Christmas Bells!

Who wouldn't love nutty xmas rhymes? If I wasn't playing a disco party I'd definitely play some of these tonight.



Hard Cell Xmas: My Christmas Bells (1987)
Pretty cool cover of Rock The Bells from the B-Boy Records comp pictured above

Treacherous Three: Xmas Rap (1984)
One of the highlights of Beat Street

Whistle: Santa Is A B-Boy (1986)
Just found the video for Just Buggin... crazy!

Outstanding

Some obscure raps for a change.
Stonesthrow reissued the other song from this Connecticut 12" a few years back, I always preferred this one. Bangin beat, solid raps, Gap Band chorus and wack mc chants towards the end... can't go wrong.
TooTskee & Czar MC: Outstanding (1989)

BONUS:
NJ 12" from one year later, produced by Tony D (RIP) and also borrowing heavily from Outstanding.
Blvd Mosse: All Praises Due To Outstanding (1990)

Quiet Song

I guess everybody here knows the sensation of just randomly stumbling on something you heard a long time ago but never knew what it was? Well I just did. Shout outs to homie Josh B who I'm pretty sure first played me this... what a song.

The Naturals

I have a weak spot for cool disco sleeves and as far as I'm concerned some of the coolest ones are Jamaican. This here is a prime example. The song is not really reggae or dancehall, though, but 80's R&B with a cool synth / drum machine groove. This here is the instrumental side which I always preferred over the vocal.
The Naturals: Funk (1986?)

Today, Tomorrow & Forever

Whenever I'm in NY I try to catch Mr Cee's Throwback At Noon if I only get the chance. Last nite I went as far as stream it all the way from here just because Twitter told me he was doing a killer house classics set. Indeed he was, murdering staples like Gypsy Woman and In A De Ghetto. Towards the end of the set he went into one of my all time faves, Break 4 Love.



The Castle Beat: Today, Tomorrow & Forever (1987)

Break 4 Love is produced by Vaughn Mason of Bounce Rock Skate Roll fame. I don't know what his relation to Castle Beat's Larry Joseph is, but what's clear is that Today, Tomorrow & Forever is the blueprint for Break 4 Love, minus the vocals. Probably he just jacked it. If anyone knows I'd like to know too.

Summertime

High Frequency: Summertime (1980)
Another timeless Leroy Burgess / Aleem brothers disco jam that's yet to be reissued.

Late 80's Rap

Now I was planning to post an ancient mix I did back in 1996, but couldn't get the tape ripped yet so I decided to post my late 80's rap mix from 2006 instead. The CD's are gone anyway. The mix has some 25 tracks on it including a few turntable remixes I did myself. Some of the songs are common, some rare, all were chosen because I felt they deserved wider recognition. Enjoy...

UPDATE 1/2010: brand new Soundcloud player and download, just for you:
DJ Anonymous: Going Back To My Roots - Late 80's Rap Mix (2006) by DJ Anonymous

ALTERNATIVE MEDIAFIRE LINK

Intro
Sirocalot: Sirocalot
J.V.C. Force: Stylin' Lyrics
D.J. Ace & Daquan: Hard To The Core
Strictly Bizness: Call It What You Want
The Heartbeat Brothers: Time 2 Get Paid (Anonymous Remix)
Antoinette: I Got An Attitude (Anonymous Remix)
Too Fresh: Hitten' Harder
Priority One: I Can't Go For That
Lightnin Lee & Poppy P: Big Time Chillin
D.J. Scratch & G-O-D: The Party Is Jumpin
Kings Of Swing: Stop Jockin' James
Dr. Luv & Kev-Ski: Overdose
Aaron Dee & C-Nice: Disassemble The Beat
D. Moet & X-Calibur: Dance To The Excalibur
M.C. Sugar Ray & Stranger D: If It Ain't Rough It Ain't Right
T.D.S. Mob: Dope For The Folks
Live N' Effect Posse: We Got A Message In Our Music
J.V.C. Force: A Force Thing
D.J. Miz & M.C. Ludicrous: Trouble
Take 6: Spread Love (Anonymous Remix)
Bid Daddy Kane: Ain't No Half Steppin Marley Marl Remix

Digger's Delight #26

Top Choice Clique video from 1988

OMFG where did this video come from?? One of my all time favorite underground rap jams, no doubt.

