Some thirty plus years ago today, a child was born. Yes, it's another birthday for me. I'm to the point I'm about ready to call it good with the birthday's, cause I just keep getting older. I'm starting understand how people go through the "mid-life" crisis. I'd be lying if I said I was anywhere close to being where I planned on being in life if you asked me 15 years ago or so. That's life, things don't always go as plan. It's just weird though, I see friends getting older, my own parents getting older. I see baseball players that I used to collect their baseball cards being managers and coaches. I see movie stars from movies in the 80's lookin' old as dirt. For the longest time, I was under the impression I would never get older, but that obviously isn't true. I am getting older, and faster than I really want to. Nothing can change that. I'm sure I'll be reflecting on that this weekend when I'm about 15 beers into it. That's always a good time to do some soul searching.
As far as hip hop goes, I remember my first serious girlfriend I had about fifteen years ago. She lived a sheltered life, her parents were conservatives, upper middle class people. I, on the other hand was fairly liberal, coming from a more or less lower middle class background. She had no clue what hip hop was before she met me. One of our first make out sessions was during A Tribe Called Quest's "Midnight Marauders", she got heavy doses of Tha Alkaholiks, Biggie, and Warren G. I made her set through "rap" movies such as Menace II Society, Juice and Boyz N The Hood (which lead to a big fight over how the government treats people). She asked me once if I thought I'd be listening to hip hop when I was in my 30's and had kids. Of course at the time, she meant "our kids" as we were planning on getting married and all that stuff. I said "Absolutely". Fifteen years later, here I am, in my mid 30's, and still listening to hip hop. It's still the main music genre I listen to, and I don't plan on changing that anytime soon. I see myself being in my 70's and blasting "Whut?!? Thee Album" when the grand kids come over. As hip hop continues to mature, so do the listeners. It's a music that generally hasn't been friendly to it's elders. I have to admit sometimes I'm a little hesitant to say exactly how old I am (I haven't so far in this post), just for the simple fact that an artist my age would be seen as an old man. It is becoming a more common place to see hip hop artists in their thirties. There are even some in their forties by now. And that trend is going to continue. Where do the older listeners go? What do they do? Is the music still relevant to us? As Hip-Hop gets older so will it’s listeners and what happens in the future is up for debate. I personally don’t want to hear the same things I wanted to hear when I was 18 or 19. I’d rather hear things relevant to my 30 something life. Is there room for that in hip hop? Time will tell….
I wanted to list my five favorite songs about growing older and looking back at the good old days. Twenties years ago, hell even ten years ago, you were unlikely to hear songs with this such topic, but they are starting to become more common.
1. Supastition - Fountain of Youth
PERFECT. This song and it's message is absolutely perfect. I'm not sure how old Supa is, but I'm guessing he is right around my age. Supa talks about how he likes the same music from twenty years ago, and how music is too loud. He also brings up women and how they've changed. Things were important to us fifteen years ago, isn't nearly as important anymore. We stay in the past, but everything keeps getting newer.
2. Juggaknots - 30 Something
One of my favorite tracks from one of my favorite albums of the decade. I mean, Breeze talks about eating raw veggies, doing crunches and just getting up their in age. It's truly a song that people that are going through that "middle age crisis" will identify with the best. Not saying the piano laced beat isn't dope in it's own right, cause it is and would be worth listening to all on it's own.
3. Coolio Feat J-Ro & Billy Boy - I Remember
I know Coolio gets some crap for his first album, It Takes Thief, but I actually kinda of dug the album. It was "I Remember" that was my second favorite second, which featured one of my favorite MCs at the time, J-Ro. The whole song has that throw back flavor and all the verses, except for maybe Billy Boy (who?) brought back my own happy memories of growing up.
4. MC Lyte - Wonder Years
MC Lyte kinda came out of nowhere with "Wonder Years". A Primo banger, Lyte is all grown up and talking about her tips of living older, including "kick the liqour, when you turn 30-30." Sorry Lyte, that won't be happening this weekend.
