De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)

My DNA should be called De La Soul.

They are among my top 3 most important hip hop acts.

It has been said that a reader does not choose a book, the book chooses the reader. There are some pieces of art that speak directly to us from some reason or another, as if they were made for us. This is my connection to De La Soul's debut.

3 Feet High and Rising is one of the most important albums of my life, hip hop or otherwise. It is most probably contains the formula to my music knowledge and taste. The group, albums and music are my most important sources of creative inspiration. It is with ultimate pride and privilege I write about this monumental music.

3 Feet High & Rising celebrates its 37th anniversary this year.

The entire De La Soul catalog was available for free download in 2014.

Thank you Prince Paul.

De La Soul - Jenifa (Taught Me) & Potholes In My Lawn (1988)

Hip hop came to me and I took it all. I wanted to know, hear and have more in high school. Here's a little story that must be told.

One day I was hanging near the high school lounge and heard a song that blew me away. I asked the guy that brought the tape to school for the name of the song and the group. He knew neither.  I was left to fend for myself and remembered hearing the name Jennifer, Oh Jenny. The group was still unknown. I got my answer when I went to Dutchy's Record Cave and saw a pink 12" with three guys doing landscaping. The group name was De La Soul.

They looked nothing like any of the rappers of the day. They had no gold chains. Their rhymes & songs were as varied as the samples they used. Something about them and those songs called to me.

The Jenifa 12" was among the three first hip hop vinyl purchases of my life. I would later buy nearly all the De La Soul 12" I could find for 3 Feet High & Rising and in my folly, I would eventually sell them. When I got back into vinyl a few years ago, I realized what a colossal mistake it was to part with my De La Soul vinyls. My quest was to find them all, those I had before or not, and guard them with my life. 

I've been pretty succesful on that front.

Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more

Below is a playlist of a podcast to bring you up to speed. 

Click here to download.



The Suite Delight February 18, 2014 Playlist:

1. The Incredible Bongo Band - Let There Be Drums
2. The Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock
3. Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools
4. Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Back Together Again
5. The Souljazz Orchestra - Rejoice Pt. 2
6. Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
7. Otis Redding - These Arms of Mine
8. Asheru & Blue Black of The Unspoken Heard - B-Boy
9. Roc C - Don't Stop feat. Oh No & Pox Dog
10. De La Soul - Potholes In My Lawn 
11. Superlover Cee & Casanova Rud - Do The James
12. Master Ace - Go Where I Will Send Thee
13. Koncept – Aspirations feat. Soul Khan
14. Abdominal - T.Ode feat. Notes to Self

Dusty Springfield

Prior to my discovering the Simply Dusty CD box set, my last contact with her music was somewhat bittersweet.

In the record rampage of Boxing Day 2014, I was at the counter about to pay for my pile of newly found treasures. 

An employee of the record store that I knew well enough had a copy of Dusty in Memphis in his hands.

I immediately remembered that I was looking for a vinyl copy of the album and asked if there was another copy for sale in the store.  There was.

I headed to the section that he told me he found his at and picked one for myself.  That ended another quest and removed it from my records wantlist that day.  

If you are unaware, this is the main reason to own the album.

Method Man

Method Man is among the most popular hip hop artists of my blog.

As the stats for my blog post about his 1994 debut album climb in leaps and bounds, I went to Twitter stating that my blog is officially his home.

Prior to Method Man’s show at Club Soda, I last caught Tical when he & Redman tore up Metropolis.

I was in New York when Method Man, Curren$y and Big Krit were at Club Soda in October 2011.

I arrived at Club Soda to see the venue packed with people waiting for Method Man to take the stage.

His DJ displacing the one that was onstage as I arrived was a sign that the show would soon be on. 

Method Man stormed onstage to Release Yo Delf, a personal favorite of mine that took many listens to become one. The crowd was as energetic and enthusiastic to have Method Man on stage as he was to be there. He stated numerous times during the show that he enjoys Montreal and I was made a believer that night.

He stated how great it was for him to have such a heartfelt reception from a crowd after 20 years in the music industry. In 1992, my New York cousin introduced me to a white covered 12” single from a group of MCs unknown to me advising me to keep my neck warm with no mention of scarves. The flip side was a track called Method Man. When you consider that 2023 was indeed the 30th anniversary of the Wu-Tang Clan classic release, you are made to understand Method Man is legendary.

