The Geto Boys - The Geto Boys (Orginal Version)

Just a little Sunday treat for you. This is the O.G. version and for those that don't know what I'm talking about... --Philaflava

This is the Geto Boys 1990 self-titled album, the original version, before it was shelved by the record company. You see, the Geto Boys used a sample from the Steve Miller Band song "The Joker," on track #4, Gangster of Love. This however, was an unlicensed sample, and Steve Miller sued the record company over its use, to which the record company decided to shelve this album. This album was the Geto Boys first album available nationally, while all their previous releases as the Ghetto Boys were on a more local/regional level. This sample was also used on their earlier version of this album as the Ghetto Boys called Grip It On That Other Level. However, it was also a different recording session and so it was a completely different take and did not sound the same lyrically/vocally.

After a couple years, the Geto Boys had released more albums and gained in considerable popularity. The record company decided to re-release this album, but with an altered backing track for Gangster of Love. The altered version utilized a sample of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama and a "Gangsta Boogie" sample for the chorus. For those who purchased the re-release of the Geto Boys self-titled album, they got this new version of the song which if you think about it, doesn't make as much sense as the original version which samples Steve Miller saying "call me...call me...yeah, call me the gangster of love." Anyhow, it seems that everyone who has ripped this album and put it online, has put the re-release version online. Well I have come to save the day and give you all the original out-of-print version that came out in 1990.

1. F#@* 'Em

2. Size Ain't s**t
3. Mind Of A Lunatic
4. Gangster Of Love
5. Trigga Happy Nigga
6. Life In The Fast Lane
7. Assassins
8. Do It Like A G.O.
9. Read These Nikes
0. Talkin' Loud Ain't Saying Nothin'
11. Scarface
12. Let A Ho Be A Ho
13. City Under Siege

Download

Peace to KingSkullie for the rip and GUCCI C for the link.

What's Fuckin' With This? (Rakim - Know The Ledge)

This morning Philaflava O.G. Clark Bent asked name A Tribe Called Quest track better than this? My response was there aren't many tracks better than this PERIOD. There are songs that have sheer lyrical brilliance, some have adventurous storytelling and some have an infectious beat behind it (think Mass Appeal), but there aren't many tracks that are as complete and as significant as "Know The Ledge."

So I ask this question to all of our T.R.O.Y. readers, what track is better than this? Me personally, it comes down to this and My Minds Playing Tricks On Me as my favorite hip-hop song of all-time.

You make the call. --Philaflava

Drayzee Says: It's 'Em Summer Days Volume 3

Recently we blessed you with G-Funk California.

If that was not much for you, than try to digest this load of dope summer tracks from all over The States, alloted in 3 volumes, made by member of philaflava forum and owner of his own blog, Drayzee, http://drayzee.blogspot.com/.
Drayzee was just kind enough to allow us to use his own work and to represent it via T.R.O.Y. Blog.
Thank you Drayzee for this massive work.


"Drayzee Says: It's 'Em Summer Days" is a compilation based on g-funk/gangsta/jazz/funk music. Too bad it's not summer yet, however this project will certainly give you that summer vibe. I hope this will bump in your speakers 6 summers from now. The first volume contains more "party-like" songs, the second volume will contain more gangsta/cruisin' stuff, jazz & funk, and the third one will be for you to just chill on. I also used some St. Ides commercial once per 8-9 songs, just to give you the feeling that there still is a dope radio on earth bumpin' this.

