The Best of Eric B. & Rakim (1997) (Mixtape)

C'mon now people, do i really need to go into what these guys meant to the game? Do i really need to get into what these guys brought to the game? Do i really need to get into how legendary this group is? If i do then everything we now about hip-hop is dead, but im assuming yall do know so i will keep hope alive. Yo man, there's no need for me to explain this post any further. Please act like u know and blast this joint on blazant levels!

U Thought I Was A Doughnut, U Tried To Glaze Me

The Best of Gangstarr Pt. 2 (1999) (Mixtape)

As we continue on with this amazing group, did yall know they broke up after Hard To Earn came out? Primo up to that point got tired of Guru's drinkin and his attiude during it. Guru's problem had driven wedge in between the two and Primo had enough. So Primo decided to step and do his own thing. But sometime in '97, Guru had caught a case of battery or assault (either one). And it was a serious one, he was facing years if found guilty of it. It was this event that brought the two back together, Primo wanted to support his man in every way he can during this difficult time. Coincidentally during this time they was workin on the Moment of Truth LP. Guru's lawyer told the group that yall need to put this LP out asap and promote it while Guru's able to cause u never know what could happen at trial. So that is exactly what they did, and while doin that Guru went on wit his trial and was found not guilty. And the icing on the cake was that the Moment of Truth LP went on to give them their 1st gold plaque! Thats right youngin's, back then it was a major achievement to go gold! Ask EPMD they went gold wit every LP and boasted about it! Thats how much goin gold meant to niggas. Ok man let me stop, bang out this part 2 and realize real hip-hop when u hear it!

Gangstarr Foundation

The Best Of Gangstarr Pt. 1 (1999) (Mixtape)

Here's another group that i really dont have to say much about. To me they are one of the most unique groups of all-time cause of the way they incorporated jazz into their style. Heck, maybe because of them kids like me made us like jazz. Thats a feat all its self! I was 1st introduced to Gangstarr back in late '95 on a episode of 'Ol Skool Wednesday on Rap City. That was when I 1st heard "Mass Appeal", and that vid & track had me in a trance! It was from there i was checkin for everything these two did together. I love these brothers and everything they stood for in hip-hop. RIP Guru for life! Enjoy part 1!

Gangstarr.....One of the Best yet!!

Styles P- The Ghost In The Machine (2005) (Mixtape)

One more joint featuring my man Styles P. This tape was released back in '06 when rappers just started coming out wit mixtape LPs. For the artist, its a way to get their music out to the people to occupy time until their official LP comes out. For the mixtape game, things started goin from sugar to shit real quick, cause it was mixtapes like this that flooded the market. It went from mixtapes being an art form to now just a promo tool for industry. But i cannot bash this tape too much cause its like a LP and its from my nigga SP. I was kinda skeptical on joints like this at 1st but I was soon impressed by it especially by the beats. The beats on here is crazy, there's a couple on here i put on repeat many times. So i gotta give props to Panero on the production side of things on here. I hope yall like it and keep it locked here for more!

Holiday Styles

**Re-Up** DJ Capone- The Lox 10th Anniversary Vol. 1 (2005) (Mixtape)

I been a Lox fan since i 1st heard them on Bad Boy's Vol. 3 mixtape wit Stretch Armstrong back in '96. The track was "Thumbs Up" ft. Richie Thumbs. Man i used to bump that track all the time, i loved the flow and the beat! Then i heard "You'll See" wit Biggie and it was a wrap after that, i became fans of these cats for life!! Can u believe these guys almost got 20 years in the game!! Thats crazy, its rare nowadays that a solo artist or even a group being around for 20 years in this industry. But they earned to stay here. Everything they did they ripped it whether it was mixtapes, guest features, their own shit, solo shit and etc! They always went hard 100% of the time, thats why they are one of the best groups of all-time. That shouldnt even be debated, the crazy thing is that they only did 2 LPs!!? So enjoy this tape and rock out to one of the best collective ever to do it!!

L.O.X

Big L- A Freestyle History (1999) (Mixtape)

In our final session of this course, we gotta talk about a MC's ability to create songs. There were alot of MC's in the past that were super lyrical, battle ready and freestyle fanatic. But the one thing that plagued them was the ability to craete songs. Its like it was their kryptonite to do that. For whatever reason they couldnt transfer their amazing rhymin ability to create tracks people can get wit. For L, he had that ability to do both. He had it in him to battle a nigga on the block, go to Stretch & Bob and kick a outrageous freestyle then go to the studio and create tracks like "Ebonics" & "Size'em Up". I mean this man's style is damn near extinct nowadays. I kinda consider him a super hero with the abilities that he had. So on this tape check out his steez live on display for everyone wit a compilation of his best freestyles. And now with this class comin to a close i want everyone to just appreciate what this man brought  to game and imagine what he coulda done wit more time in his life! We miss u L!

