Favela B-Boy Funk

There are so many new funk 45s out there that are simply too good not to pick up, and I'm loving the fact that many new funk outfits are conscious of featuring a drum break in their joints for the beatheads amongst us. I'm not gonna lie, I was kinda slow to pick up on these "new" funky 45s - a few of years ago I was so deeply concerned with my search for vintage vinyl that I had written off buying any new releases. But now I'm making up for my slackness by keeping an eye on what's new and funky out there ... especially if it revolves at 45 revs per minute.
One such release which only dropped last Tuesday 25th September has had me busy on the turntables ever since I got my hands on two copies. "Favela B-boy Funk" by FREQNIK & WDRE is straight up drum crazy! Having already been a massive success as a Soundcloud download, New York production duo FREQNIK and WDRE decided to put this battle ready rocket out on 45rpm vinyl through BORO RECORDS. Snapping drums (you'll recognise the beat I'm sure) and raw horns (slightly more difficult to spot this sample unless your a real vinyl junkie) make this track a perfect uptempo floor filler, and the Afro Latin vibe means it is top-rock ready for you b-boys and b-girls out there! So here you go ...... two videos for "Favela B-boy Funk" - the unofficial one with myself cutting it up and then the official version. Once you've enjoyed both get your search on and grab yourself doubles!!

via HERE, HERE or HERE. If you are in Japan try HERE.

Joe Conzo

The name should be instantly familiar with anyone who is in touch with the origins of Hip Hop culture. JOE CONZO was the man (behind the lens) who documented the early years of Hip Hop through his impressive photography.

His ability to capture not just the visual but also the spiritual makes him a legend in hip hop history. Along with the likes of MARTHA COOPER, HENRY CHALFANT and JAMES PRIGOFF he helped keep a record of a history that would become so valuable in later years to those who love the culture. We all like to chill with our old school peers and reminisce about "back in the days", but stories are just that, stories! With the work of these aforementioned photographers we can view the past as it was and re-live the effect it had on us back then.
Growing up in the South Bronx and attending the same school as the COLD CRUSH BROTHERS meant that JOE was never too far from the earliest Hip Hop action. In fact he teamed up with flyer legend BUDDY ESQUIRE to produce some of the most memorable old school party flyers incorporating JOE's intimate photographs. He was right in the thick of it and was the best man to keep a visual record of what was going down in the Bronx through the late 70s and early 80s.

JOE CONZO thankfully shared his wealth of photographs in 2007 by publishing his book BORN IN THE BRONX which in my opinion is one of the most important Hip Hop books you can get your hands on. If you don't own a copy then you really are missing out on an amazing record of hip hop history. Have a look online and pick yourself up a copy cheap ... you won't regret it. Or better still, if you live in the Netherlands you can even visit his exhibition of incredible Bronx photographs taking place at GALERIE BEDDEKOETSJE in HELMOND (just East of Eindhoven). GRAND WIZARD THEODORE is also accompanying JOE CONZO and will be appearing at the exhibition. This runs from September 23rd until 14th October. Remember back in the days!

Phill Most Chill - Most Of My Heroes...

PHILL MOST CHILL fans will be pleased to hear he has a new mix up on MIXCLOUD called "Most Of My Heroes Don't Appear On No Stamp". Whatever PHILL touches seems to ooze class, whether that be MC appearances, artwork skills, vinyl collecting, and of course on production duties. This mix is no different - there are no half servings here, just material that has been certified dope by the relevant authorities.

I will let PHILL break it down for you....

"When my album "All Cuts Recorded Raw" (unreleased songs from the late 80's) was put out on DWG Records in 2011, one of the questions I was asked was "wow, so why didn't you 'make it' back then?" This mix is pretty much the answer. The emcees you hear on this mix are some of the greatest in Hip Hop history- KRS One, Chuck D, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Slick Rick, Biz Markie, LL Cool J, Run DMC. They were so incredible that I didn't want to even release any of my songs unless I felt I could do as good or better than them. They showed me what a dope Hip Hop record is supposed to sound like. But my biggest inspirations were the pioneers of Hip Hop, represented on this mix by the Cold Crush Bros, and GM Flash & The Furious 5. Directly or indirectly, crews like them are the ULTIMATE inspiration and influence for every person that is a part of Hip Hop music. This mix features some of the rarest and / or most underappreciated joints by my Hip Hop heroes. Thanks to Jorun Bombay for the ill remixes!"

