Diggin in the Crates: Charles Hilton Brown

I came across this Charles Hilton Brown "Owed To Myself" record today and finally got the opportunity to drop the needle on it...dope. He's got some cover material like "Try a Little Tenderness", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "Love Train", but the highlights are easily the funky originals. The album was recorded in Italy and released in 1974 on the Ampex Records label and apparantly is considered a rare issue but there was a reissue done by Schema Records in 2000. Charles Hilton Brown was military based in italy in the 60’s and was the lead singer of the Four Kents. But it was in England where he met up with a scathing Afro-Funk band called Assagai and they decided to record an album that Charles felt was “Owed To Himself". This is the ONLY album ever recorded by Charles Hilton Brown. Ever. I did some research and through every possible resource I know - I could not find any history of any piece of the album ever being sampled. This is exactly the kind of thing that separates me from other DJs - diggin in the crates for gems just like this, then flipping them into my mixes. Normally I would sit on a secret weapon like this, but today I'm going to share two of his original tracks to give you a taste of the flavor I'm about to twist in my mixes.

Here's Charles Hilton Brown's "GRF" and "I'm Coming Home"





Here's some liner credits for those who might be interested:
Artwork By [Design] – Gianni Ronero, Luciano Tallarini
Bass – David Ganpot
Chorus – Duo Macumbo
Congas [Congos] – Ayinde Folarin
Drums, Percussion – Gabriel George
Guitar – Keith Ganpot
Keyboards, Organ, Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Peter Nelson (4)
Mixed By – Charles Hilton Brown, Gabriel George
Mixed By, Engineer [Mixing] – Sergio Marcotulli
Producer, Arranged By – Charles Hilton Brown
Saxophone [Alto & Tenor] – Frederick Mathias
Saxophone [Tenor] – Kirk Redding
Technician – Gino Incerti (2)
Trumpet, Trombone – Roy Edwards
Vocals – David Ganpot (tracks: 8), Frederick Mathias (tracks: 8)
Edited and mastered at Massive Arts Milano.

Another DJ's Rant

I hear artists complain about DJs all the time when DJs require payment for slots on a mixtape, among other things, but they all (radio spins/mixtapes/club spins) apply here I think. For the sake of this rant I will strictly focus on my most recent mixtape "Slap That Mix 5" which dropped yesterday.




There are a total of 21 artists on the mixtape with a mixture of indies and majors. I have hit 16 of those artists for drops, but only received drops from two: Roxx Ruger and Naturboy Rowe (I already had the Rick Ross drop).

I took the time to be sure every artist's twitter was added to the blast and hit every artist individually on twitter with the mixtape promo tweet with their name and song title included in the tweet (along with the mixtape title and link to the mixtape). It should have been a breeze for every one of them to (at the very least) simply click on "retweet". How many of the 21 artists did that? Two: Roxx Ruger and Naturboy Rowe.

Maybe all of them were busy all day Saturday and Sunday, but I look at their timelines and they're all tweeting actively so they have enough time to hit a retweet. Maybe they all didn't have the foresight to buy a cheap desktop microphone so they could record drops right at home using the free Microsoft Sound Recorder that is included and installed automatically with every sing PC/laptop purchase. But if you're an artist and actively trying to promote your music and get spins on radio or in the club or get mixtape placements - MAYBE YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BUYING A $12 MIC FROM WALMART SO YOU CAN RECORD DROPS FOR THE DJS THAT CONTROL YOUR TARGET PLACEMENTS!

I gathered the tracks, mixed (and I mean actually MIXED the mixtape #realdjshit-check it out for yourself) the mixtape, knocked out the cover art, split the tracks, tagged each one, etc on Friday night. Saturday was my birthday, but I still took the time to upload the mixtape to 10 separate mixtape websites. For those that don't know, this can be time consuming and irritating as hell at times. Then I went out and bought a new washer and dryer, a new laptop, some games for the Xbox and Wii, a new ring for my babygirl, and some clothes. Had a great day with my family and an awesome dinner celebrating my birthday! Even with all that done and all of the running around shopping, I still managed to get in some promotion for the mixtape and get it posted up on another 27 websites. Of course twitter and facebook as well, but I don't even count that. I do that constantly. Oh yeah, and I also had a radio show Saturday night, which again I'll remind you was my birthday.

