There’s nothing like pretending to rap like it’s 1985 (or better yet, 1977) well after the fact, or recruiting some veteran MC’s to kick some old styles. While some of these attempts have fallen flat (Ugly Duckling and People Under The Stairs being two examples that spring to mind), others have made an entire career out of it (J-5). So break out your Lee jeans, mockneck sweater and Puma suedes for this faux trip down memory lane. Special shout out to Dr. Butcher‘s old school style freestyle at the end of Kool G Rap and DJ Polo‘s ‘Jive Talk‘ and the first verse of The Arsonists’ ‘Rhyme Time Travel.’
Download: A Salute To Old School Throwbacks
Track listing:
01 ‘Da Medicine’ [Party Version] – The Veteranz
02 ‘B-Side Wins Again’ [Original Version] – Public Enemy
03 ‘The Way It Used 2 B’ – Donald D
04 ‘Back In The Days’ – The Legion
05 ‘1977’ – Dr. Octagon
06 ‘Party’ – Devin The Dude feat. KB Man Child
07 ‘Flashback’ – Tha Alkaholiks feat. The Baby Bubbas
08 ‘Return Of The B-Boy’ – The Pharcyde
09 ‘Old School’ – Busy Bee
10 ‘Sucker MC’s’ – Wu-Tang Clan
11 ‘Heartbeat’ – KRS-One feat. Redman and Angie Martinez
12 ‘Stix and Stonz’ – De La Soul feat. feat. The Fearless Four, Grandmaster Caz and Prince Whipper Whip
13 ‘The Show’ – The Roots
14 ‘Unified Rebelution’ – Jurassic 5
15 ‘Summer In America’ – The Ignorant 3 Plus None [A-Luv, Chubb Rock, Mr. Blue]
Surprised u didn’t include ‘The Original Way’ by BDP on here. ..
Or def squad “rappers delight”
Anyhow. Love all these salutes
No Edan?
Edan’s ‘Ultra 88’ isn’t old sounding enough for this, and I ditched the Def Squad remake for the Roots and Wu versions.
J5 is an abomination to rap music. I put them in the same category as the Black Eyed Uncle Faggots.
@Caesar: Basically. Their first song was decent as far as the throwback gimmick goes, but after that? Nope.
feelin mostly the dope flyer u chose… and the def squad’s rappers delight is almost better than the original…
Shout out for the song from Wet Hot American Summer! This comp has reminded me of an album that was all meant to be tracks that sounded like they were done in 1988… it had Grand Puba, Kane, Chubb Rock on it. I can’t remember what it was called or if it was any good though.
@toilet: ‘Top Shelf 8/8/88.’ Some of the songs were pretty good, despite not actually being from 1988.
@robbie – that’s the one.
Have to give a mention to Digital Underground’s Tribute to the Early Days, that’s my favourite old school throwback.
@toilet: Good call, I’d never heard that D.U. song until now.
@robbie The cassette only tracks on Sex Packets are good. Maybe that could be the theme for the next comp – Cassette only bonus tracks? Although I can’t think of any other albums that had extras only on the tape…
@toilet: Nas’ ‘Silent Murder’ was one, plus three songs from the last Stetsasonic album.
I remember that album, purportedly recorded in 1988, but, I didn’t know about any “controversy”:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/15/arts/music/15hoax.html?_r=0
I actually woke up today thinking you did a salute to dope covers which had Redman’s version of Cold Getting Dumb, Snoop’s version of Lodi Dodi, Ghostface’s version of Holy War, etc.
Nice one Robbie, I’ll have a listen to this when I get home from work, always had a bit of a soft spot for Ugly Duckling myself.
Thanks Robbie. Struggling to keep Up … Still haven’t listened to the last “salute to”comp yet.
Pretty sure bdp (edutainment or live hardcore worldwide maybe?) and third bass had cassette only bonus tracks (have to go thru my tapes to remember which ones).
I don’t think it counts since it was previously released but Jack the Ripper was on the Walking With a Panther cassette but not the LP or CD.
Also I like that fast rap J5 song with Percee P but it’s the only song of theirs I’m really familiar with.
come on man, nothing wrong with PUTS and J5.
Nas/Ludacris-Virgo
The Beastie Boys’ entire career
Common-Sex 4 Sugar
Mos Def-Jam On It
Between mid 90s and mid 00s, most UK Hip Hop was throwback/harking back to a time that didn’t actually exist. I think Diversion Tactics are/were the best at it and Blade is the most well known example of it. Not sure by which measure you can say PUTS/Ugly Duckling have “fallen flat.” They both did pretty darned well commercially/critically. Smut Peddlers spoofed LL Cool J’s “Rhyme aint done.” Buck 65 covered MC Shan’s “MC Space” and has built on Old Skool tropes/aesthetics for years. Canadian Duo The Drunken Arseholes (Cee & DJ Moves) have done plenty mid 80s throwback style stuff.
@Dino: They ‘fell flat’ to my ears.
U never Talk about Really UnderGround or indie Hip-Hop, no Groups like Darkleaf ? i know why,
cause u never heard of Them Robbie u SO Corny it’s beyond True taste, u have EAR BOLA,,,
Pudgee , DJ 2 Tuff, RA, Milano,
These are the Worst of the worst they Add Nothing to the HipHop Culture> Just because it’s on VINYL Don’t make it HipHop ,RAP is mainstream Selling out of a Culture Born in the Bronx where i Live, Still
Will Smith f. Biz Markie & Slick Rick – “So Fresh”
Dougie Fresh f. DJ Hollywood, Love Bug Starski, Furious 5, & Cold Crush 4 – “The Original Old School”
Nas & AZ — Sprite Commercial [Ode to Double Trouble’s Wild Style Stoop Rap]
DJ Kool f. Biz Markie & Dougie Fresh – “Let Me Clear My Throat remix”
J Live – “The Best Part” [mimics Kane’s flow in the last verse]
Little Brother – “So Fabolous” [they mimic Milk D, Kool G. Rap, Slick Rick, & Dougie Fresh in the last verse]
On second thought, maybe half of mine aren’t “old school” sounding enough. Let me know.
The European CD version of Nas – It Was Written has “Silent Murder” as well as the cassette
Hey Rob, you missed the sureshot that is the Louie Rankin – Typewriter Remix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pk_26x6nKU