FDB Interview Spot - Spencer Bellamy

East Flatbush Projects - 'Hush'
yet to be released (10/30 Uproar, 2007)

When I recently wrote about a handful of producers whom I would love to have heard more from, I never expected any of them to get in contact. So when Spencer Bellamy, producer of the classic 'Tried By 12' dropped me a line in appreciation of the post, I jumped at the opportunity to ask him a few questions. Here's the chat we had where we cover Spencer's early exposure to hip hop in the late '80s all the way through to his current projects with his continuing East Flatbush Projects series and an upcoming album release.

From Da Bricks: I just want to start by saying it’s a real privilege to talk to you. I’ve been a fan for a while now.

Spencer Bellamy: Thank you, thank you.

FDB: I got a bunch of questions I want to ask you, but let’s start at the beginning with Howie Tee. How did that relationship come about?

SB: Well, I knew Howie from the time I was 11 years old. I used to DJ with Howie, that is how I first got into just doing stuff. I used to DJ and Howie used to hear about me and I had this friend that lived down the street that was in this crew. After that, he took me by his house, he was watching me cut up and after that it was history: playing at block parties and stuff like that. So, after a while, Howie started getting into production and I was watching the stuff that he was doing for like Whistle, Special Ed and Chubb and other people like the stuff he was doing with Full Force. I was kinda like his apprentice.

FDB: Right, so at what stage did you make the shift from DJ to producer?

SB: Probably in ‘87/’88.

FDB: Did you find that to be an easy transition?

SB: You know what? It was funny because at first all I used to do was collect records, stuff I wanted to use, so no, the transition wasn’t hard at all. I guess when you have an idea of what you want to do and the ear to put it down, to get your idea across then it’s pretty cool. I started off with the SP-1200 and the 950.

FDB: As far as I’m aware, your first proper production credits came about on the preC.I.S.E. MC album. Is that right?

SB: Yea, that was the first major project that I was doing. I was kinda like dabbling in doing productions. That year, I decided to just start shopping beats. I already knew Special Ed and Chubb’s management, so all I had to do was slide through and give them something. Basically, they liked my stuff and wanted to get me on the project.

FDB: I know that Izzy Ice [member of Da King & I] had a hand in that album. Did you have any affiliations with him?

SB: Oh yea! Yea, I was cool with him. In fact I was more cool with his DJ, Majesty.

FDB: Cool. I’d say ‘Tried By 12’ must be your most widely known piece of work. Where did you find the ‘Sakura’ break and was it a straight loop or did you chop it up?

SB: I chopped it up a little bit.

FDB: And where did you find it?

SB: Just in some little, dusty record shop in Bedstuy where a lot of people used to dig. It’s not there anymore, but that was a place we used to go just to pick up records.

FDB: Were you surprised by the impact that song had? For example, there’s the remix LP put out by Ninja Tune with producers like Squarepusher and Herbaliser that seems indicative of how big it was at the time for a substantial audience.

SB: Yea. You know I never had any idea of who those people were, so I didn’t know the importance and what level it was, you what I mean? I didn’t realise the importance of having those type of producers on it.

FDB: Looking back on it now, does it surprise you how big the original ‘Tried By 12’ song was?

SB: Yea, I was definitely surprised. It was funny because, you know, when you hear a song you get a good feeling about it, but I didn’t know that it was going to get to that level where everybody knew it as a hip hop classic. People had it in magazines as one of the top hip hop beats of all time. It’s funny though, because there are people that have still never heard that song who are then like ‘yea, that’s hot’.

FDB: Moving onto the other East Flatbush releases. One of the things you’re known for is picking little known MCs to feature on those records. How do you go about choosing the people who go on those songs?

SB: Just knowing somebody that knows somebody. There are a lot of people out here who rhyme. The way I found Stress and Dox was through a producer friend of mine called Needles. He basically hooked me up with Dox, and he was rhyming with Stress, so that’s how I find those two.

FDB: All of the material on your 10/30 Uproar label was really high quality, but in some way I’m surprised that you haven’t amassed a larger number of production credits over the last 15 years or so. Is there a specific reason for that?

SB: I’m surprised too! I don’t know why that is.

FDB: But you’ve been making beats the whole time?

SB: On and off. I think a part of it is me, and another part was frustration. I think when people shop beats, if you’re not known, people are going to be more critical. A good example would be Kanye West, when he started out shopping beats he was getting turned down. Once he got his first hit it all changed. Jay Z is an artist I have always respected because he gives a chance to new producers.

FDB: Is 10/30 Uproar still functioning? Is the new track ‘Hush’ going to be released on the label?

SB: Yea, that’s actually going to be on the album.

FDB: So there’s going to be an album?

SB: Yea, and another thing. There was some stuff that you would have no idea that I was putting stuff out all this time. From ’98, there was an East Flatbush song called ‘Everything We Spit Is Hard’ and then I put out a Ruste Juxx track.

FDB: Yea, I’ve heard those tracks. Wasn’t there the stuff with a crew called Live Wire as well?

SB: Yea, that was in like ’97. After that I put out something in 2001 with Ruste and Mirage Black called ‘Head To Head’. After that I put out ‘Head To Head 05’.

FDB: What about the ‘Inhale’ track on your MySpace?

SB: ‘Inhale’ is going to be something I’m going to release. I’ve been thinking about releasing that as a single with ‘Hush’ on the b-side.

FDB: That’d be great. You mentioned the album, any other projects in the pipeline?

SB: That’s all I have right now, working on the East Flatbush album with Stress, Dox and Fallon. It might be like one more person, but they’ll be the main three.

FDB: And how close it that to completion?

SB: It should be ready for early Spring.

FDB: Just to wrap things up, how do you feel about the changes in the industry now and the dawn of the digital era. Do you think that this has been good or bad for hip hop?

