Fat Lace Spodcast # 8 – Presented by Daniel Large and Andrew Huge

Biggest New Year head-nods to the finest show in contemporary Rap radio. This is way more than just a simple podcast, and not just by name. The self-acclaimed ‘Portly Boys’ Dan Large and Drew Huge dont only draw the old to the new, they bring a certain unapologetic understanding to the airwaves, not too dissimilar to the Ego-Trip Book of Rap lists or J-Zones Gator$-n-Fur$ broadcasts, the Fat Lace Spodcasts make no concessions to any group of listeners. Essentially, they have a very specific comedic honesty with the banter, while entertaining the listeners with good and great music. I dont normally hear this kinda craic unless im sat around a table with pint glasses sitting on it !

They have the capacity to drop gems from artists like Chill Rob G, The Skinny Boys along with unreleased Sid & B-Tonn. They play Sir Ibu-Hamza based skits by Jaz, they make jokes about why Dan buried his old pet fish Frick & Frack down the loo [He Shouldnt Have Done It], and of course it wouldnt be the Fat Lace Show without obscure Hip-Hop youve probably never heard before; MC Woodsmoke Rock anyone?

‘Shout outs to the mans them’ as ever.

Westwood gets high with Action Bronson

Bronson is a Rapper I know very little about, but as far as his personality goes, he’s a personable enough chap, and he has good taste when it comes to culinary choices. Im loosing my way with new Rap these days. It takes so much more wordplay and inventive or interesting production to impress me, this must be what happens after listening to this shit for 32 years.

Anyhoops, this wee interview is less about the Rappers rap singing, and more about 2 grown men getting high and acting the idjit, oh and those vinyls behind them both [and the paint job buried behind the racks too, who did that] ?

This is Westwoods record room, and what does he think its worth, does he have attachment to the ‘vinyls’ ? Discover the sad truth for yourself.

Happy 55th Birthday Tim Westwood [AKA Dont be a Crumb]

To celebrate the 55th Birthday of Tim Westwood [Happy Born-day short shins], here is some rare insight into the mind and mentality of the most recognisable voice of Rap radio. Tim is one of the most hard-working and important names in UK broadcasting from the past 25 years, and he’s a humble down-to earth cat too.

Some know him as a champion of independent black music, some misundertand him as a clown. I see him as a progressive, and have done continually since 1985 and his long-standing Zulu Message column in Blues & Soul.

Tim played at a dance on his birth-day a few years back at Hallam University in Sheffield, and as youll hear in this short clip, he was more than passionate about his shit gettin ganked. Unfortunately he had 2 records stolen from the booth by ‘some thick-set white kid’ while he was playing Punjabi MC. So passionate that when Tim gets his records boosted at a dance in Sheffield, and only realises when he’s back in London, he’s happy to drive straight back to Sheffield to ask for his joints back. And he’d be listening to 50 CENTS all the way.  The question remains, did Tim ever get his joints back?

Huge shouts to Dipod for the love, I see ya…

Here are a few Westwood bits you might not have checked recently…

More radio promo action…[From 1994]

Hotasballs is always holdin the golden when it comes to radio gems and even though http://www.egotripland.com/ may or may not be bitin our shit [see radio promos and Krush TV] were back with the goodness.

Here are two radio promos for Tim Westwoods show from 1994, just months before he was due to start broadcasting on a different station and show, the BBCs 1FM Rap Show. Both of them are themed on songs by the individual artists; Nas with a version excursion of It Aint Hard to Tell, with a few Westwood mentions, along with a Snoop promo that has Snoop bless us with a Nuthin But A G Thing themed banger with Westwood as the subject matter.

Akinyele & Sadat X on Funk Flex – 1996

“I’ll be pushing your wig back like those girls in chemotherapy” – Aknel was savage !

Kool G Rap [DJ Red Alert radio spot] – April 1989

There were almost too many of these radio spots and station IDs over the years to keep account of. Some were dub-plates, some recorded and transferred to cartridge for broadcast, alot were custom made for individual DJs as part of the promotional work the artists had to undertake. The G Rap above is from 1989 and its awful quality, but its one of my personal favourites as its from one of my favourite radio show tapes…

Click on track-list for zip

Mr Magic birthday party [1984]

Another week, another clip from way way back from peoples that were there along-side the greats. This time we have conversations with the late great Mr Magic, Sweet G from the Fever, Kool Kyle, DLB from the Fearless4 and live performances from Fearless, Divine Sounds and the Force MCs.  Magic discusses Graffiti writers and the ‘generations’ of Rappers while DLB is prophetic in his observation that there are ‘so many creative writers when it comes to Rap, that there is no way it could really end’…

There’s also an instrumental with a Malcolm X speech towards the end, not unlike the 1983 Keith Le Blanc produced cut on Tommy Boy. Its probably exactly that, just a World Famous Supreme Team instrumental with a sheet of Malcolm over the top, but its cohesive, and sick…

Mr Magic funeral [2009]

In an anthropological sense, this clip is at the very least, engaging. Its also a very uncomfortable clip to watch, not just because it features Kurtis Blow reading Mr Magics obituary, also cos Marley Marl clowns it up during a service at the open casket funeral…