samedi 23 juillet 2022

VA - S-U-B-U-R.-B. Inc - Embryonic Concoctions

 


This one is a rather short 1998 compilation from San Jose. 5 tracks only but pretty good ones.
I had no idea it even existed until recently when Style Misia put it forward. I have been lucky to catch a copy so here's my rip. It won't dissapoint if like me you love the SJ scene.

On a side note, I often see my rips ending up in the next 24 hours on some big youtube underground hip hop channels with all of the sudden their logo all over my scans. I know it's part of the game but have the decency to put your source in the comments at least, I'd appreciate.





No relation but if you haven't copped it yet, got buy this essential CVE vinyl recently released:

https://nyegenyegetapes.bandcamp.com/album/chillin-villains-we-represent-billions


And if you're bank account allows it, please consider this 4LP Dereliks compilation that will be out end of august:

https://www.diggersfactory.com/fr/vinyl-shop?search=dereliks


Enjoy,


Here


A

CANCEREYE - Unorthabumb (Intro)

A-O.N.E. (prod STYLE MISIA) - Nontopical

EL UNO (prod CANCEREYE) - 24 Hrs.

MR AEKS - Emerpus (Interlude)


B

CANCEREYE - Altitude



vendredi 13 mai 2022

Buck 65 & Graymatter - Johnny Rockwell Meets Henry Krinkle

 


This is a somewhat rare tape collaboration from 1998 between Buck 65 and fellow canadian producer Graymatter (also credited as Graematter here and there).
Allegedly there's about 20 copies that were handmade and sold for the 1998 Scribble Jam. The number seem a bit odd considering it's one full hour of new and original tracks.. and no filler.
This is one of Buck's most dark and minimal work in my opinion, reminiscent of the Sebutones project with Sixtoo, and it's very, very good if you like this side of Buck's work. Lots of instrumentals and turntablism on this as well, and, well, incredible beats, as always...

It's pretty crazy this hasn't seen a proper reissue yet (ok, I know I write this every time), and even odd-er the only rips (I counted 3 differents) you found on slsk are all pretty bad.. either overpitched, or sounding like 96kbps mp3, or just.. incomplete. Which is better than nothing, I guess... But I always really wanted to hear the full tape in decent quality.

I've been lucky enough to score one of those tape recently and here's my rip, 320kbps and properly pitched.

Enjoy!



About 18 untitled tracks.


samedi 30 avril 2022

Asphalt Poetry - The Genuine EP

 


This tape is a 5-track EP from Santa Cruz, CA.  It was made in 1994 by Asphalt Poetry, a group off the Asphalt Legion posse. EJ and Imperial are the MCs while DJ Coolie Bee is handling the production.

Enjoy!

Here


Intro

The Genuine

Neurological Tactics


B

Gimme Da Mic ft. Bhang

Bonk Pon Di Head


samedi 16 avril 2022

Oyakata & DJ Nozawa - Sounds Carried By Hakobune -2

 


This is a pause-mixtape from Japan made in the early 2000s (no exact info on this), by Mary Joy Recordings' A&R Norihiro Higo aka Oyakata (responsible among others for the Tags Of The Times compilations) and his pal DJ Nozawa from the Terracotta Troops that just put some scratches here and there on the selection.
It's more a selection than a real mixtape per say, the tracks are not mixed but more put back to back.

I bought it solely on the premise of the Mary Joy 'fame' and was pretty happily surprised to see such a deep westcoast underground tracklist, with a lot of Project Blowed affiliated crews represented here.

Talking about the tracklist, well, there's no info but I've recognized most of the cuts out there.
Feel free to fill the gaps and post on the comments section.

This is the second volume and I'll put the first one sometime soon.
Enjoy!



