J-Love x Capone-N-Noreaga "Still Reporting" (Mixtape, 2007)

This is J-Love's Still Reporting mixtape; a 2007 tribute to Capone-N-Noreaga's catalog that included joints from The War Report, The Reunion, and various (early) unreleased joints that came before their Channel 10 album 2 years later. East Coast hip-hop at its finest, you'll hear tracks with Tragedy Khadafi, Mobb Deep, E Money Bags, Royal Flush, Kool G Rap, Foxy Brown, Cormega, The LOX, Mary J. Blige and Nature. J-Love used to drop off boxes of his mixes at Fat Beats and this one of the joints that still stays in rotation, along with J-Love's early Nas' Finest and Mobb Misses joints. Props to the whole Queens, check this mix below and dig into the archives for more mixes...

Royce Da 5'9 "The Bar Exam" (Mixtape, 2007)

The Bar Exam is the first of the four installments in the Bar Exam mixtape series by Royce da 5'9", self-released by Royce on April 7, 2007 through DatPiff via M.I.C. Records. It was hosted by Statik Selektah, and DJ Premier. It was early-rumored that all of the songs on this mixtape were written while Royce was serving his one-year jail sentence for violating his probation the year before, as a result of a charge of driving under the influence. I am a tremendous fan of Royce Da 5'9; I consider him to be one of the most gifted lyricists and a stand-up dude to match. These early mixtapes that Statik was doing with Royce and Nas, for example, were just incredible pieces of hip-hop that might get lost in the blog-era of music if we don't revisit and celebrate them. Props to DJ Premier, too, of course! Now, with all that said, dig back into the first installment of Royce's Bar Exam mix below...

J.PERIOD "March 9" (Mixtape, 2007)

Produced and remixed by J.PERIOD and longtime collaborator DJ G. Brown, March 9 Volume 1 chronicles the dark side of Biggie's lyrical storytelling with a collection of gangster tales over sinister musical landscapes -- crime-saga tales in the spirit of Scarface, King of New York and Menace II Society. Originally released on the 10th anniversary of B.I.G.'s passing, March 9 -- like B.I.G. himself -- stands the test of time. In its entirety, the collection is over 80 tracks of exclusive remixes, including previously unreleased outtakes, 12” singles and bonus material, all paying tribute to Brooklyn’s Finest, The Notorious B.I.G. Promotional only. It's now been 25 years, and I can still remember March 9, 1997 like it was yesterday. Rest In Peace, The Notorious B.I.G. You can download this and numerous other mixes from J.Period HERE. Listen to his March 9 Volume 1 mixtape below...

DJ Format & Mr. Thing "Holy Shit" (Mixtape, 2007)

Holy Shit is a mix of religious breaks, beats and music discovered mostly in charity shops and bargain bins of record shops over a number of years. DJ Format had been planning to do a mix of some of his weird and wonderful religious records for years and when he connected with Mr Thing... they decided to team up and do a mix together and Holy Shit was the result in 2007. Although some of the music is top quality and was cut up in a B-boy style, the mix was definitely supposed to be fun... hence the Monty Python bits! In DJ Format's own words, "The term 'Religious Record' could mean a religious artist on a religious record label that had an unusually funky moment or it could mean a regular artist or group (not usually associated with the religious genre) that do a cover version of a song about God or Jesus i.e. 'Put Your Hand In The Hand' is a religious song covered by many different artists and quite often has a nice open drum break at the start of the song. Ps... There's a 1 minute silence at the end of the mix before a secret bonus track comes in at the end. This was deliberately done on the original CD for fun... rather than it being a manufacturing fault like some people (idiots who returned the CD as faulty!) seemed to think." Listen to the Holy Shit mix below...