SB: In one way it’s good, as far as getting your stuff heard, but on the other hand it’s messing up album sales. Yo, Kanye sold close to a million in one week and then a week later he’s selling like 200,000. That’s like a 70% drop.

FDB: It’s crazy.

SB: That is crazy! Usually it’s like a 30% or 50% drop, not 70%. The same thing happened with Jay Z’s album, he had a big first week, then it dropped by 70% and it kind of just faded out. You know, those type of numbers, big to begin with and then fading out... I then heard that this coming week they may not even sell 100,000. How do you make a livin’?!

FDB: I don’t know man. I wish you all the best with the album and future projects, let me know when they’re going to drop.

SB: I will, I appreciate it man. Thanks.

Massive props go out to Spencer for taking the time to chat with me and for shining some light on a body of work that remains heavily slept on. Check out some of the new tracks at his MySpace page, 'Inhale' is definitely my choice cut out of the two he says will be released as a 12''.

Keep locked into FDB for more interview action in the near future. Feedback would be appreciated: I realise I'm no Robbie yet, so your thoughts and suggestions will be highly valued. Thanks in advance.

A Sweet Serenade - 'Lots Of Lovin'' Beat Deconstructions

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - 'Lots Of Lovin'' & 'Lots Of Lovin' (Remix)'
taken from Lots Of Lovin' 12'' (Elektra, 1991)

Ohio Players - 'Players Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)'
taken from Pain (Westbound Records, 1971)

Ohio Players - 'What's Going On'
taken from Climax (Westbound Records, 1974)

Don Covay & the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band - 'If There's A Will There's A Way (Southside)'
taken from Different Strokes For Different Folks (Janus, 1970)

[Got to give a special shout out to my brother Tim on this post who not only loves this track, but who has also just joined the blogging game with a site devoted to his primary passion: Arsenal FC. P-Zone representin' to the fullest!]

Given that I am now precisely 49 hours and 32 minutes away from seeing Pete Rock live in London (but who's counting), it will probably come as little surprise to you that I've spent the best part of the last week revisiting his vast discography with butterflies of excitement taking up full-time residence in my belly. Hyped? The word doesn't even come close. However, in the interests of avoiding another lengthy 'I love Pete Rock' rant, let's get straight into some beat deconstruction: sticking to what you know best is always a winner.

In some ways, 'Lots Of Lovin'' was an anomaly on Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's towering full length debut. In the midst of all the uptempo, neck-snappin' madness, Pete still found time to smooth the groove out a little, and the result was nothing short of extraordinary. A hip hop love song of the highest order, few other artists have been able to pull off a style that verges so dangerously on the corny with such class and finesse: 'Lot's Of Lovin'' is a certified banger.

One of Pete's trademark beat skits precedes the song on the album, a straight jack of about five or six bars from the Ohio Players' track 'Players Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)' from their 1971 LP Pain. A funky little riff with tinkling keys and hand claps is the perfect appetiser for the beat that drops at the 0.22, which incidentally finds its main theme from the same band's cover of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'. The two bars in question can be found at the 5.42 mark, and as well as sampling the melody from this glorious four seconds, The Chocolate Boy Wonder keeps the skipping drum track in as well to form the percussive spine of 'Lots Of Lovin''. There's an exceptional glow to the break itself that translates perfectly into its newfound audio environment, generously providing a smooth, sumptuous, soul-enriched pedestal on which C.L. Smooth can deliver his proclamations of love and desire for the lady in his life. I'm not sure where the other layer of samples comes from, but the combination of keys, flute and vocals extends the scope of the song significantly, only to be masterfully stripped away during the verse sections. It's rare that you can state that a hip hop song is beautiful in such a traditional sense, but 'Lots Of Lovin'' is just that.

The remix is a treat as well. With signature remix adlibs firmly in place, the cut has a more traditional Pete Rock vibe about it which, of course, is no bad thing. The break can be found on the song 'If There's A Will There's A Way (Southside)', performed by the equally extensively named Don Covay & the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no knowledge of the artists in question, but the song has encouraged me to dig a little deeper into Covay's back catalogue as the song is excellent. It's the first couple of bars to check for in this case, a silky blend of electric piano, guitar and drums that serves the remix well, although for me, it could never surpass the original. It's interesting to note that C.L.'s lyrics are decidedly more raunchy in the first verse here than at any point on the original: I guess the remix brought the beast out of him.

47 hours and 57 minutes. Yea, I'm still counting.

FDB Interview Spot - Robert Mugge & Black Wax

One of the significant changes in my music listening habits since starting this blog back in December has been an increasing hunger to know more about music from the past, particularly from genres that have helped give birth to the culture of hip hop (my personal favourite, in case you hadn't guessed). I've touched on Gil Scott-Heron at FDB before, but I'll be the first to admit that I still know relatively little about a man whose legendary status endures as incontestable. So, when I was contacted by Sky Arts recently to see if I would be interested in a copy of Black Wax, a documentary film in which Scott-Heron is the key subject, I was excited at the prospect of learning more about an artist whose influence on hip hop is clearly tangible.

Originally released in 1982, Black Wax was the brainchild of director Robert Mugge, a man who over the course of almost 35 years has committed his professional career to documentaries that deal almost exclusively with music-related content. Composed of footage of live performance, direct talk to the camera and Scott-Heron's musings in between songs at his birthday concert in '82, the film is an insightful look at both American society as well as being a valuable documentation of his career around the time of his Reflections LP. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to pose a few questions to Mugge over the internet in relation to the film and he graciously replied in such detail so as to make my ramblings on the film inconsequential: his views on the subject are far more educated and eloquent than mine could ever hope to be. With that said, let's get into it.

From Da Bricks: How did you strike up the relationship with Gil and at what point did the notion of the documentary come into being?

