Okay Okay Okay...What more can i say?

Grand Puba -Reel To Reel

After the success of Brand Nubian's first album ONE FOR ALL, Grand Puba chose to go solo...

This was quite a brave choice to make from a relative newcomer on the scene but as it turned out it was probably the right choice to make. Both Puba and Brand Nubian went on to release very very solid albums. I think a lot of Nubian fans feared for their future when the puba left as many saw him as the most gifted of the bunch, A fact that Sadat X did very well to prove not true!

I'm gonna avoid writing too much on Brand Nubian for now as i want to keep that for a later date so i'm just gonna focus on Puba.

I guess a lot of people didnt know what was gonna happen with his brave solo joint but the first single went on to become a classic of the golden era! "360 What Goes Around" was just what was needed to put people's hopes up about the album. The album itself didnt dissapoint? it was never a 5 mic classic but it had touches of sheer class all over it. Puba never claimed to be the greatest rapper but what he did give you was clever and well thought out hiphop!

The album was a great achievment really considering he had braved a solo career on the back of a stone wall hip hop classic with brand nubian so check it out.

And for people who want to do as Puba Says and "check the resume" i would seriously advise it! its quite unbelievable the amount of work Puba has put in over the years

Dj Quik's 304 Posse

304 Posse

The 304 posse consisted of DJ Quik , 2nd II None, A.M.G and Hi-C

Now i was always a big fan of Dj Quik which i used to get all manner of shit about. I dont know why my friends never seemed to like quik? i think the dude is seriously under rated as a producer and while Dre gets a lot of props for starting the whole G-Funk era off???? it seems to me that people must have not ever heard a Dj Quik album. The man was funky as hell and to me, Quik really started off the whole G-Funk shit. The proof is there on wax!!!

so I am gonna start up with Quik's first album...

Dj Quik - Quik Is The Name

I'm not totally sure if the 304 posse had been created when he dropped his first album but one thing is for sure it was definately in full swing with the arrival of 2nd II None.

2nd II None were KK & Gangsta D and they released a nice nice album!

This album was smooth as hell but still had moments of player brilliance on it. The whole crew started to take off on this album imediately and with Quik on producer duty you know the beats were going to be pretty funky. There were some real classics on this album and none more better than Niggaz Trippin...This featured the whole 304 posse and was a classic back in the day!

2nd II None - 2nd II None

The crew weren't taking time to release albums either i remember pretty much straight away A.M.G dropped the classic Bitch Betta Have My Money. Now there is a some straight up classics on this joint and its a shame he didnt get a bit bigger out tyhere cos the man had some smooth shit. I think the main reason being his lyrical content? but damn some of it was funny as hell! I'm guessing womens rights groups would have him locked up if he tried to release this album nowadays? if you dont have this album or have never heard it please please get this download. Its just one of those albums that i think you have to own from the golden era... its no 5 mic classic but its a pretty good effort and beatwise all the 304's stuff was pretty hot so check it out....

A.M.G - Bitch Betta Have My Money

So then came the follow up from Dj Quik....

DJ Quik - Way 2 Fonky

Now you have to remember that Quik had just been ripped apart by Tim Dog and dissed pretty bad so i was kinda hoping when i got this album he was gonna retaliate a bit more than he did? He left his special moment for Tim and Mc Eiht (never understood that beef???) until the final track on the album and it was a pretty sweet answer back. So really i suppose you gottas give credit to Quik for not taking the bait and doing a whole album of "fuck Tim Dog" tracks but still i did expect more.

But what you do get from this album was realy the first example of the soon to be G-Funk era. This album was pre chronic and pre Black mafia life so in all honesty you have to say that quik started it all? well thats my opinion? the beats on this album are at times pretty amazing...you havd quiks no nonsence rapping over funky as hell beats, which made this one of my favorite albums of the time. "Jus Lyke Compton" was the first single of the album and was getting a shit load of airplay on mtv! it was a great track but no where near the best on the album. and it also had the track "Niggaz Still Trippin" which was obviously part 2 from 2nd II Nones effort. All in all this was a solid and slept on album.

Quik went on to replace Dre as lead producer at Death Row after all the ill feeling and produced some classic cuts! none more so that 2Pacs all eyez on me..... the rest is history!

...Well untill Quik released his third effort anyway.

Dj Quik - Safe And Sound

This album featured a track called "get at me" which was the first sign that there were cracks in the 304 posse mainly between Gangsta D from 2nd II None and A.M.G ? now Quick was kinda stuck in a dispute over what i believe was A.M.G's second album. But Quik soon had Gangsta D's back and went on wax to tell of his dissapointment at the fact A.M.G wanted to use other producers on his 2nd album? Im not all to sure as to what started the beef between D and A.M.G but it was made pretty clear on the track that Quik was not on A.M.G's side at all?

