D.I.T.C. "Next" Feature in Vibe (December, 1999 + Playlist)

For close to 10 years, D.I.T.C. members Show, his longtime partner, A.G. (short for Andre the Giant), Lord Finesse, Fat Joe, Diamond, Buckwild (all of whom hail from the Bronx, NY), Brooklyn's O.C., and the recently murdered Harlem rhyme slinger supreme, Big L, have individually garnered accolades for their superior lyrical and/or production gifts. But besides Fat Joe's gold-selling Don Cartagena (Atlantic, 1998), street acclaim hasn't translated into record sales. "Not [achieving] what we were supposed to has taught us to stay on top of our business," blasts A.G. His man Show claims that it was a lack of organization and resources on the part of labels like Wild Pitch, Chemistry, and Pay Day that hindered D.I.T.C.'s individual success. "We felt it would make a greater impact if all of us put our ideas together, and everybody came with their different styles," Show says. And he tells no lies: Not since the rise of Staten Island, NY's Wu-Tang Clan has there been a collective that could come close to the Shao Lin Swordsman's concentrated can of whup ass. When it comes to the stock market of beats, lyrics, and flow, D.I.T.C. stand taller than the World Trade Center's twin towers. Just peep songs like the felicitous, guitar-guided "Foundation" and the bouncy, video-game-effects-bleeping, Big L-fronted "Thick." Yet as D.I.T.C. vie to become hip hop's first family, things are a little bittersweet. "I wish he were still around," says Show of his fallen compadre. "He's on most of the album, and I think about him every time I hear those songs." Fear not, Show, Big L is probably looking down, smiling, watching his crew's evolution from ghetto superstars to household names. - Next (Vibe, December 1999). No doubt, one of the greatest crews in Hip-Hop history! Below is a playlist with some of my favorite joints from the Diggin' in the Crates crew! I'll add more songs later.

 

The House List Podcast "Showbiz Mix by DJ Nikoless"

According to The House List's Peter Agoston, "This very special mix (recorded in '98/99 but never previously released) was done by Kevin Beacham (A.K.A DJ Nikoless) in his words "is definitely dedicated to the amazing, and what I feel are slept on skills of, the great Showbiz. His tracks were always raw and stripped down with banging drums and nice melodies. I've always considered him one of my all time favorites since early on in his career, so much respect and appreciation for years of dedication to the craft of quality beat making. It features some guest scratching/turntablism from two of my good friends, DJ Pratt & DJ Precyse. This is also dedicated to Big L (R.I.P)." The Showbiz production mix includes tracks from Showbiz & AG, Ghetto Dwellas, Black Sheep, The Artifacts, Scaramanga, Organized Konfusion, O.C., KRS-One, Lord Finesse, Big Pun, Big Jaz, Big L, Diamond D, Maestro Fresh Wes, Fat Joe and more. Much respect to Kevin Beacham and the whole D.I.T.C. crew.

D.I.T.C. "D.I.T.C. Studios II" (Album Stream)

The Diggin In The Crates collective has dropped a new album titled D.I.T.C. Studios Volume 2. The project is produced entirely by longtime member Showbiz. D.I.T.C.’s latest compilation features 10 tracks. A.G., O.C., Lil Fame of M.O.P., Papoose, Milano Constantine, Cory Gunz and David Bars contributing vocals to the LP. D.I.T.C. has been one of the most consistent crews/collectives since the 90s. The project was mixed by the homie, Parks, whom you'd know via Joe Budden. Listen below...

Showbiz & Milano "Boulevard Author" (Album Stream)

Milano Constantine and DITC producer Showbiz have joined forces to present a collaborative album: Boulevard Author. Milano is considered to be an unofficial member of the D.I.T.C. crew since 1999, with his first single that came out on Fat Beats in 2000. He has collaborated with artists such as Lord Finesse, Showbiz, Big Pun, Kool G Rap and many others and recently released full length projects with Slice of Spice. With Boulevard Author, Milano pairs with Show to provide us with smooth, hardcore lyrics over classic Show, DITC beats. Constantine paints vivid scenes with his bars from street tales. He elaborates on how he overcame his brush with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. His rhymes sound like calligraphy over Show’s hard drums and movie-like samples. Milano spills some slick talk with a lot of details to keep you locked in. The sole producer/emcee combination for this project has built a unique sound for this album. Milano originally planned for the album to be produced by the P Brothers, but I'm glad he went with Showbiz, as this project came out real solid.

David Bars & Showbiz "Bars & Beats" (EP Stream)

Reppin' the Bronx, rapper David Bars has a nice buzz bubblin' up from the underground. Living up to the name, his wordplay and rhyme style represent the true school, and brings Bars 'back' to the forefront. From project hallways to his latest release with Showbiz of the Diggin In The Crates crew, we're seeing a case of future nostalgia with "Bars & Beats." The EP is entirely produced by Showbiz, who reminds us just how he gets down behind the boards. The project is currently available for free download through the DITC site - I take it they are using this project as a promotional stepping stone to something bigger. I'm here for it, but I hope that fans and media take this project seriously and give it the coverage that it deserves. Check out Bars & Beats below...

Showbiz "A Room Therapy" (Album Stream)

The 4th release on the D.I.T.C. imprint, DITC Studious, is the first Showbiz ‘Producer Album’ since ‘Street Talk’ back in 2005. Following on from the recent Showbiz & A.G. return ‘Take It Back’, Show is continuing to churn out boom bap beats for quality eMCees to bless. Featuring D.I.T.C. crew members and affiliates such as O.C., A.G. David Bars and A Bless, this is another banger for the real heads! Much respect to the whole Diggin' In The Crates crew, listen to A Room Therapy below.

