12/28/14

Hus Kingpin & Rozewood - "Star Castles" (prod. by Alchemist)

I hope everyone is enjoying a well-deserved holiday rest, as we have here at the Long Island Rap Blog. Look forward to more Long Island hip-hop edutainment in 2015.

In the meantime, just breezing through to post the latest from Hus & Roze, an Alchemist-produced track that appears on their Pop-Up Shop EP, which is available for $8 for a limited time only. (Edit: Yeah, "limited time only" is right -- now it's free! These guys...)

The duo also released a clean radio edit of the song, which can be streamed and downloaded for free via Digi Crates' Bandcamp. Get dirty below.

11/29/14

Freddie Foxxx - Bars in the Booth Session 6

The first write-up for Freddie Foxxx's appearance on DJ Premier's Bars in the Booth series used the phrases "terrorize a microphone" and "Watch the studio get burned down."

That about sums it up.

Watch Foxxx "terrorize a microphone" and burn down a studio, below.



11/28/14

"I don’t know why it took so long, nor do I care"

A graphic design major while at Adelphi, Chuck D
designed the now-iconic PE logo, using a picture of b-boy
E Love, which he cut out of the fanzine Right-On.
In anticipation of the It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet reissues, Chuck D spoke to Cuepoint about Public Enemy's past and the making of these classic albums. Just as these reissues are must-haves for all Long Island hip-hop completists, this article, "It Took A Nation: The Greatest Rap Album Gets Its Due," is instant must-read status.

De La Soul - "The People" ft. Chuck D

Can you believe De La Soul and Chuck D never did a song together until now?

I can't, which is why I've been spending the past few minutes scouring the Internet for previous collaborations.

De La did tap Flavor Flav for "Come On Down" off The Grind Date, but as far as I can tell, Chuck has never rapped alongside Pos and/or Trugoy before.

Stream "The People" below and download it from WeAreDeLaSoul.com, where you can also cop "The People" tee and crew neck to help support All Star Code and I Love Ferguson.


11/23/14

Mr. Cash - Mid Life Crisis

Two of the most recent LIRB submissions come direct from Long Beach, where the boardwalk has been rebuilt and new apartment listings are popping up all the time, but many of the city's longtime residents and businesses are still working to get back on their feet two years after Sandy.

One guy who's clearly been on his grind lately is Mr. Cash, who sent his videos for the Complexx-produced "iheart Hip Hop" and the DJ DNA-produced Hate to Love Me" (both below), but humbly neglected to mention that he's dropped something like six albums/mixtapes/EPs over the past three years.

Both of the aforementioned songs are on Mid Life Crisis, Mr. Cash's 12-track album from early this year. Please dig deeper into his recent catalog, and look out for more from Cash and at least one of his LB associates coming soon.

11/7/14

Metal Clergy - Piece & Carats (Continuous Mix)


Metal Clergy consists of Hempstead's Roc Marciano and his Brownsville counterpart Ka, who first announced that the two had been working on an album called Piece Be With You back in 2012. Rabid fans such as myself have been champing at the bit ever since. Unfortunately, though we've been kept abreast of the project's progress through various interviews, there is still no scheduled release date. So, in an effort to imagine what a completed Metal Clergy album might sound like and showcase the combined strengths of the artists involved, I decided to compile a continuous mix comprised of all the already-released Roc-Ka songs played in semi-chronological sequence with a few relevant interview clips scattered across the transitions. The resulting nine-song mix you are (hopefully) about to listen to clocks in at 33:36. I am by no means a DJ — this whole thing was put together using Audacity — so some of the transitions are smoother than others, but I did my best to keep it at least generally cohesive. Below you will find the download link, tracklist, and mix credits including links to places where you can purchase the albums containing these songs. Do not ask me to upload the individual tracks, because I will not. Please support the artists.