Phill Most Chill - Most Of My Heroes Don't Appear On No Stamp by Phill Most Chill on Mixcloud

Leacy Brothers

OK I've had plenty of correct entries so far in the competition to win a pair of LEACYBROTHERS Park Jam slipmats, but it's not too late if you still want to enter. Simply download the photo of the "DJ slipmat" to your computer, zoom in on the detail and let me know 2 of the 5 records that are visible in the design (kidbiscuit at hotmail dot com). Someone has named four of the five but I've yet to receive a "full house". That last record is not easy to spot so I'm keen to find out if any of you can do it.

The slipmats have been designed by fine illustrator and concept artist DAN DUCE and have been produced to celebrate the history of the New York City park jams of the 70s and 80s AND the legacy of BREAK DJ LEACY who unfortunately passed away in 2004.

Get yourself over to LEACYBROTHERS new website where you can read about JAMES LEACY's legacy, download his mix tapes, and get your hands on the PARK JAM SLIPMATS and some seriously fresh and high quality BREAK DJ LEACY tee shirts also featuring DUCE's artwork. If you don't know a lot about this game-changing break DJ then now there's no excuse - class is in session!

Rest in beats BREAK DJ LEACY (1971 - 2004)

I met JAMES LEACY in 1991 through our mutual love of hip hop culture. A mutual friend had introduced us to each other knowing a firm friendship would develop between the two us. We were both born in 1971, both crazy about Hip Hop music, DJing, Hip Hop fashion (particularly sneakers) and most importantly the traditions of hip hop itself. Even at this early time in Hip Hop JIM would school me on such aspects as THE BREAKS, and he was the first person I knew met who avidly collected cassette tapes of early Hip Hop performances and jams. I'm not gonna lie, at the time I was more concerned with the new artists making noise on the scene, but JIM's enthusiasm for the origins was bound to rub off on me.

I clearly remember my earliest visit to JIM LEACY's parents house just north of London in a sleepy town called BISHOPS STORTFORD. This would have been around Summer of 1991. It was a quiet unassuming town and seemed a strange place for a hardcore Hip Hopper to be living, but my friend DARREN Z assured me this kid was the real deal. Darren had met JIM whilst working as a Tape Op in LIVINGSTON RECORDING STUDIOS in North London where JIM was working for Dance Music duo COLDCUT. We arranged to pick JIM up at his local train station as he returned from work, and then go back to his parents house. I still visualise the moment JIM jumped into our car and said "alright fellas" as if he had know me for years already. But that's how our friendship was, as if we had been mates for years. Leading up to his death BREAK DJ LEACY had built up a reputation as the DJ of choice for all b-boys and b-girls. Despite being from the UK he made the biggest impression over in the United States and was the regular break DJ for competitions such as the MIAMI PRO-AM CHAMPS, and this popularity took him across the States and Europe to bless the wheels of steel with his unique brand of beast doubles. His work ethic and determination took him from unknown beathead to break DJ extraordinaire in only a matter of a few years. Back in the mid 1990s we had regularly made journeys to NYC for the ROCK STEADY CREW yearly celebrations, and this is where JIM did his networking and began to formulate his assault on the 1s and 2s. B-Boy culture was beginning to come back into the limelight, and BREAK DJ LEACY wanted a part of it - a BIG part of it. He made it clear to me very early on that this was his chance to stamp his name on things. Again I must be honest and reveal I couldn't quite understand his plan, or how he was gonna carry it out. So many well known DJs were already out there, and I couldn't see what JIM could do to bunny-hop the pecking order.
However, JIM was already becoming a master of the breaks before anyone agreed to put him on. In 91 I remember seeing INCREDIBLE BONGO BAND LPs on his wall and asking "who the fuck are those dudes about to kill that sheep on the train tracks??". LOL I was naive to the origins of APACHE back then! Another early memory is of him cutting up doubles of "Hot Wheels" on his red flight-cased Technics 1200s. I admit I was jealous that this dude had skills, and it was definitely the catalyst for a change in my own Hip Hop persona.

