SimonAyEm – The Greatest Gift (Series)

Time to introduce you folks to a highly recommendable producer from my neck of the woods: Basel, Switzerland.

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SimonAyEm is part of the five-headed producer crew Prismatic Beats as well as the hip-hop collective TripleNine, a hold-all for producers, DJs, MCs and graff artists. TripleNine have become one of the more notable hip-hop hotbeds in the local and national scenes and have definitely shaped the arts in the last 14-or-so years, giving their output a recognizeable “Basel” branding. If I was to characterize what makes Basel, I’d say a bit rough and occasionally rude around the edges with tongue firmly placed in cheek–and a lot of heart for the art.

This year, SimonAyEm’s decided to do a bit of showing off, going through his immense back catalog of beats, to tie us beat heads a neat package of 13 dope instrumentals each week. All year round. For free! (Gasp!) Some have been used on published tracks, others haven’t. He’s currently at installment number 21, and there’s more than that where it came from.
So I strongly suggest you head on over to his blog to fill your boots and ears, and read up on the dude who should really get a lot more attention beyond our area.

The Greatest Gift by SimonAyEm

Peace,
9@home

 

Brother Ali – The Bite Marked Heart EP (2012)

Easily in my top 10 all-time favourite MCs, Brother Ali dropped a free EP earlier this year. Just for the love. And it is about love. Beats are by Jake One and Ant, nuff said.

Brother Ali – The Bite Marked Heart (2012)

Brother Ali Website

 

 

Spelling “prolificacy”* with Gangstarr: Rarities A-Z

Re-post, you know why. Keith Elam is no more. Probably the one death in hip-hop that shocked me the most. I didn’t give two shits about Tupac, and Biggie had it coming, too. Then again the murder of Jam Master Jay was a real tragedy, without a doubt. Now the Guru was supposed to grow old and grey, wasn’t he? Rest in peace.

—

Keith Elam and Christopher Martin are among the rare cats that have had a career in hip-hop that spans more than 20 years. Most people fall off at some point, but these keep going. From the beginnings when they were the flagship for jazz-rap to the dirty, choppy, “classic” New York sound of the Nineties and Noughties that has been coined in great part by Premier himself, it’s pretty safe to say that this duo has left its mark on hip-hop music. DJ Premier’s magic beat formula has helped countless MCs to have their instant classic singles while Guru has guest-starred on tracks and connected with people around the whole world. Guru and Premier are the embodiment of NY City hip-hop, even though neither of them was born there, Primo being from Houston and Guru from Boston. Together, they’ve brought the Big Apple sound and style to every head on the globe.

This is a compilation (a bootleg, I guess) of the tracks they’ve done outside their Gangstarr releases, i.e. either Premier production/remixes or Guru guest spots as either an MC or a producer himself.

All in all, there are no less than 476 tracks, or 2.5 GBs that come in servings of about album-size, lettered from A to Z. The tracks themselves are in no particular order, but if you want to know what’s there to have, peep the tracklist here.

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Gangstarr – Rarities A-Z (each letter = one archive!)

A – B – C – D – E – F – G1 – G2 – H – I – J – K – L – M

N – O – P1 – P2 – Q – R – S – T – U – V – W – X – Y – Z

Peep my Mediafire folder for about half of these…

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Enjoy and have a nice summer.

Peace,

9@home

P.S.:

*pro·lif·ic (pr-lfk)

adj.

1. Producing offspring or fruit in great abundance; fertile.

2. Producing abundant works or results: a prolific artist. See Synonyms at fertile.

---

[French prolifique, from Medieval Latin prlificus : Latin prls, prl-, offspring; see al-² in Indo-European roots + Latin -ficus, -fic.]

---

pro·lifi·ca·cy (--k-s), pro·lific·ness (-k-ns) n.

pro·lifi·cal·ly adv.

