Something about that 90’s grimey NYC hip hop era has never left me. Groups like Wu-Tang Clan, Boot Camp Clik, Gang Starr, and Mobb Deep ruled my walkman back then. And emcees like Nas and Jeru kept me pressing that rewind button over and over again. Out of that grimey era, it was one emcee that I listened to more than the others. It was Jeru the Damaja and his work with DJ Premier on the beats… Classic era that I wanted to go back to for y’all….
Read moreE-40 "MR. FLAMBOYANT"
E-40 is one of the best rappers to ever bless the mic. He came up rapping in the late 80’s and developed his vocal inflections and off-the-beat sped up delivery on tracks like 1991’s, Mr. Flamboyant. E-40 is a legend out of the 90’s bay area rap scene and is still fresh on the mic today. If you happen to have $400 to spare, kick it over my way so I can finally pick up the cassette for “Mr. Flamboyant” on eBay. Here’s some more on a young Earl getting his start in the rap game.
Read moreJ DILLA "TIME: THE DONUT OF THE HEART"
Today would have been J Dilla’s 50th birthday. It also marks the 18th anniversary of his album, Donuts. Jay Dee is a legend whose legacy lives on even after he passed back in 2006. This article is a dedication to one of my favorite songs of his and one of my favorite albums of all time. RIP Dilla.
Read moreSAUCE WALKA "I'M HIM"
I just feel like 2024 is going to be Sauce Walka’s year. He’s been on quite the run here for a minute on tracks like “Dangerous Daringer”, “Sanchie’s P Maybach”, and now “I’m Him” which dropped recently. I don’t believe Sauce is signed to Griselda but his work with Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine have been nice. And his rapping over beats by Daringer? Sign me up for a full project with those two. I know I’m not the only one who would be feigning for that one.
Read moreSCARFACE "ON MY BLOCK"
It’s pretty cool seeing Scarface get some shine right now with the Tiny Desk performance. Most of us haven’t listened to some Face in a minute so it’s time to get out those old Geto Boys cassettes and Scarface CD’s and press play. Scarface is one of the goats… Just think though… What if he wasn’t from Houston and popped off in Compton when The Chronic dropped? What if he was on Death Row?
Read moreBENNY THE BUTCHER "LEGEND"
As we await Benny the Butcher’s new album dropping in early 2024, I wanted to revisit a few tracks where Benny and Griselda first caught my ear. Benny gotta be on your top rapper lists and if he’s not, you’re likely sleeping.
Read moreMURS X WIARDON - SPEAK N SPELL DELUXE
Today marks the official release date of Murs x Wiardon dropping the Speak n Spell Delixe project wherever you stream music. The original Speak n Spell EP dropped earlier this year back in March and it was the first release from my record label, Mid90s. This new project adds on 3 brand new tracks and 2 fresh remixes to the OG project.
Read moreMURS "FLOWERS FOR GURU"
The new single from Murs x Wiardon is here and damn is it buttery. The beat Wiardon made on this is straight out of a smoky jazz club in the ‘60’s and Murs pulls up a stool with a cig in his mouth and drops some lyrics that melt right onto the beat. “Flowers for Guru” is here and it’s the first single off of the deluxe version of the Murs x Wiardon EP, Speak n Spell that dropped back in March of this year. Give this one a peep… It’s a special track.
Read morePANTERA "WALK"
This has to be the best album cover of all time right? Pantera’s album, Vulgar Display of Power just makes you feel a certain way. Let’s listen to the song “Walk” just to be reminded how dope Pantera was back in the 90’s.
Read moreTHE DOVE SHACK "SUMMERTIME IN THE LBC"
Is there a better summer smash than “Summertime in the LBC” by The Dove Shack? No… There isn’t… West Coast smash from ‘95… blast it in your whip today as you mob through your hood.
Read moreUGK “WOOD WHEEL”
Ever have those lyrics that you’ll never get out of your head for as long as you live? Well, Pimp C’s opening lines from UGK’s banger of a track “Wood Wheel” are ones that will never slip my mind. This is an appreciation for UGK, Pimp C, and Bun B and the classic track they made in 2001 called “Wood Wheel”. The beat is a slumper and the verses work so well with each other. And in some Texas draped up and dripped out steez and you got an absolute banger on your hands.
