Noreaga & Beanie Sigel "Badman" (2005)

My stomach was growling so I just made a midnight food run. On the way back, a song from Noreaga and Beanie Sigel randomly popped in my head. "Badman" was part of the "Tracklist Magazine Mixtape: Def Jam Edition (The Inc, Roc-a-Fella, South)," a compilation that highlighted various artists under the Def Jam umbrella in 2005. The song "Friendz" by Noreaga with Mariah Carey and Big Pun was also on that project (go find that, too!). Originally written by The Who in 1971, "Behind Blue Eyes" was redone by Limp Bizkit in 2003 and the sampled hook went: "No one knows what it's like / To be the bad man / To be the sad man / Behind blue eyes / No one knows what it's like / To be hated / To be fated / To telling only lies." "Badman" was produced by the underrated Scram Jones. At one point I believe the project was available to stream through Spotify and other DSPs but it's since been removed. I'd have to search through my vinyl, but I believe the NORE tracks were on a Killah Kuts 12" or something similar as well. Nevertheless, that catchy hook has been replaying in my head and I thought I'd revisit and share it with y'all tonight. Listen below...

Blueprint "1988" (March 29, 2005)

"Fresh for '88, you suckas." KRS-One said it on "My Philosophy," and MC/producer Blueprint repeats it 17 years later on "Anything Is Possible." Blueprint samples, quotes, or pays homage to Doug E. Fresh, Run-D.M.C., Stetasonic, and other old-school artists on this tribute to the golden age of hip-hop. He isn't really trying to break new ground on this relatively accessible collection of concise, melodic songs, but he is trying to add something to his influences instead of settling for a nostalgia trip. DJ Rare Groove's cuts and scratches fit the throwback vibe, while Blueprint's beats tweak old-school ideas, whether he's working with a Billy Joel piano fill on "Big Girls Need Love Too" or Doug E. Fresh-style beatboxing on "Fresh." The only guest MCs are Aesop Rock and CJ the Cynic, who appear on one song each. Blueprint provides some cunning rhymes and changes up his delivery to fit the album's diverse subject matter, whether it's the earnest social commentary of "Inner-City-Native-Son," the playfulness of the aforementioned "Big Girls Need Love Too," the obligatory braggadocio and complaints about wack MCs, or even the emotional vulnerability he displays on the second verse of "Liberated." His observations seem most trenchant when he's complaining about the current state of hip-hop on songs such as "Trouble On My Mind," which serves as a reminder that it ain't 1988 anymore. -AllMusic. Have you revisited Blueprint's debut solo album 1988 recently? If not, tap in below and also check out his dope, informative podcast Super Duty Tough Work, HERE.

Props to the homie Blueprint, one of the best indie artists....

Pumpkinhead "Orange Moon Over Brooklyn" (August 23, 2005)

Right from the start the album feels huge breathe of fresh air. The beats, provided by Canada’s Marco Polo and turntablist DP One, have an old school feel, complete with DJ scratches and voice samples. Pumpkinhead flows effortlessly and intensely at the same time, with lyrics that will have you rewinding the track. The album is a mixture of hilarious and serious commentary on subjects ranging from politics to the hip hop culture. Pumpkinhead has a charismatic style and rhymes with a passion. It’s enough to convince the listener that he absolutely believes in everything he says. It makes you want to just sit back and listen to what he has to say. But if you’re hoping to hear about guns, drugs, and women, then stop reading right now. Pumpkinhead doesn’t have time for all that. He’s got other issues to speak on, and that much is evident right from the start. In the albums second track, “Authentic”, Pumpkinhead lets you know, “This is hip hop music for your soul… Authentic hip hop music/ this is as good as it gets.” And expresses frustration; “Some places refuse to just play it / cuz I’m not rhyming about guns, drugs, and court cases.” “I Just Wanna Rhyme” is a great track that ends with one of the more humorous moments of the LP while doubling as a great commentary on the state of hip hop. After a track which features Supastition comes “Grenades”, undoubtedly one of the more powerful political tracks released this year. Pumpkinhead pulls no punches as he speaks on the military, Bush, taxes, and much more. “Give me a bulldozer/and before the world is over/ I’ll find Bush and his daddy and run both their asses over...."

