Official Periodic - The Periodic Table of Hip Hop Elements Blog

DJ Biting: DJs Jackin DJs

2012-02-28T12:40:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Biting

The phenomenon of DJ Jacking is not as scarce as you might think it is. DJs downloading circulated mp3s for their mixes is no big shocker. One of the many realities of the Internet is how it puts billions of TBs of mp3s out there for anyone with a high speed connection to claim as their own. Yet the idea of a DJ stealing from another DJs mixtape for the sole purpose of putting it into his or her own mixtape seemed so faux pas, I didn't think anyone would ever admit to doing it, much less ask how to do it.

I was wrong, this kind of thing happens, it is a real issue.

Read the DJForums.com Poll. (<=Fair warning, long thread, drama)
Read the DiggersWithGratitude.com Poll. (<= less drama, more on point)

Forget about whether or not this can be done, we all know current technology not only makes this very easy and on top of that 100% free.

So here is a question based on DJ ethics... Do you think downloading another DJs mixtape (either a mixed mixtape or unmixed compilation of underground or exclusive Hip Hop Joints) and harvesting one or two songs for use in your own mix for whatever reason is acceptable? Would you do it?

Keep in mind this question has nothing to do with harvesting samples from a mixtape for production reasons. The question is specifically about removing a song from another DJs finished mixtape, masking the fact that it ever even was on a mix by either editing it, or covering up DJ drops, and mixing it into their own.

I'm not gonna mince words, this is blatant DJ biting. Yeah, I know, biting is not new to Hip Hop, but this form is the lowest of low. What's next? How about an MC literally stealing the audio vocals from another MCs A Capella, and pasting it in his own song, and then fronting like that was really him rapping.

Try not to get caught up into all the possible scenarios of why someone might try to do this, the choices are simply yes or no. Comment if you are undecided, or have questions, but this is a black and white issue. If you are voting, you must pick a side of the issue to stand on.

If you feel like explaining your vote, it goes without saying that comments are always welcome.

POLL:

Is it OK for a DJ to extract a song from another DJs finished mixtape for the purpose of mixing it in their own mixtape?

80s Video Archives Pt 2: The Disco Fever Reunion Show feat. MC Chill

2012-02-16T13:12:00.006-06:00

Related to Elements: MC, B-Boy, Old School, True School

See Also: Part 1

Another fuzzy but fantastic VHS to DVD to Youtube video coming at cha, this one's from 1986! As the story goes, on April 4^th, 1986, The celebrated nightclub The Disco Fever was closed. Laterthat year, Video Music Box celebrated the Disco Fever’s 10 year anniversary of inceptionwith a reunion of Disco Fever headliners and regulars at the Devils Nest in South Bronx. After abrief introduction, this video features “red carpet” appearances by Jam MasterJay and the rest of Run DMC, the Fat Boys, Jalil and Whodini, The Real Roxanne, GrandmixerDST, MC Chill, Dr Jeckel and Mr Hyde, DJ Galaxy, Rahiemand other members of the Furious 5, Mr. Magic, and ex-owner of Disco Fever SalAbbatiello.

Sweet G as it is plain to see in the place to be.

Sweet G kicks off the showwith a short speech about why the Disco Fever closed, before MC Chill takes thestage as the opening act with a live version of MC Story. This video features some top notch b-boyingfootage before after and during the live music.

MC Chill telling an MC Story.

This is fairly long video, so I broke it up into shorter more manageable clips featuring individual performances.

Stay tuned, part 2 of this tape is up next, featuring more historic live performances. (Note: Regarding the audio quality, I had to clean up the audiosignificantly, it was barely audible and had tons of tape noise, so I did whatI could to make this video more enjoyable without detracting from the sound toomuch.) Enjoy!

Click here to watch larger view of the video at youtube.

"C" is for Crate Digging: Sesame Street Records 101 Pt. 2

2012-02-01T13:34:00.001-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Crate Digging, Sampling,

Yesterday, while digging in my local record store's crates, I found a 3 LP box set I didn't have called Muppet Masquerade...

Well, it was supposed to be 3 LPs & 7 masks, but since it's a used kid record it had only 1 mask and 2 beat up and colored on LPs which had me looking like this guy...

Before walking away from the deal I noticed it had something else stacked underneath the sleeves in the box. A whole heap of autographed OG Sesame Street promotional photos! These were not intended to be included in this box set! In other words, some groupie kid went to Sesame Street Live! and had a backstage pass and got these press-photos "autographed". Sure, a record was missing, masks were missing, but the vinyl completionist collecting bug was temporarily quelled regardless since the press photos were included for mere 6 bucks. This is essentially a "Best Of" collection, and most of the songs I have on other records, so this was a no-brainer addition to my Sesame Street Record collection.

70s hair in full effect for the original cast.

God I miss Mr Hooper! He was the greatest cast member ever.

David rockin' the chops with a very young Maria.

Gordon and his sweetheart Olivia. Were they married?


Back in the days when Snuffy was Big Bird's Imaginary Friend. I used to yell at the TV "He's right there!"

Ahh, the good old days... When kids TV was not nearly as A.D.D as Sponge Bob.

80s Video Archives Pt 1: The Big Break Dance Contest 1983 Live at the Roxy

2011-12-13T15:26:00.001-06:00

Related to Elements: B-Boy, Old School, True School

Digging through my old Hip Hop DVD-Rs, I stumbled upon this historic gem from 1983; The Big Break Dance Contest Live at the Roxy 1983 Full Video! This is the complete historical performance remastered from the original VHS recordings it was taped to. It's over 21 minutes of ground breaking live footage featuring 1983 B-Boy crews, the Magnificent Force, Uptown Express, the Fantastic Duo, the Flash Dancers, Larry Watson and Jason Twigg, the Heartbreakers, and the Dynamic Breakers. This B-Boy contest was hosted by Leslie Uggams, co-hosted by Carlos De Jesus, and includes celebrity judges Anita Morris, football great Hershel Walker, All My Childrens' Debbie Morgan and Darnell Williams, Earl 'the Pearl' Monroe, Disco Fever Owner Sal Abbatiello, WABC News Anchor John Johnson, Saturday Night Fever and Beat Street Choreographer Lester Wilson, and artist Lillo Thomas. Also features a short introductory documentary on the early Hip Hop culture featuring interviews with Afrika Bambaataa and other members of the Zulu Nation. On top of all that it includes a 1983 Burger King Hip Hop commercial from the airing, which was purposefully included to complete the throw-back vibe. The winners of the contest received $2500, an appearance on New York Hot Tracks, and a key roll in the movie Beat Street. If you know the movie, you know who won the contest! Enjoy!

I'm relieved I finally rediscovered this footage, because the DVD-R was fading fast, so I knew the program had to be rescued and shared for prosperity. Unfortunately, the sound was barely audible and only on the right channel. I had to remove a lot of tape noise and duplicate the right channel to the left and I significantly boosted the volume and bass. The recording had a pause-button break in the middle of it right near the end when the winners were being announced that needed editing. After hours and hours of playing around with the audio and video editing it, I'm proud to share it with all the B-Boys and B-girls looking to reminisce.

While the Roxy may have closed its doors a few years ago, as long as footage like this continues to be shared, its legacy to Hip Hop and pop culture will never be forgotten. Please share this video with those who will appreciate it and as always feel free to comment on it.

ALSO...

If you aren't already a member, please JOIN US and discuss it in more depth on this THREAD at Official Periodic's Crate Digging: Hip Hop Music Forum. Any information and discussion you can bring to the table will be greatly appreciated!

Stillmatic: 80s Hip Hop Video Stills Pt. 2

2011-12-02T14:27:00.000-06:00

Risking electrocution for a request.

