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Episode 179 : Crate Expectations

"If you're wrong, you're wrong, and if you're right, you're right."

- Malcolm X

It's been a rough month in the Hip-Hop community, as we've said goodbye to Mister Cee, Rico Wade of Organized Noize, MC Duke, and Keith LeBlanc, all of whom are included in this episode's selection. Rest in peace to all, and thanks to them for all their contributions.

Despite spending a fair amount of time (and £) digging in the vintage crates this month, the selection is mostly a mix of exploring my existing colllection, plus a few new brand new digital releases. I will be very impressed if there's anyone who knows every track here already!

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Playlist/Notes

MysDiggi : Skull Island

It was a pleasure to hear the well-respected UK MC MysDiggi explain some of his approach to writing and maintaining a career at the Hip-Hop @ 50 event at the Contact Theatre in Manchester recently, and so I wanted to include a track from him on this episode! On this track from "Tip Of Da Mysberg 3", he's in full King Kong mode over an 8-bit-style beat from Manchester's Twizted Roots (now Strange Soul Music) that has demolished the room when he's played it at the WORKINONIT producer sessions. A perfect union for a literally monster tune!

[Dabrye] Bus : Keep Life Right Remix (Instrumental)

Bass and more bass, following up with another electronic track that was very popular in Manchester on the underground scene in the early nineties. The vocal version has lyrics by Scottish MC Soom-T, and if you go all the way back to Episode 55 you can hear it there - though of course, if you like it, I recommend buying a copy!

Sparkz : Buzzin

Last year's "Overload" EP by Manchester's Sparkz was a great release on High Focus records, with five tracks entirely produced as well as written by the man himself - and with a touch not seen nearly enough these days, all the instrumentals coming included as well! This is the opener and probably my favourite, with a nice relaxed bounce to the rhythm and the lyrics flowing over nice and easy...until he ramps it up with some devastating double-speed bars! I don't know if any of the vinyl copies of this are still available, but it's on Bandcamp so you can pick it up for yourself there.

OutKast : Elevators (ONP 86 Mix)

Of course there had to be some Rico Wade this month, and so I've gone back to what is still my favourite OutKast LP ("ATLiens") for the remix of the lead single. It retains some of the same spooky keys as the OutKast-produced original but overall swaps elements out for something more of a live feel, you could say - almost like a funk band putting their own spin on it.

Cookin Soul & The Musalini ft. Planet Asia : I Want It All

Mus has been cultivating his New York take on the "gentleman of leisure" lane, and this luxurious track is a standout on the newly-released "Mackaroni" album, with Valencia's Cookin Soul hooking up an Anita Baker sample for a short and sweet cut, with both Mus and guest Planet Asia cooking (no pun intended) up visions of fly living, with those Mediterranean lamb chops sounding good right about now...

Z-Ro ft. Mya : Clearer

This has been a track on repeat for me this month, great track from Rother Vandross' new "The Ghetto Gospel" LP. He's never really made a mainstream splash, but those who know him have no choice but to appreciate and respect him. Getting the legendary Mya to feature here was a big win, and Beanz & KornBread on production beautifully interpolate a Houston classic for a sparkling clean track perfect for when the sun does eventually appear!

DJ DMD : 25 Lighters (Instrumental)

I was utterly amazed to find out that I'd never played any version of this track on the show before, but with the preceding tune drawing heavily from this Houston anthem, I had to drop the instrumental at least. DJ DMD sampled the classic "Nite and Day" by Al B. Sure and hooked it up perfectly for an absolute classic which has been referenced by many within the culture - and even covered by ZZ Top!

Polyrhythm Addicts : Smash

Banging, bludgeoning Hip-Hop right here, with DJ Spinna's beat indeed out to smash everything in sight. This is taken from the second Polyrhythm Addicts LP, "Break Glass...", which saw Apani B. Fly step away from the group and the also-ill Tiye Phoenix take her spot. I think I missed this the first time round, only really hearing the debut LP, but after happening upon this it sounds like the lesser-known second album is worth seeking out.

Slum Village & Mick Boogie ft. Rapper Big Pooh and Vice : Fresh

This isn't the sound that many associate with Slum Village, but they've produced some pretty varied material sonically through the different lineups of the group over the years. The intentionally raw "Dirty Slums" mixtape by Mick Boogie featured this grimy track, with banging drums, wailing electric guitar and dirty synth bass, plus the Detroit crew bringing in reinforcement from North Carolina in the shape of Little Brother's Rapper Big Pooh.

Dungeon Family : Curtains (DF 2nd Generation)

Going into the Organized Noize/Rico Wade catalogue again, this was a track at the end of Dungeon Family's "Even In Darkness" album, and as the subtitle indicates, showcases the members of the crew who were up next after OutKast, Goodie Mob, and the rest. The one who probably jumps out to most is Killer Mike, who has gone on to have a long career as a soloist and as half of Run The Jewels, but everyone holds theirs down on this track. For those that might not have known, The Dungeon was the name of the basement studio in Rico's mother's house, where he and the rest of the crew honed their crafts and did their first recordings; it's nice that the name lives on.

Nas & DJ Premier : Define My Name

If you're a very online Hip-Hop fan, you'll certainly have heard this track already, but I thought I'd share it for those who aren't! This is the lead single from the long, long-awaited Nas and Preemo album - and as much as some people complain they wanted it years ago, things happen when they happen. Nas breaks down his actual name and then looks back over his history from the viewpoint of someone who, like the rest of us, might not have imagined that nineteen-year-old who wrote "Illmatic" still releasing heat at fifty! DJ Premier's beat is sparse in one of his signature styles, and of course his near-trademark scratch phrase hook is in effect. The wait is almost over...

[Mark B] & Blade : Sealed With A Diss (Instrumental)

RIP Mark B, who along with Blade made a great duo that even managed to get some mainstream success after years of holding it down on the underground. This track, the second A-side cut on the 2001 "There's No Stoppin' It" EP, was the answer to all those who took shots at them because of that success, with this urgent beat and Blade playing no games on the mic!

Ultramagnetic MCs : Kool Keith Model Android 406

Sound quality is a bit rough, combined with some...interesting ideas on panning, but hopefully that doesn't take away too much from this Ultramagnetic rarity! It's on a compilation called "The B-Sides Companion", but I can't seem to find what, if anything, it was ever on the B-side of - information would be appreciated. By the way, if you're looking to buy the compilation you might want to get the CD, as the overall pressing quality of the vinyl isn't great.

Malcolm X : No Sell Out

I was sure I'd played this recently, but couldn't find any record of it so I must have just been listening in the house 😆 Keith LeBlanc was the producer here (though the record is credited to Malcolm X), and he had the idea of combining spoken word samples (this back in 1983!) with a beat, after hearing Grandmaster Flash playing part of the famed Dirty Harry "do you feel lucky?" speech over a record. A drummer by trade, he built the track completely with drum machines, the cutting-edge tech of the time, and then laid quotes from the legendary freedom fighter over the top. It was controversial in some circles, but if nothing else, he ensured that he got permission from Malcolm's widow, Dr. Betty Shabazz, and that the family got paid. Love it or hate it, this was a groundbreaking record for sure, and one that preceded the Afrocentric Hip-Hop era where Malcolm's words very much came to the fore.

Big Daddy Kane : Mister Cee's Master Plan

We hardly have DJs in rap groups anymore, so the DJ track has long since sadly been consigned to the history books in all but a handful of cases. However, there was a time it was a must and Big Daddy Kane cedes the spotlight on this cut from his debut "Long Live The Kane" to his DJ, the recently-departed Mister Cee, bigging him up on the mic and then letting him cut it up on the turntables. Plan executed.

Gang Starr : Take A Rest (Take 5 Remix)

Of course there had to be some Guru this month, so here we have a remix of an old classic from the "Step In The Arena" LP. London's CJ Mackintosh gets on the boards for this one, keeping the foundation of DJ Premier's production but blending a little extra jazz into it! I picked this up on a compilation of Gang Starr rarities, but the official place to find it is on the B-side of the UK release of "Take A Rest" itself.

Sadat X : The Great Dot X (Instrumental)

The wax I got this on (a sampler of tracks from the Stimulated label) unfortunately doesn't credit the producer, but this takes an old R&B (in the original sense) dancefloor classic that was a big single in its day...and wisely, doesn't mess with it too much!

Duke : Return Of The Dread-I

We close the episode with a track from the late MC Duke, a UK pioneer who got his start when he served up the winner of a DMC MC battle who said he could beat anyone in the place! He was signed to the famed Music of Life label, on which he released two LPs - "Return Of The Dread-I" being the second. Of course, it heavily channels "Star Wars" in the way you'd expect from the title, with Double H Productions working the vocal samples into the hook of this frenetic track, with Duke himself coming with the rebel attitude like Luke Skywalker and the aggression of his father. RIP Duke.

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

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airadam · 1 month

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Episode 178 : @StreetLevel

"...just to show how many come to the funeral."

- Tee

There's some very serious Hip-Hop in this month's selection - from the rugged to the smooth, and from some old and even unreleased material to brand new releases! Of course we pay tribute to Biggie, Phife, and Nate Dogg, with some music that may have passed you by previously.

RIP Bo$$...I make a point of not repeating tracks on the podcast, but her classic single "Deeper" is in the mix on episode 37 if you fancy going back nearly twelve years into the archives. Her run may have been short, but the talent was there.

Oh yes - the Hieroglyphics gig in Manchester this June still has some tickets available!

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Playlist/Notes

The Notorious B.I.G and 2Pac : Where Brooklyn At? (Freestyle)

Starting off raw, but also very much a selection that makes you sad when you consider what was lost - first a friendship, then two lives. Biggie and 2Pac took the stage together in 1993 at Madison Square Garden for this memorable freestyle performance (with some of the lyrics later turning up on other tracks), and DJ Mister Cee had the presence of mind to record it to cassette. The sound quality might be rough, but it's history. RIP to Biggie and 2Pac.

[Oh No] Grand Agent : After

This track is a shockingly short fifty-two seconds long, so I had to loop it up here to give a long enough instrumental bed for the voiceover - and it's a shame because it's easily one of the best beat on the "Under The Circumstances" project that Oh No produced for Grand Agent back in 2005. This was another bit of wax that I rediscovered during The Great Digitisation, and I'm glad I did - for everyone who missed it the first time round, there's a very affordable digital release!

The Eastsidaz ft. Butch Cassidy, Nate Dogg, and Kokane : Cool

We start the first mix over on the West Coast, Long Beach to be precise, with The Eastsidaz, a group made up of Snoop, Big Tray Deee, and Goldie Loc, and essentially a reprise of a previous group The Eastsiders that had Snoop, Crooked I, and Li'l C-Style as members. While the original group only released one song officially, the later lineup is much better-known, and their second LP "Duces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way" is a well-regarded album for those who appreciate the style. The late great Nate Dogg blesses them with some vocals on the hook here, alongside the multi-talented but oft-overlooked Butch Cassidy who is actually the lead singer here, and another connoisseur's choice in Pomona's Kokane. The producer isn't one that you might immediately expect, but in fact Hi-Tek working with MCs who are spitting material far from the Reflection Eternal sphere!

Tyler Daley : Never Look Down

The first of a run of three Manchester tracks, this is a brand new single from half of Children of Zeus, taken from his aptly-named "Son of Zeus" EP. Thematically this could have been part of Zeus' "Balance" album, with Tyler both rhyming and singing about the challenges and pressures of balancing family life and a music career, over the kind of modern soul production that is a crew trademark. Definitely get yourself a copy of this new release.

Berry Blacc, Dubbul O, & Jointhedots : The Rain

Possibly the most appropriately-named record that could come from Manchester, Jointhedots are back with their second release of the year, with longtime collaborators Dubbul O and Berry Blacc on the mic. The jazzy, chilled vibe of the instrumental is a trademark of the crew, and both MCs settle into it perfectly - not trying to dominate it, not running wild, just fitting in as two more instruments, lyrical ones of course. Grab this single and keep an eye out for future releases...🤞🏿

KinKai & Mecca:83 : Safe Don't Say

Short, but one where they leave us wanting more! A third straight local selection, this was on the mammoth "Manchester With Love" compilation that raised money after the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. With over 200 tracks, it was easy for any individual track to slip under the radar, and somehow this gem did for me! Mecca:83 supplies a piano-led track with a little acoustic guitar in the back, and KinKai displays a preview of the quality he delivered on his debut LP three years later.

[DJ Quik] Suga Free : On My Way (Inst)

Playing instrumentals allows me to feature some songs which might be lyrically a bit...much - and plenty of Suga Free's material fits into that category! The vocal version is on his debut LP "Street Gospel", which is entirely produced by the man behind the boards here, Compton's own DJ Quik.

Math Hoffa : Comeback

Absolute fire - this was being trailed at the start of Math's "My Expert Opinion" podcast videos on Youtube before the full video surfaced. Still, as I said in the comments, I wasn't counting it as a release until the audio was out to stream or buy, and now it is! Wordplay and punchlines are the name of the game here, as the renowned battle rapper and podcast host starts off talking about his iced-out watch and takes it from there. GQ Beatz does a stellar job on production, taking a well-known Janet Jackson sample as the basis and filling out beautifully around it. I'm a huge fan of this single.

Paul Wall & Termanology ft. CL Smooth : It's Magic

The sound of this track is so chunky I wondered for a sec if Statik Selektah had sampled the Alex Isley cover version of Patrice Rushen's "Remind Me", but it's the original, expertly augmented. Taken from last year's "Start, Finish, Repeat" album, this may have been an autumn release but it's got summer anthem (for the heads) written all over it. CL Smooth is the perfect guest star, Paul Wall is spitting heavy too, and Termanology brings it home with his rapid-fire flow. Expect to hear this on my Twitch streams and mixes this year!

Large Professor : The LP (For My People)

Classic boom-bap - which was, with a different sentiment, the feeling of Geffen Records, who didn't know what to do with "The LP" when it was completed in 1996 as they felt it was too retro. Well, it's still getting play nowadays while many of the records they expected the Queens legend to ape have long since been forgotten. Bass is thick, drums are too, and it's just that straight-up 90s Hip-Hop.

Phife ft. Dwele : God Send

While I could have played something from Tribe, I decided that the Phife tune this month would be something from his final solo LP, "Forever", which was released posthumously. Despite everything he was going through at the time, some of which he speaks of on the track, Phife is philosophical and even a touch optimistic, which says a lot about his spirit. Dwele provides some great added vocals, and the whole thing is undergirded by production from G Koop & Bobby Ozuna. RIP Mutty Ranks.

Ge-Ology : Q-Boro Bonus Break 1 (Inst)

Bonus is right - a cheeky extra beat on the 12" of Apani B-Fly Emcee's "Estragen" courtesy of Ge-Ology - a producer maybe not known to everyone, but peep this interview!

Defcee and BoatHouse ft. greenSLLIME : Close The Curtain

This has been getting an awful lot of headphone time for me this month, and I can already see it making my Spotify Wrapped come the end of the year. You need to pick up the Import Edition version of the "For All Debts Public And Private" album to get this - worth supporting as there a good number of extra tracks on top of what was already a very solid album. BoatHouse's dark beat is perfect for a weights workout, and both MCs go back and forth in classic duo fasion with skill, but the absolute highlight for me here is Defcee taking Jadakiss' famous boasts from "We Gonna Make It" and adding clever asides for an everyman, self-deprecating take! It's a really nice bit of borrowing that I like to think would make the man from The LOX smile if he hears it 🙂

Curren$y & Statik Selektah ft. Termanology : Gran Turismo

Statik and Termanology together again (as 1982), but this time supporting the New Orleans legend Curren$y on the title track from a very enjoyable, if short release from 2019. Laidback and kind of gentle, despite the solidity of the bassline and the crisp drums, it's less of a racing soundtrack and more of a sunset crusing accompaniment.

X-Ecutioners ft. Anikke and Taboo : The Turntablist Anthem

You might have missed this one, which was a smooth track from the 1997 "X-Pressions" LP. The album wasn't what I was expecting from this legendary turntablist crew, being much more expansive - with scratch tracks and routines rubbing shoulders with spoken word, straight instrumentals, and tracks like this one! With the hook inspired by "Hey DJ" by The World's Famous Supreme Team, this has an unusual structure - on top of the beat you have mostly scratching courtesy of Rob Swift, the hook coming in periodically, and then a single rhymed verse to close out. The album might not have been a big seller, but is definitely worth your time for a listen.

Terrace Martin ft. Arin Ray & Smino : This Morning

I wasn't aware of Arin Ray or Smino (MC on the second verse) until I heard this, likely as a lot of R&B and the like passes me by, but together with Terrace Martin they're a fire combination! This was on the 2021 "Drones" album and it's a sonic treat - those rolling drums, deep sub-bass lurking, and plenty of keys courtesy of Mr Martin put the pressure on the vocalists to come correct, and thy do.

The Alchemist : Break The Bank

A steady, melancholy beat that almost sounds like time counting down. Who'd have thought that half of The Whooliganz would eventually master this kind of vibe? This instrumental is on the "Rapper's Best Friend 3" compilation, but you can hear it with lyrics thanks to Schoolboy Q, on the ten year-old (already?) LP "Oxymoron".

Ice Cube ft. Deadly Threat, J Dee, Kam, King Tee, and The Maad Circle : Color Blind

Wow. I was maybe fifteen when I first heard this towards the end of Ice Cube's "Death Certificate" album, and this collection of testimonies to the realities of Los Angeles' gang violence hits me even harder all these years later. The production draws you in without demanding the spotlight, which is rightly on the MCs. Every single verse has at least one starkly memorable line, even the closing two half-length verses by King Tee and J-Dee. I wanted to play this one in full, with nothing following it, so that you can take it all in in its entirety and hear every single bar clearly. A masterpiece, in my humble opinion.

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airadam · 2 months

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Episode 177 : Like Clockwork.

"Rockin' and rollin' like the myth of Sisyphus..."

- Anthony Cruz

More than any other month in the year, February is the one where we remember some of the greats that have passed on; as such, this mix includes tracks from J Dilla, De La Soul (RIP Dave), Big L, and Big Pun. The average ruggedness level is high, and we start off with a classic sample being used on a remix you might not know...volume up!

