Jay-Z vs. Nas (Angie Martinez Interview on Hot 97, 2002)

August 2002: Jay-Z took over Hot 97 for several hours over a two-day period to sound off on all his naysayers. For two consecutive days, Jay-Z guested on Angie Martinez's afternoon show, speaking out on rumors of civil unrest within the Roc-A-Fella camp -- which he scoffed at, insisting, "How could I leave the Roc? I am the Roc" -- as well as his falling-out with former mentor Jaz-O. More significant, though, was Jay-Z's reaction to the ongoing beef with rapper Nas. Echoing a challenge that he made in the The Source magazine, Jigga suggested that the two rivals settle their differences with a pay-per-view rhyme battle. He added that each party could pony up $1 million for the wager, with all event proceeds going to a charity of the winner's choice. By day two of Jay's marathon interview, he reported that boxing promoter Don King had already faxed in a proposal to organize the event. - MTV. Nas responded saying the contest should be decided in record stores, not on TV. ”Pay-per-view is for wrestlers and boxers. I make records,” he told MTV. ”If Jay-Z wants to battle, he should drop his album the same day I do and let the people decide.” Jay-Z was scheduled to release ”The Blueprint 2” on November 5th, 2 weeks before Nas released ”God’s Son.” 

 

In the interview, they discuss when Nas flirted with idea of signing with Irv Gotti to Murder Inc. A decision that Irv later regretted, as he was also the producer on "Super Ugly" for Hov during that battle. Jay-Z said of the battle with Nas, "It's wrestling," alluding to the fact that it's just music. Jay-Z explained that he's not a perfect human being, and owned that he went too far with certain things he said. But, "people clash at the top," so as competitive artists, that's just where things went. Then they jump into a discussion about the battle: the pay-per-view funds/proceeds and tickets at the door (Madison Square Garden?) would have gotten to charity, with only the $1 million they each put up, going to the winner. A show with 3 freestyles from each MC, but "they gotta be vicious." He added, if anyone felt a way AFTER the battle, they could've gone to a gym, "put on some head gear", go 3 more rounds as men and go separate ways. Additionally, they discussed Jaz-O, R. Kelly, Cam'ron, Dame Dash and more. Ultimately, it's bigger than hip-hop and they squashed their beef, but all these years later, Hov still petty AF, if you ask me. A special moment in hip-hop!

Jay-Z "Summer Jam" (Hot 97, June 28, 2001)

One of hip-hop’s biggest moments now has video footage backing it. New footage of Jay-Z’s 2001 Summer Jam performance was shared to YouTube, seemingly for the first time (taken down, and posted again) it’s been uploaded to the platform in its entirety. Included in the Hot 97 performance, which was uploaded by YouTube account HipHopVCR, is the moment when Blueprint-era Jay surprises the crowd with the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The new camera angle—filmed from the top of the venue shows a solid view of how it all went down, with MJ and Hov chatting it up on stage as Jackson waved to fans and told them he loved them. Video footage of Jay introducing MJ has been shared before, but in less-impressive camera angles, despite the screams still being heard loud and clear. The footage of the entire performance also features Jay debuting “Takeover” on stage for the first time during the June 28 gig at the Nassau Coliseum. It remains unclear who shot the specific video, but whoever it was, they documented some of the biggest moments in music.... According to former Hot 97 program director Tracy Cloherty, “There were definitely some rules that went into effect” when Jackson pulled up. “Even though I was introduced to him, I couldn’t shake his hand or anything, and I couldn’t step within, like, a 6-foot perimeter around him,” Cloherty recalled. “Things like that. It certainly added another layer of security concerns and things that we had to deal with behind the scenes. But it was certainly worth it.” Check out the performance footage below. - Complex. No doubt, this was a historic moment in hip-hop, especially with the impact Nas vs. Jay-Z beef had on things. We absolutely chose sides, didn't YOU?? Oh and M.J., too!!

