Holding it down for angry loners & the unemployable
I like to think that Jane somehow snuck in to the photoshoot for the ‘Golddigger’ single. The Jane saga is the longest running series in rap, and also the most confusing. It’s almost as if Erick and Parrish have completely forgotten what happened in each previous episode, as there is very little continuity between each…
After realising that I’d left the original, superior version of Pete Rock’s ‘Strange Fruit’ off the first volume, it was only right that I put together a follow-up to the Axelrod samples compilation, this time mainly focusing on his work as a producer for other artists. And no, I did not forget about Dre –…
All that talk about classic albums the other week got me thinking, can a front loaded rap album stand up against something that’s strong from start to finish? The legacy of top-heavy LPs
The good news is that Harvard University will be honouring a minimum of ten hip-hop classics every year for future study and appreciation. The bad news, it seems, is that they’ve put 9th Wonder in charge of curating it and notate everything with links to Rap Dummy. I’m assuming that the enormous importance of pioneering…
Every other week some bullshit blogger ranks Kanye West albums, so here’s a ranking that’s actually worth a damn. I stopped after 1997 because I haven’t enjoyed any of them enough to remember much about them after point.
Calm down, there are zero Artifacts beats on this compilation. The following twenty-one rap beats from the nineties are not the biggest, the best or the most memorable, but they all hold sway with me for one reason or another and provide a suitable soyundtrack for your steering or commuting pleasure. Download: A Salute To…
Henri Charlemagne has the misfortune of having the same name as a current radio shock-jock/general blowhard, but don’t hold that against him. Best known for his work with his crew Natural Elements (and the Fortess Entertainment label which also spawned Raidermen and Nightbreed aka Ka’s first crew), he later went on to work with Puffy,…
L.E.S. had a nice run in his early days until he feel into that cheesy keyboard phase. Other sins against good taste include his involvement with Will Smith solo records and producing ‘Firm Biz,’ but here are fifteen reasons to forgive those lapses in judgement/giant paydays. Download: A Salute To L.E.S. Productions [re-upped] Track listing:
From his humble beginnings as the DJ for 7A3, DJ Muggs introduced a whole new sound as part of Cypress Hill before finding chart success with ‘Insane In The Brain’ and ‘Jump Around.’ Initially choosing only to work with his immediate associates, it wasn’t until later in his career that he recruited a wider field…
Could this be a triumphant final roll of the dice or a case of too little, too late? No Country for Old (Rap) Men: A Tribe Called Quest’s Last Hurrah
In the wake of my recent piece on the importance of Sadat, here are sixteen superior tracks from his extensive catalogue. Download: A Salute To Sadat X Track listing:
Mr. Walt and DJ Evil Dee teamed up with Rich Blak, Baby Paul and Chocolate Tye to create Da Beatminerz production crew, best known for driving the Boot Camp Clik to their finest moments but also providing some great remixes for a number of other acts. With a deep appreciation for jazz in particular, Da…