Taking it back - Naughty by Nature

I was listening to 19NaughtyIII this afternoon. I got it years ago for about $3 in a 2nd hand cd shop in Hobart. I've been listening to so much new music lately it was a relief to relax with something more familiar. Naughty by Nature seem to be largely forgotten these days but looking back, they had a pretty big impact in hip hop and had about a 10 year stretch (1989-1999) of doing great music.

Treach wrote Kris Kross' song 'Jump', Vin Rock is Mike Tyson's cousin and I don't know anything interesting about DJ Kay Gee. Treach was in the movie Juice (which was directed by a guy who directed some episodes of The Wire) along with Tupac and a bunch of other movies.

Check out my New Jersey playlist featuring Naughty by Nature, Redman, Outsidaz and The Fugees

Swimming in the Mainstream

Nick has been holding up this blog quite impressively, so I thought I should drop in to rep the mainstream a little bit.

I have not heard much from T.I. at all, aside from the occasional guest verse with Kanye, Destiny's Child and Justin Timberlake(!?). Anyway, here's a strange song he did with Rihanna, where he grabs the hook from the "Numa Numa" song that became famous on the internet a few years back - Live Your Life.

Surprisingly, his voice reminds me a bit of KJ-52, a (white) Christian rapper. I don't know much about T.I. apart from the occasional interview in XXL and the odd article online. I like what he tried to do with T.I. vs T.I.P., his alter-ego album. I don't know if it's worth checking him out much more, but the couple of songs I've heard, I reckon I could listen to his voice for a whole album.

Another thing I learned about T.I. that surprised me a bit is his close relationship with Eminem. Apparently Em's been giving him heaps of advice through all his legal troubles.

Mixtape Monday - GZA

J-Love and GZA have put this out to promote GZA's album Protools. It's like a best of, which when you're talking about GZA is pretty awesome. No one rips a final verse like him. This is pretty much an essential download.

GZA - Wordplay Master

The Knux - Bang Bang

• Try out Mixtube, create a playlist and post it in the comments. Or listen to mine.
• Download DJ Osk's Pete's, Rhymes & Life mixtape.
• What is Kanye West doing now?

Busta Rhymes - Arab Money

The song is ridiculous but at least it's more amusing than 'I Get Money' or 'Got Money'. I'm still no fan of autotune though. Apparently Busta left Interscope/Aftermath and is now with Universal Motown. The title of his album is back to B.O.M.B (Back On My Bullshit) after a spell as Blessed. It's set for Dec 9th which is the same date as 50 Cent.

Busta Rhymes - Arab Money

"I've got oil well money in the desert playing golf"

Mixtape Monday - Young Rap Mixtape

Sach O at ohword has put together a mixtape of mostly next generation mcs for your listening pleasure. These are his picks of the year. Ignore the cover art and check it out.

Young Rap Mixtape

1. The Cool Kids – 88
2. Kidz in the Hall ft The Cool Kids, Pusha T, Bun B & El-P – Drivin Down the Block (Mix)
3. FKI – Iggy Fresh
4. Pac Div – F.A.T Boy
5. The Roots ft Wale – Rising Up
6. UNI – K.R.E.A.M
7. Mickey Factz ft Skyzoo – Incredible (Mix)
8. The Knux – Cappuccino
9. B.o.b – Grip Yo Body
10. Mickey Factz ft The Cool Kids – Rockin n Rollin
11. Lil Wayne ft Fabolous – You ain’t got Nuthin
12. Kid Kudi ft Wale – Is there any Love
13. Jay Electronica – Retro Electro
14. Wale ft Bun B & Pusha T – Back in the Go Go
15. Lupe Fiasco – Paris Tokyo
16. AC – Freestyle
17. Elzhi ft Fat Kat – The Reason

Al Green samples + Wu Tang = Happiness

Jeff Weiss got to interview Al Green the other day. He also posted a list of Hip Hop's Greatest Al Green Samples and on his blog put up a few of his songs with their hip hop debtors.

Kanye back to 50

"I just woke up from a quick studio nap… I’ve been workin’ on 808s and Heartbreak about 16 hrs a day and Superman passed out for a little bit… I’m in hawaii but I’m still on NY time so I wake up mad early, do some business, blog, jog for an hour, play ball, eat and then hit the stu by noon. While approving the final cut for the Love Lockdown vid, I marvel at the fact that it was written less than 3 weeks ago. I’m very excited about the everything… I guarantee this will be 50’s favorite album of mine. This will be gangster’s album of the year."

Black Milk - Give The Drummer Sum

Off his upcoming album Tronic.

Black Milk - Give The Drummer Sum

Redman live with a band

The Funk Doctor Spock keeps it funky.

Dr Dooom - God of Rap

I've got mixed feelings about this. Keith's first Dr Dooom album is one of my favourites, I hope this new album doesn't tarnish the legacy but this first song isn't doing anything to allay my fears. Out 23/9.

