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Classic Material Bonus Mix #7: Hip Hop Club Breaks ’93-98

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The Classic Material ‘bonus’ mixes fill the gaps in the original Classic Material Hip Hop History mixtape series, exploring specific sub genres or spin off genres not covered in the main series. #7 delves into a sub genre which is not entirely easy to describe. In their day these tracks were mostly just referred to as ‘Breakbeats’, but that’s not a useful definition because that had a different meaning years before and has been used (rightly or wrongly) to describe various other styles since. Loops of big Hip Hop records arranged into club-friendly instrumentals, they were definitely Club records first and foremost so ‘Hip Hop Club Breaks’ it is. Armand Van Helden’s ‘AV8’ is the label most commonly associated with the sound, although Nervous Records & its ‘Strapped’ sub label probably release nearly as many. A few other smaller labels like Slammin’ and Kingsize also played their part. A lot of DJs principally associated with House music or who produced both House and Hi Hop dabbled in these records, often under aliases – Armand Van Helden of course, but also Todd Terry, Kenny Dope, DJ Spinna and others. Others were known for making this style of Hip Hop almost exclusively – Crooklyn Clan, Davey Dex, Bobby J.

As with previous volumes the artwork reworks a popular sleeve of the era, in this case the AV8 generic label & hype sticker variations.  Just as Armand inserted his initials into the abbreviation/pun AV8, I have with mine, which usefully spells ‘CR8’, which is the sort of unnecessary detail that amuses me. The caricature on the sticker is an illustration by Graffiti artist Temper taken from a flyer for a club night which was active around the time these records came out.

Tracklist:

1. Davey Dex presents Da Hip Hop Junkies – Pick It Up (Hip Hop Mix) (1997)
2. DJ Fashion – Bom Bom (1995)
3. DJ I-Cue & Jae Mo Ice – Two Scoops of Ice Cream (Dubplate Mix) (1996)
4. Wreck All-Stars – Hit ‘Em Like This (1997)
5. DJ Rags – To The Beat… (1995)
6. Davey Dex – Get On Down (Davey Dex Remix) (1996)
7. Fat Fluids – Throw Ya Hands (40th Ave. Mix) (1996)
8. The Groove Asylum – We Love ‘Em (1997)
9. Davey Dex – Move Ya Body (Davey Dex Remix) (1998)
10. Davey Dex – Set It Off (1996)
11. DJ Sizzahandz – Can’t Get Enuff (1995)
12. Armand Van Helden –  Hot Butter (Pas Deh Punany Mix) (1994)
13. DJ Fashion – My Peoples (1995)
14. Davey Dex – Zunga Zeng (Unreleased) (1998)
15. DJ Rags – It Don’t Stop (1995)
16. On The Down Low – Check The Vibe (1997)
17. Steady G – Rainy Dayz (1997)
18. Crooklyn Can – Clap Dem Handz (The Yeast Mix) (1995)
19. SupaDupa AllCity & Suga Bear – Sunday Night at The Tunnel (Sunday Night Acapella) (1997)
20. Brooklyn Slumlordz – Nobody Beats (1994)
21. Crooklyn Clan – Dirty Dub (1996)
22. Davey Dex – My Peoples (Where You At) (1996)
23. Davey Dex – Throw Ta Handz Up (Davey Dex 12″) (1998)
24. Frankie The Pacemaker – Live and Die Reck Part 2 (1998)
25. DJ Fashion – Brooklyn Stylz (1995)
26. Armand Van Helden – Hey Yah Hey (Indian Beatdown Mix) (1994)
27. Crooklyn Clan – A Brooklyn Thing (Brooklyn Anthem) (1996)
28. Davey Dex – Get On Down (Original Mix) (1996)
29. DJ Eclipse – Keep It On (1996)
30. Rek Shit Rebulz – U Wanna Flex (What?) (1998)
31. Frankie Cutlass – Puerto Rico (Original Version) (1993)
32. Funkmaster Flex – Six Million Ways to Die (Instrumental) (1993)
33. Funkmaster Flex – Sad & Blue (Dub) (1993)
34. Rek Shit Rebulz – Make Ya Feel Better (1994)
35. Wrath of Donkey Man – Donkey Twist (1996)
36. Davey Dex – Keep It Movin (Prince Quick Mix Remix) (1998)
37. Steady G – Everybody Groove (A Mos Definitely Long But Yet Chilled Out Mix) (1998)
38. The Flip Squad presents Bobby J – Check Out The Style (1994)
39. Bobby J – Clap Your Hands (1995)
40. Steady G – Ya Don’t Stop (Ya Y’all) (1997)
41. DJ Fashion – Uh Ah Do It Hay (Mix 1) (1995)

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