 

QN5 Music – Baby Blue For Pink (2008)

Released for Valentine’s Day 2008, this is a quick EP from my favourite peoples, the kids over at QN5. Dope and a good laugh. Nuff said.

1. PackFM – “Plucking Daisies” [Prod by Deacon The Villain]
2. Session – “The Letter” [Prod By Tonedeff]
3. Cashmere The Pro – “Know I Do (RMX)” [Prod By Kno]
4. Substantial – “R Love Songs Gay?” [Prod By Tonedeff]
5. Mr. SOS – “Digital Video (f/ CunninLynguists & SunnyStylez)” – [Prod By Deacon The Villain]
6. Tonedeff – “Close” [Prod By Domingo]

QN5 Music – Baby Blue For Pink [EP]

 

Park-Like Setting – Craftsmen (2005)

John Smith, mcenroe and Yy, all from the beautiful provice of Manitoba, Canada. While being independently active within the Peanuts & Corn collective, they’ve also put out two albums as Park-Like Setting. Do not be fooled by whatever you think you know or don’t know about Manitoba, this album is a great listen. Some nice relaxed tongue in cheek lyrics and fresh production by the work-animal mcenroe who produces for damn nearly everyone on his label, besides rapping, artwork and whatnot.

1 Wax On, Wax Off
2 Cut Once ft. Pip Skid
3 Craftsmen
4 DFA
5 Short Pants Long Sleeves
6 Overrated
7 Eight Bars Each ft. Birdapres, Cadence Weapon, Evil, Gruf, Pip Skid, Satchill Paige
8 By My Lonesome
9 Bush League Psych-outs
10 Barbie Doll Eyes
11 The Five Year Plan
12 Church Of The Poisoned Mind
13 The Boss Of Me
14 Our Turn (Scratches by Hunnicutt)
15 Small Market Team

Park-Like Setting – Craftsmen (2005)

(including a compilation from their label entitled “Tape Hiss” as a free throw-in from me)

Park-Like Setting label site

Peace, 9@home

 

UK Hip-Hop 2: Gunshot

Re-upped and re-posted. Originally from 06.

Despite my starting out with Son Of Noise, this crew here was actually the first I’d heard of. Gunshot put out their first 12″ in 1990 called “Battle Creek Brawl”. Its incredibly rough sound by DJ White Child Rix and the fiery delivery by Alkaline, Mercury and Q-Roc was like nothing I’d heard before. I’ve read that it was their music, together with Hijack’s, that coined the idea and sound of “Britcore”. They certainly did for me. At the time I didn’t even know where and how to get hold of the singles that they were releasing, so I was stuck with a few hissy radio recordings (and the good thing was: with the crackling and the distortion they sounded even better!) A few years later, while Vinyl Solution was still their home label, French label Independance issued the group’s first singles as one Compilation. Instead of the cover for the compilation which I haven’t found, here are covers of the three 12″es included.

Battle Creek Brawl (1990)

Clear From Present Danger / Interception Squad (1991)

Crime Story / No Sell Out (1991)

Compilation Tracklist:

01 Clear From Present Danger (4:47)
02 Interception Squad (4:04)
03 No Sell Out (5:18)
04 Crime Story (4:49)
05 Battle Creek Brawl (4 Minute Warning) (4:42)
06 Battle Creek Brawl (Apocalypse Bass) (4:37)
07 Clear From Present Danger (Instrumental) (4:46)
08 Interception Squad (Instrumental) (4:03)
09 Battle Creek Brawl (Instrumental) (4:42)
10 No Sell Out (Instrumental) (5:18)
11 Crime Strory (Instrumental) (4:49)
12 Battle Creek Brawl (Apocapella) (3:21)

Gunshot – Compilation (1994)

And, from the same year, here’s another collection of singles, aptly titled The Singles. Some of the tracks are the same, but others are not. (Thanks, Wasteland Drifter.)

