T.R.O.Y.

Who Flipped It Better? Cal Tjader - Mother And Child

Posted: 16 Mar 2009 02:30 PM PDT

This time around we're going to make it a little less mind boggling to pick the beat you like better. There's only two songs that I know of that used the same Cal Tjader sample. I'll give you some info and previews below, then you can be the judge.

First up, we have Encore's smoothed out track 'Think Twice' from the 1996 Peanut Butter Wolf 'Step On Our Egos' EP. I loved this track the first time I heard it and it still holds up. PBW loops the sample and laces some rugged drums under it, suiting my taste as a fan perfectly. The clincher here for me are the vocal samples that he uses for the hook . Finsta Bundy's vocal sample of "never gave a fuck and I never thought twice" is from Sunnyside off of what I believe was their first single, Sunnyside/Spirit Of The Boogie. The other vocal sample is from Donald Byrd's sampled to death, but very appropriate here, cut 'Think Twice'.

The challenger is none other than Perth Amboy, New Jersey's own Miilkbone. The track is 'How Ya Like It' off of his debut album 'Da Miilkrate' and also the flip side of his hit single 'Keep It Real'. Nick Wiz handles the production on this track combining the Tjader sample with another sample that I can't identify at this time. It definitely sounds very familiar, maybe from a soundtrack or a CTI artist? If you know what it is, please leave it in the comments. Regardless, the track is ill. For the hook, he loops up "tell me how you like it so far, baby paw" from Method Man's self titled breakthrough cut 'Method Man'.

Previews:

Cal Tjader - Mother And Child

Encore - Think Twice

Miilkbone - How Ya Like It

Download these 3 and other sampled tracks mentioned in this post here.

Personally, I went with the PBW produced 'Think Twice'. Leave your choice in the comments if you would like.

--Verge

Spring Training 2CD

Posted: 16 Mar 2009 03:00 AM PDT

Ahh, spring training. What an exciting time of year for baseball fans in cities such as Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Baltimore, Washington DC, etc. Your team might be wack as fuck, but you're still optimistic, for whatever reason. Here's a compilation that I made to get you through the hard times once April rolls around.

Spring Training Volume 1
1. De La Soul - Fanatic Of The B Word
2. Ultramagnetic MCs - Saga Of Dandy, The Devil & Day
3. Ultramagnetic MC's - Two Brothers With Checks
4. Main Source - Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball
5. 3rd Bass - Three Strikes 5000 (Bonus Beats)
6. The Genius - Clan In The Front
7. Souls Of Mischief - Batting Practice (Original)
8. Rasco, Defari & Evidence - Major League
9. Ahmad, Ras Kass & Saafir - Come Widdit
10. Natural Resource - Negro League Baseball
11. Masta Ace, Special Ed & Buckshot - Crooklyn
12. Ultramagnetic MC's - Saga Of Dandy, The Devil & Day (Remix)
13. Main Source - Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball (Remix)
14. Souls Of Mischief - Batting Practice (LP Version)
15. Ahmad, Ras Kass & Saafir - Come Widdit (Fredwreck Remix)
16. Ahmad, Ras Kass & Saafir - Come Widdit (Joe Quixx Remix)
17. Pharoahe Monch - Official
18. Rasco, Defari & Evidence - Major League (Instrumental)
http://www.mediafire.com/?wz1oz0qnnj2

Spring Training Volume 2
1. Beastie Boys - Sure Shot (Rod Carew)
2. ATCQ - Check The Rhime (Lou Brock)
3. Das Efx - Jussumen Remix (Mickey Mantle)
4. Artifacts - The Interview (Mickey Mantle)
5. Artifacts - Where Yo Skillz At (Frank Thomas)
6. Keith Murray - Dangerous Ground (Mickey Mantle)
7. Alkaholiks - Read My Lips (Ozzie Smith)
8. Maestro Fresh Wes - How Many Styles (Don Mattingly)
9. Das Efx - Jussumen (Mickey Mantle)
10. Das Efx - Undaground Rappa (Reggie Jackson)
11. Ras Kass - Anything Goes (Orel Hershiser)
12. Sir Menelik & Kool Keith - Space Cadillac (Numerous)
13. Jurassic 5 - Long Road To Glory (Dwight Gooden)
14. Beastie Boys - Sure Shot Remix (Rod Carew)
15. Ras Kass - Anything Goes Remix (Orel Hershiser)
16. Sir Menelik & Kool Keith - Space Cadillac Remix (Numerous)
17. Natural Resource - Negro League Baseball (Instrumental)
http://www.mediafire.com/?mcwnyhcyimz

Preview:

Ultramagnetic MC's - Saga Of Dandy, The Devil & Day

Ultramagnetic MC's - Two Brothers With Checks

Souls Of Mischief - Batting Practice (Original)

Rasco, Defari & Evidence - Major League

Natural Resource - Negro League Baseball

--Roy Johnson

Blog Building 3/22/09

Posted: 15 Mar 2009 04:00 PM PDT

At the end of this month, the T.R.O.Y. Movement will be six months old, and that has to mean that we've officially arrived, right?

Our most recent development is the creation of the mailing list/ google group called Skypager. Over forty of our readers have already signed up and this core group will be receiving exclusive downloads, news updates, and other goodies. We believe it will also prove to be a valuable place to have discussions about the future of the blog. All aboard!

Our most recent poll concerned your favorite Biggie 12" single. The winner? Hands down, "Big Poppa/ Unbelievable." That's a pretty tough recording to beat, as it more or less encapsulates Biggie's approach (a-side for the ladies, b-side for the duns) so it isn't too surprising. Plus I know we have a lot of DJ Premier fans in the house. Speaking of which, please do not look the other way during Gang Starr Month (April), we have a lot in store for everyone.

Please vote in this week's poll, which concerns 90s hip hop fashion. For those that don't know, the poll widget is in the lower right sidebar. Democracy in action.

I heard through the grapevine that there will be yet another blog emerging from the philaflava.com forums, this one dedicated to contemporary music news. Be on the lookout for that.

I feel like our "All Eye Seeing" widget is ignored. "All Eye Seeing" is a feed of our shared Google Reader items. I try to link to the best the rap blogosphere has to offer (T.R.O.Y. related stuff, mostly) but I've also ventured out into blog posts that deal with Web2.0, new media, race, and other matters I find interesting. I have also added the option to subscribe by email to this feed, which means that every day you'd get one nice bundled mailing of my shared links. Look to your right, then scroll all the way to the bottom of the lower sidebar.

For the attentive, we also altered the set up of the right sidebars slightly. It's a slightly more attractive arrangement, perhaps. Let us know what you think.

That's all for now, fam. Take some time tonight to catch up on what you missed and stay tuned, we have another great week ahead of us.