Bill Deal & The Rhondels - Tuck's Theme

A monster of a break that, to my knowledge was first used by People Under The Stairs on the the track, 'A.S.S.H.O.L.E.' on the debut LP 'The Next Step' which is possibly their heaviest work to date and I think they're excellent. Others that come to mind are a UK cut called 'French Guitar Lessons' by Beats In Progress which came out in the mid 'noughties' and more recently check this post here as one of the tracks samples it to great effect. There must be others but those two are the inspiration for this. I'm not sure of the release year as there isn't one stated on the label or the picture sleeve, (which features Bill and his five Rhondels looking pretty dapper I have to say) but I'd take a guess at very early seventies. This is actually the B-side and there's no mention of this on the sleeve at all as 'Swingin' Tight' must've been the style of the day but unfortunately there's nothing special about the A-side offering so you'll be glad it's only a couple of minutes long. I know I was. I didn't pay too much for this, maybe a few quid some years ago now but it's a decent track overall especially when you know what's coming around the 2:10 mark. If it's new to you then strap yourself in 'cos it's likely to knock you sideways.

1. Swingin' Tight
2. Tuck's Theme

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EPMD - You Gots To Chill

I read a recently published interview with Erick & Parrish in the latest Waxpoetics magazine and from the not over revealing Q & A session I was reminded of two things. One, I only ever bought two 12"s by EPMD, 'Crossover', (for the B-side) and this one right here. Two, this is a arguably one of the best records made during the so called 'golden era' of hip hop music. Erick Sermon was no bomb squad type. He found a good break and just looped it, nothing fancy and that's probably why their first and second albums were so good because he kept it simple. I personally still appreciate them as much as when I first purchased them in Warp records on Division Street in Sheffield (now a costa coffee shop, yay..). I'm pretty sure this is an easy acquisition so my advice would be to get it got if you don't have it. It'll be fine, it says 1988 on the label.

1. Club Version
2. Radio Version
3. Dub Version
4. Acapella
5. Dubapella

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Akinyele - Ak Ha Ha! Ak Hoo Hoo? 12" Single (1993)

Requested by Jamal

Classic 12 inch here from a classic album with dope production by Large Professor and scratches by Rob Swift.

A1 - Ak Ha Ha! Ak Hoo Hoo? (Clean)
A2 - Ak Ha Ha! Ak Hoo Hoo? (Instrumental)
B1 - Ak Ha Ha! Ak Hoo Hoo? (LP Version)
B2 - Dear Diary (LP Version)

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Red Hot Lover Tone - Pussy's All That 12" Single (1992)

Re-Up for Jamal. Enjoy!

A1 - Pussy's All That (Dirty Mix)
A2 - Pussy's All That (Clean Vocal)
A3 - Pussy's All That (Dirty Instrumental)
B1 - D.I.Y.M. (Dirty Vocal Mix)
B2 - D.I.Y.M. (Instrumental)
B3 - D.I.Y.M. (Clean Vocal Mix)

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Ray Rock & K.C. - The Incredible Ray

It's Sunday once again so I've picked a crate of records I haven't looked at for ages and decided that this one is in need of a little exposure in case you forgot about it. I don't remember paying much for this, probably about 3 or 4 quid a few years ago but it's a solid tune, nothing fancy, just hard rockin' drum machine driven old school niceness.

1. The Incredible Ray
2. Freestyling
3. Voices without Music

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Duke - Recorded Delivery-The Royal Male EP

Decent effort by one of the UK's most well known MCs after he dropped the 'MC' of course.

1. The Dog Catcher
2. I'm Comin'
3. Night Train

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Def Tex - Herbs & Verbs

'Tales Of What Daddy Did' was always a fave of mine although the subject matter is not, I guess you could say, anything to like. I don't know if all these came with the lyric sheet to said track but mine did.

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Def Tex - Tutorial Sessions

Superb first installment of the instrumental mini LP series from UK undergrounders Def Tex. I have all three but this is the most scarce and the best I think. Yeah, it is..

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Arthur Baker - Breaker's Revenge

I had a go at Beat Street just recently for being a bit rubbish but I think this record, albeit not by any means a hardcore hip hop record, is a corker.A bit of a boring Sunday was on the cards yesterday so I grabbed a crate of records and this was the pick of the bunch as I hadn't heard it for a long time. 1984 eh, those were the days my friend..

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Jimmy Dockett - You Need Lovin' (So Do I)

Once upon a time I was a budding DJ. I started off just mixing the records I already had but then came the breaks and I was hooked. The UBB series was the only commercial source where you got 8-10 tracks with a decent and often well known break on each cut so that seemed to be the way to go. I bought 'em all first time around including the elusive first press of volume 8, (which is not this one or this one) which was pulled almost as quickly as it was released due to copyright infringements or something, not sure of the whole story there. After I quit the deejaying thing due to lagging interest I carried on buying the wax as that's a more difficult habit to kick and I came across this little beauty. I'm pretty sure it's never been used as a base on any release to date, maybe on the odd DJ set,(which is where I first clapped ears on it), at some b-boy throwdown type thing as it's certainly one for the breakers. I'm not sure if attempting to share my enthusiasm for breaks is going to go down well and I hope Mach is ok with me posting such records but we'll give it a go shall we. Your comments both positive and negative are most welcome.

