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Fresh 98

Who remembers Fresh 98? It was in East London almost ten years ago to the day. My memories are: seeing other hip hoppers on the tube all going to Fresh, waiting in a queue for ages on a hot sweltering day, a security guard who looked like Queen Latifah getting riled every 20 seconds, the bloke in front of me being given free tickets to get in while I had to stump up my £20, meeting some of the Fat Lace crew for the first time, seeing The Ruf again for the first time in ages, badly wanting to buy a Mos Def t-shirt as it was based on the Run DMC logo, b-boy crews from all over Europe busting moves randomly, witnessing the sheer awesomeness of MC Supernatural, Tony Vegas in a little room performing to a small appreciative crowd, having to peg it out of the event to get the last train home and missing Busy Bee's performance.

Where you there? Do you remember who else was on the bill?

B-boy Jedi's!

Here's a flyer from a club night organised by one of the hardest working men in uk hip hop, PRONE. Admiral Ackbar's busting some nice moves while the Sith and the Rebel Alliance look on in unity.

He did a similar one for a Breaks night in Reading but with LEGO. I'll try digging that one out.

"Legends of Style" Exhibit (30 August)

Another one for your diaries on 30th August (see DMC event post below). This is the "Legends of Style" Exhibit which features many old school writers such as STAY HIGH 149, SNAKE 1, RIFF 170, BUTCH 2, PART TDS, PESO 131, NIC 707, CHAIN 3, NOC 167, T KID 170, MIN ONE, DUSTER UA & TACK FBA.
It also features DJ Kay Slay (formerly DEZ as featured in Style Wars) and The Fearless Four!

It's being held at:

Alphabeta 70 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11222
feat. legendary NYC subway graffiti artists of the 70's & 80's.
Opening: 7pm - 12am. Exhibit runs through to Sept. 26, 2008.

Sounds like a unmissable event, although I unfortunately can't attend as I'm washing my hair that night. And I live 3500 miles away.

Anyhoo, for more info speak to Joshua Ivory by phone: 914.882.1166 or email: joshuaivory@hotmail.com

Tell 'em I sent ya and he'll throw in a box of special edition SEEN-flavoured Gummi Bears. Yum.

Strange Album Posters

Has anyone ever heard of this guy?

A mouse? That ain't nothing to be bragging about, son.

How did the record company think that this face would shift units?

??


Ta-Dum-Tish.

"I'm comin' up, so you better get this party started".

Don't think my old dear's got a rifle stashed at her place, no.







And here's a couple of Star Wars-themed 'motivational' posters.

Marley Marl Is One Hell Of A Man

You old school heads might enjoy this bit of digging from Marley Marl. I never knew the original source of Biz's "Something For The Radio" and it was quite a surprise when I was sent this.

Props to Mark Harris.

The 2008 DMC USA Finals (Aug 30)

I don't really check for the DMC events anything like I used to. Probably mid-nineties when the team events started was when I began to drift although I'm not entirely sure why my interest waned as these were exciting times for turntablism.

Beginning back in 1985 in London, the event's first winner was Radio London's/Dave Pearce's dj, Roger Johnson. It was strictly a mixing-only affair and it wasn't until the following year that DJ Cheese tore the place apart and set about making the civilised crowd go nuts with his 'shoe' antics causing a disgruntled runner-up, Holland's Orlando Voorn to snatch the mic from the events MC and founder Tony Prince and exclaim, "What is this, a Mixing Competition or a Scratching Competition?"

From there we've seen such luminaries as Cash Money, Germany's DJ David (with his b-boy moves), Q-Bert, Mixmaster Mike and DJ Apollo as The Rock Steady DJs (and returning the following year as The Dream Team, Cutmaster Swift, DJ Craze, The Scratch Perverts, A-TRAK, DJ NOIZE, and of course the UK's own, Chad Jackson.

The purpose (and title) of this particular blog post is to show you the talents of one particular dj. Competing this month in the USA Finals is a boy by the name of DJ A-Kidd. I say boy because he isn't yet a man - in fact he is only 7 years old. And if that's not a kick in the b*lls to ya, his dad, DJ J.P. Gunnz is competing at the same event!

