Lloyd Banks "Cold Corner" (Mixtape, 2009)

While I prepare for the highly anticipated album, The Course of the Inevitable 2, from Lloyd Banks set to drop in July, I have been running back through various mixtapes he'd dropped during the height of PLK Banks. The Cold Corner mixtape was released as a free download through the 50/G-Unit website ThisIs50 in 2009 and hosted by resident DJ, Whoo Kid. It was the 3rd installment in the 5 And Better Series, and included a little over a dozen tracks. Young Buck had left the camp the previous year and they'd already released their sophomore effort, T.O.S. The two previous 5 And Better mixes were Banks' Return of the PLK and Halloween Havoc, which I'm certain to revisit again shortly as well. The Shady Records general, Eminem, appears on the "Intro" and while I can't say who handled all the track production, I can say it was mixed more as an early mixtape, with the sound quality a bit wild and erratic. It's still an enjoyable listen, revisit the Cold Corner mix below...

Sean Price "Kimbo Slice" (October 27, 2009)

I wasn't sure what I was gonna throw on today, then I saw that on this day in 2010, the late great Sean Price dropped his mix-CD, Kimbo Slice. I dug back for the press notes, and here they are: "Hailing from Brownsville, New York. Standing at 6'1" and weighing in at 242 pounds. Formerly known as Scragbite, then RUCK, then Deceptacon Sean, and now going by MEGASEAN, Sean P!!! is back in the ring and he’s going to make sure you talk about him. In fact, borrowing words from the great Mike Tyson, Sean Price claims that “your grandkids and kids after that are going to know about me. I’m going to make sure of that. They are never going to forget about me. Your great grandkids are going to say WOW, wasn’t that a bizarre individual.” Bizarre or not, Sean Price has an ironclad fist on this rap game. His combination of witty word play, humor and hardcore lyrics leave fans wondering what the MC is going to say next. We have seen that Sean Price is a multifaceted individual. With the start up of his newly formed label, RUCK DOWN RECORDS, Sean Price still finds the necessary time to record and promote his own albums. KIMBO PRICE, the prelude to his next national album, MIC TYSON (2010), is a 23 track mix cd that brings the listeners into the world of Sean Price that we love so much. If you know Sean Price in some capacity, you probably got dissed on this album. The rapper goes so far as to say he doesn’t even like himself! Sean Price is joined by a select few artists on KIMBO PRICE. Artists such as Buckshot, Rock of Heltah Skeltah, Ruste Juxx, Royce Da 5'9" L.E.G.A.C.Y., Poisen Pen, and others help round out a very balanced collection music." Rest In Peace to the inimitable, Sean P! Listen to Kimbo Slice below + illustration above by Huey P.

His memory lives on through his music and his beautiful family. R.I.P., Sean P!

Raekwon "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II" (September 8, 2009)

Wu-Tang's chief criminologist revisits original rhyme scene... Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., Raekwon's classic 1995 solo debut, was an impressionistic tour through the thrilling highs, the solemn lows, the violent comedy, and the simmering boredom making up the life of a New York City drug dealer. Rae was hungry and at the height of his powers, riding some of the RZA's hardest-knocking, most progressive production. Cuban Linx II--which features four contributions from the RZA--is more of a reenactment than a sequel. Production has been handled buffet-style, with a gaggle of contributors (Alchemist, Pete Rock, Dr. Dre) ably providing variations of RZA's creeping, caustic recipe. The late J Dilla, whose strings and bass stabs on "Flying Daggers" will make you miss him all over again, provides the most ear-catching tracks here. Raekwon still rhymes in rapid-fire spurts, on and off the beat, like a jamming machine gun. And while the songs may lack the original's wild-eye narrative, they still contain some of his most rewind-worthy bars in years. On Cuban Linx II, the Wu-Tang vet has grown old and weary and his thoughts drift both to the mortal coil (asking, "Bury me in Africa...with diamonds out of Syria") and to his golden years (on "Walk With Me," he sees himself aboard a "blue yacht...with a Commodores CD"). Raekwon, the Cuban Linx narrator, is ready for retirement. But Raekwon, the MC, is finally ready to move on. - Spin, 2009. Revisit the LP below...

Original review in Spin Magazine, August 2009...

