Last year we brought you The Cellar EP courtesy of our homie DJ Mike Nice and now Mike is blessing the internet again with the INSTRUMENTAL versions.
We can't thank him enough and suggest you check out his blog and lend a kind word or two yourself. For anyone who wants this on wax, Mike has an extra copy for sale/trade as well. --Philaflava
Godfather Don was one of my favorite emcees AND producers of the 90's. He definitely had his signature sound down pat. Sleighbells here and there, smooth, sometimes evil, jazz xylophone bell type samples, and ill as fuck horn riffs. To me, Ultramagnetic's Four Horsemen album is where he really started to make his mark and master his style.
In the mid 90's, every once in awhile, I would see these "Hydra Beats" records on the shelf.
Whenever I would see a Godfather Don one, I would scoop that joint right on up. I still never had them all and never would until these days of the internet. At least mp3 wise, but it's the music that matters.
So, today, we're gonna bring you the entire Godfather Don Hydra Beat collection.
Get to downloading and get you're CD burners ready for this one. You'll definitely want to knock these out the jeep, especially at night.
Editor's Note: Hydra released another Godfather Don instrumental album in 2004, but I didn't include it here because it doesn't really fit in with the sound on these. Also, by Part 4 of this collection, you'll notice his change of approach to beatmaking and the drop off in that real Don signature formula [in my opinion], but there's still a few bangers on there.
1. Executive Technology 2. Cream of Corina 3. Slick City Sick 4. Hot Open 5. Mi Vida Enfermo 6. Ream-Embering Ivy 7. Fuck It Up 8. The Heat 9. Fist Full Of Pastelles 10. The Wicked City
Volume 8 of the Hydra Beats series was a double album with each of the following producers having a side to themselves: Godfather Don, Ghetto Professionals, The Beatnuts, and Sean C. Here are only the GFD tracks-
1. Mental Liks 2. Pure Elevation 3. As the World Burns 4. Wilson Ave. 5. Getaway 6. Feel Me 7. Pay Back 8. Where I'm Comming From 9. Twisted 10. I'll Be Back
1. Unreliable 2. No Free Shows 3. Hey Why Show Up 4. Call Me A Cab 5. Boning 6. Just Mix It Yourself 7. My Driver's Downstairs 8. Video Taping 9. Beep Lance 10. Porno's My Game
Your De La Soul collection should consist of their first four instrumental LPs, numerous soundboard recordings from concerts in between the years of '88 and '98, a gang of shelved demos from the "De La Soul Is Dead" and "Buhloone Mindstate" sessions, etc. Instead, you're left fiending for these things, and chances are that you'll never see anything released.
Here are all of their known instrumentals from between the years of '88 and '98. If I missed anything, hit us up in the comments section.
De La Soul - The Instrumentals Volume 1 1. Me Myself And I 2. Me Myself And I (Oblapos Mode) 3. Potholes In My Lawn 4. Buddy (Native Tongue Decision) 5. Ghetto Thang (Ghetto Ximer) 6. Say No Go (New Keys) 7. Say No Go (Bonus Beats) 8. Keepin' The Faith 9. Keepin' The Faith (Straight Pass) 10. Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa (Full Mix) 11. Ring Ring Ring (Sax Mix) 12. Saturdays (Mo Mo Dub) http://www.mediafire.com/?hq3g1l3nnyy
De La Soul - The Instrumentals Volume 2 1. The Dawn Brings Smoke 2. Breakadawn (De La Remix) 3. Breakadawn 4. Ego Trippin' 5. Ego Trippin' (Egoristic Mix) 6. Lovely How I Let My Mind Float 7. En Focus 8. Fallin' 9. Stakes Is High 10. Stakes Is High (Remix) 11. The Bizness 12. The Bizness (Remix) 13. Itzsoweezee 14. Trouble In The Water 15. More Than You Know http://www.mediafire.com/?wmgvgzg4yfn
In 1999, the video game "Wu Tang: Shaolin Style" was released for the PlayStation. It was titled "Taste The Pain" in PAL territories. It was a fighting game based on the Wu-Tang Clan's kung fu influence. Wu Tang: Shaolin Style was poorly received by many video game reviewers but anyway, my intention is to post the soundtrack not the video game. The PlayStation disc had its soundtrack which was playable on every music cd player. It featured every song that was exclusively made for the game.