Check out a demo from the little guy below.

And these two, DJ Sara (8) and DJ Ryusei (6) from Japan have got skills!

Some Electro Classics

About time I laid some treats for y'all. Here some songs that really have that X Factor when we talk about real old hip hop. Was 1985 a good year for electro??

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Freestyle - Don't Stop The Rock (1985)

A1-Don't Stop The Rock
B1-Don't Stop The Rock (Instrumental)

Download

Quite possibly my favourite electro song. Before I owned a copy on vinyl I had to make do with the version on Electro 10 as it was mixed on top of DJ Born Supreme Allah.

More info
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NYC Cutter - Dj Cuttin' (1985)

A1-Dj Cuttin'

Download

This was Marley Marl, wasn't it? Whatever, it was a super-tough track for me in 1985. It's just those claps that get me.

More info
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MCA & Burzootie - Drum Machine (1985)

A1-Drum Machine
B1-Drum Machine (Psycho Dust Version)

Download

Before the Beastie Boys got better-known, MCA was getting down with Burzootie to produce this nice bit of wax. Arthur Baker had a finger in this pie, too.

More info
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Fresh 3 Mc's - Fresh (1983)

A1-Fresh
B1-Fresh (Instrumental)

Download

"F-R-E-S-H, fresh, fresh, fresh, yo that's fresh!" Who doesn't remember this simple little chorus?

More info
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Word Of Mouth - King Kut (1985)

A1-King Kut
B1-King Kut (New Remix)
B2-King Kut (Bonus Beats)

Download

Competing with Don't Stop The Rock as my all-time favourite, this track needs no introduction.

More info
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Lil Jazzy Jay & Cool Supreme - B Boys Style (1985)

A1- B Boys Style (Vocal)
B1- B Boys Style (Instrumental)

Download

This just reminds me of summer. Its such a great song!

More info

Phat Friday (15 August)

It's Friday......... so here's my three Phat Friday songs for you to mull over, wherever you be. This triplet is a bit of a nice selection even if I don't mind saying so myself.

CLASSIC

1990 - Gang Starr - "'Jazz Thing'" -

No doubt about it, this is a classic in the true sense of the word. I remember first hearing this on Westwood's Capital Rap show and it was such a monumental record it got a rewind by Tim. In fact he didn't so much rewind it as just play it again straight after it ended!
I just love the simplicity of Premier's scratches which match Guru's rhymes and the groove perfectly.
Unfortunately this song didn't appear on Step In The Arena which came out at the same time. It is available however on the Mo' Better Blues soundtrack as well as Gang Starr's Greatest Hits album.

SLEPT ON

1982 - Futura 2000 -"'The Escapades Of Futura 2000'" -

With production from The Clash this record shows just how close early hip hop and punk rock were in the beginning of the 1980's. Many people don't like Futura's flow but I disagree. He talks about his viewpoint of the burgeoning New York graffiti scene and to dismiss this record just because he was a writer who can't rap is a disservice to the man. The Clash execute a great old school hip hop break-sounding rhythm and add a nice bassline.
Apologies as this is the dub version - I couldn't locate the vocal mix but you get the idea.

BREAK TO THE BEAT; THE VERSION EXCURSION

1974 - Isaac Hayes - 'Hung Up On My Baby' -

As a tribute to Isaac Hayes who unfortunately passed away this week I thought it fitting to include a record which is not only a classic break but also a top tune in it's own right.
Taken from the soundtrack of (Three)Tough Guys, this is some sweet funky soul used to absolute perfection by The Geto Boys on 'Mind's Playing Tricks On Me'.

SeeqPod - Playable Search

Richie Rich Kiss FM Electro Show (1985) *UPDATED LINK*

This mp3 is a show from 1985 featuring Richie Rich on the wheels of steel. It was broadcast on Kiss FM when they were still a pirate station on 94FM.

Richie Rich mp3

128kbps, 42.9MB, 46mins 57secs

And this is from another Kiss FM dj, Colin Faver (b. 1951) from the same year when he used to deal in hip hop before changing to 'abstract dance'. He can be found these days over on Solar Radio http://www.solarradio.com/

Colin Faver mp3