I got alot of love from my peers in this video.

Shouts to Complex for the support.

The reign of the Harlem Diplomats is without a doubt one of the most influential periods in modern hip-hop. The movement that officially started with family features on Camron’s ‘S.D.E.’ album turned into one of New York City’s most powerful crews. Dipset created a sound that transcended the borders of east coast rap with a style that fueled urban culture for the better half of the 2000s. Killa Cam’s unapologetic uptown crew, Jim Jones, Freaky Zeeky and Juelz Santana, evolved to be leaders in their own rights commanding offshoot rap groups while still reppin’ the eagle and still screaming Harlem.

To celebrate the legacy of the Diplomats, we put together a comprehensive mix spanning years of bandana wearing and flag waving. While there is no possible way to include every significant offering of their vast catalogue, we believe we compiled some of Dipset’s best music in this 100+ minute homage.

Enjoy

DIPSET DIPSET DIPSET DIPSET

DOWNLOAD

Tracklist

1 – Harlem Radio
2 – Dipset Butcher’s Blade Intro
3 – The Diplomats – I Really Mean It
4 – Juelz Santana – Okay Okay
5 – Jim Jones feat. Camron – Certified Gangsters
6 – Juelz Santana – Clockwork
7 – Camron – Wet Wipes
8 – Jim Jones feat. Max B – G’z Up
9 - ”Know a lot of beats, but I say no names” pt.1
10 – The Diplomats – Dipset Anthem
11 – Camron – Back By Popular Demand
12 – 40 Cal – Paid In Full
13 – Juelz Santana – Broken Language
14 – Vado – Large on the Streets
15 – Camron Juan Epstein interlude

16 – Camron feat. Juelz Santana & Jim Jones – Come Home With Me
17 – The Diplomats – I am Ready
18 – Camron – Killa Cam
19 – Jay Bezel Freestyle
20 – Freaky Zeeky Phone Call
21- Camron feat. Kanye West – Down and Out
22 – Byrd Gang – Purple City Byrd Gang
23 – Camron Press Conference interlude
24 – Camron feat. Jim Jones – Hate me Now
25 – Camron – Get’em Girls
26 – Camron – Show You How to Do This
27 – Juelz Santana – S.A.N.T.A.N.A
28 – The Diplomats – Bout it Bout it
29 – Camron Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito WKCR Freestyle
30 – Camron – Oh Boy
31 – The Diplomats – Crunk Musik
32 – Juelz Santana – Dipset (Santana’s Town)
33 – Camron feat. Jim Jones & Juelz Santana – More Gangsta Music
34 – The Diplomats – Salute
35 – Juelz Santana – Oh Yes
36 – Camron Feat. Jay Z – Welcome to New York City
37 – “Know a lot of beats, but I say no names” pt.2
38 – Jim Jones – Fly High
39 – JR Writer – Get’em
40 – Hell Rell Freestyle
41 – Juelz Santana – Mic Check
42 – Jim Jones – Baby Girl
43 – You Maaaaad interlude
44 – Camron feat Juelz Santana - Hey Ma
45 – Camron – That’s Me

“Then we got the Ol’ Dirty Bastard, cuz they ain’t no father to his style, that’s why he the Ol’ Dirty Bastard” – Method Man

Let me start by saying that it’s easy to “like” something when millions support it. So yeah, you like the Wu currently, of course you do. In the beginning it was a journey to understand the madness.

I first was put onto the Wu-Tang Clan in 9th grade — around 1992. I first heard Protect Ya Neck off a local DJ’s white label (independently pressed record usually identified by it’s plain white label) he bought while in NYC. At first listen it was an organized mess with a chaotic sonic backdrop that served as a no topic free-for-all with each clan member sounding like they had separate points to prove. What was the point? I wasn’t sure at first but that became the point. Members had distinct personalities that were revealed in their rhyme style, tone, temperament and voice. Someone like GZA maintained a monotone chokehold on a track without raising his energy level above a Central Park chess match while Method Man was jumping out of his seat during his verse.

