Northern Author

The Best DJ Premier Beats of 2011

2012-01-08T15:34:00.009Z

Recently on www.djpremierblog.com there was a poll for hip-hop fans to vote on which beat Primo had produced in 2011 that they thought was his finest work. As far as I was aware, the Works of Mart were relatively small and low-key over the past 12 months, aside from a few tracks on the Evidence LP - but I was clearly mistaken.

Primo is a workaholic behind the boards. When he isn't producing tracks for his core family of Big Shug, the Year Round family, Freddie Foxxx, Big Shug's mother or Big Shug's landlord's stepdaughter, he's branching out and bringing some of his trademark boom-bap to overseas artists or musicians from outside his comfort zone.

So, I decided to compile the tracks rap fans voted highest in the poll into one nice, compact little album for general consumption. Isn't that nice of me? I'm sure Primo will approve.

There's a lot to like here, as usual. If you're a fan of DJ Premier (and if you're not you really have no place looking at any rap blog whatsoever - get back to your hippy bullshit and buy a thin tie and some elbow patches - pick up that empty Lana del Rey album while you're there) you know what to expect.

He has a very defined sound which hasn't really changed for a decade now. Some people would consider that to be a downside, and in some ways it has led to the popular opinion that hearing a new Primo beat isn't as exciting as it was say, in the late 90s. I can't really disagree with this, but it doesn't change the fact that he is a top 5 DOA producer in hip-hop history, and there aren't really many people out there that can claim to have a better discography than him.

Here he continues his legacy with a set of mostly understated tunes, none of which will make their way into the average backpackers 'favourite Primo beat ever' sentence, but songs that we can all respect and listen to on our iPods regularly with glee.

The beat that was voted highest in the pool was 'You' by Dilated Peoples emcee Evidence, which was from his superb full-length 'Cats & Dogs'. That particular choice isn't too surprising as it was arguably the most high-profile beat on the list aside from 'Born In The Trap' from Dr.Dre's former butler and reference library The Game. Then there's the remix to 'Writer's Block' from Royce & Eminem's successful Bad Meets Evil EP, which eclipses the original with relative ease. Royce is the only artist that appears twice on the list, as he brought Primo on board for 'Second Place' for his solo LP 'Success Is Certain'.

Strangely, my favourite beat on here is probably the remix to 'Embody' by French dance producer SebastiAn, as not only does it keep the general vibe of the superb original song, but it opens up a great great track to a whole different genre. DJ Premier seems to be producing for a lot more eclectic set of artists these days, from pop to dance to rap, both US and overseas, and that can only be commended.

Enjoy everything here. And thank DJ Premier for the music. RIP Guru.

DJ Premier's Best Beats of 2011

1. Evidence - You

2. Reks - 25th Hour

3. Torae - For The Record

4. Prop Dylan - Shock & Amaze

5. Edo G - Fastlane

6. The Game - Born In The Trap

7. Apathy (feat. Celph Titled) - Stop What Ya Doin'

8. DJ Premier & Bumpy Knuckles - B.A.P.

9. Royce Da 5'9" - Second Place

10. Venom - Vigilantes (DJ Premier VHS Remix)

11. Bad Meets Evil - Writer's Block (DJ Premier Remix)

12. Big Shug - We Miss You (Guru Tribute)

13. Kendra Morris - Concrete Waves (DJ Premier 320 Remix)

14. Mac Miller - Face The Facts

15. Bushido - Gangster

16. DJ Fudge (feat. Afrika Bambaataa) - Jump Up (DJ Premier Remix)

17. SebastiAn - Embody (DJ Premier 95 Break Remix)

18. Nick Javas (feat. Khaleel) - Anonymous

It's So Hard Out Here For A G

2012-01-02T19:43:00.002Z

The turn of the new year brings some new music from one of UK rap's true living legends. Farma G, one half of Taskforce, is set to release a new EP entitled 'The Art Of Moron' with hints given in this first leaked track as to who the targets are.

'It's So Hard' is a superb starting point for the EP, due out this month, and strangely enough, the real shining star in the song is the production. Farma Jesus does his thing on the vocals as you'd expect, but the beat is a sensational cut of emotional soul rap filled with drama, sadness and passion. It comes courtesy of Life Scarz, a producer who admittedly hasn't been on my radar until now. Consider that corrected from this moment forth. Listen to the track below, and look out for Farma G's new release later on in January.

Follow Farma G on twitter for more info: www.twitter.com/farmazan

Follow Life Scarz on soundcloud for more beats: www.soundcloud.com/mic-terror

ITS SO HARD - LIFE SCARZ FEAT FARMA G (TASKFORCE) (PROD BY LIFE SCARZ DIRTBOY MUSICK) by LIFESCARZ DIRTBOYMUSICK

2011. Done.

2011-12-31T17:46:00.003Z

It's the last day of the year, so what I'd like to do is take a moment on look back on what has happened in my life, and in life in general over the past 365 days. What I'd like to do even more than that though, is allow a world class emcee from my country sum it up in a far funnier, more in depth and wittier way than I ever could. In steps Mystro.

Below is the radio rip premiere of the most recent of Mystro's long awaited and always brilliant rap-up series. Skillz has the US, Bekay has the Aussies, and we have the best of all with Mystrogen. Listen muthaluvaz, and have a happy new year.

Maybe one of my many new year's resolutions should be to update this site more and give it the love it deserves like I did in the past. But if I state that officially it'll just fall to the way side like all my other half-cocked resolutions. Really, Adam? Are you really going to join that gym or pass that driving test? Are you fuck, mate. And deep down you know it.

New Year's resolutions are for people who need a legitimate reason not to enjoy their lives. I'm going to eat more, fuck more, sit around more and insult more. Enjoy your night, see you in 2012.

Meet The Quaranteam

2011-12-26T14:05:00.006Z

While trying to find photos of the new burgeoning rap collective from London, I couldn't get anything past photos of spanish horror movies. Its almost like the group want us to think they're picking Spaniards off in a high-rise inner city flat by biting the fuck out of them. But keeping on the subject of throat-rips, Quaranteam - probably one of the most promising straight rap collectives that the UK have produced for at least a few years - are far from tough to find and they're here to annihilate the competition.

In 2011 alone, every member of the group have released at least one full-length album, all of which have the same theme and aesthetic running through them: hard beats with a soulful edge, a good mixture of punchlines and street poetry, and an undeniable chemistry between them that can make for some brilliant collective efforts.

As a christmas gift, the group have released their first ever EP, and it continues their rise in the UK rap game with all 5 emcees trading verses through 8 solid songs that showcase everyone's talents.

Loudmouth Melvin & K-Nite handle a lot of the beats on most Quaranteam releases, and this allows the group to gain a musical identity without having to waste time on bullshit gimmicks or shock tactics. The music, with these two on the boards, is always at a high standard and it provides the perfect backdrop for Pyro Barz, Skillit, Chris Mentalist, the aforementioned Melvin and K-Nite (along with their affiliates) to spit fire like Spyro The Dragon.

This is no kid's game though, this is just as much introspective as it is rap boasts, as much intellect as there is ignorance, and as much fun as it is serious. Below, not only will you find the brand new Quaranteam EP, but also the recent releases from each member of the collective. There's enough music here to keep you inside the world of your headphones for weeks, and all of it is so ill it's got NHS Direct on speed-dial. Enjoy and Merry Xmas.

*click the titles for download links*

The Quaranteam EP

www.thequaranteam.com

Loudmouth Melvin - 1,2,3,4

www.loudmouthmelvin.bandcamp.com

www.twitter.com/loudmouthmelvin

Chris Mentalist - Make You Proud

www.twitter.com/chrismentalist

K-Nite 13 - The Drawing Board

www.k-nite13.bandcamp.com

www.twitter.com/knite13

Skillit - As Seen On TV EP

www.youtube.com/skillitmusic

www.twitter.com/skillitmusic

Pyro Barz - Look Who Crept In

www.twitter.com/pyrobarz

Are you not entertained? Quaranteam should keep you in music well into 2012, by which time we'll all know their names.

Dangerous Adventures

2011-10-23T13:34:00.006Z

Lewis Parker seemingly left these shores a long time ago, opting to hone his already considerable skills in the birth city of hip-hop, New York, instead of his native UK. Over the past few years he's produced for such luminaries as Ghostface Killah, done remix LPs reworking songs by everyone from MOP to Kool G Rap, and he's released albums with underground stalwart John Robinson.

I'm so late on this if I was a lass I'd be pregnant, but he released on the low a new EP entitled 'Dangerous Adventures' back in the Summer. It continues his new direction of working with US artists and harking back to the so-called golden era of our beloved genre and culture. Below you'll find tracks he has laid down for emcees like one half of the Cali Agents, Planet Asia, one half of Def-Jukies Cannibal Ox, Vast Aire, and QB emcee Killa Sha amongst others.

Its the sort of material we've come to expect from Lewis, which is definitely a compliment, because this guy has been churning out brilliant material since the mid-90s. Although his songs seem to have became a lot more homogenised over time (and less reliant on odd antique samples which was a facet to his music he relished in back at the turn of the millenium) he still delivers the very definition of boom-bap.

It baffles me why he hasn't had more beat placements with great emcees, because he can create soundbeds that, if handled by the best emcees, can become classics.

Enjoy his latest.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://kingunderground.bandcamp.com/album/dangerous-adventures"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Dangerous Adventures by Lewis Parker&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

And as an added extra, here is a song he produced recently for songstress Brianna Colette. It's so smooth out the mp3 is slippy. Versatility is one of the greatest things a producer can be, and I've not heard much material from Lewis tailored to an RnB audience, but this song is superb. I could definitely chill with a full album of this.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://kingunderground.bandcamp.com/album/brianna-colette-in-love-brooklyn-affair"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Brianna Colette 'In Love (Brooklyn Affair)' by Brianna Colette&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Sav-age

2011-08-30T21:09:00.003Z

Huddersfield's own atmospheric beatmaker and thought-provoking emcee Asavious is finally back after what seems like a long hiatus since his LP with DJ IQ "The A-Loop Theory" (its actually only a few years, and that album still gets plays to this day). Its time for the third-instalment of his much-lauded mixtape-cum-album series Play2Win, and in anticipation for its release Savvy has dropped a cold video for the lead track from "Vol. 3 - Adapt Or Die".

All I'm saying is, you people better fucking adapt, because that chilly West Yorkshire weather will freeze your soul...

Hip-Hop Newsround

2011-08-25T17:24:00.008Z

A scattered post here, much akin to the back porcelain wall of your water closet after a particularly lively curry. Rounding up the recent movements in rap that I like and I'm intrigued by.

Kicking us off is Lecs Luther, an emcee who you will never believe is based in Dublin. Mainly because he sounds like MF Doom if he managed to drink a lot of cough syrup, got rid of that sore throat, and then listened to a lot of OFWGKTA. Which is a good thing, because despite there being no mention of the famous potato drought of whatever the fuck year that stereotype was born, he has potential by the bucketload, a great flow and sonics behind him that could catapult him much further than just these UK lands. Here's the vid for his self-titled opening salvo "Luther" from the forthcoming EP "Fish & Chips". I couldnt care less what accent a rapper uses personally, as long as he kills the track, and Luther just left this beat with its entrails stuffed up its own arsehole. A great opener:

Go to http://www.lecsluther.tumblr.com for more info on him and his new EP

______________________________________________________________________

Next up we have a UK rapper who has had success in the past with "The Union Jack Album", which I distinctly remember getting quite a buzz on the UK rap blog-scene about three years back. Well, Jack Flash is back again, this time accompanied by a producer named Wizard, and they're packing more heat than a sauna in a suitcase.

Jack Flash passed me the following vid for his track "Tomorrow", featuring rolling acoustic guitars and piano tinkles underneath a cross-over chorus. The track is laid-back and showcases Wizard's production just as much as it does Flash on the mic.

I'm not going to lie though, I stumbled across this track, also from their forthcoming LP, and I absolutely loved it. Its a banger from start to end...exactly the type of track I want to hear from UK artists. And is it just me, or do I hear a tiny bit of UK legend Blade somewhere in that voice? Either way, the album sounds stellar and the guy is from the second place in the world I love besides the north-east, Huddersfield. Big up.

For more info on the album, buy previous Flash releases, and track both Jack Flash and Wizard's movements check out:

http://www.jackflashuk.co.uk/
http://twitter.com/wizardbeats
http://twitter.com/jackflashuk
http://jackflash.bandcamp.com
http://wizardbeats.bandcamp.com

________________________________________________________________

An artist that I personally hadn't heard of before it being presented to me is Nasty P, a scottish DJ/Producer who is making noise and incredible beats straight out of Edinburgh. Scotland needs a lot more frontline UK rap artists because there is a lot of culture up there, and Nasty is making the soundbeds for emcees to lay words on.

But its not local emcees who are getting the goods here, Nasty P's reach has extended to such luminaries as Jurassic 5 legend Akil, extremely dope US emcee Oddisee, and the ubiquitous british bread-and-butter hero Skinnyman. Thats some top company, and judging from the beats, he deserves to keep it. His new LP "Choosers Can't Be Beggars' is out now and there is a forthcoming EP billed for September so watch this space.

Check out the track with Akil & Profisee below, and also the solo track 'Signs' which samples reggae classic 'Lots of Sign' by Tenor Saw (also, as you SHOULD know and if you don't you should slap your FACE, used by Klashnekoff as the opening gambit to his classic track 'Zero') and has some cuts & scratches on it that I can only refer to as sick as fuck. Because thats music journalism folks, thats my extended vocabulary. Anyway, its great stuff, enjoy the two vids below:

For more info on Nasty P, and his previous album go to:

http://nastyp.bandcamp.com/album/choosers-cant-be-beggars

Also, he has uploaded a LOT of great stuff to his soundcloud page, both remixes of famous tracks and new exclusives, so check that out too at:

http://soundcloud.com/nastyp

________________________________________________________________________

And finally, I'd just like to take a moment to say that I'm immensely proud of Foreign Beggars for their longevity, mainstream success and what they're doing both for UK hip-hop and also for the other UK-created genres they're championing such as dubstep and drum & bass. They're killing it right now and deserve every inch of money and bitches they acquire. In celebration, I know these are one/two months previous, which in online blog terms means ANCIENT, but here's two vids, one for their smash hit 'Bad Man Riddim' and one for their absolutely epic, song-can't-be-beaten, best drop of all time status cracker with Noisia, "Shellshock".

That New Ish

2011-07-17T19:51:00.004Z

Back in the early 90s, Digable Planets were critically acclaimed from every corner of hip-hop due to their rich sound, utilising jazz and swing samples to create a rap style that set itself apart from the aggressive rhyme style that was garnering international attention from artists such as ICe Cube at the time. Their lead rapper, known as 'Ish', or 'Butterfly', had such a laid back rhyme style that made him so effortlessly cool that he could ramble through a thesaurus and make it sound like the most engaging and entertaining thing in rap.

That was back in the 90s though, and it has been a LONG time since Ish has really been active on the album front. Digable Planets did reconvene at some point in the 2000s for various tours and such, and a mixtape came up co-signed by them that garnered some attention some 5-6 years ago, but since 'Blowout Comb' came in the mid-90s, they hadn't had a single 12", EP, as a group.

The other members, such as female emcee Ladybug Mecca and producer Doodlebug, have both been relatively quiet, but their DJ King Britt has moved into production over the past decade with great success and released a lot of well-recieved material. But how come Butterfly hasn't been seen? Other than an album called 'Bright Black' under the guise Cherrywine nothing had been heard from him for almost 15 years.

Well, he was cool like that back in the 90s, but now it was time for a rebirth of the slick. In 2010, he changed his rap moniker and released two strange yet enticing EPs, 'Of Light' and 'Shabazz Palaces'. The latter was also the name of his new project.

Shabazz Palaces by subpop

Well, Ish is back again as Shabazz Palaces' emcee leader and his full length LP 'Black Up' has hit the shelves, released by Sub-Pop Records. And it is STONKING.

The same laidback smooth rap style is prevalent and it endears you to the material instantly due to the memories from classics past coming flooding back into your consciousness. But its not the same words. Instead if it being about style, panache and freshness, Shabazz has a whole different agenda entirely. Yes, its still about style, but under yet another new name, the compelling Palaceer Lazaro, the style is palatial. Everything seems like a reference to some form of forgotten african monarchy in its sound and delivery, and the beats keep up this royal touch.

Speaking about the beats, they are out of this world. Literally. I'm pretty sure every review people will read about this album will use the phrase 'Space Age', but I for me its almost as much tribal and archaic as it is galactic. Its certainly forward thinking and different to anything else that has came out this year. The only name I can even throw up at this point that can even slightly explain this sound is Flying Lotus. But lets not confuse that for anything other than a reference point because Shabazz Palaces are set apart and alone in their approach

One thing I would say when approaching the album. Its not going to spawn a hit. Its not for everyone, and it definitely isn't going to be something you'll see on many mainstream sites. I would also urge for everyone who takes a listen to it to make sure its on some great speakers or great headphones, because the production value is fantastic. On tinny laptop speakers there's a good chance half of what you should be hearing will be lost.

For me its one of the best albums I've heard in 2011. Up there with Pharoahe Monch's "W.A.R.", which up to now has been one of the rare LPs that has had a lot of replay value as an entire entity for me. This album will be different to anything you've ever heard and you'll thank your lucky stars that that's the case. Time for that new Ish.

This is the final track off the new LP 'Black Up', and above in the article you will find the 2010 EP 'Shabazz Palaces' for more examples of the sound.

DMX's Damian

2011-06-30T19:06:00.006Z

A 16-year old fan of hip-hop right now probably has no idea what the hype behind DMX was about 12/13 years ago. Its tough to imagine that this washed-up, holiday-in-jail, tax-evading failed actor used to be one of the most exciting things in hip-hop, not to mention one of the most consistent.

DMX was in a position to be one of the biggest artists in rap, and probably would have been had the wheels not fallen off so badly that he was left using prison like a timeshare holiday agreement. Honestly, the guy has been in and out of jail more than some of the guards on shift-work.

But let's forget all that. Let's forget that it's 2011 and a DMX article won't be read by a single soul. Let's take it back to 1998. The year DMX became the biggest emcee in New York.

Following a decent run of hype following some guest spots (most notably on LL Cool J's track "4.3.2.1", which subsequently became more famous because of the LL/Canibus beef (sidenote: Canibus won that by the way)) Earl Simmons' debut LP "Its Dark & Hell Is Hot" was released to an absolutely rabid frenzy of support. It was heralded by some as New York taking the power back, but by most it was just an agreement that this wierd guy who growled and barked (and looked like a really dodgy mechanic who would smack you in the face if you didn't tip him) was actually running things.

There was no-one before and has been no-one since who has had a style as abrasive and aesthetically underground as his, but still managed to captivate the mainstream middle-class pop-rap audience just as much as his core fanbase.

"Get At Me Dog" and "Ruff Ryder's Anthem" were huge street hits, as was "Stop Being Greedy", and he followed that aforementioned debut album up quickly with his second LP later in the same year. "Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood" just continued the bludgeoning. Then the Ruff Ryders came with a compilation album...then came his third LP. The guy was basically hip-hop's 'everyman' voice. That is, if by 'everyman' you mean the nutter standing at the end of the bar waiting for someone to glance at him so he can start some shit.

But for all of his success and his huge hits, his career came crashing down just as swiftly as it was established. Its continue crashing since, like a dickhead drummer playing hell with the hi-hat (stop me with these horrendous similes whenever you're ready).

However, enough of the background info, this is about DMX's slow-burning classics. In amongst "Party Up (In Here)", "X Gon Give It To Ya" and "Slippin", there was a trio of album tracks that spanned the best four LPs he released before he went on the wane. They were astonishingly dark for a major label rap artist, not least one who had a huge fanbase and a burgeoning film career, and it was both surprising and refreshing. Even today they still sound new and raw, and get repeat listens from myself on my desperately-trying-to-hold-onto-hip-hop-past iPod library.

The three tracks were called Damian I, II & III, and they recounted DMX fighting his demons, literally. The beats were harrowing on each of them, with the second featuring the en-vogue media hate-mogul at the time, Marilyn Manson, on the chorus. DMX was never a smiling, happy emcee rapping about his relaxing life and loving family, and a lot of his other material felt cold yet emotional. But these were different.

The first Damian is about DMX scolding himself for always picking the wrong route and cursing why he doesn't have a "guardian angel". The "guardian angel" (by the name Damian) then suddenly turns up out of the blue and promises D the world, which is greatly appreciated by our Ruff Ryding friend. However, it becomes apparent over the song that Damian isn't the angel DMX was hoping for. Instead, we're treated to a bloodbath, with Damian instructing Earl to kill off anyone that gets in their way, even people considered friends.

The second one and third continue this trend, with the story developing further, and going into murkier territory as it carries on. The best part of all this is that, in amongst all of this, DMX has chosen to voice this devilish guardian angel with a lisp and a happy disposition, which just happens to make proceedings all the more stark.

