Following on from last week’s Demo Versions comp, this is a collection of original versions of rap songs which had their beat completely changed for the album. Unlike tracks which have to get redone because of sample clearance problems, these tracks all seem to have been decided not to be musically strong enough and were taken back to the lab. In the majority of cases, the final versions are far superior, but there a few songs here which were deemed to be ‘too old sounding’ and suffered from shitty remixes before they were finally released. Since most of you would have have had the retail versions of these songs imprinted on your brain after years of constant rotation, it can be both disconcerting yet refreshing to hear them over totally different beats.

Download: A Salute To Scrapped Original Versions

Track listing:

01 ‘Fat For The 90’s’ [Original Version] – Lord Finesse feat A.G.
02 ‘Enter The Dragon’ [Original Version] – Kool G Rap & D.J. Polo
03 ‘Come On Motherfucker’ [Original Version] – Biggie Smalls feat. Sadat X
04 ‘More Than One Way Out The Ghetto’ [Original Version] – Showbiz & A.G.
05 ‘Probable Cause’ [Original Version] – Brand Nubian
06 ‘Give It To ‘Em L’ [Original Version] – Big L
07 ‘Brainstorm’ [Original Version] – Latee
08 ‘At Large’ [Original Version] – Intelligent Hoodlum
09 ‘Memory Lane’ [Original Version] – Nas
10 ‘Don’t Sweat The Technique’ [Original Version] – Eric B. and Rakim
11 ‘Temperature’s Rising’ [Original Version] – Mobb Deep
12 ‘Behind Bars’ [Original Version] – Slick Rick
13 ‘Plucking Cards’ [Original Version] – Ultramagnetic MC’s
14 ‘Green Eggs and Swine’ [Original Version] – 3rd Bass
15 ‘Stronjay’ [Original Version] – O.C.

To complete the theme that I’ve running with these past few weeks, here are fifteen rap songs which were either scrapped altogether, released as promo only or re-recorded for the album. It’s limited to one pick per artist, otherwise this would have ended up as yet another compilation of Ghostface and Nas songs that couldn’t be cleared.

*LL Cool J voice* You didn’t think I could do it again, did ya? [laughter] Another Zippyshare album! [laughter] The jokes on you jack!

A Salute To Failed Sample Clearances

Track Listing:

01 ‘Rotten Apple’ – Royal Flush
02 ‘Nuthin’ Move But Da Money’ – Smif ‘N Wessun
03 ‘In The World’ [Original Version] – Akinyele
04 ‘Ready To Die’ [Original Version] – The Notorious B.I.G.¹
05 ‘Ghost Deini’ [Original Version] – Ghostface Killah
06 ‘B.L.A.C.K.’ [Original Version] – Black Rob
07 ‘Your World Don’t Stop’ [Original Version] – AZ
08 ‘Mr. Incognito’ – A Tribe Called Quest²
09 ‘Serious’ – Nas feat. AZ
10 ‘Thought @ Work’ [Original Version] – The Roots³
11 ‘Think Big’ [Original Version] – Pudgee feat. Biggie Smalls and Lord Tariq
12 ‘The Dream Shatterer’ [Original Version] – Big Pun
13 ‘Married To Marijuana’ – Capone-N-Noreaga⁴
14 ‘Thug Chronicles’ [Original Version] – Kool G Rap feat. Havoc⁵
15 ‘Young Luv’ – Mobb Deep

1. There was also the Minnie Ripperton version of ‘Me and My Bitch’ but I prefer this.
2. Sounds like something from the Low End Theory sessions.
3. Sampling The Beatles never ends well.
4. It was a toss-up between this and ‘Calm Down,’ but I’ve already given that song enough luh on these pages.
5. Cannot confirm that this was a sample problem since Cormega used the same loop, but this would have been the stand-out from Giancana Story if this version had made it.

There’s nothing like pretending to rap like it’s 1985 (or better yet, 1977) well after the fact, or recruiting some veteran MC’s to kick some old styles. While some of these attempts have fallen flat (Ugly Duckling and People Under The Stairs being two examples that spring to mind), others have made an entire career out of it (J-5). So break out your Lee jeans, mockneck sweater and Puma suedes for this faux trip down memory lane. Special shout out to Dr. Butcher‘s old school style freestyle at the end of Kool G Rap and DJ Polo‘s ‘Jive Talk‘ and the first verse of The Arsonists’ ‘Rhyme Time Travel.’