Metal Clergy - Piece & Carats
1. Firehouse ft. GZA
2. We Do It
3. Iron Age
4. Nine Spray
5. Soap Box
6. Squeeze ft. Guilty Simpson
7. Not Told ft. Knowledge The Pirate
8. Confucius
9. Fall of the Bronz

Mixed by $bin♦
Cover Art by Young BeenDead

Tracks 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 produced by Roc Marciano
Tracks 3, 5 produced by Ka
Track 4 produced by Ray West
Track 9 produced by Preservation

"Firehouse" originally appeared on Pro Tools, released by Babygrande Records in 2008. "We Do It" originally appeared on Marcberg, released by Fat Beats in 2010. "Iron Age" originally appeared on Grief Pedigree, released by Iron Works Records in 2012. "Nine Spray" and "Not Told" originally appeared on Reloaded, released by Decon Records in 2012. "Soap Box" originally appeared on The Night's Gambit, released by Iron Works Records in 2013. "Squeeze" and "Confucius" originally appeared on Marci Beaucoup, released by Man Bites Dog Records in 2013. "Fall of the Bronze" originally appeared on 1200 B.C., released by Iron Works Records/Mondieu Music in 2014.

Hail Mary Mallon - Bestiary (Album Stream)

On Tuesday, November 11, Northfork's bearded son Aesop Rock and his partner from The Bronx, Rob Sonic, will release their second album as Hail Mary Mallon, Bestiary

The Rhymesayers record label, which is issuing this sophomoric beast on CD and picture-disc vinyl with three Coro-illustrated covers (at left), just made the full album stream available for all, so check it out below and get your pre-order in now if you haven't already done so.

11/1/14

Peter Leo & Eitan Noyze - "So Superb (Boom Bap Mix)" ft. Styles P

Happy to have this one land in my inbox today. Peter Leo is a Brentwood-based MC with a pretty deep resume for an upcoming local act. Last year, he released the Young Baby Father EP with DJ Concept and the Little Lion Mixtape, both through the Deep Concepts Media label. The list of artists he's worked with so far includes such names as Keith Murray, Nature, Reek da Villian, Little Vic, and of course, Styles P, who appears on "So Superb," the latest single off Peter Leo & DJ Eitan Noyze's Energy Shift album. If you like what you hear above, you can stream the entire album courtesy of Diamond Media 360 (no relation) and/or support the artists by copping it on iTunes, Amazon or Google Play.

De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead Era Rarities

If you checked the 3 Feet High and Rising Era Rarities post, then you already know the drill. Quick rundown: back in 2009, TROY blog poster Roy Johnson compiled a series of compilations collecting remixes, demos, and other assorted rarities from throughout De La Soul's catalog. Here, we have Volumes 1 and 2 of the De La Soul Is Dead Era Rarities compilations. While the first volume is comprised entirely of remixes for "Saturday" and "Keepin' The Faith," there are some gems among the bunch, including a UK 12" mix that clocks in at 7:20. Volume 2 ups the ante with four early demo recordings, the most intriguing and historic of which has got to be the "Scenario" demo featuring A Tribe Called Quest, Leaders of the New School and Black Sheep. Preview the aforementioned songs below, then download DLSIDER Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

10/29/14

Charlés DaBeast - "Vibin'"


Charlés DaBeast resides in Durham, NC, but hails from Wheatley Heights, NY. At only 17 years old, he's already released three self-engineered mixtapes (The Progress EP Vol. 1, 2 and 3) and is currently working on his "first major in-studio project," as he puts it. If the titles of his EPs and the sounds of his latest song, the Opito-produced "Vibin'," are any indication, then that upcoming project will definitely be his best work to date. And as he's clearly already progressed from competent freestyler to radio-ready songwriter, I for one am excited to hear where he goes next.

10/21/14

"It's where you're at."



Long Island, for those who don't know, consists of 13 Towns, such as the Town of Hempstead, the Town of Babylon and the Town of Islip, all of which are divided into villages, hamlets and census-designated places (CDPs). These neighborhoods range in size from sprawling stretches down to areas of less than two square miles.

From this blog's inception, I've tried to tag each post with the neighborhood of the artist or venue being discussed. This, as you can imagine, has posed several challenges. In addition to trying to figure out where lesser-known artists are from, I've had to decide how specific I was going to be with each. That led to some inconsistencies: Freddie Foxxx was tagged with North Babylon instead of Babylon, but DJ Stitches was tagged with Amityville instead of North Amityville, and De La Soul were tagged with Amityville but not East Massapequa.