Its superb stuff and I pray for the day that a commercial rap artist on a major label would ever have the bollocks to do something like this again. But instead, we're stuck with DRAKE. And sorry, Drake, but you're just a fucking bitch. If you agree, enjoy this small collection and listen to it at full volume on your headphones while rocking back and forth in the corner of your bedroom.

DMX's Damian (1998-2001)

1. Damian
2. The Omen (Damian II) (feat. Marilyn Manson)
3. Damian III

Jehst - Starting Over

2011-04-21T19:18:00.003Z

New Jehst. This has actually been circulating for a few weeks now but it needs air on this site. Anything by this guy instantly floats to the top of the pile when it comes to UK hip-hop. We all wait with rabid anticipation for a new LP. Even the Menghi Bus Mixtape seems a LONG time ago, Jehst!

Skinnyman - Music Speaks Louder Than Words

2011-04-21T19:04:00.000Z

New Skinnyman. We've needed him.

The Diplomats - Best Of The Rest

2011-04-10T16:29:00.013Z

Its amazing how a collective of artists, who individually are no better than average, can come together as one to create a whole movement and generate enough hype and material to create a legacy. Some collectives have talent running throughout and couldn't fail if they tried. The Wu-Tang Clan was as much an advert for each member's solo ability as it was for the group as a whole, and the success of each individual from that group is testament to that.

The Diplomats never had the talent that the Wu had. Not even a single member. They never had the lyrical story-weaving of Raekwon or Ghostface. They never had the commanding aura or intelligence of GZA, nor the presence and individuality of Method Man. However, one thing they did have was charisma. Charisma, the whole of Harlem, and the Heatmakerz.

Its strange to think back to the early 2000s and notice just how dominant Dipset were in the rap scene. Their gully songs, peppered with the odd radio-friendly club track was a snapshot of where hip-hop was at in those years.

The sped-up soul samples that Kanye West supposedly ushered in were being used to just as good effect by the relative unknowns that backed up a large proportion of the Dips' output. And this production crew, The Heatmakerz, were arguably the secret ingredient in Cam'Ron's successful recipe. Sure, it was ignorant, the samples were often lazy and well-known, and they were often repetitive, but they were catchy as fuck. And they were catchy in an acceptable way (ie. guys are going to get a slap by their mates if theyre seen humming a Nelly song, and rightly so...but Dipset? They'd join in).

Today, the Diplomats are a fragmented collective who announced their long-awaited return with a few leaked tracks and freestyles, and most of the extended membership has been shorn. Vado seems to be Cam'Ron's new artist he wants to push, and thats left his old pupils out in the cold.

Juelz Santana and Jim Jones are still working alongside Killa Cam, but not with the same togetherness they had 8 years ago, when they ran NY commercial rap radio. Jim Jones, incidentally, has just released his new LP, and its utter bollocks.

This post is to highlight the lesser known tracks by the Dipset Collective, away from their "Diplomatic Immunity" album, or Cam'Ron's big hits. We're celebrating their weed carriers today, from 40 Cal to Hell Rell, JR Writer to Purple City, just as much as we're celebrating their bigger names. Even these so called "minions" contributed immensely to the movement at the time but can probably found today, homeless and jobless, curled up on a broken couch in a crackhouse somewhere sniffing lines off the inner thigh of a prostitute.

Lets remember them for the good times, the ridiculously over-the-top gangster posturing, the chipmunk soul, the barely literate wordplay that was somehow endearing because of that. I present to you a collection of songs that are ludicrous, amazing, rubbish and entertaining in equal portions. Here is The Diplomats.

Its a big tracklist, because one album's worth of material wouldnt be enough to highlight the OTT epicness (is that a word?) of the Diplomats. This is a monster collection, one that you should listen to ALL DAY EVERY DAY while walking down the street and slapping random bitches and dickheads who give you black looks. This is a gift from me to you, a labour of love, and a collection of songs that I will always love, no matter how silly they are...all four hours and twenty minutes of it. Enjoy.

Click on the album title or the "download" at the bottom of the post for enough Dipset to leave sprinkles of cooked crack round your nostrils without you even realising.

The Diplomats: Northern Author's Best of the Rest

Tracklist

CAM'RON
All The Chickens (feat. Juelz Santana) (from "S.D.E.")
Dipset Forever (from "Purple Haze")
Do Ya Thing (Remix) (from "Killa Season")
He Tried To Play Me (feat. Hell Rell) (from "Killa Season")
I.B.S. (from "Killa Season")
More Reasons (from "Purple Haze")
War (feat. Hell Rell) (from "Killa Season")
Diamonds & Pearls (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 5")
Facts Of Life (feat. Juelz Santana) (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 1")
Pain & Agony (feat. McGruff) (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 2")
Suga Duga (from "Dipset: More Than Music Vol. 2")

JUELZ SANTANA
Daddy (from "What The Game's Been Missing")
Down (from "From Me To U")
How I Feel (from "From Me To U")
Lil' Boy Fresh (from "What The Game's Been Missing")
Monster Music (from "From Me To U")
Santana's Town Part. II (From "Dipset: More Than Music Vol. 1")
Bandana (from "Back Like Cooked Crack 2: More Crack")
Blow (from "Back Like Cooked Crack 1")
Fat Bitch (from "Back Like Cooked Crack 3")
Mr. Postman (from "Back Like Cooked Crack 3")
So Rude (from "Back Like Cooked Crack 1")
You Oughta Know (feat. Cam'Ron) (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 4")
Your Gonna Love Me (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 4")

JIM JONES
Getaway (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 3")
Questions (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 3")
G's Up (from "Harlem: Diary Of A Summer")
Harlem (from "Harlem: Diary Of A Summer")
Talking To The World (from "On My Way To Church")
This Is Jim Jones (feat. Cam'Ron) (from "On My Way To Church")
What Kind Of Life Is This (feat. Juelz Santana) (from "Dipset: More Than Music Vol. 1")
Come On, Come On (feat. NOE & Oshy) (from "Harlem's American Gangster")
Concrete Jungle (from "Hustler's POME: Product Of My Environment")
End Of The Road (feat. TI & Bun B) (from "On My Way To Church")

40 CAL
Dipset City(ft. Hell Rell, JR Writer, Jim Jones & Juelz Santana)(from "More Than Music Vol. 2")
Blackout (from "Trigger Happy 2")
Do It Again (from "Trigger Happy 2")
Fuck It All (from "Broken Safety")
Highway Music (from "Trigger Happy")
If You Want It (from "The Yellow Tape")
Neva Neva (feat. A-Mafia & RU Spitz) (from "Broken Safety")
Real Bitch (from "Broken Safety")
Stick 'Em (feat. Cam'Ron & JR Writer) (from "Broken Safety 2")
Jungle Hood (feat. Su Da Boss) (from "Trigger Happy")
Harlem Blues (from "40 Calories: Get Ya Weight Up")
License To Kill (from "40 Calories: Get Ya Weight Up")
Rain (from "The Eye Of The Eagle")

HELL RELL
This Is What I Do (feat. Cam'Ron) (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 2")
I'm The Shit (feat. Cam'Ron) (from "For The Hell Of It")
Streets Gonna Love Me (from "For The Hell Of It")
Intro (from "Streets Wanna Know")
Ruger Rell & Writer (feat. JR Writer) (from "Streets Wanna Know")

JR WRITER
Y'All Ain't Ready (from "Still Standing")
The Hiest (from "History In The Making")
Riot Pump (from "History In The Making")
To Be A Diplomat (from "History In The Making")
Xtasy (feat. Nicole Wray) (from "History In The Making")
You Make Me Say (from "Dipset: More Than Music Vol. 1")
It's All Over (from "Still Standing")
Jamaican Diplomocracy (from "Still Standing")
Soul Centric (from "Still Standing")

S.A.S.
So Free (feat. Cam'Ron) (from "Diplomatic Immunity Vol. 2")
Built This City Part II (from ""Where Is SAS?")
Ur In Da Army (feat. Juelz Santana) (from "Streets All Salute")
Streets All Salute (from "Streets All Salute")
Missing You (from "Dipset Eurogang: Gang's All Here")

THE REST
Agallah - Purple City Gangsta (feat. Shiest Bub) (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 4")
Un Kasa - Death Is The Only Escape (from "The Diplomats Mixtape Vol. 3")
Freekey Zeekey - Streets (from "Book Of Ezekiel")
DukeDaGod (feat. Hell Rell & JR Writer) - More Than Music(from "Dipset:More Than Music 1")
Jha Jha & Un Kasa - So Gangsta (from "Dipset: More Than Music Vol. 1")
Coinz (feat. S.A.S.) - Doing Fine (from "Dipset Eurogang: Gang's All Here")

DOWNLOAD HERE

(Note: I have intentionally stayed away from most of their staple favourites and the CamRon/Juelz/Jim Jones hit singles, because let's be honest, if you don't already own them then you're a silly fucker and shouldnt be perusing a rap blog in the first place)

Skillit - "Ready To Light"

2011-04-04T16:08:00.001Z

Hackenbush Is Back

2011-04-04T15:49:00.002Z

Chester P, one half of UK behemoths Taskforce, has released his new album "New Mic Order Part 2" via his bandcamp website. Its a real return to form (or rather, a return to the music scene, as he was never really "out of form" in the first place) and its very welcome in a UK rap scene that currently stands in a transitional period.

The veterans of the scene are slowly but surely dropping off and retiring one by one, and thus far, there have been very few artists or collectives coming through that can receive the baton and develop the scene further. Chester P has shown with this release, an album I've listened to for the past few hours and enjoyed thoroughly, that he's not ready to pass the torch. Especially not to those who aren't worthy.

The album is called "New Mic Order Pt.2", yet this isn't a New Mic Order at all. Its a return to the roots of Taskforce and UK rap. Its grit and grind sprinkled with inner-city verve and wordplay. Its a highly experienced british emcee (who should get a lot more plaudits and respect than he does) showing the new jacks how its done, and why its important that the UK rap sound stays entirely separate and individual to that of its parent US scene. Its an old mic order that continues to work... and I appreciate that.

The album is a meagre fiver, and for that you get one of the most solid UK rap albums so far this year, so preview the songs below, then head over to the site and get it bought.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://chesterp.bandcamp.com/album/new-mic-order-pt-2"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;NEW MIC ORDER PT 2 by ChesterP&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Bitchin' Rock Stars From Mars

2011-03-02T18:49:00.002Z

You can lick a dick, and you can suck a nut. Because Pyro Barz, Loudmouth Melvin and Postman P are WINNING.

The Last Music From The Corner?

2011-02-20T14:01:00.005Z

Taskforce's Farma G released via bandcamp a track he'd recorded with Chester P back in September 2009 a few days ago, and its the last thing they've recorded together under the Taskforce name.

The track is superb, staying true to the gritty reality beats and rhymes that has made them so revered in the UK hip-hop scene. It would be very sad to see these two UK stalwarts stop making music together entirely, as some of the best moments of the scene since they joined it over 10 years ago have came from them.

One upside to this is, the bandcamp track does come with a short paragraph below stating that one last Taskforce album "Music From The Corner Vol. 5" is still due for release later this year. That gives us something to look forward to still from these two UK legends. Until then, allow "The Final Countdown" to whet your appetite, and continue playing everything from "The Butterfly Concerto" to "Grafdafuckup".

M9 - "Shot" VIDEO

2011-01-08T21:24:00.002Z

From the incredible mixtape released a few months ago "Orion's Stencil", as presented by Hip Hop Hype Dog (www.hypedog.co.uk) and featured on this very site, M9 has released a mindblowing video for his lead track "Shot". Incredibly well done, and the song is still banging harder than my cock in your bird. Great stuff.

Mystro - 2010 Rap-Up (Radio Rip)

2011-01-02T16:00:00.002Z

If you've not heard it yet, where have you been?! No matter though, check it out now, as Mystro, one of the UK's finest emcees, gives us the lowdown on anything and everything that happened in the past 12 months.

Coma patients wake up and listen to what you've missed, as Digmund Freud delivers it in with wit, humour and a sharpness akin to the coolest stanley knife you've ever seen.

And it doesnt end there. In conjunction with DJ esSDee (www.twitter.com/djessdee), Mystro has launched his new website complete with brand spanking content, videos and updates.

Visit http://www.mysdiggi.com/ muthaluvers, and be blessed with material from one of our favourite sons.

Genome Saga "Back To The Future"

2010-12-16T23:00:00.002Z

A Labour Of Love

2010-12-06T18:20:00.002Z

We have more great UK hip-hop for you today, with UK emcee Chuks Agu dropping his new mixtape "Labour Of Love Part I: The Passion Project" on his website.

His style is distinctly rooted in british culture and the beats transform and shapeshift from the modern 808's and sparse basslines of "Holy Ghost" to the horns and soulful snaps on "You Can Do it Too".

Another interesting and divisive aspect of Chuks, and the mixtape, is that towards the end (and intermittently throughout the mixtape) he speaks of christian values and how they affect his life. This adds an extra layer of emotional attachment to the lyrics, lending him a chance to tackle more introspective content.

Go to www.chuksmusic.com for information on the man himself and the brand new video for single "Worried", and either play the music from the section below and follow the download links or go straight to http://www.reverbnation.com/chuksmusic to check it out. Enjoy!

Orion's Belt Shines

2010-12-01T20:37:00.004Z

From one UK heavyweight to another, M9 has released a mixtape which rivals ANYTHING (yes, even the incredible Isis Papers Mixtape that his Kush cohort Cyrus Malachi released earlier in the year!) that has came from our shores this year, and thanks to Hypedog its here for your pleasure! The link itself is from M9's own website, and the mixtape is released to build hype and anticipation for his forthcoming solo LP, which is bound to be an absolute gem of an album.

Until that arrives, enjoy this journey into the dark side of hip-hop, with one of UK hip-hop's most potent lyrical duos trading verses on the regular...Cyrus in the passenger seat and Melanin 9 up front in the driver's seat. Strap your seatbelt in for the ride because they're going in cold.

FULL 18 TRACK DOWNLOAD

01 Intro (produced by Munoz cuts by DJ Roast)
02 Light Years
03 Il Padrino
04 Mont Blanc (produced by Anatomy)
05 When Brothers Die (produced by Chemo)
06 Elijah
07 Spritual Scrolls
08 Black Box (Feat. Cyrus Malachi & Blasphemy cuts by Evil Ed)
09 Why (Feat. Cyrus Malachi)
10 Black Widow (Feat. Blasphemy & Cyrus Malachi)
11 Shot
12 Skit
13 Straight Live (Produced By Anatomy)
14 Tug The Rope (Jon Phonics Remix)
15 False Ego
16 Black Sapphire Pt2 (Feat. Cyrus Malachi produced by Munoz)
17 Voice Of A Child Torn (Feat. Triple Darkness produced by Beat Buthcha)
18 The Book (Bonus)

Iron Man

2010-12-01T19:54:00.005Z

Iron Braydz, one of the true UK underground hip-hop heavyweights, has made a bold move to re-release his album from earlier this year "Devil May Cry" for free on his website. The album came out to huge appraisal, even getting plaudits from Wu-Tang Clan's RZA for its hard-hitting and edgy sound.

In fact, the plaudits are not surprisingly considering the Wu-esque soundscapes that bump and bounce through Devil may Cry from start to finish. The lyrics are cold, the beats are colder, and the album works incredibly as a single piece of art.

Even the guest emcees are picked out spectacularly, with M9 & Cyrus Malachi (both members of Orphans of Kush...a UK group who had one of the best albums of 2009) and US Stones Throw emcee Guilty Simpson all turning in big verses.

The whole album was executive produced and overseen by Braydz himself and mastered by top producer Baby J, and they handpicked beats from Braydz, Lewis Parker, Chemo, Morph Beats & Proppa.

So, go back to the turn of the year and relive a modern day classic, remembering how powerful hip-hop can be when its done right. Unfortunately we've not had a huge amount to shout about in the UK underground hip-hop scene this year in terms of great releases (save for a few standouts), but this is an example of what we can do. Enjoy every minute.

To download, either go to www.ironbraydz.com or click on the album title below (same link either way) and it'll take you direct to the download section on the official website, complete with a video for "Golden Legacy". Just enter your email address and it'll send the download link straight to you!

Iron Braydz - Devil May Cry (2009)

1. Intro
2. Devil's Death Day (feat. M9)
3. Death Machine
4. Hang
5. Golden Legacy
6. L's Formation
7. Shattered Dreams (feat. Cyrus Malachi)
8. Savin Artillery (feat. Guilty Simpson & Sav Killz)
9. Lost
10. Magic Man, Where's The Sun?
11. Feelings From The Heart
12. Crushed Mooncraters
13. Golden Legacy (09 Mentality Remix)

Droop-E Diamond

2010-11-19T23:49:00.003Z

Inspiration comes from many different places, whether it be from your peers, your family, your friends, or your idols. My inspiration for the past few days has came from a low-key EP from a 22-year old producer from The Bay Area, California by the name of Droop-E (for those of you not in the know, he is Bay Area legend E-40's son).

The guy has been producing bangers since he was 14/15, and was a product of the hyphy movement that swallowed and spat out rap music for a strong couple year period and created some of the most innovative (yet sadly also some of the most ignorant) rap music the US have made in the last decade.

Droop-E's style has evolved since, and on his new EP "BLVCK Diamond Life", he found his inspiration.

Sade.

The EP sees Droop-E sampled from her/their seminal album Diamond Life for 8 tracks of hip-hop beauty. Laidback basslines, horn sections, airy synths, mellow vocals, all layered superbly and topped off with some of the Bay Area's finest. Its one of the best breakthrough EPs of the year, and its a massive evolution in sound for the kid who has already stepped out of his father's shadow to excel on his own.

Droop-E - BLVCK Diamond Life (2010)

1. Blvck Diamond Intro (feat. Matt Blaque & Laroo)
2. Like A Tattoo
3. I'm Loaded (feat. E-40)
4. Cherish The Bay (feat. Ya Boy & J. Valentine)
5. High In The Sky (Instrumental)
6. Sade Interview
7. Hungry (feat. 1st Place & Work Dirty)
8. Dreams

To Download, click on this link straight to his website:

http://www.droop-e.com/Download-Black_Diamond_Life.php

Savior Faire

2010-11-11T19:50:00.001Z

Updates

2010-10-29T23:07:00.002Z

...They've been a lot more sparse of late on this blog...but don't worry, its still going and we're still pumping them out. This is nothing more than a quick message and reminder that we have a sister blog at http://the13thduke.tumblr.com which is updated much more regularly with a lot larger scope of videos and music posted. Its essentially more for new music of all types in video form for everyone to sample the best out.

However, don't take his as any evidence Northern Author is slowing down though...we're still very much at large and in charge.

DCYPHAAAAA!!!!!

2010-10-26T17:24:00.003Z

Finally the second instalment of Sway's Delivery mixtape series has dropped on his website www.sway.uk.com and it just heightens the anticipation for his forthcoming 2011 full-length official album "The Deliverance".

Its the usual high-grade mix of lyrics, lyrics and more lyrics. Which is the ONLY blueprint any emcee should follow (yet sadly no-one does). Is he the best rapper in the UK right now? There certainly arent many contenders who could spar with him on any shore for pure lyrical ability and flow. I certainly wouldnt disagree with him claiming #1.

Anyway, here's the link and tracklist....enjoy yet another GREAT mixtape from Dcypha Productions.

Sway - The Delivery Mixtape Vol. II (Lost In Transit) (2010)

TRACKLISTING:

01. 2nd Delivery
02. Here We Go Again
03. Bring Me ft. Klayz
04. Blow Ur Horns
05. 5001
06. Whose Line Is It Anyway
07. Walk Out My Life ft. Monica
08. Chart Attack ft. Leo LeVox
09. Come On
10. Blackberry Man
11. F64 [100 Bar Special]
12. 2011 (Still Attacking) ft. Raptor
13. It’s My Time [Freestyle]
14. Outkast ft. Wretch 32
15. My Soul Pleads ft. Simon Webb
16. Nelson Lives [Freestyle]
17. My Home Town ft. Benny D & Rock City
18. Wonderman
19. Road To Deliverance
20. Overtime ft. Akon & T-Pain

And in addition to the mixtape, Sway and his team have leaked his version of Tinchy Strider's upcoming hit "Over":

DJ esSDee ‘Bag of Goodies’ 2004-2010

2010-09-20T22:36:00.001Z

Grab this NOW NOW NOW…

A case full of stuff, and it’s all FREE.

With your Download you get 3 mixes (‘White Eyed Influences’, ‘Charity Shop Tapes’ & the Live version of ‘Whispering Eye Mix’), 2 Mash-ups (Ducky Boys ‘Ugly Duckling v Beastie Boys’ & J.C.R.E.A.M by IRN MNKY ‘Johnny Cash v Wu-Tang Clan), and a nice selection of pictures that include mix covers & photo’s.

So enjoy this ‘Bag of Goodies’ everybody, and stay on the lookout for this new BIG mix.

Love to you all…

RIGHT CLICK THE ARTWORK ABOVE AND CHOOSE ‘Save Link As’… ENJOY!

Personal Classics Vol. 1

2010-08-30T19:06:00.009Z

Here we are with a brand new series of posts I'll be constructing over the next few months, maybe even longer.