01 – Clear From Present Danger
02 – Children Of A Dying Breed
03 – No Sell Out
04 – Killing Season
05 – Social Psychotics
06 – Nobody Move
07 – Crime Story
08 – Interception Squad
09 – Mind Of A Razor (Remix)
10 – Battle Creek Brawl
11 – Children Of A Dying Breed (Burial Mix)
12 – Killing Season (Murder Kiss Remix)
13 – Colour Code
14 – Gunshots History (The 94 Lick)

Gunshot – The Singles (1994)

In 1993, Q-Roc had left the crew by then, they released their first album called Patriot Games. White Child Rix’ production had become more sophisticated with more multi-layered tracks and a very effective use of vocal samples to add some catchiness. The flows had slowed down a tad bit so they could actually perform their tracks live on stage and the whole thing made for an amazing album full of bangers.
[anecdote] I remember one time in school camp, when I was in charge of preparing breakfast and waking up the other kids… I laid the tables and then popped in 25 Gun Salute turned on full blast in a tiny chalet up in the mountains… Talking about an early start… When you hear it, you’ll know how much they hated my guts for the rest of that day. Well worth it, though. [/anecdote]

1 Manhunt (1:29)
2 25 Gun Salute (3:01)
3 Gunshot History (3:49)
4 Reign Of Terror (2:58)
5 World War 3 (4:19)
6 Radio ? (2:10)
7 Day Of The Jackals (3:42)
8 Underworld Crime Soldiers (0:59)
9 Bombing In Five Minutes (3:08)
10 Patriot Games (4:25)
11 Mind Of A Razor (4:02)
12 The Cholo (0:25)
13 Year 2000 (4:38)
14 Bullets Entering Chest (5:10)

Gunshot – Patriot Games (1994)

By 1997, they had finally put together another album called Twilight’s Last Gleaming. So the murky theme was continued. Content-wise, they’d relaxed a bit with their guns, battle, soldiers and blood theme and turned a bit more introspective. I seem to remember that the album was received with a somewhat lukewarm applause. And that may well have marked the moment where Gunshot was beyond their peak for their audience. I’d still contend that the album is slept-on and that it’s actually very solid and listenable. On this one, Barry Blue made a guest appearance before he’d join the group as a steady member on the next album.

01 Twilight
02 Maths And Stats
03 Millenium
04 Mask Of Phantasm
05 G. S. Vibe
06 Ghetto Heartbeat
07 Roots And Reality
08 Die Hard
09 True Fist
10 Gunshot Forever
11 The Silkmaker
12 Return Of The Gunshot
13 Kingpin
14 Untouchable ft. Barry Blue
15 Inner Space
16 Postcards From The Edge

Gunshot – Twilight’s Last Gleaming (1997)

In the year 2000, the crew dropped their latest and last album so far with International Rescue. Personally, I was a bit disappointed by it. While the production was solid and sometimes quite good, the MCs were lacking some of the drive and dopeness they displayed on Patriot Games. Some of the verses grate on my nerves, others I find just a bit forgettable, but that’s probably just me. Yet I’m afraid the only reason why this album didn’t disappear completely off the radar was the English Patient posse track with illustrous guests such as Blade, Task Force, Huntkillbury Finn, Icepick and MC Mello.

1. The Saga Continues… (Intro) (1:00)
2. International Rescue (3:54)
3. Shanghai Badbwoy (5:26)
4. Rinse Out (3:55)
5. Construct Destruct – Demo ’91 (Skit) (0:38)
6. Pain (5:22)
7. Scream 3 (5:03)
8. Hail Mary (4:45)
9. Minus 10 ft. Huntkillbury Finn (4:11)
10. Bo Bo Bo! – Demo ’90 (Skit) (0:36)
11. Everyday (3:35)
12. Pressure (5:19)
13. The Long Goodbye (4:11)
14. Badman Walkin’ (4:50)
15. The English Patient ft. Blade, Task Force, Lord Barry Blue,
Huntkillbury Finn, Icepick & MC Mello (5:02)
16. Whilst My Guitar Weeps (Outro) (0:35)
17. Shanghai Badbwoy (Remix) (4:40)
18. Weep Again (Encore) (1:16)

Gunshot – International Rescue (2000)

It’s quite safe to say that Gunshot will not release another album under that same name. (Is it?) Even their website gunshotuk.com was taken down.

