Hip Hop CD Singles (They’re Just Like Vinyl 12”s...Only Smaller, In Digital Form And Minus The Pointy Corners)

Here are 8 hip hop singles spanning 10 years from different underground artists. Just to switch it up I’ll give a short synopsis of each release and have the download available underneath the write up itself:

Back in 1994 there were a bunch of indie joints that were made on small labels that got regular burn on the radio, appeared on underground mixtapes and then the artist themselves dissapeared. This is one of them. 5One6 was on Smack Your Bitch Up/Ill Labels (Tommy Boy) and they released this three song single, the gem being “Mystic Micrafon”. The instrumentals for “Mystic Micrafon” and “Rap Attack” were often played in the background on the air while DJ’s were talking on college radio. The tracks were produced by Erik Romero and DJ’s Homicide and Supa V did the cuts. “Rap Attack” featured Bill-Kin and Boog Knight (not from the Boogie Boys). This single includes dirty, radio versions and instrumentals.

5One6-Mystic Micrafon/Dirty Little Bitch/Rap Attack (1994)
http://www.mediafire.com/?ddm2nmnmgwj


After PMD’s deal with RCA Records for his PMD Records imprint went south when his debut solo album failed to sell more than 200,000 units he signed another deal with Relativity for his Boondox imprint. The Relativity deal was a fiasco (no lupe) because they were about to fold and lose distribution. The end result was a lack of promotion for PMD’s “Business Is Business”and shipping issues resulted in the album only selling around 15,000 units. This maxi single consists of the remix of album track“It’s The Pee”. “It’s The Pee ‘97”features Prodigy and is produced by Havoc of Mobb Deep. Other tracks on this maxi single include “Many Often Wonder” produced by PMD, “Knick Knack Part II” produced by PMD featuring Das Efx, Nocturnal & L Da Pro (who sounds like K-Sol and Redman at the same time), and “Kool Kat” produced by Charlie Marotta (Solid Scheme). The world famous “Jesus Christ of two turntables” DJ Scratch himself did all of the cuts.

PMD-It’s The Pee ‘97 Maxi Single (1997)
http://www.mediafire.com/?btzyimidrci


Company Flow’s only existing video was for this song “End To End Burners”. Their time on Rawkus was also coming to a close as the group itself was about to disband. This is the last song that Big Juss AKA Lune TNS ever appeared on as a member of Company Flow (the final Company Flow song “Patriotism” was just El-P with Mr. Len on the cuts). This single also contains a remix of “Krazy Kings” called “Krazy Kings Too” and an alternate version of the instrumental “Blackout” that appears on the final Company Flow project “Little Johnny From The Hospitul”(this one has Mr. Len scratching on it as opposed to just the straight instrumental). All joints were produced by El-P and the cover art was done by the legendary aerosoul artist Phase 2.

Company Flow-End To End Burners/Krazy Kings Too/Blackout (1998)
http://www.mediafire.com/?0mdvnxizh3i


Chicago underground hip hop crew Rubberoom’s first release on their Indus Recordings label deal with the soon defunct 3-2-1/Zero Hour Records is this two song single called “Reconstruction” featuring two songs that didn’t appear on the “Architechnology” LP. The two songs are a remix of “Sector Rush” called “Sector Rush (Rebuilt)” and another joint called “Evil Archangels II”. Both songs were produced by the duo The Opus (Fanum & The Isle Of Weight) and they sound like the soundtracks to Dune, Blade Runner and Escape From New York all smashed together (that’s a good thing to some...to others it’s completely unlistenable). Radio, street and instrumental versions all included.

Rubberoom-Sector Rush (Rebuilt)/Evil Archangels II (1999)
http://www.mediafire.com/?6tzvzzim3wi


In the first of two 3 song Game Recordings singles (before the Columbia deal), Agallah (formerly 8 Off The Assassin) offers a joint where he rhymes in a voice like Cookie Monster from PBS’ Sesame Street over the theme song from the childrens show (Alchemist and Agallah co-produced). The other two joints are the Agallah produced “I Know All Y’all” and “5 Star Millas”. At the time, Agallah was running around with PMD’s side project/group DBD (Death Before Dishonor) and doing production here and there. “Crookie Monster” was a gimmick song but the other joints were solid efforts.

Agallah-Crookie Monster/I Know All Y’all/5 Star Millas (1999)
http://www.mediafire.com/?akndzdyndfg


The next single from former Source Magazine owner Jon Shechter AKA Shecky Green’s Game Recordings label is Thirstin Howl III’s “The Polorican” produced by Blahzay Blahzay’s PF Cuttin. Thirstin Howl III (one of the most original cats of the indie hip hop boom era) spits some hilarious shit in English and Spanish (it also was used as the exit music for the godawful hood film “Boricua’s Bond”). The sequel to the Rawkus “Soundbombing 2” single “Brooklyn Hard Rock 2” was produced by frequent collaborator Smitty and features Unique London (the same one that’s the makeup artist for BET’s “106 & Park) and Master Fuol (the dude from MTV’s Lyricist Lounge Show). The final song on the single is the Will Tell produced “Skill Or Be Skilled” featuring fellow Lo Lifer Rack Lo. Inbetween Thirstin’s “Skillionaire” album, his Rawkus and Game singles, his “Skillosopher” album and his appearances on MTV’s Lyricist Lounge Show, he was one of the most visible underground artists of the era.

Thirstin Howl III-The Polorican/Brooklyn Hard Rock 2/Skilled Or Be Skilled (2000)
http://www.mediafire.com/?7nj3vyvjhlj


Dante Ross’ Stimulated label on Loud Records was doomed. Loud Records folded shortly after Dante made the deal and his roster of Camp Lo, Sadat X, Cella Dwellas, Del the Funkee Homosapien and Missin’ Linx all had projects wrapped up in red tape and thrown into limbo shortly after their release. This Camp Lo single for “Trouble Man” (produced by Jocko) and “Cookers” (produced by frequent collaborator Ski) also features snippets fromCasual, Del and Missin’ Linx that were to appear on the compliation “Stimulated Vol. 1” (I don’t know if this was ever released, if anyone out there has info on it then let me know). Both of these songs are bangers and among my favorite all time Camp Lo songs (which is a long ass list).

Camp Lo-Trouble Man/Cookers (2001)
http://www.mediafire.com/?51ej1zzm1yz


This Juggaknots EP contains some previously released promo material as well as a few proper songs from Breeze and Queen Herawin. Buddy Slim produced most of the joints (“Settle Down”, “P Rushen” featuring Vinia Mojica, & “The Formula Song”) and DJ Eli contributed the lead track “She Loves Me Not”. Mixtape promo joints spit over other peoples beats include “Justalittlefake”, a diss track to Justin Timberlake from Breeze following the fallout from “Nipplegate” after the 2003 Super Bowl over OutKast’s “Ms. Jackson” beat. Queen Herawin’s “Vibrant Thing” over Q Tip’s “Vivrant Thing” beat. “Dreams 2002” where Breeze does an update of the Biggie Smalls classic over the same beat and finally “Lose Yourself” where Breeze spits heat over the same beat that Eminem made famous. This EP has 8 songs on it but 14 total tracks including instrumentals and alternate versions of “She Loves Me Not” and “P Rushen”(which has Herawin and Vinia Mojica’s acapellas). Fans of the Juggaknots shouldn’t sleep on this.

Juggaknots-The Love Deluxe Movement EP (2004)
http://www.mediafire.com/?6ttjmovtoh4

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