Download: A Salute To Old School Throwbacks

Track listing:

01 ‘Da Medicine’ [Party Version] – The Veteranz
02 ‘B-Side Wins Again’ [Original Version] – Public Enemy
03 ‘The Way It Used 2 B’ – Donald D
04 ‘Back In The Days’ – The Legion
05 ‘1977’ – Dr. Octagon
06 ‘Party’ – Devin The Dude feat. KB Man Child
07 ‘Flashback’ – Tha Alkaholiks feat. The Baby Bubbas
08 ‘Return Of The B-Boy’ – The Pharcyde
09 ‘Old School’ – Busy Bee
10 ‘Sucker MC’s’ – Wu-Tang Clan
11 ‘Heartbeat’ – KRS-One feat. Redman and Angie Martinez
12 ‘Stix and Stonz’ – De La Soul feat. feat. The Fearless Four, Grandmaster Caz and Prince Whipper Whip
13 ‘The Show’ – The Roots
14 ‘Unified Rebelution’ – Jurassic 5
15 ‘Summer In America’ – The Ignorant 3 Plus None [A-Luv, Chubb Rock, Mr. Blue]

It could be said that the world doesn’t need another DOOM compilation, but considering that most of them are amateurish fan mash-ups I’d argue that a definite collection of the Metal Faced Villain‘s post-Zev Love X period is long overdue. These are the seventeen best examples of DOOM, as officially sanctioned by the CRC Advisory Board.

Download: A Salute To MF Doom

Track listing:

01 ‘Dead Bent [Album Version] – MF Doom
02 ‘Yee Haw [12″ Version] – MF Doom¹
03 ‘Impostas’ – MF Doom
04 ‘Doomsday’ – MF Doom
05 ‘Lactose and Lecithin’ – Viktor Vaughn
06 ‘MIC Line’ – MF Doom
07 ‘I Sell Rhymes Like Dimes’ – Greedy Fingers feat. MF Doom and Megalon²
08 ‘I Hear Voices Pt. 1’ – MF Doom
09 ‘Rapp Snitch Knishes’ – MF Doom feat. Mr Fantastik
10 ‘Fazers’ – King Geedorah
11 ‘Lively Hood’ – DOOMSTARKS ((A welcome return to form this past September.))
12 ‘Absolutely’ – DOOM
13 ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ – Madvillain
14 ‘Vomitspit’ – MF Doom
15 ‘Cold One’ – Madvillain
16 ‘Bells Of Doom’ – The Prof feat. MF Doom
17 ‘Change The Beat’ – MF Doom

1. Superior to the MM..Food version, renamed ‘Kon Queso.’
2. Forgotten yet entertaining revisit of the Operation: Doomsday track.

For such an iconic group, Eric B & Rakim really had a rough trot as far as having shitty UK clun remixes tacked on to their singles. For reasons still I’m still trying to figure out, I thought it would be interesting to compile a collection of the least horrible remixes that were released over their four album career as a duo. While none of these actually surpass the originals, it’s still mildly enjoyable to hear Rakim delivering his timeless lyrics over some different versions of these classics. I know everyone loses their shit over the Coldcut remix of ‘Paid In Full,’ but I always thought it was a little overrated, despite it’s ‘historical significance.’

Download: A Salute To The Least Awful Eric B & Rakim Remixes

Track listing:

01 ‘As The Rhyme Goes On’ [Pumpin’ The Turbo – Jay In Effect]
02 ‘Put Your Hands Together’ [Parkside Mix]
03 ‘Don’t Sweat The Technique’ [Xtended]
04 ‘Let The Rhythm Hit Em’ [DJ Shadow Remix]
05 ‘Microphone Fiend’ [45 King Remix]
06 ‘No Omega’ [Extended Remix]
07 ‘Casualties Of War’ [Hip Hop Mix]
08 ‘Paid In Full’ [Seven Minutes Of Madness – The Cold Cut Remix]
09 ‘In The Ghetto’ [Drums and Rakim]
10 ‘The R’ [Work, Rest and Play Mix]

Eric ‘Vietnam’ Sadler was the Bomb Squad‘s secret weapon. It was his programming expertise that kept their ‘wall of noise’ production style in the pocket, assigned to translate Hank Shocklee and Chuck D‘s musical chaos into sharply welder tools of war. You can pick the tracks which have Eric’s heavy fingerprints in the way that the drums swing and the finely-woven loop changes, perhaps best demonstrated by his work on Ice Cube‘s first solo album.

