Douge Fresh - Just Having Fun

Back in my b-boying days we used to wander the streets looking for something I guess but I couldn't tell you what. I remember one of the crew - we chose the moniker 'Faze 4' -  having a decent ghetto blaster and he'd carry it almost anywhere. I think it would be weird to see a load of kids bollockin' about the streets these days with a large carryable object pounding out loud music but we did it and I am not ashamed. I only mention this because you know when sometimes you remember odd stuff for no known reason and it's not really a significant memory? Well I just remember him saying one night mid Streetsounds Electro 6, 'Shall I rewind to the Roxannes or fast forward to the beatbox?' You can guess what I suggested. Tune.

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Joe Cool - Check Out My Jam

So I'm glad to say the Mayans threw us a bum steer and Christmas is here once more and I was thinking about a compilation of seasonal yuletide stuff, you know, stuff we could all sing along to but decided on this special treat instead. All the best for Christmas and the coming year mates and I'll no doubt see you in 2013 for more of the same. Probably.

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The W.I.S.E. Guyz - eF yoU eN Kay E

Re-up.

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YZ G.Rock - In Control Of Things

Re-Up.

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T La Rock - He's Incredible

An old friend traded this one with me in '86 and I still love it. On the picture sleeve we see 'T' - I'd call him Terry but only close friends call him that - in an all black combo complete with white gloves and rocking a name belt so we always know who he is. I had one of those name belts and looking at this picture I kinda wish I still had it now. B boys in their droves looked slightly out of place buying letters for their belts from a shop in the city that sold rock music type clothing if I remember right because of the overpowering smell of petunia oil that smacked you in the face when you walked in. It took me a few weeks to man up and step in there in my track suit and superstars complete with wide laces and be stared at by these stinking heavy metallers - sorry, but you did - and say my DJ name out loud to the bloke behind the counter. He got the letters out and placed them on the glass counter. 'Like that?' he said. 'No, there's an 'N' in it' I said. I can't remember the total cost but I think the letters were 50p and there were 8 in my chosen name. I do remember polishing it a few times as the letters lost their sheen over time and a tin of Brasso came to the rescue. I can't remember what I did with it but it more than likely went in the bin. Shame.

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Ray Rock & KC - Rayrock Kick It

Massive beats were always my thing so you can imagine how ape I went when I first clapped ears on it in '86. It wasn't in the import box in the shop so I ordered it and it came the next week and I've had it ever since. Absolutely solid fuckin' record. Every home should have one.

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Almighty El-Cee - We Have Risen

Re-up.

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Run DMC - It's Like That/Sucker MCs

Re-up.

Download that, 'cos that's the way it is..

Davy DMX - The DMX Will Rock

Re-up.

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MC Drew - Take No Prisoners

Brilliant record this, thumpin' 808 bass on the A-side but the B-side, 'Big Nuts' is a bit of a let down. I don't know about you but the records from this era I heard as a kid are nearly all classics in my mind and almost all the ones that passed me by as a kid I find difficult to listen to even though I know if I had heard them back then they would also be considered classics, if you get me. For instance, I had 'Bad Boys' on just a few days ago and the missus heard it and said, 'Inspector gadget? What the heck is that?' and I had to try and explain it and struggled a little but I still think it's a fresh jam. However I had to ask myself if I would think it was dope if I'd never heard it in '85 or '86 or whenever it came out? The answer would be probably not but this one is an exception to that rule. 'I'm The Packman' by The Packman is another pretty odd record that I would certainly give the elbow today had I not been alive and well and b boying my best in '83. Enjoy this one though if you've not heard it 'cos it'll knock your socks off.

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Wanted

I'm on the hunt for these if anyone can help, not necessarily the full 12"s just the vocal tracks would be a good start. It's all UK ruffness too :

Fixed Penalty - To You / Bubble Up
Pure Genius - Law Of The Land EP
Storm - Playing The Field
Original Offkey Yout - Goin' On Dark / So It Goes
School Of Culture - Detonate To Activate / Come On
Akapel - Pick It Up
Hard II Kill -You Can't Tell Us What To Do / This Is How We Do
Stinginteraction - Koncious Resistance EP
EQ - Turn The Flames Higher
Forward Intense - Stated / Imply The Calm

That'll do for now as they're all fairly unknown to many and tough to track down for a reasonable price. Thanks in advance if you can help.

