Two of my favorite people in hip hop, Bat and Dillon bless us with their own top five list, songs dealing with food. Those not on the know, Dillon is like on some five star chef type of thing, hence the food references that seem to go down with his music and Batsauce....well, I'm not sure what is all in a bat sauce, but I think I'll pass. At least he makes good beats!
Dillon & Batsauce's Favorite Rap songs dealing with food (kinda .. .)
(Written by Dillon as Bat is currently in a food coma)
1) Camp Lo - Luchini - I don't know if Luchini is food, or drink, or what the fuck it is to be honest, but this joint is my one of all-time favs (still dont really know why - I know every lyric and have no clue what any of it means). And I guess it kinda sounds like Linguini? Porcini (Mushrooms)? Chimichanga?
2) Biz Markie - Pickin Boogers - Who eats their boogers?! I'm not saying I do, but if you do - then you can feel the Biz on this joint - it very well may be on some food shit for ya. Word is not bond on that, fam. Handle that.
3) Main Source feat. Nasty Nas, Fatal, Akineyle - Live at The BBQ - When young Nas says, "Poetry attacks, paragraphs punch hard /My brain is insane, I'm out to lunch God "
I don't think I'm the only one who wondered - "Where ya going to lunch, Nas? Can we link up? Wanna get some dumplings or some shit? Or kidnap the president's wife without a plan?"
4) Snoop Doggy Dogg - Gin N Juice - Yah! Gotta love a drink that gets you fucked up, and boosts your immune system at the same time. This shit is damn near 2 food groups! I'm a young cat, and this was my shit in 5th grade - classic material from the Dogg Father!
5) The Pharcyde - Otha Fish - okay, so technically The Pharcyde were talking about a different kind of fish (probably), but I'll be damned if fish - (when it is fresh and wild-caught) isn't the mega brain food, so these cats were definitely on to something!
**Runner-up - Chef Raekwon - Ice Cream (I'm lactose intolerant - so I fronted)
Of course this mega ties-in with my food blog: www.DillonAteThat.com - so peep that.
And you know the drill - Batsauce.com if you need them beats!
New music from Dillon coming soon - "Studies in Hunger" produced by Therapy / P.Locke - and Bat and I are currently working on our record together here in Berlin - so be on the lookout - holla back fam
Dillon
4/16/2009
5x5 Day Four: Dillon & Batsauce's Five Favorite Songs Dealing With Food (Kinda)
4/17/2008
Philaflava's 100 Greatest Obscure Tracks :The Bonus Tracks aka Trav's Picks Part II
"I woke up early on my born day....." - Nas.
I'm another year older this morning as I am now old enough to run for president. I have nothing left to look forward as far as milestones, except senior citizen discounts. Yeah, great. I don't really feel like getting into a big long post about turning older like I did last year, but if someone has a copy of the mix I threw up last year on my birthday, I'd be much obliged. I didn't feel like piecing back together and it wasn't on my computer. I'm sure it's on a disc somewhere, but I don't have the time to find it, if it is even unpacked. Just another day as far as birthday's go. I'm going to my incredibly boring, yet tense job today and then coming home and working on my other things. This weekend, Saturday to be exact, I'm celebrating it. Some drinks, a W.C. show here in town and I'm sure I'll end up drinking to much and making an ass out of myself before the end of the night, some people never grow up.
Back to the Bonus cuts from the Philaflava Top 100 "Hard To Find, Less known, Kind of Obscure" tracks, as felt by ME......
****ALL Tracks Featured****FIXED
Almyghty Myghty Pythons - Curve Your
Nerve (Hiero Imperium, from the 12 inch single with "Amp", "Curve Your Nerve", & "Contact", 2002)
The Almyghty Myghty Pythons were one of those super groups that sounded great, but never really materialized. We did, however get a single out of the Souls of Mischief/Pharcyde (Bootie Brown and Imani), which is more than we get out of most of the rumored collaborations. I'm not saying this track or single is an instant classic, but it has a nice smooth flow to it, with production by A Plus that utilizes an almost spanish sound guitar lick. The hook gets in your head like a bad dream and you end up muttering it to yourself most of the day. It would have been interesting to hear what a full project between the two would have sounded like.
