Big Pun : Wishful Thinking (frrom I'm Not A Player 12")

Big Pun, Kool G Rap, Fat Joe & B-Real : Wishful Thinking (Loud, 1997)
Big Pun vs Hector Lavoe : Never Was A Player

I never was a big fan of Big Pun.

Of course part of it is because he had a terrible taste in beats and that he always picked the most cheesy loop you can think of. It also probably has to do with the fact that I never heard one memorable line from him, not once I thought "hoo, did he just say that !".

But what really makes most of his music barely listenable was his breath. I'm not picking on him, but really, every other line when he had to breathe he made this terrible noise that not only was annoying back then, but which now stays as a dramatic hint of his bad health. And once I hear his "hrrrra" I can't focus on anything else.

But on his very first 12" he was lucky enough to work with engineers like Chris Conway who took the time to edit these noises from the final mix, because that would be really embarassing for him on a track with Kool G Rap.

Also, my man Benoit who runs http://dustytape.blogspot.com/ just did a documentary on latin legend Hector Lavoe, that may or may not hit a tv screen near you soon. I haven't seen it yet, but that should be a good enough reason to play this mash-up of Pun & Lavoe, from the latino version of the Grey album (=an overrated mc a cappellas awkwardly blended over a pop icon samples).

KRS One : Word Perfect (from The MC 12")

KRS One : Word Perfect (1996)
KRS One : Neva Hadda Gun (1997)

This is the actual retail copy of KRS One's "The MC" 12" (technically it's the "Can't Stop Won't Stop" single, since that's the first song on the record). This one also had an exclusive track on it, unfortunately not as good as "Throwdown".

This 12" was released way before the "I Got Next" album, which at that time was supposed to be called "Just To Prove A Point", and the track "Word Perfect" didn't make the final cut. The beat was produced by longtime engineer Gordon Williams, also known as Commissioner Gordon, and it was the first beat he did for KRS One even though he had been making music for many year, since he's also the guy responsible for most of the tracks on Jesse West's album from 1989, and some for dancehall gal Shelly Thunder (who later did a 12" on KRS' own Front Page).

This is not exactly the version you would find on the 12". I made an edit, because Commissioner Gordon had the pretty bad idea to let an uncredited girl sing over the scratching which sounds terrible (both the girl and the cuts !).

So I don't know why KRS didn't keep the song on the album, either he didn't like it that much, or didn't feel like having two songs on the same album with cuts off Public Enemy's "Bring The Noise", which were used on "Neva Hadda Gun" as well.

KRS One & Coldcrush Brothers : The Throwdown (from The MC test press)

KRS One & Cold Crush Brother : The Throwdown (1997)
KRS One : What I Know (1995)

I know this label may look like a joke to some, but it's not. I found this record in 1997, I was randomly listening to a pile of newly released twelve inches when I checked out this one. I was never a fan of the UMC's, but I grab that one because I liked what Essence did when she was with Natural Element, specifically her part on Shine. But instead I was treated with a KRS One track.

I don't know how that happened, but somebody messed up with the DATs at the pressing plant, and somehow, someway the Kool Kim labels end up on this KRS One test press.

Even to this day every time I see the Kool Kim 12" in a dollar bin, I check the etching on the run-out groove, if it reads KRS-001. Unfortunately I haven't found a second copy yet. So, no, I'm not a fan who scratched his name off his record after his recent column in http://www.unkut.com/ (the best blog around these days).

Anyway, so this is the b-side of "The MC" 12", so I assume it was supposed to be on KRS One's last album*. From what i've heard KRS One had a fall out with the Cold Crush Brothers over some royalties he allegedly owed them off of the 12" they did on Front Page two years before. Honnestly, I have a hard time beleving that "Cold Crush Flava" could have generate any profit, so this rumour could be totally untrue.

This is probably the best in the catalog of songs that didn't make the final cut on a KRS album. A lot of tracks that were on the promo copy of his self titled album were not on the retail version. Like What I Know (produced by Diamond D), which was mentioned in the album review in The Source, but was never released officially.

* : yeah, I know about Sneak Attack, Spiritual Minded, Prophets & Profits, Kristyle(s), Keep Right and Life, But I'd rather act like a true fan would : buy them and then pretend none of them ever existed.