In this interview with Flatline from 2007, MC Serch talks about working with the Bomb Squad on the first 3rd Bass album:

‘Eric was, to me, the producer. Keith was the street guy who made sure the street was gonna love it and the beat was hot – the engineer. Hank was the guy who kinda put the stamp of approval, who did the final mixing, came in and listened and then was on to other things. I loved working with Eric Sadler. It was a great pleasure being in the studio with him, watching him make “Oval Office” and “Steppin’ To The A.M.”.’

This is re-enforced by Sadler’s recollection of picking up Ice Cube and Sir Jinx for the recording of AmeriKKKa’ Most Wanted in Check The Technique , Volume 2:

‘When I picked them up at the airport, Cube was like, ‘Who is this guy?’ He thought he’d only be working with Hank, Chuck and Terminator X on the album. He didn’t know that I did 99% of our music.’

Download: A Salute To Eric ‘Vietnam’ Sadler

Track listing:

01 ‘The Nigga Ya Love To Hate’ – Ice Cube
02 ‘Anti-Nigger Machine’ [Uncensored Extended] – Public Enemy
03 ‘Slang Teacher’ – Kings Of Pressure
04 ‘Coolin’ In Cali’ [Extended Mix] – The 7A3
05 ‘Bring the Noise’ – Public Enemy
06 ‘For The Money’ – True Mathematics¹
07 ‘Nitro’ – LL Cool J
08 ‘Lick The Balls’ – Slick Rick²
09 ‘Livin’ Like A Troopa’ [Eric Sadler Remix] – Greyson & Jasun
10 ‘Night Of The Living Baseheads’ [Anti-High Blood Pressure Encounter Mix] – Public Enemy
11 ‘Sobb Story’ – Leaders Of The New School
12 ‘Oval Office’ – 3rd Bass
13 ‘AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted’ – Ice Cube³
14 ‘Brothers Gonna Work It Out’ – Public Enemy
15 ‘State Of Accomodation: Why Aren’t You Angry’ – Sister Souljah feat. Chuck D
16 ‘You Know How To Reach Us’ – Kings of Pressure
17 ‘Trains, Planes And Automobiles’ – Leaders Of The New School
18 ‘On The Strength’ – Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew

Bonus: Eric Sadler’s first production credit:

1. Keith Shocklee told me ‘True Mathematics had a strange voice. That’s why it sounded like he was rhymin’ through a telephone, ‘cos his regular voice wasn’t cuttin’ through the record.’
2. ‘The Moment I Feared’ isn’t included since Slick Rick claims that he produced that himself and the credits are wrong.
3. This was originally recorded by Son of Bazerk, but according to Check The Technique, Volume 2 it was given to Cube since his album was due out first.

When I first went to high school, I remember I’d memorized the entire intro to Rhyme Pays and would recite it to pretty girls for reasons which now escape me. Let’s just say it was a simpler time. Ice-T‘s first four albums combined humor, slick talk and social commentary in a way which set him apart from the competition and allowed fans to overlook that fucked-up ponytail. Here’s a collection of remixes, b-sides and essential album cuts from everyone’s favorite Law & Order: SVU detective.

Download: A Salute To Ice-T

Track listing:

01 ‘Power’ [Remix]
02 ‘Squeeze The Trigger’
03 ‘You Played Yourself’ [Remix]
04 ‘6 In The Mornin” [Original Version]
05 ‘Drama’ [Hi-Tech Mix]
06 ‘Rhyme Syndicate’
07 ‘Our Most Requested Record’ [Long Version]
08 ‘Colors’ [J-Zone Remix]
09 ‘The Iceberg’
10 ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous’ [Remix]
11 ‘Reckless’
12 ‘Mind Over Matter’ [Remix]
13 ‘Peel Their Caps Back’
14 ‘Addicted to Danger’ [Nut Shop Remix]
15 ‘Lost In A Freestyle’
16 ‘The Coldest Rap’
17 ‘Soul On Ice’

Bonus: An unreleased, early take of what would later become ‘The Coldest Rap.’

