For the latest episode of the House List podcast, Peter Agoston sits down with the Gang Starr Foundation's Group Home. "Group Home's debut album Livin' Proof is an impenetrable piece of street art. From DJ Premier's production, Danny Hasting's photographic layout to the gruff and honest vocals by Lil Dap and Melachi The Nutcracker. It isn't their only album though, I truly enjoy revisiting 1999's A Tear For The Ghetto as well. Last year they dropped the LP Forever and off the record, I know they have some big stuff coming soon. This is the last convo recorded at my old Brooklyn apt / studio. Hope you enjoy, please subscribe and spread the word." Listen to it below...
UK's Bad Cop presents a Natural Elements mix called "NE Definitely," which originally hit the web back in 2013. It's a 26-track non-stop mix, with posse cuts, solo joints, and miscellaneous cuts from affiliated artists. The core members of Natural Elements are A-Butta, L-Swift, & Mr. Voodoo, along with the producer, Charlemagne, but you'll see additional tracks from Nightbreed (KA & Oddbrawl The Lyrical Juggernaut), 2Face (A-Butta & L-Swift), and Raidermen (G-Blass & Stex). A nice mix to get you familiar with the NE crew, or remind you what the underground scene was like in New York back in the 90s. Props to A-Butta, always good peoples. Stream the Natural Elements mix below...
There is no secret to their success -- it's about nothing but talent. Eric B. grew up in Elmhurst, Queens, New York loving basketball and music. He played trumpet and guitar as a youth and then graduated to the turntables when rap first surfaced in the late 70s. By 1985 Eric was good enough to work as a mobile deejay for urban contemporary giant WBLS - New York. It was at BLS that Eric met Marley Marl, the on-air mixer for "Mr. Magic's Rap Attack." Rakim himself was born William Griffin in Brooklyn. He grew up in Wyandanch, Long Island, one of five kids in a musical family and the nephew of early rock'n'roll immortal Ruth Brown. An honor roll student, Rakim was writing rhymes and rapping from the time he was a seventh grader. He and Eric met and clicked right away. "We made a promise that our music had to be positive, strong, and different," remembers Rakim, whose interest in Islam is reflected in his stage name. "And I think we've kept our promise." - via Press Kit / Bio. Perhaps not looked at as their most popular track, but "Lyrics Of Fury" on "Follow The Leader" is widely considered one of the greatest expressions of lyrical exercise, and my favorite track off their "Follow The Leader" album in 1988. Lyrics and audio below.
"I haunt if you want the style I possess
I bless the child, the earth, the gods and bomb the rest
For those that envy an MC, it can be Hazardous to your health so be friendly
A matter of life and death, just like a Etch A Sketch
Shake 'til you're clear, make it disappear, make the next
After the ceremony, let the rhyme rest in peace"
Jaguar Skills brings us this short tribute mix to Kanye West and J Dilla entitled College Donuts. The 12-minute mix features Kanye West's vocals over various Dilla instrumentals and other beats from the late great, James Yancey. If you've been around the music scene, the name Jaguar Skills should already be familiar to you, but with countless mixes and genre-bending influences, he's definitely a DJ I respect and check for, so dig into another of his creative mixes and enjoy the sounds below...
I mentioned the Scenario remix just the other day, got me thinking back to Tribe and Phife, of course, rest in peace. Then, I was on YouTube and because I mentioned it here, Google remembers everything (suspect!) and it suggested a live video of A Tribe Called & Quest and Leaders of the New School up at the Arsenio Hall Show in '92. Gotta appreciate all that Arsenio Hall did to broadcast Hip-Hop to a national crowd, and peep the CD longbox he's holding? Geez, I hated those things back in the day, but now I wish I had more of them, just for the unique versions of the artwork. In the interview after the live performance, Arsenio asks, "We've got problems in this country: riots here, economy problems everywhere, drugs, education, what would you like to say to the youth of America, 'cuz they need to hear positive things..." Ali Shaheed Muhammad says, "As far as those who have turned 18 years old, A Tribe Called Quest suggests that you go out there and register to vote, and that's real. That's your voice. As far as those under 18, stay in school, study, for real - it's a big game you have to learn to play. Definitely." I wish I could say times have changed. They also discuss the relationship between the title "The Low End Theory" and 808s, as well as changing stereotypes for how people look at the black youth in America. Check it all out below...