There are albums in hip-hop culture that are regarded as classics of the genre by everyone. Certified classics that have changed the face of the culture through thier existence, either through sheer quality, through controversy and through how it resonates with the fans. Often these albums are untouchable. Think "It Takes A Nation Of Millions..." by Public Enemy or "The Low End Theory" by A Tribe Called Quest.

However, there are also albums that every single hip-hop fan has that they love, which aren't necessarily seen as classics by the wider public. Albums that weren't recieved very well by critics but that certain fans connected with on a personal level at the time and have somehow changed their life or perspective. I have many of these albums.

I understand some of these albums aren't considered classics by most, if any people, but theyre albums which have been important to me in my life. These are my Personal Classics.

Personal Classic #1: Busta Rhymes – Genesis (2001)

As far as hip-hop artists go, Busta Rhymes has always held a special place in my heart since I was a kid. In fact, the first EVER album of any kind that I bought with my own money was “When Disaster Strikes” in 1997 when I was 11 years old. I had heard “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” on MTV at some point, and right at that very moment, it was the best song I’d ever heard.

I loved that entire album so much that the second album I bought was Busta’s 1996 album “The Coming” for a cut-price. I played them both to death throughout my early early teen years. So even though before this, I had heard and liked famous carting rap songs that did well in the UK, as an 11 year old, Busta Rhymes’ music was essentially my way in and starting point with hiphop, and thankfully it has largely governed my life ever since.

I spent huge amounts of time going back to ‘88-‘94 era rap music in my teens, so while my mates were listening to trance bollocks like Eiffel 65, Indie music like Oasis and the occasional Limp Bizkit album, I was listening to Organized Konfusion on my huge headphones that engulfed my whole skull. This fascination STARTED with Busta Rhymes.

So, history lesson over and background in place, the stage was set for me, waiting with baited breath for pretty much any Busta Rhymes LP. I liked “Extinction Level Event”, I loved “Anarchy”, then came Genesis...

I was 15 years old going on 16 when it came out, the top year of comprehensive school, and from listening to Tim Westwood’s show on Radio 1 late Friday nights (back when it was great and he was effectively the CNN and News at Ten for everything hip-hop related in England) I had heard a lot of tracks that were to be on the album.

“Break Ya Neck” had already blew me away, with Busta on his fast flow and Dre producing his best beat since he’d released “Chronic 2001”. The Neptunes were behind two other tracks to be on the LP in “What It Is”, a track previously on the Violator 2.0 compilation, and “As I Come Back”, a synth-rap song driven by a resung element of Busta’s classic verse on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario” as the chorus. These were the songs Westwood absolutely rinsed in the weeks leading up to the album’s release in late 2001.

Then it dropped...

I bought the album literally on the day it came out, and listened to it on my Sony Discman (yeah baby!) on the bus on the way home from Newcastle. At full blast, from the “Intro” beat entitled “Dolemite’s Theme” produced by Nottz all the way through to the same producer’s “Bad Dreams”, with Busta detailing a bad night out on the lash, it blew me away completely.

Busta was always an incredible emcee, with more different and varied flows than anyone else in the game, but often his albums (although good) were let down by too much filler. He’d do 20 track albums with 10 incredible tracks on each that were clogged up in-between by unnecessary anti-matter. Even his first two solo albums which acted as my entrance to rap had many flaws despite my love for them.

Not this one though, Genesis was a keeper...

The album successfully straddled the mainstream and pleased purists at the same time, as for every commercially viable track there was an equally respectable underground song. To counteract Dr. Dre’s “Truck Volume” & “Break Ya Neck”, you had “Shut Em Down 2002” with Pete Rock. To counteract the two Neptunes songs, you had “Genesis” & “Make It Hurt” by the late J.Dilla, seemingly on his space-age tip.

In fact, the producer list reads like a best of hip-hop catalogue: Pete Rock, Nottz, J.Dilla, Dr. Dre, Just Blaze, Diamond D, Yogi (of Bad Boy & Cru fame), The Neptunes, Dre’s right-hand man Melman, west coast legend Battlecat and also newcomer Michaelangelo who was getting shine on his beats at the time.

But it wasn’t about just the beats. Busta was at his finest, channelling his insane Leaders Of The New School style and fusing it seamlessly with mainstream appeal. Almost every track could have been a single due to the abundance of memorable hooks and choruses, yet that never compromised the overall quality and grounded sound.

For me, “Genesis” is Busta’s best album, and an absolute CLASSIC.

Busta Rhymes - Genesis (2001)

1. Intro
2. Everybody Rides Again
3. As I Come Back
4. Shut Em Down 2002
5. Genesis
6. Betta Stay Up In Your House (w/ Rah Digga)
7. We Got What You Want
8. Truck Volume
9. Pass The Courvoisier (w/ P. Diddy)
10. Break Ya Neck
11. Bounce (Let Me See Ya Throw It)
12. Full Moon
13. Wife In Law (w/ Jaheim)
14. A** On Your Shoulders (w/ Kokane)
15. Make It Hurt
16. What It Is (w/ Kelis)
17. There’s Only One (w/ Mary J. Blige)
18. You Ain’t F**in’ Wit Me
19. Match The Name With The Voice (w/ Flipmode Squad)
20. Bad Dreams

UK Mixed Bag Vol. 2

2010-08-19T20:27:00.004Z

After a few days that you've been given to digest, listen, learn and fully appreciate the first installment of the UK Mixed Bag series, here we are back to hitchuwitdat (word to Lootpack) second one.

All the names are here, from Blak Twang & Rodney P, all the way back to Gunshot, London Posse & the Krispy 3. One or two well-known tracks, one or two rarities. All just to keep you on your toes, keep you listening to the best UK Hip Hop, and keep you from migrating to the land of the shite which unfortunately UK urban music is sliding into more and more of late. Here's that real material. Nod your head and download.

UK Mixed Bag Vol. 2 (2010)

1. Blak Twang (feat. Rodney P & Lisa I'Anson) - Dirty Stopout Uncovered
2. Cel One - Watchyamindsay
3. Creators (feat. Blackstar) - The Hard Margin
4. Deckwrecka - Catch Wrecka
5. DJ Yess & Wotee - Man Made (feat. Genghis)
6. Dozeguys - Simple Things (The Young Guns Part I)
7. Fleapit (feat. Lil' Angry Man) - Scraps
8. Jimmy Screech - Jimmy Screech
9. Junior Disprol (feat. Alkaline, Jehst & Skeleton)
10. Kamanchi Sly - Hung Drawn Quartered
11. Krispy 3 - Come N Get It
12. London Posse - Jump Around (Censored Mix)
13. London Posse - Oversized Idiot
14. Encona Coarse - Rhyme Grenade
15. Gunshot, Tribal Clash & HuntKillBury Finn - Minus 10
16. Jimmy Screech - Attention
17. Blufoot (feat. Yungun) - Alphabet Man
18. Depth Charge - Sex, Sluts & Heaven (Bordello Mix)

UK Mixed Bag Vol. 1

2010-08-15T20:05:00.003Z

So here we are, the first instalment of four compilations I've created over the weekend from various vinyl 12"s in my collection. Initially I ripped a lot of them onto mp3 just for personal use but I had honestly forgotten about how great some of these tracks are.

Its called a mixed bag for a reason for starters, with a huge spectrum of artists spanning from the early 90s all the way up to possibly about 2005, and on this first volume we have some big names and some small names all together on the same 18-track album.

You've got the northern panache of Asaviour and Jehst, the legendary Blak Twang, the veteran sounds of MCD over a Deckwrecka track and Huntkillbury Finn lying amongst the newer names of Foreign Beggars...not to mention some classics in there from London Posse, Karl Hinds & DJ MK.

Its a joy to listen to some of these tracks after such a long time, and even this site has took a small hiatus from posting UK songs recently admittedly. Most of that is due to there being a dearth in UK underground rap that I personally find as inspiring as that which was released 5-10 years ago, but hopefully the frontrunners like Sway and Dizzee can inspire and usher in a new breed that are fit to take the torch and fire it up.

Until then, enjoy UK hip-hop at its finest...

UK Mixed Bag Vol. I (2010)

1. Blak Twang - Don't Test
2. Cel One (feat. Sniper) - Code Red
3. Dead Residents - Verbal Assassin
4. DJ MK (feat. Jehst, Kyza & Supa T) - It's All Live
5. Doc Brown (feat. Yungun & Harry Love) - Out There
6. Foreign Beggars (feat. Dubbledge) - Hot Plate
7. Huntkillbury Finn, Gunshot & Taskforce - Liar Liar
8. Jimmy Screech - Lets Get Moving
9. Jonzi D - Live At The Apricot Jam
10. Junior Disprol (feat. Alkaline, Jehst & Skeleton) - Junq Waffle
11. Karl Hinds (feat. Tempa) - You Piss Me Off
12. London's New Delegates Of Major Stars - Foldinem
13. London Posse - Money Mad
14. Deckwrecka (feat. MC D) - Priceless
15. Encona Coarse - Taste Of The Future
16. Asaviour (feat. Kyza & Yungun) - Money In The Bank (Remix)
17. Champions Of Nature (feat. Supa T, Apollo, Jehst, Profound, & Lewis Parker) - Finalisation
18. Dynamic Syncopation (feat. Def Tex) - Way Past Noon

K-Os - The Anchorman Mixtape

2010-08-11T23:17:00.003Z

His last album "Yes" seemed to drift under everyone's radar last year, which was a crying shame considering how good it was, but K-Os is back and this time travelling to San Diego to show his class by releasing "The Anchorman" mixtape.

Featuring some surprising guest-spots and a lot of his native Canadian talent (notably Saukrates), he has put this mixtape out for free, and its damn good stuff. Let that scotch go down down to your belly, punch a girl right in the babymaker and perform an urgent cannonball, because the Anchorman is here.

Tracklist on cover below.

K-Os - The Anchorman Mixtape (2010) (via wegotthejazz)

Sideshow Blog

2010-08-11T01:53:00.003Z

There has been a tiny expansion of the Northern Author empire for you to be aware of. We now have a tumblr blog at www.the13thduke.tumblr.com (name is a homage to the infamous Fast Show character) which will essentially house anything that comes into my brain that doesn't fit on here.

So, the Northern Author blog as you know it will stay the same, be updated regularly and include the cream of hip-hop from the UK and beyond, and will not change for the world, but if you haven't had your fill I'll be posting random pictures, music videos, musings, rants, and anything non-Northern Author over there.

Feel free to link up and check it out: www.the13thduke.tumblr.com

Quik's Groove: The Collection

2010-08-07T16:49:00.003Z

I've been wanting to do this for a while just for personal use as I've always been a huge fan not only of DJ Quik, but of most of his production he's done spanning his entire career. The jewel in the crown for me though, has always been his "Quik's Groove" series, which has popped up one at a time throughout his discography.

Its just an example of how beautiful hip-hop music can be, and how brilliant he is at his craft. A lot of people take hip-hop production for granted, play about with a Casio Keyboard and a drum machine and think theyre a musical prodigy, but only when you hear a true beatmaker like Quik ad how he works in his craft, do you realise how tough it is to be a producer of the highest calibre.

Not many people can stand next to DJ Quik and say they can even be considered as good a musicmaker as him, not just in the hip-hop genre, but in music in general, and his Quik's Groove series has always been the section where he can flex his skill and talent and show his true musicianship.

There have so far been seven Quik's Groove songs released through his career, spanning from the first edition in 1991, to his most recent one which was released as part of a greatest hits package back in 2002. Hopefully there's more to come, and with a new solo album reported to be in the works there's a good chance there will be. For now though, get yourself an ale or lager (or a Coors Light for the homosexual), chill in the garden, and enjoy 25-30 minutes of the most laidback, beautiful west coast hip-hop music you'll hear for quite some time...

DJ Quik - Quik's Groove: The Collection (1991-2002)

1. Quik's Groove I (1991)
2. Quik's Groove II (For U 2 Rip 2) (1992)
3. Quik's Groove III (1995)
4. Quik's Groove IV (Medley For A 'V') (1998)
5. Quik's Groove V (2000)
6. Quik's Groove VI (2002)
7. Quik's Groove VII (2002)

Also, just for the sake of completion, there was another release called "Quikstrumental", which is also known as a Quik's Groove, that was part of his 2005 release "Trauma". Its slightly different as it features Jodeci on vocals, so doesn't necessarily fit in with the rest of the Quik's Groove series with it being non-instrumental. The youtube video below features this track so feel free to track it down and add it to your collection if needs be.

Shortee Blitzkreig

2010-07-28T21:16:00.004Z

Legendary UK DJ Shortee Blitz has a new mix out on Bandcamp, and he's allowing it to be downloaded for free!

"The Standard Vol. 1" features a combination of established US and UK artists such as Busta Rhymes, Nottz & J.Cole with Ty, Mystro & Million Dan. Not only that but there is a little throwback section with the King of Pop and his bald mate, in Michael Jackson & Phil Collins.

Head over to his bandcamp page and check out the lovelies on show, and listen to one of the UK masters at work.
&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://shorteeblitz.bandcamp.com/album/the-standard-vol-1"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;BLITZ INTRO by SHORTEE BLITZ&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Download available on this link: Shortee Blitz - The Standard Vol. 1 (2010)

Tracklist below in full:

Beautiful Music To Die To

2010-07-27T00:35:00.004Z

Another old compilation, this one being another label sampler, was a joint venture from Necro & Ill Bill's respective labels Psycho+Logical Records & Uncle Howie Records. It features 20 full tracks from the various artists on both rosters, and is a superb showcase for the skills the emcees within possess.

Of course, Necro's career is a well-documented one which is both adored and maligned in equal measure. He and his associates have always traded rhymes using shock lyrics and content, which to some is off-putting, to others perfect entertainment.
While you may or may not be a fan of "death rap" and its foremost purveyor, no-one can deny Necro's production ability. The guy can make astonishingly good music, and often not only acts as producer, but musician, playing a lot (at times all) of the instruments used on his records.

He recently came back with the album "Die!" which was released earlier this year on the Psycho+Logical imprint, and Ill Bill is due any minute with a new album called "Kill Devil Hills", an LP he shared with the legendary DJ Muggs who handles all production.

To gear you up for both of those albums, here is a time capsule and reminder of what they were doing 6 years ago, and what projects they were promoting.

The compilation isn't just Necro & Ill Bill, it features all emcees of Non-Phixion (Bill, Goretex & Sabac Red) and a few efforts from each of their respective solo efforts), former Arsonists frontman Q-Unique, Necro affiliate Mr. Hyde, and a few others such as Block McCloud & E.Dot.

Its 80 minute of hard-hitting east-coast rap with gritty lyrics, gritty beats and 100% entertainment. Feel the noise, enjoy the pain.

Psycho+Logical Records & Uncle Howie Records Label Compilation (2004)

1. Necro - Beautiful Music For You To Die To
2. Non-Phixion - The Plague (Snippet)
3. Ill Bill - Overkill
4. Q-Unique - Diamond In The Ruff
5. Goretex - Celebrity Roast
6. E-Dot - The Way I Live
7. Sabac Red (feat. Necro) - Positive & Negative
8. Block McCloud (feat. Jean Grae, Pumpkinhead & Killah Priest) - Master's Degree
9. Mr. Hyde (feat. Goretex, Ill Bill & Necro) - The Crazies
10. Non-Phixion - Caught Between Worlds
11. Necro (feat. Away of Voivod) - The Pre-Fix For Death
12. Q-Unique - Psychological Warfare
13. Ill Bill - The Anatomy Of A School Shooting
14. E-Dot - To Whom It May Concern
15. Goretex - The Last 100 Days Of Sodom
16. Non-Phixion - If You Got Love
17. Sabac Red (feat. Dash Mihok & Cenophia Mitchell) - I Have A Dream
18. Q-Unique - Father's Day
19. Mr. Hyde (feat. Necro & Uncle Howie) - Bums
20. Necro - Dead Body Disposal
21. Non-Phixion (feat. Hostyle) - Don't Get Beside Yourself
22. Ill Bill (feat. Necro & Uncle Howie) - Glenwood Projects (Snippet)

Sound K-Lash

2010-07-27T00:13:00.003Z

Klashnekoff is back with a new single after the release of his "Back To The Sagas" LP which sees the Terra Firma emcee continuing his great form and discography. The new track features Wretch 32 and K9, seeing all three rappers laying down their own solilioquy over the melancholy downtempo beat.

Here's the download links for the two versions that K-Lash has been kind enough to send to us:

Klashnekoff (feat. Wretch 32 & K9) - Somebody Tell Me (Dirty)
Klashnekoff (feat. Wretch 32 & K9) - Somebody Tell Me (Clean)

... and below are also some links to buy the whole LP, which you should all have already (and if not, you should beat yourselves with a shitty stick).

iTunes : http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/back-to-the-sagas/id351592661
HMV : http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;0;-1;-1;-1&sku=114698
Amazon : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Back-Sagas-Klashnekoff/dp/B002IW1PN4/ref=sr_1_1?

Northern Author Mixtapes Vol. V

2010-07-24T01:15:00.004Z

Yeah, thats right bitches. Straight into the next volume. Ass to mouth if you will. In fact, please don't.

This is the fifth instalment of me uploading my compilations for the enjoyment of all and sundry, and possibly to the disgust of one or two. Well, fuck them two guys, they can spin on it.

This compilation includes a few UK tracks on it alongside the US classics, with a rather rare Skinnyman track from a LOOONG time ago featuring called "Fuck The A&R Department", and straight after that its "Summer Wine" by Teddy, which from the drop at the start of it I lifted from some form of DJ Excalibah mixtape back in the day. No idea which one though, sorry sir.

You've got the usuall flurry a great tracks from Black Moon & the Boot Camp Clik, an appearance from alt. rap's finest El-P, some Pete Rock remixes, one or two oldies and two west coast tracks to round off the whole album. Lots to get your teeth into, lots to enjoy.

Northern Author Mixtape Vol. V

1. Black Moon - Black Smif N Wessun
2. Public Enemy - Shut Em Down (Pete Rock Remix)
3. Smif-N-Wessun (feat. Boot Camp Clik) - Headz Ain't Ready
4. People Under The Stairs - Blowin' Wax
5. Cella Dwellas (feat. Large Professor) - BQE
6. A Tribe Called Quest - Its Yours
7. Jamal - Fades Em All (Pete Rock Remix)
8. El-P - Deep Space 9mm
9. Black Moon - Warzone
10. Shyheim - Shaolin Style
11. Skinnyman - Fuck The A&R Department
12. Teddy - Summer Wine
13. Atmosphere - Breathing
14. Boot Camp Clik - And So...
15. KMD - Peachfuzz
16. Big L (feat. Kid Capri) - Put It On
17. Pete Rock (feat. Black Thought) - It's About That Time
18. The Westurn Union & Soopafly - Incredible
19. DJ Quik (feat. 2nd II None) - So Many Wayz

Northern Author Mixtapes Vol. IV

2010-07-23T23:52:00.004Z

Here we are with the fourth instalment of Northern Author's Mixtape series. This one was actually made in about 2002/3 but most of the songs on it are from years previous to that, making it almost entirely a 90s classic compilation.

I think I must have been in Sixth Form when I made this one, probably first year, when I was 16/17 years old, more than likely listening to it on the fabled discman on the bus trips into town. Back in the school days one of the best parts of the usual day was the trip to and from sixth form on the bus, just getting the opportunity to shut out the world and listen to "Shit Iz Real" by Black Moon...in Durham. To quote Chris Morris, it was disgusting bliss.

We've got Black Moon, Q-Tip, Big L, Craig Mack & Organized Konfusion alongside many more, with a turntablist cut in there featuring Rhettmatic, Cut Chemist, Kid Koala, Radar & ShortKut, and a few curveballs such as K-Os and the two Crooklyn Dodgers classics.

More mixtapes to come in the series, but from the download amount of the last few I can tell theyre being appreciated so I'll keep them coming, like a porn fluffer.

Northern Author Mixtape Vol. IV

1. Craig Mack (feat. Biggie, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes & Rampage) - Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)
2. Black Moon - I Gotcha Opin (Remix)
3. Heltah Skeltah & OGC (The Fab Five) - Lefluh Leflah Eshkoshka
4. Organized Konfusion (feat. Large Professor) - Stress (Extra P Remix)
5. Rahzel (feat. Q-Tip) - To The Beat
6. Black Moon - Who Got Da Props?
7. Slum Village - Things You Do
8. Q-Tip & Common Sense - The Remedy
9. Buckshot, Special Ed & Masta Ace - Crooklyn Dodgers
10. Big L - Da Graveyard
11. Black Moon - Shit Iz Real
12. Gang Starr - New York Niggas
13. Cut Chemist, Kid Koala, ShortKut, Radar & Rhettmatic - Tale of 5 Cities
14. Ozomatli (feat. Cut Chemist & Chali 2Na) - The Cut Chemist Suite
15. Organized Konfusion - Stray Bullet
16. Chubb Rock, OC & Jeru Tha Damaja - Return Of The Crooklyn Dodgers
17. Smif-N-Wessun - Wreckognize (Remix)
18. K-Os - Heaven Only Knows

In The Cipha

2010-07-22T02:06:00.003Z

Cipha Sounds recently teamed up with Complex. magazine to compile a list of his personal favourite and the greatest Tunnel Bangers of all time. The Tunnel being the infamous New York club night populated by many a rapper back in the day and scratched up and presented by Funkmaster Flew, Big Kap, Cipha Sounds & Doo Wop amongst many others.

