Cold Crush Brothers - Heartbreakers Party

Just finished watching a four part series on Sky Arts over here in Blighty called 'Hip Hop Evolution' which was originally shown on Netflix I think. I was expecting a lot of time being spent going over the same old ground, same folk interviewed, etc. but it was pretty surprising, Kurtis Blow, Grandwizard Theodore, even Schoolly D made a brief appearance, too many to mention really but GMC himself was the most entertaining for me, proper old school emcee that's worth listening to. So, obviously I dug out my CCB rekkids - I only have the two- and ripped 'em at three twenny for y'all so here's the first of the two. B-side col' rocks the hardest yo.

Download

Skinny Boys - Awesome

Some debut Skinny Boys action right here. This is my second copy as the first, as I've mentioned many times was traded years back. I bought this one in April 2016 and it's in a lot better condition than my first one and was pretty cheap to boot - only one for sale in the UK at the time of posting and he wants £35; best of luck mate - I paid £8. On the flip is 'Skinny Boys' which is similar to the A-side cut but it's still dope. '85 was a great year for me, lots of stuff on offer and no money to buy it with. I'll get there eventually..

'We need weight'..

NYC Cutter - DJ Cuttin'

Finally got myself a copy of this last year, same track on both sides but a decent tuner from '85 by legendary super dj Marley Marl masquerading under a different moniker. Was one of the most difficult releases to get on the Pop Art label at one time but easier now although it does still seem to hold it's value. Top tune.

Download

Fat Boys - Fat Boys Scratch (Remix)

Always liked the Fat Boys stuff. Their first album was the first album I owned that was just by the one rap artist and not a compilation like the legendary Streetsounds Electro series. This is actually the b-side as you can see 'cos I think it's better than 'Don't Be Stupid' on the flip. I even bought that limited edition pizza box a few years back now which is a really great package if you can find one. A staple diet for all b-boys of a certain age I would suggest.

Download

MC Craig G - Transformer

I think someone asked for a re-up of this some years ago now and the link was clicked a few days back I think.

Download

The Spin Masters - Brothers

This is a great record. I have fond memories of listening to the club, dub version whilst bombing the hell out of my old school with some like minded acquaintances. I had the privilege of seeing them live too when they were on the road with Ice T on the Rhyme Syndicate tour around '90-'91 I think which was pretty cool. I think they made another record at some point after this one but it wasn't very good and Evil E famously went on to become Ice's full time DJ. Mr. T himself even had a hand in the writing of this particular track.
Going back to the RS tour, Ice T was sat at the back of the Leadmill when we walked in on one of those plastic chairs that stack up like you had at school. He said 'Alright' when we walked by. We all looked at each other saying something along the lines of 'that's 'im innit'?
A great night, although Hijack stole the show. For me anyway.

Download

Cazal Boys - Snatchin' Cazals

Bagged myself a copy of this a few months back, the second copy I ever owned, the first being a freebie from a mate I did the radio show with way back when. I never knew the real title as it was on a tape with no inlay (as they always were) and he asked me if I'd heard it. 'Never heard of it' I said so he went and fetched the record, said I could keep it, spun it when I got home and was all like that cow in the nursery rhyme. Still managed to trade it, as you do but crossed it off my long list just before Christmas. Top tune.

Download

Rock Hill - Rock The Beat

This is one of those records that slips your mind - when you've heard it you may think, 'yeah, now I know why' - but I like it and I'm sure it was on the same tape as 'Rappin' Insane' (see below) and when you're young and have little or no money or resources, listening to the same tape over and over pretty much daily imprints certain tunes, particularly from this era into the old grey matter for life. I did forget about this one till quite late and only copped one a few years ago. but it won't be the only one and if I ever begin to suffer from some debilitating mind illness I'm sure a few rotations of these kinds of jams will be the trigger I need to bring me back into the here and now. I don't wish to make light of such illnesses but, you know, it could happen to any one of us. My short term memory is pretty useless but once you're hooked on these, you're hooked for life and it's nice to have a good memory brought back once in a while, don't you think?

Download

JD Krush - Rappin Insane

Got myself one o' these before christmas. Not exactly a killer tune but one I've been after for a minute now and it is quite difficult to get a hold of for a decent price. I remember it being on a tape I had at school and it stuck with me for some reason. A bit crackly in parts but it does the job. Happy days..

Download

MC QP - I'm Hard

MC QP's only release is a mixture of hardcore hip hop and the almost verging on house music style electro so you can take a guess which is my fave on this particular 12". 'I'm Hard' was on a tape I acquired at school from 'the new guy' - I think I mentioned him before - and I was blown away. It didn't occur to me at the time but it's an obvious homage, I think rather than 'bite' of Run DMC's game changing classic, 'Sucker MCs' and a track I would forward or rewind to regularly because it was so, well, hard. Only one of my mates actually picked up a copy along with myself which I found puzzling but what the hell, they all started listening to house music anyway so fuck 'em. I'm joking of course. About the fuck 'em comment, not the house music. Well, part of me is. I hate that shit. That's why there's little mention of 'Hello Baby' over here. I don't like that tune. It was never on that tape I had either so I'm not the only one.

