What`s good y`all? Today I`m gon` take things back to 1996 with one of the best, if not the best Canadian Hip Hop compilation to ever be released! What I`m referring to is Beat Factory`s "Rap Essentials Volume One". It`s a compilation of various Canadian artists (though most are reppin` Toronto) consisting of 12 tracks in total & they`re all phat, my opinion of course! The only downside about this compilation in my ears is the fact that a majority of these tracks are edited for some reason or another. Aside from that though every song on here is iLL, there`s not one weak track! It`s definitely more on the underground Hip Hop type of vibe, so if you DiG that kind of style you`re in for a real treat...
The first joint on this comp` "Fitnredi" is by the Rascalz, a trio (Misfit, Red 1 & their DJ Kemo) that`s reppin` Van City (Vancouver for y`all non~Canadians). The track is one of 3 on this compilation that were nominated for Best Rap Recording at the 1997 Juno Awards. Following the opening track is "Boiling Point" by the Concrete Mob, another Canadian Hip Hop trio (Deuce Deuce, Black Jack & producer Scam) but these kats are reppin` T-DoT (Toronto for the uninformed) instead. "Boiling Point" is the joint that really got these kats some shine, especially across the border over in the US. "Learn To Earn" is the third track on this comp`, it`s by production crew Down To Erf (Steely Dan & Wal) & features Mathematik on the mic rockin` the rhymes. All three of these kats are reppin` Toronto. Next up is the second track of the compilation to be nominated for a 1997 Juno Award for Best Rap Recording, a joint by Toronto`s Kardinal Offishall titled "Naughty Dread". Still remember when I first heard it `cuz it`s actually the first song that I had ever heard from Kardi`...
Wio-K`s "Sunlight"...
Takin` the fifth spot on the comp` is Black-I`s "No Lawz", homie reps Toronto well over the militant~type beat. Toronto`s Wio-K follows things up with the DJ X produced "Sunlight" bringin` some Caribbean vibes with a T-DoT twist. The "Who`s Talking Weight [Rmx]" by the duo Redlife (Remey & Action) comes next. It`s a decent track, but honestly I DiG the original much more than the remix. One of this compilation`s iLLeST tracks comes from Toronto`s Dan-E-O, it`s titled "Dear Hip Hop" & is produced by Concrete Mob`s Scam. You could compare this joint to Common`s "I Used To Love H.E.R." & say that it`s almost like the Canadian equivalent, definitely well worth the listen!!!
"Who`s Talking Weight?" by Redlife...
Dan-E-O`s "Dear Hip Hop"...
Scales Empire`s "Bright Lights Big City"...
Scales Empire, a duo consisting of Kandu & T-Wyze bring some "Bright Lights Big City" to the table. This joint is the 3rd song of the compilation to be nominated for the Best Rap Recording at the 1997 Juno Awards. The tenth track is one of my fav`s on this comp`, it`s by Toronto`s Choclair & it`s titled "Twenty One Years". This joint is one of the very songs that helped Choclair garner some major props in the Hip Hop world. I also believe that this is the song that DJ Premier sampled for Gangstarr`s "You Know My Steez". Citizen Kane, a trio (Aje, Rob Blow & Swinger Spade) reppin` Toronto, contributes the compilation`s second last track titled "Structure, Foundation" produced by Down To Erf. Things come to an ending with "U.L." a track by another trio reppin` the T-DoT Ghetto Concept. So there ya have it, a lil` run down of the compilation now go `head & check it out for ya`self! You`ll be glad ya did, trust me...
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Label: Beat Factory Music Inc.
Released: 1996
1. Fitnredi {Rascalz}
2. Boiling Point {Concrete Mob}
3. Learn To Earn {Down To Erf ft. Mathematik}
4. Naughty Dread {Kardinal Offishall}
5. No Lawz {Black-I}
6. Sunlight {Wio-K}
7. Who`s Talking Weight? [Rmx] {Redlife}
8. Dear Hip Hop {Dan-E-O}
9. Bright Lights Big City {Scales Empire}
10. Twenty One Years {Choclair}
11. Structure, Foundation {Citizen Kane}
12. U.L. {Ghetto Concept}
N`JoY...
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