Filed under: Uncategorized
They don’t call it a specialty show for nothing, folks. This week I decided to attempt to connect every song to the one preceding it and following it, either by guest appearance, producer, label, etc. Surprisingly it worked, thanks in great part to a few artists who have no bones about working with anyone. I’ll explain how these all link up in the post. Anyways, it was a fun show, and you never know, I might just do it again ;).
Camp Lo- “Regulate (ft. Yahzarah)”: You may remember me blogging about this song a few weeks ago, well now I got to play it on my show. I love pretty much everything about this song. They just dropped a new album with this on it, Stone & Rob: Caught On Tape, which I’m planning on checking out soon.
Aesop Rock- “Limelighters (ft. Camp Lo)”: Do you see how this is going to work now? Anyways, I’d rather have played Kidz in the Hall’s Camp Lo feature (“Snop Hop”), but for now this will have to do.
Cannibal Ox- “Ox Out the Cage (ft. El-P)”: Ever heard of a label called Def Jux? Well El-P founded it, and both Aesop Rock and Cannibal Ox are on it. That is if Cannibal Ox were a group anymore. I originally thought that El-P might have produced “Limelighters” because he did something else on Bazooka Tooth, but I was mistaken. Anyways, this was the second song in a somewhat lengthy Def Jux period as I tried to figure out a way to escape the corner I had painted myself into.
Cage- “Hell’s Winter”: Another Jukie, as they call themselves, and produced by El-P, who oversees a lot of what Cage does. Album is called the same thing.
Mr. Lif- “Brothaz”: Yeah, yeah, another Def Jux track, but at least it was produced by El-P (who I’d like to thank for keeping me afloat for such a long time).
Various Artists- “Protective Custody”: This is from that Rawkus EP I talked about a week ago, and this too helped me with some interesting connections because so many diverse artists are featured on it. El-P raps on this track, as does Talib Kweli (keep that in mind).
Talib Kweli- “In the Mood (ft. Kanye West)”: See why I told you too keep that in mind? 🙂 Kanye was another real lifesaver this week, in part because of the copious guest appearances on his albums, but also because of his rather prolific production track record. This is from Ear Drum.
Kanye West- “My Way Home (ft. Common)”: A free link, and you don’t even have to hear Kanye rap! I actually used Common a lot too, thanks bud.
Various Artists- “One Four Love pt. 1”: Yeah I’m back to that Rawkus EP already, but it was because having Pharaohe Monch as a link was too cool to pass up. I mean really, in that radio station what are the odds? Common is featured on this song too, if you didn’t guess.
Talib Kweli- “Guerrilla Monsoon Rap (ft. Black Thought, Pharaohe Monch, & Kanye West)”: And we’re right back to Kweli/Kanye. Surprise surprise. I really just wanted to play this song, so I created a weird little path to get here, since I easily could have just from that first Rawkus song.
Kanye West- “Gone (ft. Consequence & Cam’ron)”: Yeah yeah, I know, but I was just working my way into it, and I was terrified of screwing it up. Besides, do I even need an excuse to play this song? Killa who?
Cam’ron- “Welcome to New York City (ft. Jay-Z & Juelz Santana)”: So do you think I’m going to use this to go into a Jay-Z track or Juelz track? You might be surprised. By the way, some shit about Jay-Z/Cam’ron stealing the “I.Z.Z.O.” and “Oh Boy” beats from each other hit the internet this week. Apparently Jay-Z even recorded a verse for “Oh Boy,” but Cam’ron cut it because it sucked (but probably because he was pissed). Anyways, full details in this post/video here.
Jay-Z- “Takeover”: Fooled you! Like I was going to play something else with Juelz Santana on it… By the way, the following transition is that which I am most proud of.
Mobb Deep- “Eye for an Eye (Your Beef is Mines) (ft. Nas & Raekwon)”: From the song in which Jay-Z goes at Mobb Deep and Nas to a song that features both of them??? If you don’t like that little play then get the fuck out of here.
Raekwon- “Verbal Intercourse (ft. Nas & Ghostface)”: I was just so in the zone at this point. Plus I got to play two really really good songs in a row. Everyone wins.
Ghostface- “9 Milli Bros (ft. Wu-Tang Clan)”: You’ll see, but I really could have ridden this Wu-Tang thing for a lot longer than I did. I think that shows maturity.
Jedi Mind Tricks- “On the Eve of War (ft. GZA)”: This was a little bit of a curveball wasn’t it? I hadn’t even heard this song before, but I saw a hole and I hit it hard (that’s supposed to be a football metaphor).
Hi-Tek- “Music For Life (ft. J. Dilla, Nas, Common, Busta Rhymes & Marsha Ambrosius)”: Huh? Hi-Tek is on the same label as Jedi Mind Tricks? I know it was weak, but I really wanted to mix things up. How about that mix of people? Lots of places I could have gone with this one, so naturally I went with…
Busta Rhymes- “Don’t Touch Me Remix 2.2 (ft. Reek Da Villain, Spliff Star, Lil Wayne, Nas, The Game & Big Daddy Kane)”: This mix of emcees is even more random. Also, Busta totally beat Lil Wayne to the punch at the inevitable shit-toilet joke he was going to make.
The Roots- “Boom (ft. Big Daddy Kane & Kool G Rap)”: It’ s pretty cool because onthe album version of this song Black Thought just imitates BDK & KGR, but for the live version on Dave Chappelle’s Block Party they actually join him. Now there’s a fun fact.
The Roots- “Somebody’s Gotta Do It (ft. Devin the Dude, Jean Grae, & Mack Dub)”: I know I know, two Roots songs in a row, but it’s okay because they are the link to themselves. That feels like cheating I know, but I guess I justified it because BDK was the link into the first song. Look this is hard, so cut me some damn slack!
Jean Grae- “Don’t Rush Me (ft. 9th Wonder)”: Doesn’t this make up for it anyways? It’s not like I used the Roots to get back to Jay-Z or Kanye or someone easy like that.
Little Brother- “Hiding Place (ft. Elzhi)”: 9th Wonder was actually a part of Little Brother when this album (The Minstrel Show) came out, and produced all but two tracks on that album.
Slum Village- “Tainted (ft. Dwele)”: From an individual to their group, twice in a row. Interestingly, had I gone with a different Slum Village record, this transition would have been invalid as Elzhi joined the group officially for this album. Also, this album is the first of theirs post J Dilla.
Common- “The People (ft. Dwele)”: Now how about that! Dwele as the link? I don’t even really know who he is. Also, and here’s another fun fact, Dwele is uncredited for this song. Does that make the link invalid?
Kid Cudi- “The Prayer”: Both Kid Cudi and Common are on G.O.O.D. Music. Get over it, it was the last song and I was tired. Let’s see you do better.
Anyways, I had a ton of fun doing this, and I may try it again. This is the type of brilliance you’re subjected to every week during the Hip-Hop Hour, so start tuning in.
1 Comment so far
Leave a comment
The Hip-Hop Hour 
you should play this cannibal ox song on your next show, the beat is hot, son!
Comment by cryingfordarfur April 10, 2009 @ 4:43 pm