Our big bro is back in this bitch with Vol. 13 –Philaflava

T.R.O.Y. Presents – Sounds Like The 90s Vol. 13

1. Freeway & Jake One – Throw Your Hands Up
2. Black Thought – Contract On The World feat. Dice Raw & Porn
3. The LOX – Slow Down (You’re Killin’ Em)
4. Smiley The Ghetto Child – I’m Legend (prod. DJ Premier)
5. Freddie Gibbs – The Ghetto
6. U.G. – Beat Yo Ass
7. Big Noyd – New York Lights
8. Meyhem Lauren – 7000 Thoughts
9. Roc Marciano – Snow
10. Mobb Deep – Whole Lotta Thug (prod. Alchemist)
11. Sadat X – Turn It Up feat. Pete Rock
12. Consequence – Let U Live feat. Pharoahe Monch
13. Ski Beatz – Prowler 2 ft. Jean Grae, Jay Electronica, Joell Ortiz & Mos Def
14. Wu-Massacre – Dangerous
15. U.G. – My Soldiers feat. Steele & Casual
16. Open Mike Eagle – Unapologetic feat. Nocando
17. Planet Asia & Goldchain Military – Organic Food (prod. Large Professor)
18. Tanya Morgan – Cheesesteak
19. Meyhem Lauren – Treat Her Like A Prostitute feat. Thristin Howl III
20. Brotha Lynch Hung – Meat

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Who will survive the sweet sixteen? Tragedy Khadafi vs. Chubb Rock? Casual vs. King-Tee? MC Ren vs. Aceyalone? Breeze Brewin vs. Godfather Don? Your vote counts! –Philaflava

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Our big brothers, big compilation. Don’t sleep on the Best of Sounds Like The 90s and if you have been you can catch-up on all 12 volumes below. –Philaflava

Download Vol. 12

Download all 12 volumes here.

Props to Strategy for the tagged version, Blake Reznik and Tal Danan for yet another sick cover.

Every day this week our big brother T.R.O.Y. blog is dropping 25 joints (100 total) of their latest compilation, 100 Tracks You Need To Hear (’97-’99). –Gloss

1997-1999. You swear it wasn’t that long ago, but you know it might as well have been eons ago. Depending on your outlook, this is either the tail end of a gilded age or the beginning of the apocalypse. During this time, the hip hop artists born circa 1970 who catapulted the genre forward as teenagers and young adults in the ’87-’94 heyday are beginning to mellow out or gloss it up. Sampling laws are enforced more than ever but the indie labels are resolute in refusing to go the glittery route. Radio is dominated by obvious samples and tales of upward mobility and debauchery, while the underground mixshows stay saturated with eccentric rhyming clinics and surreal poetics. The divide is not entirely clean, however. In this era you can find surreal poets waxing profound on diamonds and champagne, gritty crime narratives on major label releases, and a whole host of songs that defy categorization (and a few that even defy simple explanation). This series is for those of you who know that the late ‘90s is deeper than just Organized Konfusion, Ras Kass, Mase, Nas, and Company Flow (no disrespect intended of course). This is for those of you that know that great hip hop comes from all corners of the USA and around the world, that the b-sides of overlooked 12”s and the album cuts of long forgotten tapes contain true gems. Songs that speak to our hunger for dope beats and lyrics and manage to stand out from the crowd. We made a special effort to seek out songs that you probably haven’t heard or don’t really remember too clearly, while making sure that each selection hearkens backs to the last era in which musical diversity and quality could be taken for granted. You need to hear this. Enjoy our 100 picks, coming at you at the rate of twenty five per day just in time for the holidays.

So what are you waiting for? Go open up your gifts…

Our big brother dropping 11 on that ass and remember you always double down on 11. Check out the mix and our bro’s blog T.R.O.Y. –Jason Gloss

01. Juice Crew – Mr. Magic Tribute
02. Cormega – Define Yourself feat. Tragedy Khadafi & Havoc
03. Jay Electronica – Suckas
04. Saigon – Say Yes Pt. 2
05. Beanie Sigel – What You Talkin’ Bout
06. Remarkable Mayor – Doomz Day
07. O.C. – Life (Roc Raida Tribue)
08. Senor Kaos – 20 Years High & Rising (Homage To De La Soul) feat. Von Pea & Homeboy Sandman
09. Fashawn – Samsonite Man feat. Blu
10. Sene – WhyBother?
11. People Under The Stairs – DQMOT (Thes One Remix)
12. Del The Funky Homosapien & Tame One – Flashback
13. Cormega – Live And Learn (prod. Pete Rock)
14. Curren$y – On My Way
15. Godamus Rhyme – Mass Appeal feat. Mr. S.O.S.
16. Masta Ace & Edo G – Pass The Mic feat. KRS-One
17. (Bonus Track) Mr. Chop – T.R.O.Y.

Catch up an all 11 volumes here.

