Universal Zulu GANG STARR Build *VISUAL CAFFEINE Episode 4 (Video) Live from Planet Brooklyn, Visual Caffeine pays respect to GANG STARR featuring MCs BIG LORD, K-BANGER & PRINCE CULTURE. See the other 3 Episodes here
After supporting Immortal Technique in London in 2008 and having just signed to Eminem's label Shady with the lyrical powerhouse Slaughterhouse, Joell Ortiz returns to the UK for two exclusive dates, one in Manchester and one in London. This talented Brooklyn emcee will be performing fresh material form his brand new album 'Free Agent' as well as classic joints from his mixtapes & Bodega Chronicles. Supported by some of the UK's leading names these events are a must for any discerning Hip-Hop fan!
"Cuz I'm an ace when I face the bass, 40 side is the place that is giving me grace, Now wait, another dose and you might be dead, And I'm a Nike head, I wear chains that excite the feds And aint' a damn thing gonna change" - Nas "Halftime"
UK Mega Blasters DJ MK & SHORTEE BLITZ - 90'S EAST COAST/ WEST COAST MIX "So last Sunday on our radio show on KISS100 me & Blitz did a exclusive 90's Hip Hop mix. I took care of all the West coast joints, whilst Blitz took care of the East Coast. Remember you can listen to us live every Sunday from 10 pm live on KISS, or listen back to it , when ever you want HERE" - from DJ MK's excellent blog
AHAMAD JAMAL - DOLPHIN DANCE COMMON - RESURRECTION DAS EFX - REAL HIP HOP DAS EFX - REAL HIP HOP (PETE ROCK RMX) GROUP HOME - LIVIN PROOF MALINA SHAW -CALIFORNIA SOUL GANGSTARR - CHECK THE TECHNIQUE MOS DEF - UNIVERSAL MAGNETIC ODB - POP SHOTS CRAIG MAC - GET DOWN (Q-TIP) BIGGIE - MACHINE GUN FUNK BUSTA RHYMES - RHYMES GALORE WU TANG CLAN -SHAME ON A ODB - SHIMMY SHIMMY YA'LL WU TANG CLAN -12TH CHAMBER WU TANG CLAN -PROTECT YOUR NECK ODB - BROOKYLN ZOO
WEST COAST MIX - DJ MK QUINCEY JONESSUMMER IN THE CITY JIMI HENDRIX - ARE YOU EXPERIENCED PHARCYDE - PASSIN ME BY DOMINO - GETO JAM DOMINO - SWEET POTATO PIE SEQUENCE - FUNK YOU UP DR DRE - KEEP THEIR HEADS RINGING CASUAL - I DIDNT MEAN TO LADY OF RAGE - AFRO PUFFS DR DRE - DRE DAY PHARCYDE - 4 BETTER OR 4 WORSE 2PAC - I GET AROUND SNOOP - PUMP PUMP SOULS OF MISCHIEF - THATS WHEN YA LOST CYPRESS HILL - HAND ON THE PUMP CYPRESS HILL - KILL A MAN HOUSE OF PAIN - JUMP AROUND (PETE ROCK MIX) TYRONE THOMAS - 7 MINUTES OF FUNK ALKAHOLIKS - ONLY WHEN IM DRUNK
Keith E. - The GURU R.I.P. By Shucks One ID (Pass this on but please add link)
Regardless of the break up with DJ Premier, his recent release quality, and the extraordinary politricks going on, The Guru was 1 half of the longest running Hip-Hop recording group Gangstarr, the only group representing the true DJ/MC relationship. He will be sorely missed....
Rare Gangstarr MTV Performance of "Take It Personal" DJ Premier cutting up!!!
Ghost Writer –noun a person who writes one or numerous speeches, books, articles, etc., for another person who is named as or presumed to be the author. Also, ghostwriter. Origin: 1895–1900, Americanism Mad Skills- Ghost Writer Came up with Timberland, VA native, smashed NY MCs at Open Mic battles, produced by the best of the era, think Large Professor. Wrote lyrics for alot of BIG rappers and called them out on this live version!!!!! Come!
