9/9/19

DJ Screw - 6:31 'n the Mornin'

Influence is a nothing word, like interest. Obviously, DJ Screw influenced a whole generation of musicians including Long Island's. But what of his influences? Time's fluidity is easier to catch when considering art that treats it as such. This compilation was sequenced over the course of a few late-night sessions, mostly during the week of August 25 in a condo near Savannah, Georgia. The tracks were pulled from various chapters of DJ Screw's Diary of the Originator series and blended using Audacity. The full track list with buy-links for the source materials appears below, but first a few observations on Screw's Long Island rap selections...

Among all Long Island hip-hop artists, Public Enemy and LL Cool J appear most frequently in DJ Screw's public discography. There are a few more PE tracks in total, but LL appeared on some of the most seminal Screwtapes, including Chapter 1: Don Deal and Chapter 108: 3 'n the Mornin'. It's worth considering that both artists could have been in Houston at some point around 1987 as part of the Def Jam tour, along with Eric B. & Rakim who also appear three times on this mix. Additionally, a DJ Screw edit of Public Enemy's "Gotta Do What I Gotta Do" was used in ESG's "Swangin' and Bangin'," and it's not hard to hear echoes of the Bomb Squad's discordant production style in DJ Screw's sometimes chaotic but always funky blends.

Popular Long Island rappers curiously absent from the Diary of the Originator series include Biz Markie and Mobb Deep's Prodigy. Keith Murray did appear on Chapter 60, but only with his feature from R. Kelly's "Home Alone."

Lastly, as many know, Screwed Up Records & Tapes has continued to release DJ Screw CDs long after the artist's passing. One of the most recent installments, Chapter 342: Club New Jack 91, features semi-obscure Long Island hip-hop act Resident Alien, the Prince Paul-produced West Indian rap group that released a little known EP on Paul's Def Jam imprint before it shuttered. The C&S version of Resident Alien's "Ooh the Dew Doo Man" is not yet available to hear online but can be purchased along with the rest of the chapters listed below. And as it happens, Chapter 342 also includes Public Enemy's "Shut Em Down."

Enough words. Long Island Rap Blog presents DJ Screw - 6:31 'n the Mornin', featuring:

1. De La Soul - Plug Tunin' (from Chapter 207: Goin All Out '96)
2. EPMD - You're a Customer (from Chapter 84: Straight Puttin It Down)
3. Busta Rhymes - Dangerous (from Chapter 147: N****s & Flys)
4. Public Enemy - Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos (from Chapter 301: Smoke One & Smoke Two)
5. Eric B. & Rakim - Eric B. Is President (from Chapter 222: My Block)
6. LL Cool J - Rock the Bells (from Chapter 108: 3-N-Da Morning)
7. A+ - Party Joint (from Chapter 287: Floss Mode)
8. Public Enemy - By the Time I Get to Arizona (from Chapter 245: Waitin on Slant)
9. EPMD - You Got to Chill (from Chapter 114: Bow Down)
10. Eric B. & Rakim - I Ain't No Joke (from Chapter 307: BC & Screw 97)
11. Method Man - I'll Be There for You ft. Mary J. Blige (from Chapter 295: Screw Dub '95)
12. LL Cool J - Who Do U Luv (from Chapter 1: Don Deal)
13. Busta Rhymes - This Is Serious (from Chapter 69: Southside Riders)
14. Public Enemy - M.P.E. (from Chapter 229: Thugs Nite Out)
15. Eric B. & Rakim - As the Rhyme Goes On (from Chapter 40: Yellowstone vs. The Nation)