By the late 90s he had made enough contacts both home and abroad to kick start his plan of action. At that time the breaks scene was ... for want of a better word ... stagnant! Don't get me wrong, no-one was complaining at that time because tunes like "It's Just Begun", "Assembly Line", and "Funky Music Is The Thing" will always be stone cold classics and rock ANY dancefloor. But let's go back to the essence of DJing in the parks in the 70s and 80s - back then DJs were trying to outdo each other with both their CHOICE of record, and how they dropped it. And most importantly by having a killer break that you don't have! This was what was gonna make you stand out from the crowd, and JIM LEACY knew this better than most. In fact he not only knew this, but he studied it. I had been at his house in the UK chillin' with his brother AIDAN whilst he was on the telephone calling JAZZY JAY in the BX and pestering him for names of certain forgotten old school breaks. He was hungry to learn as much as he possibly could and he explored every avenue "in search of the perfect beat". At one time he had a record list of desirable break LPs with this very phrase as the title, and he was ticking them off as he went. None of the titles meant anything to me at the time - I was out of my league.

JIM also kept alive that old school tradition of saying no names - with his quest in mind he had a lot to lose. So he even kept the names secret, even from his closest friends. And he would NEVER play you a dope break unless he had already found two copies and could extend that break part until we as listeners would burst with excitement and marvel at how he could go back and forth so smoothly with his "big Irish hands". JIM was a builder by day, and break DJ by night. Our joke was to call him DJ Shovel Hands but the name didn't stick strangely enough.
This kinda dedication was only going to lead one way - and soon JIM had earned his respect amongst those in the b-boy scene and was beginning to play at transatlantic b-boy jams in the early 2000s and soon after the calls from Europe came insisting on the break DJ of choice. His reputation for spinning unknown breaks and forgotten classics did nothing short of rocket him to the forefront of his game. Dudes playing "Apache" and all those other UBB joints soon got left in the background. Once again the art of DJing was alive and kicking and this kid from the UK was pulling no punches. And this was no stroke of luck for JIM, he had done all of his homework in advance (and took the disses for it) and knew what he had to do make his name stand out. Throughout the early 2000s I began to see JIM less and less - he was busy with BATTLE OF THE YEAR, MIAMI PRO-AM etc., and had so many trips abroad to DJ I would lose track of where he was. But whenever he returned I always got a visit or a lengthy phone call to share his exploits and laugh about this person or that person. Speak to anyone about JIM LEACY and they will tell you what a character he was - a joker, a piss taker, and at the same time deadly serious about his art and how to do things. He had his critics, and he took all that on the chin also. In fact one article that appeared in BIG DADDY magazine was downright disrespectful to both him and his brother AIDEN LEACY. They weren't too pleased but took it lightly - it was me that called up BIG DADDY magazine on the telephone and demanded to speak to the writer of the article which accused the LEACY BROTHERS of being rich kids into hip hop. Far from it, I knew for a fact JIM had run up credit card debts just in order to fund his DJ thing cross continent. Still to this day if I meet the writer of that article I will not be held liable for my actions. And yeah ... you got that in print!

You see, me and JIM were tight! He was my brother too. Once LEACY had broken his VESTAX mixer right before he was due to fly out and spin for a B-Boy comp (I forget where now) so he came to me to see if I could lend him mine. If you know me then you will be aware that my Technics turntables are simply an extension of my arms, and there's no way I can live without them, but I agreed to lend JIM my mixer for the trip so he could do his thing. OK so the crossfader was a little bent up when I got it back, but I knew JIM had rocked the jam and that was all I needed to hear. No sooner than he had landed and he was off again to another jam elsewhere on the planet, and I found it hard to comprehend exactly how big BREAK DJ LEACY actually becoming. Unfortunately it took his untimely death in October 2004 for me to realise just how much of an effect he had on the scene. Even now I hear people describe certain records as a "LEACY break", and he certainly brought many lost b-boy beats back to the forefront and encouraged the art of break spinning amongst many of his friends and fans. And in my opinion he had yet to reach the pinnacle of his career. JAMES LEACY - I miss you so much, you made me laugh so much, you taught me so much, and I owe you so much. I dedicate this entire website to you. Thank you.

LEACY BROTHERS WEBSITE (please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors in this piece, but it's been very emotional for me to write this and I find it so hard to read back through - Kid Dyno)

Thanks to AIDAN ORANGE LEACY and the whole LEACY family, NEIL FLYNN, DAVE NUCLEUS SIMS, DAN DUCE, TUF TIM TWIST, DJ TRAILS, SPEEDY LEGS, DJ SKAMROK, FORREST GETEM GUMP and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing JAMES and seeing him rock the tables. Special shout to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of JAMES's off key humour!