Related to Elements: MC, DJ, Video Music Box, Yo! MTV Raps, Rap City...

Rap videos of the 1980s have so much great throw back imagery just waiting to be tapped into. So I took some time and went through my video collection and screen shot some stills for prosperity. Like all photographs on this blog, these images are royalty free for you to use for any reason you choose.

Head spin on a corded phone, no problem!

Rock Master Scott - Request Line

Beastie Boys - Hold It Now, Hit It

Fat Boys - Fat Boys are Back

De La Soul - Me, Myself and I

Young Rox rocks a mic with Marley Marl on DJ duty

Roxanne Shante - Roxanne's Revenge

Whistle - Just Buggin'

"C" is for Crate Digging: Sesame Street Records 101

2011-11-08T16:08:00.000-06:00

Old School as Ever... The Original Sesame Street Cast

Related to Elements: DJ, Crate Digging, Sampling,

I like records of any genre almost indiscriminately. Yet, even as an avid crate digger, I never thought I'd end up carefully hoarding and cherishing my Sesame Street Records collection.

Cover of Original Cast Sesame Street Book & Record

It all started with this first one, the Original Cast Sesame Street Book & Record from the year 1970. My wife had a bunch of old records from her childhood that I pillaged. This beat up copy was at the back of the crate. As you would expect with most kids records, it was basically destroyed, marked up with crayon, pages were ripped out of it, it was a mess, but for that reason I dropped a needle on it years ago, hoping to find a few scratch samples to play with no guilt of damaging a record. To my surprise it was really funky. Way beyond funky in fact. This original Sesame Street Theme I noticed was even better then the one I can remember as a kid. So I patiently scanned through the rest of the scratchy record hoping that there was even more funky goodness just itching to be scratched. Sure enough, it was loaded with all kinds of potential DJ battle sounds and random sample-worthy snippets. So I put it in my scratch tools crate and really, that should have been the end of the story.

A page from the Original Cast book reveals that their color blind art department was underpaid. Oscar is orange.

Fast forward about 5 years... Along comes an unbeatable proposal from my super sister in law. At the time she was working for Sesame Street Live! and was responsible for helping choose music for the show. Digging through her company's vaults for song ideas she stumbled upon a large stack of original Sesame Street records her company acquired years ago. They sat and gathered dust for years since the company didn't even have a working turntable any longer. While the records had great show material on them she had no way to listen to them.

That's where I came in. She knew I had turntables and recording software set up and ready to go, and she also knew my weakness for collecting wax. The deal: I get to keep all the records after I recorded them all and burnt them all to CD for her. Lucky for me her company had no desire or use for the records themselves, just the music on them. I gladly came to the rescue and added these records to my personal crates. Keep in mind, what really is great about this, is that these kids records were never touched by kids! They are all in excellent condition because they are practically unplayed!


Sesame Street 2 Original Cast. They are back! I still miss Mister Hooper!


Sesame Street: Concert On Stage - Live!


What Time Is It On Sesame Street? Oh look, the clock still has both of it's hands on it! MONEY!


Gatefold collage artwork inside What Time is It On Sesame Street?


Sesame Street Sing Along! The honkers!!!

Bert & Ernie Sing-Along

The Best of Ernie. This one is great!

Sesame Street Everybody's Record. Just in case you forgot where your arm is. Ernie's antics never get old.

Sesame Street Aren't You Glad You're You? Why, yes I am, thank you!

Sesame Street Monsters! Don't worry, they are nice monsters, not scary monsters. Scary dopeness!

Sesame Street: The Count Counts. One of my favorites, loaded with number scratchables!

Sesame Street Happy Birthday!


Sesame Country. I thought I would not like this one, but its one of the best!

After I recorded all the music to CD for her, they were mine! But now I had a new problem on my hands. I was still missing some classics. I can't just settle for a partial collection of Sesame Street records, I didn't even have "C" is for Cookie for God's sake! So naturally, I've been diligently scouring the Internet, and slowly but surely I have been filling in the gaps as I find them.

Here are the latest editions to my collection...


Susan Sings Songs From Sesame Street Ahh, the lovely Susan and her soulful vocal chords.


Sesame Street Just the Two of Us (Double Album)

Just the Two of us includes the quintessential Cookie Monster - "C" is for Cookie album and Grover Sings!

Just the Two of Us Gatefold. While you are listening, help cookie monster find the magic cookie!

The Village Soul Choir Sesame Street Theme The most soulful Sesame Street version I have ever heard.

and finally yesterday, this arrived...

Cookie Monster and the Girls - "C" is for Cookie (Ninja Tune Records)

That is my grail! Not only does it have the legendary Larry Levan's first ever disco mix on it, it also has an unstoppable DJ Food edit of the Pinball Number Song by the Pointer Sisters. I have been wanting that song on record since I was a kid, and now finally, I got it! DJ Food edits this down to the meat and potatoes without detracting from the original in any way. He made it mix friendly, and I am forever thankful. LISTEN TO A SNIPET of it at Official Periodic Forum.

Yeah, I know, I'm still missing countless important Sesame Street joints. On the top of my list is the obscure and elusive Roosevelt Franklin records.

Long story short, this collection serves two valuable purposes. It not only brings back fond childhood memories, it also has become my yet-to-be-used Hip Hop sample pallet. There will be a Sesame Street themed album or mix coming out of my studio at some point. I can't wait to put this innocent throw-back vibe in ya ears. Stay tuned, I'll drop an update here once it's materialized.

See also: Sesame Street Discography

As always, comments, and recommendations are absolutely welcome here, add on!

Death of a Forum: DJForums.com is Dead

2011-11-02T13:51:00.004-05:00

Related to Elements: DJ, HH Forum

I'm gonna go out on a sturdy limb and just put the final nail in this coffin. DJForums.com, the once massive online DJ community, is dead. While not solely a Hip Hop Forum, DJForums.com had a Hip Hop section with a close-knit group of contributors, an expansive database of information on equipment, production gear and DJ tools, and all kinds of DJ tips, tricks and techniques on file.

Using the Internet Archive's search engine, Wayback Machine (one great way to see dead website content) you can clearly see this place was really jumping.

click to zoom

See the July 5, 2011 Snapshot of DJForums.com

It was a slow painful death, almost like watching an Alzheimer victim pop in and out of reality. The website would go completely down, for weeks at a time, starting late in 2010, and gradually it would go down more often each passing month throughout this entire year. At this point DJForums has been MIA, completely out of commission since around October 14 2011, the longest stretch yet. Prior to that it must have been down sporadically 9 or 10 times, sometimes days, sometimes weeks at a time, and when it came back you would never know.

When it did come back, one thing was for sure, you better not ask where it went or why it went down or you would get snapped at for the inquiry. A concerned member started a thread in the General Forum there inquiring why the forum kept failing to keep it's host running, and if there was anything he could do to help out. BAD IDEA. One of the forum moderators representing DJForums said on that thread that it was a "problem with the hosting". He quickly added, "If you think it's about money, Go F__K yourself!" So, the users who straggled back on to the site after weeks of downtime basically had to pretend that it never happened. Ad space at the tops of each forum disappeared as apparently the buyers of that space had enough of the downtime, and pulled out of the deal leaving an almost omniscient "Website Not Found" white space in it's place. Spam on the forum started to run rampant as the mods seemed to almost give up on cleaning it up. Users who prepaid for the VIP forum (A special section of the forum users actually pay money to visit) were S.O.L. Even Google started to take notice as their once overpowering search engine presence started to drop off the face of the Internet.

