Donnie Propa "Straight From The Crate Cave" (Large Pro Edition)

Salute to the UK homie, Donnie Propa. Completely my bad, this mixtape drop went entirely below my radar... until now! Released in May of this year -- ahead of The Beatnuts tape I already posted -- Donnie Propa released the Large Professor installment of his phenomenal mixtape series, Straight From The Crate Cave. Paying tribute to the legendary Queens producer, you'll hear solo joints and various production credits on numerous classic tracks. I've said it before and I'll proudly say it again, you won't find many artists/people who embody the essence of what Hip-Hop is more than the Xtra P. This man has never wavered; has consistently been a dot connector for some of the biggest artists in hip-hop and still holds his head in the city that birthed his career. A true stand-up guy and an ever-present talent in the hip-hop community. Props once again to Donnie Propa, for giving this man his flowers. Check out the mix below, and tap in the archives for more of his work...

The Foundation "Large Professor Tribute" (Mix)

The Foundation, a musical journey into the origins of some of our most powerful and popular music today, is designed to educate the listener on the jazz, funk, soul, and disco artists mostly from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, whose voices and instruments were sampled directly to help make some of the most creative hip-hop beats ever heard. For this episode, they pay tribute to the legendary Xtra P, Large Professor. In the mix, you'll hear all Xtra P production, rhymes, remixes and original samples. As they say, "listen to some Queens soundscapes as we pay respect to a legend!" Dig into it below...

Bazooka Joe Presents "Large Professor: The Extra P Era" (Mix)

"Picking up where I left off the 1st part of the ‘Fresh Produce’ series, this one is numero dos….still all about Large Pro productions once again but focused on the mid/late90’s and beyond including a lot of his solo material post Main Source, as well as some of the less obvious productions he’s done over the years. I could have easily made 3 or 4 volumes of this because he has so much classic material but if you like what you hear do some research on his solo projects and so on… if you know... you know. Got some mean features/tracks/verses from folks like Tragedy, Havoc, Pete Rock, Nas, Lord The Arkitec, Mad Skillz, Common, Ghostface, Raekwon, Roc Marciano, Busta Rhymes, Slick Rick, The U.N., X-Ecutioners, Grand Puba, Killa Sha, Fashawn, Styles P, AZ, Jeru Tha Damaja, Keith Murray, DJ Koss, Powerule, Mic Geronimo, Reks, Timeless Truth, Neek The Exotic, Black Rob, Cormega & Senor Kaos ft. P.So… rockwiddit!" - Bazooka Joe. Much respect to the Extra P, listen 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.

Large Professor "I Juswannachill" (The Source, 11/96)

"Queens represent, buy the album when I drop it..." Extra P dropped those lines back in '93. And since that time, more than a few heads have been waiting for the opportunity to do just that. Earlier this year, Paul put out "Mad Scientist" and folks sighed with relief - surely an Extra P album would soon follow. Ah, but hold a minute. We gon' tease y'all a bit more. Lo and behold, here's another tight Extra P joint for ya to marinate on; that album's gonna be here a minute or so late. "I Justwannachill" should be the mantra for all these extra-hard acting/posturing hip-hop types. Over a smooth type groove - last heard on De La's "Dininit" - Paul lays out his '96 philosophy: "I don't wanna ill / I just wanna chill / And keep my hand around a hundred dollar bill;" now that's a philosophy that some of us need drilled into resistant domes." "I Justwannachill" is another solid installment from one of hip-hop's most talented, and coolest, practitioners. But Paul, lemme put it like this: drop the damned album already so we can buy it." - The Source, 11/96). Well ... "The LP" was to be the solo debut from Large Professor, but it was shelved by Geffen Records in 1996. There were copies of the album as "promo-only" in '02/03 when Large Pro regained rights to the album, but it wasn't officially released until 2009, about a year after he released his "Main Source" LP. Peep the visuals for the track below, and as always, MUCH respect to the legendary Large Pro!

 If you'd like a copy of The Source's 12" review...

Nasty Nas & The Extra P "The Lost Album"

The inspiration for this project might have been best summed up by Nas himself: "Large Professor was the one that really started working with me first…so we were on to a lot of crazy ideas…he really could have done the entire [Illmatic] record and in the beginning, I wanted him to. Once I was working with him, why would you need to go anywhere else? You got HIM…so my thought was that one day it would happen and he would do the whole thing" Since that day has yet to come, we put together our own version of this elusive "lost album." Drawing from the wealth of post-Illmatic Large Pro instrumentals and Nas acapellas, we carefully paired some of the best examples of two artists at the top of their game, highlighting some underrated works while reimagining hooks and adlibs to help fuel the illusion of an authentic collaboration - via ItsOverture. Dig into it below...