The album continues with more heartfelt tracks, including “Rock On” which is basically a small biography which includes Pumpkinhead reminiscing about C-Rayz and Mobb Deep rapping and banging on tables in the lunchroom at his school. “Swordfish”, a more playful track, features an absolutely sick beat and has Pumpkinhead trading verses with Archrival. “Jukebox” is an excellent laid back track which features more top-notch storytelling. “The Best” is an uplifting track about the better things in life. The album concludes with “Anthem for the End of the World” perhaps one of the better tracks in recent memory. Jean Grae contributes two ridiculously good verses. “The sky’s crack open/ and the fire rains down/ with angles backs broken/ and black snow/ and a man in a black cloak/ and then everything goes black/ and everyone soon chokes and collapses slow.” - HipHopDX, 2005. It's important we revisit underground classics like Pumpkinhead's Orange Moon Over Brooklyn... it reminds me of great memories in independent NYC hip-hop, and the memory of our fallen friend, Pumpkinhead, who passed away far too soon in 2015. Rest In Peace, Robert Diaz. 

The VHS (Vibe, April 2005)

Remember your first VCR? Now you could watch Purple Rain on a snow day or study Bruce Lee over breakfast, fast-forwarding to the good parts, slo-mo-ing the better ones, and, crucially, pausing for bathroom breaks.... Although TV stations began using magnetic tape back in 1956, the first home video system wasn't launched until 1975. That model, the LV-1901, supported Sony's ill-fated Betamax format, cost over $2,000 (TV included), and demanded another $20 for each one-hour tape. But in 1984, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled against Hollywood's claim that home-movie technology would destroy their livelihood (Napster, anyone?), RCA's alternative Video Home System, or VHS, took off. And while the first VHS VCRs were massive, top-loading slabs straight outta Star Trek, they were convenient and, at $300, much more affordable. Time magazine's December 24, 1984, cover heralded "a magic box that revolutionizes home viewing," and in 1985 alone, more than 11 million units were sold worldwide. Over the next 10-plus years, the VHS tape would reshape the way we saw the world. So long to worrying about "missing a show" or waiting for a movie to air on cable, and say good-bye to virtually every porn theater in the country.... Meet the video rental industry, wedding videos, and the "entertainment" center as furniture. And of course, you can't go straight-to-video - think Streets Is Watching and Baller Blockin, not to mention Girls Gone Wild - if the video doesn't exist. And yet, videocassettes are now the wave of the past. Since the introduction of the digital videodisc in 1997, DVDs have gone on to sell more than twice as much as VHS tapes ever did, and ironically, Hollywood couldn't be happier. Like the turntables before it, the VCR has been shoved aside as newer technology - DVD, DirecTV, and soon, Internet-streamed movies - swoops in. But as long as everything, from your school plays to your favorite celebrity sexcapades, is captured on tape, videocassettes will haunt us for decades to come. - Vibe, April 2005. Most content eventually ends up on YouTube these days, but every one in my generation has a box somewhere with memories captured on VHS, and to us, they are priceless pieces of our past. Yo! MTV Raps, Lyricist Lounge, Rad, Gleaming The Cube, The Box, Rap City; I could go on for days!

Guru "Gang Starr Mix Freestyles" (2005)

It's not all that noteworthy, but this is only my second leap year post (on this site). Back in 2016, I shared my brother One Be Lo's new album (at the time), The Original B.O.R.N. O.N.E.S., which is still a solid album, dig that up! This year? I was gonna do a post about Ja Rule, who celebrates his born day today, but I wasn't in the mood for that. So... I looked at my desktop screen, and on it was a file I'd downloaded from DJ Step One's website about Guru. Guru hosted a mix tape back in 2005 called The Official Gang Starr Mix CD, where he dropped a handful of exclusive freestyles. I owned that CD at the time and even included one of Guru's freestyles from it on my niche mixtape called FreeOfStyle in 2012. DJ Step One made one single MP3 out of all the individual freestyles on there, which I think is genius, and very much worth sharing/revisiting. Guru was a one-of-a-kind artist - his voice and the messages in his music were an integral part of my childhood. Click the tags, you'll see references time and again that Gang Starr is my favorite group of all-time, so it's no surprise DJ Premier and Guru pop up every couple of months on this site. I'm constantly revisiting the music and remembering memories where they were the soundtrack. Peep some tracks as elusive as 2/29...

Mick Boogie "Pretox" (Mixtape, 2005)

Fans are still anticipating Dr. Dre's Detox album in all its glory. It's been roughly two decades since 2001 was released and Dre has shelved more albums than he's released. At least we have this mix from Mick Boogie to look back on: the Pretox features alternate versions, remixes, and featured production from Dre alongside artists like Snoop, Daz, Lady of Rage, Ice Cube, Truth Hurts, Rakim, Nature, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, B-Real and more. The Pretox mixtape was originally released in 2005, revisit it below... and don't hold your breath for Detox  any time soon. Happy Born Day, Dr. Dre!