Peter Rosenberg "Real Late" (Album Stream)

Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg has dropped a compilation album entitled, Real Late. The 13-track LP features Ghostface Killah, Westside Gunn, Styles P, Method Man, Rasheed Chappell, Meyhem Lauren, Raekwon, Homeboy Sandman, Ransom, Roc Marciano and lots more. Blending his taste in new school and true school MCs, Rosenberg closes the generation gap and pays homage to compilations of years past utilizing his long-time connections and putting a fresh spin on the release. Rosenberg is definitely for the culture and few would argue with his ear for quality MCs. He's certainly held down my artists in the past, so much respect to him. Give it a listen below, it's well worth your time...

Marley Marl & Pete Rock "Future Flavas" (1/7/96)

Eclipse explains, “From ‘In Control’ to ‘Pirate Radio’ to ‘Future Flavas,’ I don’t think there was ever a better duo who were not only dope at what they did on air, but also responsible for a good percentage of the music we listened to back then. ‘Future Flavas’ debuted in January of ’95 on HOT 97 and aired on Sunday nights from 11pm-12am. Marley (mostly) on the mic and Pete Rock on the decks would bless us with weekly exclusives as well as impromptu freestyles and fresh radio promos. For example, peep out the Rakim joint (7:27) that for the life of me I do not recall ever hearing again. Then there’s Pete’s off-the-top freestyle sessions (5:46 and 55:55) as well as a dope Pete Rock produced Biz Markie promo (30:05). The great thing about listening to NYC radio shows like this one was that you were getting the music straight from the source. Songs would be recorded that week and played immediately without the wait of a label release or even the chance of ever hearing it again. Now that’s exclusive.” Thanks, E! Still enjoyable 25 years later! Listen below...

Top Shelf Premium "Real Late With Rosenberg" (May 5, 2020)

Here's the Top Shelf Premium cassette edition of Real Late with Rosenberg on Hot 97 (May 05, 2020). Peter Rosenberg spins a ton of underground heat after midnight on Hot 97, reminiscent of the old college radio days, and regrettably, it probably feels like a thankless position for him at times. The mix features music from some underground elites such as Crimeapple, Al Divino, KA, Pounds, Estee Nack and the Griselda camp. Top Shelf Premium was created in 2012, and is explained on their website as a "curated lifestyle involving vintage clothing - artist styling - creating merchandise and providing a platform for hip hop to live. Top Shelf Premium not only sells history through its archive - it creates history through its actions." HBD, Top Shelf Premium! Follow HERE.

State Property "The Roc-A-Fella Takeover" (Hot 97, 1/12/01)

Hot 97 was an ally, a safe space, a platform to break records. It was where Jay Z turned to for both promotion and to share professional dirt.... Hot 97 was Jay Z’s home for the six straight summers he ran rap.... Flex’s nightly show was also where Jay turned when he wanted to introduce his new artists. In the early days, Roc-A-Fella had a scant roster: mixtape legend DJ Clue; a ferocious rapper from South Philadelphia named Beanie Sigel; Jay Z’s longtime protégé Memphis Bleek; and Amil.... With the label’s next wave of artists on deck—a handful of Philly MCs in Sigel’s mold—Jay needed a platform. On the morning of January 12, 2001, he called Funkmaster Flex. Following a conversation between Flex, Jay Z, and then-Def Jam VP Mike Kyser, it was settled: Jay would appear on Flex’s show later that evening, new acts in tow. And though he wouldn’t rap, he instructed Flex to “get the beats ready.” The Roc’s untested squad of battle rappers—Freeway, Oschino, Sparks, and Young Chris—also prepared for a potentially career altering event. Freestyles during Flex’s nightly primetime shift reached audiences beyond Hot 97’s broadcast range. DJs often packaged the rhymes onto mixtapes and compilations, while newfound peer-to-peer file-sharing services such as Napster spread the music online. The freestyles also lived on at Hot 97—a peerless self-aggrandizer, Flex often replayed highlights from his own show.... The mood was celebratory inside Hot 97’s downtown Manhattan studios on that evening. Freeway and the future members of what would become Philly rap group State Property, along with Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek, popped bottles, and rhymed over classic boom-bap productions for nearly an hour of gripping radio. “It was the spark to their careers,” Cipha Sounds remembers. “Everybody was wondering about these guys afterwards. Everybody wanted to hear more from them.” Jay Z executed the hardhat duties of a hype man throughout, chuckling at the hottest lines and punctuating verses with cries of “It’s the Roc!” He then thanked Flex and Tracy Cloherty for permitting what was dubbed “The Roc-A-Fella Takeover,” a talent showcase for the label that doubled as free advertising. “That was a little unusual for me to have a bunch of unknown rappers freestyling,” Flex says. “I probably wouldn’t have done it if it weren’t for Jay Z.” - Props to Pitchfork, and DJStepOne for the audio.