Jay-Z "Dead Presidents III" (Prod. by Young Guru)

During the American Gangster recording sessions, Jay-Z laid the vocals for "Dead Presidents III." An unfinished version of the track hit the web in 2007, but during a webchat with Hov in 2013, a fan questioned him about the track and if it was ever completed, to which he gave permission for Just Blaze and Young Guru to let it leak. Guru obliged and leaked a version with some additional bars and touched-up production (Just Blaze found the sample, and Guru made the beat), but the version you hear below is all there is of "Dead Presidents III." As to why, Just Blaze added that "DP3 had 2 verses, one of which got used on another record... So there's only that 1 verse. Sorry." He also adds that the verse has been out for years and was on a Green Lantern mixtape. Oh and "Google is your friend," just to add some snark. It's now 8 years later and I still go back to listen to the track every now and again. If you searched and found this link, maybe Google is your friend. Photo by Jamil GS. 

Pharoahe Monch "Desire" (June 26, 2007)

"Raised on the infamous Southside of NYC's Queens borough, a young Monch caught the Hip-Hop bug early as the culture born in the Rotten Apple. It would be while attending art school that Pharoahe would find his calling as an emcee, and eventually co-founded the rap duo Organized Konfusion. It was here that a still young Pharoahe began to display his full potential for the first time, transforming himself into a superhero emcee, painting vivid verbal pictures on cuts such as "Stray Bullet" whilst amazing listeners with his unpredictable-but-flawless flow on the jaw-dropping "Hypnotical Gases". Now settled at Steve Rifkind's SRC Records, Pharoahe Monch, one of Hip-Hop's most gifted lyricists, is ready to reintroduce himself to a rap world crying out for genuine artists with his long-awaited album, Desire. At a time when a rapper's image and financial status appear to capture the attention of fans more than lyrical content and creative production, Pharoahe has refused to "dumb-down" his new project, choosing instead to adhere to the rules and principles he learnt growing up in Hip-Hop's Golden Age: be original, be true to yourself and be as skillful as possible on the mic device. But... don't expect to hear Monch stuck in a time-warp on Desire."

"With beats from the likes of Mr. Porter, The Alchemist, Detroit's Black Milk and long-time collaborator Lee Stone, the lyrical king of Queens is definitely looking to move the art form of Hip-Hop forward with this album. "I think the approach I took to making some of the songs is still underground," offers Monch when asked about the creative process behind Desire. "But in terms of arrangements and the song-writing, I wouldn't say it's commercial, but it's a bigger approach than I've taken in the past." Aside from lyrics about politics, love, sex and survival in the modern world, it's the sheer sonic scale of Desire that's impressive. There's a cinematic quality to the music, with the album's central theme developed through a series of dramatic interludes linking tracks together. Desire finds Pharoahe Monch wanting to be labeled only as an emcee and a true artist. But even if he achieves that goal and receives the mainstream critical acclaim his talent deserves, you still get the impression that Monch will never rest on his laurels. "When you become totally satisfied and you think you've reached perfection," he ponders, "then where do you go from there?" Desire, the album proves why Pharoahe Monch's name will be mentioned as one of the greatest emcees of all-time." - Ryan Proctor. Taken from the promotional newspaper that was released with Desire... you can see some of the original scans from it below. Listen to the album above or click HERE.

Mick Boogie Presents "Unbelievable" (Mixtape, 2007)

On the 10th anniversary (2007) of the tragic passing of Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace, Mick Boogie and newcomer Terry Urban of the League Crew teamed up to release Unbelievable: A Tribute To Biggie Smalls, a project that many critics have called “the best Biggie mixtape ever.” Hosted by Sean “Diddy” Combs, this 100% creative mixtape features Biggie material remixed the way it was supposed to be done. Original beats and special guest appearances, as well as plenty of crazy remixes are abundant throughout the project. You'll hear lots of tribute mixes to B.I.G. on this site, but very few will be better than this one right here! R.I.P. B.I.G. Listen very closely below...

