Late pass!

"Yeah, I had to crush the scene at the beach in Daytona
Call me Pimpy Le Peu, you know the aroma"

Ball Jones ft. Ice Smiles - Krushin' (remix)
(From Welcome To Little Rock compilation; 2004)

I love the DVD Couture Instagram page because it puts me onto random regional choonz I've never heard in my life and might never have heard otherwise. When I say Krushin' (remix) is bangin' in Little Rock I ain't talkin' about that episode of America Undercover, boiiiiiii. This song is naggingly simple and knawed its way into my current rotation with its regional period charm. Wish I'd heard it back in 2004.

Speakin' of 2004, there's been a lotta talk recently about Gym-bore Jones pioneering the rock star look in Rap. Nah, lads. Yous lot wasn't outside when this Canibus photoshoot hit da streetz like an asteroid in '04. As the late, great Gary Warnett once said, 'Bis came with that Bollywood '97 swag.

Canibus collates outfits in a room with 1000 candles lit, meditating on whether that's a shirt or a jacket.

Late pass!

"Ain't no talkin' in my area
My n****s keep quiet like librarians
That pork and that beef is for barbarians
You see me, I'm more of a pescatarian
Beef with me will have you floatin' in an aquarium"

Mic Terror - Viagra Triangle
(From Viagra Triangle single; 2024)

Mic Terror & his m8s dropped so many loosies throughout 2024 that I managed to miss this one. It's another gem which mixes the ignorance with the elegance on some Chicago "drive slow, homie"-core. If I were gonna collate an album out of Mic's 2024 loosies, I'd use Juicenan Freestyle as the first track and Viagra Triangle here as the final track. Maybe that should be my next playlist? For now tho, here's a list of my top 10 favourite non-2026 Rap songs I've discovered this year.

Run-D.M.C - Jam-Master Jammin' (Rick Rubin remix) (1985)
Biggie Smalls - Biggie Got The Hype Shit (1991)
Me & My Cousin - My Day (1996)
Ma$e ft. Puffy - I'm No Killa (O.G version) (1998)
Rev Run - I Used To Think I Was Run (2005)
Bavgate ft. LJ - Keep It Gangsta (2005)
J-Diggs - Diggs Dance (2005)
Mic Terror - Viagra Triangle (2024)
The Egyptian Lover - Vocoder Jam (2025)
Sir Michael Rocks - Talkin' Legit (2025)

Great song from a forgotten Rap album

Me & My Cousin - My Day
(From International album; 1996)


As featured in ur boi's recent Martorialist classics not on DSPs playlist. Me & My Cousin were a Solano Country, California duo who began their career in 1992 as Kriss Kross' older brothers, but then found their final form in 1996 when they transformed into the Luniz' long-lost siamese twins after hooking up with Ruthless Records G-Funk royalty Rhythm D for their only album International. Smooth was the album's main single and, fair play, it's a cool song. But it ain't nowhere near as cool as My Day where Rhythm D G-Funkified Shaggy's Boombastic for the lads to get their Hot Sunny Day on. G-Funk and Mob Musik mixing like Amaretto and spicy Rum.

The 2025 late pass awards

If you a loko ass reader I'ma call you with that Shaq, a backpack ass reader I'ma talk to you about Y@k, a Bay ass reader I'ma call you about The Pack, came up on Rap music in 1985 and I never, ever came back. Plz believe it's time for my annual list of old songs I've discovered this year which became new favourites. Yeah, I'm late to all these tracks, but so what? Every song in this post will rock yah like the Casbah. Got twenty, that's plenty, yet I still want more. Also kinda fonda Kylie singles from 1994.

