NPR has recently become a brand to count on when it comes to releasing quality, exclusive Hip Hop. Not only are they often getting the rights to preview albums in full a week ahead of release but their Tiny Desk Concerts that drop every Friday or so is ust marvellous. Check out this entry from February 26 where they invited Big Daddy Kane for a set in that tiny office. The legend rips through classics like "Smooth Operator"; "Raw" and "Ain't No Half Steppin"'. And as usual he does it flawlessley as far as flow is pertained. Backed up by musicians Anthony Hardy, Matt Lambert, Benjamin Geils, Judon Nelson and John Williams this is one you don't want to miss out on.
And on top of that, in case you missed it, DJ Premier (amongst many others) swung back the small "studio" to deliever an absolutely mindblowing set using his live band that he is currently working with (The Badder Band). With live instruments like trumpet, trombone, electric bass, live drums and turntables these Preemo classics got a fresh interprettion. This might very well be my favorite out of the NPR Tiny Dish Concerts so be sure to prees play and play it LOUD. "Da Bichez" is out of htis world.
The legendary Tramps club in New York City were the host of some amazing concerts over the years and was even the place for a few live albums, including the celebrated Big L Tribute Shows released under the D.I.T.C. banner as a two volumes set in 1999. DJ Eclipse was a regular DJ and behind the scenes man at Tramps and captured a lot of incredible live sets with his camera throughout the years. Today I stumbled across one absolutely monumental piece - it's unforutnately not the full set, but is something of a Prince Paul rememberance night as he was promoting his "A Prince Among Thieves" and had invited to the scene his original band to show his humble beginnings, the ground breaking live Hip Hop band Stetsasonic, an excellent set by Gravediggaz over live instrumentation and an itense set by one of the all time great lyricistsof all time - Big Daddy Kane. There's also a celebration of the then burgenoing undrground movement with a Paul led performance by Non Phixion, Special Ed and Missin' Linx. Eclipse uploaded these goodies back in 2013, but I actually just happened to come across them today, three years later and was absolutely blown away. Now THIS is a Hip Hop shop worth the money for entrance and would be a worthy purchase had it been recorded properly and intended for release.
But I am getting off track here, I want to present y'all with the three videos DJ Eclipse posted from Prince Paul's Tramps, NYC show that took place in March 1999. This is a true display of as brilliant a Hip Hop concert you are likely to see for so many reasons. Having all of the Stetsasonics reunited on stage (including Frukwan and Prince Paul on the turntables) getting busy and getting the crowd hype over the slick rednitions provided by their live drummer and electric bassist who both does a fabolous job. The first video is all Stetsasonic, and as I mentioned is brilliant, but my favorite part is towards the second half of the second video where Grym Reaper enters the stage while the Stetsa crew (minus Paul and Frukwan of course) dwells into some of the "6 Feet Deep" griminess. But they don't do this over any pre-programmed beats and samples but instead reuses the bassist and live drummer from the Stetsa set to GREAT effect. Grym with his crazy high-antics style and delivery and Frukwan's more laid back baritone voice with Prince Paul's trntable wizardry is a match made in heaven, and to hear "Constant Elevation" over a sample-styled live interpretation of Barry White's classic ""I'm Gonna Love You just A Little Bit More" is nothing short of pure excellence. Sad and scary is the fact that only a month after this show, where Poetic looks so full of energy and life, he collapsed in his home from severe stomach pains, was rushed to the hospital only to be told that he had cancer and had only a few more months to live. A tragedy to say the least.... Had this shame of an outcome never happened and with Paul peraps willing to join the fold I'm sure Gravediggaz could drop at least one more classic album before calling it quits.
The third and final part of the video trilogy sees Prince Paul bring out Count Mackula, Mr. Big Daddy Kane, for an absolutely awesome lyrical slaughter session proving that he was better than just anyone in 1999 still. He just needed the right beats and tne down the ladies man image. Here at Tramps the Live Band had left in favor for pre-programmed beats courtesy of Prince Paul (who sitll handles the turntables). BDK sure as hell ain't no joke here, and the crowd is absolutely stunned as should you be as he goes through a quick medley of classics from his first two albums with unphazed delivery and always spot-on performance. Excellence! Now this is one show that I would be love to purchase on wax had it been actually recorded proper. But for now these videos is an excellent reminder of what the Hip Hop show can be in its purest form, much thanks to DJ Eclipse for sharing and everyone involved in making this music happen that night at Tramps some 17 years ago!