Luckily all these DJForums users are not dead, they are still alive. Unless they stopped DJing, they still need a place to go to discuss music, techniques and the like.

INSERT PLUG (BUT KEEP IT SUBTLE HERE.) "Oh look, a brand new Hip Hop forum, and it looks like they could use some active members!" Official Periodic Forum

Seriously, OPF is nothing like DJF, nor do we want to be anything like it, but we are equally passionate about music, production, remixes and ESPECIALLY Hip Hop, so if you feel a void from this untimely death, we would love to help fill it. Please Join and build with us. END PLUG

DJForums was one of many forums I visited devoted to the art of DJing and in particular I appreciated the Hip Hop section. Like other forums, it was a collaboration of it's users and therefore a truly unique perspective on DJing and Hip Hop that couldn't be found on any other forum. I'm not saying it was better then any other forums, on the contrary, sometimes it was blistering with newbies asking the same cliche questions about DJ names, or how to do the triple-backwards-bicep-click-flare, or "Hey, watch me practice my chirps and tell me what I'm doing wrong" videos. But besides all that, there were some real heads that held it down, and frankly brought their distinct and diverse perspective of Hip Hop and\or DJing to the masses. For those reasons, I will miss DJForums. RIP DJ Forums!

DISCLAIMER: I could be wrong, I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again. BUT, if DJForums decides to pull a zombie forum maneuver and come back from the dead again, I hope they figured out their so-called hosting problem for the sake of maintaining some dignity. Hosting is dirt cheap, and not hard to find, so frankly I don't believe or accept the excuse.

ATTN: DJ Forums Ex-Users... Please add on, comments are absolutely welcome! Also, if you have any additional insider information about this or updates, please comment on this post.

SEE ALSO: Here's what Official Periodic Forums members had to say about the downtime of DJForums. PLEASE NOTE: One must be a logged in member to read the General Forum, but it's not required to be logged in for the Crate Digging Hip Hop, Crate Digging Non Hip Hop, Mixtape Submission, or Producer Forums at Official Periodic Forums.

Stillmatic: 80s Hip Hop Video Stills Pt. 1

2011-09-26T15:46:00.000-05:00

Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal

Related to Elements: MC, DJ, Video Music Box, Yo! MTV Raps, Rap City...

Rap videos of the 1980s have so much great throw back imagery just waiting to be tapped into. So I took some time and went through my video collection and screen shot some stills for prosperity. Like all photographs on this blog, these images are royalty free for you to use for any reason you choose. Click on the images for a larger pic.

Gangstarr - Just to Get a Rep

Stezo - It's My Turn

Stezo hurdling his own leg

KRS-One & others - Self Destruction

Schooly D - Say it Loud, I Love Rap and I'm Proud

Run DMC - Run's House

Biz Markee - The Vapors

LL Cool J - Jingling Baby

Just Ice -Going Way Back

Eric B and Rakim - I Ain't No Joke

D-Nice - They Call Me D-Nice

Doug E Fresh - All the Way to Heaven

Afrika Bambaatta & the Solesonic Force - Planet Rock

DJ Chuck Chillout and Kool Chip - Rhythm is the Master

Egytian Lover - Freak-a-holic

Calibr8 Str8: Calibrating The Straight Arm Turntable

2011-06-03T13:49:00.005-05:00

Related to Elements: DJ, 12" Single

Do you own a straight arm turntable like a Stanton STR8 100 or 150? Are your records skipping unexpectedly? It's probably because the needles you are using are not mounted properly.

Straight arm turntables are great, they sound warm rich and are great for mixing. The Stanton STR8 series in particular have extremely high torque and are excellent for scratching or casual listening. BUT this is true ONLY if it is calibrated properly. A needle on a straight arm tracks the groove of a record better but only if it is offset. If your straight arm turntable is not properly aligned, then your records will skip.

Why is that? Good ol' science tells why...

source: http://www.kabusa.com/str8_doc.htm

^Forget about that jargon, it's really not rocket science as long as you have the proper tools.

In brief, here's how you calibrate a straight arm turntable.

Tools Needed:

Caliper

Tiny Phillips Screwdriver (this comes with the headshells for free)

Steady Hand

Reading Glasses (if you are really old)

Diamond Shaped Needles (Preferably the Shure N44-7 since it's almost bulletproof)

First things first. Lower the tone arm lift as much as possible by turning it counter clockwise.

Turn the counterweight backwards so the numbers are on the outside and make sure it's almost all the way back.

IMPORTANT: With the following steps, you must be EXACT with your angle or you will cause damage to your records or they will sound funny. Do not settle for "close enough" measurements or your records will skip or sound funny. If your records skip, fine tune your calibrations right away, or the needles and\or records will wear down prematurely. (New needles are ideal for this situation since they need to be broken in anyway.)

If you are using the Stanton headshell, there is no need for a caliper. Just follow the dotted line. Simply align the cartridge mounting screws dead center with the dotted line.

Otherwise, if you are using the Technics headshell you will need to use your caliper to measure where the cartridge should be tightened.

Measure from the back of the headshell slot to the start of the mounting screw when adjusting. (as shown above) There is little forgiveness in the sound quality if you are too far forward or back.

Once on point, tighten down the headshell mounting screws tightly, slide in the diamond shaped needles, (N44-7) mount the stylus on the tone arm, and you are done! Now get your scratch on!

Record Photography: Records In Motion Pt.2

2011-05-03T14:32:00.002-05:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Crate Digging, 12" Single, Record Label

See Part 1

Here's some more photos of records in motion...
Writing-wise, there isn't much to add to part one on this post other than; a few filters and cut and paste effects were added to these images to flip the script a bit.

By the way, all of these Hip Hop pics are royalty free images, feel free to use any of the photos for your own use.

Who Dat?: Pt 2

2011-04-07T11:10:00.001-05:00

Related to Elements: DJ, MC, Producer, Street Knowledge

Test your street knowledge...

Name these Hip Hop artists.

Photos courtesy of old copies of Urb Magazine and Remix Magazine (2004 and older)

Who Dat?: Pt 1

2011-03-29T15:30:00.001-05:00

Related to Elements: DJ, MC, Producer, Street Knowledge

Test your street knowledge...

Name these Hip Hop artists.

Images taken from old copies of magazines: 1. Impose Magazine, 2,9,10, from Remix Magazine, 3 from Scratch Magazine, and the remaining from Urb Magazine.

Epic Periodic

2011-03-22T15:28:00.000-05:00

Related to Elements: Bragging

Nothing like seeing your name up in lights!
This is really a cool site, had to share it with our blog readers.

Make your own epic videos at www.vipidme.com.

Mad son: Fighting the Power Since Day One (pt.2)

2011-03-14T10:01:00.002-05:00

(Old school picture of the capitol taken 3/12/2011)

Related to Elements: Money, Beef, Graffiti, Hip Hop Journalist,

(Read part 1)

...Since day one literally. Madison's long history of protest continues, as Saturday's protests rose to a record breaking population of around 85,000 despite the passing of Walker's anti-union bill earlier in the week. Demonstrators made it clear that the fight is not over.

(all pics courtesy of Mike Schrader)

...Tags of the times^.

A New Community: Official Periodic Hip Hop Forum Launched!

2011-03-10T14:45:00.001-06:00

Related to Elements: HH Forum

The circle is now complete! It's been a while since the last blog post was dropped here, but I got a good excuse... I've been busy setting up a brand new Hip Hop forum, which will complete the trilogy of http://www.officialperiodic.com, http://officialperiodic.blogspot.com and now finally http://forum.officialperiodic.com. The goal of the forum is simple, we want good people to discuss and build their knowledge of Hip Hop. This will make it much easier for present and future contributors of the Periodic Table of Hip Hop Elements to provide their unique input to the project. We have high expectations that this step will help Official Periodic become a more valuable resource to Hip Hop heads worldwide. Please join us and bring your knowledge to the table!

