Three Times Dope...

Philadelphia's Three Times Dope aka 3XD aka DJ Woody Wood, Chuck Wood and EST were a part of the Hilltop Hustlers (Steady B, Cool C, Da Youngstas, Mentally Gifted) crew and they first cold busted on the scene in 1987 with the promo of "Increase The Peace" and the later the dope single "Greatest Man Alive", then they followed that with the classic Original Stylin album in 1988, filled to the brim with fat beats, great samples and loops (a lot of James Brown (R.I.P.) and funk and soul joints) and of course EST's unique raspy voice and flow.

Three Times Dope are probably best known for their soulful and Melvin Bliss "Synthetic Substitution" sampling (you know those drums) "Funky Dividends" joint which was released in 1989 as a single, with a number of dope remixes, but almost all of the tracks on Original Stylin could have been singles (especially "Believe Dat" and"From Da Giddy Up"), they even released a 7" of "Original Stylin' (International Airwave Groove)" b/w "Improvin Da Groovin".



They followed up the Original Stylin album with the quite good (but not as good as thier debut album) Live From Acknickilous Land album in 1990, the lead single "Weak At The Knees" was a pretty average R&B/Hip Hop joint and not the best choice for the first single, there were some decent tracks like the Chordettes (I think) sampling "Mr Sandman" (which always makes me think of a Back To The Future film) and the ill Ohio Players "Funky Worm", other dope tracks were "No Words" (released as a 12"), "Make Dat Move", "I Aint Trying To Hear It", "I Got It", "Do You Wanna C It?","Make Ya $" (with Larry Larr) and the title track.

In 1994 they came back as 3XD and released Da Sequel EP with the album The Sequel following in (some say 1995) in 1998, The Sequel wasn't a bad album, the key thing about Three Times Dope is that they were unique and very smooth and thanks to Etalon at Underground Hip Hop Collection Blog, I have included the link to all 3 albums, so you can check the albums, for yourself.

Original Stylin
Live From Acknickilous Land
The Sequel

http://etalonhiphop.blogspot.com/2008/10/three-times-dope-aka-3xd-post-update.html

Some Remixes:

Three Times Dope-Funky_Dividends_(Goin_For_Broke_Remix)

http://sharebee.com/b4ff9e52

Three Times Dope-Greatest Man Alive (After Midnight Mix)

http://sharebee.com/f38ae58e

Three Times Dope-Improvin The Groovin (Improved and Extended)

http://sharebee.com/154ada21

Three Times Dope-Original Stylin (International Airwave Groove)

http://sharebee.com/580fe754

Three Times Dope-Greatest Man Alive (For Your Bonkey Mix)

http://sharebee.com/c45da9d8

Videos:

Three Times Dope-Greatest Man Alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbtxkiL91bY

Three Times Dope-Funky Dividends
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V43wKHh81fg

Back To 89...

"1989 the number another summer, (get down) sound of the funky drummer..."


Although 1988 is still the pinnacle year in Hip Hop for me, 1989 was also a stellar year, with lots of dope debut albums and new artists galore. It is hard to believe that the albums listed below will hit the released 20 years ago mark at various times in the year, in 1989, I was collecting rap tapes, in 5th form at High School, wearing hoodies underneath my school uniform and adidas or puma shoes (even though it wasn't allowed...lol) and in all honestly loving rap and having fun, getting down with my pretend rap radio station (KJAZ FM...ha ha) and loved listening to the Wednesday Nite Jam with the MVC Posse (big shout to Big Daddy Cam, Mikey and Vicious, Rhys-B and whoever else rocked the Wellington airwaves in 89.)