1. La The Darkman & RZA - Wu World Order 2. U-God - Rumble (Feat. Inspectah Deck, Letha Face, & Method Man) 3. Masta Killa - Shaolin Temple 4. Tekitha - Back To 36 (Take It Back) 5. La The Darkman & RZA - Wu World Order (Instrumental) 6. U-God - Rumble (Instrumental) (Prod. By True Master) 7. RZA - Instrumental #1 8. RZA - Instrumental #2 9. RZA - Instrumental #3 10. RZA - Jungle Instrumental #1 11. RZA - Jungle Instrumental #2 12. RZA - Jungle Instrumental #3 13. La The Darkman & RZA - Wu World Order (Chorus Acapella) 14. RZA - Jungle Instrumental #4
Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be posting production compilations for all of the Hiero producers. There will be 24 volumes in all, or 2 GB worth of music, so get your external HDs ready.
First up, we got 4 volumes from one of the most underrated producers in the history of hip hop: Domino. Casual's "Fear Itself" LP from '94 is generally regarded as a classic, and Domino's funk-based arsenal is one of the album's key ingredients. He also hooked up some of the dopest beats on Del's '93 masterpiece "No Need For Alarm", and he was the foremost producer on Hiero's underrated '98 LP "3rd Eye Vision". Aside from his stellar contributions on the aforementioned albums, he also produced quite a few bangers of the non-album variety.
The production discography speaks for itself; Domino deserves a shitload of credit for helping to define the Hieroglyphics sound.
Domino - Production Files Volume 1 1. Pep Love & Jay-Biz - Sailing 2. Pep Love, Jay-Biz & Del - Anasthesia 3. Pep Love & Jay-Biz - The Blues 4. Casual - Fear No Evil (Demo) 5. Casual, Opio & Tajai - Rippers (Demo) 6. Souls Of Mischief - Our Secret (Demo) 7. Del - No Need For Alarm 8. Del, Casual, Snupe & A-Plus - No More Worries 9. Del - Don't Forget 10. Souls Of Mischief - Let 'Em Know 11. Souls Of Mischief - Live And Let Live 12. Souls Of Mischief - Disseshowedo 13. Souls Of Mischief - What A Way To Go Out 14. Souls Of Mischief - Make Your Mind Up (Remix) 15. Souls Of Mischief - Cab Fare (Remix) 16. Souls Of Mischief - 93 Outro http://www.mediafire.com/?htymmdqth2z
Domino - Production Files Volume 2 1. Casual - Intro 2. Casual - Me-O-Mi-O 3. Casual & Saafir - That Bullshit 4. Casual - Follow The Funk 5. Casual, Del & Pep Love - Who's It On 6. Casual - We Got It Like That 7. Casual - Lose In The End 8. Casual - Thoughts Of The Thoughtful 9. Casual - Be Thousand 10. Casual - Me-O-Mi-O (Domino Remix) 11. Casual - Follow The Funk (Demo) 12. Casual - Lose In The End (Demo) 13. Casual - Thoughts Of The Thoughtful (Demo) 14. Casual, Opio & Pep Love - Who's It On (Demo) 15. Extra Prolific - Brown Sugar 16. Extra Prolific - Brown Sugar (Domino Remix) 17. Extra Prolific - Is It Right http://www.mediafire.com/?zmjkmnhyfzy
Domino - Production Files Volume 3 1. Hieroglyphics - Intro 2. Pep Love & Opio - All Things 3. Del - At The Helm 4. Tajai - Interlude 5. Hieroglyphics - Off The Record 6. A-Plus - Interlude 7. Pep Love - After Dark 8. Del & Pep Love - No Nuts 9. Del - Interlude 10. Hieroglyphics - You Never Knew (Remix) 11. Del - Press Rewind 12. Del - Phoney Phranchise (Remix) 13. Pep Love - Act Phenom 14. Pep Love - Different 15. Pep Love - Sabotage 16. Pep Love - Relief 17. Souls Of Mischief - Interrogation http://www.mediafire.com/?ivzzgdejjlm