The Elite Camp "Raising The Bar" (Mixtape, 2007)

In 2007, four members of The Elite Camp embarked on a project that was the benchmark for the future of the entire crews’ catalog. Raising The Bar exemplifies the skill, knowledge, and experience that they all have as a DJ collective. Stemming from their favorite genre in hip-hop, the golden era, the compilation of carefully chosen tracks along with signature Elite Camp tricks is a true representation of their abilities. The Elite Camp’s D Jay Jung, M-Pos, DJ Naz, and Unkle Chip make up the brains behind Raising The Bar. They also had the honor of having fellow New Jerseyan and member of the famous group Artifacts, El Da Sensei, bless the introduction alongside the production of P-Original. Mastered by Phillee Blunt from the Illvibe Collective and album artwork by Romeo Rex of The Collabros. The mix features tracks from Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Organized Konfusion, Showbiz & AG, Zhigge, Main Source, Diamond D, Cypress Hill, K-Solo, Chi-Ali, Naughty By Nature, Eric B. & Rakim, Jungle Brothers, The Beatnuts, Lord Finesse, Gang Starr, Group Home, Raekwon, Nas, Outkast, N.W.A., Black Moon, Nine, Onyx, Souls of Mischief and a whole lot more! Peace to Let The Brainz Blog for the description and tracklist; J.Nicklez for the audio link. Dig in...

One Be Lo "The R.E.B.I.R.T.H." (2007)

Real Emcees Bring Intelligent Rhymes To Hip-Hop! The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. symbolizes several turning points in One Be Lo's life. He recorded the album after moving back to the United States after living in Egypt with his family for several years, and after working his way out of a record deal with Fat Beats Records. The disc was also recorded after the early passing of his daughter. When beatmakers gave Lo a limited selection of soundbeds based on his previous material, he decided to work with a brand new crop of producers. Armed with instrumentals by the likes of established musicians like 14KT, Jake One, Vitamin D and others, One Be Lo redefined his sound while showcasing the conceptual, poetic attention to detail that has served as the cornerstone to his career. “Born & Raised” chronicles the ups and downs of his hometown of Pontiac, Mich., and “Keep It Rollin'” pays homage to Michigan's daily grind with the metaphorical backdrop of its storied automobile industry. “War” turns the tables on terrorism stigmas with a tale of a man seeking revenge for his falsely accused and terrorized Muslim parents, and fan favorite “Gray” seamlessly shifts between topics such as inner-city violence, insecurity with racial ambiguity, and maintaining dignity in the music industry. Real Emcees Bring Intelligent Rhymes To Hip-Hop, and with The R.E.B.I.R.T.H., One Be Lo lives up to the task. Cop the first ever vinyl pressing of The R.E.B.I.R.T.H., on limited (500 copies) double blue vinyl; pressed by Young Heavy Souls Records. And, of course, listen to the album below...

J Dilla "Ruff Draft" (Reckless Driving Citation, 2007)

Originally released in 2003, J. Dilla’s Ruff Draft was a limited edition vinyl release for UK based imprint, Mummy Records. Selling out almost overnight, this lost chapter in the Yancey legacy was unheard by most of his fans - not only because of its limited edition nature, but also because of its vinyl only status. Now, in honor of the 1-year anniversary of his death, Stones Throw gives Ruff Draft an official release, with all new bells and whistles. Ruff Draft was a turning point in the production of J. Dilla, as it was the first project to show a side of the producer that would eventually come to fruition on Donuts. His Beat Generation entry, Welcome To Detroit, offered a mere glimpse of his true dirty district style, but Ruff Draft went full speed ahead with it. “Sound like it’s straight from the mu’fuckin’ cassette” hollers Dilla at the beginning of the album. Just like Donuts, upon first listen, it’s hard to understand what the fuss is about, as Dilla’s style here is so grimy that one can barely grab a hold of it. It’s on the consecutive listens that the hypnotic backwards daze of “Nothing Like This” sinks into your consciousness... Dilla’s production is so dope, that even the “Intro” and “Shouts” - which would be typically skipped by listeners - keep the head-nodding all night long. The addition of a second instrumental disc in Stones Throw’s new treatment of Ruff Draft makes this package even more appealing. Much of the time is spent more on the vocal side of things, as Dilla “keeps it ghetto with the plastic cups”, flexing his skills as both vocalist and producer... Several references are made to A Tribe Called Quest all over the record which is fitting, since they helped introduce Dilla into the game on the Beats Rhymes and Life LP. Or perhaps this is Dilla’s answer to The Low End Theory, another record that defied expectation and changed the way hip-hop music was made. Either way, whether you are hearing this record for the first time after his death, or are revisiting it, Ruff Draft is another fine example of what a marvel J. Dilla was, not to mention what a tremendous loss that hip-hop faced with his death. - HipHopSite 

Stones Throw ran a bunch of L.A. parking ticket lookalikes and ticketed people outside Ruff Draft listening parties in Spring 2007. They were a citation for "Reckless Driving" and boasted a Warning: "Bumping this in your ride may subject motor vehicle to seizure." I believe they were later included in the Turn It Up box sets with other promotional items. You can check it out below. R.I.P. J Dilla.

