INI - "Center Of Attention" FULL ALBUM!!!

[Echo Leader]

Grap talks at length about the INI album in this audio interview from last year. The true title of the album is "The Life I Live" & he plans to release it in the order it was supposed to be back in '96.

http://bloggerhouse.net/2011/05/07/the- ... ing-links/

Awesome. I recently heard the INI album for the first time and loved it. A Traffic-style release with a bonus disc of instrumentals would definitely be crispy.

[claaa7]

fantastic news that the INI album is finally happening.. i really hope that it goes down, and that a vinyl copy will be available. will listen to the interview later. thx

[claaa7]

anyone sitting on information on Rob-O's solo career? i know he finally released "Rhyme Pro" around 2006, but it's safe to say that much of that was recorded in the '90s.

looking at his discogs page, you can see that he released a whole bunch of 12" singles (including "Wanderlust" and "Don't You Love It") via St. Nicks Entertainment. that same label also released this 8 track mini-LP, featuring material later heard on "Rhyme Pro". i wonder what year this was released, and if Rob-O actually was supposed to drop a full album called "Superspectacular" in the late '90s? if anyone have the song "Would You Miss Me", a hook up would be appreciated:

http://www.discogs.com/Rob-O-Superspect ... ase/516767


also on some versions of the "Rhyme Pro" CD there's an InI freestyle from 1996 with Rob-O, Grap and Pete Rock up at the Stretch & Bobbito show. nothing spectacular but pretty cool to hear nontheless, check it out:

http://www.mediafire.com/?789ieg5kteqffrj

[nythugism]

Dope...thanks for sharing this....

[madstadik]

Dude from Mt Vernon leaked this joint i believe

[madstadik]

That same dude from mt vernon told me that no more words was a b-side exclusive for a future single from the album. I tried emailing him recently but no response.

[Sumthin_Funky]

Damn this is crazy. Thanks!

[Debonair_P]

anyone sitting on information on Rob-O's solo career? i know he finally released "Rhyme Pro" around 2006, but it's safe to say that much of that was recorded in the '90s.

looking at his discogs page, you can see that he released a whole bunch of 12" singles (including "Wanderlust" and "Don't You Love It") via St. Nicks Entertainment. that same label also released this 8 track mini-LP, featuring material later heard on "Rhyme Pro". i wonder what year this was released, and if Rob-O actually was supposed to drop a full album called "Superspectacular" in the late '90s? if anyone have the song "Would You Miss Me", a hook up would be appreciated:

http://www.discogs.com/Rob-O-Superspect ... ase/516767

I have that Rob-O mini-LP, haven't listened to it in a while but I can dub that track for you - is everything else on there on the 2006 CD? I think that wax came out '97 or maybe '98, the sound quality isn't spectacular from memory...

[skater4041]

Awesome, I split the tracks up by the tracklist if anyone is interested in that.

In the past month I've now got this, the World Renown Promo on Vinyl, and...

I bought a cd-r of Rampage - Tha Red Oktoba from a dude off discogs. His friend worked on the album and gave him a copy. I'll definitely put it up here once it arrives, and hopefully the quality is good, unlike that World Renown LP haha.

[vaporized2]

feel like I've rinsed center of attention so much since the 2xCD release with deda's album that I don't know if I can ever listen to it again. had it on repeat solidly for about a year when it came out. if there was some new unheard full tracks maybe..

anyone sitting on information on Rob-O's solo career?

dont know if it counts but this was one of the best tracks I heard last year, supreme verses

[Verge]

I bought a cd-r of Rampage - Tha Red Oktoba from a dude off discogs. His friend worked on the album and gave him a copy. I'll definitely put it up here once it arrives, and hopefully the quality is good, unlike that World Renown LP haha.

sounds promising, please do up that when it arrives.

[ruraloutfitter]

apparently "Keep On" was also released on this bootleg 12": http://www.discogs.com/INI-1212/release/2197668

the last 2 tracks are obviously instrumentals from The Main Ingredient...but anybody know what the fuck that "1, 2, 1, 2" track is? unreleased INI or possibly one of their tracks under a different name? the track length is listed as 5:04, and none of INI's tracks are a close match (yeah I geeked out by cross referencing.)

my best guess is it could be "I Get Physical" also off Main Ingredient. it has the same exact length and Pete Rock raps "1, 2, 1, 2" while he's cutting it up over the hook.