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Playlist/Notes

Slum Village : We Be Dem (Atomic Dog Mix)

"Atomic Dog" is one of the most heavily-used samples in Hip-Hop, and with good reason - even in novice hands it sounds good, and with someone like J Dilla in charge, it sounds amazing! He has it twitching on the three on a beat it's impossible not to move to, and on the mics, the crew don't get too complex. It's only a short one, which I got on a white label of unreleased Slum Village cuts, but I think you can find it these days on some of the digital platforms. In my opinion, this mix wins over the original version!

The ARE : OH

You can hear the sound of a well-known Michael Jackson cut being atomised and reconfigured on this killer from the "Dem Damb Jacksons" instrumentals, which punches so hard that you realise why the track title is in upper case! The whole project, as you might guess from the name, is all MJ and Jackson 5 samples, worked to perfection by the man from Houston who you may also know as a member of K-Otix.

De La Soul ft. Yummy Bingham : Much More

A single that deserved to be so as a standout from "The Grind Date", this starts off with an uncredited guest appearance by the DJ Premier questioning the commitment of some to the the Hip-Hop culture, before passing to the late great Dave (aka Trugoy) to handle the opening verse. "Using these minutes like I value the call" is a great analogy for an MC who understood more than many how important it is to say something when you have the platform to do so. J Dilla's beat is grand and imposing, and his re-pitching of the main sample as used in the hook wrong-foots you - it was originally sung by a man, but sounds like a woman by the time he's finished with it!

Sol Uprising ft. Emanon : Feel The Sound

Somehow I'd "played past" this one over and over again, due to it sharing a slab of vinyl with the incredible "Raach Ya Sol" on the 2004 "They Don't Know" 12", but having stumbled on it while shortlisting for this month, I think I need to find more places to play it! Sol Uprising is the union of Sci the MC and the awesome Stacy Epps, who is towards the top of my list of "Musicians I Wish Had Released More Material". Alongside them here are Emanon, with Exile (who you might know better for his work with Blu) on production, and Aloe Blacc on the mic. It's the records like this, the ones that slip under the radar, the ones that you sometimes take a chance on, that really make a DJ's record collection.

L.E.G.A.C.Y : More

Legacy strides over this cut from the "Legsclusives" album with so much confidence that you can't help but love it! 9th Wonder's beat from the heyday of the Justus League initially draws you in with the short sample that repeats throughout and his swinging drum track (with a different snare/clap than you might have expected), but that sneaky low bass really anchors it.

Kid Capri ft. Big Pun and NORE : Block Party

Big Pun is regarded as one of the greats in spite of him unfortunately passing away without a huge amount of recordings - his impact was that powerful. It's always a joy to realise you have a feature by him that might not be known to many, and so we land on this collab alongside fellow Latino New Yorker Noreaga, with the legendary Kid Capri on production. "Soundtrack To The Streets", on which this appears, was Kid Capri's 1998 album where he handled things behind the boards and brought in an all-star cast on the mics - being a DJ with his kind of pedigree, there were a lot of people he could call!

Otis McDonald : One For Dilla

This could happily be played anytime, but as we're paying tribute to J Dilla this month then it's a perfect inclusion for the current episode. You can definitely hear the influence throughout, even as it builds from an initial relatively chilled loop to a more energetic second section before settling down again. This is great work from the "Summer" album.

NEMS, Uncle Murda, Dave East, Scram Jones : NY Is Killing Me

"City workers give up twenty years of they life and still can't afford to pay a mortgage in the Five Boroughs..." It's raw, it's abrasive, and it has a point! You might have missed this one from last year, but this Scram Jones-produced single has Coney Islands' NEMS and guests expressing their frustrations with life in modern day New York City. It's like a rawer, more serious version of J-Zone's "Bullshit City", which the longtime listeners will have heard back on episode 11!

DJ Muggs & Meyhem Lauren : Ready For War

There are many things I love about this track, one of the more specific being the sampled vehement assertions regarding the cost of the sound system :) Of course, the production from Muggs is dark and heavy as per usual and the man on the mic is one of my favourite MCs, Meyhem Lauren! The third in the series of Soul Assassins LPs was another star-studded affair that spawned a companion short film shot in the actual Death Valley - and that in turn spawned an original score from which this track is drawn.

Buccaneer : Bad Man Story

A dancehall classic that's been getting a lot of play from me recently, a gunman anthem on the Baddis riddim that can move any dance! This 1998 release is on "Da Opera" LP, which is well worth a listen, as well as being a big single and also popping up in the Jamaican crime film "Third World Cop".

Blak Twang : Online

Bringing it to the UK for the last tune in the segment, and one I hadn't played at all for a long time - long enough that only after recording did I catch a line that I felt more comfortable censoring. From the third Blak Twang LP "Kik Off" (following the originally-unreleased "Dettwork South East" and "19 Long Time", Tony Rotton gets busy on a Preemo-influenced Harry Love track.

Nicolay : The Specialist (Instrumental)

The Dutch master himself has blessed us via the medium of modern digital distribution with a collection of his old unreleased instrumentals, "Nice Chops - The Dutch Schultz Tapes 2004-2008", which absolutely still stand up today. You can hear his more contemporary material as a soloist and as part of The Foreign Exchange, but this is a great bit of nostalgia and part of a wider set of releases celebrating twenty years of Nicolay's music.

Method Man ft. Raekwon : Meth vs. Chef

Easily one of my favourite cuts from "Tical", Meth's debut and the first of the Wu solo albums, which somehow turns thirty this year... All the elements are here - raw beat, the infamous kung-fu samples (this time from "Ten Tigers of Kwangtung" and "Shaolin Master Killer"), and bars upon bars. Meth opens up before the bell rings to end his verse/round, and then Raekwon brings it home rough like Timberland wear, as he would himself say!

Semi Six : Silver Moon

No singing hook, no hook at all in fact on this single - just a constant lyrical onslaught by one of the finest MCs in the D. The intro is eerie, off-balance, and makes it sound off when you mix it, but as soon as it's over, the dark beat thunders in and doesn't let up until the death - props to the producer, fellow Detroit native AntBell!, for providing a suitable soundtrack for this one.

Mixmaster Mike : Bermuda Tri-Axl

The 2000 "Eye Of The Cyklops" release is so simultaneously chaotic and seamless that when I came to digitise it, the only way I could work out where each track began and ended was to look it up on Discogs and read from the track timings! The legend from Rocksteady DJs/Invisibl Skratch Piklz and also the Beastie Boys, whether on production or on the wheels, always walks that line between virtuosity and total anarchy in a way few can pull off.

O.C. ft. Big L and The Lost Boyz : Dangerous The Sequel

I cut this one a little short as O.C's next verse isn't so much to my taste! I thought sharing this slightly different version of the Big L-featured cut from the classic "Jewelz" LP would be a good way to play a track you may not know while also including some Big L - like Big Pun, he sadly didn't have a long enough time with us to build a deep catalogue. Production is done by Da Beatminerz, who take one of the all-time classic samples and put some deep bump underneath it. This on the B-side of the excellent "Can't Go Wrong" 12".

[DJ Spinna] Jigmastas : Magnetize (Instrumental)

The drums are smacking, the bass is rumbling, and the overall vibe is hectic on this instrumental from the 2016 "Resurgence" album from this much-respected Brooklyn crew. I played the vocal version of this back on episode 91, which is definitely worth a listen!

Natural Elements : This Is Not A Drill

High-wire apocalyptic Hip-Hop, courtesy of one of the finest groups of MCs you can even think about finding anywhere. Over Charlemagne's dramatic beat, A-Butta, Mr. Voodoo and Swigga all tear it down on a single that suits the extremely serious times we find ourselves in. The original plan was to start the episode with this track...but how do you follow up after this kind of demolition?

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airadam · 3 months

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Episode 176 : It's Goin' Down...

"I AM"

- Chuck D

Hope you've had a good start to 2024! While it's been a bit bumpy over here, the selection on the first episode of the year is strong from start to finish. If you know every single one of these tracks already...we should probably have a chat as you clearly have an ear for the good stuff!

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Playlist/Notes

Organized Noize ft. Big Boi, Big Rube, Sleepy Brown, and Cee-Lo : We The Ones

A very fortunate find during a recent digging expedition, I didn't even know that the "Organized Noize EP" existed until I had it in my hands. Looking around on Discogs, it seems that it was a limited release in 2017 of 500 copies, on fiery orange vinyl and with a fantastic cover. Apparently twenty years in the making - probably because the production team behind OutKast, Goodie Mob, and more were kind of busy - it's a quality seven-song collection that you can now also get digitally! I heard a few seconds of this track at the listening post and it was the one that convinced me to buy the record, a musically-stirring and always-relevant and timely call to stand up and fight against oppression.

Orbital : Adnan's

This industrial-sounding track from the 1996 "In Sides" album was an extended version of a song they contributed to the 1995 "War Child" charity LP, and was named after a young boy who was killed by a missile during the war in the former Yugoslavia. Paul Hartnoll of Orbital broke this, and the rest of the album, down in a way only one of the creators could - so I'll link you to his own words.

Sepalot ft. Blu : Surrender

I've heard the instrumental of this many a time and had actually forgotten that there even was a vocal version! The beat went down well on the most recent #BeatsOnly show on my Twitch channel, so I thought I'd bring it out on this episode. The angular production from German producer Sepalot lurches, twitches, and squelches, with Blu fittingly being a bit more aggro lyrically than you might have expected from some of his better-known work. I have this on the B-side of a 12" headed up by "She Likes Me" with Frank Nitty, but you can also find it on the 2014 "Red Handed" LP.

Jigmastas ft. Shabaam Saadique : Too Ill

Does what it says on the tin! DJ Spinna on production on this track with the dramatic backing, courtesy of a well-known old TV show sample, while the processing on the vocals makes it sound like weak MCs are being admonished over the phone! By the way, the spelling of Shabaam's name is different than what I've seen on previous releases, but as it's written this way on this album ("Resurgence") I'm taking that as being correct unless/until I find out otherwise.

Public Enemy : Louder Than A Bomb

A classic from what is often said to be the greatest Hip-Hop album of all time, "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back" (lot of text to write on a cassette label btw). Those who follow me know I'll sometimes refer to the more grimy records as "not calling for the building of a new nation or anything" but this track literally does! Chuck D will always be the first name that comes to mind when pro-Black, politically-driven Hip-Hop is mentioned, and this is just one of his outstanding vocal performances. Bomb Squad on production of course, with a hard-hitting track that would dominate most other MCs, even now. Sonically, you might notice that the sound is busy but not "thick" - if it was made nowadays, I suspect it'd be mixed with a lot more bass, not to mention built with more high-fidelity samplers. Would that have been "better"? Hard to say, but this is revolutionary in all senses regardless.

Bumpy Knuckles & DJ Premier : B.A.P. (Bumpy and Premier)

For those of more gentle dispositions, you may as well skip to the next track! Otherwise, this is quintessential boom-bap rawness, courtesy of DJ Premier - one of the finest exponents of the style - and fellow Gang Starr Foundation MC Bumpy Knuckles. Wicked track from the "KoleXXXion" LP, where Bumpy starts each verse with the same four bars, before raining fire on snakes, suckers, and studio gangstas over the rugged beat. No sir, Bumpy did not fall off, not even a little.

Stro Elliot : Miles Funk

I may have been late getting on the Stro Elliot train, only hearing his stuff in the last three years or so, but now I'm firmly on board and settled with a book and some snacks. The drums are cracking and merciless on this track from his 2016 eponymous LP, and they lead the way for the bassline and funky guitar to do what they do. Definitely check the album - it's really excellent work.

Dubbul O & Jointhedots : Life:Mics

A great new Manchester release to open the year! You should already know that Dubbul O is one of my favourite MCs from any coast or territory, while the excellent Jointhedots have been holding it down in fine style since most of the members were part of the best-known lineup of The Mouse Outfit. The most special feature on this track is the guitar of the much-missed Phil Ratcliffe, who sadly passed away in 2022, and whose family will continue to benefit from any posthumous releases. Coming together over the peak of the COVID restrictions, this track started when bassist/bandleader/producer Defty sent beats around Manchester for musicians to add their own touches to. As well as Phil Ratcliffe, the flautist Dr Claire Press got busy on here - you may remember her memorable work alongside Dubbul O again on "Never Get Enough" all the way back in 2012! Flavourful and polished music as always from this collective, and worthy of your support.

New Sector Movements ft. Allysha Joy : These Times

Neither of these artists were on my radar previously, so it was a big bonus when First Word Records included this cut on the "Two Syllables Volume Twenty" compilation! As it turns out, New Sector Movements is actually an alias of IG Culture, a UK stalwart respected for his work as part of Dodge City Productions, and of course he shows the deft touch of a veteran on the music here. The vocals are carried by the powerful voice of Australian songstress Allysha Joy, who started singing as a youngster in the church and you can hear the influence very much still with her! This track in full is actually about six minutes long, so if you like what you're hearing, you know what to do...

Common : The Movement

I'll have you know that I did actually mix this in bang-on, but J Dilla decided to go all the way weird with the timing and drum placement at the start, to the point I almost re-ripped the tune from the "2K6 : The Tracks" CD to be sure! This one had somehow escaped me on first listen, but it's got that electronic sound that was increasingly a feature of Dilla's late work, with that edginess contrasting with Common's smooth and familiar voice.

Actual Proof ft. TP : Show You The Way

North Carolina in the house, with Actual Proof (Enigma and Sundown) linking with guest TP (who I don't know much about) for a 9th Wonder-produced track that sounds very different than the intro might lead you to expect. Lyrically, in places it almost comes off as a rougher, less civilised take on "Mind Sex" by dead prez, blended with some of that LL Cool J - in attitude, if not in flow! Track down the 2012 "Black Boy Radio" LP for this one.

Mecca:83, Buscrates, and J Vibes : Amber Hue

Such warm vibes emanate from this 2019 composition, with Macclesfield, Pittsburgh, and Aarhus (Denmark) in collaboration. I don't know who did what, but the final result is a thing of beauty!

Tall Black Guy, Craig Mack : Flavor In Ya Ear Remix

The original beat by Easy Mo Bee is one of the greatest in Hip-Hop history in my opinion, so it takes a brave man to put his production in its place - and right here, Tall Black Guy is that man! Tough drums and a relatively simple bassline provide the structure for some spaced-out touches and soul vocal sampling to undergird TBG's take on one of the all-time great posse cuts.

1773 & Strange Soul Music : Dialed In

Manchester's Strange Soul Music is a fearsome producer, the man no-one wanted to face in last year's WORKINONIT beat battle! He's been putting in that work for years and this is from one of his latest releases, "The Strange Soul Project" a seven-track collaboration with Chicago MCs Jay Nagoma and Wisdm Uno. Themed around a method of internet access that might be unfamiliar to the younger listeners, this is a brief, but strong, opener to the project.

Clear Soul Forces : Nine 5ive

It's a shame that the 2020 "ForcesWithYou" LP is ostensibly the last from this Detroit crew - their stuff has always been energetically high-quality. Ilajide on the beat of course, while on the mic, CSF reference everything/one from Busta Rhymes to Mortal Kombat via George Washington Carver in a track that lasts well under three minutes. May the force be with them, indeed.

Heather B : Steady Rockin'

Straight-ahead Hip-Hop, with the commanding voice and bars of Heather B over the boom-bap production of DJ Premier. Vocalist Twyla adds a little sugar to the hook, but the rest of this track from 2002's "Eternal Affairs" is pretty much as stripped-down as you can get.

Khrysis : The Devil Wears Designer (Instrumental)

North Carolina representing again here, with a groove borrowing clearly from a classic soul record on this instrumental from "The Hour Of Khrysis".

DJ 2-Tone Jones ft. Prince Po, Asheru, Joe.D and yU : Not Down

I've always thought that one of the most important inflection points in the culture was when our ability to self-police was countered by the epithet "playa hater", which nowadays is more likely to take the form of "but he getting the bag tho". This call to arms from the "Contraband From India" LP features real MCs with real commitment letting us know that the leeches, the culture vultures, exploitative corporate interests of various shapes, and everyone else taking away from the culture rather than adding on need to be ejected. The production is not minimal as such, but well-spaced, with the sparse drum pattern and Indian string samples avoiding a situation where the instrumental ends up fighting the MCs for the spotlight, which is critical when what they're saying is of actual importance.

Check out this episode!

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airadam · 4 months

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Episode 175 : You're Forced To Chill

"Speaking to the people that matter, with my mind."

- Grap

While a lot of December up this way has been surprisingly mild, but there was an absolutely vicious period - was lucky that the heating in the house only died after the worst had passed. Still, it's fixed now, so I didn't freeze to death putting this episode together! As we draw towards the end of the year, the themes here might be wintery and seasonal, but the tunes are heat :)

As promised, here's the link for WORKINONIT - definitely support this collective (and the venue that hosts the monthly events!) if you want to support grassroots talent 💯

Twitch : @airadam13

Mastodon : @[email protected]

Show/Stream Schedule : events.airadam.com

Playlist/Notes

Median : Median Alleviates The Drama

A deep cut from the heyday of the Justus League, with 9th Wonder (of course) chopping it up on this breezy beat for his Winston-Salem, North Carolina, compatriot to get busy on. You may not know Median as he only recorded two albums, his last in 2011, but he's a grounded yet imaginative writer who is well worth your listening time. Of interest to many who do take the time to dig into his history will be "Brenda's Baby" from the 2007 "Median's Relief" LP, his sequel to 2Pac's famous "Brenda's Got A Baby".

Soul Supreme : Mood Swings

Big shout to Jim Bane of Eastern Bloc who gifted me the "Poetic Justice" LP on wax for my birthday earlier this year! Amsterdam's Soul Supreme has been giving us quality music for a long while now, but in recent times has been locked in what sounds like an awful legal dispute with a record company and another producer. Despite still being in the thick of it, he delivers his commentary in the form of instrumental music on this album, which is even clearer when you read the track titles. The interplay between the horns and his keyboard work are the highlight on this particular track, but for the full effect, sit down and listen to the whole album end-to-end.

Cookin Soul : Kamaal Xmas Time

Cookin Soul usually comes out with a special Xmas release each year, mixing up an artist you know well with seasonal sample flips. This track comes from the 2002 "A Tribe Called Xmas" collection, and takes Q-Tip's verse from "Mind Power" and adds on a few more lines I can't place before going full Christmas - but keeping that boom-bap!

