Review: We're big fans of these educational 7"s that often crop up, with a legendary hip hop jam on one side and the source of some its samples appearing on the flip. This time out we get A Tribe Called Quest's deep cut 'Sucka N***a' - which is taken from their legendary Midnight Marauders album - with its buttery rhymes and funky bass buried deep within. Jack Wilkins's 'Red Clay' on the flip isn't that much of a deviation. Though it's slower and free from the rhymes, it is a brilliantly effective and emotive cut. More like this please.
BIG Poppa's Got A Brand New Bag (instrumental) (3:58)
Review: When it comes to mash-ups and unofficial reworks, sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones that make for the most effective versions. That's certainly the case here, as Soul Mates main man Amerigo Gazaway crafts a fresh slab of funk/hip-hop fusion out of three key elements: a legendary Biggie Smalls acapella, sections lifted from James Brown classic "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and his own head-nodding hip-hop beats. There's not much more to it than that, but the resultant cut, "Big Poppa's Got a Brand New Bag", sounds like a guaranteed dancefloor winner. The A-side version is the full vocal take, while the flipside is a Biggie-free instrumental mix.
BIG Poppa's Got A Brand New Bag (instrumental) (3:59)
Review: When it comes to mash-ups and unofficial reworks, sometimes the simplest ideas are the ones that make for the most effective versions. That's certainly the case here, as Soul Mates main man Amerigo Gazaway crafts four slabs of funk/hip-hop fusion fusing funky beats with hip hop accapellas plus the all essential instrumental versions...only 300 copies. Don't sleep !
Review: If you were lucky enough to snap up that Dee Edwards and Pilooski seven inch with the familiar logo that proved so massively popular over the summer months then you'll know the drill with this latest 45 from the Originals camp. On the A Side you get "Scrabble", Rene Costy's masterful slice of library funk that is complemented on the flip by the classic Motor City boombap of "F*ck The Police" by the sadly departed J Dilla which of course expertly pilfered the stuttering break.
Review: More tip-top, breakbeat-propelled action from the Waxnerds crew here, as they offer up a duo of sample-heavy party rockers to ignite your dancefloors. DJ Benny Ben handles the A-side, delivering a body-rocking workout that places gnarly funk-rock guitars, classic hip-hop vocals and snappy drum machine handclaps atop a heavy bassline and crunchy breaks. Over on the flip, the amusingly names Markonerism and Jabbathakut create a phat new beat onto which vintage Big Daddy Kane vocals are expertly layered. Throw in some tight, on-point scratches from the Star Wars loving turntablist and some fuzzy funk samples and you have a near perfect, old school style hip-hop workout.
James Brown & The Crooklyn Dodgers - "More Sex Cream" (Crooklyn Style) (3:44)
James Brown - "More Sex Cream" (instrumental mix) (3:44)
Review: Earlier this summer, mash-up maestro DJ Soopasoul raised our temperatures by layering Wu-Tang Clan vocals over a chunky, funk-fuelled backing track crafted from snippets of James Brown jams. He called it "Sex Cream", and now he's back with more sickly-sweet goodness based around the down-low greatness of the Godfather of Soul. A-side "More Sex Cream (Crooklyn Style)" delivers a similar-sounding JB-inspired beat, this time peppered with rhymes from "Crooklyn". It works wonderfully, of course, as does the flipside instrumental version. Bare party-starting fun for funk-loving hip-hop heads!
Review: All Right Fresh serve speciality brews of West and East Coast nu-funk, soul and hip-hop. Here they welcome DJ Spinna and J Rocc for the very latest edition in their Wrecka Stow Edits series, which hears two further majestic remixes of classic r&b reelers. First up is Spinna's version of Prince's 'Starfish & Coffee' with the renamed 'Maple Syrup Jam', which strains and thins Prince's already prickly granules to provide that extra ophiuroid zing. Then J Rocc follows up with 'Re Purple Music', also a remix of a Prince cut, 'Purple Music', providing ever further filtrated disco-funk panache.