Black Sheep - Still In The Ghetto (Mercury, on the "Similak Child" b/w "Still In The Ghetto" 12 inch single, 1992)
I snatched up the "Similak" cassette single back in the day, which had a blurred out picture of a nipple, which excited my 18-year old hormones. Since then, this song was rather hard to run across for whatever reason. I remember a group of us was looking for a decent rip of this track with no luck. I'm guessing it's a leftover from "A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing", which would be unfortunate, because it could have hung on that album. The Sheep drop a ill horn sample over several familiar drum breaks, basslines and piano chords. Lyrically, the song would have fit in well with the other collection of tracks found on "A Wolf....", although it carried a slightly more serious overtone to it.
Common - Tekzilla (2000-2001?, from the "Unreleased Shit" 12 inch which had "Tekzilla" b/w "1-9-9-9", on a white label)
If I remember right, "Tekzilla" was supposed to be on Hi-Tek's first solo opus, but was ditched due to sample issues. It's most unfortunate, because this song is one of my favorite Common songs. Common drops a story of sorts, rollin' thru the streets of Chicago when he catches beef with a cat and ends up throwin' blows and giving the dude an eye jammie after having a fight with his woman. I guess I just like the vibe of the story. The beat is freakin' amazing as well. Tek hooks up a piano sample with some horn stabs that just make you feel like you about to throw blows with some dip shit talking smack. Great mood music, as both the lyrical performance and music make you feel the whole situation.
Dismasters - Small Time Hustler (Urban Rock Records, featured on the "Small Time Hustler" b/w "You Must Be Crazy" 12 inch, as well as the "And Then Some" LP, Single from 1987, the LP in 1989)
I know I said I didn't like using tracks from albums, but then again, most albums are not as obscure as the "And Then Some" LP from the Dismasters crew. The Dismasters consisted of Raven T and Mike Ski and were back by Chuck Chillout, who also produced this track. I've always loved this track since the late 80's. I've often said that the late 80's were my favorite era in hip hop and this song is a prime example of why that is. The production is on some drum break and sample type of thing, but it's what I loved about the 80's. The two members are no Rakim on the mic neither, but put everything together and it just makes for a great song.
Funkmaster Flex & The Ghetto Celebs feat Charlie Brown, Old Dirty Bastard and Biz Markie - Nuttin' But Flavor (Wreck Records, on the "Nuttin' But Flavor" b/w "Live at the Pallidum" 12 inch, 1995)
Triva question: What was the first song to play on the very first WYDU Classic? Answer: this track, "Nuttin' But Flavor". Another joint I went out and bought on a cassette single. I played the shit out of this track, mainly because it would never be on any full length LP, so I thought I was pretty cool for owning it. There was a video for it, which is how I was introduced to it. The beat is simple, but it's got some catchy piano keys that pop up on it. Then of course you have three very different MC's, and all three come in a completely different way, so you have a very entertaining joint.
Kamikaze feat Nas, Cormega & Akinyele - On The Real (White label? early 90's)
Trying to find info on this is a bitch. BUT...From what I remember, this song was an originally a Kamikazee track and not a Nas track, that most sources credit it to. Kamikazee was a Queens MC that was around in the very early days. I don't know much else about him other than he was the subject of LL Cool J's ire on "I'm Bad" track. This shit is flyyyyyyyyyyy, you might know the Nas version already, and the track is some nasty ass vinyl version, meaning lots of cracks, but it's hip-hop history. True Queens shit.
Live Squad - Heartless (Tommy Boy, from the "Murderahh" b/w "Heartless
" 12 inch, 1992)
The internet has made this track not as rare as it once was, with the unreleased full length "Game of Survival" floating around. Originally, the single with "Heartless" was the only thing floating around from the Live Squad. Big Stretch was the main member of the Live Squad, who was down with Tupac. Some say he was in on the set up of Pac in New York when Pac was shot five times or whatever it was. A year later to the date, Stretch was found dead, killed execution style. Not much was ever said about it after that. Tommy Boy fuc ked up this release and never dropped the LP properly, although it appears plenty of promos made it out there. "Heartless" had a video out on MTV that made me look all over hell for this song, but never could find it. I also just found out there was a video for "Murderahh", which I never knew.