The career of The Jaz aka Big Jaz aka Jaz-O is tricky to summarize. On one hand, he had to deal with being eclipsed by his young protege, which is always going to be a blow to the ego. On the other hand, Jay-Z did seem to attempt to repay the favor by offering to put him on at Roc-A-Fella, even though Jaz turned down the deal and decided to air-out his former student and effectively get himself black-balled from the industry as a result. If you notice, his discography of production work stops at exactly the time that he fell out with Mr. Carter. And if this detailed account of his handling of Council’s Tommy Boy deal (found in the comments section), he was also doing some bad business.

Nevertheless, as a rapper we saw Jaz evolve from the Brag Rap era through to the Conscious Rap era before eventually adopting the Street Hustler style. As a producer, he made more of a lasting impression, proving to be equally adept at delivering laid-back, moody joints as he was hyped-up sonic aggression. Special mention goes out to besting AZ at his own game on the 80’s R&B flip for ‘Waitin” and delivering Brooklyn’s answer to the Money Boss Player‘s ‘Killed in The Crap Game’ on the incredible ‘Council Era.’

Download: A Salute To Big Jaz Productions

Track listing:

01 ‘Bannanas’ – Council
02 ‘H20 Proof’ – Ras Kass feat. Saafir
03 ‘Rap Game/Crack Game’ – Jay-Z
04 ‘I Got The Power’ – Puff Daddy feat. The LOX
05 ‘Live Life 2 Tha Fullest’ – Memphis Bleek
06 ‘It’s a Must’ – Rakim feat. Rahzel
07 ‘Council’ Era’ – Council
08 ‘Gotta Get Ova’ – Teflon
09 ‘Lifestyles Of A Ghetto Child’ – M.O.P.
10 ‘4 Give My Sins’ – Group Home
11 ‘Diaries’ – Jaz-O & The Immobilarie
12 ‘In My Lifetime’ [Remix] – Jay-Z
13 ‘Daily Basis’ – Ranjahz
14 ‘Waitin” – Big Jaz
15 ‘World Famous’ – M.O.P.
16 ‘The Originators’ – The Jaz feat. Jay-Z

While we now consider the Trackmasters to be just Poke and ‘Red Hot Lover’ Tone, it originally included Alex Richberg and Frank Nitty in the early days. After cutting their teeth on Finesse and Synquis, Tone’s first solo album and working with Chubb Rock, the crew really put themselves on the map when they added three tracks to Kool G Rap‘s Live and Let Die album, resulting in ‘Ill Street Blues’ and the ‘On The Run’ remix making a lot of noise. From their, placements with LL Cool J, Nas and their new discovery Foxy Brown ensured that they were on the up-and-up, and before long they pumping out hits for Will Smith, Jay-Z and Jennifer Lopez.

Fun fact: Could it be that the Trackmasters use of the Beatnuts‘ ‘Watch Out Now‘ beat for J-Lo’s ‘Jenny On The Block‘ was a subtle payback for the ‘Nuts using the same loop as Red Hot Lover Tone has rapped over in 1992 on ‘Winderella‘ for 1994’s ‘Are You Ready‘? While they certainly weren’t above using some obvious disco loops on some of their later work, there’s no doubt that this duo have delivered some amazing records, as this collection demonstrates.

Download: A Salute To The Trackmasters

Tracklisting:

01. ‘On The Run’ [Al Capone Version] – Kool G Rap & D.J. Polo
02. ‘Trading Places’ – AZ
03. ‘How U Get A Record Deal’ – Big Daddy Kane
04. ‘Shootouts’ – Nas
05. ‘The Vibe’ – Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard
06. ‘Straight Razor’ – Shante
07. ‘Fox Boogie’ – Foxy Brown feat. Kid Capri
08. ‘Ill Street Blues’ – Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo
09. ‘The Return Remix’ – YZ
10. ‘Yeah’ [Master Vocal Mix] – The A.T.E.E.M.
11. ‘Ghetto Qu’ran’ – 50 Cent
12. ‘Straight Jacket’ – Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo
13. ‘Escobar 97’ – Nas
14. ‘Pop ‘Nuff Shit’ – Chubb Rock
15. ‘I Shot Ya’ [Remix] – LL Cool J feat. Keith Murray, Prodigy, Fat Joe & Foxy Brown
16. ‘Yes Yes Y’all’ – Red Hot Lover Tone

