Crustified Dibbs "Night Of The Bloody Apes" (1994)

R.A. The Rugged Man's first LP (as Crustified Dibbs), Night Of The Bloody Apes, was named after a Mexican horror movie. It featured such shock anthems as the underage love story "Staggie (Toolin' It)," the Biggie Smalls duet "Cunt Renaissance" and the self-explanatory "Every Record Label Sucks Dick." Sadly, the last title would be the one most applicable to Bloody Apes' destiny. After R.A. was accused of behavioral misconduct by female employees at his label, Jive Records, he and Jive became entangled in a legal stalemate that obliterated any chance of the LP ever seeing daylight. The prior remarks were compliments of Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists, where the album was featured as one of their "Notable Rap Albums That Were Never Released." The album featured production from Erick Sermon, Buckwild, and Poke from Trackmasters, and the promotional cassette sampler was released in a ziplock bag, packaged with a comic book and a sticker. In November '95, Vibe ran an article that featured comic books from Onyx, Casual, Extra Prolific and R.A. The Rugged Man, saying: "In the tradition of cheesy horror comics - bad graphix, lame story - comes the gory fantasies of R.A. the Ruggedman." You can find the album online with a quick search, but in the meantime, listen to the track with B.I.G. below, and stay in touch with R.A. by following HERE. In fact, wish him a Happy Born Day today! Also, pick up a copy of his 2013 release Legends Never Die!

Below is an original advert for the LP and the cover to the comic.

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...

9th Wonder "Rhythm Roulette" (Mass Appeal, Video)

Rhythm Roulette is a YouTube series, hosted by Mass Appeal, where producers give us an inside look at their process of making beats ... and their in-house studios. Each producer is blindfolded before choosing three records from a local record store to use for their samples. Their latest guest is North Carolina's highly acclaimed producer and educator, 9th Wonder. After visiting the Record Krate in Raleigh, NC, he emerges with Charly McClain, The Temprees and Jermaine Jackson "with the Michael Jackson knock-off coat on." I won't tell you how it goes, but suffice to say, 9th's personality and the joy in his creation will spark inspiration and this will easily be one of the series' most popular episodes. Be sure to watch until the end to hear Rapsody spit some bars on the spot! I'm not a producer, but I definitely enjoyed this video, and I'm sure you will, too! Dig into it below...

Awon & Phoniks "Knowledge Of Self" (Album Stream)

"Knowledge of Self" is the 2nd official offering from Hip-Hop duo Awon & Phoniks. Coming over 2 years after releasing their debut album "Return to the Golden Era" in Summer of 2013, the Newport News, VA emcee and Portland, ME producer have been working diligently on their follow-up. While the debut LP was a throwback to 90's hip-hop in every sense, with lyrics focusing on Awon's troubled youth and tales of street grandeur, their 2nd LP sees the group maintain their signature sound while refining things both musically and lyrically. This time Awon is speaking from the present, educating youth on tracks like 'Reflections' and speaking on current social climates in 'Summer Madness' and 'Profit Off My Pain'. He has adapted his rhymes to more relevant topics while keeping his all-natural flow groove-locked in the pocket. The duo also capitalized on the networking opportunities their first LP provided, collaborating with a multitude of talented artists from all over the globe such as Oslo's Ivan Ave and London's Heeni. Phoniks shows his maturation as a producer on tracks like the trunk rattling 'Do They Really Love You' and 'Be Real With It' featuring jazzy piano chops, subtly layered samples and off-beat, un-quantized rhythms. While the debut LP was crafted with the artists in isolation, recording and emailing each other from their respective bedroom studios, "Knowledge Of Self" was made possible by traveling across the east coast and working together in state of the art recording facilities. The tracks are given a warm punch from being recorded through top notch microphones and preamps and bounced down to analog tapes. Across it's 13-tracks, Awon & Phoniks make their best case at providing fans with one of the most well-rounded, impactful hip-hop projects of 2015. Not only have they returned to the Golden Era, but this time they have done it with a seasoned wisdom. Knowledge Reigns Supreme." - Don't Sleep Records Enjoy the stream below and hit the tags for more from Awon & Phoniks. (Updated, 2018)

The Halftime Show "Eminem & Royce Da 5'9" (September 23, 1998)

"Here goes another Halftime show from '98 with guests Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" (85:53). Short interview right into the freestyle session (if only cats today were as hungry as the 90s generation). As usual, Riz sets off the show lovely and then half way through I get on to finish up. Always good listening to the mic breaks to see what was going on during that time (i.e. Tramps shows, Fat Beats in-stores, new mixer...thanks Fat Beats!). So much good music played!" - via DJ Eclipse's Mixcloud.

