Marley Marl's Classic Recipes

MARLEY MARL speaks on the making of ERIC B & RAKIM's "Eric B Is President", the fact that FREDDIE FOXX was meant to be on that record, and he also re-creates the beat in front of your very own eyes and ears on the AKAI MPC. Damn it feels like July 86 all over again!

DJ Credit One on the 1s & 2s

DJ CREDIT ONE showing how it should be done on two turntables. He is making it look easy in this footage but trust me it ain't. You could try this while using Serato but it just won't impress me. Shouts to all the real DJs doing doubles out there.

Breakbeat Lou

Anyone with even a miniscule interest in drum breaks should know the name BREAKBEAT LOU. If you don't then I'm surprised you are even right here reading this website because BREAKBEAT LOU (LOUIS FLORES) was one of two men who brought the ULTIMATE BREAKS & BEATS series to our record crates. Without LOUIS and partner BREAKBEAT LENNY ROBERTS, maybe records like "Funky Drummer", "Amen Brother", "Gimme What You Got" and many more would NOT have been the staple diet of hip hop producers and the backbone beat for so many MCs in the 1980s.
But despite his name, LOUIS FLORES is more than just a break cat. His musical history goes deeper than JACQUES COUSTEAU and you can find out more by reading this most excellent interview with my cousin SKEME RICHARDS over at HOT PEAS AND BUTTA. Check it out with the quickness...

Played In Full

I've yet to hear a mix by BOBBY CORRIDOR that I don't like. Don't just check this recent mix of his, there are plenty more on his Mixcloud page worth getting submerged in!

Played In Full by Bobby Corridor on Mixcloud

Me & The Biz

They say the oldest jokes tend to be the best ones - it seems that the diabolical BIZ MARKIE would agree with this statement. Now we all know that BIZ MARKIE likes to joke and sometimes poke fun at record diggers about "what he got" in his vast record collection (and not to mention his other collections). Well, this weekend I was also initiated into the "I've been caught out by BIZ MARK" club. A few months ago on Facebook I posted pictures of my original 45s from the ULTIMATE BREAKS & BEATS series which I also featured HERE. It transpires that BIZ himself caught sight of the photos and he proceeded to leave this comment.....

C'mon BIZ, do you really think you would fool me that easily? I've never seen a copy of BOB JAMES "Nautilus" on a CTI 45rpm single, and I'm damn sure if one existed I would have either seen a copy, or have been told about it by one of my many record diggin' colleagues. But, fair play to BIZ, he had me reaching for a Google search just for a second there ... checking that I hadn't been sleeping on a "Nautilus" 45 for all these years! Almost BIZ ... almost!

If you KNOW of or even OWN an official copy of "Nautilus" on a 45 7" single, then PLEASE do get in touch through the usual methods. Damn you BIZ!

V-Stitch

In winter I rock the v-stitch leather Goose like RAKIM, not the fur coat like ERIC B.

The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff (Mixer)

This was the must-have mixer for every self respecting scratch DJ back in the late 1980s - the GEMINI PMX2200 JAZZY JEFF special edition with the wood panel sides. It wasn't particularly robust considering it was built for scratching with, and we were forever gluing faders back on to these things, but they still hold a dear place in our DJ hearts. Also that crossfader was so stiff it needed lots of WD-40 to loosen it up, and was prone to malfunction. But we didn't care - we just wanted to own a mixer with JAZZY JEFF's name on it. It did not mean we were magically capable of re-creating JEFF's incredible transformer scratch from the UNION SQUARE performance from 1986, but it certainly made us feel capable.

