Weapon Is My Lyric: July 2009

Monday, 27 July 2009

Straight Coffee for George - Tired of Working

"..I sit back on the lazy boy reclining, 5 to the am and I'm still rhyming.."

One of the more obscure one's. I have this on a White label Promo, and I can't be bothered to put up the pic. This self titled mini LP didn't make much of a splash, but this particular track managed to stand out for me.

Ultramagentic M.C's - Poppa Large

"..I get in shape and do my physical fitness, Your head's numb, so your brains a miss this, Pick 'em up, eat 'em up, pick 'em up, beat 'em up, Pick 'em up pimplehead, pick 'em up picky.."

Kool Keith demonstrates his skills yet again over the most definitive east coast mix (1992).

Mysterme - Unsolved Mysterme

"..Mystical, Musical, I might confuse a few.."

Mysterme drops the lyrics while DJ 20/20 drops the Lord Finesse and Kool Keith Scratches. This is an underground track that I heard somewhere and didn't know much about and it took me about 5 years to track down. Worth the wait?

Sunday, 26 July 2009

Luke Vibert - Sharp AZ

Released on the Headz compilation in 1996 on Mo'Wax Records. This featured on Volume 2 (both volumes released as 3 X LP).

I know that Mr Vibert has been a pretty prolific recording artist, in a variety of guises, but this unheralded track is an under rated gem, and one of my all time favourites.

Organized Konfusion - The Extinction Agenda

"..I'm the poetical poltergeist I heist tracks from the past, And return em to the present time in rhyme form, What was once dead is now resurrected on the record, And the physical words are mere residuals for my bidding, For my disposal to dispose of... who are you kidding?.."

Fantastic LP from the criminally under rated Organised Konfusion. With some top notch production behind them these boys would have been massive.

Extinction Agenda shows of the brilliant lyrical dextrity of Prince Po and Pharoahe Monche

Heavy D - Don't Curse

"..Cursing in my village ain't good for my image.."

Featuring Heavy D, Kool G Rap, Grand Puba, CL Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, Pete Rock and Q Tip. A stunning effort on an otherwise weak LP.

DJ MK - It's All Live

"..I stand unsure in my hand a bloody sword, i can't absorb all the trauma I've endured, as i retrace steps on lawns walked on before where shattered dreams lay fragmented on the floor.
All in all I'm in mental free-fall, but my thoughts soar with the speed of concordes,
i can't make sense of distorted metaphors, that are stuck in my mind like daggers swords and thorns.."

Featuring " Super T, Jehst, Kyza and Harry Love - Released in 2001 and also featured on Dj MK's "Bangers and Mash vol 2" Mix CD.

Monday, 20 July 2009

Katch 22 - Diary of a Blackman Living in the Land of the Lost

"..Too many Big Daddy Kane Sound-a-likes should disappear from around the mikes, UK Rap can't excel if we copy the US, a form of selling out more or less.."

Classic UK LP. Katch 22 (DJ Brainiac, DJ Kill-A-Man Twice, DJ Marga, Huntkillbury Finn) served up a quality LP in 1991 on Kold Sweat records.

Katch Mission:

Download mp3

Diary of a Blackman Living in the Land of the Lost:

Might Ethnicz - Harmony Hall

"..Meta Physical, Audio visual, Non political, Non predictable, MC at the pinnacle.."

Released in 1990, one of the best early UK tunes, it still sounds as fresh today.

Hear the juicy crackle on this one!

Sunday, 19 July 2009

The New Holidays - Maybe So, Maybe No

What a record this is. Not hiphop in any way, shape or form, but you can not fail to appreciate the beauty of this one.

Jon Phonics - Passing Spheres

Jon Phonics is an up and coming producer, responsible for the amzing quality of the FREE "Half Past Calm" mixtape. Visit Jon's myspace page to download this quality mixtape and find out what else he is up to.

I've posted another Jon Phonics track, "Passing Spheres". Not strictly hip hop, an instrumental offering that I've been playing to death recently.

Tragedy - Arrest the President

Tragedy was going along with the name "intelligent Hoodlum" at this point in time.

Arrest the President features some classic Marley Marl production.

Chi Ali - Let the Horns Blow

"..I could never be the Ruler, But like Rick I say I'm slick, You're just a backwards Kid..excuse me I meant to say you're a Dik.."

