They Had Next?

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

UK Round-Up 25/03/2010

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:

UK BX

Easily the most underrated producers in the land, The P Brothers have released four instalments of their incredible vinyl series ‘The Heavy Bronx Experience’, each one being a testament to true hip-hop, and that the UK are keeping the genre alive as good as anyone else - maybe even more so.

The old school sensibilities are rife within the tunes - booming bass, beats that can easily blow speakers given the chance, and guest rappers that have only one focus - bludgeoning the track lyrically. P Brothers have aligned themelves with some of the best Nottingham talent - Scor-Zay-Zee, Cappo, Mr 45, Lee Ramsay, aswell as some legendary US rappers that have stood up and took notice to their sound, namely Sadat X, and a handful of other New York-based rappers such as Milano & Gang Starr-affiliate Smiley Da Ghetto Child.

Their sound is their ace in the hole - it can’t be ignored or shrugged off as poorly made or set in its ways, because to do so you would be insulting the very essence of hip-hop. Paul S & Ivory have recreated the sound of ‘88, and backed it up with a British sensibility to prove it to be more than just a US knock-off.

Here is their ‘Best Of’ compilation, an album taking the best tracks from the Heavy Bronx Experience series and putting them all on one CD for new ears. I hope you all enjoy this album as much as I do, and support their live show, along with buying their vinyl series up quick sharp.

This is the Heavy Bronx Experience!!!!

P Brothers - Live Hardcore Worldwide Part. II (The Best of The Heavy Bronx Experience)

1. Live Intro
2. The Illest (feat. Cappo)
3. 45 & Cappo Live From The Boat Club
4. 3 Kings (feat. Scor-Zay-Zee, Cappo & Mr 45)
5. Nottingham BX (feat. Cappo)
6. Come On Down (feat. Sadat X, Eddie Cheeba & GS)
7. Showstopper (feat. Mr 45)
8. Scor-Zay-Zee & Lee Ramsay Live From The Boat Club
9. Make It Better (feat. Cappo)
10. Incomparable (feat. Cappo)
11. Rock The House (feat. Lee Ramsay & Donald D)
12. Showstopper Part II - 45 Rocks The House (feat. Mr 45)
13. 4 Kings Live (feat. Scor-Zay-Zee, Lee Ramsay, Cappo & Mr 45)
14. Great Britain (feat. Scor-Zay-Zee)
15. Kill - Make My Songs... (feat. Cappo)
16. Outro

For more info on The P Brothers and their music visit www.myspace.com/pbrothersnotts or http://www.heavybronx.com/ !!!

The Re-Up

No, not that god awful compilation Eminem did. I've decided to re-upload all of the single songs that have been uploaded so far into full sets, just like the Aspects one from the last post. For your convenience!!!! Aren't I a champ, eh?

Northern Author Collections


Baby J Download

Baby J (feat. Freestyle of The Arsonists) - Focus (from 'The Birth')
Baby J (feat. A-Alikes) - Walk With A Bop (from 'The Birth')
Baby J (feat. Rukus with Ty, Klashnekoff & Yogi) - Let It Go (from 'F.T.P.')
Baby J (feat. Bang) - Get 'Em Bang (from 'F.T.P.')
Baby J (feat. dead prez & Shabazz The Disciple) - Scattered People (from 'F.T.P.')
Baby J (feat. Dynamite MC) - Young, Gifted & Black (from 'FTP2: Fight The Power')
Baby J (feat. TB) - Forever (from 'FTP2: Fight The Power')
Baby J (feat. Poisonous Poets) - Must Get Free (from 'FTP2: Fight The Power')
Moorish Delta 7 - Don't Leave Me Lonely (prod. by Baby J) ( from MD7's 'The Power & The Glory' LP)

Jehst Download

Jehst - Liquid Diction (from 'Premonitions EP')
Jehst - High Plains Anthem (from 'Return Of The Drifter')
Jehst - Falling Down (from 'Falling Down')
Jehst - Hydroblowback (from 'Nuke Proof Suit')
DJ MK presents Supa T, Jehst, Kyza & Harry Love - It's All Live
Secondson & His Orchestra with Jehst - Turn It Up To The Red (from 'Secondson & His Orchestra')

