Classic Material Bonus Mix #6: Dancehall Hip Hop ’91-99
The Classic Material ‘bonus’ mixes fill the gaps in the original Classic Material Hip Hop History mixtape series, exploring specific sub genres or spin off genres not covered in the main series. #6 delves into Mid 90s Dancehall Hip Hop, the pairing of Ragga/Dancehall vocals with classic Hip Hop production. The mix features artists who hung their hat on that particular fusion (Mad Lion, Bobby Konders), Hip Hop styled remixes of Dancehall cuts (see DJ Muggs’ remix of Danny Red), Dancehall artists who vocalled Hip Hop beats (Mega Banton, Lady Apache), pairings of Dancehall Acapellas with Hip Hop production from the era exclusive to this mix and similar pairings put together by others (thanks Matt Nelkin). The date range of ’91-99 is slightly misleading – most of the action really occurs around ’92-95 and the tracks all boast the classic Early to Mid 90s production sound. Tracks from either end of the decade are really outliers (there’s only one track from ’91 or ’99 and none at all from ’98 for example).
As with previous editions, the artwork is a pastiche of a popular sleeve from the era, in this case Nervous/Wreck‘s ‘Weeded‘ sub-label, responsible for the imprint’s more Reggae influenced output and several of the tracks on this mix.
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Classic Material Bonus Mix #5: Hip Hop Soul ’92-98
The Classic Material ‘bonus’ mixes fill the gaps in the original Classic Material Hip Hop History mixtape series, each exploring a specific sub genre or spin off genre not covered in the main series. #5 delves into Mid 90s R&B, specifically the pairing of R&B vocals with classic Hip Hop production,’Hip Hop Soul’, the natural evolution from New Jack Swing, covered in the previous edition. The mix features production from many of those frequently associated with the sound, The Untouchables, Sean Combes et al, alongside names from the Hip Hop underground who dabbled in R&B: DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee, The Beatnuts, Salaam Remi and others. 16 Bar rap verses abound – AZ, KRS One, Grand Puba, Notorious BIG, Nas and many lesser known all appear. Featured only on this mix, many of the tracks pair R&B Acapellas with Hip Hop production from the era.
As with previous editions, the artwork is a pastiche of a popular sleeve from the era, in this case the Bad Boy Records company/promo jacket.
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Classic Material Bonus Mix #4: New Jack Rap ‘89-93
The Classic Material ‘bonus’ mixes fill the gaps in the original Classic Material Hip Hop History mixtape series, each exploring a specific sub genre or spin off genre not covered in the main series. #4 delves into the late 80s / early 90s sound of New Jack Swing, and more specifically some of the Hip Hop from the time that was influenced by the New Jack Swing production sound. Features production from producers central to the sound – Teddy Riley, Eddie F, and some better known for other sounds who dabbled during the era – Marley Marl, Pete Rock and many more.
As with previous editions, the artwork is a pastiche of a popular sleeve from the era, in this case the Uptown Records label company/promo jacket.
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Classic Material Bonus Mix #3: Hip House ‘89-91
About this time last year I put together a mix of Hip-House tracks as bonus mix for the Classic Material series, which filled a gap in the series’ coverage of 1989 which had previously overlooked the short-lived but still pretty important sub-genre of Hip-House. More people liked it than I expected and ever since I’ve kept stumbling on tracks that I wish I’d included, often tucked away on the b-sides of late 80s albums or 12″s. So here they are, a less focused collection of Hip House tracks from the 1989 hey day of the scene through to around 1991 when the wave was largely over.
As with the previous mix, the cover art is a pastiche of one of Stylus Records’ budget Hip Hop compilations from the period: this time 1988’s ‘Rap Trax!‘.
Classic Material Bonus Mix #2: Hip House ‘89
“Back when Nick Armitage and I kicked off our Classic Material project back in 2011, my intention had been to compliment our monthly series of era specific mixes with a set of Bonus Mixes focussing on various Hip Hop sub-genres and spin off scenes that emerged during those eras. With good intention I put together one (mid 80s Electro-Rap and Electro-Funk), but beyond that it turned out that a mix a month in the main series was quite enough work on its own. I hate leaving things unfinished though so, years later, here’s another: Hip House ’89. Not every record on this mix was released in ’89 – there’s one or two from ’88 (Fast Eddie was ahead of the curve) and one from ’90 (Queen Latifah was behind it), but it’s fair to say ’89 was epicentre of this sound. I’ve got some mixed feelings about this collection – if truth be told I dismissed a lot of this material as a fad for a long time, but 30 years down the line I find an undeniable charm to these fun, dancefloor oriented records.”
