Naughty By Nature - It’s On (Beatnuts remix) & Hip Hop Hooray (Pete Rock remix)
taken from It’s On 12” (Tommy Boy, 1993)

Another 12” treat for you today in the form of Naughty By Nature’s ‘It’s On’ release from ‘93. As with the A.D.O.R. single that I wrote about the other day, the success of this piece of vinyl is based on the fact that you get a lot of value for money. On the a-side you get the album version produced by Kay Gee plus an instrumental, but even better is that the b-side features a Beatnuts remix and the Pete Rock remix of ‘Hip Hop Hooray’: it’s a truly bangin’ 12” that I am proud to own.

Although ‘19 Naughty III’ did have its highlights, it did feel slightly inconsistent for me and ‘It’s On’ was actually a song that passed me by originally largely as a result of the ridiculous one and a half minute skit that precedes it on the album. Still, as a stand alone track it is good with a trademark Naughty sound featuring evenly spaced piano chords and funky horn loop at the chorus. Treach and Vinnie deliver expectedly competent rhymes that demonstrate their absolute control of the mic, although there aren’t really any particularly catchy lines here making this one of their slightly less inspiring vocal performances. However, all in, it’s a solid track.

The Beatnuts remix changes everything. With a more aggressive snare hit and some of those sleighbells (is there a better percussive element to slammin’ hip hop?) the track has significantly more momentum than the original. I really like the organ loop that runs throughout the groove as well as the funky horn sample and both of these elements contribute to a song that feels lively and musically rich. This track is a testament to the Beatnuts remixing abilities, but then you hardly need me to tell you about their skills behind the boards, do you?

Perhaps the most exciting element for me on this 12” is the Pete Rock remix of ‘Hip Hop Hooray’. Naughty were always best at producing party friendly anthems, and there is no denying that ‘Hip Hop Hooray’ in its original incarnation is just that. However, perhaps in part due to my obsession with all things Pete Rock, I think that this remix is better than the original and feels even more triumphant and uplifting. With Rakim’s ‘feed me hip hop and I’ll start trembling’ line resonating over the melodic piano chords below and Pete’s trademark adlibs in the first four bars (’Naughty…remix’) you know it’s going to be a banger, and sure enough when the drums drop and layered horns float in you’re in the presence of Soul Brother genius. I would draw a comparison with Rock’s take on ‘Jump Around’ as in both cases he takes a crossover party smash and then puts his own unique spin on it effectively pushing the original into the shade. I know that his version of House Of Pain’s classic track is highly revered, but I would argue that this is just as good and I’m surprised that it is not more widely known. Yet another killer Pete Rock remix.

I remember paying a reasonable amount for this when I copped it three or so years ago, but it was worth every penny. When you can flip the vinyl over and know that there’s more than just some trashy b-side or instrumentals on offer then you know you’re onto a winner. It’s a simple formula, but take a great group, throw in a couple of great producers to handle the remix work and the result is a great 12”. Enjoy.

A.D.O.R. - Enter The Center (Pete Rock Mix), Enter The Center (DNA Mix) & Enter The Center (BaBanzi Mix)
taken from Enter The Center 12” (Tru Reign/Anansi, 1997)

Apologies for the lack of posts over the last week or so. A heavy workload and a bank holiday weekend have occupied my time admirably for the last six days and the unfortunate victim of aforementioned work/frivolities has been the blog. Anyway, the bank holiday is over, it’s the half term beak and so I’ve got some time on my hands again: let’s get into it.

The problem with collecting vinyl singles is that they don’t exactly offer terrific value for money. Of course, you get a product which has many benefits over other formats, and I am certainly not denying the appeal of vinyl, but when you can quite easily pay £5 - £10 on any one single purchase then the cost per track is extortionate when compared to that of a whole album. On top of this, it was pretty much a general rule for me that although extra cuts on top of the a-side were always enjoyable, they were essentially superfluous and there would always be one standout track that overshadowed the others. At a guess, I would estimate that well over half of my vinyl collection is occupied by records that may have been played hundreds of times on one side and as little as once on the other. Unfortunately, penny pinching and vinyl collecting are not two activities that sit well together.

