UpNorthTrips Presents The 10s

DO REMEMBER! MIXTAPE CLASSICS

@NahRight & @UpNorthTrips Present: The #Illmatic20 Tribute Mixtape

Twenty years ago today, a 20 year-old kid from the Queensbridge projects released what now stands as one of the most important albums in Hip-Hop history. An instant classic, Illmatic would be studied and celebrated over the next two decades, held aloft as the standard for everything Rap music was and had the potential to be. It's one of the most flawless bodies of work ever recorded, in any genre, and it is widely recognized as the defining work of an entire era of Rap. The impact of this 10 track masterpiece is almost immeasurable, yet you can still hear it bleeding through in the bars of artists the world over to this very day. 

And so we wanted to pay tribute to this remarkable record in a manner befitting a piece of art that has meant so much to all of us and to so many others for so long. We reached out to the new generation of New York MCs and asked them to join us in paying homage to Nas and his magnum opus over the same timeless tracks that underscored his historic bars back in 1994. Needless to say, if you were born or raised in the boroughs, Nas' music has touched you in one way or another, and an amazingly talented array of artists stepped up to honor Esco. 

Featuring contributions from Al-Doe, Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire, Troy Ave, Bodega Bamz, YC The Cynic, Denzil Porter, Smoke DZA, Doley Bernays, Timeless Truth, Euro League, Pete from Bitches Is Crazy, The Incomparable Shakespeare and SHIRT, this project is as much a showcase of the homegrown talent that has been reinvigorating the NY Rap scene over the last couple of years as it is a thank you letter to Nasir Jones. And really, what higher praise is there than that which comes from a generation of artists that cite you as a direct influence? So settle in and join us as we salute Nas on 20 years in the game, here's to 20 more! 

Mixed by @UnitedCrates

Download Link

NahRight & UpNorthTrips Present: The #Illmatic20 Tribute Mixtape

Hev. E Components 3

DJ Clue - Hev. E Components 3 - Sheed Wallace (Intro)

Where My Dogz At...

Craig G & P-Nice - Where My Dogz At - Black Rob (Intro Freestyle)

1993 was a keynote year for the "hip-hop movie." The term, although never officially coined, became a popular when movies such as CB4 and Who's The Man hit the big screen,  A Bronx Tale was definitely not one of them.

For starters, the movie took place in the the segregated sixties - two decades before hip-hop even took its first breath. There isn't a h movie's score and soundtrack contained no rap music, and remember, this is an era way before the term rapper-turnt-actor became popular.

Twenty years later its easy to see how hip-hop has adopted A Bronx Tale into the culture. There enough lyric references to go around - vocal samples have been lifted from movies, and a handful of "A Bronx Tale" song/mixtape titles.

In the past we've celebrated the important anniversaries of album releases, producer's birthdays, and even movie releases. So without further ado, enjoy this latest mix - celebrating the 20th anniversary of A Bronx Tale.

Read more: http://upnorthtrips.com/post/62609556295/deuces-wild-a-bronx-tale-20th-anniversary-mix

Deuces Wild: A Bronx Tale (20th Anniersary Mix)

Cluemanatti Pt.2

Cluemanatti 2 Freestyle - Nas, Mary J Blige, Noreaga, Nature & Femme Fatale

With a ten-man team led by the grimiest producer in the five boroughs, it’s been easy for the Wu-Tang Clan to come up with ill combinations of MCs to create unforgettable rap songs. Even when members of WTC went solo, their albums’ still sounded like Wu projects, with tons of features and posse cuts. With our latest edition of The 10s, we thought it would be dope to focus solely on Wu Duets, when two different Wu-Tang Clan MCs go dart for dart on one banging track. Sure, it’s easy to get everyone to hop on a beat and pile on the verses, but finding the bomb combo can sometimes be tricky. Well, not for these dudes. Sharpen your swords, let’s duel.

The 10s | Wu Duets: 10 Deadly Wu-Tang Clan Combinations

Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel - Stretch Armstrong Freestyle

DJ Kool Kid - Solid Gold and Risin -  Nas - Freestyle (Sinful Living)

Eight (Bootleg)

Kobe Bryant - Who Shot Ya (Freestyle)

9/25/91

EZ Elpee - Big L Freestyle (9/25/91)

Today marks nineteen years since the release of their sophmore album, Do You Want More?!!? Over the last two decades we've seen  The Roots grow from small stage shows & open mics in the streets of Philly all the way to headlining their own festival & the Late Night show with Jimmy Fallon.  

