So I really like rap music, when I was a kid there was this incredible DJ in my city who played some of the best music I ever heard. He rarely said the names of the artists or songs he played. His whole thing was that the most popular hip hop station in NYC (basically rap central), was run by a bunch of idiots who didn't know what was what and basically ruined rap for an entire generation of people. Luckily for me, he saved it for my city.
Anyway, some time between when I started listening to him and when he disappeared forever, I tracked down (via AudioGalaxy, you know, pre-2002) several decent tracks by some of the artists he played and burned them onto a CD. And apparently never listened to it, until today! Contents of the CD, which was appropriately labeled, "Real Hip-Hop" were as follows:
So that was like finding buried treasure, really made my day. It's a little bittersweet though, knowing that there are still so many other songs by even more obscure artists that are pretty much lost to me now. I guess the videogame comparison would be like, trying to remember some NES game you played, but not knowing enough details to ID it. "Yo man, you had like a boomerang, and like, you threw boomerangs and there were enemies..." and Mr. NES expert is like, "that was EVERY NES game back then!"
Anyway, some time between when I started listening to him and when he disappeared forever, I tracked down (via AudioGalaxy, you know, pre-2002) several decent tracks by some of the artists he played and burned them onto a CD. And apparently never listened to it, until today! Contents of the CD, which was appropriately labeled, "Real Hip-Hop" were as follows:
Track 1 is Liquid Swords. That's respectable, highly regarded as one of the greatest rap songs of all time.
Track 2 is Rappers Rappers Rappers by Aceyalone.. fair enough..
Track 3 is Inhuman Capabilities, classic, made a note to listen to more Mr. Lif..
Track 4 Big in Japan by Snacky Chan! the B-side to politickin' with chan! Just a mini time capsule I found here?
Track 5 is some track by Classified, a freakin' rapper from Nova Scotia, by now this CD is all over the place
Track 6 is a completely unidentifiable Craig Mack song, hot beat for what it's worth
Track 7 is a completely unidentifiable song by what I can only guess is some hispanic crew, great track though
Track 8 is a lame mixtape song that Big Pun spit fire on, so great
Track 9 Apollo Kids, nice song and all the sudden this CD is looking commercial
Track 10 Take a Breather "I capture and train rappers like Pokemons!", what idiot said hip hop died?
Track 11 some KRS-One song
Track 12 I have NO idea, but it's INCREDIBLE
Track 13 Kool G Rap sellout track
Track 14 something off The Main Ingredient, so yeah, somebody probably thinks it's the greatest song ever
Track 15 Return by Self Scientific... *sigh*
Track 16 Asheru - Jamboree, and all of the sudden we're deep underground again?
Track 17 Bahamadia - Cheap Chicks, ahhh...
Track 2 is Rappers Rappers Rappers by Aceyalone.. fair enough..
Track 3 is Inhuman Capabilities, classic, made a note to listen to more Mr. Lif..
Track 4 Big in Japan by Snacky Chan! the B-side to politickin' with chan! Just a mini time capsule I found here?
Track 5 is some track by Classified, a freakin' rapper from Nova Scotia, by now this CD is all over the place
Track 6 is a completely unidentifiable Craig Mack song, hot beat for what it's worth
Track 7 is a completely unidentifiable song by what I can only guess is some hispanic crew, great track though
Track 8 is a lame mixtape song that Big Pun spit fire on, so great
Track 9 Apollo Kids, nice song and all the sudden this CD is looking commercial
Track 10 Take a Breather "I capture and train rappers like Pokemons!", what idiot said hip hop died?
Track 11 some KRS-One song
Track 12 I have NO idea, but it's INCREDIBLE
Track 13 Kool G Rap sellout track
Track 14 something off The Main Ingredient, so yeah, somebody probably thinks it's the greatest song ever
Track 15 Return by Self Scientific... *sigh*
Track 16 Asheru - Jamboree, and all of the sudden we're deep underground again?
Track 17 Bahamadia - Cheap Chicks, ahhh...
So that was like finding buried treasure, really made my day. It's a little bittersweet though, knowing that there are still so many other songs by even more obscure artists that are pretty much lost to me now. I guess the videogame comparison would be like, trying to remember some NES game you played, but not knowing enough details to ID it. "Yo man, you had like a boomerang, and like, you threw boomerangs and there were enemies..." and Mr. NES expert is like, "that was EVERY NES game back then!"