Masta Ace - Splash (Tommy Boy Black Label, from the "Hip Hop 101" LP, 2000)
As far as I know, Splash was never released commercially as a single. Which means it's on an album, but the album is a compilation of stuff from the Black Label which was run by Tommy Boy. The album wasn't all that popular, but I was a sucker for this Masta Ace song. So maybe it isn't all that obscure, but I couldn't pass it up to post another J-Love/Ace joint. These two worked so well together, but I guess it wasn't meant to be as Ace won't answer any questions concerning J-Love, so whatever I guess.
Pete Rock feat Grap Luva - Collector's Item (Up Above Records, from the "Collector's Item" b/w "Blindsided" single, 2003)
"Collector's Item" was one of the more "obscure" 12 inchers dropped by the Chocolate Boy Wonder in the past. Only five years old, you don't hear much about this joint. I want to say it was sold originally as a hiphopsite.com only release, then later picked up.....but I could be completely wrong with that. Grap Luva spits over a fairly simple Pete beat, but I've still always felt this track and always make sure it stays on my computer.
Science of Sound - Who Got The Funk feat Phife (Science Of Sound, from the self titled EP/12 inch, 1995)
Not a lot is known about this joint, from Science of Sound aka S.O.S. I want to say they were ATCQ project, as Tribe produced a track and of course this track, "Who Got The Funk" which featured a healthy dose of Phife. It lives up to its name as a funk filled track blesses Phife and his homies as they just kick rhymes that mean nothing, but still sound good.
4/30/2007
Sunday Lite: A Day Late
Another weekend in the books and another weekend without a post. Oh well, you all should be getting used to that. So be it, I guess. It'd be okay if I was actually getting work done even without a post, but I can't say that's happening either. One of these weeks, hopefully, I'll become a wild man unleashed and get everything done that I keep telling myself that I'm going to get done...until then, we'll keep on winging it.
While I continue to get in order (read: start on) the next big series I have planned, I thought I'd do something I haven't done in a while and that's take requests and do re-ups. Instead of doing it all in one day like I did last fall, we'll spread it over the week. THE RULES: Request anything that I have posted up in the past that is no longer working (MAKE SURE IT'S NOT WORKING check first, because I will) or if there is something you are looking for that you can't find (meaning do a blog search first), drop me a line in one of three ways: 1. The comments 2. The C-box 3. An email. Each day I'll post up 3-5 requests/re-ups. Try to keep the requests in the "rare" and out of print realm of things. Easiest way to check if something is out of print is to go to Amazon.com and see if they are selling new copies of said album or not. If they do not have it in stock, it's more than likely out of print. I'll make a few exceptions, there are a few things out there in print but are just a bitch to find regardless. I'd be open to sharing those, but I'm not going to post up the new Brother Ali album or something like that, there is more than enough places to download that type of stuff if you must. Stick to the albums, I've never been a DJ, so any 12 inch releases I have are stuff I've gotten from other blogs. Polarity is the 12 inch genius, but it would be a while for him to get any of that kind of stuff up.
There won't be in system on how I'll do it, basically whatever I can find the easiest in my collection will get posted up first. Also if you are a fellow blogger or a "preferred" visitor, you'll more than likely have your stuff up a bit faster as well (I do play favorites). Feel free to help each other as well. That was the beautiful thing about doing the requests last year, people would help each other with requests. Get to requesting........
Songs-----------
In the vein of a traditional "Sunday Lite" posts, we're sticking to single tracks, because, well, I want to.
Dr. Dre feat Royce Da 5'9 - Way I Be Pimpin'
I meantioned the whole Dr. Dre/Royce ordeal that went down during the making of "The Chronic 2001" last week when I posted up the Royce Aftermath demo. The track contains the same sample/beat (I should know the sample, but can't think of it), but with different lyrics from Dre, that were ghost written by Royce with the hook done by Royce. After the fall out between the supposed "big headed' Royce and Dre, Dre went back to the lab and cranked out the album version of the song, which would become "Xxplosive".