Nas Breaks Down Lyrics to 'It Ain't Hard To Tell' (Video)

Nas recently sat down with Professor Elisa New to discuss the lyrics to his track “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” off his classic debut album, 'Illmatic.' With production by Large Professor, 'It Ain't Hard To Tell' was the second single, released in January of 1994. Nas' Illmatic was one of the first albums selected for the Hip-Hop Archive at Harvard University, and the University is also home to the Nasir Jones Fellowship. In the conversation, Nas breaks down lines like “Wisdom leaks from my grapefruit, troop” and “I dominate break loops," as well as going more in-depth on his "criminal slang." It's important to acknowledge that rap lyrics are poetry and should be recognized for the layers of complexity and sophistication embedded in each bar. In the words of Killer Mike, "If the record you open doesn't give you all that, then f#ck your favorite rapper." Watch the full conversation below.

Nas 'Illmatic' Press Kit & The Making Of (Video, 1994)

As I continue to celebrate 'Illmatic,' here are copies of the press kit that were sent out, which include 2 publicity photos and an original bio/one-sheet for Nas / 'Illmatic.' The sheet says "Nas is just too smart, too thoughtful, and too wise to mislead his people. That's because rhyming, to him, has never been just a way to get paid and live large ... it's been about getting the truth out and expressing his love for hip-hop." In late January of '94, the documentary-style video clip below - directed by Ralph McDaniels - was sent out to media; it was the same day that "It Ain't Hard To Tell" was released on 12". The video documents Nas' vision from the projects in Queensbridge to inside the studio with DJ Premier, Large Pro, Q-Tip & Pete Rock; all helping to shed light on what made the young Rapper Nas such a unique talent. It was also rumored that the label's marketing team was targeting industry tastemakers with plans to send out Nas t-shirts to no more than 200-250 people to spark conversation and help create the buzz. I'm not sure if they were the 'One Love' t-shirts, a different tee, or if the idea never happened at all? Anyone have more info on that?

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!'

Large Professor: Mass Appeal Salutes a Legend

Let me continue to pay homage today, as it is not only DJ Premier's birthday but also the legendary Queen's producer & eMCee, Large Professor! A career dating back to the 80s, Large Pro has crafted some of the finest beats & rhymes in hip-hop history: from Main Source to NaS to Organized Konfusion; Kool G Rap, Eric B & Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest and of course, his own classic solo releases. One of the illest on the remixes, too! Growing up in Queens myself, I feel confident to say that Large Pro IS Queens - it's in his vibe, in the way he communicates, his loyalty and above all else, remaining true to himself. Large Pro has done so much for the culture, but does it humbly and often remains behind the scenes. Mass Appeal hit the nail on the head with their words “If he hadn’t rhymed on it, he had produced it. If he wasn’t involved with the production, he was lacing other producers with samples.” Take a look at his timeline from '89-00, it's legendary, and be sure to stay current on his work all the way up to today. Matter of fact, sticking with Mass Appeal, check out his Rhythm Roulette below for a glimpse at his creative process. Happy Born Day, Extra P!

Main Source "Breaking Atoms" (Spin, 1992 + 25th Ann. Mix)

"K-Cut and Scratch (Toronto) discovered rap after moving to Queens, New York, in the late '70s. They met up with member Large Professor in high school and a team was born. Large Professor went on to do studio work for Roxanne Shante and Kool G Rap, and the trio worked together on tracks for Queen Latifah. The three may come from different places, but as far as music is concerned, they're in the same tribe. And it was clear that they wanted "to come up with a whole new joint." Blending jazz and pop and reggae licks, Main Source created a sound that transcends the usual hip hop sonic cliches with wit, innovation, and style." - Spin Magazine, January 1992. To honor a masterpiece in Hip hop music, Hellee Hooper put together this dope mix to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Breaking Atoms by Main Source (although the actual release date is forever being debated by the internets). Either way, much respect to Xtra P, listen to Helle Hooper's mix below!

Album review for Breaking Atoms in Spin Magazine....

Large Professor "The Mad Scientist" (The Source, 5/96)

"Except for his work on Tribe's Midnight Marauders LP, the Large Professor has been very much on the DL for the last few years. After his split from Main Source, heads were set for him to embark upon a solo career and blow up like many of his homies have. But the mastermind behind the 1991 classic Breaking Atoms decided to take his time. Not one to cash in or jump on the next trend, the Extra P made sure his shit was correct. And at long last, in the 9-6, he has returned. On "Mad Scientist," Large restates his lengthy resume and plots his return to prominence in the rap game" I'm called the mad scientist Extra P / About to set up shop and drop this next degree / On the masses / Yeah it's the live guy with glasses / From Flushing / Known for programming percussion." It's obvious that Large came up in an era when tight skills were a must. His crisp delivery makes it easy to understand every rhyme and his classic flow is an automatic head-nodder. The track itself works off a simple bass-and-snare kick and features a healthy amount of scratching." - The Source

You can see the full 12" review from The Source below...