Charlie Brown & The C.B. Girls - You Can Make It

Love this one.What a magnificent bastard of a record. Had it on a Mike Allen tape back in '86 and when we heard it - me and my 3 regular vinyl buying mates -  we freaked out.Walked down the street once blasting it out to the whole neighbourhood. I thought they needed to hear it. As far as I know there was no positive reaction. I tried ordering it from Fon records in Sheffield along with 'Hip Hop Bystander' by Magnetic Force and 'Little Cezar' by Eliot Ness and the Untouchables - those were all on the same tape -  but was told by the guy behind the counter that 'those sorts of records you had to buy first time around'. He may have been right but he didn't even try. Twat. Got 'em all now anyway.

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K.I.D. - Raw Flavours Volume 1

I dug this double LP out due to the recent sad news that K.I.D. of Nottingham duo 2wice The Trouble was found dead a few days ago. Up to press not much else is known about the circumstances surrounding the whole thing so we'll have to wait on more news so I won't dwell on that for now.

I will, however, tell you that I had the privilege of seeing him perform live at the Old School Reunion held in Nottingham about 20 odd years ago; he did 'Hey Hey, Can U Relate' - on his own as far as I can remember - and I have to say it was a a pretty uninspiring performance. He barely moved, just shuffled around on the spot and hardly made any eye contact with the crowd. I don't know why Carruthers wasn't there but I'm certain K.I.D. was solo on that day but it was a long time ago and my memory could be a little jaded. I can't find anyone else who was there apart from the 4 other people I went with and I haven't seen them for 15 or 20 years either so our stories can't be corroborated but it was a fantastic day overall and hearing that tune live was a real high point even though he seemed to want to be somewhere else. It's a real shame as he had talent by the bucket load and could easily have stood toe to toe with any other emcee, US or UK, at the time.

So that's it. I still can't believe it.

For further reading and downloadable content see here and here. If anyone has any further news or just any stuff I might not know then I'd be more than obliged.

R.I.P.K.I.D.

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Schoolly D - P.S.K. What Does It Mean?

If ever there was a record that reminded me of The Limit club on a Saturday afternoon then this has to be it. I think it was Steinski who was talking about the first time he went to see the Cold Crush Brothers on one of those old school docs. I can't remember which one it's on but as soon as he described walking towards the entrance - he puts his hand over his mouth muffling the beats to try and imitate how it sounded as he walked towards the door - and he opened the door and the sound wave hit him in the face like a giant sledge hammer. He then goes on to say he went with his then girl and she wanted a drink from the bar so he gave her some cash or bought two or something and told her to knock herself out as he just wanted to hear the music. Well that's how it was in the Limit, except the bar was always closed. You walked down some steps from the street level door and you could hear the beats pounding as if there was a towel over the speakers or something and you opened the door and stepped inside and it was like 50 sledge hammers bashing the shit out of your whole body. DJ Mongoose had the baddest tunes around and when he played this one you could stand on the spot near the door and still end up getting bass pummeled to the other side of the room by the end of the track. Fairly disconcerting for a 14 year old who's never been to a nightclub before. It's still the loudest music I've ever heard and I'd give my left nut to go back just once more. One of my all time faves to this day.

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MC Lyte - Paper Thin

Re-up.

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DJ Black Steel - The Original Wild Style Breakbeats

Re-up.

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Spoonie Gee - That's My Style

Well I thought I might be doing something revolutionary here but the man like Stretch beat me to and by some years too. So, I'm not gonna bother with what I was planning to write as you can get the gist right here. Instead I will mention Marley's incredible scratching at the beginning and the end. It's been on heavy rotation for the last week or so and the scratching still blows me away. I always wanted to cut like that, you know like a long sentence from an acapella or whatever and break it down on time to the beat. In fact I tried numerous times, the most memorable being the acapella from Michael Jackson's 'Bad' over a beat from one of those Simon Harris looped break beat albums. I got high praise indeed from a couple of work mates who owned their own mobile disco - the type that play weddings and birthdays and only have Stock, Aitken and Waterman records - so their opinion was kind of valued. Anyone's was I guess. I don't have the tape any more so you're spared but I wouldn't if I did I don't think. Anyway, enjoy the record, the B-side track, 'Take It Off' is dope too, and I'll submit more cheesy memories when I remember 'em.

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Malcolm Mclaren - Would Ya Like More Scratchin'

Another re-up of a record I don't have any more. A 192kbps rip but a decent one so don't despair.

