Up North Trips

Somebody from the site just put me on to Up North Trips. I'm telling you that you could easily spend hours just checking out their archive.

Wait are you waiting for? Up North Trips

Sounds Like The 90s Vol. 13 (2010)

Nope, you're reading the title right. If I'm being completely honest here, the real reason for the delay was I was just waiting on some good music in 2010. Being that most of the tracks I select for compilations are current I didn't just want to throw something together and label it SLT9s.

For the past two years I've taken ample time in creating this series. In selecting the right tracks, to sequencing them, to finding the best quality mp3s available. I still don't know if there has been an abundance of dope music in '10, but there is there plenty of time left. We're always open to suggestions so continue to leave comments or shoot us an email with the goodness.

Peace to my T.R.O.Y. fam for helping me gather some of these joints. Special shouts go to to Strategy, Blake Reznik, Meyhem Lauren, Ide, Skavenger,Verge, Open Mike Eagle and Dirt Dog for the ill cover. Enjoy Volume 13 and stay tuned for plenty more to come in 2010. --Philaflava

T.R.O.Y. Presents - Sounds Like The 90s Vol. 13

1. Freeway & Jake One – Throw Your Hands Up
2. Black Thought – Contract On The World feat. Dice Raw & Porn
3. The LOX – Slow Down (You’re Killin’ Em)
4. Smiley The Ghetto Child – I’m Legend (prod. DJ Premier)
5. Freddie Gibbs – The Ghetto
6. U.G. – Beat Yo Ass
7. Big Noyd – New York Lights
8. Meyhem Lauren – 7000 Thoughts
9. Roc Marciano - Snow
10. Mobb Deep – Whole Lotta Thug (prod. Alchemist)
11. Sadat X – Turn It Up feat. Pete Rock
12. Consequence – Let U Live feat. Pharoahe Monch
13. Ski Beatz – Prowler 2 ft. Jean Grae, Jay Electronica, Joell Ortiz & Mos Def
14. Wu-Massacre - Dangerous
15. U.G. – My Soldiers feat. Steele & Casual
16. Open Mike Eagle – Unapologetic feat. Nocando
17. Planet Asia & Goldchain Military – Organic Food (prod. Large Professor)
18. Tanya Morgan - Cheesesteak
19. Meyhem Lauren – Treat Her Like A Prostitute feat. Thristin Howl III
20. Brotha Lynch Hung - Meat

Download
Download #2

Related:
(Download) Sounds Like The 90s Volumes 1-12

DJ Stretch Armstrong “Volume Four” Mixtape (1996)

As I continue on through the box of tapes that I located in my basement, here is a semi mysterious DJ Stretch Armstrong "Volume Four" tape. I could find zero info on this one, so I turned to (the mixtape master of the Philaflava forum) Andyman187 for some help. He determined that this tape is a recording from a Stretch & Bobbito show on Hot97 that aired Sundays from 12pm-2pm sometime in 1996. Andyman187 was also kind enough to study the audio and put together a tracklist for me. If anyone out there can help by filling in the blanks or correcting any mistakes, please leave a comment. And the .rar files contain all the scans plus the full j-card.

Side A
01 KRS-One & Lord Finesse - SP-1200 Freestyle
02 Jay-Z - I Shot Ya (Remix) Freestyle
03 Busta Rhymes - Freestyle
04 Capone-N-Noreaga - Freestyle
05 Beatnuts - Find That
06 Bahamadia - Three The Hard Way
07 Pete Rock & The Large Professor - The Rap World
08 Capone-N-Noreaga - Illegal Life
09 Artifacts - Art Of Facts
10 M.O.P. - World Famous
11 McGruff feat. LOX - Reppin Uptown
12 Sun Dullah (aka King Sun) feat. Doo Wop - NY Love (2Pac Diss)

Side B
01 Heltah Skeltah - Intro (Here We Come)
02 Heltah Skeltah - Freestyle
03 Heltah Skeltah - Sean Price (Exclusive)
04 Heltah Skeltah - Soldiers Gone Psycho
05 Akinyele feat. CJ Moore - Freaky
06 Mobb Deep - Street Life
07 Shadez Of Brooklyn - Change
08 De La Soul - Itzsoeezze
09 Shabaam Shadeeq - Freestyle
10 Shabaam Shadeeq - On A Mission
11 Stretch & Bobbito - Shout Outs

