What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely y`all??? Hopefully you`re in good health & takin` good take of y`all selves! I think I`m comin` down with a lil` Cold or something courtesy of my son & his DaMn school. 😠You know how it goes tho if you`re a parent, school`s just one BiG fuckin` germ factory unfortunately! It`s crazy `cuz he`s only been there for like a week. 😂 Anyway, I`ve been going thru a few of my HDD`s & decided to dust off a good ol` Canadian Hip Hop gem of a 12 inch from one of Canada`s Hip Hop forefathers Saukrates. If you`re not familiar with this kat`s music that`s alright, I`ll be sharing some more of his stuff in the next couple of posts. So eventually I`ll be doing a deep~dive on his contributions to this music we all love...
The original 12 inch single was released back in 1999 thru Capital Hill Music Inc. & got plenty of play when it was first released on the college Hip Hop radio shows. At least in my hometown Ottawa, Ontario -- I`m certain it was the same across Canada anyway. Sadly these joints off the 12 inch never made their way onto an actual album, which is a complete missed opportunity in my opinion. Anyway, like I said I had to dust these tunes off because they deserve to be heard by y`all Hip Hop heads. While I was listening to this 12 inch the DJ in me got to wondering why there`s no vocals/accapella tracks on this single. So I decided to put my HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN touches on this joint. The only thing that I figured was missing was the previously mentioned accapellas, so I used some AI ish & stripped the vocals from the tracks for y`all DJ`s out there that may want to do some remixes, blends or what have you. Obviously the accapellas aren`t legit studio joints, but they`re not too far off...
Now out of the 2 tracks on here, yeah-yeah you get the edited & instrumental joints as well, but out of the 2 joints on this single I really prefer the remix. I just feel that the lyrics & beat bang harder than the original. Both tunes are solid tho, don`t get it twisted yo! The original single only had 6 tracks so clearly the remaining joints are the ones that I`ve added as a bonus, enjoy...
What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely y`all??? As usual I hope it`s going well for ya `cuz we all know that we ain`t likin` it when Life`s molestin` the fuck out of us! 😂With all of that being said I`ve been listening to a lot of Da Brat`s music this past week & I`ve gotta say she`s MaD underrated when it comes to mentions of iLL Women rockin` the mics in Hip Hop! This is clearly my opinion of course, if you don`t agree that`s fine but you should probably stop reading this before ya get 'triggered'... 😁
I was listening to her 2011 released mixtape titled "Life After Death" earlier today & was really digg`N it! Can`t even front, I`ve been a fan of hers ever since I heard her debut "Funkdafied" back in 1994. That joint`s a CLaSSiC to me y`all, I don`t care what ya say about it! Anyway, let me get back to this mixtape. I know that I`ve actually shared it here before back around 2012-ish, but all the links on that post are long Elvis`D out, so that`s one reason for this post. It needed a Re~uP, the other reason is of course because I`m a notoriously BiG fan of Da Brat`s & I feel that this joint is pretty much the last of her musical outputs that fans got to hear before she pretty much bowed out silently. Yeah-yeah, apparently she`s got a 2018 release titled "The Return" which may very well exist but until I get to hear it fuck all of that! 😄 From what Jermaine Dupri has said Shawntae Harris a.k.a. Da Brat was released from prison on February 28, 2011. So this previously mentioned mixtape was definitely put together shortly after Da Brat-Tat-Tat-Tat was inhaling that freedom oxygen. I was really glad that she had decided to get right back into the recording booth after being released from prison because it seemed to me like she was using those moments as a way to release some of the ish that she had heavy on her chest, some release~therapy if you will without the fake~ass doctor Phil. 😆
First thing`s first, I gotta mention how that lil` explosion sound & Jermaine Dupri "This is a So So Def World Premier" tag that`s used on this 'mixtape' is hella fuckin` annoying & track ruining! Soundin` like a Temu DJ Clue.😀 Honestly I`m thinkin` of flippin` an HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN of this joint so I can take it out especially since I have already adjusted the volume on a few of these tracks as well as fixed how the tracks ended without cuttin` off ish. It just didn`t sound right to me so I was cuttin` & pastin` like a ransom note writing mutha fucka so the tracks could flow smoothly listening~wise! J.D. says that he doesn`t smoke trees, but he was definitely on something thinking that folks wanted to hear that bullshit tag all over this 'mixtape' that`s for certain. From what I can find online this joint was actually released as a freebie back in 2011 thru the global14.com website which is apparently affiliated with So So Def Records somehow. Nowadays that site`s lookin` like MySpace or Detroit in a Robocop movie, but either way that ish is straight up Sid Justice...........R.I.P.! The DJ that`s hosting this so~called 'mixtape' is Greg Street some of y`all Hip Hop heads may recognize the name...