Dr Dooom - God of Rap

50 Cent performs Love Lockdown

I don't generally have much sympathy for 50 Cent when has a dig at someone to promote his new album BUT I really don't like Love Lockdown.

Jay Smooth on Hipster Rap

Nas - It Ain't Hard to Tell

1994. Good times. Nas is half man, half amazing.

Kanye West - Love Lockdown

Kanye's next cd, due out on December 16th is apparently titled 808s & Heartbreak which I sort of like, much more than Good Ass Job anyway. But it's going to have to have more than a good title to win me over and Kanye hasn't made a good start, the single is truly awful.

Kanye West - Love Lockdown

Nine Inch Nailiens

Ill poetic has put together this mash up of Nine Inch Nails and Outkast. It's been pretty well done and I love the contrast between Outkast and NIN although I would have liked more pre-Fragile NIN. I have no idea how he came up with the idea to mix those two. The songs B.O.B. and Black Ice are the standouts for me.

Charles Hamilton - Free Download

I've heard of Charles Hamilton before but this is the first song I've heard by him. What do you think?

Charles Hamilton - Free Download

A sample of MF Doom

Here's a couple of MF Doom songs with their original production:

Madvillain - Accordian


De La Soul ft. MF Doom - Rock Co Kane Flow

Madvillain - Strange Ways
Madvillain - All Caps
Madvillain - Figaro

Brad Strut - Monopoly

This isn't his best work but this is Brad Strut's video for his song Monopoly. He's from Lyrical Commission, one of my favourite Australian hip hop acts.

It's pretty funny to see him glare into the mic, all hardcore, and say 'Monopoly'. A bit over-dramatic but a great beat.

Black Thought on Rap City

Black Thought is a steamroller.

Motion Man - Clearing the Field

On the title track Motion Man declares:

"Separate the mic from the man that's my job You're paralyzed because your beat-maker threw a lob pass"

Motion Man delivers on his part of the deal. Clearing the Field is unapologetically about displaying Motion Man's skill with words. The remarkable thing about this is that he pulls it off. There are plenty of MCs with skills but there aren't many who can make an album that's worth listening to from start to stop.

And Kutmaster Kurt for his part makes a great album. He doesn't send Motion Man any hospital passes; the album remains compelling throughout. His combination of hard beats, jazzy horns stabs and funky bass make the perfect backdrop for Motion Man to flow on.

"I'm 'bout it, 'bout it, you know I'm lyrical I don't beg for respect I'm slash-human, slash-whatever, it depends on the weather When I rain you drown, when I'm hot you scorch I drop that think-about style for you kids on the porch Kutmaster Kurt ballin' fly time like Jewel with rings When I'm feeling it I grab the mic like Lauryn and sing." - Straight Flowin' On 'Em

The guest spots are well chosen and executed. They're obviously not there to appeal to a mass market but because Motion Man respects them. They complement him well. Biz Markie on 'Hold Up' and E-40 on 'Reason 2 Panic' work particularly well with him.

One of the refreshing aspects of this album is the positive tone that it maintains. What I mean is that he doesn't use his skills to bitch about how even though he's better than your favourite rapper he's not getting the respect he deserves. Where he does touch on that sort of topic it's in a good natured way, as he puts it on the cartoon sounding 'I'm having a moment'. He just seems to have a great time with the album.

Aside from a bit of the typical misogyny Motion Man has produced a refreshing album. It wouldn't ever get much radio play but then it's not really aiming at that. Motion Man has something to bring and he brings it his own way.

Doomed

Illroots and Mike Waxx have lovingly put together an MF Doom mixtape. Doom's crazed, non sequitur rap is always worth checking and this mixtape is very well done. If you like this then I recommend you get Madvillainy which is a hip hop classic.

Roots Manuva - Let The Spirit

This is the third single from Roots Manuva's new album, Slime & Reason. The first two were a bit far away from hip hop for my tastes so although this isn't his best work I'm happy it's back in the ballpark. Also, he seems more wasted than Redman, not like the Roots Manuva of old.

RZA - 14 Deadly Secrets

From therapup:

14 Deadly Secrets is a special session where legendary producers break down the stories behind 14 of their hits. Listen as RZA dishes some behind-the-scene stories about 14 classics, including “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “C.R.E.A.M.” Pay attention, school is now in session.

It's very cool to hear RZA in between songs talking about what was happening behind the music. RZA is amazing, definitely worth a listen.

There's also an older one with DJ Premier. I haven't checked it yet but I reckon it'd be worth a listen too.

Mixtape Monday - Loosie All-Stars

Elucid, Spec Boogie and Von Pea team up for the Champion Hoods mixtape, a celebration of mid 90s hip hop. They drop verses on classic instrumentals like Criminology, Last Dayz and Tonight's Da Night. All three rip some nice verses, their different voices and styles work really well together, plus the music is all top notch. Get it.

Loosie All-Stars - Champion Hoods