Best non-2025 Other Rap songs I discovered in 2025:
Roxanne Shante vs. Sparky D - Round 1 (1985)
Strictly Dope - Never Be Beat (1990?/2007)
O.Z - It's A Black Thing (1990)
Three Below Zero AKA MOOD - Mr. Everything (1995/2016)
G. Dep - Reflections (1996)
Cozmik Law - Loot 'A Getcha (Coast Ta Coast Bust That Dial Mix) (1997)
Z-Man - Night Owl (1998)
Gift of Gab - Rhyme Like A Nut! (1999)
People Under The Stairs ft. Murs - Pulp Fiction (2000)
Edan - Eyeblink (version 2) (200?)
Dru Down - I Rock (2002)
Big Scoob - Say It Loud (American & Proud) (2002)
Murs ft. Shock G & Humpty Hump - Risky Business (2003)
Murs - The Night Before (2003)
Tony Yayo ft. Max B & French Montana - Do It Right (2009)
Young Bari - I Rep That Blocka (2011)
Big Hongry - Early One Morning (2020)
KenTheMan - Not My N*gga (extended version) (2023)
Mello Buckzz ft. G-Herbo - Hmm.. BD (2024)
DCG Shun & DCG Bsauv - Steppers Freestyle (2024)


Best non-2025 Other Genres™ songs I discovered in 2025:
Link Wray - Big City After Dark (1962)
The Renegades - Thirteen Women (movie version) (1966)
John Cameron - Mean Machine (1981)
The Cramps - Weekend On Mars (live) (1983)
Onirico - Stolen Moments (1991)
Never On Sunday - Urban Rains (1992)
Kylie Minogue - Confide In Me (1994)
Real Lies - Oh Me, Oh My (UNREAL mix) (2021)

Blowin' up like a Hawaiian volcano

Strictly Dope - Never Be Beat
(From Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991 album; 2007)

Dj kael kaelmi & maythayus1 · Tupac Shakur - Beginnings The Lost Tapes 1988-1991 - 04 - Never The Beat

The undisputed best song 2Pac & Ray Luv (then Ray Tyson) recorded as Strictly Dope. Probably recorded around 1990, but still would have hit perfect on the Juice soundtrack in 1991. 2Pac said "my mouth is like an UZI when it moves so quick, and my lyrics are like the bullets that I'm loadin' it with." Ray Luv said "tons and tons of freaks, I'm a Mac Daddio, writin' def jams while I'm chillin' on my patio." I say "even youse box-brained Boom-Bap purists can't front on a bangeur like this!" Some sharp-elbowed B-Boy breakbeat shit which makes you feel like you're a graffiti character on an airbrushed Shirt Kings t-shirt.

Late pass!

G. Dep - Stay Up
(From The Hiatus Deponomics mixtape; 2008)


A G. Dep single I'd never heard before. That liquid introspective shit a la Reflections or the Everyday remix which sounds like a message in a bottle from the 2008 New York mixtape era in the best way possible. Plus, Dep rockin' the bald dome & moustache combination lookin' like Kase2 in Cope 2's graffiti documentary. Hat tip to the DVD Couture Instagram account for this one.

Late pass: Sounds of the Safari

People Under The Stairs ft. Murs - Pulp Fiction
(From the vaults; 1997/American Men Vol. 1 compilation; 2000)

-- · People Under The Stairs - Pulp Fiction Ft. Murs

Sum shit I'd never heard before: this People Under The Stairs & Murs deep cut from the rare compilation CD of unreleased songs PUTS sold on tour in 2000. A near-7 minute storytelling jam about being lost in a jungle where all 3 rappers bounce off each other on some Jumanji Brothers type shit. Me, I like to listen to Pulp Fiction walking to my local shops where I can lose myself in the details as the story unfurls. Is this song too bugged-out for the average humourless box-brained backpacker? Those lads aren't exactly renowned for their GSOH.

The reason why the American Men Vol. 1 compilation CD is so rare is because the CDs ended up being too heavy to lug around on their 2000 world tour so PUTS offloaded them to an English distributor. There's currently one copy on Discogs for £255, but there's probably loadsa copies rotting away in English charity shops for £1.50.

PS: pour out a little liquor for Posta Boy. Jurassic Harlem is a mixtape classic, and Posta will go down in history as the only rapper who bodied Hell Rell and Immortal Technique on a TV show. Never forget the video of Max B & French Montana doing colour commentary on Hell Rell's battle with Posta Boy.

