Adam "MCA" Yauch Tributes

I meant to get this post up sooner, but I just got back from Disney World with the kids and that's not really a trip that you have any extra time on... Anyway, the Beastie Boys have had a profound impact on me. I have been a fan ever since I first saw them debut on the big screen in Krush Groove (which I was completely blown away by, them and the young LL Cool J impromptu "Radio" performance) and at one point I was determined to be IN the group at around 15 years old. I was already completely smitten with rap music since my older brother introduced me to Run-D.M.C.'s debut album, and the fact that 3 white jewish dudes could make a career out of it put a lot of gas in my young tank (pause).
I've personally always credited the Beasties as the original hipsters, crafting everything from ironic facial hair and retro clothing to auteur film making and indie companies (Xtra Large, Grand Royal) as chic and way ahead of the curve. Combine that with their debut LIcensed to Ill and the groundbreaking production and sample usage on Paul's Boutique and that alone is enough to cement them as classic, indescribably important artists of my generation. Obviously it didn't stop there, as Check Your Head and it's follow-up Ill Communication continued their trailblazing talent well into the '90's as both were classic albums themselves.
A couple of my good friends and Shade45 stalwarts DJ Lord Sear and Reef the Streets both shared their Beastie Boys memories with the mix and interview below, and I wanted to make sure that I posted them here for the rest of you to check out.





Adam Yauch will be especially missed by me as an inspiration, musician and cultural icon. Here's to you, in your honor.

Shady 2.0 Cypher Beat

Sadly, a lot of folks don't know what the instrumental used in the Shady 2.0 Cypher was. It's a 12" single from East Flatbush Project feat. Des called "Tried by 12." The record was independently released in 1996 on a label called 10/30 Uproar Records and was produced by Spencer Bellamy. When we were preparing for the cypher, I was messing around on my laptop playing random mp3's and Em overheard the beat and yelled "yo, ask them if we can rap on THAT!" So I did, and our good friend DJ Premier obliged. The record's instrumental was a favorite in the Detroit battle scene back in the day, and I consider it a classic. Check out the song and video below.

Steve Stoute on Sway In The Morning

As reported below on Rosenblog, Steve Stoute recently released his Tanning of America book. As part of his media tour to promote the tome, he stopped by SiriusXM's Shade45 to talk to Sway on Sway in the Morning. Below see Steve address Run-DMC and their impact on Adidas and Jay-Z's pairing with Reebok and Hewlett-Packard.

Shady Records History Hall

As reported on Rosenblog below, the Shady Records Brisk Bodega in New York City was a one-day-only event with performances from Slaughterhouse and Yelawolf with a pop-up "museum." The staff at Shady and myself searched our archives, homes, storage facilities and vaults to come up with a collection of artifacts, awards and memorabilia spanning the history of the label and Eminem's career. I was personally very concerned that some things might get damaged and/or stolen in the process but we hired the Shady Security crew to spend the night with the collection to make sure nothing got vicked or ganked. Special thanks to Riggs Morales, Marc LaBelle, Dro Genao, Alvon Miller and Craig Barnes for making sure everything went smooth and putting in overtime hours to make sure that this special collection came together. Below check out two different videos with narration from yours truly describing most of what was on display for those that couldn't make it in person. See you in another 12 or 13 years I guess? Shady Records, Established 1999. TRUST US. (P.S. I know I said "tooken" and that "5 Star Generals" isn't actually on Soundbombing 2 so shutup).

Where Is Danny?

This record is so dope. Not sure where this Danny! guy came from but his rhymes are phenomenal. I'm gonna play this for Em, hopefully he digs it. Hopefully you do too.

Check out "Manic At The Disco" and the title track. Or just go to his website and find some other goodies.

Proof & Dilla 2

As promised, here is another previously unreleased (as far as I know) track from Proof & Dilla, called "The Fizzo." I heard about this track before I ever actually heard it from a very excited DJ Head back in '94, right around the time that F.C. (Funky Cowboys) was created. In his typical fashion when he had heard something that nobody else had, Head just giggled and said "man, Proof and Jaydee got this new record, man..." When I heard it I knew what Head was so amped-up about, these guys really had a crazy chemistry together. That's T3 of Slum Village on the chorus.
I don't want to do anything but remember P and his music today, so hopefully this will put you in the same headspace. Don't ask about the photo, let's just say Proof went through a Spongebob phase! Enjoy- until next year: BIG PROOF FOREVER.



Previously....

Proof & Dilla "The Science"
J. Dilla Metro Times Article '96

Proof & Dilla

A lot of people don't know how close Proof and J. Dilla were. Back in the early-to-mid-90's these two Detroit favorites started working together closely on various projects ranging from Proof solo material to songs for Proof's group 5 Ela to the hush-hush never to see the light of day due-group they had together, F.C. ("Funky Cowboys"). Seeing these two guys in a room together was always quite a treat, they communicated with very few words but always seemed like they knew something that you didn't- like they were in on some kind of joke or secret that you would never find out about...
Jaydee, as Dilla was then known, began working as a producer with the likes of The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul while continuing as a member of Slum Village. During the same period, Proof continued his hosting duties as the reigning battle champion of The Hip-Hop Shop while recording with 5 Ela and hatching the plans for D 12. Because they all had so much other stuff going on, a lot of the material that they created together never saw the light of day.
I was such a huge fan of Slum Village, Dilla and Proof/5 Ela that any time I could get my hands on it I would dub cassettes of their material. Fortunately, I saved it all. A couple of years back I began digitizing it, and have just kept it close for personal listening pleasure. The sound quality varies, but the quality of the actual material remains high. A sign of what could have been had Dilla and Proof ever had the opportunity to create a full-length project together.
I've decided that the world needs to hear some of this stuff. So, what better time to share it then now, on the anniversary of the loss of our dear friend, inspiration and the unofficial Mayor of Detroit: Big Proof. My current plan is to release a song every year around this time. Below, check out Proof's "On The Go" produced by and featuring J. Dilla. We miss you, P.