Noveliss & Mega Ran : Memory Card

One of the OGs of leaning fully into video game culture in Hip-Hop alongside the Clear Soul Forces veteran and manga writer Noveliss? You know the references are going to be fire. Hir-O provides the beat, and both MCs bring it as they centre the concept of the memory card (ask your parents if you don't know) on this standout from their "Maverick Hunters" album.

Bounty Killer, A.R.P, Curly, and Tulokk : Evils Of Your Mind (Edited)

Devil on one shoulder, devil on the other? Almost like a dancehall version of Eminem's "Guilty Conscience" (especially with that second voice), this is a big single from 2001 on the "Heavyweight" riddim that also appears on the 2002 "Ghetto Dictionary : The Mystery" album as "Evils Of The Mind". 2002 was a busy time for the Warlord, who also dropped "Ghetto Dictionary : The Art Of War" that same year.

Kuartz & Vybz Kartel : Clarks (Kuartz Real Badman Remix)

If you're a DJ, especially in a city like Manchester where crowds react to big sounds, get "Hybrid Dialects" just for this monster! A local producer with worldwide rep and reach, Kuartz has done the home scene proud and on his latest release, the industrial, digital vibes come through loud and clear. The cold, wintery feel on the intro make it a perfect inclusion this dark month. Kuartz bends and effects the voice of Vybz Kartel as much as any other instrument on the track, making for a sound system killer!

Da Beatminerz & KRS-ONE : Seckle

KRS was one of the first to really bring that reggae/dancehall flavour into the Hip-Hop arena, and Da Beatminerz have had that as an element of their style since they debuted on the production for the first Black Moon album, so this is a union you know is going to come correct. Slow and low single, with the soundclash samples at the front, back, and in the hook, this loping, skipping beat allows Kris to come through clear as a bell on the mic, still, after almost forty years of recording. Continue to enjoy new artists, but support the veterans too!

NYG'z ft. Rave : Itz On

Rugged and triumphant in equal measure, this was the big opening track on the first and so far only LP from NYG'z, "Welcome 2 G-Dom" from 2007. Guest emcee Rave (sometimes credited elsewhere as R.A.V.E Roulette) features on six of the album's fifteen tracks, which definitely puts him in "honourary group member" territory! Production is handled by DJ Premier, who also released this album on his own label Year Round Records - truly backing this crew in every way possible. PS - the apostrophe setup in the artist name and song title are verbatim from the release, don't come after me :)

Paul Wall & Termanology : Talk About It

As I say, you might not think that Houston's Paul Wall and Lawrence (Massachussetts) native Termanology are the most obvious MC pairing in the world, but my goodness, they fit togther perfectly. They already gave us one excellent LP in "Start 2 Finish" and now they're back with "Start, Finish, Repeat". It might just be in my head, but it feels like they each lean towards each other - Paul Wall with slightly more wordplay in his flow, and Termanology dialling back on the trademark syllable barrages he can unleash at any time. Large Professor bases his production around a great soul sample I added to my own collection this year, spices up the hook with some cuts.

Curren$y ft. Mac Miller : Money Shot

I've always been iffy about including this one from 2014's "More Saturday Night Car Tunes" - partly because the sound quality isn't great, but also because if I'm honest, I don't think the late Mac Miller's verse on this is his finest work. That said, I know many people online disagree with me and love it! Curren$y is solid here, but for me, the real star is the production by Sap - taking a great late 70s slow jam sample, and speeding it up (which speaks to how slow the original is), layering a suitably straightforward drum track, and then trying to turn your speakers inside out in the closing seconds! I blend out during that segment, just in case...don't want any of you coming after me for damages 😄

Luxury Elite : Parkway

A bit of vaporwave for this interlude, pure 80s vibes on this slow, moody instrumental from the "World Class" album. Luxury Elite digs out some of those really obscure 80s samples for her work, and it's all about just vibing out to the loops and little change-ups.

Mega Ran, Young RJ, Erick Roberson, Abstract Orchestra, Daru Jones, Marcel P. Black : Black Is Beautiful

Apologies to Marcel P. Black - the digital file I read the artist information on at first didn't have his name, but he kills it on the third verse and rightly deserves major respect here. This is a gorgeous and poetic track about Blackness from the 2020 "2 Hands Up" album by Young RJ and Mega Ran, which is not just (or even mostly) about police violence, but a varied and well-rounded LP. Young RJ produces this one in not just the sense of getting on a beat machine, but pulling in Leeds crew Abstract Orchestra, frequent collaborators with the Detroit scene, plus the Grammy-winning drummer Daru Jones and shaping the union into this exceptional song.

Amp Fiddler : Eye To Eye

I first heard this track on a Qool DJ Marv mix, and it was years before I could tell you who the artist was! It turned out to be just one facet of the talents of the brilliant Joseph "Amp" Fiddler, who featured this track on his debut album "Waltz Of A Ghetto Fly". It's a classic piece of funky soul, which could easily have been written twenty-plus years earlier, but had all the quality and polish to stand out in the early 21st century. RIP Amp.

InI : Mind Over Matter

Classic, if relatively little-known heat from the 90s. This Mount Vernon crew had their debut "Center of Attention", from which this is taken, shelved due to friction with the label and legal issues around ownership, but it was heavily bootlegged before eventually surfacing officially in 2003. Solid rhymes here from Grap Luva, Rob-O, and Ras G, atop some vintage SP-1200 action courtesy of Pete Rock, who produced the whole project.

Platinum Pied Pipers ft. Invincible : Detroit Winter

After that brief trip to New York State, we close out the section by bringing it right back to Detroit, this time to the PPP duo (Waajeed and Saadiq) for a track from their debut album, 2005's "Triple P". MC Invincible of the Anomalies crew kills it on the mic with their almost monotone flow, describing the bitter coldness of Detroit in detail, making it a suitable selection for this time of year. Musically, the piano riff is the standout element, but if you listen really closely, you can also hear a famous rhythm sample in the background quietly holding it down too!

[EZ Elpee] Capone-N-Noreaga : Calm Down (Instrumental)

"Calm Down" never made it onto the classic C-N-N debut album "The War Report" due to sample clearance problems - hey, I guess Bette Midler wasn't down with the Queensbridge thug life - but you might get lucky and find it on a promo 12" somewhere. If you're really lucky though, you might find an instrumental LP of tracks from the LP, including a couple that, like this one, didn't end up on the final release. Nice beat by EZ Elpee, just a shame it didn't get the shine it deserved!

Souls Of Mischief : A Name I Call Myself

I really didn't know what to end this episode with, but settled on a track from a much-loved LP which turned thirty this year. This was a deep album cut, produced by Del The Funkee Homosapien, with some really clever sample combinations underneath the cheerfully-rhymed X-rated lyrics! It's great to see how Souls' music has continued to reflect their journeys through life, from this during their teenage years through to the present day - and by the way, they were pioneers in using the internet to promote their music.

Check out this episode!

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airadam · 5 months

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Episode 174 : Twin Flames

"Ain't a damn thing changed boy, protect ya neck!"

- RZA

This month marks a full thirty years since the landmark date of November 9th 1993, when two of the greatest albums of all time - in any genre - were released. I've played many of the tracks from those LPs on the podcast over the years, but both do get a nod of respect in the selection here, alongside some absolute fire new releases and old classics. This month's selection tends towards veterans of the culture, while for the most part staying in the relatively recent past. Like Nas says, keep on putting out records...we want to see and hear the art!

Twitch : @airadam13

Mastodon : @[email protected]

Show/Stream Schedule : events.airadam.com

Playlist/Notes

Champion Sound ft. Smif-N-Wessun : One Luv

This is a really grand-sounding track which deserves to be heard from the very first note. The piano chords and overall instrumentation bring to mind less a Hip-Hop single and more the kind of thing you might hear on the soundtrack of a Spike Lee film. I looked up the band Champion Sound and was amazed to find that they hail from Prague - a serious cross-continental collaboration for them to link up with Brooklyn's finest! Tek and Steele drop grown man street raps over the brooding, cinematic soundscape for a standout from the "Stash Box" LP that just dropped last month.

[DJ Eclipse] O.C. : Time's Up (Remix Instrumental)

Buckwild's beat for the original version of this classic single is one of the best-known and loved pieces of production in Hip-Hop history, and it would take a brave man to remix the track - enter DJ Eclipse. The former Fat Beats retail supremo and DJ for Non Phixion isn't one to shy away from a challenge, and he does an excellent job bringing a different flavour right here. While this might have once been tough to find (I'm only just hearing it for the first time myself), it's now easily available on the deluxe version of "Word...Life", which has been released digitally.

Wu-Tang Clan : 7th Chamber

In the month where we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of the debut Wu album "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)", I've gone for one of the deeper cuts that isn't something you'd hear at a typical gig or club night. Quintessential Wu, with RZA nailing the production (personally, I love the loop with the stabs before the main groove comes in), and seven of the Clan MCs murdering the track. Wu forever, indeed.

Kev Brown & J Scienide : Legendary Rugged

Simply a slice of raw Hip-Hop, no fancy studio gloss, just rough drums, deep bass, and a warbling main sample over which J Scienide spits that goodness. Kev Brown drops some bars himself on the second verse, showing why he clearly has to be thought of as one of the best producers on the mic of the current era. 2021s "Stray From The Pack" LP is inspired by the great duos both inside and outside of Hip-Hop, and Kev and J pay tribute in fine style.

MC Eiht ft. Xzibit : Medicate

The various battles over the years aside, I love to see how much true respect the veterans of the culture have for each other, especially when it leads to pairings you might not immediately think of! In this case, Texas-born but longtime Brooklyn resident DJ Premier, possibly the exemplar of the East Coast sound links up with one of the OGs of the scene in Compton, California, the legendary MC Eiht to executive produce his "Which Way Iz West" album, from which this is drawn. Connecting with Xzibit takes the union to an even higher level, and Austrian producer Brenk Sinatra captures just the right vibe for both MCs to get busy on.

Krumb Snatcha : Rich Man Poor Man

A heavy album track from "Respect All, Fear None" that I'd imagine passed most people by, Da Beatminerz come with some boom-bap accented by a dramatic horn sample for one of Boston's ruggest to spit over. As a man whose trials and tribulations are a matter of record (including his classic single "Closer To God"), when he gives you lyrics like this they come with the weight of someone who has experienced the realities of the world first-hand.

[Hit-Boy] Nas : 40-16 Building (instrumental)

I just picked up the instrumentals of Nas' "Magic" LP on vinyl, and this was one of my favourite beats on that album. As great as Nas is on it, I always love a chance to hear the production brought to the forefront!

Pusha T : Just So You Remember

"Livin' a lie, but die for your images." This dark and subdued Kanye-produced track from "It's Almost Dry" absolutely drips with menace and contempt from the pen and vocal performance of Pusha T. You might recognise the sample, which was on "Six Days" by DJ Shadow, and it bubbles along with the periodic vocal interjections from the original source, in between Pusha's verses - notably, the first being longer than the other two put together. Packed with quotables, this is headphone music at its best.

Queen Omega & Little Lion Sound : No Love

You might have heard the raw, 100% from-the-soul vocals of Trinidad's Queen Omega on an IG video that was going round recently, where she recorded an absolutely fire dubplate over the beat for Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode". This is the original track it's based on, a roots reggae cut with a lyrical message that seems especially accurate right now.

Shortie No Mass : Here Goes Nothing

I only heard this recently and assumed I was just way behind the curve, only to realise it's a 2021 release! This MC famously guested with De La Soul on "Buhloone Mindstate" as well as The Roots on "Organix" before releasing a couple of singles and then falling all the way back for an extended period. After many requests from fans over the years, she's out with an LP, from which this is the appropriately-named title cut, and is talking about more after getting very positive feedback! I don't have credits for the digital release, so I can't say who produced this, but it's got the vibe of the opening track passed through a happier filter, and of course you know the lyrics are tight.

Six Figga Digga & Camp Lo : The Jig

Six Figga Digga might be known to you as Lord Digga (when he was with the INC Crew), or just Digga (certainly around the time of his work for Biggie), and he's been in the industry for years, not always in the forefront but always keeping the quality high when you do hear him. He lines up two of my favourite MCs, Camp Lo, the slang grandmasters of the Bronx very nicely here. You usually put textures together in a beat that sound like they could have come from the same place, but to blend electronic drums like these with those seventies sounds and make it work takes real skills. Catch this one on the recently-released "Person Of Interest" LP.

Agallah : Gotta Love Me (instrumental)

I've always got time for an Agallah instrumental, and this soulful groove from 2015s "PCP Instrumentals" is, despite an undeniable bump, actually a chilled beat you could add to your studying playlists :)

Temu : Temu's Talkbox Groove

I can't remember how I happened across this track this month, but I'm very glad I did! It seems that Temu is a modern day funk maestro, a devotee of all that that makes you pull the stank face, and a true "Relic Of The Mothership", as his debut LP is titled. Flying the flag for that vintage heavy electronic funk, this track references quite a few tunes you might know as he takes you on a journey, rocking the talkbox through the whole track like the great Roger Troutman would have done. If this man comes to Manchester on tour...that's a guaranteed ticket purchase from me!

Essa & Pitch 92 : Heavyweight

A brand new single from two quality artists in combination - Pitch 92 on production (alongside co-producer Viva Cee), and the young veteran Essa (formerly Yungun) on the mic. Thumping, rolling beat with Essa's assured vocals running over the top make for a heck of a preview for the forthcoming album from this duo.

Erick Sermon : Stay Real

Taking it back to the early 90s, this was the second (and final) single from Erick Sermon's solo debut, the wryly-titled "No Pressure". Everyone knew the pressure was on after the EPMD breakup, but he came out strong as a solo artist with this LP and shut down all the questions. His trademark lisp accents his bars over a tough self-produced beat highlighted by that synth-funk bassline, plus a little Roger Troutman in the hook.

Clear Soul Forces : Get Wit It

No shame if you missed this one the first time round, as it was a bonus track only on the deluxe edition of CSF's excellent "Gold PP7s" album, ten years old this year. It's what you expect from this Detroit crew - bouncy production from Ilajide (with some nice short bass stabs and an epic clap) and styles upon styles from the whole crew on the mic. It's certainly not intended to pander to the club, but if you have a pulse it probably wants to make you move nonetheless!

J Dilla : Say My Name (Instrumental)

Weirdly, when I played the vocal version of this track all the way back on episode 96, it was also following an Ilajide production! Anyway, since then I've got hold of the instrumentals that were used for the controversial "Rebirth Of Detroit" project and even if this beat was an offcut, it's better than a lot of people's best work!

Natural Elements : #TribeVibes

I almost played this last episode, until I realised the milestone we were reaching this month! One of the fiercest crews of MCs ever to form, Natural Elements and their producer Charlemagne pay homage to the great A Tribe Called Quest on this track. Beginning with and interspersed by an announcer inspired by the performance of the sadly departed Laurel Dann on "Midnight Marauders", the crew kill it over beats inspired by "Lyrics To Go", "Midnight", and "Bonita Applebum". "Midnight Marauders" is my favourite Tribe LP to this day, and this is an appropriately high-quality homage to it.

Check out this episode!

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airadam · 6 months

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Episode 173 : ...after all this rain.

"...kick rocks or kick rhymes..."

- Jean Grae

The seasons are most definitely changing on this side, and the heavens have been pretty open the last couple of weeks while I've been putting the show together. Unfortunately during that time, we lost a couple of respected DJs and producers, DJ Mark the 45 King and Groove Damoast, both of whom are included in this month's mix. May they rest well. The selections for this month span a time period of almost fifty years, from a 1975 funk classic to a brand new release from one of Manchester's finest, making stops in the 80s and the independent Hip-Hop wax era of the 90s - something for all the heads!

Don't forget - you can always get an up-to-date list of my next few upcoming streams and gigs @ events.airadam.com!

Twitter : @airadam13

Twitch : @airadam13

Mastodon (because Twitter is basically on fire) : https://mastodon.me.uk/@airadam

Playlist/Notes

DJ Muggs, Roc Marciano, Meyhem Lauren, and Rome Streetz : 67 Keys

Two MCs I've seen live recently with another (Rome Streetz) I would have seen if it wasn't for work's on-call schedule, talking pure drug business over some thriller film-type production courtesy of DJ Muggs, who has constructed an amazing second act post the Cypress Hill classics that everyone knows him for. Everyone gets busy on the mic on this new single, with Meyhem killing that last verse.

David Cutter Music : Upstart

UK beat action here with this London beatmaker cooking up a quintessential boom-bap type of beat with a little of that DJ Premier flavour and heaviness - I might need to blend this with some M.O.P! Get this on the recently-released "Follow Dreams" LP.

MF DOOM : Lickupon

I went back to the "Viktor Vaughn Vaudeville Villain" LP after being gifted an amazing alternate cover for display recently, and this was a standout on my first listen in a while. The producers (Heat Sensor) work the same sample as Biggie's "Warning" but with all sorts of other stuff going on, and DOOM just goes nuts from beginning to end. Bars upon bars with no hook, purely the sounds of someone who loved to flip words every which way.

Doo Wop ft. Raekwon : Castle To Castle

You've got to be brave to hop on a track with the crime-rhyming slang master Raekwon if MCing isn't your full-time gig, but Doo Wop (one of Biggie's favourite DJs) gives a good account of himself here as well as holding down the production! A classic jazz sample is the basis for this track from "The State vs Doo Wop" which is also available on a 12" if you need the clean version and instrumental.

Little Brother ft. Rhymefest and Supastition : Do It To Death

A personal headphone favourite I could have sworn I'd already played on the podcast, but which somehow missed the selection for the last fourteen-plus years! All four MCs kill it, but my favourite is absolutely Phonte on the opening verse, with his "American Pie" reference never failing to make me smile! Focus... is on production and those drums are absolutely smacking here, making this track a highlight of "...And Justus For All".

Marley Marl : Hip-Hop History #4

Short and sweet, with a chunky and bouncing beat from the godfather of sampling as we know it today, and no rhymes - just a few words about his own history in Hip-Hop. Find this one on the 2000 "Hip Hop Dictionary" release, which I thought might be a big hard to find but is actually available digitally.

