Besides Asides

Big Syke isn't exactly the most recognizable name in hip-hop but he played a central role in the career of one of its key figures of 1990s, 2Pac. Big Syke started out in the group Evil Minded Gangstas who released a tape in 1992 and then met 2Pac in 1993, eventually going on to join his group Thug Life. If you listen to the Evil Minded Gangstas tape you can see its sound heavily influenced the Thug Life album along with New York's Live Squad. Big Syke also introduced 2Pac to produced Johnny "J" Jackson who produced much of the E.M.G. record and would go on to be one of the main producers for 2Pac while he was on Death Row Records.

Big Syke joined 2Pac over at Death Row and appeared on All Eyez On Me and started working on an album with 2Pac for his new group, the Outlaw Immortalz, as well as a solo album. Yet, these things weren't meant to be as Syke decided to sign his own record deal and 2Pac severed ties with him. This is why Big Syke doesn't appear on 2Pac's Makaveli album or any of the subsequent Outlawz albums as more than a guest. He ended up recording Be Yo' Self without input from 2Pac and the Outlawz and released it in October 1996. Syke is a more than capable rapper with a distinct voice and flow but perhaps the best part of the album is that most of it is produced by Johnny "J" in his prime. There are elements of several songs that are the same as unreleased versions of 2Pac songs that Big Syke appeared on as well. There is also a few great features by Above The Law and former Thug Life/Outlawz member Mopreme Shakur. This album went out of print and when Syke signed to southern hip-hop institution Rap-A-Lot in the early 2000s some of the album was included with a different mix/master on the new album Big Syke Daddy. This is a shame because the whole album is really a superb piece of mid-90s west coast hip-hop. Big Syke has that great balance where he spins hardcore rhymes but also reflects on the consequences of a violent lifestyle and takes time out to just relax and have a good time on the record. There is memorable lines and catchy hooks, what more could you ask for?

Anyways, I've seen this album go for anywhere from $40 to $90 (for a CD!!!!) used on Amazon, discogs and ebay so I hope some people enjoy this rip from my collection. I've also included "Forever Ballin'" from The Fan soundtrack as a bonus. It is produced by Johnny "J" and came out in 1996 so I assume it was from the same recording sessions as the rest of the album. As a final bonus I've included the song "Hittin' Cornaz" from the non-album single of the same name from 1998, as far as I know this is the only thing he released between Be Yo' Self and Big Syke Daddy which is a shame because it is one of his best songs.

In 1995 Snoop Dogg introduced the world to his group Tha Dogg Pound (well okay they were introduced a few years earlier on The Chronic and Doggystyle but it wasn't until '95 that they had a proper release). His role in the group was much more of an executive producer/project coordinator with guest raps rather than a full on member. In an ideal world Tha Dogg Pound would have released Dogg Food in '95 and then in subsequent releases Snoop's involvement would lessen as Daz and Kurupt took more creative control. As it turned out Tha Dogg Pound didn't end up releasing another album for six years and at that point Snoop was out of the picture and they were never really able to capitalize on their association. In 1999, Snoop attempted to do the same thing he did with Tha Dogg Pound with Tha Eastsidaz with two rappers that had appeared on his solo records, Tray Deee and Goldie Loc.They released two albums with heavy Snoop involvement that were moderate successes and were part of Snoop Dogg's resurgence in acclaim and popularity in the early 2000s. However, like Tha Dogg Pound the group planned their next album to feature diminished involvement from Snoop and the album never came out. There was a number of factors including Tray Deee going away for a lengthy prison sentence and disputes between Snoop Dogg over royalties. Anyhow, the album was set for release at several points between 2003 and 2005 and songs started to leak out between then. What I have here is the album as per a tracklist given out in some promotional materials, except three of the songs has never leaked or been released so I added a few bonus tracks. A version of "Bottom Girl" called "You Could Be" was going to be used for singer Kokane's unreleased album Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Kane without Goldie Loc's verse. "Bacc On The Blocc" was a song from Snoop's Welcome To Tha Chuuuch mixtape. "Real In the Field" is an unreleased Eastsidaz and Warren G collabo that was recorded around the time of the album, but the name of teh song that was supposed to appear on it featuring Warren G was called "C'd Up", it could be the same song with multiple names. Big Boi from Outkast recorded a verse for "Hog Mog 'N Chitlins" but I didn't have that version.

 I feel this album is more laidback than their other two albums and there isn't as many bigger name rappers on this but it is a great slice of early 2000s west coast street rap. There are other copies of these songs floating around the net but mine are superior bitrate and quality. Enjoy!


















Listen

Tracklist:

