TURNTABLE LAB

Ayres
Drugs CD

Here's comes the crossover! I know The Rub is synonymous with hip hop, reggae, funk and breaks in NY, but now you can add electronic dance tracks to the list. Leave it to the creator of The Rave to follow it up with... Drugs Drugs Drugs Drugs. I know the name is a little obvious, and it's kind of a greatest hits of the last 2 years of NY dance music, but if you're in the dust - get on it bruh! Trends are like seasons here and you don't want to be left in the cold. So put your groove boots away and grab your fluorescent bandanna and Trizzy shades, and bang out to the hype sounds of Soulwax, Justice, Chromeo, brand new unreleased Kid Sister Track (featuring Kanye West), Arman Van Helden, Mylo, Claude Von Stroke, Green Velvet, Booka Shade, Das Glow, the Lab's own Egg Foo Youngstah, and many more!!!
reviewed by C'mish


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Ayres
Flashback CD

His recent Hip House mix with Cosmo Baker led the New York Times to label DJ Ayres "one of New York's best mixtape DJs;" Vice, XLR8R, and The Village Voice haven't been stingy with props, either. Yet press acclaim don't put 28s on the Pathfinder, yahmeen? Urrrs stays on his grind (so focused right now), and has quickly followed up Hip House with the 10 Deep Flashbacks mix, blending classic and current hip hop, cleverly linked together by the drum breaks and lyrics that the new schoolers sampled, borrowed, and/or flipped from the old. "Definition" into "Super Hoe," the Ice-T and Jay-Z versions of "99 Problems," etc. The mixing is seamless and track selection very much on point, but what sets this apart from similar "throwback" mixes is the diversity of artists included – everyone from iced-out Roc chain wearing Young Gunz, to underground favorites like Madlib and Non Phixion, and even left-field dudes like Dizzee Rascal get their shine alongside Slick Rick, Run DMC, and other legends. With over 70 tracks blended together over the course of the mix, "Flashbacks" drops knowledge, moves asses, and makes for essential summer listening.
reviewed by Nick Catchdubs


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Ayres
I Like Make Dance EP

Ayres proves once again that he like make dance of all kind with this diverse EP of dance / house remixes and edits. The A-side keeps it more current with Kid Sister's "Pro Nails" vs. Surkin's "Radio Fireworks(1)," Masters At Work's "Work" vs. South Rakkas' Chinkuzi riddim(2) and a drumline remix of Pharrell & Twista's "Give It Up(3)" (a team-up with Canada's Smalltown DJs). The B-side is focused on house classics, including Bmore edits of Lidell Townsell's "Nu Nu(4)" and 4Hero's "Mr. Kirk's Nightmare(5)," and a seriously beautiful club version of Black Box's "Everybody Everybody(6)." Are those sleestaks on the center label? More ammo for your crate from Ayres. Recommended.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
baltimore - vinyl / house / minimal / techno - reviewer recommended / dance remixes

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Ayres
I Make Dance Digi-EP

a fresh rethinking of dance classics and new bangers

Ayres proves once again that he like make dance of all kind with this diverse EP of dance / house remixes and edits. The first half keeps it more current with Kid Sister's "Pro Nails" vs. Surkin's "Radio Fireworks," Masters At Work's "Work" vs. South Rakkas' Chinkuzi riddim and a drumline remix of Pharrell & Twista's "Give It Up" (a team-up with Canada's Smalltown DJs). The second half is focused on house classics, including Bmore edits of Lidell Townsell's "Nu Nu" and 4Hero's "Mr. Kirk's Nightmare," and a seriously beautiful club version of Black Box's "Everybody Everybody." More ammo for your digicrate from Ayres. Recommended.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
top albums chart / bmore / ghetto / juke

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Ayres
Nasty Nas: The Hidden Crate CD

Another mix dug out of the Ayres archives. If you slept on this the first time it came out, do yourself a favor and add to cart. All the best Nas' b-sides, rarities, remixes and more (hence "The Hidden Crate") are here, mixed to perfection in usual Rub style. 35 tracks total packed into 55 minutes.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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Ayres
Space N Faders CD

Restocked on this early Ayres favorite. Space N Faders is a trip into the 80s section of Ayres party crate circa 2002 or something. Classic selection with DJ favorites mixed with the pop stuff, it's achieves the pleasing middleground for both partying and DJ nerdery. Stuff from Rebbie Jackson, Prince, Rockwell, Kano, Raze, Bambaata, Depeche Mode, Shannon, New Order, Talking Heads, New Edition, Nu Shooz, Soft Cell, and others. DJs who need an 80s set, this is a good one to bite.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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Ayres
Sun Lovers CD

Summertime reggae/dancehall mix created with 10 Deep Clothing. Ayres is on his grind man, putting out mixtapes at least once a month, with a different genre every time, always quality. This one is really split into two parts; the first half is a prime run of one drop & roots music from the past couple seasons, while the second half dips into a likewise selection of dancehall. And while Ayres does play through a couple riddims, this mix is more focused on the actual tracks rather than playing 6 cuts from every riddim. Quite nice for everybody who isn't a dancehall obsessive.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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Ayres
The Rave CD

Oh shnap. Get your candy beads and whistles ready... it's time for the RAVE! Yep, that's right, the time has come. Ayres done did the Rave mix. And like all of his other mixes, he kills it! Strictly the biggest hits and classics on this one from every rave sub-genre (house, techno, acid, and even drum n' bass!) skillfully mixed to bring back all those memories that you've purposely forgotten. Featuring tracks from 4Hero, Basement Jaxx, Armand Van Helden, DHS, DJ Funk, DJ Zinc, DJ Hype, Doc Scott, Jaydee, Aphex Twin, and more. Can you feel it? I do... P.L.U.R. ya'll!
reviewed by snackmaster


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Ayres & Cosmo Baker
Baby Loves Disco CD

