Lord Finesse & K-Def [WFMU Mixes] – October 2011

Lord Finesse WFMU Mix

K-Def WFMU Mix

Noah Uman is not only a Hip-Hop historian, not only has he written liner notes for re-issue releases on Nature Sounds and Traffic Entertainment, he is the co-producer of the 2005 Run DMC re-issues and the presenter of the long running ‘Coffee Break For Heroes and Villains’ show on New Jersey free-form radio station WFMU.

I’d heard of WFMU years ago but didnt pay enough attention until I was finding myself proto-hacking it in order to record each of the Steinski Rough-Mix shows in 2007 [as they were broadcast and as I slept in my bed]. There was of course the beatbox themed special presented by Lewis Recording artist Edan back in 2002, but Noah himself has hosted shows with many noted Hip-Hop luminaries; Primo, Janette Beckman, Will C, Rack-Lo, 45 King and many many others.

He is taking some sort of time out from the show to move cross country but as a parting acknowledgement for his work, Hip-Hop super-producer K-Def and Diggin In The Crates legend Lord Finesse joined him in the studio for a bit of a send-off. The results are an enlightening look at battling in 2011, in typical good natured grown-folk fashion. They attempt to out do each other behind the Serato laden turntables, and even if these turntables are using decoded vinyl, it seems that the Funky Technician feels that it is important to keep up with technology, eff Paypal, it’s all about Squareup he informs, keep up !

It’s funny to hear Noah describing K-Def and Finesse ‘talking in code’ after the discussion [or lack of] regarding their breaks and who the performers are, Finesse claiming that Noah sounds ‘like a cop’ when he asks, ‘Can you name any of these records?’. The banter in the interviews is jokes too, but youll have to head to WFMU to enjoy that….

Not unlike the Finesse set from Crotona back in the Summer, he erm, keeps the crowd listening with shed-loads of good old music, they both drop some of their own works and some blends, but to me, the highlights were the NEVER HEARD BEFORE instrumentals and acapulcos…

Donate if you can, WFMU will always welcome a donation…

Stu Bangas Brutal Beats Vol 1

this first beat is firey hot shit, like you just ate vindaloo in the loo, knomesayn?

Mark the 45 Thing

Super dopey producer DJ Mark the 45 King makes for another perplexing sit down with Prince Paul in this latest installment of his Making The Beat series of ‘Talk shows’…

As it was with #1, Paul is the consummate pro, even when Mr James drops some real smart-dumb cat ihst. As youd expect, Paul is entertaining, interesting, accomodating and downright safe as feck. The camera angles are jokes too, Mark hasnt sussed out that even with all the finest tech, it would be refreshing for the viewer to see the interviewees face as he’s being interviewed.

Keep up Mark, you blazed a trail, looks like you been blazing too much recently. Lay off the pop-tarts, make a beat already and dig out that Breakout tape for fecks sake. Now who’s up for a game of chess?

Steinski Version Excursion

As all you regular readers will know, one of the many things we like to highlight here on the BALLS are the origins of sample sources. We know that some folk dont appreciate letting breaks go, that’s a fair comment if you are DJing at Zulu nation B-Boy battles/ are a serious collector or you still soak the labels off your vinyl [can you soak the label off a Serato disc?]. Anyways, I very much doubt that the pioneering Mr Steve Stein is going to be on the phone complaining about us letting this one go.

Most of the time it’ll be a version excursion [as we know them], featuring the Rap song that utilised a break, then the break et cetera, our Mothers taught us well, our Mothers taught us to share and share alike. It’s mostly as simple as poppin a Youtube clip up and being done with it, but sometimes it’s more than just a musical issue…

The track above by Steinski & Double Dee ‘Hip-Hop is not Rap’, is a short singled out cut culled from an incredible live set by the pair, recorded back in January 2008 at the Irving Plaza in NY. The mix is called Who Owns Culture and the title is based on the 2005 Wired magazine article of the same name by writer and copywright activist Lawrence Lessig, author of this, which you need to read.

Until recently, I’d not heard the mix, but when I did get to listen to it, I instantly recognised a vocal that was also incorporated into the model Steinski mix, Nothing to Fear [one of the finest and most detailed mixes in mash-up/ megamix/ cut and paste history]. I had heard the same voice utilised and sprinkled over the top like an aural hot sauce on WOC, but it puzzled me every time, pondering its origins, which it transpires, are from 2002. Motherfucker !

Thanks to the good people at unheard78.blogspot.com, I’ve now learnt that the distinctive voice belongs to a playwright, poet, Hip-Hop purist, founder of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival and all-round outspoken good guy Danny Hoch. Fundamentally, it’s just another piece in the puzzle confirmed, thanks again to DT@Unheard. For the record, I watched the odd Def Comedy Jam, never Def Poetry Jam, seems there was somethin in it…

It seems that Danny Hoch has had a few run-ins with Hollywood and the industry in general, even going so far as getting readings for the Seinfeld show and poo-pooing their stereotypes in favour of raising awareness of racial oppression. Stay true to the game eh…

Give Mr Stein a shout if you wanna buy a copy of the alblum, im not sure if it’s available anywhere right now, but he’ll be more than happy to point you in the right direction if it is.

Head over to Unheard for a shed-load of Steinski doozies and a recent interview with the good man himself…

Warren Zevon – Werewolves Of London Version Excursion

No piano

OG

Roc Raida & X-Men on WNYU

Low Profile – Pay Ya Dues

The riff to this has been rattlin around my head for days now…

It’s a Low Profile clip from 1990 that features a malnourished DJ Aladdin. It’s an entertaining wee video with cameos from Ice-T and Ice Cube, as well as a very young and also rather slender Coolio. I always liked the theme of this track, pay your dues or you aint nothing. Shouts to Warlord, & Janis for the vid…

Below is a distorted MPG of the track and the alblums both the track and the break were originally released on [The JBs, possibly the tightest group in the history of Funk and Soul?] :

Low Profile – We’re in this Together [320]

JBs – Breakin Bread

Low Profile – Pay Ya Dues promo Video

We bow to thee..

DJ KOOL BREEZ – BREAKS, BEATS & BULLSHIT

he’s giving away sooo many beats. he’s not just chasing samples already used. big respect is automatic, and i will keep passing on this info for all my beat people out there.”sample anything you want”..this dude is legend.

i’m gonna bring you this series from the start