[Stieflkater]

Skater - that would be crazy...curious on what the "Red Oktoba" sounds like...tried to msg the man on FB a few times, but you know how it goes no response. Wonder if Lord Have Mercy recorded an album from early to mid 90ies...his alpha style was one of the illest.

[claaa7]

Madstadik: Good to see you joining the boards here @ Philaflava.. welcome bro!

Debonair_P: as far as I can see everything else is on the "Rhyme Pro" CD, though i don't know if its alternative mixes. that song would be much appreciated if you find the time to rip it for me.. props

vaporized: Yessir!! Co-sign on that.. the entire "Night Shift" LP/EP was fantastic to me, i still bump that and the 7" K-Def has released on Redefinition.. he's long been one of my favorites so it's real cool to see him on a label that lets him release a lot of stuff. he just dropped a 7" EP (three songs) with Raw Poetic btw

[madstadik]

Sup J!!!!

[WiCkEd22]

* We know there's a '96/'97 bootleg probably releassed by Pete or someone close as the original instrumentals were released separately at the same time by the same white label.

Peace claaa7, that's the boogleg that I have which DOES include "Keep On" along with, what seems to be, the proper album intro where Pete Rock talks "I introduce to you, out the Soul Brother camp... ". Thing is, after Pete says "buddha bless your souls," then it cuts off and goes into "The Life I Live". This version I have also has some of the Interlude beats, but not all and yeah, it does NOT include "Kross Roads", "Mind Over Matter" or "Props". My copy also has Interlude beats after "Grown Man Sport" / before "Think Twice" and after "Think Twice" / before "To Each His Own". The Outro seems to just be a continuation of the Intro? Also, this bootlog I have has versions of songs that are slightly different from the BBE version and the Soul Brother Records (yellow cover) version. For instance, "Think Twice" is like 45-60 seconds LONGER on my bootleg version! The BBE & SBR versions have theirs fade out pretty fast after the last verse. Also, the TEMPO of some of the songs is FASTER then the bootleg version I have. "To Each His Own" is 3 beats per minute faster on the BBE & SBR versions. I forget, but one or two other songs are sped up a little bit on the BBE & SBR versions as well.

I need to listen to YOUR version which is the PROPER version!! Thank you. I DL'd it when you put it up on the blog, but I still haven't unzipped it or anything. I need to burn it on a CD.

* the total playing time is about 65 minutes. me and my man ANT who hooked me up with this, suspect that this vinyl rip comes from the real test pressing that was given to the few people working on the album. the guy who Ant got it from, seem to be someone like that, maybe someone who worked on the label.

That's fuckin DOPE!!

[WiCkEd22]

A4. "Fakin Jax" / "Interlude"
A5. "Step Up"

That's not an "Interlude" as that's just how "Step Up Time" starts, with Grap talkin. And I'm sure you know this, but the proper title is "Step Up Time" as that's how it's titled on the official "Faxin Jax" promo cd single on Elektra.

A8. "Center Of Attention"
A9. "Mind Over Matter" / "Freestyle Interlude"

Shouldn't it be... A8. "Center Of Attention" / "Interlude" ?

B1. "Freestyle Interlude" / "Grown Man Sport"
B2. "Think Twice"

Shouldn't it be... B2. "Interlude" / "Think Twice" ?

B3. "To Each His Own" (Ft. The Abstract & Q-Tip)

Shouldn't it be... B3. "Interlude" / "To Each His Own" ? Also, I think you meant to say Q-Tip & The Large Professor. haha


Fixed/Updated Tracklisting

Side A:
A1. "Pete Rock Intro"
A2. "The Life I Live" / "Interlude"
A3. "Square One" / "Freestyle Interlude"
A4. "Fakin Jax"
A5. "Step Up Time" / "Interlude"
A6. "Kross Roads" / "Pete Rock Midtro"
A7. "Center Of Attention" / "Interlude"
A8. "Mind Over Matter" / "Freestyle Interlude"