Got To Get Your Love

So I'm on vacation, but of course I'll be doing some record shopping as well. Today I was surprised to find one of these gems for a pretty damn decent price. And hell no, it's not the reissue. I had one already, so it's up for grabs too. Serious offers only...
Clyde Alexander & Sanction: Got To Get Your Love (1980)

Remain Anonymous

Ras Kass: Remain Anonymous (1994)
You best believe this was my shit back then, too bad it hasn't aged as well as some indie rap hits from the era. It's still entertaining nonetheless. I didn't follow his career much after this, but always felt he was a pretty good rapper.

Break It Loose!

As far as I'm concerned 45's don't get much better than this.
Onyx: Break It Loose (1973)

Have a good weekend everybody!

Check Out The Radio

Spectrum City: Check Out The Radio (1984)
I always found the first P.E. 12" on Vanguard a fascinating record, even if it's not quite on the same genius level as some of their famous later works. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can read up here.

Rasa

Rasa: Chanting (1978)
Back in high school me and my boy used to go to the local Hare Krishna temple to eat. The all-vegetarian lunch was off the hook and the monks were super friendly as long as you donated at least something. I haven't really messed with the Hare Krishna since, this weirdo funk record being an exception. There's some lesser moments too, but the synth bassline on Chanting is where it's at for me. Sample heads already know what I'm talking about.

Sellin D.O.P.E.

Other than Hip Hop I never really got into Dead Prez too much. I just re-discovered an early 12" from this forgotten soundtrack that I really like and never hear anywhere... so here we go.
Dead Prez: Sellin D.O.P.E. (1998)

Lubrication

It seems like many of us who grew up with mid-90's rap still have a place in our hearts for Kwest The Madd Ladd's very entertaining 101 Things. I always thought dude's debut single from the year before is just as good.
Kwest The Madd Ladd: Lubrication (1993)
(click to preview or right click save as to DL)

Btw, here's an interesting read about what happened with Kwest's deal at Rick Rubin's Def American, courtesy of Ego Trip magazine (Mao what's up???) and via Pressrewind.

Who Woulda Thought

That there's a video for this?.... Aaron Broomfield: I'm Gonna Miss You (1981)

Juicy Fruit

FIle taken down due to bad sound quality. Will re-up at some point.

Christine's smooth lovers rock rendition of the Mtume classic, produced by Chosen Few of Trojan and Konduko fame. She delivers the song convincingly and whoever mixed the song makes a point of dubbing out the "i'll be your lollipop, you can lick me everywhere"-line.

Hi, This Is Carol Williams

Carol Williams: Can't Get Away (From Your Love) Special Club Dub Mix
Some more disco nerdery before we move on. After a few months of club and radio play Carol Williams' 1982 New York hit Can't Get Away (From Your Love) was given a special dub mix by Vanguard's in-house DJ Ray "Pinky" Velasquez . Carol herself added the famous spoken word intro, the remix was pressed on one-sided 10" vinyl and sent out to A-list Tri-State DJ's as an appreciation of their support. All in all, it's one of the coolest special mixes from the era and has been bootlegged once or twice too.

Into The Milky Way

Jimmy Briscoe & The Beavers: Into The Milky Way 8:08 Version (1979)
In anticipation of this Friday's Solid Gold, here's ex-harmony group Jimmy Briscoe & The Little Beavers' big intergalactic disco record. 8 minutes of orchestral, atmospheric perfection, with a really cool breakdown halfway through as well. For whatever reason this is one of the harder Salsoul 12"s to find too.

Burning Hot

Brooklyn Express: Burning Hot (1982)

I was planning to do a big Began Cekic post, but ran into some obstacles (not being able to locate some of the 12"s I wanted to rip to be exact). I had to post one, though. Burning Hot is one of the shady Yugoslavian's famous replayed disco medleys and I think one of the longest ones too, clocking in at close to 15 minutes. The dubby production still sounds fresh and I've found it useful for the right occasion. As many of Cekic's releases, this was remixed by the legend Tee Scott himself.

Btw, Cekic must have been quite a hustler indeed. In addition to jacking a lot of peoples' hits dude managed to license the Brooklyn Express full length for release in then communist Yugoslavia, under state-owned PGP RGB label.

More on Cekic over at Dollar Bin Jams. The links are still up too!

Sail On

Wabiné was a late-70's disco side project of Trini musicians based in New York. They released two 12"s on their Wabiné Productions label, the first of which was The Martian's Visit b/w Sail On. The A side was compiled by Dimitri From Paris a few years back, I always preferred the somewhat cheesy but very catchy flip that some might also remember from this little bootleg.