So what has this got to do with this A.D.O.R. 12” released in 1997? When I got a hold of this particular slab of vinyl, I didn’t really even know who A.D.O.R. was, and was lead to this release for one reason only: there’s a Pete Rock beat on here. An enjoyable mid-tempo banger with signature Soul Brother horns, filtered guitar sample and crispy drum hits, the lead single was no disappointment and I was pleased that my random wanderings through EBay had delivered something of genuine quality. What is so impressive about this 12” though is that included are two other mixes of the song that easily stand their ground against Pete’s contribution, and in fact, I have never been able to make a definitive decision as to my favourite as each different version is truly excellent.

The DNA Productions (I have no idea who they are either) mix feels more upbeat than the Pete Rock joint and there are several things that I love about this track. The use of sleighbells never fails to capture my interest, and they work well here, shimmering over the bouncy bassline below to produce the most club friendly mix of ‘Enter The Center’. Listen out for my favourite moment which occurs around the 1.05 mark as the synth string loop cuts out, bassline warbles for a half bar on its own only for the sleighbells and drums to be thrown back into the mix: it’s so simple, but it’s devastatingly effective.

Finally we come to the ‘BaBanzi’ mix produced by Willie Gunz, a relatively little known figure who seems to have only put together a handful of production credits including a cut or two on A.D.O.R.’s full length album as well as posting a track on the YGz’s ‘Street Nigga’ release in ‘93 and with Supreme NTM towards the end of the same decade. This is a shame as this mix demonstrates his ability behind the boards and if push came to shove, this would be the version I would favour if I had to pick one over the others. Whereas both the Pete Rock and DNA mixes feel quite light and airy, Gunz flips the script with his version to produce a much more sinister and brooding soundscape. The haunting piano loop works exceptionally well when matched with the heavy drum track, and the chorus vocal loop that also appears in Rock’s version feels eerier and more threatening in this context. This is one of those cuts that captures that dark, gritty boom bap sound with great effect and it feels almost epic in its scope: it’s a serious banger that will have you nodding your head again and again.

Lyrically, A.D.O.R. has always been one of those cats who I feel a little lukewarm about. I think he does a good job of combining a decent flow with engaging content, but his style is by no means breathtaking and the delivery here is enjoyable but relatively forgettable. The reason why this 12” is so successful is that each mix puts a different spin on the vocal performance: it feels like A.D.O.R.’s words were meant to go with each beat individually rather than simply being laid over three random pieces of production. So often when you hear a remix of a track there remains a sense that the vocals don’t quite fit, but with ‘Enter The Center’ each track has its own clear sense of identity, working with the MC’s performance on the mic to create three coherent and cohesive pieces of music in their own right.

I don’t really know what happened with A.D.O.R.’s ‘Shock Frequency’ release as there seem to have been a few different versions that made it to the shelves. Although they are all basically the same, I know that no single edition contains all three of these mixes so if you already have the album then be sure to pick up the version(s) that you may be missing as each one brings something different to the table. This is one of only a handful of 12′’s from my collection that must have suffered from equal wear on both sides, and is still a release that is able to divide my own opinion as to my favourite five or so years after I bought it: hit the link, indulge in some quality hip hop and see which is yours.

In response to a request from Seriousbiz, I’m throwing up another 12” from my collection. I first stumbled across ‘Verbalise’ on the final installment of the ‘Hip Hop Don’t Stop’ series that brought together some of the best cuts from the preceding compilations and let DJ Prime Cuts work his magic on them. I always liked this track and had forgotten about it until recently, and it has only been with a brief bit of research over the last day or so that I realised its strong UK connections: here’s the rundown…

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Kwam made much impact on the scene, with only a handful of 12′’s to his name and a couple of appearances on various compilation albums. This is a shame, as he is lyrically strong, with lots of internal rhyme schemes and a tight and relatively aggressive flow (he reminds me a little of O.C. at times). ‘Verbalise’ is the standout on this slab of wax, a Spinna produced cut that has a dark and moody vibe along with some exceptional scratching from my favourite UK DJ, Mr Thing (UK connection number one). Honestly, the cuts at the end of this track are excellent: highly technical but definitely funky. The flipside is less interesting, but still a nice joint produced by The Creators (UK connection number two). I like the tight snares and glockenspiel sample, and as with ‘Verbalise’, Kwam does a nice job on the mic.