DOWNLOAD SIDE A

DOWNLOAD SIDE B

enjoy,
--dirt_dog

Frankenstein “Live From New York (The Remixx Album)” (1996)

One of my favorite pieces from my vinyl collection. I picked this up back in 1996 just for Method Man's "P.L.O. Style" remix and I was pleasantly surprised with all the other tracks. In the last few years I've tracked down audio for just about everything that Frankenstein has ever done. I sure wish he'd come out from wherever he's hiding (a teacher in Canada?) and bless us with some new material.

DOWNLOAD

enjoy,
--dirt_dog

Step One “Illegal Remixes Vol. 2” (2010)

The first volume of Illegal Remixes assembled by Step One proved quite popular, so here’s another batch of unofficial remixes for you.

There’s a good variety of flavours on this one, ranging from straight-up Hip Hop on the Meth, Xzibit and Mobb Deep tracks, to the reggae re-rubs of the Jungle Brothers and Fugees joints. The West Coast is represented on the ‘West Up!’ remix and the ATL gets a look in with 2 Outkast joints. As with the first set, some of these are ripped from vinyl, others have been posted on blogs and forums. I’ve credited the creators where possible so click the links and show them some love if you like what you hear.


01 A Tribe Called Quest-Stressed Out (Richy Pitch Remix)
Remix by Richy Pitch.

02 B.I.G.-Party and Bullshit (Cosmo Baker Remix)
Remix by Cosmo Baker (one-third of The Rub).

03 Blackalicious-Passion (Strictly4TheLuvOfThaArt Mix)
Remixed by DJ Funkyone aka Funkdoc. Germanys Finest!

04 Fugees-Ready Or Not (Dancehall Remix)
Remixer unknown.

05 Jungle Brothers-Jungle Brother (Drumsong Remix)
From the excellent Upstate Remix series, available at Juno.

06 Method Man feat. Busta Rhymes-What’s Happenin (Showoff Remix)
Remix by Statik Selektah.

07 Mobb Deep-GOD Pt. III (Ron G Remix)
Remix by the Legendary Ron G.

08 Nas-Made You Look (Apache Remix)
Remixed by Gringo Starr for the Nation of 5’6. Nice interview with No Identity Records that happened right about the time the vinyl dropped for this remix.

09 Outkast-Ms. Jackson (Party Flavors Remix)
Remix by Technical & True Blue for Dollar Bill Records.

10 Outkast-Spottieottiedopaliscious (Carl Mo Remix)
Remixed by Carl Mo, courtesy of BLVDST.

11 The Pharcyde-Nuttin' Like (Scientist Remix)
Remix by DJ Scientist.

12 WC Mack 10 & Ice Cube-West Up! (Soul Focus Re-Fix)
Remix by Soul Focus DJs.

13 Xzibit-Paparazzi (White Label Remix)
Remixer unknown.

D O W N L O A D

enjoy,
--dirt_dog

Mark 563's Hip Hop Portrait Sketches: East Coast

Mark 563 is a DJ, a graphic designer, he is also into amateur photography, but he also dabble into illustrations.

He is also a proud owner of one of the greatest vinyl collection i have ever seen.
Stay tunned after this one, cause soon after we will show you some more of his great work.
Enjoy and pleas leave the feedback, thanks.

** Click on the image to see it in a bigger resolution.













-- Markshot

Raekwon The Chef “Latest & Greatest Hits [Promo Cassette]” (1995)

I had mentioned in the forum a few days ago that I stumbled across a box of old tapes in my basement. Some mixtapes, some promo samplers, some custom tapes from the days of trading. After posting a short list, it looks like the people have spoken and they want to hear just about all of them. So first up is Raekwon's 1995 promo cassette sampler for the upcoming release of "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx." Nothing mind blowing here, but an exclusive freestyle and (at the time) an advance opportunity to hear a couple album cuts. NOTE: all scans are included in the .rar file as well as a full scan of the sleeve.

