Yo! UPPERHANDS Raps Part 2 - Strictly 90's Y'all!

I've been empty since YO! MTV Raps went off the air, so I figured I'd bring it back in my own way.

In the New Years 2014 edition of YO! UPPERHANDS Raps,

I bring you some of the classics and some mostly unknown videos.

 

 So sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

 I originally saw this remix video on an episode of Beavis and Butthead back in the day.

What always stuck with me about this video was one of the best matchups between two similarly styled bands, Onyx and Biohazard. Always loud and always in your face!

 

 

Onyx - Slam (Bionyx Remix ft Biohazard)

The song "1nce Again" was one of my first introductions to 

A Tribe Called Quest and the J Dilla sound. This video here epitomizes 

the relationship between the beats and the emcees.

 

A Tribe Called Quest - 1nce Again

The Roots telling us all to keep it real and never do what the mainstream do.

The Roots - What They Do

Just a fun video of big dudes going crazy in a Hip Hop video and also marks the 

beginning of two rap careers that went in two complete different directions, Pharoahe Monche and Prince Po. 

Reminds me a lot of the Gravediggaz style of early hardcore rap.

 

Organized Konfusion "Stress"

 I had no idea there was a video for this song by Digable Planets, but it is a classic 

unknown video and a classic "walking down the Brooklyn streets" video.

 

Digable Planets - 9th Wonder

I chose this video to just marvel at how young and immature this version of Nas is.

 

 

Nas - It Aint Hard To Tell

 In a Hip Hop ode to the movie, "Blues Brothers" Method Man and Redman bring their 

first on camera acting talents together and create the brainchild that 

would become the "How High" movie starring the two rappers. 

This video is a must see for any fan of Hip Hop, Wu Tang Clan or the blunt smoking Redman.
If you're like me, that's a win, win, win, win.

 

Redman Ft. Method Man - Whateva Man 

Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Common Sense in the early years of their rap careers,

chilling out in New York City, black and white film style.

  

Blackstar Ft. Common Sense - Respiration

 The song "I Used To Love H.E.R." by Common Sense is by far one his top five tracks of all time.

The song is a soliloquy to the days of the old.
Each verse tells a different stage and story in the life of Common Sense and his love for Hip Hop.

Verse 1 : Trying to get to know the girl (Hip Hop) and "dating" her

Verse 2 : Hip Hop a.k.a. H.E.R. starts to branch off from Common and steer in other directions.

Verse 3 : Losing faith with Hip Hop and ultimately needs to make Hip Hop himself to bring it back.

What I love about this video is that it too coincides with the story of the lyrics and really 

opens up the rest of Common Sense's incredible career.

Common Sense - I Used To Love Her

"Midnight In A Perfect World " is an artistic look at the life, times and 

production habits of DJ Shadow in the very early years.

  

 

DJ Shadow - Midnight In A Perfect World

 A great remix of the song "It's Like That" by RUN DMC was remixed by 

electronic producer, Jason Nevins. In honor of RUN DMC's influence on breakdancing culture,

the video features some very ill breakdancing routines and is very entertaining.

 

 RUN DMC Vs - Jason Nevins - Its Like That

 

 Special Thanks to : Chron.

WU TANG CLAN : 20th Anniversary of the release of "Enter The Wu Tang : 36 Chambers"

I remember it like it was yesterday.

November 10th, 1994....

The day I became a Hip Hop nerd ; by accident.

I'm a little white kid from Long Island, New York, 

wet behind the ears to all of the classic music that is being created around me.

I used to pop my blank cassette tapes into the tape player and just hit the 

"record/play" button then go do my homework or go outside and play some street hockey, 

rewind the tape, and listen to all the songs I caught. 

I usually timed it around Funkmaster Flex's show on HOT 97, 

or sometimes caught DJ Red Alert's show, which both showcased 

the finest in golden era Hip Hop. 

On this one day, I heard something so abstract and raw that I was flabbergasted that 

Hip Hop could go into this world ...  and it changed my life forever.

The song was, "C.R.E.A.M.".

To this day I can not put my finger on what part of the song it was that caught my ear.

Was it the piano sample? Was it the low bass tones?

Or was it Method Man's chorus, "Cash Rules Everything Around Me, 

C.R.E.A.M. Get the Money, Dollar Dollar Bill Y'all".

I rewound that part of my radio recorded mixtape so many times 

I broke the fucking thing within a week.

This song, album, group, movement, art was so different than anything I had ever heard before

that I knew it was now time for me to do some research.

Time to go buy the compact disc, "Enter the Wu Tang : 36 Chambers".

The ret my friends... is history.

On this day 20 years ago, 9 teenagers : 

the RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, U God, Masta Killah, Raekwon,

 Ghostface Killah and the Method Man (Sorry Cappadonna)

from the projects of Staten Island, New York

changed music forever. 

I could sit here and talk about Wu Tang for hours and pages upon pages, but I would not want 

to bore you with my feelings and opinions, because truthfully, we have all 

been moved by Wu Tang Clan in one way or another. 

In honor of Enter The Wu Tang, I give you the Wu Tang Clan Youtube Playlist 

of over 200 classic Wu Tang Clan songs from every group and solo studio album,

plus remixes, singles and freestyles.

So throw up your W's... sit back... roll up some Wu 

and reminisce / pay homage to those we call...

The Wu Tang Clan. 

Special Thanks to : Public Enemy, Organized Konfusion and Ultramagnetic MC's for paving the way for Wu Tang Clan to be the group they were and to the RZA for locking himself in his Staten Island basement for 6 months with only Ramen noodle, Weed, Angel Dust, Soul records, Kung Fu samples and a beat machine in order to record all of Enter the Wu Tang.