The Trill That's Real (part 2)

KenTheMan - Not My N*gga (extended version)
(From Not My N*gga (extended version) single; 2023)


Another good single by KenTheMan which I'd missed. An extended version in this era? That's rarer than a copy of Beat Bop with the Basquiat artwork. We've been living in a golden age of Snooty Birds Talking Flagrant Shit-core Rap singles for these last 5 years.

The Trill That's Real

KenTheMan - First
(From First single; 2024)


I'd heard loadsa singles by Texas' KenTheMan except the good one right here. A glaring omission from my favourite Rap songs by Da Ladeez 2020 to 2025 list or wot? There's also a remix with Monaleo where Monaleo says "Ima get the head first and foremost, then leave him outside like a dog at a door post." Very spiteful bird-brain Rap par excellence. Posting this one for the tru hedz who recognise & realise that KenTheMan is the new version of Lil' Fame's old m8 Big Ken. That's right, 4 Star Bitches with blokes names are back!

Late pass, gas, grass and lots of cash

Big Hongry - Early One Morning
(From Early One Morning single; 2020)


5 years late on this song, but I'm down for the count like that serf Renfield. Nas was "half-man, half-amazin'", Big Hongry is half-Afroman, half Mac Dre. Early One Morning is more goofy than mainey and it's a pity Hongry didn't run with this style because it hits distinct. Hongry is an IRL sk8er boi which means he can wear a Thrasher hoody without the ghost of NyQuil haunting him to demand he names 3 Geoff Rowley clips.

Hongry hails from Richmond, California, but Early One Morning was produced by some Swiss bloke called Quest Beatz and the video was shot in Switzerland. Damn, son - they got Lil' Debbie lookalike video hoes in Switzerland!

Poland Street Is Watching

Cozmik Law - Loot 'A Getcha (Coast Ta Coast Bust That Dial Mix)
(From On Da Brink album; 1997)


Another song ya host Bloggy Brackins discovered via BigSleep's Bay Area Jazz-Rap compilations. A worthy entry into the For The Love Of Money canon which began properly in 1984 with its first great use Step Off by Melle Mel & The Furious Five. This mix of Loot 'A Getcha is some charmingly naive Bay Area backpack-Rap which is aimed at the dancefloor. Granted, it's a dancefloor which is 85% male, but a dancefloor is still a dancefloor innit. If the 12" containing this song had ever made it to the U.K, it would have gone gold in Mr Bongo.

12 songs which went platinum in Mr Bongo:
J-Live - Braggin' Writes (1996)
Missin' Linx - M.I.A (1998)
Jurassic 5 - Jayou (1997)
Mad Skillz - Ghostwriter (2000)
Non Phixion - Refuse To Lose (1998)
Mos Def - Universal Magnetic (1997)
Ugly Duckling - Fresh Mode (1999)
D.I.T.C - Day One (1997)
Dilated Peoples - Work The Angles (1998)
Bumpy Knuckles - Part Of My Life (1999)
MF DOOM ft. DJ Cucumber Slice - Rhymes Like Dimes (1999)
People Under The Stairs - The Next Step II (1998)

I Come Strapped

3 Shades Of Rhythm - Reflections
(From Part One (22 Unreleased Recordings From 1990-92) CDr)


Fave jam my third eye has been awoken to so far on Sleepy B's Bay Area Jazz Rap 1990 to 1992 compilations. I don't know anything about Equipto beyond his work with Andre Nickatina, but I do know that Reflections is exactly what I wanna hear from some early 90s Bay Area backpack-rap. Music which makes me feel like I'm back wearing a pair of 42" waist DROORS jeans which I've cut off below the knee.

Late pass again!

"Now in L.A., as you know, there's a war goin' on
And it's been goin' on since before I was born
Though the undisputed origin has yet to be formed
It all used to boil down to the red and the blue
But that got f**ked up as the many led the few
Now there's bloods killin' bloods and crips killin' crips
That's n*ggas killin' n*ggas they played kickball with"

Murs - The Night Before
(From The End Of The Beginning album; 2003)


Murs' perfect song/video with Shock G & Humpty Hump inspired me to pick up his Def Jux debut CD. My 2nd favourite choon on there is another storytellin' track The Night Before, altho ain't shit funny about this tale. Murs uses each verse to whip up a whole world about L.A gang violence like Ice-T used to do, albeit from a different angle about 'bangers like triangle isosceles. Woulda been another perfect song had Murs not referred to THE REAL FOOTBALL™ as kickball. It's the exact same myopic 'Murican refusal to accept THE REAL FOOTBALL™ on its own terms which gave us such sporting calamities as the way Major League Soccer players used to take penalties in the 90s.