DOWNLOAD

enjoy,
--dirt_dog

J-Love “Nas' Finest” (Cassette)

CLASS-SICK!

This tape is one of those gems that never gets old (even with some J-Love drops on it). When I first got my hand on a copy of this tape, it really opened up my eyes to the possibility that a lot of artists had material that never made it on albums. And at the time, J-Love seemed to be the one with all the connections as every one of his tapes were covered in exclusives, remixes and unreleased tracks. See scans for track lists and the download contains a full scan of the j-card.
DOWNLOAD

Shouts to Ricky D for sending me a shoe box full of mixtapes many years ago. I'm finally getting around to ripping them.

enjoy,
--dirt_dog

Step One “Illegal Remixes Vol. 1” (2010)

It appears that good things can happen when the UK gets blasted with the heaviest snow in 100 years. With the country coming to a complete halt, forum regular Step One had time to put together this sweet compilation of bootleg remixes and blends. Show some appreciation by leaving a comment (or a link to another remix) and he might bless us with volume 2.

Step One says "A staple of any nineties Hip Hop DJ’s collection is the shady white label remix. Information on whoever was putting these out was usually pretty thin on the ground for obvious reasons but they often held some real gems. Having rediscovered some of these recently I’ve put together a collection of some of those unofficial remixes as well as a few that I’ve found on the blogs and forums over the last few years."

01 2Pac-Old School (B.Cause Remix)
http://diamondsinthedust.blogspot.com/
Usually the non-Pac fans favourite Pac track. B Cause throws some familiar samples under Pac’s reminiscing of 80s NY and gives it a nice funky vibe.

02 Big Daddy Kane-Set It Off (Daily Diggers Remix)
http://www.dailydiggers.com/
Some of you might recognise this from DJ Mike Nice’s ‘Brooklyn Bullshit’ mixtape. The UK’s Daily Diggers flip the Cold Chillin classic.

03 Big Pun & Fat Joe-Twinz (Brooklyn Untouched Remix)
This remix discards the original ‘Deep Cover’ beat and replaces it with another Dre & Snoop collabo, ‘The Next Episode’. Always goes down well in a club set.

04 Common-I Used To Love Her (Sir Charles Flavour Remix)
http://www.myspace.com/djsircharles
Common gets a G-Funk makeover as his vocals are dropped over Warren G’s ‘Nobody Does It Better’.

05 D&D All-Stars-1,2 Pass It (Bootleg Remix)
A DJ Fashion remix? All signs point to yes.

06 Erick Sermon-Bomdigi (Street Jam Bootleg Remix)
The beat from En Vogue’s ‘Hold On’ gives this E Double solo joint some extra bump.

07 Fat Joe & Doo Wop-Boriquas On The Set (DJ Dough & Porge One Remix)
http://www.myspace.com/djdoughhiphop
The UK’s Dough & Porge One always had some special remixes on their CDs. This one is taken from their ‘Heads Aint Ready’ mix which is well worth seeking out.

08 Method Man & Redman-How High (Bootleg Remix)
The acapella of this track was definitely a favourite amongst producers, probably due to the amount of quotable lines from Red & Meth at their peak. This version uses the ‘Human Nature’ melody over EPMD's ‘You’re A Customer’ beat.

09 Mobb Deep-Hell On Earth (Paul Miles Remix)
Another UK remix, this time by Birmingham DJ Paul Miles (aka Pat Bateman).

10 Nas-It Aint Hard To Tell (DJ Day Remix)
http://likeathrottle.blogspot.com/ (this also came out on vinyl)
This track has been remixed to death but this has to be the best of the unofficial ones. Quality production from DJ Day out of California.

11 The Pharcyde-Passin Me By (WAR! [What-A-Remix])
A Jazzy Jim remix.

12 Tim Dog & KRS-One-I Get Wrecked (Gamm/Samoo Remix)
http://diamondsinthedust.blogspot.com/
I don't have any info on this one but I’m pretty sure I copped it at B.Cause’s blog.