The cover artwork is a pastiche of the interior gatefold of the 1988 Stylus Records compilation ‘Hip Hop & Rapping in the House’
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘The Main Ingredient’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
November 8th 2019 marks the 25th Anniversary of Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s 2nd (and final) full length LP ‘The Main Ingredient’. Following in the footsteps of 1992’s Mecca and the Soul Brother, the album comprises tracks built from densely layered samples, frequently previously un-sampled jazz fusion cuts mixed with crisp drums and short vocal snippets plundered from well known 80s/90s Hip Hop tracks. Use of a number of go-to tracks defines the sound of the album and the presence of vocal samples from Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane in particular is a key ingredient in the album’s sonic palette. In celebration of the album’s 25th year, we’ve partnered once again with Wax Poetics to present this mixtape of album tracks, alt versions, interview snippets and of course original sample material, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Resurrection’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
October 4th 2019 marked the 25th Anniversary of Common’s classic sophomore LP ‘Resurrection’. The follow up to his 1992 debut ‘Can I Borrow a Dollar?’, the album is produced almost entirely by No I.D., with contributions from Ynot. With a heavy reliance on jazz, samples on the LP come from the likes of George Benson, Freddie Hubbard and the The Modern Jazz Quartet among others. The album spawned two popular singles, the timeless ode to Hip Hop’s ever changing nature ‘I Used to Love H.E.R’ and the Ahmad Jamal sampling title track ‘Resurrection’. In celebration of the album’s landmark anniversary, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape of album tracks, alt versions, interview snippets and of course sample material used in the making of the album. Mixed Classic Material’s by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Illmatic’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
April 19th 1994 saw the release of one of what would go on to be recognised as one of the greatest Hip Hop albums of all time, Nas’s seminal debut, ‘Illmatic’. Following much talked about appearances on Main Source’s ‘Live at the Barbecue’, MC Serch’s ‘Back to the Grill’, and the release of the now classic soundtrack cut ‘Halftime’, Illmatic delivered on the hype with a compact 10 track offering helmed by the cream of Mid 90s Hip Hop production talent: DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, Large Professor and L.E.S.. Pairing crisp head nod drums with an eclectic palate of Jazz, Funk and Soul samples, the all star line up of producers prepared a musical backdrop over which Nas delivers a no holds barred guided tour of life growing up in New York’s Queensbridge projects. Sampled cuts range from the timeless Jazz of Ahmad Jamal and Jazz Funk of Donald Byrd to the Pop of Michael Jackson via well sampled staples by the likes of Kool & the Gang. In celebration of the album’s 25th year, WhoSampled partnered once again with Wax Poetics Magazine to present an exclusive mix of album cuts, remixes, interview snippets and of course tracks sampled in the album’s making mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ 30th Anniversary Mixtape
On March 3rd 1989, De La Soul released their critically acclaimed debut album ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ and Hip Hop music changed forever. At a time when samples of James Brown and various other breakbeat staples ruled supreme, De La Soul and long time production partner Prince Paul cast the net far wider, snatching up snippets of vintage Soul, Rock n Roll, Disco, Spoken Word albums and children’s records to create a collage the likes of which had not been heard before and would not be heard again until the release of Beastie Boys’ similarly eclectic Paul’s Boutique several months later. Lyrically, the album married zany humor, honest observations of real life and occasional social commentary. Released less than a year after N.W.A’s ground breaking ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and Public Enemy’s politically charged opus ‘It Takes A Nation of Millions…’, ‘3 Feet High and Rising’ offered a light hearted counterpoint to the harder edged sounds emerging on both coasts and would set the scene for revered Long Players of comparable stature from groups including A Tribe Called Quest and The Pharcyde in the years that followed. In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of this classic album, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape of album tracks, original sample material, alt versions, interview snippets and more, mixed by Chris Read.
The Diary Volume 2 ‘The Breaks of the 80s’
A little over 10 years ago Chris Read released a mixtape called ‘The Diary’, an ambitious mix of 801 iconic Hip Hop tracks in order of release from 1979 to 2009 in an 80 minute mix. It took literally years to put together and created enough buzz when it came out to set in motion a minor obsession with chronologically arranged mixes, the main result of which was the Classic Material mis series, a set of 16 mixes each containing music from a specific year in Hip Hop history (in date order of course) hosted right here on this site.
Volume Two, takes the concept a level deeper, this time reconstructing classics from Hip Hop’s first decade from their constituent sample material. Arranged chronologically of course, this mix reassembles popular Hip Hop tunes from 1979 to 1989 utilising only the Funk, Soul, Rock and Jazz tracks from which they were originally composed. Close to 200 tracks appear.
Original cover artwork by John Brotherhood in tribute to the late Buddy Esquire.
