SHAQ Ft. BIG PUN, FAT JOE & EZ MO B - "The Bigger They R" (1996)

This is just incredible right here... Now, I know this joint has been out for a while but its producer Domingo has finally unveiled a full/CDQ version of this gem of a lost tape. Recorded in 1996 for "You Can't Stop the Reign", Shaquille O'Neal was hellbent on making a respectable album by surrounding him with all sort of legitimate talents. For "The Bigger They R" he invited Big Punisher and Fat Joe as well as Easy Mo Bee (!), and it's a real shame this never was heard back in the days because it's absolute killer. Terror Squadians!

BIG PUN - "Still Not A Player" [Demo]

Justice over @ 2DopeBoyz just posted this, so I figured I'd borrow it for The Lost Tapes as well since it's great to get to hear "new" ish by The Punisher. "Still Not A Player" is of course considered a real classic but to me I really prefer "Capital Punishment" without it since the only thing it manages to do is to annoy me. The original Minnesota mix though? Now that's another story completely... But back to this rough demo version which apparantly originally was dug up by DJ Soul and made the mixtape rounds. This version also features additional vocals by Cuban Link and is overall a cool listen. 

As a lil' bonus I also uploaded a related track which never made it to the final version of "Capital Punishment" though it most definitely should have - matter of fact, when I upload the album to my iPod I usually delete "Still Not A Player" and replace it with this track. "Wishful Thinking" features Big Pun, Kool G Rap, Fat Joe and B-Real going crazy over a hard to the core Showbiz production. A crazy posse cut if I ever heard one, and how this didn't make the LP is forever beyond me (it was placed as the B-side to the "I'm Not A Player" 12").

BIG PUN / FAT JOE / KOOL G RAP / B-REAL - "WISHFUL THINKING"

[Interview] PROSPECT

Prospect, the talented Bronx spitter who in the '90s gained fame in the as a member of Terror Squad, returned to the public eye with the release of "First Blood" last week. The banging mixtape marked his first release as a solo artist as well as his debut with Grim Team, and should get you prepared for a lot more to come. Below is a Q&A that I conducted with Prospect, touching upon the making of "First Blood", future projects, his stance on Terror Squad's original albums, and more. Read on...

claaa7: It’s great to have you back on your A game with this new mixtape “First Blood”. You sound really hungry! Are you happy with the response it has gotten so far? 

Prospect: yes, I am definitely happy with the response. being that i recorded this record like 4-5 years back and for people to be into it like it’s 2013 music speaks a lot.

c7: It’s been a while since we heard from you. How did the transition from Terror Squad to a solo artist backed up by Grim Team come about? 

Pro: I met grim team when i was down with the terror squad in like 02 or 03. I was introduced to them thru a guy named Sean C, who was a A&R at loud records. they wanted me to record a song for there compilation album. and we been in contact ever since.

c7: You of course have been rhyming for a long time, yet “First Blood” represents your first outing as a solo artist. How come we never really heard any solo material from you before? 

Pro: Me and the squad stop doing business around 05, 06, then i took some time off to clear my head and see what i wanted to do. then in 08 i got back into the lab and recorded “First Blood” which was suppose to come out in 09. but business went bad, money got fucked up, and we had to let it sit on the shelf for a while...after that i started working a job. and just really started thinking about a different career? but i always kept writing cause that’s what i like to do, then in 2012 my man Greg from grim team gave me that call like lets give it another shot, and here we are...

c7: I understand that “First Blood” is a collection of songs recorded over the last few years, so what tracks are the earliest and which were the last you recorded? 

Pro: The majority of the album was early recorded, the latest tracks i did on the album was track.1 the “intro”  track.2 “first blood” track.9 “fame” and track.4 Mr.music” but even those i had for some time...I’m working on a bunch of new material as we speak, we just wanted to get “First Blood” out there first so it wouldn’t go to waste. new crack on the way for sure...

c7: The majority of the mixtape is produced by Chaze of Grim Team, and you can hear there’s a good chemistry there. What would you say your work relationship is like? 

