A little taster for what to expect at a night of Tropical heat in the depths of small intimate space with a heaving sound system…. we bring you Pineapple Republic, the first edition to a regular ting where some of Sydney’s finest selectors delve into sounds from all around the globe. So come get sweaty, eat some pineapple, frolic amongst the blow up palm tress and meet your future lover.
It’s only 5 bones on the door and it is a fundraiser for the greatest station in the world FBi 94.5 FM.
So come down bring your one pieces and tropical attire and we will provide the vibbesssss..
So i have been well and truly off the grid as far blogging has been concerned. For anyone that doesn’t know iv’e been back home in Sydney for about 2 and a half months, after a year away on the South American continent and since coming home iv’e been kind of busy eating ice cream, catching up with fam and friends and playing some really fun shows. But for now i’m going to try and make an effort to post some goodness on the regular.
This is nothing but a few tunes that have been in my crates of late and thought worth sharing with you good people. Enjoy, Mike Who
A little teaser for the Player Haters NYE Ball at Goodgod Small Club, Milan performs a little Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar mash up. Catch her NYE performing covers of Destiny’s Child, TLC, R Kelly and a few more surprises alongside DJs Shantan Wantan Ichiban and Mike Who at Goodgod. More details right hurrrr
The Lorax, Sneeches on Beaches, Green Eggs and Ham were all on the agenda when we talk to Darwin soul electronica duo Sietta. They have been on locked down with the rest of the Elefant Traks Thug Family and a heap of Dr Seuss books working on their performance for Dr Seuss Meets Elefant Traks this Sunday.
In addition, P Smurf – Cypher addict, Chilli King and Big Village postering ninja – came in for a freestyle and talk about his new mixtape ‘Smurf Village. Download it here
Playlist:
Chip – More Money More Gyal ft Movado
Busta Rhymes – Wine & Go Down ft. Vybz Kartel (Dirty)
Cham – Wine
Leftside – Phat Punani
Skarra Mucci – Love Punanny Bad – Rack City Riddim (Kya Bamba Remix)[Chong X EDIT]
Diafrix – Helicopter
Action Bronson, Rockie Fresh, and Macie Stewart – Dear Heather (prod by Thelonious Martin)
Dominik Hauser – Theme from “I Dream Of Jeannie”
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble (1988 Extended Remix)
Dimples D – Sucker DJ (12inch Version)
Jackie Onassis – Crystal Balling
Nas – Hard to Love ft Arlissa (Nextmen Remix)
Sietta – Stranger
INTERVIEW WITH SIETTA AND LIVE PERFORMANCE
Smoke DZA – Kenny Powers
T.I. ft Lil Wayne – Ball
Macklemore X Ryan Lewis – Thrift Shop ft. Wanz
9th Wonder & Murs – Funeral For A Killer
Big Sean – Guap
Tyga – King Company feat Honey Cocaine
Busta Rhymes – King Tut
DJ Khaled – They Ready (feat. J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T. & Kendrick Lamar)
P SMURF INTERVIEW AND LIVE FREESTYLE
P Smurf – Come To The Show ft Mute MC
P Smurf – Knocked Back ft Mikoen
Ransom Badbonez – Crazy On My Mind ft Brad Strut
Seriously when doesn’t the Dopeman deliver, 100 percent hands down one of my top 5 fav dj/producers of all time.Kenny Dope is the definition of legit, from his seminal work as one half of MOW, as well as dropping all matter f heat on some of my most cherished 12’s and comps, to tastemaker, ridiculously dope dj, and Head honcho of KayDee the list is too long to continue. Anyone who isn’t down with Kenny Dope needs to do get acquainted with one of the most significant figures across more styles of music than you care to know about. This Mixtape Mondays we check another all 45’s mix of funk, soul and original breaks from the man himself. Listen below or sign up to his Newsletter to download and cop regular heat. LONG LIVE THE DOPEMAN!!
This week in Growing pains we get inside the head of Sydney badman Preacha. Preacha is also a good homie and i feel very lucky that he broke down some of the jams that helped to sculpt his varied musical leanings. For anyone that isn’t clued in to Preacha, he is one of Sydney’s upfront tastemakers, responsible for holding down presenter duties on FBi Radio’s “Low Motion” with partner in crime Max Gosford. Preacha has also played and regulated a bunch of the most significant bass parties across Sydney, as well as supporting all of your favourite internationals. For now let’s delve into some of the tunes that got him hooked.
This is one of my earliest musical memories that doesn’t involve Iron Maiden or Bon Jovi. My mum used to tape all the Godzilla movies for me when they aired on SBS and at the end of one of the movies (I think it was Godzilla Vs. Biollante) there was a whole bunch of weird music videos. This was one of them. I remember bugging out like “Who would make a song about a calculator?” but I couldn’t get the words out of my head. Plus I had one of those Speak & Spell joints that made the same kinda sounds. Still listen to this album all the time.