The Diary Volume 1.5 ‘Twenty Years of the Remix’ (10th Anniversary Expanded Edition)
The Diary Volume 1.5 is a ‘remixtape’ released as a follow up of sorts to Chris Read’s popular rap chronology mixtape ‘The Diary’. The concept expands on the chronology theme of the original, this time concentrating on trends in production: one iconic track from each year between 1989 and 2009, remixed in tribute to the popular production styles of the original year of release, from the James Brown influenced style of the late 80s and the jazz inflected styles of the early 90s to the unique sounds of producers Buckwild, Jay Dee, DJ Premier and others. For this 10th Anniversary expanded edition ten additional tracks put together around the same time that were not included on the original CD have been added.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Enta Da Stage’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Released October 19th 1993, Black Moon’s classic debut LP ‘Enta Da Stage’ celebrates its 25th Anniversary this week. Produced entirely by Da Beatminerz, the album’s production style epitomises early 90s East Coast boom bap sonics with laid back, filtered jazz-funk samples meeting crunchy drums, cut choruses and gritty wordplay. In celebration of the anniversary we’ve teamed up once again with Wax Poetics magazine to present this exclusive mixtape pairing album tracks and remixes with their sample sources, interview snippets and more. Mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Buhloone Mindstate’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
De La Soul’s third studio album ‘Buhloone Mindstate’ was released on 21st September 1993 and provided another step change in the celebrated band’s constant evolution. As the group’s last album produced by long time production partner Prince Paul, the LP was no less musically ambitious than previous efforts. Sample material, as before, touches on Soul, Funk, Rock & Jazz, this time with the incorporation of some guest vocalists and notably live instrumentation from jazz/funk legends and frequent James Brown collaborators Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis. The result is an album that, even if not their best selling, certainly stands up to its critical acclaim 25 years after release. “It might blow up, but it won’t go pop” as the album’s mantra states. In celebration of the album’s 25th anniversary WhoSampled in collaboration with Wax Poetics Magazine present this exclusive mixtape of album cuts, remixes, interview snippets and of course original sample material, mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Reachin’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
February 9th 2018 marked the 25th Anniversary of Digable Planets debut LP ‘Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space)’, an album as memorable for its rich jazz-heavy sample material as it is for its evocation of the post-civil rights era poetry. The lead single ‘Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)’ won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a duo or group in 1994 and the LP is frequently lauded as a classic of the era, largely due its innovative use of jazz. Producer Butterfly, has stated the group’s ‘jazz group’ image was not initially intentional and that the group’s sound evolved from the resources they had available - his father’s record collection, which was mostly jazz. In celebration of the album’s 25th year, we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape of album tracks, alt versions, interview snippets and of course original sampled material, mixed by Chris Read.
The Diary ‘World’s Greatest Rap Megamix’ (10th Anniversary Expanded Edition)
Extended version of Chris Read’s cult 2007 mixtape ‘The Diary’, a chrnological mix of Hip Hop’s landmark recordings - 801 records in the blend.
“Great! I couldn’t take it out of the CD player. I just needed to hear what was coming next!” (Andy Smith – Portishead)
“So deep … Incredible stuff”
(DJ Yoda – Genuine Records)
“A tour de force through the history of hip hop. A unique view of hip hop’s golden moments”
(DJ Food – Ninja Tune / Solid Steel)
“Bloody great! One of the best hip hop mixes I’ve heard in years.”
(DJ Format – Genuine Records)
“A mixtape king no question.”
(DJ Ollie Teeba – The Herbaliser)
“Megamixing at its finest… Original and essential!”
(DJ Plus One – The Scratch Perverts)
“An amazing piece of work!”
(Mr Thing – Former World DMC Team Champion)
“This mix simply kicks ASS”
(Freddy Fresh – Author, The Rap Records)
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
On Nov 17th 2017 Craft Recordings, releases a 25th Anniversary Edition one of the greatest and most celebrated Hip-Hop albums of all time, The Pharcyde’s ‘Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde’. The album will be available as a Deluxe Extended Vinyl package (original album on 2LPs + 3 12” singles) and 2CD (original album, plus a full disc of bonus material) with audio remastered by Dave Cooley (J Dilla, Madvillain, Madlib) and will include non-album tracks, remixes, and rarities. New liner notes by leading music journalist and author Jeff Weiss (Passion of the Weiss, LA Weekly) round out the package. Standard versions of the original album with remastered audio will also be available on vinyl and cassette. In celebration of this new release WhoSampled teamed up with Craft Recordings to present this exclusive mixtape of album tracks, remixes, alt versions and of course original sample material mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Reel to Reel’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Grand Puba’s debut LP ‘Reel to Reel’ celebrated its 25th anniversary a little less than a week ago. The album was recorded in the wake of Puba’s departure from Brand Nubian and the largely self-produced long player is more closely aligned sonically with the Nubians’ early work than the harder edged material they became known for post-split. Production wise it’s a relatively simple affair with catchy jazz loops and funk breaks providing the backdrop for Puba’s light hearted braggadocio. Staple samples (James Brown adlibs and the ubiquitous drumsof The Honey Drippers’ ‘Impeach’) rub shoulders with more obscure selections (Byrdie Green, Nathan Davis) to create a dynamic palate of sample material. Soul too is well represented with Otis Redding and Gladys Knight both making multiple appearances in our tracklist. Featured artists include tape-master Kid Capri and a young Mary J Blige. Mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Celebrating its 25th year on 22nd September, Diamond D’s largely self produced debut LP ‘Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop’ also featured production contributions from an all star cast that