Thursday, July 31, 2008

DJ Epik..the incredible


Living in Sacramento wasn't the greatest places to live regarding my djing, but there were a few things I will never take back. One of them is, knowing and building my music/djing with some of California's best you never heard of. DJ Epik falls into this category. Although, he has had some recent worldwide recognition (production for Mos Def, Rakim (?), almost all the hyphy dudes) his skills on the turntables and on the production tip haven't equaled what they should. I think it's due time for Epik to blow up. I personally, think he needs to move out of Sac and into a larger market where he can have access to people who can get him paid.

Anyway, here is what some say is the greatest mixtape ever. Seriously. Rebel Radio was recorded in 96-97 by DJ Epik and E-Rock, each taking 1 side each.

DJ Epik-Rebel Radio

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

DJ Spair- Oakland Motivators


Before all this technology..serato, ableton, audition, etc. DJ's promoted themselves with mixtapes recorded live, straight to the tapedeck. This is pre-Oakland Faders. This is the Motivators. YEE!
All the hard work seems to be paying off for Spair as he recently took over a few spots in Sin City. Check his schedule on his myspace for dates.

DJ SPair Vol 2 side 1

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

2 For Tuesday (wrap up)- Supa Dave-Krs at his Best


So my plan has been interupted. As mentioned below, I planned on uploading 2 full mixes today. I come to find out after uploading and listening to this mix, the last 20 minutes or so are damaged (skipping, stalling, etc.). I found this mix next to the mix demo I posted below, in the same cd booklet. I don't think I have listened to either in the past 3-4 years, thus unaware of the skipping. In any event, you still get 48 minutes and about 22 tracks from the Blast Master.

I first heard about Supa Dave from the battling days, and DMC. His crew (turntable technicians) held it down for a minute in the scene, taking titles. His skills are definitely present on this KRS mix. Plenty of cuts and doubles and a really dope intro. He made a few different "best of" mixes using Golden Era's finest as his source. I'll be posting more from Supa Dave in the future.

DJ Supa Dave- Krs at his best first 48 minutes

2 for tuesday (part 1)

Here's part 1 of my '2 for Tuesday' full mix post. I was flipping through my CD book and came across this memorex CD with my handwriting . All it says is "DJ P-SOL mix demo". I do admit, this is of the utmost class. What was I thinking at the time? I vaguely remember making this mix. It was right around the time I picked up Serato (2004ish), but the recording is almost all vinyl, as I was in the process of uploading, ripping and downloading tracks to my laptop.

In a brief description, I'd say it's a smoothed out mix..good for the summer or poolside action.

DJ P-SOL smooth mix Demo

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Doo Wop, baby


In a way, I'm breaking one of the few rules I made for this blog...'don't post mixes that are for sale'. Below is Doo Wop's follow up to his classic 95 live classic mixtape- 95 Live part 2. I'm posting the first 15 tracks/27 minutes to give you a taste (although, this was a popular mix and heard by many) in hopes you will check his myspace page and pay for the re-mastered full length version.

95 was a great year in hip hop music. On the first half of the mix,Doo Wop plays A&R/host for a slew of NY's/Jersey's MC's that helped define the "golden era" sound. At the time, these were "freestyles", but we all know that most of the verses on this mix turned into classic hits that are heard on the daily. Artists include, KRS One, AZ, Mobb Deep, Redman, Boot Camp and mucho mas.

You may have heard or seen Doo Wop lately. 2 notable stories--he's the tour DJ for Guru, and his response to weezy's mixtape DJ diss.

DJ Doo Wop 95 Live Part 2, first 27 minutes

Friday, July 25, 2008

Slick v. Dirty


For the DJ, one of the benefits from making an actual mixtape (i know, this holds very little value today) is the obvious, 2 sides. This is very useful when the DJ or DJs want to capture multiple themes/ideas on one tape. DJ Chubby Chub makes use of this and smooths out one side of his Get Dirty tape and "gets dirty" with the B-Side; aka side A for the Ladies, side B for the streeeeeeets. Chub holds it down with the doubles and mic skills throughout the mix.
One of the best self-promoting drops in mixtape history is on this mix as well. Chubby Chub shouts his number for parties and master copies and promises he will call back..classic.