DJ Eclipse & DJ Premier "Roc Raida Tribute" (9-21-09)

On Sept. 19, 37-year-old turntablist legend and father of four (Roc Raida) died of complications stemming from an unlikely martial-arts accident that had taken place a few weeks earlier. The Harlem-bred DJ's fingerprints are all over the golden era of New York hip-hop. He toured with Kool G Rap, Lord Finesse and Busta Rhymes, and provided scratches for the refrains of underground hits such as OC's "Time's Up" and The Artifacts' "C'mon Wit the Git Down." As a member of the acclaimed collective X-Men, Raida spent the first half of the '90s working the battle DJ circuit. Turntablism, as it came to be called, was a composition- and performance-oriented form of DJing. Where scratching was once used to augment songs, turntablists used it as a primary instrument. New rhythms and even melodies were crafted in real time out of record fragments. Raida's routines, in particular, were as physical and personality-driven as they were musical. He performed rhythmic body tricks with absolute finesse, scratching with his nose or catching a record after performing a full body spin. He would eventually be crowned DMC World Champion in 1995. "Raida was one of those battle DJs [whose] name will stand the test of time," says his X-Men groupmate Rob Swift. 

"People will always study him in their own pursuit of a championship. It's like, if you want to be a good boxer, a champion, you study what Muhammad Ali did." After winning the championship, Raida evolved into an elder statesman on the DJ circuit. On the night of Sept. 3, while in a class for the Israeli defense system known as Krav Maga, his sparring partner landed on top of Raida's spinal cord, by his neck. Details are vague as to what exactly happened — Raida said he remembered nothing — but given that he was a longtime practitioner of the discipline (it's easy to see parallels between it and the precision of his body tricks), it was likely just an unfortunate accident. Whatever the case, it left Raida paralyzed from the waist down. Two surgeries were performed in the weeks that followed, and Raida was moved to a Maryland rehab facility, where his condition appeared to improve. Rob Swift and a carload of friends and X-Men alumni made the trip down from New York on Sept. 18. "His spirits were up," Swift says. "He was like, 'Yo, they're gonna teach me how to get into my wheelchair, and I can cruise around the rehab facility on my own. He just seemed really upbeat. When we left, we all hugged him and said our goodbyes. It was as if we thought we'd see [him] next week." The next morning, Raida went into cardiac arrest and died. But his legacy and influence remain. "I've started to incorporate his [routines] in my set as a tribute to him," Swift says. "That's what he left us with." Carey concurs. "He's influenced a generation of MCs and DJs that [are] gonna come up and do the things he's shown them," he says. "His energy cannot be destroyed. He's still here." - NPR (11/09). Roc Raida would've celebrated his born day today, but we celebrate it in his absence with this tribute from DJ Eclipse and DJ Premier at APT on September 21, 2009 (two days after Roc Raida passed away). Our legends live on in the music and continue to inspire us...

Jay Electronica "Exhibit C" (December 22, 2009)

Jay Electronica released his classic track, "Exhibit C," to iTunes on this day in 2009. Upon its initial leak months prior, the Just Blaze-produced track sent shock waves through the internet and the culture; it was hailed as an instant-classic, and Jay Electronica cemented his position as one of the greatest MCs of all-time-without-an-album. Just Blaze said some years back, "The situation is Jay moves at his own pace… He always moved at his own pace. I think the problem is now is that before there wasn’t any anticipation. That anticipation came, but he’s still just kinda like ‘Hey, my train’s on schedule.’ He loves to say that. That’s his saying… He has his own personal reasons for the way he moves. There is an album. It’s actually a damn good album.” Obviously, things have changed (just) a bit since then as Jay Electronica released two albums in 2020: A Written Testimony and Act II: The Patents of Nobility. Ironically, the same day as Exhibit C's commercial release, Jay Electronica announced that Act II would drop on Christmas (in 2009!). I don't believe I posted about the release at the time, but a vinyl version of "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C" was released on Record Store Day in 2015 through Mass Appeal. Hopefully you cop'd that exclusive picture disk! Revisit it below...

Astronote "Bigger & Better: Notorious Remixes" (Mixtape, 2009)

This mix tape has been burning a hole in my hard drive since it was released in 2009. The French homie Astronote produced all the beats, blessing these classic vocals from the late great Notorious B.I.G. The tape is hosted by Brooklyn's Talib Kweli and mixed by Detroit's DJ Graffiti. There are additional vocals from Talib Kweli, Buff1, Big L, Busta Rhymes, Guilty Simpson, Bahamadia, Erykah Badu, Heavy D, 2Pac, Grand Puba, Sadat X, Junior M.A.F.I.A. and Puffy. When it dropped, DJ Graffiti sent it along with this message, "I already know you’re skeptical. I was too, and I manage Astronote!," but he assured us it was dope and basically we could thank him later, lol. Facts! I was already cool with Astronote so I didn't need to be sold, but if you do, trust ME... it's still DOPE!