Read moreVINCE STAPLES "THOUGHT ABOUT YOU"
Vince Staples
This is a story about how I first heard Vince Staples in the early 2010’s. From there I discovered who Larry Fisherman was. For those unaware, Larry Fisherman was one of Mac Miller’s aliases where he lived as a beatmaker meshing samples and live instrumentation into his work. Vince and Larry had collaborated on a mixtape called Stolen Youth in 2013 which was a project that I feel doesn’t get enough shine. Especially the track “Thought About You” which to me is a song is a forever classic.
Read moreGANGSTA PAT "I WANNA SMOKE"
Gangsta Pat, The Geto Boys, and ?????
In 1995, Gangsta Pat out of Memphis, TN dropped one of the dopest 90’s rap tracks to ever come out with “I Wanna Smoke”. He produced the track. The samples are fire. The flow and cadence on the verses are next level. The chorus? Fire. But deciding to take the 1st verse and just run it back as the 3rd verse? That’s flexing on so many levels. Gangsta Pat paved the way for many Memphis rappers today to be where they’re at now. Along with Three 6 Mafia, 8Ball & MJG, Tommy Wright III, and more out of Tennessee in the early/mid 90’s, Gangsta Pat was was a major part Memphis Rap scene in the 90’s that’s treasured by rap listeners of all ages.
Read moreHIT-BOY X THE ALCHEMIST “SLIPPING INTO DARKNESS”
In 2023, new music drops one week and the next week it’s forgotten. But the track Hit-Boy and The Alchemist dropped is something that needs to be on replay in all of your speakers. They’re 2 of the dopest producers out but don’t get it twisted, both got bars and have something to say. Their single “Slipping Into Darkness” is a 10/10 track for me. You feeling it??
Read moreYOU KNOW WE HAD TO DO A REMIX RIGHT?
I’ve always wanted to remix a song and now I get my chance to do it. And you guys can be as involved as you want in the process through giving me feedback or just supporting by listening. I’m trying to be on my Diddy shit with all of this (take that, take that) and if we can get all of this to crack we’re going to have a lot of fun through this record label. The Murs x Wiardon project Speak N Spell is out now on all DSP’s.
Read moreJACKSON WHALAN & IAN EVANS "BACK AT IT"
Shout out to Jackson Whalan and Ian Evans on their latest beat tape, The Road Ahead Vol. 2. I really enjoyed The Road Ahead Vol. 1 and this project full of chill beats and instrumentals picks up where the last left off. If you’re looking for some beats to work or study to this morning, give this project a spin and catch the vibe.
Read moreDIGABLE PLANETS "PACIFICS"
Shout out to Digable Planets for the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time And Space. Can’t believe it’s been 30 years since that classic album dropped and listening to it in its entirety it truly holds up. But one track specifically gets me every single time. And this track might be my favorite track of all time….
Read moreCAM'RON - KILLA CAM
Anybody flyer in the rap game that Killa Cam? Cam’ron’s climb in the rap game was so dope. From his style with all the pink gear to the overall braggadocio he brought to the game he was from a whole ‘notha planet. It’s Cam’s birthday today so I gotta pay homage to the OG.
Read moreBOLDY JAMES "DROP AN ALBUM"
Boldy James is on quite a run in the rap game so it’s only fitting he’s running with that Bo Jackson and Tecmo Bo these on his recent releases. Alchemist keeps him laced with the dope beats to spit on and Boldy remains one of the hardest working guys in the game. Boldy’s street raps with the smooth boom bap production makes this a perfect formula for your ear drums. Take a trip back through Boldy’s catalog and get up on him now if you’re already sleeping. Dude is nice on the mic.
Read moreTHREE 6 MAFIA "PROPHET POSSE"
It’s one of those Three 6 Mafia kind of Saturday afternoon nahmean?? Press play and take a ride on the wave of the day for 11/19/2022.
Read more