This Stuff Is Really Fresh! Prime Cuts

In posting Big Kwam's 'Verbalise' 12'', it took me back to '99 when I copped the final edition in the 'Hip Hop Don't Stop' series mixed by one of the Scratch Perverts' finest DJs, Prime Cuts. At the risk of having my ghetto pass revoked (again), this really was my first proper introduction to a lot of these classic cuts at a time when my passion for the genre took a significant leap forward, and it opened my eyes to over a decade of hip hop music that awaited my research and joyful discovery (check the tracklist on Amazon). I don't imagine that anyone reading this blog will be unfamiliar with any of the tracks on this two-disc extravaganza, but it is put together with such fine craftsmanship that I doubt you will be able to resist its charms: this is a perfect party mix.

I've spoken before about the impact of the Scratch Perverts on the UK scene towards the latter half of the '90s, but I feel it necessary to reiterate that at this stage they were peerless within the British turntablist movement. They killed the British DMC heats, killed the finals and ranked amongst the top three in the world in both team and individual events on a number of different occasions. Now of course, you have to take the DMC results with a pinch of salt, but it is truly indicative of their dominance of the UK turntable scene at this time. Whenever I attended a DMC event, there was simply a sense of something extra taking place whenever one of the Perverts performed: they had the attitude, funky but highly technical routines, and they pioneered feedback techniques that ultimately changed the game on a global scale. Although Mr Thing was always my favourite of the original line up, Prime Cuts came a close second, and this mix is a testament to his abilities.

One thing to make clear is that this is not a live mix. Rather, this is a highly considered multi-track mix that incorporates lengthy transition periods between cuts, extended scratch sections and a juggle thrown in for good measure (and not just any juggle, this is Prime Cuts' 'Jack Of Spades' juggle that he rolled out in the DMCs and ITFs at the time). By using these extended instrumental passages between selections, he creates an amazingly fluid mix where tunes gradually seep into each other over minutes instead of the standard eight bars or so. In some ways it suffers from losing some of the immediacy of a live performance, but as studio mixes go, they really don't come much better than this and both discs will have you bangin' your head for their duration. If you are in any doubt about his skills, peep the video and then hit the link.



Hip Hop Don't Stop - The Greatest


Clean Guns - Living In Harmony Mixtape

Floodwatch has covered this in much more eloquent detail than I intend to do here (check out the review and interview at floodwatchmusic.com), but I also feel it necessary to shine a little light on these Philadelphia cats who are starting to make waves amongst the online hip hop community. Zilla Rocca had the good grace to send me a copy of their recently released 'Living In Harmony: The Mixtape' (thanks!) and despite briefly 'misplacing' it after a heavy night of drinking at my mate Geoff's house, it is now back in my possession and in rotation. This is quality material, and if you haven't checked these guys out yet then do so: you can find their mixtape for a very reasonable price here. Oh, and don't forget to check out their obligatory MySpace as well. Philadelphia is most definitely in da house.


Streaming Audio Update

Thank you for the feedback so far on the streaming audio posted the other day, but it does seem that there are issues for some people. I'm working on resolving this in the near future (saved once again by Depleted of BLAR fame), but would still appreciate it if people could check the links I have set up below and just let me know if they are working for you. There are going to be some changes to the site in the coming weeks, and I need to ensure that everyone who visits is going to have the opportunity to check out selected tracks. It's for your own good people!

Representin' For The UK - Plus One Mix

In response to a request this week I'm hitting you with a little more UK flava. Bad Magic, an affiliate of the Wall Of Sound record label, had a spate of releases around the turn of the millenium and then faded without trace. This is a pity because they successfully brought one of the UK's stronger production teams into the limelight: The Creators. Like Richy Pitch (check the archives), The Creators not only produce some bangin' beats, but also are not afraid to invite US MCs to provide the vocals for some of their cuts. 'The Precedent' was a promotional CD given away with HHC that brought together some of the label's releases (the majority of which feature The Creators' production skills) and allowed Scottish DJ Plus One to assemble them into a mix.