As they proceeded to continue to rock the mic, their impact to Hip-Hop was immediate. From the jump, they displayed an expertly mixed combination of lyricism and live musicianship which amazed fans and influenced their peers alike.
We hope today's reminiscent reflection and tribute of Hip-Hop's greatest live rap band will help you understand the complexity of seeds planted by The Roots.

Thank You Philly.
1. Proceed I -Produced by: AJ Shine and The Grand Negas
2. Distortion To Static (Bob Power Bass Version) - Produced by: AJ Shine and The Grand Negas
3. Proceed II feat. Roy Ayers - Produced by: The Grand Negas
4. Distortion To Static (At Ease Mix) - Produced by: AJ Shine
5. Proceed III feat. Bahamadia - Produced by: AJ Shine and The Grand Negas
6. Silent Treatment (Da Beatminerz Remix) - Produced by: Da Beatminerz
7. Proceed IV (AJ Shine's Proceed w/o Pause Mix) - Produced by: AJ Shine
8. The Lesson Part 2 (Q's Flava Groove) - Produced by: Questlove, Kelo, and AJ Shine
9. Proceed V (Da Beatminerz Remix) -Produced by Da Beatminerz
10. Distortion To Static (Freestyle Mix feat Dice Raw) - Produced by: AJ Shine and The Grand Negas


Words & Mix by @UNITEDCRATES

The Roots: From Trees To Branches - Do You Want More?!?! Mix [Mixed by @UNITEDCRATES]

Fifteen years ago, on February 15th, 1999, Harlem rapper Big L (aka Lamont Coleman) was tragically gunned down in the same neighborhood that he consistently repped in his rhymes. His murder came at a time when he had one of the most-talked about singles out, “Ebonics,” his D.I.T.C. crew was making major noise with posse cuts like “Day One,”and his mixtape and radio freestyles were scorching in the streets, which all led to his sophomore album being one of the most anticipated projects by a New York MC to drop. There were even rumors that he was signing to Roc-A-Fella Records, the hottest and most successful young label in the Big Apple at the time led by his rapper friend Jay Z. Unfortunately, his moment to shine at the next level never came.

To celebrate Big L’s rap career today on the fifteenth anniversary of his death, it was only right that we link up with our brethren at UpNorthTrips for a proper audio tribute to one of the greatest MCs of all time. Though Big L’s first album Lifestylez of da Poor & Dangerous is a classic in its own right, and he’s got plenty of notable singles and guest appearances in his catalog, we thought to truly highlight the essence of Big L’s lyrical greatness, charisma, performance ability, and bottomless pit of bars, we’d round up 15 of his dopest radio, mixtape, and live freestyles (plus a few bonuses because that’s how we do), and put them all together in one mix for you to enjoy.

Read about each of our selections below while you stream/download our exclusive NahRight x UpNorthTrips mix The Big Picture: 15 Classic Big L Freestyles, courtesy of UNT's in-house DJ The Vinylcologist. RIP Big L, one love:  http://nahright.com/news/2014/02/15/15-classic-big-l-freestyles/



NahRight & UpNorthTrips Present: The Big Picture - 15 Classic Big L Freestyles

UpNorthTrips is proud to present to you all, alongside our brothers at NahRight The Making of Hard to Earn with DJ Premier. 

Earlier this week our dude Dan Isenberg (@StanIpcus)  had the utmost privilege and honor of sitting with Primo at Headquarterz Studios (formerly D&D Studios) to talk in-depth about the creation of Gang Starr’s classic fourth album, and break down each of its songs track-by-track. 

We figured it was only right to provided yall with an original mix from our in-house DJ, The Vinylcologist (@TheVinylcologist) titled Hard to Earnstrumentals. The mix goes beyond highlighting the beats and samples on Hard to Earn, as over half of the album's instrumentals we're deconstructed and re-workings by Vinyl himself. In true UpNorthTrips fashion, we provided a dope collection of ill throwback pics and images to accompany the interview from our vaults.