Dropping Science - Applied Intermediate Chemistry (Part 1)

2011-02-28T16:28:00.002-06:00

Related to Elements: All

Using the Periodic Table of Hip Hop Elements as our guide, we can define various more complex compounds of Hip Hop.

More to come!

Big Treal - RUOK?

2011-02-23T08:47:00.003-06:00

Related to Elements: Dope, Underground Hip Hop

Just making the most of my time while stopped for a train bumping tunes.

Seriously, why isn't this song anywhere?

UPDATE: My droid video recording of the track was not doing this dope song justice, so I put the original audio source on this new youtube version of the video. It's just a short snippet of the song, but you'll get the drift.

Mad son: Fighting the Power Since Day One

2011-02-21T13:25:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: Money, Beef, Conscious Hip Hop, Hip Hop Journalist

To reiterate what's stated above, this is a Hip Hop Blog; all things Hip Hop. That being said, don't mistake this post as a political post. This is no stretch; the protests in Madison is another facet of Hip Hop in action. If you think fighting the establishment for justice and equal rights is not Hip Hop, you've never really listened to the words of Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, 2 Pac, The Coup, Immortal Technique, X-Clan, Paris, Poor Righteous Teachers, and countless others.

I'm not going to get into the politics of left vs. right, but it all boils down to hard working blue and white collar Americans, including our teachers, transit workers, social workers, and all kinds of other civil servants, standing in the cold, fighting for the well being of their families and neighbors. They understand that what happens in Madison, after all is said and done, will happen in other states, so the fight is well beyond personal, and it has far reaching implications.

The people that are out there on the street (like the photographer of these images and activist Mike Schrader) documenting and photographing this movement are genuine Hip Hop journalists. The participants present at this week long movement (whether they like Hip Hop music or not) are participating in one of the most fundamentally positive aspects of rap; shedding light on injustice, provoking thought, prodding for change through freedom of speech and non-violent demonstrations.

(Damn the Empire!)

These Americans are actively practicing the freedom given to them by our country's forefathers. Unlike the apathetic or compliant citizens that are also either directly or indirectly affected by Governor Walker's proposed Union killer plan, these activists are anything BUT lazy. On the contrary, while they may not be at work right now, they are working harder than anyone sitting at their desk quietly mumbling under their breath about the impact this will have on the future of our nation.

Show your respect! Even if you disagree with this movement, you should support our hardest working Americans and stand up for their rights to be heard.

(Police and Firefighters are exempt from the cuts... For now.)

(short clip) Youtube Video of the honorable Rev. Jesse Jackson

"Don't put the burden of the economic collapse on our teachers' backs!" - Jesse Jackson

More news on Jesse Jackson in Madison Protest.

DIY - Simple Record Shelves Plans

2011-02-17T15:09:00.002-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Crate Digging, 12" Single

All DJs and Crate Diggers know how difficult it is to safely store their records. Record shelves can be a great way to keep the records right at your fingertips, but the ones they sell online can be extremely expensive to buy and ship. Well, put on your DIY hat, adjust your tool belt for your winter waistline, and build it yourself! You’ll save yourself all a whole lot of money that you can wisely spend on records instead. You probably have all the tools you need to do this rusting away somewhere right now.

CLICK HERE FOR 8.5 X 11 INCH PRINTABLE PLANS WITH BLANK VALUES FOR YOUR MEASUREMENTS.

Tools and Supplies Needed:

The Basics:

Pencil
Tape measure
Carpenters’ Square
Saw (preferably chop saw or circular saw, but a hand saw will work too if you don’t mind sweating)
Power Drill
Pilot Hole Drill Bit (recommended, else tiny drill bit will work)
Heavy Duty Deck Screws 3.5” or longer (preferably self-tapping so they sink in better)
2X12” Wood Boards (how many depends on size you want)

Optional: (If incorporating 7 inch shelves)

1X7” Wood Boards (how many depends on size you want)
Narrow gauge screws or small nails or glue
1” chisel

Optional: (If incorporating Stack Stoppers)

1” Quarter Round corner wood (size depends on how many you want)
Velcro pieces

Recommended: (For that clean built in look)

Corner Clamps or a friend (these really come in handy for holding the wood during construction)
Wood Glue (if using center supports)
Sander\Sandpaper
Caulk (to fill in screw holes)
Paint (your color of choice)
Felt (cut to size of shelves)
Sharp Scissors (to cut felt)
Spray Glue (for adhering felt liner) (I recommend 3M Super 77)
Rubber Gloves
Paint Thinner (for cleanup of spray glue)
Beer (gotta have beer for a project like this)

Do the Math

First things first! Determine the size the shelf will take up in your room. Start by measuring the footprint you want it to take up (the total width) and write it down on the printable plans. Next measure the EXACT height from floor to ceiling. Measure twice, cut once! That height will be the total height of the record shelves as it uses the floor and ceiling to prevent it from tipping over and killing you. (But damn! What a way to die, right?) Now, write down the total height on the printable plans. With those two measurements you already have all you need to determine how many pieces of wood need to be cut at what size.

For Fans of Forty Fives

You can go with or without a 7 inch shelf compartment depending on your needs. However, make sure that you allow AT LEAST 16” or more height space in order to have enough room for both levels of 7” records. This depends on your ceiling height. For example, I have a low ceiling of 77” which leaves me the bare minimum amount of space needed to incorporate a 16” tall 45 shelf. If you have 79 inch tall ceiling you can have an 18” tall 45 shelf. The higher your ceiling is, the more room you will have for your 45s.

If you decide to incorporate this 7 inch shelf, do it in the top shelf space. Each standard shelf below it will always have 13 inches of space in between each shelf to accommodate slightly larger record covers or box sets.

Using the total height and total width determined and the formulas provided on the printable plans, complete your “Cut List” so you know exactly how much wood to buy and how long to cut each piece.

(NOTE: 2X12” lumber is extremely strong, which is great because records are extremely heavy. But it will bend in the middle if the shelf itself exceeds a 4 foot wide span, so if you plan on making it wider then that you will need to cut a few 13” support pieces of 2X12” to glue and screw in the center of each shelf span for added strength)

You’ll notice the base of the shelf is the full width of the shelf. This gives the entire shelf greater stability and gets the bottom shelf a bit higher off the floor.

After all of your wood is cut to size, it’s time to start marking the side pieces for easy shelf alignment. On both sides of each side piece (T1 and T2 on the printable plans) using your trusty carpenters square, clearly mark out where each shelf should be, again spacing out each 1 ½” shelf every 13”. (So it should get a mark in this pattern. 1.5, 13, 1.5, 13, until you get to the top shelf which is spaced again more then 13 depending on the height of your ceiling.) Ultimately the span between the top shelf (S2) and (S1) is the only span that will not be 13”.

Then with your pencil, mark circles where you want to drill the pilot holes. Space them out a bit, I’d recommend 4-5 screws per shelf side. Start drilling pilot holes. Keep the drill bit plum.

After each hole is drilled, you are ready to start constructing each layer from the bottom up. Corner clamps or friends really come in handy during this phase. So do those 13” support 2X12”s if they are cut perfectly they will hold up each successive shelf for you as you drive the screws in. Drill in each screw until the head sinks into the wood deeply. This will give it the most strength and allow you to putty or caulk over the holes when you are finished building it.