Oh hell yeah, every time a new Big Daddy Kane verse pops up you know that shit gonna be hot. I definitely need to make a compilation of post-2003 Kane verses ASAP. Anyway this banger called "Get Your Shit Together" is the new single by the dope man known as Don Bishop Agallah. "Agalito's Way: The Life Of Don Francis" is coming sooner than you think.
This been out for a while but I actually didn't hear it until today, and a collaboration between two of the biggest lyrical giants the culture has ever seen needs to be heard by as many people as possible. I'm talking about "The Fire's Gettin' High", a previously unreleased collaboration between Big Daddy Kane and Bumpy Knuckles that was produced by Oddisee some time ago. "This was not some e-mail collab, this joint was me & Kane in the lab building a pattern and doing it the way we used to back in the days", says Foxxx of the track.
YESSIR! Big Daddy Kane is back with another heat rock, produced by UK beatsmith Dr. G who has been coming through with a lot of illness lately. On "The Times" BDK gets deep, reflecting on the ways of the world today spurred on by Dr. G's haunting strings and pounding drums. I really need to make a compilation of recent BDK material very soon. On a related note I recently checked out the album with his group Las Supper, an LP I had completely overlooked after a quick listen to the misleading first single, and I would really like to recommend that one to any Kane fan. You can pick up "Back to the Future" @ iTunes.
Saigon really came through with some suprid fresh tracks on "GSNT3: The Story Of Brian Carenard", and if you ask me the sickest of them all, both production wise and lyrically is the collaboration with Big Daddy Kane, proudced by noo lesser legend DJ Premier. The remix is handlled by DJ Premier as wel, Next up for Sai is a collaborative tour between the man himself and Chris Webby. Preemo truly went in on this bbeat... Chilly!
Saigon's third installment in the "Greatest Story Never Told" is really shapening up to be an incredible album, which is very welcome after the dissapointing "Bread & Circuses". In an interview with HipHopDX, Sai revealed that he tapped DJ Premier for about four joints from the new LP, including the first single"Nunya". Now we get to hear the second record they worked on together, and this one features an added bonus in the form of a verse from the mighty Big Daddy Kane. This shit GOES - can't wait for the LP!
Few debut albums packs the punch of Big Daddy Kane's 1988 classic "Long Live The Kane". Kane had originally started out lurking in the background, writing and/or co-writing some of his good friend Biz Markie's best songs (including the immortal "Vapors") and acting the hype man. As soon as he convinced Marley Marl to let him record some songs of his own it quickly became clear that Kane was not only Young, Gifted and Black but also that he was a rap superstar in the making. Coupled with the super funky, bottom heavy beats by Marley, Kane would showcase a rapid fire flow and intense delivery without ever missing a beat. In fact his delivery was often hype and calm at the same time, making rhyme sound as natural as breathing for the young emcee. Jaw dropping lyrical exercises like his solo singles "Raw" and "Ain't No Half Steppin'" instantly made him a favorite amongst true hip-hop connoisseurs and street dwellers. At the same time his smooth voice, good looks and appreciation for the fairer sex (displayed on jams like "The Day You're Mine" and "I'll Take You There") made him a favorite amongst the female crowd as well. Puff Daddy and BIG would later look to "Long Live the Kane" as a sort of blueprint for creating "Ready to Die", another classic album that perfected the balance between the hardcore and the sexy without falling in neither the studio gangsta trap or watering down the music with corny pop tracks. And the influence on BIG is just one example, listening to Kane's debut it's quite amazing how much of the albums lyrics have been sampled, flipped and borrowed by everyone from Jay-Z to GZA, ODB to Gang Starr, and so on.