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JD Krush - Krush Style

Here's a record I bought in '86 that I haven't played since '86, probably. It's alright I guess, not a standout track by any means but the beat was (and still is) the thing and this has a large one. Just three cuts, Radio, Long and Instrumental versions. I prefer 'Rappin Insane' and will get a copy one day I'm sure.

The JD Krush Groove

Gang Starr - Code Of The Streets

My favourite record by one of the best hip hop groups of all time. Respect is due.

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DJ Elliot Ness & The Untouchables - Little Cezar

I like this record a lot. It took me a while but I eventually bagged a copy about 5 or 6 years ago for a fiver which I thought was a bargain. Couldn't believe it. A fiver. And it's mint too. It doesn't seem to get too much of a mention when it comes to what could be described as 'classics' and in truth it probably isn't but to me it's the kind of record that gives me that instant nostalgic feeling that we all really enjoy. We like to talk about it and it makes us feel good. We love to remember the halcyon days' like old men reminiscing in the pub (or the doctor's surgery..) 'cos they were better. I remember walking down the street with the 'ghetto blaster' cranked to the hilt blasting this one out and people giving me funny looks. I didn't care though. Life's too short and they needed to hear it. So do you.

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Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Superrappin'

Quality real old school disco rap and my personal fave of all time by 'the five emcees [that] sound like one'. A friend of a friend had some relatives over in Detroit in the US and after a 4 week stay over there he brought back some tapes with him of a guy called 'The Wizard' on WJLB (I think) and one of them had this cut on it which was the first time I ever heard it. I couldn't find a copy for years so when the re-issue dropped it was 6 quid well spent. Just the two tracks, vocal and instrumental on this one and a couple of spelling mistakes thrown in to annoy certain folk. Enjoy (records)..

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First Frontal Assault - Atomic Air Raid

This is the second release by the lads from the West Midlands and is my personal favourite. Staying true to form there're three variations of the same track again but I feel this record just pips the one below for hardcoreness, (if that is a word). You can't deny that the break from 'Amen Brother' and a few sirens will make your Easter day just that little bit more special.

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First Frontal Assault - Bloodfire Assault

I think these guys, like many UK artists went under the radar somewhat and I also feel that if they weren't signed to this label maybe their records would be sought after more considering that they were recorded almost 20 years ago. There're three variations of the same track on here and all are presented in the firin' 'britcore' (I hate that word) style.

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Pieces Of A Dream - Mt. Airy Groove

I was watching one of those Michael Holman old school DVDs this morning, volume 1 to be exact and the first one on it is some bloke called MC Easy Gee and he's rhyming to this. It's all very entertaining but the thing that kept bugging me was the DJ who kept on letting the record play too long and the rappers on the original recording are overlapping Easy Gee's rhymes. Why didn't he just flip the plastic and use the instrumental version? Anyway, I don't have an OG copy just this bootleg which I bought around 3 or 4 years ago and it's just as nice. Also, check out the producer's name mid right, I never noticed that before.

1. Vocal
2. Instrumental

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Disco Four - Get Busy

I've been walking to work (only part of the way) for a few months now to try and combat the inevitable middle age spread which has enabled me to listen to a lot more music than I normally would on my ipod thingy. I was trudging along in the pissing rain this morning and this came on and cheered me up a little as it's the kind of record I remember when I was a young 'un. Initial exposure for me was the B-side on John Peel's radio show and it must've been good because he played it on two seperate occasions and he didn't do that too often. The latest Fatlace podcast/radio show has some decent offerings too and they recall, albeit brief memories of John Peel's radio show as they're a couple of Northeners like myself and John Peel was the man for hip hop back then if you didn't live anywhere near that London so that's partly why I uploaded it today. And it's produced by Teddy Riley, which I'd forgotten, who made some thumpin' records before taking a turn down swingbeat & R & B Avenue and making some more commercial tunes aimed at the girls amongst us. This is quality though. Firin', speaker bustin', wife botherin', heavy drum machine driven hip hop and I love it.

1. Get Busy (Radio Edit)
2. Get Busy
3. Get Busy (dub)
4. Stomp, Stomp, Clap
5. Stomp, Stomp, Clap (Instrumental

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Short Fat Sally - Sally's Attack

I won this on ebay last week for less than 3 quid which I thought was a bargain. I had never heard the A-side before but the B-side was always a personal fave of mine as DJ Cash Money gets busy good style on the scratching cut. I used to love the way he cut up the fat boys' 'come on beatbox play one for me', (which still sounds dope today), on 'You're A Pest' and I tried to emulate that many a time I can tell you. 'Sally's' Attack' is the inferior cut in my opinion but her name should win an award even though 'The Human Beat Breath' could be conceived to be a little disgusting sounding. Oh yeah, and they spelled 'you're' as 'your' on the label which is a schoolboy error and should've been corrected before going to press.

