“We searched high and wide, far and low, and we got all the butters here. This is the best of the independent that came out.” – Mr. Dave

“Haze Presents NY Reality Check 101” came along at an ideal time in my life. I was already a hip-hop writer, a college radio show host and a (really lousy) disc jockey who was married to the elements. There was no “I USED to Love H.E.R.” in my life — I had been smitten in my pre-teen years and that love only grew in my teens and 20’s. It was not an easy relationship though living in a very rural part of America. Without magazines like The Source, newsgroups like rec.music.hip-hop, and friendly record store managers (whattup Dean) who would place special orders for me, I’d have been ass out trying to keep up with the scene. “NY Reality Check 101” was one such order in December ’97. You weren’t going to find this album at Walmart.

It’s amazing how an album that was transformative and revelatory to me in the late 1990’s has vanished without a trace a little over 20 years later. You can find an entry here or there with artwork or a release date, but scant little discussion of how amazing this CD was. In a way having a college friend from Philadelphia (whattup Ron) prepared me well for its arrival. It was through him that I got my exposure to the mixtape scene, so I was already listening to compilations from Ron G, Kid Capri and DJ Premier, “P-P-P-Premier” of Gang Starr fame among others. The latter is the man behind the wheels here, and although it’s Haze that “Presents” this mixtape, his presence is basically non-existent. Primo is the one who mixes, blends, juggles and doubles the tracks, scratching up a bevy of what Dave Sumpter a/k/a Mr. Dave aptly described as “the butters” of underground rap.

To this day Primo’s slice and dice of Bigg Jus saying “Bugged like Rwanda” over and over for the intro of Company Flow’s “8 Steps to Perfection” makes the hairs on my arms stand up. “Reality Check 101” was when I discovered Company Flow and by extension Rawkus Records, and hearing it again reminds me of that incredible feeling. Yeah eventually Ron or someone in the know would have hipped me to CoFlow if it weren’t for this CD, but the butter is just spread so smoothly here that I have to toast Premier. If you try listening to this on Spotify or YouTube it’s really not going to do it justice with the buffering, commercial breaks and constant interruptions. The way Primo flowed the song into “Changes” by Shades of Brooklyn made me a huge fan of BOTH acts. You better believe I was immediately trying to cop twelve inch singles for each one.

Read more Here:  http://www.rapreviews.com/2020/10/haze-presents-new-york-reality-check-101-mixed-by-dj-premier/




Dj Premier - New York Reality Check 101
01. DJ Premier - Intro ft Mr. Dave
02. Braggin' Writes [J-Live]
03. Break It Down [Brainwash]
04. Off Balance [Laster]
05. Head Over Wheels [G-Depp]
06. DJ Premier - Skit
07. Lyrical Tactics [Natural Elements]
08. 8 Steps To Perfection [Company Flow]
09. Change [Shades of Brooklyn]
10. Too Complete [L The Head Toucha]
11. Intro 2
12. Metal Thangz [Street Smartz]
13. Inner City Blues [Rezidue]
14. Properties of Steel [Godfather Don]
15. Mixmaster [Brainsick Mob]
16. 21 Years [Choclair]
17. DJ Premier - Outro
18. Feel The High Pt. 2 [Finsta Bundy]

New York Reality Check 101

15. Mixmaster [Brainsick Mob]

Kev Brown presents Hassaan Mackey
"That Grit"

"Dope / Hassaan Be Rappin" video:
youtu.be/67JuDzwLlUs

About Kev Brown & Hassaan Mackey and "That Grit":

Following the critically acclaimed "Pillars" EP with MindsOne, Kev Brown teams up again with Ill Adrenaline Records, this time collaborating with fellow Low Budget Crew member Hassaan Mackey to bless listeners with "That Grit".