Everyone had a different preferred swordsman but no one can deny that the Ol’ Dirty Bastard commanded attention. Meth said that there wasn’t a paternal claim to Dirt’s rhyme style, hence the moniker, which was evident by his freestyle like rants that were only held together by his charisma. Did he always make sense? No. Did he stick out like a sore thumb during posse cuts? Hell yeah. But that’s what made him special. He was a bastard.

It made perfect sense for Method Man’s ‘Tical’ to be the first out the gate after the Clan’s grand entrance. Next up was Ol’ Dirty with his debut ‘Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version’ that was launched on the back of the broken piano loop’d single Brooklyn Zoo. The album felt as if the Rza understood that Dirt had to run lawless to get the best out of him but figured a way to filter the madness into a focused effort – his only focused effort. The album featured most of the clan and some affiliates and was truly a glimpse into the psyche of the drunken master.

What made Dirty special is what ultimately made him self-destruct. His genius was often over shadowed by a history of alcohol and drug abuse that helped him create a rap sheet as long as the list of Wu-affiliates. Over a dozen kids with multiple women, crashing the stage at the Grammys and coming to the aid of a little girl trapped after a car crash are some of the things highlighted in his legacy. Let’s not forget the most important factoids – he is one of the founding fathers of arguably the most important group in hip-hop history and his debut album is nothing short of a classic.

16 years after it’s release, ‘Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version’ will be re-released with commemorative limited edition packaging celebrating one of the brightest figures to ever grace rap music. Ol’ Dirty wasn’t just the clan’s resident live wire but was truly a one in a lifetime character who captured the attention of the world, one rant and incident at a time.

The album with extra goodies, including the infamous food stamp card featured on the original album art, will be released on Get On Down Records distributed by Traffic Entertainment on November 22nd.

Russell Jones | Rest In Peace

Not every interest from your youth survives the journey to maturity. From fashion to music—some things are best left on the battlefield. Other things continue to feel current and timeless no matter when you revisit.

My earliest personal memory of the Timberland 6” wheat boot is around 1993. I remember a conversation between 2 older kids with one scolding the other for wearing the “no padding” basic boot version.

“Come on son! No padding? That’s wack!”

I quickly realized that what seemed to be a subtle difference to the uninformed was an unforgivable half step. Half in the way that if you made the effort to purchase a pair of “Timbs” but didn’t know enough to choose the appropriate version, you should have just stayed away. It made you worse off.

For me, the meaning behind wearing the 10061 has varied over the years but the root of it was having “cool” footwear that could be worn (and beat to death) everyday without the adolescent stigma of not having multiple kicks on deck. It was a sign of being above the sneaker rat race.

Growing up on hip-hop music and culture had a tremendous influence on what I wore as a teen. As normal as wearing a pair of boots designed for construction work might be today, reappropriation of “work wear” was still new. My dad was a foreman in an excavation company and actually worked in what I was attempting to apply to my lifestyle. An alien concept to most—especially Pop who wished he didn’t have to work a back breaking job that required such attire. He couldn’t say anything to the kid who was entranced by the sounds of Black Moon and their Brooklyn boot-wearing cohorts. Buck Em’ Down.

Nearly 20 years after overhearing the “padding” argument, I’m still a faithful wearer of the most classic boot design ever. It’s still rooted in being above the sneaker rat race and not fully accepting the fashion parameters set by my industry. Do I indulge? Yes. Am I known for sneakers? Yes – even more the reason to rock a fresh pair of “yellows” on a regular basis.

My name is @FrankTheButcher and I rock #Timbs

Photo by: Evan Tetreault

Complex had me chef up my list of “Top 25″ sneakers ever. If you know me none of these will be a surprise.

Shouts to Complex’s Russ and Joe.

See feature HERE

Michael Jeffrey Jordan

One of the greatest athletes in human history and considered THE greatest basketball player of all time.

