If you were hanging out at clubs in 1992, there was no way you could miss the impact of the SWV’s ‘Right Here’ [Human Nature Mix], which was also the second and final modern R&B tape I bought after the What’s The 411? album. Who could forget that video with ya gals suited up for some polo and fishing down the beach? A true CRC Punk Smoove Shit classic.
So when Nasty Nas started dropping rhymes over ‘Human Nature’ in 1993, you best believe I was all over that shit. It turns out that was just the tip of Queensbridge Rap iceberg, as the passing of the years has revealed all types of alternative versions, demos, official remixes and white label remakes. Please join me as we take a trip down the rap wormhole that is ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell…
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Radio Version]
The official tissue, that filtered bassline and jingle bell combo whets the appetite, setting up the restrained use of the Mountain ‘Red’ shout and the MJ loop tie everything together on some feel-good nostalgia tip. Meanwhile, Nas keeps it in the pocket with short, effective verses that offer a glimpse of what’s in store on the album.
Demo versions:
This first draft is pure brilliance, but it’s also understandable why it was re-worked for the album – as the raps a little too visceral for radio. Sadly, a decent recording of this is yet to appear on a white label in a world where there are exactly fifty thousand Nas bootlegs on the shelves.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Alternative 1993 Version] ((Westwood radio rip))
Harder snares, more Mountain and a new bassline? Fuck yes.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Lower quality alternative 1993 Version but has extra outro adlibs]
Those extra ‘Bridge keeps rocking’ ad-libs at the end are worth putting up with the inferior recording. Shan would be proud.
Official remixes:
Ain’t Hard To Tell [Remix] ((Remixed by Large Professor))
Good luck blending this into your set with that abrasive intro. This was Large Professor showing and proving that he could service the jeeps as effectively as the FM dial, keeping the Mountain yelps but crunching up the snares and adding an amazing Biz hook.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [The Laidback Remix] ((Remixed by The Creators))
An enjoyable alternative to the two classic versions, presenting a far more relaxed take.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [The Stink Mix] ((Remixed by Dave Scratch))
This would be more effective if Gang Starr hadn’t already conquered this horn loop on the White Men Can’t Rap EP, but at least it has some new scratching on it.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [10th Anniversary Edition Remix] ((Remixed by Nick Fury))
A Juice Crew All-Stars tribute that you’ll either love or you’ll hate. At least we’re all reminded that nobody beats the Wiz. Or the Biz.
Live version with the National Symphony Orchestra:
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Live From The Kennedy Center, 2018]
Why oh why didn’t someone release a proper studio version of this version with Nas doing his vocals without crowd participation? Regardless, it’s still great.
Unofficial remixes and blends:
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [DJ Scratch Remix]
Does anybody actually own the Scratchmatic remix album? It was for sale through DJ Scratch’s website in 2016 but has never shown-up on a fileshare spot to my knowledge. Either way, this remix hits hard.
It Ain’t Hard to Tell [Cookin Soul Remix]
Bonus points to Cooking Soul for commissioning an entire animated for this remix. Not really sold on the scatter-shot drums, but otherwise an interesting take.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [DJ Day Remix] ((Released as ‘It Still Ain’t Hard To Tell’))
Rolling with a loop last heard on Puba’s 2000 album, the marching bassline really sets this mix apart.
It Aint Hard To Tell [Soopastole Edit]
Nice that the Mountain shout survives alongside a familiar riff first used on ‘I’m Kurious’.
It Ain’t Hard to Tell [Phoniks Remix]
Nice addition of new cuts for the hook, this delivers a very laid-back feel.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [White Shadow Remix]
Norway or the high way?
It Ain’t Hard to Tell [Danger Mouse Remix]
First this guy inflicts Danger Doom on us, now this?
It Ain’t hard to tell [Funky DL Remix]
Jazz Rap back.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Nastradoomus 1 Blend]
My mans Mike Pizzo did a nice job on some of those Nastradoomus blends…
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Nastradoomus 2 Blend]
…not sure we needed two versions though.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [DJ Mentos Remix]
Interesting how Mentos isolates a tiny bit of the Biz sample here.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Metoba Remix]
Chopped to shreds acoustic guitar and vocal snippets over loud drums.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Kid Sublime Remix]
Hard to really hear what’s happening via this Real Audio quality snippet, to be honest.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Four Tet Godspeed You! Black Emperor Blend]
Ughh…’mash-ups’.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Ljones Remix]
A dainty little number, indeed.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [L’ENTOURLOOP Bob Marley Blend]
If you wanted more Bobb Deep, I guess?
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Showtime JB Blend]
James! Apologies, that should be Mr. Brown.
It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Suhnraw Soul Mix]
I do enjoy a good vocal sample loop from time to time.
Remakes/Cover Versions:
Elzhi – It Ain’t Hard To Tell
Apparently Method Man is doing a whole album of rap cover versions, but more focused on eighties stuff.
Will Sessions – It Ain’t Hard To Tell [Elmatic Instrumental]
The instrumental for the Elzhi track, replayed by Will Sessions. I like how they did the hook.
Madbeast – It Ain’t Hard to Tell
This guy eats wrappers for lunch, yo.
Louie C Rhymes – It Ain’t Hard To Tell
Louie is ‘swell’ and prefers the grammatically-correct ‘It’s Not Hard To Tell’, thank-you very much.
