Recent Activity
posted a review of DJ Jazzy Jeff - Break It Down. over 14 years ago
This particular mix was the one intended for the album, but because of sample clearance problems it remains unreleased......except for this low-key pressing! Easily the best tune of his album, shame it got left off
posted a review of Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun. over 15 years ago
The title 'Agaetis Byrjun' means 'A good start' or 'An OK start' and comes from a comment one of their friends made on hearing an early demo of a song from this album.

If you haven't heard any Sigur Ros, this album is the best place to start. It... See full review
posted a review of Lost Boyz - Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz (Remix). over 15 years ago
I cant understand the hype behind the LP version, but the slept-on Sparks Meets Dawg mix is one of the Lost Boyz's best tunes. If you like their early stuff, seek out this mix!
posted a review of Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says / Behind Closed Doors. over 15 years ago
A modern day hip-hop anthem that managed the difficult task of pleasing the b-boys and being a club classic. Once that horns sampled from Godzilla came in, you knew there was going to be mayhem on the dancefloor.
Sadly this track suffered from... See full review
posted a review of Das EFX - Real Hip-Hop. over 15 years ago
This is the second time rap's two heavy-weight producers, at the top of their game, have both done mixes on the same 12" (the first being Jeru Tha Damaja's You Can't Stop The Prophet). On any other day, Premo's version would have gone down as a... See full review
posted a review of Jurassic 5 - Improvise / Lesson 6: The Lecture. over 15 years ago
Lesson 6 is a cut and paste mix named after Double D & Steinski's legendary Lesson's 1, 2 & 3, and following in the series of Lesson 4 by DJ Shadow
posted a review of Tony Touch - Power Cypha II. over 15 years ago
The a-side of this record sees hiphop supergroup DITC stepping up to the mic to spit verses over recognised instrumental hiphop beats. Some of the verses were later re-recorded and appeared on various DITC releases, but are here in their raw form. ... See full review
posted a review of Red* / Meth* - Double Dueces. over 15 years ago
This was the next collaboration between the two after the classic 'How High'

It sounds like it has been taken from a freestyle session in the studio. The beat used for the main cut is Slick Rick's Children's Story. The remix uses a different beat... See full review
posted a review of Ras Kass - Goldyn Chyld. over 15 years ago
Arguably Ras Kass's finest moment, but remains unreleased due to record label wrangles and trouble with the law. The album this track was intended for has been shelved and it seems unlikely this typical DJ Premier banger will ever see the light of day.
posted a review of OutKast Featuring Slick Rick - Da Art Of Storytellin' (Part 1). over 15 years ago
This 12" comes with a full picture cover, but just like the other promos from the ATLiens LP, was never released commercially. The version on this 12" differs to the LP version only in that it has a bonus verse from storytelling legend Slick Rick... See full review
posted a review of 3rd Bass - The Gas Face . over 15 years ago
Gas Face marks the first appearance on wax of Zev Love X from KMD, better known now as the underground legend MF Doom.

MC Hammer gets 'the Gas Face' on this song, to which he responded by sending death threats to all involved. Naturally everyone... See full review
posted a review of Tricky vs. The Gravediggaz* - The Hell E.P.. over 15 years ago
Hell Is Round The Corner uses the same Isaac Hayes sample as fellow Bristolians Portishead used on Glory Box, whilst the b-side features Wu-Tang super-producer RZA at the height of his talent with his Gravediggaz side project. Quite a coup for Tricky... See full review
posted a review of Amy Winehouse - In My Bed / You Sent Me Flying. over 15 years ago
The original version of In My Bed which appears on the Frank album is produced by Salaam Remi and the verses use much of the same Apache (Incredible Bongo Band) based break that he used on Nas's Made You Look. However on the chorus and the outro he... See full review
posted a review of Amy Winehouse - Take The Box. over 15 years ago
This white label is the only way to get the amazing original version of Take The Box, and also Love Is Blind, on vinyl. The tracks are not listed on this release and Close To The Front is called 'Best Friend' when performed live.
posted a review of Organized Konfusion - Bring It On (The Lost Remix). over 15 years ago
there are identical bootleg copies of this release, the way you can tell yours is original is if it has the catalog number on the run-out groove.

this verse is one of the finest from Pharoahe, who is probably my favourite rapper. both rappers'... See full review
posted a review of Rahzel - All I Know. over 15 years ago
the b-side If Your Mother Only Knew (also on the Make the Music With Your Mouth 2000 LP) was groundbreaking in beatboxing, it was the first time a mass audience had heard the 'beat boxing and singing at the same time' routine. nowadays every beatboxer... See full review
posted a review of D.I.T.C. - Worldwide. over 15 years ago
Tommy Boy made a real mess of this, the vinyl copies never hit the stores and although a few exist, they're very rare and are quite popular with collectors. a good few months after the albums release, the DITC guys put out the album themselves independently See full review
posted a review of Showbiz & A.G. - Runaway Slave. over 15 years ago
incredibly rare LP
notoriously skips on the first track (Still Diggin') on most copies. a lot of hiphop conspiracy theorists reckoned it was because the industry was trying to shift the emphasis towards CDs (in fact DITC collaborator Diamond D's... See full review
posted a review of Big L - Ebonics / Size 'Em Up. over 15 years ago
the last Big L single released before his death (in fact this was getting heavy radio play at the time of his murder).

it was the first of 2 singles to be put out on his own imprint (Flamboyant records) before it was swallowed up by Rawkus records
posted a review of Wu-Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck. over 15 years ago
the first single from Wu Tang as a collective.
released independently on Wu Tang records, this was picked up by Loud who helped it reach a wider audience

the 'bloody version' (A3) on here has all the swearing still in......on the 36 chambers album... See full review
posted a review of High & Mighty* - Open Mic Night / The Meaning. over 15 years ago
awesome early release on Eastern Conference

at the end of the track they list a load of their favourite rap acts, most of them were really old-skool and underground. on the version that appeared on the Home Field Advantage LP they changed the list... See full review
posted a review of MC Serch - Here It Comes / Back To The Grill. over 15 years ago
the world first heard Nas on Main Source's Live at the BBQ
MC Serch hooked Nas up with a verse on this b-side cut (Back To The Grill) which only ever appears on this 12"

Serch was instrumental in Nas's early career, you can see his 'Serchlite'... See full review
posted a review of Nas - Life's A Bitch. over 15 years ago
one of the rarest hiphop 12"s in existence
was a US promo only release
has been bootlegged extensively, the copies floating around on the net are likely to be fakes so dont shell out 3 figures for them unless u know they're authentic!!!!

Fact:... See full review
posted a review of Big Daddy Kane - Set It Off. over 15 years ago
released as a 12" in the UK, but not in the US
several articles by respected collectors on the rarest pieces of hiphop vinyl rate this as one of the hardest to find 12"s
posted a review of Dilated Peoples - Worst Comes To Worst. over 15 years ago
the first batch of this pressing that hit the shops was wrongly mastered.........you had to stick the speed up to +8% to sound normal. later copies were ok though