Although they are from the Bay Area'sFrisco city, Real Brothers delivers us different style than it was, at that time very popular all over the West Coast and the Bay Area, G-funk style of music. This album have more accompanying sound to the East Coast standards.
Real Brothers - Soul Controllers (1992)
A1. Real Brothers A2. Raise The Flag A3. I'm A Get Mine A4. Keep It Smooth A5. Another Drug Song A6. Two Heads Are Better Than One (T.O.A.M.P.)
B1. Soul Controllers B2. Ya Burnin' Yourself B3. Dream Seq. (Now We Got Africa!) B4. Ease It Down B5. What's Next? B6. Mom Taught Me
I'm going to be dropping these random vinyl rips to quench that extra thirst for more T.R.O.Y. material that we all get sometimes. Just on some bonus treat end of the night steez.
This one is pretty nice. I'm partial to the b-side, "Word Up", because of the more mellow tone and the seemingly leisurely original flow that the second guy on the mic spits. And you can never go wrong with sampling Redman's quotable, "no matter who you are, you still catch a bullet scar." Don't sleep on "Always", though. It's dope, 'nuff said.
This was executive produced by Thirstin Howl III (legendary Lo Life skillionaire who was supposed to be working on an album with Sadat X in 2008 and they were recently seen in the studio together, peep the link on his name)and released on "Cook Rock Records". I believe this was their only release. I don't know who's who on these songs, but the record credits the writers as Napalm Bomb, Non DaScrip, and Breez, and was produced by Sonata.
Enjoy and expect a lot more of these ranging from known to unknown, but always dope.
And check the hyper links in the post. There's an article on the history of Lo Life and a great interview with Thirstin in there.
Round 2 from Roy. Remember it's James Brown Month over at his new spot Scratch Reaction.For more goodies like these make you sure you're F5ing the T.R.O.Y. forums daily. It's the gift that keeps on giving. --Philaflava
James Brown - Samples Volume 2
1. James Brown - I Can't Stand Myself (1968) 2. Phill Most Chill - Release Yourself 3. Ultimate Force - So Dam Tuf (Instrumental) 4. James Brown - Say It Loud, I'm Black And I'm Proud (1969) 5. Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane 6. EPMD - Brothers On My Jock 7. West Coast Rap All Stars - All In The Same Gang (Instrumental) 8. Intelligent Hoodlum - Black & Proud 9. Divine Styler - It's A Black Thing 10. LL Cool J - Nitro 11. Kev-E-Kev - Keep On Doin' 12. Cobra MCees - The M Go 13. Brand Nubian - Dedication 14. Brand Nubian - I'm Black And I'm Proud 15. Cypress Hill - Insane In The Brain (Instrumental) 16. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y. (Drums)
Return of the DJ, Vol. 1 is a 1995 compilation released by Bomb Hip-Hop Records. This project was the first all dj/all scratching (turntablism) album ever released. My copy is actually the original independent pressing from 1995 but it was later re-released with a full-color artwork in 2000 which you can easily find online for a few bucks. Not only is this the first turntablism album ever, it actually features the greatest dj's doing their best cuts all in one compilation! This is classic material! You won't even miss the mc!
1. Kool DJ E.Q. - Death Of Hip-Hop 2. DJ Ghetto - Ghetto On The Cut 3. Rob Swift - Rob Get's Busy 4. Jeep Beat Collective - The Bomb Drops 5. Beat Junkies - Scratch Monopoly II 6. Invisible Scratch Pickles - Invasion Of The Octopus People 7. DJ Z-Trip - U Can Get With Discs Or U Can Get With D.A.T. 8. Peanut Butter Wolf - The Chronicles (I Will Always Love H.E.R.) 9. Mix Master Mike - Terrorwrist (Beneath The Under) 10. ASAP Productions - The Track 11. Cut Chemist - Lesson 4: The Radio 12. DJ Babu - Suckas (Sucka DJ Dis) Download
Former T.R.O.Y. member Roy is still dropping his always dope, well-thought out compilations and this month is James Brown Month over at his new spot Scratch Reaction.He recently posted this on the T.R.O.Y. forums and I thought it's something we should pass on to our readers. Peace to Roy and one of the greatest musicians of all time. --Philaflava
James Brown - Samples Volume 1
1. James Brown - I Got You (1966) 2. Gang Starr - Gotch U 3. Gang Starr - Gotch U (Hunter Mix) 4. Public Enemy - Contract On The World Love Jam 5. James Brown - Cold Sweat (1967) 6. Public Enemy - Prophets Of Rage 7. Public Enemy - Welcome To The Terrordome 8. Ice Cube - Jackin' For Beats 9. King Tee - Bass 10. Chubb Rock - What's The Word 11. Three Times Dope - Straight Up 12. Sweet Tee - I Got Da Feelin' 13. James Brown - Bring It Up (1967) 14. Gang Starr - Manifest 15. Gang Starr - Manifest (Remix) 16. Ultramagnetic MCs - See The Man On The Street
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"
Better late than never right ? It's been a long time since I posted any of my midwest compilations. No time like the present, seize the day. Seize the music that is. This mix is fairly varied. Cuts like 'Skanless' or 'Two To The Chest' are pretty gangsta, but there's some dope true school hip hop here as well. This 2nd volume inevitably makes me crank up my system. Drive your neighbors insane. If you like that midwest sound you'll be coming back again and again.
01 (1:13) Awesome Dre - Intro (Detroit 1989) 02 (4:00) Villain - Skanless (Chicago 1994) 03 (4:38) Da Flint Connection - Two To The Chest (Flint 1994) 04 (4:34) D 2 Tha S (Dedicated 2 Tha Streets) - Doomsday (Chicago 1993) 05 (4:31) Beastside Crew - Mind Over Matter (Detroit 1994) 06 (4:45) Schoolly D - Ghettofunkstylistic (Philadelphia 1995) 07 (4:41) Aduo And B.O.T. Incorporated - Hip Knockin (Flint 1993) 08 (3:34) Awol - Detroit 4 Life (Detroit 1994) 09 (4:17) B Movie Fiendz (Feat. Anthony Dee La Rock) - Juggernaught (Chicago 1997) 10 (3:45) Mood - Cincinnati (Cincinatti 1997) 11 (3:34) Ministerz Of A Sinister Society - Fully Automatic (Flint 1995) 12 (3:15) Tha Chamba - Tha Siclic (Chicago 1995) 13 (5:19) Ec Illa - Mating Ritual (Chicago 1995) 14 (4:57) N4REDD - On 'Da' Grind (Ohio 199?) 15 (4:20) Jack Frost & BANME - You Don't Like How I'm Livin (Chicago 1992) 16 (3:32) Alps Cru - All Alone (1996) 17 (3:11) Shade Luv X - Dont Test (St Paul Mn 1993) 18 (0:15) Shade Luv X - If I See A Knife Or A Gun (St Paul Mn 1993)
You might be asking yourself why a Schoolly track is on this mix. Because it's gutter and it fit well, that's why. I hope y'all dig the selection. Tell me what you like!