5. Jay-Z - 30 Something
A little crass, a little brash, but I guess this is where us thirty somethings strive to be. I'm from Generation X, a generation that was known for it's slacking in the 90's, but now...... Now we want that SUV, we want that country club membership, that Visa Platinum, and the fine wine. That's what Jay is talking about on here, and who is to say he isn't right?
4/17/2009
5x5 Day Five: Looking Back/Getting Older
10/29/2008
Used CD Shopping Trip 10-25
If you have been a long time reader of the blog, you know that one of my joys in life is going used CD shopping. My move back to the home land has kind of inhibited that passion a bit. Denver was a treasure chest of used CD stores, discounts stores, and pawn shops. Here, on the other hand, only has one independent "Record" store, and a bunch of Hastings entertainment centers. Growing up, Hastings was both cheap and had a lot of good used albums. Not any more, at least not around here. They have a bunch of garbage, and much of that goes for seven bucks or more. I personally have a problem spending much over seven bucks for any used item unless its something I really want.
Needless to say, while I've actually had the extra money to spend this past year, much of that has been spent on Amazon.com buying some of the used items there. It's not nearly as fun though, so when I had some time this past Saturday, I decided to hit up my home base, the Record Exchange, and check out their used section. I've also started buying vinyl once again, meaning the first time since the early nineties. I got some vinyl as some promos from labels and that type of thing, and I forgot just how much I liked the sound of vinyl. It sounds so....."real" I guess is the word for it. The Record Exchange has a nice collection of vinyl....well, it's nice for around here, while it might not match Wax Trax or Twist & Shout back in Denver, they still have some nice pick ups.
Record Exchange
Purchases: All Are Used Vinyl(sorry don't have a way to rip vinyl yet, but you should have the Eazy and Eric B & Rakim already)
Eazy-E - Eazy-Duz-It/5150 2XLP $10.00
http://www.discogs.com/release/348114
I've always loved Eazy-Duz-It, holds some fond memories of my childhood (how wrong is that?), so I wanted to snatch it up. The 5150 EP wasn't anything special, but still not all that bad to grab. As far as buying vinyl, I mainly want to pick up the classics and some of the singles that I used to have on cassette singles and the such.
Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full $7.00
I probably should have my hip hop pass revoked for not owning this on CD. I do have it on tape from back in the day, just no clue where exactly.
Big Scoob - Champagne On The Block VLS $3.00
http://www.discogs.com/release/306473
One of those things I heard of back in the day, but never saw. This promo only Big Scoob (of Big Daddy Kane fame) release intrigued me enough that I had to pick it up, especially for only three smackers. Nothing amazing, but somewhat entertaining none the less.
After hitting up Record Exchange, I figured I'd humor myself by stopping at a Hastings along the way back home. As I've mentioned, Hastings has went to shit as far as used product goes. Not sure what the reason is for that, maybe cause the younger kids, the ones trading shit in for money or new shit, are listening to crappier music. So when they go to trade stuff back in, it's shitty music. I'm not sure what the reason, but this trip was a bit better than it has been in the past. I didn't spend over $5.99 for anything and got some decent pick ups. Nothing really rare by any stretch of the imagination, but not bad either.
Hastings, Boise Avenue 
Paris - Sleeping With The Enemy (Scarface Records, 1992 Original Issue) $4.99
| 1 | The Enema (Live At The White House) (1:54) | |
| 2 | Make Way For A Panther (2:28) | |
| 3 | Sleeping With The Enemy (2:41) | |
| 4 | House Niggas Bleed To (1:32) | |
| 5 | Bush Killa (4:51) | |
| 6 | Coffee, Donuts & Death (3:53) | |
| Scratches - DJ Yon | ||
| 7 | Thinka 'Bout It (4:26) | |
| 8 | Guerrillas In The Mist (3:11) | |
| 9 | The Days Of Old (4:19) | |
| 10 | Long Hot Summer (1:42) | |
| Producer - Kif | ||
| 11 | Conspiracy Of Silence (3:40) | |
| Featuring - L.P. , Sun Dubious* Producer - Kif | ||
| 12 | Funky Lil' Party (2:50) | |
| 13 | Check It Out Ch'All (3:28) | |
| 14 | Rise (1:12) | |
| 15 | Assata's Song (5:03) | |
| 16 | Bush Killa (Hellraiser Mix) (8:23) | |
I've always liked Paris, especially the "Days of Old" track, but interestingly enough, I can't ever recall owning a Paris album. Maybe he was just too angry for me? I'm not sure. Regardless, for a mere five bucks, I was more than happy to pick this album up.