If I put in all that work, regardless of how busy I might be with my life, and the artists can't even click "retweet"? Why should I continue to run their music in my mixes? Why not just focus on majors only and keep it moving? I would love some promotion or at least some tweets from majors, but that's fairly rare. But an indie artist who's trying to get on? Hell yes I expect drops and tweets promoting a mixtape I included their music in. I checked the numbers today (24 hours since the mixtape release) and the mixtape is currently at 8,994 hits across a total of 37 different websites. And every artist in the mix got that exposure and promotion for free. Although Naturboy Rowe was good enough to hit my "Thank You DJ" link and buy me a 12-pack of Pepsi (thank you fam!) not one single artist had to pay for a slot or was even asked to pay for a slot. That's going to most likely change now. This is why DJs say "FUCK YOU PAY ME".



A DJ puts in work, regardless of the medium (mixtapes, radio, clubs), and our brand and reputation and future earning potential is on the line every single time. If an artist can't drive listeners to a radio station, hits to a mixtape, or paying customers through the club doors - why should a DJ support them? For FREE? How does it benefit the DJ to support indie music from artists that don't promote and don't pay?

Think about that the next time you open your mouth or tap your fingers across a keyboard to complain about DJs. Remember this entire rant the next time you ask me or any other DJ to spin your music on our radio shows, or bump your music in the club, or slide your music into a mixtape.

THANK YOU DJ

Thank you to Natureboy Rowe and Roxx Ruger for the drops and the promotion of the mixtape - Real DJ Shit

MIXTAPE PACKAGE PROMOTION

I know everyone is trying to stretch it out until they get those tax refunds so I'm going to help out with a tax break special: Full mixtape package for $150 ($200 savings). The tax break special is limited to the first 2 paid packages and expires January 31st. You can pay using paypal or any valid debit/credit card, just click on the Pay Now button below:

Once payment has posted you will be contacted with confirmation and instructions for submitting your music.

WHAT DO YOU GET WITH A FULL MIXTAPE PACKAGE:
- an actual mix with a real DJ (putting the MIX back in MIXTAPES)
- guaranteed 10,000 hits within 7 days or your money back
- guaranteed posting to a minimum of 20 websites within 7 days or your money back
- front and back cover art (600x600 at 100dpi) including all info you supply
- Press release (Sent to PR wires and other media)
- html code to embed mixtape player (from a minimum of 3 different sources)
- url links to listen/download from all sites (minimum of 5)
- daily updates on number of hits and web postings until minimum is reached
- facebook and twitter promotion for a full week
- free UNIQUE STYLES tee and REAL DJ SHIT tee

Feel free to listen to my most recent mixtape "SLAP THAT MIX vol.4" and see the web penetration of the promotion (posted to more than 40 different websites, exceeded 35,000 hits within 2 weeks). You can also look over my mixtape catalog over the last 2 years to get more familiar with my skills as a DJ. Just visit MIXTAPES.

All music submissions must be in MP3 format. Whenever possible, I prefer to have the street, acapella, and instrumental versions of all songs to be placed on the mixtape. The mixtape will be an actual MIXTAPE with an actual mix. I will not bury your music with me screaming all over it or burying your music under a bunch of drops and tags.

I reserve the right to reject any submissions if they are too wack to have my name stamped on them. As much as a mixtape represents your name and your brand, the same is true for my name and my brand. In that case, your money will be refunded within 24 hours. If you have any specific questions or comments, please post as a comment below.

Praise ft Joell Ortiz - Bring us Back

NOW THIS IS HIP-HOP! The moment I heard the scratchin I knew immediately I was going to be leaning on this record! HUGE props to Brainiac Beats aka El Cerebro @BrainiacBeats

Praise ft Joell Ortiz - Bring us Back (Prod & Scratch by Brainiac Beats aka El Cerebro)

Praise ft Joell Ortiz - Bring us Back (Prod & Scratch by Brainiac Beats aka El Cerebro) by BrainiacBeats

Download the #maxi2012 including this track at http://www.mediafire.com/?sbem6mby5964jws

In his unstoppable up and coming career in the US market , the music producer/dj Brainiac Beats, also known in the Spanish scene as El Cerebro, has cooked up a solid maxi single that includes 6 artists from NYC:

• Joell Ortiz, from Slaughterhouse, recently signed by Eminem to Shady Records.
• AG, from the legendary supergroup Diggin In The Crates (DITC) formed also by Big L, Fat Joe, Big Pun, O.C., Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Buckwild & Showbiz.
• Shea Davis, BLAM DVDs’ creator, who recently released a mixtape with Dj Kay Slay.
• Dwayne Collins, R&B singer who has collaborated with Styles P, Emilio Rojas, etc.
• Nikal Fieldz, who has worked with Marley Marl & KRS-ONE among others.
• Praise, who has recorded with JR Writer, Noah Jones, etc.