Two things surprise me about this 12”. Firstly, this was released in 1998, but very successfully captures the essence of hip hop in the earlier ’90s. If I had been asked to guess the year that this was released on a first listen, I would have certainly shaved at least a year or two off the actual release date as this slipped into the Prime Cuts mix easily between KRS One’s ‘Sound Of Da Police’ and the Beatnuts’ classic ‘No Equal’ (I just checked for that mix on Amazon… $125! I’ll throw it up soon: who pays that for a CD?). Secondly, what the hell happened to this guy? With such a promising 12” release you would have expected at least a full LP at some stage, but unfortunately this was obviously not to be. Any information on his current whereabouts will be much appreciated.

I have his earlier 12” with PB Wolf on the boards and the mighty Q-Bert on the cuts from ‘96, but I’m pushed for time with work commitments at the moment so you’ll have to wait. Perhaps I’ll put it up with the Prime Cuts mix later in the week: peace.

Big Kwam - Verbalise b/w Capacity Blown

Fondle ‘Em Records: probably the best underground record label in hip hop’s history. Set up and run by the infamous Bobbito Garcia, the first release on it was in the form of the Cenobites EP - a collab between Kool Keith and Godfather Don. Since then it has released music from the likes of MF Doom, MF Grimm, Siah and Yeshua, KMD and countless other underground heads. It is now defunct, with many of the releases being unavailable and out of print, and some, such as the Siah and Yeshua EP, are collector’s items. I’ve picked three 12′’s to review which (I hope) are lesser known. Someone requested the Lord Sear 12”, so I stuck that up on here. The DJ Eli 12” and the Grimm 12” are both bangers, and well worth checking. Seek out these 12′’s if you can, but beware, some are harder to come across than others.

DJ Eli - And So Kiddies b/w Truly Gifted Ones

Part of the Cloudkickers crew, Eli has produced beats for a number of people, including Ill Bill and also MF Grimm as well as this 12”. I must admit that outside of this I don’t know much about his production but on this 12 it is mint. The a-side features the great MC Cage: this is a typical Cage affair with his involved rhyming complementing Eli’s beat very well. However, Cage is not really an MC who has ever grabbed me overall; I’m more a beat person than a rhyme person so I don’t really feel suited to judge this track. However, The b-side, is the winner. A great headnodding beat, again crafted by Eli, runs with three MCs - Yeshua, J-Treds, and Pumpkinhead. The trio trade verses on a track which as well as being considered ‘underground’ manages to go off well in a club too: the snare snaps hard on this! To finish off the 12”, there is a great instrumental piece called ‘Lay Puzzled’, utilizing a sample from Nas’s ‘NY State Of Mind’ as a hook. Overall, this 12” is great, however the b-side is definitely the winner.

Lord Sear - Alcoholic Vibes b/w My Hindu Love

Lord Sear became well known on the Stretch Armstrong show for his freestyle segments and general chit-chat during the ’90s. He popped up every now and again, freestyling to whatever Stretch felt like. He steps up from that for this 12; although I’m sure this is all freestyled, it is a studio recording and what a recording it is. Like many records, one side is better than the other. ‘My Hindu Love’, performed by his alias ‘Stak Chedda’, is pretty nice, but it is all about the a-side, ‘Alcoholic Vibes’. One of the simplest, easiest beats I’ve ever heard but it thumps so hard. I dunno what it is, whether it’s the repetitive bassline or the way the drums have been laid down, but it is impossible not to nod your head to it, or maybe even to try a little freestyle yourself! He produced all of it as well, with it being engineered by Mighty Mi of High and Mighty. This 12” is long out of print and I copped it a while back in NYC, a very good find, as it had been on my list for ages. Seek it out (like all the records I review) if you can, and buy it on sight.