Sean Price "Jesus Price Supastar" (January 30, 2007)

Sean Price has always rapped with a hard-edged whimsy. He's earned a dual fan base of backpackers and indie kids like fellow East Coast old-heads Ghostface and MF Doom, but despite name-dropping Malachi York, Tony Atlas, and Hotel Rwanda on his second official solo album, he's never been quite weird enough to curry as much favor with the avant-garde. Instead, with an effortless delivery and mastery of negative space, the artist once known as Ruck of Heltah Skeltah spends most of Supastar boasting about "f#cking people up" and lamenting the idea that he's "the brokest rapper you know." As Sean P pledges, "All praises due to the rhyme," over revving motorcycle synths and an interpolation of Gap Band's 1979 "I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up and Dance (Oops, Upside Your Head)," his altar runs red not only from blood of sucker MCs, but also from his sacrifice of song topicality. This is traditionalist boom-bap, mainly scored by North Carolina sample-choppers 9th Wonder and Khrysis. Guests like Little Brother's Phonte, Buckshot, and Sadat X nestle in comfortably. But when Price makes it all about himself--like on the breezy, guitar-loaded "Mess You Made"--complaints about "not having a hit since '96" and "making sure Elijah ain't bummy in school" prove that, despite appearances, Price has a vision beyond aggro one-liners. - Vibe (2/07).

The Jesus Price Supastar review in Vibe Magazine is below...

Skratch Bastid "Get Up!" (Mixtape, 2007)

Get Up! is a great throwback mix of classic Funk and Hip-Hop from Canadian DJ and Juno-nominated producer, Skratch Bastid. Easily one of the most respected scratch and party DJs you can find around the world, Skratch won Scribble Jam in 2003, 2004 and 2007. Get Up! features tracks from Slick Rick, Rakim, The Incredible Bongo Band, Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Jurassic 5, Maestro Fresh-Wes, Chubb Rock, Strafe, The S.O.S. Band, Eazy-E, Common, Masta Ace, Digable Planets, The J.B.'s, Run DMC, Biz Markie, The Pharcyde, Mary Jane Girls, The D.O.C., Too Short, Kenny Dope, Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and so much more! If you haven't attended one of the classic (Bastid) BBQs, past guests have included DJ Premier, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Just Blaze, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and more. You can also catch him live occasionally with one of my favorite Canadian MCs, Shad - they did a collaborative EP in 2013 called The Spring Up. Listen to Skratch Bastid's 2007 mix Get Up! below...

DJ Soul "Assorted Donuts" (Tribute To J Dilla Mix, 2007)

DJ Soul teamed up with ?uestlove’s website Okayplayer in 2007 to drop a tribute mix to the late great J Dilla aka Jay Dee. Originally DJ Soul was remixing tracks off of Donuts but when Kweli gave him his freestyle over an unreleased Dilla track and mysteriously received a Notorious B.I.G. remix that Dilla had personally done, it turned into a bigger project. The rest is history. Enjoy a tribute to a legend, and celebrate the life of James Yancey - R.I.P., J Dilla. Listen to Assorted Donuts below...

DJ Food Stamp "MF Doom: Supervillain Blends" (Mixtape, 2007)

In 2007, Oregon's DJ Food Stamp and UGHH collaborated on and presented this mixtape called Supervillain Blends. The concept took the production of MF Doom and seamlessly blended vocals from artists like OutKast, MC Lyte, People Under The Stairs, Method Man, KRS-One, 3rd Bass, Mobb Deep, Pep Love, Eminem, Cocoa Brovaz, Jeru The Damaja, Charizma, The Game, Defari, Common, East Flatbush Project, Perceptionists, Lord Finesse, and more. DJ Food Stamp is a very technical and skilled DJ. I covered this mix for one of my first sites, and it's still worth revisiting today. Listen below... (Updated, 2020: new audio link added below. If it goes down again, lemme know).

