Every One Leg Up Record

Last month we laced you with the Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth "Basement Demos" EP prior to it dropping. In fact, we've pretty much done that with all their releases. Big shout-out to One Leg Up, but here in the U.S. we're living in what you might call a recession so dropping $80 on a piece of wax doesn't rank high on the priority list.

So for those who didn't get a chance to cop or download, now you can get them all-in-one!

Shouts to kotep puttin' in the work. --Philaflava

Download Here

OLU-001 Herb McGruff The Demo EP
OLU-002 Cenobites, The Demented Thoughts EP
OLU-003 Lord Digga The High Plains Drifter EP
OLU-004 DJ Mike Smooth Presents Shorty Long The South Boogie EP
OLU-005 Beatnuts, The Intoxicated Demos
OLU-006 Pete Rock And C.L. Smooth Basement Demos EP
OLU-LTD1 Godfather Don The Ill Funk Freaker EP

And attention struggling rappers. If you have some DATs tucked away that you'd like to release , hit up the guys at One Leg Up and get you some of that Euro money! We might bootleg in the U.S., but we do it with love. Surely you don't think the homies in Corona Queens are shelling out $100 on that Beatnuts record, do you? Well neither can we....

That is NOT Richard Pryor

Best Of VLS (Vol.5): "Clouds Of Smoke - 4/20"

Once again, you can find Volumes 1 and 3 of this series here on the blog. But Volumes 2, 4 and maybe a few future drops will be exclusive to the Skypager mailing list. You can sign up by clicking here or by typing your email underneath the Skypager to the right of the page. There's a few other things you might be interested in at the Skypager group, too. And you can also refer to the link above to the past volumes to see the list of VLS blogs that have been linked and scoured in the making of these compilations. I must give Crates Of AG another shout for posting that Ill Distracxion track that I had been looking for.

Okay, so I never really got into the 420 thing myself, but I know there are heads out there that might not mind a little 'get high' compilation. I figured I would meld some known weed cuts with some of the obscure tracks from them VLS blogs out there and the finished product is pretty heavy. The instrumental supplemental only contains beats for half of the songs on the compilation this time around. Sorry about that but I couldn't find the rest.

Clouds Of Smoke:

01. Top Quality - Magnum Opus

02. Nice N Smooth - How Many Blunts (Vin Roc Mix)

03. Boodah An Da Bandit - Brain On Drugz

04. Lord Digga - High Like A Bird

05. Call O Da Wild - Clouds Of Smoke

06. Mike Zoot - Live and Stink

07. 50 Grand - Max Mode

08. Chief Kamachi, Rahsheed, Rich Medina - J. Edgar Hoover

09. Ill Distracxion - Calm Wit Da Trom

10. Supernatural - Buddah Blessed It

11. Rubbabandz - Purple Rain

12. HDM - Real MC's

13. Izm Da Mad Soul - Who Lit Dat

14. Finsta Bundy - Feel The High

15. PHD - Kick That Shit And Get High (ft.KL[RIP])

16. Channel Live - Mad Izm (Buckwild 95 Remix)

17. Royal Flush, Channel Live, Mic Geronimo - Smoke Session

18. Diamond D - Never (ft. Sadat X & K. Terribul)

Previews:

Download Compilation Here

Download Instrumental Supplemental Here

Back-Up Compilation Link Here

Don't sleep on the links. There's some bonus downloads, videos[besides the 2 above], information, and overlooked posts. Enjoy.

--Verge

Editor's Note: Certain installments of the "The Best Of VLS" series were only made available to members of our Skypager Google Group/ Mailing List, so sign up here or at the pager in the sidebar.

Who Flipped It Better? Company Flow, Parallax, Lord Digga?

Yes, I know these aren't the only tracks to sample this Bob James cut, but they are the focus of the day. The first time I heard this used was on one of my favorite obscure 12 inches, Parallax "Bleeding Hate". It felt like such a perfect, vibe out, meaningful beat. Then, I heard theCompany Flow usage for "Juvenile Techniques", which I thought was incredible at the time. I really dig the whistling sample in Co Flow's version and the overall vibe to it.