Put Your L's Up

AZ- Decade 1994-2004 Pt. 2 (2004) (Mixtape)

When AZ spit that verse on Life's a Bitch, we all was like "who's this cat?" And its even more crazier that he was able to get a deal off that verse! Legendary. To me his 1st LP is a classic (a LP thoughts is comin soon on it), brings back great memories just thinkin about it. Now when his 2nd LP was gettin ready to come out i was amped cause the 2 singles he had for it was "Hey AZ" & "Whats The Deal". Those are bangers to me. But that LP didnt do well at plus it hurt that Hey AZ wasnt even on the LP. So for 2 years my man went hidin. Nobody didnt hear from him at all. But in 2000 i remember a mixtape that was spreading like wildfire called AZ- S.O.S.A. And it was pure crack of new joints from him and thats when he made a dope return to the game. Then he dropped 3 straight solid LPs: 9 Lives, Aziatic & AWOL. So its safe to say this man's place in the game as one of the best MC's is solidified. As we continue on this tape, its just more dope cuts and more flavor from this guy's extensive catalog. Give this man his props cause he is Rather Unique!

Aziatic

Jay Z- The Hits & Unreleased Pt. 1 (1999) (Mixtape)

Here is another dope little Hova mixtape from '99. It features his hits & rare tracks he had out up to that point. To me, in '99 thats when he started staking the claim as the top MC bypassing Nas. Cause like i said before when Jay 1st came out in '96, BIG was #1 and Nas was #2. And for some it was vice versa, but in '99 thats when Jay Z started his rise. So lets go back to the god hour wit the god MC Jay-Hova!

Jiggaman

Bad Boy Entertainment- The Hits & Unreleased Pt. 3 (2003) (Mixtape)

Ok, we still on that Bad Boy ish! And we make a return to the hip-hop side of things on this tape featuring Biggie, Puff, Mase, Black Rob, Shyne & G-Dep. Just imagine how powerful Bad Boy woulda been if Big was still here....imagine that. Puff woulda stayed focused on music and not Hollywood, Mase would have not retired & the Lox would not have left for Ruff Ryders. I always think about it and wonder. We all saw how strong they were in '97 when Puff took over, and Big wasnt there but look how powerful Bad Boy was! Just imagine if Big was around for the rest of '97, man it woulda been too much! Remember how DMX & Jay took over '98 and 50 took over '03, it woulda been bigger than that. Damn.......

Bad Boy 4 Life

Bad Boy Entertainment- The Hits & Unreleased Pt. 2 (2003) (Mixtape)

Now its on this tape that sets Bad Boy apart from other labels. R&B!! Puff did a great job of filling a great R&B roster!! On this tape, it features tracks from Bad Boy's R&B family tree such as Faith, Total, 112 & Carl Thomas. And not only Puff did a great job on his own R&B roster, do not forget all the tracks he remixed for other R&B artists during that time. They are all classics now.
This was during a time of when R&B was R&B, now its considered pop cause nobody sings anymore. Peep the flavor yall!

Bad Boy 4 Life

Bad Boy Entertainment- The Hits & Unreleased Pt. 1 (2003) (Mixtape)

We all know what Russell Simmons did with Def Jam Records, he sort of built a template of what a label is supposed to be like.
So Puffy took that template and revamped it into a empire. Yall can diss Puff all u want but Bad Boy set the standard on what a label is supposed to be like. Nobody had a street team before he did it, Nobody was makin mixtapes promoting their label before he did it, no CEO's was puttin them selves out there before he did it. To me Bad Boy was the label to be, i loved them niggas.
On this tape, its on the hip-hop side of Bad Boy. With tracks featuring Biggie, Puff, Mase, Lox & Black Rob.
If Rocafella promoted the hustle side of the game, then Bad Boy promoted the playa side of the game with the designer clothes and poppin 'Cris. Sometimes i wish Puff was still focused on the music like he was back then.

Bad Boy 4 Life

DJ Rob N Hood- Best Of Scarface Pt. 2 (2002) (Mixtape)

Another thing about Scarface is the relationships he built with other MC's in the game and the respect he earned for being a dope MC. He did tracks wit Jay, Nas, Beanie Sigel, X & 'Pac to name a few. Then Def Jam says "hey we need u to run our Southern label", ok boom he signs Ludacris who now has a 10+ year career! Cmon man, this dude is legendary for many reasons. So please enjoy pt. 2 of this man's majestic work!!

Mo 'Face

DJ Rob N Hood- Best Of Scarface Pt. 1 (2002) (Mixtape)

Back here in Texas, this man is a legend. He's right up there wit DJ Screw & Pimp C as part our hip-hop legacy in Houston. Scarface to me is in my all-time top 5 mc's list. He dont rap like ur typical down south rapper, he is a mc who speaks the truth. He tells u this is what happens if u choose this route and this what happens if u run these streets. He's a narrator and observer. When i 1st heard & seen the vid for "Never Seen A Man Die" back in 7th grade, that shook me and made me straighten up cause i didnt wanna end up like the dude in the video.
So this is part one of this man's amazing work, part 2 coming next. Enjoy & learn!

'Face

DJ Keyz & Big Mike- Show You How To Do This (2003) (Mixtape)

Well for all of the Hova fans out there, this is a rare treat!
This tape features all of Jay's rare tracks and freestyles! There is some tracks on here that is just hard to find anywhere else. It has many gems on here and for people trying dig up those endangered joints of the Jiggaman, this tape right here caters to ur needs! Thank me later yall!

Young Hova