I've thought about this for a while, and after some discussion with my girlfriend, a Plainedge native, have decided that I'm going to try to be as specific as possible. That means from here on out, even CDPs as small as Wheatley Heights (1.4 square miles in the northern section of Wyandanch) will get their own tag. I think localizing the posts like this will help provide the most accurate representation of each artist and serves to illustrate the dynamic nature of Long Island hip-hop. After all, Long Island is the largest and most populated island in the continental U.S., so it's only right that I try to be as specific as possible with regards to our artists' hometowns.

Of course, I can only make these judgments based on the information available to me, so if you're submitting music to be posted here, please include in your email which neighborhood you're from, and likewise, if you have any knowledge of where a particular artist on this blog comes from, be it the high school they attended or the block they grew up on, please feel free to share that information. Thanks. Peace.

10/13/14

DJ Stitches & Rhyme Valore - "Another Sleepless Night" EP

This EP collects the vocal tracks from DJ Stitches and Rhyme Va-Lor's long out-of-print "These Are The Dayz" / "Top Emcee" 12-inch, as well as five previously unreleased artifacts of early-mid '90s Long Island hip-hop, each of which evoke a particular kind of creepiness, perhaps presaging Rhyme Va-Lor's coming work with Prince Paul and Superstar in Horror City.

This Dope Folks Records release is "limited to 300 copies and will never be repressed," so give it a listen below and get it here while you still can.

10/7/14

Shabazz - "Respect" / "Glad You're In My Life"

You might recognize the name Shabazz from the Bomb Squad roster, as he was involved in the making of some of their biggest records such as Ice Cube's Amerikkka's Most Wanted and Public Enemy's Fear Of A Black Planet. However, what many people don't realize is that Paul "Omari" Shabazz also has a pretty extensive solo R&B catalog, including the "Respect" and "Glad You're In My Life" singles, which were respectively released by RCA in 1989 and 1990, right around the same time as the aforementioned albums. Shabazz's complete discography is a little bit hard to pin down and piece together as he's used the names Shabazz, Paul Shabazz and Omari Shabazz interchangeably over the years, plus there are several other Shabazzes out there -- Palaces, the Disciple, etc. That being said, his career is definitely worth exploring, as it has taken him from the legendary 510 South Franklin St. to the Juvenile Hell sessions all the way down to the Atlanta area, where he currently resides.
 

9/29/14

Industry Takeover Vol. 1 Hosted by Reek Da Villian & DJ Shuttle

A couple weeks ago, we did a post about the Industry Takeover Vol. 1 record release party, and today we have that very record. Featuring artists from all corners of Long Island, the mixtape offers several highlights, the first of which is definitely Roosevelt's Reek Da Villian out-rapping Kendrick Lamar, who's widely considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, MCs working today, on "Go Off." Represent.

Also included are a new track from The UN and a DJ Eclipse-produced cut by SmooVth.

Get it from our MediaFire page.

9/27/14

Pozy - "Poppa Poz" / "Runny Noses"

"Poppa Poz" and "Runny Noses" are the first and second videos from the SUPER VIBED OUT project by Pozy, an MC representing Deer Park, Birdwatch! and the Traveling Smokesmen.

"Poppa Poz," as you can see, was directed by Mike Petrow (a.k.a. Duncecap of Karma Kids) and produced by 20th Letter of Inner City Kids. "Runny Noses" was directed by Dodge Rogers and produced by Coast Foco.

The two videos show you two different sides of Pozy, as the first is pretty rowdy, like somebody screaming at you from the other end of the bar, and the second is much more mellow. Dude even switched his hairstyle.