Basically, its a 75-track run-down of some of the best hip-hop club tracks from the 90s. And its EXTREMELY nostalgic to a guy like me who despite being thousands of miles away from even having an opportunity to visit this club night, grew up on all of these specific tracks.
I was born in '86. That makes me 24 years old right now. And even as a 24 year old (read: still young) I feel a little disenfranchised with what hip-hop club music has become. These days hip-hop club music is essentially just the pop tracks in the charts that have emcees guesting on them. It also doesnt help that I live in Leeds, and the closest thing you get here to hearing rap in the clubs is a Black Eyed Peas track. Horrific.

Anyway, with me being 24, I was about 13-16 years old when a lot of the music included on this list was out, and around that time I was learning how to dig and learning/understanding hip-hop music more and more by going back to older eras and just listening to everything. So I know every single song on this list from when I was a young teenager. Strange thing is, for the most part I've not actually heard a lot of these tracks or pulled them out from my vinyl/CD collection since I was a teenager either, so when I stumbled across this list I found it not only a breath of fresh air and an opportunity to listen to great music, but a trip back to what I would call a happier time in hip-hop when tracks and albums rarely pandered to the 8 year old suburban girl, and songs were just made freely with no sales pitch, other than it being great music.

Enjoy this list as I have, and tut and shake your head like an old man that we went from these tunnel bangers to....Drake. Uggggh. Just the name alone makes me want to gag*.

So, here's the link to the article, with Cipha Sounds' commentary for each individual track along with the stream so you can listen to it:

Cipha Sounds' 75 Greatest Tunnel Bangers Article at Complex.com

The tracklist is in the article one by one.

BUT....keep it on the hush, I've been able to find an actual download someone has compiled with every single one of the 75 tracks included, so you can get them all on your iPod and enjoy the 90s again and again...until its 2040 and you're dead. By the way, I have no idea who compiled this props go to the holy ghost, baby jesus, Paul Dickov, or whoever you want to commend for it.

Here you go:

Cipha Sounds' The 75 Greatest Tunnel Bangers (Various Artists)

*and by that I mean gag HIM, put a sack over his head, tie it at the opening and chuck him into a dirty river.

Mum's The Word

2010-07-18T12:57:00.006Z

Diplo has been running things in the more, shall we say, "trendy" circles of hip-hop and urban music over the past 5 years, with his production success behind scenester's goddess MIA and his joint-venture with UK producer Switch as reggae-and-machine-gun-toting toaster Major Lazer being the crowning achievements.

Now Diplo has branched out into A&R responsibilities, running his own label Mad Decent, which is shaping up to have quite a busy 2010. Amongst running his own music through the label, Diplo has turned to the UK shores for some of his talent.
This is when Hackney-based producer Mumdance comes into the equation. This "Different Circles" mixtape is a precursor to his upcoming EP, as outlined in the Mumdance press statement below:

Mumdance's Different Circles mixtape is a mission statement confirming his kaleidoscopic tastes. With 17 original productions spanning ethnic tinged drunk funk woven into 1980's synth-pop, Balearic-tinged minimal techno, Baltimore gutter colliding with calypso, tribal guarachero & his very own home grown genre, 'kerplunk'. Collated as a precursor to his Forthcoming "Mum Decent EP" on Mad Decent (to be released August 23rd) as well as showcasing a host of other releases on Trouble & Bass, No Hats No Hoods, and Big Dada, this is a definitive guide to whats next. Different Circles features vocals from Esser, Trim, Jammer, Mc Sparks & Kie, Badness & Boy Better Know, as well as collaborations with Drums of Death, Shortstuff & Brackles, Toy Selectah & AC Slater.

So, here's your link to 37 minutes of genre-bending madness, all steeped in hip-hop and reggae dance music. Enjoy.

Mumdance - Different Circles Mixtape (2010)

And thats not it. If you're feeling that Mumdance release, back in January he put together another mixtape and released it through the Mad Decent blog page and his very own Myspace page called "Dadrock Mixtape". Link below...and you actually get a tracklist for that one (aren't you a lucky bugger)!

Mumdance - Dadrock Mixtape (2010)

1. Screeching Weasel – Dingbat – Roadkill
2. Circle Jerks – Wild In The Streets –Frontier
3. Mission Of Burma – Thats How I Escaped My Certain Fate – Ace Of Hearts
4. Rites Of Spring – For Want Of – Dischord
5. Samhain – Let The Day Begin – Plan 9
6. Jawbreaker – Indicament – Tupelo / Communion
7. Embrace – Dance Of Days – Dischord
8. Hot Water Music – Turnstile – Toybox / No Idea
9. One Last Wish – Three Unkind Silences –Dischord
10. Eight Dayz – Whats So Strange About Me – New Wind
11. Integrity – Micha – Holy Terror / Toybox

To quote the Immortal Clay Davis, "Shiiiiiiieeeeet", let's drop something else for you while you're here. Staying with the Mad Decent theme, Diple and Switch dropped a Major Lazer Summer Mix for your aural pleasure, just in time for the Sun to come out and the holidays to begin. Its 30 minutes of Lazer-based remixes, rejigs and new tracks.

Major Lazer Summer Mix (2010)

Tracklist

KIGL - major lazer

pon the floor RAZZ & BIGGY mix

deh style deh - busy signal major lazer dubplate

hold yuh - gyptian (major lazer mix)

hold on - rusko (tom steven mix)

ride - rihanna (diplo edit)

one - s.h.mafia

freak - estelle (kaio mix)

rudeboy - giani mariano mix/dj tameil mix

on to the next one - jay z (lbl mix)

teach me how to dougie - cali swag district

good enough- major lazer

say it aint so- weezer/cash flow mix (lobster edit)

how lo- ludacris (caspa mix)(diplo bookashade edit)

show out - roscoe dash (h&v mix)

dancehall queen - robyn (stenchman and diplo mix)

swagga - excision (downlink mix)

BBQ Music

2010-07-14T02:53:00.002Z

Okay, so the World Cup didnt quite go to plan for us English folk. Wayne Rooney decided to impersonate the great double act of Hamilton Ricard & Mikkel Beck for his whole time in South Africa, while the rest of the team fared about as well as a BNP member at Notts Carnival. It was awful.

At least we still have July and August's warmth to look forward to (or relative warmth here in Britain, as we consider simply the lack of rain to be a great day) and what better way to spend these summer days and nights than by getting the barbecues at the ready, buying in some unspecified meat and some fine ales and chilling out to some great music.

Well, luckily it wasn't just me who thought that, the guys at Undrcrwn did too. But unlike me, who sat about with my hands down my pants watching violent pornography and listening to Brotha Lynch Hung in a dark room WAITING for someone to give me a chance to see the sunlight, these guys actually did something about it and got Mick Boogie & DJ Jazzy Jeff to put together a soundtrack to the summer for one and all....and then release it for free!

So get them bangers on the grill, burn them till they look like bird shit, and listen to some wicked tracks from two of the finest DJs around.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & Mick Boogie - Summertime The Mixtape (2010)

01. Summertime Intro
02. Kool & The Gang: Summer Madness (Live Version)
03. Kool & The Gang: Summer Madness
04. Quincy Jones: Summer In The City
05. Ahmad: Back In The Day
06. Ice Cube: It Was A Good Day
07. Roy Ayers f/ Mary J Blige: Everybody Loves The Sunshine
08. Pharcyde: Passin’ Me By (Ffej Remix)
09. Jay-Z f/ Babyface: Sunshine
10. Ramsey Lewis: Sun Goddess
11. A Tribe Called Quest: Find A Way (Ffej String Edit)
12. Bush Babies f/ Mos Def: The Love Song
13. Jodeci: Get On Up
14. The Commodores: High On Sunshine
15. J Dilla f/ Dwele : Think Twice
16. Erick Sermon f/ Marvin Gaye: Music (Mick’s Marvapella Edit)
17. Bernard Wright: Who Do You Love
18. LL Cool J: Loungin’
19. A Tribe Called Quest: Hot Sex
20. Main Source: Live At The BBQ
21. Nuyorican Soul: Nautilus
22. Pharcyde & Sublime: Summertime
23. Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff: Summertime Remix
24. Michael Jackson: I Can’t Help It
25. De La Soul: Breakdawn
26. Musiq: Just Friends
27. Carl Thomas: Summer Rain
28. Faze-O: Riding High
29. Dionne Warwick: Walk On By
30. Skee-Lo: I Wish
31. Black Moon: Who Got The Props
32. Frankie Beverly and Maze: Before I Let Go
34. Montell Jordan: This Is How We Do It
35. The Roots f/ George Benson: Breezin’
36. Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff: Time To Chill
37. Biggie: Can’t You See
38. James Brown: The Payback
39. En Vogue: My Lovin’
40. Bobby McFerrin: Sunshine Of My Life
41. Fifth Dimension: Let The Sun Shine In
42. Mos Def: Sunshine
43. Nine: Whatcha Want
44. Otis Redding: Sittin’ On The Dock
45. 2Pac: I Get Around (Mick’s String Edit)
46. Zapp: Computer Love (Terry’s Mirage On The Water Mix)
47. Seals And Croft: Summer Breeze
48. Jay-Z: Dear Summer
49. Weldon Irvine: Morning Sunrise

Zips Undone

2010-07-14T02:34:00.002Z

Okay, so I'm sure a lot of people have heard about Wiley's public menstruation that took place recently online, during which he sacked his manager on twitter then proceeded to leak more product than my johnny thompson at a urinal after a drinking contest. Well, the guys at Grime Forum managed to catch and share all of this piss with their members (of which I'm definitely not one, as for the most part I think Grime smells like cat shit to Hip-Hop's Hugo Boss).

As I said, I'm not the biggest Grime fan, but Wiley is an artist who for the most part has set himself apart from the rest of the scene, both dominating and leading it, and also temporarily leaving it behind at times.

His albums are often interesting, if rarely great, and I respect any artist with the testiculars to leak this amount of his hard work to his fans for free. Especially an established artist. I've not actually checked a lot of these links, so some may have been taken down and some may have been reuploaded, but there are links aplenty so if you're a fan of the influential emcee, enjoy the spoils and bask in his online tantrum's outcome.

For more files, if anymore DO get leaked, go over to the Grime Forum as they will continue to update.

Zip 1:
http://www.ukmusic.fm/wiley/wiley_zip_1.zip
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E45AIX6S
http://www.sendspace.com/file/esgwk9
http://rapidshare.com/files/405740823/wiley_zip_1.zip
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?zyilmennory
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=4...d0568e5b24962e (Download as Seperate Tracks)

Zip 2:
http://www.mediafire.com/?y20ymmxhjkt
http://rapidshare.com/files/40575627...zip_2.zip.html
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S8SOF62U

Zip 3:
http://www.mediafire.com/?cz1wyhtnljy
http://rapidshare.com/files/40577665...zip_3.zip.html

Zip 4:
http://www.mediafire.com/?tzd0zzzmqom
http://rapidshare.com/files/40579306...zip_4.zip.html

Zip 5:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ueqmtxlqzjm
http://rapidshare.com/files/40581463...zip_5.zip.html

Zip 6:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mo3uao
http://www.beatplexity.com/mix/?id=7071
http://rapidshare.com/files/40581355...zip_6.zip.html

Zip 7:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/i29l35
http://www.beatplexity.com/mix/?id=7072
http://rapidshare.com/files/40582684...p_7...zip.html

Zip 8:
http://www.mediafire.com/?jmjiymrgjyt
http://www.sendspace.com/file/cxxisa (Windows users may need to delete the "...." out of the file name to unzip successfully).
http://www.beatplexity.com/mix/?id=7069
http://rapidshare.com/files/40583558...zip_8.rar.html

Zip 9:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/wdyc5q
http://www.beatplexity.com/mix/?id=7077
http://rapidshare.com/files/40590580...9.....zip.html

Zip 10:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3ffrkh
http://www.beatplexity.com/mix/?id=7085
http://rapidshare.com/files/40591730..._10_2.zip.html

Zip 11:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8kd07x
http://www.beatplexity.com/mix/?id=7084
http://rapidshare.com/files/40592989...ip_11.zip.html

Glazed Over

2010-07-14T02:22:00.006Z

Classic Diggin In The Crates affiliate and one half of Show & AG, er, the second half (AG that is) has lovingly made his own tribute to the legend that is James Yancey AKA Jay Dee AKA Dilla with a brand new mixtape "Dunkin Donuts".

Props to AG himself for leaking it on twitter and enjoy the incredible Donuts album in a completely new light with a superb emcee acting as your navigator.

A.G. & J-Dilla - Dunkin Donuts (The Mixtape)

01 Intro
02 Workin’ On It
03 AG On JD
04 We Do It 4
05 Walk On By
06 AG On Loss
07 Dilla 4 Eva ft. Party Arty
08 Clap
09 Crushing (BX Version)
10 AG On J Dilla & Party Arty
11 10 to 10
12 Gems I Spit
13 Keep It Movin
14 Heavy Head
15 Shouts

CyMarshall Law Takes Over

2010-07-14T02:07:00.004Z

Fresh off the back of his LP with our very own Skit Slam (who has collaborated extensively with UK rap legends Phi-Life Cypher) as Everliven Sound, Cymarshall Law is due to drop a new solo LP on his new label.

The emcee is going from strength to strength right now, and I have to admit I gave Freedom II (his Everliven Sound album) a full run through and it is actually superb. Great rhymes and superb beats by producer crew The Beatniks.

Well, for his solo LP he'll be backed up by the same production team and its sure to be another great release.

Here's the artwork and tracklisting for "Freedom Express Line":

Cymarshall Law & The Beatnikz "Freedom Express Line"In Stores August 31st via XOXO Records/SONY RED

Cymarshall Law & The Beatnikz "Freedom Express Line" Track Listing:

1. My Platform (Express Line Intro)

2. Zion Land

3. Believe This (No Money)

4. The Flyness

5. Give i Fi i Name

6. Armagideon

7. Door Peep

8. Love feat. Mary Lou

9. Don't Kill Your Brother feat. Skit Slam

10. Come Mek We Run

11. Where I Am

12. A Little Way Different

13. Almost Home

Presale Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B003R4JB42/amazonbook021-20/ref=nosim?newgoodzT=20100722&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Also, to wet your whistle and give you the vinegar strokes thinking of his Everliven LP, CyMarshall was kind enough to give away for free a three-track smapler of his collaboration with Skit Slam on his Bandcamp site:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://cymarshalllaw.bandcamp.com/album/freedom-2"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Get Up Stand Up by Cymarshall Law&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Also, over time he's released quite a lot of material and mixtapes that may pique your interest on there, so have a rummage about in his gantry and come out with some gems at http://www.cymarshalllaw.bandcamp.com

Sounds & Revolution

2010-07-13T20:31:00.003Z

From the back catalogue of UK rap mag HHC, there have been a great number of decent freebies and CDs they gave away (before the magazine went downhill rapidly in quality then gave up entirely), and this is just one of them.

US record label Nature Sounds did and still does boast a great roster of talent from Masta Killa to Tragedy Khadafi to Vordul Mega of Cannibal Ox. This compilation is a showcase of their roster from the inception of their label and it has hits from subsequently great releases.

One of my favourite DJs, DJ Revolution, does a great job on the cuts and mixes, with his inimitable scratch sound prevalent throughout, and it gives the album a great continuity and feel.

Enjoy the show.

Nature Sounds Mega Mix with DJ Revolution

1. DJ Revolution Intro
2. Copywrite - I'm Back
3. Vordul Mega (feat. Jean Grae) - Believe
4. Black Market Militia (feat. dead prez) - The Hit
5. Immortal Technique - Harlem Streets
6. Vordul Mega - Stay Up
7. Self Scientific - Circa '89
8. RA The Rugged Man - Lessons
9. Copywrite - Jokes On You
10. RA The Rugged Man (feat. Masta Killa & Killah Priest) - Chains
11. Self Scientific - Jealousy
12. Masta Killa (feat. Inspectah Deck & GZA) - Silverbacks
13. Vordul Mega (feat. C-Rayz Walz) - Spitamatic
14. Masta Killa (feat. Ghostface & Raekwon) - D.T.D.
15. Masta Killa (feat. ODB & RZA) - Old Man
16. Metal Fingers (MF Doom) - Outro
17. Mathematics (feat. Method Man) - John 3:16
18. Black Market Militia - Hood Lullaby
19. Self Scientific (feat. Talib Kweli) - Amongst Gods

Northern Author Mixtapes Vol. III

2010-07-13T15:24:00.005Z

Here we go with the third instalment of our compilations of old and new hip-hop that I made throughout my life. This one comes from about 2005 or something I think, but features songs from as early as 1993 right up to 2005. Enjoy the selection....

Northern Author Mixtape Vol. III

1. Mark B & Blade (feat. Phi-Life Cypher) - Ya Don't See The Signs (Cypher Remix)
2. Tiye Phoenix - All Night
3. Karl Hinds (feat. Blak Twang & Seannie T) - Don Gramma (Remix)
4. Kool G Rap - First Nigga (Premo Remix)
5. The Beatnuts - Its Tha Nuts
6. LL Cool J - Feel The Beat
7. Tha Alkaholiks (feat. Q-Tip) - All The Way Live
8. Busta Rhymes - Make It Hurt
9. Last Emperor - The Banger
10. Ras Kass - Understandable Smooth
11. Mos Def, Tash & Q-Tip - Body Rock
12. Busta Rhymes - Show Me What You Got
13. Prefuse 73 - Busy Signal
14. Mos Def - Got
15. Mark Rae - Skio
16. Nas & 9th Wonder - The Warrior Song
17. Talib Kweli - Lonely People
18. J Sands of Lone Catalysts- Place To Be (Saturday Night)
19. Copywrite - June
20. A Tribe Called Quest - Oh My God (Remix)
21. Zion I - Birds Eye View (Live Version)

We're Baaaaack!

2010-07-13T15:08:00.002Z

Here we go! Finally I'm back with my proverbial shit together and ready to throw an all manner of stuff in your faces like a climaxing pornstar.

First up, we have what will more than likely be one of the best mixtapes of 2010 by one quarter of UK rap supergroup Orphans Of Cush, Cyrus Malachi.

The mixtape is presented by No Cure Records and Triple Darkness, who have took over the UK rap scene recently through producers Chemo and Endemic amongst others flooding the market with truly great, spectacularly hard beats and no-nonsense rhymes.

The mixtape is Cyrus featuring partner-in-crime Melanin 9, and mixed by DMC World Champs DJ Switch & DJ Furious P, and is a prelude to his debut solo album “Ancient Future” (which is to be released in the autumn of this year) and brings harrowing street tales from his life and experiences growing up in Hackney.

Enjoy, and support. If you like the mixtape, please buy a hard copy from the sites and links below and help a great emcee get his shine.

No Cure Records presents Cyrus Malachi – The Isis Papers mixtape (2010)

1. Intro (prod Endemic)
2. Praying mantis
3. Millennium ft Melanin 9 & Crown Nectar [Triple Darkness] (prod Beat Butcha)
4. Bloodhounds ft Melanin 9 & Crown Nectar [Triple Darkness] (prod 7th Dan)
5. The hammered bracelet ft Melanin 9
6. 1000 daggers (prod Diplimat)
7. Robin hood theory freestyle (prod Endemic)
8. Captivity’s tear
9. Lion’s den (prod Jon Phonics)
10. Feathers of Tahuti ft Melanin 9
11. Redemption
12. 7 plagues (prod Blastah beats)
13. Politikin remix feat crown nectar & melanin 9 [Triple Darkness] (prod 7th Dan)
14. Hood Novelists ft Melanin 9 & Njeri Earth
15. Hell's Gate ft Melanin 9 & Crown Nectar [Triple Darkness]

The Isis Papers mixtape is also available on hard copy exclusively from the following stores -

http://www.suspect-packages.com

http://nocurerecords.co.uk

For more info on cyrus malachi go to -

http://twitter.com/cyrusmalachi

http://www.myspace.com/cyrusmalachi

http://nocurerecords.co.uk

http://twitter.com/nocurerecords

More posts to come throughout the week so keep your eyes peeled like onions, but try not to cry.

Delays Pt. II

2010-07-02T17:17:00.003Z

Just as a continuation from the below post, I'll also be uploading A LOT more mixtapes/compilations (I call them mixtapes but really theyre nothing more than me creating an album from songs I like, with no mixing whatsoever...mainly because I'm horrifically bad) both from previous years when I've done them for personal use or new ones to expose some forgotten legends and some new artists or songs that deserve a lot more shine than theyre currently getting.

These will all be ready to be posted immediately once all is back to normal.

