Sunday, March 16, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Rhymefest & Just Blaze in the studio
The Rhymefest and Lil ' Jon video was classic so had to post this. One funny talented dude.
And maybe breaking isn't so bad after all.
Drop Knock - Go Dumb USA
"One minute everythings all good.
The next minute ten n@iggas stopming on ya hood"
Welcome to the bay.
My Philosophy
"Hip hop is a subculture, which is said to have begun with the work of DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, and Afrika Bambaattaa.
The four main aspects, or "elements", of hip hop culture are MCing (rapping), DJing, urban inspired art/tagging (graffiti), and b-boying (or breakdancing). The most known "extended" elements are beatboxing, hip hop fashion, hip hop slang."
-WIKIPEDIA
Well, what the f@ck do they know. My folks always raised me to believe in the 5 elements of the Hip Hop God. The B-boy, the Graf bomber, the beatboxer, the rapper and the DJ . Today in Hip Hop, it's a whole another story. Most dudes would put Range Rovers, iced out chains and Stunna shades in their 5 elements of hip hop . Well, i suppose i'm one of them dudes LOL. Props to the old school but i never been a big fan of b-boys. We just don't wear tracksuits in the UK unless you a scally, ya dig? So here's my Philosphy.....the real 5 elements of Hip Hop in 2008 .
1. The Emcee
Imagine no rap. Just croony RnB singers ruining every dope beat you ever heard. Hell on earth.
2. Grafitti
When was the last time you saw a rap video with Graffiti in it ? Still a big part of Hip Hop for me.
3. Cars/SideShows
Doesn't matter if you a back packer or a pimp. I know you out there ridin' dirty on 22's .
4. Beef/Fighting- The new B-boying!
Real beef not that lighweight processed ish. Less of that gun talk and more skills or fisty cuffs. 50 and Fat Joe take note. I would pay good money to see those two go at it like this (no homo lol).
5. The Producer /DJ
The most important part of this all.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Re-Up - Bazooka Joe Interview
Born in BX, NY. Hip-Hop junkie and collector since 1982. Bazooka Joe started out with a Fearless Four record and a fisher price turntable before the invention of the glorious double cassette boom box, where he began crafting "pause" tapes, Joe became inspired by mixtape pioneers like Kid Capri, Action PAC, DJ S&S, Tony Touch, DJ Double R & G-Bo The Pro, as well as the Golden Era of Hip Hop radio (Mr. Magic, Red Alert, Chuck Chillout, Stretch & Bob).
He then did the "Hip Hop Theater" radio show at Villanova University from 93-96, before starting the 'Truck Jewls' line of underground mixtapes & CD's. I stumbled across a few tapes back in 99 and was blown away. This dude had collected some of the rarest remixes and unreleased tracks by artists like Lord Finesse , Nas & De La Soul and blended them into some of the best mixtapes you prob never heard. No annoying shout outs, just real Hip Hop from start to finish.You can also catch him as the occasional Black Sheep show holding down the decks for his man Dres. I hooked up with Joe a few weeks back to drop some old school knowledge for 1xtraLarge. Here's what he had to say.................
Bazooka Joe aka Truck Jewls
You grew up in NYC so what was it is like living in the birthplace of hiphop?
It was incredible, I was born & raised in the Bronx (Underhill & Watson) and really witnessed the birth of a culture. I was 10 years old in 1984, and have clear memories of the Zulu nation starting up, breakdancing, graf on the trains, all the “rap music fad” talk, even watching the video for Rockbox when it 1st aired on MTV…that was a big deal at the time. I take pride in remembering the days when Hip-Hop did not exist, I have an appreciation for the culture most can’t understand.
So how did You get in the mixtape game and when did you put out your first tape?
I started making the tapes for breakdancing purposes in the 80’s, just “pause” tapes on a double cassette box, taping Mr. Magic & Red Alert radio shows, then piecing together my own comps after that. Once I started buying albums & 12 inches, I would take the best 2 or 3 songs off them and make my own mixes to listen to. This carried on through high school then college, I was always the guy with the newest music and putting these mixes together for me & my friends to listen to without a DJ screaming over the songs. I started with a college radio show, then after that was over, I learned the ins & outs of the mixtape game by working at a Mom & Pop record store in philly, and decided to start the Truck Jewls thing to continue the legacy of my radio show…the 1st official one for sale was called “Something Different” and it came out around 1998.
