DJ ROB ONE: NO TRICKS IN 96, IT'S TIME TO BUILD

Rob One was one the tightest mixtape crafters from the left coast until his untimely death from Leukemia in 2000 at only 27 years young. Back when mixtapes were really on tape and were actually mixed, Rob was relentlessly rocking the set. You may be able to catch downloads of a few of them floating around on the web, but it's a shame whoever inherited his master tape legacy didn't keep them in print. This promo record he put together for EMI in 1996 may even be rarer than some of his original tapes. The only time I've ever seen it is when I picked up this copy. While the mixes are done in the unmistakable style of Rob's tapes, the track selection is what keeps them from really standing out since they were all new EMI joints they were promoting at the time.

The real gem here is Rob's "Bring It Back To Philly B-Boy Mix" of Bahamadia's "Uknowhowwedu". Rob basically gives her track a Double Dee & Steinski style makeover, giving us all a history of Philly hip hop and a panic sweat inducing display of just how deep his crates went. It's a shame this track is practically unknown in comparison to both Shadow's and Cut Chemist's versions of "Lesson 4" as it definitely can hold it's own right along with these cut n' paste hip hop classics. Listen and learn!

Bahamadia - Uknowhowwedu (Rob One's Bring It Back To Philly B-Boy Mix)

Mix One

Mix Two

Bahamadia - Uknowhowwedu (Kool DJ EQ Remix)