included Jazzy Jay, Showbiz, The 45 King, Large Professor and Q-Tip. The LP was notable for its eclectic sample sources from Blues to Funk, Soul and Jazz, largely steering clear of cuts that had previously been sampled by other artists. Together with Showbiz & A.G.’s debut (Runaway Slave), released the same day, it helped lay down the blueprint for the D.I.T.C sound, mining obscure cuts for memorable loops. In celebration of this classic album anniversary, we’ve teamed up with Wax Pooetics to present this exclusive mixtape of album cuts, remixes, alt versions, interview snippets and of course original sample material, mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Mecca & The Soul Brother’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Among the many greats of hip hop’s golden era currently celebrating their 25th year, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s debut long player ‘Mecca & the Soul Brother’ is rightly considered a standout - frequently lauded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The album owes its distinctive sound in no small part to the eclectic and inspired choice of sample material. In addition to drawing on sampled staples popularised in the late 80s (James Brown, The J.B.‘s), the album references jazz heavily and was pioneering in its use of layered samples, creating coherent tracks from small snippets of multiple disparate sources. In keeping with tradition, WhoSampled has teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape of album tracks, remixes, and of course original sample material, mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Daily Operation’ 25th Anniversary MIxtape
Last month saw the 25th Anniversary of ‘Daily Operation’, the third studio album by one of Hip Hop’s most celebrated duos, Gang Starr. That anniversary having coincided with the release of our Ahmad Jamalb celebration mix, we’ve held this one back a few weeks but are pleased to now share with you this exclusive tribute mix to the much loved LP containing album tracks, interview snippets and of course original sample material. In keeping with tradition, this mix is presented in collaboration with Wax Poetics and mixed by Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Dead Serious’ 25th Anniversary MIxtape
April 7th 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Das EFX’s debut LP ‘Dead Serious’. Executive produced by EPMD, the LP shares its sonic template with Hit Squad productions of the era from the likes of Redman, K Solo and EPMD themselves. Densely layered samples are the order of the day, classic drum breaks, P-Funk basslines and layer upon layer of atmospherics and vocal snippets all appearing in spades. It’s the album’s vocal style however that defined it, with ‘Diggedy-Das’s playfully unique and subsequently much imitated style of slang being the LP’s most memorable feature. In keeping with tradition, WhoSampled present this exclusive mixtape of album tracks, alt versions and original sample material in collaboration Wax Poetics, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Classic Material: ‘The Breaks of 89’
A continuation of sorts from the Diary and Classic Material mix series, ‘The Breaks of ...’ revisits the chronological theme of those mixes, this time reconstructing classic hip hop from the year in question utilising only the original sample material. This is the third mix in the series, this time rebuilding popular Hip Hop cuts from 1989 by the likes of 3rd Bass, Biz Markie, EPMD and De La Soul from their Funk, Soul, Rock & Jazz constituent sample sources. Artwork by John Brotherhood in tribute to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, the original sampled breaks collection. I hope you enjoy!
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’ 25th Anniversary MIxtape
22nd October 2016 marks the 25th Anniversary of Black Sheep’s classic debut LP ‘A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’. The playful long player from the Queen’s New York duo continues in the tradition of output from fellow Native Tongues De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, drawing on a rich pallet of sample material - funk, soul, rock and jazz. In celebration WhoSampled teamed up once again with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mix of album tracks, remixes, alt versions and of course original sample material, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘The Low End Theory’ 25th Anniversary MIxtape
24th September 2016 marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of A Tribe Called Quest’s classic sophomore LP ‘The Low End Theory’. Alongside 1993’s ‘Midnight Marauders’, the album vies for pole position on most Tribe fans’ lists of the group’s best LPs. The album also marks a pivotal moment in the group’s evolution, with founding member Jairobi departing to pursue the culinary arts, Phife steps to the fore as Q Tip’s principal companion on the mic. The album’s sample material draws heavily on jazz pairing the likes of Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey and Jack McDuff with pounding drums and, of course, pushing the low end. In keeping with tradition, we’ve teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mix of album tracks, alt versions, interview snippets and, naturally, original sample material, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Beats, Rhymes & Life’ 20th Anniversary MIxtape
30th July 2016 marks the 20th Anniversary of A Tribe Called Quest’s 4th and penultimate studio album, ‘Beats Rhymes & Life’. Produced almost entirely by the Ummah, a production outfit featuring a young J-Dilla, it’s rich in samples and displays a bass heavy, more stripped down production sound than previous albums. Also heavily featured is Consequence whose career was largely kickstarted by the release. In keeping with tradition WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape of album cuts, alt versions and of course original sample material mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Stakes is High’ 20th Anniversary MIxtape
July 2nd 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of De La Soul’s fourth studio LP ‘Stakes is High’. A departure from the sonic identity of previous long play offerings, the album addresses social issues and the changing state of hip hop in ‘96 over production from the likes of the late great Jay Dee and ATCQ collaborator Skeff Anselm among others. Guest vocals come courtesy of Common and a young Mos Def. In celebration WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape featuring tracks from the LP, alternate versions, remixes and of course original sample material used in the the creation of this much loved classic. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘All Souled Out’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
