On the Sneak Tip-Random Samplings:
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Let's start off with Kool Keith aka Dr. Octogon. Hell, if I randomly tossed 100 12"s in the air, and plucked one randomly from the ground, chances are it'd be Kool Keith in one of his various alter egos anyway. His second "edition" of Blue Flowers is most notable for his expanded take on Mr. Gerbik aka Halfsharkhalfalligatorhalfman, yet another classic in Kool Keith's non-sensical repetoire. Do I even need to talk about it? Dr. Oct fans are already 10 steps ahead of me on this one. People who aren't feel the Octocologist may not get swayed with this one (though you should). Plus, don't forget, this 12" still includes the Prince Paul remix of "Blue Flowers" that everyone's digging. Another bizaare, out-of-this-world gem.
The Peanut Butter Wolf camp and affiliates have been pretty busy. Stonesthrow has just popped off two new singles: Rasco's "The Unassissted b/w Hip Hop Essentials" and Encore's "The Essence b/w Defined by the Dollar. Both are strong and well worth picking up...the Rasco is particular demands doubles to get your flex on given how dope the beats are (courtesy of Fanatik). Personally, I'd also go with Encore's B-side, "Defined..." given the nice jazzy track laid out by the Architect aka the Homeliss Derelict's G Luv (dope name for a producer by the way, how come someone didn't think of it first?). Both singles are well worth the dolo, don't sleep. Also coming straight out of the Bay Area is the new ABB Records label, done up by none other than DJ Beni B. Like his arguable counterpart in NYC, Bobbito, Beni's been a long time college DJ in these parts, very well respected and gets all the underground sh*t way before I even know it exists. No doubt, forming his own label means that Beni's not down with any bullsh*t. His first singing is his homie, Defari who drops a strong debut with "Change and Switch" b/w "Bionic. The A-side is definitely where the butter is at with Evidence on the production boards. Defari has a distinctive flow, which, in this case, comes off nice. No surprise he was one of LA's most unsigned and hella hyped back about a year ago. His B-side didn't snag me though, given that it reveals limits in his MC talent...in this case, the flow seems choppy and awkward. Still, the beat (again ,by Evidence) holds its own too...
...which is something more than I can say about Mass Vinyl's latest release: Shok Therapy which feature, among others, Hi Tech, Jedi and Spectrum. This is really a project for DJ Shok to get some attention, but if so, I think he came up flat. The A-side, Padlock had little life to it...kind of smooth but not very grabbing. The B-side S.O.S. is even worse, suffering intensely from the lack of any real discernable bass-line, and lackluster drums. Similarly, DJ Spinna's "Compositons" EP looked promising, but it too was a bit of a left down. Instead of using new beats, it's just four beats that appeared on previous production: Das Efx, De La Soul, MC Eiht and one more than I forgot. Good beats, but not very useful to someone who already has all the four 12"s before. Spinna's got talent...why not prove that with an EP of new beats?
If the Spinna and Shok were surprising disappointments, Lil Dap's production on the new Group Home 12", East NY Theory was a stunning surprise. Though Pras might dis Jeru for not being able to sell it without Primo, Lil Dap holds his own just fine without the Works of Mart helping out. A really dope track, heavy on keys, over the same drum loop that "Incarcerated Scarfaces" made even more infamous in 1995. Butter and then some. Unfortunately, it seems that not everyone in NYC is an avid scholar of the East NY Theory, as Cormega demonstrates on his new single, "Dead Men Walking b/w Mega Funk". The "Firm" concept was aesthetically-broke when it was coined, and Cormega, despite his rough handling of lyrics, does little to give it more added value. You can hear the same type of sh*t on any single from CNN, Mobb Deep and kin. I'm not digging it, you can tell. The B-side sounds like a lesser cut from Funkmaster Flex's mixtape, considering that he produced it. But it's not really a production: Flex just starts cutting up familiar beats as Cormega does a pseudo-freestyle over it. The concept's not that bad, but the execution is about exciting as watching someone getting lethal injection: one shot in the arm, and then you fall asleep forever. Besides, do we really need to hear the "Shook Ones II" beat again? Do like Al Tariq and say, "think not."
Sliding back West, DJ Muggs has put out his second release from his upcoming Soul Assassins LP...this time with the Wu's RZA and GZA., on a second called "Third World." It's not a bad song, and I suppose Wu fans won't be disappointed (GZA is reliable in almost any rhyme). Unfortunately, Muggs production baffles me b/c it sounds like a RZA beat. I know imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but RZA should borrow the line from the Alkies and tell his fellow beat-maker, "Yo, please don't flatter me." It's not that exciting of a beat and lacks any sense of Muggs' own personality. If the rest of the album is going this way, I'm not checking too heavily for it. Still on the Westside...the new Scarface single, "Game Over" might bring in Too Short, Ice Cube and Dre, but I didn't find it that exciting after a couple of spins. At first, the "Enter the Dragon" (Bruce Lee) sample held my interest until I remembered the Alkies already did it. Worth a listen, but I ain't tripping. Same goes with the new joint from the Lady of Rage, "Sho Shot". It's been a long time since "Afro Puffs". Let's leave it that, 'kay? I don't think it's her lyrics so much as the mediocore beat that did little for me. Luckily, not everything out of LA is bad. Take Meen Green's new single, "Fat Sacks b/w LA's Finest". The A-side bumps a beat that screams "strictly for the Gs"...it's ok, but not my cup o' tea, feel me? The B though...whew...features Mikel Myerrs (or some funky spelling like that) and Vooodu...slammin. The beat is a bit subdued, but like Shamus' "Tight Team" (reviewed last time), once the lyrics kick in, it all comes together. I definitely recommend people check for this 12", for the clear green vinyl if nothing else.
Off the cold front up north, Saukrates was having some funky distribution problems getting his Brickhouse EP out to us cousins down south, but hey, it was worth the wait...I think. Don't get me wrong, I dig on Saukrates, but the EP's sound wasn't what I was expecting. Maybe it was unreasonable for me to want an EP full of "Top Ten List" type beats, but his track with Common, "Play Dis" and "Ps and Qs" have smoothed out beats which are nice, but lack head thump flavor. The much-talked about collaboration with Masta Ace and OC, "Rollin" is tight, but neither beat was slammin' in the same way "Father Time" was. It's still well worth the trouble to find, I was just surprised a little by the EP's more toned-down tempo.
On that tip, don't sleep on the All Natural EP from Chicago (Ch'rewd Records). I don't know what's with these groups with "natural" in their title: Natural Elements, Natural Resource, All Natural, etc., but they all manage to put together some kick ass independent hip hop. All Natural has a fat combination of jazzed out and creative production with really dope lyrics. The MCs' delivery isn't that strong, but his rhyme style and content are really what made me take a serious listen to this sucker. "50 Years" was my own favorite track...a from-the-future-looking-back perspective on hip hop which is mad clever. "MC Avenger" flips every DC and Marvel comic hero from the universe, or so it seems...it's a concept-piece that will either work or fail based on a listener recogniton, but for me, I thought it was an inspired piece of lyricism. Risky, but better that then keeping it flat. "Hip Hop History 101" is a collage of different beats and verbal snippets that the MC (sorry, I forgot the brother's name) weaves together through his lyrical narrative. It's been getting some play on the Wake Up Show, and no question why: it's an homage to great hip hop. Don't miss out on this EP...seriously dope sh*t all over the place.