I can't say which I prefer more really. I'm more used to the album version, so I suppose I would go with that creation, but it just shows what could have been, if Royce would have kept his head on straight. To give Royce some credit, he did seem to learn his lesson. On "Death Is Certain", he produced a much more personal and humble album that I thought was highly overlooked.
De La Soul feat Mos Def & Truth Enola - Stakes Is High (remix)
This is one 12 inch release I wouldn't mind having, Itzsoweezee(Hot) b/w Stakes Is High (Remix). The A-Side was possibly one of my favorite tracks on my seventh all-time favorite Hip Hop album (the dorkiness continues) and any remix that has a Jay Dee beat and Mos Def added to it, you know it has to be fairly decent.
The beat itself is basically the same but switched up from the original. It's still got that early Jay Dee/J Dilla feel to it in the same vein as "Runnin'" or some of his other earlier works. The lyrics are also different as well, but sticking with the original meaning of the song. Mos Def, who at this time was fairly new to the game (I can't remember if the UTD stuff came out before this or not). De La's weed carrier at the time was also featured on this track, Truth Enola. Enola never really impressed me and I can't say I heard his album from a couple years ago, but he doesn't ruin the song, which is all you want.
The Pharcyde - Pork
I realized when started to do a write up on this joint that it isn't as rare as it once was. Originally
, you could only find this track as the unreleased B-Side to "Passing Me By", but it was recently included on the "Sold My Soul" compilation released last year, but whatever, for those of you that slept on that, you need to get with this track. You know what to expect if it was recorded in the "Bizarre Ride..." era, some off the wall, silly, fun to listen to joint, it is called "Pork" after all.
Produced by La Jay, the horns on this track are lovely and all four MC's (wouldn't that be great again?) are in rare form, coming with their trademarked goofiness that made everyone love "Bizzare Ride..". If you haven't heard this, get up on it.
Beastie Boys feat Def Squad & Biz Markie - Body Movin' Remix
I always kind of chuckle/vomit in my mouth at the same time when someone says the Beasties
were a bunch of sell outs. Is that why everyone from Q-tip to Redman to Biz Markie has worked with them? Give me a break. The Beasties are just as much as a part of Hip Hop as any of the Golden Age greats. And don't even get me started on the two white dudes dressing up in business suits questioning the music store clerk because the Beasties are filed underneath Hip Hop and not Rock, which I was a witness to last week which made me want to take an used White Lion CD and beat them upon the upper torso region for being stupid.
All 80's rock violence aside, the Beasties come at us with another posse cut similar to Soul Assasians remix of "So Whatcha Want" from the "Check Your Head" LP. This time Redman, E Double and Biz Markie join the Beasties and basically steal the show. You don't hear a lot from the Beasties on this one, basically some adlibs and the such. Biz, a long time Beasties cohort, drops a verse as well that will please any Diabocal fan. (Excuse the quality of the track, it was copied to one of the first CD-R's I ever did, making it probably 8 years old or so, so the CD has received a beat down of epic porportions)
Eminem - Bad Influence & Go To Hell (?) feat Pauly Yams
On the topic of shunned white MC's, we'll piss everyone off and go to some Eminem. I know, I know, whats a 30 something, self
proclamied Hip Hop purists posting up some Eminem for? I ain't going to lie, I like me some early Eminem (no homo). The Rawkus stuff? That track was an example of all that's right in Hip Hop, humor, clever rhymes and just fun to listen to. His apperance on Sway & King Tech's album was just as good as that was and the joint on Funk Flex's "The Tunnel" could be grouped in this class as well. His first two albums were, yes, some what mainstream, but also catered to the underground head as well. I know his whiteness has helped him for than hurt him, but I believe if he was black, he might not have sold 70 zillion copies of his albums to every 12-15 white surbuban kid, but he'd be more appreciated for what he really is(was) and that's a talented MC.
The first track is from the straight to video (okay, it should have been) Arnold "Da Govenator" flick "The Last Days". It come out right after Em's first album (I get the names of the LP's mixed up and am in a hurry, so I won't bother looking it up) and sounds like a cast off or a different version of "Role Model" from said album, but there is some pissed off Em, doing what he does best, bitching, but he sounds good doing it. Since the Soundtrack probably sold less than the actual movie, I'm trusting not too many people have heard this. I (blushing) bought the OST just for this song (it was before I was too into downloading music off the internet).