Get On Down

It's great to see some classic HIP HOP albums getting the connoisseur treatment over at GET ON DOWN. I purchased the 20th ANNIVERSARY PHARCYDE 7" BOX SET with the multi coloured vinyl, but narrowly missed out on the RAEKWON PURPLE TAPE box set. Yes I was disappointed with the latter, but I'm pleased to see there is big interest in the nostalgia surrounding these classic LPs. It has certainly got people talking and reminiscing about back in the days when these LPs were released. It brings back memories that maybe would have been forgotten without GET ON DOWN relighting the fire.
GET ON DOWN are back with more vinyl treats for the Hip Hop collectors out there - a FAT BOYS pizza picture disc which even comes delivered in a cardboard pizza box, and a BIZ MARKIE picture disc LP which comes with a playable postcard flexi disc. With Christmas coming and plenty of ageing hip hoppers out there, you need to grab your favourite before they are all gone! Don't be left still wanting like I was with the "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx" purple tape.

Cold Rock Stuff - Get It On

OK ... so here's those all important soundclips for the COLD ROCK STUFF 12" which features our very own DAILY DIGGERS REMIX. The vinyl, sleeves, stickers and press info sheets are all ready to go, and we will begin to take orders within the next few days on our COLD ROCK STUFF store. Each 12" comes with 2 stickers, a press sheet, and cover art by PHILL MOST CHILL. The 12" received it's first public airing at the LORD FINESSE show down in Brighton a couple of weeks ago and the reception so far has been very positive. Plus it sounded real BIG on the Brighton Concorde 2 sound system so I am told!

THE KO'ROK TWO ft. OXYGEN - "Get It On"
COLD ROCK STUFF RECORDS 2012

A1. "Get It On" KO'ROK TWO VERSION
A2. "Get It On" MAC McRAW'S ORIGINAL RAW SP MIX
A3. "Get It On" DAILY DIGGERS REMIX

B1. "Get It On" KO'ROK TWO VERSION INSTRUMENTAL
B2. "Get It On" MAC McRAW'S ORIGINAL RAW SP MIX INSTRUMENTAL
B3. "Get It On" DAILY DIGGERS REMIX INSTRUMENTAL

Mastered by K-DEF. Illustration by PHILL MOST CHILL. Art direction & design by MR KRUM.

I really hope that all you regular visitors here on DAILY DIGGERS will like what you are hearing and seeing, and then feel the need to grab a copy of the 12" when orders go live (not pre-orders, the records are ready!). We will also be offering DJ doubles at a discount for those who like to cut it back and forth.
It's been an absolute pleasure seeing this project finally come to fruition and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following ..... BEAT DETECTIVE (it was hard work homey but the beat sounds fresh), MAC McRAW for inviting the DAILY DIGGERS to get busy on the remix, the ever humble MR KRUM for keeping it tight, PHILL MOST CHILL for the crazy dope artwork on the sleeve, K-DEF for keeping my drums sounding real crispy, and the one and only OXYGEN (in the future people will study your MC history in awe). Maximum respect to all those involved. Now it's time to check it out....

Nobody Beats Bombay

Here's another sureshot remix (more of a remake) from Canadian beat wizard JORUN BOMBAY. This time the DIABOLICAL gets the BOMBAY treatment. If you are finally realising how good this man's remixes are, you need to get your hands on one of these. As BIZ would no doubt say ... "Nobody beats BOMBAY nobody beats BOMBAY!"

The Man Diamond D

I was real disappointed when DIAMOND D's London leg of his European tour was cancelled. The gig was due to take place at the VILLAGE UNDERGROUND on 4th December but I received a refund on my ticket a few weeks ago with little explanation. I've seen DIAMOND D live on several occasions including in New York City during the 90s with the rest of DITC including FINESSE and BIG L. But what was gonna make this London gig special was the fact that this tour was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his amazing "Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop" LP, and that BIG DIAM would be backed by a live band CHAMPION SOUND who would re-create the classic tracks.
Unfortunately I've yet to hear of a follow-up gig taking place in London to replace the VILLAGE UNDERGROUND show, and it's getting somewhat late in the day as the tour is imminent. If anyone out there knows any different please get in touch and let me know. For all you London heads, here is what we are gonna miss out on. This is footage of CHAMPION SOUND rehearsing some DIAMOND D classics. Enjoy.