Wabiné: Sail On (1978)

Party Groove Bass Mix

Showbiz & AG: Party Groove (Bass Mix)(1992)
My favorite version of this early-90's classic. This has been requested repeatedly after I had it on a mix a while back.

Hip This House

I'm about to leave town to go boating for a few days and thought I'd leave you with something special. What we have here is a cool little triplet of less obvious hip house bangers from back in the day. The futuristic Hip This House is my personal pick of the bunch, but the other two are real solid as well and go well with a lot of current uptempo raps.


Shadows J: Hip This House (1990)
Produced by Leon Lee


Double J: Bless The Funk (1989)
Produced by DJ Mark The 45 King. This was a big record in the early days of the Baltimore club scene and is still getting played.


J.D. featuring Innovator Dee: Poetry House Style (1990)
Produced by The Sample Kings

Good Love

Rome Jefferies: Good Love (1983)

Here's a little treat to start your weekend off right... a touch of class from way back when. I had the song on last year's Disco To Get Drunk To #4 mix after I eventually managed to find a copy. I don't really know much about the singer, but I do know producer Greg Henderson is also the man behind Dreamin on Sam and the coveted (overrated?) Master Force record on Rain Forest.
The rip here is from the 12", not the poorly pressed (albeit very good) Disco Strut comp where it also appears.
Btw, now that I'm talking compilations I need to shout out one of my all time favorite series, the original early-90's Mastercuts. The first 30 or so volumes are still untouchable when it comes to selection and attention to detail (strictly 12" mixes all the way!). I was never one to buy CD's really, but sometimes I wish I had them all here to save me A LOT of time. And yes, they too had Good Love on one of them, already back in 1993!
Also, if you're really really feeling the jam here you might want go back in time for a sec and make sure you grabbed this monster of a tune as well.

Wayne Chin does Bobby Caldwell

As requested by my man Big Chan:
Wayne Chin: Won't Do For Love (198?)


UPDATE: Here's Otis Gayle's classy Studio One version of the same at 192kbps. Click the Divdshare logo to DL.

Prelude B-sides and stuff

Prelude is one of my all time favorite labels, period. The amount of amazing releases is unfathomable, after all these years even. The classics are well known and documented, what we have here is a handful of slightly lesser known personal faves you might or might not have heard.

Michael Wilson: Groove It To Your Body (Instrumental aka Francois Kevorkian Dub)(1982)

Linda Taylor: You And Me Just Started (1982)
edit: the link corrected

D-Train: Tryin' To Get Over (1981)

Jeanette 'Lady' Day: Come Let Me Love You (Special Instrumental Version)(1981)
(different mix than the vocal version, has the long intro break)

Dianne Marie: I've Waited Much Too Long (Instrumental)(1982)

BONUS:
This is a true disco classic, but I happened to have it on hand and just had to post it. Powerline is essentially the same group as Atmosfear, this was licensed to Prelude from UK label Elite.
Powerline: Double Journey (1982)

A few more Prelude gems for your pleasure: The More I Get and I Know You Feel Like I Feel.

Btw, I also have a Prelude request to make: if anyone has a quality rip of the Cliff Frazier & Co 12" please hook me up!!!
UPDATE: ok got it, thanks to Antti I.

Foundation 7

Over the last couple of years some have been going crazy over Compredator, the B-side to Foundation 7's 1992 single. It is good, no denying that, but I always preferred Love Ain't Like That, the storytelling A-side no one seems to talk about.
Maybe Compredator's Rakim stylings combined with Rakim samples are a bit too much, I dunno. You judge for yourself.

Foundation 7: Love Ain't Like This
Foundation 7: Compredator

Btw, I always really dug the label design, the Ruff Kutt logo especially.

2 x Ease Out

Mid Air is this much talked about, super dope and very hard to get 80's jam from Chicago that comes in two different versions. Most enthusiasts seem to prefer the original version, but I've had the remix since forever (thanks to this guy), and therefore kinda like it more, even if the sound quality isn't really all that. You decide for yourself.

Mid Air: Ease Out (Original Version)(1983)


Mid Air: Ease Out (Special Re-Mix)(1983)


And to my disco nerds out there: no, I don't have both pressings. The original appears courtesy of this fine compilation from a few years back. Highly recommended.