1. Sally's Attack
2. Your A Pest (Feat. Mac Fresh)

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World Class Wreckin' Cru - Best Of

I wouldn't consider myself to be a very big fan of the Wreckin' Cru but I do like the debut single a lot. Songs such as 'Juice' with it's heavy breathing, 'House Calls' and the diabolical 'Lovers' were never really my cup o' tea even though I did once own two out the last three that I mentioned. 'Surgery' however is a fine record indeed and the version on this comp, although it is not listed as such on the label or the sleeve, is a remix and a pretty good remix too even though it does sound very much like the original. I think the lyrics are brilliant too and it's one track I know all the words to and can mime to in my room whilst rockin' the b-boy stance. Yeah right. Also please, no mention of the shiny suits and lip gloss, thanks.

1. The Fly
2. World Class
3. Surgery (Remix)
4. Juice
5. Lovers
6. House Calls
7. Cabbage Patch

Man, the freaks ain't freakin'

We're still looking for more contributors!

Want to become part of To The Break Of Dawn? We're looking for anyone wanting to share out of print hip hop, electro, freestyle, dance... anything with a dope beat. Leave a comment with your email address or better yet shoot an email to machiventa858 at yahoo dot com and I'll add you to our list of funky dope contributors.

DJ Black Steel - The Original Wild Style Breakbeats

I was 'suffering' with a bit of a cold last weekend so I stayed in bed an extra couple of hours and decided to watch 'Beat Street'. Now, I haven't seen it for a number of years and I have to say, it's pretty bad (and that's bad meaning bad). I searched for the Rocksteady bits, watched Melle Mel do his thing right at the end and swiftly switched to the superior and infinitely more entertaining 'Wild Style'. The music is real hip hop, the graff is real graff and the people are the subjects of the whole thing are the real deal too, (which is obvious from the acting but what the hell). Check out the Beat Street OST if you haven't and just count how many real hip hop tracks are on there and, considering there are two volumes, it's really not that many. Compare those to the one volume of Wild Style and it goes without saying that the music is more relevant to the whole movement even now. Watch Wild Style and not Beat Street for true hip hop legends. Jazzy Jay and Kool Herc only have bit parts in Beat Street and even Melle Mel is impersonated for the first verse of the title track. What the hell were they thinking?

1. Dixie Theme
2. Wild Style Theme
3. Hectic Style
4. Down By Law
5. Playtime
6. The chase
7. Wild Break
8. Subway
9. Crime Does Not Pay
10. Gangbusters
11. The Ampitheatre
12. South Bronx Theme
13. Military Breakbeat

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2 Live Crew - The Revelation / 2 Live

Been after this 12" for longer than I can remember now but that good-things-come-to-those-who-wait business has paid off for once. I put up the B-side scan as that is the tune I remember the most. In fact I don't remember anyone ever playing the A-side when I was a kid, it was 'bea...bea...beatbox' all the way. It could sound a little minimal to new ears but I was real pleased when it was delivered on Friday and it sounds just as fresh as the first time. To me at least.

1. The Revelation
2. 2 Live

'It's Gotta Be Fresh'

Public Enemy - Don't Rhyme For The Sake Of Riddlin'

Time for a book recommendation, yes? I've been in a PE state of mind of late after reading this one which I bought a while back now but only just got around to reading. There's some really good stuff in there with some revalatory info that's definitely worth your time. PE haven't really been at the forefront of my mind for a while now but after thoroughly digesting this my own personal interest flame has been re-ignited and afterwards I chose 'Timebomb' to kick off the musical memory lane trip as that was the debut cut for me. I was gonna post the debut single but everybody's got that and I couldn't think of any music to accompany this post that's not already been extensively covered so I've decided on this 17 minute extra off the 'Live From The House Of Blues' DVD where Chuck goes back around Roosevelt, Long Island to places of PE interest kinda like a tour guide would if you were on holiday. >.>.>.Architects Of Rap

The Mighty Rap Specialist - Order In The Court

Dope mid eighties jam and one that I didn't pick up first time around. I stumple upon this about 4-5 years ago whilst wading through an online acquaintances mp3 collection (of his own records mostly) and downloaded it 'cos of the title, which, incidentally, is the way I used to buy records in the early days as some of the people behind the counters in the stores 'didn't have time' to play a snippet of what you were interested in. Anyway, it's a really good track and I bought my own piece of wax about 2 years ago, still sealed for £2.78 which no-one on this earth could possibly sniff at.

1. Vocal
2. Instrumental

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