DJ Dough & Porge 1 "Heads Ain't Ready" (Mixtape, 2005)

Heads Ain't Ready is a real solid mixtape from DJ Dough and Porge 1, released around mid-2005. The mix features tracks from D.I.T.C., Blaq Poet, Snoop Dogg, The Beatnuts, Royal Flush, Nas, Diamond D, Concrete Click, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Black Moon, The Notorious B.I.G., KMD, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Death Camp, Sauce Money, Freddie Foxxx and more. The devil is in the details, these are mostly slept-on records, remixes, exclusive blends, and harder-to-find cuts (at the time). It's a seamless mix, dig in and enjoy a really well done mix below. Props to them on the Show & AG cover...

The Game "The Documentary" (January 18, 2005)

The Documentary is the debut studio album by West Coast rapper, The Game. It was released on January 18, 2005, by Aftermath Entertainment, G-Unit Records and Interscope Records. The record serves as his major-label debut, preceded by his independently-released debut Untold Story in 2004. In 2001, while The Game was in hospital recovering from a shooting, he decided to pursue a career in music. He released the mixtape, You Know What It Is Vol. 1 in 2002, which was later discovered by legendary producer Dr. Dre and led to him signing The Game to his label, Aftermath. The Documentary includes production from high-profile producers such as Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Scott Storch, and Timbaland, among others, as well as guest appearances from 50 Cent, Eminem, Nate Dogg, Faith Evans, and more. This would be The Game's only album on Aftermath and G-Unit Records, as he left the label later in 2005 after a feud began between him and fellow G-Unit label-mate 50 Cent. Along with his debut LP, The Game released The Documentary DVD, which served to show you The Game up close, in/out the studio. The LP was released on 01/18/05. Updated below...

You can also stream The Documentary album below...

The Original 50 Cent (Documentary, 2005)

During the late 1980s, at the height of New York's brutal crack cocaine epidemic, one man terrorized the city's most notorious gangsters. Armed with a bulletproof vest and an arsenal of weapons, he robbed, killed and extorted Brooklyn's biggest hustlers. A cold-blooded crook, he was the 'hood's version of Billy the Kid, bragging that - one day - he would get rich or die trying... His name was Kelvin Martin. Most knew him simply as "50 Cent", as told on the this 2005 documentary entitled, The Original 50 Cent by Froi Cuesta and Tony Turner. The documentary is hosted by veteran journalist, Bonz Malone, and there are cameos from DJ Scratch, Eric B, 50 Cent and more. If the documentary gets pulled by YouTube, please give me a headsup, so I can update this AGAIN. 

Scarface 4 Life (Documentary, 2005)

The Scarface 4 Life documentary was released Feb 18, 2005 by the Big Apple Distributors studio. Rikers Island in New York City is home to a fearful penitentiary with a lengthy – and often troubled – history. Filmmaker Troy Reed chose Rikers as the location for his documentary, entitled Scarface 4 Life, in an attempt to convey some of the disturbing events that have taken place on the island. Drawing on some fearsome events that were triggered in the late-1980s and early-1990s, Reed highlights police corruption, inmate slayings, and plenty more besides in this powerful portrait of a bleak institution. This is still an incredible, must-watch documentary. Please watch it below, but be advised that this a graphic documentary, and should not be viewed if you have a weak stomach.

Elzhi "Witness My Growth" (The Michigan Journal, 1/05)

Have you heard Elzhi's Witness My Growth project? "From the tip-off of the intro, Elzhi doesn’t just want you to acknowledge him as one half of Slum Village, but rather the emcee laying vocals in the basement with Waajeed circa 2000, the cat representing Fenkell Avenue, and the friend who cried when fellow rapper Bugz died. The majority of the 24 songs on this two-CD mixtape are not current, more like a lost tapes collection put together to show the evolution of Elzhi. Production from J. Dilla, Houseshoes, Nick Speed, Alchemist, Kareem Riggins and BR Gunna provide the right balance of raw and familiar melodies for Elzhi’s rapid-fire flow. Fellow Slummate T3 joins him to slay enemies on the gritty “Haters”; he gives props to the folks he grew with over a remixed version of Woudini’s classic “Friends”; and Dwele lends his vocals to the choral “All I want.” Big Tone, Yaknus and Detroit diva Rhian Benson also make cameos. Witness My Growth isn’t a bunch of moldy thrown-together tracks; instead it shows the eagerness of a young Elzhi taking baby steps forward — an anthology of work designed to tell a story." - Metro Times, 2/2/05. Dig into Witness My Growth...