A
AURA ft. COSMIC & OPTIMUS RHYMES - Parallandra
AESOP ROCK - Dryspell
Unknown track (+ DJ Nozawa scratches)
RADIOINACTIVE - Launch Padlock Smith
VIXXEN - Twice As Hard
ILLOGIC - Me Vs. Myself
JEDI KNIGHTS CIRCLE - Forbidden Planet
MURS & J-TREDS - Freestyle (CM Famalam Radio Show 8.5.1999 WKCR)
ACEYALONE - Accepted Eclectic
THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS - Back When
THE GROUCH ft. ASOP, BFAP, ELIGH, PSC & SCARUB - Cool Enough

B
CVE - CV Vault
OF MEXICAN DESCENT ft. RAKAA IRISCIENCE & SNIZAKE - Medication
GLOBAL PHLOWTATIONS - Builders
ATMOSPHERE - Scapegoat (Live)
BASIK MC - Apex Predator
CVE - Selecter
CVE - Fo Beatz Sake (+ DJ Nozawa scratches)
CVE ft. RIFLEMAN & SELF JUPITER - Knock Knock
ECLIPSE & KHALEEDAH - Give Me The Mic
HAIKU D'ETAT - West Side Slip N' Slide
SUPERNATURAL - Freestyle At Wake Up Show


jeudi 17 mars 2022

Da Rymskeme - Mista Guitar Man ('92 Demo)


 

This one is a rip from my personal collection, the very first demo from Eyedle Mode's Da Rymskeme, located in San Jose if I'm correct. 

The demo is 4 tracks only, no idea who produced the tracks (maybe J Def?) and as you see,  David Paul from the Bomb Hip-Hop zine/label shopped it around back then. He told me that the demo was probably late 92/ early 93 and came before the other one (3 Million Miles Inna Demo).

The same year, one of the four tracks, "Da Word", was released as a promo flexi disc for the people who bought the Bomb Hip Hop zine. On the flip was "Jack The Mack" by another south bay up and coming emcee: Charizma.

Much props to Hakan Dougpark for the tip.


Here




Mista Guitar Man

Instincts

Da Word

Pavement Trials Of A Jester

jeudi 13 janvier 2022

Put that shh on wax! vol.3

 


Heard about this one?


21 - The unreleased Darkleaf - The Mission I album (2000)

I stumbled randomly on this pic above on instagram... pretty interesting stuff huh? An unreleased and mastered Darkleaf LP that was supposed to be released on Daddy Kev's Celestial Recordings in 2000/2001...  No idea why it ended up being shelved but we sure want to hear it, and about it!

Longevity supposedly has a copy of this. Somebody please make it happen :)


22 - The Goods - Dream Sequence (1999)

That late-90es Halifax scene was so talented.. Buck 65 and Sixtoo are the trees hiding the forest and this album ranks pretty high amongst the Hali Greats. The Goods is producer DJ Gordski and MC Kunga219, slick melodic beats with Kunga's deep voice and reflective lyrics, interesting guests, and unbeatable combination for this album, their best one in my opinion. Maybe a bit long for a simple LP, it'd need a nice 2LP to fit the awesome "Saga" posse cut.


23 - Weekend Science Experiment - The Binary Theorem (1999)

WSE was Subtitle on the mic and Mums The Word on the beats (who now owns a brewery with his brother in LA).

He might disagree with this statement but, despite its geeky title, this might be Sub's most backpacker-friendly album. Mums' beats are good to great (to this day I can randomly have 'Nobody Walks In LA' and his catchy hook in my head) and Subtitle delivers, like always. 

I recently saw a post on Gino's IG that was vaguely referring to a possible reissue of this album, possibly on vinyl. I'm all in!


24 - A Dave Dub compilation

Of course Stones Throw already made it happen with The Treatment in 2012, which they sold as a brand new album but was really a reissue of the past Endlessness In Machinery albums (Dave & Tapemasta Steph) originally issued between 1997 and 2002.

But both Dave's solos Programmed D (2006) and Sade's Forehead (2015) were so great that it'd be completely worth a vinyl release, if not for both at last a compilation with tracks from both of them.

Dave is uniquely talented, kind of like Zest in a different way. They don't really fit the current mold although they have crazy charisma and distinctive voices. This would only be justice. 


25 - A DJ Moves / Tachichi compilation

More of that late 90es Halifax ish. 