Domino - Production Files Volume 4 1. Del - No More Worries (Instrumental) 2. Del - No Need For Alarm (Instrumental) 3. Del - Don't Forget (Instrumental) 4. Souls Of Mischief - Let 'Em Know (Instrumental) 5. Souls Of Mischief - Live And Let Live (Instrumental) 6. Souls Of Mischief - Disseshowedo (Instrumental) 7. Souls Of Mischief - What A Way To Go Out (Instrumental) 8. Souls Of Mischief - 93 Outro (Instrumental) 9. Extra Prolific - Brown Sugar (Instrumental) 10. Extra Prolific - Brown Sugar Remix (Instrumental) 11. Del - At The Helm (Instrumental) 12. Pep Love - After Dark (Instrumental) 13. Hieroglyphics - You Never Knew Remix (Instrumental) 14. Del - Press Rewind (Instrumental) 15. Del - Phoney Phranchise Remix (Instrumental) http://www.mediafire.com/?t5miodzmxtz
When you think of the mid-to-late 90s Chicago hip hop scene, the first thing that should come to mind is outstanding soul-jazz influenced production. There have been quite a few gems produced by the likes of NO ID, Kanye West, Dug Infinite, Tone B. Nimble, The Molemen, Capital D, Primeridian, etc, and fortunately, many of them have been released in instrumental format.
Here is a 2CD set containing some of the finest soul-jazz influenced beats to ever come out of Chicago.
Chicago Instrumentals Volume 1 (Soul-Jazz Edition) 1. Primeridian - Mental Void 2. All Natural - 50 Years 3. Common Sense - Nuthin' To Do 4. Verbally Diseased - Blowin' Up The Spot 5. Grav - One Puff 6. Common Sense - Resurrection 7. All Natural - Renaissance 8. Mr. Greenweedz - Some Love 9. Common Sense- Thisisme 10. Primeridian - Ring Around The Lyrical 11. Fully G - There She Goes Again (Remix) 12. Common Sense - They Say 13. Mr. Greenweedz - The Tempest 14. All Natural - It's OK 15. Verbally Diseased - The Great Chicago Fire http://www.mediafire.com/?ntdynyxlbtd
Chicago Instrumentals Volume 2 (Soul-Jazz Edition) 1. Common Sense - Charm's Alarm 2. Fully G - There She Goes Again 3. All Natural - Thinkin' Cap 4. Common Sense - Chapter 13 5. Rubberoom - Body Snatchin' (Remix) 6. Grav - Down To Earth 7. Common Sense - Soul By The Pound (Remix) 8. Mr. Greenweedz - Nocturnalasshosonathursday 9. Iomos Marad - Deep Rooted 10. No ID - Sky's The Limit (Remix) 11. Common Sense - I Used To Love Her 12. Primeridian - Primates 13. Common Sense - Retrospect For Life http://www.mediafire.com/?r19oontmmhx
Editor's note: Although we are generally known to cover the music of yesteryear, we are still fans of current music and we wish to incorporate such coverage into this blog. Kid Hum was open to the idea of discussing the samples he used for his instrumental hip hop album and wrote up the following piece for us. If you can think of a creative way to promote your music through us, without sacrificing the "throwback" focus of our blog, let us know!
To stream individual songs from Kid Hum's album Fossil Fuel, click here. If you'd like to purchase the album, check Itunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, or Napster. Here's his track by track breakdown:
Yo what's up this is Kid Hum and I wanted to take the time to describe what I do and some of the things that went into my debut instrumental album "Fossil Fuel." Like 99% of the music I have made so far, this album was made using an MPC 1000, and old records. So what I want to do is break the album down by the samples that went into it.
1. "Art Music"
The sample for this beat was taken from an Art Blakey record called Drum Suite. I really appreciate this beat because I am a big fan of Jazz and Art Blakey, but also because I find it rewarding to sample music recorded prior to the year 1960. The song is called "Cubano Chant", and what I love about it ,is it was recorded in 1956, and when looking for music from this era I don't not find lot of stuff that sounds like "Cubano Chant".
