"Twenty-one-year-old Jean-Jacques Cadet is goin' places... "I want an album that's gonna be classic in the eyes of true hip-hop listeners," the Uptown N.Y.C. kid says of his forthcoming debut LP, Timeless. The early word on J-Live didn't just start because his Raw Shack independent single, "Longevity" b/w "Braggin' Writes," sold 12,000 records, but because he both rhymed and manipulated the turntables on "Braggin' Writes" - a highly impressive feat he duplicates during performances. The single's success led to last year's release of "Can I Get It" b/w "Hush The Crowd," which sold even better, as well as the tight DJ Spinna remix of "Braggin' Writes." Undergraduate J is well schooled also in the industry's emphasis on image over content, "Before (releasing my first single), people were like, "Oh, word you rhyme?" he remembers. "Some say I don't fit the descript." Sulmers says J-Live's regular-guy appearance has come under scrutiny. "We had a meeting with one of the labels, and they said, "What does he look like?" We were like, "Well, he makes good records" lol ...When he ain't playin' ball or chess, (he) stays at home or in the library studying. "I'm just your average Joe when it comes down to it. I just like to rhyme." - Vibe, 7/97
This is another nice 12" vinyl from 1995, "Sleep All Day" by Death Camp. It was released on StepSun Music Entertainment, which was most known for putting out the Troubleneck Brothers at the time. Although it's uncredited, the production is handled by the legendary Blastmaster KRS-One, who you hear at the opening of the track like he'd done on other singles he's produced for other MCs. This is the only 12" release I'm aware of from Death Camp, and to be fair, it's not even an official release because the only copies are test presses. Between Channel Live's success with "Mad Izm," Mad Lion heating up the charts in years prior, as well as KRS' own self-titled release around that time, I'm not sure what went wrong. KRS made sure to sample his own Boogie Down Productions record "Criminal Minded," but perhaps one of the two other samples raised a red flag, I dunno. Either way, as they say, the rest is history ... you can listen to "Sleep All Day" below. Got more? Send my way!
"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...
'Poverty's Paradise' was Naughty By Nature's third album, it was released on this day in 1995 through Tommy Boy Records. With a knack for writing hits, Treach, Vinnie & Kay Gee, had 'O.P.P.', 'Uptown Anthem,' 'Ghetto Bastard,' and 'Hip Hop Hooray' under their belt, but it was also weighing them down. When their sophomore album produced the one hit in 'Hip Hop Hooray,' the industry responded with 500k less in sales than their debut. With a 2 year gap to work on other ventures, Naughty returned with Poverty's Paradise and I'm certain the label was pushing for more hits. They pushed 'Craziest' and 'Feel Me Flow' heavy on national radio, I still remember the 'Hot 97 is the Craziest' campaign. To me, the best tracks on the album were 'Clap Yo Hands' and Treach's powerful meaning of the chain around his neck on 'Chain Remains.' In 1996, the Grammy Awards introduced the 'Best Rap Album' category and 'Poverty's Paradise' went up against 2Pac's 'Me Against The World,' Bone Thugs' 'E 1999 Eternal,' 'Return To The 36 Chambers' by Ol' Dirty Bastard & 'I Wish' by Skee-Lo - Naughty by Nature took home the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album that year. With the exception of ODB, each was also nominated in additional rap categories, as well. Would you take 'Poverty's Paradise' over 'Me Against The World'? That's a tough one for me... both are solid.
The rap "Splash Brothers" are Hus Kingpin & SmooVth. Their 11-track EP, "Splash Bros" features Rozewood, Mavelous Mag, Conway the Machine, Roc Marciano, The Audible Doctor, J57, Eyedee and more. This is gonna make its way around the internet, for sure, but if you haven't peeped it yet, go ahead and stream it below! Hus and SmooVth deliver with straight beats and rhymes, dig into it...
Through countless hours of diggin' and recording at the studio, Swiss DJs Ruck N' Wiz proudly present "A Journey Through The Samples" which is broken into three extensive volumes, and features several hundreds original samples in a continuous mix. The mixes cross all the genres from Soul to Jazz over to RnB & Funk and even Rock & Latin. There's too many artists to begin to list them, and I'm not sure on the rules on snitchin' over samples lol, so dig into all 3 the mixes below!