9/26/14

DJ Premier & Bumpy Knuckles - Kolexxxion

Since DJ Premier and Royce da 5'9" just announced a new project called PRrhyme, and it's being promoted as "the first time that DJ Premier has been part of a group since being ½ of the legendary Gang Starr," now seems as good a time as any to post Kolexxxion, a collaborative studio album by DJ Premier and Bumpy Knuckles a.k.a. Freddie Foxxx, which came out almost exactly 30 months ago, on March 27, 2012. While the above quote still holds true, as Premo and Bump weren't technically 'a group,' at least not in the sense of having a group name, we shouldn't forget about this prior collaboration, which, as you can tell from the photo, dates back quite a long time. After all, Freddie Foxxx was a part of the Gang Starr Foundation and is perhaps best known to some for his show-stopping verse on "The Milita," a personal favorite. Anyway, enjoy this full album stream courtesy of Diamond Media 360, and remember, "even mechanics walk around with they tools."

9/12/14

Industry Takeover Mixtape Release Party in Amityville

Hosted by DJ Shuttle and Roosevelt's own Reek Da Villian (formerly of Flipmode Squad), tonight's show features live performances by LI Rap Blog favorite SmooVth, as well as  Nam Nitty, DA The Future, Worldwide L.A., Shea Doll, Drama Lord, Shawn Haynes, Lagato Shine, Kris Payne, ENJ, Swerve Boyz, Lamboghini Linez and Vega.

Doors open at 9PM, show starts at 10PM, admission costs $10, ladies pay $5 until 10PM.

Support Long Island hip-hop.

9/11/14

Darc Mind - Antediluvian Vol. 2

Antediluvian Vol. 2 is Dope Folks Records' third release to feature the talents  of Kevroc and X-Ray Da Mindbenda, following Antediluvian Vol. 1 and the Legion of D.U.M.E. '94 D.U.M.E. EP, both of which are all sold out. Limited to just 300 copies, this one is likely to do the same, so get yours now while you still can. All six songs on here, four of which are from '96 and two of which are from '93, can be streamed below via Dope Folks' YouTube channel. Respect due to Darc Mind for archiving all this material and allowing it to see the light of day decades later, to Justin Perkins for remastering it, and to Dope Folks Records for continuing to put out previously unreleased hip-hop of the highest caliber.

Mobb Deep Performing TONIGHT in Patchogue

Sorry for the late notice on this one, but Mobb Deep, featuring Hempstead's own Prodigy of course,  is doing a show tonight in Patchogue, at where else but The Emporium.

Supporting acts listed on the bill include Depo, Status, F. Blanco, Tony Slippaz and D.A. The Future.

By now you know the deal with The Emporium. Tickets cost $25 and are available here, doors open at 8:00 p.m., and the "dress code is strictly enforced."

Unfortunately, that last part probably doesn't mean wear a bandana and Timbs, as one does when attending a Mobb Deep show.

No word yet on how much, if any, Illuminati propaganda will fill the air in honor of 9/11, but if that's your thing then odds are you won't want to miss this.

9/7/14

Hewy P. Cashtro - "Spoken Word II" (Video Premiere)

Hewy P. Cashtro (H3wy P. Ca$htro) is a young MC coming out of Amityville. His crew is called A.P.E.X., his forthcoming mixtape is called Dark Age Pure Life, and LongIslandRap.com is honored to premiere his new video for the song, "Spoken Word II." Edited by A.P.E.X. affiliate Tex Vision a.k.a. Tx Stone, this video is our first ever premiere, so infinite respect due to Hewy for letting us bring it to you before anybody else.
Hewy's breathless delivery and introspective lyrics make this track some repeat-rewind material. Fortunately, it's available for download via his Soundcloud page, where you can also stream the previous installment, "Spoken Word pt1."

Keep your eyes and ears open for more Hewy P. We definitely will.

Hus Kingpin & Rozewood - 100$ Taper

Hus Kingpin & Rozewood's 100$ Taper, which was originally released by Digi Crates as a $10 download is now available for free. If you've been following the duo as closely as we have, then you've probably heard at least 5 of the 11 tunes on here in one form or another, but beggars can't be choosers I guess.

Gripes aside, this is definitely one of the most complete and cohesive projects The Winners camp has released this year, and it would make a great vinyl LP, so if any label heads are reading, hit these dudes up.

