Daily Diggers are Funky

You'd better believe it!

Guru in a Coma

One half of the legendary hip hop group GANG STARR, GURU KEITH E is reported to be in a coma following a cardiac arrest over the weekend. That's sad news indeed. GANG STARR hold a firm place in hip hop history and have always been a DAILY DIGGERS favourite, you only have to peep the lab wall to see that. Here's wishing GURU a speedy and healthy recovery.

Vinyl Pressing Plant

Gotta Groove Records - "Groove With Us" from Nick Cavalier on Vimeo.

Oxygen - Gone Diggin

Remember back in September 2007 when I wrote about SPUTNIK BROWN? At the time I was so excited to hear a new crew with serious hip hop talent bringing fresh new music to my ears. In particular a track called "Gone Diggin" produced by GENSU DEAN simply epitomised my whole state of mind at that time. Militant digging missions were the norm for me back then, and I realised how SPUT's main MC (and STRONG ISLAND native) OXYGEN shared that love of all things funky on vinyl, and his rhymes on the track told the story of how he covered the tri-borough copping his beats armed with a portable, gloves and a mask. I too was searching high and low for that next fix of dusty beats over here in the UK. Hell I even took bottles of water, soap and a towel to one spot that me and the BEAT DETECTIVE used to hit in darkest deepest Essex (BRICK HOUSE RECORDS) - I'm surprised we never caught anything unhealthy in that place LOL! We didn't care as long as the records were in abundance.
Two years of peer pressure later, and coupled with some hard graft by OXYGEN and "Gone Diggin" is now seeing a release on vinyl. I wasn't the only one who thought this track was an absolute banger, and K-PRINCE from BBP records agreed to drop this joint on a 45rpm single, backed with a vintage OXYGEN joint from his first demo tape entitled "Mastermind's In Effect". This is some hot shit on both sides people. If you haven't already checked out OXYGEN's steez, then check out SPUTNIK BROWN'S first 12" release on HIGH WATER MUSIC right here.
I am happy enough with the fact that "Gone Diggin" is being released on wax. But as a real surprise, I was asked by OX himself if I would drop some scratches on the final version of the a-side. Was I down to clown? For sure! So I have to say a HUGE "thanks" to my man my mellow OXYGEN for getting KID DYNO involved. And also a firm handshake to MR KRUM for the dope picture sleeve design. Just the ticket.

Peep the soundclips below, then grab your pre-order copy before they run out faster than a bank robber!

GONE DIGGIN'



MASTERMIND'S IN EFFECT


Peep how OXYGEN and THE SPUTS get down right here....(WARNING: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS SOME XXXRATED MATERIAL, HIGHLY DOPE BEATS, AND THE CLEVEREST RHYMES YOU DONE EVER HEARD!)

Now what you gotta say about that ... other than that is on some holy shit. OX and the SB crew are that shining light at the end of the tunnel. Say word.

Read Jesse Serwer's in-depth interview with OXYGEN right here.

The "Gone Diggin" 45rpm 7" vinyl is priced at $7.99 with discounts available on shipping for multiple copies.
Hit up OXYGEN on 24karatblack 'at' gmail.com to pre-order through Paypal. Or alternatively email myself for more details at kidbiscuit 'at' hotmail dot com.

keepin it fresh

Kid Dyno

p.s I'm priveleged to have my name appear on the sleeve credits in between LARGE PROFESSOR and K-PRINCE. Ok so it was for alphabetical reasons but how about that?

Lord Finesse The Funkyman

As he's a firm favourite at the DAILY DIGGERS HQ, here's a few FINESSE videos to keep the crowd listening. Whether he is rhyming over a beat, producing his own tracks, or with his live band, he always comes off niiiice!
And peep a very young BIG L on YO! MTV RAPS.

Sound Awareness - Get Up On It

Now it's finally that time again to give you another potent dose of funky hip hop in the mix. We have been dropping a bucket full of heavy breaks of late, and it is well overdue that we get back to the beats. But believe me it's been well worth the wait. SOUND AWARENESS and SUPREME DOMINION CREW have been busy over this last month or so putting together the first of what we hope will be a regular in a series of DJ mixes consisting of rare, classic and under acknowledged hip hop records. Some of our regulars here at BREAKS FOR DAYS will know of PALMA (a veteran of the UK Hip Hop scene) and his SUPREME DOMINION CREW, representing the UK's east coast. His skills lie mainly with the microphone - if you wanna hear the man himself on the mic check out his radio show on ICR RADIO 105.7 on Friday nights 12pm - 2am by clicking HERE. Also check out the INVISIBLE MICS track on the WIDE ANGLES 2LP compilation on BLIND SIDE RECORDS from 1999 to peep PALMA's mic skills. And before that he goes whaaay back to the days of his first crew BROWNFOOT INTELLECT. (I could play you some of his dope shit from the early 90s but I will save that for another day.) But this time he is mixing up some dope jams for our listening pleasure. Here's what PALMA has to say about GET UP ON IT - a construction of old and dope funky rap music...

