Rich Prophet ft. GodSon, TG (of Black Fam) – Party Don’t Stop (Get Fucked Up Song)

October 31, 2010 by Quan Vu 5 Comments


Rich Prophet ft. GodSon, TG (of Black Fam) “Party Don’t Stop (Get Fucked Up Song)“
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Third verse on this song is too fucking hilarious, haha. I’m also digging the majestic production, which sounds like a classy, wineglass dinner party full of good times.

This and also “Two Pistols” will appear on an upcoming mixtape, Hu-Ar-Yu? presents Rich Prophet AKA The White Larry Bird (because the original Larry Bird was a black dude in whiteface???!??!). The mixtape will feature GodSon, Black Mikey, and hopefully, some of the other dudes recording at Full Clip Studios. I also need to look into getting more Black Fam music, especially since they consist of dudes from Packablacks, the first SD group I ever saw live.

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Clay Pigeons ft. Lucky (of Randam Luck) – Heartbeat of the City

October 31, 2010 by Quan Vu 4 Comments


Clay Pigeons ft. Lucky (of Randam Luck) “Heartbeat of the City“
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Jimmy certainly knows how to pander to my pride for my city. Hah, just playing.

The track is produced by Anno Domini, who I think does production for Randam Luck. Love the whining guitar, the tickling keys, the harmonica. Kinda has this bluesy cowboy western type of feel.

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Mixtape: Bad Karma – The Grey Tape

October 31, 2010 by Quan Vu 4 Comments


DOWNLOAD: Bad Karma – The Grey Tape
Bad Karma “Holy Smoke“
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Bad Karma “No Tomorrow“
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Bad Karma’s Grey Tape continues to expand on the Dilla-esque neo-soulish sound that producers like Kriis Money, Mike George, and others have been building on. Fitting with the mixtape’s title–a nod to DJ Screw’s infamous grey tapes–Karma includes a couple of beats that employ the slowed down “screw” effect. And it works surprisingly well, not just with Karma, but with the rest of the mixtape. It’s kind of amazing to think how well something from the world of Dilla would blend with something from the world of DJ Screw.

The Grey Tape is half originals, half jacking for beats. But the other instrumentals mesh really well with the general aesthetic, which is great for Karma who sounds most natural on top of this type of sound. Karma has an extremely laid-back, casual voice but he displays a surprising amount of maturity for his age. He mostly sticks to rapping about weed and women but he does so with humor, clarity, and self-reflection. You hear him growing up and it’s exciting.

This mixtape is to be a precursor to an album, Black Market, produced by Kriis Money. Looking forward to it.

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Young Foe ft. Black Mikey – Keep It G

October 30, 2010 by Quan Vu 3 Comments


Young Foe ft. Black Mikey “Keep It G“
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This appeals to the anti-Drake side of me. Sometimes, ignorant homophobia is awesome. Because we need more rappers who are convincingly threatening. Oddly enough, the track sounds like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory over drums, which you wouldn’t think is very threatening but that Chocolate Factory always seemed weird and creepy as hell. Anyway, it bangs.

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Video: Sojourn on drums and mic

October 29, 2010 by Quan Vu 3 Comments

Not to keep referencing one of the greatest live hip-hop tricks ever, but this definitely recalls J-Live’s “Braggin’ Writes.”

Peace to chaddyp aka parkerc41.

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Throwback Raps: LPSD – Back Atcha x Microphone Enhancer

October 26, 2010 by Quan Vu 4 Comments

LPSD “Back Atcha“
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Most Desh ft. LPSD, Jai Silk “Microphone Enhancer“
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One more throwback post before coming back to reality. Because some people know how to make suggestions to improve the site while telling me I’m full of shit instead of just telling me I’m full of shit. LPSD are OG’s in San Diego hip-hop, sharing a deep history with The Armory (dude, King D works at the shop all the time). And one day, we’ll be able to get into that history, once I get off my ass and just request an interview already. But right now, let’s just talk vinyl.

These are rips from a 2004 vinyl re-issue of LPSD’s “Back Atcha” b/w the LPSD-assisted “Microphone Enhancer,” pressed courtesy of The Armory. These were LPSD’s biggest songs, to my knowledge. They both originally dropped in the ’90s. As far as I know, “Back Atcha” first appeared as the first proper song on the Beat Junkies’ first compilation in 1997 (for which you can thank DJ Babu, who I hear is King D’s cousin). The LPSD Discogs page also shows a white label release for “Back Atcha” b/w “Insane Nigga” but it shows no release date, looks kinda suspect, and doesn’t seem to have been verified yet. “Back Atcha” also later appeared on Icylee’s Strictlee Dope solo CD from 2008. No idea whether the song was preserved or remixed somehow.

“Microphone Enhancer” first appeared on Most Desh’s Hip Hop Is Livin’ vinyl EP from 1995, released on City Of Angels. The EP also includes two other songs–the title track and “Cops & Crackrock”–as well as the instrumental to “Microphone Enhancer” (which you don’t get, if you were wondering). These are both pretty dope battle cuts on top of being pieces of SD hip-hop history. Enjoy!

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Throwback Raps: Video: Tony Da Skitzo – Are You Crazy?

