Noj's Rap Blindfold Test

[Dr. Rat]

I've been listening mostly to the Bright side, so far. Have played the opening instrumental on-air a couple of times (don't know what it is) but also recognized Slick Rick, also one my favorites in the genre. Something about his ineffectual pose and his way with rhythm make him stand out immediately for me.

I'll keep at it.

--eric

[Noj]

Bonus Disc Track List

1. Reuben Bell "Superjock"

2. The Whole Darned Family "Seven Minutes Of Funk"

--sampled by EPMD

3. Cymande "Bra"

--sampled by De La Soul

4. Marvin Gaye "T Plays It Cool"

5. Leon Haywood "I Wanna Do Something Freaky To You"

--sampled by Dr. Dre

6. Faze-O "Riding High"

--sampled by EPMD

7. Conspiracy "Count Funkular"

8. Labi Siffre "I Got The (Blues)"

--sampled by Eminem

9. The Dee Felice Trio "There Was A Time"

10. Lightnin' Rod "Sport"

11. Mickey & The Soul Generation "Message From A Black Man"

12. The Black On White Affair "Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother"

13. Lee Fields "All By Myself"

14. George McRae "I Get Lifted"

--sampled by CMW

15. Allen Toussaint "Either"

16. Charles Whitehead "Between The Lines"

17. Andre Williams "Jail Bait"

18. Syl Johnson "Concrete Reservations"

--sampled by RJD2

19. The Coasters "Down Home Girl"

20. Fred Williams & The Jewels Band "Tell Her"

Interesting passage from Greg Osby at AAJ...

"In the mid to late '80's I was hired by several prominent Hip-hop "artists" (please forgive my facetiousness, but you know how I feel about what hip-Hop has become) to act as a contractor for a number of sample replication sessions. I was required to assemble musicians who would go into the studio and craftily simulate some of the samples that the "producers" (reducers) used in their tracks. The original artists were beginning to charge high fees for the usage of their works and it was driving the licensing costs and recording budgets through the roof. It proved to be a great side hustle for us young jazz musicians."

Edited September 22, 2005 by Noj

[.:.impossible]

Yeah, I meant to get back to this. I recognized many of the samples to have been used in things that Dr. Dre had produced. Can you add to that list the hip hop tracks that these samples were used in?

I loved that Quasimoto track on the Bright Side disc, and actually thought some of the Dark Side tracks could have been included on the Bright Side disc as well. There is some pretty rough stuff out there. I had friends in high school and college that ate this stuff up.

The most lyrically unique of this batch, in my opinion, was the Talib Kweli track. I think it would do a lot of people with an aversion to rapping to hear that track. I think rap means different things to a lot of people, but Kweli here shows that its just another form of communication.

[MartyJazz]

I just want to thank you again, Noj, for being so generous in putting together and disseminating so much music that I've been totally unacquainted with. I've been remiss in providing feedback but I can state that my daughter and I have listened several times to the first two discs and we've enjoyed quite a few tracks together. So that's a real plus since I've always felt "tortured" whenever I've been subjected to her music from her CDs or from the radio. So many thanks again.

[sal]

The KRS ONE/BDP tracks on both discs are killin! Hadn't ever heard the Brown Skin Woman track before. What a beat!

[Noj]

I just want to thank you again, Noj, for being so generous in putting together and disseminating so much music that I've been totally unacquainted with.  I've been remiss in providing feedback but I can state that my daughter and I have listened several times to the first two discs and we've enjoyed quite a few tracks together.  So that's a real plus since I've always felt "tortured" whenever I've been subjected to her music from her CDs or from the radio.  So many thanks again.

←

De nada!

[John B]

noj,

The bonus disc has not left our car since I first listened to it. It is a great mix and is still in heavy rotation here.

Thanks again for compiling these discs!

[Noj]

Cool John, you're welcome. I'm glad you like the bonus disc, those are definitely some of my favorites. There are quite a few tracks on there which I got from the original Napster and I've never been able to find legitimate copies.

[.:.impossible]

I've been digging the hell out of the Studio One Selector!

[Soul Stream]

I like music. To me, rap is words plus beats...not music. And like Tony Randall said once in an interview..."I don't like Rock and Roll because it's just so...monotonous." I know I'm getting old because I feel the same way about rap.

I think rap developed in part because as a society, we quit stressing music in school. Lack of free instruments and instruction in lower income schools helped bring about the rise of rap. Some pretty ingenious shit imho, "Oh, we don't have instruments, we'll just rhyme over a record." But, musically speaking, it's a pretty dead end road. Being the pervasive musical idiom these days that infiltrates all genres..pop, jazz, country, everything....it's a drag for me. Drum beat techno-bore.