Whooaaahhh...Chil Ali, Dres (Black Sheep), Trugoy (De La Soul), Phife (A Tribe Called Quest) and the Beatnuts. You couldn't make this any better...

Son of Noise - Ill Justice

Son of Noise came about after the demise of Hardnoise. Curoc joined from Gunshot, and I believe that this was their first 12"?

Ill Justice was the better track on the 12.

Lords of Rap

All Tracks released in the early 90's, The Lords only ever released about 4 12's.

I've included a selection of their tracks here, about as british as you can get...

Where You Coming From?

Download mp3

Where does the extra 3 quid go?

Download mp3

Fancy Your Chances

Saturday, 18 July 2009

Abdominal - Abdominal Workout

"..This is probably the most syllables on any LP in your whole goddamn collection....Fu Schnickens of course is the exception.."

Canada's finest, Abdominal. Taken from his second LP "Escape from the Pigeon Hole".

Buy "Escape from the Pigeon Hole" on Amazon

Special Ed - Think About It

"..I always try and figure out why, sucker MC's wanna battle me when they know they will die.."

Taken from the "Youngest In Charge" LP, an absolute classic from the young Special Ed.

Used for the vocal scratch on Caveman's "Pages and Pages"

Foreign Beggars/Skinnyman - Hold On

"..hoooooooooooooooooold on tight to what you own, cos there's people like me outside your door.."

Taken from the "Asylum Speakers" LP, and featuring Skinnyman, Proper UK style...

Buy "Asylum Speakers" on Amazon

Sunday, 12 July 2009

Asaviour & Jehst - Money in the Bank

"..Money in the bank, Sneakers on my feet.."

Featuring two of the UK's finest, Jehst and Asaviour.

Buy on Amazon

Demon Boyz - Rougher Than an Animal

"..I don't like the way the police force drops it, The way that they treat the youth - they should stop it.."

All time classic, originally released in 1989, and rereleased in 2007, no excuses for not picking this one up.

Buy onAmazon

Blade - Mind of an Ordinary Citizen

"..Never never tell whoever whenever whyever whatever forever.."

Blade has retired from the scene now, but released in 1990, this remains his finest moment on wax.

Lord Finesse - Funky Technician

"..Lord Finesse in effect cos I rhyme hard, look good, flow smooth, yeah the whole nine yards.."

The stand out track from the 1990 LP "Funky Technician". Featuring a vocal sample of Big Daddy Kane from "The Symphony", it's another example of quality DITC output

Buy on Amazon

Artifacts - Wrong Side of Da Tracks/Flexi Wit Da Tech(nique)

"..Breaking was my thing, I used to spin the back, I never thought I'd spin the wax with tracks to make your hands clap.."

Both tracks taken from the 1994 LP "Between a Rock and a Hard Place", but they were originally released as the A/B side of the first Artifacts 12".

Definitely the best debut 12" of 1994...

Buy on Amazon

Outlaw Posse - Session in Poetry

First track on the "My Afro's on Fire!" LP. My mum bought me this for Xmas in 1990..Thanks mum!!

Nice & Smooth - Sky's The Limit

"..shabadooarrrr, shabadooarrrr, shabadooarrrr, shabadooarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!...."

Not the best MC's by a long shot, and generally as cheesy as hell, but there is something about this track (1994) that lifts the spirit's...

Antoinette - Who's the Boss?

"...So who's the boss? it ain't a weak chick, So let me launch a rhyme and let the beat kick..."

Under rated female M.C from 1989

Uptown - Dope On Plastic

"..Yo Dante, Start up the phonograph, Gather round the whole Tommy Boy staff.."

Listen to this classic from 1989 and weep at the state of hiphop today...

Big L - Put It On

"..When it comes to getting nookie, I'm not a rookie, I Got girls that make that chick Toni Braxton look like Whoopi.."

Big L, from the legendary DITC stable

Gang Starr - Jazz Thing

"..Jazz ain't the past, this music's gonna last, and as the facts unfold, remember who foretold, the 90's will be the decade of a Jazz Thing.."

P.E.'s "Public Enemy No. 1" was my first musical revelation. It made me realise that there was a world of music out there, away from the mainstream.

"Jazz Thing" by Gang Starr is the next record that had the biggest impact on me. Hearing this for the first time was mind blowing. This record alone is the reason that I started listening to Jazz and it still sounds fantastic today.

Download Video mix mp3

Download Movie mix mp3

Friday, 10 July 2009

The Juice Crew All Stars - The Symphony

The best hiphop track EVER.