Michael Jordan is now more recognized as a brand and logo than the global sports icon that he is. Sometimes it’s hard to filter through the sneaker re-re-re-releases in fashion colors, and failed attempts at lifestyle clothing to match, to just remember what he was (and is) in it’s purest form – simply AMAZING. MJ’s super-human ability to do with the roundball things that all others couldn’t is what made the product associated with his likeness invaluable. What he did last week against the person that was cursed with the job of guarding him made this week’s shoe drop that much more special.

Obviously that is now not the case.

I live and work in a world where I understand the value of branding and marketing. The art of presenting information and creating energy to surround a particular product (in my case) to make it attractive, interesting, valuable, irresistible and worth your hard earned nickel.

Sometimes the art of selling clouds the truth. Michael Jordan was the best. The product with his name on it (was) the best. Plain and simple.

Mitchell & Ness presents the 25th anniversary of Jordan’s 1985 All-Star jersey, which is quite possibly the illest jersey of all time. No fashion colors, not a hybrid of 2 classic jerseys or any other non-original modifications.

Straight up – no chaser and simply AMAZING.

300 made.

All I can say, on behalf of myself, Brek.One & Concepts, is thank you for the support. It was important to show people that Boston can come together for something real.

Thanks to Kinda Dusty for help with photos.

Ruler Zig Zag Allah – The Abbott – One of the greatest producers of our generation, and the reason why The Wu-Tang Clan is quite possibly the greatest Hip-Hop group of all time, had debuted his fine art collection entitled ‘Victory or Death’.

The way Rza would borrow and reinterpret a Willy Hutch sample is the way he channeled inspiration from Emanuel Leutze’s historic painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware River. This painting features his Wu (and blood) family the Gza and the late great Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

Super limited and signed by the Rza himself. What could be better than that? I know—- another Wu album.

Bong Bong.

Available at www.whenartimitateslife.com

The money stasher, gun blastin’ razor slasher-

Sometimes in Hip-Hop, something great flies by like Halley’s Comet but instead of just missing Earth, it makes an impact. It crashes, changes the delicate balance of our environment but eventually breaks down and disappears. In 1996, I heard something that I would never forget by the name of “Broken Language”. Smoothe Da Huster hailed from Brownsville Brooklyn and hit the ground running with a new style and a strong crew.

I have no doubt if he had continued with the momentum he had at the peak of his popularity, Smoothe would have continued to make some of the best music coming out of Brooklyn. Da Hustler with his younger brother Trigger The Gambler, DV Alias Christ and the rest of the “Next Level Click” embodied Brooklyn somewhere between the Boot Camp Click and Biggie, and were arguably neck and neck (and at each other’s throats at the time) with M.O.P.

Nothing is new under God’s sun but sometimes you can take just enough from the greats and combine the ingredients in a way that has never been heard before. He had the confidence of legendary BK king (Asiatic Nobodies Equal), Big Daddy Kane, the street narratives of G Rap but the balls to experiment lyrically like a Redman with the vocal clarity of KRS-One and the loyalty to his crew like the early Wu-Tang era.

Homage has been paid to the classic “Broken Language” by a few artists but none hold a candle to Ill Bill’s “Cult Leader” off the Non Phixion album “The Future is Now”. Peep the first few bars below:

“The cult leader, the war-monger, armed with four high-powered
firearm barometers; I visited Andromeda
The human cloner, the donate to my fam organ donor
The morbid odor of corpses lowered, the coroner
The cult leader, result needer, the skull and bones bleeder
The chrome heater, the soul eater, the tome reader
The cloak and dagger magnum packer;
convert star systems to active vacuum
The illest shit since Manson had goons…”

Smoothe Da Hustler made a tremendous impact on me as a fan and has earned a place an the Hip-Hop history books.

Go find Smoothe Da Hustler’s “Once Upon a Time in America” and Trigga’s The Gambler’s unreleased Def Jam debut “Life’s a 50/50 Gamble”.

Real recognize real. Download joints below and the Broken Language lyrics are posted for your reading pleasure… learn em, you’ll be quizzed.