After cutting his teeth over at Big Beat with The Artifacts, Mad Skillz and Junior M.A.F.I.A, EZ Elpee made important contributions to the catalogs of Queens artists such as Royal Flush, Capone-N-Noreaga and Mobb Deep. Equally adept at delivering smooth joints with R&B hooks as he is constructing traditional street records, EZ put his stamp on the second generation of Bad Boy artists, gave Nas a hit with ‘Oochie Wally’ and even tried to help out Foxy Brown, Lil’ Kim and Amil. Here’s hoping we hear some new music from the EZ Elpee in the near future, but until then…enjoy this selection of eighteen great beats that he’s responsible for.

Download: A Salute To EZ Elpee

Track listing:

01 ‘Iced Down Medallions’ – Royal Flush
02 ‘Bloody Money’ – Capone-N-Noreaga
03 ‘Get Money’ – Junior M.A.F.I.A.
04 ‘Get Away’ – Mobb Deep
05 ‘H.N.I.C’ – Prodigy of Mobb Deep
06 ‘Make ‘Em Die’ – Pudgee
07 ‘Special Delivery’ – G. Dep
08 ‘Bad Boyz’ – Shyne feat. Barrington Levy
09 ‘Ded Right’ – All City
10 ‘Spit’ – Da Franchise feat. Nature, Pretty Ugly and Spade
11 ‘My World’ – Big Pun
12 ‘Family Problems’ – Royal Flush
13 ‘Service’ – Mike Zoot
14 ‘Thug Shit’ – Akinyele
15 ‘What We Do’ – Sauce Money feat. Memphis Bleek
16 ‘Communications’ – Screwball featuring Prince AD aka Killa Sha
17 ‘Who I Am’ – The Artifacts
18 ‘Unseen World’ – Mad Skillz feat. Dr. Mindbenda, Javon The Medieval, Kalonji The Immortal, Lil’ Roc and Lonnie B.

This is a slightly different approach to the usual ‘A Salute To…’ series, in that it’s a collection of face-offs of two tracks that flip a well-worn loop in a fresh new way, plus a couple of bonus instrumentals that rework classic breaks. It’s worth noting that Diamond D beat Salaam Remi to the punch when it came to chopping up ‘Apache’ in a new way, while both DJ Spinna and The Alchemist prove that even an over-used song like ‘Flashlight’ can sound brand new in the right hands.

Download: A Salute To New Flips of Old Breaks

Track listing:

01 ‘Giantz Ta This’ – NYG’z
02 ‘Only When I’m Drunker’ – Tash feat. J-Ro
03 ‘Flashlight’ – The Alchemist feat. 40 Glocc and Ras Kass
04 ‘Spittin” – Dynas
05 ‘Daisy Crazy’ – DJ Spinna
06 ‘What the Fuck You Want’ – Busta Rhymes
07 ‘Made You Look’ – Nas
08 ‘Came Up’ – Raekwon
09 ‘Thug Planet’ – Capone-N-Noreaga feat. Iman THUG and Musaliny
10 ‘Clap Ya Hands’ – The ARE
11 ‘Stepson Of The Clapper’ – J Dilla
12 ‘Da Funk Mode’ [Remix] – Tragedy feat. Havoc
13 ‘The Yearn’ – Lost Boyz feat. Pete Rock
14 ‘Take It Back’ – Wu-Tang Clan
15 ‘Dime Out’ – Dynas feat. Skam
16 ‘Papa Was Too’ – Lord Finesse¹

1. This was the beat for the still unreleased B-1, MF Grimm and Freddie Foxxx track ‘Takin’ Niggas.’

After reading through the responses to the ‘Death of the b-side’ article, it was clear to me that the streets were fiending for a ZR&T collection of b-sides. There turned out to be so many great songs to choose from that I’ve had to split it up by the decade to fit everything on. Expect the ‘Eighties Edition’ later in the week. Some of these tracks did later appear on compilations later on, but the condition here is that none of them were released on retail albums around the time that they were recorded and a limit of only one selection from each artist. While that explains why ‘DWYCK’ isn’t on here, all of Hard 2 Obtain‘s catalog was automatically disqualified on the grounds of their shameless Grand Puba stanning.

