Jake's Semi-Obscure DJ Premier Productions Compilation

DJ Premier is the total package, the Michael Jordan of East Coast production. Sure, Pete Rock's always had the best horns, RZA's got the dark and cinematic shit on lock and Prince Paul is the undisputed god of innovative sample layering.But as far as crafting a beat for the explicit purpose of providing a complimentary backdrop for an MC to showcase their talents over, Premier is second to none. There's a reason rappers save their best street verses for their Premier track, it's because everyone sounds their best over a Premier beat. If you rap, and you can't tear up a Premier beat, you need to get another hobby.
The main gripe people have about Premier is that his production formula is so rigid. This claim isn't inaccurate, if you drew up a structural outline of every Premier track, 95% of them would be borderline identical: A brief instrumental sample intro for live DJ's to cut up as they see fit, followed by a straightforward, punch-you-in-the-face drum kit under a sample that rises and falls in about the time it takes for a rapper to get a punchline across, with a deftly scratched chorus of perfectly on-beat vocal samples, usually relevant in content to the song's topic. This uniformity is in stark contrast to more avant-garde producers like Madlib and the late J Dilla who rarely tread the same musical terrain twice. Though more creatively experimental, Madlib and Dilla just don't have the quantity of cookie cutter, beat-and-rhyme-marriage street bangers that Premier's catalogue boasts. Premier's formula works, plain and simple. By never deviating from his initial strategy, Premier has maintained a consistency of quality that remains mostly unrivaled by his peers.

This compilation is simply a collection of Premier tracks that I liked. I tried to omit the obvious stuff (Gang Starr albums and classics everyone already has: Come Clean, New York State of Mind, Unbelievable etc.) in favor of songs that don't get the shine they deserve. Enjoy.

Afu-Ra———Lyrical Monster

All City——— The Actual

AZ ——— The Come Up (Produced by DJ Premier)

Bahamadia——— Rugged Ruff

Big Daddy Kane——— Just Rhymin' With Kane feat Just Ice

Big L——— 139 (feat Tony Touch)

Big Shug——— On the Record

Biz Markie——— And I Rock

Blaq Poet——— we gonna ill <<<<<------------Click to listen on youtube

Boot Camp Clik——— Take It Personal Freestyle (Sean Price, Steele, Buckshot)

Brand Nubian——— The Return

Cee-lo——— Evening News <---------Click to Listen on Youtube

Cormega——— Make It Clear

D.I.T.C.——— Time to Get This Money (Edit: this beat was Produced by Ahmed; Premier on the scratches)

D'Angelo——— Devil's Pie

D'Angelo ft. AZ ———You're My Lady (DJ Premier remix)

Devin The Dude——— Doobie Ashtray

Dilated Peoples——— Clock Work

Gang Starr——— The Piece Maker

Ghostface Killah——— Return Of Theodore Unit Ft Wigs and Trife Da God

House of Repz——— U Gotta Love Us (Street)

J Rock——— The Real One (Co-produced by DJ Premier & J Rock)

J Rock——— Neighborhood Drug Dealer Remix

J-Live——— The Best Part

Just-Ice——— History <-----------Click to listen on Youtube

Just-Ice——— Gangstas Dont Cry

Keith Murray ———My Style Is Incredible

KRS-ONE ——— Wannabemceez

Leaders Of The New School——— Freestyle with Kurious Jorge

Little Vic——— The Exorcist

Ludacris——— MVP

M.O.P.——— Downtown Swinga 96

Mark Ronson——— Just (Feat. Blaq Poet) (DJ Premier Remix)

Nas ———Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park) (DJ Premier Demo Mix)

Non Phixion——— Rock Stars

Pitch Black——— It's All Real

Pitch Black——— Rep Tha Hardest[Prod. By DJ Premier]

Ras Kass——— Goldyn Chyld

Reef The Lost Cauze——— Livin Proof Freestyle

Reks——— Say Goodnight

Royce Da 5'9" ——— Hit Em!