Kev Brown & Dre King : Black Champions

Tough, tough instrumental that I've had on repeat this month, taken from the seven-track "King Kev" project from these two musical masters. Dre King is, amongst other things, a sample pack producer who provides top-shelf instrumental pieces for producers to sample, and his work is used to great effect once Kev Brown gets it into his MPC. No hi-hits on this, just the kick and snare smashing through the whole beat, giving you little spaces where just the bass and keys play before the drums kick you in the head again!

Pharoahe Monch ft. Jean Grae and Royce Da 5' 9" : Assassins

An appropriately named track from the "W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)" album, with all three MCs fitting perfectly into the roles of Hip-Hop assassins (check the full version to get the intro), since none of them have ever encountered a beat they couldn't kill. M-Phazes is on the beat, and it's appropriately loud and dramatic - not something that blends into a mix naturally, because so many things don't sound quite like this.

[DJ Premier] Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher : Headlines (Instrumental)

I was surprised to find I hadn't played the vocal version of this Griselda track before, but DJ Premier's instrumental provides a nice bridge here between a track with no outro and one with too little drum intro - coming in hard with the aggressive stabs before transitioning into string-led production.

Redman : Bricks Standup

A short freestyle-ish expedition from Redman's "Ill At Will Mixtape Vol.1", which sees one of the all-time greats killing it over the instrumental for Jay-Z's "What More Can I Say?". That instrumental was produced by Brooklyn duo The Buchanans, who somehow cooked this up as one of their first creations and got it placed on "The Black Album" - talk about coming in hot!

Peanut Butter Wolf ft. Rasco and DJ Q-Bert : Run The Line

Taking it back to some late 90s underground Hip-Hop that brings back memories of the tail end of my time at university in Manchester, and especially the time when turntablism was starting to break out of the preserve of only the absolutely most in-the-know to the wider Hip-Hop world and beyond. Q-Bert obliterates it on the scratch as he does literally every single time, with all kinds of flaring action that might as well have come from outer space to many of us! Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf is on production of course on this track from his debut solo LP release "My Vinyl Weighs A Ton", and the all-California lineup is completed by Rasco on the mic. Cleveland-born, but as one of the Cali Agents...he counts.

Tyler Daley : These Cards

One half of Children of Zeus and a certified triple threat, Tyler shows off his singing, rhyming (in case you forgot), and production skills on this bumping new single. And he's 100% correct...he's done alright, to say the least.

The 45 King : Meganizm

While The 45 King is best known for his 80s productions, he was also the producer of tracks like Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life" and "Stan" for Eminem as well as a number of far more underground collections of beats, like 2006's "Grooves For A Quiet Storm" from which this track is drawn. A chilled head-nodder with a straightforward and clean drum track on top of some summery keys and bass, this fits just as well at a BBQ as on a mixtape!

SoulChef, Steph Pockets, and DJ Groove Damoast : When It Comes To This

RIP Groove Damoast, who passed away this month. I didn't know the full extent of his work, only knowing his name as a DJ on Twitch, but he was a well-regarded DJ and producer out of Philadelphia who is deeply missed by many. Having heard this 2021 single on one of the many tribute shows, I decided I wanted to share it here. New Zealand's SoulChef is on production, Groove Damoast is the man on the turntables cutting it up with precision, and his Philadelphia compatriot Steph Pockets controls the mic from start to end. Quality Hip-Hop.

Dynamic Syncopation ft. Mass Influence : 2 Tha Left

Early 2000s pick here that I encountered on the Ninja Tune "Xen Cuts" compilation, but was also on the 2002 "In The Red" LP by the combo of producers Loop Professor and Jonny Cuba. As much as this breezy, acoustic guitar-laced track could have been a great instrumental, they stepped it up by drafting in Mass Influence, an underground crew of MCs out of Atlanta who sound very different to what would come to most people's mind when they think of Atlanta Hip-Hop! Apparently some people know this from an advert for Adult Swim segment of Cartoon Network, so it's interesting to know that stuff like Ninja Tune had that kind of reach within the generation who are not making the decisions :)

Fred & The New JB's : (It's Not The Express) It's the J.B.'s Monaurail, Pt. 1

(Not my apostrophe placement, by the way!) I had a bit of a play with the cue points feature on Serato to extend this live-drummed intro a little bit, just because those hi-hats are so fire. A classic funk workout from Fred Wesley and the rest of James Brown's famous band of that era (from the "James Brown's Funky People" LP), and one that has been sampled on at least three tracks I can think of - I don't know if the sample was cleared on my favourite usage, so I won't mention it here even though you might have heard me play it in the past...

EPMD : Let The Funk Flow

I'll be real - this is far from my favourite of the tracks on EPMD's classic debut "Strictly Business", but I couldn't pass up the chance to blend into it off the back of the original sample! Listening to the cuts on this makes me smile, performed by the group's original DJ K La Boss (who is still working today under the name Dj4our5ive) in his early years.

[Rashad Smith and Sean "Puffy" Combs] The Notorious B.I.G. : One More Chance (Hip-Hop Instrumental)

In a then-contemporary example of the new school calling back to their Hip-Hop inspirations, Rashad Smith and Puffy essentially lifted the monster Marley Marl beat for Craig G's "Droppin' Science (Remix)" for this drastic remix of a track that was already a remix...ok, stay with me on this. The original "One More Chance" was on "Ready To Die" and was pretty raw on the X-rated rhymes, and was then essentially re-recorded with Faith Evans on the hook with a bit of a bow tie on the production, sampling DeBarge's "Stay With Me" for radio appeal. However, the winner for many of us was taking the lyrics from this version and putting them alongside the undeniable break that Marley used seven years before!

Latee : This Cut's Got Flavor

Closing with a DJ Mark the 45 King production, a real classic for heads of a certain age that you don't hear often enough nowadays! This 1987 single has an absolutely monster drum track highlighted by those heavy kicks, and the slowed-down guitar riff is a perfect era-appropriate backing. Latee only had a few releases under his own banner, along with a decent number of guest appearances, but these to me will always be the rhymes that come to mind whenever this Flavor Unit MC is mentioned. This track just makes me want to put on a Dapper Dan suit and drive an AMG Benz somewhere. To my desk job, I suppose 😁

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airadam · 7 months

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Episode 172 : Yield To None

"Do you wanna be dope, or do you wanna deal it?"

- Common

All Hip-Hop at a nice steady pace - but a varied platter of vibes - for this episode, as I celebrate my birth month!

Great personal news : I'm very proud to be included in the new "Hidden Histories : Black in Manchester" resource by Parise Carmichael-Murphy - have a read!

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Playlist/Notes

Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs : GT3

From the car-themed "Members Only" 2019 collaboration between Meyhem and Cypress Hill DJ/producer DJ Muggs, this track integrates the sound of some very angry engines as an additional instrument/element of what is otherwise an extremely sparse bit of production - drums and bass only. Meyhem is laid-back and comfortable at this pace, crafting a track that even those of us without a Porsche on the driveway can appreciate - well, as long as our speakers or headphones deliver the goods!

[RZA] Raekwon : Can It All Be So Simple (Remix Instrumental)

You might detect a little sonic garbling where I was using Serato's "stems" feature to try and remove the vocal samples in the hook, but other than that here's the glorious sound of a hard-to-come-by RZA instrumental of a track from the monumental "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..." LP. Rae, Ghost, and RZA took their track from the Wu-Tang debut LP which was already a classic and subtly made it a little darker, a touch rougher and a little less nostalgic. A masterful remix and rewrite.

Roc Marciano : Ridin' Around

A very different kind of rider music to the opening track, but still with an ominous bassline which helps carry the vintage crime vibes perfectly. This is a deep cut from Roc Marciano's seminal solo debut "Marcberg" album, with his gangster wordplay on full display atop a track with more drum action than on much of his later work.

Showbiz & AG : Trapped

This is one of those records which, despite being by a highly respected group, has likely slipped under your radar. The DITC production legend Showbiz is here under his original name (you can find much of his other work credited as simply "Show") alongside his day one MC AG on this late-night creep number from the 2012 "Mugshot Music" album.

Planet Asia ft. Prodigy : Stick & Move

If you love your dark, underground NYC Hip-Hop, you might have heard this sample used elsewhere, but for the current episode this is the slow, menacing, bi-coastal track that gets the nod. Fresno and Queensbridge in combination as Planet Asia and Prodigy (RIP) go back and forth over an Evidence beat on this 2005 release. Not even a hint of going for the pop audience here, just gutter from start to end. Got to respect it.

Mud Family : Itchy Town

I've been holding onto this one for absolutely years! I first heard this on a "Radio Zero" show courtesy of Dave The Ruf, and it's a dark, brooding piece of UK boom-bap from this highly-regarded north London crew. Centred around the MCs Chester P, Skinnyman, and Mongo, they released their core work in the late 90s and early 00s, with this absolute beast being on their very first wax release, 1997s "The Mud Files, Vol. 1". Production on the EP as a whole is credited to Deckwrecka, Firebomb Fritz, and Mad Money Wah - not sure who did what on this cut, but I applaud them for cooking up a track that still bangs after over twenty-five years!

DJ Premier : Dee Ell P

It's been over a decade since DJ Premier gave us a "Beats That Collected Dust" collection, but there's a good reason for that...as he correctly points out, the beats that end up included have to be given time to collect that dust! With that said, the third edition is out now, and is a good digital pickup while the (likely pricey) vinyl works it's way through distribution to the shops. As for the title of this selection from the new release, I haven't deciphered it yet. "The LP"? Was it a track meant for Large Professor, perhaps? Probably overthinking it - just enjoy the master of the MPC 60 going back into his vaults.

Mabanua ft. Kev Brown : Holdin' It Down

I had completely missed this but was introduced to it by none other than Kev Brown himself when he played it on one of his "Beats 'n' Stuff" shows on Twitch! While he drops plenty of unreleased material, he'll throw in overlooked gems from his discography like this one, a collaboration with Japanese beatmaker Mabanua. Given that Kev is on the mic all the way through, I can only assume that Mabanua did the production here - even though it has that Kev Brown feel in spades!

De La Soul ft. Common : The Bizness

An old classic from some of the greats. If you don't already have De La Soul's "Stakes Is High" album, you can now easily buy digitally or stream it, so get on that! This track has, apart from one regrettable homophobic reference from Common which the label partly censored, bars upon bars of heat on a self-produced track that you can't help but nod your head to. I can also think of at least three Hip-Hop tracks that sampled/scratched lines from this one, which is a sure sign of a piece of work that has your peers paying attention!

Blu & Exile : Berries and Juices

You can't help but bop to this, Exile's beat has an undeniable bounce and while Blu does say "beat so sweet that I ain't even gotta do s--t", he unquestionably lifts it to that next level with a couple of chilled verses. Bonus points for the "Coming To America" reference 🙂 Take heed to the title of the album this is drawn from - "Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them" - and apply that sentiment to not only this duo but all the artists you enjoy!

pH7 ft. Access Immortal and DJ Roger Rekless : New York

A long-lost track that only resurfaced for me during the Great Digitisation of 2020-2023! A trans-Atlantic collaboration with German artists pH7 (Cologne) and DJ Roger Rekless (Munich) coming together with Bed-Stuy MC Access Immortal for a jazzy number with solid boom-bap underpinnings, tight cuts, and an overall clean and refreshing sound. You can find this on the somewhat obscure "Blazing Heat" EP,

Ilajide : Ayerloom

Taking it back (ok, not that far back) to 2015 for a beat from "Latex", the first solo LP by one of my favourites, Ilajide of Clear Soul Forces. That drum beat could have come from an 80s Hip-Hop classic, as could the rest of the sounds on the track - and yet, as a whole it doesn't seem of that era. This Detroit beatsmith isn't afraid to go after a certain sonic hardness that other producers might shy away from in the modern era, and it's that banging aggression that helps set him apart.

Kuartz : Glitch In The Ghost

Local beat legend Kuartz released his new LP "Hybrid Dialects" this month, and it's a collection of bassy, techy, angular production that is well worth spending your hard-earned cash on! This was the first track I heard from it, which he debuted earlier in the year at Manchester's WORKINONIT beatmakers event - it was so raw that I had to ask him for an advance copy 😁 I've played it on Twitch a couple of times but now here it is as a taster for the album.

Grand Agent ft. Liv L'Raynge : Ooh-La-Lah

I hadn't heard this for absolutely ages until pulling it out earlier this month, which is a sign that no-one I've been listening to has been playing it either! Grand Agent collaborated with Oxnard production wizard Oh No on the "Under The Circumstances" LP which this track is drawn from, and the album has the husky-voiced MC Liv L'Raynge as the featured guest - with this track being her standout performance. She burns it down on the opening verse over Oh No's heavy beat, and really steals the whole show to be honest!

Coyote ft. Shaquille O'Neal : 3 Lokos

I first heard an excerpt of this on Instagram - not sure it was on Shaq's page, but either way it sent me to go ahead and find the full version of this new single! Coyote is the pairing of Ladies Love Guapo and Ricky Blanco, neither of whom I know already but they both spit rugged on this track, which they produced alongside Brian Lee and on which they were specifically going for a hardcore 90s feel. I know, I know...you want to know about Shaq. Well...he kills his verse. The doctorate-holding four-time NBA champion has been recording since 1993's guest appearance on "What's Up Doc?" by the Fu-Schnickens and his "Shaq Diesel" LP, and despite a long break he comes out spitting with that hunger!

K-Otix : World Renown

Classic underground Hip-Hop right here from 2000, and now available along with the rest of the "Universal" LP on Bandcamp, so no reason not to put some dough in the artists' pockets! You might hear this record and think NYC, but nope - this is a Houston record! It might have been releaed on Bronx Science record, but the skills are all Texas-raised. The incredibly memorable beat comes from the man known as The ARE, who has also done some amazing work outside the crew, and Damien and Micah take the vocal reins. Big record.

DJ Spinna : Surely (Instrumental)

As we move with the wind-down, here's a beautiful track from the studio of DJ Spinna, taken from the instrumental release of his solo debut on BBE, "Here To There". With Ovasoul7's vocals gone, the guitar of the late UK jazz guitar legend Ronny Jordan and the programming work of DJ Spinna get to take centre stage, giving the track a different dimension.

Method Man ft. Ghostface Killah : Afterparty

An appropriate record to end the show with! A dope sing-songy exchange between Meth and Ghost starts the track off, and the melodic approach pops up throughout the track in between straight up bars over a smooth beat from a producer credited simply as "Q", but better known to most as Qur'an from Da Youngstas (sorry, can't bring myself to put the incorrect apostrophe in!) Still my favourite track on "Tical 0 : The Prequel", just as it was on first listen.

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airadam · 8 months

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Episode 171 : Ripples and Echoes

"Let me say it again, and say it with feeling..."

- Jay Dee

A big episode this month - both in importance and in number of tracks - as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Kool Herc party at 1520 Sedgwick Ave, Bronx, NY, that arguably sparked Hip-Hop! The format is slightly different from the usual, and the episode is centred around three records which have been sampled, references, and homaged throughout Hip-Hop history - echoing through time. The influences manifest differently as they encounter each artist, so even within the set of tracks that have a common root, there are wide variations of style, subject, and sound. I think you'll enjoy the hour I've put together for you!

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Playlist/Notes

Westside Gunn, 緑, and Kool Herc : Kool Herc Intro

Big up to Westside Gunn for going back to the source and allowing us to hear from Kool Herc himself on this intro to "FLYGOD Is Good...All The Time".

KRS-ONE and Marley Marl : Hip Hop Lives

KRS is one of the greatest MCs of all time - and as Bomani Jones said, maybe the one person you'd pick if there was no music, no anything, and they just had to go on stage and command it. Marley Marl is often overlooked by those not necessarily in the know, but the man behind the Juice Crew (who famously battled KRS in the Bridge Wars) was a revolutionary in the field of production, with his approach to cutting up samples being the grandfather of most of what you would have heard afterwards. Together, they released a 2007 album "Hip Hop Lives", of which this is of course the title track, and a rallying cry for the culture.

[Buckwild] Meyhem Lauren : Love and Loyalty (Instrumental)

Buckwild never wavers from the path of putting in the honest effort that his talent deserves to deliver quality material. If you want popcorn, microwave beats, go elsewhere! This is a great beat from his 2014 "Silk Pyramids" project with Meyhem.

Fred Wesley & The J.B.s : Blow Your Head

A funk classic that must have sounded positively UFO-like when it was released in 1974 on the "Damn Right I Am Somebody" album, and there's a reason for that that I only just learned; the crazy synth wasn't even on the track to begin with. The original was recorded in 1973, and only after that did James Brown, playing with his newly-bought synthesizer, doodle all over the track before adding it to the album! Apparently Fred Wesley was not impressed...

The D.O.C. : Portrait Of A Master Piece

The "Blow Your Head" sample here is relatively backgrounded, definitely not the focus of the instrumental - but as good as the Dre-produced beat is, the star here is without question the MC. This track comes from his first LP "No One Can Do It Better", which had people tipping him for big things, before he was cruelly and ironically deprived of a critical attribute - his voice - when his larynx was crushed in a car accident only five months after its release. He later returned to recording with a changed voice, and has written classics for several artists, but it's a huge shame that he never got to follow his debut up on his own terms.

Hijack : Style Wars

When Brixton's legendary Hijack got a single deal with Music of Life, none of them knew how to create a record as such. The three-man inner core was made up of DJs Supreme and Undercover alongside the MC Kamanchi Sly, and it was actually the latter who suggested using the Fred Wesley sample. Supreme was unconvinced, believing that it would make their track too much of an imitation of the then-recent "Public Enemy No.1", but relented on the basis that the rhymes and cuts would be so good that they'd make up for any deficiency on the beat side. As it turned out, "Style Wars" turned out to be an absolutely classic single in its own right, and in my opinion, never came off as a bite.

Public Enemy : Public Enemy No. 1

One of the first records ever to sample "Blow Your Head", this is arguably the inspiration that all the others you might hear draw from. While it became known to most of us as a track on 1987's "Yo! Bum Rush The Show", the original demo is from all the way back in 1984, and was the track that had Def Jam chasing PE to sign with them. You can tell it wasn't produced with modern equipment, with some likely-unintentional looseness in the timing on the loops, but that in no way prevented it from being a classic.

Digable Planets ft. DJ Jazzy Joyce : 9th Wonder (Blacktolism)

The famous sample is a lot more chaotic at the very start of this cut, before settling into a near-monotone that comes in at various points throughout. Great self-produced track from the "Blowout Comb" LP, the Planets' second, with the lyrical vibes matching perfectly (Ladybug Mecca bringing it home with the best verse in my opinion), topped off by Jazzy Joyce, a veteran Bronx DJ who first played in a club at thirteen, blessing the end of the track with her cuts. I almost defy anyone not to enjoy this one.