8/29/14

DJ Stitches - "Strong Island Part One" ft. Elucid

DJ Stitches aka Charlie Rock is sort of an unsung hero in Long Island hip-hop lore. A Jamaica, Queens native, he moved with his family to Wyandanch while in the ninth grade and soon thereafter relocated to North Amityville. He was a classmate of Rakim, a founding member of De La Soul and one half of the tragically short-lived group Class A Felony, so his story, as told to Unkut's Robbie Ettelson, is something every Long Island hip-hop fan, and indeed every hip-hop fan in general, should read.

Stitches' nephew, (his sister's son) Elucid has a similar background, having also grown up in Queens, but moved out to LI with his family as a teenager. Though now best known as a solo MC and one half of Brooklyn rap duo Armand Hammer, Elucid did some of his earliest work alongside his uncle. The song below, embedded from Stitches' YouTube channel, is currently their only collaboration that's online, though there may be more sitting around somewhere. Look for an extensive interview with Elucid and Armand Hammer partner billy woods hitting the web sometime soon.

8/19/14

Statik Selektah - "God Knows" ft. Posdnuos, Bun B & Jared Evan

One of the most interesting things about De La Soul — and perhaps most inspiring too, depending on your viewpoint — is that despite all their success and all of the praise that has been leveled at each member, none of them has ever really attempted to strike out on his own. That being said, who wouldn't love to hear a Posdnuos solo album? This feature is actually Pos's second collaboration with Statik Selektah, the first being "Game Break" off 2013's Extended Play album.

While that song was driven by a fairly straightforward piano loop, the appropriately titled "God Knows" is powered by God-knows-what, and the psychedelic daytime space opera vibe is perfectly suited for both Posdnuos and his fellow icon Bun B.

Look out for the unofficial Pos solo comp, De La De La Soul - (Un)Plug 1, coming soonish from Long Island Rap Blog.

Rozewood & Hus Kingpin - "Black Columbo"


Rozewood & Hus Kingpin's long-anticipated $100 Taper is finally here, the digital LP having dropped earlier today over at digicrates.com. Accompanying its release, Digi Crates Records premiered a video for the album cut "Black Columbo," produced and directed by Dirty Diggs. Hus may have just started a new fashion trend by concealing his face via ski mask while wearing a t-shirt with his face on it.

The UN - "Time For Some Action" (Unreleased)

As promised by Mike Raw during his recent WNYU radio call, here is a previously unreleased UN track featuring all of the group's members except for Roc Marciano. Raw, Laku and Dino are all in top form, and the recording quality is top notch as well. Coming on the heels of the UN or U Out reissue, hopefully this July 19 drop is the first of many new-old UN tracks to come.




8/2/14

Keith Murray - The Rhyme 12" Promo

Recorded in Dix Hills, NY and promoted as "The 1st clue from the upcoming album Enigma," "The Rhyme" is note-worthy for several reasons: 1) Eight versions of this single were released; 2) It features a remix by The Ummah production team (Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the late J Dilla); and 3) It's ill! The version included in this post, JDCD-42405-1, is the 12" U.S. Promo, which is differentiated by the fact that it contains a radio version of the Erick Sermon-produced original "The Rhyme" and not the album cut "Yeah." The fact that The Ummah remix is called "The Slum Village Remix" leads me to believe that Dilla was primarily behind this beat. It definitely has his sound.
Download the 12" here.

7/28/14

Marlo DeMore - Still Dreaming

Marlo DeMore reps Bellmore so hard he made it a part of his rap name. (DeMore means 'of Bellmore.') Furthermore, the 24-year-old MC regularly performs at the Bellmore Pool House and even filmed a sizable portion of his "Angels and Minotaurs" video there. He's also been featured in Hot 97's WHO'S NEXT and made several appearances in the Long Island Cypher series, but for a true introduction to the kid, check out his BMC Beats-produced Still Dreaming mixtape below, and if you get the chance, see him live. You won't be disappointed.

