gBlog » self-promotion http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog music from the collection of a quasi-retired vinyl dj Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:20:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 12″ Gems: Eric B. & Rakim, Follow The Leader http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/09/13/12-gems-eric-b-rakim-follow-the-leader/ http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/09/13/12-gems-eric-b-rakim-follow-the-leader/#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2009 19:00:39 +0000 -G. http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/?p=1400 Follow The Leader  

Follow The Leader
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Follow The Leader (Dub)
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Released in 1988

OK, I’m trying out a new feature, 12″ Gems. Since I spent many years as a quasi-professional DJ, I’ve got fat stacks of phat tracks!

Take this one: Eric B. & Rakim’s 5-star classic single “Follow The Leader.” It killed in the later, hazy hours of house parties in San Francisco during the late 90s — nearly a decade after its 1988 release. It continues to be an invigorating dancefloor choice for certain kinds of parties.

I have an MP3 of this track that I got from one of the online music services. It completely neuters the bass, and sounds hollow. To me, Eric B.’s complex, moody beat is what drives the track and keeps it relevant. I spent some extra time on my encoding to try and capture it, but digital music can’t quite match the big thumping rhythm that only vinyl can deliver. Pump it through some good speakers and turn it up, and you’ll get a taste.

Lyrically and musically, the Long Island duo were an atom bomb that forever changed the landscape of hip hop in the late-80s. Sounds like a hyperbole, but if you know your hip hop history you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Take this stunning couplet from Rakim:

Music makes mellow, maintains to make
Melodies for MCs, motivates the breaks

If his wordplay wasn’t enough, Rakim was also deep:

In this journey, you’re the journal, I’m the journalist.
Am I eternal or an eternalist?

Eternalism is a philosophical construct proposing that the past, present, and future are all equally viable.

Rakim isn’t just being blasphemous by nicknaming himself The God MC; you don’t hear Chamillionaire rapping about existentialism.

I also included the b-side “Dub” version, which is borderline unlistenable, except perhaps if you’ve ingested some sort of amphetamine. In a nutshell: Eric B. experiments with reverb.

Oh, and as I said, I played this record out; it’s scratchy, it has pops and hisses… sorry about that, but it still sounds better than the CD.

 

]]> http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/09/13/12-gems-eric-b-rakim-follow-the-leader/feed/ 0 My Mixes http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/01/05/my-mixes/ http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/01/05/my-mixes/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:00:06 +0000 -G. http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/?p=11 gsimpsons2   Da Ish
Hip Hop
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Heavy Vibes
Eclectic
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Liquefy
Mellow
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A few mixes I’ve made over the years, back when I had time to DJ!

Da Ish track listing:

  1. Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg – Deep Cover
  2. The Notorious B.I.G. – I Got A Story To Tell
  3. KRS-One – Outta Here
  4. L.O.X. – Ryde Or Die, Bitch (Instrumental)
  5. Jeru The Damaja – Static
  6. The Roots – Distortion To Static
  7. Ultramagnetic MC’s – Poppa Large
  8. Main Source – Looking At The Front Door
  9. EPMD – So Wat Cha Sayin’
  10. The Phracyde (w/The Brand New Heavies) – Soul Flower
  11. The Jungle Brothers – Sounds Of The Safari
  12. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – Freedom
  13. Leaders Of The New School – Mt. Airy Groove
  14. De La Soul (w/The Native Tongues) – A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays (Remix)
  15. Pete Rock & CL Smooth – The Creator
  16. Brand Nubian – Ragtime
  17. Chubb Rock (w/Howie Tee) – Ya Badd Chubbs

 
Heavy Vibes track listing:

  1. (can’t remember!)
  2. Jay-Z – Lobster & Scrimp (Instrumental)
  3. De La Soul – Baby Phat
  4. Alicia Myers – I Want To Thank You
  5. Sylvia Striplin – Give Me Your Love
  6. Montana Orchestra – Heavy Vibes
  7. (can’t remember!)
  8. Fonda Rae – Over Like A Fat Rat
  9. The J.B.’s – (It’s Not The Express) It’s The J.B.’s Monaurail
  10. Young MC – Principal’s Office (Instrumental)
  11. Juicy – Sugarfree
  12. St. Germain – Sure Thing
  13. Soul II Soul – Jazzie’s Groove (Instrumental)
  14. Showbiz & A.G. – Next Level (Remix)
  15. Girlfriend – Alicia Keys (Exclusive gRemix!)
  16. Tosca – Orozco
  17. Maze (w/Frankie Beverly) – Before I Let Go

 
Liquefy track listing:

  1. Walter Wanderley – Wave
  2. Latimore – Let’s Straighten It Out
  3. Bilal – Soul Sista
  4. Rose Royce – I Wanna Get Next To You
  5. Les McCann – Sometimes I Cry
  6. Stan Getz (w/Luiz Bonfa) – Saudabe Vem Correndo
  7. The Impressions – Gypsy Woman
  8. Earth, Wind & Fire – Reasons
  9. Sade – Is It A Crime
  10. Bob Marley – Running Away
  11. Bill Withers – I Don’t Know
  12. Al Hirt – Harlem Hendoo
  13. (can’t remember!)
  14. Kool & The Gang – Heaven At Once
  15. The Stylistics – People Make The World Go Round
  16. Carole King – So Far Away
  17. Erykah Badu (w/Stephen Marley) – In Love With You
  18. Gil Scott-Heron (w/Brian Jackson) – Winter In America
  19. Roberta Flack – Feel Like Makin’ Love

 

]]> http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/01/05/my-mixes/feed/ 0 Initiate gBlog http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/01/04/initiate-gblog/ http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/2009/01/04/initiate-gblog/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:22:25 +0000 -G. http://www.yeoldeweb.com/blog/?p=501 What good is a new year without resolutions? I am going to try and keep a blog. My goal is at least two posts a week.

My primary objective is to start digitizing some of my vinyl so I can listen to it more frequently and share it with the community. There’s so much great music not readily available in MP3 format.

I’ll also use this forum to indulge in some of my other passions: cooking & food culture, movies & TV, technology… and whatever else I get into. I’d be surprised if I used my blog to get into anything too personal; I’d rather keep this space externally focused.

I hope people will engage with this content from time to time. To facilitate dialogue, I’ve attempted to integrate with Facebook Connect. It may take me a bit to work through some of the kinks as I’m customizing a self-hosted WordPress installation.

Thanks for your patience and please let me know what you think!

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