Jesse Boykins III - 'Prototype' x Andre 3000 Cover

When Outkast released 'Speakerboxxx'/'The Love Below' in 2003 it was 'Hey Ya' that was shaking the dancefloor.

While that was happening though I was making love to 'Prototype', one of my top tracks of the decade.

Jesse Boykins III has taken himself to task by covering the future (already?) classic jam and has done a pretty fine job on it too.

He manages to pay homage to the original while putting his own twist on the jam with a nice verse from Melo-X to finish off.

As it is the season for giving, please enjoy by hitting the link HERE.

Monday Five - 20th December, 2010

This time round i'll dig up the pressies for ya'.

You know; Christmas spirit and all that jazz...

One. Keni Burke - 'Risin' To To The Top'

Two. LL Cool J - 'Around the Way Girl'

Three. Letherette - 'Furth & Myre'

Four. Chris Prolific feat. Illa-J - 'Voyage'

Five. Central Line - 'Walking Into Sunshine'

Summertime Rolls 2, January 3rd 2011

The flyer pretty much sums it up but I gotta' say I'm excited about the return of Summertime Rolls.

The first event on the same date in 2009 was killer! Open Souls headlined with a DJ line-up of some of my favourite DJ's; Cian, Dylan C., Manuel Bundy & Submariner.

So, we're putting the party on again with NZ's next big thing Electric Wire Hustle headlining plus support from good friends Kolab & Mikey Rockwell, Chef D. and the return of badman DJ's Manuel Bundy and Dylan C.

I might even spin some cassettes!

Tickets are pretty limited and last time the event sold out, so get into Conch Records in Ponsonby, Bloom Saloon in Matakana and the venue itself, The Leigh Sawmill Cafe.

Here's a taste of the action...

For the Record...

...I have been out of action on the blog front cos' i've just been too damn busy!

But, we will return sporadically, kicking off with this great image.

Monday Five - December 6th, 2010

It's an all hip-hop affair this week.

Here come the hot-steppers...

One. Dead Prez - 'Mind Sex'

Two. RZA - 'Good Night'

Three. Dela - 'Music Is My Sanctuary' (Remix)

Four. Madvillain - 'Raid'

Five. Nas - 'Foul Breeze'

...and, some bonus Lord Finesse w/ Big L. footage just cos' they the man! CLASSIC footage from the early 90's on 'Yo! MTV Raps'.

Monday Five - 29th November, 2010

It's a magic sprinkles number 5 today.

Got our gig with Japan's legendary turntablist DJ Krush this Saturday, so it's also a DJ Krush top 5; in no particular order and by no means definitve. 

That would just be too damn hard for a Monday!

One. DJ Krush - Song 1

Two. Pete Rock feat. CL Smooth - 'Only the Strong Survive' (DJ Krush Remix)

Three. DJ Krush - 'Big City Lover' 

Four. DJ Krush - 'Duality'

Five. Method Man - 'Break Ups to Make Ups' (DJ Krush Remix)

And while we're at it, here's some dope footage of the man doing his thing live last year in the Czech Republic.

Monday Five - 22nd November, 2010

One. Homeboy Sandman - 'Mean Mug'

Two. Freda Payne - 'The Road We Didn't Take'

Three. The Sylvers - 'That's What Love Is Made Of'

Four. Afta-1 - 'Tuesday'

Five. Aime Can - 'Satisfied'

Plus, bonus cut from Rickie Lee Jones!

DJ Krush in Auckland City

Definitely excited 'bout this one!

True DJ legend, Japan's DJ Krush hits our fair shores once more to blow minds and melt faces with his distinctive and formidable skills and sound.

Saturday 4th December with my boys Dylan C., Scratch 22 and myself in support.

To tie us over for now, here are some of my favourite Krush jams from the years...

Black Thought droppin' science. From 'Zen'...

DJ Krush on the remix, darkening things down...

From Milight...

The classic reinterpreted...

W/ Esthero...

Sample & Flip #6

When you flip a sample as a producer, sometimes it may have been used by another before you.

In these situations it pays big time to either flip and chop it in a completely different way, or get your #1 idol to remix your track with said sample.

It goes without saying that DJ Cam is clearly heavily influenced by one of the greatest; DJ Premier. 

On his killer LP 'Soulshine' he had Primo remix his track 'Voodoo Child' which featured Afu Ra on raps.

Next up, from their '8 Diagrams' LP and produced by RZA, Wu Tang Clan's 'Life Changes' is a track that they created as a dedication to Russell Jones aka Ol' Dirty Bastard.

Here's the Clan performing it live at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in '07 with Method Man doing the kick-off verse.

And thirdly, here is my favourite use of the sample. The now legendary Madlib uses his chopping skills to lace Percee P's 'The Woman Behind Me' remix.

Lovely!

So where does that sweet sample come from that provides the back-drop for these three killer hip-hop productions?

Why it's Freda Payne on her classic 'The Road We Didn't Take' from her 1971 LP 'Contact'.

Mean as.

Monday Five - 8th November, 2010

One. Snoop Doggy Dogg feat. The Dramatics - 'Doggy Dogg World'

Two. Count Bass D & DJ Pocket feat. H20 - '...Guess This'

Three. La Melodia - 'Working On It'

Four. Solid Groove - 'Throwing Stones'

Five. Lazy Jones - 'Africaine'

Haz' Beats - 'The Good Country Beat Tape'

Here's some fresh-as beat material from our man Haz' of Home Brew Crew.

Man makes the beats for MC Tom Scott to spit over on the Home Brew material, some of the nicest hip-hop shit to come outta' New Zealand in a while.

One of the big reasons for their rapid come-up and super-solid fan-base is down to the fact their tunes are so easy to relate to; no bullshit.

Well, Haz' been takin' a bit of flack lately from toys that should prove themselves, pay dues, or really just shut the fuck up. Simple.

The classiest way to retaliate is just to do what you do best and better, tell them you're gonna do it.

Introducing 'The Good Country Beat Tape', inspired by Home Brew's recent NZ tour, and haterz.

Enjoy.

Electric Wire Hustle Interview

Electric Wire Hustle have just returned form their first U.S. tour, and by all accounts it was a big success.

Check out an interview below with the lads courtesy of The Mint Collective in L.A.

Electric Wire Hustle Interview from The Mint Collective on Vimeo.