1. Friday Night (feat. Bokie Loc)
- produced by Battlecat

2. Parking Lot Pimpin' (feat. Truth Hurts)
- produced by Fredwreck

3. Hard Times (feat. Kokane, Redman & Bamm)
- produced by Fredwreck

4. Blue Suede Shoes (feat. Daz Dillinger & Kokane)
- produced by Julio G

5. Somthin' For Nothin' (feat. Mamie Gunn)
- produced by Jelly Roll

6. Rug Burnz (feat. Suga Free, Kokane & Miss Pamm)
- produced by Goldie Loc

7. Hog Mog 'N Chitlins (feat. Snoop Dogg & Kokane)
- produced by Goldie Loc

8. Chemical Reaction
- produced by Battlecat

9. Eastsidin' Daily (feat. Butch Cassidy & Blaqtoven)
- produced by Battlecat

10. Gang Bang Muzic (feat. Weasel Loc)
- produced by Goldie Loc

11. In Your Eyes (feat. Kokane)
- produced by Fredwreck

12. Bacc On The Blocc (feat. Snoop Dogg)
- produced by unknown

13. Real In The Field (feat. Warren G)
- produced by Warren G

14. Let's Go (feat.Nate Dogg)
- produced by Battlecat

15. Bottom Girl (feat. Kokane & Snoop Dogg)
- produced by Battlecat

16. Succ Me Licc Me Bitch (feat. Bokie Loc, Mykestro & Conflict)
- produced by Battlecat and Goldie Loc

Warren G is a really underrated producer and in part I think it hasa lot  to do with  some bad luck. Starting out with the original Death Row Records crew with his childhood friends Snoop Doggy Dogg and Nate Dogg, Warren was one of the many producers that helped pick samples and program beats for Dr. Dre to go to work when constructing instrumentals for his classic album The Chronic and Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle. However, like many of those younger producers, didn't get any credit since it was felt that Dre is the one who really made "the magic" and the one with the rep and the name. Furthermore, while Snoop and Nate were given contracts by Death Row Records, Warren was not. He was the one that got Snoop and Nate there in the first place! According to Warren Suge didn't really like him. This was probably one of the reasons that Warren's raps were taken off of Tha Dogg Pound's classic single "Let's Play House". Being featured on "Let's Play House" would have worked wonders for keeping him in the public eye during the long wait between Regulate and Take A Look Over Your Shoulder. Label politics continued to get in the way as certain songs he did were left off albums during the 90s as Def Jam didn't want the negativity to surround their artists. His earliest recorded hit was "Indo Smoke" with Mista Grimm which generated considerably buzz but unfortunately Mr. Grimm's album was shelved and Warren couldn't capitalize on another potentially helpful association. Another problem for Warren is he tended to not produce for other artists. Aside from notable songs for 2Pac's Thug life and MC Breed, Warren mostly kept his beats to himself or his unsuccessful proteges. The final nail in Warren G's career as a top name in hip-hop came when he was sued by Garth Brooks in 1998 which likely lead to him being dropped from Def Jam records and him having to release I Want It All to little promotion in 1999, the album had a freaking amazing Dr. Dre produced single and it still did nothing. So these are probably some factors as to why even though Warren G is an extremely talented producer and has released 6 very solid and consistent albums most people only know his music from the song "Regulate". So as a tribute to Warren I've gone and collected all the remixes, freestyles, compilation and unreleased tracks that exist from 1993 to 1999. Enjoy!

• 1 is from the Poetic Justice OST. 1993. Epic Records.
• 2 & 5 are from This DJ 12". 1994. Rush Associated Labels.
• 3 is from Do You See UK 12". 1995. Rush Associated Labels.
• 4 is from the Bad Boys OST. 1995. Work Records.
• 6 is from St. Ides '94. 1994.
• 7, 9 & 12 are not commercially available.
• 8 is from The Show OST. 1995. Def Jam Recordings.
• 10 is from The Nutty Professor OST. 1996. Def Jam Recordings.
• 11 is from Vinyl Kombat. 1996.
• 13 is from I Shot The Sheriff (EPMD Remixes). 1997. Def Jam Recordings.
• 14 is from the Supercop OST. 1996. Interscope Records.
• 15 is from The Rapsody 12". 1997. Def Jam Recordings.
• 16 is from the Good Burger OST. 1997. Capitol Records.
• 17 is from the Game Don't Wait 12". Restless Records.

In 2001, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment label signed New York transplant producer/MC Focus.... Never heard of him? Well Focus... put in work on projects like The Wash soundtrack and albums by Truth Hurts and The Game but he never released so much as a single with the label and after hearing his 2011 mixtape/album Music of the Misinterpreted it is easy to see why.

Today you wouldn't think that being Asian in hip-hop would be a big deal but apparently it was in the early/mid 90s as Philadelphia's Mountain Brothers experienced a lot of discrimination back then trying to break on the national scene. Luckily, their obvious talent trumped anything else as they won a contest sponsored by Sprite called Rhymes From The Mind and were soon signed by Ruffhouse Records. However, that relationship soured as they faced more racism from executives at the label. Finally in 1999, the group put out their first full-length Self: Volume 1 on their own Pimpstrut Records. Self: Volume 1 is one of the freshest hip-hop debuts I've ever heard. The production is all handled in-house by Chops who provides a funky and smooth backdrop for the fluid rhymes of the MCs laying waste to whack rappers. Mountain Brothers style will be familiar to anyone who enjoys People Under The Stairs or Jurassic 5 but these guys were doing it first. The band's follow-up in 2003, Triple Crown follows a similar style with some surprises thrown in but isn't nearly as consistent but definitely worth checking out. Unlike, Triple Crown though, Self: Volume 1 seems to be out-of-print so I'm bringing it to you but unlike all the rips I've seen floating around this is a high quality rip from my own collection. Enjoy!

At the time Main Source's debut album Breaking Atoms wasn't seen as the groundbreaking near flawless piece of hip-hop that it is today. Sadly, like many great acts the New York/Toronto group never managed to recapture the magic of that album due in part to MC/Producer Large Professor leaving the group in 1992. Many casual hip-hop fans might not recognize the name Main Source off the top of their heads but you will probably recognize their sound as Large Professor was one of the two main architects behind the production on Nas' undeniably classic Illmatic. Although, Large Professor left the group they had already started working on a follow-up to Breaking Atoms entitled The Science but it was never finished or released and Mikey D replaced Large Pro on the mic for the official follow-up which was shelved. So what I've collected here is all the non-LP material from Main Source while Large Pro was still in the group including songs that were intended for the unreleased The Science LP. Enjoy: