Tuesday 13 May 2014

Generic list post: Babygrande edition

Been did Koch, so this is the inevitable post where I attempt to persuade you that there are ten different certified deep cuts from ten different artists on ten different Babygrande releases. Yes, really.

Granted, it's not an easy task to find ten good songs on a label that's released multiple albums by Jedi Mind Tricks, 7L & Esoteric, Immortal Technique, Jean Grae, and The Snowgoons, but it is doable. Bear witness and please notice that I didn't even have to include the two minor-classic singles in the label's catalogue - Purple City Byrdgang and New York Ryder Music - to come up with this list of ten Babygrande bangers:

Grand Puba ft. Tiffini Davis - It Is What It Is (2009)
Brand Nubian - Momma (2004)
N.O.R.E - Cocaine Cowboys (2007)
Agallah - Club Hoppin' (2006)
Purple City - It Ain't Easy (2005)
Un Kasa ft. Max B & Jim Jones - Nick Nack (2006)
Dame Grease ft. French Montana & Max B - Goon Musik (We Run NY) (2008)
Canibus - Spartibus (2003)
Gillie Da Kid ft. Dutch & Spade - Ghetto That I Live In (2007)
Freeway - No Doubt (2012)

Remember when Babygrande's CEO Chuck Wilson got caught out trying to drum up hype for JMT's albums on various rap message boards under the alias of JEDI MIND TRICKS FAN back in the early noughties? At least he took his humiliation like a man when he was exposed unlike so many other sock-puppeting industry folk back then - I'm talkin' to you, DJ Vlad and Immortal Technique!
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21 comments:

  1. GGGGGGG13 May 2014 at 13:30

    "Purple City Byrd Gang" is a major classic.

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  2. ackbar13 May 2014 at 13:48

    If you limit it all to PCP related songs you can have a nice mix. When/why was NORE on Babygrande

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  3. ackbar13 May 2014 at 13:50

    Missing 'Winning". Essential Christopher Cross sample by PCP

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  4. Kelvin Mack10zie13 May 2014 at 15:15

    His Noreality album came out on Babygrande in 2007.

    Purple City joints on Babygrande top ten:

    1. It Ain't Easy
    2. Purple City Byrdgang
    3. Gun Go remix
    4. Nick Nack
    5. Picture Me Rollin'
    6. Gangsta
    7. Broadway
    8. Fly High
    9. America Show
    10. Winning

    I've never heard the Paris To Purple City album. Not sure I ever want to.

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  5. Kelvin Mack10zie13 May 2014 at 15:25

    The song with Q-Tip from Puba's Babygrande album was also good: Good To Go

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  6. yeldarb13 May 2014 at 15:35

    i'm liking this canibus song way more than i expected to lol

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  7. Kelvin Mack10zie13 May 2014 at 15:43

    "He'll mock your style
    Rock you to the ground with the bite force of a Sarcosuchus crocodile
    Travel a fiber optic mile before you can smile"

    !!!!!!!!

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  8. d13 May 2014 at 15:44

    Ah now Ive to try and listen to the Canibus song again.

    Id say the Nore album was to do with him having the reggaeton album out at the same time and he had rap songs to offload.

    That Gillie songs nice. Someone needs to do a Major Figgas retrospective.

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  9. d13 May 2014 at 15:48

    Also why are Babygrande bootlegging all of their songs/entire albums? all those links go to their channel.

    Or is that even bootlegging, I dunno the difference between that and promo anymore.

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  10. Lady Sov's armpit hair.13 May 2014 at 16:26

    Why the Jean Grae hate? Don't you enjoy the ramblings of autistic spectrum alcoholics?

    Anyway, NY Oil's Hood Treason was a good album.

    Gza's Pro Tools was OK.

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  11. Kelvin Mack10zie13 May 2014 at 16:27

    I imagine Chuck has all the YouTube uploads monetised.

    95% of all NY rappers were signed to Koch or Babygrande in some capacity between 2004 - 2008.

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  12. Kelvin Mack10zie13 May 2014 at 16:41

    That Hip Hop Ya Don't Stop song put me off from checking out that NYOIL album.

    Plus EPMD, Hostyle from Screwball, Fabolous, and Christina "8-Off" Aguilera & Primo had all already sounded better over that Gladys Knight sample.

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  13. Unknown13 May 2014 at 16:55

    Babygrande's a pretty mixed bag but like you said there's some solid music if you weed through the garbage. @Lady Sov's armpit hair Pro Tools was some of the most sleep inducing shit ever, the track with Roc Marc and the KA solo track were good though.

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  14. ackbar13 May 2014 at 17:05

    if koch did nothing else... they released a DVD precursor to P.O.M.E. that introduced the world to jim's new post-hot97 ego, ed hardy gear, max b (demo version of 'don't forget about me') and showed jimmy stealing thermals/leather from a mom/pop clothing store, etc.

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  15. Kelvin Mack10zie13 May 2014 at 17:13

    Classic DVD.

    Koch released a bunch of classic songs and great deep cuts, though, as the Koch list post shows.

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  16. Big Shady R.I.P13 May 2014 at 18:19

    Haha I remember JEDI MIND TRICKS FAN.

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  17. Jamie13 May 2014 at 20:47

    I used to really like Rip The Jacker. Should probably revisit.

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  18. Fulci13 May 2014 at 21:30

    You could have picked Levitibus for some further Parisian-busker-playing-melanchollically-on-the-accordion-type-rap, blud.

    http://youtu.be/8oca49CaHUk

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  19. Kelvin Mack10zie14 May 2014 at 09:58

    Very essential sub-genre.

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  20. Robbie15 May 2014 at 02:50

    The best NYOIL song was "Shout It In The Streets"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx7zheMble4

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  21. CrowleyHead18 May 2014 at 00:38

    "Life In The Fast Lane" is a masterpiece in the Dipset discog. More so than some of Jim's albums.

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