There are some nice moments on this mix, although it is not sensational. Highlights include 'The Hard Margin' featuring Mos Def and Talib Kweli which is a moody and intelligent piece of rap music, both lyrically and production-wise. There is also a remix of Masta Ace's 'So Now U A MC?' which is good but acts more as a point of interest for fans of one of the genre's most long-standing and well respected MCs than as a banger in itself. Generally there are some nice beats and some decent verses, more than enough to keep you entertained for its rather short half-hour duration. If you're interested in the tracklist then check it at Discogs.

Perhaps more impressive are Plus One's turntable skills, putting together a cohesive mix with some tight scratching that also features his well-known 'I'm Still No. 1' routine. This is a highly accomplished piece of turntablism that although extremely technical is still musically rewarding. Plus One used this in both DMC and ITF competitions, and in fact it was a part of his winning set in 2001's DMC competition. If you can sit through the first four minutes of the first video below (DJs are not necessarily the most eloquent people on the planet) then he will talk you through the construction of the routine. It is also well worth watching him actually perform it live rather than just hearing it (see the second clip).

Plus One talks you through it...



and then performs it...



More UK stuff to come in the future, although as I said in the CBox my crates aren't that deep. Head over to basslinesanglesrhymes.blogspot.com to fulfil all of your early British hip hop needs.

Crooklyn's Classics:

I was worried that Crooklyn had burnt out in mid-December, with his last post appearing on the 18th of last month. An end to this blog would have been a real shame as the man has loads of quality albums, updates regularly and shares his thoughts on the works posted: my kinda blog. Anyway, he's back up and running and will rejoin my daily journey through cyberspace. Get your arse in gear and pay him a visit.

Big post planned for tomorrow with the 'From Da Bricks Horn Mix', a touch of jazz and my final instalment of the equipment series: don't miss it.

The Precedent

Spell It With A J! Rocc and Dilla

Neither of these cats need too much of an introduction. J Rocc of Beat Junkies fame spins some of Dilla's greatest instrumentals: if you don't have this then it should be clear that you need it. Shouts again to Sconeboy for this one: live it large in Toronto mate!

Due to Dilla's tragic passing last year, there has of course been a massive amount written about him all over the internet. For this reason I am not going to go into any detail at all about the man himself. Instead, I want to focus on his music and the effect that it has had on me as a fan of the genre. I have to admit that I would not list Dilla as one of my favourite producers of all time, and in fact at stages I have felt lukewarm about his production. This is offset with a handful of songs that I deem to be amongst the greatest that hip hop has ever known.

My first official introduction to Dilla came with 'Fantastic Vol. 2' which I had heard so much hype about that I thought it was going to change my world. It didn't. Apart from a few of the cuts I really didn't connect with the album, and found the production lacking in substance and the rhymes irritating. I never really understood why this album got the credit that it did. I put this down to a simple case of personal preference as I can understand the musicianship behind the album and the way that it offered something different to a more mainstream hip hop audience, but I just wouldn't listen to it very often and certainly not for its whole duration. I was also disappointed in the BBE release 'Welcome To Detroit' which again lacked punch for me and is another Dilla work that I could pass up quite easily.

However, his contributions to both the second Pharcyde release as well as Common's 'Like Water For Chocolate' were sensational. I would have to class 'Runnin'' as one of my favourite hip hop cuts of all time and love 'Labcabincalifornia' despite an awareness that others do not feel as strongly. I copped 'Like Water For Chocolate' during the Rawkus golden era when artists like Mos Def and Kweli were at the forefront of the scene and loved it from the word go. Dilla's contribution here was soulful, jazzy and undeniably cool. His work on the boards matched Common's dope yet thoughtful style and made for a truly great record.

Of course in more recent times both 'The Shining' and 'Donuts' have demonstrated what an original thinker and valuable contributor Dilla was to the hip hop scene. I remember holidaying in the south of France when I got 'Donuts' and I could not put it down. I love the fact that Dilla used to tap out the beats for the whole tune without relying on the MPC to correct his mistakes, and this live and slightly abstract feel translates into a bangin' release. Some of the cuts on 'The Shining' are also excellent and the album as a whole is testament to the talent that has been sadly lost. Of course, there are loads of quality Dilla releases dotted all over the place both under his own name and in collaboration with other artists, but you know that don't you?

Back to the mix. J Rocc doesn't mess about here, creating a smooth blend where each beat gradually develops into the next with nothing in the way of turntable trickery to spoil the mood. This is a late night head nodder that brings together a whole host of instrumental joints with style and grace. Kick back, relax and pay your respects to a man that may not have revolutionised the state of hip hop in the future, but who was certainly in the process of resuscitating an artform that is struggling to stay alive.