Royce Da 5'9"——— Royce Is Like

Sean Price——— Megasean

Shyheim——— On and On [Premier Remix]

Smooth B——— Game Over

Snoop Dogg——— The One And Only

The X-Ecutioners——— Premier's X-Ecution

Xzibit——— What A Mess <-------------click to listen on youtube

Zeebra ———Untouchable

Download (two parts):

http://rapidshare.com/files/431358628/Archive.zip

http://rapidshare.com/files/431361958/Archive2.zip

Edit: there were a couple mistakes I made in the haste to make this compilation, Time to Get This Money, and the 50 song aren't Premier beats, he just scratched the chorus and the Choclair song was just on one of his mixtapes. Oh well, enjoy the rest of them.

Vinyl Reanimators Remix Compilation

I zipped up all my favorite Vinyl Reanimators remixes into a single collection. Very cool mid-90s sample-based production. The verses themselves are almost all mid-to-late 90s new york favorites, so you'll probably recognize at least a few of them. The cool thing about these tracks is how divergent they are from the originals.

The original Rakim song had a beat that had all the boisterous pizazz and overwrought drama of a DMX song and as a consequence, Rakim's laid-back, jazzy flow always sounded out-of-place and forced on the track. This was a shame because the verses were among the best he'd written since going solo. But The Vinyl Reanimators fixed him up with a smooth beat that matches his flow much more convincingly than the original ever did.

The Fast Life remix is another example of Vinyl Reanimators upgrading a formerly corny song that happened to have quality verses, though I still prefer the Salaam Remi remix overall.

The Jeru track might actually be my favorite. The drum pattern is radically different from the original, it actually sounds like more of Jeru's stressed syllables land on drum hits than they do on the original. They use the same spaced-out sample as Pete Rock's Raekwon/Masta Killa track from 2008 to great effect, they also incorporate a sound effect at the end of every bar in the first verse that almost sounds like a faulty engine trying to turn over. This, coupled with the erratic drum pattern, gives the remix a chaotic and urgent feel that is in stark contrast to the smooth and relaxed mood of Premier's original beat.

These are imaginative, inventive remixes that any fan of 90s new york shit should check out.

Artifacts Art of Facts (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

AZ Doe or Die Vinyl Reanimators Remix

Brand Nubian Keep Bubblin' (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

Brothas under Madness aka BUMS Take A Look Around (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

De La Soul f. Common The Bizness (1996 Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

Ghostfaced Killah Daytona 500 (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

Group Therapy East Coast-West Coast Killas Vinyl Reanimators Remix

Jeru the Damaja Ya Playin' Yaself (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

Jungle Brothers How ya want it Vinyl Reanimators Remix

Kool G Rap Fast Life (Vinyl Reanimators remix)

KRS One Step into a World (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

L The Head Toucha Too Complex

Mic Geronimo Unstoppable Vinyl Reanimators Remix 1997

Mobb Deep Drop A Gem On Em (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

Nas Affirmative Action Vinyl Reanimators Remix 1997

Nas Feat. R. Kelly Nas Will Rock [Street Dreams (Remix) (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)]

O.C. Born to Live Vinyl Reanimators Remix

Rakim Guess who's back (Vinyl Reanimators Remix #1)

Rakim Guess who's back (Vinyls Reanimators Remix #2)

Redman Whateva Man Vinyl Reanimators Remix

Tha Alkaholiks Hip Hop Drunkies (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

A Tribe called Quest Stressed out (Vinyl Reanimators Remix)

Get It

The Best NaS Remixes In My iTunes Library

If you like NaS at all, you should probably download this. These are the best remixes/blends of NaS songs that I've found over the years. Beats by DJ Premier, J Dilla, RZA, Dr. Dre, Q-Tip, Pete Rock, Havoc, The 45 King, RJD2, Large Professor, MF DOOM, DangerMouse, Kanye, 9th Wonder and even Al Green are all featured here. If you especially appreciate a certain song in the compilation, let me know and I will send you a link to the album/mixtape it came from.


