VA - S-U-B-U-R.-B. Inc - Embryonic Concoctions

 

This one is a rather short 1998 compilation from San Jose. 5 tracks only but pretty good ones.

I had no idea it even existed until recently when Style Misia put it forward. I have been lucky to catch a copy so here's my rip. It won't dissapoint if like me you love the SJ scene.

On a side note, I often see my rips ending up in the next 24 hours on some big youtube underground hip hop channels with all of the sudden their logo all over my scans. I know it's part of the game but have the decency to put your source in the comments at least, I'd appreciate.

No relation but if you haven't copped it yet, got buy this essential CVE vinyl recently released:

https://nyegenyegetapes.bandcamp.com/album/chillin-villains-we-represent-billions

And if you're bank account allows it, please consider this 4LP Dereliks compilation that will be out end of august:

https://www.diggersfactory.com/fr/vinyl-shop?search=dereliks

Enjoy,

Here

A

CANCEREYE - Unorthabumb (Intro)

A-O.N.E. (prod STYLE MISIA) - Nontopical

EL UNO (prod CANCEREYE) - 24 Hrs.

MR AEKS - Emerpus (Interlude)

B

CANCEREYE - Altitude

Da Rymskeme - Mista Guitar Man ('92 Demo)

 

This one is a rip from my personal collection, the very first demo from Eyedle Mode's Da Rymskeme, located in San Jose if I'm correct. 

The demo is 4 tracks only, no idea who produced the tracks (maybe J Def?) and as you see,  David Paul from the Bomb Hip-Hop zine/label shopped it around back then. He told me that the demo was probably late 92/ early 93 and came before the other one (3 Million Miles Inna Demo).

The same year, one of the four tracks, "Da Word", was released as a promo flexi disc for the people who bought the Bomb Hip Hop zine. On the flip was "Jack The Mack" by another south bay up and coming emcee: Charizma.

Much props to Hakan Dougpark for the tip.

Here

Mista Guitar Man

Instincts

Da Word

Pavement Trials Of A Jester

Noggin Nodders - Demo 93-94

 

And now for our new series "This needs to be released on vinyl", introducing the great and overlooked Noggin Nodders demo from allegedly 1993 or 94.

Noggin Nodders is Motion Man, one of my favorite emcee with its so distinctive voice/delivery and producer Kutmasta Kurt. 

Although the rip quality is not super good you can still appreciate 8 solid tracks with no fillers. I'm surprised it wasn't picked over the Uneven Pavement demos by Threshold Recs to be reissued.

Hopefully it'll happen one day.

Late Update - The music is probably from 93-94 but as for the tape itself it seems it was discreetly released by Kutmasta Kurt in 2019. It's supposed to be a sort of deadstock from the mid 90es found in a basement but my opinion is that it's more a 'fake old' release. Still it's really well made, hard to find and more importantly the music is awesome, so... 

Edit 2 - I've been super lucky to cop a copy from a japanese shop last week. My copy is numeroted 15 out of 40 on the front cover. Another guy on discogs said the original Threshold Recs newsletter said it was 50 copies.. he also confirmed it was released on april 2019. Anywayyy.. I replaced my precedent rip by a much better one from my own tape. Enjoy!

Here

A

Noggin Nodder

Call For Back Up

Playin Big

Fantasy Isle

B

Patternologyst

De Da Da Dey

Camouflaged In The Streets

Luscious Lady

Knot Tight 3-tape batch

 

I had a request about those Knot Tight albums.

They were ripped and shared a couple of years ago on Chaz's facebook I think, and since I couldn't find the link again, here's a re-up.

They were a SF group related to SFSM. Members were Po'em, Gee and DJ (a guy called DJ or an anonymous DJ? I don't know).

They did 3 albums on tape only, only Circumference is clearly dated from 1995, the two others are The Near Future and As Is, year unknown.

In another news, this Freestyle Fellowship deluxe reissue is up from pre-order:

https://store.keysystemrecordings.com/

.. and Bored Stiff's Ghetto Research got a proper vinyl reissue (with Rappers.. crazy this one wasn't on the 2007 cheap bootleg):

https://boredstiff415.bandcamp.com/album/ghetto-research

Enjoy!

Here

3 Albums:

 - Circumference (1995)

- The Near Future (?)

- As Is (?)

VA - Anticon sampler

 

This is a short promo sampler cassette released by Anticon in 2000 with some skits by DJ Anna, Sole and Jel.

Here

VA - Highground - Free Music

Now it's a relatively rare item, a promo cassette filled with 25 unreleased tracks from Highground / Full Time Artists members. No tracklist, no other info.

It's not the best one from the HG catalogue but worth a check.

Here

 

Plado - Try To Read My Mind EP

 

Here's another nice 4 tracks EP from Plado (Twisted Mind Kids) from Stockton, CA.

Released in 1997. It's a pretty good one.

Here

A

Try To Read My Mind (Remix)

Michelle

B

Nada

Try To Read My Mind (Original)

New Moon - Detox cassingle

New Moon was this group from San Jose comprised of Style Misia, DJ Fresh and both guys from Bash Bros (Left and Piseas). This is a cassingle from 1999.