NahRight & UpNorthTrips Present: Hard To Earnstrumentals (20th Anniversary Mix)

Respect The God (Part 5)

Ghostface & RZA "Live At Hot 97 Freestyle"

@UpNorthTrips x @NahRight - #Illmatic20

Mixed by @UnitedCrates

14 - The Incomparable Shakespere- The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)

13 - Denzil Porter - One Love (One L Mix)

12 - YC The Cynic - Halftime (Butcher's Mix)

Nas Interlude

10 - B.I.C. - It Aint Hard To Tell

08 - Mr. Muthafuckin Exquire - One Time 4 Your Mind

07 - Troy Ave - One Love

05 - Smoke DZA - Halftime

03 - Timeless Truth - Life's A Bitch

02 - Euro League - NY State Of Mind

@UpNorthTrips x @NahRight - #Illmatic20

Mixed by @UnitedCrates

Download LInk

01 - Al Doe - The Genesis

09 - Bodega Bamz - Represent

06 - Doley Bernays - Memory Lane

04 - Shirt - The World Is Yours

Today marks an important day in history. Known as "De La Day" throughout the hip hop community, 3/3/23 marks the 35th Anniversary of De La Soul's Debut Album " 3 Feet High and Rising". It also marks a new age for De La and their fans as all of their music is now available on streaming services along with limited edition physical releases. After the long fight over royalty percentages and ownership of their music, paired with the recent passing of Trugoy The Dove, we can only imagine the whirlwind that Maceo, Pos and Prince Paul are facing. 

We wanted to revamp our series The 10s with a special, long overdue dedication and thank you to De La Soul and our supporters. "Plug Tunes" focuses on a few of De La's lesser known features as well as some known classics. The daisy flower symbolizes new beginnings as well as innocence and purity. De La gracefully mastered their own sound and lane that represents that perfectly. 

Happy De La Day from your friends at UNT.
 
This mix is dedicated to the late, great Dave Jolicoeur aka Plug Two 🔌2

Tracklisting:

1 - MF DOOM - Rock Co. Kane Flow
2 - Mr Jukes - Leap of Faith 
3 - Gorillaz - Crocadillaz
4 - Snoop Dogg - Pain
5 - Stalley - Navajo Rugs
6 - Handsome Boy Modeling School - If It Wasn't For You
7 - Khyrsis - Mr. Big Mouf Pt. 2
8 - Jungle Brothers - How You Want It (We Got It) 
9 - The Bush Babees - The Love Song Remix
10 - Teenage Fanclub - Fallin' (Blend)

The 10s | Plug Tunes: 10 De La Features

Track 13, off DJ Clue's 4,5,6: Goin' For Broke (1996)

4,5,6 Goin' For Broke

DJ Clue - Jay-Z Freestyle (Fatman Scoop Promo)

Today marks the 10th Anniversary of Alchemist's debut solo, 1st Infantry. To celebrate A-L-C's decade of dope, we put together ten years worth of Alc bangers, from 2004- 20134. For each year, we picked one of our favorite Alc joints (not easy to do) and put together our own, Alchemix.

Mixed by @unitedcrates 

Tick Tock - Nas ft. Prodigy
Year: 2004
Album: 1st Infantry

Thug Love - Remy Ma ft. Big Pun
Year: 2005
Album: Something About Remy Ma

Wet Wipes -  Cam'ron
Year: 2006
Album: Killa Season

Stuck on You - Prodigy
Year: 2007
Album:  Return of The Mac

The Far left - Evidence ft. Alchemist & Fashawn
Year: 2008
Album: The Far Left

Lose Your Life - Snoop Dogg ft. Jadakiss, Pusha T
Year: 2009
Album: Chemical Warfare

Big Beat - Raekwon
Year: 2010
Album: Cocanism Vol. 2

Scottie Pippen - Currensy ft. Freddie Gibbs
Year: 2011
Album: Covert Coupe

Bitch I Deserve You - Action Bronson ft. Alchemist
Year: 2012
Album: Rare Chandeliers

Moochie - Boldy James
Year: 2013
Album: My 1st Chemistry Set

Break The Bank - Schoolboy Q
Year: 2014
Album: Oxymoron

Alchemix: 1st Infantry 10th Anniversary -  10 Years of Alchemist (2004-2014)

DJ Camilo - Old School Reggae #1 (1998)

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Gravediggaz debut, 6 Feet Deep. This oft-over looked, criminally slept-on album brought together two of Hip Hop's best producers; Prince Paul & RZA. 

To celebrate the anniversary - we teamed up with the good homey @Rob-Unkut for a soundclash of sorts.  What we did? We each picked 10 RZA Beats & 10 Prince Paul beats and had our main ace @TheVinylcologist mix the shit out of them in a friendly challenge to be voted on by you - the fans. 

May the best team win!

1. Gravediggaz - Diary of a Madman (RZA)
2. Everlast - The Men In Blue (Prince Paul)
3. Ghostface - Nutmeg (RZA)
4. Stetsasonic - We're The Band (Prince Paul)
5. Cappadonna - '97 Mentality (RZA)
6. De La Soul - Plug Tunin' (Prince Paul)
7. Earl Sweatshirt - Molasses (RZA)
8. Handsome Boy Modeling School - The Truth (Prince Paul)
9. Notorious B.I.G. - Long Kiss Goodnight (RZA)
10. De La Soul - Fanatic of the B Word (Prince Paul)
11. Ol' Dirty Bastard - Snakes (RZA)
12. Gravediggaz - Defective Trip (Trippin') (Prince Paul)
13. AZ - Whatever Happened (The Birth) (RZA)
14. Slick Rick - Behind Bars (Prince Paul)
15. Shaq - No Hooks (RZA)
16. Prince Paul - Its a Stickup (Prince Paul)
17. GZA - Liquid Swords (RZA)
18. De La Soul - If It Wasn't For You (Prince Paul)
19. Big Pun - Tres Leches (RZA)
20. Handsome Boy Modeling School - Holy Calamity (Prince Paul)

UPNT v UNKT Soundclash: RZA & Prince Paul Productions (Gravediggaz Tribute)

DJ Premier’s catalog is incredible. If he was only known for his work with Gangstarr, he’d still be considered a Top 3 producer of all time, easily. But the fact that he’s worked with everyone from Biggie to Jay-Z to Nas to KRS-One makes his discography pretty much incomparable. And we’re not talking about obscure cuts that lost their appeal years ago. These are timeless songs! So for today’s edition of The 10s, we present Primo Treats: 10 Classic Non-Gangstarr Primo Joints. We’ll probably have to do a part two and three to this because dude has worked with everyone we love and always comes correct. All praises due to DJ Premier, thank you for all the music you’ve given us. It’s our pleasure to celebrate the work you’ve put in. I guess right now we should start the show. 

Words by @StanIpcus / Mix by @UnitedCrates for Up North Trips 
www.upnorthtrips.com


The 10s | Primo Treats: 10 Classic Non-Gang Starr DJ Premier Productions

March is National Women’s History Month, so to end it off, we thought we’d sneak in a fresh new edition of The 10s, dedicated to the flyest females ever immortalized on wax. Proppers to our big homies at Ego Trip for their brolic list of “69 Songs Dedicated To That Special Lady” (which you can find in their Book of Rap Lists), but we thought we’d narrow it down and update their list a bit for UpNorthTrips purposes. We included a handful of our favorites from their list, mixed with some post-’98 joints, all named after the the honeys they pay tribute to. From the girl who claims she’s a virgin, to the chick with the “ass so fat you can see it from the front,” we celebrate the baddest of the bad in this episode of The 10s. 

words by @StanIpcus / mix by @UNITEDCRATES / graphics by @CNTRBND

The 10s | Honey Dips: 10 Classic Raps About Fly Females

Two years ago today, we suffered the tragic loss of one of Hip Hop's greats, Guru, famously known as one half of the legendary Gang Starr.  Guru's chemistry with DJ Premier goes down on our score card as one of the best MC/Producer combo's in the game, and their body of work speaks for itself.  However we it's important to acknowledge how Guru is often overlooked for the work he has put in on his own, specifically while popping up on other artists records. From Heavy D and House of Pain to Dilated Peoples and Digable Planets, Guru's knack for murdering guest appearances is criminally slept-on. His features reach well into the hundreds, and have spanned over three decades, so for our latest edition of The Tens, and to honor The Gifted Unlimited One,  we have put together a great selection of some of Guru's classic feature verses.

The 10s | Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal: 10 Great Guru Guest Appearances

In dropping arguably two of the best back-to-back albums in rap music history, Pete Rock & CL Smooth must undeniably be considered one of hip-hop's finest duos. The combination of Pete Rock's signature soulful production served-up from behind the boards and CL's conscious lyrics delivered from the booth, has enabled the tag-team from Mount Vernon to place itself as top-tier contributors to rap's legacy. With today marking the 20th Anniversary of Pete and CL's monumental debut album, Mecca and The Soul Brother, we figured it was only right to dedicate the latest edition of The Tens in their honor.

In searching for the best way to pay our respects to MSB, it didn’t feel right simply whipping up a basic "Best Of" mix. Too generic. So, in true UNT fashion we flipped the script and took a more creative approach. It’s common knowledge that Pete Rock “made every single beat on that album” using the E-mu SP-1200, which also celebrates an anniversary this year. (Released in 1987, the SP-1200 turns 25 this August.) Thus our decision to concentrate on MSB’s beat construction, which undoubtedly single-handedly changed the standards of hip-hop production. From the chopped samples of those famous horns, the heavy filtered bass lines, the signature hi-hats, there’s no question that Mecca and The Soul Brother was a game-changer. Now let’s return to the Mecca…

The 10s | Samples and The Soulstrumentals

Some of history's mightiest Queens have been celebrated and regarded for their beauty ,charm, and talent. Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Elizabeth are a few who've ruled full of ferocity, emotion and dominance.  In music terms, the title, "Queen", isn't  taken lightly. An artist's impact and longevity to their craft are important elements to take into consideration before that honor is bestowed.  When it comes to the Queen of R&B, there are many names that are synonymous with that legacy through the decades. When it comes to Hip Hop and R&B, there is only one name that can hold the weight, Mary J Blige.
Twenty years removed from the release of her debut album, we've witnessed the coronation from young talented singer from Yonkers to The Queen of Hip Hop and R&B. Eight multi-platinum albums, nine grammy awards, and countless classic contributions, Her Highness' music spans over three decades.  She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B.

Today to celebeate the 20th Anniversary of the release of her debut album, What's The 411? we threw together a a mix of ten dope "hardcore rap and Mary J Blige records.

The 10s | Hardcore Rap and Mary J. Blige Records

In 1998 the divide within the rap game was at its most glaring. On one side of the stage stood the jiggy, “shiny suit era” mainstream rappers, with CD sales on their mind, expensive tastes, and a penchant for fly cars, clothes, money, cash and hoes. At the other end of the stage was the underground, “backpack”, independent scene, where rappers and crews still made time for college radio, performed small venue shows, and aimed more for putting out records on vinyl  than for selling CDs in stores. A strange state of affairs was that this was a year where the dichotomy of Hip Hop was at its furthest split. And then an album dropped and something happened. The deep chasm between the mainstream and the underground was filled, but not by much.

Yesterday marked the fourteenth anniversary of Black Star’s debut album. It was a higly anticipated release celebrated and critically acclaimed album immediately from the moment it dropped. It gave a celebrity face to the indy movement that was going on, and did it’s best to bridge the gaps between the polar-opposite movements that were co-existing inside of Hip Hop’s genre. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, was the second full-length album on Rawkus Records and was the epicenter for the NYC underground movement.

Last week the good folks at Complex tackled another famous list by profiling 50 Best Rawkus Records Songs. Inspired by the idea honor Mos and Kweli’s epic release, and the label that birthed it, we figured it was our turn to pay respects as well. Sticking more to Rawkus released vinyls, which was the essence of the movement, we put together a list of 14 of the dopest B-Sides from Rawkus records.

Rawkus Records B-Side Bangers

When the discussion of underrated MCs comes up, Black Thought's name is frequently mentioned. And we take that as an insult. It's 2012, and the Philly bred frontman from The Roots has been slaying every mic in his path for two decades now, in concerts across the world and on over a dozen LPs, without taking a breather. He's even managed to stay relevant with rap purists while holding down a gig on Jimmy Fallon's late night NBC talk show. Tariq Trotter is a one of one in this rap shit. There is no other artist with his stage presence, stamina, versatility, and straight up skills to pay the bills. He's the quintessential master of ceremonies.

To celebrate his 42nd birthday, we give you a special edition of The 10s titled Thought At Work, because he stays on his job, and doesn't ever let up. He’s a monster live, but his recordings are just as impressive, and he's held his own on tracks with everyone from Big Pun to Ghostface Killah to Mos Def, not to mention his countless classics with The Roots. Read about our selections below, listen to the mix, and next time you want to talk underrated MCs, please leave his name out. Black Thought only belongs in the Top 5 Dead Or Alive discussion moving forward. 

words by @stanipcus // mix by @UNITEDCRATES

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