Bobbito Garcia Plays The Tracks: Diamond-D States The Facts-Vibe Magazine 1995

The Source-April 1994 Fat Tape

   
The Source-April 1994 Fat Tape

This is from the April 1994 issue of The Source that had the definitive Gang Starr article and a superb Nas article amongst many other worthwhile articles and reviews...word...life the memories just come flooding back, I remember picking this issue up from a magazine store in Lambton Quay, Wellington and rushed home to flip through it with (from dusty memory) Gang Starr's Hard To Earn blaring from the speakers.

After checking what was on heavy rotation on the The Source System, I turned to what the Dopest Rhyme of the Month was (Shallah Raekwon for "C.R.E.A.M") and the Fat Tape section and I wasn't at all surprised to see a really phat (in those days it was phat or fat haha) mix of hardcore Hip Hop, smooth R&B/Hip Hop, a little Hip Hop/Reggae and a couple of party anthem type, break-beat based tracks, in short that was the essence of Hip Hop in the early 90's, lots of different influences and classic records made by artists that heart, soul and respect for the culture that made heads save their bones or dig deep into their pockets for the records, CD's and/or tapes.

*I'd like to send a special mention and fat shouts out to Brandon.E that used to do the Fat Tapes on his blog
and also to my old fam Eric and Travis from Bloggerhouse & WYDU who have done both Fat Tapes and Sure Shit singles and SlurgD and Vincent Lopez for all of their hard work and time scanning the mags.

L'Orange-The Orchid Days

"His troubles are like bananas, they come in bunches"...

That dope and amusing quote comes from "Mind Vs Matter" from an album I have really enjoyed and gone back to a lot this year...the new album and follow up to the The Mad Writer (2012) from producer L'Orange titled The Orchid Days released on the ever consistent label Mello Music Group.

 


















Orchid Days is an album that encompasses some great chopped up '1950's jazz, old radio and soul samples, broken piano samples, swirling strings, smooth bass lines and head nodding beats, blended on his trusty MPC200XL & MPC2500, I honesty don't know who I would compare L'Orange's type of beat making with and in this day and age that is a really good thing.

The album features dope performances from guests like Blu, Homeboy Sandman, Billy Woods and Jeremiah Jae and Erica Lane, it's a cliche but this album is one of those albums that feels like watching a good movie that you know and love.

Peep some video's below and pick up the album here and don't forget to check the ill album he did with Stik Figa in 2013 if you haven't already.

Jeru The Damaja-The Sun Rises In The East-LP Review by Dave Tompkins-URB Magazine: 1994

Nas-Illmatic 20 years on...

"Y'all know my steelo with or without the airplay
I keep some E&J, sittin' bent up in the stairway.."


It was inevitable but everyone and their Uncle and their Uncle's Uncle is speaking on the 20th anniversary of the classic, influential, esssential, momentous and vital 5 mic's in the Source debut Hip Hop album from Nas.

Like so many others I was in awe of (then Nasty) Nas's rugged and ill raspy vocal delivery and ill wordplay on Main Source's "Live At The BBQ" (1991) and definitely wanted more from him.

I knew he would be one to watch and he certainly fulfilled the promise by first appearing on the Zebrahead soundtrack with the classic "Halftime" (1992)




The same year he was enlisted as one of the MC's dropping ill verses alongside Chubb Rock & Red Hot Lover Tone on MC Serch's "Back To The Grill" and the remix. 



Nas followed that up with the timeless Large Professor produced Michael Jackson-"Human Nature" sampling...

 

I fondly remember buying the Illmatic cassette (it was sealed up and I was mad excited about tearing off the wrapper and placing the tape in my boom box/stereo (that did eat tapes on occasion) and reading the inlay credits) first and later purchasing the CD, actually from memory I think a record rep handed me a copy... needless to say the album was on heavy rotation through out 1994 and beyond, it was in essence one of the soundtracks to '94 for me, I used to bug Friends to play it in the car whenever I took the CD with me and needless to say but every track was most definitely played at some stage on The Weds Nite Jam show.