June 25th 2016 marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s classic debut EP ‘All Souled Out’, the 6 track Extended Player that placed one of hip hop’s best loved Producer / MC duos on the map and set the stage for two of the most revered albums of the early 90s, 1992’s ‘Mecca and the Soul Brother’ and 1994’s ‘The Main Ingredient. In celebration WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present this exclusive mixtape featuring tracks from the EP, alternate versions, interview snippets and of course original sample material used in the the creation of this all time classic. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘De La Soul is Dead’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
14th May 2016 marked the 25th Anniversary of the release of De La Soul’s classic sophomore album ‘De La Soul is Dead’. Following in the footsteps of 1989’s sample heavy ‘3 Feet High and Rising’, the album once again delves into unconventional and varied sample material from disco to spoken word via rock, jazz and soul with producer Prince Paul placing a unique spin on all of the above. In celebration of the album’s 25th birthday, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, remixes and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘One For All’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
Friday 4th December 2015 marked the 25th Anniversary of the release of Brand Nubian’s classic debut album ‘One for All’. Notable for its use of unconventional sample material (see use of Edie Brickell’s ‘What I Am’ on the smash single ‘Slow Down’), this landmark release of the afro-centric era treads an unlikely path between political commentary and humorous braggadocio. In celebration of the album’s 25th birthday, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, alternate versions, remixes and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Labcabincalifornia’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Saturday 14th November 2015 marked the 20th Anniversary of the release of The Pharcyde’s seminal sophomore album ‘Labcabincalifornia’. Produced in part by the late great Jay Dee together with various members of the group and guest producers including Diamond D, it’s a timeless long player that sounds as fresh today as the day it was released. In celebration of the album’s 20th birthday, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, alternate versions, remixes, acapellas and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production, mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Whosampled x Wax Poetics: ‘People’s Instinctive Travels’ 25th Anniversary Mixtape
17th April 2015 marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of A Tribe Called Quest’s seminal debut LP ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’. In celebration of the album’s 25th birthday, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, alternate versions, interview snippets and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Whosampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Ready to Die’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
13th September 2014 marks the 20th Anniversary of the release of one of hip hop’s all time classic albums, The Notorious BIG’s seminal Bad Boy Records debut LP ‘Ready to Die’. In celebration of the album’s 20th birthday, WhoSampled teamed up with Wax Poetics to present an exclusive mixtape containing tracks from the album, alternate versions, interview snippets and, of course, original sample material used in the album’s production. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
Classic Material: ‘The Breaks of 88’
A continuation of sorts from The Diary and Classic Material mix series, ‘The Breaks of ...’ revisits the chronological theme of those mixes, this time reconstructing classic hip hop from the year in question utilising only the original sample material. Originally released on Limited Edition Cassette in the summer of 2013, I thought it was about time these mixes got an airing online. This edition reconstructs the hits of 1988. Artwork by John Brotherhood in tribute to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, the original sampled breaks collection. We hope you enjoy!
Classic Material: ‘The Breaks of 87’
A continuation of sorts from The Diary and Classic Material mix series, ‘The Breaks of ...’ revisits the chronological theme of those mixes, this time reconstructing classic hip hop from the year in question utilising only the original sample material. Originally released on Limited Edition Cassette in the summer of 2013, I thought it was about time these mixes got an airing online. This edition reconstructs the hits of 1987. Artwork by John Brotherhood in tribute to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, the original sampled breaks collection. We hope you enjoy!
Mr Bongo x WhoSampled: Incredible Bongo Band ‘Bongo Rock’ 40th Anniversary Mixtape
In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the release of The Incredible Bongo Band’s classic debut LP ‘Bongo Rock’ and its sequel ‘The Return of The Incredible Bongo Band’, the Mr Bongo record label are issuing 40th Anniversary editions of both albums. In support of those releases, WhoSampled teamed up with Mr Bongo to present this exclusive mixtape celebrating 40 years of the Incredible Bongo Band in sample based music: Original Bongo Band cuts alongside those who have sampled them from Sugarhill Gang and West Street Mob to Amy Winehouse, The Roots and Goldie via Kool G Rap, BDP and many more. Mixed by Classic Material’s Chris Read.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘Midnight Marauders’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Produced in a similar style to the popular Pharcyde and Souls of Mischief 20th Anniversary mixes we put together earlier this year, this guest mix for WhoSampled and Wax Poetics celebrates another early 90s classic. This mixtape celebrating the 20th Anniversary of A Tribe Called Quest’s much loved ‘Midnight Marauders comprises tracks from the album alongside original sample material used in the album’s production.
WhoSampled x Wax Poetics: ‘93 Til Infinity’ 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Produced in a similar style to the popular ‘Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde’ 20th Anniversary mix we put together last year, this guest mix for WhoSampled and Wax Poetics celebrates another early 90s West Coast leftfield classic. This mixtape celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Souls of Mischief’s seminal debut LP ‘93 Til Infinity’ comprises tracks from the album, alternate versions and of course original sample material used in the album’s production.