Funkmaster Flex "Best Of 1995" (Mixtape, Hot 97)

Mixtapes are amazing, but if you truly wanna relive the experience of back in the day, sometimes revisiting old radio shows captures the full energy of the times. While Funk Flex was hard to stomach at times, his aggressive, over-the-top delivery was still infectious in New York City, and when he blasted off, we were tuned in, LIVE! In November, 1995, Flex did a Best Of 1995 mix on Hot 97; it was reissued in Japan on CD over a decade later. The mix includes tracks from Ill Al Skratch, King Just, Redman, Naughty By Nature, The Notorious B.I.G., AZ, Channel Live, Raekwon, Keith Murray, Grand Puba, Ten Thieves, Frankie Cutlass, Da Bush Babees, Brooklyn Zoo, Nine, D&D All Stars and more! It's radio so expect that vibe, but it's still quality music and very nostalgic. Enjoy...

Stretch & Bobbito "Live On Air, Volume 1" (1996)

You'll probably notice that I haven't really posted many Stretch & Bobbito shows here on the site. I have in the past, I know, but either they'd get taken down or I couldn't guarantee the accuracy of the dates, quality or track lists, etc. I remember when Fat Beats used to ship the cassettes with the proper j-cards and air dates, but there's just too much online now. This tape, however, had separate artwork and an appealing list of tracks, so I did want to share it with y'all.... On Stretch's birthday in '96, he was live on Hot 97, alongside Flushing, Queen's Royal Flush, and Da Bush Babees. You'll also hear tracks from MF Grimm, Akinyele, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Thrust, Gauge The Mental Murderah, Heltah Skeltah, Company Flow, Money Boss Players and more. HBD, Stretch! Enjoy.

Royce Da 5'9 Freestyles on Funk Flex (Video, Hot 97)

We've talked it before, but every now and again, there are moments that make everyone stop what they're doing and collectively shift their attention... In hip-hop, one of those recent moments was Royce Da 5'9 up at Funkmaster Flex's radio show for his Freestyle series. On the back of freestyles from Black Thought and Joe Budden, I knew Royce would comewiddit when he finally made his appearance. Joined by the legendary DJ Premier, celebrating their upcoming release of PRhyme 2, Royce overdelivered! Again. This is a man with decades in on this game, yet still elevates, grows and opens up new chambers within himself to bring us something new and refreshing. "I transcend like Wu-Tang to all eras, cash rules / Now I'm just dead nice, the pallbearer of bad news..." + "I shit on every artist on the charts and leave a diaper on the jukebox..." and "I'm happy at platinum but I was happier / Back when 500 thousand was sold / My proudest accomplishment now / Was when I got quiet to get sober / And silence is gold" are just a few of the BARS that caught my attention. What more can I say? ... Dig into Royce Da 5'9's freestyle below and cop that PRhyme 2 on the 16th!