Raekwon "The Purple Archives" (Mix, 2009)

Released with a note from HHIR: "Considerably shorter than The Illmatic Archives, this Rae compilation has still got plenty of rarities that you may have never heard. The audio features remixes and b-sides from OB4CL singles, including an acapella for "Criminology" and a rare freestyle over Channel Live and KRS-One's ill "Mad Izm" beat (this freestyle was only featured on the Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... album sampler - nowhere else). Easy, right? Like Sunday morning... Enjoy... and turn it up!!" The Purple Archives was originally released in '09, but it's still fresh as ever, check it....

Me & Styles P (An Interview From 2009)

About 10 years ago, I had the honor of chopping it up on the phone with Styles P for an interview. It was around the time Jada was dropping “The Last Kiss,” because we talked a bit about that album, but it wasn’t a promo thing, just two guys discussing Hip-Hop. Right off the bat, he made his position clear, saying, “I'm a blue collar MC.” He was proud (and reflective) on the fact that he was alive, and that he was more than "relevant" in a culture that’s been holding him down since 1995. I asked him to help me understand better what “The Ghost” meant to him - he paused and said, “being in the zone; a different space; having an open mind towards things that others don’t; using your third eye; a feeling of being here before and knowing you are gonna be here later” and while it wasn’t necessarily crystal clear, I understood that he was speaking to a duality that represents the man he is in life and in music. To a degree, that feeling of being a Gangster & a Gentleman.

There was a calmness about him, but there wasn’t a point where I'd lost sight of the fact that this was one of the hardest living eMCees in Hip-Hop. When the conversation shifted to image and the youth, he was quick to shoot them bail and say he was proud and happy for anyone to be able to make a living and feed their family. But, he added "It’s upsetting also that they don't know that rap is also Hip-Hop.” That’s an important distinction he was making. “They think they are just in the rap industry and they don't have the slightest idea of their past, the history, or how they are supposed to be an MC.” In the end, however, he remained optimistic, “You’ve just gotta stick to your guns and do what you do best. It's people like you - who are asking me these questions and love this real hip-hop shit - that lets me know the whole world ain't f#cking crazy, so I'm alright!” A legend and an OG, Styles P closed it out by advising artists to maintain a solid work ethic, and brought it full circle because as a blue collar MC, he leads by example. Go check out his Juices For Life company and support all his efforts: podcasts, mixtapes, albums, live shows, etc! Final words from Styles P...

Ghostface Killah "Wizdom of the Week" (4 Episodes, 2009)

Wizdom of the Week was a web-series that Ghostface Killah did back in 2009 ahead of the release of his album, Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry. In true Ghostface fashion, he dropped knowledge and gems on us on a host of topics that may still resonate with some of you. If not, it's pure comedy nonetheless. Afterall, who wouldn't want to get premium advice from Ghostface Killah? Well, let's do it then... Ghostface shares what women need to understand about "men being men"; how to deal with a psychotic chick; how to keep your lady happy, and lastly, how to know if your woman is steppin' out on you! It's not too late, the internet remembers (almost) everything, so dig into these four episodes below from the Shaolin master himself. Apologies in advance if it takes a minute for this page to load with all these videos. I KNOW my website isn't very mobile friendly to begin with!

Killer Mike "Anger & Ambition" (Mixtape, 2009)

Originally released in August 2009, Trackstar The DJ and Smoking Section collaborated once again on their release of Killer Mike's Anger & Ambition mixtape. Hosted by Killer Mike, they run through what they feel are some of the best records in Mike's collection up to that point. With the rise of Killer Mike's presence in the mainstream through Run The Jewels, his community outreach, TV shows and activism, it may do you well to go back through some of Killer Mike's earlier material. His catalog is DEEP! He's never wavered in his message, nor his skill on the mic. Dig into the mix below...

DJ Agile "Toronto Loves Jay" (Mixtape, 2009)

In 2009, Agile released the mixtape Toronto Love Jay, which was dedicated to the late producer J Dilla. It won the award for Mixtape of the Year at the 2009 Stylus DJ Awards. The tracks included in the mix are by, or inspired by, James Yancey aka Jay Dee aka J Dilla. "DJ Agile blends some of his lesser-known joints and tracks he obviously influenced with a curiously refreshing short attention span and vocal drops from Toronto musicians describing the influence of J. Dilla on their music." Rest In Peace, Dilla. Tracks featuring Q-Tip, Skyzoo, Slum Village, DJ Spinna, Phonte of Little Brother, Dwele, Black Spade, Daru Jones, Black Milk, and lots more. Do yourself a favor and dig in below...

