Thursday, December 22, 2005


The Greatest Skit of All Time - Parisha vs. Cons Better than Ghostface and Woodrow the crackhead, better than anything you heard on a De La album, better than anything. Consequence (great when he wants to be, mediocre at other times), a judge, drug addicts, and a grand finale. Listen all the way through. This is the kind of material you can only record in a studio where you aren't being charged.

www.megaupload.com/?d=0K62AD82

Wednesday, November 16, 2005


Edan - A white boy who is keeping hip-hop alive

Reading these words wont do him justice if you havent heard him before. Years ago, an associate who goes by squeeg (on the message board from which you were likely linked to this) had a bizarre song called "Lets Be Friends" as his sig. Trusting his word on what's worth a listen, I did the knowledge and was blown away. MC, DJ, and producer extraordinaire Edan Portnoy loves and appreciates hip-hop more than the vast majority of people doing it today. Lyrics are on point from serious to humorous to creatively out of this world. He puts his all into the production as well, generally paying homage to the old school but he combined this with the influences of psychedelia and other forms of 60s rock to put out my personal album of the year in "Beauty and The Beat". It took him three years to do and clocking in just over 30 minutes long, it musically has little to no peer in 2005. Here are two of his older gems "Run That Shit" which is like a b-boy tribute to NWA when they became parodies of themselves and "Clinical Rhymes" featuring Skillz Ferguson, demonstrating just how serious he takes the culture. He's one of two white mcs I feel are saving the underground from complete mediocrity. The other I will discuss in the coming weeks. Read up on more about why you should be praising Edan at http://www.humblemagnificent.com

"Run That Shit" - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VMFPJD0T


"Clinical Rhymes" - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3ZT8YMXO

Monday, November 07, 2005

Re-Up Gang - We Got It For Cheap



www.megaupload.com/?d=A455090P - We Got It For Cheap Volume 1
www.megaupload.com/?d=8VSCK90Y - We Got It For Cheap Volume 2

Mixtape series of the year, the Clipse make their long awaited return to rap after their timeless debut "Lord Willin" amd label drama while fans awaited their followup "Hell Hath No Fury." They have restored my faith in street hip-hop, primarily rapping great about drug dealing and flossing over beats that are familiar and some that are original. The Re-Up Gang includes Philly champions Sandman and Ab-Liva who is the most improved MC I've ever heard from his Major Figgaz "Yeah That's Us" days. Occasionally Skateboard P aka Pharrell shows up and he's also a damn good rapper once you get past his awkward flow. On any given song one of the four can walk away with the best verse, swagger has been redefined.

Monday, October 17, 2005


Fearless Four - Rockin It

http://rapidshare.de/files/6411631/Fearless_Four-_Rockin_It.mp3.html

This is the definition of what hip-hop was about at the start and what it still should be about to this day, making the crowd move and having fun. Chants, no egomaniacal rants about killing, rampant materialism and vulgar rhymes about women. Im not overly opposed to those topics, but an excess tends to kill one's spirit.

Friday, October 14, 2005


Camp Lo - Killin Em Softly
http://rapidshare.de/files/6273689/Camp_Lo_-_Killin__Em_Softly.mp3.html

This flamboyant Bronx duo's debut, Uptown Saturday Night is in my top 10 (favorite not best) hip-hop albums of all time. They talked about violence and sex but brought creativity telling stories about capers and flipping slang like a pimped out Ghostface and Raekwon. Sonny Chiba had the voice, Geechi Suede had the lyrics. Ski's production (Original Flavor, Reasonable Doubt) on this album is highly underrated.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Pacewon - I Declare War
http://s42.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3TQWAZJX2F7U81F0D493LRH1XG

This is a short but sweet classic that made Pacewon a name to be revered. A member of the Outsidaz from New Jersey, millions heard him on the Fugees' "Cowboys" from The Score and Im sure only a small fraction of those millions remember him. He's kept his name thriving on the underground with a few lps released and reportedly he's done an album with Madlib which may never see the light of day.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Company Flow - Patriotism

http://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0KN3GBFJAJICF1UGH0EEP4SIWF

El-P's finest moment to date. I'm not overly emphatic about his music but this was undeniable. From Soundbombing 2, worth any late 90s purist's weight in gold.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005




Nobody - Starttherecordover
s37.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0T6615US3V36I3RBW7L0D9QYHY

One of 2005's best kept secrets. The flow by him and another nobody is off the charts, the guitar beat is insane. Hunt, seek and destroy to get a copy of "What Album?"

