Unreleased hiphop & r&b gems....

rosebeast

Well-known member
So lately I've found myself scouring the net for hip hop and r&b records that have never been given a proper release, and I've been amazed and surprised at just how good so much of it is. Alot of the stuff I've been uncovering has definitely leaned towards the more experimental and darker side of these genres, which would probably go a long way in explaining why they remains curios and not much more, but all the same, it's still amazing so much of this stuff remains for the most part, hidden away considering alot of it has been ten times better than most of the stuff that clogs up the charts. Anyway, it got me thinking what neglected wonders you guys might have uncovered and loved.

I would recommend:

Kelis- Running Mate- Incredible Timbaland production which frankly sounds like no other r&b record ever made in my opinion. Makes me think of My Bloody Valentine on acid, with Kelis doing her usual off kilter, slightly monotone thing over the top.

Fam-Lay- Skrunt Owt- Literally the epitome of sonic dread. The darkest, most disgusting Neptunes production out there. Fam-Lay sounds like a man with a knife in his pocket riding a wave of liquid evil.

Bella- Never Be Me- The fact that this is essentially an r&b girl group sassing over a grimey, mollasses chopped and screwed track makes this a particularly jarring listen at first. Listen again, and you'll realise its quite special indeed.
 

Guybrush

Dittohead
Feel free to upload them if you want to. :)

I suggest using Speedyshare. (Click ‘browse’ and select the file you want to upload, then press ‘upload’. Once the upload is finished you will be given a link to the file. Do not forget to check the box that says ‘Hide info about the uploader’. My apologies if you already knew this. ;))

I contribute this mash-up of Missy Elliott’s ‘Wake Up’ and My Bloody Valentine’s ‘To Here Knows When’:

Slackjawedlocal – Missy Knows When to Wake Up
 

mistersloane

heavy heavy monster sound
yeah, I really fucked with that Famlay tune when I first heard it, I think we did a 20 minute version of it! Killer!
 
On the R&B neo soul front I would definitely recomend JDavey. The band is made up of a singer, Miss Jack Davey, and a keyboardist/ producer who's name escapes me. Their website is under reconstruction at the moment but you can reach them at www.myspace.com/jdavey They have toured in America & Europe, and even had a live set on the Gilles Peterson show a few months ago, but a record deal has eluded them.

They're best track is No More, which is so smooth and sophisticated. Everything about it just feels right. Even the bassline, it's just nice and relaxed; though it might take a couple of listens to fully appreciate it. This track and some of their others were big hits with Gilles Peterson & 1Xtra's Benji B (more the latter) around late 2005 and the first half of 2006. I just can't believe that they havent got a record contract. I have a feeling that they've probably been offered loads of deals from indie labels, but they're waiting for a major. But I think their style is far too understated for a major label. But yeah, all they've released is a cover of a Frank Zappa tune on a covers compo, and they're doing a collaboration for 4Hero's next album.

Another group that is good and was popular around the same time are Ty & Kori, who I haven't heard of for a while now. They're sort of like rappers who sing instead of emceeing, and they usually sing over hip hop instrumentals (dubplates or previously released stuff) rather than produce their own stuff. They did do a track called 'Hey Ty' which was produced by Madlib, but I don't think it was ever released. That was their best known track. I know they did a mixtape in 2006 but I've tried to search for it on the internet with no luck; very much doubt it was released outside the states.
 

robin

Well-known member
i'd love to hear these tunes,the kelis one in particular,if anyone was able to upload them it'd be great
 

soundslike1981

Well-known member
I've enjoyed Q-Tip's 'Kamaal the Abstract' album, which I still for the life of me can't understand why it's gone unreleased, some five+ years on. It's jazzy, dirty, close-mic'ed party music--maybe too "rock" (live instrument-laden) for "hip-hop" audiences? Despite the success of the Roots?
 

Guybrush

Dittohead
I have ridiculously high hopes for the forthcoming Amerie album. This song, which is a preview that circulated a couple of months ago, is going to be one of the year’s finest in its finished album version, I think. I love its unconventional structure and Amerie’s pleasant spoken-word part (devoid of robotic ‘sexiness’, whoopee!):

Amerie – Some Like It
 

glee

Member
heres an mp3 of 'running mate'.

i also recommend 2 outtakes from Kelis' Wanderland, both produced by Neptunes: 'Freak Me Slow' & 'The Spot' - let me know if youre interested..

i found these Kelis tracks on this blog ages ago - very good for new r'n'b stuff eg that Ashanti song thats causing a slight stir..

thanks for Amerie Guybrush!
 

tox

Factory Girl
heres an mp3 of 'running mate'.

i also recommend 2 outtakes from Kelis' Wanderland, both produced by Neptunes: 'Freak Me Slow' & 'The Spot' - let me know if youre interested..

i found these Kelis tracks on this blog ages ago - very good for new r'n'b stuff eg that Ashanti song thats causing a slight stir..

thanks for Amerie Guybrush!

cheers for the uploads.

would be interested in hearing those kelis tracks...

anyone got that pharrell version of justin timberlakes "like i love you"? i've asked about it here before but was referred back to soulseek and i can't find it there :(
 
N

nomadologist

Guest
i'm interested in the kelis, glee :) did anyone else love "bossy" as much as i did? i loved the video, too. didn't seem to get much attention, but then again i barely listen to radio and never watch mtv.

amerie's "take control"--the other day we were listening to something really old and noticed that whole guitar riff is stolen or sampled from something, and now i can't remember what! it's something really random. i'll figure it out when i get home cuz i was really stunned that it's not in the writing credits...
 

Guybrush

Dittohead
anyone got that pharrell version of justin timberlakes "like i love you"? i've asked about it here before but was referred back to soulseek and i can't find it there :(
I have been on the look-out for that one, too, so very much seconded.
 

Guybrush

Dittohead
that Ashanti song thats causing a slight stir..

If you mean the one that samples Kraftwerk’s ‘Nummern’, it can be found here (it is only 96/22 so I think it is safe to post). They have treated the original respectfully, I think, (only a little added sub-bass and some additional bleeps) so it is a dance-floor stormer, naturally :). The melody is a bit on the weak side, though. (Come to think of it: Nicole Scherzinger’s ‘Steam’ [from last year, was it ever released?] sampled the same track. They probably nicked the idea from there.)
 

glee

Member
you're welcome!

about 'bossy'...it's odd, i really dont like that song - but i think Kelis Was Here is a great, underrated album overall. and i enjoy the 'Bossy' remixes by Braxe&Falke and Sebastian. its like they found something i cant hear in the original and brought it to the fore, taking it apart and finding the potential within...

anyway, hope you like the tracks!!
 
N

nomadologist

Guest
re: ashanti - yeah thats the one! seen it mentioned on a few blogs like 20jazzfunkgreats. Its similar to the Amerie song with its offkilter/retro stylings..

and now for more Kelis..

Freak Me Slow (recorded for Tasty)

The Spot (recorded for Wanderland)

i love the smooth, tight production on this - has a latenight, sleepy feel yet its also very jumpy at the same time

and an extra one left off Tasty:

Oasis

really into "The Spot" and Oasis sounds like what I remember the music Tangerine Dream wrote for the Risky Business soundtrack sounding like, although it may not and i'm just totally making that up in my mind. i do that sometimes.
 
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