✓ Affirmative Action Vinyl Reanimators Remix 1997
✓ Blaze Another Fifty (L.O.P. Remix)
✓ Book Of Rhymes (Blend)
-Uses the 10 Crack Commandments Beat
✓ Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been DJ Premier Remix)
✓ Come Get Me
-Same MF Doom beat from 9 Milli Bros off of Fishscale
✓ F.E.D.S. II
-A Street's Disciple verse over Still Tippin, surprisingly great.
✓ Fast Life Feat Nas (Norfside Remix)
✓ Fast Life feat. Kool G. Rap (Supa Star)
✓ Freestyle Paper Planes
-M.I.A. + NaS
✓ Halftime (Butcher remix)
-A subtle, grimey remix by Arsenal
✓ I Can...(Large Pro blend)
✓ I Make It Like That Part II
-Uses Ambitonz as a Ridah (Tupac)
✓ It Ain't Hard To Tell (Dilla Blend)
-Uses Starz from Jaylib's Champion Sound
✓ It Ain't Hard To Tell (Large Professor Remix)
-A classic
✓ It Ain't Hard To Tell [Dangermouse Nas Is Like Blend]
✓ It Ain't Hard To Tell Remix
✓ It Aint Hard To Tell
-Uses RJD2-Produced Saliva off of MF Doom's Operation Doomsday
✓ It Aint Hard To Tell (Danger Mouse Remix)
✓ It's Mine feat. Mobb Deep & J
✓ Just To Get A Thief
-Uses Gangstarr's Just To Get A Rep with Thief's Theme
✓ Last Day Feat. Nas (March 9 Remix)
-Uses RZA's Criminology beat off Only Built
✓ Last Real Nigga Alive (9th Wonder Mix)
✓ The Last Real Nigga Alive (Blend)
-Uses KRS ONE's MC's Act Like They Don't Know
✓ Life's a Bitch (Delay Remix)
✓ Life's a Bitch (Start From Scratch Mix)
-Uses The Game's Start From Scratch
✓ Made You Look (Apache Remix)
✓ Made You Look (J. Period Remix)
-Uses Shook Ones
✓ Made You Look (Large Pro blend)
✓ Made You Look / Love And Happiness (Ft. Jadakiss and Ludacris)
-AL GREEN!
✓ Memory Lane Remix Demo DJ Premier
✓ Nas Will Rock Pete Rock Mix
✓ New York (Heart of the City)
-Uses the Kanye beat from the Jay-Z song
✓ NY State of Mind 2 45 King remix
-Sweet blend by Vaporized using the beat that was the first draft of Eminem's Stan
✓ One Love (Original Q-Tip Mix)
✓ Represent Remix Demo DJ Premier
✓ Rewind (Mind Playing Tricks)
-Uses the Geto Boys beat
✓ Salute Me (Blend)
-Uses Gang Starr's Above The Clouds
✓ Silent Murder
-Not a remix but a dope track cut from his second album
✓ Stillmatic Intro (Remix)
✓ Street Dreams
-MF DOOM blend
✓ Take it in blood alt verse
✓ Thief's Theme
-Uses The Red from Jaylib's Champion Sound
✓ The World Is Yours (Juicy Beat) (Stackhouse Recordings Mix)
-Brief blend using Biggie's Juicy
✓ The World Is Yours (Large Pro blend)
-Very low-key, very cool
✓ The World Is Yours (Tip Remix)
-Q-Tip
✓ 95 Ferenheit

Download

EDIT:

I left this one off like a damn fool. But everyone should hear it anyway.