All of these artists pair up in 3 different tracks downloadable for free HERE.

Musical production, scratch, mix and mastering have been done by Brainiac Beats aka El Cerebro, except Praise featuring Joell Ortiz’s track, mixed by the well known Spanish mixing engineer Jorge Gascón.

Diego L Rodriguez is the mastermind behind the artwork.

Hard sound with NY essence and that universal touch that Brainiac Beats always delivers.

Tarika Blue "Tarika Blue" (Diggin in the Crates)

I got my hands on Tarika Blue's self-titled album (1976) and as I'm going through it I come across her song "Dreamflower" which I immediately recognized as the samples riding underneath Erykah Badu's "Didn't Cha Know" record from her 2000 album "Mama's Gun". J Dilla was behind the production on Erykah Badu's version which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for 2001. A bit of a music production background lesson though; the sample was used without permission which eventually led to a lawsuit and Universal/Motown and Badu agreeing to pay a settlement fee for the sample.

In my opinion this is a perfect example of Hip-Hop making an obscure record from a forgotten artist relevant again. If it wasn't for J Dilla flipping the samples and Erykah Badu's incredible voice...this would have been completely buried in time.



Check out Tarika Blue's original "Dreamflower"



Now Check out Erykah Badu's "Didn't Cha Know"



Outside of the "Dreamflower" song, Tarika Blue's album is useful for some ill horn riffs, but if you want to flip any breaks out of the album you'll most likely find yourself screwing the BPM's way down as the majority of the album is uptempo jazz. Remember, Tarika Blue was released in 1976 so we're right around the disco era with this one. If you need the album you can find the link in the comments below.

DJ Lexus "Product of tha Streets vol 67"

As much as I run out new mixtapes, I still love to stop and listen to real DJs do work on their own mixtapes. DJ Lexus is definitely a DJ I check for when he drops a new mixtape. Listen...there's an actual MIX in his MIXtapes and THAT is some real DJ shit. Slide your urls over to DJ Lexus' website and listen/download for yourself. If you're not already connected, follow @LEXUSOFFICIAL on twitter.

01 TRAE THA TRUTH FT FRENCH MONTANA, DIDDY & RICK ROSS - SHOT CALLER REMIX
02 CORTEZ, BIG T & CALICOE - MOUNT OLYMPUS (PROD CHE BOOGY)
03 RED CAFE - CAN YOU HEAR ME
04 MYSONNE - GETTIN TO THE MONEY
05 OBIE TRICE FT GAME - GROWING UP IN THE HOOD
06 JON CONNOR - CHAMPION OF LIFE
07 SHEEK LOUCH & STYLES P - SO WHAT
08 GUNPLAY - BOGOTA
09 YOUNG BUCK FT JUICY J - BRAND NEW
10 JON CONNOR - JUST PAPER
11 JAYSUN - WORD TO MY MUVA FREESTYLE
12 BOOM MAN - GET LOW
13 SCOTTI BOI FT RICK ROSS & FRENCH MONTANA - LAWYER FEES REMIX
14 ROXX RUGER FT FANCY BABY - GIVE IT TO YOU
15 CASSIDY FT KRUTCH & HARDLUCK - THE TRUTH
16 PAUL WALL - FUCK A HATER
17 JON CONNOR CO-STARRING JOSH HOLLERMAN & CRAIG OWENS - EVERYTHING
18 B.O.B FT T.I & YOUNG JEEZY - STRANGE CLOUDS REMIX
19 G SWISS - BLACK OUT (PROD DJ FATALITY)
20 JON CONNOR CO STARRING LIA MACK, BRANDON BARS & D WAYNE - GOODY GIRLS
21 MYSONNE - SAY HI TO THE DEVIL REMIX
22 NEW YITTY - ITS ON ME
23 AC - STAY SCHEMIN FREESTYLE
24 FASHAWN FT OMAR AURA - GOODNIGHT FREESTYLE
25 JON CONNOR - SAGINAW CHRONICLES