Robert Mugge: In 1980, I completed a film about visionary and eccentric jazz artist Sun Ra. London Film Festival Director Ken Wlaschin and BFI scholar David Meeker invited me to present Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise at their festival in November of 1981. They also shared the film with Angus Trowbridge of TCB Releasing Ltd. in Somerset, and he offered to represent it. By the time I flew over for the festival, Angus had sold the film to Channel 4 Television which was still a full year from going on the air. Angus reported that Channel 4's Commissioning Editor for Music Andy Park was a big fan of the film, so I made an appointment to meet with him at the company's temporary offices while in London for the festival. During our meeting, Andy, a wonderfully smart and animated Glaswegian, put the song 'B-Movie' on a small turntable in his cramped office. I immediately recognized the artist as Gil Scott-Heron and commented that Gil apparently lived about an hour away from me in the Washington D.C. area. Andy responded that, if someone could put together a film about Gil, he would fund the whole thing. I was then a 31-year-old 'starving artist' filmmaker with just a few films under my belt and few prospects for new ones, and no one had ever before promised to fund a whole film for me on any subject. So, after returning home, I immediately attempted to reach Gil. It took a couple of months for me to track him down, but I did finally succeed.

FDB: Looking back at the piece now, how do you reflect on the experience of making the documentary as well as its relevance in today's world climate? Do you sense a change in balance in the U.S. or are the same issues still as prevalent?

RM: 'B Movie', the song that Andy played for me in his office, also became the climax of the film. It dared to say a lot of things that many of the rest of us were thinking about America's new right-wing president, Ronald Reagan, and about the climate in the country that would allow for his election, but it did so in a truly entertaining way. I was so upset about Reagan's election myself that I actually met with a solicitor in London to inquire about the possibility of moving to the UK. Unfortunately, I learned that doing so would be much more difficult than I'd imagined.

At any rate, at that time, Gil was writing songs about many of my country's problems - from misguided politicians, to brutal police, to poverty and racism, to drug and alcohol addiction, to guns on the streets, to issues surrounding illegal immigrants, and so forth - and yes, it's scary to think about how many of those issues are just as relevant today. In fact, ALL of them are still relevant today. Moreover, just as Ronald Reagan once made Richard Nixon look like a very smart and very moderate president by comparison, President George W. Bush has made even Reagan seem like a perceptive and compassionate president (which he surely was not). Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the rest of their demented gang have done so much to dismantle what the U.S. has always stood for that it will take a great many years even to try and put the pieces back together again. In a way, it makes one wish that Gil were still at the top of his game, commercially speaking, so that he could create anthems about all of what is now going on, from the war in Iraq, to Guantanamo Bay, to domestic spying, to massive governmental and corporate corruption. On the other hand, the damage is so great, and the pain so widespread, from here to the Middle East, that I'm not sure we could even stand to hear somebody singing about it all. For the songs of a Gil Scott-Heron or an early Bob Dylan to resonate with audiences, perhaps people first must need to believe that the problems about which they sing can still be corrected. Right at the moment, I'm not sure how many of us actually believe that anymore.

FDB: How exactly was the film put together? Were the live performances done specifically for the project or edited into other footage?

RM: We filmed Gil Scott-Heron's 'birthday concert' in his hometown of Washington, D.C. on April 1, 1982. The D.C. wax museum had recently been converted into a performance venue, appropriately called the Wax Museum Nightclub, and that's where this performance took place. Aside from the outdoor footage we shot with Gil around the city, everything in the film was shot at that nightclub. Obviously, the musical performance and extended monologue were shot on the stage during the birthday concert - actually two musical sets were presented and filmed in one evening, each of them preceded by a 'Black History' monologue. But when I first visited the club, I also learned that all of the museum's original wax figures were still being kept there in a very large storage room. So, I got permission to throw together a kind of movie set in that storage room, and then we filmed Gil's improvised interaction with the wax figures of U.S. presidents, movie stars, musicians, poets, astronauts, and so forth. At the time, short music videos were using a lot of such imagery simply for visceral effect. What I decided to do with Black Wax was to slow everything down enough to where viewers could absorb some actual ideas with all of those images, and Gil proved to be the perfect 'idea man' at the center of it all.

You might also notice that either Gil, the camera, or both were constantly moving throughout the film. My cameraman, Larry McConkey, was good friends with Garrett Brown who had invented the Steadicam, and Larry was one of the first people in the world to have regular access to one. So, I made the decision to have Larry use the Steadicam throughout the film in order to give the production a unique sense of flow. In fact, I'm pretty sure that ours was the first film ever to use Steadicam throughout an entire film in that way. It's funny the sort of things that can inspire you, even if indirectly and inadvertently. But as I was considering this notion of flow for the film, I thought about feminist author Erica Jong's then current book called Fear Of Flying, and of her concept of the 'zipless fuck' - that is, of lovemaking in which a couple is so carried away in their passion that they aren't even aware of removing each other's clothing. With that in mind, I decided to try and make a film that would suck the viewer in to such an extent that he or she would simply flow with it from beginning to end and - in a kind of inversion of traditional 'Brechtian distancing' - offer a kind of comfort level wherein progressive or even radical ideas would seem more acceptable. Of course, Gil's natural charm also contributed greatly to this effect. For instance, when Gil is walking his sweet young daughter in front of the White House, who can really see the man as threatening?

When Black Wax was first released, a few reviewers bemoaned the fact that the film did not employ the sort of raw and fast-paced style that had become the norm with political propaganda since the late 1960s. But I felt from the beginning that this warmer and more welcoming approach would be a far more insideous method of putting across left-wing ideas, and I still believe that I was correct.

FDB: There is no doubting that Scott-Heron is a highly charismatic figure. What was the experience of working with him like?