The Game - Ghost Writer
Ghost Writer Rapper - Sauce Money Sauce Money is an MC who for the late Versace era was getting alot of Magazine coverage. He released a few independant underground 12"s on rare labels, but got a name Ghost Writing, or writing lyrics for other "Made" Rappers. It was a while ago but I remember him saying he wrote for Mase, Lil Cease and no doubt several Rocafella Records affilliates, Jay-Z?
Sauce Money - Last Real N**** Alive Freestyle Kay Slay Drama King Freestyle "It was my man Jay(-Z) who discovered me, I remembered the Rock(afella) used to cover me..." Sauce exclaiming the lack of support from Rocafella records that he claims he helped write hits for, "without clearance (credit)". Perhaps hinting that he ghost wrote for Beanie Seigal, amonst others??
Big Jaz/Jaz-O Marcy Projects old School MC guests on Sauces 1999 album he also claims Jay-Z didn't support his career once he blew, allegedly... Read more here
Sauce Money (DJ Premier) - Against The Grain
Sauce Money VS. Nature (The Firm) OOOH No! Nature (The Firm) calls Sauce one of the Fat Boys... "You're claim to fame is that you call me fat?!!! Well anyone who can see n***** can call me that! Well heres the thing Purse Snatcher...." - Sauce Wins! Hilarious! Purse Snatcher.... Pwaaaaaahhahahaha!
Kool Sphere Interview As writers from the Bronx and Manhattan gained much of the media shine in the early days, Queens borough graffiti contribution is undeniable but one that often gets over looked. Kool Sphere cut his teeth as both a graffiti writer riding the 7's surviving local hood wars, and later on battling MC's live on New York College radio, so he definitely knows the Queens County's legacy.
While moving back and forth between New York and L.A. over the years, he got to experience both coasts' hiphop scenes along with the familiar story of hustling to get equipment and studio time. It all paid off though, what with rocking shows with The Neptunes, Method Man, The Pharcyde, Slum Village, and recording with DJ Premier, Kool G Rap and Wu-Tang's Bronze Nazareth.
Sphere has kept all angles covered still regularly dropping burners designing graffiti t-shirts for clothing label Wild Style Technicians, and his music featured in the Interscope movie "The Next Episode". There is a lot in the works; as well as breaking into soundtrack work, there is a solo Kool Sphere project and a Verbal Threat album coming soon. Sphere took time away from the grind to talk to us about, the past, the future and keeping the love for the game alive.
What do you write and what crew are you in?
Kool Sphere, CWK, KDM, TDC, WST and Verbal Threat.
Where are you from?
Queens, NYC.
Who was the first writer you noticed?
[It was a writer called] Sick from the Bronx, and seeing him up on highways, as well as Saint and Sife UQA.
When did you start writing?
Around 1985 or so.
Outside of New York, a lot of people are aware of the Bronx through Subway Art; but the story of Queens graf is not a very well known one. What was it like back then?
Queens, just like the other boros in NYC, has a history of its own. The 80’s were a very real time in hip-hop, the graff and the music. Violence came hand in hand in both aspects, where as now it seems to be non-existent. There were many real pioneers that did their thing coming up in the game. NYC was a crazy place from the 80's through to the early 90's. We lived through years of roll ups, with 10 car loads of cats, packing bats, box cutters, mace etc. Years of chillin' on the corners, outside bodegas and liquor stores. So many good memories from the good, to the bad. NYC will never be the same again.
New York Bodega
Who are some of the Kings from Queens people should be aware of?
Saint and Ghost.
Ket&Ghost Clean Train from Press Pause's Flickr page
How would you describe your style? Traditional.
Being from the old school, what do you feel about modern graffiti?
I'm not really feeling the new styles. I prefer the 80's NYC style of piecing, straight letters, throw-ups, handstyles etc.