This beat was made using a Hugh Masekela sample, I went into a Hugh Masekela sampling zone awhile back and I really have no idea what I sampled of his only that it was his music.
5. "Church"
The sample for this beat is "One Day" by Albertina Walker. It is taken from her album "Please Be Patient With Me", which was recorded live in Chicago. The real element though comes from the guests on the album, The Trinity All Nation's Choir. I love sampling gospel choirs, its a liberating and empowering experience. One of my favorite things about making beats is the high I get chopping up wax like this.
This beat is all about Freddie Hubbard. I heard that trumpet line and I had to do something it. So I just looped it, added some filters here and there, and threw some drums on top. I think this is not on a Freddie Hubbard album, but an album he is playing on.
10. "R.I.P. Wade Bridges"
I made this beat after the Wake for my friend Wade Bridges who passed away earlier this year. Its a tribute to him. I don't really remember the sample.
11. "Passport"
This sample for this beat was taken from the title track on an album named "Looking Thru" by a band called Passport. I tried to flip this three times before this version manifested. The part that had me coming back is at about 3:30 into the song, which is about 8 minutes long.
This beat was made from "I'm Not In Love" by 10CC. MY MOM CALLED ME OUT ON THIS SAMPLE. Check out the Youtube video, because that is what inspired to sample this in the first place. 10CC is hilarious. Big Ups to J Dilla who I am pretty sure put everyone up on 10CC. Its obvious that Dilla influenced me, a lot.
The sample for this beat is Francis Lai, from the original soundtrack to "Un Homme et Une Femme". I'm not sure which song it was, just that it is not the title track. The original was in 3/4, which I never touch unless I have to, and which took me a while to learn how to transpose into 4/4.
14. "Speedball"
One of two beats on the album taken from a "Star Wars Disco" record by Meco. Disco is another type of music I love to sample because it is so rewarding to me to actually make it work and take away the "Disco Element" from the music. It's like the sample is hidden or trapped inside of the disco beat, and you gotta free it. Not that I don't like Disco just for being Disco, because I do.
15. "Fossils"
More Hugh Masekela.
16. "I Don't Like You Either"
The second of two beats on the album taken from the "Star Wars Disco" album by Meco. This one is my tribute to the cantina band.
17. "Moove"
My homie Judgemental from Basementalism hit me up one day and asked me to sample this. It's "Move Your Hand" from the album of the same name by Dr. Lonnie Smith.
This sample was taken from an album that was produced by GOD (seriously check the credits). I'm talking about Graham Central Stations "Release Yourself"!. The song I sampled is called "I Believe In You".
Having listened to the album for about a week now, I strongly recommend it. While some hip hop instrumental albums become humdrum or predictable after a few tracks, Fossil Fuel is banger from start to finish, and highly creative. And I generally hate on everything, ask around. -- Thun
No I.D. is mostly known for producing almost all of Common's classic album 'Resurrection', most of 'One Day It'll All Make Sense', and about half of his debut 'Can I Borrow A Dollar?' Along with Dug Infinite, they dropped a very tight album of their own, 'Accept Your Own And Be Yourself (The Black Album)' in 1997. No I.D. has gone on to work with the likes of Jermaine Dupri, Jay Z, and Usher in recent years, but of course that's not the focus here.
The first record here was released in 2001. I copped for eight bucks at a record store that doesn't know much about Hip Hop, about a month ago. There are a couple of instrumental versions of cuts from their Black Album on here and a couple of others you should recognize,but most of the beats were new to me. If not for anything else,this is well worth copping just for the re-working of the 'I Used To Love Her' beat alone. Not a bad record at all for this century.
The second record here is a bit of a rarity from around 1996, I believe. It was released on Opposition Records as part of an instrumental series along with The Beatnuts and Vic from the 'Groove Merchants'. If there were more volumes in this series that you know about,please drop a comment. Those were the only three I had and remember seeing back then.