DJ Premier & Large Pro "Mini-Mix" by DJ Eclipse

As many of you know, both DJ Premier & Large Professor share a born day: March 21st. DJ Eclipse kicked off a dope mini-mix (30-minute medley) to celebrate the occasion on his Sirius radio show, "Rap Is Outta Control." Because you need to be subscribed to the channel to hear the full show, this mini-mix represents just a sample of the show, be sure to subscribe and tune-in for all future episodes of "Rap Is Outta Control." Check out the mix below, you know what to expect: classic shit!

Lord The Arkitec "Listen Closely" (12", 1998)

Lord the Arkitec’s ‘Listen Closely’ & ‘Name of the Game’ 12” was released in the summer of ’98 on Bottumz Up Entertainment. ‘Listen Closely’ is considered the sequel to Royal Flush’s underground smash, ‘Worldwide,’ thus featuring Flush, as well as Mic Geronimo and production by Kaysaan. The B-Side, 'Name of the Game (Friends)', is the real gem on this 12" though, with Large Pro on production and Lord the Arkitec shining solo on the track. The entire record is Queens, although I don't know what section Lord The Arkitec is from - could be he's from Flushing, then it'd be a record from the Wastelanz. I don't believe there was a follow-up 12" or any other releases, which is a shame. Anyone know differently? You can listen to the Lord The Arkitec 12" below, but consider picking up a copy of the picture cover release (for a reasonable price) at Discogs, eBay or another reseller. Dig in...

Akinyele "Vagina Diner" (The Source, 9/93)

"Ak Hoo Hoo? I know, the single was cool, but you're still kinda hungry for a little more of that dirty, down low, home-cooked hip-hop that the Ak hit ya off with back in 1990 on the Main Source's classic posse cut "Live At The BBQ." Well, you do not have to wait any longer for new flavor, 'cause it's a family reunion, and Akinyele is settin' it off with his dope Vagina Diner debut. And yes, Large Paul aka the Large Professor is back behind the boards, serving you swell with his 100% anti-beef-beat-burgers (from rare to well-done) fresh off the production grill. As soon as you place the bomb inside your Walkman, Akinyele bombards you with blaring echo; ie freaking you with his trademark technique of word pronunciation (he dramatically lowers his voice for certain words and phrases) as well as his legendary Ak-freestyle-fit-unky-ness." Check the video to "The Bomb," cont'd below...

"Become a witness as he makes emcees write how dope he is on the insides of their books on the delirious "Dear Diary." Or help him chuck the luggage as he throws out another golddigger on "Bags Packed." Yep, he makes you flare your nostrils when you smell the funk of "The Bomb," "No Exit" and the sick love song "I Luh Her" ... it's Kings from Queens at the grill and Ak is servin' up home-cooked flavor." - The Source, September 1993. Read the full review down below & revisit the album HERE...

Main Source "Just Hangin Out / Live At The BBQ" (7/91)

"From an album that is literally full of potential hit singles, The Main Source unveils the follow-up to "Lookin' At The Front Door." "Just Hangin Out" is a smooth (but not smoothed out) jazzy flavored cut with a laid back tempo and lyrics courtesy of the man who "gets busy over unknown tracks," the Large Professor. The original version has commercial radio play potential with its relaxed approach. The remix is a step in a different direction. The vocals are spread and changed slightly as what was once a smooth and laid back jam now becomes a hardcore jam that highlights the production wizardry of the Main Source. A medium paced beat with a heavy crackling snare and chunky guitar lays the funky foundation as the chorus featuring a sung reggae verse laid over a droning sax loop creates a killer hook. The remix is so slamming that it's almost a completely new song." Cont'd below...

"If there could ever be one song to completely epitomize the essence of a hardcore-underground jam, then "Live At The BBQ" is all that. "BBQ" is the posse jam to end all posse jams. Once you hear the crew roaring "It's like that y'all (that y'all)" you're hooked. Over a Bob James drum loop with a touch of cymbals, Large Professor surrounds himself with a trio of raw MCs to kick ballistics. Nasty Nas kicks a grab-for-the-throat style with lines like: "Verbal assassin / My architect pleases / When I was twelve I went to hell for snuffin' Jesus." Fatal (aka Merciful) steps up next with powerful righteous lyrics ... Akinyele then steps up with a style so out of control, printing his lyrics wouldn't do him justice ... Bringing up the rear (II) is the Large Professor who proclaims: "I grab up girls like jacks / Add 'em on like tax / And I'm over like Hot Trax.... This is the latest example of the creativity and talent that effortlessly flows off the grooves of the Breakin Atoms LP - definitely one of the most outstanding debut records of '91 and in hip-hop history." - The Source, July 1991. Classics!