Beastie Boys : The Skills To Pay The Bills (from So Wat'cha Want 12")

Beastie Boys : The Skills To Pay The Bills (Capitol, 1992)

I already wrote, years ago about the Skills To Pay The Bills remix of Pass The Mic. But they like the catchphrase of 1992 so much that they had to make a song out of it. I remember they overused that expression in the interviews at the time, and in the ads for Check Your Head.

I'm probably wrong but I think this is the only one, or one of the very few raps that they did over live instrumentation.

Gotta love the distrorted microphone to appreciate this 12" because the other tracks here shared the same aesthetics.

Update on your Sister's Def

I met MCA yesterday and I asked him about Your Sister's Def.

Apparently the song is a demo made by a friend of Original Concept's Dr.Dre. So This guy Anthony Davis wrote a song for the Beastie Boys, he recorded these lyrics a cappella and he submitted the tape to them. As you can hear the words are supposed to be told from the point of view of a group member. But they think it was funnier to keep the demo as it was and to press it on was.

And here we are, 17 years later discussing this on the internet.

Beastie Boys : What You Give Is What You Get (from SHadrach 12")

Beastie Boys : And What You Give Is What You Get (Capitol, 1989)

Beastie Boys : Your Sister's Def (Capitol, 1989)

First I forget last time give repsect where respect is due, namely to the Rickster, also known as Ricky Powell, the creative genius behind the cover of the Love American Style single with the three naked girls. Not only this, but most pictures of the Beastie Boys that you remember were taken by this guy. Oh, and of course he's the one who dicked your mom in Car Thief.

The second 12" taken from Paul's Boutique, Shadrach with its deliciously awkward cover was another thick ep,with 4 non-LP remixes and exclusive tracks. The bonus on this one run from the incredibly good remix to the totally leftfield song. My favourite on the 12" is the instrumental/cut & paste rework of Shadrach, disguise under the name What You See Is What You Get. Using the same method that worked well on 33% God the Dust Brother and/or The Beastie Boys threw dozens of scratches, vocal samples and loop over the Shadrach beat to create a new and improved track.

The other track that I MP3'ed is an a cappella rap written by one time Beasties' DJ Dr Dre, member of the Original Concept, DJ on WBAU and who was at that time hosting Yo MTV Rap, and some other guy, named Anthony Davis (any idea who this is ??).

The other exclusive called Some Dumb Cop Gave Me Two Tickets Already deserve the award of the worst song with a dope name. On this one you just have a slowed down and drunken Mike D talking shit over a Young-Holt Unlimited track. I'm not gonna say it's boring, but, yeah it is.

Beastie Boys : 33 % God (from Hey Ladies 12")

Beastie Boys : 33% God (Capitol, 1989)
Beastie Boys : Dis Yourself In 89 (Capitol, 1989)

I don't know if I used the phrase "this is my favourite Beasties' B-side already, but if I did, I was obviously lying. This is my favourite Beastie Boys' record. And one of my favourite records ever.This sort of cut and paste remix is like a more coherent version of what Double D & Steinski were doing a few years before. The main difference is that D & Ski were using every record you can think of, while the Beastie Boys tried to break the record of the most different samples you can get from the Car Wash soundtrack in one single.

I don't know actually if this record is a pure Dust Brothers creation or if MCA, Adrock and Mike were involved in this track, but after this album they never really manage to do this type of track again. But then again, may be the fear of copyright infringement lawsuit came into play.

Beastie Boys : Dope Little Song (from Get It Together 12")

Beastie Boys : Dope Little Song (Capitol, 1994)
Al Tariq : Just A Lil Joint (Correct, 1996)

After Dr Dre's long track I updated earlier, there shouldn't be a lot of room left on the server, so I just kept two short songs this time.

First is my favorite Beastie Boys' b-side. That means a lot, because we all know how deep their b-side catalogue is. Also it doesn't hurt that it's on the same record as one my favorite song, Get It Together. Resolution Time which was on the same record is a rock song, which they probably included for those who bought the record for Sabotage. It's an OK song, that was also on the CD-version of the single, so you can probably find it easily on the net.

And while on the subject of dope short tracks, here is Just A Lil Joint. All that these two songs share is that they are both one minute and 52 seconds. Yeah, that's a good reason to feature them together.