October 25, 2010 by Quan Vu 1 Comment

Holy shit. I was just fulfilling a reader request for Tony Da Skitzo music and I find out that he’s dead. Apparently, he committed suicide by poison on April 21, 2009. Damn ……

The “Are You Crazy?” track comes from The Next Chapter: Strictly Underground compilation released on Immortal Records. It was like an Unsigned Hype showcase for Southern California hip-hop artists, including Dilated Peoples, Defari, Phil The Agony, and Tony Da Skitzo. He was one of the first San Diego artists to hit on a national level. He released a series of 12-inches throughout the ’90s. This compilation was released in 1995 but the track’s video dropped in 1996.

The video and song are pretty self-explanatory. Tony Da Skitzo raps like an unhinged supernatural spirit, not just rapping about being crazy but then also using a constantly shifting, unorthodox flow that illustrates this state of mind too (I wonder if he influenced Black Mikey at all with the psycho rap). Of course now, knowing that he committed suicide, knowing that he had serious mental health issues, something feels wrong about watching this video. Are we paying tribute to his art, his legacy? Or are we entertaining ourselves with his pain? I don’t even know ……

If you’d like to read Skitzo’s suicide letter and some of his last thoughts before committing suicide, check out the blog on his Myspace page.

UPDATE: LOL wait, I’m hearing this is just an elaborate hoax. Like Skitzo is faking his death on some “De La Soul Is Dead” shit to change his name. Can anyone else confirm?

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Throwback Raps: Video: Jayo Felony – The Loc Is On His Own

October 25, 2010 by Quan Vu 1 Comment

Another video off Jayo Felony’s Take A Ride album from 1995. Jayo talks about going to prison and being abandoned by his closest family and friends. What’s surprising is that he’s not even real mad about it. You’d think he’d at least lash out as his mom for letting him down. But at the start of his second verse, he tells her “I understand that you’re tired of the bullshit I put you through.” You get a sense that he knows he fucked up and he’s maturing as the song progresses. Unfortunately, maturing also means learning about how cold the prison system really is. It’s a pretty gripping song.

Last I heard, Jayo was back in prison but I’m not completely sure. Has anyone else heard anything?

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Makeshift & Piff PCH Should Make An Album Together

October 22, 2010 by Quan Vu 9 Comments


Makeshift ft. Piff PCH “Crack“
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Makeshift ft. Piff PCH “Fair Warning“
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Makeshift ft. Piff PCH “Fresh Cut“
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Piff PCH ft. Makeshift, D-Ski “Great Xpektashun“
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Makeshift ft. Piff PCH “The Awful Great“
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Makeshift “Crack pt. 2 (Posse Cut)“
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Makeshift ft. Piff PCH “On Point“
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Piff PCH ft. Makeshift “Get In My Belly“
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Not that I want to encourage rappers to start sending me verses over other people’s songs (please read the new recommended guidelines). But if you’re this good, you get a pass.

Piff emailed me months ago telling me to expect more music with him and Makeshift forming The Awful Great. I guess this would be the bulk of their Awful Great work so far. Piff also mentioned he was working on a full-length with Makeshift handling production called California The Dream State. Unfortunately, no word about that ever since.

These are tracks from Makeshift’s No Doze Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 mixtapes and Piff’s Vintage Verses, which I’ve gushed over before. There’s also one loosie from Apple Juice Break.

Meanwhile, Makeshift is working on an album called The Wake, which will showcase his production skills that I’ve heard so much about without actually getting to hear. If someone’s got a copy of his Hella Heavy EP, hit me up please.

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Ez Pennybagz, Marty MacPhly, Dre Trav – Koo’ Laid x The Dwell

October 21, 2010 by Quan Vu 10 Comments

Ez and Dre Trav with Jay from 5&ADIME

Ez Pennybagz ft. Marty MacPhly, Dre Trav “Koo’ Laid“
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Dre Trav ft. Marty MacPhly, EZ Pennybagz “The Dwell“
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Let’s just agree to ignore the fact that this guy’s name is Ez Pennybagz for a second. Ready? Okay.

I culled these two tracks of Ez Pennybagz’ SoundCloud page. Neither of these two have production credits but I’m betting they were produced by either Mike George or Kriis Money (can someone confirm? Because if not, the rest of this will sound real assholish). The two of them handled productions duties on a solid stoner-themed mixtape from last year, Mac V. and Karma’s Coffee Table Talk. Kriis also executive produced Marty MacPhly’s Cheers mixtape-album that was featured here a short while ago.

I think I got carried away before describing the music as pristine space-travelling shit. But the music definitely has this calming nighttime feel, the sort of feeling you get looking up at a clear sky full of stars while taking a walk in the evening. I guess that’s what I was getting at with the space-age angle. I imagine this feeling would only be amplified if you were floating in space so close to the stars. “Koo’ Laid” starts off with nothing but these tinkling, otherworldly xylophones. Then it slowly builds layer by layer throughout the song with drums then bass then rhodes then vocal accents and finally a bit of piano, turning into a beautiful cacophony. “The Dwell” is less dynamic but no less inviting or blissful.

Rapping-wise, I’m digging Marty PacPhly more and more. He’s a solid rapper with good writing ability, wordplay, and a penchant for knocking me flat with one liners like on “The Dwell” when he opens his verse with “I’m honored to be in front of this instead of Your Honor.” Dre Trav also has a good verse on the same song that puts his braggadocio in the context of providing for his family. It’s real warm and squishy like that.

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