Hands of the audience were in the air so much that they provided an obvious and expected springboard for Method Man as he repeatedly jumped into the crowd by the end of the performance. 

With a catalog full of albums, guest appearances, remixes and releases meeting relentless energy on stage, one is in for a great show. Method Man more than delivered the goods at Club Soda. Of the most prolific things he told the audience was that Redman and Busta Rhymes are among those he would himself pay to see. Not so ironically, he is on the shortlist of MCs I would see perform live at any opportunity I can and one any self-respecting hip hop fan should as well.

Burning Spear

The photo above inspired me to write about Burning Spear.

Years ago, I came across a CD of vintage reggae songs called Studio One Presents Rare Reggae: Collector's Edition.

There was an early Burning Spear single on it called Live Good. I gave it no more thought than that.



It would take me hearing the song Marcus Garvey to light the fire under me for Burning Spear.

I was more than happy to buy the 2CD Burning Spear - Chant Down Babylon The Island Anthology I found at one of my favorite Plateau music stores.



I discovered another favorite single, Slavery Days, thanks to that compilation.  

Alice Russell

Just as the 1960s had U.K. soul singers Dusty Springfield and Lulu to claim as their own, our generation can add Adele, the late Amy Winehouse and Alice Russell to ours. 

By the time I learned she was on the bill for a Montreal Jazz Festival performance, I was barely aware of Alice Russell as an artist. 

From the first time I heard her voice, I vowed to not let her perform in Montreal again without me seeing her live.

I kept my word as she graced the stage at Le Belmont.

Hours prior to the Le Belmont performance, I found out The Souljazz Orchestra would be either her backing band or just do a set the night before in Ottawa.  I naturally wished and hoped that I would see the Souljazz six on the Le Belmont stage.

Alice Russell sounded as crisp in person as on record.   I wasn’t in the mood to hear ballads that night but I understood she had to give as broad a performance as possible for all in attendance.

Alice Russell’s Someday is the only non-hip hop track on the Wide Angles compilation.

A special thank you is extended to World Famous Music, Tru-Thoughts, DJ Rubyjane and DJ Lexis for their part in making this post possible. 

Method Man - Tical (1994)

Method Man is one of my favourite MCs of all time and has been on my mind. 

I managed to score his 4:21... The Day After CD at one of my favourite music stores. This made my Method Man discography complete.

There is no surprise why he made so many guest appearances on tracks over the past decade or so. He brings so much flavour, flow and style to a track that you’d be doing the track a disservice by not featuring him. There are a handful of MCs that symbolize New York and he is one of them. That is probably why I am such a fan. If I were to rhyme, I would want to be like Method Man.



I’ve written about how I get when it comes to vinyl in past posts. With as many records and CDs as I have, I choose whether I need to bring another piece of wax home. My weekly radio show was my main outlet for spinning vinyl unless/until I get gigs like Under Pressure to use them so I can’t go buckwild on bringing home records. Let’s now connect that towards Method Man’s debut.

A few years ago, I held the double-vinyl reissue of Tical in my hands. I didn’t know it was reissued. I remember the first pressing was a single vinyl and as I’ve come to learn, issues of sound quality can surface. 

The nostalgia of the album dropping in conjunction with Redman’s Dare Iz a Darkside came to mind as I looked at the cover. I particularly remembered how slamming the first side was with Biscuits, Tical and Meth vs. Chef among the track listing.

The urge to bring home the Bring the Pain album was strong but my better judgement prevailed. The $20+ price tag probably didn’t help the matter either. With the limited number of songs I could play on the show each week, why would I shell out for vinyl I already have on CD? I decided I didn’t need it because I’ve already had the CD in my collection for years.  I even had a cassette copy of  his debut album. I wasn’t that much of a Method Man fan to have left the reissue behind!



As I wrote this, I realize I’ve never seen or held Tical on vinyl since 1994. I don’t know what set it off but Method Man’s been on my mind. I started to have slight regrets about not getting the Tical vinyl reissue. As I think about it now, my cueing up a sweet Method Man track like Release Yo Delf or Mr. Sandman on the turntables during my radio show was not likely to happen unless I come across the vinyl again.

I don’t beat myself up too much over the decision. It’s not like I never heard or owned Tical and let it slide back on the shelf. It was my lesson to learn but I believe the underlying message is that Tical is worth another listen and potentially worth springing for the vinyl, if I get another chance.

