It’s A Demo Pt. 4
Friday May 09th 2008,
Filed under: Crates, Demo Week, Promos & Exclusives, Steady Bootleggin'

Written by Robbie

Finishing up ‘Demo Week’ with the tail-end of the alphabet. In retrospect, half of these shits aren’t really ‘demos’ but however you want to describe them – ‘roughs’, ‘rehearsals’ or just ‘unreleased’ – it’s fair to say that a lot of great music never makes it to retail. Thank fuck for mix-tapes and underground radio.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - ‘We Specialize’

Not exactly a demo, but shit wins regardless.

(more…)

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Freestyle Professors - Who Am I
Friday May 09th 2008,
Filed under: Bronx Bombers, Newest Latest, Promos & Exclusives, Steady Bootleggin', Video Clips

Written by Robbie

Two new joints from the Freestyle Professors. ‘Who Am I’ is from the forthcoming Gryme Tyme project. Assisting Branesparker on production is an impressive line-up of Bronx heavyweights, including Lord Finesse, Diamond D, Showbiz, Minnesota, Buckwild, and Ahmed.

Freestyle Professors - ‘Who Am I’

Freestyle Professors - ‘Grit Dat Grime’

FP’s drop by Eclipse’s show:

(more…)

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It’s A Demo Pt. 3
Thursday May 08th 2008,
Filed under: Not Your Average

Written by Robbie

Can’t stop won’t stop…

LL Cool J - ‘Jack The Ripper’ (demo)

Uncle L was that dude, in case you forgot.

(more…)

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It’s A Demo Pt. 2
Wednesday May 07th 2008,
Filed under: Crates, Demo Week, Promos & Exclusives, Steady Bootleggin'

Written by Robbie

Continuing on, more vaulted material for your steering pleasure. Hiss added free of charge.

Ed OG - ‘I’m Different’ (demo)

Taken from the recently released Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto – Demos & Rarities 2CD, this version used Eddie Bo’s ‘Hook ‘N Sling’. I always liked that ‘S’ themed style second verse.

(more…)

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It’s A Demo Pt. 1
Tuesday May 06th 2008,
Filed under: Crates, Demo Week, Features, Promos & Exclusives, Steady Bootleggin'

Written by Robbie

Gotta love demo tapes. Once sought-after trophies of music critics and studio interns, you can now find all sorts of demo tape gold all over the shop. This week I’ll be looking at some of my favorite demo moments, as we catch some future greats in their formative years. Since I couldn’t pick which to rock with first, this shit is running down in alphabetical order.1

The Artifacts feat. Brand Nubian - “Check Da Fine Print”

Readers of The Source may recall the songs reviewed for Tame and El’s ‘Unsigned Hype’ appearance. Lord Jamar handled the beats and contributes a verse with an ill-advised shot at Rakim.

(more…)


  1. 1. If I stole this from your site, dry your eyes and rack something back. [back]
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Pete Rock - The Unkut Interview
Wednesday April 30th 2008,
Filed under: Interviews, Print Work, Steady Bootleggin', Tragedy Special

Written by Robbie

Here’s my interview with Pete from Hip-Hop Connection magazine for anybody who may have missed it. Even though he proved to be one of my more challenging interview subjects, I think you’ll enjoy this a little more than the million other Q&A’s he did to promote the NY’s Finest album.

Robbie: You worked with Marley Marl all those years on the radio. What were some of your best experiences from those days?

Pete Rock: Just having the opportunity to play good records, and even some of the demo’s that I’d been working on and stuff. Flip a few of those in there. It was a good opportunity to play good music remixes, demos and actual songs.

How come you guys never made any songs together in the studio?

In the beginning stages with CL, I came with an idea and he basically brought it to life for me, and he did a joint for me and CL. It was something called ‘Lethal Weapon’ that never came out.

Did you used to work with any neighborhood guys before you met Corey?

I was working with some guys in my neighborhood, but when I met CL in high school I felt like he had a distinctive voice and he didn’t sound like anybody.