Ta'Raach : Bea2ful

Still my favourite beat from the instrumental version of the "Re:Lacks Vol. 1: With The World" LP ("Re:Lacks Vol.1 Instrumentals") - all you can say is that it lives up to its name. Warm, inviting, beautiful indeed.

Eric B & Rakim : Paid In Full

A track that needs no introduction, but that would be a poor excuse for not writing anything here 🙂 The title track of the first Eric B & Rakim LP, it was somehow only the fifth single, but a classic that, as you will hear in the following tracks, has been referenced over and over again in Hip-Hop history - a true standard, arguably in the jazz sense.

Marco Polo and Torae ft. Masta Ace and Sean Price : Hold Up

You hear Rakim's voice telling of his stickup days cut up here amongst others by DJ Linx for the hectic hook of this no-pretence track from the "Double Barrel" LP, which somehow is already fourteen years old! Marco Polo's beat gives off serious 70s crime movie chase scene energy, and all the MCs lean into it. Sean P's James Earl Ray line is a little bit ouch, but throwing in the occasional extreme reference was always part of his style.

Jay Dee : The $

Raw, heavy, destructive sound from the MPC of the great Jay Dee/J Dilla from the "Ruff Draft" EP, and easily my favourite cut on there - highlighted by the quote from this month's epigram. Of course, the "Paid In Full" reference comes with the opening of the first verse, perfectly appropriate for a track all about getting that cash. It's yet another example proving that those who grouped Slum Village in with "conscious/boho" rap were simply not paying attention, backed up by beats that - played through the right car system - would simply level any coffee house!

Le$ : Paid In Full

Finally in this section, we go with a heavy tribute from Houston's Le$. From the 2014 "ACE" release, Cookin Soul is on production, giving us a drastically slowed, spaced out take on the original beat. Replaying the original bassline, the rest is synth and programmed drums, with the occasional flash of the original record being dropped in along with Rakim's voice. You half expect him to open up with "thinking of a masterplan", but he instead starts his first verse paying tribute to a classic from his own hometown, DJ DMD's "25 Lighters", another "get money" anthem.

The Alchemist : Imperius Rex

You can get this heavyweight instrumental on the "Rapper's Best Friend 5: An Instrumental Series" collection of beats, but if you want to hear someone pick up the mic and slay it, the clue is in the title. This was the beat for the title track of the late great Sean Price's posthumous album, "Imperius Rex", and sounds suitable weighty to bear the name.

Run-DMC : King Of Rock

The video for this 1985 track, the title cut from their second LP, saw Run-DMC storming the "Museum of Rock 'n' Roll" - and so it was beautifully fitting when they were eventually, and rightfully, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. The group is often taken as the defining line between the true "old skool" and everything that came after, as they broke with many of the stylistic elements that had marked Hip-Hop records up to that point. No disco sounds, no outlandish costuming, but hard-as-nails beats and an aggressive lyrical delivery that indeed aligned them with as much with rock as anything else - hence the title. This track has been sampled countless times, and interestingly, almost always for the lyrics rather than the beat. On production, Run programmed the drums, and Larry Smith took care of the rest - the group were actually not in favour of the guitars, but they worked!

Oh No ft. Roc 'C' and J Dilla : Move

It's not obvious unless you're paying attention, but it's here - check the start of the second verse, where Roc 'C' works his MC name into the Run-DMC reference! The track as a whole channels some kind of vampire film vibe more than anything, if Dracula was banging on the MPC at any rate... However, this is a rare call for outside production by Oh No, who is a beast on production in his own right but pulls in J Dilla here on this tune from his debut LP, "The Disrupt".

PRhyme ft. Schoolboy Q and Killer Mike : Underground Kings

The most recent of the tracks in this section, this one comes from the 2014 "PRhyme" LP, the debut release from the group made up of DJ Premier and Royce the 5' 9". There are actually several Run-DMC samples here, and the reference to "Kings" in the title fits not only those kings from Queens but also Pimp C (RIP) and Bun B, who made up UGK (Underground Kingz) and are both given tons of respect here. Detroit (Royce), Los Angeles (Q), and Atlanta (Killer Mike) come together here for some cross-continental mic wreckage on top of a heavy beat from the production pride of Houston/Brooklyn.

Pete Rock : 'Till I Retire

As you'll pick up on immediately, it's the first and fourth bars of "King Of Rock" that get an outing here, with a clever splicing to declare "I'm the king, 'til I retire"! Don't forget that as much as a producer, Pete Rock is a DJ, and Hip-Hop DJs absolutely hear these snippets and connections and store them upstairs for later use. The track itself isn't otherwise rock-influenced, but just a dope, straightahead canvas for Pete to rhyme on all the way through with no guests. This is a 2008 track from Pete Rock's "NY's Finest" LP - and fifteen years later, his work rate is probably even higher now than it was then!

Z-Trip : Rockstar II

The original "Rockstar" was one of the most popular tracks on the second volume of Bomb Hip-Hop's groundbreaking "Return Of The DJ" series, and so on the third volume, Phoenix's own Z-Trip came back for a second variation on the same theme. Absolutely packed with rock samples and cut-ups, you hear the "king of rock" right next to perfectly placed cutting up of "back again" from Kool G Rap & Polo's "Poison", denoting the sequel status of this track.

Fat Jon The Ample Soul Physician : Automated Life Machines

If I say so myself, this was a great pick for this spot - the raw, discordant sound at the very start actually sounds a little like a continuation of "Rockstar II", before it transitions into its own thing, a great bit of boom-bap on the drums with subtle accompanying bass and chilled sounds in the midrange, leading us towards the end of the show. Cincinatti's Fat Jon released this on his "Dyslexic" instrumental EP back in 2000, another bit of wax that made it into my computer recently as part of the Great Digitising, and he's still active to this day. Oh yes - and he can rhyme too!

Ultramagnetic MCs : Bust The Facts

We finish up by going back - I was originally going to being the episode with this, but I think this works out better. This is from the 1992 "Funk Your Head Up" LP by the Ultramagnetics, and while it's nowadays an old track, even then, it was looking back to the early days of Hip-Hop - giving you a flavour of the excitement of the time, and mentioning many of the foundational artists and crews. The only diversion is a few shots thrown at Kool Moe Dee, who Kool Keith clearly had issues with, but apart from that the whole thing is an ode to a period and a vibe that could never be repeated. Our job is to preserve the culture and take it forward.

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airadam · 9 months

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Episode 170 : In My Own Lane

"Tell Nipsey I'm still running laps."

- Dave East

We're past the halfway point of 2023 and summer in the UK is...variable. Instead of trying to go seasonal in the main, I've gone with a selection which is heavy on relatively-recent releases while excavating some absolute gems from the crates. There's almost no way anyone knows all of these tracks, and as such, I'm aiming to send all of you to go and buy some of this stuff so that the artists know how much you appreciate top-quality material!

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Playlist/Notes

Saigon ft. Benny The Butcher : No Witness

Big New York State action on this new single, with Saigon in combination with Buffalo's Benny The Butcher (lots of alliteration there!). The beat is heavy goodness courtesy of the DITC legend Buckwild, and is exactly what you need for MCs like this. Benny continues his run of form on features, while Saigon kills it as the returning veteran, starting his first and last verses with a similar four bars before diving into his subjects. That last verse is a stark warning to the youngsters who are sending themselves to prison by documenting their questionable associations and/or illegal activities on social media and on records...

Judah : Sweet Jesus

Digging this one out of the stash was a real win - I think it's a perfect chaser for the Saigon track. Taken from an old favourite, "The Ghostface Beat Tape" by The Beat Tape Project, this instrumental by Washington D.C.'s Judah has Blaxploitation flick written all over it.

Serial Killers (Xzibit, B-Real, and Demrick) ft. Kurupt : Dickies & Bandanas

The "Serial Killers Vol.1" mixtape has been sitting in my collection for almost exactly ten years without me drawing from it, but that's part of the nature of the show - it's not about just playing the brand new cuts or the old classics, but digging deeper. Heavy west action from this union of MCs together with the still-underrated Kurupt. No details on who produced this, but there's no G-Funk, no smooth synths on the beat, instead using a hammering rhythm track and string stabs as the driving elements.

Khrysis and Geechi Suede : Delta9

Khrysis has continued to deliver quality material over the years since his early days when the Justus League were first breaking out, and this is no exception. That vocal sample in the beat sounds semi-uplifting, and semi-dark - though the latter might be the reflection off the heavy drums and tense keyboard lines. Geechi Suede comes through with a less abstract verse than you might expect from him, despite it being a track about actually getting high! The 2021 "The Hour Of Khrysis" album is the place to hear more - don't worry, not all the tracks are quite this short :)

Curren$y ft. Jim Jones and Tommy Wright III : Marcus Camby

Curren$y on an entire project channelling 80s Miami vibes? That's something I'm grabbing with both hands. The short "Vices" album came out earlier this month, with all production coming from frequent collaborator Harry Fraud, and this is one of the standouts for me. Lush with just a touch of tension, the production is absolutely on-theme. On the mic, Curren$y is in his usual lane, followed by Jim Jones of Dipset who comes with a slightly more energetic delivery while still matching the downtempo vibe. I don't know Tommy Wright III, but I think he's just on the hook here - either way, one of my favourites this month and looking like a late contender for my most played tracks of 2023!

Dave East & DJ Drama ft. Buda & Grandz : Egyptian Kings

I'm only just catching up with last year's "Book of David" mixtape, but there's some absolute heat on there, including this downtempo, almost bluesy track. I may need to search out the instrumental, because Buda, Grandz, Mike Kuz, and A-Vow knocked this one out of the park, with it being the perfect backing for Dave's choppy flow. In turn, in adopting that slow he leaves space for the beat to show through the gaps - great symbiosis.

K-Def : Anybody Got Budd?

A short, dramatic instrumental from the New Jersey production legend, taken from his 2006 "Willie Boo Boo The Fool" release - which was packed with short tracks I wish were a minute or two longer each!

Boot Camp Clik : Wotcha Call Strength

One of the strongest, most talented crews in Hip-Hop come out in force on this brand new single, their first under the combined banner in over fifteen years! Of course, the much-missed Sean Price is absent, but Ruck of Heltah Skeltah, OGC, Smif-N-Wessun, Black Moon, and longtime associate Rustee Juxx all throw down heavy on Arcitype's beat. These veterans have all got better with time, despite a tough road along the way. This is what we call strength.

Teflon ft. Benny The Butcher : Hostile Takeover

He's back! You might remember this man as a soloist coming out of First Family, M.O.P's crew, but until the recently-released "2 Sides To Every Story" LP, from which this single comes, his last release was in 2006 - and that was a mixtape! You have to go back the 1997 album "My Will" for his only full album release, but it's good to see that he's put the frustrations of the old record industry behind him for this LP. I told you Benny The Butcher was on a hot streak of guest appearances, and then you have the unmistakeable sound of DJ Premier on the production with his signature scratched, multi-sampled hook. Straight boom-bap.

Meyhem Lauren : African Pompano

In a recurring theme for this month, I could happily have had this track last a fair bit longer. Meyhem is one of the foremost representatives of all that fly ish, and he kills it once again on this Madlib beat from the Madlib/Meyhem/DJ Muggs collab album "Champage For Breakfast" - very much his style! No hook at all, just some almost entirely clean space between the two verses, and the instrumental feels somehow tighter and more focused than some other Madlib beats, which is testament to his sense as a producer of what a particular MC needs. As an aside, I had to look up what pompano is, and now I want some :) Meyhem may be this generation's champ of the food references!

Semi Six : 96

Hot of the presses, this single released just a few days ago, with the man from Detroit low-key (ok, not all that low) flossing over an AntBell! beat for the summertime. Just a dope track, with one of Semi's better hooks into the bargain!

Brand Nubian : Meaning Of The 5% (Instrumental)

I've always found the production on this track from Brand Nubian's second LP "In God We Trust" to be deeply stirring, and a perfect use of the sample it's based around. No chopping, just a loop and some relatively subtle added drums, showing that it's not just having the source material, but knowing what - and what not - to do with it.

Above The Law : Flow On (Move Me No Mountain)

I think the subtitle may have been an afterthought - on the vinyl release of "Livin' Like Hustlers" at least, it appears on the label of the actual wax but not on the back of the album cover. Coming towards the end of the album, "flow" is a perfect description - the late KMG and Cold 187 go fluidly back and forth in a playeristic fashion over a smooth 187 production based on a soul cut from which the subtitle is drawn.

Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, and Kamasi Washington : The Mighty Tree

This is major-league jazz combination, with the Hip-Hop knowledge and sensibility that all these artists have woven into it. There are actually two versions of this cut - this one, the original, from the "Dinner Party" album, and then one with guest appearances from Rapsody and Herbie Hancock that you can find on "Dinner Party : Dessert" EP. There's so much talent, experience, and feeling between all these musicians, there's not much more I can say - just listen and appreciate it!

S. Fidelity ft. NDO : Mixed Signals

Not sure where I learned about this track, but it's channeling those Dilla-influenced neo-soul vibes beautifully! NDO from Florida is the singer with just a touch of Badu in her voice, while Berlin residents S. Fidelity and Suff Daddy lay down an undeniable groove. This was the lead signal from the 2021 "Fidelity Radio Club" album, which is one I'm going to be having a deeper listen to!

Mary J. Blige and Smif-n-Wessun : I Love You (Remix)

This is a serious 90s deep cut, with the remix of this track from Mary J's "My Life" LP keeping the same Chucky Thompson (RIP) and Puffy beat, but adding Smif-N-Wessun to the opening before they give way to Mary's classic vocals. One thing you do have to give Puffy credit for is making that blend of Hip-Hop and R&B mainstream, even if he didn't invent it! Smif-N-Wessun wouldn't be the obvious choice for most producers here, but the selection was an inspired one. Check the seven-track "My Life (Remix)" EP or the deluxe version of the album for more quality.

Pete Rock : Pete's Jazz

We're four albums deep into the "Petestrumentals" series, but here we roll all the way back to the very first, landing almost exactly in the centre for an SP-1200 masterclass. You could just as well have titled this one "Pete's Funk", but the vibraphone and sax samples do put a bit of a bow tie on proceedings!

Slum Village : This Beat

I just finished reading the excellent book "Dilla Time" this month, and it's already making me appreciate some of Jay Dee's work on additional levels, with this very early SV cut being an example - his annoyance with people coming round "all unannounced" is based on at least one real incident! The beat is pure dopeness, with the high end coming from the very start of a well-known sample (listen closely to the hook for a hint), and the drum and bass combination being pure perfection. This is the style that many have tried to imitate, but there's only one originator.

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airadam · 10 months

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Episode 169 : Thirteen Squared, Fourteen Years

"Paid my dues, now pay my fee."

- Pete Rock

Another year in the books! This is the fourteenth birthday episode of the podcast, and it's wild to look back at how different the landscape looked back in 2009 when I started it off. At least nowadays, I don't have to explain what a podcast is!

I needed a selection worthy of the milestone, and I think you'll enjoy it - Hip-Hop basically end-to-end, with some virtuoso performances on the mics, the boards, and the turntables. Turn the volume up and check the styles...

Book a ticket to see me play live in Salford with the 45 Kings and Queens on July 8th here!

Gigs & streams calendar : events.airadam.com

Twitter : @airadam13

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Playlist/Notes

Swizz Beatz ft. Jadakiss, Benny the Butcher, and Scar Lip : Take 'Em Out

Huge new single to open things up for this month, and a track I can already tell is going to make my list of top Spotify tracks this year. As part of the 50th year of Hip-Hop celebrations, Mass Appeal have released a couple of producer-led EPs with a selection of MCs, and this is of course from Swizz' contribution. It's not the production style most would think of when Swizz Beatz is mentioned, but listen for the classic "The Bridge Is Over" drums accompanied by what sounds like a pipe organ with the "evil" stop pulled all the way out - vicious. And the MCs, my goodness! LOX legend Jadakiss opens up, hands off to modern-day street rap giant Benny the Butcher, and cleanup duty is handled in fine style by the young and hungry Scar Lip. The video is great as well - chaotic, dark, monochrome, giving me just a taste of the same energy as the visuals for Ice Cube's "Wicked" back in the day. The whole package is hard like titanium.

Onyx : Throw Ya Gunz (Instrumental)

After starting the show with a track sampling the yelled into Onyx's first single, which was a big tune in its day, I decided to follow up with the instrumental as I hadn't heard it in so long. RIP to Chyskillz, the producer, who passed away in 2018.

Coach NYM : Work Ethic

One from my gym playlist for you, taken from the "Healthy Gangsta" LP. Part of the RBG movement, NYM gives a message on this track and the rest of the album that very much aligns with the innovative "Workout" LPs that stic of dead prez (their lowercasing, btw) released in 2011 and 2020. Turn this track up and get your motivation right!

Bronx Slang : Excuse Me Again

My man Jerry Beeks accurately and sadly points out that the subject of this track will continue to be relevant into the foreseeable future. Following up from the original "Excuse Me Officer" from the "Bronx Slang" LP, this is, in Beeks' distinctive style, a run-down of yet more Black people who have been murdered by the police. The producer Fake Blood gives it a soundtrack with just a hint of melancholy that still makes you nod your head thanks to his drum programming, and leaves enough space for you to hear every work clearly. Find this on the appropriately-named "Substance" album.

Blak Twang ft. Fallacy : Homegrown

I promise I didn't just try to find every track that sampled Onyx and throw them into this episode! The b-side of the incredible 1996 "Real Estate" 12", this is not only pure lyrical rawness from both MCs (Blak Twang/Taipanic/Tony Rotton and Fallacy) over a beat from V.R.S, but it's also the source of an incredible number of samples. If you go and check the excellent Blak Twang LP "19 Long Time", you'll be amazed how many times he samples himself, and from this specific cut - EPMD would be proud :)

The Musalini ft. Pete Rock and 9th Wonder : Carmel City 2

The vast majority of times, a sequel track is done by the original artist (for example, EPMD's "Jane" series, Ice Cube with the "Gangsta's Fairytale" pair), but this is an interesting exception. Pete Rock, the producer of the original "Carmel City" from his and CL Smooth's "The Main Ingredient" LP is here...but only on the mic, and even then only as the featured guest! Lead duties are taken by Bronx native The Musalini, and production is by a man who would absolutely name Pete Rock as an influence, North Carolina's 9th Wonder. This track has had a lot of rewinds in my headphones over the last month!

