Touring The States: Portland, OR

Cool Nutz is one of Portland's hip hop pioneers alongside his friend and business partner, super producer Bosko Kante. The two are founders and owners of Jus Family Records, founded in 1992. After several classic releases, Cool Nutz and Bosko have gained a cult following within the Portland hip hop scene and have been acknowledged outside of their hometown.

Cool Nutz has performed with artists such as like Ice Cube, Blackalicious, Wu-Tang Clan, Aceyalone, E-40 and many more. He also has been featured on tracks with E-40, Kurupt, Sticky Fingaz, Ras Kass, WC, Mac Dre and others.

This album was entirely produced by Bosko. The Jus Family Records site, says that the album has 11 tracks. On my version, track tags were messed up, so I corrected them. One track remaining untitled, so I'm guessing that this is a bonus track. I decided, in assistance with Verge, to title it "Neva Went Out" because it samples the B-Real line "Never went out and I don't think I'm gonna." Track is heat, like the rest of the album. Enjoy.

Cool Nutz - Dis Niggaz Nutz (1992)

01. Get Ready
02. I Got The Gun
03. Some Shit When We Team Up
04. Let Me B Yo Dog
05. Nigga!
06. My Niggaz On Da Under
07. No Skillz?
08. Emeralds, Angels And Roses
09. I'm Nutz
10. Young Portland Player
11. 2 Stoages!
12. Neva Went Out

Samples:

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-- Markshot

Seattle Vs Portland (1993-1998)

Unless you are in the know, Portland is not among the 1st cities one thinks of for hip hop. Oregon is a state with less than 4 million people. Like it's northern counterpart Seattle, the scene in Portland was largely unnoticed on a national scale during the golden era. It's not that artists like Cool Nutz didn't get widespread attention, but perhaps to a lesser degree than artists in cities which were more well known for hip hop. For damp heads up here in the temperate rain forest, Portland and Seattle are the centers of hip hop output. The style up here is generally a little different than that found further south, in the bay area and southern California. It's hard to put a finger on it but you'll hear what I mean in the infectious scratching of '206in It', the melancholy vibe of 'Bombay', the darkness of 'Join Tha Team', in the abstract sound of 'Seattle Rain'.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0ML816O2

01 (04:49) Central Dynasty - 206in It (Seattle 1995)
From the album 'Why Does Everybody Want To Be A Killa'

02 (04:14) Bosko - Bombay (Portland 1995)
From the 12 inch single Bombay/Passin Time

03 (04:33) Smoke - 51.50 (Seattle 1994)
From the ep 'Come And Get Me'

04 (05:51) D-Folk Pre-Znn - Evr'lstn (Portland 1995)
From the ep 'Mr. Evr'lstn Chuck Meez Bakk'

05 (06:26) Kazy D - Ashes 2 Ashes (Portland 1995)
From the album 'Letter From The Grave'

06 (04:00) Pork - Right Now (Shaolin) (Portland 1995)
From the album 'Sidin On You'

07 (05:56) Mackin Rob - Mobbin (Seattle 1993)
Single/ep/album ? Source Unknown!

08 (04:18) Maniac Lok - Join Tha Team (Portland 1995)
From the album 'I'm Back'

09 (05:07) Scrooge - Temporary Insanity (Seattle 1994)
From the album 'Bout My Paper'

10 (02:55) Warpath - Seattle Rain (Seattle 199?)
From the ep 'Production For That Ass'

11 (05:56) Black Anger - Conscious Attack (Seattle 1997)
From the ep 'Maxed Out Singles'

12 (04:33) Grassrootz - No Matter (Portland 1998)
From the album 'Uncharted Regions'

13 (00:20) C-Dub - 503-206 (Portland 1993)
From the album 'Ignorance Anonymous'

14 (06:25) DMS - My World (Seattle 1994)
From the ep 'Takin' Ends'

15 (02:54) Gangster On The Move - Outro (Portland 1994)
From the album 'Comin' 4 Tha Goods'

There's a certain mindset here and it reflects in the local music. I hope our readers enjoy this slice of the pacific northwest. Give me a shout if you dig it.

--Schenectadyfan