Late pass!

Myaap ft. Vae Vanilla & 3200 Tre - Feeling Dis
(From The Bigger Picture album; 2024)



I've been checkin' for Myaap since HTS but I completely missed this song from the tail end of last year. A posse cut where everybody came with their own perspective and everybody got their points across. 2nd best non-2025 Rap song I've discovered this week so far. The first is Risky Business by Murs & Shock G/Humpty Hump. Never in a month of Black Sundays would my square arse have guessed that Shock G guested & produced a song on a Def Jux album.

Murs ft. Shock G & Humpty Hump - Risky Business
(From The End of The Beginning album; 2003)


I'm sure most of youse lot were already familiar with Risky Business, but nobody ever told me about it! In fact, the only song I know from this particular Murs album is Transitionz Az A Ridah.

Late pass!

Three Below Zero AKA MOOD - Mr. Everything
(From Unreleased 93 - 95 EP; 2016)


I've heard a few of the unreleased mid 90s songs MOOD recorded as Three Below Zero but I'd never heard this one. And this one has gotta be a top 3 song they ever recorded. Some black belt in rap hands judo Boom-Bap to make you walk with a bop. What we're they thinking not releasing this shit back in the 90s?

Still active upload to the unreleased songs EP can be found on this blog.

Late pass!

Juvenile ft. Mannie Fresh - Party
(From 400 Degreez deluxe reissue album; 2024/YouTube; 2025)



I completely missed last year's deluxe reissue of 400 Degreez featuring a new Juvenile & Mannie Fresh song which sounds exactly how I want a new Juve & Mannietronix song to sound. Which is, like an old Juve & Mannietronix song, but not quite. Luckily it's they've just dropped a video for that very song where Juve & Mannie dreamt of Californication.

Juve definitely missed a trick by not including 187 and Cash Money Gorilla on the 400 Degreez deluxe reissue.

PS: is Skip's verse on the Nolia Clap remix one of the most amusingly violent verses ever on an actual hit single?

"If I catch you on my porch, you gon' die by that
Right there by them leaves, go & lie by that
Right side of that dog doodoo, you gon' dry like that!"

The 2024 late pass awards!

Year end season done took flight. Here at The Martorialist we're post-time, baby. That's why the old songs we discovered and fell in love with are as important as the new songs we discovered and fell in love with. If the Rap songs list below rings a bid-ell like Big L it's because ya host made a truncated Audiomack playlist out of it last month.

Best non-2024 Other Rap songs I discovered in 2024:
Hard Rock Soul Movement - Double Def Fresh (1986)
Professor X - Professor X (Saga) (1988)
LL Cool J - Illegal Search (Pre-Trial Hearing mix) (1990)
Jay Tee ft. Mac Dre - Do The Crew (CDQ version) (1990/2018)
Kurious - Fill 'Er Up (1991/2008)
G. Dep - Dollar Bill (1998)
Saafir aka Mr. No No - Street Scene (1998)
Warren G - Dope Beat (1999)
AZ - Rap Fanatic (2002)
Big Moe ft. Mike Wilson - Leave Drank Alone (2003)
Saigon - Favorite Thingz (extended version) (2006)
DaBanggaz314 - Run Up Get Dun Up (2009)
Rack-Lo - What's A Lo-Life To Me (2013)
38 Dezzie ft. Mouse On Tha Track - On My Shit (2021)
Pookie F'n Rude ft. Kedaru & Hash Hearted - One Of Them Dayz (2023)
TREE - Prom Night She Puked On Me (2023)