After each piece of 2X12” is in it’s proper position you should have a steady and heavy built-in shelf. Make sure the base is secured and it is snugly compressed by the floor and ceiling. If necessary screw it into the ceiling or floor or wall, make sure this behemoth doesn’t move at all.

At this point, if you want a utilitarian shelf only, without any of the fixin’s, you are done! However, I recommend you go on to the next step if you don’t want it to look unfinished.

Lipstick and Makeup

Caulk or putty the screw holes. Wait until it dries and sand until holes are invisible. Sand all surfaces lightly to get rid of slivers. Clean off with damp cloth, and paint it any color. Depending on how well the paint soaked in you may want to apply a second coat. If you really want to dress it up you can wrap a little trim around the bottom and molding around the ceiling, then it will truly be a built in.

Shelf Liners

This next step I highly recommend because it will prevent wear and tear on your records’ spines from simply sliding the records in and out. Cut pieces of felt to the lengths and widths of each shelf. (Use rubber gloves for this next part) Sparingly spray the back of the felt and the three surfaces of the wood that will touch your records (not the underside of the shelves obviously) with spray glue. Carefully adhere the felt to the shelf surface and quickly remove any wrinkles before the glue dries. It only takes about 30 seconds for the glue to set, so again a friend might come in handy for the longer spans. This is a messy job, you will definitely need paint thinner or mineral spirits to clean up afterward. If you are doing the 7 inch add on, don’t line the top shelf with felt until the next step is complete.

Optional 7 inch compartments

Depending on the span of the distance between S1 and S2 (again you need 16” minimum to proceed) cut your 1X7” pieces to fit using the formulas provided on the printable plans.

Starting with the vertical supports, (A1 and A2 on the printable plans) use your square and pencil to divide the wood into 4 identically sized quarters. Since the wood is 1” thick you’ll need to cut out an inch wide slot for the intersection of the horizontal run connection it makes. Repeat these same steps with the horizontal shelves. (G on the printable plans) Make sure your measurements are precise on these cuts or it won’t fit properly.

Finally, glue or screw them at their intersection and you have a sturdy little divider that slides right in place. Secure it with wood glue, adhere the remaining felt and it’s complete!

Stack Stoppers?

This will prevent your stacks of records from sliding apart at the bottom. Stick a little Velcro on the bottom of a 12” long quarter round piece of wood and it will stick to the felt bottom perfectly. As your collection grows, you pick it up and move it on down the line.

Done!

Well that is unless you want to build a beer holder for the side, if so you can get the plans for it right here.

UPDATE: 4-6-2011

Money Saving Tip:
For those on a budget, instead of using one long 2X12" piece of wood for the base you could save a few bucks by building the base out of several 2X4" pieces.

Time Saving Tip:

To save a little bit of time and energy, before cutting any of the wood, paint it or stain it on a saw horse or work bench. It's easier to paint several long pieces of wood on a bench then it is to paint the fully erected shelf. Also, apply the felt before cutting the wood too. It's easier to cut felt in one long strip then multiple sections for each shelf dimension. Then after the wood is painted and felt applied, cut the wood and touch up paint as needed.

Share your progress and pics of the finished shelves:

Mike sent me some pictures of his shelves he built using these plans. Instead of painting them like I did, he bought higher quality wood and stained and added clear coat. As you can see, it looks great.

Thanks, Mike, for sharing these photos!

Definition of an Era: Old School Hip Hop 1979 - 1986

2011-02-10T13:41:00.001-06:00

Related to Elements: Old School, DJ, MC, Golden Age

Old School Hip Hop is gone; dead and buried. Rest in Peace! Hip Hop scholars know that, part-timers know that, your mom knows that. Yet public perception of when Old School Hip Hop began and when it ended seems to be divided into two distinct schools of thought. For some it all boils down to their own personal experience, their age, what they were listening to back in High School. In other words, they take the egocentric stance that if they were bumping it in their ride on the way to the prom, it's Old School Hip Hop in their world. Then there are the other guys, those pesky sticklers of reality, who think that Old School Hip Hop was an specific Hip Hop era, the era that started it all, and it ended in 1986.

Q: "Wait, Why 1986?" "Why not 1984 or 1988? You saying Eminem ain't Old School!?"

It all started with element one; the DJ, specifically one DJ; Kool Herc. If Hip Hop was Christianity, Kool Herc would be Christ. And just like Christianity, only Herc and his apostles (the B-Boys and B-Girls and early MCs) witnessed Hip Hop's birth first hand. Prior to 1979, relatively speaking, this was a small group of lucky individuals who witnessed Hip Hop. Small pockets of trueschoolers consisting of aspiring Hip Hop DJs, MCs, graph writers, and their fans popped up in the early to late seventies in other urban areas, but it was unarguably Kool Herc who owned Hip Hop in the seventies, he was Hip Hop almost exclusively. (Help Kool Herc get well soon!)

That music, the artwork, and the street dance of the earliest Old School Hip Hop all contributed to a Hip Hop culture explosion that went global by 1979. Hip Hop literally went viral that year because for the first time ever, anyone with a record player in their home could witness Hip Hop with their own ears. '79 was the same year Fatback "King Tim III" (the first recorded Hip Hop vinyl record) dropped, and soon after the first rap hit single "Rappers Delight" by the Sugar Hill Gang blew up the airwaves. Finally, Hip Hop was accessible to the masses outside the Bronx. 1979 was the first year of Old School Hip Hop* for "the rest of us". (*Unless you were one of the "lucky ones" who witnessed Herc's now famous block parties first hand.) If you were one of the original B-Boys who saw it all go down in the beginning, Old School Hip Hop started back in your hood back in the early seventies, but for the remaining Hip Hop masses, it started with that one 12" single, or that other one, either way in 1979.

A: From 1979 through 1986, the recordings of Hip Hop music evolved fairly gradually. As with all music, there were many distinct sounding, noteworthy singles, and many of those records became widely popular despite the plethora of non Hip Hop artists jumping on the Hip Hop band wagon. Nonbelievers compared this Hip Hop music explosion to disco, something that everyone wanted to do until it became saturated nonsense; a self-imploding parody of itself that would die in one or two years. By 1985 the writing was on the wall about the inevitability of Hip Hop's drastic reinvention. Sugar Hill Records went bankrupt that year, and Beat Boxing pioneer Doug E Fresh dropped the gold record hit "The Show" proving that sometimes you only need a mic to make a good beat. B-Boyism started to go into a lull as kids started saying things like, "Breakin' is out". Graffiti also seemed to being falling out of popularity. Meanwhile, early innovative MCs, DJs, and producers ignored the naysayers as they continued to push the boundaries of the music form. The Old School Hip Hop sound was gradually dying as new techniques and new concepts in rhyme and rhythm emerged.

In 1986, the Golden Age of Hip Hop was just around the corner. Just as Old School Hip Hop exploded into the scene in 1979, it blew up again in 1986, particularly after the Old School pioneers Run DMC dropped the seminal "Walk This Way" video on MTV. This unheard of marriage of Rock N Roll and Hip Hop changed the music game drastically almost overnight. Ironically, the same naysayers that predicted an early end to Hip Hop were suddenly jamming out to Aerosmith and Run DMC, injecting that this one special song was a one-off exception, adding that Hip Hop would still die soon regardless. But 1986 was also the year the Beastie Boys released their first album "License to Ill", which was yet another sign that Hip Hop stereotypes were breaking down, rules were changing, the sound was changing. Suddenly it seemed more acceptable for white kids across the world to listen to urban music invented by (and to this day, still dominated by) black musicians. This drastic change marked the end of the Old School Hip Hop days.