Both the Washington D.C. based producer-on-the-mic and the Rochester, NY emcee are longtime members of the prolific artist collective and have previously worked together various times, but this mini-album marks the first time the two embark on a full project. Most boom-bap enthusiasts should already be well acquainted with both Kev Brown and Hassaan Mackey: double threat Kev Brown already showcased his skills on microphones as well as production boards on countless releases and has been dubbed "king of basslines" by fans worldwide. In addition to his solo recordings Kev's credits include beats for heavyweights like Busta Rhymes, Biz Markie, De La Soul, Jazzy Jeff, and Marley Marl just to name a few, as well as handling entire album production for LMNO, Kaimbr, and Raw Poetic. Hassaan Mackey released a string of albums, including a full-length LP with Apollo Brown, and appearances on releases by Oddissee, Kaimbr, The Left and L'Orange.

Recorded during a series of impromptu bus and train trips Hassaan took from Rochester to visit Kev in Washington, "That Grit" was created with a spontaneous approach, reflecting both Mackey's freestyle background and Brown's proven "random joints" formula. Entirely produced by Kev Brown and featuring his signature bassline-driven and raw but soulful sound, "That Grit" consists of an intro, eight full-length tracks and six instrumentals. Hassaan and Kev share mic duties on most of the songs, inviting close friends/frequent collaborators Kaimbr, Toine, yU, Kenn Starr, Eye-Q, Asheru (of Unspoken Heard) as well as the Younger Soul Brother Grap Luva along as feature guests, turning the record into a true family affair.

Websites:
www.illadrenalinerecords.com
kevbrown.blogspot.com/

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/illadrenalinerecords
www.facebook.com/pages/KEV-BROWN/…42?ref=bookmarks
www.facebook.com/HassaanMackey1

Twitter:
twitter.com/ILLADRENALINE
twitter.com/KevBr0wn
twitter.com/HassaanMackey
twitter.com/L0WBUDGET
twitter.com/iveriani
twitter.com/slimbojimboyo

Instagram:
instagram.com/illadrenalinerecords
instagram.com/kevbrownpictures
instagram.com/hassaanmackey

Youtube:
www.youtube.com/user/illadrenalinerecords

07-Kev Brown & Hassaan Mackey-What You Got (feat. Asheru & Grap Luva)

KING KnemicC - moooo1st.m4a

In Ya City

Free Jok

www.dustyplatter.bigcartel.com

Taken from the SRAW & East - 'On & On' 12" Vinyl

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BUY VINYL

SRAW & East - 1 Round (12" VINYL OUT NOW)

Life is a cruel joke…were you waiting for a punch line?

MindsOne connects with Belgium's DJ Iron on their newest endeavor, "Phaseology", and aim to examine the bigger picture. Why are we here?  Where do we go in the end? Is that an SP1200? Damn right. Is life too complex to condense into 40 minutes? Challenge accepted.

First, don’t look at life as the sum of its events. Think about it as a series of phases. Next, combine MindsOne’s handcrafted lyrical artistry with DJ Iron’s jazz infused boom-bap. Combine, two parts cynicism, one part mysticism, and add water. Then, sprinkle in a guest appearance by the sage John Robinson, throw in a heavy dose of turntablism from DJ Iron and MindsOne’s DJ Noumenon and Slim Deluxe, and the theory is complete.

"Phaseology" is the follow-up to MindsOne's 2014 critically acclaimed release, "Pillars," produced by Kev Brown. Journey along as Tronic and KON Sci explore the phases of life and create scenes, both real and imagined, to give listeners a bird’s-eye view. Relive childish fantasies and revisit irrational fears. Go to work and act like an adult. Ponder your existence and reflect on your life. Spoiler: It’s all gonna end. But not today.

We’re born alone, we die alone, etc. Talk to God if it’s too complex.

Phaseology

A Day In The Life

80 Blocks From Tiffany's II

Let's Toast

Clean Getaway (feat. Uncle Murda)

No Uniform (feat. M.O.P.)

Starlight Glitz

To purchase your official Roy Ayers x Pete Rock Tee visit http://pete-rock.myshopify.com

Clean Getaway (feat. Uncle Murda)

Official Pete Rock