Black Thought Freestyles On Funk Flex (Hot 97, Video)

10 minutes of absolute BARS from the legendary Black Thought of The Roots. Last year, I touched on Funk Flex's freestyle series after Joe Budden was up at Hot 97. There's since been a few other dope freestyles, but none have shifted perspective and made fans rethink their T5DOA and had artists questioning their pen game as much as Black Thought's freestyle. There's so many quotables to shine a light on here, but some of my favorites are: "Gun fire and flares, sirens glare / I'm in a iron chair where people who care don't get the lion's share / When I don't give a f#ck then I ain't fair" and "Same cadence as D.O.C. pre-accident / Maybe my acumen's on par with Kool G. Rap and them / Give me the proper respect, mothaf#cka, we back again..." and "Go through the vein to the brain, fabulous and strange / My journalistic range is a catalyst for change / It got anybody that listen pissing flame / And ’cause the Hall of Fame got so many missing names." Black Thought blazed the mic up at Sway a couple months back, he's at it again ... Rappers were put on notice, give Black Thought his proper respect and watch this freestyle below with a pen and a pad in your hand.

DJ Riz "5 Minutes of Funk" (Video)

DJ Riz puts it down on the turntables as a guest on Funkmaster Flex's latest viral web-series, 5 Minutes of Funk. True hip-hop heads know how nasty DJ Riz has been since the early days of College Radio, MC Serch and more. DJ Riz touches the original samples, manages to pay tribute to DJ Premier and Guru of Gang Starr, and puts it down for the culture all at the same time. Shouts to DJ Eclipse; I trust they compared sets before they blessed it, lol. Let us DJs have this moment! Other originals represent tracks from De La Soul, Das EFX, Jay-Z, Frank N Dank, Ed O.G., The LOX, The Beatnuts, Group Home and more ... DJ Riz put it down real mean on this one, watch below...

Its Overture "The Hot 97 Tapes" (Summer Of '96 Mix)

Well said by Its Overture, "An unauthorized fever dream remixing memories of Hot 97 in the summer of 1996." The mix features tracks from Nas, Royal Flush, Jeru The Damaja, Nine, Wyclef Jean, A Tribe Called Quest, Monica & Treach, Common, Lil' Kim, Real Live, Jay-Z, Big  Noyd, Heltah Skeltah, Artifacts, O.C., INI, Mobb Deep, The Dogg Pound, 2Pac, Outkast, Junior Mafia, Shadez Of Brooklyn & so many dope chops from Hot 97 ads, drops, tags, and lots more lol. A truly unique concept, gotta give props to Macabee & Riverse for putting it together as a kid that grew up listening to Hot 97. Listen to the mix below, "The Hot 97 Tapes," the summer of '96 mix ... reminisce with it below...

Friday Night Street Jam (February 4, 1994)

"I know pretty much every Flex show I've posted starts with the Cold Crush intro, but I will NEVER get tired of hearing that. The way they took their old routines and incorporated Flex into it was so classic. Should have been a hit record. Speaking of classic, Flex hooks up with Mr. Magic to discuss Magic's early beginnings in Hip Hop, stepping away from music, coming back and how he connected with Marley Marl and the Juice Crew. Flex also had Shyheim The Rugged Child as a guest (35:40) who after talking about his connection to Wu-Tang jumps into a freestyle." - via DJ Eclipse.

DJ Premier "Boogie & The Barber" (Hot 97, 12/21/97)

There was no Stretch & Bobbito on this episode of Boogie & The Barber... DJ Premier held it down on the turntables on that cold night, December 21, 1997. With very few talk breaks, DJ Premier goes in on a selection of tracks that includes M.O.P., Xperado, Royal Flush, I.G. Off & Hazardous, Medina Green, Defari, 24/7, Onyx, Brand Nubian, Noreaga, Neek The Exotic, Rascalz, Brainsick Enterprize, Mike Zoot, X-Ecutioners, Ghettolandz, No I.D., Pitch Black, and more! Take a moment to remember back when DJs held down the radio in the tri-state area and they were blasting off with tunes by these underground MCs! Props to DJ Eclipse for the crisp audio link. Dig into the mix below...