Strong Island Sound

Thanks to OXYGEN for sharing this exclusive little nugget from his archive of cassette tapes, originally recorded from WILDMAN STEVE's WBAU-FM radio show at Adelphi University in Long Island circa 1989. Featuring JVC FORCE, MIKEY DESTRUCTION and T-MONEY from ORIGINAL CONCEPT on the microphone with some impromptu shit not to be missed. Thanks to OXYGEN the ARCHIVIST.

Back To Burn pt.2

A lot of graff heads contacted me after seeing some of ORIGINAL GEE's miniature burners on steel which I posted earlier this week. It seems I wasn't the only one impressed by how authentic these trains look. Well....as this post title suggests I was waiting on my own ORIGINAL GEE train when I was writing the first part. The brief I gave GEE: I wanted him to paint a rusty grey train (with tags and throw-ups still showing) with the words "Back to Burn" and a couple of mean looking Goose-adorned b-boys either side. Here's what I got..... exactly what I ordered AND THEN SOME!! The barbed wire around the piece is genius. Get yours at ORIGINAL GEE's website and tell him KID DYNO sent ya! Click on the photo for an enlarged view.... you can almost hear the brakes screeching and feel the buzz from the third rail!

Get The Message

At the moment I'm working on another break mix, which I should be able to share with you before the end of the year. This normally means I have my head down for the next couple of weeks selecting records, rocking the turntables and recording the results. But every so often I need to take a break from recording and get busy with something else. Hence I thought I would f#ck with this acapella version of GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS 5's classic "The Message" that's been staring at me from the front of the crate for the last few weeks. I've tried to keep this simple and not over-complicate things - if my own beats ain't kicking within a few minutes then I tend to lose interest, ditch the samples and start from scratch. There's no point trying to polish a turd! So here it is, my DAILY DIGGERS remix of the 1982 old school classic, put together over a couple of evenings. I've given it a 90's sounding Jazzy twist and arranged the vocals to please myself. It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under!

B-Movie Beats

Making beats is similar to making movies. You can have all the budget and all the sponsors in the world but if you are lacking substance in what you do then you just wasted a pile of someone's cash! How many big budget "blockbuster" films have you watched over the years that were nothing more than an over hyped abomination? I bet there is plenty. That's why some of those old b-movies from the 1970s and early 80s hold a dear place in my memories - Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Evil Dead, Death Race 2000, The Hills Have Eyes, Assault on Precinct 13 were all proof that lack of budget should not hinder your creativity.
Making hip hop music is no different. You don't need the most expensive equipment or the latest studio trickery to ensure your output is dope. All you need is two body parts - your ear and your heart. And if these two organs are functioning correctly then the latter will lead the former down the right paths and you can create something special. Take what you got and run with it as hard as you can. If you have it within yourself to make crazy dope beats, then you will make best use of what equipment you already have and get the best out of it.
I recently stumbled upon music by BEATSMITH RESIST outta San Diego CA. It's low budget, street level, grimy shit with absolutely no polish on it whatsoever ...and I love it. These kinda beats give me that b-movie feeling - downlow, dirty, destitute, and damned proud of it! And ironically only a few hundred miles from Hollywood, the home of the big budgets! Check out the video for "Philthy Phalangez"... and peep the website for more gritty beats.

Back To Burn

If you love graffiti writing as much as I do then I'd be very surprised if your eyeballs don't pop out whilst browsing through the following photos. I'm a huge writing fan and have been "up" myself over the years, but I'm hardcore so it will always be paint on trains that gets me the most excited. I can't really put into words the feeling I get when I see a burner roll into the station with it's brakes grinding and the smell of the dusty underground tunnels in the air. All I know is that I get a chill down the spine and instantly my mind conjures up the scene of the writer tracking down his elusive prey and emptying his countless cans in the darkness.