Choco The New Harlem Sound

Honestly, The New Harlem Sound is one of my all time favorite records, in any genre. There's something in the combination of quirky Spanish pop samples and classic hip hop beats that I find really touching. The EP was released in 1986 on the very open minded Celluloid label and bootlegged in 2004 due to high demand in Japan particularly. Choco himself is better known as a house music producer and an engineer, over the years dude has engineereed numerous Wu-related albums among others.
These are my favorite two songs from The New Harlem Sound.

I Hope It Rains Coffee (Ojala Que Llueve Cafe)
My Little Donkey (Mi Burrito)

If you're curious about the samples you might want to check this and
this.

What U Saying

So I'm back on my vinyl ripping game after some technical re-arrangements and that means more random older things will be posted here as well.

Money Boss Players: What U Saying (1994)
The best song from the mythical Ghetto Chronicle Daily album. Sound quality is so so, but until someone remasters the damn thing that's all we got.

BONUS:
Lort Tariq, Jay-Z & Nas: Analyze This
Another MBP related gem and the only song before Black Republican where Jigga and Nas appear side by side. The song is originally from 96/97, supposedly produced by Pete Rock. And if anyone cares, Nas murders Jay.

What 'Em Doing Is My Business

What 'Em Doing Is My Business is a great little disco funk jam from late-70s' Atlanta. It's also one of the most requsted numbers from my DTGDT #2 mix. I really really love the vocals, Gregory comes across as the dude you definitely don't want to mess with.
Gregory Jolly: What 'Em Doing Is My Business

Rubbabandz

This used to be the shit back in 95 and to this day I think it's one of the best from the era. Also, I always thought the song has a real winter vibe to it so it's perfect to be posted now. Dude was featured on a bunch of Wu-related tracks before and after this release, but other than that I don't really know much about him.
Rubbabandz: Purple Rain (1995)

Shout out to my main man DJ Blah who used to be an even bigger fan of this than I was.

J.P. Rodgers

J.P. Rodgers: I Enjoy Making Love (Just Like You Do)

As far as I'm concerned this here jam is one of the absolute best 80's R&B joints. The production is just slick enough and the vocals are top notch. This was a 12" release on tiny Bay Area label Inculcation back in 1982, but the song also appears on Rodgers' Good Taste In Love album. The label was so low budget that even the album comes in a plain white stock sleeve.


Btw, Quannum / Solesides heads will remember the groove no doubt.

Once again big up to my man Pablo who was the first to play this in HKI. Many people here will remember the song from his well-liked Summer Soul mix from 2002.

Some more obscure 90's 12"s

Kovalevy @ Redrum is the number one hip hop night in the city and this Friday it's once again time for the yearly throwback special. Nuff classics will be played for sure, but I'm thinking I need to get me an early night slot to play some legendary underground shit most people are definitely not up on... something like:
Shades Of Brooklyn: Change (1996)
Kaotic Style: Represent (1994)
Black Reign: Dirty (1995)

From this month on I'll also be serving as one of the resident DJ's so you will be seeing more on the night here as well.

And back to the classics for a brief second: If you haven't yet checked the latest edition of The Rub's History Of Hip Hop over at Brooklyn Radio you should do so whenever you get the chance. This time it's all about the year 1990, when I first saw the tracklisting I damn near started crying.

Jackie Mittoo: Disco Dub

Jamaican keyboard hero Jackie Mittoo moved to Canada in the mid 70's and stayed in Toronto for the rest of his career. One of his projects from that period is The Money Makers, a somewhat obscure collection of reggae instrumentals.
A funky little track called Disco Dub has been a huge personal fave ever since I first heard it on one of my Toronto visits.
Jackie Mittoo: Disco Dub

Boogie requests

A few songs from the Disco To Get Drunk To mixtape series I've been repeatedly requested, all three are huge personal faves as well.
R.B. Hudmon: Searching For Your Love (Instrumental)(198?)
Sass: Much Too Much (1982)
Vance & Suzzanne: I Can't Get Along Without You (Moxie Edit) (1980)
(DTGDT #4 had the instrumental version credited to the Apple Sauce band, this re-edit from 2004 combines the best of both versions.)

Another 100 posts full

So I have another 100 posts full, making it 200 in total. I was planning to post some disco 12"s, house 12"s, whatever, but then got this real nostalgic vibe and started rummaging through stacks of 90's rap 12"s. And this here is what I ended up with: 10 more or less forgotten Wu-affiliated gems from the early days that you absolutely need in you life, in addition to the actual classics of course.
I'm not saying these are the best of the countless off-shoots and remixes, just that most of these I used to play a lot AND still really enjoy today. Some of thems are hard to come by too...
Enjoy!