One Saturday night a month, the Rub crew bangs out their note-perfect party sets at Southpaw in Brooklyn. But at that same spot a few hours earlier, they bust out disco classics for toddlers and their parents at the Baby Loves Disco party (which has been written up in the Times and filmed for various TV news programs - check Cosmo's fro all up in your CNBC). So don't let the bright pink infant on the cover fool you, this mixtape is pretty much what a "The Rub: Disco Heat" CD would sound like. Ayres and Cosmo put together 21 classic and surprisingly cheese-less disco joints--from Cheryl Lynn's mom-tastic "Got To Be Real" to First Choice's soulful "Let No Man Put Asunder"--all seamlessly mixed and dotted with mumbled "COTHMO BAYKEER AND DEEJAY AYRETH" drops from the shorties. Some feel good shit from the specialists.
reviewed by Nick Catchdubs


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Ayres & Cosmo Baker
Hip House #2 CD

The follow-up to Ayres & Cosmo's much-lauded CD from earlier this year finds the BK/Philly duo laying down another party-starting mix of hip-house staples and uptempo hip-hop jams. A large part of the success of the first one was this carefree disregard for the musical Berlin Wall that supposedly divides house music from hip-hop. Lest we forget, hip-hop owes a huge debt to disco music, and it was still considered dance music until Run-DMC came along and slowed things down. Despite Fat Joe's recent insistence that his, uh, colleagues don't dance, there has been a recent resurgence in uptempo hip-hop, led most notably by Missy Elliot and Outkast - "The Way You Move" was, for all intents and purposes, a house record. All that being said, Ayres and Cosmo do a great job of operating from a middle ground between the two genres, equally appeasing house-heads and hip-hoppers alike by casting a wide net in their choice of track selections, ranging from the rare Dimitri From Paris mix of Stetsasonic's "Talking All That Jazz," to the Jungle Brothers' "What You Waitin' For," a requisite remix of Missy's "Lick Shots," and loads of tracks (35 in all) from Tyree, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Twin Hype, Slick Rick, Queen Latifah, NERD, Julien "Jumpin" Perez (Hot Mix 5 represent– Chicago what!) and more. Extra props to the boys for keeping things fresh with leftfield/broken beat joints like the killer Seiji remix of Q-Tip's "Breath & Stop," and the Yam Who rework of "Frontin." Everything's mixed in a proficient and smooth style that keeps things moving. Also includes a free CD recorded live at the monthly Rub party in BK.
reviewed by Language


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Ayres & Cosmo Baker
Hip House CD

Thank God for Ayres and Cosmo, who may fall a few shades short of 2 Puerto Ricans, a Dominican and a Black Man, but have certainly Done It Properly with this perfect exposition of Hip House. The prodigal son, a bastard child of hip hop and house, has been welcomed home with open arms on this hour-long mix. For those who may be unfamiliar with the joys of this unjustly neglected genre, what we're talking about is uptempo beats in the 120BPM range topped with rapidfire raps and an anything goes, pre-lawsuit sample mentality. It's the perfect soundtrack to get you pumped up for a night out, I felt like I was back listening to Merlin Bobb's Saturday Night Dance Party on WBLS. This mix is yummy as a slushy, and just as sticky sweet. The fellas have spiked the already potent brew with liberal amounts of current acapellas and re-edits (Ghostface, Joe Buddens, Missy, Kelis and Outkast all make cameos), a logical update of the original idea that shakes any cobwebs off the concept. Kicking off with the ultimate hip house cut, Twin Hype's "Do It To The Crowd," a quick run through of some of the genre classics from well-known rappers follows. Latifah's "Come Into My House" has been a big gun in my house sets for a while, licking shots here alongside nuggets from fast rap masters Craig G, YZ, Special Ed and Rob Base. A short segment that immaculately links megablasts from Aly Us, Mr. Fingers and Marshall Jefferson with the Jungle Brothers' "I'll House You" acapella is nothing short of levitational. If this doesn't get you up, you're a lame loser – go listen to IDM on your headphones. The 41+ high-octane tracks on here mean that I can't name all my favorites, but a special El Poopoo dukey shout goes out for the inclusion of Sugar Bear's rarity "Don't Scandalize Mine" and the Big Daddy Kane DJ feature "The House That Cee Built." By the time Frank Ski starts calling out the "whores in this house" you know it's cuz they're all up on the dancefloor.
reviewed by monk


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Ayres & Eleven
Glamorous Life #2 CD

Rub DJs Ayres and Eleven are back with their second volume of the educated 80s mix. This is not your usual power hits John Hughes mix, as they dig deep for those crucial 12"s that defined the other, more soulful side of the era (B-L-S, with your hand up her dress). Stuff like Cameo, Kleer, Timex Social Club, Jocelyn Brown, Odyssey, Prince, The Jets, New Edition, Ready For the World, Kid Creole, Teena Marie, and much more. Tightly arranged with clean Rub remixes, and some neato tricks bringing it all together.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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Ayres & Eleven
Glamorous Life #3 CD

Ayres and Eleven knew they have a good thing going with the Glamorous Life series (GL #2 was not only a certified Lab best seller, it's one of the most played mixes in the Lab office EVER) so they went and did the logical thing and made part 3! (About time too, it's been like 4 years since the second one.) Like the previous volumes, the selection is top notch 80's (a great blend of educated sureshots, soulful boogie, garage classics and poppin' funk) and the mixes and cuts are flawless as you would expect. Features tracks from the likes of Zapp, Teena Marie, Midnight Star, Gap Band, Gwen Guthrie. The dudes don't disappoint! 34 tracks, about an hour and 15 minutes. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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Ayres & Tittsworth
Ayres 'n' Titties (Baltimore) CD

