Apparently this Elektra Records showcase was filmed by Video Music Box (which I posted some of back when it dropped in 2012), and is notable for a number of reasons, not least a live performance of Brand Nubian‘s “The Devil”, which eventually appeared on one of those limited-edition vinyl releases from One Leg-Up, and make…
Category: Steady Bootleggin’
Holding it down for angry loners & the unemployable
The Only Rap About Cars That Matters
Sure, “You’re Gonna Get Yours”, “my Hooptie” and “Cars” did their thing, but for me, the finest piece of aspirational rap about luxury vehicles was from Jay Bok The City Ace, who succeeded in informing me about the wonders of Masurati‘s, which I had previously never heard of and still haven’t added to my non-existent…
Kool Keith Fires Back At Unkut?
Just noticed this comment from Lair dating back to February, where he points out, “I think Keith recorded a diss track just for you off of this article”, linking to a song that dropped a mere 12 days after I expressed my bitter disappointment at Ultramagnetic MC’s Critical Beatdown tour. While the cover image bares…
Unkut TV: Episode 11 – MCA, Burzootie and an army of Drum Machines
During a visit to Get On Down records in Boston, I was shown what may be the greatest collection of drum machines in the world. It seemed appropriate to set the footage to the sounds of MCA and Burzootie‘s “Drum Machine” from 1985…
MC Chill – The Unkut Interview, Part 2
Continuing my conversation with MC Chill, he explains how he led his Cleveland crew to have an impact on several years of the New Music Seminar MC Battle For World Supremacy, despite never winning a title, and life after rap. Robbie: Was “Nightmare On Chill Street” your last record? MC Chill: I was working on…
MC Chill – The Unkut Interview, Part 1
As the first rapper from Cleveland signed to a New York label, MC Chill made history not only as a recording artist but later as the leader of a crew of local battle MC’s who had a major impact on the New Music Seminar in the late 80’s. From the days where it actually was…
B-1 – The Unkut Interview
Queens resident B-1 is best remembered for his work with Kool G Rap and Large Professor, but with a lost tape single from 1997 dropping soon through Ill Adrenaline on 45 and cassette and a new album in the works, it turns out that his history in Queens rap runs deep. Not to mention I…
DJ Too Tuff [Tuff Crew] – The Unkut Interview
Philly’s Tuff Crew were the result of throwing Public Enemy, Ultramgnetic and Schoolly-D into a blender. Hard rhymes and abrasive beats left no doubt that these northside b-boys were repping their town to the fullest. Best known for the catchy “My Part of Town”, their second and third albums still hold up today as a…
TR Love [Ultramagnetic MC’s] – The Unkut Interview, Volume 2
Around the same time I talked to DJ Moe Love in 2010, I also did a follow-up interview with TR Love, aka The Funk Ignitor, covering the early days of Ultramagnetic MC’s, his knowledge of the break beat game, connection with the Zulu DJ’s and how they used to put it down for live shows…
Two More TJ Swan Demos Unearthed
Back in 2010 I received a recording of a TJ Swan demo recorded from Tim Westwood‘s show in 1988 titled “Mellow Love”, although someone claiming to be affiliated with Swan then contacted me and demand that I remove the track on the grounds that: “This was a practice session. Swan wrote and sang the song…
Rewind Wednesdays: Mobb Deep – The Infamous Track By Track Review
Just helped out on this piece over at Takin’ Mines: Released just a week after the one year anniversary of Nas’ Illmatic, Mobb Deep’s Loud debut, The Infamous, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Although historically, Illmatic has been held to the standard as the best rap album of all time, it’s fair to consider…
R.A. The Rugged Man – The Unkut Interview
Trying to interview R.A. The Rugged Man without treading over the well-worn ground of his expulsion from Jive Records and working with Biggie Smalls was challenge I was more than willing to meet. Having experienced the major label glory days, the independent vinyl boom and having managed to not only survive but actually thrive in…