Lupe Fiasco "The Cool" (December 18, 2007)

It is rare nowadays when you hear an album that actually makes you think, mainly in the aspect of conceptualizing an idea. With his critically acclaimed debut album Food and Liquor, Lupe Fiasco touched on various subjects in such a creative and unique way that even if you did not own a skateboard you could still relate. But don’t think that Carerra Lu is looking to continue in the same fashion. This time he digs even deeper into complexity with the dark and brilliant, but longwinded, The Cool. The concept for this album is almost as abstract as the artist himself. The Cool is used to expand on the title character from a track of the same name off his previous album. The slain drug dealer Michael “Cool” Young History is further developed as the album discusses his rise and fall all as a result of taking up with the characters The Streets and The Game, respectfully represented by a scandalous vixen and a drug dealing/using pimp. Their stories are told exceptionally well on the tracks “The Coolest,” “Streets on Fire,” “The Die,” and “Put You On Game.” But two gems on this LP are “Paris, Tokyo,” a Native Tongue-ish tune that will surely numb some of the negative sentiment that came as a result of the 2007 VH1 Honors debacle and “Dumb It Down,” where Lupe throws a lyrical clinic over a cliché-suggesting hook with lines like, “Here you steer cause I shouldn’t be behind this/Clearly cause my blindness/The windshield is menstrual/The whole grill is road kill/So trill and so sincere/Yeah I’m both them there…” ... Overall, The Cool is a superior project through its unique concept and ability to engage the listener. It is sad that more albums are not like this, but hopefully this is a sign of better things to come. – HipHopSite. On its 10th anniversary, listen below...

Roc Raida "Beats, Cuts, Skits" (2007)

Beats, Cuts and Skits is the sixth and final album released by Grandmaster Roc Raida. It was released on May 21, 2007 for Adiar Cor Records and featured production from Roc Raida. This was his last album recorded before his tragic passing in 2009. Roc Raida's project features the Wayne-O (of E. Bros), Aasim D'Xplicit, Saigon, Fat Joe, Smif-N-Wessun, A.G., Jungle Brothers, M.O.P., Black Thought, Grafh, Ghostface Killah, Dilated Peoples, and more. Lord Sear posted the project to his Soundcloud, along with the following message: "Rest In Power to a good friend of mine... always will love this brother!" Roc Raida passed away on this day in 2009, and he's still greatly missed. Dig in...

Percee P "Perseverance" (Vibe Magazine, Nov. 2007)

"On a handful of acclaimed early '90s guest verses, Percee P spit lines that stretched, narrowed, and quickly folded back upon themselves in a blur of virtuosity. But then, for more than a decade, he languished in a rap obscurity. For this long awaited debut, Stones Throw producer Madlib has supplied him with a sample-centric daze of jittery rhythms and globally inspired noise that defies that expected retro tag. Madlib's sound is the perfect sonic bed Percee, offering enough space for his lung-collapsing lyrics, while also opening a jagged new lane for a veteran formalist. For a change, left-field rap done right." - Vibe, 11/07. Check the video for "Put It On The Line" and props to the homie Percee P; the sticker up above is from one of the countless sessions outside Fat Beats.

