Jay-Z - Live at Glastonbury 2008

You should download this just for the opening, if nothing else. Famously mocked by Noel Gallagher of Oasis for not being able to headline a rock festival, Jay decided to open with Oasis' biggest hit Wonderwall. After that, he runs through a set including Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Izzo, I Just Wanna Love Ya, Show Me What Ya Got, and covers such as Rhianna's Umbrella, Prodigy's Smack My Bitch Up, and a bunch of other hits.


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Masta Ace - Sittin' on Chrome (J Dilla Remix)

Another unreleased Dilla remix that I happen to think is better than the original. The OG Sittin' On Chrome beat gives it a more East Coast gangsta feel, whereas this one paints it as a '94 classic, driving hip hop track (but somehow not taking a thing away from the vocal or the Eazy-E sample). This is more an example of Dilla's blunted style...and it's real nice.


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Busta Rhymes - Woo Ha (Got You All In Check) (J Dilla Remix)

It's not much of a secret that one of the producers Busta LOVED working with was the late, great Jay Dee AKA J. Dilla. A lot of people love the more laid back, blunted Dilla beats (a la his work with Common, The Pharcyde, his famous beat tapes, etc.) but I dig the hell out of the more piano, classic style beats. This is the latter. Check it out.


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Michael Jackson - Remember the Time (Teddy Riley Remix)

While I'm on my New Jack Swing kick...check out the Teddy Riley mix of Remember the Time. It's pretty similar to the original, but with more New Jack signature drums.


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Bobby Brown - On Our Own

From the Ghostbusters 2 soundtrack and the beloved New Jack Swing era. I don't care how dated it sounds now...this shit knocks.


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Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick - The Show (Original Version)

There's not a WHOLE lot of difference between this and the popular version...but it's longer, with a bit more Rick. It's more or less an extended version with a nice mix out point at the end.


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Mos Def - Brooklyn (Original Version)

One of the few "original" versions of a song I like more than the one that made the album. I also really, really miss Mos Def making music like this. This version is way different than the Brooklyn that made Black On Both Sides, and in my opinion...it's better. And that's saying something, cause I really like the one on the album.


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Kanye West - Home (ft. John Legend)

I believe this was around the College Dropout sessions and it wouldn't resurface later until Graduation, where it was renamed Homecoming, John Legend was replaced by Chris Martin, and the beat was changed. I like the refined, newer version better...but I love the hell out of this one.


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Pharrell - Like I Love You (Demo ft. Clipse)

This was the Neptunes demo of the Justin Timberlake song with Pharrell singing the lead. While Pharrell doesn't exactly have the best voice in the world...it's still interesting to hear the original sketch of the song.


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Daft Punk - Louis Vuitton 2008 Mix

Daft Punk did this mix for the Spring 2008 Louis Vuitton runway show. It's a bit similar to what they did in their live show, but is different enough to still be really interesting. It's great gym music. Peep it.


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The Roots - Please Don't Go (Demo)

I'm not sure that this will ever be released...but I really want to see a full album like this. Anyone who's ever seen The Roots live knows Black Thought can sing (you should really hear their rendition of Bobby Womack's I Can Understand It they were closing shows with last year), and this demo is just a laid back, fun track from The Legendary. Hopefully we'll see a mastered version in the future. Till then...enjoy.


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James Brown - Live in Washington D.C. (2005)

Sure, the late, great James Brown was past his peak at this point. But an old James Brown is worlds better than 99% of performers. This recording is from NPR, and as such, has great sound quality. It's 95 minutes of James Brown and one of the world's best bands. I don't really think I need to say much more.


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DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist - The Lessons Live (2000)

At the peak of "turntablism" (wow, do I ever hate that word), there was a conference in San Francisco called Skratchcon. The afterparty for this event was amazing...and included DJ Radar, the Scratch Perverts, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, J-Rocc, and the final performance of the Invisibl Skrach Piklz. I was lucky enough to be at both events, and was able to witness Shadow and Cut Chemist recreate Double D and Steinski's "Lessons" live (along with Cut Chemist's own Lesson 6, found on Jurassic 5's first EP release). Steinski even came out to assist. I don't think I truly know what I was witnessing then, and it took about a year for me to fully digest it (along with a viewing of the Skratchcon video that was released). Here it is in 2 parts.


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Time Lapse Consortium - Live At The Roxy (2003)

Fans of Incubus will recognize this as Mike Einziger (guitarist) and Jose Pasillas' (drums) first side project, right between the Morning View and A Crow Left of the Murder albums. Also included was the not-yet-then bassist Ben Kenney, who was then a part of The Roots. The group never released anything, but they recorded one of the two shows they ever played, and here it is. It's a throwback to the big band sound with a more modern flare. It's a fantastic listen that I had playing nonstop back in '03.