My favourite album from 1989 was De La's timeless 3 Feet High and Rising, but I probably played LL Cool J's Walking With A Panther more (fat shout to LL Short V aka AL) along with Unfinished Business, Road To The Riches, The Cactus Album, Done By The Forces Of Nature, Word Power, Original Stylin', Stezo's Crazy Noise (which had the ill "It's My Turn" on it, the first rap record to loop up the infamous Skull Snaps "It's A New Day" drums) Low Pro's We're In This Together, The DOC's No One Can Do It Better, King Sun's debut album XL (especially "Fat Tape" and"Snakes" and Schoolly D's great Am I Black Enough For Ya?...

I want to send a super duper shout out to Cool Tone from the sadly gone The Soul Mine the gem of a record store that was the dopest in the 80's and where I got so many great albums and singles from and speaking of singles, Public Enemy's timeless "Fight The Power" would have been the 1989 anthem.

The producers in 1989 were, Dr Dre, The Dust Brothers, Prince Paul, Howie Tee, Marley Marl, Sam Sever, DJ Mark The 45 King, Paul C,

The DOC dropped his classic No One Can Do It Better album
De La Soul dropped their classic 3 Feet High and Rising album
The Beastie Boys dropped their classic Paul's Boutique album
EPMD dropped their classic 2nd album Unfinished Business album
Jungle Brothers dropped their second classic album, Done By The Forces Of Nature
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo dropped their classic debut album, Road To The Riches
Low Profile dropped their classic debut album, We're in This Together
Special Ed released his classic debut album, Youngest In Charge

other good/great albums that dropped 20 years ago
2 Live Crew-As Nasty as They Wanna Be
3rd Bass-The Cactus Album
III Most Wanted-III Most Wanted
Arabian Prince-Brother Arab
Awesome Dre & The Hardcore Committee-You Can't Hold Me Back
Big Daddy Kane-It's A Big Daddy Thing
Biz Markie-The Biz Never Sleeps
Black Rock & Ron-Stop the World
Boogie Down Productions-Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip-Hop
Breeze-The Young Son Of No One
Cash Money & Marvelous-Where The Party At?
Chill Rob G-Ride The Rhythm
Chubb Rock-And the Winner Is...
Cool C-I Gotta Habit
Craig G-The Kingpin
Def Jef-Just a Poet With Soul
Divine Styler-Word Power
DJ Chuck Chillout & Kool Chip-Masters of the Rhythm
Donald D-Notorious
Gang Starr-No More Mr. Nice Guy
Geto Boys-Grip It! On That Other Level
Hot Day-It's My Turn
Heavy D & The Boyz-Big Tyme
Ice Cream Tee-Can't Hold Back
Ice-T-The Iceberg
Jazzy Jay-Cold Chillin in the Studio Live
Just-Ice-The Desolate One
King Sun-XL
Kings Of Pressure-Slang Teacher
Kool Moe Dee-Knowledge Is King
Kwame-The Boy Genius
LL Cool J-Walking With a Panther
Maestro Fresh Wes-Symphony In Effect
MC Lyte-Eyes on This
Mellow Man Ace-Escape From Havana
Nice & Smooth-Nice & Smooth
Nu Sounds-Mackin
Queen Latifah-All Hail the Queen
Roxanne Shante-Bad Sister
Schoolly D-Am I Black Enough for You?
Steady B-Going Steady
Stezo-Crazy Noise
The 45 King & Louie Louie-Rhythmical Madness
The Jaz-Word To The Jaz
Three Times Dope-Original Stylin'
Together Brothers-Strictly For Framing
Tone-Lōc-Loc-Ed After Dark
Tuff Crew-Back to Wreck Shop
Twin Hype-Twin Hype
Unique & Dashan-Black To The Future
Young MC-Stone Cold Rhymin'



-Also in 1989, KRS One put together the Stop The Violence Movement and released the "Self Destruction" single, the artists that appeared on this were, Daddy-O, Wise, Fruit Kwan and MC Delight (Stetsasonic), Chuck D and Flava Flav (Public Enemy), Ms Melodie, Kool Moe Dee, Just Ice, Heavy D, MC Lyte, D-Nice and KRS One

-2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Wanna Be album is banned in Flordia

