I'm probably going out on a bit of limb with this one as to how interested people may be, but if you're into labels like Kold Sweat, Vinyl Solution or British groups like Guttersnypes, this one might float your boat. Around '91-'92 I used to hang with a guy named Sear who was, if I recall correctly, briefly involved with Guttersnypes. This track, which I think stands up to the standard of some of the better Kold Sweat releases is one of four tracks which appeared on a demo for a group called 'Beyond A Shadow' which I understand Sear produced (or at least performed the cuts). Hissy sound quality again I'm afraid but well worth checking in my opinion. If this did ever get released or I've got my info wrong then please feel free to get in touch via the contact page.
Click here to download
For the benefit of those outside the UK (and perhaps even those outside London), throughout the early nineties, Max LX and Dave VJ hosted a weeknight rap show on London's once credible Kiss FM. The guest mix DJ on a hefty proportion of those shows was DJ Pogo, a member of one time UK DMC team champions the En4cers, man behind the boards on UK remixes of tracks by the likes of House of Pain and tour DJ for respected jazz saxophonist Courtney Pine. This 15 minute mix from March 1993 features hits of the day alongside lost gems including Heather B's 'I Get Wreck'.
Click here to download
The UMCs were one of those groups that pretty much typified that strain of early 90s hip hop that brought fame to the likes of Souls of Mischief, The Pharcyde etc. Despite their relatively brief period in the limelight, certain tracks from their catalogue (most obviously 'One To Grow On') have stood the test of time. Posted here is a freestyle they performed on Stretch and Bobbito's show on WKCR New York in 1993. Despite the trademark uptempo bounce to the instrumental, this is a surprisingly hardcore sound for them compared to the material for which they are best known.
Click here to download
Periodically throughout the late 80s and early 90s, Marley Marl's legendary 'In Control' radio show on New York's WBLS teamed up with Tim Westwood's 'Capital Rap Show' on London's Capital FM to broadcast a series of 'Rap Exchange' shows. These shows really had two highlights, Marley's banter and Marley's mix segment. Posted here is a 10 minute extract from one such mix from around 1989 where Marley cuts up Soul II Soul's 'Back 2 Life' with Danny Krivit's 'Feelin James'. I can only apologise for the quality of the recording. Let's just say that as a twelve year old kid, high fidelity audio equipment wasn't within the pocket money budget.
Click here to download
Your opinion of Tim Westwood is equally likely to depend on your age as it is on your musical taste. If you're under 25, then you'd be forgiven for thinking he's just some guy at Radio 1who plays whatever promos arrived in the post from Def Jam South this week and who does a little moonlighting on MTV. If you're 30 or over you will know that, in the late 80s and early 90s, Westwood was amongst the most influential and credible DJs in the UK and probably the only UK DJ to play 'proper' hip hop on Radio outisde of the priate stations. His Capital FM show covered a spectrum of sounds from the most underground elements of hip hop to dancehall and the proto-RnB sound of new jack swing. This early nineties Dancehall exclusive on a certain well known Riddim features stars of the day Super Cat and General Levy amongst others. Again, apologies for the sound quality.
Click here to download