The second track is kind of mystery to me. I believe I found it on Audio Galaxy or Napster back in the day. I think it was supposed to be included on DJ Jazzy Jeff's "The Magnificant", but I can't find much as a name, let alone it's orgins. I've always called it "Go To Hell" from the sample from South Park it uses (Mr. Garrison screaming "You Go To Hell"). Pauly Yams from Jeff's camp also appears on the track, which is the reasoning I use that It didn't make the "The Magnificant" cut or something. Maybe someone down with Em's crew reading this will fill us in...(yeah right, like Paul Rosenberg reads this, or any blog).
Trav's Top 5 Spins Of The Week......
1. Stricklin - The Resume Mixtape
Big Strick! I'll be the first to admit that when I'm listening to something new, the first few listens I will concern myself with the beat, if the beat doesn't grab me, I won't usually give it enough time to listen to the lyrics. Not so with Strick, which to me, is a sign of a good MC. Eminem, Redman and a few others are MC's that have that effect on me. Some of the stuff Strick kicks lyric wise is nothing short of amazing.
2. Senim Silla - The Name...The Motto...The Outcome
I was pretty big on Binary Star's "Master's Of The Universe", which would probably be in the top 10 albums of this decade in my book. They split and One Man Army aka One Be Lo went on the solol tip and dropped a top 5 album in '04. His partner Senim Silla comes with his own project, which is just as good as One Be Lo's effort. All Binary Star fans should check this out.
3. Evidence - The Weatherman
Still pumping the Ev album, one of the better albums of the first third of the year.
4. 10 Bass T - Do You Know The Way
Every now and then, I'll pull out an album I haven't heard in awhile and give it a listen, that was the case with this album. I love this album, but know next to nothing about the group except they were from San Fransico....I think. Despite my lack of knowledge on the group, the album is a solid effort from the mid 90's. Good luck trying to find a copy, I still haven't seen it except for a couple times on Amazon for two President Jacksons.
5. Joel Ortiz - The Brick: The Bodega Chronicles
After a close friend of mine told me I NEEDED to hear this joint, I finally gave into my recent fear of the sound a like/rhyme a like/ look a like NY artists such as Tru Papoose or Dip Life or any of those other artists that have 15 million mixtapes out, yet not one album amoung them. This pains me to say that about NY artists, because NY is the Mecca of hip hop, the birthplace, it's where my love for hip hop started....but they are just as guilty of bringing stale music to the table as the south. Back to the actual album, this was better than I expected, which wasn't much (the same friend told me I had to listen to Serius Jones and Tru Life and I fell asleep and/or stopped half way through both of them). I'll give it more listens than the 3-4 I gave it last week. It has potential and is much better than any of the PapdipsetoosetruJonesLifeSerius that I've heard lately.
WHY?????
I recieved emails from both David Icke and Condoleeza Rice about me not doing a "Why???" during my Sunday Lite posts, so due to such high requests, I figured I'd better throw of the more mind questioning thins I've been pondering recentely.
Why will the Cleveland Browns still suck even after their "A+" graded draft? (edit: Because they are still the Browns and Tim Couch errr Brady Quinn won't save them....hahaha)
Why did the Steelers draft a TE in round three when they already have Heath Miller?
Why did they trade up to draft a punter in the forth round....yes, A PUNTER??????
Why are some of my early CD-R's starting to fall to pieces, I thought CD's were supposed to last "forever"?
Why does going out anymore on the weekends result in dropping no less than 60 bucks?
Why am I not excited about the new Beastie Boys album? (probably because their last one was their worst)
Why did watching MTV's original "Rapumentary" this past weekend almost bring tears to my eyes? (in a good way)
Why are there not more songs like "Nostaglia" by Masta Ace these days?
Why is a big fat Chicago Principal hooking up with with seeminly hot looking teachers?
Why on God's green earth is the godess Salma Hayek marrying this dude?
Why can't the Pittsburgh Pirates win a game at home to save their ass?
Why am I in last place a month into the season in the Bloggers Celebrity Fantasy Baseball Challenge?
Why is Alfonsio Soriano being a piece of over priced crap?
That is all....dismissed
Travis