1. Eazy-E - Radio

2. Brownside Feat. Eazy-E - Drama On The Eastside
3. DJ Quik - Can't Fuck Wit A Nigga
4. O.F.T.B. - Crack 'Em
5. Loon-E-Toon And DJ Mike Tee - Inglewoodz Finast (Smooth Mix)
6. Westside Connection - Hoo-Bangin'
7. Ice Cube - Ghetto Bird
8. N.W.A. - Alwayz Into Somethin'
9. Watts Gangstas - Watts Riders
10. Funkdoobiest - Wopbabalubop (ft. B-Real)
11. Dr. Dre - Bitches Ain't Shit
12. Compton's Most Wanted - N 2 Deep (Ft Mr. Scarface)
13. Above the Law - V.S.O.P.
14. RBL Posse - Livin That Life
15. Juvenile Committee - Juvenile Thang
16. Young Gangstas - Driven By Revenge
17. Mac Mall - Sic Wit Tis
18. Above the Law - Never Missin' a Beat
19. 2Pac - The Streetz R Deathrow
20. Da Lench Mob - Guerillas Ain't Gangstas
21. RBL Posse - Don't Give Me No Bammer
22. Battlecat - Out Here
23. DJ Yella - Dat's How I'm Livin' (Feat.B.G. Knocc Out)
24. Eazy-E - Tha Muthaphukkin Real ft. MC Ren
25. MC Eiht - You Can't See Me f. Tha Chill
26. Tha Dogg Pound - It'z A Good Ass Day
27. Dr. Dre - Let Me Ride
28. Lil 1/2 Dead - Back In The Day
29. Cypress Hill - Throw Your Hands In The Air (Feat. Erick Sermon, MC Eiht, Redman)
30. King Tee - Dippin' (Remix)
31. Vontel - Loungin
32. G-Lo - Smooth
33. Crimies - Love For The City Of Hub
34. A - 1 Swift-Bring The Praiz
35. Foesum - Listen To The Sound
36. Above The Law - Kalifornia (feat Kokane)
37. DJ Quik & Kurupt - Do You Know
38. 2 - Def-We Party
39. Realite - Gangsta Gangsta
40. L.A.Z. - Bigga Than Nine
41. Dazzie Dee - Unda Da Table (feat. Dolemite)
42. Geto Boyz - Geto Fantasy
43. Above The Law - Livin' Like Hustlers (G-Mixx)
44. Compton's Most Wanted - Hood Took Me Under
45. Tha Dogg Pound - New York, New York
46. DJ Pooh - Who Cares (ft. Kam)
47. Above The Law - Black Superman
48. Eazy-E - Boyz N Tha Hood (G-Mix)
49. Maniac - Deep Enough
50. 2nd II None - I Can Tell
51. Legit - No Pannies
52. Oppazet - Oppazet
53. Juice - Eastside
54. T.I.P. - Get Down
55. Sean T - Get Gone
56. Roscoe - Smooth Sailin'
57. Swoop G - Simpin' Into Pimpin'
58. Mr. Criminal - Sounds Of Summertime (Remix)
59. Compton's Most Wanted - Music To Driveby
60. MC Eiht - All For Tha Money
61. Big Tone - The Skrilla
62. S.S.P. - Weekend
63. Magic Mike - Love 4 My Homies
64. Mr. X - Any Ole Sunday
65. Mad CJ Mac - Come Take A Ride
66. Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day
67. Playya-1000 with The D'kster - The Layback
68. Fo' Clips - Hold On
69. Watts Gangstas - Fuct In The Game
70. Mac Mall - Ghetto Theme
71. FLEXX - OG Ridaz ft Young Dre
72. Dream Warriors - The Era Of "Stay Real"
73. Big 50 - Deez Street
74. Changing Faces - Keep It Right There (DeVante Swing Remix Instrumental)
75. G-Ism-Strips
76. Mac Mall - Crestside
77. M.C. Eiht & L.A. Nash - Professional Stone Crooks
78. Silky Slim - Tha Playa's Realm
79. Lil Fly - Rag Top
80. Krucked M Age - Da Show I Want You Party Over
81. Young Ed - Find A Way
82. N.E.S. - We Can Roll
83. Psycho Gangster - Psycho Gangster - About My Money
84. Fat 4 Ever - Excercising My P Thang
85. B.O.M. - Times At There Hardest
86. Ray Luv - Last Nite
87. O.T.R. Clique - Streets Deeper Than The Grave
88. Cal - Luv-Life Of A Playa
89. Christopher Williams - Dance
90. Wicked Minds - California
91. Azim - 4-D Funk
92. Cellski - Last Song ft Young Ed
93. Maniac Lok - Summer Jam
94. Mr. Peebodie - Sahloo
95. One Gud Cide - Remember Me

DOWNLOAD

-- Markshot

Produce-A-Lot

When we talk about our "Top 5" producers, we almost never see the following names: John Bido, N.O. Joe, Brad Jordan, Mike Dean or James Smith.

This production team is behind putting Houston on hiphop's map. They are Rap-A-Lot's in-house production team, behind Geto Boy's classics "Mind Playing Tricks On Me", "Gangster Of Love", "I Aint With Being Broke".