RM: Gil is one of the most brilliant and most passionate individuals I've ever met. Working with someone that charming, that committed, and that articulate, was an enormous pleasure. It saddens me that personal issues over the years have perhaps kept him from accomplishing all that he perhaps could have. But I'm extremely grateful for the wonderful work he's given us, and for the pleasure I had in collaborating with him. I also have to thank Andy Park for his vision in realizing how powerful a Gil Scott-Heron portrait could be, and for fully funding a film that never would have gotten funded in my own country at that time.

FDB: How do you view the influence that Gil has had on mainstream culture in wider terms?

RM: It's difficult for me to analyze just how much influence Gil has had. Certainly, many hip hop artists praise him as an influence, though I'd have to say that Gil's own lyrics were far more poetic, and his subjects much loftier, than are those of the average hip hop rants today (which is not to say that I don't find a lot of hip hop appealing myself). Like so many artists who made a strong initial showing and then largely disappeared from public view for decades afterwards, Gil has retained a respectable cult following for his work. But I doubt that very many younger people know that work at all. Today, more people probably know his famous lyric and song title 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' than know anything else about him or his many compositions and performances. In fact, on the American Emmy Awards broadcast earlier this week, Queen Latifah recited some scripted line to the effect that "this particular revolution will not be televised" or whatever, making no reference at all to the author of the original phrase, but assuming that everyone knew the line itself.

FDB: Of the many he has released over the years, which are your favourite Gil Scott-Heron recordings and why?

RM: I love them all, from the early collaborations with Brian Jackson such as Winter In America, to the strong series of records including Reflections that he made with his own band, to the occasional more jazz-infused efforts like Spirits that have popped up unexpectedly in the years sense. Gil is still a force to be reckoned with, and I certainly welcome any new music or writings he chooses to share with us. As I believe you'd agree, the world is a better place because an artist of his stature chose to take up residency here. Perhaps only a small percentage of the world's inhabitants are aware of Gil's past work, but I'm pleased to count myself among that happy few. I'm also happy to help you commemorate the 25th anniversary of the making of Black Wax, a film that is still among my personal favorites.

If you're interested in seeing the film in its entirety (you should be) then you have a chance to catch it on Sky Arts (channel 267) on Tuesday 16th October at 23:30 or on Thursday 18th October at 14:00. For those not fortunate enough to live in the U.K., or those without Sky Digital (me included), it is available secondhand on Amazon. I feel blessed to have had such extensive answers to my questions on the subject, so a massive thanks has to go out to Mugge for the detailed information regarding the film's conception, Scott-Heron himself and the wider social issues that the film so eloquently engages with. For committed fans and those less familiar with Gil Scott-Heron's work, Black Wax is a fascinating look at an artist who has never compromised his integrity for commercial successes: catch it if you can.

Boom Bap Circa '81 - 'UFO' & The Chocolate Boy Wonder

ESG - 'UFO'
taken from A South Bronx Story (Universal, 2000)

ESG - 'UFO' @ 33rpm

My recent journeys through sample sources have opened my ears to a wide variety of incredible music from the past that I feel excited to have discovered, but no break that I have come across has intrigued me as much as ESG's 'UFO' taken from their self-titled debut EP from 1981. Made up of three South Bronx dwelling sisters and a close personal friend, Wikipedia cites the band as an 'art-funk ensemble' that could also be considered 'post-punk' or 'post-disco'. To be honest with you, I'm not even sure what these terms are meant to mean, and I don't know enough about the band themselves or music of that period in more general terms to fully gauge where they would fit into the wide spectrum of music of that era. However, from a hip hop enthusiast's perspective there is an element to their song 'UFO' that is nothing short of mind-blowing, pre-empting a sound that would dominate hip hop during its most creatively productive and downright bangin' period. Boom bap in 1981? You betcha.

The song's allegiance with this particular sound actually came about by accident. In its original form the track is a high tempo instrumental number permeated by distorted guitars and prominent drums, but the simple act of selecting 33rpm on your 1200s instead of the intended 45rpm changes the nature of the song and heralds its transformation into a very different beast. Sampled heavily over the course of hip hop history, the whirring guitar track that opens the song becomes more like a siren with the change in the song's speed, a noise that you will find remarkably familiar through its incorporation into banger after banger over the years. At 33rpm, you could be forgiven for mistaking 'UFO' as something Buckwild put together in his heyday such is its similarity to the sparse, gritty soundscapes that define the era in which he was at his most prolific. A musical accident it may be, but it is a delightful one that will leave you aghast at the fact that something produced in 1981 could have such a close proximity in sound to a phase in hip hop that would not come about until almost a decade later.

A Taste Of NY's Finest - '914'






















Pete Rock - '914' ft. Styles P & Sheek Louch
taken from 914 12'' (Nature Sounds, 2007)

The 'UFO' break leads me conveniently on to some of Pete Rock's latest material, the only piece of vinyl I copped whilst over in NYC whose a-side uses the sample to great effect. I realise that I'm a little late on this one as the single has been out for a while, but it surprises me that it hasn't received more exposure on the blog circuit given both Pete Rock's legendary status and the quality of the 12'' as a whole. Both sides of the wax are highly enjoyable affairs that adhere closely to Pete Rock's signature production style, and if these songs are an indication of the quality that will be found on the upcoming album, NY's Finest promises to be killer.

'914' is a bouncy, hard-hitting number that relies on its simplicity and sense of momentum to succeed. The use of the 'UFO' sample is a bold statement that almost seems like a message to those less established in the game, Pete's way of affirming that he really is the finest that New York has to offer. In eschewing the tendency to avoid often used breaks Pete successfully attests that quality hip hop needn't be contrived or overly complicated and '914' is his proof: it's simple, it's clean and it's bangin'. The verses from former LOX members Styles P and Sheek Louch are nothing to write home about, but the rhymes are decent enough to ride the beat and inoffensive enough so as not to detract from the slammin' instrumental track below.