The Large Professor "The LP" (Vinyl Reissue + Stream)

“The LP” is Legendary Hip Hop Producer and Emcee Large Professor’s highly anticipated 1st solo debut album that was originally slated to come out on Geffen Records in 1995/1996. Due to label politics at the time, the album unfortunately was never released. 14 Years later in 2009 the official version of “The LP” became available on CD & Double Vinyl LP. For almost 10 years this Vinyl has been out of print and in high demand. It is now being offered again as a special limited transparent blue colored reissue. “The LP” includes bonus unreleased songs and a few rare unearthed alternate demo versions of classic tracks such as the “Mad Scientist”. It also includes “I Juswanna Chill”, “That Bullsh*t”, the title track “The LP”, “Hard”, “One Plus One” featuring NAS, the newly polished up “Queens Lounge” and many more including the unreleased single “Amaman” b/w “Bowne” that was available on the now out of print 12” vinyl. All songs are produced by The Large Professor except “Large Pro:Verbs” produced by Vandamator & “Spacey” produced by Toney Rome. This album is officially sanctioned by The Large Professor and being released through Paul Sea Productions. As Large Professor states “This album represents a time in the 1990s when Hip Hop was more about the good times, when artists were rich in music and rich in talent and it wasn’t about how much money you had.” This will definitely sell out quickly, so order a copy HERE now. Listen below.

Joe Budden "Pride & Paranoia" (Mixtape, 2009)

Originally released in April 2009, Trackstar the DJ & The Smoking Section got together to release Pride & Paranoia: Best of Joe Budden. The mix runs through some of the best tracks in Joe Budden's catalog up until that point. "Walk With Me," "If I Die Tomorrow," "10 Minutes," "Dear Diary," and others are included, but I trust fans were complaining at the time that their favorites weren't included in the mix. Nevertheless, this was released at the height of the blogs, and might've gotten lost in the infinite shelf space of the internet. So, props to Trackstar for reposting it, dig in below...

Kevin Casey "Live From New York: 1994-2001" (Mixtape, 2009)

Kevin Casey presents Live From New York; a mixtape/compilation made up of records released between 1994 and 2001 by New York artists. "A forty-six song answer to the question: What was a good time for hip-hop?” - Sasha Frere-Jones, The New Yorker. I was in the middle of the roll-out for Eternia's project on Fat Beats when this project originally hit my inbox in 2009. With a co-sign from someone I respected, I popped it in my iPod (remember those?) and made my trips back and forth to Queens from Brooklyn. Kevin Casey wasn't a name I'd recognized, but he did a very solid, technical job of piecing the music and vocal samples together for this project. He curated a nice vibe and gave listeners a look back at a specific time period in New York. Reminisce with this one, as I am, and hopefully you'll be inspired to put in your own hustle today. Has he released anything else?

DJ Dyllemma "Future Classics & Past Rarities" (Mixtape, 2009)

If memory serves me right, this was released in 2009... It was originally meant to be a mixtape that was passed out at Fat Beats, but it was the kinda quality that we felt the blogs would pick up, so it was later posted online and was one of several mixes DJ Dyllemma and I would work together on for my old website. Much respect to the blogs that covered it at the time. "Future Classics & Past Rarities" included overlooked cuts - mixed with some then-new tracks - from artists like Q-Tip, Illa J, Edo. G, Grap Luva, De La Soul, Frank-N-Dank, Blaq Poet, Pharoahe Monch, Gang Starr, Y Society, J88, Oddisee, Dave Ghetto, Prince Paul, J-Live, L.E.G.A.C.Y., Kev Brown & more. Revisit the vibe below.

Aarophat & Illastrate as Black Noise, The LP (2009)

"Both Aarophat and Illastrate decided to merge as a group to generate a remedy for the lack of quality in Hip-Hop music. After listening to the album, it's hard to imagine that they actually met 14 hours before recording a single note. Aaro bonds his intense, intricate rhymes to Illa's nostalgic, boom-bap soulscape. The album consists of rugged instrumentals, along with aggressive percussion and heavy bass that allows Aaro to strategically map out his lyrical takeover while pulling listeners in. Using his insightful lyrics and an effortless flow, Aarophat gracefully walks the tightropes while Illastrate's production is gritty, yet friendly and inviting. The chemistry between the two is undeniable and the world will soon agree." You can and should stream it below. Instrumentals, too.