"I hope you dig it, feel the track selection and feel compelled to listen to it more than once. I am sure more than a few of you educated hip hop fans will know the tracks or be familiar with the artists featured. Nothing ultra obscure because that's not my focus here. I included only a few what you may consider rare pieces, but most importantly and specifically records I have loved since the days of my youth which i merited on the quality of dope, funky beats and rhymes between the grooves. Please feel free to share with your homeboys and girls or add to your blog.
Thanks to DJ Ambrose, J.Mack, J/157, Ben Marr, Jimbo, Kid Dyno and The Beat Detective, and all the true school hip hop die-hards and artists on this mix CD for the inspiration."

Tracklist
INTRO JEWEL T
DIVINE STYLER Get On Up
BIG DADDY KANE Get Into It
BUSY BOYS That's The Flavor
KAY D & DJ STASH My Rhythm Is Kept
HOT DAY aka DANTE ft MYSTIQUE Get Nifty
ANTOINETTE A Is For Antoinette
STEADY B Turn It Loose
D MOET & XCALIBUR Goodfoot
THREE TIMES DOPE Giddy Up
THE AMAZING JEWEL T School Of Hardknocks
KING SUN Cold New Yorkin'
DOUBLE XX POSSE This Is Something Funky To Step To
THE JAZ Hypocritters
KOOL D & TECHNOLO G Go To Work
RAW CORP ft DJ LEN Trooper On The Mike
DR LUV & KEV-SKI Ain't Going Out Like That
PRIORITY ONE You Know The Outcome
DJ SCOTT LA ROCK & D NICE D Nice Rocks The House
TRAGEDY the INTELLIGENT HOODLUM Trag Invasion
OUTRO

So get your download swerve on, and share it on your blog or with your homies. Click on the picture above for the full track listing and credits. But do not sleep now - GET UP ON IT!!



SOUND AWARENESS - GET UP ON IT download

Enjoy

Kid Dyno

Style Wars

If you haven't already been to the STYLE WARS website then check it out to watch video clips from the film, and to peep the superb gallery. Plus, where else can you go on the web and stand on a virtual platform and watch the trains roll in? Trust me you will love it...click HERE.

Whole Train

Sole Power

Crack & Shine

I have only just picked up a copy of CRACK & SHINE - the first book to document LONDON's graffiti scene. If you're into your burners and bombers then this book is definitely for YOU. It tells the in-depth story of the UK capital's Kings of the Underground, and is written in the writers own words. So you can expect some night-time tales of hiding in the tunnels and foiling the BTP at every opportunity. All the big name crews you would expect are featured, and writers include TEACH, RATE, FUME, DIET, ELK, ZOMBY, NEMS, NEAS, COS, SUB and so on. Grab yourself a copy, you won't be disappointed. This book gets a DAILY DIGGERS double thumbs up.

Kid Dyno

Paintwasters

I caught some PWS crew trackside action on the way to LEEDS the other day which had me transfixed. Check some out for yourself and you'll see these Partners With Steez are Proper Warriors of Style. Please Watch Slowly. Particularly Where Style is concerned. See what I did there?

More Finds

As I mentioned previously, the vinyl pickings were fairly slim at the weekend, and the day's mission only uncovered half a dozen records worth purchasing. So this week I feel obliged to take a day off and head over to my reliable spots that always give up the goods. Although I must admit, on reflection and after reading your comments I realised that the records I had copped may have been small in numbers, but were sky high on quality. I guess I'm not easily pleased sometimes but that's not a bad thing.

So to continue from my last post, I gotta add on the only 2 hip hop records I picked up on last weekend's dig. Despite my initial disappointment, I have played both regularly through the week and they are both growing on me insanely. Hence I need to share....