Bahamadia released her debut album "Kollage" on April 2, 1996. Her conversational style, monotone flow, and poetic rhymes were meshed with the funky production of DJ Premier, Da Beatminerz, N.O. Joe, Guru, The Roots, and more, creating a classic album from the Philly MC. One of the stand-out tracks was the second single, "Uknowhowwedu," with production from Ski-Beatz and DJ Red Handed in 1995. A brief back story and review of the single from The Source says, "Many have heard the lyrical styling of Bahamadia on duets with Guru and The Roots and on an all-star female lineup on Big Kap's "Da Ladies." Having established a sizable following with those who appreciate spoken word a la hip-hop, Bahamadia delivers for dat ass in her self-proclaimed "off beat flow." Watch below.
"Uknowhowwedu" is a mellow lil' ditty with a catchy hook and groovy track. The swinging beat offsets Bahamadia's monotone delivery. Her voice is slightly reminiscent of the abstract poet - especially when all Philly crew is told to "rock, rock on." Years later, this is still one of Bahamadia's most popular cuts, as well as the B-Side "True Honey Buns," produced by the greatest of all-time, DJ Premier. "Wittily getting her point across, Bahamadia freaks the science of "it ain't what you do, it's how you do." (Angela Bronner, The Source). Check out the video for "True Honey Buns" below.
"At 25, many rappers have had their time in the spotlight, hung up their mics and found a new career. But Jemini, an emcee from the age of 12, has only recently got a record deal - and he's putting all his years of experience into the project. To hear that Jemini has been waiting ten years to get signed will come as a surprise when you hear what he has to offer. A fluid and sparky delivery is accompanied by phat beats to kill for. Before his chance to drop plastic, the interim period has been a mixed one - switching between modeling, commercials, radio jingles, writing and dancing for several groups. Indeed he only grabbed his deal through a stroke of luck. A tape he made with Goldfinger - a fellow Brooklynite and mix deejay signed to Mercury with his crew, Full Metal Jacket - had made its way to the record company. "The A&R at Mercury heard a tape with four cats on it. And he dug me!" ... Like many others he cut his teeth on emcee battling, although he's keen to downplay its role. "It was just what was going down at the time. Right now it's like a rites of passage for a lot of young rappers. There's a misconception that freestyling is coming off the top of your head... Back in 1982, freestyle was just as simple as this, the bottom line was just handling your business in a freestyle atmosphere. You're not cutting a demo, not necessarily doing a show or cutting a record," he advises. "When jazz musicians get together to do a free-form jazz session, those jazz musicians are doing different riffs and notes they've practiced all along, but they get there they do it in a freestyle atmosphere... When you're freestyling, you can write rhymes, it's just that when it comes to your turn you are expected to be able to handle your business, you entertain people and they go away saying, 'He's dope'." #FreeOfStyle Cont'd below...
"With Brooklyn once more showing the hip-hop world the way, Jemini has struck at the right time ... and like all inhabitants of the borough, is quick to pay his dues. "Brooklyn is the epitome of keeping it real, and it don't get no realer than Brooklyn. Brooklyn is gritty, Brooklyn is hardcore, Brooklyn is survival of the fittest and Brooklyn is Jemini," he gushes. On tracks like "Can't Stop Rockin' (Tribute)." the title track "Scars and Pain" and "Funk Soul Sensation," Jemini introduces his twin personality. But it isn't no Redman-like schizophrenia, as he affirms. "One character is The Gifted One, the laidback, articulate, logical one. He's the one who wants to break it down with words, whereas The Funk Soul Sensation wants to break it down with adrenaline, with emotion, with the 'Raaaaaaa!'." And Jemini has his own recipe for success. "Use what you have in life, acknowledge what's going on around you and be able to think quick on your feet. But the most is that I feel you got to be able to read a lot - that's how you become familiar with words and phrases and be able to connect them all together." Sound advice from one still young but old in the ways of hip-hop." - Hip Hop Connection, 4/95.
