tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:01:02 +0000http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/noreply@blogger.com (Andy)Blogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-113886670510772046Thu, 02 Feb 2006 07:44:00 +00002006-02-03T06:07:09.273-08:00 Bonecrusher Crew -Demented Dungeon pt. 1 -Demented Dungeon pt. 2 1996 red-label This was a super-limited release that I'm guessing was just pressed up by these guys themselves, and never made it much farther than the SF Bay and its immediate surroundings. It showed up at KZSU mysteriously, seemingly out of nowhere, and I managed to find myself a copy at a local Palo Alto spot, too. http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2006/02/real-underground.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-113864321211608261Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:40:00 +00002006-01-30T10:45:41.970-08:00 Sacred Hoop -Panhandle feat. Jihad from Third Sight -Bathtub Gin 1997 Miasmatic Recordings In anticipation of tomorrow's release of the Symbionese Liberation Album, Third Sight's sophomore full-length, I thought I'd revisit this funky platter that, among other things, looked really nice in translucent maroon vinyl... Sacred Hoop is a crew from the San Francisco Bay Area's peninsula that http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2006/01/hindsight-foresight.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-113442912838257855Mon, 12 Dec 2005 23:06:00 +00002005-12-13T14:19:19.446-08:00 Supernatural -Buddah Blessed It -Mind Tricks 1995 eastwest/Atlantic Most people know the name. Supernatural might be the #1 "ill freestyle MC who just couldn't quite cut it on a record." I never heard the demo, but it seems that his skills off-the-top were enough to earn him more than just a listen from the likes of Atlantic affiliate eastwest records. I never cared much for the a-side, http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/12/natural-selection.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-113277590320702181Wed, 23 Nov 2005 19:55:00 +00002005-11-23T12:05:12.536-08:00 AK Skills -Check The Flava -Nights Of Fear 1996 Tru Criminal Records From the label that brought us Metal Thangz, a platter that features production from a couple of guys called Lord Finesse and Buckwild plus cuts by Tru Criminal vet and NY underground mainstay DJ KO. This one was destined to wallow in relative obscurity since it was released the same year as the hot-selling (and still http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/11/first-tru-criminal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-113215726973978621Wed, 16 Nov 2005 16:09:00 +00002005-11-16T08:29:30.543-08:00 Saukrates & friends -Rollin' feat. Masta Ace & OC -Play Dis feat. Common -P's and Q's 1997 Serious Entertainment Inc. Once again, Toronto represent. Most of you know a little something about Saukrates, or at least have heard his production behind acts such as Choclair, Masta Ace, Kardinal Offishall, Swollen Members, Pharaoh Monch, Nas, etc. or heard him rap alongside Method Man, Redman, http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/11/blame-canada.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-113104393891678240Thu, 03 Nov 2005 18:50:00 +00002006-02-01T23:54:01.760-08:00 Slum Brothers -The Sure Shot -6 Million MC's 1995 Suicide Records -Stop Fronting 1996 Michu Records Like any other skill, MC-ing takes practice. Nobody is born an MC. There are, however, a good handful of folks who just seem to have a gift... like they were destined to do it. The kind that just seem so effortless on the mic, it becomes apparent that the bulk of what you're hearing is http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/11/slum-it-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-112993206864818629Fri, 21 Oct 2005 22:55:00 +00002005-11-08T14:22:34.276-08:00 Insomniac -Bad Day -Ape Plague from the album Polygonal Planet 2005 Soothsay Records (buy it at: truehiphop.com, CD Baby, accesshiphop.com, etc.) Spex -Forgotten Lore -Small Planet from the Scene Selection EP 2005 Soothsay Records (buy it soon) Again, sorry for the disappearing act. And, just for this one post, I'll be straying from the formula a bit. But, at least it's a clue about http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/10/sleepless-scenes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111762482602380963Mon, 20 Jun 2005 22:00:00 +00002005-06-20T14:06:19.526-07:00Update will be a touch later than usual due to server issues, business issues, and, of course, life issues. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. Or them. http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/06/run-raggedy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111689813177135962Tue, 24 May 2005 01:26:00 +00002005-12-13T14:24:35.623-08:00 Da Youngstaz (feat. Mobb Deep) -Bloodshed & War 1995 Pop Art Records Nice stuff from a seemingly strange collaboration. Everything works, though. Works well, in fact. This one was tucked away on the b-side of this "Illy Funkstas" indy release, and flew under lots of radar. We're talking on-the-deck. And sorry, but the edited version is all there was on the wax.http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/05/young-deep-and-funky.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111601152802786264Fri, 13 May 2005 20:20:00 +00002005-11-23T12:01:16.163-08:00 Call O' Da Wild -Sometimes The Neighborhood -Clouds Of Smoke 1995 East Side Records -Ruffturrain -Intellectual Dons 1996 Ruffhouse/Columbia/Sony Among the general hip-hop fandom, surprisingly little is known about this crew despite their major-label moment, their inclusion on the '96 Smokin' Grooves Tour bill along with heavyweights A Tribe Called Quest, The Fugees, Busta Rhymes, http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/05/toll-call.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111520775166326965Wed, 04 May 2005 15:35:00 +00002005-11-16T08:10:35.713-08:00 Jay-Z -In My Lifetime -I Can't Get Wit That 1995 Payday/FFRR A good record on a good label that nobody (besides Jay himself, of course) knew would mark the beginning of his ascension into hip-hop's royal ranks. Until this time, he was little more than "that dope other kid" on a couple of Jaz joints, known for his fast-rapping above anything else. It's kinda funny to listen to all the big http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/05/up-to-rung-two.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111491620697081156Sun, 01 May 2005 02:54:00 +00002005-11-03T10:56:47.750-08:00 Sparrow -Physics -Physics (remix) -Rhyme Impotence 1995 Unruly Records Hardly a step shy of infamous at this point, so I don't need to say too much. Solid production value, memorable hooks. One, especially. If you must have the wax, you might be able to find it on eBay, where one of the Unruly guys who put the record out has been hawking some.http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/04/fly-hard-fly-long.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111415633930147666Sat, 23 Apr 2005 02:30:00 +00002005-10-21T15:59:14.180-07:00 Dead Poetz Society -Klockuz -Lick A Shot -Lick A Shot (remix) 1996 Challys Records That's right, the other DPS. A classic mid-90's "demo on wax" that flew under many a radar but still got plenty of burn on college radio hip-hop shows, then faded into oblivion. Not sure if they did anything else. I do know that Slomo, who produced the remix, had a 12" out the same year called "Ghetto Jedi"http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/04/lost-poetz.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111329692889365216Tue, 12 Apr 2005 08:28:00 +00002005-05-23T18:30:30.280-07:00 Dead Poets Society -Don't Quit -Seize The Day 1999 EYA Recordings Jemini the Gifted One -Funk Soul Sensation -Brooklyn Kids 1995 Mercury/Polygram Records It's not really a themed post, but this is about as close as I'll get, so I guess I should be proud of it. These two guys decided that it wasn't enough fun to just make records as themselves, so they enlisted the help of a sprinkle orhttp://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/04/alter-ego-we-go.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111291019454847456Thu, 07 Apr 2005 21:25:00 +00002005-05-13T13:32:04.693-07:00 Down N Dirty Tribe -Inna Cipher (Dirty Landcruiser Mix) -Mindtrix 1995 Jungle Sounds Records Don't really know too much about this crew, except that their music is pretty darn fresh. Many of you might recognize the Little Lunatic from an appearance alongside the Beatnuts, but other than that, it's all a mystery to me. A couple of them sound slightly familiar, but I just can't put my finger http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/04/from-undergrounds-of-jersey.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111220675825119994Wed, 30 Mar 2005 18:16:00 +00002005-05-04T05:36:54.846-07:00 Ill Advised -Through The Eye -Against The Grain -Kwestions 1996 Quake City Records High & Mighty/Eastern Conference fans will undoubtedly be familiar with these cats, not to mention Mighty Mi, the producer of Through The Eye. Ill Advised made several guest appearances on EC songs, and gained quite a following in the process. From what I hear, the West Philly duo (Baby Blak and Mr Lish), http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/03/youve-been-warned.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111149456382520898Tue, 22 Mar 2005 12:25:00 +00002005-04-30T19:57:34.830-07:00 Mysterme & DJ 20/20 -Unsolved Mysterme -Playtime's Over 1993 Island/Gee Street Records I know Unsolved Mysterme is a popular, sought-after track, and most of the people who find their way to this blog will already have it in some form, but those who don't should certainly be made aware. The date on my album says 1993, so apparently the single (with Call Me Myster on the b-side) dropped afterhttp://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/03/mystical-musical.