J Rocc/J Dilla Mix

Hey Mr. DJ - Abilities & Fuse One

OK people, the festive season is officially upon us and I'm afraid that this will be my last post until the 31st. My parents still live in London so I'm making the journey home and I'm also staying with my girlfirend for a bit in Reading. Have been really enjoying the blog since I started up at the beginning of the month so I'm slightly concerned about withdrawal symptoms (although should be beneficial to leave the computer alone for a short period).

Decided to throw up a couple of mixes today to see you through the Christmas period. DJ Abilities is based in Minnesota and holds an affiliation with the Atmosphere crew, although tends now to spend most of his time working with Eyedea (hence Eyedea & Abilities). I haven't really checked any of his production work, but if it's anywhere near as good as his technique behind the ones and twos then it must be worth checking out. Winner of the DMC regionals in '99 and '01, Abilities is particularly strong at older scratching styles and his transforms are some of the best I have ever heard. 'For Persons With DJ Abilities' is an excellent blend of boom bap hip hop and some newer stuff with some nice touches throughout that make this exactly what a good mix should be: complex enough to demonstrate real talent but without overcomplicating the issue and making it sound fussy. Check the use of Black Sheep's 'Without a Doubt' beat twinned with De La's 'Itzoweezee' lyrics over the top: pure class.

I know very little about DJ Fuse One other than that he is based in the Bay Area. His 'Metamorphosis' mix is a highly entertaining 60 minute journey through old and new skool hip hop with lots of original break samples used to boot. There is a DJ Shadow section on the album which is jaw-droppingly put together, utilising original source samples and various Shadow releases in an original and exciting way. Fuse One has a purist's approach to the artform claiming in the liner notes that all of the track selections were from original pressings and therefore 'no bootlegs, compilations, re-issues, CDs or anything else you people use to substitute the real' were used. I'm not sure if I agree with this aggressive stance towards beat collecting (if you have the original pressing does it mean that you love the music more?) but you have to admire the commitment it must have taken to have put this album together.

Hope you all enjoy the festive period. There is nothing like getting together with the family, consuming large quantities of food and drink and treating yourself to a Christmas day nap in front of the telly: pure, heart-warming indulgence. Tune back in on the 31st for more of the good stuff. Later.

For People With DJ Abilities
Metamorphosis

Scratch Perverts + Rawkus = Bangin'

Around '98/'99 I was getting into turntablism in a big way and at that time the Scratch Perverts were the kings of the UK scene. They were technically stronger than anyone else as well as keeping it funky, and eventually went on to innovate the artform with feedback techniques that had never been seen before.

Simultaneous to this, Rawkus stepped into the limelight with a plethora of releases that brought quality underground hip hop back to the masses. I remember snapping up almost anything that had the Rawkus name stamped on the cover: it was an almost definite indicator of a slammin' release. Never before had I had such confidence in a contemporary label and I can only imagine what it was like for rap music fans during the golden age when Def Jam and Tommy Boy were at the height of their powers. Of course, things turned sour for the label around 2000, but it seems like they might be making a resurgence; let's hope so.

Given away with HHC, 'The Cleaner' features a selection of the Rawkus classics from this era and lets the Perverts work their magic on them. Featuring cuts from Ripshop, Mr Complex and Common as well as others, this is a seemless mix that demonstrates the skill of the Perverts whilst still allowing the selections to shine. Perhaps the most technically striking moment in 'The Cleaner' is the outro to Shabam Sahdeeq's 'Every Rhyme I Write': pure turntablism genius. I'm not sure what the exact Perverts line-up was at this stage as they have been through several incarnations, but I suspect that this was after the departure of Mr Thing and First Rate but before the re-induction of Scotland's Plus One.

I'm also posting a couple of mixes taken from a John Peel radio session coutesy of Sconeboy. First up is Prime Cuts followed by Mr Thing (my favourite UK DJ of all time). I would estimate that these were recorded c. '98 as the Prime Cuts section features his 'Jack Of Spades' juggle which he was busting out at both the DMCs and ITFs around that time. Both mixes are of an exceptional standard featuring classic hip hop joints as well as the odd well known break.