It was funny to me when I was reading the reviews by the online folks for this joint, they were so butt~hurt claimin` some ish like "How can she use this title for her mixtape when it's Biggie`s last recorded album`s title?" That`s where y`all fools that know nothing about what you`re talkin` about come in naturally. What you fucks failed to observe is the fact that it was actually about a flip of words regarding her music career after being recently released from prison. It had nothing to do with Biggie at all, but some of y`all fuckin` clowns really felt she was trying to capitalize off of Biggie. Never mind the fact that both artists have worked together on a track & it was never ever pimp`D out for clout... 😉
Greg Street`s on the Intro, it`s nothing special. The Brat~Tat~Tat~Tat opens things up with & rips "It`s Brat", her flip of Meek Mill & Rick Ross` "2Pac`s Back". Da Brat mellows things out with "West Side", it`s best to smoke one to this because it`s got a smooth`D out G-Funk vibe on it. "Get It, Get It" has a good street vibe to it thanks to the Lox`s Jadakiss with an R&B twist courtesy of Brandon Hines. Da Brat`s remix flip of YC`s "Racks" is far iLLeR than the original, perhaps it`s my 80`s Baby Ignorance but it sounds waaaaaay better than this one~hit wonder`s track -- my opinion of course! Her remix flip of Miguel`s "Sure Thing" with J.D. is something pleasant with the Biggie "Dead Wrong" vibes on it...
Following that is perhaps the most realest joint on this 'mixtape', "Second Chance" a deep emotional release that has Da Brat speakin` on her trials & tribulations at the time; you know all the ish that she had to experience while locked down. "Fab 5 Freddy" is some clever word~play regarding some raw Hip Hop, more so her style & flow makin` it seem like she talkin` about some dope....you know that ish that would have the cops grinning upon discovery. "Dumb, Stupid, Crazy" has Da Brat & fellow Chi~Town`R Twista flexin` them rapid flows, definitely a treat. Her remix flip of Kelly Rowland`s "Motivation" is spectacular & if you don`t think so we can`t be friends. 😂Never mind that Chris Brown`s not on here & definitely forget what J.D. spits on the "Look At Me Now [Rmx]" Da Brat flexes her skills all over that beeyatch & owns it!!!
What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely y`all??? I was going thru one of my hard~drives a few days ago & stumbled upon this EP from one of Toronto`s underappreciated emcees Infinite titled "360°". This joint holds a special spot in my Hip Hop heart because it`s actually one of those CD`s that I could have copped back when it first dropped, but sadly I didn`t. At the time my justification for not buying it was the fact that they wanted $18.99 for it & I was a teenager ballin` on a budget, trying to get as much bang for my buck$ as possible! I mean there were full albums selling for $12.99 so why would I cop an EP for almost $20? It wasn`t even an import release. So yeah, I never did find myself a physical copy which kind of sucks now because it`s somewhat of a rarity nowadays & goes for a pretty penny. I remember seeing it on eBay in 2008 for $150...😒
I figured since it`s been 26 years this release should be celebrated by giving it somewhat of an HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN treatment, so that`s exactly what I did! Unfortunately I didn`t have any rare tracks or B-sides to add, but I did add some accapellas & instrumentals that I had extracted using some AI software. So this version is now 20 tracks in length which includes the original 11 tracks & 7 extracted accapellas as well as 2 extracted instrumentals. I always wondered why they didn`t include any accapellas on the original release, I mean it already had some instrumentals on it. Oh well, that was the choice that Lockdown Entertainment made when they released it back in 1998. However in 2024 tho it`s now 20 tracks deep for y`all's listening pleasure...