D.I.T.C. "Diggin' In The Crates" (Vibe, March 2000)

Diggin' in the Crates are to rap as the Portland Trail Blazers are to the NBA - deeper than Bill Gate's pockets and brimming with skills and chemistry. After years of functioning as a loosely knit collective, D.I.T.C. have assumed a Voltron-like formation to create an LP chockful of their widely revered punchlines and metaphors. With Fat Joe, A.G., O.C., and the tragically deceased Big L sharing the majority of mike dity - plus Diamond, Show, Buckwild, and the unfadable DJ Premier behind the boards - it seems that they've got every base covered. From the pounding primo opener, "Thick," to the sobering vinyl-classic closer, "Day One," D.I.T.C. hit like a freight train, crushing all in their path. With knocking drums and somber melodies, the mid-tempo beats on songs like "Champagne Thoughts" perfectly complement the collective's energetic style. Unfortunately, the LP's greatest moments are also its most depressing, as Big L rips verses like, "You frontin' cause yo' whip's a Range / But it's a 4.0 / You nerd n!gga / You heard Jigga  Now get yo' change" - begging the painful question, What if? But despite the morbid splendor of L's ultimate glory, D.I.T.C. come correct, adding another solid notch to their belt. - Vibe, March 2000. Revisit the debut LP from Diggin' In The Crates below...

The full review in Vibe Magazine (March, 2000) is below...

Showbiz & A.G. "Goodfellas" (The Source, 7/95)

"Goodfellas marks the return of underground heavyweights Showbiz & A.G. For those who slept the first time, we recommend you pay attention as the Uptown duo slide in right where their debut left off. With their latest, they remain true to the punchline-filled, freestyle flow they have come to be known for. While Showbiz passes the mic to A.G., who controls it through the entire album, he continues to dominate behind the boards, creating a big-band hip-hop sound set off with hard hitting snares, accompanied by screeching trumpets and saxophones. On the mic, A.G. continues to stomp out wack MCs and proves he really is a hip-hop giant... The first single, "Next Level," is also given extra life with a tight remix that will fit in at any gathering. Throughout, Showbiz keeps the tracks balanced. For every hard-hitting, cock-the-glock, knuckle-up type cut, there is a joint that makes ya wanna get lifted and just lounge. And with no gimmicky hardcore rhymes, A.G. shines with lyrics that are poignant and full of humor." - The Source (July, 1995). Revisit the Goodfellas album...

The full album review for Goodfellas in The Source is below...

Showbiz & A.G. "Runaway Slave" (The Source, 11/92)

"If you Rip Van Winkled on Showbiz & AG's debut PE, Party Groove/Soul Clap here's your chance to come correct on two brothers with pure hip-hop flowing through their veins. On the long play, this Bronx duo skillfully distill the essence of the asphalt into gargantuan polyrhythms and freestyle lyrics straight from the old-school outdoor jams. Miles would beam at their use of meandering horn riffs flowing in and out of the mix, obviously the rewards of 'nuff diggin' in the crates. These freeform samples add spit and polish to tracks that are otherwise down and dirty, and create more ambience than Panasonic Platinum. Meanwhile, the ill subliminal bass laces joints like "Fat Pockets" and "Silence Of The Lambs," making them true blunts for the Benzi box." Cont'd below...

"With drop-ins by Kid Capri, Fat Joe, and Freddie Foxx, and cameos by Black Sheep's Dres ("Bounce To This") and Lord Finesse and the crew ("Represent"), Showbiz and A.G. create a party on your stereo, flexing enough freestyle to make the unaware go senile. On the hardcore "Hard To Kill," A.G. says, "I love conflict and confrontation / Killin' enemies worse than Kennedy's assassination." Through your neckbone will definitely get a workout on these tracks, this is an album of nuance with many layers of words and sounds that will age like fine wine." - The Source, November 1992.

Showbiz & A.G. Interview (Hip-Hop Connection, 1993)

"Showbiz & AG are on a roll. "Runaway Slave deals with negativity. It's about a society run on negativity. We're just trying to get out of that state and into a positive mindstate," says the duo... AG leans forward in his seat and recounts the tales of his life when it went through its negative state. "I was a runaway slave. I was involved in crime. I realized that the whole jail to crime cycle was stupid and I finally woke up. I'm on probation, but I'll get through it because I love myself and I'm positive." AG's talkative partner Showbiz is a deejay with much to say. He may not be able to express himself lyrically, but he makes the most of the interview situation. "We're telling people to get out of mental slavery. Get out of all the drugs and the alcohol and the negative state of mind and wake up. Learn to love each other. Society makes you do things you don't want to, just like we did when we were first slaves. We don't want to be like that any more!"" Click play, cont'd below...

"The duo hail from the Bronx, where they say they were always kicking back enjoying the hip-hop delights that the borough was famous for. The infamous Lord Finesse used to hang in their neighborhood, chewing over rhymes while he looked for a record deal. "I helped Finesse get his deal. We worked together in the studio, him rhyming, me doing the music and helping out. Through the music I bumped into AG. Finesse was doing a track and decided to let AG guest on the track. We just hit it off from there." AG takes up the story: "The track was called Keep It Flowing and Biz was producer. I liked the way he handled the music. After he told me he needed someone to rap and I need someone with skills when it came to music, so we decided to hook up." The resulting track was the classic "Soul Clap" ... And with their LP released by Polygram Showbiz & AG can finally bring their rap philosophy to a hungry nation ... "We're telling all the runaway slaves out there to gain common sense and love yourself. Look at your history and learn about the slavery of the past. Once you know your history, nothing can bother you no more. Nothing can phase you." - Hip-Hop Connection, 1993. You can read (or save a copy of) the full interview below with Show & AG below...