BusCrates : Get It Going

The brand new BusCrates LP, "Control Center" released this week, and it starts off with this serious groove, one which I had to let you get a good helping of before my voiceover! The new LP is overally lower in tempo than his "Blasting Off" album, and leans a little more in the direction of Hip-Hop while maintaining his funky and soulful style. BusCrates is an exceptionally skilled producer and DJ - as well as a thoroughly nice guy - who absolutely deserves your support.

Little Brother : Sittin Alone

This track will, depending on your age, inspire mocking laughter or wry recognition! The time comes to all of us where the thought of hitting the clubs on a Saturday night sounds...kind of tiring. If nothing else, I'm sure everyone can relate to the flyer with eight different fonts on it :) Mixing real feelings with a great bit of humour, it's just one example of the grown man rap on the "May The Lord Watch" album. As an aside - paying child support is not, of course, just a Black thing!

Kev Brown : Homework Part 1

Like most of the tracks on the "Homework" album, I wish this were a touch longer, but the man from Landover has a gift for leaving everyone wanting more! You can certainly hear his characteristic bassline action, while the high end is actually really prominent on this too, in a lo-fi fashion - almost sounds like a rough draft, but you know it's all intentional and provides a canvas for him to kick some lyrics, in case you forgot he puts in work on the mic too :)

Prodigy & Nas : Self Conscience

One of those great mixtape tracks from a previous era that you just don't hear around anymore, but absolutely deserves an airing. A concept piece lyrically, this has the late great Prodigy talking to his conscience, going back and forth, before Nas closes things out. The beat is by Infinite Arkatechz, who were basically the patron saints of sampling New Age and prog rock records (you might recognise this one). Find this somewhat forgotten classic on the "Nas & Ill Will Records Prsents...QB Finest" compilation.

dead prez : The Game Of Life (Score)

The "Soul In The Hole" soundtrack may be better known to many than the excellent film, but either way, here's the top-notch opening track, bringing a message to set the tone and frame the events of the story in a much wider context. This is actually my favourite iteration of the dead prez sound - tracks like this and "Sellin' Dope (Drugs Oppress People Everyday)" really stood out sonically from the mass of releases of the same time period. The production is provided by Da Heads - according to Discogs, only ever credited for this one song, but I'm wondering if somehow, somewhere, DJ Spinna is in the mix...

[Swizz Beatz] Nas : Salute Me (The General) (Instrumental)

Thumping, militaristic instrumental from the keyboard era. I love the opening on this before it settles down into the rhythm of the verses, which is even better on the vocal version with the opening adlibs.

Gunshot : Clear From Present Danger

RIP MC Alkaline. For those that don't know, Gunshot were truly one of the defining groups of their era, standard bearers for what became known to many as the "Britcore" style. The beats were almost always uptempo (this isn't even that fast compared to many), dramatic and dense, with a clear influence of The Bomb Squad - as time went on, this style went on to help give birth to other UK electronic music genres. The lyrics and delivery were always aggressive - as I say on the voiceover, think "action film" rather than trying to make you believe they were gangsters. This is one of the classic singles from this crew out of Leyton, East London, complete with a full lyric sheet on the back of the sleeve if you can get hold of the vinyl.

DJ Supreme ft. Son Of Noise : R.I.P.

More UK Hip-Hop royalty from the same era as Gunshot - the legendary DJ Supreme of Hijack producing for the mic-destroying Son of Noise on a 2016/7 release that shows that neither half of this combo have lost a step since they first came out. Raw, hard-edged, unapologetic British Hip-Hop on a battle tip.

Rob Swift ft. DJ Klever and Melo-D : 2-3 Break

One of the greatest DJs of all time and also a fierce defender of DJing ethics, rights, and responsibilities, Rob Swift is a man that should be held up high by all those who claim to represent Hip-Hop culture. On this 2002 cut, he pays tribute to the original "Two, Three, Break" by The B Boys (with the great Chuck Chillout on the wheels), and combines with two other turntable titans, Klever and Melo-D of Beat Junkies for a turntable workout over some classic beats and breaks. I was pleased to find that Rob's second LP "Sound Event" that this is drawn from is on streaming platforms, so don't miss out having a listen to the rest of the album.

Tobi Sunmola : Not The One

If you've heard me DJ on Twitch in the last few years, you may well have heard me play this absolute heater to great response! From Lagos to Manchester, Tobi Sunmola is a real talent with his own style, and kills it on this uptempo cut from his 2018 EP "Good Guys Don't Survive". Let's hope that this one does.

Ilajide : INDYNSUMRLUV

Faithful podcast listeners will already know how I rate this man, an incredible producer out of Detroit who hammers the funk into a sequencer like few can. The bassline is simple, but is just what's needed underneath those drums, where the hi-hats are doing the work of bringing the complexity while the kick and snare keep time. Very dope business from January's "NO SAUCEPAN TUESDAYS" album/beat tape. I'm assuming Tuesdays are for air fryers only.

Tobe Nwigwe ft. Coast Contra : DESTRUCTION

Tobe Nwigwe and his team are continuing to have success which is great to see - it's been four years since I first played him here (which is not when he started), and it's been constant elevation from there. This cut from last year's "moMINTs" album is big, booming, and as heavy as the title suggests, with Tobe, Nick Humes and Nick Baker on production. Guesting on several mics are the crew of dangerous Los Angeles MCs that is Coast Contra, who bring the heat to help close the episode in dramatic fashion. By the way, I realised how much time is flying when I realised that two members of Coast Contra are the sons of Ras Kass!

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airadam · 11 months

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Episode 168 : No Sudden Moves

"I was a seventies baby, raised in the eighties..."

- Scarface

An appropriate quote for this month's episode, in which we keep a constant speed all the way through - an unbroken chain in the low-80s BPM range! A little rugged, a little smooth, some old and some new, and hopefully something for each of you 🙂

Remember, you can always see a list of my next few upcoming streams and gigs @ events.airadam.com!

Twitter : @airadam13

Twitch : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Lupe Fiasco ft. Jay-Z : Pressure

The show starts back in 2006, with a selection from Lupe Fiasco's debut "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor", produced by Prolyfic. He came out strong on this album, representing Chicago in fine style, a city that historically hadn't been as regarded as some when it came to Hip-Hop. Being able to get Jay-Z in for a feature on your debut, even back then, was a sign that you were to be taken seriously, and Lupe has definitely justified that in retrospect.

Marco Polo : Pirate Hookers

The modern move towards independent digital releases on platforms like Bandcamp means it's easier than ever to get hold of gems like "MP On The MP ; The Beat Tape Vol. 2" - at one time they just wouldn't have come out at all, or maybe got a limited run of hard copies. It's hard to describe this track, but the quieter sections make me think of the back streets in a French detective movie, while the louder parts are much more bombastic. If you like hearing instrumentals breathe without vocalists, support releases like this and let the artists know!

Dan Greenpeace & Diamond D : Nowhere To Run To

This release was an incredibly pleasant surprise - I had no idea it was coming out until just before release, when Greenpeace posted about it on Instagram. I've had the pleasure of knowing Greenpeace since the mid 90s - he was working at a company where I had a summer job, and we bonded over a love of Hip-Hop. He was DJing on the side and was a big influence on my listening, putting me up on artists I might not have heard at the time, and he was the absolute first person I remember talking about independent Hip-Hop in the sense of the early Rawkus releases and things like that. I even remember him having the idea of a column in Hip-Hop Connection called "Independents' Day", which came to fruition some time before another well-known magazine "borrowed" that title for their column and ran with it! Anyway, around the time we met, Diamond D's first LP would not long since have been out, so it's amazing to see him producing a track for an artist that we would both have been looking up to from afar all those years ago. Chunky, dark, menacing, the beat is a suitably threatening setting for Diamond's bars, and when one of the most storied producers in Hip-Hop history allows you to produce him, you know you're doing something. Salute!

The Away Team : Steppin On Toes

A nice bit of rugged aggro with Khrysis on the boards and Sean Boog on the mic as The Away Team, a North Carolina crew that came out as part of the Justus League collective. This is on their second LP, 2007's "Training Day", which has some really solid tracks and is definitely worth a listen. While 9th Wonder was the most prominent producer from Justus League, Khrysis was putting out heat round the same period and has continued to work to the present day, with beats for everyone from Busta Rhymes to Rapsody.

Slim Thug : No No No

One of two straight tracks from Southern legends, we go to the nawf of Houston for a killer from last year's "BIGslim" (which it seems, is the name he plans to go by in the future) album. It of course features Slim's distinctive relaxed yet straightahead flow, as well as a Mr. Lee beat with some nice contrast - rapid, dead-on hi-hats alongside a main drum pattern that gets there when it gets there!

Scarface : Safe

The first full track on "The Fix" and a personal favourite from Scarface's long and storied catalogue, this is a raw record that explicitly talks about the contents of your safe while implicitly talking about the lack of safety in the street life. China Black is on production, and the pitch-bending bassline is a perfect menacing undertone.

Damu The Fudgemunk : Last Ole - 2005

It's been a while since we visited the 2008 "Spare Time" album from Washington DC's Damu, full of gritty, unapologetically sample-based beats, so why not do so as this particular beat turns eighteen? My goodness, it doesn't seem like quite that long ago...

Your Old Droog : The Groundhog

He pops up, says what he has to say eloquently, and then disappears again. On this new-ish single, Brooklyn's Your Old Droog clearly remembers the borough of a different era, before all the gentrification that make the area look as it does now - and as he points out, makes some new arrivals look at those who already lived there as the outsiders. The wisftul instrumental by Znakomi is a perfect musical accompaniment to the sentiment.

Hit-Boy & The Alchemist : Slipping Into Darkness

I can't think of another track quite like this brand new release. Not only does it change beat partway through, but each beat has a different producer. Not only that, but each producer also rhymes on the track. Finally, each producer is spitting over the other's beat. Hit-Boy, on Alchemist's beat, definitely had a lot to get off his chest - I don't know how the other producers he mentions in his verse will react to it!

Groove Armada ft. Jeru The Damaja : Suntoucher

This track is over twenty years old, but it's new to me! The opening cut from the "Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)" album, it's got a super-long instrumental intro before the vocals properly come in, courtesy of the East New York representative Jeru The Damaja. The main beat is based around a classic soul sample, which I believe is cleared, so I can tell you about it - the excellent "Something For Nothing" by MFSB.

Neneh Cherry : Manchild

A childhood favourite! I've loved this track since it was a radio hit as a single drawn from Neneh's debut "Raw Like Sushi" album back in 1989. She came out raw indeed, with the B-Girl vibes from day one, which you can hear popping up on this track on the short rap verses. This was apparently the first song Neneh sat down and wrote, and she smashes it out of the park - all kinds of chord changes running through it, and a melancholy feel to the lyrics, talking to a man who needs to grow up and fix up a little to get where he needs to be.

Marco Polo : Straight Spittin 4.5

I didn't originally intend to play two Marco Polo beats this episode, but it just flowed that way while browsing through tracks when I was standing at the turntables; don't be mad when you hear quality like this! Those drums are booming and banging over this MPC workout from his edition of the Fat Beats "Baker's Dozen" series, each an instrumental album from one producer.

Heavy D & The Boyz : Yes Y'all

Some boom-bap head-nod flavour from the late Heavy D's 1993 "Blue Funk" album. If you're steeped in the music of that era, you'll recognise the piano sample and usage as identical to that on Gang Starr's "92 Interlude" from the "Daily Operation" LP - DJ Premier tells the story much better than I ever could on an episode of his "So Wassup?" YouTube series, so I'll direct you over there!

Statik Selektah, Nas, Joey Bada$$, and Gary Clark Jr. : Keep It Moving

Statik has been one of the producers continuing to carry the flag for modern, soulful Hip-Hop, respecting the traditions and refining the approach. This was a personal favourite from the 2020 album "The Balancing Act", and while everyone on the mic does their thing...this is a Nas cut as far as I'm concerned :)

Tall Black Guy Productions : Black II Soul

You pretty much can't lose if you're sampling the legendary track this one is based on - or maybe more accurately, you shouldn't touch it if you don't know what you're doing! Fortunately, the man TBG can flip pretty much anything and then enhance it with his warm, soulful musical vibes. One of the many excellent flips/remixes/homages in his catalogue, it's one you should definitely add to your collection, especially for the sunnier days.

Children of Zeus ft. Akemi Fox : Balance

One of the best groups to come out in I don't know how long, Manchester's own Children of Zeus continue to stack up wins! This was the title track from their second full LP (but don't forget "The Story So Far..." and "The Winter Tape", and was highlighted by having the only guest appearance on the whole album, fellow Manchester vocalist Akemi Fox. If you've not yet heard the album, line it up for a listen today - you won't be disappointed!

Deckwrecka : Rough Winds

Another beneficiary of my big vinyl digitisation project, this is a track - well, a whole record, to be honest - that disappeared into the depths of my collection through no fault of its own. Taken from the 1998 "Deckwrecka 4" EP, this is a piece that sounds more gentle and refined than its title, or even the name of the artist, would suggest.

Lindsey Webster ft. Norman Brown : Free To Be Me

While Lindsey Webster is an artist I stumbled on some time ago, this particular track from 2018's "Love Inside" LP is one I think I heard on Twitch - H3 or Big Stove might have played it. A breezy bit of modern jazz featuring the skills of guitar boss Norman Brown, it might not be something that would ordinarily pass your ears but I thought it was a nice uplifting track to end the episode with!

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airadam · 1 year

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Episode 167 : More Tune

"We on they mood board, though they livin' in denial."

- Solace

This month's selection came together slowly and then all at once! It's turned out to be a great combination of deep album cuts, some lesser-known bonus tracks and remixes, as well as some brand new nuggets you can and should add to your collection! Of course I had to give you some Guru, and we start the episode with a cover version of a record that samples another musical giant, the recently and sadly departed Ahmad Jamal.

Don't forget that you can get the up-to-date list of my upcoming streams and events at events.airadam.com!

Twitter : @airadam13

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Playlist/Notes

Elzhi & Will Sessions : The World Is Yours

RIP to the great Ahmad Jamal, the legendary pianist who was famously sampled on the original "The World Is Yours" on the classic Nas "Illmatic" LP. As we've already played that on the podcast, we instead turn to the excellent re-imagining of that album by the all-Detroit combination of the band Will Sessions and the gifted MC Elzhi. It's always interesting when a musician is sampled by a Hip-Hop producer, and then that production later remade by other live musicians - bringing things full circle.

The Quarter Inch Kings : I'm No Comeback

As part of the Beat Tape Project, Toronto's Quarter Inch Kings channel some soulful flavour on this instrumental from "The AZ Beat Tape" - one that I could very well hear the Brooklyn Legend on.

Masta Ace & Marco Polo : Masta Polo

I was almost going to describe Marco Polo as one of the new generation of producers, but then I realised - it's been eighteen years! Still fresh, yet a veteran, he combines with a legend from the Juice Crew, Brooklyn's Masta Ace, for some classy 21st century boom-bap. You need to find the Deluxe edition of the Polo-produced "A Breukelen Story" album to get this one, and it's well worth the effort.

Terri Walker ft. Ty : OK

One of the finest soul singers these isles have ever produced, though an underappreciated one, Terri Walker has always shown love to the home team, with this track being a great example. The Nottingham stalwart Joe Buhdha is behind the boards, and the late London don TY warms up the mic before Ms Walker strides over the instrumentation. You might know her first few LPs, but definitely check for the later stuff, such as the EP this track was release on, "Joe Buhdha Presents Breakout". RIP Ty, live long Terri Walker.

Gang Starr : 2 Deep (City Lick Mix)

This is one of my earliest Hip-Hop 12" purchases, and a version of the Gang Starr classic deep single that I had to grow into! The UK's Dodge City Productions were, in retrospect, a perfect choice to take on remix duties here, a group well-steeped in the jazz that Gang Starr had helped pioneer as part of Hip-Hop. The late great Guru is in fine form, on his grown man business over all three verses - starting closer to battle mode and then weaving in his message. Apparently a Europe-only release, this is a worthy version to stand next to the original from the "Daily Operation" LP.

Curren$y : Fortune 500

This is clearly an anthem for LLC Twitter, with one long verse about getting that cash, and the outro showing Curren$y quizzing the next generation. The brand new "For Motivational Use Only" LP is another in the set of releases where Curren$y links up with a single producer to build a cohesive whole - in this case, the veteran Jermaine Dupri. I'd be lying if I said it was a collaboration that I was thinking about, but it works!

Medline : Payé Entièrement

Sound familiar? If you didn't guess from the title, this is a wicked instrumental cover of the classic "Paid In Full" by Eric B & Rakim that just cannot be denied. You can head straight over to Bandcamp to get the digital version as a bonus cut on the "Je Sais Que Tu As De L'Âme" release (put that into Google Translate if you don't speak French) - really, an essential pickup in my opinion.

Knaladeus : Lose Or Win

Not in terms of complexity as such, but in terms of tone, does Knaladeus here remind you of Black Thought at all? Either way, self-produced dopeness with quality songwriting from this artist out of Florida, one of the early tracks on his 2018 "Letters To You" album. His heartfelt lyrics on top of that beat are already a great blend, but the cherry is provided by DJ Stranger's cuts, drawing from the lyrics of Guru - once I heard those, this track was a lock for this episode.

Onra : 1-4 TONI

If you like a track with instructions (think "Jump Around", or hell, even "The Time Warp"), then this is up your street. That said, if you weren't already nodding your head to this one, you might want to clear your ears out first! Nice beat by the man from Paris, a 2018 track that went unreleased until Valentine's Day this year.