Some artists have a tendency to spread themselves thin when they release a lot of material, but no matter how many CDs, EPs and singles Ayres and Tittsworth roll out, they never seem to lose the juice. Witness here the culmination of the last few months worth of Baltimore bombardment that these fellows have been doing with their own T&A label – and if I'm not mistaken, this is Ayres' first official release on Money Studies, too. For #2 in the 2nd Money Studies mix series, the boys stick with what they know best: this one serves as both a Baltimore club primer for n00bz and a compulsively listenable mix for those already acquainted. There's over 60 tracks here (mixed in true rapid-fire stylee, all under 2 minutes) so I won't try to get into details, but you can expect to hear some exclusives, some recent T&A material and lots of classic Baltimore club tracks from the likes of: Frank Ski, Rod Lee, DJ Technics, Diamond K, Scotty B, Jonny Blaze, DJ Ron Rico, Da Dukeyman, KW Griff, Jimmy Jones, Debonair Samir, Graeme Sinden, Bamabounce and Spank Rock. Whew. You know what to do. 63 tracks; 65 minutes.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Ayres & Tittsworth
Balmer Loosies #2 (Baltimore) CD

17 more unmixed Bmore club tracks from Titts, Ayres and the extended fam.
This volume rounds up many of the tracks from T&A's recent vinyl EPs, including Dave Nada's "Kick Out The Jams(1)," "Where Brooklyn At?(2)" and "Spell On You(3)," A-Trak's Stevie-flipping "Sir Duke(4)" from Ultimate T&A, and Million Dollar Mano's popular "They Know(5)" from The Chedda EP.
It's also got new tracks from Tittsworth (a remix of M.O.P.'s "Ante
Up(6)") and Ayres ("Angel of Death(7)" - Slayer!!) plus Top Billin' and DJ Eli. Another useful no brainer for digital DJs. 17 tracks; 55 minutes.
Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Ayres & Tittsworth
Balmer Loosies #3 (Baltimore) CD

T&A Records is back at it with another compilation of unmixed club jams. Ayres and Tittsworth always enlist talented producers on these CDs, but the latest one looks like it was pulled directly off of the Lab bestseller list. Ayres starts things off by teaming up with the Nadastrom boys for a track called "Fired Up(1)." DJ Sega chops up one of the most classic party breaks around on "Everybody Handz Up(2)," while Tittsworth gets his own productions remixed by both Bird Peterson(3) and Sammy Bananas(4). Top Billin' gets in on the act with "Willing(5)," as does the legendary DJ Technics, who contributes his moody remix of Radiohead's "Everything In Its Right Place(6)." Also includes Ayres' remix of James Brown's "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose(7)," which was originally released as part of Gamm's JB remix collection. 16 tracks in all, definitely recommended.
reviewed by Hires


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Ayres & Tittsworth
Balmer Loosies (Baltimore) CD

Another unmixed, DJ-friendly collection from Mr. Ayres. I don't need to tell you how huge Baltimore shit is right now (just check the Lab's top selling records), and outside of the Unruly dudes, Ayres & Titts & Bamabounce have been making some of the best club remixes around. This CD collects up a grip of rare, unreleased and previously available tracks from the boys, especially handy to CD DJs, Seratonians and those who missed out on the first pressings of Tittsworth's self-released EPs. My favorite track here is still Tittsworth's remix of The Jeffersons theme song(1), but there's other strong contenders: Ayres' Luda-jacking "Broke Ass Home(2)" has quickly become a staple for a lotta DJs and Bamabounce's mixes of Kelis' "Bossy(3)" and Three Six's "Poppin' My Collar(4)" are pretty damn hot too. For goofy Bmore fun, it don't get much better than Tittsworth's ultra-retarded Milli Vanilli remix(5). A bargain and a half right here. 12 tracks in crisp CD quality. (P.S. Look out for a Money Studies release from this pair in the near future…)
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Cosmo Baker & DJ Eleven
I'm Rick James, Bitch! CD

"Cocaine is a powerful drug." No shit, Rick! For a while, it seemed as if the sublime musical legacy of the Superfreak would forever be eclipsed by the 12 hours he spent skied out of his brain sodomizing a groupie with a crack pipe ("it's a celebration, bitches"). Fortunately, the now-legendary Chapelle Show sketch brought James back into the pop-culture spotlight, and has inspired Cosmo Baker and Eleven to tear through the entire back catalog of James' hits, obscurities, collabos and production work on this new mix CD. Punctuated by tight scratches and doubling, not to mention soundbites from Chapelle and Charlie Murphy ("DARKNESS!") themselves, the highlights include the Mary Jane Girls' party classic "All Night Long," Rick's "Give It To Me Baby" and my personal favorite Teena Marie's "I'm A Sucker For Your Love." Cosmo and Eleven also connect James' classics to more recent jams with "Mary Jane" (aka Redman's "Smoke Buddah") and a great megamix of "Cold Blooded" that blends the original with the cover version by ODB -- no stranger to the pipe himself. All obvious comedy value aside, this disc is a very solid listen, and a great reminder of just how good a funk and R&B songwriter Rick actually was. "Now come and smoke with your boy Rick James - the stickiest of the icky."
reviewed by Nick Catchdubs


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Cosmo Baker & Scott Melker
Live At The Spotlite (New Jack Swing) CD

First off, this mixtape is THE SHIT, but I think you could've figured that out by just looking at the title. It's a full 74 minutes of classic New Jack Swing tracks, mixed by The CMB – aka The Rub's Cosmo Baker and his man Scott Melker, who you probably know from his Lab best-selling Sexual Chocolate mixtape. Anyway, yeah, do you really need to be convinced? "Rump Shaker" leads this thing off, and the boys never look back from there: "Don't Be Cruel," "Ain't Too Proud 2 Beg," "I Like It" (Dino!), "New Jack City," "Do Me," "I Want Her," "Poison," goddamn! If you need convincing, let me say one word you probably haven't heard in far too lon: "Motownphilly." Just buy it already! Here it comes... Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Dave Nada
Kick Out the Jams Digi-EP

bmore club style reworkings of hits from all genres

This release on T&A Records comes courtesy of Baltimore's own Dave Nada. If you don't know Dave, he's played in a bunch of hardcore bands around the Bmore/DC area, produced with one of the guys from Q & Not U under the name Rubber Bullets, and now holds it down as a resident at Taxlo with his DJ partner, Tittsworth. The six heavy Bmore remixes here not only feature some sick production from Mr. Nada, but also some original synth work(!) a la Blaqstarr or old Samir shit. A-side has the MC5 remix "Kick Out The Jams," the Biggie-sampling "Where Brooklyn At" and the Queen / Ying Yang jumble "Fat Bottom Girl." B-side wins, however, with remixes of Unk's "Back It Up" and Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "Spell On You," plus "Bonus Beats," featuring crisp Bmore drums and some of that tasty synth.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
top albums chart / bmore / ghetto / juke