The Stop The Violence Movement was a collection of rap artists and record industry figures who joined together to celebrate music and preach against the evil of Black-on-Black crime. First came the gold 12", "Self-Destruction" on Jive Records. Then the book, "Overcoming Self-Destruction", published by Pantheon Books. The third stage of the Stop The Violence Movement was this home video, which documents the activities of this non-profit organization. KRS-ONE, M.C. Lyte, Daddy-0, M.C. Delite, Wise, Fruit-Kwan, M'tume, Ms. Melodie, D-Nice, Kool Moe Dee, Just Ice, Chuck D, Flavor Flay, Doug E. Fresh,Heavy D, Young MC, Oran "Juice" Jones, Tone Loc and Big Daddy Kane are among the many artists who appeared on this long-form video. Also includes the video "Self-Destruction" by the Stop The Violence Movement. Directed by Ralph McDaniels. Produced by Sabrina Gray for Classic Concepts. Executive Producers: Nelson George and Tokyo Rose. Props to the Reelback channel for sharing. Check out the video below, it's roughly 56 minutes long.
Continue to support the Stop the Violence Movement.
Defying all classifications, the Fugees (Pras, Clef, and Lauryn) are bringing a totally fresh perspective to hip-hop: one that's as intellectual as it is musical. Blunted On Reality, the Fugees' furious debut album, will undoubtedly get the group where they want to go, despite where they've come from. Chronicling the experiences of Pras and Clef - young Haitians in an America that set them as "refugees" - the Fugees use the 12 tracks of their album to give their side of the story in terms both specific and universal. Blunted On Reality is the story of anyone who's ever sought refuge. "We're all refugees," Pras points out. "We all seek refuge in our minds," philosophizes Clef. "We all want to escape somewhere, we're all really immigrants because we're trying to get somewhere and never end up there." These three drug-free MCs have discovered that music and life itself has the power to intoxicate and therein lies the meaning of the title, Blunted On Reality. Their self-produced LP vigorously combines elements of reggae, rock, funk, and a complex East Coast production ethic giving the Fugees sound the kind of depth that pushes East Coast rap into a whole other dimension. The Fugees cop to a surprising range of musical influences, citing Bob Marley, Phil Collins, Guns & Roses, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Thelonius Monk, Pink Floyd, and Elton John among the strains of sound that somehow seep into their complex musical mix. - via Press Kit.
"On February 15th, 1999, Harlem rapper Big L (aka Lamont Coleman) was tragically gunned down in the same neighborhood that he consistently repped in his rhymes. His murder came at a time when he had one of the most-talked about singles out, “Ebonics,” his D.I.T.C. crew was making major noise with posse cuts like “Day One,”and his mixtape and radio freestyles were scorching in the streets, which all led to his sophomore album being one of the most anticipated projects by a New York MC to drop. There were even rumors that he was signing to Roc-A-Fella Records, the hottest and most successful young label in the Big Apple at the time led by his rapper friend Jay Z. Unfortunately, his moment to shine at the next level never came to be. To celebrate Big L’s rap career today ... we thought to truly highlight the essence of Big L’s lyrical greatness, charisma, performance ability, and bottomless pit of bars, we’d round up 15 of his dopest radio, mixtape, and live freestyles (plus a few bonuses because that’s how we do), and put them all together in one mix for you to enjoy." - via NahRight and UpNorthTrips (2014), enjoy the mix below, and - of course - Rest peacefully, Big L!