I thought: take some of the best tracks off Moves' Hiss compilations, plus some of that early Tachichi from that Truth Of The Trade / Booze Brothers era.. now that would make my day. Always thought a label from there, like Black Buffalo, might release something like that. Fingers crossed...


26 - Sacred Hoop - comp.. or anything really

Sacred Hoop is another group that would deserve a big batch of reissues, or at least one decent compilation. Considering the quantity & quality of their discography, their vinyl catalog is rather modest. Luke Sick showed a while ago on his instagram feed an artwork made by Aaron Horkey (Abuse / Burlesque Of N.A.) for a never-released Sacred Hoop 3-tracks 12''. That would be a good start.


27 - PEACE & Daddy Kev - The Green Mile

Ok this is the shortest reissue of the list.. 11 minutes 14 seconds of music by this talented bunch.. PEACE on the mic, Daddy Kev on production, guest mcs Awol One and Peace's cousin Kits... how could it disappoint?

The project, an unfinished LP was supposed to the be fifth album installment of Daddy Kev's "Jazz albums with MCs" after Grouch's Sound Advice, Awol's Slanguage, and a couple of others I forgot. Short tracks infused with jazz samples and astutely combined which makes it sound like one long track (which is how it actually was presented on Kev's Penchant For Buggery DVD) and makes it pretty entertaining and enjoyable to listen to. 

I mean it could fit a 7'' right?


28 - Tommy V - any of his 4 albums between 2001-2002 (Quarter Life Crisis / Bus & Food Money/ 4-Track Folklore / Fresh Produce)

Yup, big Tommy V fan right here. Love his voice and the fact that he's not trying to sound like another generic mc. Also one of the only rap artist who managed to do an actual non-hip hop album (-ok there's some beats on this one, but it's really something else-) that I to this day love and bump regularly (that's Fresh Produce). Tommy is featured on so many la2thebay related projects, it seems he was pretty much on every album of this scene during the early 00s era. 

Despite this I still feel he didn't got the props that he deserved as an artist and a proper reissue of his early LP would be a good start.


29 - Eligh - Poltergeist (2003)

The recent crazy lavish reissue of As They Pass made me wonder.. which one next? 

For me it's Poltergeist (although Enigma would be good too) with basically the highest numbers of tracks I enjoy from him.. his production skills on this one is pretty high, which is interesting to notice since by this time (2003) most of my underground rap favorites artists had already fell pretty bad (wack beats, weird/ failed attempt to reach a wider audience). Eligh continued to do what he did before and pretty well so, not fazed by the urge to sell out. And I mean he has such a strong audience still, that pretty much everything he would drop would sell decently.


30 - Library Crew - Bibliotechnicians (1997)

This one's pretty fun. Subtitle and his mates (the Lexicon brothers, Memorex, Premonition) made this tape in 1997, and although some of the tracks sound a bit foolish, this is pretty good for a first release. The beats are on point (third 3 beats by E-Dub, then Mike Sco then Todd One), and the tracks have been  mastered, which is a big plus for a reissue. I'm all in.


Also considered these one:

- An Anacron compilation with his early demo

- A Peanuts & Corn comp with all the dope tracks not on vinyl (there's a batch of em)

- any of the Global Phlowtations or Masters Of The Universe album with a miracle remaster work

- Matt Gamin & Tape Mastah Steph - Spliced Tape Formatt (pretty dope and underrated)

- Joseph Young & Anonymous - Rossi Nights & Malibu Mornings (more Joe Dub on vinyl!)

- Record Players - Direct Drive (way more Joe Dub on vinyl!!)

- a Specs One compilation (deep backcatalogue, super underrated mc)

- LMNO - This EP Reminds Me Of 93 (love the Blak Forest / Circle Of Power productions on this one)

- Kram Neves - The Bizarro Theory (check it)

- Freestyle Fellowship - The Promise (this one was pretty good.. why no vinyl release?)

