Top 10 List - Pudgee The Phat Bastard - Give Em The Finger

Another album you don't hear mentioned all that often. Maybe because it was a CD only release or maybe because Pudgee was rumoured to be the gay rapper (we all know gay people make songs about their mothers). Seeing we all now know Erick Sermon is the gay rapper (thats a whole blog to itself) I thought it was safe to pull out this CD with out fear of my sexuality being questioned.

Trakmasterz (Red Hot Lover Tone & Poke) handle most of the production on this album. Once again producers who don't get the dues they deserve, I mean some kids will fork out a zillion bucks for a record with Diamond production or a Showbiz production yet some fresh Trackmasters productions up to similar quality are sitting in dollar bins around the world. Tone and Poke did themselves no favors by producing for some suspect artists later in their career though (ie Will Smith) maybe that has a lot to do with it.

Besides the song about his mother most of the album is dedicated to fucking it up, just your normal punchline based hardcore rap. You have to check out the track 'Mommie Dearest', pure gold !!! 'This is how we ....' feat Kool G Rap is well worth mentioning too Pudgee and Kool G Rap showing how they .... is too good to miss.

Pudgee went on to get his next album scrapped, although bootlegs (and a test press 12") of most of the tracks are available. It would of made an interesting album it was set to feature Digable Planets, DMX, Biggie Smalls among others.

Just remember next time someone mentions Pudgee as the gay rapper remind them that title is owned by Erick Sermon. After many close listens I can only pick one gay line on the album 'she had looks that would turn Marvin gay' and it's not even that gay. Wasn't like he was wearing bangles and talking about man sandwiches.

Other pointless but interesting trivia is Pudgee and Nas wrote Joe Fatals verse for Main Sources 'Live At The BBQ'.

This Is How We feat Kool G Rap
Mommie Dearest
Checkin' Out The Ave.

Top Ten List: Cross Bred Mongrels - Overgrown Town

This is the only Aussie release and the only release made after 1994 to make my top 10 list. In a time where Aussie Hip Hop is over jocked, over rated, over hyped, under produced and under skilled this release still gets slept on. I never quite understood why maybe it is cause Flak is so in your face, maybe people don't like his voice, maybe kids in Australia just have no fucking idea.

Enough of my rant and onto the music. Cross Bred Mongrels are MC Flak (aka Fatface aka Fats aka Big Fats) and DJ Debris (Hilltop Hoods). Fats and Debris handled 90% of the production themselves with DJ Bonez, Suffa and Kenny adding a few tasty treats. Some dope guest spots from Mass MC, Trauma and Hilltop Hoods. The production has a heavy funk influence perfectly compementing the rhymes from Fats.

Fats has a distinctive MC style kind of like a normal MC that has been pitch shifted down a few notches making his voice boom over the beats. The subject matter is a mix of bragadocio, political commentary, violence, drinking and sports (what else is there to life). I think what some of the kids in Australia don't get about this guy is his history, and if you had any idea you would take his hard raps on this CD a little more seriously. Fatface is about as close to an OG we have in the Australian Hip Hop scene.

A few tid bits of Fatface knowledge you may want to know. He was an original member of Finger Licking Good (although not appearing on their EP). Part of a crew called D.O.P with MC Plague and DJ Debris, some of the Overgrown Town tracks were refurbished from these old D.O.P recordings. Hilltop Hoods had their name given to them by Big Fats. That’s about all the knowledge I am comfortable in dropping haha.

They followed up Overgrown Town with World Domination, although not as solid in my opinion it is well worth checking out even if it is just for the track ‘All Australian’. Fat Face has joined Chris Bass to form Defenders releasing a CD late last year. Cross Bred Mongrels aren’t on hold though Fats and Debris will be back later this year (and the tracks I have heard are off the heazy).

So when asked if Flak can rock the mic the obvious answer is ‘Fuck oath he can’

Rock The Mike
Know Alls
Remember This
Underated feat Hilltop Hoods

Disclaimer: Yes I am mates with these guys (get over it).

Old School Videos...

Whats up Everyone,

I was just going through my email looking for some shit to keep me entertained while i wait for 5pm to finally arrive, and i found something that i though i might share with you all (that means you kirk).