Eternia "Where I'm At: The Setup" (July 17, 2007)

"Where I'm At: The Setup continues the honest, heartfelt, sometimes feminist raps that were such a dominant and refreshing part of Eternia's debut, It's Called Life. From an often personal perspective, E opens up about love gone wrong ("On and On," "You Ain't Real" and "Hold On"); abusive relationships on "M.V.P." with Toya Alexis; the difficulties of being female in the often misogynist, breast-obsessed world of hip-hop ("Throw Some D's"); and the struggles that exist on the hard streets on "Struggle with Wordsworth and Kenn Starr. A new New York resident, Eternia also gets homesick for Toronto on "The Mega, "Northside '07 and "Homebase with Nick Fury and Freestyle. Those familiar with Eternia will know she's equally skilled with raw braggadocio battle raps, which are displayed here in equal measure. She claims dopest female credentials on "The Setup," wears the pants in the relationship fantasy of club track "Like a Boy," eats your food on the extended metaphor of "Dinner is Served" and just generally brags and boasts on posse cut "Ladies & Gentlemen" with Polyrhythmaddicts. The beats, both dubs and exclusives, are an equal mix of banging boom-bap and smooth grooves, although there tends to be a high ratio of soulful R&B, which goes overboard on "Upgrade You" and "On Blast." With a good mix demonstrating her varied skills, The Setup might just earn Eternia the respect she deserves Stateside." - Exclaim! Celebrate its 10th anniversary below...

Blu & Exile "Below The Heavens" (10th Anniversary)

Happy 10th Anniversary to arguably the best Hip-Hop album to be released in the last decade. I have no trouble saying it's my personal favorite, without hesitation. I drank the kool aid the first time I heard the Advance copy, which was slightly different (not better or worse) than the retail version. With less than 3000 copies in its original CD pressing, the scarcity of the album, coupled with the quality of the music, gave birth to an unofficial word of mouth campaign that gave the album its biggest push. It took a while, but it all added to the self-esteem value fans felt having been in the know, and they gladly spread the good word. I remember employees at Fat Beats pushed to have the album listed on year-end lists when labels and journalists would call the store asking what people were buying, even knowing there weren't many copies in circulation. By the time an official vinyl pressing came around, I was eagerly waiting at the Fat Beats warehouse for the hand-numbered LPs to arrive, lol. "Below The Heavens" should be the benchmark for collaborative efforts and for artists like Blu who wish to be transparent and tell their story through their lyrics. They successfully crafted one of the most relatable records, and I believe it'll find new listeners for generations to follow. Shouts to J.Kim, who was instrumental in its success, and Exile, whom I'd already been following through Emanon and Dirty Science, as well as his early Eksile mix tapes. 

Theory Hazit "Extra Credit" (June 19, 2007)

"Not all rappers have to rise up through existing rap scenes, or fit existing MC moulds. Theory Hazit is a case in point. While born in Kentucky, Hazit boasts nothing of the greasy, crunked-up vibes popular with his Southern states kin. Now relocated north to Cincinatti, Ohio, this deeply religious MC does street wisdom with a thoughtful moral dimension; meanwhile, the beats, some produced by Hazit, some courtesy of a diverse international team of producers including Tony Stone, JustMe and Re:Flex The Architect, match a knowledge of hip-hop history with the muscle of modern rap productions. Hazit’s faith is fairly central on Extra Credit. Take the opening "Lesson In Power", which flexes and spits fire like the most self-aggrandising hip-hop banger, but lyrically, works as a powerful affirmation of faith that sees Hazit as vessel for a higher power, casting out demons and turning 'prostitutes into preachers' through the power of the Almighty." The review cont'd below...

"Whereas many rappers seem cheerful enough to pay lip-service to God while carrying on with all sorts of immoral activities, however, Hazit’s faith clearly infuses his whole worldview. "Mr Hazit" is an earnest hymn of devotion dedicated to the rapper’s wife, while the dreamy "Hello Kideez" marks this rapper as the consummate family man, a warm piece directed towards the children in his life – from his estranged daughter from a previous relationship, to his wife’s son from another lover: 'You are my son, even though I’m not your real dad/ Anything you want in life, I’ll help you get that'. It’s worth reiterating that all this well-meaning God-talk doesn’t leave Extra Credit feeling emasculated. "Gossip Syndrome" picks off rival MCs atop a production reminiscent of respected underground head Madlib, all smoky chopped-up funk grooves and sped-up vocal snippets, while "After School Special" is a lyrically intelligent hip hop tract that rides a stomping Amen break, explaining the power of learning in militant terms. Songs of praise delivered with brains and power." - BBC. Listen to it...