Recently, Pabst Blue Ribbon commissioned yours truly (and a few other like-minded artists) to put together some funky PBR promo tracks. The result: Pabst Raps, a limited edition blue-colored vinyl 45 dropping this spring / summer. Here's the official "trailer" I put together, featuring one of my cuts, Rocketbelt. And yes, the footage is from an actual Pabst Blue Ribbon Ad from the 70s. They don't make 'em like they used to. Now, strap on a rocketbelt and check it out:
My main man Esoteric is back once again on May 18th with his latest offering, Fly Casualties. Brand new tracks, remixes, unreleased original versions of songs, and unclassifiable material previously tucked away in the Pterolab vaults will now see the light of day. Fly Casualties will no doubt tide over fans awaiting 1212, 7L & Esoteric's first full-length studio album as a duo since 2006's A New Dope.
01. HEROIC FUTURE
02. DACTYL RAP 1138
03. BLACK MANTA
04. WORST THINGS FIRST (ALT SEQ w/ EAST COAST AVENGERS)
05. 1989 (RAP VERSION)
06. DUSTMAN (w/ RANDOM aka MEGA RAN)
07. ZOD (70'S CARTOON EDIT & REMIX)
08. VINYL'S DEAD
09. POPCORN IN REVERE
10. LOOKS LIKE REIGN
11. MY SWORDZ (w/ PLANETARY)
12. PTERODACTYL SAX
13. BLEW MY MIND IN 2 PARTS
14. KNIFEGIRL (ESO'S UBER-DRAMATIC REMIX)
15. HOLD ON (OG VERSION)
16. REAL AMERICAN HEROES DEMORALIZED (w/ KING MAGNETIC)
17. PTEROLAB 1ST SLAUGHTER
18. SCALPER (w/ JAWN P OF TOP CHOICE CLIQUE)
19. DEATHWISH
20. YOU AIN'T HIP
21. WAXING ON DECEPTICON
22. TIME WITH MY GIRL (OG MODERN w/ K. FLAY)
23. WATCH THE PRO (RL-92 REMIX)
24. MAKIN' BEATS IN THE LAB WITH NUMAN
25. YOU AIN'T THE REEL ONE
‘At your request, I've released a small percentage of what was
sitting around the Pterolab for the past 5 years or so. Please
enjoy this arrangement of never before heard songs, stray vocal
takes, odd remixes, and a bunch of bass, hiss, and sludge...
you know, hip-hop.
Peace,
ES
Eso has been generous enough to let me preview a couple tracks off of Fly Casualties. Check 'em out, check 'em out, check 'em out, check 'em outtttt...
"Dustman" (w/ Random aka Mega Ran) *Preview*-
"Looks Like Reign" *Preview*-
CD release comes in a four-panel fold out wallet with liner notes from Eso (as previewed above), while the digital version will boast three exclusive non-CD cuts: Godzilla's Rope, North Shore Mall (Pre-Numan), and Thief In Japan. Choose your weapon!
I'm happy to announce that the coming months will see the release of two more Cold Chillin' deluxe reissues. First up, Roxanne Shante's Bad Sister, followed by MC Shan's sophomore release, Born To Be Wild. As always, each disc will include bonus audio, never-before-seen artwork, and more.
There's so many incredible tracks between these two expanded releases... I Pioneered This, Have A Nice Day, Juice Crew Law, Brothers Ain't Shit, Words of a Freestyle, both title tracks, Skeezer, Live On Stage, and the list goes on. I've had a great time talking with both Shante and MC Shan about their respective releases. Here's an excerpt from the Bad Sister liner notes:
Today, Shante recalls her time as a Cold Chillin’ artist with honesty and clarity. “Overall, my recording career with Cold Chillin’ was definitely a prerequisite for life in general. I was able to deal with so many different personalities. With the fellas who sometimes wrote lyrics for me, like Kane and Biz and Shan, I love the fact that we kept it very close-knit to the extent that they could actually write songs for me, and it would sound like something Shante would say. We actually came up with the phrase, ‘Now that sounds Shante-ish,’ meaning it was sassy enough, contained enough profanity, was quick-witted, and had a very fast delivery to match Shante’s personality. So with Bad Sister, I would say that I was very happy with the outcome of the album. Just the fact that I was able to sit back, hear it and say ‘Wow, I’m really feeling like that today.’ I would say the title track describes the type of life I wanted to have, or the type of life we felt the public thought I had. They thought I had this big bed and this bath that you step into with men washing you up. They didn’t know that I was still in the hood barely surviving, but it gave me a chance to mentally go to a whole different place and I think it even reflected what my Cold Chillin’ brothers wanted me to have. They would rhyme about all of these elaborate things and I’d be like, ‘*Pshh*, wouldn’t it be good if I had all that!’ I know that when Cold Chillin’ decided to band with Warner Brothers, we thought we were
going to get Bugs Bunny money. I was lucky if I got a carrot.”
And here's a clip of DJ Pete Rock having a little fun with the Juice Crew Law 12" on the In Control Show:
MC Shan- Juice Crew Law (12" Version) on In Control Show, 107.5 WBLS - April 29, 1989 -
Werner Von Wallenrod recently had a thorough post on Shan's Juice Crew Law 12". Hands down the 12" version is much heavier, from bass line to drums. You can bet it will be on the reissue.
Be sure to keep an eye out for both of these this summer! Speaking of summer, we just had a beautiful weekend up here in Boston. Pretty soon I'll be dressing like this dude:
Whatchu know about WAR? Most people write off Jeru's career post-Premier, but I don't feel like being negative right about now (then why am I on the internet? - that's a whole other 'nother discussion). Anyyyyways, Jeru dropped this 12" in 2003, and I always loved it. I used to check out the 'New Joints' section at www.artofrhyme.com, then head to Bull Moose and pick up vinyl of the tracks I liked. It was a pretty fool proof method. Now hip hop vinyl has seen much better days and www.artofrhyme.com is gone. This track is still just as dope to me as the first time I heard it, so it's time to shine some light on it. The stripped down beat (supplied by Edd Dontez) is excellent. Fuck it, I'm including the instrumental below. I'm a sucker for perfect one-bar loops.
I respect the inclusion of the gigantic Parental Advisory icon on the cover.
