This week we have a useful app for you boom-bap producers. =D
If you can’t afford turntables, or can’t get your record on vinyl to scratch, and you need to scratch vocals, this is the app for you. Courtesy of the good folks at AnalogX,this app allows you to load in 2 mono .wav files (one for looping, one for scratching). You can then record one or the other or both. You scratch by clicking and dragging your mouse on the wave shown playing on the interface. Once you’ve recorded your scratches (they come out in .wav format), you can do with them as you wish at that point.
This has been one of the most helpful apps for me, because I’m a big Premo fan, so whenever I needed scratches this was my goto app; free and works perfectly.
Boom-bap producers who can’t afford turntables, your welcome. =]
For an example, you can check out the most recent Black and Blue Ink. song we did, Wordsmiths. The scratch of my boy Flight’s vocals were done in this app.
Here we are with another Production Vault Wednesday. =]
This bundle has three kits. The first two are inspired by two of the most legendary producers of hip-hop, DJ Premier and Pete Rock. Both of these kits contain dirty vinyl laced drums and some small instrument hits that are reminiscent of their styles. The Pete Rock one has some horn hits that give you a hint of Soul Brother #1.
The third kit is a huge kit, and it’s a collection of drums I’ve cut from hip-hop tracks and other genres over the years. They range from Queen’s “We Will Rock You” to various Neptunes-produced songs, to “Cupid” by 112, to many others.
The kit weighs in at 571 samples, so I’m sure you producers out there can put these to great use.
Head on out to our Production Vault and get your free drums today!
Also, remember to sign up for our Mailing List to get weekly updates on our music, the blog, and our production vault!
Another Wednesday, another Production Vault Update!
This week, we have a nice drum kit mixed in with some acoustic drum sounds. I like using this kit because the sounds in these have a particular feel to them. The layering of the acoustic drums give it that extra zing. Also, I’ve got some piano hits in here. Some of these have vinyl already on them for that classic 90′s feel. If you’re into Premo, or Marley Marl, even Pete Rock possibly, you may like the piano sample hits in this particular kit.
Head on out to our Production Vault and get your free stuff today!
Also, remember to sign up for our Mailing List to get weekly updates on our music, the blog, and our production vault!
We lost another one. We lost Guru of Gangstarr, to cancer.
To be honest, I was never the biggest fan (and I don’t mean that in the negative sense where you’re trashing someone, just literally as typed) of Guru, but his importance in hip-hop’s history is without question. He was a good emcee, and the ideal yang to DJ Premier’s yin. He was a natural fit to Premo’s production. Premo, on my producer influence list, especially in my earlier work, was trading #1 or #2 with Dr. Dre, depending on the project, with RZA, Just Blaze and Timbaland rounding out my top five.
Solar, Guru’s producer in the last half of his career, submitted this letter that Guru wished to release upon his death (credit: AllHipHop.com):
I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.
I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody’s feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.
I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ. As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low. Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do! As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.
If you’d like to read more on the story, you can click here.
I know that Guru and Premo had a falling out, and it made me sad to know that they never patched it up. As much as Guru isn’t one of my favorite emcees, GangStarr had some really good hits and to me epitomize hip-hop. When I think hip-hop, I think of GangStarr, because you have Premo’s boom bap, Guru with his rhymes, and Premo scratching. It’s textbook hip-hop music at it’s finest. “Code of the Streets,” “Mass Appeal,” “DWYCK,” “Tons O’ Gunz”, and “Above the Clouds” were just a few of their culture-wide accepted classics, “Full Clip” and “1/2 and 1/2″ with M.O.P. being two of my personal favorites to add to the list above.
Gangstarr is on that top list of the legendary duos of the early 90′s, which includes a who’s-who of names including Eric B. and Rakim, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, and EPMD (Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith).
Guru had some big ideas, and aside from his GangStarr legacy, will also be known for his pioneering efforts in what is considered hip-hop jazz or jazz rap, a feat that I do admire. I’ve personally gotten to appreciate jazz more over these past few years, especially when I got to play bass for a jazz band a few semesters ago, really taking in the sounds of Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, and others.