13 Uptown-Dope On Plastic (B.Cause Why Zee Refix)
http://diamondsinthedust.blogspot.com/
Uptown meets YZ.

DOWNLOAD

enjoy,
--dirt_dog

Who Flipped It Better? "The Rub"

George and Gwen put out "The Rub" back in 1975, on the album "Together". It still sounds perfectly fresh today! Listen as the funk makes you bop your head...

George and Gwen Mc Crae - THE RUB


How many producers out there have heard this and thought, "shit, I shoulda flipped it".

Well, it's well known that no one owns no loops, so, go ahead and compete with the best:

MOBB DEEP-CAME UP



BRAND NUBIAN - THE RETURN



METHOD MAN AND REDMAN - SERIAL KILLER



THE COUP - FAT CATS AND BIGGA FISH:





-cenzi stiles

dirt_dog Remix Pack 2

Welcome to another installment of the dirt_dog Remix Pack. This time around we have a couple original versions and 3 more of my favorite remixes pulled from my own personal collection of cd singles (retail, US, UK and promo only versions). And as a former Wu fanatic, I've always enjoyed the extra verse from Meth on the "Home Grown Version." If you missed Remix Pack 1, go HERE.

Remix Pack 2

01 Wu-Tang Clan-Method Man (Home Grown Version)

02 Stetsasonic-Talkin' All That Jazz (Dominoes Vocal)

03 Outkast-Elevators (Me & You) (Crazy "C" Trunk Rattlin' Edit)

04 Black Sheep-Strobelite Honey (Street Mix)

05 Mobb Deep-Shook Ones Part I (Original Version)

DOWNLOAD

enjoy,

--dirt_dog

Danger Mouse - DM Mix (98-01)

Before Gnarls Barkley, Danger Doom, The Grey Album, & bringing back Jemini The Gifted One, Danger Mouse was putting out his own hip-hop mixtapes which always included a handful of his early mash-ups or should I say blends. He released four promo mixtapes from 1998 to 2000. I hooked up all his remixes together into one folder full of Danger Mouse Remixes*. They were all well done. A blend that I really enjoy is Inspectah Deck's "Rec Room" vocals over Demastas "Feel No Guilt" instrumental. While a lot of the instrumentals used for the remixes were known to my ears, my three favorites which I included below didn't ring a bell. I think they were probably his own beats. All of you should enjoy these remixes, peep the samples below to give you a nice idea of the concept. Enjoy,

Download

Samples:

-- Thomas V

*One of the remix I included is from 2001 (wasn't on his promo mixtapes)

The Smooth Criminal On Beat Breaks

R.I.P. Michael Jackson - The King Of Pop (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Regardless of what a lot of us might think of his personal life, his influence and dominance in the pop music culture cannot be disputed. Tell me if you're over 30, or even younger, that you didn't run around your house wearing one glove at some point. Or that you didn't have or really want one of those leather joints with all the zippers. Michael Jackson was God to some people. You seen the video clips on the news of when he tours over seas. Craziness.

But this isn't about Michael Jackson, the man. This is about his music. This is about the music he made that directly influenced our own hip hop culture. I threw this together to represent different eras of this man's legacy. Of course, you'll notice many things that are missing but you'll also notice some you never knew. As usual, we put it down in the good old T.R.O.Y. fashion.

Note: On Major Stress - "A Day In Da Stuy", they did not sample that MJ song but the hook was obviously influenced by "I Want To Be Where You Are". And if you don't hear the sample on the Chino XL cut, it's only a small piece of singing that was used.

01. Michael Jackson - With A Childs Heart

02. Big Pun -You Aint A Killer

03. Michael Jackson - People Make The World Go Round

04. Mobb Deep - Apostle`s Warning

05. Last Emperor - Keep On (demo)

06. Michael Jackson - I Can't Help It

07. De La Soul - Breakadawn

08. Michael Jackson - Human Nature

09. Nas - Nas Will Prevail (aint hard to tell demo)

10. Jackson 5 - Maybe Tomorrow

11. Ghostface Killah - All That I Got Is You (remix)

12. Chino XL - What Am I

13. Jackson 5 - Walk On By, I Want To Be Where You Are

14. Public Enemy - By The Time I Get To Arizona

15. Major Stress - A Day In Da Stuy

16. Michael Jackson - The Lady In My Life

17. LL Cool J - Hey Lover

18. Camp Lo - Coolie High (Paradise Remix)

Previews:

Download Here.

