245. Rhythm On The Loose – Break Of Dawn

Posted: September 2, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: 90s, electronica, rave | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One of the original breakbeat rave classics from 1995 with a vocal (originally sampled from First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder”) that has travelled far and wide, appearing on bootlegs for nigh on 20 years.

The artwork of rave champions

160. Pharcyde – Runnin

Posted: June 9, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: hip hop, hip hop classics | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I’ve previously flagged some of Pharcyde’s work on this blog before and this time round, it’s probably their most famous work. “Runnin” is a hip hop classic, combining the eccentricity of the collective with a crushingly excellent beat. From their second album “Labcabincalifornia” and produced by J Dilla, it’s a great gateway into the excellence of Pharcyde.

20130609-232435.jpg

143. Big L – Street Struck

Posted: May 23, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: hip hop classics, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New York rap legend Big L, taken too soon, released two albums in his lifetime – the first, “Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous” remains one of the classics for any hip hop fan. “Street Struck” takes all the classic recipes from hip hop – the samples, the echoey rhodes, vocal snippets and boom-bap beat that you can’t help but nod your head to. For more L, make sure you check “Ebonics”, probably his biggest single.

Rest in peace Big L

21. Grand Puba – I Like It

Posted: January 21, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: hip hop, hip hop classics | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(Video may be NSFW)

It’d be slightly unfair to called Grand Puba a one hit wonder but nothing he did since 1995’s “I Like It” ever came close. Famously sampling the DeBarge track of the same name, the video is also a classic look at “What would the future look like?” in the vein of Total Recall (no one ever thought a TV would get smaller!)

With a trend back towards the boom bap old skool sound of hip hop, it wouldn’t surprise me to see this cropping up somewhere in the next two years on a big record.