MP3: Eric B. & Rakim – Don’t Sweat The Technique
I first discovered this gem on the NBA Jam Session VHS tape around 93. This was the illest out of all the NBA tapes that were out back then because not only did you get all the highlights from the gods of that era but they were cut up with videos by Bell Biv DeVoe & Wreckx-N-Effect! That funky-ass baseline and Rakim’s delivery made this track stand out for me though. My brother Blake & I used to setup the Michael Jordan Pro in the lounge room, pop this tape in and get our Spud Webb on.
Now it’s like 1999, me and Blake are up late Friday night watching RAGE as per usual. This video comes on with 2 dudes riding in a drop top trying to run game on some females. Plus they’re cursing up a storm so I’m thinking this is gonna be some of the hardest gangsta rap shit I’ve ever heard. Then some creepy looking dude jumps out of a limo busting out some MJ type moves and the girls faces change to his! And the beats are like nothing I’ve heard before. My brother changed the channel and we just looked at each other like “What the fuck was that?!?” We flipped it back and now the girls have turned into grotesque monsters and the music is just blowing my mind. I couldn’t get the images and sounds out of my head for the rest of the weekend and I haven’t been the same since.
WATCH THIS CLIP!!
MP3: Pharoahe Monch – Simon Says
I think it was the October 1999 issue of The Source magazine the came with a little extra booklet of the top 25 Hip Hop Quotables up to that point. Included was Pharoahe’s verse from the classic Organized Konfusion track ‘Stray Bullet’ and even though I had never heard the song I thought it was the illest rhyme ever. So when I saw he had a solo album coming out I copped it as soon as it dropped. As soon as I popped the CD in the deck I knew I had made the right purchase. Up until then I was still jamming shit like 2Pac & DMX real hard but the ‘Internal Affairs’ album opened me up to the whole underground independent hip hop movement that was going on at the time. From then on I probably spent more time at Next Level Records than I did at school, spending all my lunch money on records. The whole album is dope but he flipped the Godzilla theme on this joint which kinda takes us back to where this little piece started. It’s all cyclical.
>>> This is also a brand new mix done be Preacha for the upcoming Mega festival OutsideIn. The mix covers a host of the artists playing on the day. Preacha will be holding down peaktime duties on the day. I would advise anyone who hasn’t got tickets yet to get their shite together before there sold out and you’ll be crying with regret.
When you were thinking all we get in Australia is has been 50 year old rappers. Kendrick Lamar gets announced. It is rare we get hip hop artists out here while their career is really popping. Maybe Australia is an after thought. Maybe it is too pricey and risky for promoters who find it hard to judge how popular they really are with no record sales and no national radio play. This one is definitely paying off though. Kendrick selling out his Sydney and Melbourne concert with in a number of hours and moving to a bigger venue. Here are the new dates.
Growing pains continues to bubble along, and this week i am hyped to introduce to the big homie LinoType. Lino is our West Coast Correspondent here at Stolen Records, you all may know Lino from his posts on the blog, that generally make a lot more sense than my own or Shantan’s babble. Lino also happens to be a genuine dude, known for his Pai mai knowledge of tunes, don like skills on the turntables and his uber baritone voice. Lino was a part time Sydney resident/ illegal immigrant and during this time he regulated a bunch of parties, came and hung out at Stolen Records and was my only ever guest at the Who Over.
Intro By LinoType…
Michael Who is a real bro, and for real bros, I won’t mind taking a little trip down memory lane. I’ve gone through many musical phases in life, from soft rock singer to west coast gangster to staunch underground elitist to southern rap fanatic. If anyone was wondering, my current playlist revolves around 2 Chainz and old Prince.
This was the first cassingle I ever bought. Around that time, my sister started college in New York, and I remember our family helping her move out there. ‘Whoomp’ would get played all day on NYC radio, and I remember it being one of the first rap songs where I caught all of the lyrics. That infectious hook was undeniable, and I just had to own it, since it barely got played in LA at the time.
Middle school was all about fronting like you were either in a gang, or that you knew some gang members, or that you knew about gangs. 2Pac would get the most play, along with a lot of ‘Westsiiide’ posturing. It’s funny because the best song on the album was the joint with 2 rappers from NYC. Daz hooked up the beat that can best be described as nocturnal, Method Man compared himself to Magellan and Johnny Cash in one verse, and everyone else came extra correct. (For the record, I’m more of a Biggie guy)
MP3: Bob James – Nautilus
I had already been buying vinyl for a while by the time I got this, but this was the first record I picked up that made me want to have a legit record collection. Listening to this for the first time was like being exposed to the matrix. Shout outs to The Record Spot in Thousand Oaks. If the owner’s daughter is working, you’ll probably have an awkward time. All she does is talk to her boyfriend on the phone and complain about working. However if the owner is there, he’ll hook you up. He noticed me looking through the jazz section, and basically handed me the Bob James joint and recommended I check it out.
