Vinyl Veterans Special

Get down to Brighton on Saturday 6th April for a VINYL VETERANS special: OXYGEN will be in the UK, in the building and in gear ready to perform an intimate DJ/MC set alongside the SOUNDSCI crew (hopefully including AUDESSEY). The whole VINYL VETERANS crew will be in attendance as well as us DAILY DIGGERS dropping a few funky jewels on the 1s and 2s. We hope to see you there....

Main Artery UBB 45s

For those of you out there with a soft spot for the ULTIMATE BREAKS & BEATS series (compiled by LOUIS FLORES and the late great LENNY ROBERTS) and also a passion for records that revolve at 45 revolutions per minute, you might wanna take a peep at this picture below.
A few months ago MAIN ARTERY PRINTS (with help from Andy at ELDICA RECORDS) produced a huge poster print (51cm x 105cm) cataloging 7" labels from many super rare Funk 45s. Not only do these prints look fantastic but they also act as a constant reminder of those essential joints you still need to find! To follow up on the funk poster MAIN ARTERY are now offering a very limited print featuring 45s which featured on the much revered ULTIMATE BREAKS & BEATS series. These prints have been compiled with the blessing of BREAKBEAT LOU and are produced in memory of BREAKBEAT LENNY. These two characters were so significant in the history of hip hop music as they provided the sample fodder for the majority of Golden Era Hip Hop records. Without the UBB compilation series being available throughout the NYC area, I doubt there would have been so many 80s hip hop records released full stop.


Regular readers of this blog will know I have more than a fleeting obsession with UBB 45s so you can bet your last pound note that I was zoned out for a few minutes on first seeing this new print. They do come up a bit costly but I know that the price reflects both the print and paper quality. Plus this would look so fresh on the DAILY DIGGERS HQ wall. I'm very tempted indeed ... take a look for yourself (click on photo for larger view).

Another One Bites The Dust

Another record shop has succumb to the economic vice grip that is squeezing everyone's pocket so tight of late. I have been frequenting the SOUL & DANCE EXCHANGE in Notting Hill for more years than I can count on my fingers and toes, so I was gutted to find out the shop is now empty. Neither can I count the amount of crazy dope records I have scooped outta here over the years (including several of my PETE ROCK & CL SMOOTH promos). LUCKILY the shop has not completely disappeared but instead amalgamated with their ROCK EXCHANGE branch which is only a few doors down. But even though, it is still the end of an era. I wanna give a shout out to all the SADE staff that have supplied my dope over the years .... including TOMMY, SEAN, TONY, JOHN, RICHARD, and ZACK. Thanks fellas, I will of course be supporting the new spot.

Hand Over the Mike

Here's an unreleased FRESH SKI and MO ROCK demo track from 1987. This track was penciled in to be the b-sice of their "Talking Pays" 12" on TUFF GROOVE records, but this was later replaced by "Pick Up On This".

Ike's Mood

This is a copy of the ISAAC HAYES classic "Ike's Mood" on 45. And yes ... it has the break too.

Sip The Juice

The EDAN & OXYGEN UK shows begin on Thursday April 4th down in Bristol alongside the SIP THE JUICE crew. Wherever you are on the West coast of the UK make sure you do not miss out on all the boom bap action. Also on deck duties will be MR FANTASTIC, JOHN STAPLETON and the SIP THE JUICE deejays.


THURSDAY 4th APRIL - BRISTOL GIG
FRIDAY 5th APRIL - LONDON GIG
SATURDAY 6th APRIL - BRIGHTON GIG

Crate Raiderz Episode 1

The CRATE RAIDERZ crew are journeying across the US in search of not only records, but also fellow vinyl collectors who take their digging very seriously. In a series of interviews they aim to shed some light on collectors themselves to gain an insight into each others' vinyl habits. First up is BLAAK THE 9th MAN who we interviewed a few months ago here on DAILY DIGGERS (check our archive) - he pulls out some of his favourite records including the highly sought-after and super scarce MAGNUM "Fully Loaded" LP. Watch and learn....

D'You Got This Biz?

Everyone knows that that BIZ MARKIE loves a bit of comedic one-upmanship when it comes to vinyl. Well for once it seems I finally have a record that the BIZ himself needs. So ... do I turn the tables on the rapping comedian and tease him with my copy of LARRY CORRYELL's "Morning Sickness" on 45? Maybe we could do a swap with his 7" copy of BOB JAMES "Nautilus" LOL! Yeah right BIZ!

Wreckin' Shop Live from Brooklyn

It's not just the 80s that give me fond memories of Hip Hop - the 90s were fresh times too. The culture evolved dramatically on all fronts, MCs took their rhymes to new heights, DJs invented new scratch techniques, graffiti writers took their art away from the trains, and b-boys threw their 80s breakin' styles into the melting pot along with jazz moves, capoeira et al resulting in a new hybrid form of hip hop dance.
Let's go back 21 years to 1992 on Planet Brooklyn NYC; the days of Timberland boots and Polo shirts, Helly Hansen jackets and Hilfiger etc. etc.. It's time to wreck shop...

Doctor's Orders

EDAN and OXYGEN will be over in the UK this 5th APRIL for a one-off performance at DOCTOR'S ORDERS alongside MR THING, CHRIS P CUTS, MO FINGAZ and SPINDOCTOR himself. This will be OXYGEN's debut performance in the UK so it's a date NOT to be missed at the EAST VILLAGE (along GT. EASTERN STREET EC2). Stay tuned for more details.

Double Dynomite

Double Goose Country and doubles of BOB JAMES "Nautilus" - what's not to like?

Krum Get Some

My fellow VINYL VETERANS member MR KRUM has just been interviewed over at FLEAMARKET FUNK - they delve into his creative design work, his LP cover artwork, and his eclectic digging habits. Humble as ever MR KRUM never shows off about his work, but suffice to say he is the designer of choice for many independent record labels at the moment (SLICE-OF-SPICE, BLUNTED ASTRONAUT, CRATE ESCAPE, PROJECT BLUE BOOK, BORO RECORDS etc etc). He'll no doubt shrug it off and say something like "well I've been lucky lately" but let's be honest about it MR KRUM is the man to go to for some design brilliance.
Peep the INTERVIEW and check out MR KRUM's website for more of his work.

Night Of The Living Beathead

If you are not familiar with JORUN BOMBAY's "Instrumentals you never got" series on Youtube then you must have been living on another planet over recent months. To break it down in a nutshell what JORUN does .... hr finds a classic Hip Hop record that never came with an official instrumental, and he starts from scratch (excuse the intentional pun) to re-create the beat sample by sample. Sound easy? Well trust me it certainly isn't. But JORUN is a living breathing beathead and a master of diggin' through his dusty old records looking for that half a bar which so-and-so used on this or that classic track. It would take me forever just to name all the samples let alone re-create it piece by piece. Listen closely, and if you're in doubt then take a listen to the original. See ... I told you so!

Rubble Kings

RUBBLE KINGS is an unreleased feature length documentary about the New York city street gangs of the late 60s and 70s and their influence on hip-hop culture. It features interviews with many ex gang members (including the notorious Savage Skulls, Black Spades, Assassinators, Ghetto Brothers, Hitmen etc.) who vividly recall those turbulent times - the urban decay surrounding NYC, the burning of the Bronx, the rise in street violence, and the resulting Hip Hop phoenix that rose from those flames in the Bronx. The project has been a labour of love for RUBBLE KINGS filmmaker SHAN NICHOLSON.
The documentary is already complete but the team behind RUBBLE KINGS are seeking our support through their Kickstarter campaign to enable them to fund the release of the film to the general public. Hip Hop's evolution is an important part of 20th Century's history of music, and lessons can still be learned today from what the gang culture did in the late 70's to help stem the violence (it was time to battle their rivals with b-boy moves rather than with knives and guns!) The change to PEACE, LOVE, UNITY and HAVING FUN saved many lives, and spawned a phenomenon which was spread across the globe.
Take a peep at the short trailer for RUBBLE KINGS and please lend your support where possible in return for one of the rewards on offer on the Kickstarter page.

Magnetic Magnetic

Here's a date for your diary if you live in or near London - 5th JULY. This year commemorates 25 years since the ULTRAMAGNETIC MC's released their futuristic sounding and highly acclaimed "Critical Beatdown" LP, and this coming JULY 5th at the CLAPHAM GRAND in London CED GEE, KOOL KEITH, MOE LOVE and TR LOVE will return to the UK capital with another highly anticipated performance of material from that classic LP. So if you love "Ego Tripping" "Ease Back" and "Give the Drummer Some" then keep your eyes and ears open this summer. Rest in Peace to ULTRAMAGNETIC affiliate TIM DOG who passed away recently.

Take It Back To Bring It Forward

2012 was a great year for new hip hop music and 2013 is already looking interesting when it comes to boom bap Hip Hop. And I'm happy to say it's not just transatlantic artists which are impressing me with their output - the UK can also be proud of some of it's homegrown talent that are currently putting out beats. Last year my favourite release from home shores was SIR BEANS OBE "Pause to Discuss" EP. BEANS really has put yeeears into this hip hop game and this is glaringly evident from the production quality on this release (the title track is so damn dope!)
On to 2013 and it's another producer from the UK that is a healthy making noise with his debut album. Swansea based DJ turned producer BEATRIX brings the golden era back to present day with a selection of drum heavy beats featuring a host of very competent UK MCs including MYKES, FIGURE OF SPEECH, SAM OTIS plus others including the aforementioned SIR BEANS OBE performing cuts on one joint. The sound is very much reminiscent of the Golden Era and BEATRIX himself admits to heavy vinyl sampling and a love for headnod beats. But the golden era vibe never feels forced during this album as can be with other "golden era" inspired tracks.In fact some of these tracks sound like they could actually have been recorded in 1990 or 91, so authentic is the vibe. BEATRIX has tailored the beats individually for the varying MCs so the feel of each track is wildly different as you progress through the album, keeping your attention locked throughout. The project was mixed and mastered by UK recording legend NO SLEEP NIGEL so you know the sound is crispy too. "Take It Back To Bring It Forward" is available on CD as well as available for download at the usual legit spots. However if you prefer a physical copy on CD then leave a comment below and I'll throw names in the hat for a free CD copy. But first, check out the handful of soundclips below and hear what all the fuss is about...

JUNCTION 45 present BEATRIX "Take It Back To Bring It Forward"



Remember to drop a comment to be in with a chance to win yourself a copy of the CD.

Soundsci - Ultimate

SOUNDSCI are back on wax with a new EP (released today) combined with a video for the title track "The Ultimate". The video features the original mix which is an surefire winner, but on the EP we are also blessed with remixes by DJ FORMAT, DJ SPINNA, and OLLIE TEEBA. The flipside features four brand new tracks from SOUNDSCI and once again the Anglo-American crew are here to remind us why we fell in love with Hip Hop in the first place - because of the dope beats, quotable rhymes and funky cuts & scratches. Don't snooze, get yourself over to the SOUNDSCI web store to hear more soundclips and to grab your vinyl copy before they are all gone.

Gone Diggin': The Video

The long awaited video for OXYGEN's "Gone Diggin'" is finally here, with numerous Hip Hop aficionados making cameos in it including BREAKBEAT LOU, PHIL MOST CHILL, DJ SPINNA, FORREST GETEMGUMP, JARED (BIG CITY RECORDS), AMIR, K-PRINCE and others including my VINYL VETERANS buddy MAC McRAW. The video was filmed during the last (open) days at BIG CITY RECORDS store in Manhattan just before it closed it's doors for the final time (shouts to FORREST and JARED). The video also coincides nicely with the re-release of this popular diggers anthem on SLICE-OF-SPICE RECORDS on the 10" format with remix by GENSU DEAN who also produced the original version. The original "Gone Diggin'" 45rpm seven inch single that OXYGEN dropped was back in 2010 so it's fantastic to see people are still talking about this record almost three years later. Enjoy the video - and of course enjoy my cuts at the end!

Good Morning Vietnam

Oh man I'm so pleased I finally got my hands on the vinyl release of MF GRIMM and DRASAR MONUMENTAL's "Good Morning Vietnam" EP. From the moment I heard exclusive soundclips of this release sometime last year, I knew I was in for some 100 per cent real deal trooper music when it dropped. GRIMM and MONUMENTAL teamed up for this project during the end of last Summer and the musical chemistry between the duo was instant, as is obvious from the vibe of this EP. DRASAR has kept the beats rough, rugged and raw with no compromises in terms of his gritty VIETNAM CA. sound. If you want polished beats then go somewhere else - this is designed to make your speakers pop and hum and make your walls vibrate. To quote LORD FINESSE ... "Shit is real like a motherf#cker!"
From what I know, this limited 12" vinyl release was well on it's way to selling out without any soundclips even being aired, showing MF GRIMM's loyal fan base are still out there voting with their hard hustled money. If you want to grab a copy before they disappear for good then get over to the VENDETTA VINYL website with the quickness.

Train Bombin'

Great short animated film about train bombin' - enjoy.

Biz is Still Goin' Off

JORUN's gone and done it again. The Canadian King of the remix treats us once again to one of his top quality productions. This time the DIABOLICAL BIZ MARKIE gets the BOMBAY treatment. Ah one two.....!

Quinton's On His Way...

This year has got off to a cracking start with some superb new hip hop vinyl announced already, as well the handful of excellent mixes doing the rounds at the moment. One in particular which has me hooked is CHRIS READ's offical mixtape to celebrate the 20th anniversary of THE PHARCYDE's "Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde" album. In conjunction with DELICIOUS VINYL and WAX POETICS, CHRIS steps up to the two turntables and takes the listener on his own bizarre ride through this classic LP blending the original album tracks with remixes, instrumentals, acapellas, original sample material and even some interview snippets from the time of release. Once again incredible stuff from CHRIS READ.

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde: Official 20th Anniversary Mixtape by Chris Read (Musicofsubstance) on Mixcloud

Oxygen - The Process

Out very soon on BORO RECORDS is a new sureshot seven inch single from OXYGEN produced by FREQNIK & WDRE and also featuring DR BECKETT and EMSKEE. This shit takes me back to 94/95!

Format's Favourites

I wanna give a super loud shout out to my VINYL VETERAN cohort from Brighton DJ FORMAT for putting the DAILY DIGGERS REMIX of KO' ROK TWO's "Get It On" into his list of top 5 current tracks on the TOP 5 TRACKS website! We were stoked to say the least - FORMAT has always been a purveyor (and producer) of the highest quality music, so to hear that such a respected Hip Hop DJ likes our remix is a very pleasant surprise (and somewhat of a shock to be honest!)

But FORMAT didn't stop there .... he also dropped the REMIX in his new collaboration mix with BOCA 45 called "Golden Era Party" which you can listen to below. It is a 65 minute mix to promote the 'Golden Era Sound' that DJ FORMAT and BOCA 45 often play together at parties. And FORMAT is a busy man right about now as his "Fisher Price" REMIX of OXYGEN's "Gone Diggin'" has now dropped on 5" picture disc through SLICE-OF-SPICE RECORDS. (This is the record that features the amazing track "33.3"). If you didn't scoop a copy already then get over to the SOS website and put your name on one pronto.
It's so refreshing to know FORMAT is busy putting out premium product, whether it be one of his mixes, his remixes, his unbeatable live shows, or his own dynamite productions. And we'd love to do a DJ FORMAT X DAILY DIGGERS project in the future, so MATT if you are reading this....


A few remaining copies of the KO' ROCK TWO 12"s are still available on the COLD ROCK STUFF website. Once they're gone...

Rob Life Catching Wreck

It's a joy to witness DJ ROB LIFE from BREAKIN BREAD cutting up breaks on the 1s and 2s. Not only is he smooth as butter on the two turntables but his track selection is always second to none. Check out this b-boy mix he recorded for radio some years ago, and if you dig it enough I might even share his incredible "Catchin' Grooves" break mix. Not only is ROB nice with his, but he's a real nice dude and humble with it.

Mix for radio Sept 2006 B-boy breaks by Rob Life on Mixcloud

Ultra Mag Netic

Thanks to TIM WESTWOOD for sharing this rare footage of the infamous ULTRAMAGNETIC MC's gig at Dingwalls Night Club in London from back in 1990. An incredible performance despite the fact that the door got bumrushed and all hell broke loose inside and outside the venue.

First Round Knock Out

Guard your grill or get knocked the fuck out with this free download of some new heavyweight material from SOUNDSCI. Get off your stool, step in the ring and take what's coming to ya ..... a "Lyrical Beatdown"! Grab the FREE download HERE.

They Call Me Puma

FBA Classics

Here's some classic train pieces from FBA (FAST BREAKING ART) crew members RASK, TACK, KAZE, and WEST.

Q-Bert Still Runnin' Thangs

There's no doubt in my mind that DJ Q-BERT is one of the true masters of the scratch. It still amazes me to this day how much dedication he has for the art of scratching. He has to be among the very best scratch DJs we have ever seen, along with his PIKLZ cohort D-STYLES (another incredible deck technician). Both have continued to re-invent, re-work and re-shape the sound of scratching (as we know it) for over 20 years. That's why I think Q deserves his GRANDMASTER status alongside the late great ROC RAIDA (rest in beats).
Check out Q-BERT getting into the zone at the DMC WORLD FINALS in London back in September 2012. Expect to see lots of cuts, rubs, scribbles, funky drum patterns and his usual inter-galactic scratch-speak. But best of all is the obvious fact that Q is enjoying himself no end! Check it out...

Breakbeats & Rhymes

LORD FINESSE breaks down his deal with WILD PITCH, the birth of D.I.T.C. crew, and the reasons behind why he wanted a record deal in the first place.

All City

Classic HENRY CHALFANT steez from 1985. Enjoy.

Butta Brother

Check out this great INTERVIEW with SKEME RICHARDS where he discusses some of his weird and wonderful collecting habits (and it's not just records but everything from movie posters to GI JOEs with the KUNG FU GRIP). What I like here is that SKEME reaffirms that he ONLY collects stuff that he has a personal connection with, or items he remembers from his childhood. Like SKEME, I hate those types of people who only collect whatever they deem to be the "in" thing at the moment; that shit is for culture vultures and wannabees. Be true to yourself and forget what anyone else is doing. Start trends rather than follow them. Big up to SKEME and the HOT PEAS & BUTTA crew.