Other Hip Hop game-changers that were dropped in 1986:

Eric B and Rakim - "Eric B. is President" (another unarguably relevant and distinct Hip Hop single.)
MC Shan's "The Bridge" (One of the longest running Hip Hop beefs ever sparked.)
Ultramagnetic MCs "Ego Trippin" (Golden Age pioneers' debut single.)
Schoolly D "PSK-What does it mean" (Independent MC drops what some call the first gangster rap single.)
Run DMC "My Adidas" (Rappers freely endorse a product out of love for the sneakers giving birth to the first name brand element.)
Just Ice "Cold Gettin Dumb" (Just Ice's signature rhyme flow over Mantronix's monster beats helps usher in the Golden Age of Hip Hop.)

In a nutshell, Old School Hip Hop began as an explosion. It started with a big bang in 1979. Yes, the fuse was lit by Kool Herc, prior to that when he built the bomb with his own two hands, but it blew up in 1979. Old School Hip Hop ended with an even bigger explosion when 1986 brought definitive Hip Hop game-changers, Run DMC and the Beastie Boys.

For those obsessed with reminiscing about the glorious Old School Hip Hop days, you can blame those two crews for personally killing Old School Hip Hop. Granted, after 1986 certain rappers may have held on to that distinct 'fun-loving' Old School sound from years prior, but soon they'd learn that Hip Hop was essentially a young-man's game filled with new fans ready for the New School of thought. Ultimately these same fan's helped usher in the Golden Age of Hip Hop by seeking out and dropping their hard-earned money on these fresh New School records.

The death of the Old School era is not something that should be mourned, but instead remembered and understood. It's important to respect the architects of Hip Hop, and educate and, of course, reminisce on it. But it's not mythical. Don't expect it to come back ever again. Hip Hop has always been about survival of the fittest artists, and about the youngest and freshest contributors to the culture. It's always going to evolve in and out of new directions or new eras. To the modern day naysayers; Hip Hop's built-in ability to adapt with the times is exactly why Hip Hop will never die. If you are one of those, you and your kind have been getting it wrong for the past 31 years, and as long as fresh creative minds keep getting born, it will continue to evolve long into the future. The Old School may be dead but the New School will live forever.

Artist Direct: Normskola

2011-02-04T17:41:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Underground Hip Hop, Crate Digging, Independent

Due to the magic of search engines, one of Metrowax's favorite underground\independent MCs found one of his staple tracks in the Magic Stack Vol. 1 mixtape dropped yesteryear. He called up Metrowax looking for an established place to sell his remaining sealed copies of this 'must-have' extremely rare Indie Hip Hop 12" Normskola - Half Man (see discogs entry)

I was there, I heard it go down. Wade, the owner of Metrowax, was thrown off guard by this unusual call. I was in his stockpiles of records, looking for some overlooked Hip Hop, but I could tell by his tone that he was on an important call. After I pestered him for the skinny, he shot me the evil eye and whispered "I'm on the phone!" so I let it go.

Finally, after a bit more eavesdropping I realized Normskola was asking him to host a sale of some sealed copies of his best track. Of course he was honored by the proposal, and after a bit of back and forth phone tag they agreed on a 50/50 deal.

Ironically, half of the sale's profit goes to the Half Man himself. This is one of those rare ocassions when a DJ can buy a rare record knowing that the artist responsible for the work will benefit from the sale.

Read more at the Metrowax Blog and if there's still a few left, cop one before it's gone forever.

UPDATE: 2-5-11 - To be fair to all Hip Hop diggers, Wade's gonna restock this once a day until they are all gone, that way everyone gets a chance to buy a copy. First come, first served. As of right now, (2:00 CST 2-5-11) there is one in stock. Check back tomorrow if the cop one link shows out of stock.

Go PACKERS!

Odd Shaped Records

2011-01-31T16:02:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Underground Hip Hop, Crate Digging, Rap, Record Label

Ouch that's sharp! Who said that records had to be round? The needle will ride the groove as long as the groove is round. The records can be any shape imaginable as you can see. As far as I know, Pioneering artists Devo started this oddball concept of odd shaped records. Since that time I've collected a few, but I'm sure there's all kinds of odd shaped records I'm unaware of.

As Shown: (starting above)

Devo - Beautiful World
Gangrene - Sawblade EP
DJ Shadow vs. Radiohead - The Gloaming Remix
DJ Shadow vs. Cage - The Grand Ol' Party Crash
Mr. Lif - Santa's Got A Motherf*ckin' Uzi (Great De La Soul Cover!)

This takes picture discs to a whole nutha level!

Calling out the Crate Diggers: Please add on! Mention any other odd shape records you have, and pictures are encouraged!

It's About that Time: Backup Your Digital Mixtapes

2011-01-24T10:05:00.001-06:00

Related to Elements: Underground Hip Hop, Crate Digging, Mixtape

"Backup? They're digital CDs, they'll last forever, right?"
When it comes to mixtapes burnt to CD-R, that's a misconception. They degrade quicker then you might expect, depending on the quality of the media, but eventually they will lose their ability to reflect the laser. Inevitably they will stop playing and be nothing more then coasters.

Ever look at an older CD-R and notice it's starting to become transparent? You better copy it to your hard-drive now (if it's not too late) or at least another CD-R else the music on that disc could be lost forever.

Think about that! How many mixtapes do you have that are very dope, and irreplaceable that showcases your favorite DJ's skills, and represent a specific moment in Hip Hop? You'll never get that music back, so back it up before it's too late! I would recommend saving it in .wav format, and storing it on a hard drive that gets backed up as well. With the ever growing size of inexpensive hard drives nowadays, that's not a big deal. There is no sound quality loss with .wav files opposed to mp3 ripping. Of course, you could always copy it to another CD-R but then you are just buying a bit more time, soon you'll have to replace the replacement.

"How long do they last?" There is mixed data on this if you look around, but some sources say 8-15 years depending on the quality of the CD-R product. I've had some mixes that didn't last that long, especially when I accidentally left them in the sun of a hot car. If you think about it, that's not very long at all. Records last indefinitely if stored properly, so maybe mixtapes on wax isn't such a bad idea after all.

Cut Chemist Mixtapes! Free Official Downloads!

2011-01-20T14:38:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: Underground Hip Hop, Crate Digging, Mixtape

Speaking of Record Hoarders, Cut Chemist not only hoards an insane collection of wax, he also mixes them and serves them up for free on his Sound Cloud account! Here are his two latest short n' sweet mixes, Hip Hop Lives and Disco is Dead. As you might expect, these are not only diverse mixes but they surprisingly have a few recognizable hits too. But, just like Levar Burton always says on Reading Rainbow, "You don't have to take my word for it!" Listen and hear it for yourself!

Latest tracks by Cut Chemist

Confessions of a Beat Junkies Junkie

2011-01-19T14:53:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: Underground Hip Hop, Crate Digging, Mixtape

For those that don't know the Beat Junkies, it's time to wake up and smell some of the nicest mixtapes in the mixtape game. J-Rocc, the 'funky president' of the Beat Junkies has been named "the worlds best DJ" by several sources, one of which is www.Turntablelab.com out of NYC. I agree with that assessment, he really is the worlds best DJ. Besides that distinction, he has the honor of enlisting, firing, touring with, and collaborating with other Beat Junkies in his crew. Current members Rhettmatic, Babu, Melo-D, DJ What?!, Mr. Choc, and Shortkut each have their own distinct skill-set they bring to the (turn)table. Besides turntable composition, these trueschoolers have been blowing up DMC competitions, dropping countless mixtapes, individual productions for crews, remixes... you name it, this crew did it.