Harry Love Download

Klashnekoff - 'Murda' (from 'The Sagas Of Klashnekoff')
Kyza - 'Lights Out' (from the 12" vinyl single 'Lights Out/Harsh Reality')
Yungun - 'What Eye See Part II' (from Yungun's LP 'The Essance')
Jehst, J-Zone & Harry Love - 'Staircase To Stage' (from the 12" vinyl single of the same name)

Verb T Download

Verb T & Harry Love - Showbitchness
Verb T & Harry Love (feat. Kasmere The Iguana Man) - Not Enuf Hours (from 'Bring It Back To Basics)
Verb T & Harry Love (feat. Red, Ransom Badbones & Jehst) - Equal Portions(from 'Bring It Back To Basics')
Ghost (feat. Verb T & Asaviour) - Better Tomorrow (from 'Seldom Seen Often Heard')

Cappo & P Brothers Download

Cappo - Grand Final (from 'Spaz The World')
P Brothers (feat. Cappo) - Nottingham BX
P Brothers (feat. Scor-Zay-Zee, Cappo & Mr. 45) - 3 Kings
Cappo & Konny Kon - CapKon Entertainment

The Heavy Bronx Experience

The P Brothers & Cappo are easily among the best examples of modern hip-hop today. They have built their music on the 'boom-bap' sound of traditional rap and have formed some of the best made songs ever to come out of the UK. I'd have to say that alongside Lewis Parker and Jehst, the P Brothers are definitely some of the best producers ever to come out of the UK.

Cappo was a member of the same record company as DPF was, Son Records, which gives us a lovely link from the last post onto this new one. However, he was never a huge cast member for them and came to prominence only once he had forged a superb partnership with Paul S & Ivory (The P Brothers). Cappo's first solo album, Spaz The World (superbly un-pc album name!), was a revelation. It grumbled with deep basslines and hit hard with its beats, and Cappo's cadence and voice complemented the brooding music brilliantly.

However, the first examples of Cappo rhyming over P Brothers beats comes on the Heavy Bronx Experience vinyl series. THE track that blew me away by the Akai Professional was 'Nottingham BX', which had possibly the hardest and loudest drums ever to be put on a track. They made the drums sampled on Rick Rubin tracks sound like a fieldmouse sneezing. Again, I love Cappo on the song, as his flow was MEAN. In the best possible sense of the word.

Then came '3 Kings', a P Brothers posse cut with fellow Nottingham dwellers Scor-Zay-Zee (formerly of OutDaVille), Mr. 45, and of course, Cappo. This song's brilliance comes from its simple but hypnotic bass, and all three emcees spitting lyrics like they were in competition. Scor-Zay-Zee steals the show with the 1st verse, though.

"When I'm writing a rap I'm like a dog fighting a cat,
Arse-kissers get in the game, their tongue right in the crack,
I step in the front, never one to hide in the back,
Ask yourself on stage is the crowd likely to clap,
When I bust verse, they said I wouldn't make it cos I'm white and I'm fat,
The P Brothers put me right on the track,
With the great Lee Ramsay, 4-5 and the Cap,
I was, lost in the Bronx trying to find me a map"

"I put my fists out and say 'Bronx' cos that's the word"

Cappo has more recently been working with Zero Theory, and released an EP just over a year ago that I own on vinyl. I would upload it but have no idea what cable I would need to connect the turntable to the PC (Any help?). Either way, except for the odd song from both Cappo and The P Brothers, its been a while since we've heard a lot of material from both camps, so listen to this to keep you ticking over till then.

Cappo - Grand Final (from 'Spaz The World')

P Brothers (feat. Cappo) - Nottingham BX

P Brothers (feat. Scor-Zay-Zee, Cappo & Mr. 45) - 3 Kings

Cappo & Konny Kon - CapKon Entertainment