Someone on ozhiphop.com posted this up a little while back, and i just stumbled across the link. Its a store of old school hip hop videos and if you go up a directory - there are also folders for some graf, bboy and mc vids too. check it out - a good way to kill time at work (unless every cunt can see whats on your screen like me).

Check it out HERE

** I recommend you check the christmas in hollis video for comedy value.

Playlist: 28/4/05

Defenders - Land Of Oz
Hospice - Speaking As One
Trials ft Vents - Take A Bath
Downsyde - Kingswood Country
Lazy Grey ft Ken Oth - Painted With Blood
Kanye West - Diamonds Are Forever
Screwball - Loyalty
Black Market Militia - Hood Lullabye
Big Noyd - Rush
Lord Tariq - Hey Gangster
Eazy E - Radio
Jay Z - Warm It Up
Tall Dark & Handsome - The Bronx Is Back
Kool Keith - Keep It Real ..... Represent
Double X Posse - Headcracker (remix)
Lord Digga - Feel It
J Zone - Fuck You Pay Me
Colored Section - Intro
Artifacts - Whayback
Black Grass ft Black Twang - Easy
Last Emperor ft Poetic - One Life
Mars Ill - Breathe Slow
Lyrical Commission - Custom Made
Dialated Peoples ft Defari - Okay
Raise - Between The Lines
UN - What They Want
Shabazz The Disciple - Red Hook Day
Q Unique - Diamond In The Ruff
Special Ed - Special
RZA - Bob N I
Ultra Magnetic MC's - Poppa Large
Terra Firma - The Good Life (remix)
Obie Trice - Don't Come Down
Non Phixion - Rock Stars
Main Source - Merrick Boulevard
Deda - I Originate
Hard To Obtain - Ghetto Diamond
Dres - True Kings
King Just - Three Amigos

Playlist 21/04/05

Time Machine
Tame One ft. Yak Ballz - High Fidelity
Grayskul - The spectacular rescue
Dub L & C Rayz Walz - Depp Impact
Downsyde - The Sooner the better
Mighty Mi - Friendly Fire
Black Market Militia - Thug Nation
Mnemonic Ascent - No Curfew
Pacewon - Rap Music
Odd Couple ft. Celph, J Zone - Open the mic
Tonedef - Disappointed
Immortal Technique - The point of no return
Ill Bill - Unstoppable
Mr Lif - Triangular Warfare
Mood - Karma
Lost Boyz ft. Redman, A plus, Canibus - Beasts from the east
Nuthouse - Correct Technique
Stetsasonic - Go stetsa
Edan ft. Mr Lif - Rapperfection
427 - Business Deals
Positive K - How the fuck would you know
Black Sheep - Similak Child
The FFA - Residents

Thanks to Awbs, Dee Enay, Debris and Trials for coming in and filling our rankness quota for the week.
Thanks also to the grumpy old cunt who rang up and complained.
And lastly, thanks to Lewps for ringing for 30 min straight while i was avoiding the phone haha.

Stream up now (check it out before it goes down, its worth it)

Top 10 List - Steady B - Let The Hustlers Play

As you can see I love my '87 - '93 era in Hip Hop. But in saying that to certify something as a classic it needs to stand the test of time. What I am saying is when I first heard Diggity Das Efx or FU Schnickens first albums I would of given them 5 mics (if I was a corrupt source mag reviewer, big ups to Benzino) now I find that shit corny as hell. So these albums might be from Hip Hop's 'Golden Era' but they will still be dope in 20 years time.

Next on my list is Steady B - Let The Hustlers play. Now lets all jump for joy that Steady B's taste in Hip Hop was better than his taste in fashion. He looks like raps' version of Pee Wee Herman you could see him rocking a hat with a propeller on top of it. One thing for certain you would be ready to dial the 5-0 if you saw him out the front of your child’s day care. It was the 80's so we will forgive Steady B for his leather hats, over-sized sunglasses and liking of small children (joke no hate mail).

Steady B was part of Philly’s Hilltop Hustlers along with Cool C & 3x Dope. With such good company no wonder he proclaimed to be 'certified dope'. Production was handled by the Blastmaster KRS One and Chuck Nice from 3 x Dope. I honestly think that it is some of the best production from that year (I know that’s a huge call). I have no idea why you rarely hear people raving about Chuck Nices' production, he really had some incredible work. This is straight up Hip Hop production, none of that Hip House and shit house dance tracks that corrupted so many other wise fresh releases from the time. There is a track title on 'Let The Hustlers Play' that might fool you into thinking it is one of these wacky wack tunes, but you’re wrong.

