Phila's 100 Greatest Obscure Tracks

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:15 am

The advent of the Mp3 blog has been rather kind to us nostalgic completists/ random rap collectors/ aging b-boys. In the ג90s we dreamt of the day that static-free versions of elusive cuts by Money Boss Players and Govna Matic would be rendered instantly accessible to all heads. But no matter how plentiful the online supply of uncovered or resurrected gems, we are fundamentally unable, even as a collective, to recreate the most memorable characteristics of the fan culture of our beloved bygone rap eras. In fact, every step we take to enshrine these gilded epochs for all eternity (including the effort you are currently browsing) leads to the rapid deterioration of the values and practices that partly defined the The Rap World As We Once Knew It.

In this past life of rap (which isnגt entirely over but hasnגt been quite the same since oh, about 1998) a particular brand of makeshift resourcefulness and soldierly patience that was manifested by the genreגs most revered artists was regularly displayed and honed by its most enthusiastic and caring fans. Rap wasnגt necessarily easy to come by, even though a continually wider spectrum of personalities and styles were made accessible through semi-mainstream outlets like Yo! MTV Raps and the Source Magazine that did a respectable if inevitably unsatisfying job covering the genre as a whole.

Searching for music from slept-on or up-and-coming artists was largely a localized, grass-roots hunt. Meaning, quite simply, that if you wanted to delve a bit deeper than Nas/Lauryn Hill collabos and Junior Mafia-esque tales of V.I.P. fuckery, you had to vacate the plush world of shiny compact discs and confront the grimy abyss of second-generation dubs of crackly after-hours college mixshows, where b-sides, demos, alternate takes, and songs that would be permanently cockblocked by industry politricks reigned supreme.

Nostalgic sentiments for this era of rap have often been dismissed as wistful elitism, a thirtysomething need to keep oneגs treasures guarded while sneering at the ignorant masses. However, the גundergroundג rap culture of the ג90s was defined less by elitism and more by a desire to subvert the system as a whole: you wanted to be the first kid in your high school to not only own the dub, but to distribute it. This lo-fi, grass-roots mentality paralleled both the DIY indie business philosophy and the musical aesthetic of the time. We opted for the sound of the low-budget environment, and because of that, listening to the rugged flows and hard beats of the time felt like being part of a genuine movement. Thus we present our selections for rapגs 100 Greatest Obscure Tracks. It surely isnגt the same posting these in CDQ online, but we have no choice but to embrace the new technology in order to keep the old culture alive. Itגs not too bad of a conundrum to face. - Thun

Click here for the list
http://www.philaflava.com/100_obscure.html

Keep checking this thread for mp3s and the write-up section for newly added reviews.
http://www.philaflava.com/100_obscure_individual.html

CHER1 · Post by **CHER1** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:53 pm

i defo wanna get some of thse mp3's!

admiral · Post by **admiral** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:58 pm

ardamus · Post by **ardamus** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:11 pm

CHER1 wrote:i defo wanna get some of thse mp3's!

Dragondude R · Post by **Dragondude R** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:22 pm

Perfect list, surprised that I've heard a lot of the songs and agree wholeheartedly. Especially Purse Snatchaz pt.II, one of my favorite songs ever (except that's DV Alias Khrist on the hook, not Trigger).

Guun · Post by **Guun** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:50 pm

beat on slow burnin is so dope.

PopeyeJones · Post by **PopeyeJones** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:41 pm

This is dope. Great list. What I really like about this place. Any chance this is all going to be zipped up together?

MGP · Post by **MGP** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:40 pm

Here is a start on the mp3s...

The Dark Skinned Assassin- Unholy
http://www.sendspace.com/file/t16izy

Nas- Street Dreams (K Def Remix)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1lwx37

Kool G. Rap- Hey Mister
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4cexmf

Artifacts- It's Getting Hot (K Def Remix)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/of2hv4

Mobb Deep ft. Tragedy Khadafi- First Day of Spring
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3sz1wr

Funkmaster Flex - Six Million Ways To Die feat. Nine & Tragedy
http://www.sendspace.com/file/bplidm

Nine- Me, Myself, and My Microphone
http://www.sendspace.com/file/y2ym50

Main Source - Set It Off feat. The LOX
http://www.sendspace.com/file/z2nkqp

Fierce- Crab/Come Close (Full 12' with both songs and instrumentals)
http://rapidshare.com/files/21675413/Fierce_-_Crab.zip

DredScott · Post by **DredScott** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:58 pm

i gotta do some shit but i can up some mp3's later.

i got a better quality version that "it's getting hot remix" too so i'll up that as well.

Magneto · Post by **Magneto** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:07 pm

Speaking of rare tracks Young Zee is on the original Ready or Not from the Fugees. I wish someone would find that.

Killer Ben · Post by **Killer Ben** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:16 pm

here are my 30 tracks...

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ye2v99

everything which ended up on the final list, which was on my list is in here...so are the rest..there were some really dope tracks that didnt end up in the final 100 so I put them all together in one file...

I can up the ones that did make the list (6-8 i think) seperately if needed though

glavet · Post by **glavet** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 4:09 am

sorry, I'll sort out what mp3's I have this weekend and throw them up on Monday.

Also posted it up on WYDU...finally, been busy as fuck this week

Move Free · Post by **Move Free** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 6:14 pm

i'm geeked for this upload

T-Wrex · Post by **T-Wrex** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:12 pm

Move Free wrote:i'm geeked for this upload

same here.