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Dave Nada
Kick Out The Jams EP

The sixth release from the en fuego T&A Records comes courtesy of Baltimore's own Dave Nada. If you don't know Dave, he's played in a bunch of hardcore bands around the Bmore/DC area, produced with one of the guys from Q & Not U under the name Rubber Bullets, and now holds it down as a resident at Taxlo with his DJ partner, Tittsworth. The six heavy Bmore remixes here not only feature some sick production from Mr. Nada, but also some original synth work(!) a la Blaqstarr or old Samir shit. A-side has the MC5 remix "Kick Out The Jams(1)," the Biggie-sampling "Where Brooklyn At(2)" and the Queen / Ying Yang jumble "Fat Bottom Girl(3)." B-side wins, however, with remixes of Unk's "Back It Up(4)" and Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "Spell On You(5)," plus "Bonus Beats," featuring crisp Bmore drums and some of that tasty synth.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
baltimore - vinyl

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DJ Ayres
Lemon-Red Mix Series CD

Deadstock score! I unearthed a few copies of this mix while doing some year-end cleaning around Chez Lemon and figured I'd offer 'em up to the Lab massive. Ayres and the other Rub homies each cooked up little individual mini-mixes for my now-deceased blog back in 2006. (At least I think it was 2006? Jesus...) Ayres' was so good that I asked him to turn it into a full-on mixtape release, and here's the rarely heard final product. Don't ask me how, but this shit even got reviewed in Entertainment Weekly, who said that "the unpredictable release rarely loses its wild, smashed-up pulse." Say word! Includes tracks from the likes of Rod Lee, Jackson 5, Geto Boys, Vernon Burch, Notorious B.I.G., Curtis Mayfield, Cameo, Poison Clan, Rodney O & Joe Cooley, and James Brown, plus a bitching steel drum version of "Hold On I'm Coming." Oh yeah and Diplo doing a hilarious M.I.A. impression. 69 minutes.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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DJ Ayres
T&A Breaks Vol.2 LP

Ayres comin' atcha for round two with another huge helping of Bmore club breaks, loops and samples. Think of this as your go-to tool box for Bmore club - this thing has it all. Tons of drum loops, melodies, breaks, and acapellas are at your disposal for production or live remixes. Like the first volume (which was a certified Lab best-seller), you get 60 loops total at a constant 133BPM for easy mixing and doubles rocking. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
baltimore - vinyl / break + scratch + loop

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DJ Ayres
The Roots: Rare Sides CD

This mix was originally pressed and released in 2004 to coincide with the release of the Roots' Tipping Point album, and Ayres was kind enough to grace us with a few extra copies. Definitely great to hear all of the Roots' rare cuts from back before they were Fallon's house band.
reviewed by Hires


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DJ Ayres & DJ Soul
Ghostface: Chamber Music CD

Ayres reached way back into his archives and hit us up with these copies of this mix with DJ Soul. These were originally sold with copies of Fishscale, so it's not ancient history but it feels like it. Plenty of rarities and b-sides mixed in with everyone's all-time favorites. 28 tracks total.
reviewed by Hires


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DJ Eleven
Best of the Bay 2CD

As a member of the Lab's Production Squad, I have the immense pleasure of spending all day, every day with the esteemed duo of Snackmaster and the Commish. These boys are Bay Area born and raised, so it takes more than a little wagon-jumping hyphy mixtape to get them stoked. Upon peeping the tracklist for Eleven's new Best of the Bay mix, Snack exclaimed: "Hell yeah! Someone finally did it right!" You gotta trust this man's opinion – Celly Cel and E-40 are the Left Coast equivalent of us East Coast boys' Biggie and Jay. Besides, it doesn't take a California ear to know that any mix with Rappin' 4Tay's "Player's Club," 40's "Captain Save A Hoe" and the Bay Ballas remix of "I Got 5 On It" is gonna be dope. Much like Eleven's Houston Rocks It mix, this is a seriously well-selected introduction to a scene that most people are just getting clued in to now. Almost 70 tracks of Bay slappers on 2 CDs. Good shit from the Rub's big man!
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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DJ Eleven
J.A. Goods #2 CD

The long-awaited (at least by us) sequel to Eleven's killer roots/dancehall mix from 2006 features even more hits -- both known and unknown, current and classic -- for you to, uhhhhh, relax to. Smooth mixing as always, never taking you out of the vibe, with tracks by Jah Cure, Marlon Asher, Morgan Heritage, Collie Buddz, Ray Darwin, Tarrus Riley, Tony Curtis, Luciano, Mark Wonder, Buju, Sizzla, Chezidek, Tanya Stephens, Beenie, Assassin, Tinga Stewart and more. 45 tracks; 74 minutes.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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DJ Eleven
J.A. Goods CD

The Rub's DJ Eleven is on some mad planned-trajectory destruction this year. First, Houston Rocks It warmed it up with a big slab of sweltering down south shit. Then he went all rowdy with the wyle-out Best of M.O.P. mix. Now he's here to help you with the comedown. Featuring almost 40 tracks of roots/reggae/dancehall classics (both old and new), J.A. Goods is a blown-out and expanded version of the mix that he did for the Lemon-Red.org Mix Series just last month, and it's exactly what you need for the ridiculously (and prematurely) warm weather right now. Everything from King Kong to Warrior King, I Wayne to Singer J, and even a few tracks your fratboy roommate will know from Sizzla and "Bob." Focusing more on making a good-ass mix, and less on being an obscurist twat, Eleven employs some serious murderation tactics here. This is the goods, for rill.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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DJ Eleven
Summer Madness CD