I was reading an interview with Rahzel a few months ago, he was talking about some of his hip hop memories. Rahzel mentioned a time in the foyer of a recording studio when Steady B and Will Smith crossed paths. Crews sized each other up and Big Will and Steady B threw down some raps. The story goes the Man In Black ripped Steady B to pieces. The joke was still on the Fresh Prince while he might of won the battle while in the studio he was probably recording 'Parents Just Don't Understand', and Steady B followed him in a recorded something like 'Serious'. Thats cornball music versus some serious hardcore Hip Hop. I know who the winner here is !!!

Steady B is currently doing a life sentence with Cool C for Bank Robbery and shooting a police officer.

Certified Dope

I Got Cha

Serious Produced By KRS One

Bottom 6 List: MC Potbelly

Before i start on my next bottom 6 list entry, I'd like to take a second to thank my man Dedlee for all his hard work in the area of crap hop scouting.

This next entry in the list of all time hip hop lows. Actually i'm going to stop myself there, because what I've been posting up isn't really hip hop is it. I mean, i've had a bunch of retards with a tandy mic and a sad song, george michael, david hasselhoff and now this. Its really a sub genre all to itself. What Ice T did for gangsta rap, these guys are doing for Shit Rap. So from now on this genre is going to be called Crap Hop - because if you think about it, these pioneers of the art of being wack are pushing hip hop in new directions - and If Anticon can have their own spot on the shelf, so can these guys. But i'll save the monologue for another time. On to this weeks post.

Today i give you MC Potbelly. His soundclick site pretty much sums up the reason he has made it into my crap hop hall of fame. But the first sentence on it is really all you need to know:

MC Potbelly is a 42-year-old, white, male insurance agent from Marin County, California who is unhappy with the state of rap music.

Check his songs:

Horizontal Hip Hop

Potbelly Rap

Run DMC - Slow & Low

This is something I thought I would never in my life come across. When Beastie Boys brought out The Sound Of Science Anthology I was surprised to read that Slow & Low was originally recorded by Run DMC. Here is what was included on the linar notes.

"I remember being in the studio while [Run DMC] were recording vocals for one of their songs, and being dumbfounded by how incredible they were. Anyway, when they finished the record and sequenced it they decided to leave off one of our favorite songs. It was called "Slow and Low."
Later as we were working on Licensed to Ill, we asked them if we could do a cover of it. We made new music but kept most of their lyrics. In fact the only lines we changed were "D sees real well 'cause he has four eyes" to "White Castle fries only come in one size," and "Run DMC not Cheech and Chong" to "Beastie Boys not Cheech and Chong" - Adam Yauch, 1999

I also remember reading something along the lines that Russel Simmons didn't want to let them do it and they almost considered stealing it off his desk.

Someone on the Cocaine Blunts & Hip Hop Tapes Message Board dug it up. Massive props on that one !!!!

So here it is the lost Run DMC version of Slow & Low

Top 10 List: Black Rock & Ron - Stop The World

I'm going to try and get this top 10 list finished off over the next few days.

Straight out of Hollis Queens, and no we are not talking about Run DMC or Young MC we're talkin Black Rock & Ron. I don't know a whole lot about these cats other than Paul C handled some of the production(although nothing I own from Black Rock & Ron credits Paul C) and they were managed by Russel Simmons.

There were 2 versions of the album one on Supreme Records and the other on RCA both with slightly differing playlists. There were also 12"s on Next Plateau and Popular Records. Who knows why their records were spread out over so many labels but it wasn't all that uncommon in the late 80's. I prefered the playlist on the supreme version of the LP, although it is missing my favorite track 'You Can't Do Me None'. There was also a 12" on Next Plateau under the name Vicious Four.

You Can't Do Me None

You Can't Do Me None Prince Paul Remix

Thats How I'm Livin

My Hometown

Stop The World

Japanese Television

Normally i wouldn't post shit like this up here. But this bugged me out. Television in Japan is fucked up. Check the 2 dudes at the end. WTF.

http://www.kamazutra.be/japan/

Top 10 List - Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep

Sorry for the lack of updates. We went so nuts uploading audio for you that we ran out of space. The problem is now resolved thanks to Neva.