7/24/14

EPMD Unfinished Business 25 Year Anniversary Show

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their sophomore album Unfinished Business, EPMD will be performing live at The Emporium in Patchogue, two weeks from today, on Thursday, August 7.

Also on the bill are local acts Ancient Tongue, Status, DiE$eL-E, Contradiction, and Musick Medics.

Doors open at 7, show starts at 8, tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 at the door and are available via ticketfly. You must be 18 or older to attend.

Of course, if you're younger than 18 and want to attend an EPMD show, you should be allowed to do so on GP ... but don't bank on that getting you past security.

7/17/14

SmooVth and Rozewood Freestyle on WNYU Halftime Radio Show

Jazz and SmooVth at WNYU Radio Studio
Last night I happened onto Facebook only to learn my FB friend Sean SmooVth (better known simply as SmooVth, one half of Tha Connection) was about to appear on the WNYU Halftime Radio Show, so I tracked down the live audio stream, opened up Audacity and hit record ... something like we used to do with stereos and cassette tapes back in the day. Anyway, I got everything together just in time to record SmooVth drop a few verses live on the air. I was all ready to press stop and go to bed, but then Hus Kingpin and Rozewood called in from Cali, and DJ Eclipse convinced Roze to kick a freestyle (like a real one ... off the head) a cappella. As if that wasn't enough, Mike Raw of The UN called in too, at which point he and Jazz (Roc Marciano's manager, the guy with the sick beard pictured to the left) alluded to a new UN project coming soon. Mike Raw also said he'll be dropping a solo mixtape, featuring previously unreleased UN tracks, on Digi Crates very soon. So that happened.

For your listening pleasure, I've included the SmooVth and Rozewood performances below, followed by the full interview, in which you can hear all of the aforementioned for yourself and get some more information on upcoming releases from SmooVth and the rest of the clique.

7/16/14

Supreme Force - You Gotta Come Out Fresh / Handling Things

Released in 1986 on Nia Records, You Gotta Come Out Fresh / Handling Things is the first record to feature Rockville Centre-born, N. Babylon-raised Freddie Foxxx aka Bumpy Knuckles, who was then known as Freddie C (short for his government name, Freddie Campbell). The Supreme Force trio consisted of Campbell rapping alongside MCs Cool C and Easy E (not to be confused with the Philadelphia and Compton rappers who rose to fame in the late '80s using these same names). Check out the single below, download it with the instrumentals here, and as a special added bonus, enjoy this insane interview, in which Foxxx claims that he once beat Big Daddy Kane in a battle, that he was a more diverse MC than Rakim, and that he employs circular breathing. Props To The Break Of Dawn blog, from which I grabbed the single, and to whomever conducted the aforementioned interview in 2005 at Foxxx's space in Lobo Studios, Deer Park.

 

7/10/14

Strong Island's Ol' Skool Summer Soul Jam

This Saturday, July 12,10PM at The Emporium in Patchogue, Melle Mel, Brand Nubian, Oran "Juice" Jones, T-Ski Valley, Aly-Us and Joeski Love will be performing, with DJ Legend and DJ Mitti Nyce on the 1s and 2s and WBLS's Doctor Bob Lee hosting.

Tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 at the doors and are available via Ticketfly or by calling The Emporium box office at 631-627-8787. For bottle service call 631-275-6200.

This event is 21 and over, and supposedly there is a strictly enforced dress code (no hats, baggy pants, shorts, cut-off shirts, tank tops, jerseys or athletic sneakers), but it's hard to imagine a hip-hop show where sneaker culture isn't represented, so take that with a grain of salt maybe. 

Or wear a tux...

7/1/14

Argotec - Language Of The Heart

Argotec is a self-described glitch-hop duo consisting of Deer Park MC Alex Argot and producer/vocalist Rich Courage a.k.a. Defpotec. (Argot + Defpotec = Argotec.) Some might remember Alex Argot as an original member of the now-defunct underground hip-hop collective Conceptual Elements, which consisted of MCs and DJs from across the Island, representing a number of different neighborhoods and styles. Argot's was always one of the less braggadocios, more introspective styles, and that continues here on Language Of The Heart, Argotec's second full length, released March 26, 2013. On paper, the combination of spoken-word rhymes, glitched-out beats and Palumbian hooks might sound like a recipe for atrocity, but it works here, and damn well at that.
 