- full version of Netheworlds - Pals (no, a vinyl EP is not enough. I love this album for some reasons)

- Lazerus Jackson - Crime / Filthy (both dope, would love to see this happen)

- Disflex 6 - Slow Burn (my favorite of theirs)

- Ostrich Head - Tower Of Babble (still weird that no one ever mentions this one)

- Boxfeeders - Millenium Soup (absolute bad ass production by the MRR/ADM/Drumetrics crew of SD)

- Tenshun - Fuck Officer Wahl & The SDPD (my favorite of his, murderous scratch music. blast it loud)

- Name Science - 2 Da Death (Inoe Oner + Sach on super calm, beautiful beats)

- a Bay Area Art Collective / James Ek-Sel compilation (underrated, some really strong tracks)

- L'Roneous & Brycon - The World According To Gurp (great project)


.. that's all folks. Now let's pray the gods of indie rap to make those happen.

mercredi 15 décembre 2021

Put that shh on wax! vol.2

 

Buck 65 baseball cards


11 - Buck 65 - Weirdo Magnet (1996)

Another one in the "if it happens everybody will freak out" category.

Classic Buck 65, incredible 2-tape albums that has been later reissued and remastered for a very different tracklist (half of the original tape tracks are not on the cd, some of the tracks on the cd reissue were unreleased.. wtf?). Ok, there's an existing vinyl EP with tracks off this album that was released by Hand Solo, but still, it's only 4 tracks off a 40 tracks double tape. We. Want. More.

Is it doable? Well it probably has a cost. Also: is Warner Canada still owning the rights of this? If so it'd be problematic. But at the same time it didn't stop Richard to release Vertex, another classic, on his own, without Warner in the equation (by the way, this Vertex record has... 30 minutes of music on each side. I'm impressed the pressing factory even allowed it). So if he did it once, why not twice? 


12 - Orko - Eyemagedon (2002)

Look, Orko has an incredible backcatalogue with almost none of it on wax, that's such a shame.

Eyemagedon is my favorite of the lot, which really means I think it's the most consistent from start to finish. But really, he should do a 4LP anthology, Dereliks-style. So much dope material over his career, and unfortunately so little vinyl releases. 

An important factor: it should be definitely remastered from the original DAT though, because even official cds sound quality are sometimes uneven. But this one is long overdue.


13- Riddlore - compilation, including "Iz Hip Hop Dead?"

I mean.. even only "Iz Hip Hop Dead" on a large 12'' at 45rpm is fine with me. This anthem MUST be issued at some point on vinyl, I can't believe how many wack albums have been reissued and this one iconic track is still only available on a cheap cd-r. 

Beside that one, Riddlore has a deep catalogue of dope songs, from his classic "Everything You Need To Know..." album, to the more recent "West Wing" and anthems like "I Smell Smoke", or "Can U Love A Villain" -the Goodriddenz version, not the 1988 12inch version . 

There's definitely room for a nice vinyl release filled with great tracks and no fillers. Plus Riddlore is still around releasing music, so I guess he wouldn't be against it?


14 - Nextraterrestrials - The Coda Quota (1999)

This project revolved around Ottawa producer Kelron Magnanimous who invited a big batch of other artists from the canadian underground (Supreme Being Unit, DJ Moves, Fritz Tha Cat from the infamous "In Search of Divine Styler Magazine", Paul The Apostle from Governor Bolts, etc etc.). 

It's an understatement to say it was overlooked, although the tracks are pretty solid, in the same abstract/futuristic vein of S.B.U.. 18 tracks long and very few things to throw away, this would made a great reissue. The recent reissue by Chopped Herring of the Bomb Shelta Association 'Rebirth' album kind of give me hope that some of those obscure canadian releases may find a second life one day.

Typically, if the guy was from NYC it would have happen already..


15 - Komadose - Beta One (2002)

...Which makes me think of this album. The bostonian answer to Can Ox' The Cold Vein, sort of.

This is probably the closest thing you'll encounter as far as "El-P-type beat". But although the influence is heavy you can't deny they're really good beats, not pale imitations. 

Interestingly this is also one of the first appearance of K-The-I??? on a record.

