Vinyl & CD additions this week

Ok, so I keep changing the name of this blog which probably causes problems for the people who are steady checking it. Fuck it...

Anyways, like I said in my last post I picked up some nice vinyl this week.

Concrete Eleete - Concrete Eleete Vol. 1 EP [1998]
Local crew out of my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. This EP is DOPE. Five different tracks with edits and instrumentals provided for a couple of the tracks, ten tracks in total. There's a track on this called "Survive" that is too fuckin' ill. As soon as I get my own table I'll up it.

D&D Project - II Unorthodox: Just A Little Flava b/w Juice: Nine Inches Hard 12" [1995]
Two decent tracks. The II Unorthodox track is blessed with an ill beat provided by Nikki Nikole that samples Isaac Hayes' track "The Look of Love. The emcee Juice, on the second track, is a female emcee, not to be confused with the male emcee Juice from Chicago. "Just A Little Flava" is definitely my winner on this.

Proof (R.I.P.) - Electric Cool-Aid Acid Testing EP [2002]
This EP is by Big Proof of D12. I downloaded this back when it was released so I was hype when I found it in the shop. It is green vinyl and the cover has dope artwork on both the front and back. Most of the tracks have features from underground Detroit emcees, most of whom I've never heard of aside from MC Breed (R.I.P.). Damn too many cats from the D have had their lives taken too early over the past decade...it's a shame. "Broken" is definitely my favorite track on this one, the beat by DJ Houseshoes is off the hook. Overall it's not Proof's best work, but it's worth checking out.

Tru Criminal Records EP [1997]
Another nice EP, features tracks from Tru Criminal artists Street Smartz, God Sunz, & Ak Skillz, as well as production from Eddie James. The EP also has production from Buckwild and Lord Finesse of D.I.T.C. The jewel on this is "Metal Thangz Remix" (ft. O.C. & Pharoahe Monch). It has the same lyrics as the original version but the beat is much more laid back, I probably like the original and remix versions equally depending on my mood. Aside from that the Buckwild produced track "Don't Trust Anyone" is dope. Check the video below.

Wreck Records - Hip-Hop Independent's Day: Volume 1 [1998]
Dope Wreck compilation, features tracks from Mike Zoot, Shabaam Sahdeeq, L-Fudge, Apani, & The Raidermen. As far as I know all of the tracks have also been released seperately at one time or another. The Raidmermen track, "Strategy," features Natural Elements, Mike Zoot, Lace da Booms, and Sean Prince (not to be confused with Sean Price!). I fuck with all of the track on the mix, none are too spectacular, but all are solid head-nodders.

Natural Resources - Negro League Baseball b/w They Lied 12" [1996]
The group that introduced Jean Grae to the world, this was a great find. Contains the aforementioned tracks, as well as "Bum Deal" and untitled outro type track. All three songs on this record are dope. The lyrics and production are both on point, making this a gem for anyone's collections.

Outkast - Jazzy Belle 12" [1996]
Classic. If you don't know, you better recognize.

Hillfiguz - Up On Prospect b/w Boom 12" [1996] Test Press
Another dope find. "Up On Prospect" was the big joint off this one back when it dropped. Both tracks are cool, raw hip-hop joints though. Back in the day the crew was on Stretch Armstrong's label, Dolo Records, and had songs featured on DJ Premier's Crooklyn Cuts tapes ("Up On Prospect" was on Tape D). The 6-Track EP of theres woulda been dope, but this one has the instrumentals on it, which is cool.

Crustified Dibbs (R.A. the Rugged Man) - Bloodshed Hua Hoo 12" [1994]
R.A. the Rugged Man's first release I believe. Came with the picture sleeve, its kinda hard to come buy so I picked it up. Typical raw Rugged Man shit...not his best work though.


Oh, and I grabbed these CD's:
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
King Tubby & Soul Syndicate - Freedom Sounds In Dub
King Tubby & Prince Jammy - Dub Gone 2 Crazy
Stevie Wonder - A Talking Book