Remember hearing that Westwood version then being slightly disappointed with the 12.
Still a dope joint though!
I miss my tapes, like tears in the rain
Is this the only time Nas wore gold fronts?
I completely forgot about the 10th Anniversary remis, kinda dope in retrospect. The Kid Sublime Remix ain’t all that, but on the other hand, the Royal Flush “Worldwide” Remix is ill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OebevFwdpSE
B-side wins again.
Maybe it’s the phone speaker but not feeling that Royal Flush link. The old one with the Triumph beat was probably better, not official though
Fascinating wormhole, I only knew a few. Robbie, can I buy you a drank?
Re-recorded versions are the most interesting part of rap history, like trying to figure out where someone was saying “nah man you should have kicked it like THIS”
Incredible post. Haven’t heard most of these. The demo version is my favorite.
Theres a demo version that Just Blaze put on “90s flava vol 1” mixtape. It samples “Lady In My Life” by Michael Jackson. It’s fire but I could never find more details about it. Anyone?
https://www.discogs.com/DJ-Just-Blaze-90s-flava-vol-1/release/11841477
Fast forward to 1:14:37- here is the version I was talking about- https://soundcloud.com/brandan-e-aka-dj-e-feezy/just-blaze-90s-flava-vol-1-2008
Anyone have a dj free version?
New Unkut posts ASAP
Peace. I had never heard that version. Isn’t there programs currently that can separate vocals from the song? Not sure if that means all vocals but it would be great if you could remove all these DJ’s who talk & yell over (ruin) dope joints. Would be nice to go back and remove all J-Love’s wackass talking & yelling over so many dope demo joints off his mistapes.
Sorry, my reply was to Kafka…
@Wicket22- Yeh I think there are programs for it, not sure how to do it myself. Wondering if it’s an alt version that Large Pro did… who knows.
All things aside, you can’t get away from those snares which all the other producers/DJ’s failed to use in their versions.
Peace Robbie!
The world is watching the New World Order tyranny going on right now in Oz & other parts of the world. Hope you and all of yours are doing alright.
Keep resisting & keep non-complying with the masks, the injections, the vax passports, travel restrictions,…It’s liberty vs. slavery.
And to the US, this is the purpose of the 2nd Amendment. What did M.O.P. say at the end of “Blood, Sweat, & Tears?”
“You put down yours,
But Im’a keep mine,
Im’a keep mine n*gg*,
Uncle Sam don’t drop his sh*t for nobody,
So nobody gonna take my sh*t from me.”
Keep fighting the New World Order, and to the US:
Stick To Ya Gunz!
AB-
KEEP YOUR ALEX JONES Fox News UNEDUCATED FUCKING LIES TO YOUR SELF ASSHOLE!!!!!!!!
YOU’RE A FUCKING Uncle Tom HIDING BEHIND A FAKE SCREEN NAME!
YOU AND YOUR UGLY FAMILY TO DISAPPEAR FROM THIS EARTH YOU RELIGIOUS FANATIC PIECE OF IGNORANT SHIT!
YOU’RE THE SAME CLOWN WHO DEFENDS TRUMP AND WISHES HE WAS WHITE. YOU’RE SELF HATRED IS FUCKING DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!
YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN WITH A BLACK WOMEN AND NO BLACK WOMEN WOULD WANT TO BE WITH YOUR UGLY FAT RACIST WANNA BE WHITE ASS!!!
Only women you ordered from national geographic who don’t know English!!!! You have no Black Friends and you use fake names so you’ll sound anything but “black”.
” NEW WORLD TYRANNY”??????? You’re a Fox News loving self hatred piece of fucking shit spreading lies. I hope somebody puts a fetus in your food you fucking goony goo goo!
Wearing a mask doesn’t really equate with slavery, since the most irked are the ones who hate others wearing them.
Straight outta Covid where’s Robsom Jehomie gone
Recent New World Order direct quotes:
Dr. Kerry Chant (New South Wales Chief Health Office):”We will be looking at what contact tracing looks like in the New World Order.” [9.9.21]
10 News First: “Today is the first full day of the New World Order.” [Network 10; Sydney, Australia; 7.11.21]
Brad Hazzard (New South Wales Minister for Health and Medical Research): “This is a world pandemic. It’s a one in a 100-year event. So you can expect that we will have transmission from time to time, and that’s just the way it is. We’ve got to accept that this is the New World Order.” (7.11.21)
Lori Lightfoot (Mayor of Chicago): “The way that aldermanic prerogative works is there’s got to be compliance with the executive branch, because otherwise it doesn’t work…and you make it a mandate….and you pick the people who run those agencies and the deputies that are pledging allegiance to the New World Order and good governance.” [Chicago Tribune interview; 4.5.19]
Duke Bootee passed today. I know Robbie will pop in and say a few words. Won’t he?
A blog ain’t nothing but work. Need that book though..
RIP Duke Bootee. And yes we need an update on the book. I was looking fwd to it.
The 93 version remains is my favourite and I was also disappointed when the 12″ dropped and it wasn’t what I was expecting. Listening to the Mark Ronson/DJ Premier podcast, it turns out that Large Professor wasn’t happy with the earlier version and wanted to make improvements.