To be honest I thought this one would've happened a long time ago, but maybe it's too much of an obscure record, or maybe just that the Ozone/DefJux/late90esNYCdystopian/scifihiphop sound revival hasn't kicked yet.


16 - Bedouins - Vol.1 "The Missing Link" (1998)

I already shared that great forgotten tape from the San Jose scene, with the few details that I knew about it. Tapemasta Steph on production and twins MCs Mozam and K-Swift. Probably the only christian rap album I'll ever wish someone reissue. 

The only concern would be for the sound, once again. Would need a decent remaster. I'm not so sure it'd sell too well but I know I'd buy two for sure.


17 - Inoe Oner - Master Relm (1998) / Da Governmentz Greatest Hitz (2002)

They're both great, underrated albums from the LA Project Blowed scene.

If you're not familiar, think Global Phlowtations collective, LA Project Blowed, Adlib/ Zagu Brown/ Sach. Minimal, dark, muddy, even though it's not thug rap or dystopian rap, it got a really distinct vibe to it, pretty far from your classic backpack hip hop.

Master Relm was supposed to be released on wax around 2005/6/7, something like that, by a friend of mine who eventually changed his mind and put his money on a common release, the Inoe/Thavius Beck split 7'' picture disc. That last one was a pretty bad commercial failure and my friend didn't put another dime into releasing a vinyl. To this day I'm still regretful about having him change his mind, because Master Relm really deserved a reissue. When Beetbak did a cassette reissue years later it brought the memories back, and the fact that a remaster already exists might help a possible vinyl reissue one day (?).

Da GG Hitz is another one that's very dope and would deserve a reissue. It features production by Adlib/Thavius Beck and the beats are incredible and really match Inoe's flow.


18 - Eyedlmode - Fogville (1995)

Ok so this one is supposed to be reissued by Key System Recordings eventually. They actually mentioned it like 2 years ago, and had me super excited, until they finally drop this other masterful "To Whom it may Concern" reissue. 

Don't get me wrong, it was probably a better strategy to get any money back and fuel the label, but I'm still regularly checking out their twitter/fb to see if anything new is popping, just in case.

Remember when you thought The Nonce was like the westcoast answer to ATCQ and no one seems to really pay attention and then all of sudden a flurry of reissues happened (super deservingly btw)? 

Well, Eyedlmode is like the Bay Area answer to The Nonce (or something like that).

If you didn't checked Fogville and their self titled EP, both only released on cassette, it's about time to enjoy the soothing vibes from these gems. Perfect albums to chill to. The world needs to know. My crates need this one badly.


19 - Moka Only - Carrotts & Eggs (2009)

Ok Moka has a trillion albums. Seriously, I've never seen such an incredible discography for an hip hop artist. The problem is, it's hard to have people following everything you put out when you release 4 albums a year. Even if you're dedicated, at some point, you kind of give up, drown under a pile of beats.

So Carrotts & Eggs for me is the most consistent of the lot but it was just overlooked by most people, because, well that was one of the 6 albums released by Moka in 2009 (and he had 3 in 2008, 2 in 2010, etc etc.).

Moka also has an interesting trajectory as a producer. Over the years he developed his identity as a beatmaker and made these kind of J Dilla-esque beats. It's pretty pregnant on this album and it's for the better. There's a whole funky vibe throughout Carrots & Eggs that will make you nod , sit back, relax, then start cooking some vegetables. 

If there was one to pick among his 73 albums (that's the actual count), this is the one!


20 - Ka Auditron Ba - The Final Conflict (1998)

This album has an interesting backstory and has been brought to our attention by the homie Jibs' Thisisforthehustlers blog. This is the Kemetic Suns never released, testament LP. 

Although it sounds like a compilation of demos with very heterogeneous audio quality, there's a lot of good/great tracks among the 21 tracks/ 93 minutes of music offered, easily enough to make a dope vinyl reissue.  The main issue here would be to be able to master it so that it feels somewhat coherent soundwise, because the differences of volume between each of these demo is a bit bothering.

Again, I really hope someone will try to make it happen because although it's still a bunch of demos at various states of development, it sounds promising.


To be continued in part 3...