Air Adam Podcast

"...and we don't make the f-ing pistols..." - Kool G Rap Sometimes the episode number compels me to follow it to provide an overall theme for an entire show, and this month is one of those! With 187 famously being the California Penal Code paragraph number/police code for murder, and via Hip-Hop becoming widely known and used as a signifier well outside that jurisdiction, I decided that for this this episode we'd lean into that as a theme - sometimes literal, sometimes metaphorical, often pure creative writing, and at other times rooted firmly in reality. With that in mind, this episode might not be to everyone's taste, but for everyone else, it's certainly a journey thematically and sonically from the first track to our closer, which is truly a great piece of writing. Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes M.O.P. : 187 We won't reveal the sample here as I don't know if it was cleared and don't want to get anyone sued, but I doubt the original artists ever expected it to end up on a track like this! We start Episode 187 with a track of the same title, and Brownsville's own, the World Famous M.O.P. coming out as hard as titanium on this track from the "Street Certified" project, bringing the aggression to absolutely everyone - wack DJs, sucker MC, groupies, sponsors...no-one escapes. Lil Fame produces this one himself, combining the piano sample mentioned earlier with a well-known drum break that has done the business in Hip-Hop time and time again. Skitz : The Killing (Remix Instrumental) The original mix of "The Killing" is in my opinion the far superior version, but this minor-keyed piano instrumental is still solid in its own right. As far as I know, the only place to get this is the 12" single of "The Killing", which was just one of the outstanding tracks from the "Countryman" LP. If you see the wax of that about, don't think, just buy. DJ Marvel : 1-8-7 In the interest of not giving you the "Deep Cover" beat for too long, I'm only giving you a portion of this great DJ/cut-up track, which is based around that famous beat and hook, and turns it into a DJ-killing anthem. DJ Marvel is a UK DJ out of Torquay in Devon, a place that - save for the beach - couldn't be further away in vibes from Long Beach, but he represents his area amazingly on this, probably my favourite track to this day from Bomb Hip-Hop's "Return of the DJ Volume V". Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg : One Eight Seven Many of you will be familiar with the Dr. Dre classic "Deep Cover", which introduced the world to (as he was called then) Snoop Doggy Dogg, but I think fewer will know this alternate version/sequel, which was on the B-side of the "Dre Day" 12" single. The lyrics are a complete re-write, though the hook is the same, and there are some subtle variations in the arrangement, but otherwise the original groove is the same. Gloriously dark crime rhyme action. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo : Crime Pays My only regret is that the great intro to this track is slower than the main tempo, and so was too slow to play you here! If you want to hear the whole thing front-to-back, then the album you want is the 1992 crime opus "Live And Let Die". Planned to come out a year previously, the subject matter and disturbing cover art (which had its original two ideas shelved for unsuitability, and the final one responsible for a long-time shelving of the LP after release) are dark, extremely aggressive, and you barely come up for air the whole time. Like most of the album, this funky and fairly short track is produced by Sir Jinx of The Lench Mob, with the Juice Crew legend Kool G Rap speaking from the perspective of someone who feels - rightly or wrongly - that crime is their only option, and criticised the hypocrisy of society. The TLDR is that it's something of an "it's bigger than Nino Brown" piece, and very much of its time when you consider it would have been written around the tail end of the murder spike New York City...

"The sonic still iconic..." - Dr. Dre I was all ready to go with a plan for this episode, and was just waiting to have a guest into the studio for interview and to talk about the tracks of his that I'd included in the selection...and then I got COVID. As such, having anyone visit the house was out of the window, and I had to shelve the original plans and cook up an alternative episode in about a week! All things considered though, I think it's a strong selection and one with an assortment of flavours. Hope you enjoy it, as I wait to test negative and fight off the lingering fatigue so that I can rejoin the world... Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Saafir ft. Jayo Felony : Mask-A-Raid RIP Saafir. This is probably the song of his I've heard more than any other, having first found it in those early days of questionable MP3 acquisition ;) Have bought it since, and you can find it on the 1999 "The Hit List" LP. He brings in San Diego street rhyme veteran Jayo Felony to contrast him delivery-wise on the mic, and also clearly told him to escalate immediately, which he does within his first four bars to wake up anyone that might be quietly nodding along with this in the background! Production is handled by Carlos "Six July" Broady, who is best known for his work with various New York artists but complements these Cali emcees perfectly. [Illmind] The Last Poets, Dead Prez, Common : Panthers (Illmind Remix Instrumental) Having my whole 12" collection digitised means that hidden gems like this one are easier to unearth, and this remix instrumental from the New Jersey/NYC is just such a gem - buried in a nine-track 12"! I remember seeing Illmind in the ughh.com producer forums back in the days, and it was great to see his dedication rewarded with a long and illustrious career. In the last few years he's not only been a producer but a teacher and mentor to many, which is worth of all the respect! Nas : The Don I could be wrong, but I tried to search the notes for the entire podcast collection and it looks like I somehow have managed never to play this track, which is incredible as I love it! Nas didn't perform it on his recent visit to Manchester, but I still remember the night DJ Mr Thing broke it out at In The Loop in Manchester, with the crowd calling for endless pull-ups 🔥 This is an absolute monster from the "Life Is Good" LP, where Nas demonstrates that even if you doubt his beat selections sometimes, he's extremely tough to match when he chooses to give you a big, anthemic, no-candy floss single! Salaam Remi is the producer, and his beat is a dancehall-flavoured banger punctuated by a thoroughly doom-laden kick section, and hooked by a masterful sampling of Super Cat's "Dance Inna New York". Definitely one of Nas' best singles. Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre ft. Alus : Outta Da Blue Huge new tune, with these two Los Angeles legends combining on the second (?) single from their upcoming LP "Missionary", set to be released on the revived, now Snoop-owned Death Row Records. Dre crafts an uptempo party jam, weaving in some 80s flavour, and bringing in New Jersey singer Alus on hook duties, including her own interpolation of MIA's "Paper Planes". If this is the mark to judge the album by, it could end up being one to stand proudly next to Snoop's debut "Doggystyle". The Roots : Without A Doubt Hearing the little snatches of the drum track (not sure if it's a sample or replay) for Schoolly D's "Saturday Nite" as part of the Snoop and Dre track made me reach for this great cut from The Roots' classic "Things Fall Apart" LP, and I was glad to find that I'd somehow never included it on the podcast before! It's a Philadelphia group of the time, arguably at the height of their powers, covering another Philly legend, and bringing in Lady B, a pioneering DJ from the city, in on backing vocals - an endeavour of brotherly and sisterly love! L Swift ft. A-Butta : Ride This Those crispy drums and...

"...I'd be filthy rich if not for integrity." - Ka The title and theme of this episode came into focus after the second of two tragic losses to the Hip-Hop family this month, both from the same borough - first the peerless wordsmith Ka, and then the legendary producer and DJ Clark Kent. Both Brooklyn natives were held in the highest esteem by all practicioners of their respective arts as experts, and more importantly, spoken highly of as human beings. We feature the music of Ka and Clark Kent in this month's selection alongside some deep cuts from my crates...lock in. Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Ka : Sad To Say You may have other favourites, but no-one can narrate and reflect on the street life quite like the legendary Ka of Brownsville, Brooklyn - a man who you'll have heard me say before is one of the greatest writers we've ever had. Of all the artists in the culture, he ranks in the very highest tier of those who refused to compromise their artistic principles to chase as much as a penny, and so his albums are best enjoyed by those who respect that. This piece is taken from 2021's "A Martyr's Reward" and features Ka's trademark subdued production underneath his heavy, heavy pen. While other artists may have got social media fame, their work won't be being studied and analysed for years to come - Ka's will. [RZA] Wu-Tang Clan : I Can't Go To Sleep (Live Instrumental) The live performance of this track which was included on the Wu's "The W" album in its original form brings an even more dramatic air to it than the first version. Strangely, there's nothing on the single this comes from to credit the performers of this live version but they do a fine job replaying RZA's production, itself based around some classic Isaac Hayes. Trae ft. L-Boogie : I Deserve This near-drumless track felt like an appropriate inclusion here - what was maybe less appropriate was Don Cannon yelling wildly all over the intro, which I tried to mostly omit! Houston legend Trae is talking about real life on this selection from the 2011 "Undisputed" mixtape, with Dre & Vidal taking a tiny sliver of modern soul and turning it into a somewhat mournful backing. As an aside, the L-Boogie lending her vocals to this is not Lauryn Hill! Knucks & Venna : Alpha House From Texas we come all the way back to the UK, for a track that couldn't for a second be mistaken for coming from anywhere else - even without Knucks' London accent. It's only a short song, but powerful, as he tells a story going all the way back to where everything started for him. The track carries on long past the final lyric, with the saxophonist Venna playing over Knucks' beautiful production. This is the perfectly-chosen opener from his 2022 "Alpha Place" album, named after the street he grew up on. Curren$y : Game On Freeze We go back to 2018's "The Spring Collection" album for this bassy, low-slung track - two short verses from New Orleans' Curren$y, short enough that the hook almost gets equal time, on top of the beat from Sledgren of Taylor Gang. Anyone that is hating on Curren$y can only be jealous of the success he describes, since by all accounts he's one of the most personable artists around! Organized Noize ft. Joi and 2 Chainz : Kush Finding one of the supposed 500 copies of the "Organized Noize EP" was a great result from regular local record shopping! The famed production trio (RIP Rico Wade) get free reign to put this collection of tracks together their way, and they go slow, low, dark, and smoked out with this ode to the good weed, starring fellow Atlanta natives Joi and 2 Chainz on vocals. This was released as a single too, and justifiably so. [Shadetek] Rodan : Witchcraft II (Instrumental) Dark, grinding, and pretty much completely forgotten by me in favour of the other track on this 12", "Ruler Of Day & Night"! Shadetek does his thing on this, a sequel to "Witchcraft" on the Monsta Island Czars' "Escape From...