Monday, October 10, 2005

Jeru The Damaja - Cant Stop The Prophet (Pete Rock Remix)

s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=07AFR24NZWX632TO4147DFB53Y

This is a producer in the zone, those drums employ what's commonly known as knock. If Pete had a point to prove attempting to follow after DJ Premier (who did the original), he did his job well. The beatboxing/"oh my god!" sample from Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick's "The Show" doesnt really belong, but it fits perfectly.

Friday, October 07, 2005


Erule - Listen Up

s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0GW8Y6IDHAA1R0UA9LJQRPBJX

one of the most slept on singles of the 90s, Everybody Loves The Sunshine was sped up to make an incredible beat and he went off.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Jimmy Spicer - The Adventures Of Super Rhymes

s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3FGFU2YOOYKHD1CMOADATN4UMN

Almost 11 minutes of old school rapping entertainment. Redman/Def Squad took plenty from this song. You dont get songs like this all the time.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005


Cipher Complete - Bring Hip-Hop Back










s44.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0MOUETDPZNC4Z3OY5YGEDZPOJH

This was a classic from Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1 which dropped on Rawkus in 1998. Disc 1 got regular rotation, but over time it's come to sound dated. If I were an A&R this group would have had a deal, if I'm not mistaken one of them is currently doing a bid. Their message rings true to this day.

"The way we used to do it, shoulda stuck to it/Niggas sound so R&B it sound like I could fuck to it"

Monday, October 03, 2005

Rappers FWMJ knows

Frank William Miller Jr. is a great graphic designer, supposedly he knows a gang of rappers. I know and enjoy a few of them, others I'm certain to turn my nose up at. Go hear these songs at http://www.rappersiknow.com

Day # 2 Chip-Fu - Chiptro - The dark skinned dude from the almighty old school troupe Fu-Schnikens. The beat is okay, I dont understand why he's slowed down his flow to an off beat kind of rhyme style. The problem with one trick ponies (Fu-Schnikens, Das Efx, Onyx) is you dont want to hear them doing anything but that one thing they were great at. Plus his voice is deeper know and the light voice was his appeal

Day # 3 Kenn Starr - U Will - This bangs. Dj Roddy Rod has basslines that remind me of Kev Brown. This is the best of the little I've heard from Kenn Starr.

Kay of The Foundation & Oh No present Dem Damn Jacksons - School Daze - This is okay. Im a fan of Oh No's production work. It's a tale about getting at women while in college. I can afford not to bump this again.

Day # 4 Verbal Seed - Take Advantage featuring Thesis - produced by the almighty Illmind. This definitely is a winner, a soulful uplifting track.

Bavu Blakes - Who Knows featuring D-Madness, Ciamar and Dj NickNack - This bangs as well, prodcued by Symbolyc One. An introspective head nodder, killer violin

Day # 5 Sy Smith - Welcome 2 Syberspace - This sounds like if Janet Jackson got a throwaway Neptunes track. In a word, boring.

Aquarius Rising - Im assuming this was Nicolay's first beat ever. This sounds nowhere near as fluid as his better material. the singing does nothing for me.

J'Davey - No More (Donwill Piracy Remix) - This is the group everyone in the know is talking about. They have yet to blow me away. Donwill is one of my favorite rappers doing grown man hip-hop, he stole the show on this one. I cant tell the difference between J'Davey, the Platinum Pied Pipers, Sa-Ra and whoever is a part of this new wave of music.

Day # 6 SoulFruit - The Edge - Wow. It's hard not to laugh when this song kicks into full gear. You hear a rock guitar and expect rapping. A dude breaks into his best Bilal/high pitched Prince falsetto. They mean well, but the execution is nothing fresh or new.

Surreal & DJ Balance - Each Step - This is okay, nothing exciting at all.

