Last Night Changed It All

I don't think I've played many songs as many times as this over the years... maybe Shook Ones and Hypnotize LOL. Most of the times it's the 12" version with the memorable phone intro that's real fun to cut up, occasionally the other version as well.

Esther Williams: Last Night Changed It All (12" Version)(1981)
Esther Williams: Last Night Changed It All (7" Version)(1981)

Classic Riddim #3: Red Alert

This might be too recent to call a classic, but the fact is I really enjoy the techno vibe of it. I guess I also needed an excuse to big up their new Mix Up EP on Mad Decent, which is more or less the best thing out right now.

Cecile: Hot Like We
Ward 21: Player Haters
Capleton: Real Hot
Lady Saw: Don't Trespass
T.O.K.: Let It Shine

BONUS:
The South Rakkas' Mix Up EP on Mad Decent is in stores now. I'm telling you, just buy it. If you need further proof check out Carry Feelings feat T.O.K, courtesy of the Disco Devil. Diplo said that if things work out the EP will also be on Itunes in the very near future, so watch out...

Classic Time #23

Keak Da Sneak feat E-40: T-Shirt, Blue Jeans & Nikes (2003) A Bay anthem ever since it's release.
BONUS:
Keak Da Sneak: In Front Of Yo Momma's House (2007)
The bangin first single from the forthcoming album "Defied", out in few weeks.

Shout outs to my man DJ Ross Hogg.

Sagat: Funk Dat

Ok this officially just made my day. The song is still incredible and the video- which I had never seen before- is hilarious.

Gap Band: Early In The Morning

I LOVE THIS SONG... The video is off the hook as well.

Classic Time #22

Kinky Foxx: So Different (1983)

I've had this 12" for at least five years, the artist name still makes me laugh everytime it's mentioned.

The Saga Of Freek'n You

Let's go back to 1995...



Jodeci: Freek'n You
DJ Deeon: Everyday (Remix) (One of my favorite Dance Mania tracks)
DJ Funk: Every Freak'n Day
DJ Assault: Techno Freak

BONUS:
Jodeci: Freek'n You Remix feat Raekwon & Ghostface

I know the MK Dub of Jodeci should be here as well, but I just couldn't find it now... Anybody wanna hook me up with the 320 I'd be grateful.

Shout outs to my man Cosmo Baker who took time out to help me with this post.

Ya'll have a freek'n great weekend ok...

Top Billin this Friday!

It's that time again... I'm hoping to hear this little banger tomorrow night. It's a few months old now but I don't care. I also read the horns are from some semi-suspect Ibiza house record, but I've never been to the island so I wouldn't know.

T-Pain "Church Remix"

One of my favorite Facebook groups is called T-Pain Owns Music and I'm only exaggarating a bit when I say that's pretty much how I feel about R&B and music in general in 2007. Anyway, here's a cool T-Pain remix I just stumbled across, he actually sounds real mad on this...
T-Pain: Church (Gucci Nature Remix)

BONUS:
Another not-so-typical T-Pain blend that I really didn't expect to work, but ended up playing out repeatedly.
Justice: Valentine (Chris Hires' Bartender Blend)

Cymande: Arrival

The Cymande dudes have more tried and true classics under their belt than many better known 70's funk groups: Dove, Message, Bra (the scene in Spike Lee's 25th Hour where Philip Seymour Hoffman is drifting towards the restroom with the underage girl, with Bra blasting from the other room, is incredible) and my personal fave Brothers On The Slide for starters. All of the three Janus albums are quality stuff, basically. Then there's the weird fourth album, Arrival, on Paul Winley. No one seems to really know what the deal with that one is. It's somewhat different stylistically and as a whole might not be up there with the early ones, but there's this one jam that I always liked...
Cymande: It's Magic

New Ghostface!

The first single off the new album Big Dough Rehab that's supposed to be out on December 4th, same day as the new Wu-Tang album 8 Diagrams. What can I say, can't really go wrong with a sample like that... The 192's been around since last week, here's the 320.