The last good rap record to me was The Digable Planets 1st record. Shows you what a square I am.

*edit addition-Kanye West is supposed to put an end to my way of thinking. Saw him on Saturday Night Live and couldn't tell why he was supposed to be any different than everyone else.

Edited October 11, 2005 by Soul Stream

[Noj]

I've been digging the hell out of the Studio One Selector!

←

Whoops, only .:. received THAT disc!

[Noj]

I like music.  To me, rap is words plus beats...not music.  And like Tony Randall said once in an interview..."I don't like Rock and Roll because it's just so...monotonous."  I know I'm getting old because I feel the same way about rap.

I must be getting old too, because I have become more and more discerning in terms of what rap I will and will not listen to.

I think rap developed in part because as a society, we quit stressing music in school.  Lack of free instruments and instruction in lower income schools helped bring about the rise of rap.  Some pretty ingenious shit imho, "Oh, we don't have instruments, we'll just rhyme over a record."  But, musically speaking, it's a pretty dead end road.  Being the pervasive musical idiom these days that infiltrates all genres..pop, jazz, country, everything....it's a drag for me.  Drum beat techno-bore.

If someone can do something creative with the elements that compose a rap song, then its roads aren't necessarily dead ends. Much like rock and roll or pop music there is a more rigid, limited framework--so it is a music of arranging and editing. Beck is an artist who has taken some of the elements from rap to create his own music--not quite rap, not quite rock. Or what about Portishead? Their first album is timeless, and its production is very similar to rap production.

The last good rap record to me was The Digable Planets 1st record.  Shows you what a square I am.

Digable Planets are the perfect band to mention in this thread, actually. Easily two of the most listenable albums in the history of rap.

*edit addition-Kanye West is supposed to put an end to my way of thinking.  Saw him on Saturday Night Live and couldn't tell why he was supposed to be any different than everyone else.

←

I don't dig the Jamie Foxx sings Ray Charles bit. I heard Kanye's album and must say I was underwhelmed too.

Edited October 12, 2005 by Noj

[John B]

Cool John, you're welcome.  I'm glad you like the bonus disc, those are definitely some of my favorites.  There are quite a few tracks on there which I got from the original Napster and I've never been able to find legitimate copies.

←

I recently bought an excellent compilation called Midwest Funk, on Now-Again records. The track "Tell Her" by Fred Williams & The Jewels Band sounded really familiar, and I finally realized it closed out your bonus disc. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this disc, as well as the also-excellent Texas Funk disc, for some really rare songs from obscure funk 45's. Mickey & the Soul Generation have one track ("Give Everybody Some") on the Texas disc.

Edited October 13, 2005 by John B

[Noj]

Updated with sources:

Bonus Disc Track List

1. Reuben Bell "Superjock" Brainfreeze 7" Singles

2. The Whole Darned Family "Seven Minutes Of Funk" Napster

--sampled by EPMD

3. Cymande "Bra" self-titled album

--sampled by De La Soul

4. Marvin Gaye "T Plays It Cool" Trouble Man Soundtrack

5. Leon Haywood "I Wanna Do Something Freaky To You" Napster

--sampled by Dr. Dre

6. Faze-O "Riding High" Title track from album

--sampled by EPMD

7. Conspiracy "Count Funkular" The First Days Of Funk vol. 4

8. Labi Siffre "I Got The (Blues)" Napster

--sampled by Eminem

9. The Dee Felice Trio "There Was A Time" Charly compilation

10. Lightnin' Rod "Sport" album from emusic

11. Mickey & The Soul Generation "Message From A Black Man" Iron Leg Complete recordings

12. The Black On White Affair "Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother" Soul Patrol compilation

13. Lee Fields "All By Myself" Hustler's Convention

14. George McRae "I Get Lifted" Napster

--sampled by CMW

15. Allen Toussaint "Either" Charly compilation

16. Charles Whitehead "Between The Lines" Funkaphonix/Electrostatic compilation

17. Andre Williams "Jail Bait" Rolling Stones Artist's Choice compilation

18. Syl Johnson "Concrete Reservations" album from emusic

--sampled by RJD2

19. The Coasters "Down Home Girl" King Funk compilation

20. Fred Williams & The Jewels Band "Tell Her" Midwest Funk compilation

[.:.impossible]

Anyone know anything about this?

Digable Planets on Blue Note

[Noj]

I have it, it's pretty cool. There's three or four remixes, but otherwise it's a best-of compilation.