 


















On my very first listen of Illmatic I loved the Wild Style sampling intro "Genesis" and though it was a great way to set off an album, but it was the Joe Chambers, Eric B & Rakim and  Kool and The Gang drum sampling "N.Y. State of Mind" that was the track that I rewound the most, Nas's delivery (it has been stated that he did it in one take) on that cut and DJ Premier's production, slow, bumping, menacing and seriously ill was simply perfection ...but as you all know the whole album is still an incredible listen from start to finish and with such esteemed producers behind the boards, DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip & L.E.S. it was destined to the be the album it is and not to mention the dope beat makers that laced the remixes for the singles off the album: The LG Experience, Groove Merchantz (Godfather Don, V.I.C.), Dr Butcher & Def Jef.

 














Illmatic has been re-released and has a disc of remixes, rare tracks and a classic freestyle from the WKCR Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito The Barber show (that show will always have the "World Is Yours" (Remix) etched in my memory) to be honest I am a bit puzzled as to why 2 of Buckwild's greatest remixes for Nas were omitted as well as the original version/remix of "Memory Lane" but I suspect it was due to clearance or licensing issues.

Nas ft AZ-Life's A Bitch (Remix #1)

Nas ft AZ-Life's A Bitch (Remix #2)

Here is a quick round up of links celebrating the history and significance of Illmatic...

http://www.complex.com/music/2014/04/the-best-of-nas-illmatic/favorite-beat
http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6062505/nas-illmatic-at-20-classic-track-by-track-review
http://nahright.com/news/mixtape-memories-20-classic-nas-mixtape-cuts
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1726470/happy-anniversary-illmatic-20-surprising-facts-about-nas-debut.jhtml
http://www.stereogum.com/1676273/illmatic-turns-20/franchises/the-anniversary
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/editorials/id.2361/title.nas-illmatic-reviewed-by-fashawn-for-its-20-year-anniversary
http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/classic-rotation-nas-illmatic-20-years-later-news.10209.html
http://uproxx.com/music/2014/04/check-out-this-20-year-old-footage-promoting-nas-illmatic
http://soodetroit.com/index.php/science-everything-ill-20-years-illmatic
http://upnorthtrips.com/post/83151747677/the-illmatic-influence-infographic-via
http://www.egotripland.com/nas-documentary-illmatic-at-20-video
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interv...roducer-credit
http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2014/04/making-of-nas-illmatic
The Source-1994 Interview with Nas 
Rap Pages interview with Bobbito Garcia 
http://thequietus.com/articles/14972-nas-illmatic-interview-anniversary-review





http://www.timeisillmatic.com

One L (to the O V E)

CRDS Presents-Da 94 Fat Funk Flav Vol 4

Peace and here is Volume Four!

I'm thrilled to be filling in the quota of one compilation of dope material from 1994 every month as promised...enjoy and as always much respect to all that check this blog on the regular and to my blog fam that re-post my compilations and posts etc...I really appreciate it.

Happy Easter to all my readers

CRDS Presents-Da 94 Fat Funk Flav Vol 4

01-Da Youngsta's -Hip Hop Ride (Produced by Marley Marl)
02-Quinton-I'm Not An MC (Produced by J-Swift)
03-The Nonce - Mix Tapes (81st Street Subliminal Remix)
04-Freedom Of Soul-Sooner or Later (Produced by Sup The Chemist)
05-The Prunes-KMW
06-Banji-It's Like Dat (Produced by 3 Thieves and A Liar)
07-M.C.M.-Powermoves (Produced by Uncle G)
08-UMC's-My Thing 
09-Krispy 3 - On Tempo ('94 Lick Re-Vamp)(Produced by Mr. Wiz)
10-Red Hot Lover Tone - The Illest (Produced by Trackmasterz)
11-Artifacts-Heavy Ammunition (Produced by T-Ray)
12-25 Is Life-Mic-Slaughter (Produced by Lyvio.G)
13-Jeru The Damaja - Brooklyn Took It (Produced by DJ Premier)
14-Souls Of Mischief-Get The Girl, Grab The Money (Produced by A-Plus)
15-Ronny Jordan meets DJ Krush-Season For Change (Dawn Of The Season Mix) feat. Guru


R.I.P. (April 19th will mark the fourth anniversary of the late, great Guru's passing)

The Barber Shop by Bobbito Garcia-3rd Annual Butter Awards-Feb 95-Rap Pages Magazine

Word...life, I found the article for the third one but I haven't set eyes up on the first one yet...

