A few months ago, I was cleaning out some old boxes and struck gold. DAMN! I found my old stash of hip hop tapes. VHS tapes to be exact- from Rock Video Monthly - Rap Releases, 1994.
When I was growing up my family couldn't afford cable, so the Rock Video Monthly service became my primary source for the latest video joints. Thankfully, they didn't contain the typical Teddy Riley mainstream videos of the day. Check the playlists of the tapes I found. Many songs are now classics:
Spring 1994
Gang Starr- Mass Appeal
Yaggfu Front- Left Field
Kid N' Play- Bounce
R. Kelly- Bump N' Grind
Red Fox- Ghetto Gospel
Krash Man- Sister Suzie
Jody Watley- When A Man Loves a Woman
Hammer- It's all good
AMG- Butt Booty Naked
Martin Lawrence- Live Performance
February 1994
DAS EFX- Freak It
De La Soul- Ego Trippin (II)
Hi-Five- Never Shouldn't Let You Go
Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince- I'm Looking for the One
K7- Zunga Zeng
Outkast- Players Ball
Salt-n-Pepa- Whatta Man
Spice 1- The Show
Lords of the Underground- Here Come the Lords
Shabba Ranks- Family Affair
March 1994
The Alkaholics- Likwit
Born Jamericans- Boom Shak-A-Tack
Casual- I Didn't Mean To
Da King and I- Tears
KRS-One- Sound of Da Police
Leaders of the New School- Classic Material
Masta Ace- Born to Roll
Onyx and Biohazard- Judgement Night
Too Short- Money in The Ghetto
Wu Tang Clan- Da Mystery of the Chessboxin
There were more tapes buried in that box, I just wanted to give yall a tase of the gems I found. An early, hungry Xzibit of the Alkahoics crew, a De La classic, a young Busta as part of the LOTNS, OutKast's first video (when Dre was still a G), DJ Premier cutting it up in Guru's basement, and the Wu at the beginning of their reign.
I also found some old cassette tapes where I recorded a few episodes of the original Wake Up Show from 94-95. I used to stay up all night past my bedtime to record those... I still remember having to push the 'record' button with perfect timing to catch the beginning of every song.
Rock Video Monthly and the Wake Up Show were two of my biggest childhood hip hop influences. Without them, I would have though hip hop was all about Teddy Riley and Tag Team. Everyone remembers when their love affair with hip hop started. Think back... what were your biggest influences?
YouTube called. They said VH1 tapes are woefully outdated and no longer necessary. I told them I'd relay the message.
Posted by: Bol | 2006.03.20 at 09:17 PM
leave the man alone--he's feeling nostalgic.
Posted by: mujerdelrio | 2006.03.21 at 01:59 AM
Notice the diverse rap selection? We only have Club/Thug lyrics now, what happen to all of the different type of emcees? I miss those dayz, but I guess It'LL come back.
One
Posted by: Donnell | 2006.03.22 at 12:00 PM
don't count on it Donnell--they've found what Sell$.
Posted by: mujerdelrio | 2006.03.22 at 08:34 PM
Damn those tapes owned :)Never see anything like that ever again.
Yo dj mirateck please contact me as soon as possible. I have a proposition for you.
Posted by: sevray30 | 2007.03.29 at 10:53 AM
loool sevray i found you worldwide in tha web.... :)
Posted by: pirulove | 2007.12.28 at 07:01 AM
I went to kansas city a few years back to visit my guy dj cache 22. picked up a whole bunch of these at a used record shop we went to. (this was before there was youtube)
Posted by: dj skor | 2008.12.12 at 05:03 AM
I went to kansas city a few years back to visit my guy dj cache 22. picked up a whole bunch of these at a used record shop we went to. (this was before there was youtube)
Posted by: dj skor | 2008.12.12 at 05:03 AM
I went to kansas city a few years back to visit my guy dj cache 22. picked up a whole bunch of these at a used record shop we went to. (this was before there was youtube)
Posted by: dj skor | 2008.12.12 at 05:03 AM
YO if you guys are on demonoid I am seeding my whole collection of Classic rap VIDEOS YO MTV RAP VIDEO monthly http://www.demonoid.com/files/?uid=5714401&seeded=2
Posted by: COBALT60 | 2010.01.29 at 10:42 AM