(please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors in this piece, but it's been very emotional for me to write this and I find it so hard to read back through - Kid Dyno)

Da Beatminerz

If you love the boom bap sound of DA BEATMINERZ (EVIL DEE & MR WALT) then you must stop at nothing to get your hands on this dope "little record" which has just dropped on ILL ADRENALINE RECORDS. For your money you get a healthy dose of crunchy BEATMINERZ production, plus better-than-your average vocal appearances from TASH, RAH DIGGA, MOS DEF and TALIB KWELI. "Smoke Sumthin'" is straight up hardcore trooper music, and the flipside is the best version of "Another World" I've heard, but I expect nothing less from these seasoned producers from the much loved and dearly missed D&D studios stable.
ILL ADRENALINE have also just released a nice ROC MARCIANO joint on 45rpm produced by UK beatsmith THE PURIST, and they have some very interesting projects lined up for the very near future including a long player from MAIN SOURCE affiliate NEEK THE EXOTIC. Get yourself over to their website and check out what you're missing. Get into it ... and get involved.

Park Jam Slipmats Competition

OK people it's time to give away a pair of these super dope "park jam" slipmats courtesy of www.LEACYBROTHERS.com and DAN DUCE. So if you like to cut up your funk doubles Bronx style, and you wanna get your hands on a pair of these high quality slips for nothing then this is what you have to do...
Simply click on the image below, save it to your desktop so you can zoom in on the detail. There are six records shown in the picture which can be identified (three of them are fairly easy and the other three will test your grey matter somewhat more). All I need you to do is name TWO of the records depicted and send an email to kidbiscuit at hotmail dot com. I will throw all the correct entries into a Kangol hat and pick out a winner next weekend. Remember, this is a park jam so this should help you identify the records in the DJs crates. There's no special prize if you can name all six records, although you will be awarded maximum props from the DAILY DIGGERS crew and maybe get your name in lights! You know what to do......good luck to everyone.

More details from me this evening about www.LEACYBROTHERS.com - a site dedicated to the legacy of my dear departed good friend BREAK DJ LEACY and the continuing exploits of his brother AIDAN ORANGE LEACY. If you know and love your breakbeat history then check back later for the scoop.

DJ Tony Tone, Break DJ Leacy, Kool Herc, Charlie Chase @ Rock Steady Park circa mid 90s.

Blaak The 9th Man Interview

A few months ago a fellow beat junkie friend of mine put me up on a podcast outta Philadelphia that was so damn funky and packed full of joints sampled in hip hop. There is nothing particularly peculiar about that, as I'm often sent CDs, mixes and recordings of radio shows by friends and also some of you readers here on DAILY DIGGERS. But the difference this time was that I was completely bugging out over many of the joints this dude was dropping. And not only was he dropping jewels on me, but he was doubling 'em up too. If you wanna get my attention then that's a pretty good way to start. A week or so later I caught up with this DJ's next podcast ... and sure enough he did it again! What is the deal with all these dope DJs hailing from Philadelphia - do they grow them over there?

The man I'm talking about here is Philly's BLAAK THE 9TH MAN aka B.NINE - a veteran record collector and producer with over 30 years of record digging experience under his belt. Experience that originated from his Father's own love for vinyl. This summer he played alongside BREAKBEAT LOU, DJ MURO, TOBY FRESH and his good friend DJ CA$H MONEY at the TOOLS OF WAR jams in NYC and brought his Philly styles to the Big Apple. It seems I'm not the only one recognises this man's wealth of musical knowledge.
Let's find out more about Philadelphia's best kept DJ secret as I throw a few questions at him to find out what makes him tick. And while you are reading the interview why not have a listen to BLAAK's "Straight From The Ville" podcast from last month. It's one for the sample spotters.

Interview with BLAAK THE 9TH MAN aka B.NINE

KID DYNO: First and foremost, thanks for getting involved and taking the time to participate in this interview. Please tell me "Who you be and what you do"?
B9: It's my pleasure good brother. For those who know I'm BLAAK THE 9TH MAN aka B.NINE: "The Resident Funky President of "Soulville" (The Human Google Search, The Guru of Groovy Thangs, Deep Crate Diplomat, Inch High B Fly.....LOL!) from Philadelphia. I'm a father before anything of 5 incredible children, I've been spinning since I was 9yrs old (I did my first job for $50 in 1979).I've been collecting records since I was 5 yrs old (my first pieces were an ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS LP, JOHN COLTRANE's "My Favorite Things" LP, THE SPINNERS "Mighty Love" LP, THE STYLISTICS "Rock & Roll Baby" 45 and two very rare ART BLAKEY 45s (and I still have them..LOL). I also produce with my manz FATNICE (THE BEATSMIFS). I've had the pleasure to work with BAHAMADIA, MECCA STARR, DJ CA$H MONEY (who I also toured with) along with a few others but I am a serious junkie when it comes to collecting records!!

KID DYNO: How comes Philly always breeds such incredible DJs?? Do you guys grow 'em over there or something?
B9: No disrespect to other cities but you can tell a Philly DJ from any other DJ in the world simply we are like producers when it comes to this..we take a simple scratch and turn that shit into something amazing. Plus we are big on "rocking the party". If you notice every single show has an intro of some sort..that's some Philly shit! Blends, style and timing are very important to us. There are so many great DJs who are unsung and it kind of bothers me that we still don't get the props we deserve. When DVDs come out we are never mentioned or it's real brief!

KID DYNO: What made you decide to collect records, and what were your first acquisitions?
B9: Like I said I looked up to my Dad so whatever he did..I wanted to do! We would go record shopping(i.e Diggin'..lol) every Saturday and Sunday. We would hit a least 5 or six posts in one day ,go to Fat Jacks for comic books and go home. Whenever I had money I bought records (I was buying records at the age of 6 or 7 and the stuff I was buying wasn't the radio stuff..lol! My first job was at a record store (King James Records) and I don't think I was even 11 yet..LOL! I would get a few dollars and some records for sweeping the store..LOL!

KID DYNO: How does your collection look right now? Please break down the genres you have? You can reveal quantity if you feel inclined to tell.
B9: My collection is pretty big (I have records pretty much everywhere). It's not as big as it used to be (a lot of records have been stolen, sold, damaged due to 3 floods etc..) My collection would be one of the greatest if I had my father's entire collection (My dad had a few storage units full of sealed joints, rare grooves, funk, latin, jazz 45s by the tons)never released pieces of everything..DJ CA$H MONEY can vouch for this. He was the only young at the time who my Dad would let go thru his collection) but his best friend stole everything the day after his funeral. I left out of town and he was supposed to bring the LPs to my mom and grandmother's house but he sold a whole of the stuff, kept what he wanted and moved. I haven't seen or heard from dude in about 17yrs. The last I heard he's somewhere in Cali. I still have a sick collection but I have no idea how many records I have! LOL!

KID DYNO: What are you most prized pieces of vinyl, and please elaborate on why each is such a special record?
B9: That's a tough one..lol!!
Let's see...
1) My promo copies of MAGNUM "Fully Loaded" (When it came out my Dad gave everybody in my family promo copies of that LP!) I still have original copy he gave me and his also.
2)KOOL & THE GANG Self Titled LP(It was the first record I bought with my own money.
3)My father's promo copy of JOHN COLTRANE's "My Favorite Things"
4)KOOL & THE GANG "Light of Worlds" (I buy that record every time I see it!!
5)BWANA (It's just an incredible LP. My dad played this a lot)
6)RAMP "Come into Knowledge" (It's just a flawless LP!)
7) GARY BARTZ "I've Known Rivers" (It just reminds me of my childhood. This was played all the time!!)
8) * WAYNE MCGHIE & THE SOUNDS OF JOY (It belonged to my dad also and is very rare.)
9) GATO BARBIERI "Fenix"( I used to love this LP as a kid!)
10) * WAYNE SHORTER "Speak no Evil"( I play this everyday!)
11) My ART BLAKEY and other Blue Note 45s
12) My 12inch copies of I Can't Stop, Pussy Footer, Funky President, Apache, Bongo Rock, Chinese Chicken, Impeach the President etc.(I bought these at the world famous record spot Funk-O-Mart when I was about 13. Shout out to UNCLE CHINO!!!

KID DYNO: I know you attended and played at the NY Tools of War jams this summer. How did that go down for you, and describe the vibe at those jams?
B9: That was crazy because I was just going to chill with my man DJ CA$H MONEY (that's like my big bro. I've known him since I was 15.) and he called me a half an hour before he was coming to get me and said Yo! Are you ready to do this Soulville shit? I'm like yeah..let's make it happen. He goes good..pack a bag..you're spinning today. WHAT???? NO THE FUCK I'm NOT!!(EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE DYNO LOL!) He was like, Stop trippin' and pack a bag ,you're going on after me! Needless to say..I WAS SHOOK!! MURO, BREAKBEAT LOU, TOBY FRESH and CA$H??? Man it was like sink or swim for a cat,on top of everything nobody knew who I was or that I was spinning. I just zoned out and did what I do best..Drop joints! I was nervous the whole time but once CAZ shouted me out, FABEL was rockin' on top of the speaker,the diggin' cats were giving the head nod and the crowd was open..I was good! The vibe that was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. For LOU, DAN THE BEAT MANN, GM CAZ, MURO and so many others to show my love was a big deal for me. I'm still riding high from that day. The vibe was nuts not only did I meet a bunch of legends but I met a whole lot of my Facebook fam that day for the first time. That was a great day for me. CA$H was real proud of a cat!

KID DYNO: Name one record that you play which always gets a big crowd reaction? And which gets the best reception from other deejays?
B9: "Doin' It" by THE MINX, "Patch it up" by ROY LEE JOHNSON and the VILLAGERS, any of the various versions of "I Want You Back", "Pistol" by RON DANIELS (that bugs out the DJs). Anything off of THE INVADERS LP, my 12inch version of "Make it Good to Yourself" by JAMES BROWN just to name a few. THIRD GUITAR "Baby Don't Cry", CREATIVE FUNK "Funk Power", BILLY GARDNER "I got some" etc..

KID DYNO: What has been your best ever bargain dig?
B9: My copies of EDDIE RUSS "Fresh Out", TOM SCOTT "Honeysuckle Breeze", RAMP, THE AMBASSADORS, My promo copies of SKULLS SNAPS and real rare funk 45s. I will never tell what I spent on those. I almost forgot a few more favorite LPs SIR JOE QUARTERMAIN and THE FREE SOUL ( My parents took me to see them when he first came out with the LP), LAFAYETTE AFRO ROCK BAND (2 copies that belong to my dad) and my entire Black Jazz & Strata East Collection.

KID DYNO: You have continually impressed me with many of the records you play during your "Straight from The Ville" podcast. And then KAPOWWWW you then hit me with doubles of that shit! It's obvious you love to share your wealthy knowledge of music, so please tell me your take on that, and how it feels to educate others on some dope shit that they didn't know about?
B9: It feels great that people love the show and "get it" you know. I was never one to be put in a box and just play one type of music. With so many DJs playing the same thing I have to be different but at the same time educate the uneducated. But my crew stays on about pushin' the envelope. That's why the show is received so well I guess plus we have fun and the entire show as far as the music (it's one great big freestyle..I never know what I'm going to play.) I don't go..I'm gonna play these records tonight...I just play whatever hits me at that time. It's all about fun for me and educating and entertaining people fam!

KID DYNO: What B.NINE projects can we look forward to in the future?
B9: Let's see..
Welcome to Soulville V2(I did volume 1 in 2004 which is available now.) The BEATSMIFS "The Brothers Darkness Project" (which showcases myself and FATNICE's production)
FATNICE "It's Nice to meet You"
...and a bunch of soulful boom bap treats coming out of Soulville!

KID DYNO: While we are here, what one record would you give a week's wages for without even blinking or thinking?
B9: STARK REALITY!!!!! LOL!

KID DYNO: Any shouts you wanna give?
B9: First I'd like to shout you out DYNO for even considering me for an interview (I'm just a regular guy with some records fam...LOL!) MY Pop (PHIL COFIELD SR.) for everything (I know he's proud). My Mom (RITA COFIELD) who has been my biggest supporter, fan and inspiration for 41 yrs. My children (who are my reason to keep going), my baby TISEE, ILLVIBE COLLECTIVE, DJ CA$H MONEY, RECORD BREAKING, DJ JAZZY JEFF, DJ RANDY FLASH (R.I.P.), FLEX DOC, DJ GROOVEDAMOST (a true Philly Legend), SKEME RICHARDS, everybody who was involved with the TOOLS OF WAR event(too many to name) all of my cousins and my AUNT ROSALIE & AUNT INEZ (R.I.P.) the CRATERAIDERZ CREW, P.O.G., My DEEPER THAN ATLANTIS Fam, The brothaz from the Ville (FATNICE, SAMMY COOK, DJ CUT PRECISE, LINX, TYSKE, TONY TANN, RAY PREME & KENCUT). My entire Facebook fam (who I truly appreciate more than they know!) DJ MERCURY, OXYGEN, ILL MILL, BRIZZO, BROTHA RON, JASHED, INFINITO 2017, BIG RICH MEDINA and THE MILKCRATE CAFE, all of those who have been supporting the "Straight from the Ville" podcast and the entire Soulville Movement and last but not least all diggers collectors, DJs, producers, emcees, singers, b-boys & b-girls and lovers of music worldwide!!!!! SOULVILLE IS NOT A PLACE...IT'S AN EXPERIENCE!!! SHOUT OUT TO LONDON!! MR. JERKS IS MY FAVORITE SPOT TO EAT..LOL!
Peace and Blessings..The Most High Makes All Things Possible!
BLAAK THA 9TH MAN. Philly all day...Everyday!