So when I first caught a glimpse of some of these customised "All City Train" models by ORIGINAL GEE I can honestly say I was in my element. A friend of mine AGENT FINCH has already commissioned a couple of these trains to add to his huge hip hop memorabilia collection, and it was only a matter of time (and pound notes) before I commissioned one for myself. ORIGINAL GEE doesn't do things by halves when he is painting a train - if you look closely you will see rust, car numbers, buffed tags and even hidden throw ups. The keyword here is authentic, in fact so authentic that he has replicated some of the most famous wholecars so precisely that you would need a magnifying glass to pick out the real from the replica. If you are short of presents to ask for this Christmas, then you need one of these trains cars on your wall. A customised example is more than affordable considering the amount of work involved and the amount of skill and thought GEE puts in. Break open your piggy bank and get yourself your very own running burner. Oh and BTW ... fuck the buff!
(If you wanna get in touch with GEE contact him through his website HERE)

Cold Rock Stuff

I promised a vinyl related announcement earlier this week, so with no more delay here it is..... Available soon is the debut 12" single from UK hip hop duo COLD ROCK STUFF entitled "Get It On" and featuring Strong Island's hardest working emcee of the moment OXYGEN. The single includes 3 mixes (including our very own DAILY DIGGERS remix) and of course the all important instrumentals on the flip side.
COLD ROCK STUFF, OXYGEN and ourselves the DAILY DIGGERS are all members of VINYL VETERANS DJ team, and this vinyl project has been cooking up for quite a while now and is hopefully the first of several releases on the COLD ROCK STUFF label. But, there is more - not only has the audio been mastered by the genius of the boards K-DEF out in New York City, but we also have sleeve artwork hand created by Philly's super talented all-rounder PHILL MOST CHILL (aka SOULMAN) and design by our very own MR KRUM (peep his website HERE for more of his dope cover art).
Suffice to say I am super excited about this release - it's a good feeling to finally have a DAILY DIGGERS beat on wax, and especially to be working with people that I personally admire. The test presses are sounding real good and the vinyl is set to arrive towards the end of this month. Keep your eyes on this site for more details and of course for those all important sound clips. If you've been a regular here at DAILY DIGGERS HQ over the last 6 or so years then no doubt you will be eager to scoop up a copy before they sell out like hot cakes. I thank you for your support in advance. I just know you gonna dig this...!

The Grand Wizzard...

Brighton once again is the place to be on 17th November for a VINYL VETERANS special event. Straight from Canada GRAND WIZZARD GHETTOSOCKS will be performing live with DJ OLLIE TEEBA at THE BLACK DOVE, BRIGHTON. Of course the VINYL VETERANS crew will holding down tradition on the turntables all night, and entry is FREE. Don't forget about it!

Pre-Emptive Strike

Coming straight outta Vietnam California, HIP HOP BATTLEFIELD is on my daily list of things to do and places to check. If you want to cut out corny bullshit and sugar-coated hip hop music from your web life then HHB is the place to go for real deal trooper music. My good buddy DRASAR MONUMENTAL only deals with the real and if he was in charge of thangs then all fakes and frauds would be exterminated. Today he has unleashed his "PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE" download - a gritty mix of MF GRIMM material. DRASAR and GRIMM have been wroking hard on things over the summer and along with this mix they have some vinyl treats lined up for their battalion of followers. Let's catch up with DRASAR and see what he has lined up......

"2012 isn’t over motherfuckers...Before this year comes to a close, M.F. GRIMM & I are going to splash you with a tidal wave of raw Hip Hop goodness...First up to bat is the "Pre-Emptive Strike" mixtape...It is loaded to the brim with GRIMM joints that will force you to hit the rewind button.....Next up is the “Good Morning Vietnam” vinyl project in early December on VENDETTA VINYL. If you are searching for Hip Hop without all the extra preservatives and artificial additives – STAY TUNED TROOPERS..."