When did You first get Your turntables?
I messed around with a friend’s setup in high school, this was early 90’s, but it wasn’t till I got to college and started doing radio that I really took DJing seriously, so I got my first real DJ setup around 94/95.
The Hidden treasures series contains a lot of classic unreleased tracks.
How did You get these records? Did you own all those joints on 12"? And where did You get em'?
I was always a record hound, even as a kid, and I’ve always had a nose for rare records, remixes, b-sides. I knew what to look for when it came to rare material, test pressings, cassette singles, CD imports, whatever had that extra track or mix that wasn’t on the artist’s album. I also had a lot of good label connects and used to raid their shelves for demos, album advances and things like that. When I made the Hidden Treasures series, I knew those records weren’t necessarily rare at that time, but they would be, and to this day, a few things have come out through reissues but the tapes definitely hold their own and have tons of valuable rarities on them.
Tell me about some of your favorite songs from thats series.
Ummm, so many, but a few I can think of…Greyson & Jaysun feat Slick Rick “Get Bizzy”…they were a group produced by Vance Wright, I still rock that album. Phaze & Rhythm “Swollen Pockets”…still a staple during my DJ sets. MC Lyte “Survival of the Fittest” (Original), this is one of my favorite songs period, Lyte killed it and the beat was crazy, it was on a First Priority comp, the same one with “I’m Not Having It”…definitely hard to find. BDP “Essays on BDPism” one of the last joints KRS did with Scott LaRock…I can go on for days, oh Cypress Hill “Scooby Doo” that shit still gets me… JVC Force “Big Trax”.
I bought some of your tapes from Bobbitos during a trip to NYC in maybe 99' or 2001? How widely were the tapes distributed and how many tapes did you press up ?
At it’s peak I was pressing up 500-1000 each time one dropped, it seems pretty small, but I did everything myself, so that was enough for me to handle. I had some help later from places like Landspeed & Sandbox. Bobbito & Fat Beats were some of the first in NY to show me love, and I liked to keep them in niche stores like those because I knew the true heads were shopping there. At one point, I had stores in Chicago, LA, Miami, Arizona, Canada & Philly. I also let them sell for a little while and by the time it was time for a store to re-up, I had a new one ready, so it kept them kind of limited and exclusive since I didn’t keep re-pressing the same ones.
Who influneced You to become A DJ and who is ur favorite mixtape DJ right now?
The Bronx mixtape game in the early 90’s really gave me my vision, cats like Action PAC, Kid Capri, Tony Touch and especially Double R & G Bo the Pro…those tapes were so ill, their blends and song choice were so creative, that’s back when DJ’s actually mixed on their tapes. The Stretch & Bobbito radio show was a big influence on me as well, the way they presented their music and broke new talent every week, those show tapes are so valuable right now. They had a perfect balance of dope mainstream hip-hop alongside the underground stuff. Nowadays, I don’t know…there are a few mixtape series I like, but more because of what’s on them, not like the DJ is impressing me, but I like what DJ Drama is doing and Mick Boogie & Joey Fingaz, also my man AC the Program Director, out in Long Beach…that’s the West Coast me right there, we’re getting ready to some big things together this year, shout to my Real DJ’s crew & Leaders of the Brand New Funk.
What equipment did you use back before digital and what do you use now?
Well obviously the double cassette boom box was my foundation, that’s where the blueprint was laid, but when I was doing radio, I would like to have everything, because some songs I had on vinyl, some on CD, some on cassette, and I hated limitations. When I first started doing the tapes, it was a combination of all these thing to make it work somehow, I used to make the 1st tapes live in one set, then started multi-tracking for sanity purposes, now with digital, I use a program called Traktor Dj Studio for mix CD’s and Serato for live sets because it allows me to treat my whole collection like I had it on vinyl, which is what I prefer to use, 2 1200’s & a mixer..i’m good.
How did the hook up as 'Black sheep's DJ come about?
I did an album release party last year for his 8WM/Novakane album, he ended up performing and needed a DJ, so I did it. It was the first time I had spun for any artist’s set. I also got his attention by rockin some of my rare joints, I was playing joints of his & Chi-Ali and he was like “I don’t even have this shit”, so I think I got his attention that way, we ended up doing a Truck Jewls style mix CD with a collection of his best, unreleased & rare material which did really well, in fact look out for “Love is Love Part 2” real soon. He called me to do another show about a month later, and then tour dates started popping up & he would call me, so he’s definitely blessing me with some valuable experience & opportunity. I have a lot of respect for him & his grind and it’s an honor being involved with an MC of his caliber.