-Gang Starr released their debut album, No More Mr Nice Guy

-The UK's Hip Hop Connection magazine was first published in 1989

-The UK's Black Radical MkII made some noise with his dope "Monsoon" single as did Blade with his "Lyrical Maniac" single and Silver Bullet with his Robocop sampling "20 Seconds To Comply"

-Overlord X dropped his debut album Weapon Is My Lyric

-Stereo MC's released their debut album, 33 45 78

-Tone Loc had a massive hit with "Wild Thing" and Young MC had a big hit with "Bust A Move"

-A lot of rap albums included Hip-House type joints and/or a love ballad (thanks LL...lol), Twin Hype were probably the best example of Hip-House done well with their "Do It To The Crowd" hit single.



-The 1989 DMC champion DJ was Cutmaster Swift (UK)



-In 1989 DMC and global sponsor Technics introduced the golden SL1200 Turntables, a unique and priceless prize given to the newly crowned DMC champion.

-The first New Zealand hip hop DJ Competition was held in Auckland in 1989, with DJ Ned Roy winning.

-Wellington Hip Hop outfit Noise In Effect were playing gigs at Wellington clubs and around the country

-Auckland radio station BFM compiled and released a rap compilation album titled AK-89-In Love With These Rhymes

-EPMD introduced the World to K-Solo on the "Knick Knack Patty Wack" track.

-Brand Nubian released their debut single "Brand Nubian"

-X-Clan released their debut single "Raise The Flag"

-Boo Ya Tribe released their debut single "R.A.I.D."

-Paris released his debut single "Break The Grip Of Shame"

-Main Source released their debut single "Think"

-TDS Mob released their 2nd dope single "What's The World Coming Too" b/w "Scratch reaction"

-Freddie Foxxx released his debut album "Freddie Foxxx Is Here"

NB: If I think of more important events and music from 1989, I will add them on...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's a little compilation I put together of various cuts from 1989, I hope you enjoy it and if you do I will upload another one.

CRDS Presents-Back To 89' Vol 1

http://sharebee.com/0dcd0354

1-Ministers of Black-Step Into My Office
2-MC Lyte-Cappucino
3-7A3-Goes Like Dis (7" Mix)
4-Cash Money & Marvelous-Ugly People Be Quiet
5-2 Live Crew-Coolin
6-Heavy D & The Boyz-You Aint Heard Nuttin Yet
7-Low Profile-Funky Song (Remix)
8-Too Nice-Every Inch
9-Lakim Shabazz-Your Arms Too Short To Box With God
10-Cool C-I Gotta Habit (Remix)
11-Chubb Rock-Ya Bad Chubbs
12-Seville-Keep Ya Movin
13-Twin Hype-Do It To The Crowd
14-Mellow Man Ace-Mas Pingon
15-Rhamel-Power

Special Ed...Some Remixes

Those that know me, know I have been a Special Ed (Edward Archer) fan for the longest, Ed just had a certain quality and dope vibe and to me he was all charisma, style, talent and he had ill wordplay skills and a unique voice, which was a good thing to have when you debut at only 16 years of age, I can only imagine what Ed's high school bang on the desk beats and freestyle sessions were like, (anyone got the tapes?...lol)

I honestly think that Ed was one of the smoothest to ever touch a mic device in my ears (eyes), from his superb and let's be honest, classic debut single "I Got It Made" to the great Youngest In Charge (1989) album to his part of the Crooklyn Dodgers (alongside Masta Ace and Buckshot (Black Moon, BCC) who only released the one single "Crooklyn" in 1994 for the Spike Lee Crooklyn film (great film by the way) up to his second full length Legal (1990) to his last decent album 1995's Revelations and the independent 12" in 1997 "Think Twice" (produced by Howie Tee) b/w "On Some Next Shit" ( A.R.A.B.S.)