To get back to the English Patient track with its analogy playing on UK Hip-Hop as the sick patient that needs treatment, it’s rather ironic that Gunshot as one of the pioneer crews that lament the state of UK rap didn’t quite survive into the 21st century while there’s now a host of MCs and DJs out there on the islands that seem to be doing increasingly better. Gunshot certainly broke down a few doors, but it was the generation following them that got a foot in. Well, except for old farts like Rodney P or Blade, perhaps…

MC Mercury’s Space
DJ White Child Rix’ Space
Barry Blue’s Space
Gunshot Discog
Gunshot on Wikipedia

Next up: Hijack

Peace, 9@home

 

Positive Black Soul – Salaam (1996) (Senegal)

As announced, I’m going to hit you with a bunch of African albums. Some of them are full albums by one crew, others are compilations made by well-meaning organizations in Europe who try to introduce the non-Africans among us to this vast continent full of music. I’ll have to admit that I don’t know too much about all of them, but I just figured I’d pass on what I’ve got my hands on so you can go and listen for yourself.

First off, there’s Positive Black Soul from Dakar, Senegal (West Africa). This duo consists of Doug E. Tee (Amadou Barry) and DJ Awadi (Didier J. Awadi) and they’re probably one of the very first African hip-hop crews who had international success beyond their continent. Active since the mid-80s as leaders of rivalling gangs, they used to compete with each other musically till they found out they were the perfect match and formed a crew in 1989. Their first release on cassette Boul Falé never really made it out of the country. With some help by French superstar rapper MC Solaar (himself a born Senegalese) and musical legend Baaba Maal, they eventually got a record deal with Mango Records and their second album Salaam enjoyed international success, followed by a tour through West Africa, America and Europe. They have since become the godfathers of Senegalese and West African hip-hop, making sure younger crews get some shine as well.

The album is made in Wolof (one of the languages spoken in Senegal), English and French – to make sure they are understood worldwide. This album must be seen as one of the biggest milestones in African hip-hop, as far as its international recognition is concerned.

Positive Black Soul – Salaam (1996)

More links:
Benn Loxo Du Taccu (African music blog)

Peace, 9@home

 

Merry Festivities to ya…

To celebrate the spirit of “giving is holier than taking”, all rapidshare music downloads on this blog are switched to direct for the day of 24th December, starting with midnight CET.

I have a few gigs of direct download quota to kill, so dig in, dig back and enjoy. The only exception is movies.

This does, however, also apply for rapidshare links I posted over at strictlybeats. Get these goods while it lasts. When the quota is up, it’s over.
Enjoy.

9@home

 

Illmind – A Mission to fill the Void (2006)

There aren’t many producers out there that sprinkle their genius onto the audio tracks for little-known underground cats such as Chi-Town’s Pacifics, for instance, and at the same time paint the soundscapes for G-Unit, Jay-Z, Heltah Skeltah or whatever big names there are — AND get away with making it all sound dope while keeping their respect in the underground.

Illmind is such a rare specimen and this 4 CD compilation gives a nice overview of dude’s body of work. Being a bootleg comp from two years back, like 90% of the tracks are sort of under to middle groundish. The man from Bloomfield, NJ came up through the Beat Society showcases and has worked with an incredible number of artists from all coasts. More recently, he’s been the G-Unit’s in-house producer (I smell a proper pay check.) I can’t even say too much, just look at the tracklists and peep the music. With those names on it, it’s got to be good stuff from beginning to end.