MC Lyte - Lyte As A Rock (First Priority Music/Atlantic, 1988) $5.99
| 1 | Lyte Vs. Vanna Whyte (2:47) | |
| Producer, Programmed By - Alliance (2) | ||
| 2 | Lyte As A Rock (4:17) | |
| 3 | I Am Woman (2:45) | |
| Producer, Programmed By - King Of Chill* | ||
| 4 | MC Lyte Likes Swingin' (3:17) | |
| Producer, Programmed By - Prince Paul | ||
| 5 | 10% Dis (5:00) | |
| 6 | Paper Thin (5:14) | |
| Producer, Programmed By - King Of Chill* | ||
| 7 | Lyte Thee MC (4:13) | |
| Producer, Programmed By - Alliance (2) | ||
| 8 | I Cram To Understand U (4:39) | |
| 9 | Kickin' 4 Brooklyn (2:20) | |
| 10 | Don't Cry Big Girls (3:57) | |
Being the big First Priority Music family fan, you'd figure I'd already have the possible greatest female hip hop album ever released. Well, I did, in the form of a tape. To be honest, I was never big on female MC's back in the day and the only two I can remember buying was Monie Love and Tairrie B. A girlfriend from my Junior year in high school had a brother who had this tape, he didn't want it, so he gave it to me. That's how I came into possesion of it. Over the years, of course my view on the opposite sex has changed as far as viewing them as talented MCs. The title track is probably my alltime female track and this is just an overall great album, a classic that I'm glad to get my grubby hands on.
Masters Of Illusion - Kutmasta Kurt Presents The Masters of Illusion (Threshold Recordings, 2000) $1.99 (sorry, can't seem to get it to rip)
| 1. Figment (Intro) |
| 2. Masters of Illusion |
| 3. We All Over |
| 4. Magnum Be I |
| 5. U Want Freestyle? - Masters of Illusion, Matlin, Kurt |
| 6. Scared Straight |
| 7. Time 2 Get Right |
| 8. Step Up |
| 9. The Funky Redneck (Skit) |
| 10. East West Hustlers |
| 11. The Bay-Bronx Bridge |
| 12. Call the National Guard |
| 13. Back up Kid - Masters of Illusion, Matlin, Kurt |
| 14. Partnas Confused |
| 15. Souped Up |
| 16. Urban Legends |
From the first day this dropped, I've always wanted to hear this Kool Keith/Motion Man collabo album. You'd think with the magic of internet, I would have by now, but I haven't. I was still okay with Keith back in 2000, and was a fan of the Dr. Dooom project he did. I hated the Black Elvis LP he dropped, but figured I'd give him a chance. I had heard Motion Man on the Dooom project and a couple other places and had always liked him. I still dig the dude, as he dropped a real nice cut on the Oddisee EP from earlier this year. For only two bucks, I was happy to have grabbed it finally.