All the Flatbush, Brooklyn raised MC needed was a mic and a track and he proved that on his first three albums, if I am being honest, his last album Still Got It Made, just didn't have the quality of his first three albums, it wasn't a wack album, but it wasn't that great either, I think Ed was just keeping in touch with today's styles and it didn't work out, I don't think it's too much to ask (or hold hopes for) another album in the future with production from the legendary Hitman Howie Tee, DJ Premier, Pete Rock or even Marco Polo, Count Bass D, Madlib, Oh No, Blueprint or maybe some Marley Marl beats, that might seem like some yearn for the golden age type of thinking and it is (lol) but if I had the cash, I would set that album up in a heartbeat.

Here are some Special Ed remixes for you to enjoy...

I'm The Magnificent (The Magnificent Remix) (1989)

http://sharebee.com/8dbb4c53

I Got It Made (Business Like Version) (1989)

http://sharebee.com/521fb364

The Mission (Remix)(1990)

http://sharebee.com/03273a67

Come On Let's Move It (Remix) (1990)

http://sharebee.com/ec1fb0c1

Freaky Flow (DJ Premier Remix) (1995)

http://sharebee.com/b46bc603

Think About It (Howie's Slow-Mo Mix) (1989)

http://sharebee.com/2438dee6

The CRDS Fat Tape Volume 12

Yo...Back in the ipod, zune?, stereo, boombox, headphones etc with another installment of the CRDS Fat Tape series (are you collecting kids?...lol)
Now with a dope cover to put in your in your jewel case, crazy props to Werk for doing that up, check his blog out
http://railfreight.blogspot.com



http://sharebee.com/07c4d796

1-dereliks-i am a record (1995)
2-36zero-the lyrical jasun (1994)
3-jvc force-doin damage (original version)(1988)
4-seville-keep ya movin (1989)
5-the 45 king-45 king kick it (1989)
6-all city productions-bust your rhymes (1992)
7-art of origin-unration-al (1992)
8-gang starr-2-deep (city lick mix) (1992)
9-hl rock (the sly fox)-put you on lockdown (1995)
10-eric b & rakim-casualties of war (soulpower remix) (1992)
11-hoodratz-bootlegga (dj irv mix) (1993)
12-kgb-freek tha flow (nasitnigazjeepmix) (1993)
13-strange behaviour-speakers on the fritz (1993)
14-ruff-n-rugged-old skool beat (1993)
15-raw breed ft kool keith, godfather don & grandmaster mel-rampage outta control (1993)

Lewis Parker

It's true, I don't cover nearly enough UK Hip Hop at cold rock da spot and I know a lot of people feel that Lewis Parker is just great (myself included), I was first introduced to Lewis in 1996, when an EP titled B-Boy Antiks came through the Flipside (big ups Jammo, Ben and Andy) record store doors, I took a listen and it was like taking that first toke, the beats were raw and dope and very much like East Coast Hip Hop and Lewis had a great flow utilizing his accent, I really enjoyed this EP and wish like hell that I didn't sell my vinyl copy to pay off a debt (long and boring story) but we all make stupid mistakes at times.

I also heard and read about his cover of Oasis's Wonderwall (it's good for the record), which was released as a limited edition 45 rpm 7" record.

It took Lewis a few years to find the right label to release his ill debut album, Masquerades & Silhouettes (1998) album and eventually he signed with Massive Attack's Melankolic label.

In the mid 2000-'s Lewis Parker moved to New York and ended up producing a track on Ghostface Killah's Fishscale LP (2006) and his More Fish LP (Outta Town Shit), Lewis has produced and remixed for Klashnekoff, Jehst, Tommy Evans, Profound, Supa-T, Dynas, Nomadic Poet and many, many others,In all honesty I don't claim to know everything about Lewis Parker, but if you have anything you would like to add to this post, please do in the comments section.

http://www.discogs.com/artist/Lewis+Parker

http://www.myspace.com/lewisparker

Here are a few bits and pieces from Lewis Parker





1. rise (vocal)
2. rise (instrumental)
3. rise (acapella)
4. visions of splendour (vocal)
5. visions of splendour (instrumental)
6. the sea freestyle
7. visions of splendour (acapella)





1. walk in the sky
2. r.o.w
3. jedi antiks
4. planets
5. mysteries of life







1. Song Of The Desert
2. Crusades
3. 101 Pianos (I've Put Out The Lights)
4. Eyes Of Dreams
5. Shadows Of Autumn
6. Ancients
7. Fake Charades
8. Thousand Fragments



Peace

Links taken down by request.