Day # 7 Headkrack and The ARE - Thoughts - Im not overly impressed. Keep it real, true to the art, yadda yadda yadda.

Deloach - Take Me Away featuring S'ence - This is a winner, typical hold your head material.

Day # 8 - Dj Cosmos - Mom's Day featuring Starchy Arch & Kay - I love my mother too, but this track isn't slamming like that.

Sin - Man On The Mic - This dude is the truth, I've never heard him come weak. I'll be looking out for Kameleon on the boards as well.

Day # 9 - Zion I Temperature Remix featuring Talib Kweli - This isn't bad, it knocks the flute is good. The hook and piano are strong. Kweli surprisingly doesnt come wack for the first time in a minute.

D. Rose - Priceless - The Roots could have done this way better 8 years ago.
Special Kind Of Fool - Excellent, this makes him worthy of further listening.

Day # 11 - Verbal Seed - Adjust featuring Thesis - HEAT!!!!!!!!!! Symbolyc 1 killed it on the beat. Verbal Seed is 2/2 out of these songs.

Encore - Layover - This is okay, on some highly underground tip. It's not bad but I wouldnt bump this regularly.

Day # 12 - Minus of Flow Factory - Fruitful featuring Michele Thibeaux - Instantly boring.

DJ House Shoes - Get Up! - featuring Guilty Simpson & Lodown - produced by Waajeed which basically means it's biting the sound Jay Dee did had 5 years ago. This isn't all that.

Day #13 - Hydroponic Sound System - Catch A Flashback featuring S’ence & DJ NickNack - A woman singing old school hip-hop lyrics. This is completely creative but not good.

Soulfruit - Suffocation - This time I knew what to expect going in (see day #6), im not impressed. It's a blend of neo-soul and rock.

Day #14 - Strange Fruit Project - Ride Out - I've heard about them forever. This is okay, nothing special.

Jay Electronica - Renaissance Man - featuring Tone - The same beat used for Common's "Love Is", not as good.

Day #15 - Chip Fu & Kay - We Do It Big - The beat is hitting but Im not excited about the lyrics.

Deloach - Salvation featuring Strange Fruit Project - This is violation, the Minnie Ripperton "Inside My Love" wail made classic on "Lyrics To Go" and throwing new beat behind it.

Day #16 - Unseen - Movement - This is good, but the beat by Slopfunkdust sounds a little unpolished.

Krewcial - On Point featuring KAZI & Oh No - This is okay
On Point (Blue Note Remix) - Equal to the original, not very exciting.

Day #17 Lower Life Form - First Things First - I like the beat but the MCs voice.

Headkrack - Monique featuring Amel Larrieux - This knocks, a love joint.

Day #18 Ali Shaheed Muhammad - All Night - featuring Wallace Gary - a far cry from his ATCQ days. this has a lounge kind of vibe, i dont clap to it at all.

The Scripwiz Movement - I Think That (Nostalgia) - This is good, not bad, not great.

Day #19 O.C. Story To Tell (Illmind Remix) - This extremely knocks, but It's Illmind so that goes without saying.

Kaimbr - Krylon Kraft - As much as I want to complain about the overly underground feel of this, I cant really say a bad word. It knocks.

Day #20 Phife Dawg & Chip Fu - Rumours - There's no excuse for this. Im a Phife fan from way back. This song should have been called Mutty Ranks' Day Off.

Day #21 Darien Brockington - Can We Fall in Love Again - this dude is the truth. soul music is in good hands with him around.

Fallon - As Soon As - This is one of those breathy attempts at being deep, completely not for me.

Day #22 Casual - Say That Then - This bangs primarily thanks to J-Zone, one of the best producers no one talks about.

Surreal & DJ Balance - Rebirth of Skill - That's a bold title for a song, but what else is new in underground hip-hop? The name of their album is Future Classic, the end result doesnt live up to such ambition.

Day #23 D.Rose - Black Fist featuring Kay of The Foundation - This pretty good, as the title suggests the message is revolutionary.

DJ Cosmos - What My Mother Told Me Instrumental - definitely nice
The Bottom Instrumental - This knocks as well, this producer is one to watch out for
Be The One Instrumental - He's 3 for 3.

