Thoughts
The Hip Hop Movie Soundtrack, was so important in the 90’s and they were also super hit and miss but when they hit they really hit. Everyone seems to have their favorite and there is not an overwhelming consensus on which is the best. I really liked hip hop movie compilations. They usually featured an exclisve track and when they were a hit they hit hard like Mista Grimm’s Indo Smoke and Pete Rock and Cl Smooth’s One In a Million from the Poetic Justice Soundtrack. These were diamonds in the ruff on what in my opinion is a pretty lack lustre soundtrack to an excellent movie. That was the thing with the Soundtrack, it was such a huge gamble when it hit it was totally worth it.
The two of the best songs ever to appear on soundtracks are Ganja K - Love Got Me Trippin’ on A Thin Line Between Love & Hate soundtrack and Noggin Nodders - Bounce on the Sprung soundtrack. These are two all time tracks for me and for them to randomly appear on these soundtracks really wants me to see the A&R or music director and ask why and how they appeared. That would be some story I am sure.
Then there is the Street Fighter Soundtrack. Pretty forgettable movie or maybe a cult classic that is in the eye of the beholder but what is undeniable is how shocking the line up is for the soundtrack and how sick it is. You have Saafir, The Pharcyde, The B.U.M.S. Paris, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Anotha Level, Nas, Iced Cube, Ras Kass, Ahmad and Craig Mack plus a few others. Like I need to talk to whoever put this soundtrack together. I wood never have guessed this soundtrack would feature so many heavyweight mc’s and be so good. Definetly one of the sleepers in this category.
Then there is the genre bending era defining Judgement Night Soundtrack tart keeps getting better with age. The ultimate rap rock crossover album that features the all time joint by De La Soul and Teenage Fan Club’s - Fallin Now, I didn’t really appreciate this album fully when it dropped as it was not hip hop enough for me at the time, but as time tics and I age and reflect on thing, I am amazed this even got made. What an undertaking it must have been to put it together. I don’t think you could pull something like this off in 2022 and I am not sure I even want to see what that looks like.
It was hard to determine if they made the movie to sell the soundtrack or if the soundtrack was made to sell the movie. It was rare when the strength of the movie lined up with the strength of the soundtrack. The Strongest in this category would probably be Above The Rim, Friday, and High School High. My biggest disapointments are Menace to Society and Boys in the Hood. I thought both movies were incredible but for the most part the soundtracks really sucked.
Then there is New Jersey Drive where the soundtrack was so good they had to release two volumes, the movie was pretty good too! This was a nice trip down memory lane and there are so many movies and soundtracks in this genre it is mind-blowing. I just wanted to share a few. I could probably keep going with pictures but I am limited to the size of the file I can email out. I think I exceeded that so you will probably have to go into substack to se the entire email. I probably have to do some thoughts about movies in this genre at some point soon.
This weeks feature release from Audio Recon is the first solo effort from New Orleans based MC/producer and 1/2 of the group Sic Hop, Anthony DeMar. I was not familiar was all with album prior to buying it blind. Yes I bought it without ever listening to it. I actually do that with pretty much every release I buy. I have crafted my hip hop spidey senses enough over the past 30 years that I trust them. I knew since Audio Recon was involed and putting their name behind it then I knew it was a must cop. I really like this album and listen to it a lot in the Rap Nest. It has a great pychadlic and experimental vibe that doesn’t stray too far from the hip hop foundation but just far enough to create something fresh and unique. There is one last copy remaining at Audio Recon and you can get it with an additional discount of 45% using code Psychedelicthoughts. Don’t sleep!
Record One
Turn The Gun - Perpetual Survival
Yy and The Gumshoe Strut are back with a full length release as Turn The Gun for the first time since 2005’s RAP DAY. I honestly thought Turn The Gun was dead in the water as a Rap Group. When I first heard that a new Turn The Gun Album was in the works I was beyond excited and Yy and The Gumshoe Strut are two of my favourite rappers and together they form like Voltron as the saying goes. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022. As they were starting to finish things up, The Gumshoe Strut reached out to see if I would be down to lay some cuts on the record. I was not only down I was honoured. The Gumshoe Strut handles the production on this one and delivers with 10 slamming beats. Check out his last few years of work as he has been on fire with Styles Make Fights and and the Heartbeat Ep in addition to the instrumental album Washed At Midnight and beat tapes bricks and Command, Stop. His production has always been super sick and some of my most favourite beats over the years have been his production but I think this time period over the last three or so years he has taken it to another level. Yy has alway been one of may favourite on the mic and when him and The Gumshoe Strut team up and rap about race, white supremacy, racism and topics of the like on Do the Work, Hillbilly Reckoning, and Ally no one does it better. Raps like this have a real chance at getting through to people and changing the world for the better. I would highly recommend coping this CD or Tape right now before you finish this newsletter if you have already not done so. Or at minimum give it a listen I promise you will not regret it.
There is also a special cassette release of this album from the homies at Pen Thief Records that features a bonus remix from the homie Noblonski. I also want to give a big shout out to the homie sign one who mixed and mastered this album and did a phenominal job as always. Sorry ran out of time tonight only one record this week.
Classic Material
Del The Funkee Homosapien - Future Development
Back in the late 90’s we used to play a lot of Basketball in the warmer months. Our cutoff weather wise was plus 6 Celsius. We played at the homie Funky’s house, and it collectively became known as Funky Ball. None of us were serious ballers outside of M.Phasis who played High School Ball. Funky had this extra wide driveway that was paved between his and his neighbors so it made for a great place to play. The slope of his driveway was not too crazy either. We would play 3 on 3 or 2 on 2 tournaments all the time. Music played a huge role in this. We always had a boombox and picking the right tape was critically important and often a point of contention. People would often bring tapes with hopes they would get some play, but it was hard to beat out a tape once it was a sure-fire standard.
One tape that got heavy, heavy play during this era was Del The Funkee Homosapien’s -Future Development. Del had played here at a show at the Western Development Museum. It was one of the first big underground rap shows here in Saskatoon. It was at the Western Development Museum. Which was a Museum that featured a 1910 Boom Town and they had a hall/banquet area that was rented for the show. Side note, the homie Rove got married there and the reception was held in that hall. It also Featured Casual, soso, M.Phasis, Innate and mcenroe. I don’t have a lot of first hand details on the show, just second hand accounts as I was away on my Basic Training in the Canadian Army at the time and missed it. I remember vividly sleeping in the barracks that night and dreaming about the show. I do know for sure that the show was too wild to be hosted in a museum. It was also the only and the last show ever at that venue.
Now I am not sure if this tape was purchased at this show or at the Heiro show In Calgary I mentioned a few issues back, but I know Funky picked it up and I am super thankful he did. This album quickly became my favourite Del album and over the years I have drawn the conclusion that it is his best work. This is a less controversial take on my part then my take that Aceyalon’s best album is Accepted Eclectic which I will dive into at some point in the future. I have such fond, memories of this tape from the days of playing Funky ball. I scooped this when it was first issued to vinyl. I DJ’d this record a lot and my copy is pretty beat up. I recently acquired this exact tape from Funky about a year ago as he was cleaning out his house in preparation for a move to Mexico. I am sure we all have albums that we connect like this one to really fun and carefree time of our life. I was never a good basketball player, but I could hit the odd shot and make a good pass, but I sure loved playing Funky ball. Shouts to the OG Funky Ball players; Funky, Nates, M.Phasis, and Chico.
Closing Ramblings
I have two shirts up at Stylesmakefights.ca One for my radio Show You Know The Rules designed by the homie Aiden Searle and the other for my 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 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