I don't think there is an official release date for NY's Finest yet, but believe me, when I know, you'll know. Although there have been some quality album releases this year, none of them have roused anywhere near the sense of excitement and anticipation that I have felt by the thought of a new Pete Rock album. Maybe it's just a case of being an over-excited fanatic, but I hold a confidence that NY's Finest could be something special: let's hope this sentiment isn't misplaced. Bring it on... I'm ready Pete!

FDB Meets Oh Word - A Blogger's Delight

Since starting in the blog game back in December, I have always held Oh Word in the highest regard: it's unarguably one of the pillars of the online hip hop community. So, when Rafi Kam contacted me recently to see if I would be interested in contributing regularly to the site, I was stoked to say the very least. My first drop over at Oh Word is now up in all its glory, so if you're tired of the pedestrian pace of activity around this way at the moment (post-summer comedown, the fallout from the return to work, blah, blah, blah...) make sure you check out my look at Jean Jacques Perrey's classic break 'E.V.A.' and a trio of under-acknowledged cuts that have found inspiration in his work over at their spot now. Believe me, the privilege was all mine.

Although it's a little pathetic, the various validations I have received recently with regards to FDB have made me feel really good about my little hobby. Thanks for all the feedback and props from various corners of the globe of late; know that it is always greatly appreciated. I've got some special things in the pipeline as well at the moment, so stay locked into FDB for further elevation in the future. Onwards and upwards!

Forever To The East - 'Go On & Cry' Sample

Les McCann - 'Go On & Cry'
taken from Another Beginning (Atlantic, 1974)

Lords Of The Underground - 'No Pain' ft. Sah-B
taken from Keepers Of The Funk (Capitol, 1994)

Cella Dwellas - 'Good Dwellas'
taken from Realms 'N Reality (RCA, 1996)

Dream Warriors - 'California Dreamin''
taken from Subliminal Stimulation (Capitol, 1995)

My learning curve over the last six months or so with regards to sample sources has been incredibly steep, and I'm still at the stage where I regularly stumble across artists who I had previously never heard of only to realise that brief moments of their music already fill me with a sense of glowing familiarity. Les McCann is the latest member of this group, and I feel somewhat embarrassed that I've never come across his work before as he has been recording music for nearly 50 years and has at stages achieved significant commercial successes. Although I know very little about him, listening to his 1974 album Another Beginning has inspired me to dig a little deeper into his work, and like so many of his other releases, it has been mined by some of the more discerning hip hop producers in the game since the early '90s. 'Go On & Cry' is a nice little soul/jazz number that is reflective of the album's sound as a whole, and despite a tendency towards the corny, it is a release that I would recommend you familiarise yourself with as a jumping off point into his wider discography: it's been serving me well over the last week or so.

It's the initial eight bars that are the key focus for the sample spotters amongst you, a soothing intro to the song that features a melodic keys track and lilting guitar riff that is scattered with various percussive touches (I particular like the cow bells at the end of the fourth bar) that provide it with a rich musical texture. The introduction of a trumpet at the 0.10 mark simply serves to increase the flava of this section of the song, and its tempo and laid back vibe mean it is literally begging for some beefy snares and displays of lyrical wizardry. Of course, I wasn't the first person to realise this, and the excellent selection of cuts presented are all heavily indebted to McCann's work in the creation of their boom bappin' audio landscapes.

My personal favourite is the K-Def produced 'No Pain' taken from the Lords Of The Underground's sophomore release Keepers Of The Funk. Although the album as a whole is excellent, this has always been one of the clear standouts for me with beats and rhymes complementing each other perfectly. K-Def opts for bars five and six of 'Go On & Cry' which means the trumpet track is a prominent feature of the beat, and as a whole its littered with the kind of subtleties that make him one of the greatest producers to have graced the boards. I've actually laid my thoughts down on metaphorical paper in the past regarding the Cella Dwellas' debut Realms 'N Reality, so there is little need for particular expansion here suffice to reiterate that 'Good Dwellas' remains the pinnacle of their achievements on an album of variable quality that lacks that je ne sais quoi that divides the good and the seriously dope. Finally, the self-produced Dream Warriors' cut 'California Dreamin'' is another example of a highlight from an otherwise mediocre affair that can be found on their Subliminal Stimulation LP from '94, the only song of the three here to incorporate loops from both halves of the eight bar intro. It's solid, but for me it lacks the raw punch of the two aforementioned cuts that makes them so successful.

At the age of 72, McCann is still producing music and taking it on tour, a testament to the idea that music can keep the flames of life burning strongly during the latter stages of our time on the planet (do you think over-analysis of hip hop whilst sat behind a computer screen can have the same effect? I sincerely hope so). Whether you are familiar with his music or not, there is no questioning his contribution to the culture of hip hop over the years, and these three songs demonstrate the ease with which his compositions have been transposed into their newfound contexts. Keep the fire burning Les: it's safe to say that you get props over here.

It Could Happen To You! 'Them That's Not' Beat Deconstruction

J-Live - 'Them That's Not'
taken from The Best Part (Triple Threat, 2001)

Eddie Russ - 'All But Blind'
taken from Fresh Out (Jazz Master, 1974)

Man, the sibling rivalry must have been a bitch in the Philips' household in Mt. Vernon back in the day. Although older brother Pete is by far the more prominent and accomplished beatmaker, it would be a serious fallacy to overlook the work of his younger sibling Gregory (Grap Luva), who despite a considerably quieter and less widely acknowledged career behind the boards has at times demonstrated a proficiency in hip hop production skills that matches even the Olympic heights of his brother. Perhaps more well known for his rhymes than his beats, Grap's most high profile appearance in the annals of hip hop history must surely be on INI's Center Of Attention LP, an album that doesn't seem to me to receive the full credit that it deserves. However, he's also built a career in production, and although its contents are nowhere near as prolific as his sibling's, there are still some serious gems that establish him as an artist of serious quality who has at times been able to step out of the significant shadow cast over him by the Chocolate Boy Wonder.