BONUS TRACKS

26 KENO MC FT SIN CITY, FIVE STEEZ & P STEW - HEAVY LOURD
27 SOULAR235 FT SHAH CYPHA - EMP
28 GAGE - SHOCK THE WORLD FREESTYLE
29 G-WIZ FT KNIGHSTALKER & JEUNE RAS - TIME (PROD ROMEO)
30 HANDLES - FRESH KICKS

For the DJs: Trouble Funk Breaks

I've been digging through a stack of Trouble Funk albums and finally clipped out a grip of samples and breaks that I can flip into my mixes. Thought I'd share it for any other DJs who might be looking for a dope percussion sample or classic Trouble Funk break.



If you want to download this string of breaks and samples here is the direct link Da' Hitman - Trouble Funk Breaks

Trouble Funk has been sampled quite a bit, especially in the 80's-90's. Here's a short list of some who have sampled Trouble Funk and here is an even bigger list of Trouble Funk samples

#REALDJSHIT Is This You?

Here's a shoutout to all the wack DJs that dropped some wack so-called "mixtapes" yesterday...you know who you are...wack mu'fuckas



That is all...carry on

#REALDJSHIT Wack "DJs" Can Drink Bleach

Today I noticed that the epidemic of wack DJs has risen to new absurdity. Let's be clear; the root word of "MIXTAPE" is "MIX". I hit play on two different mixtapes today that included five DJs. FIVE! Between five DJs and 2 different mixtapes how is it fuckin possible that neither mixtape had even a hint of MIX?! These no-mix 'mixtapes' should be slapped with a huge sticker that reads "NO TURNTABLES REQUIRED". Websites dedicated to mixtapes should shoulder some responsibility and add an asterisk or something to indicate the tape is just a bunch of music, sound effects, and screaming - NO MIX INCLUDED.

How or when this became acceptable is baffling to me. Would you prefer to dry chew some sour koolaid then stop and sprinkle some sugar in your mouth instead of actually adding water and mixing it all together? Wouldn't you be upset if you hit the fridge to pour some koolaid in your cup and the dry ass ingredients slid to the bottom of your empty cup? How in the hell am I supposed to digest this bullshit as a real DJ? It leaves a real bad taste in my mouth to say the least. Yet artists gobble up the opportunity to be on a wack no-mix 'mixtape' then have the nerve to tweet shit like #salutetheDJ or even worse; #realdjshit.



I hit play on another no-mix 'mixtape' yesterday and when I asked the DJ why there was no mix he explained that the artist asked for that. I would love to have an artist explain to me why in the hell you would ASK a DJ to host your mixtape, but don't mix any of it?! Why not just release a street album with no-DJ so that at least if a DJ does hear it and like it he can just download it and run it right into the mix? I thought it was obvious, but I feel obligated to let you artists know - DJs will not mix your music in their mixes with some other DJ's tags or talking all over it. That would be like Pepsi allowing Coke to advertise on their cans.

A lot of you mu'fuckas are using the term "DJ" with reckless abandon and total disregard for the craft. DJ is a title you must earn. Drink bleach and die with that wack bullshit. You are destroying the credibility of the term "DJ" and what it means to our Hip-Hop culture. You should be ashamed for what you have done to our craft and THAT is some #realdjshit.

Anatomy of a Classic: House of Pain "Jump Around"

“Jump Around” is a classic Hip-Hop record from House of Pain (released in 1992 on the groups first self-titled album through XL Recordings and Tommy Boy Records), produced by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. This song became a hit in 1992, reaching Number 3 in the USA. A 1993 re-release of the song in the UK, where the original had been a minor hit, peaked at Number 8. On VH1′s 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s, “Jump Around” was featured at position 24. It was number 66 on VH1′s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. The album went mutli-platinum.