"Traumatised, but full of pride..." - Bashy Thanks to the short length of some of the tracks, the total running time of this episode isn't as long as some others, but it's a high-potency forty-eight minutes! We start with one of the realest, toughest tracks I've heard in ages, low-tempo to make sure you catch every word, end on a new track by some of the most dedicated veterans in the culture, and hit some incredible notes between those two points. Let's get it going... Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Bashy : How Black Men Lose Their Smile Wow. Stunning, 100% relatable song that everyone should sit down, listen to, then run it back and listen again. Bashy is absolutely flawless here, telling his story while also telling the stories of so many of us Black men who have grown up here. The production by Toddla T just adds to it, with the reggae-influenced beat calling back to the music that has been so prominent in Black British life, and the straight-to-camera video is starkly fitting. "Being Poor Is Expensive" is the title of the new album this track is drawn from, and also a plain statement of fact. M Slago : Sonic Marvel (Ten City Flip) "The 80's Beat Tape" coming out of FWMJ's "Producers I Know" collective/project was a ten-track collection of, as you'd expect, producers flipping 80s records into their own compositions. I can't say I remember the original that Nashville's M Slago chopped into this slowed, ominous track, but I do know that many years after the 2015 release of this tape which was recorded at least two years before that, this beat was used for "Finer Things" featuring Kyle Rapps. So nice, we got it twice! Scarface : No Problem Scarface's "Deeply Rooted" from 2015 is a quality LP that you should seek out if you can - more than likely, you'll need to fork out to buy a copy since it seems to have long disappeared from Spotify. The Houston icon was on his eleventh solo album here, and his one long verse is an aggressive statement of who he is, what he's about, and what/who he has no respect for, over a dark, grinding beat from Atlanta's KEY! (punctuation is part of the name). Ghetts ft. Stefflon Don : Slumdog Millionaire This Bollywood-accented cut from 2017 is such a killer, and an appropriate move coming from the UK where many of us grew up hearing it at least as part of the background growing up - Ghetts himself notes that it was that element that made this Nutty P beat stand out for him. Stefflon Don adds some flavour to the hook, but Ghetts takes centre stage on the mic for two tight verses. If you want more, 2018's "Ghetto Gospel : The New Testament" is the place to go. GQ : Trap A track I admit I'd overlooked on the "Rated Oakland" LP despite its position as the closer, this one definitely pulled me in when I went back to it for the first time in a while, ten years after the original release. I've cut it a little short here for the sake of pacing, but you'll get a long spoken word closing from GQ if you go to check the full album! The moody, dark production comes courtesy of Eric G of The Soul Council. namesbliss : Last Week I was totally unaware of this highly-skilled MC out of Kilburn, London, until he popped up on my IG feed - who says social media is good for nothing? His rapid-fire, witty, and clean flows are married up with smooth beats (this particular one produced by Scruz) that are miles away from what you generally hear in the grime genre - I've heard this described as "lo-fi grime" and that seems as good a label as any. It reminds of me what KwolleM started a good few years back with his "mellow grime" style, and it's nice to hear an MC like this with room to breathe on the track! This particular cut is a highlight from his latest LP "Lively Experience", which is one of my favourite purchases of the month. Devin Morrison : The Blisselle I played a vocal track by Devin Morrison on the podcast back on episode 153, but didn't appreciate...

"Posthumous ain't the wave..." - Mega Ran For this month's cover art, I couldn't resist calling back to one of the most unexpectedly popular stars of the Olympics I was glued to earlier in the month, and going a little Griselda with it 😁 Music-wise, we're almost entirely Hip-Hop this episode, but visiting a lot of different chambers - got some brand new stuff, some tracks that are older than I realised, and we open up with a gem that never got a commercial release... Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Warzone : Take It Or Leave It I left the drop on the front of this track to respect the blog DubCNN, from where I got this track way back - one I've never heard anywhere else! Warzone was a supergroup made up of Kam, Goldie Loc, and MC Eiht of CMW, who drop unapologetically gangsta lyrics through all three verses of this fire tune. Sadly, even though they did record a full album, the world never got to hear it due to them being unable to get a distribution deal - if anyone somehow has a copy, I would love to hear the whole thing! I think Mr. Porter is on production, which makes sense, with the drums having a distinctly Detroit timefeel which really adds to the overall flavour. Sndtrak : Inhuman The Detroit stalwart House Shoes was recently playing some beat flips by Oakland producer Sndtrack on a Twitch stream, and before he was done I'd already bought two of his albums, including "FLIPS V2: FLIP​-​TUCK" from which this is drawn. He deconstructs Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" on his Maschine and turns it into a dark, gothic, booming track which lives up to its title! This is an artist well worthy of your support. Layfullstop : Did I Stutter Brand new single from a double-threat MC/singer you might know from her work in the Manchester scene over the last few years - she posted a clip on Instagram and I immediately had to buy myself a copy! Layfullstop kills it in less than three minutes with flows and bars galore over a wicked self-produced beat that features smooth keys under an irresistible rhythm track. An artist to always keep an ear out for! Mega Ran ft. The Outlawz : In The Game It was great to see Mega Ran return to play in Manchester this month, and while it would have been easy to just reach for his most recent release, we're going back to a personal favourite, the "Live '95" LP. As someone who grew up loving Hip-Hop, hoops - and of course gaming - in the magical time of the 90s, this album explores the intersections of them all. Edi Mean and Young Noble of The Outlawz, best known as 2Pac's crew guest here with a couple of short and positive verses over Yon Li's production, but it's the headliner who really shines here with an excellent first verse. His lines about "anybody I ain’t rock with, don’t put them on my projects" ring truer than ever in a world where some are excusing the use of AI deepfake tech to put words in the mouths of the deceased. We don't support that necromancy over here. Zion I : We Got It Accidentally deleted my notes for this - let's try again 😂 This was a nice B-side on the flip of "Here We Come" by Skhool Yard, both taken from the 2001 compilation "The Funky Precedent Vol. 2". The production by 418Hz is sparse enough to allow the straight-ahead dopeness on the mic from the late Zumbi to breathe. Diamond D ft. Torae and Bishop Lamont : MERK Jo-Jo on the low pro, the Forest Projects and DITC legend Diamond has returned to bless us with a new release this month, the nine-track "The Diam Piece 3 : Initium", loaded with featured guests all doing their thing over his top-shelf production. The crispy drums and guitar sample with a subtle bass backing create a clean but still grimy backdrop for all the MCs - Bishop Lamont from Cali and Brooklyn's Torae, both true insiders' choices - to bring quality bars. Well under three minutes long, this is concentrated dopeness. [Jay Dee] Slum Village : Fall In Love (Remix Instrumental) The original...