M.F.GRIMM & DRASAR MONUMETAL: "Pre-Emptive Strike"
Artwork by BLAME ONE & POLAR.

Download HERE

TRACKLIST-

1..TAKE EM TO WAR (ORIGINAL VERSION)..

2..1000 DEGREES BREAK..

3..DEDICATED FLIP..

4..STRESS BOX..

5..CRUMBS..

6..EMOTIONS..

7..GRIMM ON THE STRETCH & BOBBITO SHOW..

8..DO IT FOR THE KIDZ..

9..TIME & SPACE..

10..INTERVIEW ON FREDDIE LOCKHART SHOW..

11..IN THE END FLIP..

12..VOICES-0..

Mo Rock - Send For The Fleas

I promised you more dope beats from UK beathead MO ROCK, so here is another dramatic and cinematic winner from one half of the FRESH SKI & MO ROCK duo. I've been keeping on at MO ROCK to treat me to more of his beats and thankfully he has kept that promise, props to you MO. Let's just hope together we can encourage old school MC FRESH SKI back onto a microphone in the near future. FRESH SKI where ya at at at?

Three Times Dope

The Twenty Dozen has been an inspiring year for hip hop vinyl releases. In fact I would say more so than over the last decade. The last twelve months or so has given us some amazing vinyl projects including SOUNDSCI full length LP, FABREEZE BROTHERS, FREESTYLE PROFESSORS, DJ FORMAT, OXYGEN, THE GOOD PEOPLE, DANNY SPICE, LEWIS PARKER, ACTION BRONSON, ROC MARCIANO, PAUL NICE, RASHEED CHAPPELL, J-ZONE, JORUN BOMBAY REMIXES etc.... (do I really need to continue?). I've certainly noticed my "new rap" section in my racks is beginning to bulge, and that's a good sign. I was guilty (as I'm sure many were) of writing off the thought of being hungry for new vinyl like back in the old days, and in the early noughties I practically gave up buying new hip hop 12" releases unless of course it was a DJ PREMIER produced classic. But, life goes in cycles and here I am eagerly checking release dates once again. I'm really pleased that the vinyl game is enjoying a flourishing time at the moment - I know for a fact that many vinyl pressing plants have been run off their feet this year. Whoever said vinyl was dead must be choking on their Serato control discs by now!

Here's three of my favourite hip hop 45rpm releases of recent weeks. I'm a sucker for 45s so if you drop a banger on this format then you have my attention already. And at the moment I seem to be kept busy on the 45 front. Here's a trio of seven inch hip hop records which are available now or due to be available very soon. Every one is DAILY DIGGERS recommended so if you see these you need to cop them all....three times dope!

KISTA featuring CAPPO - "Livewire Feedback" on SOUNDWEIGHT RECORDS

KISTA hails from North Yorkshire in the UK and is no stranger to putting out vinyl (check out his discography). This time around he has put together a real sinister headnod beat for Nottingham MC CAPPO to drop his unique rhyme style. CAPO makes no bones about where he comes from and is unashamedly proud of his Nottingham roots. I've always admired this kid's flow and word play and I'm happy to say this funky 45 is no exception. With lyrical references to FRANK WHITE (from King of New York) and CHARLES BRONSON he got my attention already. In fact, the duo have teamed up with the outcome sounding more like a practiced partnership than a first outing for the pair, who both come from a graffiti writing past (hence the classic graffiti writer intro courtesy of BRIM from the film "Bombin'"). KISTA's addictive beat is one of those "it ain't what you do it's what you don't" type beats - less is always more in my book and he absolutely nails it with this one. For more KISTA productions you really need to check out his recent work HERE where you can find his killer joint "Talk With God" featuring TABLEEK from MASPYKE - essential listening.