CD1
01 03:30 Supastition – Chain Letters Intro
02 03:57 El Da Sensei – Crowd Pleasa
03 04:58 Eyesoulated Mindz – Keep It Snug
04 03:31 Saigon, Inspectah Deck And Bekay – The Raw (Remix)
05 04:45 Little Brother And Median – Right Here
06 04:22 Deloach Ft Bavu Blakes And Poisoned Fetus – Labor Of Love
07 03:25 Jay-Z-Justify My Thug (Remix)
08 03:47 The Procussions Ft Strange Fruit Project – Changes
09 04:45 K-Otix And Deloach-Hands Off
10 04:03 Supastition – Boombox
11 03:43 Muneshine – Nine To Five
12 03:45 Strange Fruit Project Ft Little Brother – Rise
13 04:21 M.B.B’s – Ain’t No Speakin
14 04:22 Raks One – Over You
15 04:05 Skyzoo – Remember Me
16 03:44 Organic Thoughts Ft Chan – No Options
17 10:44 Hezekiah – Before I Go
18 03:26 Supastition Ft Little Brother – Soul Control

CD2
01 04:03 Boot Camp Clik – Let’s Go
02 04:08 Jay-Z-Encore (Remix)
03 03:40 Dave Ghetto-Day In & Day Out
04 05:02 Strange Fruit Project, Proh Mic Sence – Been Gone
05 03:48 Edgar Allen Floe – I For An I
06 03:18 Grand Agent Ft Reef – Plans To Blow
07 04:04 Organic Thoughts Ft Large Professor – World Renowned
08 04:25 The Pacifics Ft Rakka – Talk Is Cheap
09 04:01 Akrobatik – Remind My Soul
10 04:03 Little Brother Ft O – Dash And Darien Brockington-Nobody Like Me
11 04:27 Deloach Ft Kay – Wha Cha Gon Do
12 03:46 Supastition – Special Treatment
13 04:00 Muneshine Ft Surreal – Imagine That (Remix)
14 03:40 Organic Thoughts Ft Prince Po And Uniq – Be Alright
15 04:12 Masta Ace And Guru – Conflict (Remix)
16 04:34 Braille – Nobody
17 03:34 Phocus – Body Language
18 03:55 Little Brother – Cant Let Her
19 04:19 The Procussions – High Powered

Illmind – A Mission to fill the Void CDs 1-2

CD3
01 04:04 El Da Sensei – Hold On
02 04:24 The Pacifics – Magnificent
03 04:13 Tree And Dow Jones – Club Aquarius
04 04:29 Fel Sweetenberg – Lost Children (Remix)
05 05:05 Supastition – That Ain’t Me
06 03:57 Dave Ghetto Ft Fel Sweetenberg And L Dorado – The Game
07 03:12 Completion – Inspiration
08 03:35 Krs One – Fucked (Remix)
09 03:44 Organic Thoughts – Next Levelists
10 03:38 Strange Fruit Project – The Broke Song
11 03:53 Ghostface Killah, Trife And Myone – Milk’em
12 03:57 Muneshine – Luke Warm
13 04:09 Supastition – Hip Hop Vs Life_(Remix)
14 05:51 Eyesoulated Mindz – Dirty Mutha_Fuck
15 03:44 Organic Thoughts Ft Peril – L And Mounta-Get It Right1
16 04:15 Little Brother Ft Yahzarah – The Beginning
17 05:40 Organic Thoughts Ft Uniq – All Too Easy
18 04:12 Raks One Ft Hassaan Mackey, Supastition And Kenn Starr – This Is It
19 03:20 Reef The Lost Cauze – Get Lost