If you're reading this review, you're probably like us here at the Lab: cooped up indoors all day while the sun shines gloriously outside, taunting us, only making us sweat and shining on us during the all-too-brief walk to the bodega. And if you're like us, you need something like this in your life: Eleven's brand new mix of sweet, sweet summer music. The Rub's starting center doesn't stick too closely to any one genre here, bouncing from oldies to reggae to 90s hip-hop – the only constant thread is that it's all summer music, suitable for bumping out of your car, playing on a boombox in the park or just tossing on the stereo while you lay in bed with only the rickety ceiling fan to keep you cool. Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness" into Fresh Prince's "Summertime" into Beyonce & Ghostface's "Summertime?" Magnifique. Not to mention all the Sam Cooke, Devin the Dude, Quincy Jones, Brand Nubian, Bill Withers, Sade, Bob Marley and Roy Ayers you could shake a stick at. This shit is soundtracking the summer for real! 36 tracks; 60+ minutes total.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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DJ Eleven & The Cataracs
Kids CD

Eleven got that Blueberry Afghani! Okay, maybe not, but he definitely got the Bay Area connect as he links up with The Cataracs, a couple Pack-affiliated SF rap cats you might have heard of by now. The 'Racs tracks - including the aforementioned "Afghani" and "Rich Girl" with Young & The Restless - make up the bulk of the mix, but Eleven sprinkles it with some unrelated bombs too, including his own rework of UGK's "Int'l Players Anthem," a wild Crookers remix of Kid Cudi, T2's "Heartbroken" and some Bay classics from the likes of Mac Dre, Mac Mall, E-40 and B-Legit. 29 tracks; 62 minutes.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Eleven
Fight Music: The Best of M.O.P. CD

The most under-appreciated rap group of all time gets the best-of mixdown treatment from the Rub's big homie! Eleven kills it on this one, spanning the Mash Out Posse's whole career, front to back, early years to Def Jam... and mercifully stopping just short of their current affiliation with Mr. Jackson. Curiously, it's co-released with Spitkicker; and I say curiously because when I think "Spitkicker," I think kufis, and when I think "M.O.P.," I think of shit being broken. Anyway, if you consider yourself an M.O.P. fan, you're gonna want this. Over 75 minutes of M.O.P.! So much yelling! 32 tracks in all.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Eleven & Platurn
Over The Top CD

DJ Eleven and DJ Platurn are both giant men, both in repuation and in physical stature, and on this one they battle it out Stallone style to see which of them is the... tallest. Everything about this one is literally over the top. Just like everyone's favorite arm wrestling movie, the selections here sometimes fall into cheesy territory, but because the guys mixing them together are so classy, the CD stays fun without beating you over the head with the concept. Includes tracks from acts like Dexy's Midnight Runners, Mr. Mister, Kenny Loggins, The Proclaimers, Eddie Murphy, When In Rome, Europe, Simple Minds, Heart, and many more. 39 tracks total, 67 minutes.
reviewed by Hires


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Matthew Africa & DJ Eleven
Dirty Raps: The Best of Too Short CD

Fresh off "Best of The Bay" and "Soul Boulders" respectively, DJ Eleven and Matthew Africa link up to drop another classic, hosted by none other than Too Short. Dirty Raps gathers 40 joints from Short's catalogue and guest appearances spanning 20 years, mixed smooth and fast. True to the warning labels on the 80s-cassette-inspired cover ("Dirty Rapps Inside Parental Guidance Suggested" and "Warning: Ghetto Music!! Can Be Hazardous If Not Played Loud"), there's a whole lot of pimpin goin on and game being spit. Biiiiiitch, this is not for the faint of heart. Highlights are "In The Trunk," "Burn Rubber," "Short But Funky," "Buy You Some," "Blow the Whistle," "Bia Bia," "Fuck Faces..." shit the whole tape is pretty much highlights, it's the best of Too Short! Shorty the Pimp is joined by E-40, Jay-Z, Biggie, Lil Jon, Scarface, Devin, Casual, Keak da Sneak, Ice Cube, Parliament and more.
reviewed by ayres


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Nick Catchdubs & DJ Ayres
Super Friends CD

Catch & Ayres team up for Round 2 in the Super Friends mix series - you don't wanna miss this one. The boys take it back to the 80s (in an entirely un-cheesy way), mixing choice new wave / dance rock cuts from Depeche Mode, Squeeze, INXS, Gary Numan, Pixies, Devo, The Clash, Psychedelic Furs and so on. They also unveil some new blends (Zongamin vs. Cardigans is a shocka) and some drop current bombs (Phones remix of Wolf & Cub(!), new Snowden, 908 remix of Adam Kesher). Quick, solid mixing, flawless selection, one hour of jamz. As a great man once put it: 'Nuff said.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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The Rub
Going Back To Cali: West Coast Tour 2005 CD

In conjunction with their West Coast mini-tour (SF, LA, SD), the Rub DJs put together this NY to CA mix. It features a cool cross-pollination theme with west coast classics, east coast answers, sample sources, and blends by Ayres & DJ Eleven all lined up in a way that makes sense. "Funky Worm" into Cam & Jim Jones into NWA into MC Breed into Biggie into Dre & Tupac into Joe Cocker gives you an idea. Solid summertime listen.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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The Rub
It's The Motherfucking Remix #1 CD

DJ Ayres' Brooklyn-based Rub party has turned into one of the longest running and most successful nyc club nights, garnering best club night awards in the local press and featuring top guest djs. For this project, Ayres gathered remixes from the Rub's resident DJs and some of those guests, giving you access to their "secret weapon" sure shot club blends (previously personal CDRs). Key contributions come from Mark Ronson, Diplo, Ayres himself, Cosmo Baker, Eleven, Zeph, DJ Crooked, and others. There's an excellent variation of material with "weird" mixes like Breeders vs. Rah Digga(1), Outkast vs. Franz Ferdinand(2), and "Got It Twisted" vs Ghostbusters(3) to nyc-style straight hip-hop blends like "Stunt 101" over Wu-Tang beats(4), "Bonnie & Clyde 03" vs. Arrested Development(5), and "Oh Sheila" vs the Coolie Dance(6). The 20 tracks plus are mixed by DJ Ayres, and ends up sounding a lot like the tronix kids (in a good way). In addition, each remix is tracked to appear in its entirety for all you CD DJs who actually want to use this for your gigs.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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The Rub
It's The Motherfucking Remix #2 CD