Also, a dope feature article on Elzhi in the Michigan Journal, January 2005.

The Rub "It's The Motherf#cking Remix" (Volume 2, 2005)

The Rub: It's The Motherf#cking Remix Volume 2 (It's The Rub) is mash-ups galore. As the original review read in Remix Magazine (1/06), "It's a pleasant surprise to find mixtapes that are exactly that - mixed. And DJ Ayres' comp is mixed with a fluid exactness that mirrors the nonstop dance party that is The Rub - a collection of mash-ups the likes of which you'd find at the long-running monthly party held at Southpaw (R.I.P.) in Brooklyn. DJs such as A-Trak, Mark Ronson and Diplo blend the likes of Marvin Gaye, Talking Heads and Billy Joel with Mobb Deep, TI and Crime Mob to accentuate moods and take things in altogether new directions. A highlight here: DJ Crooked's Jay-Z "Hey Papi" vs. A-ha "Take On Me." Genre bending shit, listen to something different below...

Mick Boogie "God's Gift: The Nas/Jay-Z Project" (2005)

God's Gift: The Nas / Jay-Z Project is a mixtape put together by Mick Boogie & Joey Fingaz in 2005. It was reviewed in Rap Pages, saying: "It's everyone's dream come true... well, kind of. An album's worth of Jay's and Nas' verses blended together. While the chemistry was explosive on "24 Years to Life," "Faithful," and "The Life," all this mixtape really does is build anticipation for the long-awaited Jay and Nas collaboration." After the beef and battle, then mending their differences and working together; in 2018, would I still feel as excited about a Nas and Jay-Z collaborative album? Yes, I surely would, lol. I mean, not as much as the long-awaited Nas and DJ Premier album or Nas and AZ album or Nas and The Alchemist, 9th Wonder, Pete Rock, Large Professor, etc album ... but sure, I'd be on the check-out line to purchase a copy at a neighborhood record store. 'Til then, I guess we've gotta go back and listen to Mick Boogie's God's Gift mix and wait it out a bit longer.

Joe Budden "Whatever It Takes" (2005)

"I know you feel for me deep in your heart

Doctors, meetings, pills couldn't keep us apart 

But, now you got a deal and you wanna get rid of me 

We roommates, I'm in your head, Joe, you live with me..."

It's no secret that Joe has battled with depression - he's one of a few artists that has been open and vocal about that, and... well, just about everything over the years. The original version of this track is nothing compared to the soulful backdrop that Clinton Sparks adds on the remake, which was featured on Clinton's 2005 release, Maybe You Been Brainwashed. The Mood Muzik MC brings up a number of issues on the record including: depression, record label woes, problems with his baby mother, addiction, feeling wildly misunderstood, and lots more on the 7-minute cut. When the album was reviewed in 2005, Vibe said "And when Joe Budden emotionally cries out for understanding on "Whatever It Takes," Sparks is right there providing spirit-lifting soul sounds." An ironic fact about music is that when an artist reaches a point where the music becomes therapy, those lyrics/songs ultimately become inspiration/motivation for the listener. You may look at it as "emo" rap, but just ask Joe how many fans have told him that his music helped get them through a difficult time in their lives; it may have even saved their life. Oddly, some of Joe Budden's best work is not featured on his retail albums, it's snuck on mixtapes, loose verses, features, or it's the unlikely B-Side to a 12" that has Puff Daddy on the A-Side. However you chop it up, these are the types of songs that helped build Joe's fanbase, and even if his measure of success called for him to switch careers, fans can still cherish the music he's left behind and the perspectives he offers (along with Rory and Mal) on his podcast. Listen below and "Please leave the kid in peace." Happy Born Day, Joe!

Cuban Link "Chain Reaction" (Vibe Magazine, 2005)

Withstanding Big Pun's immense shadow and Fat Joe's verbal wrath, Cuban Link shines with introspection on his first solo release. Chain Reaction finds the former TS member cleverly moving from the streets ("Talk About It") to the sheets ("My Lady"). Whether spitting alongside Avant's crooning or Jadakiss's rough rhymes, Cuban adapts to each track, especially the grimier ones. "I've been gone for a minute / N!@@as thought I was finished," he raps on "Tonight's the Night," "But the scars that I caught just added more to the image." And that's how he stays a cut above. - Vibe Magazine (September, 2005). I've always enjoyed Cuban Link's music - from guest features to "Flowers For The Dead" and his latest tribute to Big Pun with "Letter To Pun," I still think there's plenty of room for Cuban Link in this industry. That said, having Fat Joe as an "enemy" has never been something I'd recommend, so I hope they eventually reconcile their differences. "In retrospect, I always respect the man that you were / A man of your word that always put his family first / With talent superb all you wanted was to be heard / And You got your chance all of your fans are proud of your work..." R.I.P., Big Pun. Listen to Cuban Link's '05 Chain Reaction below...

