Thoughts
The reissue. Rap is aging and we are now like many other genres seeing albums reissued on vinyl or pressed on vinyl for the first time. There are purists out there that are OG copy or nothing, but I don’t care about that. I like many people grew up in a place where a lot of these release were not available when they were pressed. I welcome the repress and the first time to vinyl press. There seems to be a great market for it as there are several boutique niches labels that have popped specializing in this market. I wish I had more money to devote to this as a lot of my focus is always on new rap music. I really like all the super obscure bay area and west coast gangster rap records that are getting releases on vinyl. Shout out to Vancouver based Rels Records for drooping one of my all time favorites Dru Down-Explicit Game.
I like that this gives rap fans a chance at getting some of their favourite albums on vinyl. Sometime with a release like Freestyle Fellowships seminal album To Whom It May Concern I really struggle. I was really excited this was getting rereleased on double vinyl. The packaging was great however here is my dilemma. I have both original pressings on vinyl, I have the tape and the cd versions of the album. Do I need a 2xlp release of this record? That is a tough question and one I am still struggling with. Logically the answer is no. Like why anyone needs multipole copies of an album to begin with is beyond logic. Like having four copies of the album should be more than sufficient for anyone. This is where it gets tricky. This version has a new mix by Cut Chemist and a new master by Daddy Kev and new artwork (original vinyl releases were in plan sleeve circle cut jackets) liner notes and photos from the legendary B+. Out of these things the version with the 11 page booklet is the most enticing to me. This is the version I would want. My favourite part of re-release is updated liner notes for the release that shed some light and perspective on the release. The new mix and master I am on the fence about. There is something to be said about that warm west coast 4-track lo fi sound that just hits different. It is perfect in its authenticity.
At the end of the day against my better rap judgment I passed on this reissue and put those funds towards other records. I went back and forth on it quite a bit but ultimately it wasn’t enough to sway me. Price was a factor for sure on this decision. Another factor is we are in a really great time for rap releases. There is an abundance of incredible new rap music out there. If this had been released during a lull, I probably would have copped it. It is sold out now and I thought not getting it would haunt me more, but it has not. Maybe that is a sign of maturity or maybe it is a sign of the times.
My favourite rerelease/first time to vinyl releases as of late were the three Ghost Shrimp cover releases that Audio Recon put out for the Returners – Break Up Your Make Up, Neila-Better Late Than Never and Cam, Gram and G.A.M. – Party Til Your Body Drops. This trifecta of releases checks off all the boxes. Three underappreciated/under released albums, incredible artwork, super nice matte finish covers, not a million dollars aka priced very reasonably for such a short run release. These three records are beautiful and I appreciate that the artwork was one of the driving forces in getting the records released on vinyl.
Billy from Controller 7 and Buck 65 is now available for order on vinyl. There are a few options but the only one worth mentioning is the black vinyl option. I picked up this tape when it dropped a couple years back and there were rumors then of a vinyl release then, so I am excited that it has come to life.
Gajah of Acid Reign / Project Blowed recently passed. I never met Gajah but by all those who have he seems like someone I would get along with well. I have always enjoyed Acid Reign releases over the years. The Hip Hop community came together as 30 mc’c beatmakers and dj’s came together to make a tribute track to Gajah check it out here.
Some exciting news from the homies at UGSMAG who celebrated 22 years this week. Happy Birthday! A quarterly printed and digital zine is in the works that will feature all the great art and hip hop that you come to expect. I will have a Thoughts From The Rap Nest column in the zine which I am really excited about. I believe the first drop is slated for July 1 so stay tuned.
A new posthumous digital album from kidDEAD – The Man That Lived Forever is now available on his Bandcamp for preorder. These are 9 of the final recordings from kidDEAD and is produced by Nathan Zensen and features Spoken Nerd, Brzowski and Bobby Exodus. The Proceeds from this release will be donated to Streetworks in Nashville TN.
The homie Drummachinemike has a new release available called Artificial Environments. I love his production and beats and you should too so make sure you check it out here and also pick up Former Futures on tape or cd if you already haven’t.
The homie Dug Yuck & James Reindeer have anew album out called stag paint. Cassette and digital available here.
