Jay-Z "4:44" (Thoughts)

Finally, an album closer to what I've been wanting to hear from Jay-Z. Grown rap that I can learn and relate to, because - unfortunately - for so long I felt like Hustler Hov was just flashing shine and creating more distance and being more off-putting with each release. This is a nice return to a golden era sound and delivery, more heavily lent to the messages in the music. Props to No I.D. on the production and Jay on many of the sample choices (I'm told). A thought that runs through my head: now that it's here, if the fans don't reward the effort - if the accolades don't come - do we risk admitting that there's no room for this quality of music/messaging in mainstream rap? Is that a harsh reality we'll have to face? Just like White America learned the night of the election; it had to face itself and see the choices the majority had made. Will fans ultimately decide for the fast food rap instead? I'm curious, but, for now, just appreciating a quality album released in the mainstream, that somehow feels like it went against the grain, lol. He's certainly not the only artist to do it, but for a legacy artist of his stature and success, it was clearly an album he felt he needed to make, and certainly one fans needed to hear. At the time of this post, the album was only available on Tidal, but I'm updating it to include the Spotify audio below, because I do not have Tidal, lol. Enjoy!

Arsonists "Mixtape, 1998" + Stress Magazine, 1997

This is the original Arsonists mixtape from 1998 featuring unreleased tracks, radio appearances, mixtape intros, etc. This is a rare tape now brought to you in digital format by the Arsonists and Creative Juices. Specifically, the mix features the incredible 'Battle of the Beats' that Arsonists won over some other incredible artists, as well as The Session, Halloween, Venom, Blaze, and a number of really dope exclusive freestyles with DJ Roc Raida (R.I.P.), Tony Touch, Mr. Sinista, DJ Camilo, and more. The real essence of what the Arsonists brought to Hip-Hop was captured in their live show. Their energy and stage presence was unmatched at the time. The article in Stress Magazine (1997) below speaks to that: "One of our biggest influences was the Cold Crush days and watching Wild Style over and over, plus some of us already danced," says D-Stroy. At Arsonist shows everything is crazy planned, like all of them will just freeze in a post during a person's verse or they'll change into airbrushed tank tops with letters on the front that go along with the song they're done. I've seen them incorporate funny hats, karate kicks, old dances and b-boying - and not once come off corny." Yessir! Much love to Freestyle, D-Stroy, Q-Unique, Jise One, Swel, the whole crew. Listen below...

Here's the full article in Stress Magazine, Issue #10, 1997...

 

Gang Starr "Daily Operation" (25th Anniversary Mix)

"Daily Operation: the third LP of one of hip-hop’s most revered and beloved duos: Gang Starr. Released May 5, 1992, the album features classic joints such as “Take It Personal” and “Ex-Girl to Next Girl.” To celebrate the record’s birthday, Chris Read has crafted yet another exclusive mixtape featuring album tracks, alternate versions, and original sample material." Props to Chris Read, WhoSampled and Wax Poetics for a tribute to the greatest duo, and my favorite group of all-time, Gang Starr. R.I.P., Guru. Listen to their 25th anniversary mixtape below and hit the tags for more...

"Tribute To Erick Sermon" (Mixed By DJ Psycut)

Founding member of EPMD and Def Squad, Erick Sermon aka the Green Eyed Bandit is a legendary Producer & MC from Brentwood, Long Island. In my opinion he’s always been the funkiest producer on the East Coast. Through his records, I became interested in P-Funk, Zapp, Johnny Guitar Watson, to name a few. On this tribute mix I wanted to pay homage to the 3 main phases of his career. The explosion of EPMD in the Golden Era, his productions for Redman and K-Solo. He made countless remixes, productions, appearances on classic and more slept-on 90’s Rap & R&B joints. The early 2000’s changed production styles slightly but the funk & soul was always there, as evident on his more recent solo work like the Marvin Gaye sampling Just Like Music." - DJ Psycut

Vega Benetton "94 Rugged-N-Raw" (Mixtape)

Let's go back to 1994 ... this is Vega Benetton's '94 Rugged-N-Raw,' a classic mix of tracks from Nas, Craig Mack, Big L, The Beatnuts, Group Home, Kurious, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Common, Gang Starr, Keith Murray, Biggie, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeru The Damaja, Channel Live, Black Moon, Mad Lion, Redman, Showbiz & AG, and lots more. Vega Benetton handled the mixing on Torae's first project, 'Daily Conversation,' as well as a Cornerstone Mixtape, a series of mixes for PNC Radio & lots more. For a full tracklist, click the MixCloud link; I posted it all in the description.

Royce Da 5'9" "The Bar Exam 4" (Mix Stream)

Royce Da 5’9 delivers the 4th installment to his mixtape series "The Bar Exam," in the form of the aptly titled The Bar Exam 4. Packed with 28 ferocious, lyrical tracks, the album features vocal contributions from Westside Gunn and Conway, Slaughterhouse, Nick Grant, Elzhi + production from Green Lantern. Royce is 100% on that short list of rapper's favorite rappers. Listen to it below!

L The Head Toucha "Too Complex" (The Source 4/97)

"Worcester, Massachusetts' L The Head Toucha is an MC whose stylistic flourishes gain inspiration from the sophisticated poetics of contemporaries like Organized Konfusion and The Roots. Slickly produced by one of hip-hop's most slept-on beat-teams, The Vinyl Reanimators, this single provides more than ample spotlight time for L's breathy timbre, enabling "Too Complex" to live up to its title without losing us in overindulgences: "To MC the art of rhyming should be pure and natural / When I think of all these ill skills international / See my words and actions will / Attract the steel like a magnet / N!ggas is stagnant / And incomplete like fragments." Scratch-ins from Trugoy's verse on De La's "The Bizness" are just the cherry on top of this charmingly subtle bounce track ... Endowed with the abilities to finance the utilities, L's debut suggests 'nuff potential. May the world be his." - Chairman Mao (Sure Shot Singles / The Source: April, 1997). Listen to the "Too Complex" single... 

DJ Kay Slay & Dipset "The Diplomats" Vol.1-2 (Mixtape, 2002)

When I heard Cam'ron going in over 'Ambitionz Az A Ridah,'  'Maria Maria,' 'Stan,' 'Bitches Ain't Shit,' and others on the Dipset x Kay Slay mixtape, "The Diplomats," I was thoroughly entertained. I'd been following Cam since the Children of the Corn days, but he lost me a bit after S.D.E., even though I considered that to be his best solo album. I kept one eye on the Dipset wave that took over New York, but aside from that mixtape, I wasn't on it too tough. I do, however, consider this to be a phenomenal mixtape that still sounds dope today. Updated with a new link, listen below...