GETO BOY - I AINT WITH BEING BROKE


It's really hard to go through Rap-A-Lot credits, because they don't detail by tracks, but rather just put "album produced by" and then list off all the names. Those aforementioned names always appear on almost every Rap-A-Lot product, but in different order. Perfect example: 5th Ward Boyz - Ghetto Dope EP. "Producer - James Smith, John Bido, Mike Dean, N.O. Joe". Echo Leader mentioned this on his Vintage Rap-A-Lot post.




Mike Dean and Devin argue over weed

Sometimes you can tell who did which beat by the sound, for example Mike Dean plays a lot of crisper guitars, so you know it's him behind quite a few tracks on that Geto Boys "Resurrection" album. Mike also did quite a bit of engineering and mastering for Rap-A-Lot, so his name and sound appears even when his beats don't.


Brad Jordan

Brad Jordan, better known as the MC Scarface, likes his deeper yet nasal bass, so Menace Clan's "What You Say" has that signature synth bass that also comes up again in Scarface's "My Homiez". He also seems to enjoy slow-roll BPM's which is fine with me!

MENACE CLAN - WHAT YOU SAYIN' (dope fuckin track!)


SCARFACE - MY HOMIEZ


Before we go any further, a perfect example of how they work together is adding Brad's slow gangsta funk wit Mike Dean's fascination for hi-figh sounds in Facemobs "Stay True".

FACEMOB - STAY TRUE


Bido has a dope production style. And he has had a lot of time and experience to perfect it, since he is definitely the first of the group to really put in work for Rap-A-Lot, through "Grip It! On That Other Level" back in '89. All those dirty vinyl drum loops and soul samples are brought to life through quite a few of his beats. Scarface's "Street Life" from the South Central soundtrack and Too Much Troubles "Family" show off this resurrecting style.

Geto Boys - Stret Life


Too Much Troubles "Family"




N.O. Joe

N.O. Joe brings more synth sounds, but always with real minimalistic results and his "gumbo funk" as he calls it. A non Rap-A-Lot track that really highlights his production is AZ's "Doe or Die", where only during the chorus are there more synthetic g-strings. Scarface's "Friday Night" from the Friday soundtrack showcases the same style.

AZ - DOE OR DIE


SCARFACE - FRIDAY NIGHT


They have recycled a few of their own beats for different albums. Maybe they really liked their own tunes? These two have the same piano loops.

Willie D - Die
Bushwick Bill - Ever So Clear

Willie D - Die


Bushwick Bill - Ever So Clear




And with these two, well, it certainly sounds like a "pt.1 and pt.2" situation.

Geto Boys - Straight Gangsterism
Big Mike - On Da Real

Geto Boys - Straight Gangsterism


Big Mike - On Da Real


Those four mentioned are the main musical producers, and I have a feeling that even though we see "James Smith" on production credits, he was probably more of the Executive Producer than the musical kind. James, or Prince J, is the business man/mind behind the whole Rap-A-Lot empire, so it doesn't surprise me much to see him dipping his hand in the production credits.

Now, mind you that I have only picked the songs that best describe each producers style, but one day I would like to make a Best of Rap-A-Lot, but until then, once again I gotta redirect you to Echo's recent post "Vintage Rap-A-Lot"


-- cenzi stiles

Vintage Rap-A-Lot (1988-1996)

Chances are, if you read this site (or listen to rap music at all) you know about Rap-A-Lot Records. Legendary in the southern hip hop scene, RAL is one of my favorite labels and a sure-shot candidate for "greatest independent ever to do it." Admittedly, they have enjoyed major-label distribution over the past decade and a half or so, but J. Prince and company rarely have rarely made commercial concessions and have never, ever sold out on their fan base. Not only have they remained staunchly underground for over twenty damn years, they've brought us talents such as the Geto Boys (Scarface, Willie D, Bushwick Bill and/or Big Mike), the Convicts, Devin the Dude, and Z-Ro.