Day #24 Myone Hands Up featuring Kay - This brings about a Rocky feeling, not bad at all.

The Legendary K.O. - George Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People - The Gold Digger instrumental talking about the Katrina tragedy, it's okay.

Day #25 - Starchy Arch - Mic Check Freestyle - Part of the appeal is the Juelz beat. Part of the appeal is he's killing it.

Day #26: Tanya Morgan - Triangle Offense - i'll be bigging this group up forever on here. Donwill, Ilyas, and Von Pea, stop sleeping. The beat by The ARE is okay, but the rhymes are winning.

Chip Fu - Up Against The World - The beat by Illmind knocks, but as I said earlier I'm not digging this phase of Chip Fu. He sounds like he belongs in Black Eyed Peas.

Flow Factory - Dear - DJ Cosmo has another good beat on his hands, I dont like the MCs voices though.

J*Davey - Private Parts - This knocks, but there's a definite Prince influence.

Encore - My Way Home featuring DJ Topspin - I like this a lot, Jake One is talented on the beat.

Pikahsso Allen Poe - Verb (DaDreak Mix Version 2.0) Before hearing this song I have a strike against dude for his name being too similar to Edgar Allen Floe from the Justus League (get the True Links EP if you havent). This sounds like a poor man's Sa-Ra Creative Partners.

Novi - Gigi - A spacey instrumental, I've heard similar many times before.

Day #27: Jay Electronica - Somethin To Hold On To - The beat by Nottz is hitting. I have no clue who Jay Electronica is, I thought that was an alias for a Jay Dee project. This song is good.

Che Grand featuring Tanya Morgan - Trainspottin' - This is the one right here. The Beatmaker consistently brings lovely heat. Che talks about women on the train (as a native New Yorker it brings about a sense of pride), Tanya Morgan provides the hook. Im not jocking this because I know these dudes, the song is sick.

Trek Life - Mind Right - No sir, I dont like it.

Lower Life Form - Thin Line - I cant rock with this.

Von Won - Money Already Made - I like southern hip-hop a lot. This isnt good though.

The ARE - Medly - A few instrumentals, not bad.

Day #28 Dela - Enchanted Lady - Nothing exciting here, laid back jazzy track

The Foundation w/ Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Jam Session (I Probably Should Not Have) - This definitely is hitting. Drums, organs, piano, bass, scratching all coming together.

J. Rawls w/ Eric Roberson - Pleasure Before Pain - J. Rawls can do no wrong. The track is banging but Im not a fan of R&B like that.

Obsidian Blue - De La Soul Much More Remix - Check him at http://www.obsidianblue.com He definitely deserves props.

John Robinson - There She Goes - This is great. MF Doom is killer on the beat.

Metah - All 4 U - It's an attempt at being way too smooth. i'll pass.

Ran Mecca - John Legend Prelude (Gwan Massive Remix) - very nice, jazzy and well suited for John Legend.

Day #29 J. Sands - Southern Lady - This is definitely hitting.

Niyat - Walk - This was hitting until I realized that the Minnie Ripperton "Lyrics To Go" sample was used yet again. It's not bad though

The Unseen - Beat Fanatic - Done by Illmind, of course it's dope. The MC is a little boring.

Flow Factory - Star - It's okay, but nothing to write home about.

The Foundation with Nicole Hurst - Cold World - This is good, I'll have to check for The Foundation

Dumhi - I mess with these dudes. Their whole approach is making music and having fun. Beats, rhymes, simple approach to it all.

Zion I - The Bay (Club Remix) The Team, Turf Talk, San Quinn, & Casual - Im sure this will knock in West Coast clubs, but Im not impressed.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Welcome one and all.

My original grand introduction entry didnt go through when I posted it, this one wont be as good.

I've been told I have a great ear, so I think it's up to me to keep you schooled on what's good and what's trash. Plus I listen to so much music that I need to keep track of what should be replayed. This will serve both of those purposes.

Im not a backpacker, I'm not mainstream. I hate the radio, I hate Anticon, I like good music no matter who makes it.

No matter what you read here, if you dont agree you're entitled to your opinion. Mine just happens to be better.