Pozy - Vaya Con Dios

From Pozy's keyboard to my inbox to your eyes: "I recorded that in about an hour Sunday and just threw it on the bandcamp for people to enjoy.. Vaya Con Dios means go with god in Latin and someone said it to me after I spit this poem at an open mic so it stuck with me." A 30-minute continuous mix, Vaya Con Dios is the second such release put out by Pozy in the past few days, the first being ♓ nuvaremũsars ♈ 22015, which follows a similarly organic formula but runs upwards of an hour. These musical exercises are meant to serve as a warm-up for Pozy's full-length album. Next up, though, is an instrumental beat tape and more from his fellow Birdwatchers.

The Ca$h - "Givin My Love (To You)"

According to Everett "Salaam" Dickerson, the MC on this track, The Ca$h was a group consisting of himself, Johnny Floyd (guitar), Wayne Squires (keyboard) and DJ Vaughn Ski (who I believe is a.k.a. Vaughn Sessions). Notably, the Discogs page credits Chas L. Sessions (a.k.a. Charles Sessions), who might be Vaughn's brother. Released by Cash Records on 12" in 1985 and on 7" in 1986, "Givin My Love (To You)" is apparently The Ca$h's first and only single. Not much is known about Salaam, except that he went to high school in Amityville with Super Star of Horror City and shares some loose affiliation with that neighborhood crew. You can watch Salaam trade stories with Supe and others here and stream The Ca$h's single below.

Grandmilly - "Chocolate Tai" (Video Premiere)

If you've been following Grandmilly from 2012's BVNDVNVZ X BLVCK MVGIC to 2014's Mind, Body & Soul, then you've heard him refine not just his recording techniques but his songwriting skills and beatmaking abilities as well. If you're just now coming around to the new new, then prepare to be blown away like a cloud of "Chocolate Tai."
Peace to BIG ZEEM of the Zero Klique for offering Long Island Rap Blog the opportunity to premiere this new video for "Cholate Tai," a +VISUALAID production he co-directed with Chris X. After watching, be sure to stream the entire Mind, Body & Soul album below and download it via datpiff if you haven't already done so. In other huge Grandmilly news, the Hempstead-based rapper/producer will be taking his live show to Austin for this year's SXSW festival. Also, be on the lookout for Long Island Rap Blog's upcoming interview with Grandmilly, which is currently in the works.

Prince Paul - It's Not the Size of Your Mix It's How You Use It Vol 1

Prince Paul says this mixtape will probably be the first of a few he puts out this year, adding, "I hope you enjoy and PLEASE SHARE! Blessings and support you local rapper."

We say, "Done, done, and well done, sir." Locals you may or may not recognize on this mix include R.A. the Rugged Man and Rhyme Va-Lor.

Stream "Its Not the size of your Mix Its how you use it" Mix Tape Vol 1 below, and/or download our 128kbps rip.

KMD's Black Bastards and the Birth of MF Doom

A young Zev Luv X photographed by Pete Nice

Brian Coleman includes in his latest book, Check The Technique Volume 2: More Liner Notes for Hip-Hop Junkies, a chapter on KMD's classic sophomore album, Black Bastards. Over the weekend, he put this chapter online via Cuepoint. Most probably already know the basic story of KMD, a rap group that consisted of MF Doom (then known as Zev Luv X) and his brother Subroc, who died in 1993, but Coleman, a true hip-hop historian, goes beyond the basics, sharing intimate knowledge gleaned from primary sources like Pete Nice and DOOM himself.

A thorough track-by-track breakdown of Black Bastards follows firsthand accounts of the meeting at which Zev was informed that Elektra wouldn't be releasing the album, as well as heart-wrenching details of Subroc's wake. This is the stuff of legend.

SHOZAE - Beneath The Mantle Vol. 1 (ShoCase Saga)

Eric B. & Rakim - B-Sides, Rarities & Remixes (Vol. 1-3)

For the last post of the first ever Rakim Week, we have yet another compilation, this one coming to us from the Hip Hop Is Read Blog, which in 2009 put together three volumes' worth of Eric B. & Rakim B-Sides, Rarities & Remixes. The first two are just about all remixes, making the third volume (comprised almost entirely of instrumentals) the real gem of the series so far. I say "so far," because volumes four and five were supposedly in the works when the third was posted. Keep in mind this was almost six years ago, so it's unlikely they'll ever surface at this point, but hey, the comps were re-upped in 2013 and the blog is still active, so maybe if enough people drop a line they'll put the gears in motion again.
*UPDATE: dirt_dog over at the Philaflava forums was kind enough to extract the tracks from audiomack and re-post the comps in Zippyshare, so you can now download Volumes 1, 2 and 3 in addition to streaming them above.

The 18th Letter In Video

Rakim Live on Long Island

Rakim backstage at the Nassau Coliseum, September 10, '88

Back in April 2010, I had the pleasure of seeing Rakim move the crowd at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale. Although it wasn't my first time seeing him live, it was the only time I saw him on Long Island and the only time I saw him in a club setting, as opposed to a big festival stage. The show was rightfully billed as a homecoming for Rakim, but it would be incorrect to call it his first LI performance (as some have).

In 1988, Eric B. & Rakim headlined the Dope Jam Tour, which hit Nassau Coliseum on September 10 with a bill that also included Kool Moe Dee, Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew, Big Daddy Kane, Boogie Down Productions and Biz Markie. Unfortunately, the star-studded lineup is not necessarily what this concert is best known for, as at least 10 people were stabbed during the event, one fatally. The violence prompted Nassau Coliseum to temporarily ban rap concerts and attracted negative media coverage you can still read today if you follow the links in this sentence. The last of those stories purports, "Eric B. and Rakim's main message is that 'Eric B. Is King.'" I guess he meant 'President,' and anyway, no, not really.