While Big Daddy Kane never even to this day have lost his lyrical ability , he would never again sound as amazing and comfortable rhyming as he did on the 1988 Cold Chillin' debut. Kane also had a good ear for music and would often bring ideas to his producer Marley Marl, who did a marvelous job of flipping those samples, creating unforgettable hip-hop bangers by sparking up old jams by The Emotions, ESG, Bobby Byrd, Booker T, and of course James Brown. It was a sure shot way to make certain heads would be kept nodding and feets tapping while ears peaked to Kane's every word. Although Kane has been quoted as saying that there were at times quite a lot of tension in the studio between the two, for the listener it was a match made in hip-hop heaven. And sometimes when two people have to fight for their ideas create the strongest music as was likely the case here. Big Daddy Kane was for example unaware that a new mix of "Raw" would be used for the album, as he told Brian Coleman in his excellent "Check The Technique". Using the same beat Marley decided to use parts of Kane's verses from the original demo session which also featured Kool G Rap (that legendary version is also featured in full in the compilation below). In the end Kane was happy with the results.
As was the custom for an LP in the '80s "Long Live the Kane" consisted of only ten tracks and a running time of roughly 45 minutes. Simply put, just enough to satisfy the listener, but at the same time to short not to leave a striking hunger for more. While revisiting Kane's debut extensively the last couple of weeks, I realized that there was enough B-sides, demos and unreleased material that captured that same magic chemistry created between Marley Marl and Big Daddy Kane in 1988. Focusing only on tracks produced between 1987 and 1989 in collaboration between this duo, the aim of this nine track compilation is to create a little companion piece to the herein discussed album. A few of these songs were even recorded for "Long Live The Kane" ("Something Funky" and "This is For Your Own Concern" to be exact), while the majority of the others are B-sides to singles from the album. When the label pushed for the laid back ladies anthem "I'll Take You There", Kane headed back to the studio to record "Wrath Of Kane" to at least have something more rugged for the street cats on the flip. The only perhaps "controversial" decision is the inclusion of "Young Gifted & Black" as it actually appeared on "It's Hard Being the Kane", but seeing as it's still a collaboration between Kane and Marley in the given time frame I found it interesting to hear it in this setting. The version of "Rap Summary (Lean On Me)" heard here, however, is the original version of the song from the "Wrath Of Kane" 12" (1988) rather than the Marley remix from the aforementioend LP.
With that being said, this is undoubtedly a great way to kill 40 minutes of your time and I hope it will be as pleasurable to y'all to listen to as it is for me. So let's take a trip down memory lane with Marley Marl and Big Daddy Kane, two of the greatest to ever touch a microphone and a sampler, respectively. And while I'm at it, don't forget that these cats both have relatively new projects out on the market right now. Big Daddy Kane's group with singer Showtyme and live band Lifted Crew released their official debut "Back to the Future" last year, while Marley produced the entirety of Lords Of The Underground latest EP, "LOTUG 20, Vol. 1"only a couple of months ago. So go and support the legends! And last but not least, a big shout out and thanks to DJ Mike Nice and anybody else responsible for digging up these gems.
01. "Get Into It"
02. "The Wrath Of Kane"
03. "Something Funky"
04. "For Your Own Concern"
05. "Young, Gifted & Black"
06. "Rap Summary (Lean On Me)"
07. "Raw: Original Demo Version" (Ft. Kool G Rap)
08. "The Symphony" (Ft. Master Ace, Craig G & Kool G Rap)
09. "Word to the Mother (Land): Outro" [Original 12" Mix]
Following Def Dee's cooking introduction to the world with last month's "33 And A Third", the Seattle producer keeps rocking with a brand new EP. 7 tracks deep, Dee shows off his remixing skills by touching up classics by Jay-Z, AZ, Da Bush Babees, Kane, InI, Brand Nubian and Nas. Free download via MMG, check it out!
About two weeks ago we were treated to a lost Marco Polo production from Rakim's "The Seventh Seal" '09 album, "What's Wrong". Absolutely fantastic boom bap for the decade with Ra spitting his immaculate stuff as usual... The song has now turned from a Rakim track to a Marco Polo song as it will appear on his upcoming "Newporth Authority II" mixtape/street album that should be out very soon, as it's a prequel tape to Polo's official sequel to "Port Authority" sequel which drops this spring on Soulspazm Records. The mixtape is no throwaway tracks though; including the Rakim track, new music from Lil' Fame, Das EFX, Artifacts, Torae, Ruste Juxx, and more; including the collaboration with Big Daddy Kane called "Night & Day" that you can now hear below (or HERE if the embeding doesn't work).