"I never did a dance for a dollar..." - Buckshot This month we don't shift into high gear in terms of tempo at any point, topping out at around 90, so those of you experiencing actual summer don't overheat! We've got some absolutely fire new releases in the mix alongside some versions that you might never have heard, plus some deep album cuts. We start things off with just such a track - if you don't own the album, I'd be willing to bet you've never heard it...never let it be said this is a show that leans on the obvious records! Still a few tickets left to see Phat Kat at The Hip Hop Chip Shop on August 4th, plus me playing a special Detroit warmup set! Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Above The Law ft. Kokane : Rain Be For Rain Bo RIP KMG, who passed away twelve years ago this month. In a season where we maybe haven't had the sunshine we expected, this seemed like an appropriate choice - a downtempo but funky piece from the well-respected LP "Uncle Sam's Curse", Above The Law's third. Cold 187um not only produced the track but also provides the scene-setting first verse, while his cousin Kokane is on the hook, and KMG's second verse builds on the perfect setup. A lot of people were not ready to digest this LP fully when it came out, but if you have time to take a front-to-back listen, especially if you appreciate the West Coast sound, then do - you'll be rewarded. Tavaras Jordan : Change, Pt. 2 (The Last Thing) A beautifully smooth instrumental from this talented Hip-Hop and R&B producer out of North Carolina, taken from his short - but very sweet - 2019 "Manifest Destiny" album. Anything with this man's name on is worth a listen! GZA : Animal Planet The streets are a jungle, and nature is gangster. Another in GZA's series of themed tracks that started with "Labels" on "Liquid Swords", this grand-sounding Bink and Tyquan Walker-produced cut from "Legend Of The Liquid Sword" allows the Genius to demonstrate once again how he can build a concept track like few others. Jay-Z ft. Damian Marley : Bam One of my good friends always plays this track before job interviews, because these people have to "know who they F'in with", to quote Jay-Z! This collaboration with Damian Marley from the "4:44" LP is one of my personal highlights of that release, and the producer No I.D. goes straight to a reggae classic to provide the raw material, the mighty "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy. Black Moon : General Feva The "Rise Of Da Moon" album, Black Moon's first after a sixteen-year layoff, seemed to go under-appreciated by many, but I for one was very pleased to see the Brooklyn legends release that LP in 2019. Da Beatminerz on production of course, for some slow, loping boom-bap that is a little dark for summer perhaps, but perfect for this slide towards some sandpaper-type roughness. Cut Beetlez x Bronx Slang : I'm Not Chillin If the last track was raw, this is the cow still wandering around in the field! Finland's Cut Beetlez production team linked up with the always-NY Bronx Slang for a brand new EP, from which this is the title cut. As soon as Jerry Beeks told me it was out I had it in my headphones and even after repeated listens, I knew this was the track to go with right here! The sonics snarl, thump, and grind, and yet you can hear every word from the MCs, who just seem to keep getting better with time and can give you the business regardless of the pace of the track. [J-Zone] Al-Shid : Fight Club (Instrumental) He may be a full-time and high-quality drummer now, but I'll always remember the originality J-Zone brought to Hip-Hop production for so many years. There's no-one who sounded quite like him, and this instrumental of a track from Al-Shid's debut single is a great example - some might say quirky, but in terms of quality, very serious. Conductor Williams & Boldy James : Flying Trapeze Act Too many people think that street rap and lyrical creativity can't go together, but...

"Come on and give me my props..." - Diamond Fifteen years! We started this ride in June 2009 and here we still are all these years later. Thank you so much for your support, and I hope you'll stay with me for as long as I'm able to keep putting these shows together. The point of this podcast has never been to prioritise new releases, or to only ever look to the past, but a blend of the two. With that in mind, this month's mix certainly has some old personal favourites, a sprinkling of new music, and some obscurities and rarities! Listen, enjoy, and please do spread the word as widely as you can - as I always say, I have a lot of things, but no advertising budget 😆 I was racking my brain trying to come up with cover art that would reference the theme of fifteen...then realised that the infamous "4, 5, 6" combination sums up to that very number! Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Events : events.airadam.com Playlist/Notes The Thryday : Fantastic The album this was ultimately released on is only available for silly money on the second-hand market, but at least I had this from an old mixtape ("WJLR Radio, Volume 1") to share with you! The Dutch master Nicolay is on production for this North Carolina group who were part of the Justus League family and appreciated by those in the know. This same beat, with the same name, is also on Nicolay's "City Lights" and the "City Lights 1.5" version, but with the rhymes that elevate it so...much harder to get! [J Dilla] Jaylib : The Red (Instrumental) You already know! One of the best-loved instrumentals from Dilla's post-Slum career - certainly if the reaction when I drop it in a set is anything to go by - and one that will move your speakers for sure. The original is from the famed "Champion Sound" collaboration between Dilla and Madlib, where each rhymes over the other's production, and now the full set of instrumentals is available, making the deluxe release a 100% must-own. Jigmastas ft. Mos Def, Mr. Complex, Pharoahe Monch, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and Talib Kweli : Lyrical Fluctuation Remix This is a true all-star MC roster from the late 90s-early 00s independent scene, with DJ Spinna of Jigmastas on remix duties, bringing a different vibe to Joc Max's original, based on crazy short chops of a classic soul sample and having them cheerfully bounce along. I only got this 2000 release in the last few weeks, but have already played it on Twitch, digitised it, and am now sharing its eternally-fresh energy here! Ghostface ft. Wigz : Outta The Way "...in the gym throwing the dumbbells all out of order" - disgraceful conduct... Another usage of the same sample from the "Lyrical Fluctuation" remix, this Anthony Acid beat is more straightforward, with Ghostface and Wigz busting through with the energy of two guys rushing a bank! This was one of the standouts on the 2005 Ghostface and Trife "Put It On The Line" LP, though not released as a single despite the potential. Mobb Deep : Feel My Gat Blow The soundtrack to the Saul Williams-starring "Slam" was very much a mixed bag in the vein of many 90s-00s soundtracks, but certainly had a few standouts and otherwise-unreleased cuts from some greats, of which this is one. Havoc's beat sounds like a mix between a medieval court and 90s NYC, and the lyrical content is trademark Mobb. Redman : Winicumuhround As much as I love Redman's "Dare Iz A Darkside" album (which, notably, he doesn't - reminds him of a bad time), I had all but forgotten about this track until I pulled the vinyl out for a front-to-back listen recently. Erick Sermon and Redman combine on production to have this one thump along with a killer bassline-lead track, and Red is in fine form on the mic. With the voice of the late Hurricane G appearing as part of the densely-packed hook, this is a Def Squad heater for sure. Pete Rock : Death Becomes You Definitely one of my favourite Pete Rock beats of all time, but we had to wait a long time to get an...

"Slashed all four tyres on the bandwagon..." - Pos The end of the fourteenth year of the show is here, with the numerically-satisfying number 180! It's been a good month for shows, with a highlight being seeing Edo G live for the first time, so I've included a couple of his tracks alongside some recent releases, a rarity or two, and some bonafide old classics. The show is a touch longer than usual, running a little over an hour, but hopefully it still flies by for you! Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Edo G, DJ Yoda, and Brad Baloo : Talk About It Coming off the back of seeing a great performance by Edo G and DJ Yoda at The Hip-Hop Chip Shop in Manchester this month, I thought we'd start the episode with a smooth selection from their new "Hometown Heroes" EP. Edo G is in his grown man rap bag on a Brad Baloo beat, with Yoda on the cut - and if the record he's cutting is what I think it is, then that's an A1 selection. Visoneers : Swahililand I finally got round to digitising the "Hipology" 7" box set, a 2012 release by Marc Mac's Visioneers project that features tributes to the Hip-Hop side of his influences, and notably contains several cover versions of famously-sampled tracks, of which this is one. This is a beautiful version of a track originally by the late great jazz pianist and composed Ahmad Jamal, which eventually breaks out into the part most people will recognise - the mighty chords sampled from the Jamal version by J Dilla for De La Soul's "Stakes Is High". DJ Spinna ft. Dynas : More Grab the "Sonic Smash" album by Spinna if you see it - it's no longer on streaming services and with it also not being available on Bandcamp, picking up a physical copy is the only way to secure yourself a copy of this really high-quality album. In the meantime, take this slice, with Spinna coming with his trademark synth bass as the centre of the instrumental, and Miami's Dynas, a longtime collaborator, spitting a positive message on the mic. Buscrates ft. Soraya Watti : On My Way It was great to hear Buscrates play this track during a DJ set on Twitch recently while Soraya Watti was actually in the chat - the love she was getting was beautiful. This warm, bassy, soulful cut is the closer on last year's "Control Center" LP, a triumph from the Pittsburgh synth maestro. Curren$y ft. Freddie Gibbs : Stash House Eighties vibes here on the production, with 808-Ray going vaporwave style on the main sample and then adding his drum track to it. Curren$y fills this lane extremely well, as he uses his trademark relaxed flow to liken the dope stuff being exported out of his studio to...well, actual dope...while guest Freddie Gibbs just jumps straight out of the analogies and into the street for real. This is from the "Andretti 12/30", which was one of twelve (!) monthly releases Curren$y did back in 2016 - he might sound relaxed enough to be able to fall off the floor, but he's one of the most prolific MCs of his generation. Fat Pat : Tops Drop RIP Fat Pat, the creator of a true Southern classic that just overflows with good vibes! J Slash on production brings in the bassline groove from an 80s soul classic on this track from Pat's debut "Ghetto Dreams", and the lyrics are just about the joys of stunting in a nice convertible. This still gets plenty of play to this day on its home turf, and the youngsters at University of Houston basketball games hear it as the team's theme music - even though it was released before they were born! Ilajide : Number One The exact flavour of banging beat we've come to expect from Detroit's Ilajide, with the drums smacking, the main sample stuttering and the bass coming in strong to undergird it all. I might need to go and find/buy the original sample, which plays for a few seconds quietly at the very end, but you can find this track and some other excellent work on the "3" album. Declaime : Exclaim The Name A track with a bump so urgent it almost feels...