DJ Premier: Importance of Vinyl & Record Store Day (2009)

Happy Record Store Day! Conceived in 2007, we're now celebrating its 10th anniversary! There's a bunch of great exclusive releases this year; I personally recommend that Slick Rick 7", CD & Children's Book from Get On Down; I mentioned it HERE. Going back 8 years, I interviewed DJ Premier in the cramped back office of Fat Beats on Record Store Day, 2009. He'd just finished signing autographs and hyping for Talib Kweli, who also came through and kicked some freestyles; see that video HERE. I edited the original interview down from a wider discussion on music to focus in on DJ Premier's views on the importance of Vinyl in the culture; Record Store Day, and what stores like Fat Beats - as well as the opinion-leaders behind the scenes - mean to the community. I also kept (and poorly edited) Premo discussing how one of the 48 Laws of Power ("Reputation is the cornerstone of Power") explained his journey in music so well that he tattooed it on his arm. Excuse the video quality, I lost the OG files. Art by Kwills. Go buy something at your local spot!

Nas "Still ILL" (XXL, 2009)

Let me be clear, 'Illmatic' is my favorite hip-hop album of all-time. I've purchased the original 10-track masterpiece in every format, then every limited, special, anniversary, deluxe, you-name-it edition that has been released since. If you've read the argument that 14 is a 'magic age' in our development of musical taste and identity, then you can dig my mindstate during the year build up to the release of 'Illmatic' as a H.S. freshman in Queens. It was also Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest, as well as Pete Rock & CL, Jeru, etc ... but with Nas, I was still able to get DJ Premier, Q-Tip, and Pete Rock, as well as Large Pro & L.E.S. Today, I am going to share a few different posts on the album, so let's start with the feature above from XXL in 2009: a track by track breakdown with commentary from Serch, Jungle, Faith Newman, Large Pro, Busta, Q-Tip, Premo and more. Over the years, I think this was one of the best articles about the album. Happy 23rd to the classic: 'Illmatic!'

14KT "Nowalataz" (Instrumental Album, 2009)

Let me start off by saying that this is a personal favorite of mine and one of the best instrumental projects I've ever heard. I was already a fan having interviewed 14KT in '08 to support 'The Golden Hour Soundtrack.' There were layers of soul and emotion in that project that I'd never experienced through instrumental projects before. When we dug deeper into his relationship with God and the church, that connection became way more clear to me. In August of 2009, I received the press release and download link for 'Nowalataz,' which blew me away and he climbed higher on the list of producers I wanted my artists to work with. I was fortunate to bump into KT at SXSW in March of 2010; he gave me a limited physical copy of the project, which I put in a safe place (away from all the other promo CDs I'd been given). If you're not familiar, here's your chance: 'Nowalataz' is available on iTunes and for Pre-order on vinyl for the first time at Fat Beats. Do NOT sleep on this!

Puff Daddy "A Message To The DJ" (Video, 2009)

In Feb, 2009, Puff Daddy shared a video blog called A Message To The DJ, where he said: "The DJ introduced me to Hip-Hop... The DJ took my pain away... The DJ made me dream... The DJ made me forget about my surroundings; my financial state; what society had planned for me... The DJ created hip-hop... The DJ exposed me to things; sounds and visions that I never thought existed... Every DJ had their own style; their own journey they'd take you on... I wanna turn on the radio and get exposed to something fresh and something new. That's why we're all on the internet - we're in search of something new." Diddy closed it out with a reminder to all DJs, saying: "The DJ is and always will be responsible for Hip-Hop!" In today's climate, this is not only true of the DJ but bloggers and playlist curators, A&Rs at labels, etc. It's a responsibility we have to filter through the bullshit and find what speaks to us and amplify those sounds, visuals, and messages. I'm sure Puff wasn't in clubs where J.Rocc or DJ Jazzy Jeff were spinning, so he wasn't speaking for ALL DJs, but there's a reason that The Breakfast Club is broadcasted in countless markets and why geography and regional sound plays such a minor role in music today. It's all the same playlist! It's just some food for thought and something I've continued to consider as I curate this website. The full video message from Puff Daddy is below... Oh, and Happy Birthday to me, Black Thought, and Talib Kweli!