This is incredible hip-hop at its finest, pure 2012 boom bap beats with one of the greatest lyricists of all time killing it so don't hesitate to press play and stay tuned for more info and a link for the project as soon as it drops (if it is indeed a free digital release). Enjoy the track presented here by your humble narrator, my little droogies.
Whenever a new Big Daddy Kane track pops up, you know you're in for a real treat. And especially if it's, as in this case produced by none other than DJ Premier who gives Kane a steady banger perfectly suited for his breathless 1 minute delivery of 28 bars. The song is unfortunately a promo teaser for an upcoming Kane/Preem LP, but rather made to promote Nike's latest Air Jordans, The XX8's. Makes you wonder whatever happened with that new album BDK was working on together with a live band which he showed some studio clips with in that VH1 documentary. Oh well, I can live off this for a while... Spotted @ EgoTrip.
"Celebrity Ghost Stories" is an american TV-show that airs on The Biography Channel, where remotely famous people tell about their real encounters with spirits and the other side. I always kept an open mind about these things, so for me it was great to see the legendary Juice Crew member Biz Markie appear on the show back in October last year (though I didn't catch it until the other day which is why it's posted first now).
Markie's story is the first segment in the show which you can stream above, where he talks about his start as a rapper, at a very young and up until the release of the classic "Going Off" album with Marley Marl in 1988 and where that drive to continue came from. In my opinion, it's a very inspiring and fascinating story and deserves to be posted as it deals with the making of one of the real Juice Crew album classics.But for you non-believers out there I added a lil' bonus cut for y'all in the form of a hype radio show freestyle with Biz, Big Daddy Kane and a very young Tragedy (then Intelligent Hoodlum of course), promoting Marley's "In Control" album.
Prince Paul continues his unreleased series with the rough mix of the classic title song to the equally classic Big Daddy Kane album "It's A Big Daddy Thing". The album version sounds a lot better but it's always cool shit to hear some alternative takes like this of the ol' goodies. Paul also produced the song "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" from the same album but this was apparantly the first thing they ever laid down in the studio, check the words from the sonic master before we get into the music:
"This is a Song I did for Kane in 1989 which is the title track of his album "It's a Big Daddy Thing". At this point in my career this was a big highlight to work with Kane and there was definitely a mutual respect for each others talents . This was our first time working together and I have to say Kane is truly genius a funny guy and a pleasure to work with . Listening back to this song I really wish I could have made the production better . Keep in mind this was just a rough mix , the better mixed version is on the album."
This unexpected video really came out of nowhere, but today seems to be a good day for unexpected hip-hop happenings. The first version of "Fresh" first appeared in 2008 as an internet single and was supposed to be the lead single for Cormega's then-work-in-progress, "Born And Raised". The laid-back and soulful Emile production was a rather unexpected platform for a posse cut on this level - the track featured more legends than any recent song I can think of; KRS-One, Grand Puba, Big Daddy Kane, Parrish Smith and a vintage DJ Red Alert introduction. When the album was finally released a year later, the song had been given the Buckwild remix treatment into a much more sinister track and given the title "Mega Fresh X".
Now we get a third version of this impeccable posse cut, and what's so beautiful is that all mixes of this joint is straight up legendary in it's own right. I'm betting my money on this being The Revelations playing the beat as they are doing live instrumentation versions of classic 'Mega joints for his double CD "Raw Forever" that will see a release later this year. The video is animated and directed by Edward Christian and Aura. I also took the liberty of uploading the original 2008 version of "Fresh" for anyone who was unfortunate enough to miss it; try replacing it with its remix next time you listen to "Born And Raised" on your iPod to see which you think fits better.
I think I remember hearing something about a documentary on Big Daddy Kane being in the making and here it goes. This is for BET's Unsung program series and runs for about 45 minutes and deals with Kane's rise in the rap game until the quieter days of today. Very interesting to say the least and every hip-hop fan should realize and recognize BDK as one of the key figures of lyrical rap music. Good news is that a new album, utilizing live instrumentation, is in the works. Thanks to Fatboy Brandon for putting me onto this one. The video doesn't seem to embed though but just click the link below to watch. Enjoy!