BetterAskAboutMe · Post by **BetterAskAboutMe** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:16 pm

My first post. Props on everything put up already.

Top Quality - Magnum Opus

http://www.sendspace.com/file/r0dnqk

I think i might have more but I have to look around. One

Found another one:

Young Zee feat. Lauryn Hill - Stay Gold

http://www.sendspace.com/file/acpavp

BetterAskAboutMe · Post by **BetterAskAboutMe** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 11:31 am

Found a couple more I had:

Nas - Street Dreams (K-Def remix) -sorry I didn't realize this was up

http://www.sendspace.com/file/31zv6v

Diamond D - Sally's Got A One Track Mind (Showbiz remix)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ua6iro

Da King & I - Tears

http://www.sendspace.com/file/cl1pf9

EPMD - Brothers From Brentwood, L.I.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/w2xhh0

Money Boss Players - What U Sayin

http://www.sendspace.com/file/yw0931

MC Serch - Back To The Grill Again (remix)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/489hw9

Mic Geronimo feat. Royal Flush - Three Stories High

http://www.sendspace.com/file/dlfr4v

YZ - When The Roads Covered With Snow

http://www.sendspace.com/file/kz5ell

dirty mind · Post by **dirty mind** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:39 am

Very interested in hearing that Real Live turnaround remix, from what I've read. Tried searching for it myself, hopefully it shows up in here one day. Actually I haven't heard about 70% of what was listed. That track kinda just stood out since i liked the lp version already.

Jaz · Post by **Jaz** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:53 am

^The one with Ghostface?, man I am sure that was on the album at the end...I will have to check it out.

Dragondude R · Post by **Dragondude R** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:25 pm

I have Real Live Shit Remix on my copy (downloaded). Not sure if the uploader added it, but I'm sure it came with the album.

http://www.discogs.com/release/364444

Album would've been even doper if The Turnaround Remix was on it.

c.sentry.36t · Post by **c.sentry.36t** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:36 am

----v-----

c.sentry.36t · Post by **c.sentry.36t** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:44 am

ahmad ras kass saafir - comwiddit - fredwreck remix
http://www.zshare.net/audio/4634261e2136d3/

beatnuts - hellraiser remix
http://www.zshare.net/audio/4634325076f487/

e moneybags - regulate (only e in this, not the one asked for i think, sorry)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/4634376809b430/

fab 5 - blah
http://www.zshare.net/audio/46344226a5d06e/

Real Live - The Turnaround (Remix) feat. Tragedy and Capone
http://www.zshare.net/audio/4634444e391aa7/

Sadat X ג Escape From New
http://www.zshare.net/audio/46344773e0399d/

nubian crackers ft artifacts - do you wanna hear it
http://www.zshare.net/audio/4634516176d482/

c.sentry.36t · Post by **c.sentry.36t** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:15 am

Gova Mattic ג Family Day feat. Redman, Tame One, Pace Won, Young Zee, Roz Noble & Runt Dog

http://www.zshare.net/audio/4634976b04e451/

c.sentry.36t · Post by **c.sentry.36t** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 4:59 pm

is this the right version of de la soul ego trippin III ?

http://www.zshare.net/audio/4650151a762561/

Deezal · Post by **Deezal** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:59 am

Firstly thanks for letting into this great site. Just curious with this, how come some of these tracks are just straight album tracks. The Brotha Lynch is on 24 Deep, the Mac Mall is on Untouchable, the Kool G Rap and Geto Boys is on Live and Let Die etc...?

philosophic · Post by **philosophic** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:49 pm

I want this.

Kay To The Izzo · Post by **Kay To The Izzo** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:36 am

Im glad that Diamond D track Hiatus Remix is on this list. If someone could up it that would be dope. I have half of it on an old college radio tape.

"Tears" - Da King & I is fucking dope. I cant believe I never heard it before.

Kay To The Izzo · Post by **Kay To The Izzo** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:16 pm

The jiggy-faggot era that was 1997-1999.

jiggy-faggot LOL

Tapes · Post by **Tapes** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:22 pm

http://www.zshare.net/audio/8789047d809313/

hiatus remix

CharlieManson · Post by **CharlieManson** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:30 pm

What's up yall

Stumbled across the top 100 article last week when I was searching for a track, which lead me to this forum... and being another one whos golden age of hip-hop was early to mid ninties, this forum is like home

Anyway, I compiled all 98 tracks of the list together and uploaded em... (I didn't know if it was intentional that there were only 98 tracks on the list or not)

The file was 550megs or so which was ridiculous so I divided it up into 10 files... tracks 1-10, 11-20 etc...

Enjoy...

http://www.sendspace.com/file/hp32n7
http://www.sendspace.com/file/gwpcod
http://www.sendspace.com/file/phgquz
http://www.sendspace.com/file/zfxq5v
http://www.sendspace.com/file/up8ha6
http://www.sendspace.com/file/qnm6w6
http://www.sendspace.com/file/at8ubh
http://www.sendspace.com/file/lx4hsd
http://www.sendspace.com/file/cs7bvq
http://www.sendspace.com/file/j34n2u

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:07 am

You should post this in My Two Cents. Your efforts NEED to be appreciated by the masses as well. Nice work man.