Superbad Solace : Throwing Fits

One for the Lo heads, from one of the foremost representatives currently recording! Solace has done it again with his "Sol Controller 3" project, and this track dedicated to the art of getting fresh is a personal favourite. The references to the Ralph Lauren brand and lifestyle are numerous, but as Solace points out, "you can buy gear, but you can't buy style"! The beat by Mono en Stereo makes you feel like you need to be posing on a yacht for a catalogue somewhere :)

Panama Gat : So Lonely

This man has a spectacular MC name, though it feels a little wrong to point it out when the subject of his song on this episode is so serious. It's raw at times, but that's often how it goes when you're expressing real emotion. On the production front, the soul-sampling beat reminds you of the work of Kanye West and Just Blaze around the same era, but it's not a bite in any way. I'm not sure who put it together, but my guess is 9th Wonder, as this is part of the Justus League "Just Us, Vol. 6" mixtape.

Leavv : Within

A little of that Chillhop flavour for you, with Leavv coming from Germany but this track coming from some kind of dreamland where even the passing clouds come with a bumping drum accompaniment. Find this on the "Chillhop Essentials - Fall 2017" collection, which even now is available as a "name your price" release on Bandcamp!

Ilajide : Boom Shakalak

I'd almost forgotten this track from "#0414917"! The programming of this beat by one of Detroit's finest is on a half-time vibe which makes it feel much slower than the 100bpm than it measures at, and he works that by keeping his flow on the mic downtempo too.

Tha Chill ft. Kokane : RNO

Part of the respected Compton's Most Wanted, Tha Chill missed out on featuring on two of the group's LPs due to legal troubles, but bounced back from them and not only reunited with the crew but has a solid set of solo releases to his name. This track is from the 2020 "Fohead" LP, and I think may be self-produced - the instrumental embodies his name, with it being a little dark and cold, and moderately uptempo without being hectic. On the mic he's joined by another "if you know, you know" west coast legend, Pomona's Kokane, an artist well worth exploring in his own right.

Sepalot ft. Blu : Surrender

Rough, angular, lurching electronic rawness! Heading back over to Germany (Munich, to be precise), we pick up this B-side from the 2008 "She Likes Me" 12", loaded with synths and disembodied yells. It's a challenging background for an MC, but Blu, who you might know for considerably more gentle material, handles it with no problem at all.

Erick Sermon ft. MC Lyte and Rah Digga : Tell Me (If You Don't Feel Me)

Erick Sermon is a respected MC in his own right, but part of his production greatness is in knowing when to draft in even more firepower, as he does here on the 2002 "React" album! Two different generations (in terms of career period, if not age) combine to burn up the guest features here, with Brooklynite MC Lyte and Newark's Rah Digga bringing it home over Erick's beat, which very much has the flavour of the era.

Dâm-Funk : The Flow

The "STFU II" EP is - relatively speaking - a chilled collection for the Pasadena modern funk legend. This track has clean, gliding keyboard pads, but also the right weight of drums and synth bass, plus the tempo, to allow you to dance to it if that's how you feel. Dâm-Funk has been building up a very respectable discography since his 2008 debut single - take some time to explore it if you haven't already.

DJ Quik ft. Ludacris : Spur Of The Moment / Pacific Coast Remix

This might not be the most progressive track in the world, but it sounds absolutely fantastic, still. A standout on 2005's "Trauma" album, in shows how skilled DJ Quik is not just as a producer (and MC), but also as a mixer/engineer. The sunshiney vibes pour out of this one, and Ludacris, who my Twitch crowd all seem to agree is an underrated MC, hits the mark perfectly as a guest. This track seems to have a different title depending on whether you have the CD or vinyl of the album, but the only difference between them is how you rewind it to play it again once it fades out!

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Episode 166 : Public Art, Unseen Artists

"Godbodies behind bars, y'all see the barcode."

- Pharoahe

The month went from the ridiculous to the sublime, but as always, here we are right on time! This episode we pay homage to Phife and Biggie Smalls, and bring out some great recent releases alongside some older tracks that I think will have escaped the notice of many - after all, there's so much music out there! Almost an hour-long mix this time out, let's get to it...

Twitter : @airadam13

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Playlist/Notes

E-40 : On The Case

One of the hardest-working men in Hip-Hop, E-40 has recorded twenty-six studio albums, and still sounds as dope has when he debuted back in 1992. This is from his sixteenth, the second in the "The Block Brochure : Welcome To The Soil" trilogy, and as the prisoner quoted in the hook says, it does indeed slap! Chris "THX" Goodman gives him a dark, stomping beat which is a perfect backing for 40's flow as he gives you some free game. Whether you're facing a case or just a tough week at the work, I hope this helps!

Lsdream & Z-Trip : Space Funk

Giving exactly what it says on the tin, this tune is heavy instellar bass business. Z-Trip is better known to many of us as a turntablist and DJ, but his collaboration here with the former Brillz is a beautiful slice of bassy, floaty, vocoded production goodness!

Semi Six & Ilajide : Too Code

Going back to the "Park Orange" collab between these two Detroit natives, we have bump in abundance on this one. If one part of the track stands out, it's the fact that clearly, the roads in their neighbourhood and those in Manchester have a lot in common. Don't ride your 23" rims round here, for your own good!

Karl Hinds : Don Gramma

Twenty-two years on, some of these terms may have been superseded, but you get the point! Essentially the UK (or London, at least) version of Big L's underground hit "Ebonics", Karl runs you through a selection of the local slang, and handles the squelchy, bassy production on top of that. I'd only be half-surprised if it turns out he did the 12" cover design too...

Bumpy Knuckles ft, Sy Ari Da Kid : Word

It was a struggle to find a tune to fit into this spot, but I'm pleased with the choice - very much a deep cut from Bumpy, taken from the now ten-year-old "Mix Files, Vol.1" EP, which seems to be little hard to find nowadays. In fact, it's not even listed on his Discogs discography at present, which makes me wonder if that's just an oversight or if it was actually some kind of bootleg! Note : Feburary 29th does come, just infrequently...

Rich The Factor & DJ.Fresh : White Party

I've been playing this one in the car so much over the last year or so, it's about time it made its way onto the show! Kansas City's incredibly prolific Rich The Factor isn't coming with particularly complex bars, just vibing to the 80s-flavoured beat from DJ.Fresh from their edition of the "The Tonite Show" series, sampling a great bit of jazz-funk to great effect.

Tavaras Jordan : Photogenic (Instrumental)

It was great to see a complete instrumental release of Le$' "E30" LP, which was produced by Tavaras Jordan, who is rapidly becoming a personal favourite. Smooth synth and drum machine action with a lot of polish. Definitely one to hear in the car!

Slum Village ft. Phife Dog : Push It Along

Marking the anniversary month of Phife's passing, I thought I'd share a track of his you may not know. The circumstances are beautifully circular - Phife, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Q-Tip make up Tribe. Q-Tip puts J Dilla on as part of The Ummah, a production unit that worked on the later Tribe albums, which ultimately gives a boost to the early career of Slum Village. Years later, Slum Village, after the passing of J Dilla, bring Phife of Tribe in for this feature - named after a track from Tribe's debut. You can find this on Slum's "Yes!" LP, with Young RJ representing lovely on production.

ILLAMAN & Pitch 92 : Sometimes Relax

Great new single out of the UK, with ILLAMAN (all caps?) of Pengshui flowing over a Pitch 92 instrumental that is built around what sounds like reversed strings, wrapped in warm bass and a suitably-relaxed drumline. As the song says, sometimes we all need reminding to take a breath. Great to hear Pitch continue to build on his early catalogue with Plato and The Mouse Outfit, consistently releasing high-quality music.

Kardinal Offishall ft. Glenn Lewis : The Naked Truth

This one from "Kardi Gras Vol. 1 : The Clash" went down well on a Twitch stream recently, so I thought I'd finally include it on the podcast for all the subscribers! It's an all-Toronto affair, with R&B vocal master Glenn Lewis adding the perfect accompaniment to Kardinal's loverman lyrics with a hook that I think really makes the track.

Chris Mazuera : Inspiration (Statik Selektah Remix)

NYC's Mazuera was already onto a winner with this track from his debut LP "Let's Take A Trip", but getting Statik Selektah to remix it lifts it to an even higher level. It's still subtle and considered though, with Statik not overwhelming the original, and making it very much a joint piece of expression.

Benny Reid & Havoc : Temperature's Rising

Tracks from this combination between the jazz musician Benny Reid and Hip-Hop production legend Havoc have been trickling out over the last couple of months, and this version was one I was especially glad to hear, with the original "Temperature's Rising" being a personal favourite from the classic Mobb Deep LP "The Infamous". An all-instrumental remake, it of course derives from "Where There Is Love" by Patrice Rushen, but works in a live version of the boom that made the Mobb track such a killer.

Alaskan Fishermen : Fire & Ice

No hook, no radio appeal, no R&B affectations, just aggro underground rawness. The MCs build the lyrical structure in extremely short four-bar blocks, taking turns in trying to spit the most killer lines before passing to the next man. The final cut on Thirstin Howl's "Brooklyn Bullet Goldcard Membership" 12", the dramatic production brings exactly the right vibe.

Will.I.Am ft. KRS-ONE : Take It

It somehow feels wrong that KRS isn't officially the headline artist on this track, but aside from the hook, he is the only one on the mic! This 12" really deserved an airing after it made it into my digitised collection, as I realised that very few people have heard it. The beat is an interesting one, with the timing/programming being a little "off" in a way that makes it hard to mix with but also gives it the hard-to-place feel, and the hardness can't be denied. "Where Is The Love?", this is not.

Ras Kass : TV Guide

Dopeness from the eventually-released "Van Gogh" album, Ras takes inspiration from tracks like GZA's "Labels" and "Publicity", folding the names of dozens of TV programmes into his verses, while simultaneously making a critique of the medium itself. There's an alternate version with very different production courtesy of Carlos "Six July" Broady on the 12" of "Tha Dopest", if you can find it!

Pharoahe Monch : YAYO

The transition here is so swift that you might miss it at first, but we hand over from Ras to Pharoahe with the quickness for a fierce cocaine-themed cut (no pun intended)... Lee Stone's guitar-laden production on this single is heavy, and it's all topped off with some exceptionally sharp cuts courtesy of Boogie Blind of the X-Ecutioners - not seventeen-click flares or anything, just absolute mastery of the fundamentals and great scratch composition.

[Le Damus & SLA] Kwest, Gauge, and Eddie Broke : 718 (Instrumental)

This isn't even my favourite cut on the "Get Large Productions" 12" (that would be the mighty "Get Large"), but the horn-laden production on this instrumental would easily cut the mustard as an A-side on another release!

The Notorious B.I.G. : Real N****z (Do Real Things)

Excuse the sound quality as I share a piece of history - a legendary entry in Biggie's unofficial catalogue that you may never have heard if you're a little younger than me! This is drawn from the "Best Of Biggie" mixtape by Mister Cee, who of course was a critical figure in Big's early career. Sadly ironic given the eventual drama that played a central role in his premature death, the soundscape is pure California, with Biggie freestyling over the instrumentals from some of the biggest West Coast classics of the era. RIP.

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Episode 165 : The Second Plug.

"Too old to rhyme? Too bad, too late."

- Dave

This month marks a huge loss for the Hip-Hop community, and the music world more widely, as Dave, aka Trugoy The Dove of De La Soul, passed away. As part of the group, he was a perfect match with Pos on the mic, and was one of those low-key people that no-one ever had anything but good to say about. De La's influence is hard to overstate; without them, we might have had no Tribe, no Pharcyde, no Souls of Mischief... They showed that you didn't have to follow the hypermasculine style of their time, and brought their own brand of humour and creativity. On top of that, they were frequent and much loved live performers, and Dave's presence as part of one of the best shows in the culture will be greatly missed. Of course, in tribute, we have several De La Soul tracks in this month's selection.

Before we get into the tracklist and notes; here's where you can donate to relief efforts in Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquake they suffered this month.

Twitter : @airadam13

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Events : events.airadam.com

Playlist/Notes

De La Soul : Stakes Is High

Knowing that we were going to make several visits to the De La catalogue, I just had to open the episode with this one, the title track to their fourth album. The late J Dilla is on production, and there's a classic story of Posdnuous having to "Jedi mind trick" Q-Tip out of taking the beat for himself! To Pos' ears, the majesty of the beat perfectly fit the grand theme De La were going for with the lyrical theme, and he was bang on. The title actually came from Dave's late cousin Fudge, who told him "...you all better do something. The stakes is really high for you right now..." and his words live on through this work. De La take that title and use it to warn how high the stakes were for Hip-Hop at that time, with the jiggy and Mafioso era in full swing and raising real alarm for the direction of the culture.

Pete Rock : Play Yo Horn

The first instrumental of the month is a 2015 release, though whether it was actually recorded anywhere near that year, I couldn't be sure! For one, Pete Rock is a master at channeling vintage flavours, and secondly, he's been known to bring stuff out of the vaults that sounds great even today. I would love to hear MCs getting busy on this dense cut from "Petestrumentals 2".

Fat Joe and Big Pun : Best Behavior (Remix)

I love the dark, late night flavour of the original version, but Show does an equally good job on this remix (one of at least three to exist) - big horns, banging drums, and an overall stripped-back, boom-bap feel. You already know Big Pun is going to give you heavy bars, and Fat Joe holds it down on the mic too. I have this on a 12" backed by "My Life's On The Edge" by A-Bless, but I hear it's also on the 2005 "Street Talk" DITC compilation.

Big L : On The Mic

This vinyl had already been throught the wars when I got it, but I guess the surface noise lends a certain flavour! You might recognise the vocals from the track "Size 'em Up" from the posthumously-released "The Big Picture" album, but this raw Roc Raida-produced track is on the B-side of the "Flamboyant" 12" single - definitely one to pick up for the Big L fans. RIP Big L and Roc Raida.

D'Angelo : Devil's Pie

One of those happy accidents, the bassline of this track was created by DJ Premier for a track with Canibus. It didn't work out and D'Angelo happened to call the same day, and he asked to hear the unfinished product. He loved it, and they went back to the studio the next day to finish what became one of the standouts on his sophomore "Voodoo" LP!

Mad Skillz : It's Goin' Down

Arguably the first MC to really make some noise out of Virginia (hence the name of his debut LP, "From Where???"), Skillz may not have the record sales of some of the more famous MCs...but he may well have written their rhymes at some point! This track is an early J Dilla production (from when he was going by Jay Dee), and has a little of the Latin flavour that would make up a big part of one of his better known productions, "Runnin'" for The Pharcyde. Also - don't Skillz and Big L have a very similar vocal tone?

[Pete Rock] InI : Fakin' Jax (Instrumental)

You can't be mad at getting another Pete Rock instrumental! This one is vintage SP action, the instrumental for the lead track from the originally-unreleased InI LP "Center of Attention", and it's a real "if you know, you know" number.

De La Soul : U Can Do (Life)

I decided to lead this off with part of the album intro that immediately precedes it on "Art Official Intelligence : Mosaic Thump", just so you could hear where the podcast intro comes from! The LP came four years after "Stakes Is High", an eternity in Hip-Hop, and marked a departure from their norm in one way - a relatively large number of featured artists. This track, however, is the core group coming from the heart, over a chunky beat from Supa Dave West. Dave/Trugoy both opens and closes the track, with his last line being "live your live to the fullest". He did just that. 🕊

Libretto & Buscrates : Culture

With so much music being released on a daily basis nowadays, it's too easy for a killer track like this to slip through the cracks, but I've got it here for your enjoyment! Libretto is speaking on the rawness of the streets and how that ties into the Hip-Hop culture from his perspective, while Buscrates smashes it with a beat that feels part classic sample and part bass synth workout. And of course, he has the drums thumping through. An absolute jewel from the "Eternal Ridin'" LP.

Sparkz : Overload

Manchester's own Sparkz has featured on the podcast many times with his contributions to various groups, but here he is as a soloist on his first release after moving to the UK's well-respected High Focus records. This single will test your bass response, but while heavy, the beat provides plenty of space for Sparkz' to give you a full mic workout. Keep an eye out for new material from this man.

De La Soul & J Dilla : No More No Less

What a track - a reworking of "The Magic Number" concept, over an officially unreleased beat from J Dilla (which you might find online, entitled "Watching Smurfs On Shrooms"). We take this one from an EP that was originally a free release, and hopefully still findable now - "Smell The DA.I.S.Y" (Da Inner Soul of Yancey) - with even the title being a remix, a revisiting of the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" idea from the beginnings of De La. The whole EP is made up along similar lines, with De La revisiting old themes over unreleased Dilla beats. The relationship between De La and Dilla was real, and there are few other crews with as much claim to put out a project like this.

Blackalicious : My Pen and Pad

That pen and pad were working overtime for this excellent lyrical display from the late Gift of Gab. Flow is as dope as you'd expect, and Chief Xcel holds down the beat as usual on a low-key funk vibe that changes up occasionally in the background without ever stealing the focus. You can find this on Blackalicious' third LP, "The Craft" - perfectly titled for such a dedicated crew.

Evil Needle & Misha : Cloud Zone

This new release is the kind of thing that will slip under most radars, but is the kind of quality I've been finding since plugging into the whole Chillhop Music movement. It's beautiful beatmaking, warm and bumping, and the vocoded quasi-background vocal additions take it over the top. The opener on the "chillhop beat tapes: Evil Needle x Misha" six-tracker, this beat is a perfect example of coming out of the gate strong when you're ordering tracks on a release.

Brelstaff ft. Fashawn : Cursive

This brand-new release is quite the trans-Atlantic combination, with Edinburgh's Brelstaff cooking up a laidback instrumental for Fashawn, representing Fresno in California. Only a very short one, but sometimes, as GZA once said, it makes for a stronger track to cut it off early.

Beanie Sigel : Look At Me Now

"Moms? Tryna lock me out. Cops? Tryna lock me in." Wow, that is some heavy business in the first verse of this quality come-up album cut, that ends happily, with Beanie looking out for the youngsters who struggle as he once did. You can find this tucked away towards the end of the 2005 LP "The B. Coming", with Buckwild providing the lush, string-laden production.

Joell Ortiz : In My Feelings

No hook, no filler, just raw - feelings, indeed. Joell speaks on the ups and downs of his career without interruption on an ill Heatmakerz beat, opening up the 2021 "Autograph" album on an intensely personal note.

Ozay Moore, Vursatyl, and Chip-Fu : Slingshot

Seattle stand up! Ozay Moore brings friends through on this selection from the "Taking L's" album. It's nice to hear Chip-Fu of the Fu-Schnickens again, and with the tempo being relatively low, you can hear every word in his signature flow as he slows it to match. 14K is on production, and the kick is kicking like the police want to come through the door, but sometime in the next couple of hours or so :) The beat is heavy, but the timing of the composition is nicely relaxed!