When I arrived in Bristol in 2000, the hip hop scene was thriving. On an almost weekly basis I was able to catch some incredible live hip hop that sadly doesn't make its way here anymore, indicative of both a change in focus in the local scene as well as on a much wider scale. During one such occasion at a Pharcyde gig their DJ span a tune in the warm-up session that literally blew me away. Increasing in tempo over the course of the first minute, the song then took on a whole new sense of being as a slammin' drum track and bass were introduced: I was sold. After animated discussions with friends I discovered that the song was called 'Them That's Not' by an artist who I had previously not heard of called J-Live. It remains to this day one of my favourite beats of all time.

Grap turns to Eddie Russ's 'All But Blind' track from his Fresh Out LP released in 1974 for his sample fix here, ignoring the lead band member's electric piano contributions to the song in favour of Larry Nozero's sax part found at the 0.13 mark. The six descending notes that eventually rise up to settle into the groove after this initial flurry of activity form the backbone of Grap's composition on 'Them That's Not', a wonderfully constructed beat that is both original and executed with devastating effect. The rising and falling tempo throughout the song matches J-Live's cautionary tale of the pitfalls that lie in wait for the MC who allows success to go to his head too quickly, and it is this coherence of lyrical content and beat that make the song such an undeniable success.

The song is littered with favourite moments for me, but there are subtleties to the beat's construction that particularly stand out. The way the rumbling bassline drops at 0.57 and teases you before the introduction of the neck-snapping initial snare hit at 1.00; the high hats dropping out of the mix at 3.09 as the song begins its gradual descent in tempo only to be reintroduced six seconds later at half the pace; the steadily growing volume of J-Live's scratching as the song builds again from 4.00 until the final drop at 4.16. It is this attention to detail combined with the less-than-fussy final product that has made it a staple in my hip hop canon.

Although Grap will never fully detach himself from his position as younger brother to Pete Rock, this is due to the latter's incredible successes rather than any shortcomings on his own part. Perhaps in another lifetime and with a less high profile sibling it would have been Grap who could have become a true hip hop sensation, but as it stands, he will remain a producer who has little fame beyond the more discerning fans of the genre. Credit where it's due: 'Them That's Not' proves that Gregory Philips can make moves with the best of them.

Ladies In Full Effect - 3 Slept On K-Def Cuts

There's no disguising the fact that FDB has got a whole lotta love for one of Newark's most under-appreciated and bangin' producers: K-Def. You only have to look back to my first ever post (which seems like an age ago now) to gauge the influence that his beats have had on my hip hop tastes, so much so that it was one of his finely crafted bangers that informed the very naming of this little corner of the ever-growing internet. Whilst his work on the first two Lords Of The Underground albums is relatively widely known (anyone heard 'Chief Rocka' before?), there is a whole host of material that seems to have slipped under a lot of people's radars over a career that has spanned fifteen years and which is still thriving. In steps FDB to correct this fallacy with a trio of little known K-Def produced cuts that affirm his position as a producer of legendary status.

Where Ya Gonna Be? - Nonchalant

Nonchalant - '5 O' Clock (K-Def Remix)'
taken from 5 O'Clock CDS (MCA 1996)

Nonchalant made a few waves back in '96 with her first and only LP Until The Day, a pleasant enough brew of hip hop, R 'n' B and soul that spawned her only hit '5 O'Clock'. The song in its original incarnation isn't bad to be fair, but with K-Def's remixing abilities it becomes a smooth, summer-kissed hip hop jam that is well worthy of your attention. Lilting guitar tracks and whirring vocal loop sample combine with crispy snares and an incredibly warm organ track to create a laid back chunk of silky smooth hip hop soul that encapsulates the less hard-hitting side of K-Def's astute production style. On the vocal tip I think Nonchalant does a reasonably effective job, denouncing brothers who play themselves out and who threaten the growth of a 'strong black nation' with an accomplished flow that suits the vibe of the track well. The guest MC spots that take up the second verse are disappointing, feeling slightly forced and lacking the easy swagger that defines lyricists of a higher calibre, but this is a minor blip that can be ignored given the strength of the cut as a whole. With summer days in their decline you should take the opportunity to indulge yourself in a track whose relevance will fade somewhat as the nights come in and the mornings grow steadily later as autumn takes a hold.

Straight From The House Of Hitz - Sah-B

Sah-B - 'Summa Day' & 'Some Ol' Sah-B Shit'
taken from Summa Day 12'' (Reprise, 1994)

Bonus Cut!

Sah-B - 'Some Ol' Sah-B Shit (Instrumental)'

First things first: I gotta give a massive shout to reader 'chimpface' for hitting me with the link to this one. If you check the requests section of my sidebar at all (what do you mean you don't?!) then you'll know that this has been highly sought after here at FDB for a while now, so I'm incredibly grateful for the help in tracking it down.

Sah-B has been an integral part of my hip hop consciousness for nearly half of my life now: her guest spot on 'Flow On (New Symphony)' takes me back to walks to school when my voice was still an octave higher and my trousers hung geekily above the tops of my Clarks's footwear. She has actually appeared on all three of the Lords' albums (I'm trying to ignore their latest release) and I always enjoyed her rugged flow and hard-hitting vocal timbre which is rarely delivered as effectively by members of the fairer sex. Despite these relatively high profile verses, Sah-B released little material of her own, and in fact this 12'' represents her only solo outing on wax. 'Summa Day' constitutes the a-side, a cut which doesn't really do her raw vocal style many favours. Although I can appreciate the intention here, the overtly cheesy sung chorus hook and R 'n' B infected beat are not really to my tastes, although the song does improve once you're clear of the initial intro section. All the hallmarks of K-Def's production style are in place in terms of the arrangement, and the snares snap hard enough for the more serious heads amongst you, but the overall feel of the track feels a little soft and is a slightly too obvious attempt at crossover success.