Backup Link Here.

--Verge

Stretch n Bobbito Treats: Shook Ones Pt.1 (Beatnuts Remix) + EPMD - Rampage Demo

"Someone offered me $500 for the acetate of the Beatnuts' remix of Mobb Deep 'Shook Ones Part 1'." - Stretch Armstrong

The above is quoted from this interview with Stretch Armstrong by DJ Eli over at the TurntableLab's blog. Check the interview here.

I had this on a cassette dubbed from the infamous Stretch and Bobbito show back in 94 and didn't realize it was a Beatnuts remix. I always figured it was a Stretch homemade remix or an acapella blended over a rare instrumental. Well, needless to say, I lost that tape probably within a month of taping it off the radio and recently is the first time I heard it since. Now, I'm not really a religious guy in any way at all. But I always thought that if there was a heaven, all my lost Stretch and Bob tapes would be there along with everything else I ever lost. Like all my WBAI, WNYU, Red Alert, Hank Love and Halfpint, and Awesome Two tapes. Plus all the shows I didn't have on tape. Not to mention every rare piece of vinyl ever pressed in the world. In this heaven, I would have unlimited copies of everything and my celestial neighbors would envy my godly collection. But in order for them to get a copy of anything[which I have unlimited amounts of anyway] they would have to offer me up 3 virgins of different ethnicities for me to have my way with. If heaven is anything like that at all, may the good lord strike me down before I finish this post.

Oh well. Time to stop dreaming and move it on along. Here's another excerpt from that Stretch interview:

"Ha- well you did manage to get me to give you the EPMD/LL Cool J "Rampage" demo. How ill is that? We used to play that on the air like it was no thing. For those of you that don't know it, the beat is different, and you hear the 2" stop, LL tell the engineer to take it back to the top, and then he spits rhymes that never made the album. It's a demo, but it's also a snapshot of the recording, hearing LL talk and experiment a little."

Yeah, I had this one on tape, too. I'm not sure if the one we have for you here is the entire version of that demo. But, hey, it's 3 minutes of some ill hip hop history. LL destroys it, as he was hungry again at that time trying to get back in the limelight. You'll notice that PMD spits the famous, "While you were banging on tables, I was banging Snow White," backwards. Instead, he says,"While I was banging on tables, you were banging Snow White."

After I stop typing, enjoy both the Shook Ones Beatnuts remix and the partial Rampage demo. Thanks go out to jamo609 and serch4beatz, both of the Philaflava T.R.O.Y. forum. The amount of rare Stretch and Bobbito shows and hard to find mid 90's mixtapes that these guys have been uploading is abundant. Don't sleep, that's only one thread out of hundreds where these got unearthed. Last week officially marked my first year as being a part of the Philaflava message boards, and I can't stress enough how conducive to my hip hop life it has been.

If you're not down, do yourself a solid and join up. You won't regret it. Just make sure you go directly to the T.R.O.Y. forum.

Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt.1 (Beatnuts Remix)

http://www.divshare.com/download/7692939-269

EPMD, LL Cool J - Rampage (Demo)

http://www.divshare.com/download/7728179-f08

Thanks again go to jamo609 and serch4beatz.

--Verge

DJ Mister Cee “The Best Of Mobb Deep”

I wasn't even aware that this DJ Mister Cee mix even existed until the other day when fellow TROY blogger Thomas V made mention of it. So I tracked it down and purchased it. A whopping 38 tracks of classics, appearances, remixes and a slew of unreleased material (11 to be exact).