Broken Language

Broken Language Pt 2

Bonus: Danger Pt 2 (street mix) – Blahzay Blahzay f. Smoothe Da Hustler, Trigger Da Gambler & Darkman

Your welcome.

_______

Smoothe Da Hustla f/ Trigga Tha Gambler
Broken Language

[Trigga]
Uh, base your eyes on the guy
No kind of worries if I die
So pussy guy try
Dangerfield steppin my way
Bodies get cremated on a Friday the do or die way
Your death threater, sender, head spinner
Rap beginner, light dimmer
3-knockout count winner
Your gun reacher, bustin shot teacher
Your funeral service church preacher
Your black hearse coffin seeker
The body polluter, the gat shooter
The Brownsville wild Brooklyn trooper
The cock d mountain mover
The face basher, the mista brain smasher
The ax waxer, the drug money stasher…

[smoothe]
The money stasher, gun blastin razor slasher
The human asthma breathe taker
Body dump waster
The Glock cocker, block locker the rock chopper,
The shot popper, the jock cock blocker
The face splitter, human disgrace getter
The lady shitter, phone joneser
Sneak over fuck your babysitter
The chronic smokin, gun totin hearse initiator
The crack supplier, the human drug generator
The honey gamer, the chicken tricker
The slick the long dick pussy sticker
The ready to bust that ass kicker
The track maneuverer, the box barrier
The off of the dome rapper
The c-74 ox carrier….

[trigga]
The gun seller, the chest sweller
The stick up smack bank teller
The money-back dweller
The stitch provider, the guess rider
The clip inserter, bullet shooter experter
The man next to murder…

[smoothe]
The ho bitch disser, the cunt man, the I don’t want clan
The stunt hitter in 34 days in a month man
The front man, the Brooklyn representer
The beat down center, the two brothers
The hottest niggas out this fuckin winter

[trigga]
The girl cheaters, the beef ass beaters
The street sweep keeper, the body to concrete meeter
The blood skeeter
The weed smoker, the liver choker
The spot stop broker, the rugged picture poser
The card scrambler,
Royal flush same suit brouke the gambler
Nasty amateur damaged ya,
Snatch masta without the camera

[smoothe]
Camera, the beer guzzler
The slug to your mug tuzzeler
The drug juggeler, the crazy thug hustler
The Lexus wanter
The chain-ring and bracelet flaunterer
The chamber smoker
The mansion havin sauna soaker
The corner stander, the style crammer
Take over spot block commander
The Glock on cock handler
The razor spitter
The fast dough casper getter
The transmitter, North Carolina vagina hitter…

[trigga]
The ass kicker, internal heart dark sticker
The red scope body hitter
Here to hang wit digga and a buddha niggas
The trigga happy, father gun call it papi
My gun blow out waves patterns to keep your hair nappy
The to the death thinker, M.O.P. bell ringer
How about some hardcore fan singer
The jam swinger…

[smoothe]
The Nautica wearer, the Karl Kani man
The missed to get jigged, the fly man
Notorious ready to die man
The knower killer, the expert slinger
The white girl gang banger
The Virgin Mary fucker, the Jesus hanger
The vital kicker, the drug dealer and title stripper
The idol flipper
The cross breaker and bible ripper….

[trigga]
The black history driver
The racial thinker
The 9 to 9 to 5 offer the jaw sinker
The hell fighter, the revelation writer
The Egyptian spirit inviter
The black body bag tire
The money stasher, the ( ) crapper
The a-k-a club basher
My brother gotta record racker

(Back and forth)
The battle spinner
The grand prizewinner
The life and death beginner
The 95 interstate highway to heaven sender
The cocaine cooker, the hook up on your hooker hooker the 35 cents short on my 2 for 5’s over looker
The rap burner, the Ike the Tina Turner ass whippin learner, the hit man, the money earner
The tologist without the derma me and my little brother
The cock me back, bust me off nigga undercover
The glock to your head pursuer
The Big Daddy Kane, Little Daddy Shane over doers