There was a brilliant period in hip-hop and electro records where the engineers seemed determined to warp and distort the original track to near unrecognizable forms, splattering echo and gated snares on the walls of some long-forgotten underground cavern. Let’s call it the Spelunker Period. The labels often provided not so subtle clues about what we could expect, announcing ‘Zootie,’ ‘Stubb,’ ‘Burnt’ and ‘Psycho Dust’ versions of their vocal counterparts. The following are selection of abrasive, dusted drum machine and scratch experiences that demonstrate the beauty of that thing sometimes referred to as The Dope Noise.
Track listing:
01. ‘The Wop’ [Bonus Beat] – La La The Leader Of The Pack feat MC Flash
02. ‘I Need A Beat’ [Zootie Mix] – LL Cool J
03. ‘Roxanne’s Backside’ [Beat It Mix] – The Real Roxanne feat. UTFO
04. ‘The Wopp Sensation’ [Stubb Version] – Rockwell Noel feat. Poet
05. ‘It’s Your Rock’ [Dub] – Fantasy Three
06. ‘You Shouldn’t Have Done It’ [Marley Marl Dub Mix] – Frick N Frack
07. ‘The Tragedy’ [Marley Marl Dub Mix] – Super Kids
08. ‘Drum Machine’ [Psycho Dust Version] – MCA And Burzootie
09. ‘Elementary’ [Dub] – Boogie Down Productions
10. ‘Fresh Wild Fly and Bold’ [It’s Us Scratch Dub] – Cold Crush Brothers
11. ‘Leader Of The Pack’ [Special Mix] – UTFO
12. ‘Bust This Rhyme’ [Dub Version] – MC Chill
13. ‘Tom-Tom’ [Dub] – Progression
14. ‘Juice Crew Law’ [Dub] – MC Shan
15. ‘We Come To Rock’ [We Dub To Scratch Mix] – Imperial Brothers
16. ‘The Godfather’ [Dub Mix] – Spoonie Gee
hell yeah
hell yes
Awesome, thanks Robbie!
Some quality picks Robbie. If your acknowledging Noisy Dubs and electro rap instros less we not forget Rick Rubin’s ‘Dust Cloud’ (hope qualifies)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoCWJ33PyF4 from Master Of The Beat on Tommy Boy 1985.
Still gets a spin when im in the right mood. Straight up crude deliberately slow n low, difficult and weird but dope-on-a-rope,insert ‘Man with a drum machine at work here’ sign.
I like the idea of the dub mix being an alternate take of the track, whereby the engineer/producer got stupid self-indulgent fuxed with the studio equipment got super nerdy and put their own dirty mark on the recording. At best, potentially creating a whole new dimension and feel.
@P: Good call on that ‘Masters of the Beat’ album, totally forgot about that.
The Juice Crew Law dub is crazy
This could be the best compilation ever from the vaults of Unkut. It’s great how you found a way to describe the sometimes indescribeable. I’ve got a Dubapella of Raw by BDKane but it sounds timid compared to these Marley Marl dubs. More of the same please asap!
I usually skip over the dubs for the B-Side treats and remixes etc..I gotta start relistening
Ah dead link; I need this mix please!
Peace