Chef Raekwon & Ghostface: Rainy Days Remix (1996)
Othorized F.A.M.: Keys & G's (1995)
Pop Da Brown Hornet: Can You Wu-Wu-Wu? (1995)
Pop Da Brown Hornet: Let's Go The Lap (1995)
Pop Da Brown Hornet: G.P. Connection (1996)
Shyheim feat Big L: Furious Anger (1999)
DSA (Dark Skinned Assassin): Lock Shit Down (1995)
DSA (Dark Skinned Assassin): Unholy (1996)
Ghostface feat Mary J Blige: All That I Got Is You (Mighty Mi Remix)(1997)
Ghostface feat Raekwon, RZA & Slick Rick: The Sun (2001)

BONUS: This is more recent, but so good I just had to include it here:
Method Man & Ghostface: No Friend (2003)

Oh and I just realized I should have definitely had the first LA The Darkman 12" up in here, but it's not here now and honestly I don't know where it is. When I find it I'll post it.

Remix, Remake, Remodel

Now here's a cool little 80's jam, one I never ever heard anyone play out. Which is a shame as the lyrics couldn't be more on point in 2007, take a listen and you'll know what I mean. I don't know much about dude but I do know he played keyboards in UK outfit Shakatak and later worked with Gary Numan on a bunch of records.
Bill Sharpe: Remix, Remake, Remodel (1985)

Btw, just in case you're in need of any more DJ tips: you might want to try this after/before whatever Chromeo record you currently prefer...

Now how cool is this cover?

Honestly, this is gotta be one of the freshest cover designs I've ever seen. The record ain't half bad either, actually it's a prime example of the Italian boogie sound of the era. For some reason the album remained pretty obscure even when Turn The Music On became an international hit in 1983.
This is my favorite track, though...

Orlando Johnson & Trance: Can't Break Loose (1983)

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

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.

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.

American Nights Volume 4

Check out brand new volume 4 here. I just did and it's up there with the previous 3.

American Nights

My man Joshua Dunn (aka Fox 50) from Detroit, whom I haden't heard from in a year or so, just emailed me about three new mixes up on his Podomatic page. His old mixes used to be road trip staples for me and turned out the American Nights are just as good or even better. The selection is a classy blend of early 80's electro-funk, electro-pop and boogie, with only a handful of songs I was familiar with. Highly recommended to everybody who enjoyed The Disco Opera below or the more electronic passages of my Disco To Get Drunk To series. Listen and download here!

Brazilian ish

The reaction to Marcia Maria's Amigo Branco was positive so I figured I should post a few more personal faves from the Seventies Brazil.

Di Melo: Se O Mundo Acabasse Em Mel
Fafa De Belem: Naturalmente
Emilio Santiago: Bananeira

Bonus (this goes out to Herm):
Juanita: Sonho Real (Ring My Bell)

Btw, if these get positive feedback I'll post some incredible Cuban things soon...

New wave covers

New wave covers of soul classics.. you gotta love em! The Flying Lizards and The Slits are old faves, but the Paul Haig and Ronny versions I only found out about recently. This post was inspired by last nights corporate gig where "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" just killed it.

The Slits: I Heard It Through The Grapevine
The Flying Lizards: Move On Up
Paul Haig: Running Away
Ronny: If You Want Me To Stay

Real Jamaican Funk

Roots Underground: High Times (1977)
The Skatalites: Herb Man Dub (1975)
Brentford Allstars: Greedy G (197?)

While Greedy G by Studio One house band Brentford Allstars is a stone cold classic and well familiar outside of the reggae scene the two others are slightly more obscure. High Times is off the Tribesman Assault album on Wackies and is still somewhat unknown despite having some of the heaviest drums ever recorded. I first heard it played by my man DJ Didier (Koneisto 2001!) and needless to say I was in the booth trainspotting before the intro break was finished. Herb Man Dub remained unreleased until 1999 but has been a favorite ever since.

Hörselmat

Hörselmat: Right On (Sweden, 1971)

Are you gonna kick it to school today or what?

This song recorded in 1984 by Chicago's Carver High School students blows my mind every time. The production is top notch and the dialogue even better.

Carver High: Do You Have It All Together?