Guru’s Jazzmatazz was an interesting fusion, using a mix of live jazz musicians and some sampling for his audio backdrop; it was a departure of the static looping of hip-hop, using longer phrasing and it allowed for more dynamic instrumental performance. The sound was a lot smoother, and had a definite, laid-back, classy feel that you would associate with jazz. Couple that with Guru’s laid back delivery and flow, and you’ve got a nice combo.
I’m going to drop some YouTube videos below of some of the joints I mentioned above to pay tribute. If you’re a later fan of hip-hop and you’ve never gotten to hear Gangstarr, you’re definitely missing out. I’ll also link up a Jazzmatazz track too just so you can appreciate some of Guru’s pioneering work.
Above the Clouds feat. Inspektah Deck:
1/2 and 1/2 feat. M.O.P.
Full Clip
Jazzmatazz: State of Clarity feat. Common and Bob James
Rest In Peace, Guru. Hip-hop music, musicians and listeners alike, will forever thank you.
Music Scene Spotlight: RIP to Guru, One Half of One of Hip-Hop’s Most Legendary Groups, Gangstarr
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010A sad day in hip-hop today.
We lost another one. We lost Guru of Gangstarr, to cancer.
To be honest, I was never the biggest fan (and I don’t mean that in the negative sense where you’re trashing someone, just literally as typed) of Guru, but his importance in hip-hop’s history is without question. He was a good emcee, and the ideal yang to DJ Premier’s yin. He was a natural fit to Premo’s production. Premo, on my producer influence list, especially in my earlier work, was trading #1 or #2 with Dr. Dre, depending on the project, with RZA, Just Blaze and Timbaland rounding out my top five.
Solar, Guru’s producer in the last half of his career, submitted this letter that Guru wished to release upon his death (credit: AllHipHop.com):
I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.
I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody’s feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.
I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ. As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low. Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do! As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.
If you’d like to read more on the story, you can click here.
I know that Guru and Premo had a falling out, and it made me sad to know that they never patched it up. As much as Guru isn’t one of my favorite emcees, GangStarr had some really good hits and to me epitomize hip-hop. When I think hip-hop, I think of GangStarr, because you have Premo’s boom bap, Guru with his rhymes, and Premo scratching. It’s textbook hip-hop music at it’s finest. “Code of the Streets,” “Mass Appeal,” “DWYCK,” “Tons O’ Gunz”, and “Above the Clouds” were just a few of their culture-wide accepted classics, “Full Clip” and “1/2 and 1/2″ with M.O.P. being two of my personal favorites to add to the list above.
Gangstarr is on that top list of the legendary duos of the early 90′s, which includes a who’s-who of names including Eric B. and Rakim, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, and EPMD (Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith).
Guru had some big ideas, and aside from his GangStarr legacy, will also be known for his pioneering efforts in what is considered hip-hop jazz or jazz rap, a feat that I do admire. I’ve personally gotten to appreciate jazz more over these past few years, especially when I got to play bass for a jazz band a few semesters ago, really taking in the sounds of Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, and others.
Guru’s Jazzmatazz was an interesting fusion, using a mix of live jazz musicians and some sampling for his audio backdrop; it was a departure of the static looping of hip-hop, using longer phrasing and it allowed for more dynamic instrumental performance. The sound was a lot smoother, and had a definite, laid-back, classy feel that you would associate with jazz. Couple that with Guru’s laid back delivery and flow, and you’ve got a nice combo.
I’m going to drop some YouTube videos below of some of the joints I mentioned above to pay tribute. If you’re a later fan of hip-hop and you’ve never gotten to hear Gangstarr, you’re definitely missing out. I’ll also link up a Jazzmatazz track too just so you can appreciate some of Guru’s pioneering work.
Above the Clouds feat. Inspektah Deck:
1/2 and 1/2 feat. M.O.P.
Full Clip
Jazzmatazz: State of Clarity feat. Common and Bob James
Rest In Peace, Guru. Hip-hop music, musicians and listeners alike, will forever thank you.
-mnshyn
Tags: above the clouds, cl smooth, code of the streets, dj premier, dwyck, epmd, eric b., erick sermon, full clip, gangstarr, guru, guru's letter, jazzmatazz, m.o.p., mass appeal, music scene spotlight, parrish smith, pete rock, rakim, solar, tons o gunz
Posted in Music Commentary, Music Reviews | 2 Comments »