I have been trying to keep up with their countless CD mixtapes, but lets face it, they drop so much so often, I can't possibly collect the whole discography of unofficial releases. But so help me God, I will try!

World Famous Beat Junkies vol 1 Babu

World Famous Beat Junkiesvol 1 Babu (w/ bonus disc)

World Famous Beat Junkiesvol 2 Rhettmatic

World Famous Beat Junkiesvol 3 Melo D

Babu: Duck Season vol 1

Babu: Duck Season vol 2

Babu: feat Rakka Expansion Team Soundsystem 1

Babu: feat Rakka Expansion Team Soundsystem 2

Curse: Real Classic Material

Classic Material

Flashin' to the Beat Junkies

Icy Ice: Soul Elevation Mixtape

Icy Ice:KDAY Classic Mix

Melo D: KDAY Vol.1

Melo D: Classic Material

Melo D: Classic Material Alternate Mix

Melo D: Scion CD Sampler

Melo D: The AM Workshop

Melo D: Live at the Root Down

Melo D: Turnfable

Rhettmatic: Live at the Root Down

Rhettmatic: The Wedding Mixer

Rhettmatic: Exclusive Collection

Rhettmatic and Shortkut: On the Road Again

Rhettmatic and Key Kool-Kozmonautz

Shortkut: Bashment Vibes

Shortkut: Blunted with a Beat Junkie

Shortkut: Kuts Foundation

D-Styles: Phantazmagorea

D-Styles and DJ Flare: Pharoahs of Funk

What?: Dancehall Session Mix 2

What?: Dancehall Session Mix 3

J-Rocc: Cooking Ingredients

J-Rocc: James Brown and Friends

J-Rocc: James Brown and Friends 2

J-Rocc: Walkman Rotation

J-Rocc: Syndromes Remix

J-Rocc: Syndromes Remix 2

J-Rocc: The Sex Machine Today

J-Rocc: The Sex Machine Today (reissue)

J-Rocc: Now that’s what I call Hip Hop vol 1

J-Rocc: Now that’s what I call Hip Hop vol 2

J-Rocc: Now that’s what I call Hip Hop vol 3

J-Rocc: Tasters Choice Disc 1

J-Rocc: Tasters Choice Disc 2

J-Rocc: Tasters Choice Disc 3

J-Rocc: Tasters Choice Disc 5

J-Rocc: Thank You Dilla V. 1

J-Rocc: Thank You Dilla V. 2

J-Rocc: Yo 45 Raps Vol 2

That's what I've managed to collect so far, but as you can see there are holes that need to be filled in. That's where I hope you come in.

Fellow Beat Junkie Fans: Please share your knowledge and mention on this thread any missing mixtapes dropped by the Beat Junkies, so I and other Beat Junkie Fans can have a more complete discography of their collective work. Thanks in advance!

Got Tapes? Soul Condor's Tape Hoard

2011-01-17T11:16:00.000-06:00

(click HERE for larger pic)

Related to Elements: Underground Hip Hop, Golden Age, Old School, Crate Digging, Rap, Record Label, Mixtape

The only time the word "hoard" is a good thing, is when it's done with class by passionate music collectors. Fellow cratedigger and Diggers With Gratitude staple Soul Condor knows rap tapes. Unlike a lot of cats like myself who regrettably abandoned 'the other vintage analog format', he's got an ever-growing collection of classic mixtapes and original Golden Age and Old School cassettes.

Frankly, I don't really need to say more then that. This is one of those posts where I can sit back and let the pictures do the talking for me.

(Click HERE for larger pic)

Oh Snap! Not the Clean Versions!

2011-01-12T10:15:00.001-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Underground Hip Hop, Crate Digging, Rap, Record Label, Parental Advisory

Don't you hate it when you buy a rap LP online, and when it arrives it has "Clean Version" or "Radio Versions" labeled on it? Most of the time, that really sucks **** (censored). Sometimes, however, it's a blessing in disguise. In fact, if you know what to look for, you'll hunt down certain clean versions that sellers have priced unbelievably low. Many sellers make the incorrect assumption that just because it's clean, it's garbage. In a lot of cases, it really is garbage, but for a few shining exceptions, it's gold.

For example, these two LPs, Talib Kweli & Hi Tek - Reflection Eternal and UGK - Riding Dirty actually have completely different production and extra verses, and the dirty versions are either extremely difficult to find or non-existent in the case of UGK. The vocals were completely rewritten to make the recordings playable on the radio, but they did not compromise the lyrical content. While a lot of record companies take the short-cut to a radio promo by injecting a lot of obnoxious beeper noises, car alarms, police sirens or reversed vocals, these guys flipped the script, and dropped different production altogether. Well played!

Don't sleep on all radio versions, you'll miss some really nice joints by making the false assumption that clean is bad.

Calling out the Diggers:
Help spread the good word on this subject! If you got something worth mentioning, please add on to this incomplete list of radio version LPs worth checking for by commenting on this post! Thanks in advance!

Kool Herc's Autograph

2011-01-07T10:15:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Block Party, Old School, Breaks

There is only one signature that graces my man cave, and that's my cherished Kool Herc autograph. I built this rickety looking frame around it because at the very least with the Plexiglas cover it gets a little protection from the damp basement its hung in. It really deserves a better frame, and a safer spot, but I'm hoping its presence by my decks will make me a better DJ then carpenter. Knock on wood!

Early 80s Hip Hop Slang, for the Uninitiated

2011-01-06T13:24:00.000-06:00

(click pic to zoom in on the Hip Hop Glossary)

Related to Elements: Slang, Old School, B-Boying,

There is only one good reason anyone should buy K-Tel Record's corny vinyl compilation "Breakdance" and that's for the equally corny (but in a good way) poster. While the vinyl may have a few easy to find, nostalgic classics on it, it's pretty worthless for dropping a needle on it.

The poster, on the other hand, not only features the legendary New York City Breakers posing in various phases of B-Boying classic moves, but it also comes complete with step-by-step instructions, and a special warning about the health hazards associated with "Breakdancing"

Really, who's gonna go see a medical specialist before performing the wave, just to be on the safe side?

(click image for larger pic)

Side thought: That reminds me, I remember when my mom said I could never breakdance or I'd break my neck like 'that one guy' did when he attempted a head spin. (I never did find out who that one guy who broke his neck was, by the way.)

Anyway, the best feature of this poster is it's Hip Hop Glossary. Keep in mind, when this LP was made, Hip Hop was so new and it was all the rage. Even football players and TV cartoons were jumping on board the Hip Hop bandwagon. All this Hip Hop vocab must have been very confusing to the outsiders trying to make sense of all the new jargon. Well, lucky for the uninitiated, K-Tel had their backs covered.

Except for misspelling "Diss", I think they did a very amusing job. Notice some of the dead slang that's defined.

GLOSSARY

(Courtesy of the K-Tel Records Poster which accompanies the LP "Breakdance")

BITE - (verb) to copy, duplicate or reproduce without consent; to steal ideas from others.

Ex: “We were doing those steps way before them. They must have bit our moves.”

CHILL – (verb) to chill, chillout, chillin’, the act of calming down, keeping under control, staying cool.

Ex: “Yo, chill out!” “I’m just chillin’!”

CRITICAL – (adjective) describes an action poorly done, a state of poor condition.

Ex: “His graffiti piece was all critical, looked like a chimpanzee did it. He Breaks all critical.”

DIS – (verb) to disrespect another person, to show no respect or regard for another person’s feelings or property.

Ex: “When you talked about my girl, you really dissed me man.”

DOG – (verb) to overuse, abuse, spoil through excess.

Ex: “He dogged his sneakers. They were all critical looking.”