MC LYTE - "Poor Georgie b/w Search 4 The Lyte" 1991 FIRST PRIORITY RECORDS
MC LYTE always "does it" for me, and she will always be my most favourite girl to grab a mic (say word!). So I was kinda surprised when I spotted this
FIRST PRIORITY 12" in the bargain racks. I thought I had already scooped all of the FIRST PRIORITY records I wanted, so this one caught me off guard. But then on listening to "Poor Georgie" I can guess why I would have left this record behind back in the days. However the flipside is another ballgame entirely - LYTE at her most fiery. Just how I like her. Once again we have the KING OF CHILL on production, so the beats are guaranteed dope (he uses FUNK INC's "Kool's Back Again" drum break to great effect). Plus it's good to have a much louder pressing of this joint than the LP version which was kinda lack lustre.
MC LYTE - "Search 4 The Lyte"




TECHNICAL - "Stress" 1997? LIQUID RECORDS
Who? What? Where? Yeah I thought exactly the same things when my buddy AIDAN ORANGE first played me this mid-90s indie joint coming outta Brick City New Jersey. I had never heard of this crew, joint or label,
but on hearing the first few bars of "Stress" I realised that I needed this record. So to at last find one this weekend put a smile on my face, but even I had forgotten how bad this record was (bad meaning good). Since flipping it on my decks back at the HQ, I must have played it almost a dozen times. It is a simplistic joint production-wise, but the drums are so thick and heavy it makes your eardrums bleed and your teeth fall out when played loud. The lazy horns and relaxed rhyme patterns make for an indie winner. Get stuck in and have a listen....
TECHNICAL - "Stress"


Enjoy.

Kid Dyno

Weekend Vinyl Finds

This weekend's trip around the wax spots was not as fruitful as I had hoped for, but that's the way it goes sometimes. I would love to paint a picture of SALT "Hung Up" 45s in the bargain section for a pound each, but that would be telling a lie as big as the one MR KRUM's recently posted about the BOB JAMES "Mardi Gras" 12inch version wink wink LOL!! see here.
So I checked out some places I hadn't been in a while and found one great soul LP for a few quid, and a heavy drum break that needs sampling asap! But I saw lots of records I have already in my racks, and also a few that were too pricey for my budget. Without fear, I will be back out again next week and never giving those record crates a moment to relax. Me being ever optimistic, I always say this: for every disappointing trip I'm one step closer to that next big find! Here's some of this weeks small haul...

MFSB - "MFSB" LP 1973 PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS
I have been looking out for a US copy of this LP for a long time now, mainly for the seriously dope and b-boy friendly version of the classic track "Family Affair". Although for some reason it doesn't appear too often in the shelves and racks of London's record spots. Luckily this weekend I found a very sensibly priced copy stashed away in the soul section of **ANONYMOUS** record shop in north London for less than a fiver (that's half a cockle in old money!). "Family Affair" is worth every one of those five pounds - the intro to this record is hard as nails, in fact I would even go as far as to say this version is edgy at times. And I could not resist editing the intro in a Louis Flores style to extend the break part. Being an instrumental version it can also be played from start to finish without having to interrupt. The drums are crispy throughout and that makes this track a serious dancefloor filler. Amongst the different versions I have heard of "Family Affair", this is by far my favourite of the lot. And once again this is another tune brought to my attention by my good friend BREAK DJ LEACY (how many times have I said that recently?). In terms of records, he was light years ahead of the game! I simply must drop a post about him real soon.
For now, tweak your tweeters and crank up your woofers and get down to the funky sound...
MFSB - "Family Affair" with break edit



THE 2ND CHAPTER OF ACTS - "With Footnotes" 1974 LP MYRRH RECORDS
WTF! I hear you cry. Has KID DYNO finally gone mad playing us Christian records with a religious message? Fear not beat fiends; have I ever let you down before when it comes to drums? Regularly I see LPs with nothing but an open drum break make crazy loot on auction sites such as eBay. The SHANGHAI LP is a perfect example of this, and always goes for around £30 simply because LORD FINESSE and BUCKWILD used it heavily in the 90s. However you can cope this 2ND CHAPTER OF ACTS LP in your local charity spot or even in the pound bin, and I would bet the drums are just as choppable. The producers out there feel free to grab the soundclip and chop that shit.
This record may have quotes from the Bible's New Testament on the rear of the cover, but it is the crazy kick and snare action deep within the grooves that gets me down on my knees. And please don't ask how I found out about this record, let's just say I'm always busy on Sundays.
The drum break itself features in the intro of the track entitled "The Devil's Lost Again", and is crunchy enough to be sucked straight into your SP1200 or MPC2000 and chopped up to perfection. Once again I have added a drum loop at the end of the soundclip for your listening pleasure. Imagine a few stabs or loops over the top and you're away....
THE 2ND CHAPTER OF ACTS - "The Devil's Lost Again"