6/29/14

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.

6/25/14

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.




6/24/14

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.

6/18/14

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."

6/13/14

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

6/11/14

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.

6/8/14

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.

6/7/14

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.





6/5/14

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.

6/2/14

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.

 

5/31/14

MF DOOM Freestyle from WKCR 1997

DOOM at his kitchen in Long Beach, from http://www.egotripland.com/egotrip-interview-mf-doom-noah-callahan-bever/
"Long Beach isn't as wide as Brooklyn, as long as Manhattan, or as dense as the Bronx ... But there's the beach three blocks away and that's a fuckin' escape. That's the lovely shit." 
-MF DOOM in the aforementioned egotrip interview.

The audio clip below features MF DOOM in April of 1997 kicking a few verses from then to-be-released Operation: Doomsday before trading freestyles with Stretch & Bobbito show mainstay Lord Sear. DOOM sets it off at 5:20 and is accompanied by fellow Long Beacher Megalon on the adlibs. Props to Dirty Waters for the original show upload from which this clip was cut.

5/28/14

Rozewood - The Ghost Of Radio Raheem

The Ghost of Radio Raheem by Amityville-based rapper Rozewood was one of three Digi Crates releases to hit the net April 8, 2014 (the other two being Hempstead Bred by Smoovth and Hus Kingpin Meets Pro-Era by Hus and producer Chuck Strangers). It's also one of the main reasons I started this blog.

Countless rappers pay homage to the boom bap ruggedness of the '90s, but few truly embody that era's confrontational stance, even fewer do so while bringing something new to the table, and almost none do all of the above while demonstrating genuinely remarkable skill. Here, Rozewood accomplishes all that and then some. Stream The Ghost of Radio Raheem via audiomack below, download it via bandcamp, and then show your support for a talented up-and-coming Long Island artist by buying the CD.

5/26/14

The Illustrated Origin of Public Enemy





On this Memorial Day, Long Island Rap Blog continues to honor hip-hop's first militant rap group, Public Enemy. Here, we get a few different perspectives on the PE collective's origins, as illustrated by the brilliant Ed Piskor. The pages above come from his Hip Hop Family Tree graphic novels, which are collected in print form by Fantagraphics and online through Boing Boing. Salute!

Spectrum City - Lies/Check Out The Radio VLS


Before there was Public Enemy, there was Spectrum City, a Long Island sound system founded by Hank Shocklee and featuring a rotating cast of MCs, most notably Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (Chuck D) and Aaron Allen (Butch Cassidy). As illustrated above, the two MCs teamed up on the 1984 single, "Lies," released on the Vanguard label.



The single's other track, "Check Out the Radio," might sound oddly familiar to some who've never heard it; that's because its chorus, "Got to check out the ra-di-o..." was interpolated by the Wu-Tang Clan for their song, "The W," from Iron Flag.*



Download both Spectrum City songs, along with the rest of the single, including a radio edit and two dub versions, here; learn more about the group by watching the documentary trailer below; and for the full story on Spectrum City's lesser known MC, Butch Cassidy, read this interview with Aaron Allen himself.


*EDIT 3/24/23: While it's possible that Wu-Tang members had been aware of Spectrum City, it's more likely that both songs interpolated Fat Larry's Band's "Down on the Avenue." (I'm posting this here solely on the off-chance that Chuck D or someone in his immediate orbit is aware this post exists. Got to give us an interview, got to ... an interview!)

5/21/14

Battle to Open for Slick Rick at Revolution


Newsday reports seven unsigned Long Island rappers — Tony Orbit, Tri, The Season, Craig Evan, Die$el-E, Alphamale and KidKurupt — will battle tomorrow, Thursday May 22, 2014 at Revolution Bar & Music Hall in Amityville. The winner will then open for Slick Rick on the following night at the same venue. Read the full story here and if you're interested, cop tickets to the events here.