Street Struck

Big L Documentary, hope it see's the light of day. Show talking about Devil's Son is crazy

Sleaze live on the radio show later...

Gryme Tyme!

So you love hip-hop? But you don't feel that it's quite the same as it used to be? Here's what you've been missing. The Freestyle Professors consists of Branesparker and Giff (previously Geo of Geo & Ricochet). The first thing that hits you is how raw the album is (this is a good thing) with sparse production and some dope flows. Production is mostly handled by Branesparker, the Freestyle Professors have also used the talents of DITC's Show(biz), Buckwild, Diamond D and Lord Finesse with Diamond's beat the best thing I can remember him doing since "The Great Diamond D", Shows contribution is a dope raw drum loop with not much else, but it stands out and makes me wish other rappers would chose this type of beat over his more recent sounding productions. Minnesota and 12 Finger Dans contributions are highlights too but it's Branesparkers own production that really shines here.

Theres a few guests and it's great to hear Stanley Grimes again (pka Page the Handgrenade) after wondering what happened to him after his appearance on Check Me Out Baby Pah from Finesse's amazing Crates To The Files (is the first 2lp pressing a boot or semi-legit?) Akbar appearing on two tracks was also a pleasant suprise. Lyrical content is varied from battle raps to more conscious subject matter. I haven't listened to one album this much in years so that should be recommendation enough to go get a copy.

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM SNIPPETS HERE

I was meant to do a post on the great Confuse A Few 12" (below next to the equally dope Vintage EP) and took that pic back in April so I've been slacking. This also contains the non album tracks "We Won't Stop" and "Grit Dat Grime" as well as the Confuse a Few", "We Won't Stop" and "Jump On It" instrumentals. Jump On It has the most heavily distorted bass line I've heard in years. If your interested in buying any of the Freestyle Professors material CLICK HERE, or visit them on myspace here.

Lord Finnesse Live in Japan 6th March and Interview from last year

Many thanks to Maze for uploading this snippet from Lord Finesse's live show in Japan 6-7th March '09. Made me realise it's over a year since I had the pleasure of interviewing the Funky Man, you can download it after the video...

Main Ingredient Playlist 21-07-08
DOWNLOAD HERE

Tame One feat Sean Price > Haha Da Rah Rah (Amalgam)
K-Delight feat Chrome > The Wildstyle Dream (Playing Around)
Common feat Pharell > Universal Mind Control (G.O.O.D.)
Jazz T feat Kashmere > Abraxus 365 (Boot)
Bumpy Knuckles > How To Rob 2008 (Promo)
Lil Dap > Watch Me Do (Promo)
Dilla Doom Ghost > Murder Goons (Stonesthrow)
New Jack Hu$tle > All City Anthem (All City)
O.C. & A.G. > Put It In The Box (Promo)
East Flatbush Project > A Day In The Life (10/30 Uproar)
Butta Verses > If I Die (Domination Recs)
Shabaam Shadeeq feat Supastition > Survival Sounds (Marvial Ent)
Sir Smurf Lil' > That Sound (YNR)
Invincible > Sledgehammer (Emergence)
Sound Sci > Knock Knock (Exclusive)
Q-Tip > Gettin Up (Universal)
Cenubites feat Bobbito > Hawaii (One Leg Up)
Lord Finesse > Bad Mutha (Wild Pitch)

Exclusive Lord Finesse Interview

Ill Biskits > Let Em Know (Khari)
Lord Finesse feat Grand Puba > Real Talk Remix (Handcuts)
Symbolic 1 feat Big Pooh & Kay > Mash (Giant Step)
Evil Ed feat Microdisiacs > Great Expectations (Janomi)
Elliot Fresh track I can't remember the name of sorry!
Mweslee - Chandal 500 (All City)
C-Lone > Be Careful (Be Careful)

New radio show Monday and then the Breakin Convention and the after party Tuesday / Wednesday, full post about it tomorrow

Cro

MI Radio 20-07-08 Download, LORD FINESSE Interview, Shop Exclusive and more...

First up sorry for quietness, it's been a hectic couple of weeks, had an amazing time at the Rising Styles Festival, props to everyone who made it a great day, I'll put some pictures up soon.

We've got the new K-Delight & The Voodoo Guru 7" in exclusively for the next 2 months featuring Chrome from Def Tex. If your a regular listener to the radio show you'll have heard this a good few months back but if not it's the 2nd track on this weeks show. You can buy it here, but be quick we've only got limited copies!


Anyone unfamiliar with Lord Finesse's work could have a listen to the following for an idea of how influential he has and is to hip-hop and popular music in general, casual hip-hip listeners will be familiar with the use of his voice on Fat Boy Slim's massive pile of shite "Rockerfella Skank", ignore that and check these instead...


Funky Technician (Wild Pitch) His incredible debut featuring production from Premo, Diamond D and Showbiz. OG copies have GOLD lettering so don't be fooled if trying to track this down, it's also been officially reissued and bootlegged so be careful!







Return Of The Funky Man (Giant or 2LP Traffic Reissue) OG US vinyl is promo only so us Europeans had it easier for once! Includes the amazing "Yes You May" featuring Percee P and A.G. (the 12" remix introduced Big L to the world).