The famous horn riff that jumps it all off is from the record "Harlem Shuffle" by Bob & Earl (1963). The loop that runs throughout the entire song is a pitched way down sample from "Popeye The Hitchhiker" by Chubby Checker (1962). A sure sign that DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill produced the record is the sample of "Tramp" by Lowell Fulsom (1966) running throughout the song. If you listen to the original "Tramp" record you will also recognize the sample was used in Cypres Hill's classic "How I Could Just Kill a Man". There used to be a rumor floating around that the high pitched squeel at the beginning of each bar was a sample of Prince screaming in his song "Gett Off", but it's actually a saxophone stab taken from "Shoot Your Shot" by Jr. Walker & the All Stars (1965). It is widely known throughout the industry that securing a sample from Prince is somewhere between impossible and can't be done. The scratch that DJ Lethal is rubbing through the hooks is from the old "Military Cut - Scratch Mix" by DJ Grand Wizard Theodore and Kevie Kev Rockwell (1983).

I've read that the song also incorporates a sample from "Soul Girl" by Jeanne & the Darlings (1967), but I could only find that sample used on the Pete Rock remix of "Jump Around". The same is true of "Pot Belly" by Lou Donaldson (1970). I could only hear the sample used in Pete Rock's remix - not the original House of Pain record. The same is also true for the use of the sample from the Harvey Averne Dozen "You're No Good" (1968) record. According to Funkmaster Flex the song also samples Johnny Cash's "Daddy Sang Bass" (1969) but I haven't found any sample from that record in "Jump Around".

Some more interesting facts about the record from Wikipedia:

In television and film
The song has been featured in films Mrs. Doubtfire, The Rookie, Daredevil (film), Rush Hour, Happy Gilmore, Kiss of Death, and Black Hawk Down, as well as the television series My Name Is Earl, the TBS talk show Lopez Tonight and the BBC Radio Scotland series Off The Ball. It was also featured in a Pringles commercial in the late 1990s. It also features as darts player Gary Anderson's walk on music.

University of Wisconsin-Madison
At University of Wisconsin-Madison home football games, students "Jump Around" to the song between the third and fourth quarters. The tradition grew out of the Men's Varsity Swimteam members playing it over a discman and broadcasting via a smuggled in megaphone to sections O and P during the games to rile up those sections. This began in '93; well before the official start. The "official" start began on Saturday, October 10, 1998, at the Badgers' Homecoming game against the Purdue Boilermakers[3] After no offensive points were scored in the third quarter, and en route to their second 6-0 start of the modern football era, one of the Badgers' marketing agents, who was in charge of sound, piped the song through the loudspeakers.It stirred up fans and players and has become a tradition of the last decade. However, on September 6, 2003 (the Badgers' first home game of the season), with construction of skyboxes surrounding Camp Randall Stadium, UW officials decided to cancel the "Jump Around" due to worries about structural integrity. Stadium security and the local police department had been informed of this decision, but no notification had been given to the fans. When news surfaced on Monday, September 8, that this event was not a technical or human malfunction, but rather a decision by campus officials, the students launched a protest. Petitions circulated and students pushed back against administration. Structural engineers confirmed that the stadium would suffer no structural damage caused by the vibrations created by jumping. Two days later, Chancellor John D. Wiley announced that the "Jump Around" tradition would resume. The song's title is displayed on unofficial Wisconsin Badgers clothing and apparel and even on some of a Madison-based bank's credit cards.

University of North Carolina
In 2004, the North Carolina Tar Heels began using the song as it was a favorite tune among the team, Rashad McCants and others. The song has played at the beginning of every North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball home game at the Dean Smith Center since that year. Just as in Madison, during the song the entire student section jumps up and down. Occasionally, the players are seen dancing to the song as well. When the Tar Heels won their most recent national title in 2009, the song was played over the Smith Center loudspeakers after the final buzzer. When the Tar Heels moved a 2010 game against Texas to the Greensboro Coliseum, Jump Around was played before the opening tip of that game as well.