Anyway, fast forward to around 2002. So, I'm visiting my father in some godforsaken town in Wisconsin and I'm bored to death. I brought my MPC, but obviously couldn't bring crates of vinyl with me. What I did manage to lug along was a bunch of CDs. One of them was Bob James Two, which contains the original song sampled for these cuts. So, I figured why not do my own rendition of this sample. I liked the way two separate bass pieces sounded , so I let them play at the same time and I think it came off nice. Check it out with the rest below, labelled Verge - Parallaxin'. Feel free to leave your thoughts on this in the comments section.

Fast forward to 2008. I join the T.R.O.Y. forum and soon learn that this song has been sampled to death. Other than myself, Company Flow, and Parallax sampling this, we also have:

Shyheim & Gp Wu used the bass line to great effect for Let's Go To Lap. I think I hear a little bit of  "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" on there, too. 

Almighty Arrogant used the sample for Arrogant SOB. This is from an unreleased demo tape excavated by Kev Beacham. Very, very ill shit right here. It sounds like they used a piece from the same part that Parallax used, except with an extra sample in there.

Miilkbone's track, Mind Gamez',  uses one of the sections that I used. Not a bad working at all.

Lord Digga has one of my favorite flips of this sample on Take The Cake. This was off the unreleased High Plains Drifter EP that finally saw the light of day thanks to One Leg Up Records[only 200 copies were pressed]. Peep their pretty thorough interview with the Diggaman here.

Kaotic Sypher used it for Tight Situation, off of his first album One Million Strong. I don't know much about this cat or his crew, but you can check his discog here. Dope rhymes over tight production is all I can really say.

Previews: 

Bob James - I Feel A Song (In My Heart)

Parallax - Bleeding Hate

Company Flow - Juvenile Techniques

Shyheim & Gp Wu - Let's Go To Lap

Almighty Arrogant - Arrogant SOB

Miilkbone - Mindgamez

Lord Digga - Take The Cake

Kaotic Sypher - Tight Situation

Verge - Parallaxin'

Download this whole collection here.

I'm still torn between Parallax, Lord Digga, and Company Flow. Let us know who you think did best flipping the sample in the comments. This doesn't mean it has to be your favorite song out of the bunch, just the best beat.

--Verge

T.R.O.Y. Guest Blogger w/9th Wonder

Top 10 Remixes I Wish I Woulda Did
by 9th Wonder

10. Ras Kass - Soul On Ice (Diamond D Remix)
Diamond changed the whole scope of the jam. He made it fierce.

9. Das Efx - Jussamen (Pete Rock Remix)
Man you talkin about making Das Efx sound soulful and sweet...Pete did it.

8. Fat Joe - Shit Is Real (Premier Remix)
Lord..Primo brings the winter calm with this one. Like the cold streets...

7. Ol' Dirty Bastard - Brooklyn Zoo (Lord Digga Remix)
Boy..now this remix is a jam that totally changed the spectrum of the song. It went from LOUD to sinister. Like chaotic to simple but still cold.

6. Das Efx - Real Hip Hop (Pete Rock Remix)
Pete said he did this remix in 15 minutes right before he had to go somewhere. WTF? Amazing.

5. Black Moon - Buck 'Em Down (Evil Dee Remix)
I listen to this remix everytime I get on and off a plane.Buckshot says "welcome to flight Black Moon." Yes!

4. Notorious B.I.G. - One More Chance (Tumblin' Dice Remix)
Arguably the best Party song EVER. Hip hop at his height and happiness. Best video. Everything!

3. Nas - It Aint Hard to Tell (Large Pro Remix)
NA-NA-NA-NAS. The way he used the biz sample, lord.

2. Black Moon - I Gotcha Opin (Evil Dee Remix)
The sexiest street remix ever. U can make love to the instrumental if u wanted to, hell it's Barry White. The video with the hockey jerseys..Buck rockin' a Penguin. He flows on this...

Drum roll...

1. Public Enemy - Shut 'Em Down (Pete Rock Remix)
All day, all night, all year. THIS IS THE GREATEST REMIX EVER.

Honorable mentions:
A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario (ATCQ Remix)
Puff Daddy - Been Around The World (Remix)
Group Home - Supa Star (Demo Version) *
Group Home - Up Against The Wall (Getaway Car Remix)*
D&D All-Stars - 1, 2 Pass It (Remix)*
Junior Mafia - Player Anthem (Remix)

*produced by DJ Premier

Check me out at www.Myspace.com/9thwondermusic and http://www.trueschoolcorp.com/.