01 Mobb Deep-Peer Pressure

02 Mobb Deep-Cop Hell (Unreleased)

03 Mobb Deep-Hit It From The Back

04 Mobb Deep-Patty Shop (Unreleased) feat. Big Noyd

05 Mobb Deep-Shook Ones (Parts 1 & 2)

06 Mobb Deep-The Bridge (94 Unreleased) feat. Big Noyd

07 Mobb Deep-Survival Of The Fittest (Original & Remix) feat. Crystal Johnson

08 Mobb Deep-Give Up The Goods feat. Big Noyd

09 Mobb Deep-We About To Get Hectic (Unreleased) feat. Gambino

10 Mobb Deep-Temperatures Rising (Original & Remix) feat. Crystal Johnson

11 Mobb Deep-Eye For A Eye feat. Nas & Raekwon

12 Mobb Deep-Drink Away The Pain feat. Q-Tip

13 Mobb Deep-Q.U. (Unreleased)

14 Das EFX-Microphone Master (Remix) feat. Mobb Deep

15 Da Youngsta's-Bloodshed & War feat. Mobb Deep

16 Mobb Deep-Take It In Blood (Unreleased)

17 Mobb Deep-Still Shinin

18 Big Noyd-Recognize & Realize (Parts 1 & 2) feat. Mobb Deep

19 The Almighty RSO-War's On feat. Mobb Deep

20 Mobb Deep-Back At You

21 Mobb Deep-Street Life feat. L.E.S. & ACD

22 Mobb Deep-First Day Of Spring (Unreleased) feat. Tragedy

23 Tragedy-LA, LA (Original & Remix) feat. Capone-N-Noreaga & Mobb Deep

24 LL Cool J-I Shot Ya feat. Keith Murray, Prodigy, Fat Joe & Foxxy Brown

25 Big Noyd-Usual Suspect (Original & Remix) feat. Havoc

26 Nas-Live Nigga Rap feat. Mobb Deep

27 Mobb Deep-Drop A Gem On Em

28 Mobb Deep-Rep The Q.B.C. (Unreleased) feat. Godfathers Pt. III

29 Shaquille O'Neal-Legal Money feat. Mobb Deep

30 Mobb Deep-Hell On Earth

31 Mobb Deep-Everyday Gunplay (Unreleased)

32 Foxxy Brown-Da Promise feat. Havoc

33 Mobb Deep-Crime Connection (Unreleased) feat. Cormega

34 Mobb Deep-G.O.D. Pt. III

35 Mobb Deep-In The Long Run (Unreleased) feat. Ty Nitty

36 Xzibit-Eye's May Shine (Remix) feat. Mobb Deep

37 Mobb Deep-Extortion feat. Method Man

38 Mobb Deep-Nightime Vultures feat. Raekwon

Since this is a very recent purchase, I didn't make a new cover to match all the other ones (and I think those days are behind me). But I did take the time to scan it in and lay out all new type. Up next is the final installment in this series, a double disc set for “The Best Of Jay-Z.”

Download

enjoy,

--dirt_dog

DJ Premier “Planet Of The Beats Volume 1”

I got this LP years ago from hiphopsite.com. I can't quite remember the year, nor can I find any real information about it, so let's just say it was 2002. I placed my order, waited several weeks only to find out they had sold out and wouldn't be getting any more. They issued me a store credit and I moved on with my life. About 2 months later a mysterious package arrived on my door step, and now I share with you:

"DJ Premier presents Empire Management production. An original one of a kind release "Planet Of The Beats Volume 1". A reflection of classic hip hop instrumentals combined with movie dialogues from great movies. Featuring music from DJ Premier, Mobb Deep, A Tribe Called Quest, The Beatnuts, DJ Spinna, Show & AG & others. Recorded at D&D Studios N.Y.C., U.S.A."