In the meantime, I’ll be trying to add more Method Man to DJ setlists to come.



Method Man performed at Montreal's Club Soda in early January 2013.  I did a small tribute to him on the first episode of my former radio show for that year.

Method Man and company, Wu-Tang Clan, performed at Montreal's Olympia on November 29, 2013.

Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more.

http://suitedelight.podomatic.com

Below are some podcasts to bring you up to speed.  Click here to download.

The Suite Delight - 2013-12-17 (2) by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

The Suite Delight - 2013-12-10 (2) by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

The Suite Delight - 2013 CKUT Funding Drive Podcast by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

The Suite Delight - 2013-05-28 by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

Method Man & Redman – Blackout! (1999)

When was the last time you heard Blackout!?


Am I the only one that thinks that album gets better with each listen?


I hadn’t heard Blackout in a few years and reached for it.

1995 was a magical year for hip hop as most can agree. Proof of that came in the form of the dynamic duo’s How High. When I saw the pair together, I agreed with the pairing. If the single was hot, then it stood to reason an album of theirs would be hotter. It would take another five years for my theory to be proven right.

Presumably, both MCs were busy with their solo and respective Wu-Tang Clan/Def Squad projects leading up to the Blackout! date.

There is easily no weak beat on the album meaning the producers must have known what they were working on and brought their A-game.  The choice of guest appearances is also faultless with the exception of one. In retrospect, it would have been nice for Young Zee to have spit a verse on Blackout! instead of Ja Rule but I was not consulted or contacted for my opinion when the album was in planning.

Epic hip hop albums like both Brand Nubian and Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth debut releases, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and Blackout! have many common traits.  They are classic and timeless.  As great as Blackout! is, it misses a smidgeon of an element for it to be considered timeless but is unquestionably a strong album graced by the charisma and talent of the two titans.

In the early 2000s, I was very picky about hip hop.  Regardless of my rigid rules on hip hop, Blackout! did not slip passed by me. I did not over-saturate myself with it at the time.  I had a feeling it was like a fine wine that I would want to try to savor later. 

I was too occupied to have fully listened and studied Blackout! 2. The beauty of the sequel is that it allows us to revisit the brothers from other mothers. One verse from Method Man or Redman is a blessing. I’m not sure when but a visit here in the future might reveal how I feel about the sequel.

Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more.

http://suitedelight.podomatic.com

Below is the 2013 CKUT Funding Drive podcast to bring you up to speed.  

Click here to download.

Playlist:

1. Salt-N-Pepa – Get Up Everybody
2. DJ Kayslay – Untouchables feat. Prodigy & Raekwon
3. D-Shade - The World We're In 2(Simahlak Mix) feat. Buckshot And Blurum 13
4. Kanye West - Classic (DJ Premier Remix)featuring Nas, KRS-One and Rakim
5. EPMD – The Big Payback
6. Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics - A Day In The Life featuring Sadat X & Lord Jamar
7. Masta Ace and Edo G - Good Music featuring Posdnuos & Light
8. The Beatnuts – Se A Cabo (Remix) featuring Method Man
9. Shad + Skratch Bastid – Homie featuring Cadence Weapon

Haul of Records Featured Mix

As much as I love creating playlists and hosting a radio show, I'm also a fan of mixtapes and mixes.

Like compilations, mixes present new music, artists as well as different ways to listen to the music.

All going well, mixes inspire me to be a better DJ and possibly introduce me to my next favortie song or force me to add another slice of vinyl to my collection.

After contemplating the idea of sharing mixes not created by yours truly, I finally decided that the solution to pay the inspiration and good music forward here is the right one.

The first quarter of Santiago's The Dancefloor II (Boogie / Electro-Funk Mix) practically helped make my decision for me. 



I was still in the midst of listening to Michael Terzian's Mama Afrika Vol.2 mix at the time of posting it on the blog. This is the type of house music I really enjoy.

The mixes above are ideal introductions to classics that could have created hip hop classics within the past 30 years. 

Thankfully I discovered these mixes at the time I did. 

Jamaica to Toronto: Soul Funk & Reggae 1967 - 1974

After months to maybe years of being on the fence about it, I sprung for Light in the Attic’s Jamaica to Toronto compilation. 