In the meantime, apart from reading what I wrote below and checking the blogroll, you really should be doing nothing else right now other than enjoying the sun, watching the World Cup, thinking about the World Cup, creating wallcharts documenting the World Cup, possibly looking at dirty sluts and tarts, and then watching more of the World Cup. Thank you.

Delays!!!

2010-07-02T16:52:00.004Z

Sorry about the lack of posts, my intermittent readers. I have recently moved abode and the internet is yet to arrive(through the fault of Sky who apparently don't guarantee their "Award-Winning Broadband with one quick phone call" statement on their adverts). Needless to say 40 very SLOW phone calls, constant nagging, bitching and whining, contradictions and ignorant call-centre representatives later....I still have no home internet service.

This will change in the next two weeks so expect me to be late with a few posts of mixtapes I may have been emailed as when I get it up and running you'll find a flurry of posts. The fact I'm in a library typing this is of much irritation to myself. Luckily I've been able to lend a Kevin Keegan biography and a Sir Bobby Robson biography so all is not lost.

Expect Cyrus Malachi's new mixtape, a new Mr J Medieros track and a review of Cymarshall Law and Skit Slam's Everliven Sound album coming shortly, but until the internet is up and running I'd rather not leave you expecting much at all.

Rest assured Northern Author is alive and well, and able to interact with fellow hip-hop lovers on twitter at www.twitter.com/sniperinthemist through the trusty iPhone. I'll release details on there when new posts are up but for now enjoy what we already have for you.

In addition to this stupendous site, I recommend a new UK hip-hop site called Cypherz at http://www.cypherz.co.uk/ which is a spin-off (or rather an upgrade) from the Leeds Hip Hop Site. Its full of great videos and news not only from hip-hop but other UK urban genres such as the new obsession on these shores of dubstep, trusty but never trustworthy Grime, and maybe even some RnB or Drum n Bass chucked in for good measure.

Don't be a stranger, people....unless you're a wierd bastard. In which case, STAY a stranger. I don't need any more silliness in my already nonsensical existence.

The Cool Kids - Tacklebox (Mixtape)

2010-06-01T11:48:00.004Z

I don't usually post new non-UK material, but my love of this duo's first LP means I have to throw my regulations aside. The new Cool Kids mixtape has just surfaced across the net, and this link isnt mine so don't be all whiny if it goes down. I'll get some more uncut Northern Author material on here soon, but to tide you over, listen to the future..
.
Cool Kids - Tacklebox Mixtape (2010)

1. Fishing Lessons (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
2. Flying Kytes (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
3. Freak City (Prod. Chuck Inglish & Old Young)
4. Neat (Ft. Tennille)
5. Going Camping (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
6. Volume II (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
7. Birthdays (Prod. Ski Beats)
8. Great Outdoors (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
9. Strawberry Girl (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
10. Systems (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
11. Good Afternoon (Prod. The Productionix)
12. Parking Lot (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
13. Summer Nights ft. Tennille (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
14. Los Angeles Leakers Outro (Prod. Chuck Inglish)
15. Gettin’ Flick (Prod. Chuck Inglish)

And here's a reminder of some of their old material, just because I have been listening to them for a few hours now and loving it. I'm sure all of you are aware of them, so just enjoy it.

Make sure you already picked up their debut LP "The Bake Sale" about two years ago, because if you haven't, then I predict a bleak future for you in life. Alternatively, you could buy it now and become a millionaire. Those are your choices.

Dhalsim The Don

2010-05-30T17:47:00.002Z

Akira The Don is back with an equally funny, enjoyable and bumpable mixtape, sampling from all of the in-game music from the original Street Fighter games. He makes them his own and it pays homage correctly to one of the most successful gaming franchises on the planet.

Completely free and from his official website, he has more links to more material at his official website www.akirathedon.com but here's a direct link from his site to the download, enjoy this possibly while being a geek in your bedroom jizzing over pictures of Lara Croft, or by simply not being a geek and doing drive-bys at your local Co-Op or John Menzies.

Full listing and artwork in with the link, don't muck about, become Ryu and bump your neck.

Akira The Don - ATD23 Mixtape - A Tribute To The Music Of Street Fighter

Tracklisting:

Waking Up

Theme From Ken

Entertainers ft. Littles

Be Brave

The Title

Winners ft Envy

The Victory Boogie

R.Y.U.

Ending 1

Nomad

VEGA

Street Fighter (I Will F U Up) ft Big Narstie, Littles & Lickel P

Steal The Show ft Littles

Congratulations

BONUS: Ken Will F U Up

Dance is killing UK Hip-Hop

2010-05-26T22:23:00.003Z

So...Sway has done a dance record. Nothing wrong with that you'd say. To be honest, the song is't horrific or anything like that either. But there's a growing trend in the UK that if you're a rapper you have to throw a beat that was made at Wigan Pier behind your tracks just to get some success. For years now there have been countless forays into the dance scene for old, washed up r'n'b singers and a few rappers too, but recently UK hip-hop seems to have been struck with the cancer and its not good for the scene at all.

Personally I love the mixing of genres, the furrowing of new niche markets and the experimentation of artists, but when its done so shamelessly and obviously to generate money with no thought given to the quality control of the output and the integrity of the artist's product it really gets on my little "there-because-I-haven't-played-football-in-a-while" man tits.

Sway is probably the brightest star of UK hip-hop. Thats not even an understatement either. He's possibly not THE best UK artist there is, with the greatest discography or the greatest ability (although both are quite strong and it could be argued he is the best UK emcee right now), but there isn't an emcee from the UK right now with more potential to succeed than Sway. Dasafo could be big....and by big I mean the whole "break America, global stardom beckons" kind of big. Seriously.

Sway is probably the only artist aside from Dizzee (who has already suceeded in getting global mainstream exposure) from the UK rap scene who has the ability and potential to both stay true to his roots in both rap and grime scenes whilst simultaneously straddling the arse of the mainstream and riding it raw until he falls off in retirement with classic albums and international adulation in tow.

Thats what makes this a bit irritating, I feel like this track is a bit of a cop out. I sincerely hope its not a sign of things to come from Sway, but when you have Roll Deep (admittedly a group who were by and large a bit pants to start with) sitting in number one with a horrendous and shameless attempt at dance music, Tinie Tempah following up his "Pass Out" track with his won attempt which will undoubtedly be huge, and even sad R'n'B artists like Taio Cruz jumping on the bandwagon by doing a song with that slag Ke$ha (who looks like she has a fanny like a KFC bucket, with as much grease and batter spilling out of it aswell) its not looking good.

Dizzee Rascal is one guy I'd give a pass and an exception to. He was always an experimental type of guy and he has crossed over with a few dance tracks that are genuinely superb songs (I really don't care what you think, "Bonkers" truly was the british national anthem in 2009). He's done it the right way and kept his roots intact along with it.

Sway needs to do the same. Sort it out mate! And Donea'o...you're better than this aswell.

They Had Next?

2010-05-09T23:37:00.003Z

So, a small step back in time today. September 2004. 5 and a half years ago roughly. UK hip-hop magazine HHC released a compilation in conjunction with Radio 1Xtra and one of their biggest DJs at the time DJ Excalibah featuring the names of many emcees and artists coming up, ready to bubble over and erupt on the UK rap scene.

I have to say, most of them really did, and this CD represents some of the earlier work of all artists at the time on their way to success. To be honest, quite a few of them were already established as names to watch out for, as by the time this was released Klashnekoff had already made waves with Daggo Mentality, Foreign Beggars had already released their breakthrough SMASH with Skinnyman "Hold On" and a few other names on there were featured with more experienced heads like Konny Kon and Lewis Parker.

A certain Sway Dasafo features on here before he dropped the surname along with at the time a new producer called The Last Skeptik, who of course has gone on to bigger and better things also. The cd also features a song which has since become a bit of a UK classic in "For The Haters" by Dirty Diggers.

Enjoy the selection and check out where all of these artists are now, many of them achieving at the very least national fame with their material.

1Xtra BBC & DJ Excalibah Present "We Got Next" (HHC Sep2004)

1. Intro
2. Micall Parknsun - Tha Shit
3. Beats In Progress (feat. Kashmere & DPF) - Space Cadets
4. Stylee Cee (feat. Skorzayzee) - Want Whats Yours5. J.T.W.R. - Get Over It
6. The Last Skeptik (feat. Sway Dasafo) - Prior To The Present
7. Verb T (feat. Red) - Ravenous
8. Cappo & Konny Kon - Capkon Entertainment
9. Yungun & Lewis Parker - The Big Idea
10. Klashnekoff - Black Rose
11. Caramac (feat. Low Key) - Happy Ending
12. Dirty Diggers - For The Haters
13. Foreign Beggars - Frosted Perspeks

Another HHC release featuring young and upcoming UK artists on the scene followed in 2005, with the cd entitled 1Xtra Homegrown Cuts 2005. Amongst others this compilation featured Humurak D Gritty, Phoenix Black and Shade One.

The artists on show have been a bit less noticeable as those in the DJ Excalibah mixed release, but the cd itself is nonetheless entertaining throughout and adept at showcasing some lesser known names, in turn aiding them to get their deserved shine. Enjoy.

1Xtra Homegrown Cuts 2005 (HHC)

1. ShadeOne - Let Them Know
2. Mr Sin - All Tha Way
3. Tor - Strivin'
4. U1 Goldsmiths - Maintainin'
5. Blaktrix (feat. Humurak D Gritty) - Indian Rope Trick
6. Jeye Severe - Song Of Solomon
7. Phoenix Black - Hip Hop & Proud
8. Tawiah - Superhuman
9. L-Marie - Sunshine
10. Lyrican - Lyrican
11. Motley - Oh Snap!
12. Kamikaze Boyz - Rollin'
13. YT - Wicked Act

Northern Author Mixtapes Vol. II

2010-05-01T15:04:00.006Z

So here's the second instalment of the NA mixtapes series. Just another collection of songs I made back in the day (I wish I could be more specific than that but to be honest, I really can't). A bit of everything here, but its in similar vein to the first compilation from what I can see so enjoy it.

Volume II

1. Jeru Tha Damaja - My Mind Spray
2. Sauce Money - Intruder Alert
3. Casual - Thats How It Is
4. Common - Ressurection (Large Professor Remix)
5. Dead Poets Society - Klockuz
6. Jahah & J Hen - Let's Go Back
7. Jemini The Gifted One - Funk Soul Sensation
8. Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth - Baby, You Nasty
9. Mr. Lif - Live From The Plantation
10. Kool G Rap & Nas - Fast Life (Remix)
11. Red Hot Lover Tone - Give It Up (Diamond D Remix)
12. DJ Premier - DJ Premier In Deep Concentration
13. Neek The Exotic - Real Hip Hop
14. Aceyalone - I Think I Know Too Much
15. Original Flavour - Can I Get Open? (Remix)
16. Lewis Parker - 101 Pianos
17. Souls Of Mischief - Our Secret
18. TiRon - Tha Ghetto (Time 2 Go)
19. Crooked Lettaz - South's On My Mind
20. Scritti Politti (feat. Mos Def) - Tinseltown To Boogiedown (Ali Shaheed Muhammad Variation)

Download Link

Northern Author Mixtapes Vol. I

2010-04-27T18:46:00.006Z

No real direction to this post here, but I thought I'd take an opportunity to upload some old old compilations I used to make for myself and friends.

Most of these are ones I made for myself back in the heady days of the Sony Discman. Creating 80minute long comps of classic old and new hip-hop to listen to on the bus trips into school, university and work.

Here's the first of many that I'll upload for everyone, some compilations have a few questionable choices in there to be honest but hey, these are what I listened to back in the day so fuck it.

Here's the first one, more to follow....

Volume 1

1. A Tribe Called Quest - If The Papes Come
2. Casual - Gas Ignited
3. Casual - The Best At It
4. Dangermouse & Murs - To A Black Boy
5. Extra Prolific - You A Fool
6. Jay-Z - I Can't Get With That
7. Jemini The Gifted One - Brooklyn Kids
8. MF Grimm - Emotions (feat. B-One)
9. MF Grimm - Scars & Memories
10. MF Grimm - Take Em To War
11. M.O.P. - G Building (RjD2 Remix)
12. Nas - One Love (Large Professor Remix)
13. OC & Organized Konfusion - War Games
14. Peanut Butter Wolf & Lootpack - Styles, Crews, Flows, Beats/Rhyme Constructor
15. Pete Rock & CL SMooth - TROY (Remix)
16. Slick Rick - Sitting In My Car
17. Soul Unit (feat. Pharcyde) - In A Few Words
18. Swollen Members - Temptation
19. Tajai of Souls Of Mischief - Dum Dum
20. Tragedy Khadafi (feat. Havoc) - Da Funk Mode (Large Professor Remix)

DOWNLOAD LINK

Sway - F64

2010-04-13T00:29:00.002Z

Sorry, but after seeing this I couldn't NOT post this! Sway's F64 from the famed "freestyle" series at SBTV (DJ Gone) is five minutes of pure rapping.

He's also got a van.

Honestly though, in the UK OR the US, is there an emcee in 2010 that is making as many great tracks already this year, working as hard this year or dropping as much heat? If Sway is not world famous by the end of this year either Akon needs to be smacked like a bitch for not managing him right or the world has gone tits up like Lola Ferrari.

19th April...Save The Date

2010-04-09T21:01:00.000Z

The Countryman Returns Pt. II

2010-04-03T02:57:00.001Z

Skitz ft. Rodney P & Buggsy from Studio JK:AK on Vimeo.

The Countryman Returns

2010-03-28T13:45:00.003Z

The tracklist and album cover was leaked a few weeks back but now we have audio for the new material by the legendary Daddy Skitz. Here's the flipside on the first single off his album "Sticksman", due out within the next month or so.

Skitz (feat. Buggsy) - Born Inna System by SniperInTheMist

Dubsteppin'

2010-03-28T13:32:00.004Z

Just went over to Disorda's "Suspect Packages" site and found his free dubstep mix "Dub Socket 1" and gave it a quick listen. Recently I have to admit I've been getting into some dubstep (much to my own dismay at first), and there are some great artists and sounds coming out of that scene. I'd had a small affinity with drum and bass from my teenage years which has waned but dubstep has somehow managed to ignite that a bit recently by association.

Anyway, enough of my musical dabblings, ramblings and dribble. Here's the full 1 hour 10mins long 24 track mix featuring some great tracks hand-picked by Disorda himself for download and listening. Get on it like a car bonnet.

Also, make sure you check out both http://suspectpackages.blogspot.com and also the official site for all of your vinyl, CD, and musical needs (www.suspect-packages.com).

Dub Socket 1 by http://www.mixcloud.com/suspectpackages/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=profile_link on Mixcloud

Press play above on the picture and it gives you the tracklist also.

Also,

New & Rotten

2010-03-26T19:33:00.002Z

Tony Rotten is back with new material, and here is the first track to be heard from his upcoming album "Elevelation" (and no, I havent spelt that wrong). Its up for free download on his bandcamp site as both a radio edit and original version and its entitled "Before N After".

Here's a youtube vid preview of it with the link to the bandcamp for the FREE download below:

<a href="http://soulculture.bandcamp.com/album/before-n-after-www-soulculture-co-uk-exclusive">Before N After (Dirty) by SoulCulture</a>

Site link for download: http://soulculture.bandcamp.com/album/before-n-after-www-soulculture-co-uk-exclusive

UK Round-Up 25/03/2010

2010-03-25T18:31:00.005Z

Three new UK rap videos have surfaced within the last 48 hours....and I thought the UK hip-hop scene was dead as a commercial tool....silly me.

Three videos from three great artists, two established, one upcoming. Here they are:

First up is one of my favourite UK emcees who I've tracked since his Heavy Bronx debuts, his EPs with Zero Theory and more recently Endemic. Here's his new video for "Gilgamesh II":

Next up its punchline prince Mystro with his track "Aquarius", from his upcoming EP "F.D.T.":

And finally we have upcoming emcee Skandal with his track "Kill Em With The Flow" featuring Black The Ripper and Little Dee (directed by fellow emcee Charlie Sloth):

Finally, here's one bonus video by emcee Dzham which I was sent that piqued my interest (mainly for the guest spot by Sway to be fair). Its hit first release on these shores but he's a ruskie fella, coming straight out of the world of Andrey Arshavin and numerous bond villains (thats really honestly all I know about Russia, sorry people). I bet he wears a dead animal for a hat and drinks vodka for breakfast. Anyway, here's the vid:

Northern Author's The Brew Vol. I

2010-03-21T15:46:00.003Z

I always feel a little guilty uploading full albums of people’s work, especially if its fairly recent and I’m always aware of my place in the music game (virtually insignificant in terms of promotion but can provide free music to anyone). I know the music always comes first and know that taking away a an artist’s music is taking away his money at the end of the day.

So…lets turn over a new leaf, wipe my arse with the usual LP drops (which may still surface every now and then don’t worry…they’ll just be few and far between) and get cracking with the nacking on something new.

I’m not a DJ. I can’t mix. I’m not a rapper (even though I can rap…albeit quite badly). I do write songs but theyre all crap and my mild middle class half-geordie accent doesn’t give my voice the same impact as Rock from Heltah Skeltah to say the least…………

I am a fan. I’m no better than the sexy c*nts reading my website and I won’t ever profess to be, despite my holier-than-thou writing style I can adopt.

As a fan I have my taste in music. Its different to yours, maybe in subtle ways, maybe massively different. But its mine. I thought “let’s give other people a taste of me”. Then I paid the prostitute for the blowjob, came home and thought about hip-hop (wahey!).

Here’s my take on hip-hop. Its going to be a mix of US, UK, Bangladeshi, Papua New Guinea and Pluto rap. Its going to be as old as the wrinkles on a pensioner’s scrotum and as new as a baby with the umbilical cord still attached. Its going to be as big as Lola Ferrari’s bangers but probably reach an audience as small as a button mushroom penis.

I have guilty pleasures, some artist you may not associate with this blog’s modus operandi, some familiar names, some unknowns. I have rarities and bootleg tracks thrown in, some songs as common as muck. I’ll try and stay away from the classics and very VERY well known tracks because to be honest you can find them anywhere, and when inputting a simple google search for let’s say “Live At The Barbecue” par example, I highly doubt this particular modest blog will be the first result.

Its really just me, making a compilation. Giving it to you. No slant, no gimmicks, no theme. Just download, add boiling water and drop in a teabag (milk optional). Sip it you bitch.

So…I’m going to make a brew. Anyone want one?

Northern Author's The Brew Vol. I (March 2010)

1. Metermaids - Blackout Baby

To start off the first volume here is some brand new material from NY-based duo The Metermaids, a group who have definitely received love on the internet through free downloads and their debut EP (from which this is lifted) and now are making the transition to love worldwide. This is a sharp introduction over rock-influenced beats to the group and a sign of great things to come.

2. The Closers - Get Down Or Lay Down (feat. Blaq Poet)

A new group comprised of Shabaam Sahdeeq, Redeye & Thorotracks, The Closers have released a very impressive first LP with classic east-coast grit. This track features Year Round (DJ Premier) artist Blaq Poet lacing an orchestrated beat with New York style and panache. Look out for the mixtape “The Bullpen Sessionz” hosted by the legendary DJ Scratch as its well worth a download.

3. Tajai - Raindance (Remix)

Lifted from the 2005 Hiero compilation “Hiero Imperium Presents…The Corner”, this remix produced by Elon.is urinates upon the original from high as the part-time member of the legendary Souls of Mischief goes in on a brooding track in an inimitable Hieroglyphics style.

4. Gorillaz - White Flag (feat. Kano & Bashy)

From the massive new album ‘Plastic Beach’ which will inevitably be flying off the shelves at all HMVs nationwide, this track is easily the most high profile on the mix. My interest in this one lies with the guest emcees, as Damon Albarn drafts in Kano and Bashy to trade verses over a musical backdrop created by erm…The Lebanese National Orchestra. Yeah. Not joking either. Anyway, its completely different to anything Kano OR Bashy (thank god its different in his case) have done before and its great to hear them spread their wings to different musical planets.

5. Ghost, Kashmere The Iguana Man & DPF - Flip It

Taken from Breakin Bread (Disorda and co.)’s album “dirtybeatbreakinfunkandhiphop”, this song is a personal favourite of mine from years back. Ghost, a criminally overlooked producer who has been responsible for some of the smoothest, realest beats in UK hip-hop’s lifetime, creates another stonker of a track for two great emcees to spar on. At the time both Kashmere and DPF were hardly household names, but both had built up reps from debut singles and EPs, however, they sound like veterans on this track, which is pretty much a song capturing the very essence of hip-hop and rolling all of it onto one 3 minute extravaganza.

6. Slum Village - Dope Man

SV are back and at the tail end of 2009 they released an EP titled Villa Manifesto. Considering the group’s legendary status it was another one that crept under the radar and got lost in the shuffle. “Dope Man” is the best track from the EP and even features a posthumous verse from Baatin, who tragically died in 2009, leaving T3 as the only original member still alive from the legendary group.

