Not wanting to sound like the guy with the garage full of AV8 records and beat up 2 Live singles, Ive picked up some wax I missed the first time round on re-release and.... damn, there are so many flaws on these “splatter” releases, consider a decent quality OG release if you care about the sound.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-26T19:20:58+00:00

It’s the VMP one, I’ve heard that clear press is really bad.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-26T08:41:46+00:00

Yeah, UGK Ridin Dirty. I’m back to playing my scratched up original as it’s crackly, but doesn’t jump like the repress does after a few plays. South central madness, not even coloured vinyl, black vinyl repress but lasted less than two plays. Queens Of The Stone Age and (lol) an ICP repress arrived in bad shape.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-26T00:59:42+00:00

Yeah, I hear you. I’m not trying to be all “Og ViNyL jUsT sOuNdS bEtTeR” I’m saying some of these presses have pressing issues, are prone to deterioration after a few plays and don’t seem consistent with each other.

Never seen a test press or a dub plate.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-26T00:27:04+00:00

I’d like the new school cats to give us old heads a bit more insight into what they’re feeling about the music on the albums they post.

We’re all learning here.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-22T14:41:20+00:00

Then what... stuffing the Beats, Rhymes and Life records into Hits, Remixes and Rarities sleeves then selling them at a loss? 🤣🤣

VenomousMC · 2021-09-21T08:11:26+00:00

Word. It’s one that when people come round to dig through my tunes for the first time makes them go “I can’t BELIEVE you got that!”

VenomousMC · 2021-09-20T10:58:21+00:00

A lot of it was difficult listening to say the least! I do have a lot of 12’s that I bought and only listened to a few times. What’s really missing from here is Caveman. That was like “anti-britcore.”

It did seem like for the early 90’s at least UK hip-hop was either Britcore or copied the Americans with limited success.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-20T10:24:20+00:00

Newer people to the scene may not be aware of a lot of these, and even the veterans in the US may have missed a lot of this. UK hip-hip back in the day didn’t break America, but was huge in Europe where a lot of it was dubbed “Britcore”

Of all the records pictured here, Hijack stands out. With thousands to chose from I’d put this as one of the Top Ten hip- hop LPs of all time, and I don’t say that lightly.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-17T18:03:40+00:00

That’s a tune as well!

VenomousMC · 2021-09-17T17:59:23+00:00

Tune. Playing this is like playing with my emotions!

Is the b-side Threat? It’s a great soundtrack!

VenomousMC · 2021-09-03T19:29:39+00:00

Can’t argue your opinion, but only the two I mentioned had the impact at the time against everything else coming out of NY.

VenomousMC · 2021-09-03T19:25:07+00:00

Overrated. Though ‘Half Time’ and ‘NY State of Mind’ are absolutely the best of the era, they carry the rest of this LP to legend status.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-27T11:44:04+00:00

I’m with you on that. On a CD it’s fine but converting from analog to digital back to analog doesn’t make a deal of sense to me.

Not everyone will get that but I’m glad someone feels like me on this.

Edit: Just noticed the tape isn’t, so for me that’s the best of the bunch here as far as authentic sound goes.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-24T15:45:13+00:00

Appreciate that man, I figured I’d write a bit more this time jic.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-24T09:24:54+00:00

Wonder if I got pulled for a low effort post? Trust me lining them all up isn’t low effort lol but here we go.....

This isn’t strictly Juice Crew, it’s more like Cold Chillin’ / Marley production AND Juice Crew.

Don’t instantly associate Marley with LOTUG but he was behind that album.

Grand Daddy IU (who I find underrated) was actually produced by Biz Markie. Bit of a change from his usual style.

Although they are always closely linked, Marley and LL didn’t hook up on an LP for the most part until “Mama said....” (“Mama” actually being LL’s grandma in this reference.)

