Camp Lo, Smif N Wessun, Cormega: BBQE posted by O.W.

Camp Lo: Feelin It (Demo Original)
From demo (1995/6)

Cocoa Brovaz/Smif N Wessun: The Tools of The Trade
From 12", b-side of "Spit Again" (and unreleased LP) (Duck Down/Rawkus, 2002)

Cormega: Changin' (snippet)
From Sound Chronicles Vol. 1 (Soundchron, 2007)

Another random trio of tunes for you, this time from the hip-hop side of things. Vibe-wise, they actually go together kind of nicely despite spanning over 10 years of history.

The Camp Lo original demo version of "Feelin' It" comes courtesy the folks down with Ski aka Ski Beatz. For those who recall, Ski's the producer most famously connected with Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt CD but he also helped shepherd All City (remember them?) as well as producing Camp Lo's funkalistically fly Uptown Saturday Night. Originally, he hooked up the beat for "Feelin' It" for Camp Lo but Jay-Z heard the song on their demo tape and immediately asked Ski to lace him with it instead. One less song for Camp Lo, one more song for Reasonable Doubt - it's a cold world but that's how things go down sometimes. It's really great to hear this OG version - Camp Lo sound great over it.

Speaking of lost demo-type tracks, I was recently listening to the unreleased Smif N Wessun album that was supposed to come out on Rawkus; not a life-changing album by any means but it includes "The Tools of the Trade" which I had always liked when I first heard in on 12" in 2002. Seemed like a good time to bring it back into the air since I doubt that many folks really get hip to it back when it first dropped. Not that I condone gun violence but there's something almost nerdy about cataloging your weaponry in the way the Bucktown duo handle it.

Lastly, bringing things up to current, I include a two minute snippet from a new Cormega song that I like quite a bit; it's off of the new underground compilation, Sound Chronicles which Baltimore's Goldrocc helped put together. 'Mega may forever be stuck as a QB second string player but that doesn't mean he doesn't have some good moments to shine once in a while, especially when Ayatollah is blessing him with the beat. Sound Chronicles also includes new joints by Masta Ace, Smif N Wessun (as it were), Styles of Beyond, Planet Asia, Imam Thug and Sean Price. Peep.