Royal Flush - Ghetto Millionaire (Blunt Recordings, 1997) $5.99
| 1 | Intro | |
| Producer - Royal Flush | ||
| 2 | I Been Gettin' So Much $ | |
| 3 | Iced Down Medallions | |
| Rap [Featuring] - Noreaga | ||
| 4 | Can't Help It | |
| Vocals [Featuring] - Khadejia* | ||
| 5 | Illiodic Shines | |
| 6 | Movin' On Your Weak Productions | |
| Producer - Da Beatminerz | ||
| 7 | Conflict | |
| Producer - Sha-Self Rap [Featuring] - Wastlanz | ||
| 8 | Shines | |
| Producer - Hi-Tek | ||
| 9 | Family Problems | |
| 10 | What A Shame | |
| Rap [Featuring] - Noreaga | ||
| 11 | Regulate | |
| 12 | Worldwide | |
| Producer - L.E.S. | ||
| 13 | Niggas Night Out | |
| 14 | International Currency | |
| Producer - Chyskillz Rap [Featuring] - Wastlanz | ||
| 15 | War | |
| Producer - Royal Flush | ||
| 16 | Makin' Moves | |
| 17 | Reppin' | |
| Producer - L.E.S. Vocals [Featuring] - Michelle Mitchell | ||
| 18 | Dead Letter | |
| Producer - Low (2) | ||
Despite the fact that Ghetto Millioniare contains one of my all-time favorite songs and beats, "Worldwide", I never got this album. The main reason was, back in the day, my boy Goosebumps and I would take turns buying albums. He was more into the grimey QB type of thing, so he bought the alubm, which I dubbed off of him (I was still rocking the tape player walkman) so despite this being a good album, I never picked it up. Until now.
Sir Mix-A-Lot - Chief Boot Knocka (American Records, 1994) $1.99
| 1 | Sleepin' Wit My Fonk | |
| 2 | Let It Beaounce | |
| 3 | Ride | |
| 4 | Take My Stash | |
| 5 | Brown Shuga | |
| 6 | What's Real | |
| 7 | Double Da Pleasure | |
| 8 | Put' Em On The Glass | |
| 9 | Chief Boot Knocka' | |
| 10 | Don't Call Me Da Da | |
| 11 | Nasty Dog | |
| 12 | Monsta' Mack | |
| 13 | Just Da Pimpin' In Me | |
| 14 | I Checks My Bank |
You should know by now, I'm not afraid to pick up some corny albums every now and then, especially if its only a buck ninety-nine. I was a big Mix-A-Lot fan, even after "Baby Got Back", but I never bought another of his albums after hearing this one. To be fair, even Mix himself has said in interviews that he dropped the ball on making this album. Listening to it now, I realize its not as horrible as I thought it was back then, and for $1.99 I'm okay with that.
4/27/2007
First Priority Music Family's Greatest Hits, WYDU Style
When you've been around for over a year and a half (which is 25 years in bloggers years), you can get away with posting up a re-run every so often. This week has been craaazy, school, work, bomb threats at work (long story), computer issues, internet issues, and I added a second job (bartending for catering company) has left me with a crunch with time. Hopefully the second job will enable me to finally hook up high speed internet at my apartment and then a lot of this will be a none issue.
Anyway, I'm going to re-use a previous post to back up this next Greatest Hits collection I have for my second favorite "Posse" of all time (after the Juice Crew), the First Priority Music family, which consisted of Audio Two, MC Lyte, Alliance, Barsha, Michie Mee, Kings Of Swing and Positive K. They were THE crew after the Juice Crew disbanded in the late 80's, yet they don't recieve much recoginition in the grand scheme of things in the history of the hip hop culture. The FPM family consisted of; Audio Two (brothers Milk Dee & Gizmo), MC Lyte, Alliance, Michie Mee, Kings Of Swing, Positive K, Barsha, and one of two in house producers (Milk Dee was the other) King of Chill. The label was lead by Lyte's, Milk's & Giz's father, Nat Robinson who, if I remember right, started up the label to help Milk further his hip hop career.
As noted, much of the production on many of the albums was handled by either Audio Two or King of Chill and consisted of the "bare bones" approach so highly popular during the day. It was great "boom bap" music of the time. The label never garnished any high record sales, except with maybe Lyte's releases (gold on the first two releases ?), but still mark one of the greatest labels in the "golden age" of hip hop. They are still in business and I was suprised to see they had the R&B sensation from a few years ago, Eamon.
http://www.myspace.com/firstprioritymusic
http://firstprioritymusic.com/
Here's a little re-post in case anyone missed it the first time. I must also give MAJOR props to Moves on the cocaine blunts boards, if it wasn't for him, a few of these albums wouldn't be available to me and it's helped quench my thirst for this early FPM music.
