Browsing some SV stuff on YouTube the other day I came across a complete four minutes version of "Hoc N Pucky", one of the many short but powerful bangers on "Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1". The uploader claimed it was taken from something called "The EPHCY Sessions". Jay Dee fans will recognize EPHCY as the name of his early publishing management often listed in credits. Naturally I had to found out what this was about and to my suprise there's pretty much no info at all on where this project came from. My first thought was that it was one of those limited edition vinyl EP:s of old demos that often circulates these days but I can't find no one selling this which is why I'm posting it up for all of you to check it out for yourself.
However this is definitely the real deal, Slum Village demos from 1993 or 1994 featuring Jay Dee, Baatin and T3. The sound quality is poor but it is listenable and should without a doubt be heard at least once by any fan of this legendary group. A lot of the songs are actually dope though they only really stand on Jay Dee's beats as none of the members have really come into their own as emcees yet on here. There's a lot of clowning around and experimenting which makes me think that some of these songs were just three young guys having fun, getting used to being in the studio and trying out some ideas. Stuff like these early demos with its off-key singing in the middle of verses obviously helped the group develop the percussive vocal style they had fine tuned on "Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1". The real highlight of the set is easily "Hoc N Pucky" which is also the track that's most fully realized as a complete song. Be sure to check this one out and big shouts to Respecta.net who I borrowed the link from!
Also I want to take this moment to really strongly recommend Slum Village's latest album called "YES!", easily one of the best albums of the year. It's a very different way to create an album too as they have used old demos and previously unreleased instrumentals produced by Jay Dee with the group in mind back in the '90s which have then been completed and added on to by Young RJ. Add to that loads of previously unreleased verses by Baatin, with new stuff by T3, Young RJ, and guests Illa J, De La Soul, Phife, Black Milk, etc. Perhaps it shouldn't work but it really does and I think it would be a perfect way to close the Slum Village chapter on - with a celebration of the past and the present. The cover is even the original artwork for "Fantastic Vol. 2" which was changed at the very last minute! Pick up a copy if you haven't already, it's available from UGHH now.
01. "And I Got..."
02. "Roxanne"
03. "Dance With Me"
04. "Dance With Me" (Instrumental)
05. "Hoc N Pucky" (Original)
06. "Mountaintop"
07. "Tell Me What You Want"
07. "Tell Me What You Want"
08. "And I Got"
09. "Roxanne 2"
10. "Roxanne 3"
11. "The One For Me" (incomplete)
via Respecta
I was the one who uploaded the video. And the track list you have for ephcy sessions with 11 tracks in incorrect. There's more to it. U have an incomplete track list.
ReplyDeleteDUDE IVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE FULL VERSION OF THE ONE FOR ME. IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS A MASTERPIECE FOR THE FIRST 10 SECONDS
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