"Get Dirty" comes from Village Music Flavor in CT which was my mail order mixtape shop of choice in the mid-90's...great quality in recordings and covers as well as a large variety.

Side B/Dirty Side takes the crown, no question. Standout tracks include 24/7, Rotten Apple and Broken Language pt. 2.

Also, per request, here is the full tape, side a and b in one post. FYI, If i only post one side one day, the other side will be posted in the future. Time is money!

DJ Chubby Chub Get Dirty Full Mix one file

Monday, July 21, 2008

The Greatest DJ name ever


10 years ago, the backpack was iconic in the underground hip hop scene. "Self", a mixtape by Innernational's DJ Rip-One was synonymous to the scene at the time. Although, not a big fan of his track selection, Rip One's execution and the thought he put into this mix, coupled with his advanced technical skills made me a fan. Plenty of scratching, multi-tracking and movie/film drops throughout.

DJ Rip-One: Self side A

Sunday, July 20, 2008

T5 Soul Sessions Sunday w/ Hollertronix


I'm stepping outside the lines of my normal content with this mix from the guys who play weird stuff first and have multitudes of dick jockeys copy their style. I don't know where I got this mix or from who or when. I think, from a sample sale (ha) in 2005 or 2006 in NY.

In typical fashion, Low B and Diplo play a variety of rarities from multiple genres making a seamless mix that is sure to please the weathered b-boy and tight pants wearing, cobrasnake posing turkey alike.

Great Cover art and design courtesy of www.ghava.com

first 36 Minutes of T5 Soul Sessions V. 2

Saturday, July 19, 2008

L-eighties


Keeping the old school hip hop/electro/LA pioneer dj thing going, below is another gem and rarity I'm sure very few folks have. Another perc from owning and working at a record store is having og b-boys come up in the spot and relive their childhood. My mind is blank right now trying to think of his name, but an older, white, born and raised in LA (living in sac now) dedicated b-boy (adidas head to toe) would stop by Twelves, the store I owned and would dig through the crates searching for all things pre-1990. He genuinely had no interest in recent hip hop. He didn't hate on it, he just loved his 80's hip hop.He often had stories of hip hop, mostly of LA. To make a long story short, I ended up telling him I was a mixtape fiend. His eyes lit up as he was too. Thing was, he had hundreds of tapes from the 80's. To my surprise, he was thrilled to share his collection with me as he was in the process of digitalizing his collection.

Below is an original KDAY recording of Joe Cooley on the Mack-Attack Mixmaster show. If only the radio sounded like this, these days.

Joe Cooley live on KDAY 1580 8/25/1986

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

the Wreckin' Kru!


Here's a real gem for y'all out there. Some good OG electro/classic upbeat hip hop mixed by a young Dr. Dre. At the time (mid-80's) the only place to pick dre's mixes up were from the roadium, a famous swap meet in LA county. This is side B to a 60 minute mix.

Dr. Dre- Panic Zone mixtape Side B

Wu-Tang Wednesday


It's no secret, Wu-Tang ruled the 90's as far as hip hop goes. I picked this mix up in 96 or 97 without knowing anything about the DJ; simply for the tracklisting and exlclusives. DJ Bee out of Philly was a relief to the "talking over every track" DJ during that era. Bee preferred the technical aspect of djing with minimal talking. Anyway, at the time listening to wu-tang for 90 minutes straight was a treat....

Side A

intro
Daytona 500 (bee mix)-Ghost, Rae, Cappachino
Doe or Die (remix) AZ feat. Raekwon
Winter Warz- ghostface, masta killa, u-god, Rae, Cappadonna
if it's alright with you- cappadonna feat. u-god
Da Mystery of ChessBoxin (Bee mix)- wu-tang
Semi-automatic- insp. deck feat. u-god
Liquid Swords-Gza feat. Rza
How high (Bee mix)- meth and redman
Eyes a bleed- bounty killer feat. masta
Since when- royal fam
Freakin' you- Rae and Ghost
Who's the champion-Ghost and Rza
Raw Hide- ODB and Rae and meth

DJ BEE- Wu Banger Part 3 side A

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tony Touch Tuesdays (HIP HOP #56)


Keeping it consistent 2 weeks in a row, another mix from NY mixtape giant, Tony Touch. 1998 wasn't the greatest year in hip hop, but here's a sample of the finer times...The mix includes music from Gangstarr, Big L, O.C., The Firm, Mobb Deep, McGruff! and more.