Don't Sweat It (Double A's Classic Breaks rework) (3:53)
Warped Pigs (Jeyone's Boom Bap Refix) (4:20)
Review: Double A is the Horizons Music label boss and here he steps up the plate with a tasteful new rework of a classic hip hop joint fro the golden era. This one harks back to 1992 and was never originally released on a 7". 'Don't Sweat It' (Double A's Classic Breaks rework) is a lithe cut with nice bendy bass and sunny sax stabs as well as killer breaks. On the reverse is something different, a flip of a rock classic that gos more raw and energetic. Both tunes are sure to do plenty of damage.
Review: Jim Sharp presents his sophomore Mountain 45s release, following up the absolute banger of a debut, 'Westchester Eagle'. Coming full circle, we hear Sharp team back up with fellow producer Double A here; on the A we've got the latter's 'Iko (Never Felt This Way)', a fearless cross-section of big beat, Latin funk and sampled West African refrains, while Sharp helms up the B-side this time around, with a full-horseshoe'd rerub of an (ashamedly on our part) unknown funk delight.
Review: Gee Bag and Jazz T have hooked up for this one courtesy of T's own Boot Records. he's the beat maker who serve sup smooth, sweet breaks while Gee Bag (a three times EOW Champion) compliments that with some lucid storytelling. Warm pianos, beautiful live maracas and jazzy bass complete the picture. The video for this is also worth finding - it offers a look into the world of young lovers in their pursuit of happiness, but from an underground street level perspective. The full instrumental on the flip will also find favour with hip hop heads.
Review: The latest slab of sure-fire dancefloor heat on Wah Wah 45s' "Dubplate" series comes courtesy a Haynesy, a duo renowned for the fat, party-starting nature of their reworks, with turntable wizard Jabbathakut providing plenty of on-point scratches. What we get here is not "edits", but rather banging new hip-hop beats laden with classic acapellas. On side A they bring Jungle Brothers' hip-house classic "I'll House You" back to its hip-hop roots, layering the NYC crew's famous vocals over a bustling, up-tempo, Latin-tinged hip-hop beat. Over on the flip they take on Beastie Boys classic "Root Down", with Jabbathakut's tidy deck-work sparring with acapella vocals atop a weighty club hip-hop beat.
Lost Girl (Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop Late Night rework) (3:32)
Special Technique Of Love (Jim Dunloop Shaolin Soul edit) (3:08)
Review: The mighty Dusty Donuts return to Queensbridge where they encounter a 'Lost Girl' featured on a legendary mixtape by one of QB's finest. This bouncy, choppy Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop Late Night Remix is sure to ignite any gathering. On the flipside, the vibes shift from Queensbridge to Staten Island and bring a special sound to work the crowd - this heavy soul classic arrives in true Shaolin style with choppy, dark soul chords and classic hip-hop beats. It's a track that commands attention with the drums but also locks in head and heart.
Review: In a rare backwards castling and killer checkmate, Friendly Records boldly re-press one of J Dilla's most beloved cuts, 'Geek Down', which appeared on his landmark Donuts LP. Known for its sample of the 2001 dark funk tune 'Charlies Theme' by The Jimi Entley Sound, this indelible, ringed hors d'oeuvre was essential for the critics' collective assessment that the 2005 LP was his magnum opus. Trailing pink sprinkles behind it, 'Geek Down' made Dilla's name. Sadly, the title would seem predict the artist's death just three days after the record's release. Dilla was a true productive geekazoid, and it shows in this track, with its untameable, above-the-law Western guitar wahs and tense, lilting strings keeping the goosebump hairs stood aright. The originally sampled track appears on the B, still only part-revealing the magic trick.
Review: J. Rawls is something of a super producer who has worked with many legends of the game such as The Beastie Boys and Talib Kweli. After his sold-out 2022 album, JazzHop, he follows it up with a couple of the many superb collabs he has done over the years. 'I Believe' is a steamy and low-slung house tune with warming bass and buttery vocal coos power by crispy boom bap. As the title suggests, 'Brazil' is a summery sound that takes you to Latin America with paddy kicks, wooden percussion and big horns that all get the good vibes flowing.