For those that missed this a few years back, here is our exclusive interview from prison. This was the first Prodigy allowed and the interview conducted by his wife. Check it out now on Youtube and shouts to Aaron Grant for putting these up.

Chris Winston,

It has come to my attention via The Bridge ’94 blog that you are the producer of the classic unreleased Nas song “Dejavu.” It may seem odd to label an unreleased track as a classic but over the years, “Deja Vu” has earned this status. Despite the fact that only relatively lo-fi, unmastered versions have made it to listener’s ears, it is apparent to any rap fan that the song is a bonafide gem. Nas’ masterful lyrics combined with your perfectly suited sounds like heaven with a few hisses, so a higher quality version might well be the holy grail for us aging hip hop heads. I speak for the vast majority of our 1,100 subscribers (and thousands of other followers and assorted visitors) in saying that I’ve been fiending for a CD-quality version of this song for what seems like centuries.

It is unfortunate that shady business kept this song from seeing the light of day on a proper release. I understand that this experience must have been hugely frustrating. I also see how it could lead you to believe that there is little interest in the song itself. On this point I beg to differ. Nas’ unreleased and rarities catalogue is deep and has been extensively covered on the internet. There was even a popular blog devoted entirely to such songs. Time and time again, “Deja Vu” is mentioned as one of the shining stars of this unreleased catalog, the rough draft of what should have been a perfect album cut on It Was Written. Not only does the song include the verse that later appeared on “Verbal Intercourse,” it contains a second verse which is arguably even better (the “swimming pool/ sinning fool/ winning jewel” rhyme is some next shit). You produced a monumental song featuring one the genre’s most beloved rappers at his peak and it deserves to be heard – crisp and clear.

Do the right thing, Chris Winston – release a CD quality version of Nas “Dejavu.” Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of pairs of ears eagerly await this.

— Thun, speaking on behalf of The T.R.O.Y. Team, and hip hop fans worldwide.

READERS: If you agree that “Deja Vu” should be released in CD quality format, you should do the following:

1) Respond to this post with a message showing support for the release of “Dejavu” in CD quality. To save time just type “RELEASE IT ALREADY”.

2) Retweet this post on Twitter, and link it on Facebook.

3) Get at Chris Winston himself: via Twitter (@chriswinston) or email (chris@chriswinston.com).

Our big brother wasn’t BIG’s brother…

Sounds Like The 90s (Volume 10)

1. Fresh Daily – Supaspectacular!

2. Bro Ali – Best@it feat. Freeway & Joell Ortiz

3. Sha Stimuli – Move Back feat. Freeway & Young Chris (prod. Just Blaze)

4. Dynas – The Future feat. DJ Jazzy Jeff

5. Baby Blak – Evolution (prod. L.G.)

6. De La Soul – La La La

7. Fresh Daily – Video Gaming

8. Skyzoo – Return of The Real (prod. Just Blaze)

9. Raekwon – Surgical Gloves (prod. Alchemist)

10. Boycott Blues – Da Math feat. Consequence & Insight

11. O.C. & A.G. – Think About It

12. Masta Killa – Things Just Ain’t The Same

13. Dynas – Family Jewels feat. Slick Rick*

14. KRS-One & Buckshot – Oh Really? feat. Talib Kweli (prod. Marco Polo)

15. Ghostface Killah – Guest House feat. Fabolous

16. Big Boi – Fo Yo Sorrows feat. Too $hort & George Clinton

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Our homie LG sent this new Blak track to us. For those not familiar with LG’s work you should be, he’s worked with Ill Al Skratch, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, Canibus and 2Pac just to name a few. He’s also the younger brother of Easy Mo Bee and a talent in his own right.

Baby Blak is back on his Philly shit. One-time member of one of 215′s illest underground group Ill Advised, where you can catch up on all there shit by clicking here.

Check out the new single by Blak “Evolution” and let us know what you think. –Philaflava

Baby Blak – Evolution

Support Baby Blak for just $0.99 cents on iTunes.

Courtesy of our big brother T.R.O.Y.

The T.R.O.Y. Blog & Big L Online Presents..
Big L: The Best of the Rest

01. Big L – Devil’s Son ’98 (Live in Amsterdam)
02. Lord Finesse – You Know What I’m About (Original Version) ft. Big L
03. Big L – Principal of the New School
04. Big L – Unexpected Flava
05. The Children of the Corner (Big L, Herb McGruff, Murda Mase, Killa Kam & Digga)
– Hell Up in Harlem (Extended DJ Ron G Uptown Mix)
06. Big L – We Got This (Alternate Version)
07. Big L – Let Me Find Out
08. Liz Lucci – We All Can’t Ball ft. Big L & Richie Thumbs
09. Bootsie – Harlem N.Y.C. (Beats 2 Blow Remix) ft. Big L & Herb McGruff
10. DJ Ron G – Exclusive 2003 Shit ft. Big L
11. Big L – Now or Never
12. Stephen Simmonds – Alone (Original Version) ft. Big L & Marquee

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