How do you feel has graff influenced, or changed your life? For the good or bad?
For the good. I took the respect I had for graff into the hip-hop game, as an MC for my group Verbal Threat.
What are some of your graffiti memories?
Just rocking pieces with cats I respected over the years, Sketch CWK, Snatch CWK, SHO TDC, Zone, Dase WST.
What does it mean to you to be a member of your crew?
Its nice to be down with cats that have a high level of skill with styles, and pieces. It makes you want to step up your game.
Going forward what do you hope to accomplish with your art? Just preserving styles from the old school and incorporating my style into that. I bring it back to life through my designs for Verbal Threat clothing and promotional material. Right now I'm liking the shirt design, I wrote Verbal Threat in a tag with a pilot [marker] for one. I'm starting a clothing line in 2007.
Who does Verbal Threat consist of?
Kool Sphere and MC Reppond, and we collab with Ray Rob on the drums, and DJ Flict for live shows.
As an MC, when did it become more serious, and less of just ciphering with your crew?
I started MCing around 1990 or so. Kool G Rap’s Wanted Dead Or Alive changed me personally, forever. We became more serious when the whole game started getting too commercial. We were heavily influenced by Gangstarr and DJ Premier Kool G Rap etc, so we felt the need to take the torch, and continue down the same road they paved for us. That’s the difference! I’ve heard rappers in the past that have gone commercial, cite people like Primo or Wu-Tang as influences… Then put out that typical radio garbage rap. Reppond feel and me that, if you really want to give props to the cats that influenced you, follow in the footsteps they were headed and put out legitimate hip-hop music. That is the ultimate thanks you could give back to the pioneers that came before you. Believe me… If it wasn’t for cats like Gangstarr, Kool G Rap and Wu?! We wouldn't be here today.
How did you first get introduced into the music industry?
Around 1994 me and M.C. Reppond starting getting access to recording studios, and began recording where ever we could, and just started to hit the streets.
Who are some of the artists you have worked with?
Kool G Rap, DJ Premier, Sadat X, Da Beatminerz, DJ Babu from Dilated Peoples/BeatJunkies, the Wu-Tang's Mathematics, 4th Disciple and Bronze Nazareth.
Verbal Threat with DJ Premier
How did you end up hooking up with Premier and Kool G Rap?
Many years of grinding in the game, and having mutual friends in the industry, who wanted to make the collabos happen. We've prided ourselves over the years by sticking to a real formula, and keeping the old school current.
When can people expect to hear some new releases from Verbal Threat?
Our new single Reality Check (produced by DJ Premier) is killing the streets, and we flipped the b-side with Kool G Rap, and production by the Wu's Bronze Nazareth. The new Verbal Threat album is coming soon, entitled The Golden Era and is dropping December 2006. We just got back from shooting the video for Reality Check in NYC last week. Locations from Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan to Brooklyn rooftops.
The Verbal Threat 12" single "Reality Check" is in stores now, and Autobiography/Boxcutter/BackStagePasses out now
- Originally posted on 24.10.06 by Shucks One - Photo credit: Kool Sphere
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related Links:
"We might give out, but we will never give in" - Supar Nova
DJ Fingers outside The Spats Club. Spats85' DJ Fingers (of the Sindecut/Family Quest) and his Tottenham DJ Crew the Mixmasters took over the runnings of one of the first UK Hip Hop club. It was a daytime club, the age raged between 12-25, and many of the performers and party people became the cream of the UK Black music industry.
"A great club-night. The little sign about unlocking phones used to have the sign for the club on it, with a little pair of dancing feet in Spats on it. You could feel the bass from the street level on a Saturday afternoon." - Skore (TRC)
"I won a breakin comp on sataday afternoon her back in 83-5 won a tenner prize money.....tiny laminated dance floor...spinning on my elbow was the clinching move!! woz way under age too!" - Masika
Mr. Bongo's R.I.P. One time Legendary London Hip Hop shop specialising in Underground Hip-Hop music, loads of re-issues and rares. Anyone who was anyone travelling to the UK did in stores or signing in here. Latin music upstairs.