J-ZONE featuring BREEZE BREWIN, OXYGEN and PRINCE PAUL- "The Foxhunt" on OLD MAID ENTERTAINMENT

I always did like what J-ZONE was doing, and I felt a lot of his material was highly slept on by many and not pushed as well as it should have been. He was doing that beatmaking/rhyming thing on his own years ago. His "Music For Tu Madre" album was on constant rotation here in the DAILY DIGGERS HQ for many months after it dropped. Man I cannot believe that was over a dozen years ago now - that LP was the shit. Anyway, after a brief hiatus on the vinyl front MR. ZONE is now back on wax with a cute and colourful 45rpm seven inch single on his own label OLD MAID ENTERTAINMENT. The A-side is a remix of "The Drug Song" but I can't resist the B-side track "The Foxhunt" which features BREEZE BREWIN and cameos from OXYGEN and producer legend PRINCE PAUL. This track is so infectious and spotlights J-ZONE's comical side that always made me chuckle on his previous records. Despite the humour, the beat is seriously dope and a real winner in my opinion. Get busy with all J-ZONE's antics over at his GO VILLAIN GO website.

DJ SUSPECT & DOC TMK featuring CARPETFACE & AUDIBLE1 - "Everybody" on LUHNA RECORDS

You might not be instantly familiar with all the names on this one, but when I tell you that DJ SUSPECT is the turntable terror-wrist from French favourites THE FUNK LEAGUE then you know this is something to look and listen out for. This time he is teaming up with UK MCs CARPETFACE and AUDIBLE1 and the resulting French-English collaboration is possibly the best thing to happen between our countries since the Channel Tunnel. Surefire beats and samples are certainly on the menu here, alongside some very adept cuts and scratches provided by DJ SUSPECT. AUDIBLE1 and CARPETFACE already have history on the microphone together and this collaboration is fruition of years of dedication to hip hop alongside some stylish French production. The records is available very soon through HHV, JUNO and the usual outlets. Vive le Hip Hop!

And ... on the subject of new vinyl releases I have an announcement to make here on DAILY DIGGERS this Thursday regarding a new vinyl project involving myself KID DYNO and THE BEAT DETECTIVE. Watch ... this .... space ....

Return Of The Funkyman

That's right ... LORD FINESSE is back in the UK for a list of shows across the country to support his recent vinyl releases on SLICE-OF-SPICE RECORDS. Tomorrow night he will be appearing at CARGO night club in East London with DJ BOOGIE BLIND on turntable duties. You know THE FUNKYMAN is a lyrical master, so get down one of his shows if you wanna hear some of his classic punchlines in the flesh. UK venues for this European tour include Leeds, Glasgow, Norwich and Manchester, but this Sunday FINESSE will be rocking Brighton down on the south coast with my fellow VINYL VETERANS behind the wheels on the night. I believe there will also be a live in-store performance in RAREKIND RECORDS in Brighton but this is yet to be confirmed. This "slick brother with a fade and a half-moon" is not likely to be to touring the UK anytime soon in the near future so this could be your last chance to witness the D.I.T.C. brother without having to purchase a plane ticket. FINESSE getting funky is no co-incidence!

New York Kings

I took the train to OLD STREET at the weekend to check out the NEW YORK KINGS exhibition taking place at PURE EVIL gallery in Leonard Street, including work by STAY HIGH 149, BOM5, COPE2, SEN TWO, FUZZ ONE and others. I'd love to own one of these unique NYC Subway maps customised by an original train bomber, but prices are way out of range for my pocket. Thanks to CHARLIE at PURE EVIL and props also to my brother SHAUN for taking care of business by getting us in early, and for surprising me with a copy of ALL CITY WRITERS book (final photo). If you love train writing then this book is a definite purchase for you. It ain't cheap but when you see the size of this book you'll understand why.

If, like me, you need a daily dose of throw-ups, burners, panel pieces, top-to-bottoms and whole cars in your life then make sure you visit WHATYOUWRITE for the latest scoop. No toys allowed!