Kool DJ Red Alert on the Mix

If you love Hip-Hop like you say do? If you truly #respectthedj and #salutethedj like you always tweet it up on twitter? Follow @KoolDJRedAlert and pay homage to the great Kool the DJ Red Alert! As a DJ, I give credit to Red Alert as one of the 3 DJs that are responsible for my love of the craft and the reason why I take our craft so seriously. Red Alert represents the best in the game when it comes to blend skills and I have never met another DJ that digs in the crates like the Godfather. Peep the mix Kool DJ Red Alert twisted up below and enjoy the lessons of our craft. #REALDJSHIT

KOOL DJ RED ALERT "LET'S REMINISCE A LIL BIT" by Kool Red

Make sure you visit www.kooldjredalert.com and watch his twitter timeline for his live ustream shows and mixes. Give thanks that you were alive to share the joy of Hip-Hop and witness the craft with a true legend Kool DJ Red Alert.

Legends of Hip Hop with DJ Illatek, DJ Ykcor, and Da' Hitman

Linked up with my fam DJ Ykcor and my UK fam DJ Illatek to pay homage to the Legends of Hip Hop with a tribute to Biggie and Tupac with a special bonus (mixed by me) celebrating the legendary Public Enemy. Click play and enjoy some real DJ shit.

Legends of hip hop Dj Illatek // Dj Ykcor // Da Hitman 192k by illatek

It is always an honor to link up with fellow DJs that I respect and step to the side and listen to them work. Get connected with us all on twitter and get familiar with DJ Illatek, DJ Ykcor, and Da' Hitman.

Click for track listing

Catch DJ Illatek live on the radio droppin’ the hottest exclusives, mixes and interviews with artists such as Bashy, Sean Paul, Heartless Crew, Joe, Brandy, Craig David, Skepta and more every Tuesday, 10pm - 1am on Bang 103.6 FM (listen online at www.wearebang.com). If you want your music on air email info@illatek.com. Catch DJ Illatek spinning at his weekly residency at Flavas in Ealing, West London every Friday.

Catch DJ Ykcor in full effect every Saturday night on Swurv Radio with his show CLASS IS IN SESSION; featuring the illest turntable tactics to ever hit the airwaves. Visit www.djykcor.com to get music, mixtapes, videos, and official DJ Ykcor material.

Give the DJ some!

So I saw the video for the "Kings of the Streets" record with DJ Khaled, DJ Drama, DJ Doo Wop, DJ Kay Slay rappin and I ain't mad at the record at all.



For me, this record is a sign of the times. DJs used to get love from artists with full anthems built around giving the DJ props. Not random and vague "salute the DJ" talk; I'm talking about full songs about the DJ by name. Run-DMC honored Jam Master Jay with classic material like "Peter Piper" and "Jam Master Jay". LL honored DJ Cut Creator repeatedly, the Skinny Boys honored DJ Superman Jay, Rakim honored Eric B with "Eric B for President", Kurtis Blow honored AJ...when is the last time you heard a record that gave a specific DJ props? Not a one-line shoutout, but a full dedicated-to-my-DJ record?

I know that artists need to network with as many DJs as possible, but most artists have 1 or 2 DJs that have been riding for them from the jump and putting in real work behind the artist and his records. Why don't artists lock in a DJ and work as a duo anymore? Why can't an artist say "This is my mu'fuckin DJ!"? I could go on and on, but to keep it short - give the DJ some! If you have a DJ that's behind you and your music - take some time to craft an anthem for that DJ and provide that DJ with his very own "Jam Master Jay" anthem.



And you wonder why DJs are rappin' now...if we don't rep for ourselves, who will?

Diggin in the Crates: Atlas

Today I dropped the needle on the 1977 funk album "Atlas" and found some gems; especially the songs "Necessity" and "Ain't No Sunshine". There are some nice breaks in "Play It Cool" too. If you like horns then you're sure to find some nice riffs to sample. When I saw the cover art I had to give this record a listen and I'm glad I did. Diggin in the crates...real DJ shit. I was surprised that I wasn't able to find any previous samples from Atlas used by any Hip-Hop artists, but that is always a bonus when you find something fly that no one has used yet.

01 Hey, Man!
02 Pasteboard
03 Skybird, Fly
04 Necessity
05 Ain't No Sunshine
06 Play It Cool
07 Rhode Island
08 We Are Happy
09 Let's Not Believe

Download "Atlas" for free at SoGoodMusic

Crate Digga's Vol 1

BeatsByYou.com and Unique Styles team up to deliver the first of a new compilation series titled "Crate Digga's" geared towards producers looking for new samples and DJs looking for classic breaks. This collection was compiled by Da' Hitman, including the comments for each track. No mix, no added sound effects, no DJ tags - strictly the breaks and songs (38 total tracks) to allow producers and DJs to utilize the compilation as needed. "Crate Digga's Vol 1" is free and available exclusively at www.beatsbyyou.com.

