Phillip Thompson - (October 2011)

I played records at my employer's company picnic on September 24th and in preparation for the event I bought something like 40 rap records out of discount bins here in S.F. and in Berkeley. Unfortunately, as a majority of hip-hop DJs have moved to using vinyl emulation software and CDs the major record labels have stopped pressing rap singles on vinyl records. You'll notice that most of these records are from the early to mid 2000's since demand for vinyl rap singles seems to have dried up completely in '07. Currently, record stores are overflowing with discount rap singles as DJs have ripped their records to MP3 and then sold the hard copies. Right now lot of great tunes can be had for cheap.

I love rap singles. When you buy one you often get clean, dirty, instrumental, and acapella versions of the same track. These different versions offer many possibilities for blends, mash-ups, remixes and sampling. Have you heard any of this year's crop of R&B sampling UK funky/bass music?

This is an all-vinyl mix of mostly mainstream radio sex/club rap. I first heard most of these tunes at Kenyon (if not in high school) and I played a lot of them at Kenyon parties. A lot of these tracks may seem cheesy or mainstream - I just think they're fun! Put a few years between yourself and these songs, revisit them, and you'll be delightfully surprised at how dirty, witty, slamming, and skillfully crafted this stuff is.

1. Project Pat – “Chickenhead” (Loud Records, 2000)

2. Shawnna – “Gettin' Some” (DTP/Def Jam, 2005)

3. Dude N Nem – “Watch My Feet” (TVT, 2007)

4. Three-6 Mafia – “Doe Boy Fresh” (Columbia, 2006)

5. Mike Jones – “Back Then” (Warner Bros., 2005)

6. Rich Boy – “Throw Some D's” (Interscope, 2006)

7. Pharoahe Monch – “Simon Says” (Rawkus, 1999)

8. Lindstrom & Christabelle – “Lovesick” (Smalltown Supersound, 2010)

9. David Banner – “Play” (SRC/Universal, 2005)

10. Ludacris – “Southern Hospitality” (Def Jam South, 2000)

11. T.I. – “Why You Wanna” (Grand Hustle/Atlantic, 2006)

12. Cassie – “Me & U” (Bad Boy, 2006)

13. Busta Rhymes – “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” (Violator/Elekra, 1997)

14. Pharrell – “Frontin'” (Star Trak/Arista, 2003)

15. Petey Pablo – “Freek-A-Leek” (Jive/Zomba, 2003)

16. Mark E – Slave 1 (Running Back, 2008)

17. E-40 – “Tell Me When to Go (A Capella)” (Reprise, 2006)