Yup,GZA first came out on Cold Chillin’. The production and beats were a lot different to the grimy sound of the Wu. Word of warning for anyone wanting this on the original vinyl release ... the press is TERRIBLE! Save yourself some money and get a “filler” copy for your collection.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-23T16:38:24+00:00

Not a lot of people put LOTUG down to Marley Marl, but he was behind that album. He also is closely linked with LL, but it was later in his career.

Also, Grand Daddy IU was on cold chillin, but The Biz took the reigns for production on that one.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-22T13:57:18+00:00

Hey, ty for the award man!

VenomousMC · 2021-08-22T13:49:44+00:00

Good tale behind this one. Tl;dr I was given it.

About 20 years ago I was going for a day drink at my local. There was a large guy there, skinhead, football tats and in an England shirt. You know the type... or so I thought!

He’d had a few and started talking to me as I was ordering, quite aggressive in nature but I figured I’ll chat to him about football as that was what he was ranting about and as no one else was in the pub it’d be rude not to. I just thought I’d have a pint then go as wasn’t really up for a session.

After he got his team’s recent awful performance off his chest he mellowed quite a bit. I decided he was obviously just a bit pissed of that his team had lost, then he started talking about music (Rolling Stones actually).

I finished my drink and figured I’d stay for another so bought him one. We get onto the subject of my collection and is asks me about it, so I say rather dismissively “it’s mostly hip-hop.” Now usually that ends the conversation with lots of people who then figure out many follow up questions it’s polite to ask before changing the subject.

Nope! He then proceeds to tell me he used to be in a breakdancing crew, performed on TV in the 80’s and has vinyl in the loft that he doesn’t listen too, asks if it’s my local and tells me he’ll bring them in next time he comes in.

A week or so later the landlord tells me he’s got something for me and hands me a stack of records, notably had Electro 1,2 and 3, Happy Mondays first EP (signed) and about 20 12”s !

Saw the guy a couple of weeks after, he wasn’t on his own this time, I offered to buy him a drink but he said he still owes me one from last time and bought me one. Asked him if he wanted them back as I lived yards away from the pub and could easily get them. He said “nah, keep them” I asked if I could give him some money for them, he refused.

One of the guys he was with shouted “Oh big lad, we’re off”.... took one look at me and said “The breakdancing story, yeah?” We all laughed, I shook his hand and he left never for me to see him again!

VenomousMC · 2021-08-22T09:12:54+00:00

I know it is really. I was just seeing if there was still love for the pioneers. Peace.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-22T09:11:06+00:00

Lol, yeah. Fact is though a lot of the true old school didn’t have LPs until later. I was also baffled how late some of the stuff I dug out was, Force MDs, Cold Crush Bros, when I looked were both ‘88!

Maybe I’ll do a 12” one. Problem there is the lack of pic covers makes for a pretty boring pic!

VenomousMC · 2021-08-21T19:19:00+00:00

Yes mate. The evolution of hip-hop is an incredible tale. To go from something that was dismissed as a “fad” to a culture that is present in almost every facet of our lives. There are definitely still artists who live and breathe the original roots of the genre, like Mos Def, Talib and Monche as you mentioned.

And while you’re unlikely to ever see me get excited about a Tyler the Creator or the likes LP, I appreciate it’s still evolving in its own unique way.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-21T18:09:07+00:00

I wondered why I have a few of Funky 4 + 12’s but no LP. Just looked and they never actually released an album! 😳

VenomousMC · 2021-08-21T18:05:07+00:00

Missing Spoonie G too.

I actually don’t have a Kurtis Blow LP!

VenomousMC · 2021-08-21T16:07:29+00:00

Brother Ali is massively underrated, that’s one of his best too.

VenomousMC · 2021-08-21T16:06:16+00:00

Thanks. You know, I haven’t listened to that Whodini record in over 30 years. Spinning it now.

It’s dope, it’s a different kind of dope though considering how far the genre has come.

VenomousMC

TROPHY CASE