Kings Of Swing-Strategy LP

http://sharebee.com/09512201


01 - Strategy (3:33)
02 - Betty Boop (2:39)
03 - Nod Your Head to This (3:25)
04 - Show 'Em What U Got (4:16)
05 - U Know I Love U Baby (4:46)
06 - Two Minutes of Funk (2:11)
07 - Swing Fever (3:43)
08 - Funky Breakdown (3:57)
09 - Rumors (4:01)
10 - The Hustler (3:44)
11 - Go Cocoa (3:24)

I don't know how obscure this album is, but I dig it and thanks to thomas v from the infamous Philaflava, T.R.O.Y. forums I can give you a link, this is one of those albums that isn't really classic but it is dope, it's just good simple Hip Hop, basic loops,dope breakbeats and rhymes that just worked well throughout (just tell me that you won't be humming the bassline from "U Know I Love Ya Baby" and want to go straight to Ed OG & Da Bulldogs's "Bug-A-Boo" 1991) or the dope loop of Tony Avalon & The Belairs' "Sexy Coffee Pot" making up "Nod Your Head To This" (you will probably want to go straight to Eric B & Rakim's "Run For Cover" (1990) or Cypress Hill's "Real Estate" (1991).

Kings of Swing were down with Audio 2 (Milk & Giz produced 2 tracks on the album, "Show Em What U Got" and "Funky Breakdown") and the First Priority Music Family and contained the female DJ/MC/Producer Cocoa Channelle after just being a duo in the late 1980's, when they released the great "Stop Jockin James" 12" in 1988.

Stop Jockin James (1988)

http://sharebee.com/2a658bd6


Microphone Junkies (1988)

http://sharebee.com/f6947531

They only released the one album, Strategy in 1990, but also released a 12" in 1993 "This Is The Way We Rock The House b/w "Blunted"(does anyone have that?) after that, your guess is as good as mine, oh and ignore the tags on the download ha ha...Harry James, Benny Goodman?, great swing artists... sure, but they are not on this album.

Lastly, Super Duper Crazy Props go out to Werk for the ill Cold Rock Da Spot piece

Peace

Brand Nubian/Grand Puba-The Remixes

:D







Happy New Year party people in the place to be, I hope you are all well...now let's kick off 2009 right...>>>



I was first exposed to the great New Rochelle, New York collective back in 1990, through their dope single One For All and later the great album One For All, I enjoyed the vocal styles of Grand Puba, Lord Jamar and Sadat X a lot (can't forget DJ Alamo), they each had dope and distinctive voices and I followed them their music through out their lengthy career, to be honest I had heard some of the Masters Of Ceremony in the 80's but I didn't know that Grand Puba was in the group till the 90's and I recommend the Dynamite album.

First forming in 1989, after the Masters Of Ceremony went their separate ways, Brand Nubians were signed to Eletkra records by Dante Ross (SD50's) and they released thier first single Brand Nubian b/w Feels So Good, the singles from the One For All album, One For All, Wake Up and the Edie Brickell sampling Slow Down all fared well on the Billboard charts and are still fondly remembered to this day.




Brand Nubian delivered heavy message filled (often with 5 Percent Nations references and notions) Hip Hop that spoke on injustices in the World over fat production you could easily dance to or just nod your head like crazy, I guess that being a white man, a lot of what Brand Nubian were talking about had nothing to do with me, but they made great music all through out the 90's and it was very hard to ignore them.