FRESH – (adjective) the hippest, the newest, the most together and unique. On time, well conceived and executed. Beautiful, aesthetically pleasing.

Ex: “The new Mercedes compact is fresh!” “I want that record with the fresh beats!”

FRONT-FRONTING – (verb) to be irresponsible, to not show up, to break a promise.

Ex: “I was supposed to meet her here at 8:00, but it looks like she’s fronting on me.”

HOMEBOY, HOMEGIRL – (pronoun, noun) comrade, companion, guys and girls from the neighborhood.

Ex: “Yo man, let him in. He’s one of my homeboys.”

JERK – (verb) to cheat, or to fool someone.

Ex: “He told me 50%, but I only got 10; I got jerked.”

MAX OUT – (verb) a friendly term for parting with ease or saying goodbye.

Ex: “Ok, I’ll see you tomorrow. Yo, Max Out.”

RUN – (verb) to repeat in excess, to be redundant, to use over and over.

Ex: “That song was all right until they started running it.”

SQUIGGLEY – (adjective) nerdy, unhip or unattractive.

Ex: “I don’t want to go out with that girl, she’s too squiggley.”

TRACK – (noun) freeze move in which breaker ends in a bridge with stomach up, supported by the hands and feet.

UPROCK – (noun) dueling dance between 2 breakdancers, where the dancers mimic fighting and score points by getting non-contact blows or hits in his first.

WACK – (adjective) describes something poorly done or in bad taste, awkward, clumsy, offbeat.

Ex: “That break move was wack!” “He’s the wackest DJ I know.”

WORD – (noun) an affirmation, a term to acknowledge or support a statement.

Ex: “That girl is fine. Word. Do you want to be the best? Word, you know it!”

I think some of those phrases are long overdue for a comeback. For example, "Max Out". Why don't people go around saying, "Yo! Don't get critical on me, squiggley homegirl! I'm maxin' out right now! " That's a real loss when Hip Hop rejected those words in time, but I guess that's just the way it goes.

Regardless, this LP has been out of print for a long time, so if you do find it used, make sure the poster is in the sleeve before purchasing it, this piece of history is well worth the sacrifice of buying a terrible record.

Samples Revealed 1: Ghostface's Production Team Digs Numero Group Records

2011-01-04T11:14:00.000-06:00

Related to Elements: Sampling, Underground Hip Hop, Crate Digging, Rap, Boom Bap, Dope

For those of you who listened to the latest Ghostface Killah album "Apollo Kids" you already know how insanely good it is. Talk about a breath of fresh air! This caliber of slamin' boom bap production built on top of out-of-this-world soul music samples is hard to come by nowadays. Frankly, I haven't been this excited about a Hip Hop album in a long time. I'd call it a must-own album for all Ghostface Fans. But for those who heard this album, you already know that. "Gimmie something I can use, right?"

What you may not know is that the fairly unknown producer (not for long) Frank Dukes, and alumni of beats Sean C & LV tapped the vast recordings of Numero Group Records to obtain some of the nicest soul samples around. Point blank, Numero Group drops some of the best soul compilations on the planet. They are as legit as it comes with quality pressings, deluxe gatefold packaging, information galore, and on top of all that they pay the original artists for all these forgotten recordings.

For example, Track 1: Purified Thoughts, Produced by Dukes, samples track 1 off of Numero's Eccentric Soul: The Deep City Label; Them Two - Am I a Good Man

Track 4: Drama, Produced by Sean C & LV, samples track B4 off of Numero's Good God: A Gospel Funk Hymnal; Trevor Dandy - Is There Any Love

Listen to Ghostface Snippets: Links Below. (Less then a minute snippets of each Ghostface song and sampled song mixed) Spoiler: Parental Advisory on the second track!

Ghostface w/ Them Two sample
(Original sample starts at the 36 second mark)

Ghostface w/ Trevor Dandy sample
(Original sample starts at the 18 second mark)

ALSO you can listen to or download them here:

Ghostface w/ Them Two sample (Original sample starts at the 36 second mark)
http://www.officialperiodic.com/uploads/ghostface_likes_numero_1.mp3

Ghostface w/ Trevor Dandy sample (Original sample starts at the 18 second mark)
http://www.officialperiodic.com/uploads/ghostface_likes_numero_2.mp3

I hope to see much more Numero samples gracing the beats of Hip Hop in the near future, it's a quality marriage.

Record Photography: Records In Motion

2011-01-03T12:18:00.001-06:00

Related to Elements: DJ, Crate Digging, 12" Single, Record Label

I'm a DJ, not by trade but by hobby. There's only one valid reason I'm a DJ; I love music. I love ALL music of all formats, but particularly I love records. I love listening to records, I love digging for records (in store or online), I love scratching records, I love juggling records, I love mixing records, I love their smell, I love their individual quirks and flaws, I love photographing records and I even love looking at pictures of records.

Let's go back to the 'digging for records' part of that last long sentence; online crate digging to be exact.

Question 1: Have you ever been to an online record store that didn't have a picture of the record they were selling?

Question 2: Did the record seem 'real' to you without a picture?

Question 3: Do stock pictures of records really tell you about the specific record you are buying?

My Answers:

1: Many times, honestly, it's a buzz kill and it removes the fun of digging altogether.

2. Sometimes it seemed real depending on the seller, but more often it seemed more like words on a page. An empty hollow promise from a stranger that you will get a record if you buy it. The reality of it is it might not be the record you imagine in your head.

3. If you know the record you are buying is sealed, it doesn't really matter if the photo is stock or not, but stock photos are absolutely worthless as a visual indicator of cover condition when you are buying used records.

Here's a question for the crate diggers... Have you ever been to an online store that had pictures of the records in action? Have you ever seen the product pic that doesn't actually look like a product pic? Can't record sellers try to stand out a little bit from the cookie-cutter style of record photography that shows a one-dimensional view of the cover only?

I say yes, they definitely can do better. In fact, I think they might sell more records if they take thought out pictures that look like submissions from a fan of the music rather then an online seller trying to push wax.

I know what a lot of sellers reading this are probably saying to themselves, "Yeah, they look great, but that's not practical to take pictures like that for all of our records. It would take too much time, energy and resources to do so."

^Absolutely, that's true, it would not only be unpractical to do that for all records but it would be a waste of time for the wack wax that they are just trying to get out the store.

I'm not gonna front, I'm not a record salesman, I'm a record collector, and as a fan I love to do this in my own time just to share these photos with fellow cratediggers. However, I do think that for the really great records, it would be not only beneficial to take thoughtful action photos for the crate diggers, it would also remind them that the record seller is like them, a true fan, that started this business because, like their customers, they love records.

Bottom Line:
Anyone can scan records with a scanner, or take quick photos of a cover in a photo box, or use stock photos, it takes no skill, no time, and frankly, no thought whatsoever. Diggers are not impressed with any of that. If there are any online record sellers reading this, I'm asking you to step up your game and take the time to display your records visually the way they intend to be used. Remind your buyers that you love wax too, and show off your special records using a little bit of creativity. I think you'll have more intrigued diggers coming back more often if you prove that you are a fan too.

All Things Hip Hop - 1st Blog Dropped

2011-01-03T11:49:00.000-06:00

Welcome heads! This first blog post is gonna be short n' sweet and right to the point...

We love Hip Hop, but it is a behemoth! There is so much going on in the world of Hip Hop nowadays, way more then what can be discussed on our parent site: www.officialperiodic.com. So here it is (the groove slightly transformed). Instead of going into long unnecessary details telling you what it is we want to accomplish for our readers, let's just get to the meat and potatoes and drop our first real blog post.

"We came here to get things started."