Headed by the three man crew of Ayres, Eleven & Cosmo Baker, the Rub guys are back with an even bigger cast of friends and a wider range of remixes for the part two of their idea of a remix album. The first volume was one of our best selling cds of the last year (still going strong), so you guys should already know the deal with this. While there's a healthy amount of pure party material here, the selection goes well beyond the drunken kingdom of knee-jerk mashup, featuring original remixes (check Paul Nice's work on "Devil's Pie"), stuff that won't necessarily work in the club but sounds great (Dead Prez over "Cadillac On 22s"!), strange experimentation, etc. Includes remixes by the above mentioned plus A-Trak, Diplo, Low Budget, Mark Ronson, Nick Catchdubs, Max Glazer, DJ Platurn, Crooked, and Brendan Bring Em. 27 tracks, recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt


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The Rub
It's The Motherfucking Remix: Unmixed & DJ Friendly CD

Officially dubbed "It's the Motherfucking Remix Volume 2.2," this is the officially official version of the DJ-friendly promo disc that Ayres has been handing off to select pals for a few minutes. (That was Volume 2.1 – ya see?) Whereas the first two volumes of It's the Motherfucking Remix featured the tracks continuously mixed together, this CD gives you all the best full-length remixes, blends and m*sh-ups from the Rub crew and extended familia – no blending, no interruptions, perfect for playing out or throwing into your next radio show or mixtape. As a little bonus, Ayres included some new and exclusive shit that wasn't on Volume 1 or 2, like his Bmore version of Crystal Waters' "She's Homeless," titled "La Da Dee(1)," and his Curtis Mayfield Bmore, "Move On Up(2)," which was originally featured on Tittsworth's label. (Ditto for him and Catchdubs' Bmore remix of "Tell Me When To Go(3).") A-Trak contributes the most interesting and leftfield blend here, twerking Jack White and the Raconteurs' "Steady As She Goes" and dropping Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" on top(4). Check also: Cosmo Baker's remix of "Stunt 101(5)" and Catchdubs' Too Short / Bangles blend, "Egyptian Rubber(6)." Needless to say, this one's a good look for all your Seratonians. 20 tracks total.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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The Rub
Party Medleys, Vol.1 EP

Another clever and useful piece of wax from The Rub dudes, who present four well-made and totally diverse medleys "for Serato DJs to keep in their bag, that can be used at any tempo when the DJ needs to play a real record." It's also good for unexpected crashes/reboots and beginner DJs, or bathroom/beverage breaks. The medleys are mixed quick, NYC party style, but with intros and outros to each medley for mixing. The medleys are: 80s(1) with Prince, MJ, Rolling Stones and Hall & Oates; House(2) with Stardust, Robin S and Nightcrawlers; Crunk(3) with Lil Jon, Lil Scrappy and Luda; and Dancehall(4) with Shaggy & Rayvon, Shabba, Cutty Ranks and Mr. Vegas. Recommended.
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
bestsellers / 80s + 90s / mash-ups + blends + instrumentals + acapellas

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The Rub
Party Medleys, Vol.2 EP

In the tradition of Afrika Bambaataa's Death Mix, The Rub's Party Medleys are crucial ammo for the working DJ's record bag. Each side features two medleys stitched together, giving DJs enough time to switch out laptop between Serato sets, get that much-needed bathroom break, order a drink, smoke a cigarette or have a quickie and still make it back before the record runs out. Both sides are sure to keep the party going, quick-mixing hits by Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri, DMX, Rob Base, 45 King, Slick Rick, Biz Markie, Ginuwine, Chris Brown, Ciara, Ghost Town DJs, A-Town Players, Soundmaster T, Splack Pack, Luke Skywalker and 2 Live Crew. This volume features club rap(1), classic hip-hop(2), r&b(3) and booty bass(4) themed medleys. Limited pressing.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
mash-ups + blends + instrumentals + acapellas

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The Rub
The Rub Up 2CD

Damn, what to say about this one? It's pretty much automatic. The Rub's DJs Ayres & Eleven follow up their their solo reggae mixes (Sun Lovers & J.A. Goods) with this MEGA dancehall collab. Now, I thought I was up on my dancehall classics, but I feel like one of those fucking fratboys who only owns Legend when I look at the back of this CD. Even if you know a lot of the artists here, I betcha most of the tracks will be unfamiliar. 68 tunes spread over two CDs, so getting into names would be kinda foolish... but here's some anyway: Buju, Sizzla, Pinchers, Wayne Wonder, Ini Kamoze, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Shinehead, Johnny Osbourne, Beenie Man, Super Cat, Cutty Ranks, General Degree, Spragga Benz, Shabba and lots (LOTS) more. Not to mention the Rub have stepped their duplication game up and these are two real (not CDR) discs in a jewel case... shrinkwrapped! Recommended.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red


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Tittsworth
12 Steps: The T&A Remixes (DJ Day, Sammy Bananas, Trackademicks) Digi-EP

diverse remix from the new Bmore kingpin's debut album

Five primetime party remixes of joints from Tittsworth's debut album on Plant Music, and you know Titts & Ayres wouldn't skimp on the remixers for this one. Melting Pot's DJ Day kicks it off with his feel-good Latin/disco/Bmore hybrid mix of "Here He Comes" with Pitbull on the mic and Nina Sky channeling Hall & Oates. Watch for the squelchy keys toward the end - glad to know Day's back at it. Meterhead follows with his take on "Drunk As Fuck" with hyphy forerunners The Federation, where he replays New Order's "Blue Monday" and whips the whole thing into an electro-Bmore whomper. Sammy Bananas (Fool's Gold) transports Kid Sister and Pase Rock to Spring Break '92 with his mix of "WTF" featuring a hyper "Rump Shaker" jack, while Bird Peterson puts the bassline/fidgit chop on Ludacris' "Southern Hospitality" for his remix of "Tear The Club Up 2008(4)s." Bay area producer and recent Fool's Gold signee Trackademicks closes things out with another "Drunk As Fuck" with an Alkaholiks sample that reveals itself right at the end. Also includes the instrumental for DJ Day's remix. 6 tracks total.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
top albums chart / bmore / ghetto / juke / hip-hop