I’m going on the self indulgent tip this Mixtape Mondays and blogging one of my own tapes. I put this mix up a few days ago and it’s basically me going on a club tangent. It touches on House, Techno, Uk Bass and a bunch of other easter eggs you will have to listen to find. In a way you could consider this my coming home mix. After living in Chile for close to a year, i’m around 2 weeks i’m heading back home to Sydney and i’m hyped to catch up with fam and friends, eat some good food, play some fun parties and spend a summer in Sydney. See errrrbody soon!!
Mike Who Vibes N Tings
Tracklist is on my soundcloud page, which also has a bunch of other tapes and podcasts floating around on it. Cop here…Mike Who
What kicked off last week as mostly incoherent babble from me reminiscing about weighty choons of my younger days, has now turned into what i can only hope will be a weekly feature here on the blog. For today’s Growing Pain’s we have been blessed by none other than Skryptcha.
Skrytptcha Has had a massive 2012 releasing his 2nd full lenth titled Mindful, which recived a huge amount of support and love nationally. Skryp teamed up with estemed Stateside beatmaker illmind to make Mindful and together they crafted an extremely solid and polished album furthering the evolution of Skryptcha’s sound. If you haven’t copped it yet grab it digitally through itunes or for all touchy feely peeps, you can get your hardcopy through spots like JB hifi.
On the subject of Growing Pains, I got in contact with Skryp last week to ask if he would pen down some thoughts on 3 to 4 tunes that had some influence on his formative years . No doubt Skryptcha’s rapidly increasing fanbase will be hyped to check some baby pictures (see above) and get into the head of their new best friend. For now get acquainted below with the man himself and look forward to us delving into the heads of other talented chums in the coming weeks.
Introduction by Skryptcha..
My first introduction to Hip-Hop was through skate videos.. Mostly 411 vids. Around the ages of 13-14 we’d skate most days,then go back to mates places to watch vids and listen to music. I hadn’t really listened to much Hip-Hop before that as a kid but the second I heard it, I was totally drawn in by it.. Here’s a little break down on the tracks that grabbed me back then in the very beginning and the ones that have shaped me from there.. If I had to list every track that’s ever grabbed me like crazy, I’d be here all day haha.. Hip-Hop reminds me so often how much I love it and that’s one of the biggest reasons I’m still here,we have a lot to be proud of..
I can’t exactly remember where I was when I first heard this track but I know that I have probably listened to it more than any other Hip-Hop track ever. This is probably my favourite DJ Premier beat of all time and that is seriously saying something! That sample just does something to me haha.. It’s dark but still so soulful.. Royce is soo raw and comes SO hard on this. As a teen this track was everything you could want, it had so much angst and ego in it.. I still rap every word to it and get just as stoked as I did as a teen haha. You can’t fault Royce or Preem on this. Two of the best at their finest. Gold Jerry! Gold!
I’ll never forget hearing this song for the first time haha it did crazy things to me and got me so pumped up. It STILL gets me crazy pumped every time I hear it. Everyone knows this track & everyone loves it ha.. You could drop it anywhere and have people go nuts.. Dre & Snoop come so harrd on this, the beat is BANGING & to top it all off, Nate Dogg laces the outro. It is a banger in every sense of the word. One of my all-time faves for sure!
Most of the Hip-Hop I listened to as a teen was on the pretty traditional, raw tip.. Acts like Redman, Beatnuts, Big Pun, Biggie etc. One day at school my mate Ryan gave me Atmosphere’s CD ‘God Loves Ugly’ and told me to check it out.. To be honest, I wasn’t super taken by it on first listen but this song totally grabbed me. It was such a heartfelt song, full on soulful music..It was so different to most of what I’d listened to previously. I was more drawn to the raw, rugged rap as a teen but this track made me see things a little differently. I started to see that Hip-Hop didn’t all have to be like that, that there was a bit more to it. I fell in love with this track.. It shifted the type of Hip-Hop I listened to from there..
Download: Hilltop Hoods – Testimonial Year // Buy Me
Most of the first Aussie stuff I heard was pretty raw too and I loved it ha.. my early music was some straight up raw stuff..It was a great avenue for me to get that teen angst out haha.. I’d heard a couple of Hoods’ tracks before ‘The Calling’ dropped,and was a big fan of ‘1979’. I remember going into HMV I think and playing ‘The Calling’ on one of those CD players where you could preview CD’s haha it was one of those ‘Muuuuuummmmm!!!! Come here!!’ moments hahahaha… I played the first track on the album Testimonial Year’ and again, it did something to me.. The beat was soo chilled out and Suffa’s flow was just so laid back and melodic. I ended up finding Mum and found a way to get her to buy it for me 😉 Haha again, it made me see things in a different way and inspired me to make music just like it from there. Most Aussie MC’s from my generation will more than likely pinpoint this album as the most influential of their careers. It changed everything.
Janini Panini
STOLEN RECORDS 