Adidas Originals ‘Unite All Originals’ Mixtape
Another mixtape outside our chronological series. Commissioned mixtape for WhoSampled and Adidas Originals in support of the “Unite All Originals” campaign. Classic Hip Hop cuts from some of the genre’s best loved names united with their original samples in a one hour mix. Mixed by Classic Material resident DJ and curator Chris Read.
Classic Material ‘Bonus Material’
For the past 3 to 4 months we’ve been posting a new free download bundle on Bandcamp each week, each one containing the bonus tracks from one of the now sold out Classic Material CD series. Those bonus tracks were a mixture of material previously featured on the Diary mixtapes and new remixes produced especially for the Classic Material CDs. To round off the series, here is a full download of the final CD of the series, a sort of ‘best of’ the remixes, previously limited to just 100 physical copies. The collection features 14 Chris Read Remixes taken from Classic Material Editions #1 to #14 featuring artists including Heavy D, Kool Chip, Ultramagnetic MCs, Erick Sermon, The Beatnuts and Common, each produced in tribute to the production styles popular at the time of original release.
Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde 20th Anniversary Mixtape
Our latest mix is another which sits outside our chronological series but is certainly stylistically in keeping with our mission. Taking you back to 1992, this mix revisits the debut album of a legendary West Coast group: In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of The Pharcyde’s seminal ‘Bizarre Ride’ album and in support of the forthcoming ‘Bizarre Ride Live’ tour Classic Material resident DJ Chris Read presents this special mix for OG West Coast label Delicious Vinyl in conjunction with Wax Poetics. Comprising original album tracks, remixes, instrumentals, acapellas, original sample material and even some interview snippets from the time of release, this 40 minute mix takes in the high points of this incredible album and summarises why to us (and many others) it is a timeless classic.
Edition #15: 2001-2005
When we released Classic Material Edition #14 at the conclusion of our events series last year we said it would be the last in the series. It turns out we lied. With the release of our new t-shirt range in partnership with London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol and renowned street style photographer Normski fast approaching, we thought it would be a nice idea to bring back the mix series for one final Edition.
Edition #15 will bring things more or less up to date with a two part mix. Part 1, featured here, covers the years 2001 to 2005. Those of you who follow the mixes closely will realise that Part 1 is not an entirely new mix, but a reworking of parts of the much hyped Diary mixtape, released (it’s hard to believe) almost 5 years ago. Part 2 (an entirely new mix) will go on to cover the remaining years from 2006 onward.
Boutique Beats: A Tribute to MCA
Not part of the Classic Material mix series as such, but mixed by Classic Material DJ and curator Chris Read in tribute to Adam Yauch, better known as MCA of the Beastie Boys who sadly passed away last week after a lengthy battle with cancer aged just 47. A few words from Chris Read:
“Predictably, the internet has been awash with MCA / Beastie Boys tribute mixes in the days that have passed since the untimely passing of Adam Yauch. I’ve listened to many, enjoyed a few but, as I often do, felt the need to put my own mark on it all. So, in less than 24 hours I set about putting together ‘Boutique Beats’, not your standard ‘best of’, but a collection of some of my favourites, laced with original breaks sampled by the Beastie Boys (largely but not exclusively for the Paul’s Boutique album), acapellas, remixes and plenty else besides.”
Edition#14: 2000
Edition#14 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of the year 2000, the beginning of a new decade and the end of what many consider to be hip hop’s greatest era, the 90s. The year 2000 marked a turning point for the Indie scene with artists such as De La Soul, DJ Premier and others proving to the so called ‘back pack’ fraternity that credibility and club friendly / commercial music could co-exist.
This mix is also a landmark for us here at Classic Material as it marks the end of our year long series of events and mixes. There are however further Classic Material projects in the pipeline including a second range of t-shirts in collaboration with London sneaker boutique Foot Patrol and more music to come so please follow our blog to be kept informed!
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more Classic Material products.
EDITION#13: 1999
Edition#13 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1999, a year which marked a coming of age for the Indie Hip Hop scene. Whereas the previous year had been dominated by leftfield and arguably less accessible indie releases, 1999 delivered more accomplished and club friendly indie releases with labels such as Rawkus really growing into their hype. At the more commercial end of the spectrum big budget albums including Dre’s Chronic 2001 delivered on expectations.
Other notable albums from the year include DJ Spinna’s Heavy Beats Volume 1 and underground classics including MF Doom’s ‘Operation Doomsday’ and Lootpack’s ‘Soundpieces’.
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Edition#12: 1998
Edition#12 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1998, a year often celebrated as the pinnacle of the late 90s ‘Indie’ era. Revered independent labels including Rawkus, ABB, Fondle Em and countless other less well known imprints released some of their strongest material during the year. Major labels were quick to get in on the act with Tommy Boy launching its ‘Black Label’ imprint as an outlet for less commercial sounding output from the likes of Defari and DV Alias Khrist.