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Whistle - (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin'

Re-up as requested earlier on in the week.
And look, it really is a whistle.
Well, whistle shaped.
Paid five quid for that off a dude called Dominic who was in a graf crew from Sheffield called TDK.
I bought the best of Techno Hop LP off him at the same time.
It's rumoured that he sold his Roland 808 drum machine to Ruthjoy but I don't know how true that is.
He let me have a go on it while I was there checking out his wax for sale.
True story.

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Mighty Ethnicz - Harmony Hall

Time for some UK action I think and this being my fave 12" by the Mighty Ethnicz I thought I'd share it with you. Another reason is the forthcoming shirt design by the excellent 'Style Warrior' which is available for pre-order right now so get your orders in before September 16th for a unique piece o' kit. The Ethnicz made some pretty decent records over all and a lot of them, quite possibly all of them went under the radar for most people but I think they deserve some props and interest in their short career needs a bit of reviving. 'Harmony Hall' uses a killer loop and one which I'd really like to know the origin of if anyone can assist. Blade use to have a forum and I asked there years ago and someone knew one of their crew and said he would ask but the forum went off line soon afterwards and I was back to square one. In truth I never really left square one. Still, the record is dope and well worth picking up especially as you can find it for next to nothing and the other two cuts on the flip are none too shabby either. 'Murder' makes great use of the Meters classic 'Just Kissed My Baby' and 'From Da Mind' is a funky mid tempo head nodder that makes this all in all their best record in my most humblest of opinions.

Standing Ten Feet Tall

Roxanne (Fly) Shante - Payback

Nothing wrong with a bit of Shante on a Tuesday evening. I got this on a London trip in '87 - Red Records on Beak Street I think - and traded it once but got it back soon after. 1987 was a bit of a mixed year if memory serves but the beat was what it was always about for me and the beats on here hit hard. I never really liked 'Freestyle Live' on the flip because I think it tries, but fails to sound like 'Def Fresh Crew' however the kick drum will make your floor rumble so it's not all bad. I say to Shante 'please come out of retirement and make some more records like this'. Everyone would buy it. Everyone.

I came first in a Schoolly D sound-a-like contest

Nottingham's Finest 1988 - 1992

I feel I must enlighten you to the existence of this little beauty I discovered over at the excellent 'Fear of a Wack Planet' blog a few months ago. Most of the stuff is unreleased as far as I'm aware a lot of it is absolutley firin', especially my personal fave, 'Serious-DJ quick Club Remix' by 2wice The Trouble; K.I.D should have had a stormin' career but he never hit the big time which is a real shame. I had a few of these on a tape back in the early nineties through a friend of a friend of a friend who knew DJ Mink but the tape was 'borrowed' and never returned - it had a couple of my own demos on there too I did with an aspiring rapper called MC Fame and it was him who I lent the tape to. I saw him a few years back in B & Q but he got in to his car before I could catch him. Errol if you're reading this mate I've got these back now but our demos might (not) be worth a listen if you still have them. Massive thanks to Mike Check over at FOAWP for the initial upload and if the link's dead he'll up it again for you if you ask him nicely. Pay him a visit anyway. He's got some interesting and in depth posts on all things hip hop. Worth a few minutes of anyone's time.

Link

Poor Righteous Teachers - Time To Say Peace

Another re-up, another classic tune and one which I don't own any more so this is a 192kbps rip, a good 192kbps rip mind you.

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Public Enemy - You're Gonna Get Yours

Re-up of this classic 12" (I assume this is the one you meant?) and the only PE 12" I have left in my collection. An interesting point to note is that Johnny Juice was responsible for the mind blowing scratching on the 'Terminator X Getaway Version' and I didn't find that out until I read this.

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2 Live Crew - What I Like

I traded something for this around '85 or '86. I had another mate who liked to buy records and he didn't buy this he got it in a trade before me. He used to really badger me to trade records and I would almost always give in just to get him off my case but I think I came out on top with this one. Our musical tastes differed a bit too; I liked the electro style but favoured the heavy, thundering beats and he would lean more towards Pretty Tony or Miami bass style stuff. He loved Pretty Tony. We were both interested in DJ cuttin' up style tracks as we were both aspiring DJs ourselves but our styles were different again; he would perfect his mixing skills and I would just stand there scratchin' to a beat until I thought I'd perfected that.I was surprised when he put this up for trade because it was right up his street musically speaking and I can't remember what I gave up for it. I don't ever remember instigating a trade either. The wax is a little knackered in parts dur to me scratching sounds off it, in particular the 'fresh' sound right at the end but it still sounds stoopid def, even today. 2 Live Crew's best record? I think it might be.

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