The Firm "The Album" (Rap Pages, December 1997)

"When Dr. Dre left N.W.A. to start Death Row Records with now-convicted felon Marion "Suge" Knight, he brought with him a sparkling track record peppered with numerous gold and platinum records. Unfortunately for Dre, since he escaped Death Row's death row to establish Aftermath Records, he has been unable to duplicate earlier achievements. His label debut  bombed and the Firm, a conglomerate of rappers masquerading as money launderers and cocaine traffickers, fails miserably. The Firm, consisting of Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and newcomer Nature, first appeared on Nas's It Was Written on "Affirmative Action cut. "Affirmative Action" spun far-fetched tales of cocaine trafficking via Columbia and deals that suddenly turn sour. The insanity continues on the Firm. Instead of only one song depicting such foolishness, the entire album consists of uninspired, rehashed concepts pilfered from movies, such as Goodfellas, The Godfather, Casino and, of course, Scarface. Trackmasters shares production duties with Dre and seem satisfied with making records that probably pose as clever and original pieces of work to most of today's teens. For instance, "Hardcore" is a ripoff of Cheryl Lynn's "Encore," "Firm Biz" bites Teena Marie's "Square Biz" and "Fuck Somebody Else" boldly jacks the Jones Girk's "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else."

"With the Firm's roster of MCs, one would expect this album to be laced with hit. Nothing could be further from the truth. The lyrical content of this debacle is bland. Nas continues his love affair of Latin American-mafioso-Cali cartel fantasies. Usual escapades of bartering p#ssy for loot, as well as breaking down the mathematics and intricacies of the drug trade are detailed by Foxy - again! AZ continues his career as the connected-but-not-yet "made" underling, and Nature never appears comfortable behind the mic. He ends up as the odd man out in the Firm's musical soiree. The Firms is a partnership that desperately needs to be dissolved." - Rap Pages, December 1997. Honestly? While my aim is to only post about content I enjoy - and I do think this album had a few redeeming moments - I have to agree, this album really did disappoint me a bit back in '97. So, I post this only to say, even though it features some of my favorite artists, they had a fair share of misses, too! Or, maybe I need to remove expectations from it, because with that collective, it shoulda been amazing!

Brand Nubian "Foundation" (Rap Pages, 1998)

"Few rap groups manage what Brand Nubian have: recording a reunion album that equals their previous work. Working with their original lineup for the first time since their masterful debut project, One For All, Grand Puba, Sadat X, Lord Jamar and DJ Alamo (who's now an official member of the group) demonstrate how to deliver a credible, hard-hitting Hip-Hop collection that addresses a variety of topics on Foundation. Focusing on respect, pride, love and struggle, the New Rochelle quartet rap lyrical circles around their myopic competition... While the multitude of overtly positive messages is sure to please their original fan base, several selections will thrill cats who've never experienced Brand Nubian. "The Return," a gritty, flute-backed, chest-thumping celebration that bumps harder than turbulence, wins with a bevy of punch lines and well-placed scratching..." Cont'd...

"Even though the work of the Puba-less Brand Nubian and Puba's solo songs touched on worthy topics and included dazzling wordplay, they work better as a unit than they did separately. The former Derek X's abrasive voice sounds much more appealing when complemented with Jamar's husky presentation and Puba's often playful demeanor. Likewise, Foundation's production far exceeds any of Nubian's work since One For All. Beatmasters such as DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Buckwild, Diamond D and Grand Puba contribute a myriad of aural moods that fit Brand Nubian's lyrics like shrink-wrap.... Expertly executed, Foundation's poignant subject matter and super production reestablish Brand Nubian as premier Hip-Hop spokesmen." - Rap Pages, 1998. Revisit this LP today!

Alter Ego & Dan Murphy "Christmas" (Beat Tape)

Merry Christmas! A nice present from Australian producer Alter Ego and Dan Murphy, who bring you this Christmas beat tape. They stumbled across a bunch of cheap Christmas vinyl and decided to make this album for the festive season, and we're glad they did! Nice chops and boombap drums make for a fine beat tape! The project is released through the Home Chopping Network, you can download it using the 'name your price' option on Bandcamp... maybe you feel generous during the holidays! Alter Ego is a good dude, make sure you support this and keep an eye out for more music!