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-111029939744667236Tue, 08 Mar 2005 17:10:00 +00002005-04-23T15:35:20.933-07:00 Boodah & The Bandit -Brain On Drugs (Boodah Sess Mix) -No Haps 1994 Tuff City Records Perhaps as ubiquitous as anything in hip-hop is its love affair, or rather its obsession, with the green stuff. No, I'm not talking about money, I'm talking about weed. And in Brain On Drugs, we just might've had an anthem. The beats in both the original and the remix were mellow and nice, and the hook http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/03/sess-per-haps.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-110962531699277700Mon, 28 Feb 2005 20:39:00 +00002005-04-12T01:28:18.936-07:00 Motion Man -Mo' Like Flows On -'93 Swing 1993 Stepsun Records While probably best known for his collabos with the legendary Kool Keith, some of Motion Man's strongest material has arrived via his solo efforts. Way back in 1993, this single made noise in the Bay Area and beyond due to solid, catchy production from The Wake Up Show's King Tech and Joe Quixx, playful lyrics, creative wordplay, http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/02/come-back-swinging.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-110879070786733919Sat, 19 Feb 2005 04:58:00 +00002005-04-07T15:05:33.143-07:00 The Nonce -Who Falls Apart 1995 Wild West/American Recordings True, the homies at Broke B-Boys came with a spot-on post about The Nonce recently, but if I could change one thing about it, I'd add this song. Originally availabe only as a b-side of the Bus Stops single on Rick Rubin's American Records label, the track was reworked and included on a subsequent Nonce release, but sans the http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/02/your-favorite-crews-thats-lost.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-110814310574045646Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:37:00 +00002005-03-30T22:53:17.546-08:00 Frankenstein -The Rain Is Gone 1996 Knowledge of Self Entertainment In 1996, traveling back up to Toronto, visiting Mr. Frankenstein, we find a man who wears many hip-hop hats. When we arrive, he's busy making funky funky beats. Earlier, it seems, he was writing and spitting high-caliber rhymes. And in no time, he'll be manning the audio butter-churn, recording and mixing his own sweet, http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/02/chef-frankenstein.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-110747247960526596Thu, 03 Feb 2005 23:09:00 +00002005-03-22T05:21:10.706-08:00 Big Red and Diamond D -Created A Monster -How They Want It One of my absolute favorites from the time that I never got a copy of. I always wondered why it was so slept-on. Why it made so little noise. Turns out, it was a super-limited pressing in 1994, so imagine my surprise and delight when, around 2000-2001, someone decided to repress it! Not only would I finally get my hands on a copy (http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/02/big-sleep.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-110675947107801326Wed, 26 Jan 2005 16:57:00 +00002005-03-12T18:00:47.386-08:00 East Flatbush Project feat. Payday -Madman's Dream 1994 10/30 Uproar Records Soon to be overshadowed by East Flatbush Project's subsequent release, Tried By 12 (arguably the most well-known mid-90's "underground" hip-hop 12"), Payday gave us this one to enjoy in late 1994, and enjoy it we did. The beat, while not technically astounding, makes good use of horns and some kind of chanting http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/01/rather-be-tried-by-12.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-110619429819286275Thu, 20 Jan 2005 09:24:00 +00002005-03-03T16:39:13.213-08:00 Boostin' Kev -That Be Boostin' -Smoke You On The Mic -Dunt Da Dunt Dunt 1995 Black Market & Parker Records So, since bandwidth problems and such are so decidedly not enjoyable, I thought I'd have a little fun with this post. And if anything's gonna be said about Boostin' Kev, the man does make me laugh. Though probably most notable for his uncanny similarity to Biz Markie (by ear, anyway), http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/01/boostin-on-mic.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8999637.post-110603615659992999Tue, 18 Jan 2005 09:10:00 +00002005-01-18T00:16:53.966-08:00 Due to bandwidth issues (thanks O-Dub), the next post will be a little later than it should be. But stay tuned, I'm not going anywhere...http://www.soothsayrecords.com/rookie/2005/01/bandwidth-blues.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andy)0