My rationale was that I was not going to be able to play the songs from the compilation very often, especially since my focus musically was more electronic in nature at that time.  I was already sitting on many CDs that I had or had not played on my forner radio show.  

What good would come from spending money on another compilation that could very well not make it onto a playlist?

In the last years especially, my interests shifted away from electronic music because I was no longer RPM director for Concordia University's radio station and that allowed me to again broaden my musical scope.

With the need of securing Canadian content for my show’s playlists, I explored avenues and options for music that could be suitable matches.  The Jamaica to Toronto compilation crossing my path was inevitable.  The music and history related to the album are vital to my education and culture.  It provides proof that there was soul, funk and reggae recorded in Canada in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Similar to other albums I fronted on and later burned to own, I started thinking how great it would be to spin the compilation during my radio show.  A visit to the Light In The Attic website let me know that the album was unavailable on vinyl.

As my 6th Anniversary radio show episode was approaching, I thought how sweet it would be to spin songs from the compilation on the next available format. The CD was delivered within days of the order being placed and was ready to rock the house as I showcased a number of the compilation’s tracks on that special night

If a second volume of Jamaica To Toronto is released, I will not front on it. I will be at the front of the line to purchase it.

Buddy Miles - Them Changes (1970)

As much as I loved his Them Changes single, I never knew what Buddy Miles looked like until I started exploring 1960/1970s rock, soul, funk and jazz.

Buddy Miles’ Them Changes was one of the many 7” singles my parent would want played on my portable record player when I was a boy.

I was reluctant to have any of their old records touch my record player for fear they age my machine, ruin my stylus or just outright reduce its cool factor.

There was not much rock music in their collection but admittedly Them Changes is one of the songs from their collection that I most identify with. It has that driving, pulsing groove that I need from a song. I can’t resist singers who scream and Buddy Miles is always on the verge of doing so during the song. To my delight, he does scream from time to time.



The 1971 footage of him performing the song on Hugh Hefner’s late-night Playboy After Dark program is perfect. I presume most people danced as wildly and vibrantly to the song as those on camera during the song’s heyday.

I believe it was discovering Buddy Miles’ beautiful cover of Neil Young’s Down By The River that put me on the path to seeking out more of his music. The song was on BBE’s DJ Spinna Funk Rock compilation and I have kept my eyes and ears open for more Miles since I heard it over a decade ago. 

When I learned that the Down By The River track that I just learned about and love was on the same album as the Them Changes track I grew up with and forgot, I vowed to get a copy of that album. 

Most of the times I found the album, the price was high for vinyl copies that were not in the best shape. The photo at the top of this post was taken years ago and I did not take that copy of his album home. I finally got my copy from a local record convention.

Please make yourself familiar with the link below.

http://suitedelight.podomatic.com

Below is a podcast to bring you up to speed. 

Click here to download.

DJ Solespin - The Goods (December 2013) by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

DJ Solespin - The Goods (December 2013) Playlist:

1. Dave Cortez & The Moon People – Happy Soul (w/a Hook)
2. Ike Turner's Kings Of Rhythm – Funky Mule
3. Bo Diddley ‎– The Shape I'm In
4. Merry Clayton - Gimme Shelter
5. Harmonica Paul ‎– Motherless Child
6. Ramsey Lewis ‎– Mighty Quinn
7. Lonnie Mack - Memphis
8. The George Benson Quartet ‎– Benson's Rider
9. Clarence Carter - Snatching It Back
10. James Brown ‎– Nose Job
11. Five Stairsteps & Cubie ‎– We Must Be In Love
12. David McCallum - The Edge
13. Dyke & The Blazers ‎– You Are My Sunshine
14. Otis Redding - You Left The Water Running
15. Johnnie Taylor - Love Bones
16. The Staples Singers - If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)
17. Wilson Pickett - Take That Pollution Out Your Throat
18. Robert Palmer - Pressure Drop
19. Ken Boothe - My Love
20. Gwen McCrae - 90% Of Me Is You
21. The Illusion - Together
22. Norman Greenbaum - Spirit In The Sky
23. Patrice Rushen - Givin' It Up Is Givin' Up
24. Herbie Hancock - Watermelon Man
25. Buddy Miles - Down By The River
26. Donovan - Season Of The Witch
27. Gary Bartz NTU Troop - Celestial Blues