Being a cat out of NYC you gotta agree it's a real shame stores like Beatstreet have shut down. What other spots do you hit up?
Yeah Beat Street on Fordham Rd, was my spot, I did go to the one in BK too. Back in the day it was LBM records in Parkchester, SOS in Castle Hill, then in Philly it was Armand’s. Bobbito’s Footwork & Fat Beats were always good for the indie shit, and occasional test press if you went in there on the right day, especially Footwork in Philly, I was getting record advice from DJ Rich Medina, who put me on to records and groups I still play today, and he knew his shit. That’s gonna really be missed, going to that record store and getting put on to shit you had no idea existed, that won’t happen with your computer. It is a shame, but I embrace technology, the fact that I don’t have to lug crates around is a bonus and an advantage any DJ from the 80’s or 90’s would have done if it were possible. In any business you can’t blame technology, it is what it is, you have to be ahead of the curve and foresee the industry and make the necessary adjustments. I still collect records, but I can digitize them and store them away now without beating them up, I feel bad for the stores, but not for the labels, they’ve been screwing artists for years, it’s about time the industry felt some heat. Now we don’t have to spend money on records that are only hot for a month. The downside will be DJ’s in the future claiming to be this & that and not know the feeling of shopping for records, and finding that crazy shit in a record bin.
What was your experience of 9/11 being that you live in NYC?
It was real crazy, I had just lost my mother a few months before that, so I was kind of numb to it when it happened, but it was a chaotic scene out here. I was working for Universal at the time, driving into work, and had to turn back around and watched the 2nd tower fall at my cousins house in the Bronx, I will never forget that day.
How did it effect the rap game in NYC?
I don’t know, but it didn’t make the music better. NY still is not even close to where we were at that time, and the best music usually comes out of depression and tragedy, now everybody’s rich and the music does not have the same inspirational values it once did. The corporations really chewed it up and are starting to spit it out, I think now that Hip-Hop is losing sales to Pop music, we might see a change for the better out here, more pure artists and less one-hit wonders trying to make a buck.
Whats your opinion of the Dj Drama incident and what affect do you
think it will have on the game?
I think they just went after him to make an example, every couple of years they try and shake it up, I remember the raids in 2000, stores were shook, but in the long run, it won’t affect the game, DJ’s will always make mix CD’s, it’s how you get your name out there. I used to work for Ruff House records and remember getting the 12 inch for Lauryn Hill “Lost Ones”, we had about 1000 copies of the record, the demand was high as hell, and only gave out 4 at first, 2 to radio, and 2 to the hottest mixtape DJ’s at that time, so labels know the value of mixtapes, the RIAA just likes to flex it’s muscle every now and then, especially when someone is really seeing serious dough.
Tell me more about the HIpHop theatre radio show....
It was an underground hip-hop show on a real small campus station, WXVU at Villanova. Shouts to Mr. Firley & Smooth Z, my co-hosts. We made the best of it, had guests like Artifacts, KRS, OC, Organized, plus local talent like this group Dust II Dust and the Crooked Man, who I worked with and helped put out his first album, still one of my favorite MC’s on an unsigned level. It was a good experience, learned a lot and made some good contacts like Serch when he was doing Wild Pitch, I ended up taking one of his interns under my wing who was a freshman at the time, through that, I did some college promotion work for Serchlite during the summers & breaks. I think I am credited in some book @ Villanova for bringing a Hip Hop scene to the campus when it had none.
What were your experiences working with Wildpitch/Searchlite music?
Great, that was my first label experience and I met some cool people like DJ Eclipse, Sabac from Non Phixion, OC. It was short-lived because the label folded not too long after I started there, but I still stay in touch with Serch & Eclipse.
I noticed alot of classic albums as Your favorites. But also Young Jeezy . Are You a fan of the South and cats like Banner, Weezy & Joc?
