Sunday, March 1, 2009

T.R.O.Y.

T.R.O.Y.

Blog Building: 3/01/09

Posted: 01 Mar 2009 03:30 PM PST

We'll Tell You What The '80s Like

First order of business: SUBMIT SONGS FOR SOUNDS LIKE THE '90s
Yeah, you heard right. You got 'nuff skills? Think you can get flexi wit the technique like the greats? Show and prove by clicking on the link above (or on the picture of the Carhartt tag in the sidebar) and sending us your ill flow over rugged beatz, dun.

Sidebar Changes

I changed the "Subscribe" section to "Subscribe & Share" and added a link to bookmark our site at Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, and numerous other social bookmarking sites. There's also an option under each post to "Bookmark/Share". Not up on social bookmarking? This video explains it plain English, so get with the program. Just because you're old school doesn't mean you have to be left behind!

Google has a relatively new service that allows Blogger users to follow and network with other bloggers. I added the widget that shows our current followers, so if you're a Blogger user and you're not following us, do so immediately. I'll start following your blog in return, and if you post something the T.R.O.Y. Movement needs to read I'll feature it in our "All Eye Seeing" shared items widget. This is also a great way for you to meet like-minded hip hop enthusiasts, and just all around good ol' folks, right?

We now have the various original covers for out "T.R.O.Y. Presents" homegrown compilations flashing in order, and if you click on the animated .gif you'll be transported to page with all of the posts linked "troy presents" so you can catch up on the ones you missed.

The results of our first poll are in, and it appears that a large number of readers want us to cover more '80s rap. Out of 120 votes, '80s hip hop received just over 50%, with non-U.S. hip hop trailing in second at 22%. We're excited about the prospect of putting more effort into that decade, especially the pre-'87 era that is so sorely neglected here and in most of the blogosphere. Stay tuned for further coverage, and please give us suggestions on specific artists you'd like to see profiled. Please vote in our next poll on Gangstarr albums, which will go up in the sidebar tomorrow morning.

One more sidebar addition - a search box specific to the blog.


Future Features

  • April is Gangstarr Month
  • Songs That Sample Female Vocals
  • 8-Off (Agallah) Collection
  • More "Who Flipped It Better?" Posts
  • The Connections Between Lord Finesse, Big L, and Youth Crime
  • A really big list of links of the stuff you missed here.
  • Exclusive Ras Kass interview
  • And a whole lot more. All day, everyday. Tell your block.

Recap (2/22/09 -2/28/09)

Posted: 01 Mar 2009 06:00 AM PST


Here's what you may have inadvertantly slept on this past week:

Spotlight:

Rakim "The Cellar EP" - DJ Mike Nice hooked us up with some recently uncovered mid-90s unreleased gems from Rakim. 

XXL "Illmatic, 15 Years Later" - ThomasV scanned the article from XXL's April 2009 issue so you don't have to. Reflections on the album from the people who were there, including Large Professor, Pete Rock, MC Serch, DJ Premier, and others.

Balkan Bombing + More: European Hip Hop - New addition to the team Markshot compiled some great cuts from Western and Southeastern Europe. Don't sleep on this based on some kind of geographical prejudice!

Cloudkicker's Remix LP + Homegrown Treat - DJ Eli and Shan Boogs put out a remix LP that you slept on. When Verge heard it, he thought some of the interludes could be made into full beats. So he went and did that. 

The Mandolindley Road Show (Paul C. McKasty) - Before teaching Ced Gee, Large Professor, and other pioneers of the break loop how to get down on the SP-12, Paul C. was in a pop-rock band.

Chi-Town 


More Regional Compilations


Thematic Compilation


Analysis



February was short but prolific on our end. Catch up on the rest of it:

at 4:03 PM