Say hey, people. The subject of today’s discussion is a phenomenon I like to call the Canibus Syndrome (sometimes referred to as the Ras Kass Disease)–the reason for which will be clear in a moment. So what is the Canibus Syndrome? Well, when a rapper’s first verse, the one that really brought them notoriety, is so good that every verse thereafter is compared (unfavorably) to that one perfect, shining moment of lyrical glory…that’s the Canibus Syndrome (the same phenomenon, with respect to debut LP’s, might be termed “The Illmatic Syndrome”).

(more…)

Back in the Day, Grip Grandstand | 15 Comments »

Say hey, people people. Time for another round of dusty digging as we return once again to the wonderful world of cassingles. Submitted for your approval: two quality cassettes spanning a decade I like to call the 90’s. It was a good one. And if you were tape-copping back in those dulcet days, maybe you’ve still got these in that shoebox under your bed. So without further ado, let’s break out the beats.

(more…)

Back in the Day, Grip Grandstand | 5 Comments »

Welcome, gentle reader, to part three of our further foray into low fidelity, as we delve ever deeper into the hallowed, hissy halls of cassingle history. Today we’ll keep it short and sweet with a couple of loose gemstones from once upon a time. So let’s put on our seat belts, don our protective headgear, and set the dial on the way-back machine for 1995. All strapped in? Then press the big red button, and we’re off! Wait, not that big red button!! Noooooooo!!!! (more…)

Back in the Day, Grip Grandstand | 6 Comments »

More heat from the vaults! Welcome to the second installment of Back in the Day: Cassingles. For more background on the cassette-single era, check part one of this fabulous blog. For those in the know, onward and upward!

(more…)

Back in the Day, Grip Grandstand | 4 Comments »

The Easy like Sunday Morning sample is the heat

Back in the Day | 1 Comment »

I had to get up on this. I’m well aware of Grand Grandito’s epic cassingle collection and I wanted to share a couple gems that I had laying around as well.. while I no longer have my Ini Kamozi “Hot Stepper” cassingle, or my Coca-Cola Sampler Tape that featured such artists as Dana Dane and 3rd Bass, I do have these few from the end of the cassingle era… first up…

(more…)

Back in the Day | 1 Comment »

Say hey. Welcome to the inaugural edition of Back in the Day, a forum for talkin’ ’bout days gone by. Of course, “back in the day” means different things to different folks. For me, “back in the day” refers mainly to the golden era of rap music released during my school years (junior-high all the way through college)…for me, that’d be roughly ‘87 through ‘98. You know, the Walkman years. This is not to exclude the eras prior or post, both of which were good to me and my music collection…it’s just a personal generalization.

At any rate, one of the important features of my own golden era was a diamond in the rough called the cassette single or maxi-single, known to all as the cassingle. (more…)

Back in the Day, Grip Grandstand | 5 Comments »