Pro: Well, at this point I'm not working wit chaze. i haven’t spoken to him in a few year’s. sometimes people just go different ways as time past. but me and his chemistry was definitely good, we didn’t see eye to eye sometimes like everybody you work wit, but we definitely had a good relationship for the most part...

c7: The song “First Blood” really sets off the tape with a bang and is one of the strongest cuts to me. How did that track come together (inspiration, etc.)? 

Pro: “First Blood” was inspired by the movie first blood wit Sylvester Stallone, so i wanted the song to feel like a action movie or some shit. (laughing) like I’m kicking the song to y”all while I’m on the move in the middle of action. that’s why i have a bunch of sound effects on it too...but at the same time it’s real because the whole point of it is survival and letting people know they can’t stop you so get out the way. just like in life we all trying to survive but you got some people who wanna keep you down or take you out, but you gonna make it happen anyway and let them know they can’t fuck wit you, that’s “First Blood”.

c7: Another producer that you’re working with on here is E-Blaze who laced you with “I’m Not Hiding” and the album intro. When and where did you hook up? 

Pro: I met E.blaze a few year’s back wit the grim team at my video shoot “Bxny” i did wit them in the Bronx...but i recently just started working wit him in Miami on my new project so we just starting. 

c7: My personal favorite on the entire tape has to be the one you did called “Make Something Outta Nothing”. Could you give me some details on the making of that joint?  

Pro: That was a hot beat i got from “lord finesse” so i just wanted to do some straight hip hop shit to it, just rapping. Tryna make something outta nothing rapping, that’s what it is...and i just wanted it to have a nice vibe...

c7: So “First Blood” is the warm-up to a retail solo album by you or what’s the deal? Have you started putting together that next project? 

Pro: Yes sir, “First Blood” is just the warm up. I am working on another warm up mixtape which is “untitled” right now, should be finish by middle of September. Then after that hopefully my solo retail album to really pop it off. just tell everybody to be on the look out...

c7: What are some of the producers and guest artists that you will work with on your forthcoming album? 

Pro: Me and my team have some idea’s on a few producer’s and a few artist we wanna collab wit. but nothing is confirmed so i don’t wanna throw names out there just yet. don’t wanna be false advertising and promoting the wrong people. But everything i do is crack, so don’t expect nothing less... 

c7: Do you see yourself continuing dropping mixtapes as well? 

Pro: My main focus is original music, hit singles, and classic records. I’m not really a mixtape dude but I will drop as many as needed to get to where we need to be...

c7: Looking back, how do you feel about “Terror Squad: The Album” and “True Story” today? 

Pro: Terror Squad “The Album”, i like it because it was a team effort, it was more of our own original sound. a lot of us was putting in late hours damn near sleeping in the studio a lot of nights but it was fun. so i love that album as a whole, as far as the creating process and everything all together...”True Story” i never really had a connection wit that album because it was mostly put together by fat joe, remy, and cool & dre...fat joe flew me and armageddon out to miami and said the album was done, and that it was a classic. we just needed to record 2 songs, so to be honest wit you that album is alright to me...

c7: Do you know if Grim Team is planning another compilation or collaborative album for the near future? 

Pro: The only albums grim team is focus on right now is my shits...after that then anything is possible...they might hit you wit a new compilation...

c7: Alright, many thanks for your time! I’m really looking forward to hearing more new music from you soon!

[Mixtape] PROSPECT - "First Blood"

As promised Bronx born and raised Prospect, who you'll remember for his many spot on verses on the Terror Squad projects back in the days, has hooked up with Grim Team to deliver his first official mixtape "First Blood". I've got the advance a couple of days back and been able to blaze this banger quite a bit, and as it's a bunch of different tracks recorded over the last few years some of the songs is a little differing in quality but one thing's constant, Prospect is ALWAYS on point with the vocals here! Add hard beats by E-Blaze, Lord Finesse and Chaze of GT and you can trust me when I say that a large chunk of this is truly worthy of that rewind button. TURN IT UP!!

 

PROSPECT - "FIRST BLOOD"