7. Mystik Journeymen - Anthill (feat. Kirby Dominant)

Another set of veterans who have recently dropped an EP is the Mystik Journeymen, members of the Living Legends crew along with others such as Murs, The Grouch & Eligh. MJ have been away a long time and as a personal fan of their brilliant album “The Black Sands Ov Eternia” from back in 1999, I’ve been waiting for this for AGES. The EP isnt exactly radio-friendly (not that you’d expect that from Sunspot Jonz and his crew) but BFAP and Luckyiam have crafted some great other-wordly underground shit that will keep your ears ringing.

8. Philly’s Most Wanted - Dust Ya Boots

A strange choice I know, but Philly’s Most are a group I think got a bit of a raw deal to be honest. Their debut back in the early 2000s came out with major label backing and with production entirely handled by The Neptunes (JUST before they became the biggest producer name in the world) and T-Mix from Suavehouse, yet still never garnered much media attention. I actually liked that album and to this day still think some of Hugo/Williams hardest beats are on there, so on the strength of that when I saw the follow-up going on the cheap I picked it up. “Ring The Alarm” was hardly a classic but it had its moments, and this track is one I’ve came back to a couple of times over the years. Not heard anything from Boobonic & Mr. Man since.

9. K-Os - 4, 3, 2, 1

I have to admit. K-Os is one of my favourite artists. Everytime there’s a gap between his releases I seem to forget about him but everytime I hear a K-Os track it just reminds me how good this guy really is. I highly doubt I’ll need to introduce you to him as he’s had hits in abundance on the rap scene. All four of his albums have been at the very least “8 out of 10” quality and last year’s “Yes” was no different. Don’t sleep on Canada’s best export since Iain Hume signed for Tranmere Rovers.

10. Camp Lo - Black Connect III

What can I say about Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede that hasn’t already been said. No-one knows what theyre on about, yet everyone is fascinated by them! A rap style like no other with beats produced by Ski (a man who has more classics to his name than most other ignored producers I can think of) is a match made in heaven and these guys have been pumping out blaxploitation on wax since their Luchini days.

11. Orphans Of Cush - Warheadz

I posted my thoughts on the Orphans of Cush album “White Noize” not too long back, and even now I still maintain that it’s the best UK hip-hop LP of the last year. Masikah, Cyrus Malachi, Kyza & Melanin9 have created one of the rawest collections since the police dug up Fred West’s patio. Warheadz is just straight up gutter rap, and with the hard beats in place, Cush are all about the three things I love the most in hip-hop: Lyrics, Rhymes, Flow.

12. Diversion Tactics - Twelve Steps

Released to not much fanfare at the turn of the year, Diversion Tactics’ “Careful On The Way Up” LP had some gems on it rooted clearly in the UK scene. Twelve Steps draws upon their usual influences of breaks and jazz sounds and sees Jazz T, Zygote and the Chubby Alcoholic at their simple but effective best.

13. Endemic - Three Kings (feat. Hell Razah, Melanin 9 & Kevlaar 7)

We’ve already had one appearance by Melanin9 here, but down to producer Endemic’s top notch album “Terminal Illness” we have another. He joins Sunz Of Man illumini Hell Razah and Kevlaar7 on a posse cut which shines on the Nottingham born beatsmith’s debut. I recommend that LP to anyone whoo enjoys hip-hop, and with appearances by Sean Price, Planet Asia, Killah Priest and other Orphans Of Cush members, you really can’t go wrong. On another note is Needle Drop EP with fellow Nottingham dweller Cappo is fantastic.

14. Sway - Konvict (Freestyle)

I couldn’t really drop ANY compilation right now without giving Sway a shoutout. His Delivery mixtape has pretty much blown any other mixtape released in the past year out of the water, and he has improved his flow and rhymes so much since his last outing that its impossible to write him off for massive success in the future. I could have chosen any track from it really but went for this smoothed out freestyle just because he outlines his ambition to be the UK’s best…something we all expect him to be very very soon. If you havent already got the mixtape, you really should be ashamed of yourself!

15. D.O.E. - Rollin’ (feat. Timbaland & Lil’ Jon)

Possibly another strange inclusion out of leftfield, but it’s a song I’ve loved since I first heard it. Timbaland’s fall from grace can be documented quite easily from his glory days producing a classic pretty much every week in the early 2000s to now, where he produces pop-garbage for Hannah Montana and Katy Perry. It breaks my fucking heart it does! Right now lets forget about that and remember him for his ability to create genre-bending and trend-setting beats that could make ANYONE sound like the best emcee on the planet. This song was from 2006, and the debut track from the “blink-and-he-was-gone” emcee John Doe. Since Beat Club was wrapped up and Timbo went onto bigger (but not better) things, Doe was dropped and left to rot in industry limbo, but before he was done he was part of one amazing track.

16. Freeway & Jake One - African Drums

Anyone who knows me will have heard me waxing lyrical on how brilliant Philly freezer and Jake One’s Stimulus Package album is. Its my favourite album of 2010 so far by a country mile, and has so many highlights. This track however, is a recently leaked song which didn’t quite make the cut for the album, but despite that it still keeps the same sound that made the album so great. Great beats, great rhymes, a great marriage of two artists at the top of their game.

17. E-40 - Behind Gates (feat. Ice Cube)

Yeah I listen to 40 Water, what of it?! I know artists like E-40 don’t usually get a great reception in the UK, and their appeal in the US doesn’t always translate, but E-40 is one artist I’ve always had a fascination with. His slang-creating past has trail-blazed a lot of hip-hop’s modern speech and he has represented the Bay Area scene for almost two decades now. This track features none other than Ice Cube and was from the 2000 release “Loyalty & Betrayal” and quite frankly, the beat is a monster.

18. Gary Bartz - Gentle Smiles

Some might not know the name or this particular song….but EVERYONE will know the sample. The chorus’ horn section forms the memorable hook sample in A Tribe Called Quest’s “Butter”, Phife’s ode to something other than margerine. This song is a classic in its own right, and despite its age, still sounds as fresh, sexy and cool as it would of when first recorded.

19. Klashnekoff - Runnin Thru Da Rain (feat. K9 & Ric)

BRAND NEW K-Lash! Klashnekoff released this cat out of the bag himself through his twitter account in late February and it’s a great sign of what we should expect from his upcoming mixtape “Back to the Sagas”. With this song and “Paper Up” both sounding incredible, the rest will surely continue his rich vein of form and follow his two classic albums and one good mixtape with yet another good release.

20. Skeme - Turning

An oldie-but-goodie from the Titan Sounds stable, Skeme made this track way way back in the year 2000 as part of Titan Sounds’ record label compilation “The Introduction”, and it stole the show. A nice vocal sample and a great bassline sets the mood for the last sip of your first brew. Come back to enjoy the next one.

Here's the link again: Northern Author's The Brew Vol. I (March 2010)

DJ MK Presents...Skandal - Hunger Pains

2010-03-21T02:44:00.005Z

UK emcee Skandal is making big waves in the scene getting a lot of love on the radio stations and in the streets, and as his career picks up momentum he's got the legendary DJ MK on board for his mixtape "Hunger Pains".

The Mixtape is available either in mp3 downloadable format (or all them other crazy bastard formats like flac grenade and 320kkkkkkkk etc) OR you can order a physical copy like I have because I'm a grumpy set in my ways kind of fool.

Either way, the media player below will essentially give you the ability to try before you buy if you will, by scanning through the tracks. Link after the player to buy.

Great artwork on this tape by the way. Check out the full artwork on his bandcamp page.

<a href="http://skandal.bandcamp.com/album/dj-mk-presents-skandal-hunger-pains">DJ MK Intro by skandal</a>

To buy, for only £5 for the full mixtape, go to http://skandal.bandcamp.com/album/dj-mk-presents-skandal-hunger-pains

A New Plan?

2010-03-18T01:57:00.002Z

I noticed from Plan B's recent new single "She Said" that the guy seems to be making a foray into the commercial market with his new material. Fair play to the guy, I'm a big fan of his first album and his recent work with Chase & Status has pretty much had his name firmly in UK's collective consciousness considering C&S's fanboy pull.

Selling out is an issue all people need to deal with if they want to make it big. Some people sell out in a BAD BAD way. Think Will.I.Am and Black Eyed Peas. Never a great group in the first place in my opinion, but any group who can bring out "Joints + Jams" that boast a producer (Will.I.Am) capable of making thought-provoking and great jazzy albums like "Lost Change OST" should NOT be able to be caught dead making the kind of tripe they are right now.

Dizzee Rascal towed the line quite thinly with his "Tongue N Cheek" album, which was a solar system away from the hip-hop sensibilities that ran through his previous effort "Maths + English". Dizzee got away with it for two reasons though. First reason being that he has always flirted with the dance scene ever since his debut LP. Hell, Stand Up Tall was his biggest hit to date at one point and that's basically an emcee rhyming over a full on dance track. Second reason....Bonkers was, well bonkers. It took the UK by storm, opened him up to a whole new scene without actually forgetting his roots. Dizzee never changed his actual style, just his sound. Its the same Dizzee but with dance producers instead of hip-hop/grime beatmakers. I applaud him for that (even though you can get fucked if I'm listening to his new LP!).

Plan B hasn't even had to tow the line too much really. He's on Jonathan Ross in a suit and bowtie. He's singing more and rapping less. But the music hasnt lost any of its vigour and appeal. One thing you can count on with Plan B is passion. It pulses in his veins and I hope that continues with his new material. The new song is so-so. Not my favourite I must admit but it has appeal and will double his fanbase overnight without proverbially milking the lovepump of a pop audience.

Plan B's flirtation with drum and bass hasnt gone unnoticed and arguably some of his better work has came on those few forays into this scene. 16-Bit have dropped a dubstep remix of the track and for me it beats the hell out of the original. I'm not exactly going to masturbate over dubstep (there are enough trendy sites out there that will do it for me) but I will admit it seems to be the new genre to capture the imagination of young urban music fans these days despite being around for a good few years now. Should UK hip-hop embrace these new sounds and make an effort with more cross-overs? You be the judge, here's the track...

Plan B - She Said - (16Bit Remix) by SniperInTheMist

Emotional

2010-03-16T22:11:00.004Z

Just before he releases his fourth highly anticipated LP "Emotions", Ty has gone in with DJ Bounce and dropped a free mixtape to whet appetities and form a creamy bit of residue on the end of your penises for the full release.

Something Big has some big names, some remixes, some exclusives, some classics and some tasters of what is still to come so courtesy of the far superior UK rap blog Certified Banger (go to that site, never come back to this one) here it is.

Ty - Something Big (Mixtape) (2010)

01 Skit - Intro
02 Break The Lock - TY
03 Dont Watch That - TY
04 Worldwide - Funky DL (ft TY) Hot Mix
05 Down For The Count - Reflection Eternal (ft TY & Blak Twang) UK version
06 Skit (Ghetto Yout)
07 Hey There - 2000 Black aka Dego & Kaidi Tatham (ft TY)
08 Skit (Space Monkey)
09 Phantom Of The Opera - TY (ft Anthony Mills)
10 Me - TY (ft Erik Rico)
11 Pick It Up - Nathan Haines (ft TY) Submariner remix
12 Dont Push Me - Tettory Bad (ft TY)
13 Groovement - TY
14 Emotions - TY (ft Sarina Leah & Shaun Escoffery) Album version
15 Heart Full Of You - Robert Mitchell (ft TY & Deborah Jordan)
16 Keep On - Bone Idols (ft TY & Aphletik)
17 Woman To Man - Tony Allen (ft TY)
18 Can’t Help Myself - The Bamboo’s (ft TY)
19 Legacy - Zion I (ft TY & Jennifer Johns)
20 When Robots Go To War - TY (ft Motet) Daz I Kue remix
21 Wait A Minute - TY (Dwele remix)
22 Emotions - TY (Waajeed remix)
23 Style & Pattern - John Arnold (ft TY)
24 The Way We Like It - Natalie Williams (ft TY & Eska)
25 The Idea - TY (ft De La Soul’s Pos & Dave)
26 Outro

More updates coming in the next few days, been a bit stagnant on here for a week so heads up cos we droppin some shit.

UK Round-Up (02/03/2010)

2010-03-02T17:42:00.008Z

Here's a chance for me to drop some great new downloads for you from new UK artists on the scene. Recently there have been a large amount of mixtapes and albums surfacing on the net for free from UK emcees trying to get into the game so here's a few of them I've been sent and been impressed by. Some are being covered in more depth on other sites but I felt it necessary to offer my own blog for more exposure for these deserved artists.

Without a massive background on some of this first emcee I'm going to let him do his own background bio's and rest my wanking hand for a bit. Enjoy the free albums and support your local artists!

No Change - Land Of The Lost (2010)

Welcome to the truth and the very real world of 'No Change' without argument one of the most exciting prospects for UK music!

The story begins back in 1997 when the BBC broadcast a half hour documentary on him living the life that most kids either dream of or have nightmares about. He was smoking weed, skateboarding and humourously exposing the theme park he worked on as a "dangerous place...this provided a very funny story and sent this artist on the path he follows today!

Three years and two broken legs later, sacked, kicked out of home onto the streets (homeless) living anywhere from bushes to YMCAs to halfway houses, he wrote his rhymes on cardboard and stolen paper sweet bags for three years (probably why he does not write anything down to this day). No-Change was a very fitting choice of artist name - doing nothing and dabbling in all sorts of low-level criminality, he decided to move to Leeds to pursue a rap career....

Leeds studios and producers started to jump on his talent - jobless, he stayed on floors and was given free studio time wherever he went - coz he was the best! Fathering a baby boy and surviving a rocky relationship (which culminated in No-Changes stabbing in 2008) provided the fuel, inspiration and sincerity for the fire and depth of his music.

Fast forward to 2010, No Change - the street poet is here.... older, wiser, and backed by the infamous crackhouse recordings, he now has a formidable back catalogue of 200+ studio quality songs made with some of the top producers and MCs in the North of England. Known locally as the gentleman rapper and collaborating with the likes of Defenders of Style, Danny Pig, Alphabetix, Instance and Mike D, gigging with major names such as Masta Ace, Skinnyman, and Blackalicious he is now an well respected and established name amongst Leeds' finest.

Welcome to the land of the lost, the debut LP from No-Change.

Click the link below to download the full album.

Download

Charlie Sloth - The Black Book

This next one is from an emcee who has recently gathered a huge buzz in the UK scene from his hit single "Not Like You" featuring UK stalwart and legendary Taskforce member Farma G, and also Black The Ripper.

He releases his first full album through his own website http://www.charliesloth.com/ and the LP features pretty much a who's who of the UK scene, with appearances from Million Dan, Skinnyman, Rodney P, Stylah, Genesis Elijah, Wretch 32, Ramson Badbones, Mystro, Scor-Zay-Zee and many more.

That shouldnt distract you from the artist himself though because quite frankly, this album bangs harder than Mandingo in a porn flick. Check out his website for a background on the man to get familiar, but before you do that download the album and enjoy what I think might be one of the landmark releases of 2010.

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://www.charliesloth.com/v2/theblackbook

And here's the video for the single "Not Like You"

Premier Vision

2010-03-02T16:41:00.003Z

I joined www.scratchvision.com recently (the legendary DJ Scratch's radio site with built in facebook and myspace capability) and couldnt resist posting this online DJ set introduced by Scratch himself and then performed by the one and only DJ Premier of Gang Starr and Year Round Records. Great to see hip-hop's greatest producer getting down live on the one and twos so sit back, make a big cup of tea, take your shoes, make some nibbles and watch a legend do his thing. Don't hesitate to join Scratch's website for more of these great performances from legendary Deejays like Premo, Scratch and many more.

DJ PREMIER SPINNING LIVE ON WWW.SCRATCHVISION.COM (DJ SCR...

DJ SCRATCH RADIO (PODCAST)

Skandalous

2010-03-02T16:21:00.005Z

Just a quick drop for new UK emcee Skandal who is tipped to be a name you'll get familiar with in 2010. He has been getting play on 1Xtra recently for his track "Kill Em With The Flow". To top that, he's got UK frontrunner Klashnekoff and P-Money to jump on the remix and it sounds heavier than Vanessa Feltz on the trampoline.

Here's the radio rip of the remix AND the original with his freestyle of Young Money's "Bedrock" beat (you know, Young Money, that group with the midget tattoo artist, and the black barbie doll who raps like she's experiencing a stroke). Enjoy the new material....

Just so you know, the single is released 29th March on iTunes as part of the 'Quick Snack EP' along with the remix and some other tracks. Follow Skandal on twitter at http://twitter.com/inmykitchen . Oh and also don't forget to follow Northern Author (yours truly) on that twitter malarkey @ http://twitter.com/sniperinthemist - I'm new to the twitter game but I'm enjoying it and every time I post on the blog I'll leave updates on twitter along with my usual chitter-chatter, bullshit and bile.

Can You Do The Fandango?

2010-03-02T16:08:00.004Z

Following on from an earlier post that had a taster of the EP, here's the free download of FreeIceCream.net's new release "Bohemian Rap CD".

The EP has six tracks, all produced by Domer, and all sampled from one song: Queen's classic rock opera track "Bohemian Rhapsody". Using such concentrated sample material Domer has extracted some absolute bangers for the emcees to flow over.

Jake Lefco, illspokinn, Ryan-O'Neil, Kats, and Domer all appear on each of the six tracks, and the emcees create a thoroughly enjoyable album which in my opinion arguably eclipses anything else they have ever done.

Also, check out the site www.freeicecream.net regularly as they release a free album every month and their artists have so far kept up a very good quality control. There are about 10-15 albums already up there for free download so if you enjoy this one by all means go back and pick up hours of great music.

FreeIceCream - Bohemian Rap CD EP (2010)

1. Intro
2. Little High/Little Low
3. Leave You All Behind
4. So You Think You Can Spit
5. Mama Mia
6. Little Man

First Rate Rap

2010-03-02T15:49:00.004Z

Back on my grizzly like the bearman (he's now dead....killed by a bear...so maybe its not such a good idea). Back to the downloads and here we have a tasty album from producer and DJ First Rate from back in 2005.

The ex-Scratch Pervert got together some great emcees from the UK and the US to rhyme over some quality beats for his debut LP "Walky Talkyz". Released on Scenario Records, it got a buzz initially from the first track with Skinnyman "Barfight", which details Skinny's typical night in his local boozer (which I think we can all imagine would be quite interesting).

The buzz didnt stop there with tracks from UK legend Blade, Phi-Life Cypher and beatbox extraordinaire Killa Kela all getting in on the action. He also got Mr J. Medieros' group The Procussions on a song called 'Freedom' which enjoyed a bit of success on the undergound scene for them.

A thoroughly solid album from the battle DJ for his first foray into the producer album market and just another string to add to his bow of already extensive accolades from the deejay and turntablist circuit.

DJ First Rate - Walky Talkyz (2005)

1 Intro (feat. MC Wrec)
2 Barfight (feat. Skinnyman)
3 Bang On (feat. Red Eye)
4 One Day (feat. John McUlan)
5 Freedom (feat. The Procussions)
6 The Practice(feat. Sponge Crew)
7 Skit 1: Gidieon Style
8 The Cutz
9 Hamburger (feat. MC Blade)
10 Istanbul
11 Loop De Loop
12 New Rulesz (feat. Phil Life Cypher)
13 Skit 2
14 Something In The Way You Make Me Feel (feat. Killa Kela)
15 Walk The Walk (feat. Numbskullsz)
16 I Wander (feat. Project Redemption)
17 Untitled

SpineTV : Live TV: Fun House

2010-03-01T22:56:00.002Z

SpineTV : Live TV: Fun House

Been going for a while but I've just been hipped to it tonight on Twitter and its cool as fizzuck. Monday to Thursday after 9pm til 12midnight SpineTV are broadcasting live uk turntablists and deejays from the hip hop kitchen.

Tonight we've got DJ MK & Harry Love, with Mr Thing, DJ Yoda and many more dropping by. In view of recent events concerning Guru's heart attack (hope he gets better) theyre dropping classic Gang Starr right now and it sounds cooler than a polar bear's toenails (word to Big Boi).

http://www.spinetv.net/funhouse/

Sway - The Delivery Mixtape

2010-02-26T16:23:00.003Z

Just a quick note to say Sway's new mixtape...as promised on yesterday's post, is now up and available for free download at www.sway.uk.com - all you need to do is click on the links provided and it'll take you there.

http://www.sway.uk.com/

Upping The Speed

2010-02-25T21:19:00.002Z

Sway is back and means business with a new mixtape and here is your first chance to hear the first track from it. Also included below is the exclusive freestyle from 1Xtra if you were listening over 'Hard', which definitely hints at a more focused Dasafo for the future. I'm expecting big things from Sway in 2010. Here's the press nonsense to fill you in on the details:

New track from Sway called 'The Final Delivery' which is from his highly anticipated mixtape, 'The Delivery':

'The Delivery' will be released on Friday at 12pm on www.sway.uk.com
The mixtape features Akon, Styles P, Giggs, Mr Hudson, Kardinal Offishall and many more!!

Back to the post, so make sure youre in there TOMORROW at midday to get the mixtape from the man DCypher himself and enjoy the sound of things to come. As a brucey bonus here's the "Hard (freestyle)" audio from 1Xtra.