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Tittsworth & Ayres
T&A Breaks 2 Digi-LP

even more useful breaks, loops, and samples of the Bmore Club variety

Ayres comin' atcha for round two with another huge helping of Bmore club breaks, loops and samples. Think of this as your go-to tool box for Bmore club - this thing has it all. Tons of drum loops, melodies, breaks, and acapellas are at your disposal for production or live remixes. Like the first volume (which was a certified Lab best-seller), you get 60 loops total at a constant 133BPM for easy mixing and doubles rocking. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
top albums chart / bmore / ghetto / juke / bmore / ghetto / juke - new arrivals

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Tittsworth & Ayres
T&A Breaks LP

Whoa. Ayres told me that he and Tittsworth were working on a Bmore battle record with locked grooves like two years ago, but it was getting to the point where I thought the idea had been tossed out. But here it is on A-Trak's Ammo Records imprint, with a spiffy full-color sleeve by Espo, no less! Oh yeah, and it's really, really good. You could probably do a full Bmore set just rocking doubles of this record. Each side has a section of locked grooves (all at 133 BPM), followed by some longer beats, effects and acapella scraps (60 useful tools in all). Gotta love the nice, crisp, clear acapellas they got here for Bmore classics like "Percolator," "Watch Out For The Big Girl," etc. If you spin Baltimore club and you don't cop this record, I got just three words for you – YOU BIG DUMMY!
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
baltimore - vinyl / downtempo + electronic + bmore + ghettotech + uk + baile / vinyl new arrivals / break + scratch + loop / and more

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Tittsworth & DJ Ayres
Old Bay Seasoning (Baltimore) EP

Lab favorites Tittsworth and DJ Ayres have formed a formidable partnership with several high profile Bmore projects in the works (including a future release on Money Studies). This is the first blast, and it's the equivalent of a steaming hot bushel of crabs (translation: fucking awesome). Although there are some heavyweight club versions on the a-side, I'm headed straight for the oldies selections on the flip. First up Titts manhandles the Four Tops(1) for that beautiful type of bmore that Frogman aptly coined as "emo." Next up my favorite: Ayres works over the same Curtis sample that Kanye used in "Touch The Sky.(2)" I was especially impressed by the replayed bass synths in the end (played by Catchdubs, didn't know he could do that, ei?). On the flip, Tittsworth revisits(3) Ayres' mini-hit "Broke Ass Home" with Kenny B and Jinxx. Catch and Ayres come with no brainer banguh, bmorifying "Tell Me When To Go(4)." And finally, Tittsworth slam dunks the set with an adrenaline fueled version of the Pitbull hit "Bojangles(5)." Also includes a wicked bonus beats(6) using the original "Stay Fly" sample. Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
baltimore - vinyl

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V/A
Do It To It (Cosmo, Bird Peterson, Dave Nada) EP

Our midwestern homies at Burlesque went all out for this one - their first ever vinyl release! - starting with the wild hand-screenprinted Technicolor jackets designed by Mike 2600 (naturally). Inside the sleeve, there's five new club-ready remixes from names that'll be very familiar to Lab heads; The Rub's Cosmo Baker gets my pick with for "Alice Is A Sucker(1)," a remix of Moby's "Alice" with hard-hitting old skool drums and dirty rolling bass. Also on the B-side, Calgary's Smalltown DJs give Shop Boyz the Bmore treatment with a French twist on "Party Like A Punk(2)." Elsewheres, Bird Peterson goes all wobbly low-end on the party break-ish "The Jump Off(3)," Dave Nada remixes Soulja Boy ("Cream Dat(4)") and even The 2600 King gets in on the fun with his remix of Rick James' "Give It To Me(5)." Limited pressing.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
baltimore - vinyl / dance remixes / all

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V/A
Royalty: Unruly Records vs. T&A EP

The Royalty EP is the debut collaboration between Baltimore's premier club label since 1994, Unruly Records, and the youngest in charge, Tittsworth and Ayres' T&A Records. Club King DJ Technics sets it off with "What Not What(1)," a brand new update on the classic Lil Jon "What" Bmore staple, juicing it up with regal horns and synths. Tittsworth ups the ante with a rowdy remix of M.O.P.'s classic(2), and Baltimore OG Scottie B. flips Dilla-era ATCQ on "Find A Way(3)," cleverly swinging the tempo down from club to hip-hop and back up to club. Brick City's DJ Tameil smooths it out, chopping Kelly Price and infusing her with a bit of ESG on "Bump Like This(4)." Birmingham's Bamabounce - no stranger to the T&A fam - mashes Say Wut's horns into an insane fight anthem, urging you to "Punchemindaface(5)." Ayres takes the same vocals and chops the hell out of Slayer's evil guitars, creating quite possibly the hardest club record of all time(6).
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
baltimore - vinyl

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V/A
The Chedda (Baltimore) EP

Even more club heat from Ayres, Tittsworth & Associates. Do these guys sleep? Titts kicks off the A-side with Bel Biv Devoe's "Poison(1)" chopped up in his signature style, followed by Dave Nada's "I Like Culo(2)" (pause), a blend of "Culo" by Pitbull and "I Like To Move It Move It" which is way better than it has any right to be. Ayres' track is the one that'll have the kids going nuts tho, as he unveils a slick Bmore version of Daft Punk's "One More Time(3)" (with the requisite Lil Jon shouts sprinkled on top). B-side is dominated by newcomers or aliases -- who can tell anymore? -- with Top Billin' (ok, this one is real) "U Don Kno Meh(4)," DJ Dub's hilarious / awesome "Set On You(5)" (George Harrison FTW) and Million Dollar Mano's "Lady(6)." TA-007, if you're counting...
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
baltimore - vinyl