Em on Howard '99

Here is a hilarious (for more reasons than one) video of Eminem's only Howard Stern appearance back in the day when he was terrestrial-bound at NY's KROQ circa 1999.

Howard Stern on Demand @ Yahoo! Video

Props to 2Dopeboyz for unearthing this.

Hip-Hop Honors: Russell & Rick?

This spoof from Affion Crockett is so great. I got chills just watching it.

Hip-Hop Honors

It's comin' to air finally... Check out the sneak preview of "Rock the Bells" below.

Eminem |Eminem Video |The Roots |DJ Jazzy Jeff

You bring the woodpecker. Pause.

Organized Konfusion/PRT Live Videos

Last Friday I was very excited to see two of my favorite early '90s rap groups live at B.B. King's in New York City. Check out some highlight videos below. I've been heavy on the old school tip lately. I've been listening to Slick Rick albums over and over and I'm not sure why.

PRT- "Shakiylah"


OK- "Releasing Hypnotical Gasses"


Thanks to Grand Good for the links.

KRS & Buckshot At Shade45

Below is some video footage from KRS-One & Buckshot's appearance on Shade45 last week. They were up to promote their new collabo album Survival Skills out now on Duckdown Records. These guys are two of my favorite MC's. If you don't get throwback goosebumps from some of the stuff performed below I probably can't relate to you that well. Unless you are my wife.

Yes, I'm really trying to go to Organized Konfusion & PRT show tomorrow night, son.

Hollywood Knights- Turk Song

Just watched this flick again and forgot how funny this song by Newbomb Turk (played by a young Robert Wuhl) is. Cheap laughs for sure, but a classic is a classic.

In case you didn't know, this film, directed by Floyd Mutrux, is about a lame Beverly Hills mid-60's gang trying to save their local hang-out Tubby's. It's basically an American Graffiti rip-off, but it's fun in it's own right. It also features young Fran Drescher, Tony Danza and Michelle Pfiefer.

Bonus- One-Armed Violinist Scene

Press Play/Shade45 on A&E

As you probably know, the artist formerly known as M.C. Hammer has a new reality show on A&E. Shade45's own Mick Boogie and Terry Urban had Hammer on their Press Play show on Shade45. Check out the clip below where Mr. Can't Touch This explains how he met one Robert Van Winkle.

Hammer on The Press Play Show! from MickBoogie on Vimeo.

Press Play airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. EST on Sirius XM's Shade45.

Ultramagnetic MC's on Shade45

Last night on Shade45, the legendary Ultramagnetic MC's from the BX were on Tony Touch's Toca Tuesdays to mark the 20th Anniversary of their debut album. Ultra is one of my favorite groups of all-time, and their album Critical Beatdown is certainly in my Top 20 rap albums list (honestly probably in the Top 10).
Check out the audio of the interview below... Highlights: Kool Keith calls himself the "Kobe Bryant of Rap" that "travels like Bill Walton". Ced Gee claims credit for producing all of BDP's classic (wayyyyyy up in my Top 20) Criminal Minded except for "South Bronx", "9mm" and "Elementary". T.R. Love claims credits for the scratches on "Poetry".
Oh, and don't miss the shout-out to Tuff Crew. Big night for the kid...

R.I.P. Tony D.

The man responsible for the sounds of the Poor Righteous Teachers and Y.Z. passed away this weekend from a car accident. I was a fan of his production, his solo album Droppin' Funky Verses and his group Crusaders for Real Hip-Hop.
Check out my favorites "Check the Elevation" from his album, "Can I Start This?" from P.R.T. (Tony raps first) and "That's How It Is" from the Crusaders album below. Unfortunately, it's time to say peace. R.I.P., Tony D.

Classic Hip-Hop Lego Covers

Check out this link to see more of the above... classic rap albums created in Lego form. Most of these are really great. Some of them are hilarious. Some of them honestly look a little, well... funny. I don't know why, but the Epmd Back In Business cover is my favorite. Props to Teddy2Shoes for the link.

Eminem "Feed Me Words" Freestyle

Back way back before they just switched everything over to mtv.com and moved everything on-line there used to be a different form of MTV Radio. I don't know where it was broadcast originally or what was done with all of it, but our friend Stretch Armstrong had a show or job up there back around '98. I didn't know that this was actually on video, I don't remember a camera, but the audio has been floating around out there for quite a while. As my grandfather Marvin Rosenberg used to say when seeing old photos of himself "Look at that head of hair, boy..."

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

Thanks to Shaheem for posting this vintage footage... where's the rest?

Read D.M.C.

Classic video from old-school TV show "Reading Rainbow" featuring a pro-learning version of "My Adidas" with JMJ rapping on it. My favorite thing is when Run grabs the sandwich from D and throws it away. Why? Did it smell funny or was he concerened with D's weight or something?

Thanks to YN for the link.

The R On E

This is an interesting video interview with Rakim by some French journalist. Try as he may in his European media way to sway the interview subject and let his own feelings and opinions be known, The G-d doesn't waiver on his praise for Em.

If the French man had it his way, Marshall would be wearing "clown" suits, Scarface would only make songs with The Geto Boys, and Em wouldn't have made D12 albums. Way to make your agenda known monsieur... Thank you Rakim for staying the course and being one of the best to ever rap. Props to T-Mac for the linkage.