Download: A Salute To Non-Album B-Sides [Nineties Edition]

Track listing:

01 ‘Brothers From Brentwood L.I.’ – EPMD
02 ‘The ? Remainz’ – Gang Starr
03 ‘You Cant Front (Shit Is Real)’ – Diamond D feat. Lord Finesse and Sadat X
04 ‘Still In The Ghetto’ – Black Sheep
05 ‘If The Papes Come’ – A Tribe Called Quest feat. Afrika Baby Bam
06 ‘Plumskinzz’ [Original Version] – KMD¹
07 ‘The Undisputed Champs’ – Del Tha Funkee Homosapien feat. Q-Tip & Pep Love
08 ‘Go Where I Send Thee’ – Master Ace feat. Master Ice and Unique
09 ‘Feel The Vibe, Feel The Beat’ – Boogie Down Productions
10 ‘Hard Like A Criminal’ – Das Efx
11 ‘Yes You May’ [Funk Flow Mix] – Lord Finesse feat. Big L
12 ‘Anytime, Anyplace’ – Stetsasonic
13 ‘Downtown Swinga’ – M.O.P.
14 ‘Firewater’ – Fat Joe feat. Big Pun and Raekwon
15 ‘Me, Not The Paper’ – Jeru The Damaja
16 ‘Reality (Killing Every)’ – Black Moon
17 ‘Mind Your Business’ – Grand Puba
18 ‘Relieve Yourself’ – Tha Alkaholiks
19 ‘Lovely How I Let My Mind Float’ – De La Soul feat. Biz Markie
20 ‘Live & Direct From The House Of Hits’ – Intelligent Hoodlum feat. Craig G
21 ‘Riddles That Rap, Riddles That Rhyme’ – Zhigge
22 ‘No Bones In Ice Cream’ – Nice & Smooth²

1. Onyx The Birthstone Kid’s verse was removed and the song broken into two parts on Black Bastards
2. This appeared on the third LP in remixed form.

By popular demand – and because there were so many tracks that I had to leave off the first volume – here’s part two of the nineties edition of Non-Album B-Sides. Thanks to everyone who suggested some of the stuff that I forgot about the first time around, and I hope you appreciate that I’ve had to dip into whiny west coast alternative rap in order to fill up the track list! Next up – the eighties version.

Download: A Salute To Non-Album B-Sides [Nineties Edition, Vol. 2]

Track listing:

01 ‘It’s Not A Game’ – Pete Rock & CL Smooth
02 ‘Mansion And A Yacht’ – Kurious Jorge feat. Sadat X and Mike G
03 ‘The B Side ‘Licka Shot’ – Shyheim¹
04 ‘Credit Is Due’ – Gang Starr
05 ‘That’s How It Is, Part II’ – Casual feat. A-Plus
06 ‘Murder MCs’ – Black Moon
07 ‘The Chase, Part II’ – A Tribe Called Quest feat. Consequence
08 ‘Pork’ – The Pharcyde
09 ‘Good Feeling’ – Souls Of Mischief
10 ‘You Won’t Tell, I Won’t Tell’ – Busta Rhymes feat. Greg Nice
11 ‘One 2 Da Head’ [Original Version] – Positive K
12 ‘Even If I Tore It’ – MC Shan
13 ‘Hip Hop VS. Rap’ – KRS-One
14 ‘Who I Am’ – The Artifacts
15 ’24 Wit An L’ – Ice Cube
16 ‘Whose Is It (Give It Up Pt.2)’ – Compton’s Most Wanted
17 ‘Rock Da House’ – Erick Sermon
18 ‘Scooby Doo’ – Cypress Hill
19 ‘You Can’t See What I Can See’ – Heavy D
20 ‘Eye Examination’ – Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
21 ‘Puffin’ On Blunts And Drankin’ Tanqueray’ – Dr. Dre ‎feat. Rage And Tha Dogg Pound
22 ‘H.A.A. (Here’s Another Asshole)’ – Black Sheep

1. Not physically on the b-side of the single, but same difference.

AZ is a great rapper who also made his mark as a Conservative Rap Coalition style icon thanks to his affinity for sweater vests, polos and sensible shirts. While he had to work a little harder than most to escape Nas’ shadow (I’ve deliberately excluded anything involving him here), when he has the right beat behind him there is no stopping The Visualiza absolutely annihilating the track.