"If you're wrong, you're wrong, and if you're right, you're right." - Malcolm X It's been a rough month in the Hip-Hop community, as we've said goodbye to Mister Cee, Rico Wade of Organized Noize, MC Duke, and Keith LeBlanc, all of whom are included in this episode's selection. Rest in peace to all, and thanks to them for all their contributions. Despite spending a fair amount of time (and £) digging in the vintage crates this month, the selection is mostly a mix of exploring my existing colllection, plus a few new brand new digital releases. I will be very impressed if there's anyone who knows every track here already! Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 - see upcoming schedule @ events.airadam.com Playlist/Notes MysDiggi : Skull Island It was a pleasure to hear the well-respected UK MC MysDiggi explain some of his approach to writing and maintaining a career at the Hip-Hop @ 50 event at the Contact Theatre in Manchester recently, and so I wanted to include a track from him on this episode! On this track from "Tip Of Da Mysberg 3", he's in full King Kong mode over an 8-bit-style beat from Manchester's Twizted Roots (now Strange Soul Music) that has demolished the room when he's played it at the WORKINONIT producer sessions. A perfect union for a literally monster tune! [Dabrye] Bus : Keep Life Right Remix (Instrumental) Bass and more bass, following up with another electronic track that was very popular in Manchester on the underground scene in the early nineties. The vocal version has lyrics by Scottish MC Soom-T, and if you go all the way back to Episode 55 you can hear it there - though of course, if you like it, I recommend buying a copy! Sparkz : Buzzin Last year's "Overload" EP by Manchester's Sparkz was a great release on High Focus records, with five tracks entirely produced as well as written by the man himself - and with a touch not seen nearly enough these days, all the instrumentals coming included as well! This is the opener and probably my favourite, with a nice relaxed bounce to the rhythm and the lyrics flowing over nice and easy...until he ramps it up with some devastating double-speed bars! I don't know if any of the vinyl copies of this are still available, but it's on Bandcamp so you can pick it up for yourself there. OutKast : Elevators (ONP 86 Mix) Of course there had to be some Rico Wade this month, and so I've gone back to what is still my favourite OutKast LP ("ATLiens") for the remix of the lead single. It retains some of the same spooky keys as the OutKast-produced original but overall swaps elements out for something more of a live feel, you could say - almost like a funk band putting their own spin on it. Cookin Soul & The Musalini ft. Planet Asia : I Want It All Mus has been cultivating his New York take on the "gentleman of leisure" lane, and this luxurious track is a standout on the newly-released "Mackaroni" album, with Valencia's Cookin Soul hooking up an Anita Baker sample for a short and sweet cut, with both Mus and guest Planet Asia cooking (no pun intended) up visions of fly living, with those Mediterranean lamb chops sounding good right about now... Z-Ro ft. Mya : Clearer This has been a track on repeat for me this month, great track from Rother Vandross' new "The Ghetto Gospel" LP. He's never really made a mainstream splash, but those who know him have no choice but to appreciate and respect him. Getting the legendary Mya to feature here was a big win, and Beanz & KornBread on production beautifully interpolate a Houston classic for a sparkling clean track perfect for when the sun does eventually appear! DJ DMD : 25 Lighters (Instrumental) I was utterly amazed to find out that I'd never played any version of this track on the show before, but with the preceding tune drawing heavily from this Houston anthem, I had to drop the instrumental at least. DJ DMD sampled the classic "Nite and Day" by Al B. Sure and hooked it up perfectly for an...

"...just to show how many come to the funeral." - Tee There's some very serious Hip-Hop in this month's selection - from the rugged to the smooth, and from some old and even unreleased material to brand new releases! Of course we pay tribute to Biggie, Phife, and Nate Dogg, with some music that may have passed you by previously. RIP Bo$$...I make a point of not repeating tracks on the podcast, but her classic single "Deeper" is in the mix on episode 37 if you fancy going back nearly twelve years into the archives. Her run may have been short, but the talent was there. Oh yes - the Hieroglyphics gig in Manchester this June still has some tickets available! Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Event/stream schedule : events.airadam.com Playlist/Notes The Notorious B.I.G and 2Pac : Where Brooklyn At? (Freestyle) Starting off raw, but also very much a selection that makes you sad when you consider what was lost - first a friendship, then two lives. Biggie and 2Pac took the stage together in 1993 at Madison Square Garden for this memorable freestyle performance (with some of the lyrics later turning up on other tracks), and DJ Mister Cee had the presence of mind to record it to cassette. The sound quality might be rough, but it's history. RIP to Biggie and 2Pac. [Oh No] Grand Agent : After This track is a shockingly short fifty-two seconds long, so I had to loop it up here to give a long enough instrumental bed for the voiceover - and it's a shame because it's easily one of the best beat on the "Under The Circumstances" project that Oh No produced for Grand Agent back in 2005. This was another bit of wax that I rediscovered during The Great Digitisation, and I'm glad I did - for everyone who missed it the first time round, there's a very affordable digital release! The Eastsidaz ft. Butch Cassidy, Nate Dogg, and Kokane : Cool We start the first mix over on the West Coast, Long Beach to be precise, with The Eastsidaz, a group made up of Snoop, Big Tray Deee, and Goldie Loc, and essentially a reprise of a previous group The Eastsiders that had Snoop, Crooked I, and Li'l C-Style as members. While the original group only released one song officially, the later lineup is much better-known, and their second LP "Duces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way" is a well-regarded album for those who appreciate the style. The late great Nate Dogg blesses them with some vocals on the hook here, alongside the multi-talented but oft-overlooked Butch Cassidy who is actually the lead singer here, and another connoisseur's choice in Pomona's Kokane. The producer isn't one that you might immediately expect, but in fact Hi-Tek working with MCs who are spitting material far from the Reflection Eternal sphere! Tyler Daley : Never Look Down The first of a run of three Manchester tracks, this is a brand new single from half of Children of Zeus, taken from his aptly-named "Son of Zeus" EP. Thematically this could have been part of Zeus' "Balance" album, with Tyler both rhyming and singing about the challenges and pressures of balancing family life and a music career, over the kind of modern soul production that is a crew trademark. Definitely get yourself a copy of this new release. Berry Blacc, Dubbul O, & Jointhedots : The Rain Possibly the most appropriately-named record that could come from Manchester, Jointhedots are back with their second release of the year, with longtime collaborators Dubbul O and Berry Blacc on the mic. The jazzy, chilled vibe of the instrumental is a trademark of the crew, and both MCs settle into it perfectly - not trying to dominate it, not running wild, just fitting in as two more instruments, lyrical ones of course. Grab this single and keep an eye out for future releases...🤞🏿 KinKai & Mecca:83 : Safe Don't Say Short, but one where they leave us wanting more! A third straight local selection, this was on the mammoth "Manchester With Love" compilation that raised money after the 2017...

"Rockin' and rollin' like the myth of Sisyphus..." - Anthony Cruz More than any other month in the year, February is the one where we remember some of the greats that have passed on; as such, this mix includes tracks from J Dilla, De La Soul (RIP Dave), Big L, and Big Pun. The average ruggedness level is high, and we start off with a classic sample being used on a remix you might not know...volume up! Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Slum Village : We Be Dem (Atomic Dog Mix) "Atomic Dog" is one of the most heavily-used samples in Hip-Hop, and with good reason - even in novice hands it sounds good, and with someone like J Dilla in charge, it sounds amazing! He has it twitching on the three on a beat it's impossible not to move to, and on the mics, the crew don't get too complex. It's only a short one, which I got on a white label of unreleased Slum Village cuts, but I think you can find it these days on some of the digital platforms. In my opinion, this mix wins over the original version! The ARE : OH You can hear the sound of a well-known Michael Jackson cut being atomised and reconfigured on this killer from the "Dem Damb Jacksons" instrumentals, which punches so hard that you realise why the track title is in upper case! The whole project, as you might guess from the name, is all MJ and Jackson 5 samples, worked to perfection by the man from Houston who you may also know as a member of K-Otix. De La Soul ft. Yummy Bingham : Much More A single that deserved to be so as a standout from "The Grind Date", this starts off with an uncredited guest appearance by the DJ Premier questioning the commitment of some to the the Hip-Hop culture, before passing to the late great Dave (aka Trugoy) to handle the opening verse. "Using these minutes like I value the call" is a great analogy for an MC who understood more than many how important it is to say something when you have the platform to do so. J Dilla's beat is grand and imposing, and his re-pitching of the main sample as used in the hook wrong-foots you - it was originally sung by a man, but sounds like a woman by the time he's finished with it! Sol Uprising ft. Emanon : Feel The Sound Somehow I'd "played past" this one over and over again, due to it sharing a slab of vinyl with the incredible "Raach Ya Sol" on the 2004 "They Don't Know" 12", but having stumbled on it while shortlisting for this month, I think I need to find more places to play it! Sol Uprising is the union of Sci the MC and the awesome Stacy Epps, who is towards the top of my list of "Musicians I Wish Had Released More Material". Alongside them here are Emanon, with Exile (who you might know better for his work with Blu) on production, and Aloe Blacc on the mic. It's the records like this, the ones that slip under the radar, the ones that you sometimes take a chance on, that really make a DJ's record collection. L.E.G.A.C.Y : More Legacy strides over this cut from the "Legsclusives" album with so much confidence that you can't help but love it! 9th Wonder's beat from the heyday of the Justus League initially draws you in with the short sample that repeats throughout and his swinging drum track (with a different snare/clap than you might have expected), but that sneaky low bass really anchors it. Kid Capri ft. Big Pun and NORE : Block Party Big Pun is regarded as one of the greats in spite of him unfortunately passing away without a huge amount of recordings - his impact was that powerful. It's always a joy to realise you have a feature by him that might not be known to many, and so we land on this collab alongside fellow Latino New Yorker Noreaga, with the legendary Kid Capri on production. "Soundtrack To The Streets", on which this appears, was Kid Capri's 1998 album where he handled things behind the boards and brought in an all-star cast on the mics - being a DJ with his kind of pedigree, there were a lot of people he could call! Otis McDonald : One For...

"I AM" - Chuck D Hope you've had a good start to 2024! While it's been a bit bumpy over here, the selection on the first episode of the year is strong from start to finish. If you know every single one of these tracks already...we should probably have a chat as you clearly have an ear for the good stuff! Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Organized Noize ft. Big Boi, Big Rube, Sleepy Brown, and Cee-Lo : We The Ones A very fortunate find during a recent digging expedition, I didn't even know that the "Organized Noize EP" existed until I had it in my hands. Looking around on Discogs, it seems that it was a limited release in 2017 of 500 copies, on fiery orange vinyl and with a fantastic cover. Apparently twenty years in the making - probably because the production team behind OutKast, Goodie Mob, and more were kind of busy - it's a quality seven-song collection that you can now also get digitally! I heard a few seconds of this track at the listening post and it was the one that convinced me to buy the record, a musically-stirring and always-relevant and timely call to stand up and fight against oppression. Orbital : Adnan's This industrial-sounding track from the 1996 "In Sides" album was an extended version of a song they contributed to the 1995 "War Child" charity LP, and was named after a young boy who was killed by a missile during the war in the former Yugoslavia. Paul Hartnoll of Orbital broke this, and the rest of the album, down in a way only one of the creators could - so I'll link you to his own words. Sepalot ft. Blu : Surrender I've heard the instrumental of this many a time and had actually forgotten that there even was a vocal version! The beat went down well on the most recent #BeatsOnly show on my Twitch channel, so I thought I'd bring it out on this episode. The angular production from German producer Sepalot lurches, twitches, and squelches, with Blu fittingly being a bit more aggro lyrically than you might have expected from some of his better-known work. I have this on the B-side of a 12" headed up by "She Likes Me" with Frank Nitty, but you can also find it on the 2014 "Red Handed" LP. Jigmastas ft. Shabaam Saadique : Too Ill Does what it says on the tin! DJ Spinna on production on this track with the dramatic backing, courtesy of a well-known old TV show sample, while the processing on the vocals makes it sound like weak MCs are being admonished over the phone! By the way, the spelling of Shabaam's name is different than what I've seen on previous releases, but as it's written this way on this album ("Resurgence") I'm taking that as being correct unless/until I find out otherwise. Public Enemy : Louder Than A Bomb A classic from what is often said to be the greatest Hip-Hop album of all time, "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back" (lot of text to write on a cassette label btw). Those who follow me know I'll sometimes refer to the more grimy records as "not calling for the building of a new nation or anything" but this track literally does! Chuck D will always be the first name that comes to mind when pro-Black, politically-driven Hip-Hop is mentioned, and this is just one of his outstanding vocal performances. Bomb Squad on production of course, with a hard-hitting track that would dominate most other MCs, even now. Sonically, you might notice that the sound is busy but not "thick" - if it was made nowadays, I suspect it'd be mixed with a lot more bass, not to mention built with more high-fidelity samplers. Would that have been "better"? Hard to say, but this is revolutionary in all senses regardless. Bumpy Knuckles & DJ Premier : B.A.P. (Bumpy and Premier) For those of more gentle dispositions, you may as well skip to the next track! Otherwise, this is quintessential boom-bap rawness, courtesy of DJ Premier - one of the finest exponents of the style - and fellow Gang Starr Foundation MC Bumpy Knuckles. Wicked track from the "KoleXXXion" LP,...

"Speaking to the people that matter, with my mind." - Grap While a lot of December up this way has been surprisingly mild, but there was an absolutely vicious period - was lucky that the heating in the house only died after the worst had passed. Still, it's fixed now, so I didn't freeze to death putting this episode together! As we draw towards the end of the year, the themes here might be wintery and seasonal, but the tunes are heat :) As promised, here's the link for WORKINONIT - definitely support this collective (and the venue that hosts the monthly events!) if you want to support grassroots talent 💯 Twitch : @airadam13 Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Show/Stream Schedule : events.airadam.com Playlist/Notes Median : Median Alleviates The Drama A deep cut from the heyday of the Justus League, with 9th Wonder (of course) chopping it up on this breezy beat for his Winston-Salem, North Carolina, compatriot to get busy on. You may not know Median as he only recorded two albums, his last in 2011, but he's a grounded yet imaginative writer who is well worth your listening time. Of interest to many who do take the time to dig into his history will be "Brenda's Baby" from the 2007 "Median's Relief" LP, his sequel to 2Pac's famous "Brenda's Got A Baby". Soul Supreme : Mood Swings Big shout to Jim Bane of Eastern Bloc who gifted me the "Poetic Justice" LP on wax for my birthday earlier this year! Amsterdam's Soul Supreme has been giving us quality music for a long while now, but in recent times has been locked in what sounds like an awful legal dispute with a record company and another producer. Despite still being in the thick of it, he delivers his commentary in the form of instrumental music on this album, which is even clearer when you read the track titles. The interplay between the horns and his keyboard work are the highlight on this particular track, but for the full effect, sit down and listen to the whole album end-to-end. Cookin Soul : Kamaal Xmas Time Cookin Soul usually comes out with a special Xmas release each year, mixing up an artist you know well with seasonal sample flips. This track comes from the 2002 "A Tribe Called Xmas" collection, and takes Q-Tip's verse from "Mind Power" and adds on a few more lines I can't place before going full Christmas - but keeping that boom-bap! Noveliss & Mega Ran : Memory Card One of the OGs of leaning fully into video game culture in Hip-Hop alongside the Clear Soul Forces veteran and manga writer Noveliss? You know the references are going to be fire. Hir-O provides the beat, and both MCs bring it as they centre the concept of the memory card (ask your parents if you don't know) on this standout from their "Maverick Hunters" album. Bounty Killer, A.R.P, Curly, and Tulokk : Evils Of Your Mind (Edited) Devil on one shoulder, devil on the other? Almost like a dancehall version of Eminem's "Guilty Conscience" (especially with that second voice), this is a big single from 2001 on the "Heavyweight" riddim that also appears on the 2002 "Ghetto Dictionary : The Mystery" album as "Evils Of The Mind". 2002 was a busy time for the Warlord, who also dropped "Ghetto Dictionary : The Art Of War" that same year. Kuartz & Vybz Kartel : Clarks (Kuartz Real Badman Remix) If you're a DJ, especially in a city like Manchester where crowds react to big sounds, get "Hybrid Dialects" just for this monster! A local producer with worldwide rep and reach, Kuartz has done the home scene proud and on his latest release, the industrial, digital vibes come through loud and clear. The cold, wintery feel on the intro make it a perfect inclusion this dark month. Kuartz bends and effects the voice of Vybz Kartel as much as any other instrument on the track, making for a sound system killer! Da Beatminerz & KRS-ONE : Seckle KRS was one of the first to really bring that reggae/dancehall flavour into the Hip-Hop arena, and Da Beatminerz have had that as an element of their style since they...

"Ain't a damn thing changed boy, protect ya neck!" - RZA This month marks a full thirty years since the landmark date of November 9th 1993, when two of the greatest albums of all time - in any genre - were released. I've played many of the tracks from those LPs on the podcast over the years, but both do get a nod of respect in the selection here, alongside some absolute fire new releases and old classics. This month's selection tends towards veterans of the culture, while for the most part staying in the relatively recent past. Like Nas says, keep on putting out records...we want to see and hear the art! Twitch : @airadam13 Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk Show/Stream Schedule : events.airadam.com Playlist/Notes Champion Sound ft. Smif-N-Wessun : One Luv This is a really grand-sounding track which deserves to be heard from the very first note. The piano chords and overall instrumentation bring to mind less a Hip-Hop single and more the kind of thing you might hear on the soundtrack of a Spike Lee film. I looked up the band Champion Sound and was amazed to find that they hail from Prague - a serious cross-continental collaboration for them to link up with Brooklyn's finest! Tek and Steele drop grown man street raps over the brooding, cinematic soundscape for a standout from the "Stash Box" LP that just dropped last month. [DJ Eclipse] O.C. : Time's Up (Remix Instrumental) Buckwild's beat for the original version of this classic single is one of the best-known and loved pieces of production in Hip-Hop history, and it would take a brave man to remix the track - enter DJ Eclipse. The former Fat Beats retail supremo and DJ for Non Phixion isn't one to shy away from a challenge, and he does an excellent job bringing a different flavour right here. While this might have once been tough to find (I'm only just hearing it for the first time myself), it's now easily available on the deluxe version of "Word...Life", which has been released digitally. Wu-Tang Clan : 7th Chamber In the month where we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of the debut Wu album "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)", I've gone for one of the deeper cuts that isn't something you'd hear at a typical gig or club night. Quintessential Wu, with RZA nailing the production (personally, I love the loop with the stabs before the main groove comes in), and seven of the Clan MCs murdering the track. Wu forever, indeed. Kev Brown & J Scienide : Legendary Rugged Simply a slice of raw Hip-Hop, no fancy studio gloss, just rough drums, deep bass, and a warbling main sample over which J Scienide spits that goodness. Kev Brown drops some bars himself on the second verse, showing why he clearly has to be thought of as one of the best producers on the mic of the current era. 2021s "Stray From The Pack" LP is inspired by the great duos both inside and outside of Hip-Hop, and Kev and J pay tribute in fine style. MC Eiht ft. Xzibit : Medicate The various battles over the years aside, I love to see how much true respect the veterans of the culture have for each other, especially when it leads to pairings you might not immediately think of! In this case, Texas-born but longtime Brooklyn resident DJ Premier, possibly the exemplar of the East Coast sound links up with one of the OGs of the scene in Compton, California, the legendary MC Eiht to executive produce his "Which Way Iz West" album, from which this is drawn. Connecting with Xzibit takes the union to an even higher level, and Austrian producer Brenk Sinatra captures just the right vibe for both MCs to get busy on. Krumb Snatcha : Rich Man Poor Man A heavy album track from "Respect All, Fear None" that I'd imagine passed most people by, Da Beatminerz come with some boom-bap accented by a dramatic horn sample for one of Boston's ruggest to spit over. As a man whose trials and tribulations are a matter of record (including his classic single "Closer To God"), when he gives you lyrics like this they...

"...kick rocks or kick rhymes..." - Jean Grae The seasons are most definitely changing on this side, and the heavens have been pretty open the last couple of weeks while I've been putting the show together. Unfortunately during that time, we lost a couple of respected DJs and producers, DJ Mark the 45 King and Groove Damoast, both of whom are included in this month's mix. May they rest well. The selections for this month span a time period of almost fifty years, from a 1975 funk classic to a brand new release from one of Manchester's finest, making stops in the 80s and the independent Hip-Hop wax era of the 90s - something for all the heads! Don't forget - you can always get an up-to-date list of my next few upcoming streams and gigs @ events.airadam.com! Twitter : @airadam13 Twitch : @airadam13 Mastodon (because Twitter is basically on fire) : https://mastodon.me.uk/@airadam Playlist/Notes DJ Muggs, Roc Marciano, Meyhem Lauren, and Rome Streetz : 67 Keys Two MCs I've seen live recently with another (Rome Streetz) I would have seen if it wasn't for work's on-call schedule, talking pure drug business over some thriller film-type production courtesy of DJ Muggs, who has constructed an amazing second act post the Cypress Hill classics that everyone knows him for. Everyone gets busy on the mic on this new single, with Meyhem killing that last verse. David Cutter Music : Upstart UK beat action here with this London beatmaker cooking up a quintessential boom-bap type of beat with a little of that DJ Premier flavour and heaviness - I might need to blend this with some M.O.P! Get this on the recently-released "Follow Dreams" LP. MF DOOM : Lickupon I went back to the "Viktor Vaughn Vaudeville Villain" LP after being gifted an amazing alternate cover for display recently, and this was a standout on my first listen in a while. The producers (Heat Sensor) work the same sample as Biggie's "Warning" but with all sorts of other stuff going on, and DOOM just goes nuts from beginning to end. Bars upon bars with no hook, purely the sounds of someone who loved to flip words every which way. Doo Wop ft. Raekwon : Castle To Castle You've got to be brave to hop on a track with the crime-rhyming slang master Raekwon if MCing isn't your full-time gig, but Doo Wop (one of Biggie's favourite DJs) gives a good account of himself here as well as holding down the production! A classic jazz sample is the basis for this track from "The State vs Doo Wop" which is also available on a 12" if you need the clean version and instrumental. Little Brother ft. Rhymefest and Supastition : Do It To Death A personal headphone favourite I could have sworn I'd already played on the podcast, but which somehow missed the selection for the last fourteen-plus years! All four MCs kill it, but my favourite is absolutely Phonte on the opening verse, with his "American Pie" reference never failing to make me smile! Focus... is on production and those drums are absolutely smacking here, making this track a highlight of "...And Justus For All". Marley Marl : Hip-Hop History #4 Short and sweet, with a chunky and bouncing beat from the godfather of sampling as we know it today, and no rhymes - just a few words about his own history in Hip-Hop. Find this one on the 2000 "Hip Hop Dictionary" release, which I thought might be a big hard to find but is actually available digitally. Kev Brown & Dre King : Black Champions Tough, tough instrumental that I've had on repeat this month, taken from the seven-track "King Kev" project from these two musical masters. Dre King is, amongst other things, a sample pack producer who provides top-shelf instrumental pieces for producers to sample, and his work is used to great effect once Kev Brown gets it into his MPC. No hi-hits on this, just the kick and snare smashing through the whole beat, giving you little spaces where just the bass and keys play before the drums kick you in the head again! Pharoahe Monch ft. Jean...

"Do you wanna be dope, or do you wanna deal it?" - Common All Hip-Hop at a nice steady pace - but a varied platter of vibes - for this episode, as I celebrate my birth month! Great personal news : I'm very proud to be included in the new "Hidden Histories : Black in Manchester" resource by Parise Carmichael-Murphy - have a read! Twitter : @airadam13 Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Meyhem Lauren & DJ Muggs : GT3 From the car-themed "Members Only" 2019 collaboration between Meyhem and Cypress Hill DJ/producer DJ Muggs, this track integrates the sound of some very angry engines as an additional instrument/element of what is otherwise an extremely sparse bit of production - drums and bass only. Meyhem is laid-back and comfortable at this pace, crafting a track that even those of us without a Porsche on the driveway can appreciate - well, as long as our speakers or headphones deliver the goods! [RZA] Raekwon : Can It All Be So Simple (Remix Instrumental) You might detect a little sonic garbling where I was using Serato's "stems" feature to try and remove the vocal samples in the hook, but other than that here's the glorious sound of a hard-to-come-by RZA instrumental of a track from the monumental "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..." LP. Rae, Ghost, and RZA took their track from the Wu-Tang debut LP which was already a classic and subtly made it a little darker, a touch rougher and a little less nostalgic. A masterful remix and rewrite. Roc Marciano : Ridin' Around A very different kind of rider music to the opening track, but still with an ominous bassline which helps carry the vintage crime vibes perfectly. This is a deep cut from Roc Marciano's seminal solo debut "Marcberg" album, with his gangster wordplay on full display atop a track with more drum action than on much of his later work. Showbiz & AG : Trapped This is one of those records which, despite being by a highly respected group, has likely slipped under your radar. The DITC production legend Showbiz is here under his original name (you can find much of his other work credited as simply "Show") alongside his day one MC AG on this late-night creep number from the 2012 "Mugshot Music" album. Planet Asia ft. Prodigy : Stick & Move If you love your dark, underground NYC Hip-Hop, you might have heard this sample used elsewhere, but for the current episode this is the slow, menacing, bi-coastal track that gets the nod. Fresno and Queensbridge in combination as Planet Asia and Prodigy (RIP) go back and forth over an Evidence beat on this 2005 release. Not even a hint of going for the pop audience here, just gutter from start to end. Got to respect it. Mud Family : Itchy Town I've been holding onto this one for absolutely years! I first heard this on a "Radio Zero" show courtesy of Dave The Ruf, and it's a dark, brooding piece of UK boom-bap from this highly-regarded north London crew. Centred around the MCs Chester P, Skinnyman, and Mongo, they released their core work in the late 90s and early 00s, with this absolute beast being on their very first wax release, 1997s "The Mud Files, Vol. 1". Production on the EP as a whole is credited to Deckwrecka, Firebomb Fritz, and Mad Money Wah - not sure who did what on this cut, but I applaud them for cooking up a track that still bangs after over twenty-five years! DJ Premier : Dee Ell P It's been over a decade since DJ Premier gave us a "Beats That Collected Dust" collection, but there's a good reason for that...as he correctly points out, the beats that end up included have to be given time to collect that dust! With that said, the third edition is out now, and is a good digital pickup while the (likely pricey) vinyl works it's way through distribution to the shops. As for the title of this selection from the new release, I haven't deciphered it yet. "The LP"? Was it a track meant for Large Professor, perhaps? Probably overthinking it - just enjoy the master of the MPC 60 going back into his vaults. Mabanua ft....

"Let me say it again, and say it with feeling..." - Jay Dee A big episode this month - both in importance and in number of tracks - as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Kool Herc party at 1520 Sedgwick Ave, Bronx, NY, that arguably sparked Hip-Hop! The format is slightly different from the usual, and the episode is centred around three records which have been sampled, references, and homaged throughout Hip-Hop history - echoing through time. The influences manifest differently as they encounter each artist, so even within the set of tracks that have a common root, there are wide variations of style, subject, and sound. I think you'll enjoy the hour I've put together for you! Twitch : @airadam13 IG: @airadam Twitter : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Westside Gunn, 緑, and Kool Herc : Kool Herc Intro Big up to Westside Gunn for going back to the source and allowing us to hear from Kool Herc himself on this intro to "FLYGOD Is Good...All The Time". KRS-ONE and Marley Marl : Hip Hop Lives KRS is one of the greatest MCs of all time - and as Bomani Jones said, maybe the one person you'd pick if there was no music, no anything, and they just had to go on stage and command it. Marley Marl is often overlooked by those not necessarily in the know, but the man behind the Juice Crew (who famously battled KRS in the Bridge Wars) was a revolutionary in the field of production, with his approach to cutting up samples being the grandfather of most of what you would have heard afterwards. Together, they released a 2007 album "Hip Hop Lives", of which this is of course the title track, and a rallying cry for the culture. [Buckwild] Meyhem Lauren : Love and Loyalty (Instrumental) Buckwild never wavers from the path of putting in the honest effort that his talent deserves to deliver quality material. If you want popcorn, microwave beats, go elsewhere! This is a great beat from his 2014 "Silk Pyramids" project with Meyhem. Fred Wesley & The J.B.s : Blow Your Head A funk classic that must have sounded positively UFO-like when it was released in 1974 on the "Damn Right I Am Somebody" album, and there's a reason for that that I only just learned; the crazy synth wasn't even on the track to begin with. The original was recorded in 1973, and only after that did James Brown, playing with his newly-bought synthesizer, doodle all over the track before adding it to the album! Apparently Fred Wesley was not impressed... The D.O.C. : Portrait Of A Master Piece The "Blow Your Head" sample here is relatively backgrounded, definitely not the focus of the instrumental - but as good as the Dre-produced beat is, the star here is without question the MC. This track comes from his first LP "No One Can Do It Better", which had people tipping him for big things, before he was cruelly and ironically deprived of a critical attribute - his voice - when his larynx was crushed in a car accident only five months after its release. He later returned to recording with a changed voice, and has written classics for several artists, but it's a huge shame that he never got to follow his debut up on his own terms. Hijack : Style Wars When Brixton's legendary Hijack got a single deal with Music of Life, none of them knew how to create a record as such. The three-man inner core was made up of DJs Supreme and Undercover alongside the MC Kamanchi Sly, and it was actually the latter who suggested using the Fred Wesley sample. Supreme was unconvinced, believing that it would make their track too much of an imitation of the then-recent "Public Enemy No.1", but relented on the basis that the rhymes and cuts would be so good that they'd make up for any deficiency on the beat side. As it turned out, "Style Wars" turned out to be an absolutely classic single in its own right, and in my opinion, never came off as a bite. Public Enemy : Public Enemy No. 1 One of the first records ever to sample "Blow Your Head", this is arguably the inspiration that all the others...

"Tell Nipsey I'm still running laps." - Dave East We're past the halfway point of 2023 and summer in the UK is...variable. Instead of trying to go seasonal in the main, I've gone with a selection which is heavy on relatively-recent releases while excavating some absolute gems from the crates. There's almost no way anyone knows all of these tracks, and as such, I'm aiming to send all of you to go and buy some of this stuff so that the artists know how much you appreciate top-quality material! Twitter : @airadam13 Twitch : @airadam13 Events : events.airadam.com Playlist/Notes Saigon ft. Benny The Butcher : No Witness Big New York State action on this new single, with Saigon in combination with Buffalo's Benny The Butcher (lots of alliteration there!). The beat is heavy goodness courtesy of the DITC legend Buckwild, and is exactly what you need for MCs like this. Benny continues his run of form on features, while Saigon kills it as the returning veteran, starting his first and last verses with a similar four bars before diving into his subjects. That last verse is a stark warning to the youngsters who are sending themselves to prison by documenting their questionable associations and/or illegal activities on social media and on records... Judah : Sweet Jesus Digging this one out of the stash was a real win - I think it's a perfect chaser for the Saigon track. Taken from an old favourite, "The Ghostface Beat Tape" by The Beat Tape Project, this instrumental by Washington D.C.'s Judah has Blaxploitation flick written all over it. Serial Killers (Xzibit, B-Real, and Demrick) ft. Kurupt : Dickies & Bandanas The "Serial Killers Vol.1" mixtape has been sitting in my collection for almost exactly ten years without me drawing from it, but that's part of the nature of the show - it's not about just playing the brand new cuts or the old classics, but digging deeper. Heavy west action from this union of MCs together with the still-underrated Kurupt. No details on who produced this, but there's no G-Funk, no smooth synths on the beat, instead using a hammering rhythm track and string stabs as the driving elements. Khrysis and Geechi Suede : Delta9 Khrysis has continued to deliver quality material over the years since his early days when the Justus League were first breaking out, and this is no exception. That vocal sample in the beat sounds semi-uplifting, and semi-dark - though the latter might be the reflection off the heavy drums and tense keyboard lines. Geechi Suede comes through with a less abstract verse than you might expect from him, despite it being a track about actually getting high! The 2021 "The Hour Of Khrysis" album is the place to hear more - don't worry, not all the tracks are quite this short :) Curren$y ft. Jim Jones and Tommy Wright III : Marcus Camby Curren$y on an entire project channelling 80s Miami vibes? That's something I'm grabbing with both hands. The short "Vices" album came out earlier this month, with all production coming from frequent collaborator Harry Fraud, and this is one of the standouts for me. Lush with just a touch of tension, the production is absolutely on-theme. On the mic, Curren$y is in his usual lane, followed by Jim Jones of Dipset who comes with a slightly more energetic delivery while still matching the downtempo vibe. I don't know Tommy Wright III, but I think he's just on the hook here - either way, one of my favourites this month and looking like a late contender for my most played tracks of 2023! Dave East & DJ Drama ft. Buda & Grandz : Egyptian Kings I'm only just catching up with last year's "Book of David" mixtape, but there's some absolute heat on there, including this downtempo, almost bluesy track. I may need to search out the instrumental, because Buda, Grandz, Mike Kuz, and A-Vow knocked this one out of the park, with it being the perfect backing for Dave's choppy flow. In turn, in adopting that slow he leaves space for the beat to show through the gaps -...

"Paid my dues, now pay my fee." - Pete Rock Another year in the books! This is the fourteenth birthday episode of the podcast, and it's wild to look back at how different the landscape looked back in 2009 when I started it off. At least nowadays, I don't have to explain what a podcast is! I needed a selection worthy of the milestone, and I think you'll enjoy it - Hip-Hop basically end-to-end, with some virtuoso performances on the mics, the boards, and the turntables. Turn the volume up and check the styles... Book a ticket to see me play live in Salford with the 45 Kings and Queens on July 8th here! Gigs & streams calendar : events.airadam.com Twitter : @airadam13 Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Swizz Beatz ft. Jadakiss, Benny the Butcher, and Scar Lip : Take 'Em Out Huge new single to open things up for this month, and a track I can already tell is going to make my list of top Spotify tracks this year. As part of the 50th year of Hip-Hop celebrations, Mass Appeal have released a couple of producer-led EPs with a selection of MCs, and this is of course from Swizz' contribution. It's not the production style most would think of when Swizz Beatz is mentioned, but listen for the classic "The Bridge Is Over" drums accompanied by what sounds like a pipe organ with the "evil" stop pulled all the way out - vicious. And the MCs, my goodness! LOX legend Jadakiss opens up, hands off to modern-day street rap giant Benny the Butcher, and cleanup duty is handled in fine style by the young and hungry Scar Lip. The video is great as well - chaotic, dark, monochrome, giving me just a taste of the same energy as the visuals for Ice Cube's "Wicked" back in the day. The whole package is hard like titanium. Onyx : Throw Ya Gunz (Instrumental) After starting the show with a track sampling the yelled into Onyx's first single, which was a big tune in its day, I decided to follow up with the instrumental as I hadn't heard it in so long. RIP to Chyskillz, the producer, who passed away in 2018. Coach NYM : Work Ethic One from my gym playlist for you, taken from the "Healthy Gangsta" LP. Part of the RBG movement, NYM gives a message on this track and the rest of the album that very much aligns with the innovative "Workout" LPs that stic of dead prez (their lowercasing, btw) released in 2011 and 2020. Turn this track up and get your motivation right! Bronx Slang : Excuse Me Again My man Jerry Beeks accurately and sadly points out that the subject of this track will continue to be relevant into the foreseeable future. Following up from the original "Excuse Me Officer" from the "Bronx Slang" LP, this is, in Beeks' distinctive style, a run-down of yet more Black people who have been murdered by the police. The producer Fake Blood gives it a soundtrack with just a hint of melancholy that still makes you nod your head thanks to his drum programming, and leaves enough space for you to hear every work clearly. Find this on the appropriately-named "Substance" album. Blak Twang ft. Fallacy : Homegrown I promise I didn't just try to find every track that sampled Onyx and throw them into this episode! The b-side of the incredible 1996 "Real Estate" 12", this is not only pure lyrical rawness from both MCs (Blak Twang/Taipanic/Tony Rotton and Fallacy) over a beat from V.R.S, but it's also the source of an incredible number of samples. If you go and check the excellent Blak Twang LP "19 Long Time", you'll be amazed how many times he samples himself, and from this specific cut - EPMD would be proud :) The Musalini ft. Pete Rock and 9th Wonder : Carmel City 2 The vast majority of times, a sequel track is done by the original artist (for example, EPMD's "Jane" series, Ice Cube with the "Gangsta's Fairytale" pair), but this is an interesting exception. Pete Rock, the producer of the original "Carmel City" from his and CL Smooth's "The Main Ingredient" LP is here...but only on the mic, and even then only as the featured guest! Lead duties are...

"I was a seventies baby, raised in the eighties..." - Scarface An appropriate quote for this month's episode, in which we keep a constant speed all the way through - an unbroken chain in the low-80s BPM range! A little rugged, a little smooth, some old and some new, and hopefully something for each of you 🙂 Remember, you can always see a list of my next few upcoming streams and gigs @ events.airadam.com! Twitter : @airadam13 Twitch : @airadam13 Playlist/Notes Lupe Fiasco ft. Jay-Z : Pressure The show starts back in 2006, with a selection from Lupe Fiasco's debut "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor", produced by Prolyfic. He came out strong on this album, representing Chicago in fine style, a city that historically hadn't been as regarded as some when it came to Hip-Hop. Being able to get Jay-Z in for a feature on your debut, even back then, was a sign that you were to be taken seriously, and Lupe has definitely justified that in retrospect. Marco Polo : Pirate Hookers The modern move towards independent digital releases on platforms like Bandcamp means it's easier than ever to get hold of gems like "MP On The MP ; The Beat Tape Vol. 2" - at one time they just wouldn't have come out at all, or maybe got a limited run of hard copies. It's hard to describe this track, but the quieter sections make me think of the back streets in a French detective movie, while the louder parts are much more bombastic. If you like hearing instrumentals breathe without vocalists, support releases like this and let the artists know! Dan Greenpeace & Diamond D : Nowhere To Run To This release was an incredibly pleasant surprise - I had no idea it was coming out until just before release, when Greenpeace posted about it on Instagram. I've had the pleasure of knowing Greenpeace since the mid 90s - he was working at a company where I had a summer job, and we bonded over a love of Hip-Hop. He was DJing on the side and was a big influence on my listening, putting me up on artists I might not have heard at the time, and he was the absolute first person I remember talking about independent Hip-Hop in the sense of the early Rawkus releases and things like that. I even remember him having the idea of a column in Hip-Hop Connection called "Independents' Day", which came to fruition some time before another well-known magazine "borrowed" that title for their column and ran with it! Anyway, around the time we met, Diamond D's first LP would not long since have been out, so it's amazing to see him producing a track for an artist that we would both have been looking up to from afar all those years ago. Chunky, dark, menacing, the beat is a suitably threatening setting for Diamond's bars, and when one of the most storied producers in Hip-Hop history allows you to produce him, you know you're doing something. Salute! The Away Team : Steppin On Toes A nice bit of rugged aggro with Khrysis on the boards and Sean Boog on the mic as The Away Team, a North Carolina crew that came out as part of the Justus League collective. This is on their second LP, 2007's "Training Day", which has some really solid tracks and is definitely worth a listen. While 9th Wonder was the most prominent producer from Justus League, Khrysis was putting out heat round the same period and has continued to work to the present day, with beats for everyone from Busta Rhymes to Rapsody. Slim Thug : No No No One of two straight tracks from Southern legends, we go to the nawf of Houston for a killer from last year's "BIGslim" (which it seems, is the name he plans to go by in the future) album. It of course features Slim's distinctive relaxed yet straightahead flow, as well as a Mr. Lee beat with some nice contrast - rapid, dead-on hi-hats alongside a main drum pattern that gets there when it gets there! Scarface : Safe The first full track on "The Fix" and a personal favourite from Scarface's long and storied catalogue, this is a raw record that explicitly talks about the contents of...