BRIAN BENNETT - "Voyage" 1978 LP DJM RECORDS
The spacey cover on this LP sets you up nicely for the mood contained within the grooves, and although this album was released much later in the 1970s than I would prefer, it really was a good purchase. I bought it mainly for the one track "Solstice" that many of you will remember from its use by either NAS (on "Find Your Wealth") or maybe BLADE with LEWIS PARKER & MARK B on "Intense Preparations". Check out the BLADE video below. Solstice is downtempo yet deep, and takes you on a beat heavy trip into the starry cosmos on board the very craft pictured on the cover. Maybe not, but beautiful nonetheless.
Brian Bennett is best known for co-writing the 60s hit song "Summer Holiday" alongside Cliff Richard and The Shadows, but he also went on to win various awards for composing film and television soundtracks including for the likes of hit 70s police drama THE SWEENEY. Anyone who knows THE SWEENEY will be aware some of the background music was taken from Library LPs such as KPM (for whom BENNETT worked), BRUTON, and DE WOLFE. Dope shit indeedy.
BRIAN BENNETT - "Solstice"






...more to add soon


Kid Dyno

London Spots

Here are photos of just two of the spots I will hit this weekend in search of my fix of dusty vinyl. The number of record shops in London has diminished over the years, but the records are still out there, and on a
positive note a few new second hand wax outlets have sprung up in recent months. The public's need for vinyl has certainly not disappeared in this mp3 generation we live in.
An early start is essential, as is the willpower to keep visiting a spot until it gives up the goods. As a serious record digger I know that every seemingly wasted trip to a spot is also good reconnaissance for the next visit - I never give up on a shop just because the last few visits have been fruitless. I find persistence always pays off.
I been getting heavy into some latin beats lately, so I'm hoping to find some conga-fueled rhythms and uptempo beats, as well as keeping one eye open for the classics. Hip hop records have been very thin on the ground over the last few months, so it would also be nice to cop something dope-on-a-rope. We'll have to see how it goes.
I hope you all have a great weekend; keep digging hard and rocking them beats YO!

Kid Dyno

Got Nikes on My Feet.....

Being a hoarder of fly kicks, it is sometimes hard for me to choose what to wear on my feet each day. The weather conditions always play a part in my decision, cuz if there is a forecast of rain then the boxfresh pairs stay exactly that - boxfresh! If I think there is the feintest chance of ruining a pair then I don't wear 'em. And people who know me will corroborate that I have so many unworn pairs
still waiting for a day of perfect sunshine (fat chance of that here in the UK!). Plus my work involves getting fairly dirty at times, so again a fresh pair of kicks is simply out of the question. Maybe a dark leather pair here and there, but light coloured suedes and canvas kicks are a no-no! But luckily NIKE have come to my rescue and released the NIKE AIR FORCE 1 SUPREME WORK BOOT - in colours fresh enough to look dapper, but still robust enough to wear at work without fear of annihilation. These are high top kicks with a strong leather strap, hiking boot laces and a perforated NIKE swoosh as opposed to a sewn-on swoosh. The midsoles are stitched leather, constructed similar to those which appeared on the AF1 INSIDE OUT editions, in a very light cream colour. These kicks look superfesh and highly durable! All I need to do now is find out where I can buy these badboys? Help anyone?

Kid Dyno

DJ Step One - Illegal Remixes

Nice to see a DAILY DIGGERS remix get some props, thanks to DJ STEP ONE and his ILLEGAL REMIXES download featuring some not-so-official remix joints. Our very own remix of BIG DADDY KANE "Set It Off" makes another appearance following MIKE NICE's "BROOKLYN BULLSHIT" CD about a year ago.
So thanks to STEP ONE! I really must put together some more DAILY DIGGERS remixes cuz they're damn good fun to make. Here's what he has to say about each of the tracks...