Butterslick Album of The Year:

Buttermilk Single of The Year: 

O.C.-Time's Up 

Honorable Mentions:

A Tribe Called Quest-Award Tour
Wu-Tang Clan-C.R.E.A.M.
Crooklyn Dodgers-Crooklyn

Butter Hot Video of The Year:



Honorable Mention:




B (Stands for Butter) Side Slides:

Smif-N-Wessun-Let's Git It On

B-SIDE Group of The Year:

Black Moon

Act Like U Want It (Remix)
Reality

Murder MC's
 
Honorable Mentions:

H20 ft Artifacts-Ism and Blues

Kurious ft Sadat-X & Mike G-Mansion and a Yacht
Biggie-Unbelievable 

Butterfuco Remix of The Year:

Artifacts ft Busta Rhymes-Come On Wit Da Get Down (Remix)

Bed of Butter (Most Slept On Cut) Award of The Year

Beatnuts-Lick The P--Y

Col' Butter Demo slides:

Company Flow-Corners
Tragedy ft Havoc-Funk Mode (Large Professor Remix)


Download article here

Peace

Bobbito The Barber-Butter Awards #2-Feburary 1994-Rap Pages

Like butter baby...I just found this hiding in an old record sleeve...

 

Butter Hot Video of the Year:

Buttermilk Singles of The Year:

Mobb Deep-Hit It From The Back 

Nas-Halftime 

Black Moon-Who Got Da Props

Souls of Mischief-93 Til Infinity

Gangster Hard Lard:

Fat Joe ft Apache & Kool G Rap-You Must Be Out Of Your F----' Mind

B (stands for butter) Side slides:

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth-It's Not A Game

Diamond-D ft Lord Finesse & Sadat-X-You Can't Front

Butterfuco Remix:

Casual-That's How It Is (Disseshowedo Mix)

Masta Ace Inc-Saturday Nite Live (LA Jay Mix)

Col Butter Demo Slides:

Juggaknots-Clear Blue Skies

Godfather Don-Slave of New York 

Interesting things of note...Supernatural did end up battling Craig-G...and what a classic battle it was (that the legendary Juice Crew member took out of course)

Juggaknots was spelt Juggernauts and the timeless"Clear Blue Skies" didn't see the light of day until 1996, when it was included on the debut Juggaknots LP released on Bob's Fondle 'Em label.

Cage was spelt Kiege

Godfather Don's "Slave of New York" was only on record officially for the first time in 2007 when it was released on the Diggers With Gratitude label.

 

Peace

CRDS Presents-The CRDS Fat Tape Vol 24

I let my tape rock till my tape popped...

CRDS Presents-The CRDS Fat Tape Vol 24

1-Kool Kae Dee-Vibing In The Cypher (1994)

2-SESH-Defintion S.E.S.H.(1998)

3-Ill Al Skratch-Don't Shut Down On A Player (Remix) (1995)

4-Lord Finesse-Down For The Underground (2001)

5-MF Grimm & Drasar Monumental-Check 'Em (2013)

6-Phunky Dialect-L.A.P.D. (1995) 

7-The Cenobites-I Was Forgotten (1995)

8-The Doppelgangaz-Dead Already (2011)

9-Cru-The Illz (1997)

10-Water Water-Still Real (1999)

11-Sleestack'z-All You Want (1996) 

12-Hi-Tek ft BJ Digby, Donte, Main Flow & Crunch-Breakin' Bread (2001)

13-Divine ScienZe-Beyond The Point (2014)

14-String Theory-Art of Rap (2014)

15-Ed Rowe & Concept-Delayed Gratitude (2013)

Fat shouts to: Drasar, Unikone, Claaa7, akahh, OG DonNinja and Fats Eardrum