De La Soul - 3 Feet High & Rising Era Rarities

If you took full advantage of De La Soul's recent self-bootlegging exploits then, like me, you've found yourself in possession of a virtual cache of digital goodies, including the ad scan to the left. You even got a folder full of lesser-known audio, including the Clear Lake Audiotorium EP and and the 3 Feet High and Rising Bonus Disc. Comprehensive as this leak may be, it still doesn't account for every piece in De La Soul's recorded history. For a wider purview of all things De La, we turn to The T.R.O.Y. Blog, where in 2009, poster Roy Johnson compiled and posted several incredible volumes of rare releases from three different eras, the first being the 3 Feet High & Rising Era (1988-1990). For this period, we get two fully packed volumes. In Roy's own words, "I attempted to create to create an alternate version of the officially released album on volume 1, with volume 2 containing all the leftovers." To salute a job well done and continue spreading the gospel of De La, I've re-upped the 3 Feet High & Rising Era Rarities volumes 1 and 2 via mediafire. Nab those now before the links die again, and below, preview a few songs you couldn't get on the Bonus Disc.

EPMD - The Remix Files

This unauthorized compilation of EPMD remixes comes to us direct from the Cold Rock Da Spot blog (so if you don't like it, blame them). A good pick-up for the budding Long Island hip-hop completist, it spans 20 years (1987-2007) in the careers of the "Brothers from Brentwood, L.I.," with tracks ranging from regular old white label remixes to UK mixes to club mixes and the like. Some tracks sound a lot like the original versions and some sound very different, but most if not all of the classic singles are accounted for, making this a great starting point for those who aren't very familiar with the group's work. Sample a few standout tracks below and if you dig, download EPMD - The Remix Files.

The U.N. Presents Rock Marciano - Strength and Honor

Whether you call it a mixtape or a compilation, Strength and Honor could just as easily be considered Roc Marciano's first solo project. Both Roc and Dino Brave have gone on record stating that it's what The UN album UN or U Out should've sounded like, which indicates that the key players involved in that project already knew Roc was "the star of the show," so to speak. One way or the other, after only 10 years, this CD-R release has already undoubtedly cemented itself as a piece of Long Island hip-hop history ... one that's just begging to be reissued. In the meantime, download your copy here and stream the first song (what else?) "L.I. Stand Up" below.

Rozewood & Hus Kingpin - "Shallow Graves"

Another collaboration between Rozewood and Hus Kingpin, who'd previously teamed up on the Tokyo Tower Mixtape, this one's taken from the duo's upcoming $100 Taper album, and features a haunting loop by New Jersey-based producer The Custodian of Records, who recently remixed Hus Kingpin's "RZA."

Crustified Dibbs - Bloodshed Hua Hoo CDS

If there's one rapper who best personifies the erratic character of the Long Island weirdo every-man, it's clearly Port Jeff's R.A. the Rugged Man. Rugged's first singles appeared on Jive Records in the mid '90s ahead of the Night of the Bloody Apes album, which ended up getting shelved by the label. There is some ambiguity surrounding this period, as the singles were credited to Crustified Dibbs, who some think is simply another moniker of Rugged Man and some claim is the name of a duo consisting of R.A. and his producer at the time, Marc Niles (of Farmingville and Centereach). Whatever the case, here are the CD single and video for 1994's "Bloodshed Hua Hoo." Download Bloodshed Hua Hoo CDS

MeccaGodZilla - "Laundromat Combat" ft. Last Words and Buhrnum Wood

Back to Freeport, where former Monsta Island Czar MeccaGodZilla (aka Ryu Black) recruited a couple fire-breathing locals to lay the only verses on his otherwise-instrumental album, Erroars 2.2: Metal Sakura, which emerged via Manafest Vision from Black Hole Planet 3 on April 1, 2014. The aforementioned locals go by Last Words and Burnum Wood, and though there is little info available on them right now, if "Laundromat Combat" is any indication of their skill set, we'll definitely be looking out for more. Stream the track below and download Erroars 2.2 here.

Sense Wondah - While You Were Sleeping

Sense Wondah first came to my attention in the MySpace days. Back then, before Roc Marciano's solo career took off, before I'd even heard of Tha Connection, Sense was easily my favorite contemporary MC on the Island. He hasn't been too active since 2008's While You Were Sleeping, at least not in terms of new releases, but it looks like he'll be doing a couple benefit shows in August. More on those later. For now, enjoy the aforementioned mixtape, which is streaming below via datpiff and can be downloaded directly from All Business Records.

Punk Barbarians - Hooptie Car CDS

Found a used copy of this single at CD Island in Rockville Centre today, had downloaded the 12" rip a few years ago but always wanted to own a copy ... if only for amazing cover art. Anyway, this was the third single from the Punk Barbarians' only album, Sex, Props, Cream... And The Drama In Between. The b-side features a remix not included on the album. Stream that tune below, along with a video for "Hooptie Car," and download the CDS here. Then check out the Freeport group's new incarnation, the Black Barbarians, over on Reverbnation.

Darc Mind - Symptomatic of a Greater Ill

Symptomatic of a Greater Ill by Long Beach's Webb D (a.k.a. X-Ray Da Mindbenda a.k.a. King Cesar) and Elmont's Kevroc is one of the greatest albums in Long Island hip-hop history. Recorded between 1995 and 1997 for Loud Records, it didn't end up getting released until Anticon put it out in 2006. And thank the rap gods they did. I honestly feel that this album could be ranked up there with the likes of Paid In Full and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. An unheralded classic that has only recently begun to get the recognition it deserves, it can be streamed in its entirety below and purchased via X-Ray's Bandcamp.

Tommy Gunn Live from Long Beach

Came across the videos below while putting yesterday's post together. These feature the artist formerly known as Megalon and currently known as Tommy Gunn (or Black Geezus as he's called here) rhyming on the streets of Long Beach in 2011. More specifically, the first, second, third and fifth videos include acappella renditions of verses some may have heard on record, the fourth includes a freestyle over an unidentified beat coming out of a car stereo, and the sixth includes Black Geezus enjoying a moment of quiet reflection. Peace to original uploader Roger Hutchinson.