CD4
01 03:10 Raks One – Stand Down
02 04:22 Infinito 2017 – Free Man’s Soul
03 04:04 Strange Fruit Project – You (The Only Ones)
04 03:32 Supastition – Adrenaline (Remix)
05 03:14 Organic Thoughts – Hypnotic Travellin
06 02:45 Unseen – Keep Moving
07 04:08 Little Brother – Whatever You Say (Smooth Remix)
08 03:54 Jay-Z-99 Problems (Remix)
09 02:31 Supastition – Ain’t Going Out
10 04:27 Strange Fruit Project Ft Erykah Badu – Get Live
11 03:37 Ken Fluid – Must Kome Down
12 04:08 Strange Fruit Project – Eternally Yours
13 03:25 Organic Thoughts – Soul Movement
14 04:11 Pumpkinhead Ft Sean Price – Best Rappers Out
15 05:27 Moon Cricket And Verbal Seed – Day After Day
16 04:13 Myth, Bavu Blakes And Chucky Sly – We Three Kings
17 04:09 Skyzoo – Sick Wit’ The Slang
18 03:43 Verbal Seed Ft Thesis – Take Advantage
19 04:31 Organic Thoughts – Unthinkable
20 03:48 Supastition – Step It Up (Remix V2)

Illmind – A Mission to fill the Void CDs 3-4

Peace, 9@home

 

Rogue State Alliance – Rogue State of Mind (2006)

**Edit: With their second album coming out every moment and the crew going on tour again I reckon it’s time for a re-up of their first album. I’m looking forward to seeing the RSA live not once but twice within the next few weeks.**

Clockwise from the top: Pan, J.J. Flueck, Black Tiger, EJ von Lyrik, Shameema, Greis, Burni Aman

A rare gem of intercontinental collaboration between some of South Africa and Switzerland’s finest. This album is centered around the connection between Pan and Greis, two MCs from Berne, Switzerland, on the one side and the female trio Godessa from Cape Town on the other. After Godessa performed a few gigs in Switzerland in 2004, they met and decided to stay in touch by visiting each other. In several recording sessions over the course of one and a half years, and with the financial help of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, they put together songs. In addition, each side brought on a good bunch of friends to make appearances on the album whose entire proceeds go to the “Party with a purpose productions” self-help project in the Cape Flats.

You’ll hear people rapping in English, French, Swiss German and Afrikaans (the latter two may be hard to tell apart for the uninitiated, but never mind), subject matters ranging from very particular issues like South African apartheid (peep “Pencil Test” – killer track!) and standing up for one’s rights to the universal themes that connect hip-hop heads around the world.

If you live in Switzerland or South Africa you should be able to grab this album and contribute a few Francs or Rands to charity, or you go see them live in your area. Please do.

1. Rise Up Now / Jitsvinger – Greis – EJ von Lyrik
2. Heavy Mental / Godessa & Whodis
3. Can’t Stay / Rennie & Shameema
4. 2gether / Mr. Dmus & Pan
5. S.O.F.I.A. / Greis & Burni Aman
6. Pacifiers (Double Rebellion-Mac With Cheese) / Burni Aman & Greis
7. One Day / Burni Aman – Greis – Shameema – Alexus President
8. Won’t Stop / Pan – Cross – Burni Aman
9. Pencil Test / Godessa & Greis
10. Kabels / Jitsvinger & Pan
11. Truth Is / Sky 189 – Seven – Greis – Pan
12. Planet I / Burni Aman – EJ von Lyrik – Chicu – Pan
13. Indie Takeover / Black Tiger – Jitsvinger – Robbe – Aman – Baze – Dimitri – Mr. Dmus – Perspektif – Gaston – Pan
14. The Reason Why / Jean Pierre – Perspektif – Pan
15. Do The Things / Godessa – Black Tiger – Rennie
16. Wake Up Call / Dubmasta China – Pan – Perspektif
17. Breakin’ The Barriers / Pan – Burni Aman – Cross
18. Broese Brasse / Mr. Dmus & Jitsvinger
19. Life / Teba feat. Tumi & EJ von Lyrik

Rogue State Alliance – Rogue State of Mind (2006)

And to give you some eyeball material to gauge the vibe, peep their Road Trip Movie, shot mainly while touring the festivals of Switzerland in 2006. Dope video.

Godessa

Greis’ Myspace

Rogue State Alliance Myspace