Here

A

Detox

B

Basic Instinct

 

Hiero vs Hobo Junction battle documentary

 

Til Infinity documentary

 

99th Demention - S/T LP

Yo.. the ninth release of my label, Vulgar, just dropped.
It's a vinyl reissue of the 1995 Bay Area classic 99th Demention self titled album.
It's been remastered from the original DAT and Z-Man did the crazy art, inspired by the cassette cover.
There's a 60 x 30 cm poster inside too.

99th Demention is Z's high school group that he did with his brother King Maz and his school buddies (Rev Cope, Young $lim amongst others..). This is their first album (they did 2, the second being just Z & Slim).
Here's some of the reviews they had back then:

"Extremely dope (...) their originality and new flavor add spice to the life of Bay Area rap and to worldwide hip hop (...) their shit will make you laugh, nod ya head and think" (DJ Stef (RIP), Vinyl Exchange, 1995)

"A fantastic release topped off by great packaging and artwork (...) the lyrics are loaded with underground music politics but they still know how to have fun. Highly recommended!" (P-Minus, Atak catalogue)

It's available here, only 150 copies made:
https://vulgar.bandcamp.com

Paws One - Shut Your Mouth Vol.1

This is a mixtape released in 2000 and distributed by Below The Surface, Kegs One's shop located in Burlingame CA., and one of the very few spots where you could find anything westcoast underground in the early 00es.

Paws One released two volumes of these mixtapes (if you have the second volume, holla at me). Westcoast, eastcoast and abroad materials in there nicely mixed. 

I heard he passed away a few years ago, so RIP Paws One.

Here

A

PAWS ONE - Intro

UNSPOKEN HEARD - Track Runners

POLYRHYTHM ADDICTS - Big Phat Boom

NEXTMEN - Break The Mould

SUBTERRANEAN - My Flow Is

CROOKLYN DODGERS - Return Of The Crooklyn Dodgers

J-LIVE - Longevity

ZION I - Venus (Inst.)

B

THE NONCE - Bus Stops (Rmx)

WALKIN' LARGE & JERU - When I Flow

H.S.D. - Despite

MASS INFLUENCE - Life To The MC

GHETTO CHILLDREN - Courts In Session

YESHUA - Losing Your Soul

VIRTUOSO, COUNT BASS D & ESOTERIC - Piece Of The Pie

ACEYALONE - Outro...

Bedouins - Volume 1

Bedouins, later renamed The Bedouin when the members realized it wasn't a plural name, was a group from the great San Jose underground scene of the late 90es, the same one that saw Peanut Butter Wolf, Fanatik, SubContents, Daysmen Empire, Zest The Smoker, Executive Lounge, Epicenter Broadcast and a slew of other super talented emcees burgeoning at the same time, in the same area.

Bedouins was comprised of beatmaker TapeMasta Steph (who later produced the awesome Endlessness In Machinery tapes) and two MCs: the Gill brothers, K-Swift and Mozam.

I think I already stated that for the most part, christian rap isn't my cup of tea. 

Bedouins is thee exception*, mostly because Steph's beats are just great, and even though the lyrics' content is not speaking to my heart, the emcees' delivery is on point. 

* English not being my first language helps I guess

That EP/mini album was only released on cassette. I think the year was 1998 although the material might be older (1995 maybe), it's not completely clear. I also read 1993 somewhere.

There's 3 versions of that cassette: a 4 tracks (as in "2 tracks per side") EP version that seemed to be duplicated by hand. The cover reads "The Missing Link" on it. 

The "regular" 7 tracks version which is what you get on this post, the cassette is professionally duplicated with the title on it and no mention of 'The Missing Link' but the name of KnightsBridgeLair, which is the name of a crew of sort if I'm correct.

Then a 9 tracks version with 2 bonus tracks off Sidus Idiom's solo tape (this is a Tapemasta Steph alias). That full tape has already been posted on this blog, so no need for me to post that version. Its cover is brown and the tape has a sign on it, seemingly made with Tippex or such.

Enjoy!

Here

A

Overide (The System)

II Exodus

Vanity Of Vanities

Ghetto Input

B

Quiet Storms

Rev: 20.4

When Did I Die?

Latyrx & DJ Quest - Live In Austin, TX June 11, 1998

The title pretty much says it all, I don't remember seeing this one before, so here's a rip for you.
Only one track since the program repeat on both sides...


Here

Fhraecus - Procrastination

This album is from a San Jose group, they released it in 1999 and it was part of the Atak catalogue back then. I don't know much about it otherwise, it shows on the cover it was produced by Beta Central and the emcees are Beta Central, Aroen, Anouken and Eukalypts.

Here


A
Intro
Definition
Soup
Campsite
Searching For Optimism

B
Entrapment
Situational Shifts
Who Can Rip This?
Mumbo Jumbo

Fatgums & Gamma Ray - Ohhssh!!

This right here is a fresh mixtape by DJs Fatgums and Gamma Ray from 2000 filled with the finest westcoast underground selection, tons of great routines, one of the best westcoast-oriented introduction ever, some nice unreleased tracks... a must have.