Review: A full quarter of a century ago now, Rawls made musical magic with the legends that are Mos Def aka Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, hip hop dons in their own right but also known collectively as Black Star. That was on the top tune 'Brown Skin Lady' and now 25 years on Rawls has gone back to revisit the original session sounds. He has sampled them and given them a fresh breath of air as well as reworking the beats, this time very much for the dance floor, and with plenty of Brazilian flavour. On the flip, you also get a flame-hot instrumental 'Braziliiance Bonus Beats'.
Review: J Rocc is rightly hailed as one of the best DJs out there, in possession of a vast music knowledge and the skills to deploy it with party-killing effect behind the decks. Last year saw J Rocc launch the Funky Presidents Edits series with the first two 7"s selling out immediately! We expect a similar situation with this third volume which leads out with a killer edit of Earth Wind & Fire classic "Brazilian Rhythm". That classic vocal harmony meets an equally iconic drum break with J Rocc's edit mastery coming to the fore over the course of the cut. The Bonus Beats version on the flip means the more dextrous DJs out there might want to consider doubling up on this beauty.
Review: James Brown still casts a long shadow over hip-hop, particularly the turntablist community. Even renowned diggers such as Jason 'J Rocc' Jackson keep returning to the Godfather of Soul's heavyweight, break-filled catalogue. Here, Jackson pays tribute by delivering two impeccable, Steinski style cut-ups of highlights from the great man's bulging catalogue. It's been done before, of course - see DJ Format's "Stealin' James" 12" from a few years back - but rarely with quite so much vim and vigour. Both "Part 1 & 2" and flipside "Part 5 & 6" hit the spot, whipping through classic JB breaks and samples at a furious rate. As a result, they should be considered essential DJ tools for party-rockin' DJs.
Review: Dusty-fingered break-digger J Rocc can always be relied upon to deliver the goods, especially when it comes to the tasty Funky President Edits series. Informed by his impeccable turntablist skills, both versions of "Break Yo Self" offer a whirlwind trip through scorching, floor-friendly funk and rock breaks, with a wide range of classic and little-known samples thrown in for good measure. The A-side "Breakbeat Lenny Tribute" version begins with some Bob James style organ fluidity, before ramping up the energy levels via a string of killer drum hooks. If anything, the flipside "Breakbeat Lou Tribute" is even more party-friendly, with J-Rocc quickly running through almost everything in his box of tricks. In other words, it's a cut-up masterclass.
Review: The superbly skilled studio technician J Rocc serves up more of his unmissable edits here. He takes on a stone cold classic A Tribe Called Quest cut 'Luck of Lucien' to open up with and amazingly offers it as an instrumental for the first time ever. The original track was played by the iconic Ron Hardy so J Rocc found it to make this similar edit. The busier, darker drums of 'Sweat Break' are just as essential on the reverse, making this another must buy volume of edits from this modern great.
Review: Nearly five years after the first seven-inch appeared, the seventh volume in J Rocc's on-point "Funky President Edits" series lands. As with the tracks contained on previous volumes, the showcased cuts have long been staples in his DJ sets and should be considered "tried and tested bombs". First up on side A is "Flight #2", a shuffling, ear-pleasing affair that combines jangling elements from a semi-acoustic Afro-Soul cut with borrowed chorus vocals and languid, laidback percussion. "Greddy Foot", on the other hand, is a low-slung funk bomb -a slightly dubbed-out revision of a James Brown original with additional vocal samples from other Godfather of Soul workouts.
Review: Hip-hop head and dizzyingly dexterous DJ J Rocca is back with another musical celebration of the exit from office of the worst president in the history of the United States of America. This is the 6th such volume of 'Impeach' and it is a tight woven tapestry and skilful mash-up of no fewer than 14 flips of surely one of the most sampled songs in the history of hip hop. Masterfully mixed together and limited to 500 copies, this is a strong sonic statement that will stand the test of time.
Review: Volume 6 of the SCM Flip Sessions is from the one and only J Rocc. It has been put together as a celebration of the end of the tenure of former President Trump, or "the most trash president in the history of the United States," as the label puts it. Across just two tunes, SCM brings you 14 flips of possibly the most sampled song in hip hop. They are Althea out together by the inimitable J Rocc with the hope being that this is a document of protest that will stand the test of time. One pressing only, 500 copies in all, do not sleep.
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