I liked that line in “Till I Retire”: ‘You made Pete Rock? Go make another one!’

[laughs] I kinda borrowed that line from Jay-Z. I thought that was clever when he said that.

(more…)

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Nas Demo and 96 Radio Interview

Thought I might balance out all the shittin’ on Nas last week. Both versions of “Ain’t Hard To Tell” are incredible, and the demo version ain’t too shabby either. Plus I brought back the Nas / De La Soul interview from 1996 with Tim Westwood that I posted a couple of years back…a lot of comedy on here. Little Homey big up’s an early Jay-Z song, comments on the Biggie cover artwork bite and demonstrates why interviews and blunts aren’t always a “good combination”.

Nas - “Nas Will Prevail” (“Ain’t Hard To Tell” demo)

Nas & De La Soul on Tim Westwood’s Capitol Rap Show, 1996.

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Pos K - Supreme Alphabet
Monday April 28th 2008,
Filed under: BK All Day, Crates, Steady Bootleggin'

Written by Robbie

If only this was the dirty version…thanks for nothin’, Digiwaxx.

Positive K - “Supreme Alphabet” (clean)

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Nutrageous - Raw Nuts Review
Friday April 25th 2008,
Filed under: Albums, Killa Queens, Mix Tapes, Newest Latest, Reviews, Steady Bootleggin'

Written by Robbie

Photo by Kristina Hill

Flushing has already produced some outstanding rappers, and Nut-Rageous continues that tradition with this entertaining collection of some of his vinyl releases and some new tracks. A lot of his tracks remind me of dope mid-90s indy stuff, but not on some throwback tip. Nut adds his own twist to all the usual topics – broads, parties and wack rappers – but doesn’t sound like everyone else out there right now. That’s probably because he was making records since back then anyway.

“Best In This Profession” and “They Wanna Know” are two of the standouts, combining dope beats with quality vocal work, but almost every track is worthy of inclusion here. “Rap Issues” is along the same lines of “Message From Poet” in that Nut offers commentary on the rap game, while “Play The Field” is a catchy declaration to the dames sporting a 1940’s style hook. Guest spots are also a step above the usual suspects, as Dana Dane, Craig G and the late, great K.L. providing superior assists.

Despite being labeled a mixtape, Mixed Nuts qualifies as a proper street album, and has managed to stay in rotation in the ride for a while thanks to it’s combination of winning beats and the fact that Nut-Rageous is good value whenever he goes in, in much the same way that early Beatnuts managed to be constantly entertaining regardless. Not only that, but dude is still releasing vinyl! Now that’s gully.

Nut-Rageous @ MySpace

Nut-Rageous - “They Wanna Know”

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Poet’s Comin
Friday April 25th 2008,
Filed under: Killa Queens, Screwball Week, Video Clips

Written by Robbie

Looks like the Poet album isn’t called The Greatest Story Ever Told anymore. The good news is his Year Round project finally has a release set for this year. Hoo-ha!

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More Nas Inspirations
Wednesday April 23rd 2008,
Filed under: Biters In The City, Killa Queens, Nas Is A Douche, Not Your Average, Steady Bootleggin'

Written by Robbie

You didn’t think the NYOIL song is the first time that Nas has taken inspiration from an underground song, did you?

Organized Konfusion - “Stray Bullet”

Nas - “I Gave You Power”

Pharoahe Monch - “When The Gun Draws”

^ This was from last year. A subliminal “eff you” to S. Carter’s lil’ buddy?

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Gab Gacha and Joell Ortiz - The Blackout Show
Wednesday April 23rd 2008,
Filed under: Killa Queens, Newest Latest, Steady Bootleggin'

Written by Robbie

New material from one-time Hydra Entertainment artist Gab Gacha, who was a member of The Triflicts as well as a soloist who worked with the mighty Beatnuts.

Gab Gacha feat. Joell Ortiz, Trujilla & DJ Camilo - “The Blackout Show”

Gab Gacha - “Devil’s Pie”

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