Murder Dog is, quite simply, one of the best hip hop publications ever to hit newsstands. Though not as hilariously demented as ego trip or as comprehensive as The Source during it's Golden Age, every single issue is saturated with a wealth of artist interviews and articles. Black Dog Bone and the Murder Dog team have had their collective fingers to the pulse of underground rap music for a decade and a half and have managed to consistently put out a magazine that is almost completely devoid of industry politricks. Also, where else could you find side-by-side interviews with UGK, Haji Springer, and Danny Trejo along with a ten-page spread on the Sri Lankan hip hop scene?
Along with their interviews, scene coverage, and producer biopsies Murder Dog has also been dedicated to bringing the underground to light through extremely comprehensive regional compilations. The two I bring to you today were actually packaged with early issues of Murder Dog, and are entitled "5823 Pirhana Killer Fish" and "5810 Ride Or Die." They are ridiculously rare in physical form, and as such command top dollar from caked-up rap nerds that have no problem blowing $200 on an out-of-print cd.
Although I wouldn't spend that much cash, the music contained within is indeed top-quality. Low budget environments striving for perfection, naw'mean? Real underground 4-track, recorded-in-a-washing-room sounding records. If you like the obscure regional compilations that schenectadyfan brings us on the reg, you will love these discs. True to first-generation Murder Dog, they have a exclusive focus on the southern and west-coast scene, with raps from Al Kapone, the Botany Boys, and Kool Daddy Fresh, and lesser known talents such as the Funxsouljaz. There's even an old Mac Dre song on "5810 Ride Or Die." These definitely get the EL stamp-of-approval
Grab these compilations while they're hot; I guarantee they won't disappoint.
- Echo Leader
Murder Dog Presents: 5823 Pirhana Killer Fish
1. El Kaye & Nino Brown - Leave The Light On
2. Ska Face Al Kapone - To Tha Death
3. NonFiktion, Lo-Skee & Mr. K Geeta - Raw Game
4. Pat Chilla, H-Bomb & Ski Loc - Watch Your Back
5. Land of Da Lost & DJ T-Ski - Nutt'n
6. Young Dre-D & Sonya Dinkins - Sucka Free
7. Skip Dog - By Any Means
8. Lil' Gene (aka The Sandman), Von OP & Mo-B - Tow-O-Sic-Shit
9. 11/5 & UDI - Kill-a-Hoe
10. Mad Dog Clique - Only Made 2 Bump
11. Kool Daddy Fresh - Born To Slang (Part 2)
12. Funxsouljaz - Ill Gott'N Gain
13. Closed Caption - Greens
14. KNS - Survival's In The Game
15. No Face Phantom - The Island
16. Squeek Nutty Bug & Kevin Gardner - 3 Cides of Life
17. 51/50, MsChief, Solo, Masta G & Popcorn - Automatically
Mediafire
Murder Dog Presents: 5810 Ride Or Die
1. Ska-Face Al Kapone - Ride or Die
2. Hollow Tip - Chasin' $'s
3. Botany Boys - Thought of Many Ways
4. JD Walker - Bogus Bangin'
5. Pistol - High 'Til I Die
6. Tha Funxsouljaz & Ska-Face Al Kapone - Don't Nobody Know Me
7. Crooked Path - Mo' Mail
8. STN - Richmond Rulaz
9. Elite G'z - Planet G
10. Triple Deep - Imagine This
11. Lil' Milt - The Prophecy
12. Doff Kapone - Saussy Lifestyle
13. Fat Kev & Mac Dre - The Game Will Neva Change
14. Central Dynasty - Ghetto Greed
15. Iceburg - Ghetto Therapy
16. Ballers Ona Mission (BOM) - Da Game'z Tryna Take Me Out
17. Kriz & Big D (Major Weight Media) - Maintain'n
18. Mob Related & Snook Tha Crook - Strictly Grind'n
19. Ball Player & Andre - This One's For You
20. Black Rhino - No Seeds (Tax Evasion)
Great post. The Central Dynasty track on Ride Or Die is essential.
ReplyDeleteI know nothing on either of these CDs. That's a good thing. Nothing like new old shit. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHip Hop Connection used to rave about this mag
ReplyDelete