The Awakening (Penalty) Includes the classic posse cut "Actual Facts", also "Hip 2 Da Game" Brainstorm feat O.C. & KRS-One etc and all the instrumentals.





Crates To The Files (White 2lp or 3LP on Fat Beats) I forgot to ask if he actually put out the original release of this or not, has guest appearances by Page The Hand Grenade and Shelrumble (why new rappers can't think of such great names I don't know) and production from T-Ray, Showbiz and Diamond D.






Rare and Unreleased (Underboss) CD only unfortunately but still enough exclusives to make it into any Finesse fans collection and includes the original demo to the Message that ended up being used by Dr Dre on 2001.







Funky Dope Manueveur EP (Vinyl Addicts) A recent release but also the oldest courtesy of Germany's Vinyl Addicts (shouts to Maze), an amazing slice of history and a bonus freestyle for good measure. There were only 200 copies of this pressed and it sold out within days so getting a copy now will be tricky and expensive (cheapest copy on Discogs is £119!)

I could go into his 12" releases and production work but it would take up the entire blog so click on this discogs link to find out some more of his work here and here and have some fun discovering his music or listening again, thats what it's all about at the end of the day

Have a great week

Cro

Main Ingredient Playlist 21-07-08
Download Here
http://sharebee.com/8e4ff6bc

Tame One feat Sean Price > Haha Da Rah Rah (Amalgam)
K-Delight feat Chrome > The Wildstyle Dream (Playing Around)
Common feat Pharell > Universal Mind Control (G.O.O.D.)
Jazz T feat Kashmere > Abraxus 365 (Boot)
Bumpy Knuckles > How To Rob 2008 (Promo)
Lil Dap > Watch Me Do (Promo)
Dilla Doom Ghost > Murder Goons (Stonesthrow)
New Jack Hu$tle > All City Anthem (All City)
O.C. & A.G. > Put It In The Box (Promo)
East Flatbush Project > A Day In The Life (10/30 Uproar)
Butta Verses > If I Die (Domination Recs)
Shabaam Shadeeq feat Supastition > Survival Sounds (Marvial Ent)
Sir Smurf Lil' > That Sound (YNR)
Invincible > Sledgehammer (Emergence)
Sound Sci > Knock Knock (Exclusive)
Q-Tip > Gettin Up (Universal)
Cenubites feat Bobbito > Hawaii (One Leg Up)
Lord Finesse > Bad Mutha (Wild Pitch)

Exclusive Lord Finesse Interview

Ill Biskits > Let Em Know (Khari)
Lord Finesse feat Grand Puba > Real Talk Remix (Handcuts)
Symbolic 1 feat Big Pooh & Kay > Mash (Giant Step)
Evil Ed feat Microdisiacs > Great Expectations (Janomi)
Elliot Fresh track I can't remember the name of sorry!
Mweslee - Chandal 500 (All City)
C-Lone > Be Careful (Be Careful)

As a bonus I've added this fine video for your viewing pleasure, thanks to Soul Condor for finding it!

GULLYNESS!!!!!!!!!

MI Radio w/ Pritt 23-06-08 DOWNLOAD, King Of The Beats 2, MC's For Life, Phuture Projections...

Main Ingredient Radio 23-06-08 w/ Pritt Kalsi
DOWNLOAD HERE

No official playlist but I seem to remember Lord Finesse, MC Shan, Freestyle Professors, L-Swift & A Butta, Demon Boyz, MC Mello, Ed209 and plenty of breaks for good measure. If you really want a playlist ask and I'll try to work it out. Pritt was talking about his new film King Of The Beats and his website Nu-Skratch.

Both have plenty of great footage to have a look at and you can contact him at his myspace here or at the King Of The Beats myspace.

MC's For Life is this weekend. I'm DJing with Serocee at the Saturday evening event alongside Lord Finesse, Black Thought, Millon Dan, Stig and Dr Syntax, DJ Spooky etc, tickets are still available here. Workshops, discussions and seminars in the day too. On Sunday they are doing it all over again in Manchester so try and make it to one of them.

The same night I'm also Djing with Kosyne at Rooty Fruity's for Phuture Movements and we can play whatever we like so expect the unexpected and things to be a little bit more eclectic! More info can be found here

Some video's for you viewing pleasure....
Lord Finesse & Percee P Rematch (SBX!)

Lord Finesse Return Of The Funky Man

The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest and Consequence Fresstyling

Thought @ Work

I'm still after the promo 12" to this if anyone can help????????


Have a great week

Cro

Some Video's Worth a Gander

Ahead of Mondays radio show and a busy week of gigs, I thought I'd post some more dope videos

First up OC and AG, produced by Show(biz) and cuts by Premo...

Keeping it Premo related the new Year Round Promo vid (thanks RD)

A newish video for a track that NEEDS to be released officially on VINYL damn it! Az feat Styles P or Styles P feat AZ depending on who's mix cd you buy! Both produced by the Large professor though ;) anyways the beat BANGS!

One of my favourite mid 90's tracks I didn't have the pleasure of seeing the video for at the time, make sure you grab the 12" for it as you get an even better mix with Lord Finesse

Enjoy your weekend

Biggie In The Studio

I'm upping last nights radio show, but to get your taste buds going heres some studio footage of Biggie with Lord Finesse from around the "Come On" session, thanks to Rare Dave for the link, radio show to follow...