For those of y`all not familiar with Infinite I`ll give ya a little breakdown. This extremely talented storytelling emcee is from Toronto & reps Rexdale, one of the many `hoods most tourists would be advised not to visit when visiting the T~Dot. That`s where he grew up with his 2 older brothers & single mother. He first stepped on the Hip Hop scene around 1993-94 as a member of Ghetto Concept, alongside founding members Kwajo Cinqo & Dolo. Originally he joined their group as the DJ because they had just recently fired their DJ, but that only lasted for about a month before he was rappin` alongside them. Being a member of the group helped him do something that he loved while also helping him escape the clutches of Street Life & all of its negativity. Sadly tho the escapism was short lived when one of his brothers was murdered in 1995. Not long after his brother`s murder he left Ghetto Concept because he was pissed off at the World, on some 'fuck this Rap shit' & rightfully so! However that mindset was short lived because of the words from his murdered brother that wouldn`t stop playing over & over in the back of his mind. These words were something along the lines of; "If you ever go solo I`ll put some of my money behind your career" because that`s what he had been sayin` when he was alive. So that`s when Infinite truly decided to focus on his solo career & started up his own label titled Lockdown Entertainment along with his remaining brother Cain...
The label's first release was of course Infinite`s "360 Degrees EP" which dropped in 1998, it may actually be the label's sole release. Regardless Lockdown Entertainment really did it BiG with this project & upp`D the ante on the music video tip. They released a music video for each song on the EP, that`s 5 videos in total. At the time that was completely unheard of for an artist, especially on the Canadian Hip Hop scene! They all performed well, receiving plenty of rotation on Much Music (the Canadian equivalent to MTV). Some of them were so well received that they eventually won some awards & nominations. The video for "Gotta Get Mine" helped Infinite win Much Music`s Best Hip Hop Video award in 1997, Mic Check Magazine`s Best Rap Video award in 1997, the Canadian Urban Music Awards` Best Hip Hop Video award as well their Best Director award in 1997. The "Take A Look" music video received nominations for the Canadian Urban Music Awards` Best Music Video in 1999...
"360 Degrees" opens up the EP, it`s produced by K-Cut (of Main Source fame) & features Jully Black who blessed the track`s hook with some of her always enjoyable singing. Some of y`all listeners may notice the Guy "I Like" sample used on the beat. It`s here on this opening track that you as a listener get introduced to the iLL storytelling abilities that Infinite possess. "Take A Look" follows with some more storytelling over another sinister soundin` beat produced by K-Cut. I like the way he sampled Mercy's "The Mornings Come" for the track`s soundscape, it definitely meshes well with the emcee`s narratives. The fully animated music video that was released for this song was DoPe & did Infinite`s lyrics justice...
"Wise Guys" has a nice grimy sounding beat to support the crime tales that are spit over top of it, produced by both Infinite & his brother Cain. "One Day" has a nice relaxed type of vibe to, probably due to its "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" by Roy Ayers sample that was used by Cain & his brother Infinite when they produced the beat. "Gotta Get Mine" follows & features Divine Earth Essence singing heavenly on the hook while K-Cut provided the beat. Gotta dig that Diana Ross "Missing You" sample...
The only differences between the Original & the Extended Version of "Gotta Get Mine" is that there`s a little intro on the Extended Version & they draw the chorus out a bit longer on the end of the tune. It`s pretty much the same thing when it comes to the differences between the "360 Degrees [Radio Mix]" & its Extended Version, just in case some of y`all kats were wondering. Tracks 12-20 are the ones that I`ve extracted using AI software, they`re not legit studio created accapellas & instrumentals. Just wanted to ensure that it was clear so no one gets it twisted. The only thing after all these years that truly sucks aside from not buying the EP when I had the chance is that all these tunes are essentially Radio Versions because they`re cuss~free/edited so it really didn`t matter that it was labelled a Radio Mix or not...