"A staple of any nineties Hip Hop DJ’s collection is the shady white label remix. Information on whoever was putting these out was usually pretty thin on the ground for obvious reasons but they often held some real gems. Having rediscovered some of these recently I’ve put together a collection of some of those unofficial remixes as well as a few that I’ve found on the blogs and forums over the last few years."



01 2Pac-Old School (B.Cause Remix)
http://diamondsinthedust.blogspot.com/
Usually the non-Pac fans favourite Pac track. B Cause throws some familiar samples under Pac’s reminiscing of 80s NY and gives it a nice funky vibe.

02 Big Daddy Kane-Set It Off (Daily Diggers Remix)
http://www.dailydiggers.com/
Some of you might recognise this from DJ Mike Nice’s ‘Brooklyn Bullshit’ mixtape. The UK’s Daily Diggers flip the Cold Chillin classic.

03 Big Pun & Fat Joe-Twinz (Brooklyn Untouched Remix)
This remix discards the original ‘Deep Cover’ beat and replaces it with another Dre & Snoop collabo, ‘The Next Episode’. Always goes down well in a club set.

04 Common-I Used To Love Her (Sir Charles Flavour Remix)
http://www.myspace.com/djsircharles
Common gets a G-Funk makeover as his vocals are dropped over Warren G’s ‘Nobody Does It Better’.

05 D&D All-Stars-1,2 Pass It (Bootleg Remix)
A DJ Fashion remix? All signs point to yes.

06 Erick Sermon-Bomdigi (Street Jam Bootleg Remix)
The beat from En Vogue’s ‘Hold On’ gives this E Double solo joint some extra bump.

07 Fat Joe & Doo Wop-Boriquas On The Set (DJ Dough & Porge One Remix)
http://www.myspace.com/djdoughhiphop
The UK’s Dough & Porge One always had some special remixes on their CDs. This one is taken from their ‘Heads Aint Ready’ mix which is well worth seeking out. (I second that - Kid Dyno)

08 Method Man & Redman-How High (Bootleg Remix)
The acapella of this track was definitely a favourite amongst producers, probably due to the amount of quotable lines from Red & Meth at their peak. This version uses the ‘Human Nature’ melody over EPMD's ‘You’re A Customer’ beat.

09 Mobb Deep-Hell On Earth (Paul Miles Remix)
Another UK remix, this time by Birmingham DJ Paul Miles (aka Pat Bateman).

10 Nas-It Aint Hard To Tell (DJ Day Remix)
http://likeathrottle.blogspot.com/ (this also came out on vinyl)
This track has been remixed to death but this has to be the best of the unofficial ones. Quality production from DJ Day out of California.

11 The Pharcyde-Passin Me By (WAR! [What-A-Remix])
A Jazzy Jim remix.

12 Tim Dog & KRS-One-I Get Wrecked (Gamm/Samoo Remix)
http://diamondsinthedust.blogspot.com/
I don't have any info on this one but I’m pretty sure I copped it at B.Cause’s blog.

13 Uptown-Dope On Plastic (B.Cause Why Zee Refix)



DOWNLOAD HERE


Enjoy

Kid Dyno

The 45 King Rocks The Portables pt2

My man BEAT DETECTIVE posted this up on his blog, but I simply had to add it on BREAKS FOR DAYS for all to see. Once again the 45 KING is rocking the doubles like it should be done using VESTAX handytrax portables and some dope ass beats courtesy of the KING himself. You know he got BEATS FOR WEEKS.
Now watch this closely ... I mean very closely! And any sucker DJ's out there in cyberspace take note.

"Butter butter this stuff is butter!"


If you don't enjoy this short video then I will eat all of my TUFF CITY records. You're damn right it's butter!

Enjoy

Kid Dyno

Hip Hop Biscuits

It's been a while since I featured a few heavy hip hop records on here, so it's about that time once again to bring tha noise for my boys. And when I say "heavy" records, I mean in the sense of beats rather than price tags. Cuz dope beats can come as cheap as a packet of biscuits.
Despite this global recession I see the going rate prices have only slightly dipped on some of the desirable "random" rap records out there, and some of these prices simply amaze me. I always thought I loved hip hop as much as the next man, but some of these dudes seem to WANT more than I do. Or perhaps they just PAY more than I do!
I have seen many a record sell for around the £50-£100 mark that I have found for a pound or two. Seriously. And this isn't a feeble attempt to obtain braggin' writes cuz I will happily admit to the records I have sold my grannie for (and she doesn't seem to mind anyway). But I've trawled the streets for 2oyrs+ in the search for vinyl, so it's only right that a few bargains come my way over the years. Record Karma and all that jazz.
I guess the moral of the story is, if you don't like the insane prices some of these records make on the internet or through dealers or at record fairs etc. then get out there into the real world, do the legwork and hit as many record spots as you can. The dope shit is still out there just waiting to be found.