Things have been patched up since but this was one pretty harsh Diss track that doesnt tend to get mentioned all that much when it comes to disses? but the beat and Quiks lyrics once again made the track pretty impressive. The album also featured the track "dollaz and sense" which i think was on the murder was the case soundtrack album??? but its a pretty sweet track and also another diss record mainly aimed at Mc Eiht.

Anyways Quik gets no where near the respect he deserves except on here so i'll leave you with this little classic....

Track of the year 2006

I been checking out other blogs lists of the year and stuff and was quite alarmed how my choice of track failed to get a mention anywhere?

The first time i heard this track i was blown away by just how fucking great it is... i suppose its down to personal choice and shit but damn i just cant see how anyone who loves hip hop would not feel the vibe of this track.

I was in the process of compiling up a list of a few tracks that really stood out for me last year but to be honest this is the only track that i really want to post up from 2006? not that it was as bad a year as a lot of people think...but just because this is the only track that i played consistently enough to deserve a mention....

TY feat Maceo - Closer

Ty has come a long long way and gets no where near the credit he deserves! this is an absolute gem of a track and if you sleep on it you crazy...

Check out more TY

I would post up the whole album but if ever there was a dude i want to get paid from this business then Ty is him... just go spend the £10 or $10

Chyeah!

Comptons Most Wanted

Straight Checkn' em

Now i shouldn't have to talk too much about this album?

One thing i have loved so far about writing my blog is digging through stuff that i havnt listened to for a while and remembering loads of random stuff about what i was doing at the time i heard the albums/tracks first?

With this album thats not the case as i still throw this album on all the time. This was C.M.W's second album and without a doubt their finest. tracks like "Growin Up In The Hood" & "Straight Checkn' Em" took the group to a whole new level. While they were from gangsta rap capital Compton they were a little different from the other crews. Beatwise i think they were a lot more inventive and MC Eiht as a lyricist were a pretty formidable force to be reckoned with. As albums go this is pretty faultless throughout and i cant think of a track which dissapoints so this is a must have to any Hip Hop head.

***Comptons Most Wanted - Straight Checkn' Em***

Its A U.K Ting...(part 1)

So back in the day the U.K. didn' have no where near the coverage that Hip Hop gets in todays media? Which is such a shame because we had some seriously talented mother fuckers!

U.K hip hop was no where near what it is now... Dont get me wrong, there is some real good stuff around nowadays but much like the golden era of hip hop i think U.K hip hop shared its golden era back then too.

So i'm gonna post up pretty much the cream of the crop starting with Gunshot

To me Gunshot were the flagship UK Hip Hop act. The thing I liked about UK hip hop was the beats were crazy and fast paced! and some of the DJ skills on show were second to none! and for me Gunshot probably had the best DJ/Producer around back then in White child Rix, the boy could seriously scratch his ass off!

Beatwise Gunshot were pretty untouchable and were doing their thing the way that UK acts had to do. release 12" after 12" untill they had a crack at a full album. You had to have something special to win over fans at the time with the calibre of hip hop that was being imported day after day from the US and I think Gunshot had that little something extra to offer...

The groups first single was Battle creek Brawl and contained 2 different mixes... the first was the full beat version "Battle Creek Brawl (4 minute warning) " which set the pace of the group from the get go. the second mix "Battle creek Brawl (apocalyps bass) " was a stripped down version.
now unfortunately i dont have the next 2 singles i wanted to post up which is a damn shame as they are without a doubt their finest work (in my opinion)
Killing Season/Nobody move was a classic UK 12" and a must have (says me???) but then there was my personal favorite "Children of a dying breed" which is just a great track. this was a superb piece of work and am gutted i dont know where my 12" has gone too but rest assured i shall get it up at some point.
There were 2 other singles out before the group released a very eagerly awaited debut album from UK fans.

***Gunshot - Patriot Games*** LP

The album was pretty solid and there was a lot to shout about but for me Gunshots best work always came along on their singles ...

Their first single from the album was mind of a razor

This had the "jagged edge remix" of the Mind OF A Razor track and also a brand new track and one of my favorites "Social Psychotics" i loved this 12" and still listen to the second track a lot.

The second single from the album was Colour Code

This was also a new track But as well as the title track "Colour Code" there was also a remix of an album track "Gunshots History (94 lick remix) "

there was also another version of the 12" which i never got and unfortunately dont know anyone else who copped it? This wasnt the end of the crew at all and they went on to release another 2 full lengths and lots of 12" for fans but i gonna leave it for you to check out their follow ups.