THE DISCOGRAPHY
The First Priority Music Family : Basement Flavor (First Priority Music 1990)
1 Alliance -Get On Down (3:48) Producer - The King Of Chill
2 Audio Two- Many Styles (4:55) Producer - Audio Two
3 MC Lyte & Positive K- I'm Not Havin' It (3:29) Producer - Audio Two
4 Michee Mee & LA Luv- Victory Is Calling (5:29) Featuring -MC Lyte Producer - Beat Factory
5 MC Lyte- Survival Of The Fittest (3:58) Producer -The King Of Chill
6 Positive K- Tramp (3:22) Featuring - Milk Dee Producer - Audio Two
7 Audio Two- Peer Pressure (4:06) Producer - Audio Two
8 Michie Mee & LA Luv- On This Mic (5:42) Producer - Beat Factory
9 Alliance- Kibbles And Bits (4:24) Producer - Alliance
10 Positive K- Impulse On Three (4:35) Featuring - Barsha Producer - Audio Two
11 Soulshock- Break The Limits (4:54) Featuring - See-Que Producer - Solid Productions
Kings Of Swing - Strategy
The first legit post of this series see's the Kings of Swing's album "Strategy" which was released in 1990. The Kings of Swing consisted of Sugar Kay, Mike Master & Cocoa Chanelle. Despite the horrible looking R&B/New Jack Swing looking cover
the album contains some rather nice tracks. The album was produced by the two in house producers, Milk and King of Chill, and has some rather funky breaks used, something that seemed more diverse than some other FPM family releases. Two Minutes of Funk is just that, two minutes of funk and uses a loop that Marley Marl dug up on LL's To Da Break Of Dawn. Betty Boop has a funky guitar loop conjured up by King Of Chill. On the next track, Nod Your Head To This uses a loop that would later be used by DJ Muggs on Cypress Hill's Real Estate track from their self-titled debut. The cut also contains some crazy DJ work.
One of the odd things about the group then, and even now, is the fact the female, Cocoa Chanelle, was the groups DJ and a damn good one at that. This album contains lots of cuts and scratching from the female DJ and even has two DJ cuts on here. From what I read, she is now a DJ on one of the NY radio stations.
While they are not the greatest MC's, they are able enough not to distract from the overall product and let's face it, lyricism wasn't at an all time during this time period for the most part. I'm sure overrating this because of the old school mode I've been in lately, but this is one of the better albums of 1990 (I always thought 90' was the most over hyped of the so-called "Golden Years"), defintely give it a listen if you at all into the older stuff.
AUDIO TWO - I Don't Care The Album & What More Can I SayPart two of our First Priority Music Family series leads us to who I orginally wanted to lead off with, Audio Two. Audio Two were composed of Milk Dee on vocals and Giz as the DJ. As mentioned before, the two were brothers and sons of label head, Nat Robinson. Despite that MC Lyte seemed to be the top seller (I don't have the actual numbers, just guessing) on the label, Audio Two seemed to be the the crown princes of the label. This is was only natural since Giz and Milk were Nat Robinson's natural son's while Lyte was only a half sibling of the two. They dropped a hip hop classic in "Top Billin" (my personal favorite all -time favorite hip hop single) in 87' and then their debut album "What More Can I Say" in 88'. It garned enough attention to put them up amoung top releases of one of the best hip hop years ever. In 1990 they dropped their somewhat underrated album "I Don't Care: The Album".
I've read a lot of bad press on this album. I think it was actually TO bragadocious for people. The album got slammed for being "to one dimensional" (go figure, now it's okay). It also caught flack for some of the lyrics on "Whatcha' Lookin' At?" which contained some so called "bigotary" lyrics, with his "gay mutha's should get punched in the face" line along with a few other questionable lines. As a naive high school senior, I loved it. Not saying it was right, but it added to the albums attractiveness. As far as lyrics, there is nothing ground breaking. It's either party starters or Milk bragging how bad he is. To me hip hop is built on that though, people forget that. Yeah, it's fine to grow, but like the roots of a tree, the roots of hip hop also hold the art form into the ground firmly and thats what Audio Two did. It's in your face bragging rhymes. Tracks like "Milk Does The Body Good (remix)" are straight badass lyrics. While it's true Milks lyrics are not deep or politicaly correct, but to me, this is the stuff that drew me to hip hop in the first place. They are one of the first artists to dis MC Hammer on "Start It Up Y'all" with his "(Pos K & others)So what's up with Hammer? Yo Hammer can't rhyme and 357 is a bunch of Ho's". Straight in your face lyrics and hard core beats. Don't expect to be blown away by lyrics.