The homie Rove announced his debut album If Not Now set for release late summer on vinyl cassette and cd. I have had the pleasure to hear this album as it was created and provide feedback and encouragement. It has been so fun to see it materialize. Rove is an OG heavyweight in the indie hip hop scene and mostly made his name as a freight king in Fr8ophiles and CBS. He has been djing for years and we formed a DJ crew Called The Stone Cold Party Rockers (shout to the English League). He is part of the Saskatoon Folk Rap Records music collective. The album features a who’s who of the indie rap world with tracks featuring 2Mex, Rifleman, Riddlore, Subtitle, Misterman Cheers, Mickey Avalon, Awol One, Jihad the Roughneck MC, Mestizo, Megabusive, Radioinactive, Neila, Epic and Sole. I am so excited for this release. I can’t wait to add it to the collection. Stay tuned for preorder info.
Last but not least, the homie signone (another Saskatoon Folk Rap Collective member) is dropping his new album tomorrow for preorder on vinyl and cassette. I am super excited about this one and can’t wait to order it. I did cuts on a couple songs and that was a real honour. The album is slamming front to back and I can’t wait to hear it on vinyl! Extra shout outs for pressing black vinyl only! Real recognize real. The album The Mighty Highs And The Lowly Lows will be available to order in Canada from Endemik Music, in the United States from Audio Recon Records and in Germany/Europe from Pen Thief Records.
There is a Bandcamp Friday tomorrow so please if you can support some or all of the above, your favorite artists and take a chance on someone new.
Sorry no record highlights this week or top 5. The week got away from me. I will be back with a couple profiles next week and a new top 5.
Classic Material
Black Sheep - A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
This is a classic that needs no further elaboration. Front to back an all timer. It was the 1991-92 minor hockey season, and I was playing for the Zone D Raiders here in Saskatoon. I loved playing hockey when I was kid despite all the insanity and abuse, I suffered around it. I tried my best to block that that out and I put it all on the line every time I stepped out on the ice. I bought this tape shortly after it was released as the video for The Choice Is Yours was getting a lot of air play on Rap City and the anticipation for this release was serious. I bought the tape at the old Sam the Record Man location at Midtown Mall in Saskatoon. It was in one of the plastic long box cases. In those days Sam the Record Man had a small rap selection like 3-4 rows and I pretty much had the releases memorized so any new additions stuck out like a sore thumb. When I saw the iconic cover, I instantly grabbed it. I think it was 12.99$ at the time if I remember correct.
I instantly put it on in my walk man and it didn’t leave for months. Around this time is when we started playing music in the dressing room before taking the ice. It was mostly ACDC, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Motely Crue and a whole bunch of other music I was not interested in at that time. I only cared about rap music. Rap music started to make a breakthrough in that time with Mc Hammer and Vanilla Ice an this would get played once in a while. However it was rare at best.
For Doz That Slept is a profanity laced track that features the harmonizing of the word fuck you over and over with some rhythm scratches and a great beat. When you are 13 years old it is the best song ever. two minutes and 38 seconds of “fuck you” over and over. I still get a kick out of the track when I hear it now as it brings up the story I am about to share.
As I mentioned before, rap was becoming more popular. With the video play this album was getting it got into a few more ears around these parts. Sean B aka the Foreman aka the one who runs the show, who was a local rapper and beat maker in Saskatoon in the late 90’s early 2000’s was on my hockey team. He was familiar with the album form the videos and I had the tape in my Walkman as I would listen to that instead of the usual metal and rock that was played. He put the tape on, and that song came on and everyone on my team loved it as you would expect a bunch of 12- and 13-years old’s to. He turned it up super loud and within minutes a parent came in and took out the tape. I was crushed. I loved that tape. I could not live without it at time. I could not focus on the game. I think I laid a real stinker out there. After the game I went to the parent and pleaded my case to get it back and luckily, I got it back under the condition it would never be played again. I took the tape, and it was never played again in the dressing room again. Still got the tape.
Closing Ramblings
I have two new shirts up at Stylesmakefights.ca One for my radio Show You Know The Rules designed by the homie Aiden Searle and the other formy dj crew The Stone Cold Party Rockers with the homie Rove designed by the homie Awol One. Also the homies at Audio Recon have some dope new shirts too
I host two weekly radio shows Third Verse on CFCR 90.5 fm in Saskatoon Saskatchewan every Wednesday 9 -10:30pm CST and You Know The Rules on UMFM 101.5 in Winnipeg Manitoba every Sunday Night 10-11pm They are pretty great and you should check em out.
Also i got some cool shirts, poster and hats in the Ugsmag Shop if you want that fly shit.
**legal disclaimer all records and songs were run through the RAP NEST 5000 SUPER ANALYTIC COMPTROLLER MACHINE that is certified by the I.A.A.R.R.A (International Association of Analytical Rap Recordings Analysis) in layman’s terms, it means the machine is never wrong.
Catch you next week with more thoughts from the rap nest.
Peace
-chaps