2010-02-25T21:04:00.007Z

Above is just a selection of tracks from the brilliant music site http://www.freeicecream.net/, who are promoting an EP featuring five US emcees rapping over 6 tracks sampled exclusively from different portions of the Queen classic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and they plan to release the EP shortly under the name 'Bohemian Rap CD' (see what they did there).

I love the two tracks theyve got up there (first two on the selection) and one or two of the ones below from various other http://www.freeicecream.net/ releases are superb. Get listening and check out all the other releases theyve got for free download on the website (yes! its all free you skinflints!).

The widget is also a bellend by the way and keeps changing to some other music so here's the link to the real one that doesnt keep changing every second.
http://www.freeicecream.net/player.php

No Compromise

2010-02-19T02:24:00.006Z

I finally managed to purchase my copy of the Orphans Of Cush album 'White Noize' which came out late 2009 today and gave it a full listen. I have to say...its already the best album I've heard so far in 2010.

The Orphans are essentially a supergroup of emcee extraordinaires, with Kyza, Cyrus Malachi, M9 and Masikah all killing it from start to finish with vere after verse of deep, dark lyrics over brooding beats.

This sort of LP is what puts my faith back into not only the UK scene but hip-hop as a whole. Its been a while since we've had a group come out on that Wu-Tang type of album style....by that I mean not the Wu sound but the way the Wu just packed every single song with verse after verse of intelligent, thought-provoking and entertaining material over great beats. Not even the Wu themselves does that these days but the Orphans Of Cush show a consistency and quality control second to none here.

Song after song after song just hits you with more and more "realness", for want of a better word, and the beats are perfectly matched to them, leading with piano spills and low basslines and melancholy key changes. Producer Chemo is credited as the Executive Producer of the album but nowhere does it state who produces each beat on the album (although one or two are clear beatjacks or big samples). I can only assume Chemo handles a lot of it on the boards and he does a sterling job aswell.

The great thing about this LP is not one of the four emcees outshines or overshadows another. In fact every emcee blends so well its honestly like a Voltron situation where their minds have met as one. Cliche, yes I know. Cheesy, yep I know. Another small reference to Wu-Tang (Meth famously said they form like Voltron), yep right again. But its totally correct.

Staying true to this blog's ethos of not taking away from the artists I have always only ever uploaded either free albums, mixtapes or old albums in an effort to familiarise fans with the artists and get them back into the record shops so I won't upload the album.

Instead, I'll slap a 9 out of 10 on it here and plead with you all to get it bought. Here's a link to where you can do so:

http://www.suspect-packages.com/artists/m-q/ORPHANS_OF_CUSH.php

..And if you need any more convincing, here's a couple of the songs and videos and extra titbits from the group.

Chemo's remix of the title track. HEAVY.

A nice impromptu live performance of Novocaine by Cyrus Malachi & Kyza

A nice interview with three quarters of the group just explaining the reasons they hooked up and the group's reason for being

And finally just as a treat here's one of the tracks from the album...'Pop Tarts', over a classic Pharoahe Monch beat ("God Send" I think).

Groundbreaking

2010-02-15T23:00:00.005Z

Where has Fallacy been?!

Its a question a lot of UK hip-hop fans have asked for a while as his name has been missed in the UK rap game for quite a while. Sure, he's popped up on one or two compilations and one or two guest spots every now and then in the last few years but by and large he never fully capitalised on the success and critical acclaim he recieved not only from the rap press but the major press aswell for "Blackmarket Boy".

We have that classic album here for you today just to remind you of the man's legacy before he supposedly retires later on this year. The news of his retirement from the game came along with the news of his new EP "Gracefull In Death: The Final Chapter", which came out on http://www.bandcamp.com/ on January 10th. First step, go and pick that up.

Right, back we are to the history of his magnum opus. Off the strength of one absolutely MASSIVE single with producer Fusion called 'The Groundbreaker', Fallacy was quickly thrust into the limelight during one of UK's better eras in the early 2000s. He became a go to guy, popping up on a lot of other emcees' work and dropping some hellish verses. Fallacy's turn of phrase, flow and voice left him in utter command of his audience and listener and made some of the best moments in those years his.

Following his single with Fusion, he broke out with another single, this time billed as a solo affair (even though both singles feature on the LP). "Big N Bashy" with Tubby T was in constant rotation not only on urban radio but on MTV, Radio 1 and most commercial radio. The song itself is a dub-influence club banger with punchline after punchline knocking you back into your seat.

After the singles both came out to big hype, the album followed shortly after in May 2003 and recieved warm reviews allround. I recently sifted through my record collection and found it a week or so back and put it on for a bit of nostalgia and it hasnt aged one bit. 7 years down the line its as fresh as an egg warm from a chicken's arse.

The lyrics are tight, the beats are spot on, and the collabos with Fusion, Tubby T, Roni Size, Shy FX & T Power, Rishi Rich and Rodney P are all well worth hearing. Get your fix and get that new Ep. It might be the last material you hear from the Blackmarket Boy.

Fallacy - Blackmarket Boy (2003)

1. Blackmarket Boy
2. DJ Skully DMC World Champion (Skit)
3. The Groundbreaker (radio edit)
4. Big N Bashy (featuring Tubby T)
5. Rogue Trader
6. Rap Folly (featuring Rodney P)
7. Car Chat (Skit)
8. Square Beamer
9. Stopclock
10. Proverbs 3110 (Skit)
11. Ooh
12. Scrunch
13. Stripey Shoes (Skit)
14. John Wayne Swagger
15. Old and Grey
16. Monstrous (featuring Elizabeth Troy)
17. Stay Blessed
18. The Groundbreaker (Shy FX and T Power remix)

And here's the direct link to the bandcamp site where his new EP can be got at for just £3. Can't scoff at that.

http://fallacy.bandcamp.com/

The Nosebleed Section

2010-02-15T22:31:00.004Z

A quick update dropping some new UK flavours of a different kind today. Danny Diamond has a new EP called "303's and Nosebleeds" finished and ready to go and here we have it to download for you. The sound is spaced out and digital and despite Diamond being more of a singer than an emcee its definitely grounded within some hip-hop sensibilities and landscapes judging by the overall feel to the music.

With some collaborations from Manny Moscow and Capitol 1212 the 15minute mix of tracks mesh seamlessly from one to the other to offer a promising start for the UK artist.

He will be appearing on Radio 1 Scotland on the 24th Feb with Capitol 1212 and has a myspace page with links to new and different tracks so get familiar (word to Clinton Sparks) with this new artist.

On a personal note I'm definitely feeling the track "4 Years To The Day". Great futuristic sound throughout and a nice chilled feel to it. All in all a very promising EP from an up-and-coming artist.

Danny Diamond - 303's & Nosebleeds (2010)

Intro (prod. Casper B)
4 Years To The Day (prod. Casper B / Additional & Vocal Production. B Rhodes)
Double On The Rocks(Feat. Manny Moscow)
Bad Transmission(Prod. Casper B)
Leave A Light On(Capitol 1212 & Grubby Garner)

www.myspace.com/dannydyton

Ty Is Back!!!!!

2010-02-04T16:49:00.004Z

Just a quick post and video promoting Ty's new BBE album brand new EPK from the official website. Watch the vid and you'll get a Ty interview, some snippets of new tracks and what you should look forward to in his new LP 'A Special Kind Of Fool'...due for release in stores April 2010!!!!!

Ty's new album is his first since the 2006 modern classic 'Closer' and I quietly expect it to be one of the best albums of 2010 so keep your mouth shut and your eyes open (word to Denzel) and check for it when it comes out.

http://www.myspace.com/tymusic0

Classic Was The Day

2010-02-04T16:11:00.005Z

Funky DL has always been overlooked in the UK rap scene since he released his debut back in 1997. Since he's constructed over a decade's worth of brilliant material yet never gets mentioned when people talk about UK's finest. The reason for this idiotic sentiment boils down to one thing. Rap accent.

Born and raised in our very own capital, the Hackney, London-emcee has taken a lot of stick throughout his career as to why he raps in a faux-american accent. His answer? "Its just my style". Get past the initial oddity of the accent and you find that DL has probably created some of the greatest albums in UK hip-hop history. His production alone is world-class - evoking the jazzy stylings of A Tribe Called Quest, Jay Dee and early Slum Village, and The Ummah.

You can even hear the vocal and horn samples from some of that classic material hidden deep within his tracks. We're not talking about some knock-off version here either, Funky DL has been creating these stellars beats his whole career and its almost unfathomable that he doesnt hold his place in UK hip-hop history right now. And all just because some stubborn bastards don't like the accent he raps in.

Near the beginning of his career he won a MOBO award for his hip-hop contribution (back when MOBO awards were actually relevant and trash like N-Dubz didn't take the plaudits) and has continued in the same vein ever since. Strangely enough, DL recieved massive support and still to this day holds a large fanbase in Japan where he achieved most of his success.

Here is two of DL's best albums, 1998's Heartfelt Integrity and 2002's Blackcurrent Jazz. Over the two albums there are some classic songs and sounds. Take a journey from the horns on the sublime 'Tangible' to the almost 'Lords Of The Underground'-era Marley Marl sounding 'Fromage Frais', and then onto the fanfare of 'Prediction' and the undoubted Jay Dee-esque sound on 1998's 'The Positive' (may I add back before Jay Dee was considered one of the best - if anything Funky DL helped create the sound rather than be influenced by it). Take in two albums by one of the most overlooked emcees and producers in the history of british urban music.

Funky DL - Heartfelt Integrity (1998)

01. Main Features
02. Rock To The Beat
03. Consist & JQ
04. 2nd Flow
05. Snares featuring ESP The Overseer
06. Fromage Frais
07. Billie Holiday
08. Buttermilk & Sex Appeal
09. Where Am I? / Who Are You?
10. They Don’t Know featuring M&EM
11. Missing Link
12. I Thank God
13. The Positive
14. Me & My Rhymes

Funky DL - Blackcurrent Jazz (2002)

01. Talk About
02. 2Long
03. & Ask For DL
04. Confused?
05. Hit Me
06. Roll The Dice
07. Tangible
08. Prediction
09. Wonderful featuring Guile
10. What You Saying Girl?
11. Simply 2 Complicated
12. High Endurance
13. Keeping It Classic
14. The Music featuring Sienna
15. Turntables Hate Me
16. It Still Rocks
17. 2Long Remix

Check out Funky DL's website also which actually has a FREE mixtape download of Funky DL and DJ 279's J.Dilla tribute from last year. Basically it features DL rhyming over classic Dilla beats with some mixing in for good measure. Check it out and also check out his discog, support the artist and buy his albums!

This is the tracklisting for the Dilla tribute mixtape and the link to the d/l page. It gives you the option to either download it as a one track full mix or the individual tracks. Just right click and save.

http://washingtonclassics.com/Dilla/

01 Intro - Dedication To Dilla
02 CM - Mixtape Mix
03 Me and You and Him- Mixtape Mix
04 Rock To Her Beat Beat 2000 - Mixtape Mix
05 About The Things - Mixtape Mix
06 So Sexy - Mixtape Mix
07 The Saturday Night Love Affair - Mixtape Mix
08 Confidential Information - Mixtape Mix
09 Moonlight Girl - Mixtape Mix
10 Queen of Diamonds - Mixtape Mix

And finally here's some videos from the guy just to give you the full lowdown on him. First is a callabo he did with the legendary Nujabes production crew from Japan (showing you the Japan links again) and second is the single from his most recent album. Enjoy and support.

From The Land Of Smog

2010-02-04T00:36:00.006Z

Passed to me by fellow hip-hop fan Ronathon, here is an exclusive download for the UK hip-hop heads from Teesside emcee BLUNT.

I've always written rhymes myself but with my unapologetic north-east accent never really got anything recorded as I never thought it would ever translate into success. However, this silly notion has been blown out of the water by fellow north-east success stories such as Stig Of The Dump for example. BLUNT is another from the area below Hadrian's Wall to put his pen to paper and drop a great LP.

Having no history on the man, I was going into the listening process blind, but was pleasantly surprised with the flow and the beat selection. As soon as I started 'Lyrical Venting' and I heard 9th Wonder's 'Dollarz Circulate' beat from his J.U.S.T.U.S. League beat tapes from back in the day I knew it was going to be a good experience.

Kick back, light one up and enjoy.

BLUNT - Allow Me To Be....BLUNT! (2010)

1. Lyrical Venting
2. An Ode To Skunk
3. Bitches
4. C.H.A.V.S.
5. Lyrical Venting Part II
6. Recurring Dreams
7. Underground King (Freeverse)
8. Bitches Part II (Sloppy Seconds)
9. Deeper Underground
10. Mic Check

For more, check out his Myspace Page:

www.myspace.com/boroBLUNT69

Shut Da Lights Off!

2010-02-04T00:11:00.005Z

Just a little smidgin to tide you over till the next few posts (we've got some great downloads coming up soon by the way). A small shoutout to the UK drum & bass and Dubstep scenes that are currently doing it big these days (especially dubstep). Here's DnB legend Adam F's most recent hip-hop foray in the same vain as his 'Anti-Acoustic Warfare' material.

He and Horx have roped in Redman for a re-working of the 'Smash Sumthin' track from years ago. Essentially its an entire new song with a completely different beat and hook with modified verses. Any excuse to put Redman up really, with him being one of my personal favourite emcees, especially when it involves a UK hip-hop link so its relevant to the site.

Check out the Adam F remix for some drum 'n' bass styling and the Caspa dub mix for some dubstep. Both are excellent.

Adam F & Horx (feat. Redman) - Shut The Lights Off EP

1. Shut The Lights Off (Radio Edit)
2. Shut The Lights Off (In Da Club Edit)
3. Shut The Lights Off (Adam F & Sigma DnB Remix)
4. Shut The Lights Off (Caspa & TrollySnatcher Dubstep Mix)

And here's the official video:

Lie Low

2010-01-26T21:53:00.003Z

New Flesh were always a fascinating group. Still rocking today, with their last album probably acting as their most critically acclaimed from early last year, theyve enjoyed a career of low-key cult hits in the UK without ever quite cracking the surface and getting nationwide recognition.

Due to the slightly off-kilter beats provided by Part 2, the unorthodox rhymes by Juice Aleem and manic style of Toastie Taylor, theyve laid down a sound so individual that it both sets them apart and endears.

Big Dada Recordings have always been a record label that have pushed the envelope in alternative hip-hop - their hip-hop roster includes mentalist Infinite Livez, avantgarde instrumentalists CloudDEAD, and UK legend Roots Manuva. New Flesh were a perfect group for them to sign, with the now almost prerequisite Caribbean dub sounds prevalent in a massive portion of UK trad. rap.

Here are their first two albums. The first while they were still called 'New Flesh For Old' before they dropped the suffix was a much overlooked rare album that didnt get much shine but set down their blueprint sound beautifully. The second..."Understanding" was their big break, with some hot singles such as "Communication" featuring Blackalicious emcee Gift Of Gab, "Stick N Move" featuring longtime collaborator Robotic E.B.U. and "Mack Facts".

Enjoy both and check out both their third album from last year and Juice Aleem's recent solo effort. They will not disappoint.

New Flesh For Old - Equilibrium

01 00.00.00
02 Invisible Ink
03 Addration of Kings
04 Eye of The Hurricane
05 A World In Satan’s Ear
06 186000 Miles
07 Mutatis
08 Answer of Action
09 Quantum Mechanix
10 Minutes Less
11 Song for San Susi
12 Isoteleportation
13 Ego Evident
14 Heaven & Earth
15 Thetawaves
16 01.01.00

New Flesh - Understanding

01 Move Slow feat. Beans (Anti-Pop Consortium)
02 Zero Gravity
03 More Fire
04 Norbert & Cecil feat. Roots Manuva as Cecil Pimpernel
05 Stick & Move feat. Robotic E.B.U. (Gamma)
06 Real Child Soldier
07 Communicate feat. Gift of Gab (Blackalicious)
08 Bound
09 Transition feat. Gwen Esty
10 His-Stories Crockery feat. Ramm:ell:zee
11 Aspirations
12 Mack Facts feat. Ramm:ell:zee
13 Do You Understand? (What Will Be...)

Welcome To The World Of Dusty Vinyl

2010-01-24T18:17:00.003Z

Lewis Parker. Arguably Britain’s greatest ever beatmaker. He has consistently stuck to his guns throughout his career since the release of Jedi Antiks back in the mid 90s. Crackling feedback, organic beatloops, an ear for finding the perfect sample - Parker has, in my opinion, laid down the blueprint for the perfect song.

It came as no surprise to me that he was eventually picked up and contacted by some prominent US artists, most notably Ghostface Killah for the song ‘Shakey Dog’ from his LP Fishscale, to create some audible gold.

Parker has a career spanning over 15 years at the top of his game, with each album brilliant in its own right (even his mixtapes and beat CDs are a joy to listen to), and its great to see the man succeed on his own terms.

Its very rare in this current climate of hip hop (read: ringtones outselling albums, Soulja Boy outselling everyone (!) and musicianship out the window) that a producer from Parker’s mould would succeed without changing his sound. You won’t find any Swizz Beatz casio sounds here, no sir.

Anyway, posturing aside, and me declaring all out love for the fellow, this guy is basically incredible on the beats. Other british producers such as Jehst and Dirty Diggers have undoubtedly been heavily influenced by his style and he's got new material coming out in 2010 in the form of the full-length 'The Puzzle', which was initially earmarked for late 2009 but seems to have been pushed back somewhat. I've enclosed a vid from his new LP here also, but lets go back to union square.

The Mixtape Vol. 1 was released late 2006 as a collection of rare and unreleased tracks, remixes and just select songs spanning his career so far from 1996-2006. Its just chock-full of big songs and even though it doesnt even touch any of his full-length album material, still has a quality second to none.

Lewis Parker - The Mixtape Vol. 1

01. Intro
02. Rise
03. Fake Charades
04. Parker's Siesta
05. New York Skit
06. Don't Forget About Ya Boy
07. International Heat (feat. iTruth)
08. Gettin' Funky (Funky Trouble Pt.1) (feat. Trez)
09. Funky Trouble Pt.2 (feat. Tah Born)
10. Get Ya Hustle On (feat. Tah Born)
11. Love Is Blue(Johnny Johnson & His Bandwagon)
12. Dirt Off Your Shoulder (LP Remix) (feat. Jay-Z)
13. Shakey Dog (feat. Ghostface Killah)
14. Smith Bros. (LP Remix) (feat. Raekwon)
15. Never Gonna Stop(feat. Dynas)
16. Static (feat. Jacky Danz)
17. Incognito (Dirty Card Remix)
18. Sky High (feat. Dynas)
19. End Of The Day(feat. River Nelson & Vex Davortex of The B
20. Anybody (feat. Mr Pressure)
21. Soon 2 B (feat. Mr Pressure)
22. Beautiful Life (feat. River Nelson)
23. What The Ancients Say (Remix)
24. Intensity (feat. T.R.A.C. aka Terry Nickels)

And finally, here is that vid from the fortcoming LP 'The Puzzle'. Lets hope its released soon.

F**k it okay, I'll put a few classic Parker tracks up aswell. You've twisted my arm.

Skull Candy

2010-01-24T15:15:00.006Z

I'll be using this blog a bit more from time to time just to vent and write witty or not so witty diatribes aswell as dropping some links. Its odd really. The reason I stopped updating here in the first place was mainly just because I got a full-time job with less than desirable working hours and it just took up most of my time.

As I've gone on in that job I've just got more and more bored with it, leading me to hate the job and subsequently give me the thirst for writing again. Always a silver lining to everything I suppose....

Anyway, for now lets just get a few albums up to get things back on track. Back to the UK business, here's two albums/mixtapes by respected british vinyl-spinner DJ Skully.

The first, a collaborative effort released back in about 2005 to showcase some new material from K-Lash Your Raasclaat-Neck-Off.

Ricochet Klashnekoff released this album between 'Sagas Of...' and the Joe Budha-produced 'Lionheart' as a stop gap to keep his creativity flowing. I present the mixtape to you now in anticipation of K-Lash's new material which is due out mid-2010. I wait with baited breath personally, as I see him as one of the leading lights of our culture and possibly one of the strongest emcees the UK has to offer. Lionheart would probably sneak into my top 10 favourite UK rap albums of all time aswell.

"Focus Mode" is a mixtures of new tracks interspersed with some freestyles and beat-jacking, and its entertaining from beginning to end.

DJ Skully Presents...Klashnekoff - Focus Mode (2005)
1. Intro
2. Focus mode
3. Ya Wrong (Special)
4. McWaffle Presents..
5. Mr K-Lash
6. Jamrock Takeover
7. Get Down
8. Zero 2005
9. No Games
10. Black Rose Revisited
11. Son Of Niya - Featuring Sizzla (Dub Special)
12. Channel K...
13. Jankroville 2005
14. Smack Down Dub
15. Revolution
16. Raw Tings
17. No Escape
18. Back In The Game
19. Let It Go
20. You
21. F** The Long Talk
22. Jah Bles
23. Traces
24. Nightbreed/Outro

The second Skully effort is Champion Sounds, a 2003 release showcasing his skills and the collection of various hot songs from the period. Skully doesn't limit himself to one style, with a couple of stateside tracks from the likes of Canibus and Celph Titled mixed in with UK stalwarts like Jehst, Tommy Evans, Lewis Parker and so on. The album serves as a compilation as much as a solo DJ set, with a lot of the tracks fully created for the album exclusively. However, its Skully's finishing touches that add to the groove both musically and through turntablism.