Hate to sound jaded already, but if you download either of these mixes then please drop a comment. I know that people are downloading on a daily basis and yet only a small selection of people are talking! It's pathetic I know, but it does make a difference to my day...

'The Cleaner' Rawkus Mix
John Peel Sessions

Live From Japan - DJ Krush

Back in '95 the name Mo Wax was synonymous with quality. Early releases promised much and made the label a collector's dream: limited presses, fantastic artwork and most importantly, bangin' music. James Lavelle's outfit could possibly be cited as the originators of the 'trip hop' tag (a term that I despise) as the releases around this time were basically downbeat or more abstract hip hop instrumentals. DJ Krush fitted perfectly into this niche, producing brooding sonic landscapes routed in hip hop but with a futuristic and forward-thinking edge. For my money, 'Meiso' is his seminal work.

The album features both instrumental joints as well as some impressive mic collaborations. Black Thought and Malik B's verses on the title track are exceptional and CL Smooth comes correct on the album opener 'Only The Strong Survive'. I'm not as keen on the Big Shug and Guru track; the beat lacks the moody atmosphere that complements the MCs so well on the aforementioned cuts, and the overall vibe leaves me feeling a little cold. Still, the names speak for themselves: these are well written and expertly delivered rhymes that work well over Krush's accomplished production skills.

Worthy of a special mention is 'Duality'. This tune passed me by for a long time as the opening two minutes is some of Krush's less inspiring work. It simply doesn't carry the weight of some of the other tracks and lacks punch. However, everything changes after three minutes. Snares break out in an eruption of percussive noise before dropping into the DJ Shadow produced section of the song which is nothing short of sensational. Scratched horns float over rippling drums and the momentum is relentless. This is Shadow at his best: I could listen to this all day and my head would still be nodding as it hit the pillow.

Later Krush works become increasingly minimal and stray away from the drum heavy tracks that constitute the finest beats on this album. In doing so, he loses the sense of rawness that is so compelling on this release. Still, this is a powerful and at times gripping album that demonstrates that it definitely ain't where you're from, it's where you're at.

Meiso

Vive La Revolution - DJ Cut Killer

Really pleased with the comments so far - keep them coming people! Going to stick with Sendspace for the moment but let me know if you are experiencing problems downloading.

Wanted to switch it up with this next post so have turned my attention to the other side of the big blue expanse that separates the US from Europe. DJ Cut Killer is a stalwart of the French hip hop scene and was first brought to my attention in a film called 'La Haine' that was originally released in 1995. The film follows three french youths of varied racial/cultural descent and documents their lives in the wake of riots in the outskirts of Paris. It is wonderfully shot and heavily ingrained in hop hop culture featuring breakdancing scenes and a mysterious DJ scratching the shit out of KRS' 'Sound of da Police' vocal over a beat that samples Edith Piaf's 'Je Ne Regrette Rien'. That DJ is Cut Killer. Needless to say, it left a distinct impression upon me and I consider the film to be a must-see.

Cut Killer began as many scratch DJs do: battling hard on the DMC circuit. From here he progressed to some of his own production work and is probably the most prolific of all French turntablists in terms of mixtape output. These are of a variable quality (not as a result of his skills which are unquestionably deep) due to some strange track selections which often feature the more commercial side of American R 'n' B. If that's your thang then cop his 'Cut Killer Soul Party' series as they are dedicated to exactly that style of content but they have never really drawn my interest. The two albums featured today however are prime examples of a highly skilled DJ blending, juggling and scratching classic beats with the added intrigue of French joints that would otherwise have escaped my attention.

The beauty of these mixes is that they have a live feel. They seem raw and spontaneous: no post-production fiddling here. There is a cohesive mix of the styles from either side of the Atlantic although some of the freestyle sections lose impact after the first couple of minutes. Generally speaking, Cut Killer knows when to stop and let the music speak for itself. Particularly impressive is the Das EFX section of 'Menage a 3' that features a variety of boom bap classics linked by lyrical references that hint towards the next beat.

France has always struck me as a country that easily embraced hip hop culture without the crisis of identity that I believe has affected other nations outside of the US. I intend to post other French hip hop in the future: keep me bookmarked 'mes amis'.

Cut Killer - Menage a 3
Cut Killer & Lunatic