--9th Wonder

Echo Mixtapes Volumes 1 and 6

As promised,we now bring you volumes 1 and 6 of the renowned Echo Lyricist Lounge Mix Tapes. If you haven't checked any of this series out yet,you really should. There are mad rare cuts from known as well as unknown artists.
Download Volume 1 here

Download Volume 6 here

And again,thanks to DULLAH and CharlieManson(cms) at Phila for digging these up and sharing them with us all --Verge

The Diggaman

Biography of Digga

Ask most hip-hop fans who their favorite rapper is and they'll probably answer with an emphatic "Biggie!" Have them list their Top Ten All-Time Favorite Hip-Hop albums and bet you Ready To Die will be included somewhere in it. Then finally ask them to list their five favorite songs from that album. Guaranteed that three of their favorite five will be "One More Chance," "Me And My Bitch" and "Everyday Struggle." That would mean the producer behind the historical tracks of those classic songs has helped the Notorious B.I.G become, arguably, the Greatest Rapper of All-Time. No we're not talking about Puffy here (check the credits). We're talking about none other than MC/producer Digga (formerly known as Lord Digga).

For you true hip-hop heads, you might remember the name from Masta Ace's INC crew back in the early '90's. Anyone who even remotely followed Ace's career recalls his joints "Jeep Ass Niguh", "Who Ya Jackin" and "Drunken Style." Digga produced them all. But when Digga started noticing that the INC wasn't so incorporated, he decided to get gone. "It seemed like Ace was out for himself and trying to limit my potential. So I had to get out on my own and show the world what I was made of" states Digga. "It's sort of like how the Raptors held back Tracy McGrady, when he really had enough skills to be the best player in the league."

So Digga bounced and started doing things his way. Talk about your way being the right way. A year after his departure, Digga wound up being mentioned in Source magazine's Unsigned Hype section for his production and found he and his production partner's beat tape in the hands of an un-signed Biggie via Unsigned Hype editor Matt Life.

But despite producing tracks for faded artists like The Cella Dwellas ("Land Of The Lost" and "Realm 3") as well as household hip-hop names like ODB ("Brooklyn Zoo Remix"), Digga is more than a superb track chef with a keen engineer's ear, he's also the one of the fiercest you'll find in a vocal booth. There's none other who can mix witty intelligence, sharp humor and true hardcore so well and then serve it with a disciplined delivery and bully baritone. This is what had the West and East Coast underground in love with Digga back in '98 when he dropped "My Flows Is Tight." He beautifully used a sample from the theme music of the renown TV show "The Price Is Right" and an irresistible hook to distract listeners as they got hit upside their heads with raps as hard as granite. It was Digga at his best on all levels.

Digga Production Volume 1
1. Cella Dwellas - Land Of The Lost (Radio Edit)
2. Cella Dwellas - Realm 3
3. Dredknotz - Causin' Menace (Remix)
4. Lord Digga - Brand Nu Day
5. Lord Digga - Enemy Lines
6. Lord Digga - My Flows Is Tight
7. Lord Digga - Watch Ya Back
8. Lord Digga - Word Play
9. Man Digga - Man Digga Comin' Through
10. Masta Ace - Ain't You Da Masta
11. Masta Ace - Crazy Drunken Style
12. Masta Ace - Freestyle
13. Masta Ace - Jeep Ass Niguh
14. Masta Ace - Saturday Night Live (Horny Mix)
15. Masta Ace - Style Wars
16. Masta Ace - Turn It Up
17. Masta Ace - What's Going On
18. Masta Ace - Who U Jackin'
19. Notorious BIG - Everyday Struggle
20. ODB - Brooklyn Zoo (Dirty Remix)
http://www.mediafire.com/?kt55qwytw20

Digga Production Volume 2
1. Cella Dwellas - Land Of The Lost (Instrumental)
2. Lord Digga - My Flows Is Tight (Instrumental)
3. Man Digga - Man Digga Comin' Through (Instrumental)
4. Masta Ace - Freestyle (Dub)
5. Masta Ace - Turn It Up (Dub)
6. Masta Ace - What's Going On (Dub)
7. Mystidious Misfits - I Be Remix (Instrumental)
8. Mystidious Misfits - Upside Down Remix (Instrumental)
9. ODB - Brooklyn Zoo Remix (Instrumental)
http://www.mediafire.com/?m0zjij3yycy

For more info about Digga check him out on Myspace.

Props to Lyrical Gymnastics, Verge and Roy Johnson.

--Philaflava