Mister Cee "Classic Dancehall Chunes" (Mix)

The Finisher Mister Cee's classic dancehall chunes, live on Hot 97's Thursday throwback. A solid hour of vibes and hits from some of the biggest reggae and dancehall artists. Except tracks from Beenie Man, Shaggy, Shabba Ranks, Capleton, TOK, Mr. Vegas, Ska, Bob Marley, Sister Nancy & a whole lot more. For those not from the East Coast, whether in NY or Toronto, you may not realize how integral dancehall was to 90s hip-hop culture, especially at parties and in the clubs. We threw on Dancehall & the show always went UP, some of the most important records to have in your crates.

?uestlove "J Dilla Tribute Mix" (Live on Hot 97)

James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006), better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee. Dilla continues to inspire and on the 10th Anniversary of his passing, I went back to a mix by ?uestlove of The Roots on Hot 97 in 2012. Quest pays tribute to his friend and cultural icon... listen to the mix below, no tracklist necessary - it's all dopeness. Rest In Peace, J Dilla.

Funkmaster Flex "Friday Night Street Jam" (March 18, 1994)

"As usual, Flex rocks a nice set of Hip Hop, R&B and Reggae which were all popping in NYC during the 90s. Not sure where else you would have heard an SWV record mixed into a Kool G Rap record let alone a 1982 live performance from the Cold Crush Brothers. Played on commercial radio?!? Now that's good radio. New York had the Palladium in full effect as well as the Source Awards. Flex mentions that Nas will be stopping by tomorrow (I think I have that freestyle taped) and Mister Cee appears near the end for a guest blend set (171:38). Here's just over 3 hours of the 4 hour show. If only they made hi bias tapes longer back then. Oh well." - via DJ Eclipse's Mixcloud

Marley Marl & Pete Rock "Future Flavas" (Hot 97, 1/22/95)

Another classic drop from the OG, DJ Eclipse, who shares: "Took me a while to figure out the date on this one. I had it written on the case insert, but my good friend Al Lindstrom who I lent this tape too (and a few others) would give them back to me without the case inserts and he would make his own labels and apply them to the tapes (gee, thanks Al). This may actually be the earliest Future Flavas show I have with Marley Marl & Pete Rock, and one of their earliest shows period (they started in January/95 just not sure which week). On this one it starts with an alternate version of Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "I'll Take You There" which I don't recall hearing before. And then CL freestyles a familiar verse later in the show (49:45)." Dig into this classic episode of Marley Marl & Pete Rock's Future Flavas on Hot 97, January 22, 1995 ... Da Bush Babees, O.C., Showbiz & AG, Channel Live, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rottin Razkals, Method Man, Funkdoobiest, LL Cool J and more...

DJ Premier "Guru 1 Year Anniversary Mix" (Live On Hot 97)

To honor the memory of his partner in rhyme, Guru, Gang Starr's DJ Premier set up shop in Hot 97 on the 1st anniversary of Guru’s passing and played a 2-hour tribute to the late, great Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal on Funkmaster Flex‘s show. The legendary producer/DJ rolled through a plethora of Gang Starr's classic anthems, remixes and harder to find joints. Years later, we still miss Guru's presence and Gang Starr as a group, so dig back into this live mix from DJ Premier. Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal, Keith "Guru" Elam, Rest in Peace .... Gang Starr forever! Dig in below...

Stretch & Bobbito "The B-Side #2: DJ Premier & Jeru" (1996)

Bobbito has said, "The B-side show, if I remember correctly, only happened these three times. It was sort of an experiment to get me and Stretch on more prime time, during Angie's weekday evening slot. It went over well with everyone. It was kind of like a showcase of anticipated albums from artists who were known from our corner of the world. I think that'd be like 8pm to 9pm? I don't really remember (the time slot). Our Sunday, 'Boogie and the Barber', show on Hot 97 was from 11pm to 1am." This - right here - is the second show, with DJ Premier and Jeru The Damaja as guests, promoting their second collaborative album, "Wrath of Math," in 1996 on Payday Records.