J-ROCK - "Save The Children b/w I Get Rek" GHETTO GROOVZ RECORDS
The J-ROCK LP is one of those records that always makes loot. OK so it has a couple of nice early DJ PREMIER produced beats, and a great gangster feel to it (not forgetting the dope PORSCHE on the cover). But is it really worth the money it fetches? For me the LP came very cheap indeed, a £1 pick up at my local record shop SOUNDS FAMILIAR in Romford (now defunkt RIP). I copped many a bargains from that shop over the years, and made good friends of ROB FAMILIAR (as we call him) who manned the place for 15yrs. I could do whole post about the records I found in there, less than 2 miles from my home, but I will save that for another day.
Back to the program, the point I wanted to make was that the LP was overrated IMO, and a better purchase was the 12" release of "Save The Children" as it has the un-released track "I Get Wrek" on the flipside. Another case of the b-side wins again. Produced by EASY MO BEE with a real catchy sample and crunchy drum pattern. I love the stabs that punctuate the sample temporarily and allow J-ROCK to rhyme over the drums. His lyrics are confident and he keeps the flow tight with no interruptions or wack punchlines. One of his best tracks I think. Have a listen below...
J-ROCK - I Get Rek

I paid £15 for this 12" from a record shop in London not so long ago, so ignore the expensive copies you may see on the net and hunt one down in your local spots.


CASPER - "Adrenalin b/w War of Words" CAPITOL RECORDS 1991
I never saw this record in 1991 when it was released, nor did I hear anyone play it neither friends, on radio, or in the clubs. Or mixtapes come to think of it. And I thought CASPER was a friendly ghost anyway.
I saw this record many years later and never even thought to give it a try, but both RARE DAVE and AROE put me up on this 12" single which is both inexpensive and easy to find. Both sides have quality material, but it stands out mostly for the dope beats on display. "Adrenalin" is a mixture of James Brown's "Soul Power" and some early KOOL & THE GANG drums. Throw some CHILL ROB G-esque horns into the mix and this should be enough to give you the picture. The rhymes are maybe not as memorable as others, but for the price you ain't gonna argue. The beats on this record are better than many a $100 record for sure.
"War of Words" is a real grower too, with it's studio outtakes and launchpad countdown. The more I play it, the more I like it. A dash of "N.T." drums (also by KOOL & THE GANG) and some dope scratching over the ill breakdown and we have the ingredients for a great hip hop record. I don't even mind the mashed up and cue-burned samples here and there - that's hip hop YO! Make sure you check this track to the end.
CASPER - "Adrenalin"

CASPER - "War of Words"

There are lots of copies of this 12" going cheap HERE.


DOUBLE XX POSSE - "Not Gonna Be Able To Do It" BIG BEAT RECORDS 1992
Production by T-RAY on this 12" makes it a surefire winner, especially on his CRIMINAL MINDED remix of "Not Gonna Be Able To Do It". Slamming drums and rumbling bass start the track with a definite BOOM, and then the catchy horn riff introduces SUGAR RAY's well-homed lyrics. This one is a real headnodder - in fact the production is very much in line with the work T-RAY did for CYPRESS HILL. I rate this 12" highly along with other BIG BEAT releases like PERCEE P & EKIM, JVC FORCE and of course THE ARTIFACTS.
The bonus on this promo 12" is the remix of "The Headcracker" by DOUBLE XX member BK THE ORIGINAL BOOTSMOKER. A real nice flip on the original, with heavy bass and stabs in the vein of a SHOWBIZ & AG classic. Once again KOOL & THE GANG samples crop up which is never wrong in my book. Put ya boots on!
DOUBLE XX POSSE - "Not Gonna Be Able To Do It" Criminal Minded Remix

DOUBLE XX POSSE - "The Headcracker Remix"

Cheap and cheerful copies of this 12" available HERE.