Download

UTFO - Leader Of The Pack

UTFO had their moments. I wasn't keen on their debut release but I bought it all the same. This was always my fave though; picked it up some years back now, still sealed and a steal at two and a half quid. The emcees had skils but it was always the deejay I was interested in. Mixmaster Ice was underrated I reckon. He had that particularly cool scratch where you had to be real quick on the cross fade and do a kind of double back and forth with the record whilst doing the same with the fader, difficult to explain and I hope you know what I mean but it took me years to perfect but I did and I was the only one in our 'circle' that could. I don't know any other deejay that did that scratch; there probably was but he was the first I ever heard that did. Later releases didn't interest me that much. I bought a couple more of their LPs, 'Skeezer Pleezer' and 'Doin' It' but they just sat in the crate for years with little interest shown so they eventually went the way of the bay. Full Force's production skills were alright I guess but their harmonising on some of UTFO's stuff is ok for some but it's not for me, thanks all the same. 'Bite It' comes a close second to this for me which I'll get at some point no doubt, until then this is the only slice of wax I have but I think it's their best.

Download

D.E.F. Featuring DJ Three D - D.E.F. Momentum

Hated this for such a long time but it gradually grew on me so I got myself one. Back in '85 I personally preferred the harder, less melodic style and unlike just about all of my mates of the time I always loved the sound of the vocoder, of which this has plenty.

Download

MC Craig G - Shout

Massive beats were a big thing for me in '85, still are, and I reckon this is one of the biggest beats ever made. Still one of my all time faves, a little worn these days as I've had it some years now but heavy as hell on the eardrums. Nottingham old school legend Masterscratch used this on loads of his mixtapes, particularly the 'Def Mix' on the flip. I cannot for the life of me remember who I got all my Masterscratch tapes from but I had about 5 in total and to me they were priceless as there weren't too many scratch djs around who were doing their own tapes and were actually any good. A possible point of interest is the production credit which is down to 'Double M Eye' which I would bet is one of Marley Marl's aliases but I'm unsure so maybe someone in the know could confirm that for me. Killer tune.

Download

Kid Frost - Terminator

Classic electro business from '85, first heard for many UK b-boys on Streetsounds Electro 9, me included. My youngest brother bought volume 9 but I inherited it after he lost interest in hip hop along with brother number two many years back. 'Rough Cut' was my first experience of Kid Frost's mic style - it was on a tape I borrowed off a casual acquaintance which I remember almost having to beg for - and to this day I still can't decide which is the better of the two. This is the second press, the original I remember having a yellowy coloured label but that kind of thing never bothered me; it's all about the music. And most of the time the memories too.

Download

Cut Master D.C. - The Night Before Christmas

Well, it's almost here and I've resisted for a few years now but here's a fresh 320kbps rip of one of the Cut Master's better releases. The absolutely bangin' drums on this one still do it for me every time I hear it.
Part two of TTBOD does Christmas next week..

'Here comes Santa Claus'

Uncle Jamm's Army - What's Your Sign

I heard this in the Limit club one Saturday afternoon and freaked out. I also have good memories of DJ Mongoose - I've told you before but I'll tell you again, he was the resident DJ at the club on Saturday afternoons and he's also DJ Mink's older brother - scratching the classic 'fresh' sound from Fab 5 Freddy's famous single over the instrumental version and that freaked me out even more thus inspiring me to want to scratch like that myself. I don't have the tape any more, can't even remember what else was on it and if I'm honest it would sound pretty wack now but the memories of hearing it for the first time and wanting to replicate it so badly are good and that's what matters. The observant among you will also notice that this is the B-side as the A-side, 'Naughty Boy' is a dreadful track and should never have seen the light of day never mind have been chosen as the A-side to any single but I have recorded it and included it in the file for the completists out there.

Download

Roxanne Shante - Bite This

So, I'm back from my summer hols and ready for action, kind of. Here's a def slice of wax from '85 as requested in the c-box and it is Shante's best record I think. Marley Marl rocked the biggest beats around and that's exactly what I was looking for when I was a young 'un, still am now I guess. Do you remember when there was no regular hip hop played on the radio and you had to wait for the next Streetsounds release or maybe scrounge a tape off someone who was connected to someone else with a bit of cash who could afford US imports just to hear some new stuff? That was the only way you could get anything new and it was painful when you craved new music but it just wasn't quite reachable, especially when you had little or no money to hand. Then you heard a record like this and went wild? Yep, me too. '85 was a great year.

Download

Bad Boys feat. K Love - Bad Boys

Requested as Inspector Gadget but I think you'll find this is the tune you were looking for. I think most people know but this record is an early appearance by MC Serch later of 3rd Bass. Talking of 3rd Bass, have a little looky here...

Download

Word Of Mouth - King Kut

Nice request, tune.

Download

DJ Born Supreme Allah - Two, Three, Break (Part II-The Sequel)

OK, I've been incredibly busy of late, not much free time to spare so this'll be as quick as playing this record. This is like the Hip Hop On Wax 12"s, same on both sides and only one track but what a record. Enjoy your Sunday afternoon and if Murray wins the tennis I'll try and up summat extra special when I've a minute.

Download