Best non-2024 Other Genres™ songs I discovered in 2024:
Flo & Eddie - Keep It Warm (1976)
Ramones - S-L-U-G (Road To Ruin mix) (1978/2018)
Keith Mansfield - Underlying Menace (1978)
Brian Bennett - Solstice (1978)
Haircut 100 - Nobody's Fool (1982)
Charlie Green - The Bus Stop (1983)
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Police Helicopter (demo version) (1983)
Vincent Gallo - Her Smell Theme (1985)
The Feelies - Let's Go (1986)
Bribe - Squidge (1992)
Urban Jungle - Back In The Daze (1994)
Sharon Forrester - Love Inside (1994)
Rogue Unit - Good To U (Rogue Unit mix) (1995)
DMX Krew - Dry Acid (2015)

Holla @ ya host with your own late past discovery choonz of 2004.

Born To Audiomack: 2024 Faves Not From 2024

~~ Martorialist 2024 Faves Not From 2024 ~~

1. Hard Rock Soul Movement - Double Def Fresh (1986)
2. Professor X - Professor X (Saga) (1988)
3. LL Cool J - Illegal Search (Pre-Trial Hearing mix) (1990)
4. Jay Tee ft. Mac Dre - Do The Crew (CDQ version) (1990/2018)
5. Kurious - Fill 'Er Up (1991/2008)
6. G. Dep - Dollar Bill (1998)
7. AZ - Rap Fanatic (2002)
8. Big Moe ft. Mike Wilson - Leave Drank Alone (2003)
9. Saigon - Favorite Thingz (extended version) (2006)
10. DaBanggaz314 - Run Up Get Dun Up (2009)
11. Homeboy Sandman - Talking (Bleep) (2016)
12. 38 Dezzie ft. Mouse On Tha Track - On My Shit (2021)
13. Mic Terror - OJ Simpson (2021)
14. Pookie F'n Rude ft. Hash Hearted - Put That On Everythang (2023)
15. Mello Buckzz - Move (2023)


15 songs from the rich tapestry of Rap history which have been up in my ears like malleus bones in 2024. Most of them are new-to-me discoveries, but a couple of them are old favourites which have snuck back into regular rotation. Shout out to Step Wun for recently hippin' me to that AZ song.

Late pass!

"Time is overdue, so I'm gonna spill
My guts on the theory 'cause things is gettin' ill
Dreams get traded and sold like gold ropes
And ya hopes get sunk like boats"

Kurious - Fill 'Er Up
(From unreleased; 1991/A Constipated Monkey Demo Sessions EP; 2008)


The recent renaissance by Kurious has finally inspired me to check out that EP of his unreleased pre-A Constipated Monkey recordings. I was already up on Trueness To The Blueness but unfamiliar with the rest. Fave song on there is Fill 'Er Up where Yung Jorge is already in fine self-deprecating form over some Pete Nice production; even though Jorge has already been bitten by cynicism, the song still retains that 1991 Rap innocence. In a perfect world Fill 'Er Up shoulda been Kurious' debut single before he followed it up with Walk Like A Duck.

(I asked him on Instagram when it was recorded and he reckoned late 1991.)

Late pass!

Pookie F'n Rude ft. Kedaru & Hash Hearted - One Of Them Dayz
(From One Of Them Dayz single; 2023)


Another single I'm feelin' by the fat guy behind Hold Up and Put That On Everythang. This one's a change of pace: it's some crooning-under-a-waterfall L.A pimp ballad shit which stems from the On My Way family tree. R.I.P to Kedaru - he ain't dead, he just pasta way.

Gonna add this shit to my list of top 10 favourite non-2024 Rap songs I discovered in 2024. Peep the other 9:

Hard Rock Soul Movement - Double Def Fresh (1986)
G. Dep - Dollar Bill (1998)
Warren G - Dope Beat (1999)
Big Moe ft. Mike Wilson - Leave Drank Alone (2003)
Saigon - Favorite Thingz (extended version) (2006)
DaBanggaz314 - Run Up Get Dun Up (2009)
Rack-Lo - What's A Lo-Life To Me (2013)
38 Dezzie ft. Mouse On Tha Track - On My Shit (2021)
Mello Buckzz - Move (2023)