For a copy of The Source's full 12" review, see below...

I.G.T. “Word To Life” 12” (Vinyl, 2001)

I.G.T stands for Ill Gotten Team; a 4-member group established in 1997 in Roosevelt, Long Island. They were signed to Loud Records from 1998 to 2001 & had joints with a wide range of artists on and off the Loud Records label. This 12” in particular has production from The Large Professor and a feature from R&B singer Horace Brown. The track has a sample from “Don’t Say Goodnight” by The Isley Brothers. The song was released on “Street Music - The Preview,” a sampler from Loud Records, which also included a track with Inspectah Deck & production from the Alchemist, as well as the note “selections from the forthcoming Loud Records release The Alpha & The Omega in stores fall 2001.” I don’t believe the album was ever officially released, however you can listen to it via DatPiff if you’re interested. In the meantime, dig into the full 12" to I.G.T.'s "Word To Life" below...

The Combat Jack Show "Cormega Episode"

The latest episode of the #1 podcast, the Combat Jack Show, features the Queens veteran Cormega. In stark contrast to every trend and negative stereotype plaguing our culture, Cormega & Large Professor have stepped up to release a golden era album in 2014 with their latest effort "Mega Philosophy." Cormega has stepped into the role of street poet & reinvented his career with the same formula that got him on; he's just stayed on a consistent and positive path to get it done, independently. On the production is Large Professor, who is a humble giant in the music industry; he's the guy behind the guy for many of hip-hop's most impressive collaborations & has done it all without changing his slang, his roots or his unique perspective; a man of true loyalty. Cormega walks listeners through a track by track of "Mega Philosophy," get a proper listen to the interview below!

Cormega "Mega Philosophy" (Album Stream)

Cormega is back with his first new album since 2009's Born And Raised. Mega Philosophy is entirely produced by Large Professor. This album is positively inspiring, conscious and incredibly deep. Large Professor’s tracks hit hard with his authentic “Boom Bap” sound creating an audio landscape for Cormega's lyrical wisdom. The album features heavyweights such as Black Rob, Nature, AZ, Redman, Styles P, Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan and more. In the years in-between releasing this new album Mega’s viewpoint has been further honed by being involved in efforts for political and social change. Some of these events include being active in the protest of Trayvon Martin’s murder, going to Haiti to help with the earthquake relief efforts and a life-changing trip to Africa for Uganda Empowers. As Mega states with this new album, “Hip-Hop used to be journalistic; people spoke on what they saw and what they felt. So much has happened in the last few years, but a lot of artists aren’t talking about anything. I’m fighting for our culture.” Listen to Mega Philosophy below... (Updated). 

Apache "Apache Ain't Sh!t" (The Source, 1993)

"The Flavor Unit has snuffed us in the grill with the hardcore rhymes from Naughty By Nature, the "trio from E.O." (East Orange, NJ). This year, the Flavor squad gives us a slamming debut from one of "Chilltown's" (Jersey City) best. Apache, the man who gave light to the "Gangsta Bitch," and got busy on Naughty's "1,2,3," gets things started right off the bat. After the intro track, he slides into "Tonto," a braggadocio type joint where he flips rhymes about hittin' skinz with his main man Tonto ... Another stand out is the innovative "Do Fa Self," where Apache flips rhymes with a nine-year old kid about the dangers of livin' large by foul means. While a good portion of this album deals with sex and could be seen as disrespectful to women, Apache is more than willing to make amends... Production-wise, the album thrills, with some of hip-hop's finest taking control. Diamond D drops by and digs in his vast supply of crates and comes up with plenty of dust on his fingers and a little slime under his fingernails. "Git Ya Weight Up" is sure to make a hip-hop junkie's hair stand on end with its hyped drumtrack and soulful horns. Not to be outdone, the Large Professor rolls out fat, island-tinged flavor on "Hey Girl." This album's diverse musical nature will make it a welcome addition to many collections. Apache is raw enough to appeal to underground heads, without closing the door on the casual, R&B oriented hip-hop consumer." - The Source, April 1993. (Updated)

The original review in The Source (April, 1993) is below...

R.I.P. Apache / Anthony Peaks (December 26, 1964 – January 22, 2010)