SL2 “Way in my brain”

Posted on May 14, 2012 by DJ Kraze One

“Way in my brain” by SL2 was first released in 1991 on XL Recordings as the B-side to their single “DJs Take Control”. In 1992 a new remix of “Way in my brain” was released as part of a 4 track EP also on XL Recordings and would go on to reach number 28 in the UK pop charts. SL2 started as duo originally from Essex, England that consisted of Matt “Slipmatt” Nelson and John “Lime” Fernandez but as their popularity grew MC Jason”Jay J” James and dancers Kelly Overett and Jo Millett were incorporated in to the live shows. SL2 had several releases during the rave music era of the early 90s but never released an album.

“Way in my brain” contains samples and is a rave remake of a track called “Under mi sleng ting” by reggae dancehall artist Wayne Smith. “Under me sleng ting” was first Continue reading →

Killa Joul Interview

Posted on May 5, 2012 by DJ Kraze One

MC Killa Joul broke on to the local hip hop scene in 1993 as part of the Buckingham based hip hop crew the Justice Element. Since picking up the mic Killa Joul has recorded and released materiel independently as well as working with Milton Keynes based hip hop collective True Element. During his time with True Element Killa joul had the opportunity to perform on the National circuit doing live shows and appearing on radio stations before learning to play guitar and sing. Break to the beat recently caught up with MC Killa Joul to hear his story and to talk about his involvement in the hip hop scene as well as to find out about his latest hip hop project entitled The Cure.

So to kick off the interview tell the readers when you started rapping and how you got involved in the local hip hop scene?

I got into the hip hop scene when I started 6th form at Buckingham school in 1993, Kraze One was in my form at the time and I think we started speaking due to a shared love of hip hop music. He knew a lot more about it then me, was into the British scene that I didn’t even know existed really, and had a massive record collection (still has). I knew about the American stuff but he turned me on to artists like Gunshot, Hijack and The Criminal Minds. We started making demos with one turntable and using break beats from Simon Harris’s break beats and scratches records and a dodgy mic from Curry’s! Continue reading →

Overlord X Interview

Posted on April 25, 2012 by DJ Kraze One

Break to the beat recently had the honer of catching up with and interviewing one of Hip Hop in the UKs godfathers Overlord X. Overlord X along with the X Possee put their home borough of Hackney, London and the entire UK on the hip hop map back in the late 80 and early 90s giving us 3 outstanding LPs that were not only an inspiration but for many an introduction to British rap music. Overlord X’s contributions to the UK music scene over the years have been nothing short of outstanding and has provided us with both thought provoking intellectual lessons in life as well as timeless hip hop classics. Any readers not familiar with Overlord X & The X Possee’s work should check the Overlord X Discography & Review article posted a few months ago on break to the beat.

Taking things right back to the beginning before you started rapping and producing records please tell the readers how and when you discovered hip hop music?

I really started to get into hip hop music from Africa Bambaataa and the soul Sonic force, back then hip hop was in the style of Electro and they were the ones that grabbed my attention to start even thinking of making music. At that time I was a young break dancer and DJ producer just being a big fan and follower of the movement. I was looking for a rapper to spit over my beats but there were very few Mc’s around so I picked up the mic and started creating rough demos at home. Continue reading →

Nicki Minaj “Your Love”

Posted on April 20, 2012 by DJ Kraze One

“Your love” by NIcki Minaj is the first single from her debut studio album entitled “Pink Friday” that was released in 2010. The “Your love” single reached number one on the US billboard hot rap songs chart making Nicki Minaj the first female rapper to top the chart in 8 years. Nicki Minaj‘s debut album “Pink Friday” has gone on to sell over 1.7 million copies in the US alone and since the release of “Your love” in 2010 Nicki Minaj has become one of the rap industry’s biggest selling artists . The backing track to the ”Your love” single is based around a sample from a song recorded by Scottish singer Annie Lennox entitled ”No more I love you’s“. “Your love“ was produced by Andrew “Pop” Wansel.