A1 Count Down

A2 Lift Off

A3 On A Mission

B1 Up, Up Into The Sky

B2 High & Higher

B3 Into Space

B4 Stars In My Eyes

B5 Space Is Awesome

C1 All Alone In Space

C2 A New Dimension

C3 A New Time Zone

C4 Our Solar System

D1 Is This For The Love Or The Money

D2 Lets Get Busy

D3 The Journey Home

D4 Hold Tight

D5 Crash Landing

Download

enjoy,

-- dirt_dog

An Infamous Genealogy, Pt. 1

Main Source "Snake Eyes"

Main Source "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball"

A Tribe Called Quest "Midnight"

Mobb Deep "Peer Pressure" (Large Professor Remix)

Mobb Deep’s musical genealogy is a crucial guide to comprehending and appreciating their masterful sophomore LP, The Infamous. The album is one of hip hop’s bastard children: it is typically evaluated in isolation from its forbearers. Like so many so-called “gangsta” rappers, the group’s lyrics have been read as literal autobiographical exposés and unthinking advocacies of merciless criminal activity. Don’t believe the hype. In reducing Mobb's rhymes to caricaturish doggerel, while presuming dark soundscapes  to signify anger and nothing else, critics underestimate the duo's musical and poetic aptitude, and their willingness to incorporate influences from outside of their immediate frames of reference.

Havoc and Prodigy make extensive use of poetic stylization. Their take on reality is comprised of an unlikely yet compelling admixture of cartoonish violent escapism, detached reportage, bleak apocalyptic lamentation, and (occasionally) serene reflection. Their economical, blustery rhymes resound over menacing tracks. The notion that this style arose spontaneously from the oblivion of primitive rage is misguided. To disprove it, one must simply take note of the accelerated artistic growth that undoubtedly occurred in the years after the release of their forgettable debut, Juvenile Hell.

Mobb Deep grew into their sound, with help. The Infamous exceeds the sum of an exaggerated Queensbridge upbringing by virtue of its pedigree alone. The mentorship of Large Professor and Q-Tip (hailing from the far flung corners of the Q-borough in the respective sections of Flushing and Jamaica) gives rise to Mobb Deep's superior sophomore reincarnation. The family tree provides ample evidence. Q-Tip and Large Pro are bonded by their work on Illmatic, the debut album of Queensbridge rap prodigy, Nas. Prior to that, Large Pro contributed counsel and work behind the boards (acknowledged in shout-outs, liner notes, and interviews) to A Tribe Called Quest's third album, the nearly universally acclaimed Midnight Marauders. 

In fact, as a bonafide student-teacher who came up in the studio under the tutelage of the legendary Paul C. McKasty, Large Pro’s reputation as a mentor to up and coming Queens artists was already solidified by the time he added his touches to Marauders. It can be accurately stated that Large Pro mentored Q-Tip in the art of mentorship. A godfather of sorts to a second wave of Queens-based artists that were raised on Run DMC and the Juice Crew, Large Pro convened “Live At The BBQ,” the famous posse cut from Main Source’s debut Breaking Atoms that features the world premieres of Nas and Akinyele. 

Large Pro continued to nurture budding talent throughout the '90s, and in fact his involvement with Mobb Deep actually predates his work with A Tribe Called Quest. He remixed “Peer Pressure” from their maligned debut, as well as “Funk Mode,” a 1993 song by Tragedy the Intelligent Hoodlum (now widely acknowledged to be an influence on Nas, as well as an early mentor to Capone N’ Noreaga) that features a verse from Havoc. Although never given an official name like the Native Tongues, this extended family of Queens-based hip hop artists ritually transmitted professional and musical expertise from one generation to the next. 

In addition to advice about the biz or pointers on production, the elders provided the up and comers with a sophisticated approach to penning suggestive, creative lyrics that augment the chilly moodiness that emanates from so much sample-laden hip hop music. Many of the themes covered on Infamous and later Mobb albums—including literal and figurative warfare, emotional and physical suffering, and artistic and racial double-consciousness—are also famously tackled throughout the discographies of Tribe and Main Source. 

On “Midnight,” where Q-Tip’s employment of differing perspectives within a single song and use of bassy, menacing samples anticipates Mobb Deep’s shifting commentaries on the street life and their famously dark sound. Mobb Deep’s penchant for coldly ironic allegory is reminiscent of Large Pro’s cautionary depiction of life as a sky-high stakes game of cee-lo on “Snake Eyes.” In the anti-cop “Just a Friendly Game of Baseball,” Large Pro delivers his extended metaphor with stoic clarity over a devastating break that also appears on Tribe’s “If the Papes Come” remix from the same year. These characters will reappear later on The Infamous as potentially deadly forces that must be undermined and avoided.