Most people know the names above either because of their popularity or their overall impact on rap music (re: 'Face), but RAL was also home to a gang of damn-near unknown and criminally underrated rappers that released albums through the label. What you know about Mad CJ Mac? Poppa LQ? Blac Monks? What about Menace Clan, or Seagram? These dudes smashed records that people north of the Mason-Dixon line rarely got a chance to hear...or maybe they just ignored them. Because of both limited release and (unfortunately) limited interest, many of Rap-A-Lot's best offerings are now out of print. Most of these albums can still be found with ease on sites like Amazon or eBay, but expect to drop some serious coin. Last time I checked, Willie D's solo debut was still pushing three figures.



Thus, in the interest of bringing some shine to these oft-ignored released, I present to you a compilation of hand-picked Rap-A-Lot tracks spanning from 1988 to 1996. Those years are generally revered as the RAL Golden Age, during which most of the label's classic records were released. I tried not to include any super obvious material like "Straight Gangstaism," "Mind Playin' Tricks On Me," or anything from "The Diary." If I included some obvious stuff (and I did), well then that's because the obvious is so damn good, and I'm really only skimming the surface here anyway. I'm not trying to impress anybody with some esoteric b-side mixdown of a forgotten Choice single here. In fact, I'm not really sure who would be impressed by that in the first place. But I digress.


Simply put, these are 15 of my personal throwed-ass favorites. Nothing more, nothing less. I guarantee you will like at least one of these tracks. Hopefully you will like more.



Enjoy.

Echo Leader's Vintage Rap-A-Lot Mix (1988-1996)

1. Geto Boys - "Read These Nikes"
2. Willie D - "Bald Headed Hoes"
3. Ganksta NIP - "Psycho"
4. The Convicts - "1-900-Dial-A-Crook (featuring Geto Boys)"
5. Scarface - "A Minute To Pray & A Second To Die"
6. Seagram - "The Dark Roads"
7. Menace Clan - "Da Bullet"
8. Too Much Trouble - "Invasion Of The Purse Snatchers"
9. 5th Ward Boyz - "Swing Wide (featuring UGK)"
10. Big Mike - "Havin' Thangs"
11. 3-2 - "Coming Down"
12. Poppa LQ - "Why Hate Me?"
13. Odd Squad - "Fa' Sho"
14. Mad CJ Mac - "Powda Puff"
15. The Terrorists - "Make A Life Out Of Living"


Mediafire

-Echo Leader

95 South

You didn't think we had an east coast bias did you? Fuck that we're about to drop two dope mixes with some of the most obscure Southern hip-hop you'll ever find. Philaflava's most entertaining poster cooked up some shit for ya'll. The man they call Galvatron78 aka Shortphuze aka Splack Morris is the genius behind the mixes.

Low On The Map - Mixtape

1. Straight Gangsterism - Geto Boys (Big Mike and 3-2) (1995 - N.O. & Houston)
2. Unsolved mystery - 8-Ball, Tela and South Circle (1996 Houston & Memphis)
3. The Ripdown - Madd Blunted (1995 Miami)
4. Poisonous freestyle - Poison Clan (1990 Miami)
5. Movin' Along - Poison Clan (1996 Miami)
6. Give It Up Fucknigga - Balli and Fat Daddy (1992 Miami)
7. I Don't Worry - Dawgzillaz (1994 Palm Beach County, FL)
8. Let The Good Times Roll - PNC (1995 New Orleans)

* THE LAST POISON CLAN SONG EVER WITH PC BEING DEBONAIRE AND JT MONEY

Download: http://www.sendspace.com/file/js7znp

Loose Cuts From The Bottom - Compilation

1. Check It Out ya'll - 2 Live Crew 1986
2. Freeze - Success N Effect 1989
3. We're Goin Off - Clay D and The Get Funky Crew 1990
4. 15th Ave (tribute to Home Team) - Uncle Al 1994
5. 9MM Goes...- Lord Infamous and Juicy J 1993
6. I Can't Be Your Man - T.I. 2000
7. Snowin'In Miami - Trick Daddy feat. Jamal of the Def Squad 1995
8. Bullet With Your Name On It - T-Rock 1997
9. Dead or Alive - Iceman Ja 1985
10. Georgia (Mc Shy D diss) - Kilo 1989
11. Seminole County - DMP 1996
12. The Vampire - J-Rocc and Terror 1995
13. Ana' Ho - Playa Fly ft. Snubnoze

Download: http://www.sendspace.com/file/ahd3ub

--Philaflava