West Coast Bad Boyz Volume 1

Master P and RBL, "Tryin' to Make a Dollar Out of 15 Cents"

Dre Dog, Pee and Totally Insane, "Total Insanity"

Ray Luv and Tha Link, "Born Hustlaz"

C-Bo and Master P, "Headin' 4 the Jack"

Well, well, since no one could take the time and leave a comment requesting more from West Coast Bad Boyz Volume 2, I'mma move on to the epic first volume. West Coast Bad Boyz, Volume 1: Anotha Level of the Game is considered by many to be one of the greatest No Limit releases, documenting an entire scene and sound as well as you can.

The CD I have is the re-released version, as I know some of you rap nerds wanna know that shit. Unfortunately, as the original release has two more tracks and features Master P's partner, King George. It's still a classic, but hopefully I'll get a copy of the original as it was intended to be heard before P and George started beefing.

I still can't get over that warm, big bass sound that holds these tracks down. It's so different than the stuff from the same era coming out of the East and West, much more human sounding. It leads me to believe me that electro never really made it across the Mississippi. Listen to that crazy synth on "Total Insanity", totally eerie, reminds me of a siren, definite blueprint for the No Limit sound when it got to New Orleans. Lyrically, it's got the drug tales, the violence, the sex. However, this is less of the nihilism that I gravitated towards, even references to G-d and helping your fellow man. A strange combination, one that highlights why hip hop is such an endlessly fascinating, human music.

-Back on the East Coast, lots of good developments. Peep this article about the Philly rebirth spreading to east of Broad Street and this one about the benefit of having a Macy's in the amazing Strawbridge's building and a retail boom in the city. I'mma have a lot more to say about Philly in the next week or two, as it has dominated my thoughts lately.

-For those in Philly tonight, head to Fluid for the chance to hear Carl Cox and Josh Wink spin in an intimate space. There's no advance tickets, so you better get there early to make sure you to get in to this jawn. A rare chance to hear these two together in a really small space.

-In a similar hot dance music vein, cop the new DFA remixes release, The DFA Remixes- Chapter One. This is so necessary, you've got all the hot remixes they put out a few years ago that put their name on the map for good. Le Tigre, Metro Area, Chemical Brothers, essential shit. Cop at the UK's Amazon or HMV, or wait until this upcoming Tuesday for the North American release. Save up, as Chapter 2 comes out in the summer. All of it can be had on vinyl. Yeah!