In 1992 there was friction within the Brand Nubian camp and Grand Puba left the group and took DJ Alamo with him, during 1992 both Brand Nubian and Grand Puba worked on albums, Puba on his first solo album Reel To Reel had a hit with 360 Degrees (What Goes Around), Puba was the first to release an album, and Reel To Reel was a nice little album, nothing classic, but a lot of head nodding beats and amusing rhymes from the Grand Pu.



Brand Nubian enlisted DJ Sincere and in 1993 released the often hardcore, dark and dope In God We Trust album, Lord Jamar and Sadat X proved that they didn't need Grand Puba, the first single Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down was aimed at The Future Sound (I'm not sure why) and some have said Grand Puba as well, there was controversy over one of Sadat's lines being homophobic and this led to editing in the track on later versions released, on the 12" inch Diamond D featured and did an ill remix of the track, one of the best remixes in Hip Hop in my opinion.



In 1994 Brand Nubian released the Everything Is Everything album, which was an interesting mix of dark, smooth and moody tracks,Buckwild produced a dope remix for the Word Is Bond single and Saalam Remi did a dope remix for Hold On the album didn't fare to well sales wise and led to the group splitting up in 1995, that same year Grand Puba released his second solo album 2000, which was in my view a lot better than Reel To Reel and had some really dope production and clever rhymes from the Grand Pu (Sadat X appeared on the track Play It Cool squashing the beef they had), Pu had another hit with I Like It (I Wanna Be Where You Are) which included a dope SD50's remix






In 1996 Sadat X released his first solo album, Wild Cowboys,it was met with mixed reviews, some people loved it, others not so much, me?, I thought it was a solid and dope album, with a lot of great beats and rhymes (Sean Black was ill) and I defintely would recommend it, in 1997 the whole group reformed and had a track on the Soul In The Hole movie soundtrack and then later a new album in 1998, Foundation which featured production from DJ Premier, Lord Finesse,Buckwild and Diamond D, it was a good album, but not as great as it could have been.



-Grand Puba released his quickly forgotten third solo album in 2001, Understand This, Pete Rock remixed the track Issues in 2002
-Grand Puba released the Real Talk 12" produced by Lord Finesse in 2006
-Sadat-X continues to release albums and recently spent a stint in prison, his last album was Generation X (2008)
-Lord Jamar has released one solo album The 5% Album in 2006.
-The last album the group released was 2004's, Fire In The Hole, which suffered from to many commercial tracks and was in a word, boring.
-An album of unreleased material surfaced in 2007, Times Runnin Out, tracks on this album were recorded between 1997 and 1998



Here is a compilation I have put together to celebrate Brand Nubian and Grand Puba's Remixes, I hope you enjoy it..

crds presents the brand nubian/grand puba-remixes

http://sharebee.com/d80ef2ea

1. brand nubian - concerto in x minor (remix)
2. brand nubian - all for one (radio mix)
3. brand nubian - allah u akbar (remix)
4. brand nubian - love me or leave me alone (remix)
5. brand nubian - steal ya ho (remix)
6. brand nubian - all for one (tramp remix)
7. brand nubian - slow down (pete rock remix)
8. band nubian - hold on (remix)
9. brand nubian - wake up (sd50's remix)
10. brand nubian - word is bond (remix)
11. grand puba - a little of this (stud doogie remix)
12. grand puba - i like it (buckwild remix feat. sadat x)
13. grand puba - check it out (remix)
14. grand puba - thats how we move it (remix)
15. grand puba - ya know how it goes (t-ray remix)
16. grand puba - check it out (stimulated dummies remix)

Bonus: brand nubian ft diamond d-punks jump up to get beatdown (remix) (sorry I forget to put these on the comp, they were on the original list I had)

http://sharebee.com/81b071b5

Bonus: grand puba-360 (what goes around comes around) (sd50 remix)

http://sharebee.com/aacb6a09