Notable albums include Black Star seminal debut, Tribe Called Quest’s Ummah produced ‘Love Movement’ and Pete Rock’s star studded solo debut ‘Soul Survivor’.
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Edition#11: 1997
Edition#11 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1997, a year which many associate with the dawn of the so called ‘Indie’ era. The music of 1997 set the stage the development of two distinct sounds over the following years, the underground independent sound nurtured by labels such as Correct, ABB, Rawkus and others and the commercial sound of the major labels typified by the output of artists such as Jay Z, Foxy Brown and others. Whilst the independent productions of the likes of Shawn J Period and DJ Hi Tek certainly broke new ground, the commercial output should not be written off, with novel sample sources still playing an important role (see Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz’ use of Steely Dan or Lil Kim’s use of Jeff Lorber for example).
Notable albums include, of course, Biggie’s seminal ‘Life After Death’ and at the other end of the spectrum Jurassic 5’s debut ‘J5’ EP and Company Flow’s leftfield classic ‘Funcrusher Plus’.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more Classic Material products.
Edition#10: 1996
Edition#10 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1996, a year which marks a turning point for the genre with a divide growing between the popular RnB influenced sound and the underground ‘independent’ sound blossoming in reaction to it. Whilst many established artists including De La Soul openly attacked the emerging commercial sound of the day, artists such as Busta Rhymes managed to retain underground credibility and deliver more chart friendly offerings for major labels.
Notable album releases include the Fugees’ commercially succesful yet credible ‘The Score’, Tribe Called Quest’s Ummah produced 4th album, ‘Beats Rhymes and Life’, Jay Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ and Jeru’s ‘Wrath of the Math’ in stark contrast to it. Debut releases from Kool Keith alias Dr Octagon and newcomers Company Flow set the tone for a new breed of leftfield acts.
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EDITION#9: 1995
Edition #9 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1995. The output of ‘95 arguably typifies what is often referred to as the ‘mid 90s sound’, with filtered and layered grooves accompanying crisp programmed drums at a tempo generally far lower than in previous years. The general trend for decreasing tempos peaked in ‘95 with a significant proportion of single releases barely breaking the 90bpm mark.
1995 is also notable for the rise of a darker more melancholy production style with even the darkest of backdrops (Mobb Deep’s Shook Ones Part 2 for example) scoring as unlikely club hits. There were of course also a host of more typically upbeat club tracks, Blahzay Blahzay’s ‘Danger’ and ODB’s ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ being good examples.
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Edition#8: 1994
Edition #8 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1994, a year which for many is best remembered for giving us two of hip hop’s most revered debut albums, Nas’ Illmatic and Notorious B.I.G’s Ready to Die. It was also a golden year for radio and mixtape DJs with tapes from the likes of Funkmaster Flex, Stretch Armstrong, Doo Wop, Ron G and others being a key outlet for the new breed of underground acts as well as established names.
Despite tempos generally drifting downward in comparison with previous years and the general sound of the year’s output being laidback and largely jazz infused, ‘94 had its fair share of anthems, Craig Mack’s ‘Flava In Your Ear’, Gang Starr’s ‘Mass Appeal’ and Channel Live’s ‘Mad Izm’ being notable examples.
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Edition#7: 1993
Edition #7 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1993, a year which many consider the pinacle of the so called early 90s golden era. Sampling and production techniques honed during the early 90s had reached a natural maturity by 1993 with key golden era producers such as Pete Rock and the Beatnuts establishing their own trademark sounds. The East Coast also ushered in a new harder edged sound with Wu Tang and Onyx both delivering gritty debuts. On the West Coast, the ‘G Funk’ sound which found its feet the year prior delivered arguably its most accomplished album in the form of Snoop’s seminal LP, Doggy Style. 1993 was also a great year for emerging undergound acts carving out their own sound, Souls of Mischief being a notable example.