Next up for me were CAVEMAN

I loved this group to bits and was quite sad to not see them be a lot bigger than they shoulda been. I think out of all the UK stuff this would probably be my most listened to. I didnt hear any of theirearlier stuff but was shopping in Norwich when i stumbled across a shop called Soundclash which is still a pretty shit hot record shop! I remember buying MC Serch and E.P.M.D 's album when the bloke behind the counter said "have you heard any of cavemans stuff?" I was like no!!! so the dude grins and throws a track on and straight away the shop was rocking to the sound "Brother In Action (Remix) " and i was impressed so without fail slipped the wallet out again and handed over the cash. For the rest of that week I am sad but glad to say i ignored the 2 heavweight US albums i got that day for the little crew from London.

When i thought about this post the other day i have to say Blade was the first one that hit my mind as my favorite but after hearing this album again i remebered how much i played this album and i can safely say Caveman were without a doubt My personal favorite...sorry Blade?

So the album in question...

***CaveMan - The Whole Nine Yards...And Then Some***

Now please US peeps check this album!!! they dont get as much coverage as other UK acts but i think of all of them these are probably the best to bridge the gap between UK & US.

They were different in their approach to other Uk acts as they didnt come out rapping at 2000 miles an hour they basically just flowed and did their thing.

Now I'd love to add some Krispy 3 stuff??? but i cant find any of my stuff at all which pisses me off as i am gagging to put "On tempo" up. I have left a lot of records with random friends over the years and am way off from getting them all back but i will be digging them up soon so i gonna have to make this a 2/3 part post which is all good as i want to add some Krispy3, Son of noise, Hijack and without a doubt some London Posse.

And For Blade i am gonna do a whole seperate post on becuase the man deserves it!

Anyone have any more things to add UK wise please comment me or email yeedo@hotmail.com and i shall see what i can do.

Back in the day.....

Ahmad

This was just one of those "nice" albums that came out on the wave of the Gfunk era. The whole album kinda has that west coast Dj Quik feel to it.

In truth this was just one of those albums that got picked up played a few times then forgotten about...untill the other day. I been scooping through my records looking for stuff that is a bit different to what other blogs been posting up and i know i definately havn't seen this anywhere? now you can take that how you want to, but all in all this is not a bad little album?

"Back in the day" was the first single from this album and i remeber this getting loads of time on mtv. Its just a nice chilled out track which basically sums up the rest of the album. "Can I Party" was the one track that stood out for me, sort of a mid tempo anthem type track with a nice beat in the background. and one other thing...dude sounds so much like Skee Lo its scary?

***Download***

Ahmad - Ahmad

Welcome to the Slaughtahouse!!! Bonafied classic *****

Masta Ace Inc - Slaughtahouse

Not only is this album a Hip Hop classic this album is a masterpiece of modern music!

There are a few albums that i can say I know inside out and this is up there with them. I have probably played this album 23,002,987 times...amd counting. But with this album, there was 2 excellent 12" which had just about everything on them.

The first of the album was Jeep Ass Nigguh / Saturday Night Live

As you can see this came in a lovelly blue vynil and it contained 2 sweet tracks from the album and 2 remixes of Jeep Ass Niguh.

The first i got for you is "Jeep Ass Niguh (dusted Remix) " This had a slightly lighter beat to the the original and a laid back feel to it.

The second Mix "Jeep Ass Niguh (Bizcapella mix) " This was a very basic mix with just a bad ass bass drum banging away in the background. Very simple but effective.

The second 12" from the album was the title track Slaughtahouse.....

Now i said this about the casual Me-O-Mi-O 12 but this is how 12" should be!!! This had 2 Phat remixes of Slaughtahouse and an even better version of "style wars"

So the first mix "Slaughtahouse (murder Mix) " this is basically an extended version of the album track with just the MC Negro and the Ignorant MC part.

The second mix "Slaughtahouse (Death Mix) " is straight up FIYA! This is an extended version of Ace's part of the track after the beat change. It is longer and has extra lyrics...This is a classic track to throw in at any party and make heads bop!

The third mix is "Style Wars (Remix) " I loved this track on the album already but this mix is Hot!

Do It Like A G.O.

The Geto Boys

The Geto Boys really came into their own in the early 90's. I had just moved to a new town and knew about 2 people when i got introduced to some other people on my estate who loved their Hip Hop. I hit it off with a few of them straight away and started trading records and shit when one of them gave me a Geto Boys album to check out. I remember at the time Gangsta rap was running things and i dont think you could get more gangsta than these albums back then?

The First album i got introduced to was the self titled Geto Boys. This album was straight up "dont fuck with me bitch!" I'd pay good money to see the boys from back then introduced to someone like G-Unit nowadays? I can imagine Willie D taking one look at 50 and saying "get the fuck outta here!"