Download: A Salute To AZ

Track listing:

01. ‘Uncut Raw’
02. ‘The Calm’
03. ‘I Don’t Give A Fuck’
04. ‘Seems that Way’
05. ‘The Game Don’t Stop’
06. ‘Trading Places’
07. ‘Your World Don’t Stop’ [Original Version]
08. ‘City of Gods’
09. ‘Live Wire’
10. ‘Bodies Gotta Get Caught’
11. ‘The Format’
12. ‘Rather Unique’
13. ‘Omega’
14. ‘Re-Birth’
15. ‘I Am The Truth’
16. ‘Love Me in Your Special Way’
17. ‘Never Change’
18. ‘Thank You’

As promised, here’s the first part of the Eighties Edition. This period is a little trickier, as for much of it rap was still a ‘singles’ medium, so many artists never even got to release albums at all, which opens the playing field pretty wide. To keep it manageable, I’ve stuck to crews and soloists that put out at least one LP during their career and excluded b-sides that were tacked onto the CD versions of albums or second pressings (such as Jungle Brothers’ ‘The Promo’). I almost feel like doing a compilation of ‘Jive Records’ Most Disgraceful UK Remixes’ just to shame them, but nobody in their right mind would actually listen to that.

Download: A Salute To Non-Album B-Sides [80’s Edition, Volume 1]

Track listing:

01 ‘Wrath Of Kane’ – Big Daddy Kane
02 ‘Jack The Ripper’ – LL Cool J
03 ‘Your Arms Too Short To Box With God’ – Lakim Shabazz
04 ‘A Chorus Line’ – Ultramagnetic MCs feat. Tim Dog
05 ‘Puttin On The Hits’ – Latee feat. The 45 King
06 ‘B-Side Wins Again’ [Original Version] – Public Enemy¹
07 ‘Together Forever (Krush Groove 2)’ – Run-DMC
08 ‘Take The Bait’ [12″ Version] – Craig G
09 ‘Playing For Keeps’ – Low Profile
10 ‘A Bitch Iz A Bitch’ – N.W.A.
11 ‘Ya Better Bring A Gun’ – King Tee feat. Mixmaster Spade
12 ‘Chillin” – Chill Rob G
13 ‘I’m Fly’ – Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
14 ‘Cocaine’ [Live Version] – MC Shan²
15 ‘Let’s Go’ – Kool Moe Dee
16 ‘P Is Free’ [Original Version] – Boogie Down Productions
17 ‘Fat Girl’ – Eazy-E feat. Ron-De-Vu
18 ‘La Di Da Di’ – Doug E Fresh and MC Ricky D
19 ‘Freedom Of Speak (We Got Three Minutes)’ – De La Soul
20 ‘In Time’ – Jungle Brothers feat. Q-Tip

1. Not sure what they did to the version on Fear of a Black Planet, but it ruined the song.
2. Ironically, the inferior LP version on the same b-side never made the LP.

This is an update of my 2009 salute to the late Tony D, now with extra Zippyshare. Yet another example of how important New Jersey has been to the rap landscape.

Download: A Salute To Tony D

Track listing:

01 ‘Back To The Lab’ – Tony D
02 ‘King Sun With The Sword’ – King Sun
03 ‘Taggin’ It Up’ – YZ
04 ‘Black Business’ – Poor Righteous Teachers
05 ‘Do You Want To Get Hype’ – Too Kool Posse
06 ‘Music Makes You Move’ – Tony D feat. Too Kool Posse
07 ‘Real Rhymers’ – Crusaders for Real Hip Hop feat. King Sun
08 ‘When The Road Is Covered With Snow’ – YZ
09 ‘Herman’s Head’ – Kwest Tha Madd Ladd
10 ‘Get Off the Rhythm’ – Tony D feat. YZ
11 ‘Move To Something Funky’ – Blvd. Mosse
12 ‘Rock Dis Funky Joint’ – Poor Righteous Teachers
13 ‘In Pursuit Uptown’ – King Sun
14 ‘The Movie’ – Scott Lark
15 ‘Step Into My Office’ – Ministers of Black
16 ‘Can’t Complain’ – Shawn Lov feat. Tony D

This is a bit of a mixed bunch. The requirements being that the beat or loop changes at least three times in the track. In the case of the Pete Rock song, it’s a case of the loops changing over the drums, but most of them change the entire backing track. Elsewhere, tracks from the Beastie’s and Kool G Rap are technically songs with multiple parts, but then end result is the same. I can’t be bothered typing out the track listing because drinking is a bigger priority right now.

