved that many black men are worse then white devils, using Colin Powell as a great example.



Throw in the towel, the devil is Colin Powell

You talk about being African and being black

Colin Powell's black, but Libya he'll attack

Libya's in Africa, but a black man

will lead a black man, to fight against his homeland

An accomplice to the devil is a devil too

The devil is anti-human, who the hell are you?



He then went up against all philosophies that defend that since the first man from Africa as the original man, therefore all black men are the original man. He even goes up against 5%'s that focus on black man being God.





God is not any black man on the land; God is consciousness

When you understand this you'll see Kris

Until then, you can get dissed



He finishes his diss, or better yet, his lesson, with a mouth smacking teacher-to-student verse:





Yes I am the original teacher

You gotta study the Qu'ran, Torah, Bahavaghita

The Bible, Five Baskets of Buddha Zen

And when you've read them shits, READ them shits again!

But watch what you're repeatin

If you don't know the history of the author

you don't know what you're reading!

Yeah I'm still the original

Leaving MC's lyrically miserable

Their criminal syllables are minimal, show me respect BOY

Cause I build and destroy!



This is a lesser known battle where KRS stomped all over an MC. Brother J never responded, but instead, years later invited KRS to X-Clan's album to "Speak the Truth":



X-CLAN ft. KRS-1 - "Speak the Truth"







-- cenzi stiles