Beat wise, it's all done by Milk. It's a bit more musical that "What More Can I Say", but that ain't sayin' much. Lot's of familar breaks (familar because of Milk and the other old school cats) and some hard drums. Milk seemed to still favor the 808 approach to things that had started to pass by NY by this time. There is nothing mind blowing as far as beats go, but for a simpler time, this music was great. I remember playing this a lot on the way to my senior year in high school (yeah I'm dating myself) and knowing just about all the words. This is a classic to me, fuck everyone else....
Alliance - We Could Get Used To This (First Priority Music, 1988)
1 Bustin' Loose (3:58) 2 We Could Get Used To This (4:48) 3 I, Alliance (3:49) 4 Fish Heads (2:55) 5 Your Idol (3:07) 6 Down To Earth (3:15) 7 Just Another Message (3:04) 8 Ready Set (4:08) 9 I've Found (2:13) 10 Pure Skill (3:37) 11 Extensions (0:41) 12 Leeches (3:01) 13 Still You Sleep (3:04)
Part three of our FPM family takes to the 1988 album from the Alliance. The Alliance were made up of King Of Chill, K-Swift and DJ Skill. They were also among the first to drop albums on the label, right after Audio Two and MC Lyte. King of Chill would become one of the main producers at the label.
I honestly don't know shit about the group for the most part and was only introduced recently to the album by Moves from the Cocaine Blunts board. I've only gone through the ablum 2-3 times real well, but it's in typical FPM fashion, a definete must for any fan of the label.
Michie Mee & LA Luv - Jamacian Funk, Canadian Style (First Priority Music, 1991)
1. Prelude No. 1 2. Jamaican Funk Canadian Style 3. Kotch 4. Insecure Luva 5. Prelude No. 2 6. If Only They Knew 7. Prelude No. 3 8. All Night Stand 9. We've Arrived In America 10. L.A. Luv De Bout 11. You're Feisty 12. A Portion From Up North 13. Canada Large 14. Get It Together (Bonus Track) 15. Jamacian Funk (Bonus Track)
Part four of the series is another album I know very little about. While looking for an album cover and some info on Michie, I found out she was the first female Canadian hip hop artist signed to an american label. The album itself is a weird mix of raggae and hip hop, which was abundant in the early 90's with the dancehall craze taking off. She has a done some acting in recent years. You can learn more about her here http://www.myspace.com/michiemee2007
Then of course you had the first two MC Lyte albums that were heavily First Priority influenced with either King of Chill or Milk D doing the production on themWYDU PResents The First Priority Music Family's Greatest Hits (For all those out there unfamiliar with the Crew, here is a sampler of their music)
http://www.divshare.com/download/475128-f2a
1. Audio Two - Top Billin
2. Positive K & MC Lyte - I'm Not Havin' It
3. Alliance - Bustin' Loose
4. Audio Two - On The Road
5. Kings Of Swing - Strategy
6. Audio Two - I Don't Care
7. Michie Mee & DJ LA Luv - Jamican Funk Candian Style
8. Barsha - Knockin' Hineys
9. MC Lyte - Cha Cha Cha
10. Kings Of Swing - Two Minutes Of Funk
11. Alliance - We Could Get Used To This
12. Positive K & Barsha - Tramp
13. Barsha - B.A.R.
14. Alliance - Get On Down
15. Kings Of Swing - Nod Your Head To This
16. Audio Two - Milk Does The Body Good
17. MC Lyte - Lyte As A Rock
18. Audio Two - The Questions
19. Alliance - Kibble and Bits
20. Audio Two, MC Lyte, & Positive K - Start It Up
21. Positive K & Barsha - Impulse On Three