Side B:
B1. "Freestyle Interlude" / "Grown Man Sport" (Ft. Mekolicious)
B2. "Interlude" / "Think Twice"
B3. "Interlude" / "To Each His Own" (Ft. Q-Tip & The Large Professor)
B4. "Interlude" / "Props"
B5. "Keep On" / "Freestyle Interlude"
B6. "What You Say"
B7. "Pete Rock Outro"

For me personally, at the very end of the album, I would add two bonus tracks... "Fakin Jax (Rude Youth Mix)" feat. Mekolicious and "No More Words". I'll do that for my copy. haha

And I guess my bootleg vinyl copy came from the original source as far as the intro/outro, interludes and freestyle interludes, but it's just missing those three songs "Kross Roads" (+ Midtro), "Mind Over Matter" (+ Freestyle Interlude) and "Props" (+ Interlude). My bootleg vinyl is even in the SAME order except for what it's missing and the tracks are in the SAME tempo and the versions are all the same. Pretty weird that the person who pressed it back then pressed it this way leaving those 3 tracks off. Very strange. And why were the BBE and Soul Brother Records versions different with songs havin different tempo's and slightly different versions? I will say, I'm happy that Pete Rock ended up releasing that Pete Red & Mekolicious "Freestyle" in full as the whole song on that HipHopSite 7" single from 2003 that I have. I'm surprised he let that one out the vaults cuz he seems maaad stingy with that kinda shit.

Last, we know that Grap Luva produced "Step Up Time", but does anyone know if he also produced "Keep On"? I should ask him on Twitter...

http://forums.undergroundhiphop.com/rea ... ID=2454818


Here’s a dope mix I made back in 2010 called the “Pete Rock & Family Mix” cuz it’s a mix of all Pete Rock produced joints featuring the cats who had been down with Pete during the years ’92-98. Everything was spun in the mix using ORIGINAL VINYL, except for the joint “Greenbacks”. And notice how a few of the songs I spun from InI’s Center Of Attention album are not the same versions you would get on all versions of the album except the one I have and that’s the “official” bootleg from ’96/97. Enjoy...



Pete Rock & Family Mix (1992-1998)
- Mixed by Wicked on 03/01/2010 @ 1:32am

01. Pete Rock Intro [1995]
02. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth feat. Grap Luva, Heavy D., Rob-O & Deda Baby Pa - The Basement [1992] Elektra MECCA AND THE SOUL BROTHER (LP)
03. InI feat. Pete Rock - Think Twice [1995] White Label CENTER OF ATTENTION (LP)
04. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - Escape [1994] Elektra THE MAIN INGREDIENT (LP)
05. InI feat. Pete Rock - Fakin’ Jax [1995] Elektra CENTER OF ATTENTION (LP) 12”
06. InI feat. Mekolicious - Grown Man Sport [1995] White Label CENTER OF ATTENTION (LP)
07. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth feat. Rob-O & Deda Baby Pa - In The Flesh [1994] Elektra THE MAIN INGREDIENT (LP)
08. Deda Baby Pa feat. Pete Rock - Everyman For Himself [1995] Elektra EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF (LP)
09. InI - Square One [1995] White Label CENTER OF ATTENTION (LP)
10. Pete Rock - Greenbacks [1995] White Label 12”
11. Pete Rock feat. Rob-O - War [1997] BBE/HipHopSite 7”
12. Mekolicious feat. Rob-O - What You Waiting For [1996] White Label 12”
13. InI feat. Pete Rock & Mekolicious - Fakin' Jax (Rude Youth Mix) [1996] Elektra 12”
14. Pete Rock feat. C.L. Smooth - Da Two [1998] Loud SOUL SURVIVOR (LP)
15. InI Freestyle (Interlude) [1994]
16. Pete Red & Mekolicious - Freestyle Session [1995] BBE/HipHopSite 7”
17. InI - Keep On [1995] White Label CENTER OF ATTENTION (LP)
18. Deda Baby Pa - The Original Baby Pa [1995] Elektra EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF (LP)
19. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - I Get Physical [1994] THE MAIN INGREDIENT (LP)
20. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth feat. YG'z - Death Becomes You [1993] Jive MENACE II SOCIETY SOUNDTRACK (LP)
21. Rob-O - Props [1992] Elektra 12”

- All Songs Produced by The Soul Brother #1, Pete Rock

Size: 146mb
Length: 79:56
Quality: 256 kbps
DL: www.mediafire.com/?nxjnydcuiwj
Listen/DL: www.hulkshare.com/1u8rai5ed19e

And what's dope is my man DRUMAT!C out in Philly got this mix into Grap Luva's hands! Supposedly Grap loved it and put it up on his Facebook and gave me maaad props. Word up!