Vibe Magazine's album review of Cuban Link's Chain Reaction...

DJ Missie "Hip-Hop, Volume 4" (Mixtape, 2005)

This is Hip-Hop Volume 4 from Japan's DJ Missie. The tracklist doesn't introduce you to much, but DJ Missie is one helluva skilled technician. The mixing is tight, cuts are razor sharp and there's plenty familiar to listen to with Missie's mixes. You can expect to hear Eric B. & Rakim, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, UMCs, Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Queen Latifah, Naughty By Nature, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, The Pharcyde, Casual, Guru, LL Cool J, Redman, Common, A Tribe Called Quest, Das EFX, Slick Rick, Masta Ace, and more! Dig into DJ Missie's Hip-Hop Volume 4 mixtape below...

DJ Missie "Hip-Hop, Volume 3" (Mixtape, 2005)

This is Hip-Hop Volume 3 from Japan's DJ Missie, originally released in 2005. Volume 3 includes expertly mixed tracks from Wu-Tang Clan, Jeru The Damaja, Black Moon, The Notorious B.I.G., Smif-N-Wessun, Buckshot Lefonque, INI, The Roots, Ultamagnetic MCs, Casual, The Pharcyde, Das EFX, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Lady of Rage, Craig Mack, Nas, Kool G Rap, Naughty By Nature, 2Pac, Redman, Big Daddy Kane and more. While I think Volume 2 might be the best in DJ Missie's Hip-Hop series, this volume is pretty dope too! For some golden era records, check this mix out below...

DJ Missie "Hip-Hop, Volume 2" (Mixtape, 2005)

This is DJ Missie's second installment in the Hip-Hop series reppin' from Japan. Once again it features various cuts from the Golden Era in hip-hop, which includes tracks from KRS-One, The Notorious B.I.G., Pete Rock & CL Smooth, O.C., Kenny Dope, Method Man, Redman, Artifacts, Das EFX, Main Source, Channel Live, Akinyele & Sadat X, Brand Nubian, The Beatnuts, Intelligent Hoodlum, The Pharcyde, E-Rule, Common, AZ, OutKast, Keith Murray, Big L and Lord Finesse. I'd argue this is my favorite Volume, because of it's superb track selection, transitions and sharp cuts. Honestly, I tip my hat to DJ Missie for this mix and have definitely studied parts of it over the years. I believe it was originally released in 2005 and has seen release on CD and cassette, although I've never had the opportunity to purchase a copy for myself. Any fans in Japan have a connect? All that said, dig into Hip-Hop Volume 2 and hit the archives for more mixes... (Updated).

DJ Missie "Hip-Hop, Volume 1" (Mixtape, 2005)

I'm a fan of all the mixes in Japan's DJ Missie's Hip-Hop mixtape series. This is Hip-Hop: Volume 1... it features golden era tracks from The Beatnuts, EPMD, Cypress Hill, Lords of the Underground, Common, 2Pac, Digital Underground, Diamond D, MC Serch, Original Flavor, Black Moon, LONS, Jungle Brothers, Redman, 3rd Bass, Main Source, Kool G Rap, De La Soul, Eric B. & Rakim, Zhigge, and more! Not necessarily the 'best' or most original track selection, but DJ Missie is an extremely technical and well-skilled DJ, making these mixes a pleasant listen. The mixtape scene in Asia is real strong, the tapes from DJ Missie move over there! Dig into Hip-Hop Volume 1 below, more to follow soon...

DJ Rondevu: Nas & Rakim "Godbrothers 2" (Mixtape)

This is DJ Rondevu's Godbrothers 2: Sacred Book of Rhymes mixtape, which features a nice mix of tracks and vocals from Nas & Rakim's extensive catalogs, blended together. A handful of the tracks were reworked and remixed, along with features from Big L, Biggie, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and more. For those who are unfamiliar, DJ Rondevu is a Brooklyn-bred DJ and producer; he's toured all over the world and worked with countless legends. I've personally seen him DJ for Das Efx at Knitting Factory in 2008 or 2009, but I'm not sure if he's still holding them down. He also produced on one of their last albums. You can stream the full mixtape from 2005 below, click through for the full tracklist.