Sunday 20 July 2008

Great British Beats & Rhymes

Now if you like your Hip Hop music to be a mix of uptempo raw beats with hardcore rhymes, then may I suggest some "Golden Era" UK Hip Hop from the late 80s and early 90s??
OK so the UK readers amongst you will probably know most of the UK joints we're gonna drop here, but we're hoping a few of our fellow Hip Hoppers from the United States, Europe and afar will have a listen and appreciate some of these dope British tracks. Plus I know my boy Kwote One from Australia likes his tough UK stuff so this goes out to you also Kwote!
The quality of early UK Hip Hop was pretty damn incredible on looking back 2 decades ago - the taste here was for mostly fast pace hard beats with raw rhymes and a hardcore attitude which was not absent, but certainly not as present in the US Hip Hop records of the same era. Groups like Gunshot, Hijack, Demon Boyz, Caveman, Hardnoise, London Posse, and artists like MC Mello became household names amongst the UK crowd. But under the mainstream (if we can call it that) there were also a handful of other crews and groups producing hell-a-dope hip hop. Names like Fresh-ski & Mo-Rock, D to the K, Katch 22, Unanimous Decision, Dashy D & Cuetips, Powerlords, and many others.
On listening to some of these records today, it's amazing how dope the UK groups were. No phony US accents, no beat-biting, just raw underground talent. I hope you enjoy the Best of British joints below.....and for more superdope UK Hip Hop then check out AROE's awesome CROWN JEWELS mix CD, with the second CD in this series coming soon. And from what AROE tells me this will feature some seriously DOPE STUFF!

GREAT BRITISH BEATS



Tracklist
Cash Crew - Microphone Maniac 12"
PD3 - Breaking the Silence 12"
The Force - Mission Impossible 12" (flip side to the Cash Crew above on Vinyl Lab records)
D to the K - Slow Jam feat Mello (V/A Hard Core 1 LP)
Trouble - I Get Hype 12"
Bomb the Bass ft Merlin - Megablast Rap Version 12"
Crazy Noddy & Dj Fingers (Sindecut) - Sindecut's Rockin' 12"
Prime Rhyme Masters - You Need Discipline 12"
Hijack - Murder in the First Degree orig version (Orig Horns LP)
Powerlords - E Man 12"
Black Radical mk 2 - Witch Hunt (The Undiluted Truth LP)
Mello - Words Spoken 12"
Fresh Ski & Mo-Rock - It's Working (Long Awaited Paroxysm EP)
Gunshot - Clear From Present Danger 12"


Kid Dyno

Saturday 19 July 2008

I just wanna celebrate!


BREAKS FOR DAYS BEATS FOR WEEKS reached its one year birthday this week....July 17th to be precise. The next record is therefore very appropriate....I just wanna celebrate! This track by RARE EARTH has been used by many from PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS to PEANUT BUTTER WOLF, but most recently by GHOSTFACE on "We Celebrate".

RARE EARTH always had some funky shit going on, and this 45rpm single is typical of that and also has the track "THE SEED" on the flipside...as used by Gangstarr.

Library Drums


Now normally I ain't one to hunt down Library LPs on my diggin' travels, mainly because finding the dope ones is kinda hard amongst so many that are complete rubbish! But every so often I stumble across a reasonably priced Library LP which sounds like it will give up the goods. In truth I could call my good friend DJ Skye who seems to own EVERY killer Library LP known to man....but now that would be cheating to rely on his knowledge wouldn't it!
So anyway, the THEMES LP above was a blind purchase based on the track titles and the fact that it was percussion-based. Thankfully it did not disappoint me! Tracks composed by Barry Morgan and Ray Cooper. Check out 2 of the best tracks below.....

THEMES PERCUSSION SPECTRUM (Cat No TIM 1029)
"Exploring the wide range of moods and sounds produced by percussion"

"Impulsion"


"Percussion Power"


Kid Dyno

Friday 4 July 2008

Guest mix - MR KRUM (Ill Technicians / Crate Invaders)

Hey party people we're back in EFFECT and really proud to present, for your download pleasure, a super tight & super bootytuff mixtape courtesy of MR KRUM from the ILL TECHNICIANS and CRATE INVADERS crews. This is one to download and bang throughout the summer and into winter then into spring....!
Now many of our regular readers will know of MR KRUM's excellent work from his "PUT IT 2 MUSIC" mix from last year featuring some seriously inventive Hip Hop accapella/instrumental action. Now we loved his twist on things, so if you don't already own a copy then may we suggest you hit up MR KRUM himself (just click and ask away!). Or maybe you bought some wax or traded rare vinyl with him over the wonderful worldwide web thingy - remember Eastside Records?
Some of you on the South Coast of the UK will also know of the man himself from his regular appearances at POSITIVITY in Brighton, and he of course will also be at the BRIGHTON HIP HOP festival later this month.
Now even though he is an extremely busy man and bordering-on-obsessive beat digger, he managed to tear himself away from the boot sales and charity shops, put down the MPC beat machine and the fistful of breakbeats.... and has blessed us here at BREAKS FOR DAYS BEATS FOR WEEKS with a lil sumthin' for your eardrums!
This is definitely one for the Hip Hop crowd (the fans and the collectors)....but believe me KRUM's knowledge of BREAKS goes deeper than Jacques Cousteau! So as JUST-ICE would almost definitely say......"na touch da KRUM!!"

There are some absolute stonking classics right here - tightly mixed to form one hell of an hour of dope shit! And for the more inquisitive amongst you there are also some kinda slept-on tunes in the second half that you really should dig out from your crates and give another listen, or if you don't own them it'll make you wanna find 'em.

Intro. Beatnuts - "Sandwiches" (Instrumental)
1. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - "Bad To The Bone" (Street Remix)
2. Main Source - "Looking At The Front Door"
3. Gang Starr "Just To Get A Rep"
4. BIG - "Party & Bullshit" (Lord Finesse Remix)
5. Brand Nubian - "Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down" (Remix featuring Diamond D)
6. EPMD - "Crossover"
7. Showbiz & A.G. - "Soul Clap" (Off Beat Mix)
8. Eric B & Rakim - "Don't Sweat The Technique"
9. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "The Creator" (Surfboard Mix)
10. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - "The Creator" (E.P. Mix)
11. Big Daddy Kane - "Warm It Up Kane"
12. Tuff Crew "My Part Of Town"
13. DJ Format "As The Drums Pound" (featuring Abdominal)
14. Special Ed "Come On Let's Move It" (Remix)
15. L.L. Cool J - "Jingling Baby" (Remixed And Still Jingling)
16. Nas - "Made You Look" (Apache Remix - Instrumental)
17. Freshco & Miz - "We Don't Play"
18. Antoinette - "This Girl Is Off On Her Own" (Remix)
19. Public Enemy - "Night Of The Living Baseheads"
20. Craig G - "Shootin' The Gift" (Remix)
21. Yaggfu Front - "Lookin' For A Contract" (Starving Artist Remix)
22. Grand Puba "That's How We Move It"
23. Groove B Chill "Let It Roll"
24. PHD - "Do It Any Way You Wanna Do It"
25. M.C. Sugar Ray - "If It Ain't Rough It Ain't Right"
26. Dick Walter - "Time Out"





Download

Enjoy the mix and catch MR KRUM down at the BRIGHTON HIP HOP festival, launch party tonight (yes TONIGHT!) at THE LOFT in Ship Street, Brighton......and you don't stop!

Kid Dyno