Tony Touch Hip Hop #56 Side A

Friday, July 11, 2008

You know my steez


I was going to hold off on this mix for awhile since I just posted 1-900-spinbad, but it's too good to wait. Mixing the "golden era" of hip hop has been done time and time again and quite frankly gets boring and repetitive (the mixes, not the songs). Every DJ seems to have a mix out with the black moons, the gangstarrs, the nas', etc. But not every DJ does it with some thought. Check the first 40 something minutes of Spinbad's You know My Steez below to see how it should be done. The wordplay and mixing is on point and of course you get your dose of doubles, blends and scratching.

the tracks..

1. Vocab - Fugees
2. Fugeela - Fugees
3. Passin' Me By - The Pharcyde
4. Broken Language - Smooth The Husler
5. Come Clean - Jeru The Damaja
6. Freaky Flow (DJ Premier Remix) - Special Ed
7. Da Bitches - Jeru The Damaja
8. The Bitch In You - Common
9. Somehow Somehow - Organized Konfusion
10. Ill Street Blues - Kool G Rap
11. How Many Emcees - Black Moon
12. Times Up - O.C.
13. Supastar - Group Home
14. Danger - Blahzay Blahzay
15. Shut Em Down (Pete Rock Remix) - Public Enemy
16. You Know My Steez - Gangstarr
17. That‘s How It Is - Casual
18. Half Time - Nas
19. One Love - Nas
20. It Ain‘t Hard To Tell - Nas

DJ Spinbad You Know My Steez (First 42 minutes)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

1-900-Spinbad


One of the best well-rounded djs in the game, some say the best. Many know him for his highly publicized beef with funk flex and others for his trend-setting Rock the Casbah 80's mixtapes that every dj on this planet tried to emulate but failed to. DJ nerds like myself just think of him and his tapes as timeless well-constructed mixes. Here's an example with Side A of the classic "1-900-spinbad". This one's complete with a complex, multi-layered intro with razor sharp cuts and clever wordplay, some of my favorite hip hop tracks from the 90s, trick-mixing and the famous sex scene interlude.

DJ Spinbad 1-900-spinbad side A

Pr Pr Premier, DJ Premier


Aside from Clue's name drop, the studdering "Premier" is the most recognizable drop in the mixtape game. No, this isn't one of his famed crooklyn cuts mixtapes, this is a recording from Marley Marl's Future Flava show that aired on NY's Power 105. Premier throws down the latest grimey street joints from the time (late 2003) with his distinctive trick-mixing and scratching. All complete with radio drops, a short interview at the end of the mix, and the classic phone drops.

enjoy

DJ Premier on Future Flavas September 2003

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Tony Touch Tuesdays


Of the major mixtape djs from the 90s, I think I own more Tony Touch tapes than any other. This one is the earliest/oldest that I own. I think it was '92. Anyway, If you know where I can get a hold of his earliest mixes, let me know. I will be posting plenty of his mixes, ranging from mixtape #20-#60 something.

Tony Touch Hip Hop #20 side A

Saturday, July 5, 2008

RAWWWWWN GEEEE


Another mixtape from the mid-90s that sold like hotcakes up and down the east coast. Again, thanks to the back of the Source, I discovered Street Dreams. Aside from the music, what got me into mixtapes from that era was the additional ingredients on each mix...ie., dissing other djs, unique shoutouts, club shouts, vehicle shouts, contact info (telephone numbers, you won't hear website or email shouts) information on the next party, etc...Back to the top, he keeps this one real rugged, kicking off the b-side with a dark man x freestyle. The mic echo is definitely in effect a la CLUE Clue clue clue.

This side features (at the time new/exclusive) tracks and freestyles from DMX, 2Pac, Ghostface, Foxy Brown, K-Solo, Snoop. The A Side will be up when it's time.

Ron G Street Dreams side B

DB/DV



One perc from owning a record store (2001-2005) is that you get the new shit before most of the world; especially if the artist/dj is local. That's the case here with an uptempo 30 + minute disco mix from 2/3 of the Decibel Devils (DJ Crook and Frank Nit). I likes it.