Below, you can watch Rakim discuss the real message of his music in some Yo! MTV Raps footage that was shot backstage at the Coliseum. Below that you'll find footage from the aforementioned Crazy Donkey show, as well as a more recent performance at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury, uploaded by Birthplace Magazine.

The Rakim Collection

On this day, 47 years ago, William Michael Griffin, Jr. was born. Today, he is better known as Rakim Allah, The R, The God MC, or simply, God. It's a fitting title, because not only is he the most dominant MC of all time, but it's from his style that all others since have stemmed.

Today, we celebrate Rakim's birthday with the gift of 70 songs, as originally compiled by the Rap Dungeon. Whereas yesterday's compilation was basically a lost album, this one is nothing like that. It's three folders of random collaborations and non-album cuts. And for the Long Island hip-hop completist, it's indispensable.

Download The Rakim Collection Part 1

01. Jody Watley - Friends (feat. Eric B. & Rakim)

02. Eric B. & Rakim - Real Men Drink

03. Mica Paris - Contribution (feat. Rakim)

04. Rakim - I Get Visual

05. Rakim - Last Resort

06. Rakim - Living For The City

07. Rakim - New York To Cali

08. Ayatollah - Cold Feeling (feat. Rakim)

09. Rakim - Cypher In The Park

10. Rakim - Hoodlum

11. Rakim - In The Lab

12. Rakim - New York (Remix)

13. Rakim - Original Style

14. Rakim - Punish Em ft. Canibus (Original Version)

15. Rakim - We All Got Plans

16. Jody Watley - Off The Hook (feat. Rakim)

17. Rakim - Bring It (Turn It Up)

18. Rakim - Get Some

19. Rakim - Heat It Up

20. Rakim - Keep It Complicated

21. Rakim - Murderer (feat- Barrington Levy)

22. Rakim - Rakim Def Poetry

23. Rakim - Welcome to the Hood [Prod. by Dr. Dre]

Download The Rakim Collection Part 2

24. Rakim - Dont Sweat The Technique (Original Version)

25. Rakim - Hypnotic

26. Rakim - Lvin For The City (Remix)

27. Rakim - Once Upon a Rhyme

28. Rakim - Tryin to Write Rhymes

29. Rakim - Various Shades of Black

30. Rakim - You Dont Fool Me

31. Shaquille O'Neal - Game of Death (feat. Rakim)

32. Mobb Deep - Hoodlum (feat. Big Noyd & Rakim)

33. Art of Noise - Metafor on the floor (feat. Rakim)

34. Art of Noise - Metaforce (feat. Rakim)

35. Art of Noise - Rapt In The Evening Air (feat. Rakim)

36. Art of Noise - (New York London Paris) Spleen (feat. Rakim)

37. Rakim - Get Some (St Ides Commercial)

38. Bob Marley - Concrete Jungle (feat. Rakim)

39. Gang Starr - The Militia II (Remix) (feat. W.C. And Rakim)

40. Canibus Feat. Rakim - I'll Buss 'Em U Punish 'Em

41. G-Dep - I Am (feat. Kool G Rap and Rakim)

42. Malcolm McLaren Buffalo Gals (Back to Skool) (feat. Rakim)

43. Truth Hurts - Addictive (feat. Rakim)

44. Truth Hurts - Addictive (Remix) (feat. Rakim)

Download The Rakim Collection Part 3

45. Jay-Z - The Watcher 2 (feat. Dr. Dre, Rakim and Truth Hurts)

46. Alicia Keys Feat. Rakim and Nas - Streets Of New York

47. Rakim - Take the Train (Rugrats The Movie OST)

48. Rakim - R.A.K.I.M (8 Mile OST)

49. Rakim - After You Die (feat. Truth Hurts) [Prod. by Dr. Dre]

50. Rakim - Run Freestyle

51. Talib Kweli & Rakim - Getting Up Anthem - Part 1

52. Rakim - Freestyle (Icon DVD Magazine)

53. Black Thought, Talib Kweli, Styles P, Raekwon, Kid Capri, Rakim and The Roots Band - Rakim Tribute & It's Nothing (VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2006)

54. Kanye West, Nas, KRS-One & Rakim - Better Than I've Ever Been (DJ Premier Remix)

55. Rakim - Rice Returns (All-Pro Football 2K8)

56. Rakim - Guess Who's Back (Buckwild Remix)

57. Chilli Mac, Ice-T and Rakim - Game of Life

58. Rakim - Everything is Cool

59. Rakim - Heat It Up (Album Version)

60. Rakim - Heat It Up (J-Love Remix)

61. Rakim - Hoodlum (Longer Version and Worse Quality)

62. Rakim - Once Upon A Time (Remix)

63. Rakim - Remember Dat (Original Version)

64. Rakim - When I Be Flowin (King Tech Remix)

65. Rakim - Shades of Black (Easy Mo Be Orignal Radio Edit)

66. DJ Z-Trip - Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em 2007 (feat. Rakim & Chevelle)

67. Rakim - Keep The Mic (Produced By J-Love)

68. Rakim - Light It Up (Unreleased)

69. Rakim - It Aint Kool (Unreleased)

70. Rakim - Yo MTV Raps