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A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario (Demo)

This is one I just came across today. Featuring Leaders of the New School and Chris Lighty, it's a great listen to what was to become a classic track. In some demos, you just hear an unmastered track with an unfinished beat or something. In others, you hear a sketch of a song, including different ideas than what ended up on the finalized version, and you get to hear how the finished product came to be. Thankfully, this one is the latter. Check out the reel to reel sound at the end. Enjoy.


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The Rub - History of Hip Hop (1990s)

These are nice. 3 hours a piece, tracks from their respective years. Direct links to The Rub's news page:

1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999

Q-Bert - Camel Bobsled Race

From Wikipedia: "A megamix of DJ Shadow's music. It contains seven live tracks in a continuous DJ mix by DJ Q-Bert of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz. It was released on vinyl and CD in 1997. North American copies of Preemptive Strike included the mix on a second bonus disc."


Tracks include Napalm Brain, Midnight in a Perfect World, Organ Donor, The Number Song, and others. Observant listeners will hear ideas Q-Bert had for Wave Twisters (1998) coming through all over this mix.


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Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Demo Version)

A completely different take on one of my favorite MJ tracks. I'll be uploading a ton of unreleased and rare Michael Jackson stuff sometime soon.


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T.I. - The King Outtakes (2006)

This is a whole album's worth (17 tracks) of material from T.I.'s King sessions. A couple of these tracks made the album, but the lion's share did not. All are release quality, and some should have definitely made the (excellent) album. My favorite track is #9: I Want You.


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Cody ChesnuTT - Live in Melbourne, Australia (2004)

Cody is such a great performer...it's just a shame the dude seems to have apprehension about putting out any new material. This is a great (albeit somewhat short) set from The Corner Hotel in Melbourne...including a GREAT sing along version of The Seed.

Tracks include: Child of God, Cadillac, Upstarts in a Blowout, The Seed, No One Will, Look Good In Leather, and Eric Burdon.


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Jay-Z - Live at the Chicago House of Blues (2007)

This is right around the release of American Gangster...and it's a great, 90 minute performance that was on Sirius Radio. It features some guest appearances; most noteworthy is Kanye West - who comes out to perform Can't Tell Me Nothin', The Good Life, and Roc Boys with Jay. Jay-Z runs through all the classics from all his albums. If you like Jay - you'll dig this.


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John Cooper Clarke - Evidently Chickentown

As seen in the film Control about Ian Curtis of Joy Division, I was first introduced to this track in The Sopranos in the episode "Stage 5" in Season 6B. It's honestly haunted me ever since.


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King Tech & DJ Sway - This Or That (1999)

I have fond, fond memories of this (nowadays) hard to find mixtape. It was the official mix CD of the Wake Up Show, the influential hip hop radio show based out of LA. Featuring exclusive tracks and freestyles by Eminem, Jurassic 5, KRS-One, and an amazing old school mix - this one was practically stuck in my 1989 Honda Accord CD player when I was in high school.


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Here's the track listing and artwork: HERE.

The Doors - Riders on the Storm (Blondie Rapture Remix)

Usually, these mash up tracks bother me. I really enjoy this one. As you can probably figure out, it's The Doors - Riders on the Storm mashed up with Blondie - Rapture. I heard it in Vegas in a bar, came home, Googled it, and downloaded it years ago.


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Shirley Ellis - The Clapping Song

I was first introduced to this song through Steinski's portion in the film Scratch. It's just such a great, soulful track. I love the drums, I love the breaks, and it's interesting to me that what once was probably a disposable pop track has now been dropped in classic sets by Steinski and Afrika Bambaataa.


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The Roots - Workinonit (J. Dilla Demo)

Here's a demo by the Legendary Roots Crew produced by the late J. Dilla. Need I say more?

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Mos Def - Poison

(Live Bel Biv Devoe Cover)


When Mos wants to be, he's a hell of a performer. Last year at the Highline Ballroom in New York City, Mos Def and a full band did an amazing cover of one of the best party songs ever written (okay...one of MY favorite party songs ever written). It's gotten repeated play on my iPod. The horns are ridiculous. Check it out.

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DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Yo Home To Bel Air

This is the extended version of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song that was included in the first couple episodes of the show. It's a full song rather than just the two verses.

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DJ Shadow - Funky Skunk

DJ Shadow - The Funky Skunk Mix (2005): Shadow did this extremely limited run (450 copies) mixtape and packed it with the Public Works project with Shepard Fairey (Obey). It pretty much covers it all - southern hip hop, breaks, old school funk, mainstream, underground, and everything in between. This is a fantastic mixtape that just didn't get it's due, mainly due to how little it was distributed. Click the picture to download.