Single Minded: T.I., Dr. Dre and the Walkmen
5 September 2008
Photo: Getty
T.I. featuring Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne, “Swagger Like Us” [Immukization Remix]
Kanye, Weezy, Jigga and T.I. get crammed inside what sounds like some odd outtake from the TRON soundtrack. Fittingly, this is the only musical environment in which using that aggravating vocoder effect actually makes sense.
Dr. Dre, “85 Live!” [Mixtape]
An hour-long timewarp, this classic set from DJ Dr. Dre (the Yo! MTV Raps one, not the N.W.A one) combines all the hi-top party jams you’d forgotten you loved into one sweet, sweltering mix.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard, “Broken Language Freestyle” [Live]
More evidence of ODB’s unhinged genius, this freestyle from ‘96 finds the late Russell Jones backstroking in his own stream-of-consciousness, varying his vocal tone and delivering Mad Lib rhymes with manic intensity. He even manages to make his screw-ups rhyme.
The Walkmen, “In The New Year” [Live]
In the new year, perhaps indie bands will find more glamorous places to record. In the meantime, this live clip from a basement will suffice.
Nick Catchdubs, “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter” [Mix]
It’s sort of remarkable to see a DJ getting accolades for doing what every bad commercial radio station in the ’90s did 24 hours a day (Tripping Daisy? Really?), but, hey, we’re as nostalgic as the next blog.
