Thursday, January 8, 2009

T.R.O.Y.

T.R.O.Y.

Chicago Instrumentals: Soul-Jazz Edition

Posted: 08 Jan 2009 05:00 PM CST



When you think of the mid-to-late 90s Chicago hip hop scene, the first thing that should come to mind is outstanding soul-jazz influenced production. There have been quite a few gems produced by the likes of NO ID, Kanye West, Dug Infinite, Tone B. Nimble, The Molemen, Capital D, Primeridian, etc, and fortunately, many of them have been released in instrumental format.

Here is a 2CD set containing some of the finest soul-jazz influenced beats to ever come out of Chicago.

Chicago Instrumentals Volume 1 (Soul-Jazz Edition)
1. Primeridian - Mental Void
2. All Natural - 50 Years
3. Common Sense - Nuthin' To Do
4. Verbally Diseased - Blowin' Up The Spot
5. Grav - One Puff
6. Common Sense - Resurrection
7. All Natural - Renaissance
8. Mr. Greenweedz - Some Love
9. Common Sense- Thisisme
10. Primeridian - Ring Around The Lyrical
11. Fully G - There She Goes Again (Remix)
12. Common Sense - They Say
13. Mr. Greenweedz - The Tempest
14. All Natural - It's OK
15. Verbally Diseased - The Great Chicago Fire
http://www.mediafire.com/?ntdynyxlbtd

Chicago Instrumentals Volume 2 (Soul-Jazz Edition)
1. Common Sense - Charm's Alarm
2. Fully G - There She Goes Again
3. All Natural - Thinkin' Cap
4. Common Sense - Chapter 13
5. Rubberoom - Body Snatchin' (Remix)
6. Grav - Down To Earth
7. Common Sense - Soul By The Pound (Remix)
8. Mr. Greenweedz - Nocturnalasshosonathursday
9. Iomos Marad - Deep Rooted
10. No ID - Sky's The Limit (Remix)
11. Common Sense - I Used To Love Her
12. Primeridian - Primates
13. Common Sense - Retrospect For Life
http://www.mediafire.com/?r19oontmmhx

Preview:

Primeridian - Mental Void


All Natural - 50 Years


Grav - One Puff


Verbally Diseased - Blowin' Up The Spot


Mr. Greenweedz - Some Love


Pictured: NO ID

Also, make sure to check for Verge's NO ID & Dug Infinite post.

--Roy Johnson

Kid Hum On Fossil Fuel Samples

Posted: 08 Jan 2009 11:00 AM CST


Editor's note: Although we are generally known to cover the music of yesteryear, we are still fans of current music and we wish to incorporate such coverage into this blog. Kid Hum was open to the idea of discussing the samples he used for his instrumental hip hop album and wrote up the following piece for us. If you can think of a creative way to promote your music through us, without sacrificing the "throwback" focus of our blog, let us know! 

To stream individual songs from Kid Hum's album Fossil Fuel, click here. If you'd like to purchase the album, check Itunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, or Napster. Here's his track by track breakdown:
Yo what's up this is Kid Hum and I wanted to take the time to describe what I do and some of the things that went into my debut instrumental album "Fossil Fuel." Like 99% of the music I have made so far, this album was made using an MPC 1000, and old records. So what I want to do is break the album down by the samples that went into it. 

1. "Art Music" 

The sample for this beat was taken from an Art Blakey record called Drum Suite. I really appreciate this beat because I am a big fan of Jazz and Art Blakey, but also because I find it rewarding to sample music recorded prior to the year 1960. The song is called "Cubano Chant", and what I love about it ,is it was recorded in 1956, and when looking for music from this era I don't not find lot of stuff that sounds like "Cubano Chant".



2. "Angst"

I don't remember the sample I used for this beat. 

3. "Imagine!"

This beat was made from a Danny Toan record called "First Serve". The song is called "Come Into My Life".


4. "Prayer" 

This beat was made using a Hugh Masekela sample, I went into a Hugh Masekela sampling zone awhile back and I really have no idea what I sampled of his only that it was his music.

5. "Church"

The sample for this beat is "One Day" by Albertina Walker. It is taken from her album "Please Be Patient With Me", which was recorded live in Chicago. The real element though comes from the guests on the album, The Trinity All Nation's Choir. I love sampling gospel choirs, its a liberating and empowering experience. One of my favorite things about making beats is the high I get chopping up wax like this.


6. "Bells" 

This sample is some Ferrante and Teicher but I can't find the record. 

7. "Wired"

The drums and all the music for this beat were taken from the album "Wired" by guitarist Jeff Beck. The track is a classic, called "Come Dancing". 



8. "Fuel"

This is some more Hugh Masekela.