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V/A
The Rub Remixes, Vol.5 (Diplo, Ayres, Catchdubs) EP

Ayres and the gang are back with the 5th volume of remixes taken from the recent Rub Volume 2 mix CD. This is the best 12"effort yet, with some well thought out blends by Ayres, Cosmo, Eleven, Diplo, Crooked, Catchdubs, and Paul Nice. Ayres' Talking Heads(1) and R.Kelly(2) blends are simply magnificent, and give you alternative ammo for your club set. Catchdubs conjures up Bill Withers verses TI(3) while Crooked envisions Jay-Z verses Ah-Ha(4), both big lady pleasers. Diplo drops another exclusive MIA blend(5) this time over "Push It," and Cosmo goes G-Unit megamix(6) again, this time over Death Row. Paul Nice's "Virgo" remix(7) is exclusive to this 12" and sounds like something you'd hear on Gamm; and finishing things off Eleven drops lingering blend of "Hip-Hop(8)" and "Cadillac on 22s." Recommended.
reviewed by the mgmnt

file under:
current hip-hop / mash-ups + blends + instrumentals + acapellas

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V/A
The Rub Remixes, Vol.6 (A-Trak, Ayres) EP

club mixes and mash-ups

The ever-elusive Smelly Fatso label returns to drop SF-005 (which happens to be #6 in the series of Rub remix EPs) and it's another good'un. DJ Ayres leads off the procession with the first Bmore heat he's committed to record, "Broke Ass Home(1)," which fuses a Luda verse with a cookie-cutter Baltimore break. Cosmo Baker shows folks why he gets to have t-shirts with his face and the words "GET ON MY LEVEL" printed, as he unleashes the monstrous "Papa Applause Remix(2)," which, as you may or may not have pieced together, is the Temptation's classic "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" placed over the Applause riddim (best known as the beat to Sean Paul's "Temperature"). Nick Catchdubs gets the Bangles and Too $hort in a tussle with "Burn Egyptian Rubber(3)" and A-Trak rounds out the A-side with a reworking of Three 6's classic "Sippin' On Da Syrup(4)." Paul Nice kicks off the B-side with an all-new, smooth-as-hell remix of De La Soul & Common's "The Bizness(5)." DJ Eleven throws M.O.P.'s "Ante Up" over a Queen joint(6) and Omega One rounds the whole shebang out real nice with a blend of Ghostface's "Good Times" and Toto's "Africa(7)." (Extra points on that one because rhyming over a Toto song is something Ghost would actually do.) All this AND you get the BPM info on the label. The Rub familia does it again!
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
current hip-hop / mash-ups + blends + instrumentals + acapellas

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Various Artist
Ghetto Pass (Technics, Tittsworth, DJ Sega) Digi-EP

club remixes from a world class squad

Damn, can you say stacked? Tittsworth and Ayres' T&A label drops another batch of Baltimore club bombs on us, this time from a diverse cast which includes Hollertronix associate DJ Sega, Finland's Top Billin crew, Chi-town's Rob Threezy, and even the club legend himself, DJ Technics. Technics steals the show with three different versions of Radiohead's hazy "Everything In Its Right Place" - I think the "FX mix" is the best of the bunch, but you can't go wrong with the Yorke vocals on the "Supa mix" either. Elsewheres, Titts gives AC/DC the club treatment on "Thunderstruck," Threezy cuts up LTD's disco staple "Love To The World," and Top Billin gives "In The Ass" some nasty dubstep bass. Recommended.
reviewed by Van Hammersly

file under:
top albums chart / bmore / ghetto / juke

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Various Artists
Royalty: Unruly Records vs. T&A Digi-EP

heavyweight bmore label collabo

The Royalty EP is the debut collaboration between Baltimore's premier club label since 1994, Unruly Records, and the youngest in charge, Tittsworth and Ayres' T&A Records. Club King DJ Technics sets it off with "What Not What," a brand new update on the classic Lil Jon "What" Bmore staple, juicing it up with regal horns and synths. Tittsworth ups the ante with a rowdy remix of M.O.P.'s classic, and Baltimore OG Scottie B. flips Dilla-era ATCQ on "Find A Way," cleverly swinging the tempo down from club to hip-hop and back up to club. Brick City's DJ Tameil smooths it out, chopping Kelly Price and infusing her with a bit of ESG on "Bump Like This." Birmingham's Bamabounce - no stranger to the T&A fam - mashes Say Wut's horns into an insane fight anthem, urging you to "Punchemindaface." Ayres takes the same vocals and chops the hell out of Slayer's evil guitars, creating quite possibly the hardest club record of all time.
reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red

file under:
top albums chart / bmore / ghetto / juke

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Various Artists
The Chedda (Ayres, Tittsworth, Dave Nada) Digi-EP

uptempo club refixes of popular tracks from old and new faces

Even more club heat from Ayres, Tittsworth & Associates. Do these guys sleep? Titts kicks off the first half with Bel Biv Devoe's "Poison" chopped up in his signature style, followed by Dave Nada's "I Like Culo" (pause), a blend of "Culo" by Pitbull and "I Like To Move It Move It" which is way better than it has any right to be. Ayres' track is the one that'll have the kids going nuts tho, as he unveils a slick Bmore version of Daft Punk's "One More Time" (with the requisite Lil Jon shouts sprinkled on top). The next half is dominated by newcomers or aliases -- who can tell anymore? -- with Top Billin' (ok, this one is real) "U Don Kno Meh," DJ Dub's hilarious / awesome "Set On You" (George Harrison FTW) and Million Dollar Mano's "Lady."
reviewed by Larri Byrd

file under:
top albums chart / bmore / ghetto / juke

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