***Download***

The Geto Boys - The Geto Boys

So obviously you wanna hear more after being introduced to probably the hardest rap crew on the plannet so i grabbed the Scarface album "Mr Scarface is back" Scarface is probably the most well known of the crew and just had that appeal to me back then. Dude is hard as hell and his flow was awsome. This album is still up there in my personal favorites... just plain raw, hard gangsta rap at its best! "Born Killer" has to be one of THE greatest gangsta cuts ever?

***Download***

Mr Scarface - Mr Scarface Is Back

So then i started seeing Geto Boys everywhere and YoMTV was playing loads of stuff. First video i saw was "Mind Playin Tricks" which is just one of them classic videos. By this time I had become a huge fan of them and was happy as fuck when they appeared live on YoMtv and performed a classic live cut!

Classic!!!

***Download***

The Geto Boys - We Can't Be Stopped

The crew "sort of" took a break for a little while after the "We Cant Be Stopped" album but that didnt stop them popping up on some classic tracks with several artists. But one track which gets majorly slept on is a joint they did with Mad Cobra

***Download***
Mad Cobra ft Geto Boys - Dead End Street

I Dont know why this track got slept on? But trust me its a classic cut!

So then solo projects were flying up everywhere, Scarface's seemed to be getting held back time and time again but willie D's effort came to light and was just what everyone expected. Hard as Hell no messin Gangsta. But Bushwicks solo effort seemed a bit different to what i expected? His album seemed to be a real emotional tale of shit he had come through and damn! he came through a hell of a lot as the cover of "we cant be stopped" proved. The album was still hard as hell as what everybody expected but with tracks like "Ever So Clear" it was hard to ignore what the dude had been through.

***Download***

Bushwick Bill - Little Big Man

I could go on and on with classic after classic from the Geto Boys but i think you catch the Vibe and if you dont own any of their shit then you need to get to the store and buy some!

The making of Illmatic

I love Youtube

Gotta prop the dude that posted that!

Da Bush Babees

Da Bush Babees were one of them crew that kinda popped in and popped out of the hip hip world. The album Ambushed got mixed reviews which i dont really understand? I played this album quite a bit back in the day. After hearing the first single "Swing It" i wanted to grab the album as soon as it came out. The mix ive posted unfortunately didnt appear on the album? even the the record sleeve said it would? this mix is pretty hectic and a definate floor banger in the same kind of style as slam by onyx. The thing i liked most about the crew was that reggae element to them, it added something extra to them which not many acts had at around the same time. and when i heard the album i was impressed how the blow straight up with the opening track "Pon De Attack" ...crazy!

The second single was a slower paced head nodder called "We Run Things" I remember this getting a bit of airplay on MTV and was definately a 12" that myself and mates played to death.

The third single "Remember We" was pretty hot! The remix from Salaam Remi was fly as hell. i dont have the 12" anymore but i posted the video below which has the remix...enjoy

If you can get past the strange voices that the crew seemed to adopt throughout the album I think you'll find some pretty good shit here! the lyrics are clever and well thought out and some are funny as hell! but like i say...you kinda have to get beyond the voices?

I came across some stuff while looking to see what happened to the bush babees after this album and i found they released another album called Gravity? i never heard this but i gonna try check this out as soon as!

All in all this is an entertaining album and has some pretty good moments on it well worth checking...

Da Bush Babees - Ambushed (full album)

A.D.O.R re-up and album link

I posted up an A.D.O.R track which just happens to be my favorite track of all time. Unfortunately it was a pretty bad rip that i took from vinyl a while back so i have re-up'd with the whole album here for you via Zshare

A.D.O.R - Shock Frequency

No I.D

So being a huge Common fan i tried my best to find releases from people that had something to do with the man himself? I heard rumblings of a Y-Not album but that never materialised and then by accident i came across an album from No I.D. This was very unexpected down to the fact i just thought he was a producer (what is it with chicago producers hitting the mic too?)

Now this is one of them albums which is straight up slept on? I was gonna put this under my "why didnt they blow section" but damn i'd be doing this man an injustice!

If you like hip hop and never heard this album???......You a fool!

Everytime i hear this album it kinda reminds me of the first time i heard O.C - Word life? I mean the beats are simple but clever and very addictive and the rhymes??? damn. The man produced the whole of Commons "Resurrection" album apart from 2 tracks so you know what the flava is gonna be right?

Ive picked out 2 tracks to win you over but ive also added a zip with the whole album in plus some cover shots for you.

My first track is "state to state" featuring Dug Infinite & Common. this track is so so sick its unreal. My second track is "Original Man" featuring Dug Infinite also. If you check these two tracks out then i should imagine it wont be long before you hitting up the album link and i dont need to say anymore about this album apart from DONT SLEEP!

Full Album Zip

via Zshare