9. "Clonazepam"

This beat is all about Freddie Hubbard. I heard that trumpet line and I had to do something it. So I just looped it, added some filters here and there, and threw some drums on top. I think this is not on a Freddie Hubbard album, but an album he is playing on. 

10. "R.I.P. Wade Bridges"

I made this beat after the Wake for my friend Wade Bridges who passed away earlier this year. Its a tribute to him. I don't really remember the sample.

11. "Passport"

This sample for this beat was taken from the title track on an album named "Looking Thru" by a band called Passport. I tried to flip this three times before this version manifested. The part that had me coming back is at about 3:30 into the song, which is about 8 minutes long. 


12. "Bass So Lo"

This beat was made from "I'm Not In Love" by 10CC. MY MOM CALLED ME OUT ON THIS SAMPLE. Check out the Youtube video, because that is what inspired to sample this in the first place. 10CC is hilarious. Big Ups to J Dilla who I am pretty sure put everyone up on 10CC. Its obvious that Dilla influenced me, a lot.  



13. "Rain"

The sample for this beat is Francis Lai, from the original soundtrack to "Un Homme et Une Femme". I'm not sure which song it was, just that it is not the title track. The original was in 3/4, which I never touch unless I have to, and which took me a while to learn how to transpose into 4/4.

14. "Speedball"

One of two beats on the album taken from a "Star Wars Disco" record by Meco. Disco is another type of music I love to sample because it is so rewarding to me to actually make it work and take away the "Disco Element" from the music. It's like the sample is hidden or trapped inside of the disco beat, and you gotta free it. Not that I don't like Disco just for being Disco, because I do.

15. "Fossils"

More Hugh Masekela. 

16. "I Don't Like You Either"

The second of two beats on the album taken from the "Star Wars Disco" album by Meco. This one is my tribute to the cantina band. 

17. "Moove"

My homie Judgemental from Basementalism hit me up one day and asked me to sample this. It's "Move Your Hand" from the album of the same name by Dr. Lonnie Smith. 



18. "Side B"

This sample was taken from an album that was produced by GOD (seriously check the credits). I'm talking about Graham Central Stations "Release Yourself"!. The song I sampled is called "I Believe In You". 

Big ups to T.R.O.Y! Thanks Again! -- Kid Hum
Having listened to the album for about a week now, I strongly recommend it. While some hip hop instrumental albums become humdrum or predictable after a few tracks, Fossil Fuel is banger from start to finish, and highly creative. And I generally hate on everything, ask around. -- Thun

Fifty RemixesYou Need To Hear (31-40)

Posted: 08 Jan 2009 05:00 AM CST






























Well, we're moving right along through the list and we here at T.R.O.Y. hope you've enjoyed what you've heard thus far.  If you've just arrived check out Selections 1-10, Selections 11-20, and Selections 21-30, and then devour today's picks. 

31. Ice Cube "What Can I Do?" (Ali Shaheed Eastside Remix)


32. Masta Ace "Saturday Night Live" (L.A. Jay Remix)


33. Nas ft. Sadat X. "One Love" (One L Main Mix)

The Groove Merchantz, a team consisting of Godfather Don and V.I.C. enlist Brand Nubian member Sadat X to help give this personal ode to fam locked up an even more intimate vibe. The drums remain, but in comes the horns that help to recreate the track. And while the original hook sported by Q-Tip was soothing, this one is more conspicuous and catchy.

34. Hard 2 Obtain "Ghetto Diamond" (Remix)


35. Ultramagnetic MCs "Saga Of Dandy, The Devil, And Day" (Remix)

The original's slow, plodding beat never sounded quite right combined with the raps by Kool Keith and Ced Gee. The drums have been brought forward and the awkwardly placed trumpet has been wisely moved to the background, creating a much more aurally pleasing sound and really letting you concentrate on the lyrics.

36. Kurious "I'm Kurious" (Pete Nice Remix)
  
While the infectious "Mysterious Vibes" sample is always appreciated, Pete Nice decided to give "I'm Kurious" some more bap for it's boom. The lyrics may be the same, but the track certainly isn't.

37. Souls Of Mischief "Never No More" (76 Seville Mix)


38. Compton's Most Wanted "Def Wish II" (DJ Premiere Remix)
It's bad enough MC Eiht got at DJ Quik, but to add insult to injury DJ Premier remixed possibly the best Def Wish track out of the series and made the DJ Slip verison absolutely forgettable. This was one of the first Westcoast remixes Work of Mart produced.

39. Chi-Ali "Funky Lemonade" (Beatnuts Remix)


40. Jungle Brothers ft. Q-Tip "On The Road Again" (Remix)


Download all of today's songs here:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?y5yjqjbjj2x

Tune in tomorrow for selections 41-50.

at 9:48 PM