Blu & Exile "In The Beginning: Before The Heavens" (Album Stream)

10 years after Blu & Exile released their magnum opus "Below the Heavens," the California duo have reunited to release 14 tracks from the original 2007 sessions. "In the Beginning: Before the Heavens" contains rare songs and unreleased gems – the best of the best chosen from over 40 songs in the vault. In The Beginning: Before the Heavens is made of up songs that are raw and untouched, keeping the authenticity of Blu and Exile’s creativity at the time. The album has guest appearances from familiar names like Dr. Oop, Donel Smokes, Aloe Blacc, and Blame One. While “Soul Provider,” “Another Day,” and “Party of Two” appeared on Blu’s Lifted EP, the majority of these songs showcase Blu rapping at his peak, maintaining his underground attitude as he dishes on reaching star status (“Constellations”), getting radio play (“On the Radio”), or opposing views in a problem-ridden world (“You’re Gonna Die Someday”). Exile, meanwhile, builds a golden hip-hop era feel with head-nodding samples and DJ scratches. Available below and on CD and Vinyl via Fat Beats.

Big Daddy Kane "Taste Of Chocolate" (Tootsie Roll Promo)

"Big Daddy Kane gave one of his most consistent efforts with Taste of Chocolate, his third album. Kane not only had first-rate technique and rhyming skills working to his CD's advantage, he also had quite a bit of excellent and varied material to choose from. Though he still spends too much time bragging about his microphone skills, such hard-hitting numbers as "Mr. Pitiful" and his sobering "Dance With The Devil" show just how substantial he can be. This time, Kane is joined by a number of distinguished guests, including Barry White (who is typically charismatic on the rap ballad "All of Me"); Malcolm X's daughter Gamilah Shabazz (with whom he duets on "Who Am I") and the raunchy comedian Rudy Ray Moore. When Kane and Moore exchange insults on "Big Daddy Vs. Dolemite" things get outrageously entertaining." - Alex Henderson // Taste of Chocolate was Big Daddy Kane's first album to go gold, reaching #33 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the R&B chart. According to Chuck D's This Day in Rap and Hip-Hop History, it was released on this day in 1990. Listen HERE and check out the promotional 13" tootsie roll that was released in 1990 along with the album. 

Pharoahe Monch "Evolve" (The Source, 1995)

"The majority of us don't even recognize that Amerikkka is outgrowing its need for our generation. Now, some might say Amerikkka has used us enough. True, but with the numerous, recent government attacks on welfare, senior citizens aid and educational programs, we at least need to be more useful to ourselves and our families. When your world is encompassed within a six block radius, you are limiting your knowledge to that circumference. If in this psychological circle around your being, you find total paradise as such - $10 for weed, $1 for Phillies, $2 for a 40 oz. and $3 for chicken wings and pork fried rice - you are indeed living a shallow existence monetarily and spiritually. As MCs, we have a definite voice of power. Our words will be forever immortalized on vinyl, tapes, CDs, etc., for generations to peep beyond our own existence. No, it is not every MC's responsibility to bring wisdom to the light because creativity shouldn't be limited to just teaching. However, if you possess the ability to open someone's eyes, move masses and expand their world but you refuse to, then you have forsaken your gift from The Most High. As it stands now, our industry does not reward intellect over ignorance, especially when the negative influences are a billion dollar commodity. The youth have to reach out for more and demand better from life and art. If we don't, our culture will implode - growing smaller until we ultimately cease to exist." - Pharoahe.

Mood "Doom" (Hip-Hop Connection, 1/98)

"Lauded by their label as "the end of hip-hop as we know it," Mood - a three piece from Cincinnati, Ohio - are taking a more political and philosophical slant on the rap game. Of course, plenty of rappers have tried to get deep on us, but Mood's apocalyptic rants have more substance to them than most, making references to journalists and CIA figures to back up their shadowy conspiracy theories. "Esoteric Manuscripts" gives a good pointer to the Mood style, with its eerie guitar strum and tinkling glockenspiel, while the beat provides a crisp crunch as satisfying as a packet of Pringles. 'Karma' shows off the skills of rappers Donte and Main-Flow to best effect, as they overlap and intertwine their solid, flamboyant flows. The production - handled partly by their deejay, Jahson, and also Hi-Tek of Reflection Eternal - also has some nice touches, but what lets Mood down is their beats. Created completely by drum machines, they don't provide enough of a spread of rhythms to hold your interest for 19 tracks. For all their doom-laded tales, Mood are showing us something positive: that hip-hop's got somewhere to go after the big willies have gone limp." Revisit it below...

Full review in Hip Hop Connection (January, 1998) ... 

Alps Cru "Time Machine" (EP Stream)

Newly recorded boom-bap goodness from international cult-favorites Alps Cru has arrived! The latest limited-edition vinyl release of Alps material from F5 Records features two never-before-heard beats made by DJ Alejan on the ASR-10 in 1996. Shorty Live and P Da Wicked’s effortless chemistry is on full display on the first half of the EP. El Da Sensei joins them as they travel back to the golden age over a vintage DJ Alejan beat on “Time Machine.” The second half of the EP features Shorty Live (aka Brank Napp) on the solo tip. As Brank Napp says on the DJ Crucial-produced banger “Facts” – “This is more for the more mature who want more from a rap song.” 

Nasty Nas & The Extra P "The Lost Album"

The inspiration for this project might have been best summed up by Nas himself: "Large Professor was the one that really started working with me first…so we were on to a lot of crazy ideas…he really could have done the entire [Illmatic] record and in the beginning, I wanted him to. Once I was working with him, why would you need to go anywhere else? You got HIM…so my thought was that one day it would happen and he would do the whole thing" Since that day has yet to come, we put together our own version of this elusive "lost album." Drawing from the wealth of post-Illmatic Large Pro instrumentals and Nas acapellas, we carefully paired some of the best examples of two artists at the top of their game, highlighting some underrated works while reimagining hooks and adlibs to help fuel the illusion of an authentic collaboration - via ItsOverture. Dig into it below...

Grand Puba "Reel To Reel" 25th Anniversary Mix

A brief description of the mix was put up by Hellee Hooper, explaining "To honor a masterpiece in Hip hop music, I have put together this mix to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Reel To Reel By Grand Puba." For years, I only had this album on cassette, and while I do think it's a great album, cassette probably wasn't the best format because there was a bit of filler on the album, which damaged the replay value for me. That said, I honestly do think Grand Puba was heavily slept-on as an MC, trendsetter, and a potential star rising up from his crew, Brand Nubian. Word around town was always that he was hard to work with (allegedly), which might have been holding him back? Hard to say. "Big Kids Don't Play" is still one of my favorite joints though lol Now is a good time to revisit Grand Puba's "Reel To Reel," props to Hellee Hooper on the mix - be sure to give it a listen below...

Nature "Queens Classics 2" (Album Stream)

I haven't stopped rockin' Volume 1 of Nature's "Queens Classics," now he's back with a second throwback release! More Queens hood classics with tracks featuring Half A Mil (R.I.P.), Styles P, Nas, Pete Rock, Noreaga, Fat Joe, FT, Capone-N-Noreaga, DJ Clue, Littles, 50 Cent & lots more. Hit the tags to dig up the first Queens Classic, and dig into this release below to get that old feeling back!