Featuring Masta Ace, Graig G, Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane over a Marly Marl production, this is taken from the album "In Control - Volume 1". You must have a copy of this album to have any self respect..

2nd II None - Ain't Nothin Wrong

From the 1991 self titled LP, this has to go down as a guilty pleasure. Nothing particulary profound about this, i just like it!

Buy on Amazon

Hardnoise - Untitled

One of my favourite tunes of all time, and definately one of the best committed to vinyl by a UK outfit.

Hardnoise only ever released the two 12's (I will post "Mice In The Presence Of The Lion/Serve Tea Then Murder" at a later date), but their influence was big. Out of the ashes of Hardnoise rose "Son of Noise", and the 3 original DJ's in the group still DJ today (Renegade is in the Scratch Perverts).

O.C. - Times Up

"..Non conceptual, Non execeptional, Everybodies either crime related or sexual.."

Taken from the underated 1993 album "Word..Life", Time's Up is an absolute classic.

Written as a a scathing attack on thug-posturers who were flooding the hip hop scene at the time, it's sad that it still feels entirely relevant today.

Buy at Amazon

Blackalicious - Deep in the Jungle

Taken from the Melodica EP, this was playing when I took a trip to Soul Jazz records in Soho. My interest deepened once I checked the sleeve notes and saw that DJ Shadow had some Production credits.

Blackalicious (Gift of the Gab & Chef XL) are a very highly rated crew by those who follow the real hip hop. This particular track also features other members of the Quannam collective, Lateef and Lyrics Born (also know as Asia Born).

Blade - Hold Your Own

Absolute UK hip hop legend. A inspiration to many for his output and the graft he put in to do things on his own terms. The track "Hold Your Own" is taken from his 1993 debut album "The Lion goes from Strength to Strength".

A self financed project, released on his own label with no distribution deal, I remember persuading my Mum to write a cheque so I could do a mail order for this (Yes kids, initially not available in shops, and no t'internet). Top bloke sent me the LP and 50p change with a little hand written note.

Thursday, 9 July 2009

Lord Finesse - Yes You May

Taken from the "Return of the Funky Man" LP, my favourite track, "Yes You May". Featuring Percee P and Andre the Giant (from "Showbiz and AG"), with production duties carried out by Diamond D.

Buy at Amazon

Caveman - Capital Rap Show 1990

"..Books I read 'em once in a while, And every now and then I have a go at jogging a mile.."

Yep, it is offically known and accepted that Westwood is a spectacular bellend, but as a yoof my Saturday nights were spent listening to the Capital Rap Show, armed with cassettes and hovering over the record and pause buttons on the tape deck.

One of my all time favourite sessions, features Caveman, Smally Small, Marlon J and Red Detroit, over a JB's sample looped up by the Principle.

Wednesday, 8 July 2009

Stezo - To the Max

Taken from the album "Crazy Noise", this track is a stone cold classic. The album is an underrated gem, well worth checking out.

Buy at Amazon

Lewis Parker - A Thousand Fragments

"..subliminal visions left my world spinning, I turned on the TV and saw satan grinning.."

Taken from the Masquerades and Silhouettes LP (1998), "A Thousand Fragments" showcases Lewis Parker at his best.

Buy at Amazon, and also check out the Its All Happening Now LP.

The Visioneers - Dirty Old Hiphop

The latest project from Marc Mac (one half of 4hero). An attempt to reinterpret hiphop classics in a jazz style, while still retaining a strong hiphop element.

Mainly instrumental with a couple of vocal tracks, this is well worth a purchase. I've posted "The World is Yours", a cover of the Pete Rock produced Nas classic.

Buy at Amazon.co.uk

Caveman - Pages and Pages

"..I got pages and pages and pages and pages, always ripping up mikes and stages..."

Just transferred the "Positive Reaction" album onto my mp3 player about a month ago and I can't stop listening to it. It holds up remarkable well for something recorded in 1990. Too many quality tracks, so I will probably post more (and some 12's at some point as well).

I'm a sucker for anything with a big scratch sequence, so todays offering is "Pages and Pages"

The scratched vocal is from "Think about it" by Special Ed. I'll post this soon as well...

Overlord X - Weapon is my Lyric

I guess that we really have to start with this one...

The year is 1989, and Overlord X releases his debut album "weapon is My Lyric". I'm not a huge fan of the album, but I have always loved the title track

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