[Note: I was a little off the mark with this one people... 'Summa Day' is a Marley Marl produced cut. If anything, it highlights the clear parallel in style between himself and K-Def. Forgive the error in information.]

'Some 'Ol Sah-B Shit' is another story. It is exceptionally rare these days that a beat has such an immediate impact on me as this and it ranks amongst the very best of K-Def's early work. Trademark horns and chirp scratches dominate the intro section, lulling you into a false sense of security before the drop into the first verse at the 0.22 mark. The delay in the introduction of the piano sample is a stroke of beatmaking genius, taking the listener by surprise and transforming the song into an altogether rawer affair which is absolutely slammin'. This is neck-snappin', mid-'90s hip hop music at its absolute finest, a testament to K-Def's ear for choice samples and exceptional production skills. It also acts as the perfect platform for Sah-B's delivery, which feels considerably more at home here than on the a-side, providing her with the opportunity to rip through some verses with the ferocity that suits her so well.

I haven't been able to keep this out of rotation for days now, and despite my enjoyment of Sah-B's verses it is the instrumental track that has had me well and truly hooked (also posted up for your listening pleasure). Prepare yourselves people: this is a serious banger which I can guarantee you'll be feelin'.

FDB Hits The Airwaves (Again)

Despite my brief flirtation with internet radio in the past, FDB is now well and truly hitting the airwaves FM style. Itch FM is a mainstay of the London hip hop scene, and I was grateful to receive an e-mail recently from Saturday night host Buccaneer Bones who wanted me to contribute to his show. I'm now an official 'internet detective', providing Buccy with a ten minute rundown of all that's good in the hip hop blog scene that transmits over London town on 105.15 FM. If you're in the London area then check it on Saturday night between the hours of 8pm and 10pm, otherwise head over to Buccy's MySpace page for a podcast that should appear the following day. FDB continues to elevate... watch out!

Represent To The Fullest - Q-Tip Beat Series Part III

Nas - 'One Love (Instrumental)'
taken from Illmatic (Columbia, 1994)

[It seems pointless posting up the song with lyrics so here's the instrumental. Can't remember where I came across it exactly, but thanks to whoever may have posted it up in the past.]

Heath Brothers - 'Smilin' Billy Suite Pt. II'
taken from Marchin' On (Strata East, 1975)

Clyde McPhatter - 'Mixed Up Cup'
originally found on Welcome Home (Decca, 1970)

Despite Tip's 'slept on' producer status, there is no denying that he placed himself amongst a elite group of beatmaking individuals when he made a contribution to Illmatic, a record whose magnitude needs little discussion here. 'One Love' is of course a standout amongst standouts and comparisons with other songs on the album are somewhat arbitrary, but it has always been one of the my personal favourites on the LP. I remember watching a 'Making Of Illmatic' video on YouTube in recent times (now deleted unfortunately) where Tip described his vision for the beat as being on some 'ghetto monk type shit', and although this isn't exactly the most eloquent description of the song imaginable, it certainly captures something about the dark, atmospheric vibe of the track that feels fitting. One of Tip's greatest beats deconstructed: here we go.

What I really dig about the Abstract's production style is that he resists the temptation to chop up samples too heavily, thereby keeping the sound fluid and warm. 'One Love' is a case in point, with Tip jacking the first 23 seconds of the Heath Brothers' 'Smilin' Billy Suite Part II' from their 1975 release Marchin' On and doing very little with it beyond the addition of drums and volume changes as the sample is introduced. This introductory section really is masterful, with Mtume Heath's percussion part from the original source gradually building into the mix before its complete introduction after the initial eight bar sequence which brings with it the unveiling of double bass and piano tracks. From here on in there really are very few changes, the different musical elements of the track creating a mystical and hypnotic platform for Nas's musings that simply doesn't require too much fiddling around with. No extra loop at the chorus, no bridge section, only a handful of breakdowns: it's a veritable lesson in measured, instinctive and thoroughly considered hip hop production techniques.

For the drum track Tip turns to Clyde McPhatter's song 'Mixed Up Cup'. Now I'm gonna revoke the ghetto pass here and admit this is a pure internet find which I know very little about and which actually comes off a compilation made of songs that have at some stage been sampled by Tribe (distinctly un-hip hop I know). As a result this is just an excerpt that features the drum break used by Tip on 'One Love'; unfortunately that's all I have to offer you. From my brief research on McPhatter I can tell you that he was a part of the original line up of The Drifters in the early '50s on Atlantic Records, but broke with the group relatively quickly to pursue solo interests. The sounds of the drink being poured during the 'Mixed Up Cup' intro may have seemed harmless enough at the time, but with the knowledge of McPhatter's demise at the age of 39 due to heart, liver and kidney disease after decades of heavy drinking it carries saddening connotations of an addiction that ultimately took him to his grave. Little did he know that two seconds of his music would resonate so heavily amongst an urban subculture called hip hop nearly 25 years after their original commitment to wax: a legacy indeed.

For me there is little doubt that 'One Love' represents one of Tip's finest moments behind the boards, and just as with his contributions to The Infamous, it demonstrates his ability to switch up his production style when the opportunities presented themselves during the most successful and prolific period in his career. If you're still sleepin' on Q-Tip's production stature then let's strip it down to the bare essentials: the man posted a beat on Illmatic. Still need convincing?