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Edition#6: 1992
Edition #6 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1992, a year most notable for shifts in production techniques and styles and perhaps more importantly sampling trends. Abandoning over-saturated funk standards in favour of obscure jazz samples, producers such Showbiz, Diamond D, Q Tip and many others besides laid the foundations for the laid back jazz led sound that characterised countless East Coast classics of the early to mid 90s. On the West Coast, Dr Dre’s seminal Chronic LP also broke new ground in terms of production style with a polished classicly LA sound that formed the blueprint for the ‘G Funk’ sound which ruled supreme throughout the early 90s.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
Edition#5: 1991
Edition #5 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1991, the year which really signalled the start of what many consider to be a golden period for club friendly credible hip hop releases. Aside from numerous memorable LP releases, 1991 was above all a year of anthems - Tribe’s ‘Scenario’, Nice and Smooth’s ‘Hip Hop Junkies’, Showbiz and AG’s ‘Party Groove’ and many other club records with catchy hooks saw releases during the year. 1991 was also a solid year for long players with stand out debut LPs from Black Sheep and Main Source amongst others. Debut LPs from Del the Funkee Homosapien and Cypress Hill both broke preconceptions about the West Coast sound in very different ways.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
Edition#4: 1990
Edition #4 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1990, a year when hip hop really spread its wings with a diverse range of new sounds breaking in all corners of the US and overseas. 1990 is probably most celebrated as being the birth of the ‘afro-centric’ era, with debut albums from X-Clan, Professor X, Poor Righteous Teachers, Tribe Called Quest and many others hitting the stores during the year. But 1990 was also an important year for the artists from the opposite end of the spectrum: Compton’s Most Wanted, Capital Punishment Organisation and Above The Law all released debut albums proving LA had more to offer than just NWA. Aside from new developments, established artists including LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy and EPMD all dropped certified classics. As with previous editions, our mix places classic cuts alongside the lesser heard.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
Edition#3: 1989
Edition #3 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1989, another year in which the genre’s dominant sounds changed drastically. As the James Brown influenced sound that had dominated the late 80s played out its final days, producers from all corners of the genre turned their attentions to sampling the bass heavy West Coast sound of Parliament, Funkadelic and Zapp. Acts such as De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers burst on to the scene injecting a light hearted honesty into their lyrical content which paved the way for the emerging ‘new school’ sound of the early 90s. Early releases from the likes of X Clan hinted at the ‘afrocentric’ sound that would come to prominence in the following years. As with previous editions, our mix places classic cuts alongside the lesser heard.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
Bonus Mix: 80s Electro (with SpineTV)
Bridging the gap between the disco rap of the early 80s and the early sample based hip hop of the mid to late 80s (featured on the two mixes we put together for Classic Material Edition #1) is a rich groove of drum machine led rap tracks characterised by the raw stripped down sound of bass heavy 808 kicks and snappy hand claps. But somewhere else in the melting pot of music released in that same era is the unlikely blend of fast paced electronic beats with dancefloor sensibilities, funk, rap and leftfield European electronica that formed the electro scene of the day.
Whilst the sub-genres are plentiful, this mix doesn’t concentrate too heavily on any one of them; West Coast dancefloor cuts from the likes of Egyptian Lover rub shoulders with European pioneers Kraftwerk and East Coast electro rap and electro funk. As with all the Classic Material mixes, classic cuts stand alongside the rare and lesser heard. Originally issued as a bonus track on the Classic Material Edition #1 CD, we’re pleased to make this mix available online in association with Spine Magazine.
Edition#2: 1988
Edition #2 of our monthly Classic Material series pays tribute to the hip hop of 1988, a year which many consider the ‘golden year’ of the late 80s. As samplers took over from drum machines as the producer’s tool of choice, the James Brown drum sound ruled supreme and lyrical subject matter explored new territory. With seminal (and at the time controversial) album releases from the likes of Public Enemy and NWA, this was a year that changed hip hop forever. This mix features classic and some lesser known cuts from singles and albums released in 1988.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
Edition#1 (Part 2): 1984-1987
Part 2 of the first edition of the Classic Material mix series documents hip hop’s progression through the years 1984 to 1987, an era in which hip hop’s prominent sound changed drastically with the increasing popularity of drum machine programmed beats and early sampling technology. This mix leans quite heavily toward sample based material from the latter part of that era so we’ve thrown an extra treat on the CD version – a bonus mix of electro rap and electro funk from the early to mid 80s.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
Edition#1 (Part 1): 1979-1983
This is the first edition of ‘Classic Material’, a brand new series of mixtapes celebrating over 30 years of recorded rap music. Edition #1 documents hip hop’s birth on wax and it’s formative years, 1979-1983, from the disco and boogie influenced sound of the late 70s through to the early drum machine tracks of the mid 80s. Each following month we will documenting a subsequent era or year with a new mixtape so please check back for the next edition.
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
THE DIARY VOLUME 1.5
The Diary Volume 1.5 (Twenty Years of the Remix): 1989-2008, One iconic track from each of the last twenty years remixed by Chris Read in homage to the producers and styles of the day.
“Up there with Paul C, Pete Rock, Premier and all! - I can’t think of another Hip Hop CD I’ve played so much in years!”
(Andy Smith - Portishead)
“Chris continues the rap anthology concept of his super-dope ‘The Diary’ megamix in the shape of a remix project - a great platform for Chris to showcase his ample beat-making skills.”
(DJ Woody – Former World ITF Champion)
“Crazy! This is Rap History in the making. Chris proves his production skills on this one to the fullest. A wonderful and refreshing journey through all eras of hip hop. Double thumbs up!”
(Marc Hype – MPM Records / Former ITF Champion)
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.
The Diary
A chronological mix of the hip hop’s landmark recordings by order of release from 1979-2007. 801 records in the blend!
“So deep … Incredible stuff” DJ Yoda – Genuine Records
“Megamixing at its finest… Original and essential!” DJ Plus One – The Scratch Perverts
“An amazing piece of work!” Mr Thing – Former World DMC Team Champion
CD copies of this mix are now sold out! Visit our online store for more CDs from the series.