MF Grimm - Landslide b/w Tick Tick

MF Grimm (now known as GM Grimm) could perhaps be considered a legend in rap, for both his skills and also the stories that surround the dude. He hails from Brooklyn and is probably the only rapper I’m aware of who has spent most of his ‘professional’ career confined to a wheelchair. He suffered at the hands of a gunman in 1994, several shots to his body leaving him, at one point, deafened, blinded and paralyzed from the neck down. Although he regained the hearing and the sight, he is still confined to his wheelchair. During this time, according to his bio, he wrote the great ‘Scars and Memories’ in hospital. If you haven’t heard that, you need to check it.. maybe I will post it up here soon. Anyway, not only contending with being confined to a chair, in 2000, he was sentenced to life imprisonment (which was later reduced) for various charges. The dude even posted a $100,000 bail for one day release to record an album, ‘The Downfall of Ibliys:A Ghetto Opera’. That is hardcore!

Anyway, back to the 12”. Along with other releases, this came out on Fondle ‘Em. The main track is a simple, haunting effort. Laced with a piano all the way through, Grimm comes correct. There is also a remix, and I prefer this to the original, which is also found on the 12”, produced by none other than DJ Eli. For the MF Doom fans, the b-side, ‘Tick Tick’, is produced by the metal faced villain and it’s a typical Doom affair. DJs: I challenge you to mix this! It slows down and speeds up throughout the tune making it a very interesting listen. I much prefer ‘Landslide’, but I appreciate Doom doing something different.

P.S. Sorry for the record skipping on the landslide remix… shitty records!! Buy CDs!

[Dan's note: that 'Landslide (Remix)' is seriously dope. Thanks once again to the mighty Scone!]

Such is the output of one of the genre’s most prolific DJ/producer that there are inevitably some 12′’s that slip under a lot of people’s radars. As a result, today’s post features a couple of 12′’s that I have stashed away in the vaults that may be of interest to you…

DJ Premier Introduces Assylum Seekers - Check My Style b/w Gettin’ Mani

I picked this up around 2002 at a record shop in central London called Selectadisc. This came in a blank sleeve and as you can see from the shots of the vinyl, this is likely to have been a low budget release that probably only saw a limited number of pressings. This is affirmed by the fact that this 12” does not even appear on Premier’s Discogs and by the fact that I can find absolutely nothing about it on the internet. ‘Check My Style’ is undoubtedly the better of the two cuts, with a relatively classic Premier sound featuring a chilled piano loop, heavy beats and little else. I am not really that keen on the b-side and to be honest, it doesn’t even really sound like Premier production. Lyrically, the Assylum Seekers are by no means awful, but there really isn’t that much to grab you here and ultimately although they do the beat justice, the real star of this release is of course Premier’s work on the boards. If anyone has any information on this then I would greatly appreciate it, and if you didn’t know that this existed then show some love and drop a comment: I suspect that this may be a blog exclusive.

[Note: It has become clear from comments that Premier did not produce this 12'' and in fact it looks like there may have been a little shady business on Empire's part here... the search for lost Primo beats continues]

Just-Ice - Gangstas Don’t Cry b/w Just Rhymin’ With Kane ft. BDK

The next 12” for today is definitely less rare, as it features on the ‘Fatbeats: Volume 2′ collection released in 2002 and features two veterans of the game, Just-Ice and Big Daddy Kane. I find the a-side a little unispiring, a simple bass hook and drums with Just-Ice ripping verses over the top. To be honest, this feels a little like one of those beats that Primo probably puts together in his sleep, and as such it feels relatively mediocre. The b-side is my preferred cut on this 12”; the beat has a better vibe to it and the appearance of BDK provides the song with a little variation that serves the song well. Overall, this is a decent enough release but it is by no means the best work that any of the three artists who feature on it have ever produced. Still, for all you Premier junkies out there, this is a worthy addition to your collection.

WGHH Radio - FDB Tuesday Night Slot

I’ve been pushing this relatively hard since about a week and a half ago, so this is the last time I’m going to plug the show on the blog (maybe). I’ll be hitting the airwaves again tonight at 11pm GMT and at 4am early on Wednesday morning over at WGHH, so check it out and let me know what you think. It is relatively time consuming putting the show together, so lack of listeners/feedback means I may not bother in the future: let me know if it’s worth my while.

FDB Goes On Holiday

Tomorrow afternoon I’m heading off to the sunny shores of the south of France for a well deserved break from work, and as a result FDB will be on a hiatus until the 15th April. Stay well over the Easter weekend and I’ll catch you in a week and a half: laters.