Damn! 3 Great Producers With Frustratingly Brief Discographies

First off this evening, a brief apology readers for the lack of activity around these parts over the last week. The build up to the return to work and final opportunities to revel in a lack of responsibility have kept me admirably occupied in recent times, but the return of a regular routine heralds a greater level of commitment to FDB (avoiding 'proper' work is one of my most finely honed skills).

I did actually have another installment in the Jeru series lined up, but to be honest, I've kind of lost a little enthusiasm for the project that I started up at the beginning of last week and want to move onto something else. Despite being happy with the final results of the Jeru 'rhyme deconstructions', they made me realise that my strength really lies in beat analysis (I worry that my English teacher instincts may have gone a little too far this time), so I'm sticking to what I know best with today's post. What follows is a selection of producers whose work I rate exceptionally highly, but whose output in comparison to other beatmakers is minimal. Perhaps that's why I love 'em... see what you think.

Spencer Bellamy

East Flatbush Project - 'Tried By 12'
taken from Tried By 12 12'' (10/30 Uproar Records, 1996)

PreC.I.S.E. MC - 'Slowdown (My Brother)'
taken from PreC.I.S.E.-ly Done (Luke Records, 1991)

Of the three producers listed here today, there is little doubt that Mr. Bellamy is easily the most high profile. His beginnings as a DJ with Howie Tee's crew in the late '80s gives you some idea of how long this particular veteran has been a part of the game, and yet his output has been limited to just a few album production credits and a handful of 12''s here and there. The bulk of his discography is made up of his East Flatbush Project series where he provides the beats for a selection of MCs of his choice which never fails to impress. The quality of these releases is consistently outstanding, so much so, that you can't help a pervading sense that he could have contributed significantly more to the game in a career which spanned a decade. Of course, the song that will always resonate as his finest moment is the magnificent 'Tried By 12' which remains one of the dopest underground releases in hip hop history. What always got me about this tune was its simplicity: made up of little more than an obscure Japanese sample and understated drum track, it still never failed to get your head noddin' and it deserves the considerable rep that it has achieved amongst serious hip hop aficionados. Dig a little deeper however, and there is still plenty to savour, not least in his contributions to PreC.I.S.E. MC's overlooked album from '91, PreC.I.S.E.-ly Done. 'Slowdown (My Brother)' easily ranks as my personal favourite amongst his trio of contributions, the melodic piano track and bouncy drum beat joining forces to create a tasty slice of early '90s hip hop music. There's also enough variation here to keep you interested, with plenty of subtleties to the beat that bely the fact that this is one of his first ever pieces of official production work. With his last credits dating back to 2001, it's doubtful that we'll be hearing from him again anytime soon, but for me he has left an indelible mark on the culture that deserves celebration.

Rob 'Whiteboy' Lewis

Nine ft. Demastas - 'Feel No Guilt'
taken from Feel No Guilt 12'' (London, 1999)

Nine ft. U-Neek - 'Tha Product'
taken from Cloud Nine (Profile, 1996)

Rob Lewis originally cut his production teeth with DJ Chuck Chillout and Kool Chip on 1989's Master Of The Rhythm LP, although my knowledge of his involvement in this project is incredibly limited. Although I like this album, it isn't a work that has received a massive amount of airplay from me, and from FDB's point of view he really came into his own on Nine's two highly slept on albums Nine Lives and Cloud Nine, both of which were produced in their entirety by the man in question. Lewis's production style epitomises that dark, gritty New York sound as much as any other major producer in the game, and it's a damn shame that we didn't get to hear more of his work as the genre sunk into the depths of a more commercial era. Favouring bangin' drum tracks and atmospheric samples, his production style is beautifully crafted, and although 'Whutcha Want?!' is his most well known piece of work, 'Tha Product' is an (almost) equal demonstration of his production prowess. Strings soar over the 'Ode To Billy Joe' drum track below, a perfect match for the growling delivery of Nine and his temporary rhyme partner U-Neek. If you're in any doubt as to the man's quality just check the last minute of this track which allows the beat to shine, no less so than at the 3.47 mark when Lewis introduces a previously unheard sample that is truly slammin': it represents mid-'90s hip hop production at its absolute finest.

Eddie James

AK Skillz - 'One Life Ta Live (Instrumental)'
taken from One Life Ta Live 12'' (Tru Criminal, 1996)

Street Smartz - 'Metal Thangz (Remix)'
taken from Tru Criminal Records EP (Tru Criminal, 1997)

With only five individual beats listed on Discogs, Eddie James is the least prolific in this trio of beatmakers. But don't let that fool you: there's some serious quality here. James first came to my attention on the fantastic AK Skillz's 'One Life Ta Live' 12'' which deserves classic status despite enduring as the reserve of aforementioned aficionados. I've already waxed lyrical about the a-side's quality here, but such is my enthusiasm for the song that I'm throwing it up again just in case you missed it the first time around. This was so close to making my Top 25 beats post over at When They Reminisce... it's untrue, and it only failed to make the cut because of its relative newness to me. Very few beats combine grit and warmth so perfectly: if you've been sleepin' on this then you need to rectify the situation immediately. James's only other credits appear on a Tru Criminal Records EP, and it is the 'Metal Thangz (Remix)' that particularly grabs me, another fine example of his talents featuring a harmonious string sample and clean rim hits. I'm yet to hear his work on Born Suspicious' 'These Days' 12'', but if these couple of songs are anything to go by, it's going to be a banger.

Why these producers output is so limited is beyond me, but all three have produced work of the highest calibre in their irritatingly brief careers in hip hop. Perhaps it is the very exclusivity of their work that makes them so appealing: with very little to tarnish their profound ability behind the boards, the fan in me is simply left wondering what could have been. Do yourself a favour and track down their work if you can: although the term gets bandied about a little too easily, these guys are pretty much as close as you can get to the definition of slept on.