Yeah I get that a lot, most people cannot believe how much southern shit I listen to especially based on the Truck Jewls catalog, but I was living in Philly and some cats I knew put me onto Three 6 Mafia and Master P “Ghetto D” to be specific, while I was putting them onto Company Flow & Kool Keith… as a DJ & fan I’ve always been open to different styles within the culture…to me Hip-Hop’s true spirit was in the 80’s where it wasn’t so defined, you had people of all colors & races expressing themselves through this culture, now it’s very black & white, and very much bullshit. I wanted to broaden my horizons to be a better DJ and have since grown to love the South, their movement and energy is 100% Hip-Hop to me. I like Jeezy, Wayne, T.I., UGK, 8Ball & MJG…not JOC or banner really, his production is dope though, Three 6 too, they’ve been chopping up samples for years, incredible producers, I like their new show too. The south has it’s own history and needs to be respected just like the NY or LA history, you can’t knock what their doing. Another thing was, I got to a point where I didn’t want to get pigeonholed as an “underground DJ” so I started playing all types of parties, ranging from electronic & house music, funk/soul, even the big clubs where they don’t dance to MF Doom…it makes me a better all around DJ and producer if I understand why people move to different beats.
Surely You don't like Laffy Taffy!!!!????
Hell No, but I do like “dance” songs and think they should come back out, we used to have the Bizmark dance, Pee Wee Herman, the Fila, the Wop…the Humpty Dance, those kinds of songs were fun. With every music and every genre you have commercial & underground to a certain level, even in the 80’s when Run-DMC came out it was all about Kurtis Blow being commercial with his “Basketball” tune, so that mentality goes back to the beginning, you just have to filter through the good & bad, because there are some horrible records that come out of New York too, even in the 90’s.
Immortal Techinque ?
I actually used to see him at local open mics in NYC and knew he was gonna go far, that kid is real talented, I’m glad to see him getting his shine. I would walk out of those open mics remembering his name over everyone else involved, dude is nice.
Is Weezy the Greatest rapper alive?
I am a fan, can’t front, been a Cash Money fan for a while, and Wayne is definitely on his way, he’s one of the few who I think is trying to find different rhyme styles & wordplay patterns, that’s what I used to love about KRS. At this point of my life, nothing a rapper says surprises me, they all think they’re the greatest and if that’s how he wants to market himself, fine with me and as for the ghostwriting stuff, I don’t pay attention to that, it happens a lot more than people want to know.
Top Five dead or alive?
Man, I hate that question because it’s so limiting. But for the sake of trying to figure it out without naming the obvious who are always mentioned here, I will go with some personal favorites, because I believe Hip-Hop is where you find it, so there is never a right answer when it comes to opinion, but for me, lyrically I would have to say KRS, Slick Rick, Nas, Rakim, Raekwon.…but then you have groups too like EPMD, Run DMC, Wu-Tang, M.O.P., Gang Starr, The Roots & De La….there are so many ways to break this question down, but I’ll leave it at that.
Peace, thanks for taking the time Joe, It's been a pleasure. Just one last question, Any upcoming projects?
No problem ,thank you. Keep an ear out for Truck Jewls radio coming in June through www.hiphopphilosophy.com I have a double mix CD done called Boombox Diaries, similar to the Hidden Treasures series but with all pre-90’s Hip-Hop, also a Truck Jewls 10th Anniversary mix CD which will be all mash-ups and remixes, kind of a specialty project like the Jay-Z/RJD2 thing I did, but on a whole other level, that’ll be out later this year. Producing a reggae project with my artist I’Jah Olson, still spinning around NYC, check me out @ www.myspace.com/truckjewls for details on upcoming gigs and Mix CD’s. I am also doing the soundtrack & score for an independent documentary called “Zoned In” which will be out later in the year, so I’m staying busy for sure.
Peep Bazooka Joe @ Myspace
A belated Happy New Year Folks.....
Ok so i'm addicted to Serato. Thankyou Santa! Posts are gonna be slow til i get my skillz back on the 1's and 2's .
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Dj Skee presents Jay-Z - American Godfather
Part 1
Part 2
Getting sick already of the countless remix albums floating round but this could be some classic shit.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Loose ft. Amanda Blank - Bangers and Cash
Do u see at theme with these last 3 videos. U know what i got on the brain.....
And this track is bangin' . Don't know who dude is but need an MP3 of this for real.
Gucci Maine - Hella ones
Don't think i have ever pumped a Gucci Maine track but this video is def worth checkin.
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