Well this one isn't such a 'slept on classic' as the others I have highlighted, but there were a lot of super dope slept on remixes from this album.

I shouldn't need to give a great deal of background on this one. We have Frukwan (formally of Stetsasonic), Poetic, RZA (Wu Tang Clan frontman) and Price Paul (Stetsasonic, De La Soul) all coming together to form hip hops best ever super group.

It seems wearing funny rings and fangs were entry criteria for Gravediggaz, by the second (and not so great album) they had also added bad haircuts to the list.

1800 Suicide Flip Squad Remix

1800 Suicide Poisonous Remix

Mommy Whats A Gravedigga RZA Mix

Mommy Whats A Gravedigga Uptight Crate Digga Mix

Freak The Sorceress feat Kurious

Playlist 14.4.05

Art Of War - ?
Trials ft Vents 1 - Take A Bath
Pegs - Tins Of Beans
50 Cent - Out Of Control
BDEPS - Bomb
Biggie Smalls - Big poppa
Downsyde - Best Kept Secret
Muphin ft Minas - Stains & Scars
Jedi Mind Tricks - Age Of A Sacred Terror
Main Flow ft Braintax - Mr know It All
Pacewon - Rap Music
Apathy - Takes A Seven Nation Army To Hold Me Back
OC ft Bumpy knuckles - Win The G
LL Cool J - No Airplay
Steady B - Ego Trippin
Geto Boys - Crooked Officer
Ultra Magnetic MC's - 1,2 1,2
Ill Bill - Unstoppable
Ari - ?
Knomad - I Love White Chicks
Alias - ?
Sugar Ray & Stranger D - If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right
Chubb Rock - Yabba Dabba Doo
Hard Knocks - Nigga For Hire Remix

Thanks to Beats (rasict), Concepts, Motions (good luck in the Battle Of Supremecy), Debris, Hons and Trials.

Playlist 07.04.05

Immortal Technique - Point of no return
Reason - Reography (2004 remix)
Grayskul ft. Bazooka Tooth, Cip One - Voltronic Instruction Espionage
Outerspace ft. Immortal Technique - Angels of Death
Brother Ali - Self Taught
Copperport ft. Diverse, Profound - Dreams
Beatnuts - No escapin this
Paris - Sleeping with the enemy
Styles of Beyond - Live Enough (remix)
Kwest tha madd lad - Daddiez Home
Big Daddy Kane - Warm it up kane
Eric B and Rakim - JUICE (know the ledge)
Raheem - Dancefloor
Black Sheep - On the wall
Lord Finesse - Save that shit
Beanie Seagal - Beanie (mack bitch)
Ghostface - Ghostface
Pete Rock ft. Inspektah Deck, Kurupt - True Master
Jay Z - Its hot
Gravediggaz - Nowhere to run (portishead remix)
Rok One - Certified Superior
J Zone - Edit These
Low Profile - Funky Song
King Tee - At your own risk
YZ - The ghetto's been good to me

Playlist 31/03/05

Canibal Tribe - Brutality
Moshunz - Uncontrollable
Egg Babies - Hard Boiled
Grayskul - Behold
Klashnekoff - Daggo Mentality
Jay Z - December 4 (sergio fuck remix)
Time Machine - Who needs a mic
Layla - Analyse
Last Emperor ft. The Cocoa Bruvaz - The Umph
MOP - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Main Ingredient
Thirstin Howl III - Mo Getto
Gravediggaz - Freak The Sorceress
Art of War - You with us?
Big L - Flamboyant
Artifacts - This is da way
Nas - Thiefs Theme
Red Hot Lover Tone - Like a virgin
Big Daddy Kane ft. Q Tip & Busta Rhymes
Twin Hype - Wrong Place
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road to the Riches
Eric B & Rakim - I aint no joke
Daddy O - East Coast Funk
Masters of Ceremony - One to the knot
5th Ward Boys - Hoe Shit
Fat Joe - Success
Biz Markie, ODB & Charlie Brown - Nothin But Flavor

thanks to Carmel del Casio and Sergio Fuck for coming in and hitting us with their hot new shit.

stream is up, check it out - best guest spot ever.