Here

A
EB F - Intro
OHHSSH!! Intro
FATGUMS Anthem
GAMMA RAY Anthem
Bay Tribute
CASUAL Scratch
DEL - Jaw Gymnastics
CHARIZMA Scratch
CHARIZMA & PBW - That's Word
SAAFIR - Battle Drill
L'RONEOUS - L'Chemy
PARIS Scratch
PLANET ASIA Transition
PLADO - Try To Read My Mind
CASUAL - Later On
SAAFIR Transition
MISFITZ OV STYLZ - It's Goin Down
FANATIK - Hella Emcees
MURS - The Jerry Maguire Song
NEW EDITION - Hotel Heartbreak

B
ROMALIBOTS - Monkeying Around
T-ROOT - Credentials
EVANESCE - Double O'Sik
GENELEC & MEMPHIS REIGNS - Memoirs Of A Terrorist
TESTING GROUND - Meaningless
HA!!!
ASIATIC & MYGRAIN - Extra Carne
Skooby
JSALANGS - Untitled Opus I
OHHSSH!! Outro - KB

Underbombers / Fanatik bootleg cassettes

A couple of weeks ago 12ManRambo had this ebay auction including a batch of mysterious hand dubbed cassettes full of supposedly unreleased music from San Jose collective Underbombers (Sub Contents, Zest) and producer Fanatik.
I was able to score 3 of those tapes:

"Phanatik Conception" (pic above), contains a lot of known Fanatik instrumentals from the Beat tapes era but this time with MCs on them... I never heard any of those versions (maybe I missed some releases?).
They sound at the same time solid enough to be officially released but you can also hear that it's straight from the studio takes (emcees commenting before and after etc.). Second track for example is Dave Dub over the "Parallel" beat. There's a MC I couldn't name on the first track rapping over "Night Terror"; a nice short collage interlude I never heard; a track with a female singer...
On the B side it's 6 full tracks of known Fanatik beats with Grand the Visitor from Homeliss Derilex rapping on it, and a cameo by Persevere on the last one. Pretty nice!

Second tape is by Zest the Smoker. It features some instrumentals, two versions of My Ol Nasty Habit, one over a different beat than the one we know, and the second one is an alternate vocal take on the original beat. Then Encore's "Think Twice". On the flip there's a 23-minute long freestyle featuring Persevere, Clishe and some other guys I couldn't name. It's called "Freestyle @ Steve's Bachelor Party".

"Subconscience" starts with a freestyle by Dave Dub & Persevere, then some known instrumental by Fanatik, My Ol Nasty Habit by Zest, then more freestyle by some guy I couldn't name, Zest, then some more freestyle by Persevere and finally a radio cameo with an extended freestyle over several instros by both Sub Contents members.


...all 3 tapes ripped:

Here

Cytoplasmz - Wit Pleasures / Sydoxzkness

Cytoplasmz/Psychoplasmz/Cyto-P is this obscure crew from Oakland with a variable line-up (remember this post?) that includes Bas-1 and Lil Larry amongst others.
This is their only collective release, besides the Insiduous Urban 7'', and it's from 96.
Check it:

Here


A
Intro (Featuring CMPX)
Wit Pleasures
Outro

B
Intro
Sydoxykness
Outro

Eyedlmode - S/T EP

Eyedlmode was a duo from the Bay comprised of J Def and Rymskeme.
They only released 2 tapes, both in '95: the Fogville album (already posted by Jibs over here, much thanks to him) and this 5-track EP which offers 2 tracks already on the album, one remix and two unreleased tracks including the great "Headsets".
As far as I know all cassette copies from Fogville are hand-dubbed whereas on this EP the tapes are professionally duplicated and have a better sound quality.

If not already done you should absolutely listen to both releases. They got a specific laid back vibe that kind of reminds me of The Nonce, sort of. I play them a lot when I need something to chill to.

Rymskeme also have a demo tape out there that you can find on youtube. If anybody got a proper rip of this or a copy to sell, holla.

Here


Paint The Town
Headsets
Paint The Town (Rymix)
Pavement Trials
Episode #1 ft. G-Boogie

Average Joe - S/T

One I've been looking for for a long time: Joe Dub's forgotten solo album as Average Joe (do not mistaken with Average Joe 2000 'Man Or Myth' released years later on Highground).

Like the cover says, it's from 96, and unlike the cover says it's not technically a SFSM album even though some other members appear here and there. 

There's a "Humble Foot" logo on the side but it seems to be more a label thing? and not the other hard to find Joe Dub cassette EP (the third one being White Gangster).

Enjoy!

Here

A

Passion

Photo Album

Identity Crisis

Eye Of The Beholder

Long Term ft. Chaz

Honor Code

Grace

Crossroads

Follow Passion ft. Meut

Coppertone ft. Gene

Magic Carpet

My Legacy

Suicide Squeeze

The Voice Of Reason

B

Big Business ft. D.Rite

That's My Own ft. Chaz

9 Lives

Tobacco Road

Freelance Work

S.F. Giants '2' ft. Core 1

Assembly Line

Coming N'Going

My Life

Not What I'm After

Landfill

Recap

Silence Is Golden