CRATE DIGGA'S VOL 1 TRACKLISTING
Accadde A - Accadde A Bali (I like the flute when it jumps in over that bassline. I left the entire track because of the different cymbal hits throughout)
Amon Duul - Kismet (I’ve heard this flipped before, but its still dope)
Bernard Wystraete - Daydream (Again with the flutes lol I like the horn stabs at the transitions too)
Brother Jack Mcduff - Electric Surfboard Bassline and Horn Riffs (I clipped it to just the bassline and horn riffs)
Chapeau - Botte de Cuire Break (The wah guitar is ill and the horn stabs are dope. When it hits 34 seconds the beat fills up nice)
Churchill - Here We Are (I’ll be using the horns from the intro for transitions I’m sure. Love the bassline and when the horns come in…dope)
Ferrante & Teicher - Lady Love (I like the acoustic guitar and the muted trumpet. Lot of dope bits in this one)
Francois De Roubaix - Les Dunes Dostende (Skip through to the 37 second mark and the twist is dope)
Gary Pacific Orchestra - Soft Wind (Almost didn’t include this one but I thought someone might want to flip it)
Gator Soundtrack - Laying the Trap (THIS MU’FUCKA HAD ME GOING NUTS AT THE 1:38 MARK!!!!! DOPE!!! MY FAVORITE OF THIS BATCH)
Golden Music Orchestra - African Honeymoon (I love percussion so the congas and horns together caught me. I like the vocal riffs too – not so much the animal sounds though lol)
Hardy's Jet Band - Selected Sound (I thought someone might want the bass guitar stabs. This one is pretty basic but nice. The breakbeat 40 seconds is engineered just right)
Head West - Attention (When the beat trips in with the dude screamin “OH!”…fly shit)
Hysear Don Walker - Children of the Night Break with Bassline (I like the bassline but the congas are too low)
Ian Carr - Roots (Perfect for a transition, especially for a movie score)
Jack Arel - Psychedelic Portrait (I swear this sounds like something Cypress Hill should have ripped! I love this one for a story-telling rhyme)
JJ Johnson - Pull Jabal Pull (The beginning bored the shit outta me, but 12 seconds in I was going nuts!)
Johnny Harris - Light My Fire (I’ve already had a producer flip this one and he absolutely murdered it! I’ll send it to you if you want it. Chill Rob G is recording to it for me)
Kerrie Biddell - In Necessity (Her voice is fuckin dope! I really want to find a way to work this in my mixes)
Lafayette Afro-Rock Band - Darkest Light (You will immediately recognize this from Public Enemy. Dope)
Les Mcann - Go On and Cry (I really like the vibe of this one. Another one of my favorites from this batch)
Louis Clark - Brute Part 1 and 2 (For anyone looking for instrument pieces they can sample-they will love this one. The strings are dope)
Maleditus Sound - Kriminal Theme (Almost didn’t include this one too, but maybe someone might dig it. The horns are nice and the snare hits like a mu’fucka. Song gets really strange at the 1:30 mark lol)
Michel Gonet - Flower Dance (You’re going to recognize this one immediately, but it’s still dope. I think NAS ripped this best)
Monk Higgins - Railroad Snippet (This one is fuckin sick immediately!)
Nick Ingman - Under Pressure (You’ll recognize this one immediately for Slim Thug’s rip, but the whole damn thing is dope)
Oliver Sain - On The Hill (I like the drums – reminds me of Rakim’s Mahongony flip of Al Green’s classic, but the horns on this one have a real Odd Couple vibe)
Parry Music - The Climb (This one is dope right away and screams for some WuTang flava)
Passport - Puzzle (skit) (Very basic but somebody might find some use for it – one of my least favorites in this batch)
Ronald Stein - Go Home Pigs (You’re going to immediately recognize this one from Dr Dre, but I still kept it in the batch)
S.S.O - Faded Lady (skit) (Another one you’re going to recognize right away)
Serge Gainsbourg - Requiem Pour un Con (I like the Timbaland type vibe of the beat and the percussion. Hard to sit through that foreign language singing though lol break at 2:13 is nice and open)
Sound Studio Orchestra - Southbound (Sounds like an old Too Short bassline. I love the horns again. I really like the way they build up and layer. Snatch the bars at 46 seconds and loop em - dope)
Sun - Time is Passing (Piano is very nice. Really liked the piano, but hang on for the beat to drop in 25 seconds and think Erykah Badu or Mary J Blige)
Syrius - Devils Masquerade Break (I will definitely be using this as a transition. Classic breakbeat with the cymbals riding)
The Bubble Gum Machine - I Wonder (You’ll recognize this one right away too, but couldn’t leave it off the batch. Who’s the Black Sheep!)
The Phoenix Authority - Come Together (That “shooooop” shit is dope and I love that this is a jazzy instrumental to the classic)
Wet Willie - The Beggar's Song (I like the opening vocals. Beat is ok but the melody is catchy as hell)

