Olas un Bekons

Digital Cratediggin' With OuB [Day 12]

Added 2020-11-29 18:32:54 +0000 UTC

What's up eggedz, it's me again... Back with another installment of random digital cratediggin' nuggets. This time you get more UK hip-hop and a bit of compilations, West Coast hip-hop, Old school hip-hop, and the usual East Coast material is predominantly present as always... So here are my 3 nominations of today:

1) Named after Joseph Heller's 1950's satirical novel, the first nomination are British avant garde rap group KATCH 22. If you are into 90's UK hip-hop, there's a solid chance you have heard about them. This is my most favourite UK rap band of all time. Their albums are iconic and filled with great beats and rhythms appropriated from a variety of sources like jazz, dub and ska. Emceeing also is top notch and filled with conscious topics and issues that stand relevant still today. All 3 their albums have that great Afro-centric vibe and has educated people since early 90's. They also were very active within Kold Sweat label for other labels, producing many of those green-labeled records. After 90's, 3 albums, several singles and production work, group's leader HKB Finn has remained active as an artist. He has released multiple albums which continue to spread the message. If you don't know Katch 22, you should!

2) Though not as well-known as other artists from the West Coast hip-hop underground, Click Tha Supah Latin is definitely as talented and it comes. He got his start into rap games as an area deejay; from there, he branched out into production (for Tha Mexakinz and Delinquent Habits) and developed his own skills as a bilingual emcee. Later he self-produced his 1997 debut album, This Iz How I Know, and later dropped his 2nd album - 'Square Won' in 2001. Both albums have had a good underground audience reception, but are rarely known outside. I think you should check them out if you don't know 'em. Start with THIS one.

3) If an album pays homage to John Coltrane's Blue Train LP, it should be good. And good J-Live's 'All Of The Above' IS. He's another example of how intelligent and great underground rapper might not get good mainstream sales. It is listed that his 2nd album sold mere 30k copies. I am happy I bought one of them. Upon listening any of J-Live's albums you have straight evidence why he was teaching language for school kids before his rap career. If you despise dull raps that are on pop charts or want at least to take a break and dive into something deeper, here's your chance,

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Other mentions are East Coast content such as A.D.O.R. albums + single, Dysfunkshunal Familee recent drops, Slick Rick best hits, Davy D & DJ Hurricane LP (one of first albums on Def Jam), 2 Too Many album, and Lil' Kim's unofficial 12'' with improperly titled song titles (LOL).

For West Coast diggers I got Atbann Klann reissue of previously shelved material (I you wonder what's those cats, they later hit pop charts as Black Eyed Peas. This comp is when they were actually hip-hop). Another West coast record in this batch is CD single of posthumously released 2Pac super-hit 'Changes' first released on 1998 Greatest Hits comp.

Also I added one for G rap fans - A.M. Dre' - Get Right (from Louisiana) is one of those solid G female rap albums you might like.

Old school is in the house as well. First one I selected was west coast pioneer sound record from 1984 - Olympic Rap as a tribute record to LA Olympic games happening the same year. Not the best rap / electro West coast produced that year, but it's a good memory for those who were there. -- Other entries are Dr. Freshhh 12'' and UK's electro project 'Construction Crew' with their only record from 1988 I found accidentally when on physical cratediggin' escapades.

There are few solid compilations (mostly 80's old school) aswell.

Gallery and preview tracks are there as always. Full ones might be found below -