Kool Keith - Black Elvis/Lost In Space (1999)

"Every morning I wake up, lookin in the mirror
I am, the original Black Elvis
That's right. When you see me, with my wig to the side,
wearin my short leather jacket,
Marilyn Monroe on my back,
I'm livin that life,
I'm for real with this."

Kool Keith has been making fun of hip hop for more than 20 years now. Never taking himself or hip hop seriously, he has nevertheless proven himself time and time again to be one of the most gifted and unique rappers to ever pick up a microphone. Kool Keith's rapping style is one of the only in the history hip hop to never be successfully jacked by anyone. He often raps off-beat, forming his own metronome which is somehow still complimentary to the drum pattern he's rapping over. His rhyme-schemes vary abruptly and erratically but somehow manage to never sound awkward. In short: Kool Keith has the most dynamic flow of any rapper alive (I specify alive only because the Ol' Dirty Bastard might still hold the title overall).

Though Keith is incredibly prolific, his output is notoriously uneven. The downfall of Keith's many bad albums usually hinges on one fact: Keith has a terrible ear for beats. And while an amazing beat can save a lame verse (see: Group Home - Supa Star), an awful beat always makes a rap song unlistenable. And since Keith is too cheap to pay for beats and is no brilliant producer himself, well, there are a LOT of bad Kool Keith songs.

But on Black Elvis Lost in Space, Kool Keith got it mostly right. The beats are sparse and minimalist and don't distract from Keith's esoteric hilarity: synthesized bass samples with some spaced out sound effects over straightforward 808 drum programming by Motion Man. They're not great beats, don't get me wrong, but they do the trick.

Black Elvis/Lost in Space is actually two albums. The first half is Keith Turbo in space and the second half is Black Elvis on earth. But they’re both just different characters that Keith uses to do what he does best: calling out bullshit rappers for their unoriginality (“Youse a first year rookie, duplicatin Method Man”) as well as mocking their lack of funds (“Livin with roommates, you camp out, with paper plates/Broke Panasonic speakers missin, playin Puff and Mase”) and bragging about things that no one but Keith would think to brag about. On one song he takes over a record label and revels in being a millionaire CEO:
“Me and Al Sharpton was talkin about real estate in Compton
With a loan from General Mills
I would start a new NBA team in Baldwin Hills
The Baldwin Hills Spacemen
Lime green uniforms with a orange basketball logo
coach the group solo, that's right, dolo.”

Keith’s adlibs are damn funny too. On The Girls Don’t Like The Job, he gives his secretary some pretty hilarious instructions at the end of his verse: “I want you to fax yourself to China OK? Do this now.” He starts every song with tongue-in-cheek hip-hop cliché’s like “YEAH, FOR THE 2000, WORD UP! NEW YORK! ALL THE WAY LIVE! YouknowhatI'msayin?” You can’t help but smile because of how seriously the people he’s mocking take themselves.

Some people are put-off by this album because of how stupid and nonsensical the choruses are (I see maxi curls! Yeah! Players, activator/I see maxi curls! Yeah! Remote control alligators [and repeat]) but this too is intentional, he wants to show us just how silly rap really is.

This is a hilarious album and one that showcases the skills of one of the most talented rappers of all time, but it’s not for everyone. If you want an album to put on at a party, look elsewhere. If you only have a passing interest in lyrics and are more attuned to beats, look elsewhere. But if you want to put on your headphones and listen to a jester virtuoso poke fun at the absurdity of rapper egos, this is your album. "I'm doin it well! I'm doin it swell!"

Whether or not you cop the album though, everyone should check out the video below. Funny as hell.

Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. Lost In Space
3. Rockets on the Battlefield
4. Livin Astro
5. Supergalactic Lover
6. Master of the Game
7. I'm Seein Robots
8. Static
9. Intro 2
10. Black Elvis
11. Maxi Curls
12. Keith Turbo
13. Fine Girls
14. The Girls Don't Like The Job
15. Clifton
16. All The Time
17. I Don't Play
Download
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