"Sad man, I remember the mode2 on the celing" - Cruelvapours
"I wonder what happened to mine and mode2's celing pieces???? they was up in there for years...K-line-Mode2 memories" - KeenOne-Roc-Awe
Deal Real 2 R.I.P. One time Legendary London Hip Hop shop, DJ MK (Kiss FM) and Tony Vegas (Scratch Perverts) worked here.
FIRST RATE, TONY VEGAS, MR THING, DJ RENAGADE AND PRIME CUTS IN DEAL REAL RECORDS LONDON PRATICE SESSION
This used to be my saturday morning hang out, you couldnt get there too late or the best 12s were gone. A lot of paper round money got dropped in there. - Relay (ID)
Bond 2 R.I.P. One time Legendary London Hip Hop clothes shop,Graffiti mags and up market Hip-Hop clothes were availiable here. A kool guy called Nicky worked here.
"Spent lots of my hard earned cash in there over the years" - 3RD Man
"I prefered that end of the street, you used to see more hunnies that end because of the studio round the corner." - Able214 (Galiss haha! The Kool Skool)
Uptown Records R.I.P. One time Legendary London Hip Hop shop, specializing in R&B and Commercial Rap.
Scenario Records R.I.P. One time Legendary London Hip Hop shop, selling Underground Hip-Hop.
The Beat Hut R.I.P. One time Legendary London Hip Hop shop shop run by DJ Ill Out and his family http://www.ishiphop.com http://www.myspace.com/beathutltd
DealReal 3 R.I.P. One time Legendary London Hip Hop shop specialising in Underground Hip-Hop music, loads of re-issues and rares. Anyone who was anyone travelling to the UK did in stores or signing in here.
"S%>ness, everytime we're up in London we make a stop in there." - Jannerisms
"This place looked well nice when it first opened . Shame it has gone." - AllStar$$
SuparNovar & Big Ben 'Never Give In' @ Deal Real with Speach
Marcy Projects representer Jaz-O is holding his own against the multi-billion dollar steam roller that is modern Rap industry. Some might say that youtube disses and expose videos are cheap fame moves, and we tend to agree but when you are up against a giant, sometimes you have to do David steps...
Brooklyn's The Jaz is known to many as "the Mentor of Jay-Z", but there is much more to him than that, he came to the publics attention in the late 80's as a concious rapper in a period when the scene was dominated by Queens borough MCs. So whether he was talking about Police brutality in "Its Your Nature"; or in the Originators video wearing the crown and regalia of Dr. Malachi Z. York-El'sNuwaubian Nation of Moors organization, you know he was on some serious knowledge.
Jaz-O - The Originators Feat. Jay-Z
"Are you men living in God realities or Gods with man mentalities?" Jaz-O Love Has Gone
Texas born DJ Premier who has made Brooklyn his home, has done production for many Brooklyn old Schoolers Just-Ice, Big Daddy Kane (pictured), and in 2002 produced Jaz-O and the Immobilaire underground banger Love Is Gone. Since the not so subtle Love is Gone record about Jay-Z, where Jaz-O laments the break up of their longtime friendship, there have been many back and forths between Jaz-O and Jay-Z that you may have heard. Jaz-O going at the whole of Rocafella when they were at their most Tonka on Nore's "Nothin'", Jay-Z and Rocafella all at him in return. Jay-Z mentions the fact that Jaz-O was 40 years old at that time but that would come back to haunt him when he fell out with Camron and Dipset though...
Jaz-O explains his side of the story
It seemed to have ended a while back with this freestyle , but recently with the Dame Dash & Jaz-O "Happy Birthday" video, Jay-Z has dissed him again on Ludacris's recent song I Do It For Hip Hop co-starring Nas and JAY-Z. And so on and so on and so on....
with Camron and Dipset though... 