Nicki Minaj “Your love” 2010 Cash Money Records

Annie Lennox‘s Single “No more I love you’s” was the first single to be released from her second studio album entitled “Medusa” that was released in 1995. “No more I love you’s” is a cover version of a track by the same name that was written by Joseph Hughes and David Freeman and was released in 1986 by their New Wave band The Lover Speaks. Continue reading →

Rizzle Kicks “When I was a youngster”

Posted on April 16, 2012 by DJ Kraze One

Rizzle Kicks second official single from their debut album “Stereo typical” entitled ”When I was a youngster” was released in 2011 on Island Records. “When I was a youngster” peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles charts and is based around a sample of a track called “Revolution rock” recorded by British Punk Rock group “The Clash“. Rizzle Kicks are a British Hip Hop duo from the city of Brighton who met at performance and drama workshops organised by a charity called Audio Active. Although both members of the group (Jordan “Rizzle” Stephens & Harley “Sylvester” Alexander-Sule) were born during hip hop’s golden era (1988-1992) they have been inspired by that period of classic hip hop and have produced several tracks based around sampling.

Rizzle Kicks “When I was a youngster” 2011 Island Records

“Revolution Rock” by The Clash is one of the tracks from their third studio album entitled “London Calling“. “London Calling“ was released in late 1979 on CBS Records and sold approximately 2 million copies when it was initially released. The “London Calling” album was also ranked number 8 in rolling stone’s list of 500 greatest albums of all time compiled in 2003. ”Revolution Rock” was a cover version of a reggae song that was first performed by Danny Ray and the Revolutionaries also released in 1979. Continue reading →

Ice Cube “Today was a good day”

Posted on April 13, 2012 by DJ Kraze One

Ice Cube‘s Track “It was a good day” was his second single from his third solo LP entitled “The Predator” that was released in 1992 on Priority Records. ”It was a good day” is one of Ice Cube‘s most recognised tracks and the single was also released in 1992 during the height of the west coast rap invasion. In the UK charts the single peaked at number 27 which at the time was a major breakthrough for a hardcore hip hop artist like Ice Cube and I’m sure for some younger generations of hip hop listeners this would have been one of the first times that they got to hear Ice Cube. In the USA “It was a good day” peaked at number 7 on the Billboard R&B/Hip hop chart which again for Ice Cube who just a couple of years previous had made songs like “Turn off the Radio” was a major breakthrough for a hardcore hip hop artist. The music break (or sample loop) in the track itself is taken from a record called “Footsteps in the dark“ by The Isley Brothers.

Ice Cube “It was a good day”

The Isley Brother track “Footsteps in the dark” is taken from their LP entitled “Go for your guns” which was released in 1977 on T-Neck Records. “Footsteps in the dark” was also included on the B-side to the 7″ single “Groove with you” that reached number 16 in the R&B singles chart the same year. ”Footsteps in the dark“ can be heard below and carries a somewhat classic soul vibe typical of the Isley Brothers during this stage of their musical career.

The Isley Brothers “Footsteps in the dark”

List Price: £8.99

Price:

List Price: £11.99

Price:

Classic Breaks Part 2 – The Funky Drummer

Posted on March 22, 2012 by DJ Kraze One

The second article in the classic breaks series is in reference to another famous and well used break beat called “Funky drummer” by James Brown. Like the “Amen break” discussed in the previous article it’s hard to imagine what music today would sound like if it wasn’t for the “Funky drummer” track and break beat being created. The “Funky drummer” break beat has been sampled, chopped up and used as an ingredient by so many artists and producers ever since samplers gave us the power to manipulate music. From classic hip hop artists like Public Enemy, Ultamagnetic MCs, and N.W.A to pop artists like George Michael, Kylie Minogue and new comer Emili Sande. Generations of performers have been drawn to and have felt inspired by this particular composition.

In this article break to the beat explore the origins of the “Funky Drummer” break beat from its creation, to its rise in popularity in hip hop and popular music. If you are not familiar with the “funky drummer” break beat and extract can be heard in below window. The extract is taken from the “Funky drummer bonus beat reprise” on the James Brown album “In the jungle groove”.

James Brown “Funky drummer bonus beat reprise”

The song “Funky drummer” was recorded in 1969 and released in March 1970 on King Records as a double sided 7″ Single. The full length version of “Funky drummer” however was not released until 1986 on James Brown‘s “In the Jungle Groove” LP. Continue reading →