Ghostface feat Kid Capri: Celebrate

2070 Riddim

Those following Jamaican music closely are most likely already familiar with the disco-funky 2070 riddim. Those of you who downloaded my Summer 2007 mix back in August also know at least one song, namely Voicemail's entertaining Kool & The Gang rendition "Get Down On It". Other songs on the riddim reference random 70's hits as well. My favorites are Voicemail and Nicky B's hilarious "High Like A Kite". You can download a 10 minute 2070 medley here, courtesy of Swedish dancehall blog Boomwahdis.

2070 Medley tracklist:
Voicemail - Get Down On It
Movado - Dont Tek It Fi Joke
Vybz Kartel - Bruk Out
Wayne Marshall - Party Like 1975
Craig Dennis & SOLTEX 3000 - Party
Tami Chynn - Rolling
Chino - Ganja man
Nicky B - High Like A Kite
Elephant Man - Smell

Take that shit to The Breaks.Com

Like so many others in my generation I first started getting into old records back in the mid-90's, looking for songs sampled by rap artists. In 1996 I used my job printer to print out the entire Sample FAQ aka The Breaks, trying to memorize it all. Here are two classics from that era that took me a long ass time to find. If you know your raps they will be familiar, plus they're real cool songs to boot.

Oliver Sain: On The Hill
Galt MacDermot: Coffee Cold

Disco Devil blog

I was minding my business, reading the comments to my Noel Williams post when I somehow ended on this super cool blog based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Obviously I didn't understand much of the writing, but the musical selection appealed to me right away. Best believe I'll be going back... Ya'll should check it out, too.

Erule B-sides

Some of you might be old enough to remember Erule's 1994 underground classic "Listen Up". The L.A. rapper disappered after that, to return a few years later with a single called "Worldwide Domination" that got like zero distribution. The b-side was hot though, as had been the case with "Listen Up". I won't say "Synopsis" is better than "Listen Up", but I will say "Nik Luv" is definitely better than "Worldwide Domination", up there with the first 12".
Erule: Synopsis (1994)
Erule: Nik Luv (1998)
BTW, there must be something wrong with the innernet, I couldn't find a proper photo of dude to go with this post...
UPDATE: I just got a mail from an old friend & local MC/DJ legend Iwere who sent the photo above, scanned from Rap Pages' December 1994 L.A. underground issue... Thanks again!

Paper Route

Paper Route Recordz from Huntsville, Alabama, has been been putting out incredible tracks for a minute now. "Rollin" by Slow Motion Soundz was included in the Moments In Love post last week, here a new one I that's up there with the best...
Jackie Chain: Blinded By The Light

BONUS: the most talked about Paper Route song- even as far as over here- has to be Rollin by PRG'z (The Paper Route Gangsterz), if you missed it on the other blogs here's your chance (128).

Find out more:
Paper Route Myspace
Paper Route Soundclick store
Fairtilizer on Paper Route
Watch out, autoplays around every corner...

Classic Time #21

I'll have to post these two Noel Williams productions together because I always think of them as a good pairing anyway. I guess it's because of the very unique sound. Those who are not familiar with Williams should check the Wikipedia link above. He was a prolific producer during the TK Disco heyday and almost everything on his own Konduko label is worth checking out. Plus he's married to Betty Wright.

Connie Case: Get Down (1982)
Extra: Haven't Been Funked Enough (1982)

Big Moe RIP

Damn, another Houston rapper dead. Big Moe might not have reached the international fame of some of his peers, but in Texas he was a legend. Here's on of my favorite Big Moe moments, My City's Screwed Up. Rest In Peace.

Late Nite Tip

Long before Oscar awards and incredible speeches there was Late Nite Tip. Which I had to post now because I should have included it in the Moments In Love post below. And because it's approaching 3 AM here. And because it's one of the dopest songs they ever did.
Three 6 Mafia: Late Nite Tip (Remix) (1998)

Boyz II Men: Motownphilly

Now that I think about it I doubt I ever saw the video back in the day... European MTV wasn't really big on new jack swing.

Daft Punk: Da Funk

2 x Just Me 'N' You

Now this is some is real Saturday morning shit for you and your significant other. I bump stuff like this even when I'm alone, no matter how pathetic that may sound. I ain't scurred.

