Just read this wonderfully comprehensive feature on Big L over at Complex, titled Casualty of the Game: The Big L Story, and was inspired to collate a few stories of my own from past interviews. T-Ray, Peter Oasis, Milano and AG all share some memories involving The Devil’s Son…
Category: Unkut Retrospective
An Oral History of New York’s Early Hip-Hop Clubs
Phade, Gizmo and Milk at the Latin Quarters, 1987 During the formative days of the mid 80’s, when Run-DMC, Kurtis Blow and the Fat Boys were the biggest names in rap, the New York club scene was a vital part of the hip-hop food chain, providing both essential networking opportunities and the chance for new…
What Was The First Rap Record You Ever Copped?
Towards the end of 1987 I had amassed a decent collection of rap albums dubbed TDK’s, which was all well and good but hardly official since I didn’t actually own any records. My birthday was coming up and ‘my old Earth’ somehow managed to figure out that what I really needed was a 12″ single…
40 Years of Hip-Hop Tape Culture
^ Pic stolen from here. Mix tapes can be a whole lot more than a bunch of songs you record for a chick you’re trying to impress by revealing your “sensitive side”. In the world of hip-hop, they have proven to be one of the most important tools in spreading the sound of a native…