Download: A Salute To Beat Changes

Here’s a soundtrack to yesterday’s interview, presented in approximately chronological order.

Download: A Salute To Pumpkin

With the surprise passing of David Bowie aka The OG Rappin’ Duke, I thought I’d assemble some notable rap tracks that drank from his expansive musical well. Disappointingly, it seems that only ‘Fame’ and ‘Let’s Dance’ got any sample love outside of the infamous riff from ‘Under Pressure’ with Queen, which means that this is really just the best of a mixed bunch – late career MC Lyte, that time that Bowie did a song with Puffy for the Training Day soundtrack, that other time that the 45 King remixed ‘Fame’ in 1990, Lace Da Booms attempting to channel Puffy, a Charlie Baltimore song subbed in for Robbie Van Winkle, a wonderfully ignorant Suga Free song and the acoustic demo of ‘Ziggy Stardust’ as a bonus.

Download: A Tribute To David Bowie Raps

Track listing:

01 ‘Fame’ – Godfather Don
02 ‘Gangster Boogie’ – Toddy Tee feat. Mix Master Spade
03 ‘Alive On Arrival’ – Ice Cube
04 ‘Been Around The World’ – Puff Daddy and The Family
05 ‘Break North’ – Ultramagnetic MCs
06 ‘It Wasn’t Me, It Was The Fame’ – EPMD
07 ‘Fame ’90’ [45 King Remix] – David Bowie feat Queen Latifah
08 ‘Take Notice’ – J. Dilla feat. Guilty Simpson
09 ‘And One’ [Sha-Self’s What’s Up With A Deal Mix] – Lace Da Booms
10 ‘Put It On You’ – MC Lyte
11 ‘American Dream’ – P. Diddy, Mark Curry, Kain, Black Rob, Big Azz Ko and David Bowie
12 ‘Ice (Ice Baby)’ – Charlie Baltimore feat. Mase
13 ‘Allergic To Bullshit’ – Suga Free
14 ‘Ziggy Stardust’ [Demo] – David Bowie

Following the huge response to the question ‘What is the greatest story rap ever?’ it’s become clear that there was no way that one compilation could do the genre justice, so for starters here are some lesser known but still (largely) recognized tales about sumptuous stunts, trips to the bing and tearing the heads off of Ninja Turtle dolls.
Download: A Salute To Story Rap Deep Cuts

Track listing:

01 ‘Lost In Tha System’ – Da Lench Mob
02 ‘Act A Fool’ – King Tee
03 ‘For Those Who Slept’ – The Bizzie Boyz
04 ‘Bad Dreams’ – Chill Rob G
05 ‘Tales From The Crack Side’ – K-Solo
06 ‘Operation CB’ – Kool G. Rap
07 ‘Out On A Furlough’ – WC And The MAAD Circle
08 ‘Intoxicated’ – Greyson & Jasun
09 ‘Girl In The Mall’ – Grand Daddy I.U.
10 ‘Chuck Cheese’ – Organized Konfusion
11 ‘Hands Of A Stranger’ – Hard Knocks
12 ’10 B. 3′ – O.G. Style
13 ‘A Night To Remember’ – P.H.D.
14 ‘Contact Blitt’ – KMD
15 ‘I Never Made 20’ – Royal Flush
16 ‘No Exit’ – Akinyele
17 ‘Best Friend’s Girl’ – Original Flavor
18 ‘Mary Go Round’ – Cool C
19 ‘Bust One Fa Me’ – Threat
20 ‘Outlaw’ – Def IV
21 ‘Going Wild In the Penile’ – Tim Dog
22 ‘Mommie Dearest’ – Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard