Powerful - Murder 1

HARDCORE BANGER RIGHT HERE! RUGGED N' RAW! Here's a lesser known, but one of the hardest tracks released on Mascot Records. Mid-90's classic material. You get two mixes on this 12". The main pass is produced by Storm and the dope drum beat is provided by Carlos Bess (if you don't know, you better ask somebody!). The x-rated mix is handled by Cee-Pop and Greg Hatten. It comes at you much quicker and sounds like it was left off Tim Dog's classic LP "Penicillin On Wax." Both tracks are smokin', but I prefer the smoother main pass with the guitar, horns and piano arrangement. Murder 1, Murder 2, Murder 3, Murder 4
Mess with the P and get sprayed to the floor!
Murder 1, Murder 2, Murder 3, Murder 4
Step to the mic and get sent to the morgue!

Powerful - Murder 1 (Main Pass)

Powerful - Murder 1 (X-Rated Mix)

Nitebreed (The Prince of Darkness) - Meditations On Death / Son Of Set / I Spit Upon Your Grave

By request, here's a relatively unknown 12" that I came upon a few months ago, Nitebreed aka The Prince of Darkness. I immediately thought of the other Night Breed on Charlemagne's Fortress Entertainment label, but this is nothing of the sort. Dark evil subject matter is the flavor here. If you dig the Gravediggaz, Flatlinerz, Necro or Esham then you'll probably want this. In fact, they diss the Gravediggaz on "I Spit Upon Your Grave" which features The Gravenigguhz. They call out all the "fake demonic niggas, talkin' a lotta bullshit about being back from the grave" and even mention a "grave digga" during the track. This record had to be made around '94-'98, when the Gravediggaz were making noise. Dope production and breaks used on all three tracks. Released on Reality Check Entertainment out of the 718, so I believe these cats are from New York. If you're feeling this, then you may like The Death LP that was posted earlier on my blog.

Nitebreed - Meditations On Death

Nitebreed - Son Of Set

Nitebreed - I Spit Upon Your Grave

Sleestack'z - Ruination / Crystal Clear

Pressed up by Ichiban Records in 1996, this is an incredibly overlooked 12" right here. This is the seldom seen orange label pressing with the sticker. You get two tracks with two different mixes and producers for each one. These joints are ridiculous! Roy Ayers is all over this, as well as Lalo Schifrin. Spearhead X and Straight Roots handle the production. Spearhead X is still holding it down in Atlanta. He has worked/produced for De La Soul, Y'all So Stupid, Mass Influence, Erick Sermon, Too Short, and Illegal. Straight Roots is also still producing and writing, but goes by the name of Nomadic. He's produced lately for Prodigy, Pitbull, Dipset, and Franchize. Now, what's up with the mc's? Drop some info. Also, you can still get this for fairly cheap when compared to other "indy/random" joints, so don't hesitate adding it to your crates. Or simply ask me for a spare copy.

Sleestack'z - Ruination (Spearhead X Remix)

Sleestack'z - Ruination (Straight Roots Album Edit)

Sleestack'z - Crystal Clear (Spearhead X Remix)

Sleestack'z - Crystal Clear (Straight Roots Album Edit)

Ace C Ducey - Pop Ya Trunks

Here's another hard one to track down, released in 1994 by Roebuck Records out of Philly. Around the same time, Masta Ace was rolling in a jeep with a cock diesel system. In contrast, Mr. Ducey was pushing a hatchback. Reminds me of high school. Herbs telling me I should throw a couple 10" woofers in my Honda CRX. Whatever. This record is DOPE. It was a time when the focus was on the kind of stereo system you had, rather than the kind of whip you were pushing. Booming speakers trumped all. Prep-A-Red lends a hand with the vocals. Will fit well in any mid-90's upbeat mix. POP YA TRUNKS!

Ace C Ducey - Pop Ya Trunks

Ace C Ducey - Pop Ya Trunks (Instrumental)

Stressed Out - Bullets Flyin' / Jazzy Wit Da' Joint

Dope indy released in 1995 on Radical Records. I love this 12". Each side has a different vibe. "Bullets Flyin'" is a rough ra-ra beat to make you throw your guns in the air, while "Jazzy Wit Da' Joint" is a smooth head nodder that will have you waving blunts in the air. I prefer the latter. This is the Promo release and differs from the other two copies (commercial release & picture disc) I've seen online. If you want to know more about this 12", then check in with the good guys over at Vinyl Addicts who provide a nice write up for this record, and many others you've never heard or laid eyes upon.

Stressed Out - Jazzy Wit Da' Joint

Stressed Out - Bullets Flyin'

P.O.D. (Poets of Darkness) - P.O.D. Court / J.A.S.O.N.

Most commonly known for appearing on the New Jersey Drive soundtrack. This 12" was released later in 1998 by Gowanuz Projects Records. DOPE production by Spunk Bigga!

Poets of Darkness - P.O.D. Court

Poets of Darkness - J.A.S.O.N.

Maja League - Organized Crime / Guard U Now / Shine Like The Sun

Incredibly dope 12" released in 1997 on the indy label, Southeast Entertainment. A-side's the winner here, but the flip holds it's own too. Four producers, Eric "Time Bomb" Jordan, Charles "4/4" Billups, Torey "The Incredible Cae Gotcha" Thorpe, and Darrel Monroe, lay the beats for three man team to come through and smash 'em. RUGGED N' RUGGED NY INDY. Nearly passed this over thinking it was a Major League Entertainment 12" (Cash Brown, Tribeca). Only wish I had a cleaner copy. Haven't seen many clips of this floating around the net, so enjoy!

Maja League - Organized Crime

Maja League - Guard U Now

Maja League - Shine Like The Sun

Buddah Tye feat. Slade Savage - Money Matters

Another mixtape burner, this time from Buddah Tye, repping Corona, Queens. Slade Savage also spits on the track. Bezo, who produced Slade Savage's 12" on Hydra Entertainment and both mixes of Screwball's "Beat 'Em On The Head," cooks up the track with a funky guitar and familiar P gunna vocal sample. Released in 1997 on Double Down Records, this is not an easy one to track down. Dope indy flavor right here.

Buddah Tye feat. Slade Savage - Money Matters

WOODSMOKEROC (W.S.R.P.) - EP - Black Paper Recordings

1998. A five man crew that's takin' no shorts. Released on private label, Black Paper Recordings, New York City. Check for the Cheers sample. Digging the trumpet sample on another track.

WOODSMOKEROC - Critical Concepts

WOODSMOKEROC - Salute

WOODSMOKEROC - N 2 A Room

WOODSMOKEROC - Revolution

Mudd - Murda Outcha Speaker

Flatbush BANGER! RUGGED MIXTAPE MONSTER from 1994. I know he has another 12", but that's about it. ???

Mudd - Murda Outcha Speaka