KID DYNO: Thanks a million BLAAK for getting involved. But before you go BLAAK, how DID you meet up and become firm friends with DMC Champ and Philly legend DJ CASH MONEY?
B9: Real Quick: CASH and I had a mutual friend who was a rapper. We met on the phone and he started throwing out titles with the wrong artist on purpose.I was like "Yo...that's wrong homie."(LOL) he was like you sure, I'm like yeah, I'm looking right at it (mind you we are on the phone). So I started playing shit and he's like are those your records? How old are you and where do you live? How do you know about these records? The next day..he came to my house, chilled with my mom, saw my collection and was blown away and made me official, got cool with my dad and we have been fam ever since!!! I got mad love for that cat!!

Check out more of B.NINE's "Straight From The Ville" podcasts right HERE.

Live and Direct with DJ Format & The Simonsound

Now sit down and get yourself comfortable because this right here is a an incredible audio and visual experience I have lined up for you .... in fact I would go as far as saying this is gonna be the dopest thing you've seen on screen this year.

Unless, of course, you made it to one of the many DJ FORMAT & THE SIMONSOUND shows performed around the Europe this year. Only then will you have witnessed the turntable fitness and technological trickery that these two Sound Generals create on a stage surrounded by vintage records, ancient moogs, vocoders, gadget boxes and rare accapellas, not forgetting the on point visuals and a posse of eager fans in attendance. The clever way they merge their sounds and mix up their tracks to create what I can only describe as a "live mixtape" right in front of your eyes is nothing short of breathtaking. Even the sharpest of hip hop trainspotters will find themselves bemused and constantly asking "what the f#ck did he just play??". I've never seen another show like it, but as of today you too can enjoy the same experience from the comfort of your own home and through your own speakers. Sit back relax and listen to some hip hop......

J Force - Cadillac Respect

Ya Slippin'

Take an exclusive peep at these soon-to-be-available turntable slipmats celebrating the history of the New York park jams and b-boy circles of the 70s and 80s. All I can tell you for now is that these slippery bad boys have been designed by DAN DUCE and will be available very soon at a website near you. Do not fear, I shall give you the immediate scoop on where to get YOUR pair as soon as they are available (along with some other dope DJ merchandise). The slipmats are of a very high quality, fade resistant and more importantly they glide beautifully on the 1200s when going back to back on your favourite doubles. Stay tuned right here for more details, and don't get caught slippin'!

Missing In Action

My apologies for the lack of recent posts. I've gone diggin' and am presumed missing by everyone that knows me. I'll re-surface, with some ill treats tucked under my arm and in need of a good bath. Now you can call off the search party!

(Peep the cover of the new OXYGEN 10" release of "Gone Diggin Remix" on SLICE-OF-SPICE RECORDS. Design by the legendary MR KRUM. Beats by GENUS DEAN. 24k dope lyrics supplied by OXYGEN the ARHCITECT. MORE DETAILS ON THIS RELEASE VERY SOON.)

Mobile Mondays

Congratulations to the MOBILE MONDAYS crew in NYC on celebrating the first anniversary of the Monday night 45rpm extravaganza that is MM. They will be celebrating hard with the likes of CHAIRMAN MAO, BOOGIE BLIND, ROCKIN' ROB, LARGE PROFESSOR, DJ SCRATCH, THE UNDERCOVER BROTHER blessing the ones and twos. Get involved with the most talked about Monday nights in the Big Apple over at their Facebook page.