Monday, December 6, 2010

EARLY-90s BAY AREA MYSTERY DEMOS


























Rob Rush from Rec League sent me these, and nobody knows who they are by let alone the titles... DO YOU?  The birth of Bay Area backpacker style was dope when all the songs revolved around pretty much the same 3 themes: being broke, selling/smoking weed, and girl trouble.
Rob said these two were found on a tape of early Hiero and Sole Sides demos.  Is it Sha-men?  Snupe? Good guesses, but we're not convinced.  One of the songs mentions Lake Merritt, so we're definitely thinking East Bay (possibly North Oakland), but that's our only lead.  We have no proof, no suspects, no motive... I know the answer's going to be an obvious one and I'm gonna slap my forehead like a doomkoff!!  If you have any clues or the answer (with proof optional) itself, please help us unravel this mystery... dum dah dum dum...


12 comments:

rascue said...

have no idea bro...you should run it by lyrics or lateef or maybe Opio and see if they know...i tried to pinpoint it but at a loss!! good luck!!

DJ Stef said...

Themba suggested Mike G from Extra Prolific. Compare the voice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drn72ZiSEo8

DJ Stef said...

I mean Snupe, when Mike G was the DJ.

Anonymous said...

A friend thinks the second one could be All the Kings Horses from Berkeley...

Kris said...

At this point, I think any possible Hiero connection is a red herring. I got these songs as part of a 4 song set that included the very first Blackalicious, "Swan Lake" and "Lyric Fathom". It makes sense cuz it sounds a lot more like Blackalicious than any Hiero. So, if anyone knew, it might be Gift of Gab.

Jimmy said...

Yo. I just found this link. I am the rapper on these songs. My name is JAMES EXSEL. These were songs I recorded with DJ VLAD THE BUTCHER YEARS ago. Wow. How did ya'll get these. I don't own this. lol. wow... Hit me at jamesexsel@gmail.com for up and coming shows in Oakland. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/eastbay/no-disses-threats-or-boasts/Content?oid=1067062

Jimmy said...

Yo. I just found this post. I am the rapper on these songs. James Exsel. I recorded them with DJ VLAD the Butcher. YEARS AGO! Wow. How did you get these. I haven't heard these in years. I don't even own these. lol wow. Hit me at jamesexsel@gmail. for up and coming shows. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/eastbay/no-disses-threats-or-boasts/Content?oid=1067062

sekou said...

I remember this, it was my jam. mpc 60 production, jimmy loved to bust in those days!

dj vlad said...

James Ek-Sel, produced by DJ Vlad. No idea how y'all found this - I probably made 10 cassettes of this. I'm humbled that yall found it.

Unknown said...

james ek-sel, from all the kings horses/mortals of thought BAAC(bay area art collective)/ nameless & faceless crew.
and one of my top favorite 5 MC's you probably never heard of, with a full length album to baac it up. (i still have a sealed one.
i got that same verse recorded on some other beats too.
that's some old ish. gotta give it up to vlad on that one.
JAMES EK-SEL is so under rated in the world of hip hop.
everybody always assumes that everything is Hiero or Soulsides affiliated. not this time!!!!

what up jimmy!!!!

Jimmy said...

Here are links to some other things I've did during this era and later. - James


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTWvyaDwSU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nn0zd5HtpY

Jimmy said...

Heres some links to some other things I did during this era and later. - James

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTWvyaDwSU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nn0zd5HtpY