episode one :: hip hop...

... this journey begins in an old character home in Victoria in 2001. i was asked by a friend to mix a compilation of some quintessential hip hop tracks. i wasn't really into hip hop at the time; most of my knowledge of the genre was mainstream and i had my preconceptions...
... hours spent in headphones; concentrating on the beats; following the story. tribe. quannum. j5. it was then i learned the qualities that make hip hop a true art form: poetry, rhythm, soul. these songs had piqued my interest. the first real hip hop album i purchased was blackalicious :: blazing arrow. this isn't just a gift of gab album, it is also a collaboration with some other talented artists: lyrics born, lateef, dilated peoples, saul williams, chali 2na, cut chemist. i was beginning to learn there was more to this music, and needless to say it wasn't long before my hip hop collection began to grow...
... i'm lucky enough to be surrounded by people who know more hip hop than i do. maybe all my digging will pay off and i'll get to return the favour. until then, i'll leave you with a mix of tracks i've collected along the way - in chronological order of course. this episode's theme: change - time passes but how much is really different from before? most of the audio samples come from the cold war / vietnam era; talk about resonance...
... clicking on the artist name will take you to their website or myspace page. remember: they need support and promotion in order to grow and survive. with that, make sure you also check out these artists: murs, rjd2, atmosphere, latyrx, lifesavas, danger mouse, mf doom

peace.

::tracklist::
Blackalicious :: First in Flight
J Boogie :: La Sengre
Fdel :: A Fuller Culture
Common feat. the Last Poets & Kanye West :: The Corner
The Likwit Junkies :: One Day Away
Zion I :: Borderline
Guru feat. Common & Bob James :: State of Clarity
Brother Ali :: The Puzzle
Akrobatik feat. Chuck D & Brenna Gethers :: Kindred
The Roots feat. Mos Def & Styles P :: Rising Down



...coming soon - episode two :: funk...