DJ Skully - Champion Sounds (2003)

1. Intro - Skully
2. Components Of Competition - Unleashed By Science & Skully
3. Champion Sounds Special - Headkrack
4. Take Risks - Maylay Sparks
5. Word Play - Royalty & Mikey Starr
6. Ay Yo (I'm Here Now) - Skriblah & Lewis Parker
7. Escape To Victory - Canibus
8. Turntable Science - Celph Titled & Skully
9. Moving Target - ARE & Headkrack
10. B 4 U Die (The Burial) - Joe Buhdha & Terrafirma
11. Feelings - Est'elle
12. It Feels Good - Harmonic 33 & MCM
13. Junkie For Beatz - Danny Breaks
14. Good To Know - Divine Mind & BI/Loose Kannon/Mikchek/DT
15. This Life - LPD
16. Nouveau Riche - Jehst & Tommy Evans

Apache: An Obituary

2010-01-23T22:03:00.003Z

Less of an obituary, more just an homage to his great solo release following his passing away on January 22, 2010. Usually this is a strictly UK hip-hop site (or at least it was until I stopped posting on it over a year ago - more on me trying to get this running again in a bit) but when events like these occur I can make some exceptions.

I always loved the seminal track 'Gangsta Bitch' from when I was a youth and when the blog boom hit and sites all over the net became great suppliers of rare and old hip-hop albums I found his album about a decade ago.

Sure, the single was a standout, but its amazing how much Apache's album (from 1991 believe it or not) has stood the test of time. The horns on the single, the cuts and blasts on the album track 'Apache Ain't Shit', the bass on 'Make Money'. Its all classic 90s.

The former Flavor Unit emcee succumbed to an illness earlier this month but his music will live on at least on my stereo. I won't try and patronise the visitors to this site in going back through his life's work as I'm sure most people who have got this far may already have snatched this from much more note-worthy blogs. For those that slept though...here it is. RIP Apache.

Apache - Apache Ain't Shit (1991)

1. The Beginning 1:20
2. Tonto 4:16
3. Do Fa Self 3:19
4. Gangsta Bitch 4:45
5. A Fight 3:31
6. Kill D'White People 0:17
7. Hey Girl 3:38
8. Apache Ain't Shit 3:40
9. Blunted Snap Session 2:43
10. Who Freaked Who 3:42
11. Get Ya Weight Up 3:55
12. Woodchuck 4:23
13. Make Money 3:01
14. Wayz Of A Murderahh 3:16

Download

American Exchange

2008-09-24T17:33:00.003Z

I've talked and talked in the past about Baby J's production credentials on this site since day one, and highlighted the modern UK classics he's already created with countless british emcees.

He has three solid producer albums under his belt, all of which have been well-recieved. He's helped Blade craft arguably one of his best albums a couple of years back in 'Guerilla Tactics' and he is about to unleash new material very soon. One thing Baby J doesn't get credited for is his work with US emcees.

Even on his debut album 'Birth' he had songs with Shabaam Sahdeeq of the late 90s indie label Rawkus fame. In fact, one of his best ever songs was with revolutionary, at times quite racist but always entertaining 'dead prez' on his song 'Scattered People'.

One US group that have been a permanent fixture on Baby J albums is the A-Alikes. They are a duo who are loosely affiliated with dead prez and Tahir (Hedrush) and they make some hard-hitting tracks. Whilst not the MOST talented duo, they certainly know their way around a hook and a beat. Also, with Baby J producing every track on this album, they couldn't really fail.

'Kill The Middleman' is a solid if not spectacular that showcases J as notjust a one trick pony. Although he does rely on soul samples a lot of the time, he has proved that he has other weapons in his arsenal.

A-Alikes - Kill The Middleman (2005)

1. Intro
2. Pop Off
3. Young Buk to OG (feat. I.G.)
4. Love Is Love
5. Why? (feat. Laurissa)
6. Freedom
7. Treeman
8. Keep It Funky
9. What Niggaz Do
10. Throw Ya Gunz
11. I'll Probably Wind Up
12. If I Get On (feat. Teresa)
13. The Babies
14. Some Of Us
15. Snitch
16. Eenie Meanie (feat. Teresa)
17. Strategy
18. Grey Skies

Wreck The House

2008-09-18T23:30:00.008Z

Let's go back to the very turn of the century. Its 2000, there is a certain smell in the air. Some man is fishing on a dock and he notices the ripples of the sea are quickly increasing in size. He looks into the distance and sees a wave of monumental proportions heading his way. He drops in rod and desperatly tries to escape its clutches. However, its too late. The man gets swallowed up by the wave in double-quick time. Only its not a wave. Something in the water caused that wave and he's surfaced to wreak havoc on decks nationwide. It's Agzilla!!!!!

Sadly, in this album there are no excerpts from Matthew Broderick or Hank Azaria. There are no smaller agzilla's hatching in the bowels of Madison Square Garden. But there are a ridiculous amount of heavy beats interspersed with large doses of scratching & film quotes.

Deckwrecka (aka Agzilla) came out with his debut full-length album 'V...For Vengeance' in 2000, a rip-roaring hour of nothing but beats and breaks that would put a smile on any b-boy Brit's face.

Wrecka's LP was incidentally the first ever release from UK label Ronin Records, famous pretty much only for being the label that released the classic 'COuntryman' by Skitz. But more on him later. This album makes up with great scratching and quotables what it loses from a lack of vocalists, and its the type of CD you can just put on and listen to all the way through as a full piece of music. Sit back, light a blunt (or in my case put the kettle on and make a cup of tea cos I don't smoke that sh*t) and enjoy some proper turntablism.

Deckwrecka - V... For Vengeance (2000)

1. Intro
2. The Big Up
3. Assassin's Road
4. Secret Warz
5. My Thesis
6. Furious Styles
7. 23 Forever
8. Sever The Wicked
9. Dedication
10. Change The Style (interlude)
11. Scores On The Doors
12. Sycosis
13. Double Zero Zero
14. Ogami's way
15. Live @ Visage
16. Catch Wrecka
17. Deleted Files (Bonus Beats)
18. Mind Control
19. Tsik Wei Step
20. Bayou Boogie
21. Zilla's Theme
22. Rough Winds
23. The Return
24. Ghetto Princess
25. Rice Cakes
26. Hah Breakdown
27. 5 Door Finale
28. Outro - Deckwrecka Theme

Skitz & Pieces

2008-09-18T23:30:00.007Z

I did say in the last post 'more on Skitz later', and this is what I meant. Daddy Skitz released a series of mixtapes in the past few years (I say a series, I mean err...two volumes) engineered to mix the best talent from UK, intersperse their music with a couple of choice tracks from overseas and bring the fans some exclusives along the way.

'Homegrown Vol. 1' kind of went under the radar when it came out and the second one didnt do much better, but don't let their lack of sales take away from the fact that they are brilliant compilations. To be honest though, hardly any UK hip-hop albums get good sales figures unless you're called Dizzee so no-one on our shores should really worry about that anyway.

The album is less mixtape more track selection, coming off just like Skitz himself was in his front room picking tracks he likes at the time on his iTunes just to listen to. Believe me, this is a good thing, because this man has been there and done it all and probably knows more about UK hip-hop than anyone else in the game.

He's released a classic album I still listen to religiously to this day, he's had a very succesful 1Xtra show with Rodney P, he's produced countless tracks for pretty much anyone who is anyone in our genre and he's still got a lot left in his tank.

The album is from 2004, and its like a small time capsule of hot tracks from the time, featuring Million Dan's SEMINAL monster hit 'Dogz & Sledgez', Pharoahe Monch's brilliant political attack 'Agent Orange', Canadian rapper-who-has-just-sold-out-and-is-just-about-to-blow-up-because-of-it Kardinal Offishall with arguably his best ever song 'Bakardi Slang' (if you don't know or haven't heard this song, the beat is pretty astounding).

Great artists like Seanie T, Rodney P, Taskforce, Braintax, Phi Life Cypher, Skinnyman, Roots Manuva, actually pretty much every big name in UK rap are on here, and the album itself shines because of it. Great selection, great DJ, great download.

Skitz - Homegrown Vol. 1 (2004)

1. Skitz & Solomon - Intro
2. Million Dan - Dogz & Sledgez
3. Keith Lawrence (feat. Seanie T) - Muzik Ed Special
4. Life & Nappa of Phi Life Cypher - Soldiers
5. Kardinal Offishall - Bakardi Slang
6. The Extremists - Revolution
7. Pursuit & Taskforce - Norse Code
8. Terra Firma - Sionara (Skitz Xclusive Mix)
9. Braintax - Just Me
10. Karl Hinds (feat Seanie T & Toyin) - You Done Know (Live-O)
11. Skibadee - The Greatest Show
12. Dynamite MC - Bubble
13. Pharoahe Monch - Agent Orange
14. Roots Manuva - Check It
15. Skitz, MC D & 2Ice - Champion Sound
16. Rascalz (feat. Notch) - Warrior (Dirty Version)
17. Ty (feat. Roots Manuva) - So U Want More? (Revox)
18. Beyond There (feat. Yungun & Jehst) - Slumber (Skitz Xclusive Mix)
19. Rodney P - Big Black Boots
20. Sterling Collat (feat. Skeme, Dirt T & Big P) - What Goin On
21. The Sea & Mr Ti2bs - Introducing Mr Tibbs
22. Skinnyman - What's My Life Like

New Events & Videos

2008-09-07T22:06:00.005Z

Just while I'm away from my music collection for a week, here's a word from the sponsors:

Hip-Hop Connection magazine are celebrating their 20th anniversary this Autumn. For the first time ever, the world's longest running hip-hop magazine Hip-Hop Connection will go on tour. With a line-up designed to attract all spectrum's of hip-hop fans, this tour is set to be one of the most historically important events in British Hip-Hop.

Leeds Hip Hop Scene have teamed up with the longest hip hop magazine in the world to bring a special one off gig at the Wardrobe in Leeds on 4th October 2008.The night will feature an all-star team of UK Hip-Hop artists,Million Dan, Jehst, Stig Of The Dump, Dr Syntax, Klashnekoff and hosted by Baby J.

The night is guaranteed to have crowd participation, featuring an open mic emcee battle hosted by Million Dan and product giveaways (free artist merchandise, free copies of Hip-Hop Connection, free CDs, free Puma goodies, free LHHS gear and much much more).

50 Special Advanced Tickets for £10 from http://www.leedshiphop.co.uk/ will be available from 9am Monday 8th September 2008.

Further Tickets will go on sale later in the month via Jumbo Records in Leeds, & if that wasn't enough for you we have Blak Twang performing at the Wardrobe in Leeds November 2008 look out for more info!!

To tide you over till the next post, here's some brand new videos you might enjoy:

ROOTS MANUVA - again & again

BLAK TWANG - champagne lifestyle

A British Soul

2008-09-05T03:38:00.003Z

Right, then lads and lasses. Something a little different for your ears instead of the usual hip-hop. Here is the debut album 'Just Living' by Kevin Mark Trail, a British born singer-songwriter.

KMT is a brilliant soul singer that makes exemplary and modest soul music ideal for any night in. This album garnered HUGE critical acclaim from everyone from The Guardian to being pondered over for a Mercury Music Prize nomination. You may know him, or at least his voice, as he guested on two tracks on The Streets' debut 'Original Pirate Material', most notably he sung the chorus on the single 'Lets Push Things Forward'.

After touring with Mike Skinner he went out alone to push his solo career and this first release is a great introduction to his sound. Plus, he had UK legends Blak Twang (so glad he brought out new material...now if only I had money to buy...) and Rodney P on the remix to his song 'Last Night', so you can't argue with that. Hopefully the man will come out with some more material soon and not get lost in the already massive pile of r'n'b singer that failed to really blow up commercially despite their considerable talent. Sit back, make a hot beverage, wear a cardigan, and relax in front of the fire (or the radiator for the lesser posh) to the sounds of Kevin Mark Trail.

Kevin Mark Trail - Just Living (2005)

1. D Thames

2. Vibe

3. Lion By Trade

4. Last Night

5. Ticket Line

6. Bread

7. Ego City

8. Full Moon

9. Breathless

10. Backbone

11. Perspective

12. City Boy

Kevin Mark Trail - Last Night REMIX feat Blak Twang & Rodney P (VIDEO)

Back to Business

2008-09-05T03:18:00.003Z

Finally here we go with some more Great British material from our beloved urban scene! Today we have the underground duo of Jiff & Rap6, better known as Paragon.

In 2004 they released their long-awaited, long-anticipated long-player 'The Long Road' to some critical acclaim and not much else. Their videos got a bit of play on the now very poor Channel U when it first arrived on UK digital television and it seemed that they were a group ready to set alight the airwaves (or at least the pirate airwaves) of England. Four years down the line and save for one or two singles they have pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth (to my knowledge anyway), and that is a very sad thing.

In fact, Paragon had been going a HELL of a long time before they got their acclaim and dues for 'The Long Road' - it was actually a decade of hard work for them before they put the album out!

The album is true underground hip-hop in a universal sense as it has that gritty sound, but Jiff & Rap6 are true Brit rhymers through their slang and delivery, and the sound is much more warmer than some underground emcees from the US. By that I mean the production value is at a paramount and always solid throughout.

The big hit from the album was 'The Anthem', and if you were big on UK rap in the early 00s and youu havent heard it then shame on you. They followed that up with the, frankly, exquisite ode to the ladies 'Queen Like No Other' and eventually a year later a remix to 'The Anthem' was released to much fanfare (see video below).

The album features guest spots from such UK stalwarts as Tommy Evans, Cashino & Asaviour and is a very enjoyable listen.

Paragon - The Long Road (2004)

1. Intro
2. 16 Bars Aren't Enough (feat. Finale)
3. The Anthem (feat. Esta)
4. You're Making Me Laugh
5. Queen Like No Other
6. Back Against The Wall (feat. Dil, Toby Thompson & Ms Davies)
7. Give It Up (feat.Dil)
8. You Just Don't Get It
9. Music (feat. DBlack, Cashino & Toby Thompson)
10. Hard To Believe
11. Beef
12. Alright
13. V.I.P. (feat. Toby Thompson)
14. The Heist (feat. Redmaster & C-Lone)
15. You (feat. Sam The Man)
16. UK Hot With It (feat. Asaviour & Tommy Evans)

Leeds Festival (The Urban Edition)

2008-08-28T19:53:00.004Z

So, another weekend at Leeds Festival has been and gone and this time I was not disappointed. Of course, its a predominantly rock-based music festival, but there were quite a few urban, hip-hop acts nestled in among the madness.

On the Friday, Lethal Bizzle played the Dance Stage in the afternoon, and he completely shocked me with his live performance. The tent was absolutely packed and the former More Fire Crew member got the whole crowd jumping with a whistle-stop set through his biggest hits such as 'Pow!', 'Fire' and 'Its A Shame'. I would personally like to apologise to Bizzle for including him in the list of grime acts with no talent only a month ago, because this man completely surprised me with his onsatge presence.

It is no wonder that Lethal Bizzle has been embraced by the indie scene as much as his bread-and-butter urban scene (he is fawned over in NME each week), as he has an onstage persona that completely belies his music's made-in-the-garage sound (the sound most grime music has to my ear). Halfway through his set he jumped atop a massive speaker on the side of the stage and started performing his new single 'Bizzle, Bizzle' from up there before getting the crowd to chant his name followed by 'Fuck Download' (*he played Download festival earlier in the summer, which is a staunchly positioned metal festival...needless to say the metal fans did not take kindly to his being there and they bottled him off - completely the organisers fault because an urban artists shouldn't be playing Download in the first place). It was one of the most refreshing and surprising performances of the whole weekend, which is an achievement considering he was only on one of the side stages and he was playing to mostly indie hipsters and metal fans (Metallica were headlining later that day).

A new man when it comes to infiltrating the mainstream consciousness, Natty played a very impressive laidback reggae set on one of the smaller stages to an appreciative crowd. Natty's new album 'Man Like I' has just come out and is an absolute belter so run out and buy it now or I'll cut your balls off.

Dizzee Rascal continued to excel live when he played the main stage on Saturday afternoon. The crowd he gathered at about 2pm was phenomenal, with everyone singing hits such as 'Fix Up, Look Sharp', 'I Luv U', 'Stand Up Tall' and the questionable newer song 'Dance Wiv Me' in unison. He was joined onstage by 1Xtra man DJ Semtex (who was much fatter than I remember!) and some hype men.

Space Age funksters Chromeo delivered a great set to a small crowd on the Dance stage late on Friday evening, further cementing themselves as one of the best funk acts around in the world of modern music. The great thing about their set is that despite the crowd being small, everyone their knew the songs inside out, and the use of hip-hop tinged vocoders and keyboard trickery gave them a much more urban feel, allowing the crowd to really get involved with the songs (hip-hop tracks are MADE for live performances).

Wiley played much later on the Alternative stage on Friday and apparently delivered quite a good performace (I was on the main stage awaiting Metallica, yeah, I'm a metalhead too) but obviously most fans were indie kids and came to see the dance (see: not hip-hop) track 'Wearing My Rolex'. Wiley is a very creative and interesting rapper but its disappinting that the only way a man like him can breakthrough to the mainstream is if he changes his sound so much that its almost unrecognisable.

Even with all of this, the best 'urban' (I'll explain) act there was by far Rage Against The Machine. 'RATM, hip hop?', I hear you ask. Well, maybe not in sound alone, as they are widely regarded as one of the best metal acts of our generation, but frontman Zack de la Rocha is arguably one of the best lyricists and emcees of all time. The man oozes charisma, and people were passing out as he took the stage to perform 'Testify'. de la Rocha raps like he was a hip-hop legend, and one of his verses has more substance than most emcees have spit in their entire careers. Anyone who is a hip-hop fan but has never listened to RATM because they are seen as metal, I URGE you to pick up one of their albums and listen to them. You will not be disappointed.

Sorry about letting this website slide, there are a few reasons why which will bore you to death so I won't mention them. I'm not going to lie, posts will be a bit further apart for the next few months than they used to be, but I'll make sure updates DO come.

The Problem With Grime

2008-07-08T23:13:00.006Z

I've always been staunchly against Grime as a sub-genre ever since its explosion on the UK urban scene a couple of years ago. It is, in a way, a twisted younger brother of the garage scene that came to have great success at the turn of the century. Grime has now not only took over the UK urban scene, but it seems to have ushered in 'bassline' music to share their wider audience.

Now... I wouldn't have an issue with Grime at all usually, as there are one or two other genres I don't fancy much that I don't feel the need to 'hate' on as whole (yes, this is a 'hater' article, I'm a blogger, ranting is what I do). The reason the genre is such a thorn in my earhole is because it claims to be hip-hop. Cross-over artists such as Dizzee Rascal & Sway came from the early grime scene to make a name for themselves, and their music is palatable to my ears because they are talented emcees that embraced the hip-hop culture within their sound. Dizzee Rascal, more notably, featured UGK on his last album, and has even managed to break America (apparently, I'm sure one or two US readers can shed light on that).

The reason Sway & Dizzee have made a name for themsleves from the Grime scene is because they have lyrical skills in abundance. Grime really gets on my wick because it is chock-full of untalented artists who have no right to call themselves such because all they do is talk slang and make gunshot sounds over sloppy frantic beats. Artists such as Bashy or Tinchy Strider are now getting ridiculous exposure, yet their music is nothing more than our very own version of the Souljah Boy type rap that is coming to the forefront in the US.

This is my first post in about a month now, due to me moving house and being without the internet. In this month the biggest UK urban release has been the soundtrack to 'Adulthood', a film basically about a bunch of illiterate ASBO kids in London that I really would not want to meet because their version of English is a mixture of txt spk and weed talk. There you go, who needs Jonathan Ross when I can be both informative and stereotypical about inner-city youts in one sentence.

This first post is here for a reason. I need to make a distinction between UK hip-hop and Grime. The line seems to have blurred in the last year and it worries me. New scenes bubble up to the surface all of the time and its healthy for music as a whole, but this site is 100% UK hip-hop. Grime is nothing more than a educationally-sparse teenager's hobby. Job done.

Proper posts coming soon. Transitions are occurring at the moment but hopefully we can get this site up and running ASAP. For now, support hip-hop. Throw away anything that has the words 'Oh My Days', 'Seeeeeeen' or 'Brrrrrrat!' on it.

Please voice your opinions on whether you think Grime has had a good or bad effect on UK hip-hop since its arrival on the scene in the comments section. I'd be very interested to see if I'm by myself in my thoughts on the music as it seems a lot of people have embraced it with open arms.