What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely ya`ll??? Earlier today I was going thru some more of the files on that external harddrive that I`ve been tellin` y`all about in some of the previous posts & found this somewhat of a rarity, physically anyway. Figured it was only right to share it with y`all because honestly I feel it should be heard by more folks! What`s great about this one is that I can tell y`all how I ended up with this. It was waaaaaaaay back in 2007, it was probably in the Summer or early Fall. The homie Rusty Needle put the CD on while we were celebrating 420 at 7:30 in the PM. 😉 Instantly I had him Nero CD burning it for me! At the time I hadn`t heard it, I was blown away by the Nate Dogg feature. Can`t lie, I`ve always dug Nate`s skills musically oth rappin` & especially the singing! The fact that he had done a song with Scarborough`s (Toronto stand up!) Bishop Brigante was incredibly awesome in my ears. The subject matter of said tune only made me dig it more.😆Aside from funding, that`s the only reason why this tune didn`t get the shine that it truly should have received. Perhaps the song was too far ahead of its time, I`m just guessing that Bishop`s label couldn`t afford the video fees. This single should most definitely received a music video in my opinion!!!
What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely y`all??? Hope all is well with you & your loved ones, the world keeps gettin` crazier & crazier out there! It`s been a minute since I`ve posted up something for y`all so I figured that I dust off a good ol` bootleg 12 inch. I can`t even front, I really like bootlegs because there`s usually a gem or 2 that you end up gettin` to hear. Unfortunately tho there`s also some pretty bad bootlegs out there, so not every one of them is a treasure that`s worth your hard earned money, but I`ll always check `em out taking that risk. With that being said let`s get into this bootleg 12 inch release that was put out thru the label Old School Hip-Hop, very original indeed.😆From their output release~wise they`ve got about 8 volumes of bootlegs out there. This is the only 12 inch of the 8 that I`ve actually heard so I can`t really speak on the others yet, I`m sure that`ll change eventually tho...
Overall this isn`t that bad of a bootleg to grab, I mean you can`t go
wrong with Biggie`s "Dreams" & getting the instrumental is a pretty
DoPe bonus! Chubb Rock`s "Treat `Em Right" is another great song, my
opinion of course. The last 3 tunes on the B-side will definitely make
it hard for you to get the Chubbster`s song out of your head tho since
they contain samples of the beat within them. The only song that I
wasn`t really diggin` all that much on here was the Rockers Revenge`s
"Walking On Sunshine [Rmx]". Not sure who did the remix, but I
definitely prefer the original version over this remix. It just sounds
lazily done to me, almost like whoever put it together just threw it
over a looped sample. The "Yo-Yo-Yo" that`s repeated kind of drowns out
the vocals on the song. Again this is just my opinion, someone else out
there may very well love it. The Unknown Artist`s track on here is
actually Funkmaster Flex`s "C`Mon Baby [Ghetto Mix]" it was definitely a
staple in the clubs of NYC in the 90`s. Funkmaster Flex`s Jazzy Mix of
"C`Mon Baby" closes things out, it`s pretty good but I still like the
previous track more. Check this record out if you get the chance, it`s not
a bad listen at all...
First off, BiG~uPs & much ReSPeCT goes out to dirt_dog for the original source file! I
felt that this joint was something that needed some sort of
documentation when it comes to Hip Hop History. So I decided to edit it
up by separating the tracks & interludes, as well as BuMP`n up the
volume on a few tracks just to make it more enjoyable. I really miss the
days of record labels actually coming up with some original promo type of stuff when it came to an album. You know
to generate a buzz for their soon-to-be-released albums. At times you
could end up hearing an unreleased version of a song or a remix. Sadly,
however with this promo tape that`s not the case! This joint just
consists of album snippets & some interludes that has Guru actin`
like he`s sneakin` a listen of these snippets amongst one of his homies...
What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely my people??? Hope all is well with y`all! Today I`m celebrating the fact that I was able to revive an external HDD from 7 years ago that I thought was long dead, since it stopped working in 2021. First off I`m not sure if you`d call this the demo version or the original version of N.W.A.`s "Just Don`t Bite It". Y`all know that oral sex anthem from the 1990 released EP titled "100 Miles & Runnin`"?
This version is unreleased however, it`s pretty much the same vocally as
the retail release, the only difference really at least to me is the
beat. I really wish that I knew about the story behind this version, but
I`ve got to be honest. I found this on a recently revived lost HDD from
about 7 years ago. Can`t remember where exactly I grabbed the file
from, but it`s definitely not my rip.....I say rip because it sounds
like it was sourced from a cassette tape. I downloaded the file sometime
back in 2020...