This is what a REAL DJ sounds like

Da’ Hitman is on that Real DJ Shit again with another blend of Hip-Hop and R&B featuring music from both indies and majors.

Hitman 4 Hire 2 by dahitman


01 Teleoso - Paris Hilton
02 Wiz Khalifa and Big Sean - OTTR
03 Tennille - Special Erbs
04 Boss Hogg Outlawz - Get High
05 Teleoso - Tell Me How It Feel
06 The Weeknd - High For This
07 Jay Rock ft Chris Brown - Westside
08 Shaun Boothe ft STS - 123
09 Kanye West and Jay-Z - Gotta Have It
10 Chris Brown ft Berner Wiz Khalifa & Big KRIT - Yoko
11 Eclipse - I'm Scopin
12 Chalie Boy Featuring Beat King - Bust It
13 David Banner - Swag
14 Bow Wow ft Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz - I’ma Stunt
15 Young Jeezy - Rough

Need your mixtape done by a real DJ with real DJ skills and with results that count? Visit MIXTAPES for full mixtape packages or go to UNIQUE STYLES MIXTAPE SLOTS to secure your spot on an upcoming edition of the Unique Styles 2K11 mixtape series.

Hitman 4 Hire

Da' Hitman delivers a dose of Real DJ Shit with a blend that includes 44 different artists* all in 15 minutes.

Hitman 4 Hire by dahitman

*ACDC, Slick Rick, Disturbed, Marvin Gaye, Just Ice, Rose Royce, Hopsin, Ace Hood, Billy Blue, Beastie Boys, Oracle, Ludacris, BDP, Eric B and Rakim, Stetsasonic, LL Cool J, Amy Winehouse, Biggie Smalls, Melvin Bliss, Sly Johnson, Leon Haywood, Method Man, Mary J Blige, Eminem, Big Daddy Kane, Ultramagnetic MCs, Howlin Wolf, Roxanne Shante, Jeru the Damaja, Kevin Black, Young Maestro and YG, Chris Brown, Prince, Keite Young, Liv Warfield, Hetti Loyd, Craig Mack, Eclipse, Atiba, Joey Arel, Wu Tang Clan, Raheem Devaughn, Keith Sweat, Taronica

Need your mixtape done by a real DJ with real DJ skills and with results that count? Visit MIXTAPES for full mixtape packages or go to UNIQUE STYLES MIXTAPE SLOTS to secure your spot on an upcoming edition of the Unique Styles 2K11 mixtape series.

Beat Street (the Movie)

Best for last - last movie of the day and this one is my all time favorite..."BEAT STREET". If you are a Hip-Hop fanatic like me, you can probably recite this movie word for word and even down to the breaks and scratches. No clips or previews...the full movie. Enjoy

Wild Style (the Movie)

After posting the "SCRATCH" movie, people have been hitting me with pure blashemy - saying they had never seen the movie "Wild Style"...must fix that! Here you go - no clips or previews....the full movie. Enjoy

Every DJ's Homework Assignment - Scratch (the Movie)

The movie has been out for years, but the turntable skills are timeless and this specific element is paramount to our craft as Hip-Hop DJs. If you haven't seen the movie yet - watch it. If you're a DJ then you should actually be required to see this movie - watch it. If you're like me...you watch this as much as you probably watch Beat Street and can vocalize every single scratch in the whole damn movie. No clips or previews - this is the full movie. Enjoy