Studio 50 fever

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Tony Humphries Live 12-25-1980!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OMG alert!, I'm totally giving you a gem out of my collection. I'm bluffing actually, I got this from a friend in a trade about 5 years ago. Anyway, no need to describe this mix. If this is the first time hearing Tony Humphries ....................I can't help you. His discography puts most musicians to shame. Dude put in work, and continues to as he runs Tony's Records and plays clubs on the regular.

Tony Humphries live on KISS fm Christmas night, 1980

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

TO THE TOP PART TWO


From 93 to 98 I was ordering tapes from shops I found out about in the back of the Source. Some I listened to only once and recorded over, and others I still listen to today. To the Top pt. 2 is part of the latter. Track selection, intro, blends, drops and mixing are all on point. At the time (9 6 I think) I never heard of her, but took a chance on the tape based on the tracklisting and the Craig G affiliation. According to her myspace, she's steady with releasing mixes as well as running a production company.
(I took the picture with my iphone, thus the shit quality...I also think I ordered this from a bootlegger due to the low quality 2-color print).

tracklisting
Side one
1. LAzy K Intro
2. DSA Freestyle
3. Mobb Deep- drop a gem on 'em (lazy k mix)
4. Keith Murry- yeah ft. busta, redman, erick sermon
5. Lauryn from the Fugees- some teachers (exclusive)
6. L'A the Darkman (Lazy K mix)
7. Redman feat. K Solo-that's how much it is...(Exclusive)
8. DSA- unholy
9. Foxy Brown feat. Mobb Deep- da promise (Exclusive)
10. Lazy K Bullshit
11. Ghostface Killah- black Jesus
12. Smoothe Da Hustler- Hustlin (Lazy K mix) b/w Jeru-One Day
13. AZ (A+Z)
14. KRS One- the MC
15. Mobb Deep-Gusto
16. Surprise Guest with an exclusive
17. Lazy K Blends Raekwon, Nas, Method Man, Krs One
18. Jay-Z- how many ways

DJ LAZY K -- TO THE TOP PART 2 ft. Craig G Side 1

In Control Posse


This mix will never get old. Now, I wasn't living in NY during the time, but I think the gist of the story goes something like this. ..

Marley Marl started out as the on-air DJ for Mr. Magic's Rap Attack in the mid-80's on 107.5 WBLS, every Friday and Saturday from 9pm-midnight. This show rivaled Red Alert's KISS fm show which help fuel the classic Juice Crew vs. BDP beef.

Soon after (1987), Marley Marl took over hosting duties, changed the name to In Control With Marley Marl, and hired a 17 year old Pete Rock to resume dj duties.

I have dozens of WBLS and KISS recordings from the 80's and early 90's and will post soon.

You have to love the 2+ minute intro followed by the Chubb Rock cassette/poster give away.

Pete Rock on WBLS June 12, 1989

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

The World's Greatest DJ


Whether you agree or not with the title, Kid Capri's 52 Beats mixtape is classic material. On a recent trip to NYC, I slept on checking out a Kid Capri party, with an open bar (yeah, I know). I'm sure I'll get around to it one day.

The hissing throughout the mp3 solidifies the era.

Kid Capri-52 Beats

AM WORKSHOP


I've had the honor to play multiple parties with Melo-D in the past, and to say he's a well-rounded dj is an understatement. He hones the skills necessary to make DJing his profession as he has recently taken Vegas nightlife by storm. Some say, and I agree, MElo-D is the best all around DJ in the biz.

AM workshop can pretty well define Melo's 'well roundedness' I stated above. Being released in 2001 and pre-serato days, rest assure that weeks went into this masterpiece. He has it all on here, from the multi-track quick mix of instrumentals, to a live 2x4 set with J. Rocc, to rockin' doubles of exxxxclusive tracks (at the time), to his radio intro while he was still on air here in LA. What separates him from your everyday DJ, is that he makes sense when he operates and mixes. He doesn't mix just to mix, there is a point or bridge or blah blah..whatever, I need to quit riding and just upload this mix.

MELO-D: AM WORKSHOP