RIP Melvin Bliss x Synthetic Substitution
Melvin Bliss passed away today. The man is responsible for “Synthetic Substitution,” easily one of the greatest and most prolifically sampled records ever. The list of Hip-Hop songs that straight ganked the “Substitution” break is extensive, so I’ll include only a handful of my favorites (De La Soul, Public Enemy, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ghostface Killah and Ultramagnetic MCs) below.
Worth noting, the great Bernard Purdie is the drummer on the record. A preview of a documentary Earl Holder and Peripheral Enterprises put together on Mr. Bliss after the vids. Rest In Peace.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard “Cuttin’ Headz” Produced by The RZA
De La Soul “Potholes In My Lawn” Produced by De La Soul & Prince Paul
Ghostface Killah “Mighty Healthy” Produced by Allah Mathematics
Ultramagnetic MCs “Ego Trippin’” Produced by Ced Gee and likely Paul C
Public Enemy Enemy “Don’t Believe Hype” Produced by The Bomb Squad
Melvin Bliss Documentary Trailer
VIDEO: Ski Beatz f/ Mos Def “Cream Of The Planet”
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Ski Beatz plus the Mighty Mos Def equates to instant goodness. The song, “Cream of the Planet,” sounds as fresh—sounds like Spanish flavored horns in the mix—as it does on paper. Creative Control on the visual. [Peeped at Nah Right]
Ski’s 24 Hour Karate School now drops September 7, allegedly.
Kind of ill how the Mos Def of 2010 aesthetically looks pretty much like the Mos Def of 1995 (Urban Thermo Dynamic “Manifest Destiny”) below.
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Where Is 24 Hour Karate School? [The Smoking Section]
Where is that mic?
Cappadonna “’97 Mentality”
The Source Magazine - June 1997
Cappadonna “’97 Mentality” off that Wu-Tang Killa Bees compilation. This joint was always ill. Still is.
Produced by the RZA, ya know, the Wu-Tang Clan Abbot that Raekwon tells Vibe will not be contributing to his Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang, due in September. Sigh.
Born is 9, and God is 7. You’re welcome if you never figured that out before.
Blaze Magazine – The 50 Greatest MCs Ever!
Blaze Magazine (February 1999)
The late Blaze Magazine’s 50 Greatest MC’s list. Their Top 5, Dead or Alive, pre-millenium:
- Rakim
- KRS-1
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- Big Daddy Kane
- LL Cool J
No Eminem (it was 1999) and my personal fav, no Ghostface (pre-Supreme Clientele).
6.Kool G Rap
7.Tupac
8.Slick Rick
9.Jay Z
10.Ice Cube
11.Grandmaster Caz
12.Chuck D
13.Run
14.Melle Mel
15.Nas
16.Too Short
17.Kurtis Blow
18.Posdnous
19.Kool Moe Dee
20.Redman
21.Lauryn Hill
22.Scarface
23.DMC
24.Busy Bee
25.Q-Tip
26.Common
27.Raekwon
28.Gza
29.The DOC
30.Kool Keith
31.Ice T
32.Treach
33.Dre (OutKast)
34.Doug E. Fresh
35.Grand Puba
36.Method Man
37.Snoop Dogg
38.Fresh Prince
39.Cee-Lo
40.Eazy E
41.MC Lyte
42.Busta Rhymes
43.E-40
44.Biz Markie
45.Ras Kass
46.Schooly D
47.Queen Latifah
48.Lord Finesse
49.MC Ren
50.Pharoahe Monch
VIDEO: Bamboo Bros “Celebrate Life (Up In The Heights)”
“Yes we Africans mixed with Latin.”—Dave Dar
The Bamboo Bros (Superstar Dave Dar and Kurious Jorge) drop this fudge funky joint called “Celebrate Life.” Pump this while rocking a Guayabera. Very, very fresh.
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15 Years of Duck Down Records CD Packaging
This 15 Years of Duck Down Records compilation CD hit (the Enta Da Stage vinyl is vintage) the mailbox today, due in stores July 13. Not mad at the packaging, though there is no way it’s fitting in the CD rack.
Rocking for fifteen years in a fickle Hip-Hop world is no small feat. Then Duck Down has new albums due this year from Pharoahe Monch (W.A.R.: We Are Renegades), Pete Rock & Smif N Wessun (Monumental), 9th Wonder & Buckshot (The Solution), Skyzoo & ILLMIND (Live From the Tape Deck) and the group Random Axe which consists of Sean Price, Black Milk and Guilty Simpson.
That said, Duck Down Records deserves all the props they receive. Gratuitous Black Moon pun totally intended.
Catch all the Duck Down acts at BB Kings in NYC on July 13th and on tour in the fall. Tracklistfor the compilation below, and in the vid. But note, if these songs aren’t already in your collection, what kind of Hip-Hop fan are you really?
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Pharoahe Monch – Shine f. Mela Machinko prod. by Diamond D [Bloggerhouse]
I Am NOT Hip-Hop | 360HipHop.com
Burger status.
Russell Simmons’ first Hip-Hop website venture lasted as long as the latest Internet MCs career, but its I Am Hip-Hop/I Am Not Hip-Hop ad campaign was official gristle. Rest In Peace www.360HipHop.com.
If you have time wade through UrbanExpose.com (remarkably still up) for insight, amidst a LOT of vitriol, into the implosion of Urban websites in the early aughts. Mostly due to sites spending money like there was no tomorrow without any idea how they were actually going to turn a profit. Y’know, like the US economy.
Also, Dame Dash seems to always stay in the picture.
The Real Booty Warrior x The Boondocks
The A Date With the Booty Warrior episode of The Boondocks from a couple of weeks back isn’t one of this final season’s best [that would be “Pause”. Or what I prefer to call, “Tyler Perry, lost.”]. But, the titular character from the Booty Warrior episode, Fleece Johnson, should strike fear in the hearts of men, and their sphincters. Turns out he is based on a real inmate (see above) first seen on MSNBC’s Lock Up series.
Yet another reason, as if you really needed any, to keep your ass out of the bing, literally. They should add this vid to the Scared Straight curriculum.
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Is Tyler Perry Firing His Entire Staff Over The Boondocks Episode? [Urban Daily]
Riley’s Moment Of Truth [The Smoking Section]
DOWNLOAD: DJ Jazzy Jeff+Mick Boogie: Summertime, The Mixtape
The homie Kari Cruz sent this along the way so it has got to be official. DJ Jazzy Jeff and Mick Boogie, in conjunction with Undrcrwn, drop a mixtape for July 4th weekend, and the rest of the summer. Summertime, The Mixtape, rock it with respect.
Download: Summertime, The Mixtape | Mediafire
Tracklist—they had me when I saw Bush Babees/Mos Def and Ramsey Lewis—after the bump, and video [DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince “Summertime”].
Slang Rap Democracy 