J.R. Bailey: Just Me N' You (1974)
Eramus Hall: Just Me And You (1980)

Btw, the Bailey album is excellent all the way and is out again on UK's Soul Brother label. Highly recommended.

The Saga Of Moments In Love

Tender moments for days...
Moments In Love (Extended Version)(1985)
The Sounds Of Silence: Moments In Club (1993)
69 Boyz: Tootsee Roll (1994)
DJ Funk: The Art Of Funkin (1995)
DJ Godfather & Starski: Moments (2005)
Slow Motion Soundz: Natural (2007)

New blend

Here's a quick blend i just did. For some time now I've cherished the idea of dancehall vocals over disco and house beats, partly inspired by the Noisy Bunch blend below. I tried a few things and this is the first that worked well enough to make it public...
Ray'von: We Love To Party (Anonymous Blend)

Plush & Harold Gill

Recycling melodies and rhythms has been going on forever, but blatantly taking someone's record and singing on top of that is something you might think just happens in hiphop and reggae. And that's exactly what my man Harold Gill did to Rene & Angela offshoot Plush back in 1983: he took their "Free And Easy" instrumental, rewrote the song and released "I Can Make You Party" on his own Sure Hit label.
I ain't mad, as both songs are incredible.

Plush: Free And Easy
Harold Gill: I Can Make You Party
EDIT: a new Plush file linked, the first one had some glitches towards the end.

Classic Riddim #2: Buy Out

Another dancehall staple by the man they call Tony "CD" Kelly.

Notch: Nuttin Nuh Go So
Beenie Man: Miss L.A.P.
Spragga Benz & Twice: Real Niggas
T.O.K.: Money To Burn
Sean Paul: Like Glue

R.Kelly: Real Talk

This Youtube video has been out for a minute now, I don't know how I missed it... "Milton!"
Shout outs to Fisu, Klubihärkä & Pikku-Jarkko.

Take 6: Spread Love

The Grammy award winning acapella song that most of you know from the famous Bozo Meko party break. These dudes are tough!

3 x Nitty Gritty

So much has been written about KMD and MF Doom that I don't really have much to say. What I can say is that even as far as here in Scandinavia Mr Hood used to blow little hip hop kids' minds. Just like that.
Shirley Ellis: The Nitty Gritty (1963)
KMD feat Brand Nubian: Nitty Gritty (1991)
KMD feat Lord Jamar, Sadat X & Busta Rhymes: Nitty Gritty Remix (1991)

BONUS: some claim the non-album B-side of the Nitty Gritty 12" is superior to the A-side, I won't comment on that as I always liked them both. Plumskinzz ended on Black Bastards later, split into two parts and without Onyx' verse.
KMD: Plumskinzz

Classic Time #20

I can't recommond this enough. Just perfect for the bedroom but the dramatic strings and the reggae-like rhythm make it a killer on the dancefloor also... if you know when to drop it that is.

Starvue: Body Fusion

New York, New York VS L.A., L.A.

The Dogg Pound: New York, New York (1995)
25 To Life (Tragedy, Capone'N'Noreaga & Mobb Deep): L.A., L.A.(1996)
The Dogg Pound: New York New York Instrumental

Nas: Understanding / Life Is Like A Dicegame

Most of the unreleased Nas joints are widely available on the net, but quality rips might be hard to find. Here are two absolute essentials from the Illmatic period, taken from the original white label single.
Nas: Understanding
Nas: Life Is Like A Dice Game
Bonus #1:
Nas & AZ: Life's A Bitch (Karl Dallas Remix)
Hot remix by a local producer now residing in London.
Bonus #2:
Nas: One On One (From the Street Fighter soundtrack)
I had kinda forgotten about this and just recently rediscovered it. It's actually really good.

While you're digesting these you might want to revisit The Source's famous 5 mic review of Illmatic, courtesy of pressrewind.wordpress.com
Also, I'll post the incredible It Ain't Hard To Tell Remix as soon as I can locate it.

EDIT: now defunct Escobartheory blog has cool pieces about Understanding as well as Life Is Like A Dice Game. Check em out!