[WiCkEd22]

Bad news y'all... it seems that Pete Rock has shut Grap Luva down in attempts to put out the proper InI album. I tweeted Grap last night to ask him about it and he replied earlier...

[bbatson1]

^ Sadly not surprising at all.

[WiCkEd22]

^ Sadly not surprising at all.

I know, right? I always knew it was too good to be true. And it has always seemed that Pete Rock does NOT like goin back and puttin things out even though we all know his vaults are a fuckin GOLDMINE!! *shaking head*

[bbatson1]

^ Sadly not surprising at all.

Pete Rock does NOT like goin back and puttin things out

[Verge]

well then Grap should put his own beats from the 90s out already. Thats what i thought that redef album/ep was gonna be but it turned out to be mostly all new shit. Which was cool, just sayin.. actually i need a copy cause i didn't buy it cause it pissed me off that it wasn't his incredible 90s beats, lol, then it sold out.

[claaa7]

thanks for the input Wicked, i knew you were gonna love this haha.. the quality is not the best but it is very listenable for sure, and i mean to finally get to hear the InI album as it was originally intended really BLEW my mind. been fiending for this for year.... also thanks for fixing the tracklist, i saw i made a lot of small mistakes there as i was basically just writing it down from memory so i could share it with all the TROY brothers ASAP!!

you are right "Step Up Time" is the correct title, and i also heard that the original LP title was "Life I Live". must say i prefer "Center of Attention" a lot more though.. LOL @ the Q-Tip/Abstract comment.. maybe he would have been credited as The Abstract if it had been officially released as he seemed to have favored that over Q-Tip around that time (on both the Mad Skillz album and "The Infamous").

now, we can only pray a similiar test pressing version of Deda's album surfaces at some point.. that "Ill Style Live" actually has assigned a catalouge number and everything to "Everyman For Himself" by Deda Baby Pa, so it's hard to believe it doesn't exist at all. that album has some of my favorite Pete beats of all time, real smooth and jazzy ish... speaking on that "Ill Style Live", that features a great Pete Rock exclusive beat that Deda freestyles over for like 1:30 before it goes into "Blah Uno". then there's also that other Deda/Pete joint ("Anything Goes" ????) that used to be played on Future Flavaz.

btw, i had that Pete Rock / Family mix for years on my comp.. great stuff bro!!

also please let me know if the versions here are still sped up. peace

[sen]

Bad news y'all... it seems that Pete Rock has shut Grap Luva down in attempts to put out the proper InI album. I tweeted Grap last night to ask him about it and he replied earlier...

I don't know how this shows that PR shut Grap down in terms of putting it out.

As for Pete's vault, he actually played for my friend (who brought Pete in to DJ at Towson University) and I a remix album he did of "Ready to Die". I asked him if he would ever release that and he said that he just did it for fun and that he probably would not. The tracks were insane.

[Stieflkater]

^lol Somebody gotta rob Pete Rock...

[drunkmonk36]

Sorry to bump an old thread but I've just dug out the old Centre of Attention and been running it hard again for the last 2 weeks.
I love that album, would have to be in my top 10 all time..

Can someone tell me if there's any other unreleased tracks/ep's from that era from either INI (as a group), or Grap/Rob-O individually worth grabbing?

I just downloaded the full album posted by claaa7 and the mix by WiCkEd22 - thanks guys, look forward to running both of these!

[Stieflkater]

Yeah, maybe a Mekolicious album, but you gotta ask Pete Rock about that. hahaha

[drunkmonk36]

Yeh OK. Had a quick listen to Graps' Neva Done EP and wasn't really feeling it.

Anyone got rips of Rob O Superspectacular or Rhyme Pro? Looks like production was from around the mid 90's.

[BiggArs]

Rhyme Pro?

Get it
http://www.mediafire.com/download/9g4n9 ... O_-_RP.zip

[drunkmonk36]

Get it http://www.mediafire.com/download/9g4n9 ... O_-_RP.zip

Ars! Much appreciated my man.