The coolest thing about record shopping in Japan is that you’re bound to see records you didn’t even know existed (like this). I think the Memory Lane instrumental here is more or less just a skillful edit job, but it’s still pretty cool if you love the Reuben Wilson loop like I do.
“If I go back 15 years, I didn’t even want to do this. I really wanted to be a scientist when I was young… until I found out that you had to be fairly good in mathematics and that was my worst subject. I wished to be an artsit until I found out that you didn’t really get into the big money until you were 200 years gone”.
The Rapping album was sent to select radio stations back in 1972. It contains a complete 25 minute radio show where Curtis talks about the then current Superfly album, his earlier hits and his career. I always found it fascinating listening. I even played it on my radio show once, people seemed to appreciate it too.
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!
The promo issue of The J.B.’s classic Damn Right I’m Somebody album (1974) comes with a song that to this day hasn’t been released to the public. It’s basically an instrumental version of Love And Happiness with James himself sending shout outs to radio jocks that had helped him on his way to the top. He also proclaims that to him “happiness is Fred Wesley playing his horn, playing his heart out, and saying “Hey brother, it’s all for free!” “. Now how surprising is that?
http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio?myId=1228118-1b8
The search for unreleased tracks and alternate takes can be real record nerdery at times, but in my world Main Source’s debut album Breaking Atoms is up there with the Criminal Mindeds, Illmatics and Ready To Dies so I’m thankful someone unearthed these two gems. P-Vine put them on a Japan-only 12″ some time last year, they dried up real quick but I was lucky enough to catch one in Tokyo last fall.
Main Source: Looking At The Front Door (Uncut)
Main Source: Time (Unreleased, supposedly from the Breaking Atoms sessions)