J-Zone : The Commandments (Instrumental)

Labelled as "The Commandments" on the "J-Zone Instrumental Box Set: The Headband Years (1999-2006)" collection, this is the instrumental of the cut styled as "The Commandment$" from the 2003 "Sick Of Bein' Rich" album. Can't believe it's been twenty years already! He may have fully moved from Hip-Hop production and MCing into drumming, but you can't front on his great catalogue of previous work.

De La Soul ft. MF DOOM : Rock Co. Cane Flow

I was shocked to find out that I hadn't played this monster from "The Grind Date" on the podcast before, though maybe that was because the (manually-done!) speed changes make it awkward to mix with. As a closer though? Perfection. Jake One's beat just smashes through like Godzilla, building to the kind of grandness and drama that would fit the climactic action sequence of a Marvel film, and all the MCs are on form for it. The late MF DOOM fits right in alongside Pos and Dave as a devastating three-mic unit, and fittingly, Dave closes the track, and this epidose, out. RIP.

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Episode 164 : The Jordan Year

"...baking soda, get it crackin' when you mix me with Kane."

- Checkmark

If you're like me, every time you write 23 this year you're thinking it! The first episode of 2023 is here, and we go mostly on the downtempo tip and mix up the genres in a big way, so there's almost sure to be something new for everyone in the mix!

RIP to Laylaw and Gangsta Boo.

As mentioned on the voiceover, you can now keep up with the schedule for all my streams (and I'll start putting my IRL shows here too) at events.airadam.com!

Twitter : @airadam13

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Playlist/Notes

Termanology ft. Raekwon : Passport Kingz

I was reminded of this track after listening to a podcast about citizenship and a shady character known as the "Passport King"! It has an ominous-sounding intro (as an aside, that pastor should be in prison), and then doesn't let up for the rest of its running time, with Raekwon and then Term going hard over Staik Selektah's production. One verse each is the perfect dosage. Find this on Termanology's 2018 "Bad Decisions" album.

[Dru Kevorkian] Smif-N-Wessun : Reloaded (Instrumental)

Just screaming mid-2000s New York, this is the instrumental for the title track of Smif-N-Wessun's third LP. I could hear this beat on the soundtrack (and too loud) for a street DVD of the era...

El Michels Affair & Black Thought : Grateful

Looks like there's a big treat coming later in the year, with the collaborative "Glorious Game" due in April. One of the best writers in Hip-Hop history in combination with one of the coldest bands in years? Yeah, that's a must. This lead single was released this month to give us all a taste and it's a great appetiser. The flute kind of hypnotises and draws you into the thick mists of the rest of the music, where Black Thought is waiting with high IQ, high-density street lyricism. Be grateful, indeed.

Shabba Ranks : Have This Woman

Coming off the back of the "Ting-A-Ling" sample woven into the "hook" of the preceding track, I thought I'd take the opportunity to move straight across into a Shabba track, and one that I just recently digitised during the task of taking on my whole reggae and dancehall 7" section! Over the "Girl A Love" riddim, Shabba's lyrics remind me that despite the gyalist/player image put forth in most of his catalogue, he's been happily married since 1992 - so he and his wife will just have celebrated their pearl wedding anniversary!

Camp Lo : Award Winning

They may never have got the level of acclaim that the title speaks of, but those who know know. Bars upon slang-filled bars on this deep album cut from "Ragtime Hightimes", with Ski on production. Play this one loud in your headphones when you need to go somewhere and let them know who you are :)

Above The Law : Another Execution

Including this one as a tribute to the recently-departed Laylaw, who was an integral part of the Above The Law story - not only did he manage them, but he has production credits on their debut "Livin' Like Hustlers", including for this track. It's a slow and low number on a classic sample, and if you want the instrumental then you can find it on the B-side of the "Murder Rap" 12". Unusually for ATL, it's Cold 187um solo on the mic, in storytelling mode with two tales of having to let that thing ring out.

People Under The Stairs : Chris Says 'Nice One' (Bonus Beat)

This short semi-interlude track from the 12" of "The Cat" is actually only 44 seconds long, so I looped part of it up to make it a suitable length to include here - just because it's a nice piece of digging/production that PUTS clearly included just for that extra flavour! RIP Double K.

Gangsta Boo ft. DJ Paul & Juicy J : Where Dem Dollas At?

I've not historically been a big follower of 3-6 Mafia, so I bought this track specifically to play it on this episode. DJ Paul and Juicy J of 3-6 are on production, but even though DJ Paul also takes the third verse, he has to play second position behind Lady Boo, which is only right. This was apparently the big hit on 1998's "Enquiring Minds", Boo's solo debut which paved the way for two more LPs over the next five years - and one which I remember being advertised in The Source back in the day. RIP Gangsta Boo.

Machinedrum : Center Your Love

Machinedrum is, amongst other things, half of the duo Dream Continuum alongside Bristol's Om Unit (formerly the turntablist 2Tall), but this is a beautiful solo exhibition of electronic composition. The drums are hectic in timing but not loud, and elements come in and out creating a soundscape around the vocal; I can't tell if that's a repeated sample or a singer brought in for this track specifically, and if I'm honest, I can't make out the words either 😆 Ten years old this year, it's taken from the "Vapor City" album which is available on Bandcamp - definitely worth checking!

Children of Zeus : Cali Dreams

California is a long way from the cold and rain of Manchester in many ways, but as they say, you can dream! I've got at least three copies of the 2021 "Balance" LP (vinyl, digital, and cassette) that this is taken from - so hopefully that gives you a prompt to go and get at least one! As much as Konny says it's "just another weed song", they elevate way past the average with their writing and execution. Their production is great too, and they bring in additional skilled musicians to crystallise their ideas - listen to this track outside of this episode to enjoy the long outro segment. Zeus!

Massive Attack ft. Liz Frazer : Teardrop (Mad Professor Mazaruni Vocal Mix)

Most of you will know the original version of this classic from the "Mezzanine" LP, and I even played the instrumental version of this remix a few years back - but today, you get the brilliant production of Mad Professor with the beautiful vocals of Liz Fraser in perfect combination. While Fraser can sound good on anything, her floating vocals are set really well here into the echoing, dubbed-out production. Apparently Madonna was the original choice of the songwriter to deliver this lead vocal - with all of the respect due to her, I don't know if it would have been as timeless as the final version turned out to be.

[Mr. Rogers?] Trae : Swang (Remix Instrumental)

While uncredited on the 12" single, I think this quality beat might be the work of Houston's Mr. Rogers, who, appropriately for this cut, is something of a car expert! You'll probably recognise the song it's borrowing from for its melodic underpinning, but it sounds to be all replayed/interpolated and so probably dodged the sample clearance issues that the original mix had...

Torii Wolf : 1st

An entirely new track to me even though it was a 2016 release, I only became aware of it when a DJ played it recently on a DJ Premier raid train on Twitch. Yes, this is a DJ Premier production, giving a sturdy backing to this New York singer/songwriter. Not only that, he apparently did another eight tracks on her 2017 LP "Flow Riiot", so it's one to check out for those wanting to hear some real deep Preemo cuts from the modern era!

The Doppelgangaz : In The Black

With their most recent album coming out just before Xmas last year being titled "Black Cloak Lifestyle" you have to give them credit for committing to that lift for real. Starting with ominous pianos, it's not long before the live-sounding boom-bap drums and bassline come in to augment them, and those rhymes of course from the self-styled "Ghastly Duo". A self-contained unit who handle their own production as well as all the MCing, they're dedicated to their craft.

Soul Supreme ft. Big Daddy Kane, Checkmark, and DJ Revolution : Come Get It

This one had been, unfairly, languising forgotten on my shelves until I digitised it recently. Big Daddy Kane is a legend, and is clearly the headliner here - it takes a brave MC to go after him, but Checkmark (of Skitzofreniks) does just that on top of production from one of Sweden's finest, Soul Supreme. Seasoning the pot beautifully, DJ Revolution contributes the cuts for this straight-up Hip-Hop gem. It's available on the 12" I'm playing it from, but also on 2003's "The Saturday Nite Agenda". Can't believe it's twenty years old already!

Sonnyjim ft. English and KoSYNE : Barcodes

This made me smile when I pulled the "Soul Trader EP" off the shelf recently, as at one time or another I've either DJed for (in cipher sessions) or produced everyone on the track! This is a fittingly-titled track, with all the MCs spitting out bars with confidence over KoSYNE's rugged beat - and the punchlines are plentiful. While you hear the main part of the track here, there's an extended ending with some ill freestyling... which you can get if you pick up the EP!

Dr. Dre : Murder Ink (Instrumental)

I've got to admit, I'll always prefer the original "The Chronic" to "2001". That said, you can't deny that Dre continued to refine his skills as a producer and engineer over time, and the sound quality of the production on his second solo LP was crisp and flawless - to my ears, at least. This track works a classic horror film sample into the mix with deadly effect.

The Lady of Rage : Necessary Roughness

To end the episode, just a high-quality track from an MC who never got her due. According to a recent interview, she was effectively punished for not jumping into the middle of someone else's beef, which is a great shame. This is the title track from her lone LP, and every bit of the mic control she displayed on "Afro Puffs" is on display here on top of a beat that reminded me of Craig Mack's "Get Down" - turns out they both were produced by the same man, Easy Mo Bee!

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airadam · 1 year

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Episode 163 : Cold, Rolled.

"...while she was waiting for her son to shine."

- Mystro

Ok - last month was a bit chilly but this one was ridiculous! As 2022 ends, we loosely have a winter/Xmas theme scattered through the selection, some brand new releases that deserve sharing, and many other gems including a Grand Daddy IU production after he passed away this month - RIP to him.

By the way - as well as all my other social media accounts, I'm now on Mastodon, since Twitter seems to be falling apart - you can follow my account on @[email protected]

Twitter : @airadam13

Twitch : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

Shaquille O'Neal ft. Jay-Z and Lord Tariq : No Love Lost

I'd almost forgotten that this track existed until I was going through the "S" section of my wax! Shaq was certainly a competent MC, if not a standout, but he was consistently able to leverage his status into some memorable collaborations. Even in 1996 when this track was released on the "You Can't Stop The Reign" album, his third, Jay-Z was a big feature to get, and Lord Tariq was not long off dropping the enormous hit "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" with Peter Gunz. Production comes from Poke and Tone (Trackmasters), and it's a chill head-nodder that definitely brings back memories of the era. Side note: there's another version of this cut from the DJ Clue "Fall Pt.1" mixtapes that also features Nas!

Kev Brown : Myrrh

The don of the bassline dropped a surprise Xmas project last year, the sixteen-track and appropriately-named "The Kev Brown Holiday Special" and generously offered it at a discount this month. This track goes straight for the nativity angle, with those choral voices floating around the the classic eighth-note sleigh bells and the kind of solid, chunky, funky foundation that Kev has absolutely mastered. This wise man from the east (coast) delivers 🔥

Jointhedots, Dubbul O, and Berry Blacc : Right Now

Brand new flavour from Manchester! I was literally waiting for them to bless me with a copy of this track before recording this episode, so convinced was I that it'd be another in a streak of excellent singles, and it does not disappoint. Dubbul O and Berry Blacc, who are the vocalists for their live performances, combine to provide the vocals on this one, with Berry showing his versatility by singing on the haunting hook as well as spitting the second verse. JTD's production, headed up by Defty, is based around a classy bassline, and everything else falls into place perfectly around it. Another release worthy of your support!

Smif-N-Wessun : Nothin' Move But The Money

Nineties classic! This was an underground and mixtape staple shortly after it was recorded, but...it never actually got released. This track was supposed to be on "Dah Shinin'", Smif-N-Wessun's debut LP, and would even have been first single, but they couldn't clear the sample, and so it had to be dropped. Shame, as it's an absolute killer, with Da Beatminerz taking the original track and manipulating it over to the dark side like Palpatine, creating a perfect canvas for Tek and Steele to get busy, weaving in and out of each other's bars like the legendary duo they are. If you see a copy of this (which will usually involve some kind of bootleg vinyl), just grab it!

Tiny Hearts : Snow Cold

I can't even remember how I stumbled upon this cut, as I totally missed it on its 2013 release on the "Stay" EP, but this definitely felt like the right time of year to drop it, certainly if the well-below zero temperatures in this area were anything to go by! Tiny Hearts is the combo of Detroit production legend Waajeed, and the duo of producer/composer Tim K and singer Deanne Reynolds of DEDE. Reynolds' dreamy, ghostly vocals are a great compliment to the heavy synth bass and machine drums, and this is the kind of thing that could fit nicely into all kinds of headphone mixes as well as moving a big sound system - even if it's no club tune.

Cookin' Soul x A Tribe Called Quest : Butter Cookies

I thought I was the only one in my immediate circle to catch this release when it was announced, but I had multiple people either sending me clips or posting it on their own social media within the first couple of days! Cookin' Soul has been doing his thing since the mid-2000s, never being afraid to experiment and blend approaches together, and the new "A Tribe Called Xmas" tape is no exception. As you can imagine from the name, it blends Xmas influences and samples into the beats, then combines that with the songs of A Tribe Called Quest to produce an irresistible seasonal flavour! This particular song makes me smile for two reasons; firstly, as it's a reworking of "Butter", one of my favourites from "The Low End Theory", and secondly, because it's titled after the delicious Danish biscuits which are, all too often, not to be found in the tin as you might expect!

BusCrates : Early Morning

Silky synthy jazzy vibes out of Pittsburgh, taken from the "Internal Dialogue" release. Those synth sounds are so luxurious - if you follow BusCrates on Twitch, you might have seen a glimpse of his awesome collection of hardware, and he knows exactly what to do with it.

Grand Daddy IU ft. O.C., Marquee, Ximone, and Money Harm : Party & Booze

With the untimely passing of Grand Daddy IU this month, I decided not to go back too far, but instead to take a different tack and feature some of his more contemporary material. Given the season, the track selected seems somehow appropriate, and it wouldn't be a party without guests - which this track has by the houseful! IU is behind the boards on this and the rest of his 2020 project "The Essence", and it's got a nice vibe, kind of 80s but with the low-end bump that so much of that era lacked added, subtly. RIP.

DJ Mentat ft. Mystro : Waiting

Real. Just real life all over this brilliant track, which was hidden away as a B-side on the "When I Give My Heart To You" single by DJ Mentat, but is also easily available on Bandcamp as well. I don't even want to talk about Mystro's lyrics - they speak better for themselves than I ever could.

Grand Agent and Pete Rock : This Is What They Meant (Ge-ology's Fried Fish n' Cornbread Remix)

This is one of the incredibly small number of tracks where Pete Rock's mix might not be the best one! His beat has been replaced here by Ge-ology's excellent work, but you still get Pete on the mic alongside the underrated Grand Agent. This is taken from an EP which contains two different Ge-ology remixes plus the original lick - so take a listen yourself, and let me know if you agree about which the best version is!

Nas : Michael & Quincy

Another brand new track, taken from one of the most notable releases of the year, "King's Disease III". Nas pays homage to and likens himself and producer Hit-Boy to the the storied, legendary pairing of Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones, most explicitly on the final verse, weaving in life events and some of the famous track titles. Hit-Boy keeps the change-ups coming through this active, dense track to great effect; I may not have been convinced (at all) when he broke out with "...Paris", but he's proven himself time and time again since.

Mark B & Blade : Use Your Head (Instrumental)

Heavy, bassy, pounding, uncompromising, and arguably the best beat on a straight B-boy level from the vinyl version of the excellent "Hitmen For Hire" EP. RIP Mark B.

Skitz ft. Estelle, Tempa, and Wildflower : Domestic Science

For those from countries with a different educational tradition and lexicon, "domestic science" was the old name for the school subject that included cooking, sewing, and other household skills. As I digitised this B-side earlier in the month, a thought popped into my head - with a male producer and an all-female MC lineup, who was it that titled the track...? Either way, it is a clever flip of the phrase in the sense of the lyrical content being straight down-to-earth Hip-Hop about surviving at home in the UK, both in life and in the music industry. This was a strong, proud track which was the first full song on Skitz' seminal 2001 "Countryman" project, and set the tone for the heat found throughout the rest of the LP.

EPMD : Can't Hear Nothing But The Music

On this podcast we like to bring out the album cuts that don't get the most shine, and this is a prime example - track three on 1992's "Business Never Personal", produced by the duo and Charlie Marotta, it's a rugged, rumbling cut perfect for the jeep sound systems of the time.

Ice-T ft. Buckshot : Eye Of The Storm

I will continue to assert that Ice-T doesn't get enough props for all he's done in Hip-Hop. Twelve years after his debut LP "Rhyme Pays" (but sixteen after 1983's "The Coldest Rap"), he's right here holding up his end of this track from "The Seventh Deadly Sin" with Black Moon's Buckshot in true OG style. The producer, Ross Avila, is a singer/songwriter with a long catalogue of beautiful love songs to his name but this...is not one of them. Dark, frenetic, with the kick drum pattern dancing all over your head, this is rawness.

Little Brother : Carolina Agents

Tucked away on the "2K6 : The Tracks" compilation from a long-ago version of NBA 2K is this LB track that would likely have escaped your notice. 9th Wonder on the beat, of course, with Phonte and Big Pooh taking the first and second verses before going back and forth on the third. It's quite an uptempo track compared to much of their output, but they handle it flawlessly, representing their home state with a heater.

[DJ Spinna] Big Twan : One Time 4 The Lyricist (Instrumental)

It was many, many episodes back that I played the vocal version of this, but the beat deserved an airing just by itself - great work by the versatile DJ Spinna on the Hip-Hop tip. Not to say that the rhymes aren't quality, but it's worth picking up this 12" just for the instrumentals!

DMC, Chuck D, Ice-T, and DJ Jazzy Jeff : Me And My Microphone

In keeping with DMC's recent moves into the comic world, this song is like one of those issues when the superheroes from many stories all combine to take down some supersized threat! Icons across the board on the mic and turntables here, with Bumpy Knuckles taking on production duties. You can't come with a soft beat for a lineup like this, and this cut has the kind of banging rock sensibility which I think could give this some appeal outside the core Hip-Hop audience. This either had to start or end the episode, but ultimately I think this was the right place to have it, allowing it to breathe and play out right to the death.

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