Early 90s Edition 1. King Tee - Ruff Rhyme (Instrumental) 2. Def Jef - Black To The Future Remix (Instrumental) 3. Red Hot Lover Tone - D.I.Y.M. (Instrumental) 4. Kid Capri - Joke's On You Jack Remix (Instrumental) 5. Almighty And KD Ranks - Lyrics In A This (Instrumental) 6. ED OG & Da Bulldogs - I Got To Have It (Instrumental) 7. Paris - Days Of Old (Instrumental) 8. Almighty RSO - One In Tha Chamba (Instrumental) 9. Ed OG & Da Bulldogs - Less Than Zero (Instrumental) 10. KMD - Peachfuzz (Instrumental) 11. 3rd Bass - 3 Strikes 5000 (Instrumental) 12. Downtown Science - This Is A Visit (Instrumental) 13. Downtown Science - This Is A Visit Remix (Instrumental) 14. Donald D - Hell Raiser (Instrumental) 15. Tim Dog - Fuck Compton (Instrumental) http://www.mediafire.com/?ymnriqtddyz
King Tee track: Produced by DJ Pooh Def Jef track: Produced by The Dust Brothers Red Hot Lover Tone track: Produced by The Trackmasters Kid Capri track: Produced by Kid Capri Almighty And KD Ranks track: Produced by Tony D Ed OG tracks: Produced by Joe Mansfield Paris track: Produced by Paris Almighty RSO track: Produced by DJ Deff Jeff & Ray Dog KMD track: Produced by KMD 3rd Bass track: Produced by The SD50s Downtown Science tracks: Produced by Sam Sever Donald D track: Produced by Afrika Islam Tim Dog track: Produced by Ced Gee
When you think of dope producers from the late 90s, DJ Spinna's name should immediately come to mind, but chances are that it won't, as his clientele consisted primarily of mediocre crews like the Jigmastas, Old World Disorder, NOTS Click, etc. Luckily, just about all of Spinna's best tracks have been released in instumental format.
Here are some of my personal favorites. Drop me a line in the comments field and let me know which beat you're feeling the most. I'd have to go with "Never Minded". A good 2/3 of these beats are elite-level in my estimation, though. It's really hard to choose.
Basement Khemists - I'm Doin' Ya (Instrumental)
Basement Khemists - Joc Max Preface (Instrumental)
Basement Khemists - Vibrate (Instrumental)
Chopp Master Flopp - Peetie Swei (Instrumental)
Das Efx - Microphone Master Remix (Instrumental)
De La Soul - Stakes Is High Remix (Instrumental)
DJ Spinna - Speed (Instrumental)
IG Off & Hazardous - In The Air (Instrumental)
IG Off & Hazardous - The Nicest (Instrumental)
IG Off & Hazardous - Street Serenade (Instrumental)
IG Off & Hazardous - This Ain't Livin' (Instrumental)
J-Live - Braggin' Writes Remix (Instrumental)
J-Live - Satisfied (Instrumental)
J-Live - True School Anthem (Instrumental)
Jigmastas - Across The Globe (Instrumental)
Jigmastas - Hip Hop (Instrumental)
Jigmastas - Semi-Precious (Instrumental)
Jigmastas - Thief's Theme (Instrumental)
L Fudge - What If (Instrumental)
Mr. Akil - How MCs Do It (Instrumental)
Mr. Complex - Why Dontcha (Instrumental)
Network Reps - Simplistic (Instrumental)
NOTS Click - World Renown (Instrumental)
Old World Disorder - Never Minded (Instrumental)
Old World Disorder - Shyhalude (Instrumental)
Old World Disorder - Wasted (Instrumental)
Rise - Do You Know Him (Instrumental)
Sir Menelik - 7XL (Instrumental)
Sir Menelik - Space Cadillac Remix (Instrumental)
Sir Menelik - Terror Works (Instrumental)
Wizdom Life - Mad About You (Instrumental)
Here are all of the instrumental tracks in two mediafire folders:
In 1999, the video game "Wu Tang: Shaolin Style" was released for the PlayStation. It was titled "Taste The Pain" in PAL territories. It was a fighting game based on the Wu-Tang Clan's kung fu influence. Wu Tang: Shaolin Style was poorly received by many video game reviewers but anyway, my intention is to post the soundtrack not the video game. The PlayStation disc had its soundtrack which was playable on every music cd player. It featured every song that was exclusively made for the game.