Kid Dyno

The Guttersnypes

Every so often, a group of talented hip hoppers get together and create something rather special, only to then disband shortly afterwards adding another notch on the annuls of hip hop history. In terms of the UK rap scene, THE GUTTERSNYPES did exactly that. If you followed UK hip hop through the early 90s then you will already know that the scene had withered over this period on UK shores. Mainly due to the massive growth of other "dance" genres such as house, hardcore, and drum & bass. Hence the huge commercial success of acts like LONDON POSSE, DEMON BOYS, HIJACK, GUNSHOT, etc. was not being built upon at that time, and as a die-hard hip hop fanatic this was disappointing to experience. Record labels such as KOLD SWEAT deserve a mention as they continued to churn out some good and some not so good releases throughout this period and created quite a confident artist roster. But it all lacked the polish and hype of the equivalent US record releases. And on a limited budget it was a no-brainer which records you were gonna buy that week in the record shop, so I also confess to myself not supporting UK acts at their time of need.
But I remember a time in early '94 when my friend DJ LEACY told me about a UK crew who were putting together an EP and called themselves THE GUTTERSNYPES. In fact he had just sold them his AKAI S950 sampler to add to their arsenal. But even with that heads up, I wasn't prepared for what I was about to hear.
I cannot pinpoint whether it was CHOICE FM or WESTWOOD where I first heard a snippet of "The Trails Of Life" EP on LIBERTY GROOVES RECORDS, but suffice to say it blew my mind when I realised that it was UK hip hop that I was listening to. CEL ONE's rhymes were clever, well constructed and hypnotic, and the bar had been raised immensely in terms of production levels compared to other UK records of that time. The whole package with its 5 killer tracks, choice skits and artistic picture cover became a must-buy record and an instant UK hip hop classic.

"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to the most beautiful and I'm sure for you entertaining as well as pleasant musical utopia. It takes place here on the north, south, east, west side of ... wherever you are ... wherever you are..... wherever you are."

From the banging intro and bouncy beat of "Flatline", to the crisp bassline, funky horns and organ riffs of "Who Fell?", this EP had no sign of any weak sauce whatsoever. And despite the odd critiscism I heard of CEL ONE's accent from the uneducated few, I couldn't find a fault on this release. It was taking UK rap to whole nother level - LIBERTY GROOVES, fronted by Jonny F had seen the potential and made sure the EP came heavy in beats and high on quality. They succeeded. Scratches and cuts were peformed by DJ PRIME CUTS, beats all by SIGHER, and even JEOPARDY aka BIG TED put in a guest vocal on "Nom De Plume". In 94/95 there wasn't a mixtape or radio show or hip hop club that didn't bounce that record on the regular.

LIBERTY GROOVES pressed up various colours of the EP, the white vinyl being the hardest to track down, but it is also available in red, green and even an INSTRUMENTAL version on clear wax (get 'em all!). But also look out for the promo 12" version with their live performance on CHOICE FM. CEL ONE rates highly in my MC book and certainly doesn't disappoint here. It's such a shame these guys didn't release more vinyl - I believe there were various factors involved there, including the fact that CEL lost his father not long after release. SIGHER will fill you in with the details. He has got beats to GO and still rocks the kicks & snares on the regular to this day. As for PRIME CUTS, I'm sure you all know what happened to him!

SIGHER has recently blogged about the history of THE GUTTERSNYPES (click HERE) ; how and when they formed, the details behind the release, and also shares some bonus material from The Snypes. As a taster check out the unreleased track entitled "Ego Trip" below, and be prepared cuz this type of dope shit doesn't come around every day! If you love the TRIALS OF LIFE EP then this is gonna be essential listening. If you never heard of GUTTERSNYPES but like UK rap, then this is gonna be a revelation for you. Thanks to SIGHER.

THE GUTTERSNYPES - "Ego Trip" (Unreleased)


CEL ONE live on CHOICE FM '94



Enjoy.

Kid Dyno

Confessions Of A Vinyl Junkie

My brother from another mother the BEAT DETECTIVE has got some crazy record action going on over at CONFESSIONS OF A VINYL JUNKIE. I particularly like the footage of 45 KING cutting up his trademark 45s, and not forgetting DJ MURO and his "FROM THE KING'S BIN" video and music mix featuring some of the best BLAXPLOITATION cuts. How smooth is that audio and video editing? Like peanut butter baby! So why trawl through the Internet and youtube looking for the dope shit when you can get it all in one hot spot. BEAT DETECTIVE is as sick for breaks & beats as I am, so you can expect some dusty vinyl stories over there. Take a peep over there and tell him the KID sent ya!