TO BE CONTINUED

In future installments, I'll examine the "demo" or "rough draft" recordings Mobb Deep made prior to the release of  Infamous,  examine Q-Tip's involvement in recording process,  and chart their evolution  into a group whose signature sound and world view represents an innovative departure from its primary influences. -- Thun

I'm Cormega, raw forever...

The homie Truth King from Philaflava put together a sick 60-track compilation featuring the best of Mega's catalog. If you aren't up on Corey McKay then don't tell anyone because you should be ashamed of yourself. Remember we're here to help at T.R.O.Y., so download this immediately and lose some of that new jackness. -- Philaflava

[click image to download]

Cormega - Raw Forever

1. Cormega - Legal Hustle Intro.mp3
2. Cormega - The Saga.mp3
3. Cormega & Prodigy - Three.mp3
4. Cormega - Thun and Kicko Verse.mp3
5. Cormega & Mobb Deep - Crime Connection Remix.mp3
6. Cormega & Havoc - Killaz Theme.mp3
7. Cormega & Big Noyd - Phony.mp3
8. Cormega - Bring It Back.mp3
9. Cormega - Dirty Game.mp3
10. Cormega & Large Professor - The Come Up.mp3
11. Cormega - Loyalty Verse.mp3
12. Cormega - The Oath Verse.mp3
13. Cormega - Therapy.mp3
14. Cormega - Dirty NY Verse.mp3
15. Cormega - Rainy Dayz Freestyle.mp3
16. Cormega - Who Can I Trust.mp3
17. Cormega & Large Professor - Sugar Ray & Hearns.mp3
18. Cormega & Ghostface- Come On (Tony Montana Remix).mp3
19. Cormega & Styles P - Use Mad Clips.mp3
20. Cormega - Ghetto.mp3
21. Cormega & AZ - Redemption.mp3
22. Cormega - Endangered Species.mp3
23. Cormega - Street Conflict Verse.mp3
24. Cormega - Testament.mp3
25. Cormega & The Firm - Affirmative Action.mp3
26. Cormega - Verbal Graffiti.mp3
27. Cormega & Havoc - Angel Dust.mp3
28. Cormega, Nas & Syl Drama - Goodfellas.mp3
29. Cormega - 718 Verse.mp3
30. Cormega - Deep Cover Freestyle.mp3
31. Cormega - Realmatic.mp3
32. Cormega - Sex, Drugs, Bitches, Money.mp3
33. Cormega & Foxy Brown - Slow Down 98.mp3
34. Cormega & The Firm - Affirmative Action Remix.mp3
35. Cormega - Beautiful Mind.mp3
36. Cormega - Dead Man Walking Pt. 2.mp3
37. Cormega - Break Bread Verse.mp3
38. Cormega - A Thin Line.mp3
39. Cormega - Get Out My Way.mp3
40. Cormega, Screwball & Havoc - On The Real.mp3
41. Cormega - One Love.mp3
42. Cormega - Fuck Nas & Nature.mp3
43. Cormega - What's Your Poison Verse.mp3
44. Cormega & Big Pun - Rhyme For Rhyme.mp3
45. Cormega - Built For This.mp3
46. Cormega - Fallen Soldiers Remix.mp3
47. Cormega & Tragedy - They Forced My Hand.mp3
48. Cormega, Jacka & Rydah - Barney Remix (More Crime).mp3
49. Cormega - The True Meaning.mp3
50. Cormega - R U My Nigga.mp3
51. Cormega - Dramatic Entrance.mp3
52. Cormega, Lake & CNN - We Gon Buck.mp3
53. Cormega & The Firm - La Familia.mp3
54. Cormega - Piece Maker.mp3
55. Cormega & Tragedy Khadafi - No Equivalent.mp3
56. Cormega - 62 Pick Up.mp3
57. Cormega & Royce Da 5'9 - Back Against The Wall.mp3
58. Cormega - Montana Diary.mp3
59. Cormega - The Legacy.mp3
60. Cormega - The Saga Remix.mp3

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