Doctor J.R. Kool - That's Deep

Not much needs to be said about this one so I'll keep it brief. The late great John Peel played this first (as far as I know) and I've only just bagged a copy after all these years. The B-side is cool too, same beat, no reverb, more scratchin' and all comin' at ya in a 320kbps stylee. 'Yo Jazzy, bring it BACK'.

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Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic 3 - It's Life (You Gotta Think Twice)

When I used to shop at the Virgin record store on the High Street most of the time you had to get in quick or lose out. Some records however were in the import box for months on end and I used to see them each week and pass them up for more desirable slices of dope wax. Anyway, after I started making a bit of money, (got my first job when I was 17 and was paid the handsome amount of 65 quid a week after tax) I could get some of the 'unwanted' records that were doing some serious time in that box. One of which wasn't this 12" but it was the first volume of Mr. Magic's Rap Attack and this was on it. I'd only ever heard 'The Roof Is On Fire' before and wasn't that keen on it really and I still think this one is the best they did. I eventually copped the 12" from good old Beat Street Records so here it is in full 320kbps glory. I'm pretty sure Beat Street never used to mention if there were markings on the labels in their monthly catalogue but that's never really bothered me too much as it's the tunes I was after but this one used to belong to some nightclub, the name of which I can't quite make out.

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Insane Macbeth feat. The Legendary Icepick - True Heart

The early or electro years will always be my own personal golden years if you like but I did evolve with the scene up to a certain point and in particular got hooked on the UK style. Not just because I'm a native Brit but I think the US were releasing anything and everything regardless of the quality but before I get myself into a hole it was probably applied to both camps. I think 'Hold No Hostage' by Hijack was the turning point for me and the whole 'Britcore' thing followed. One of the records I can remember buying (from Warp Records, Division Street, Sheffield) is Kinetic Effect's 'Borderin' Insanity' on green wax and a photo of Insane Macbeth on the back wearing big boots and holding a meat cleaver in his hand. This might have been indicative of what kind of music was contained in the package so I bought it without spinning it first and wasn't disappointed. I don't have that one anymore (was made an offer I couldn't refuse) but I do have this. The Icepick is very well known among UK heads and made some excellent records over the years and this 12" stand with them as an example, if you needed one, of the UK sound at it's very best. The relentless, sledgehammer-like beats created by Insane Macbeth carry the early UK style in to the 21st century and he even plays live piano along with bass by legendary engineer 'No-Sleep Nigel'. If you're in to the UK scene and haven't heard this you can check it out here and there are still some available via the man himself. Contact him at insanerecordings@aol.com and if you're lucky you might still have a chance of a red vinyl copy like mine here. Also there are still some copies of the very dope limited Kinetic Effect 10" clear vinyl single 'A Physical Excorcise' with dope beats by Insane Macbeth that was released earlier this year which is well worth the money. Both records come with excellent packaging, full colour glossy pics on 'True Heart' too. Proof that hip hop is not quite dead just yet.