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REQUIRED AUDIO: ZULU KING MARK LUV / VARIOUS ARTISTS / IMPORT TUNER MAGAZINE

release to the day you find it under all those dusty textbooks. To do that we had to find someone that had an ear for the sleeper-hits that become respectable collectibles. Here it is. Import Tuner proudly presents the first issue of what we hope might be a long line of music—Required Audio Volume 1: Zulu King Mark Luv. We first previewed Mark Luv in our August Issue (if you don’t know someone that has it already pick one up at importuner.com). He’s a resident DJ in many Los Angeles clubs. He’s a Zulu King. He’s a head. He’s a Soul Assassin. He’s a producer. He’s probably at Fat ASCENSION Beats Hollywood right now rockin’ the turntables. Oh my goodness. It’s here. Finally. Let me He is the DJ’s DJ. He knows what you’ll like to HEIRO IMPERIUM see…Who was on here again? Oh yeah! If you hear, and he knows what you’ll like to dance to. haven’t heard of these artists yet I have no wor- His 17-plus years of crowd-rocking experience Pep Love reduces overused metaphors and ries, with the talent they’ve got there will be a day almost guarantees uncontrollable head-bobbing. embellishments and raps to you straight up. when you will. With all honesty I think that we’ve got a CD that Ascension strives to be what it’s entitled. Pep It’s been a long project for us here at Import will keep you tuned in and locked for its entirety. I Love remarks, "It’s to help bring the listener and Tuner. You see, when we first came up with this highly suggest you book him for your next gig. Hit myself to a higher level through my music, and idea, we didn’t know what you would want to hear, him up at [email protected]. that’s from revealing personal truths about myself and moreover, what we were getting into. One of Make sure you check out the three and trying to reveal grander truths about mankind the things we did know was that we wanted to give freestyles Mark Luv put together. Pulling our readers something for all the support. artists together is not easy. You’ve got to have REQUIRED AUDIO PLAYLIST Some of you liked that good ol’ West Coast a family-type relationship for instances like gangster-ish, but we figured the readers we’ve got this. The freestyles are originals and can only 1. Import Tuner X-clusive— & are from all over and although it’s very popular, it be found on this CD. Big thanks to Iriscience, () and Nick Fury & Big Oak (Lexicon) might miss the mark (no pun intended) of accep- , 2Mex, Life Rexall, Key-Kool, 2. A Sight for Sore Eyes—Kan Kick featuring The Visionaries tance we’re aiming for. Metalogik & Longevity (Dark Leaf), Otherwize, 3. Sparkdala—DJ Design featuring & Then we thought maybe we’d put together an AWOL One, Mykill Miers, Subtitle, LMNO, PSC, old-school tape that "documented" the ‘90s era. , Poseyedon, Able Body, and Xololaxinxo 4. Scratch prelude into Makin’ It Blend—Q-Tip & Wordsworth But then we thought that you’d get that stuff from (Of Mexican Decent) for making Volume One 5. Scratch prelude into Let Me Tell You Something you favorite radio station—(deep radio voice) "the virtually unmatchable. The first cut "Import (remix)—Foreign Legion afternoon old school mix" or "old school Tuner X-Clusive" is also an original produced 6. Yo, Yo, Yo— featuring Greg Nice Saturdays." by DJ Cheapshot of . 7. Sound clash scratchstrumental—DJ Mark Luv 8. This is it y’all—Rasco Many of you like that rave-type music—"Drum "Import Tuner X-Clusive" was done by Apathy 9. Live Rhymes #1—Iriscience, Ras Kass, 2Mex and Bass," "Jungle," "Trance". It’s a very popular and Celph Titled (the Demigodz—check their stuff and Life Rexall (Shape Shifters) type of sound. We considered it, but maybe it’s out at: artists.mp3s.com/artists/146/demigodz.html) 10. Detour (prelude)—DJ Mark Luv 11. Detour—Emanon featuring Dr. Oop not a good choice for our first time out. We’ll and Nick Fury and Big Oak (Lexicon—go to 12. Just You Wait—Boogieman leave that to mags like URB which are experts in spytechrecords.com). The cut is pure dope and 13. Flare Scratch—DJ Flare that stuff. It’s not that we don’t listen to that genre with a track programmed by DJ Cheapshot you 14. The Crab Inn—Heltah Skeltah 15. Neva Forget—Cali Agents of music, it’s just not our "expertise." can’t stop bangin’ this minute-and-a-half drop 16. Move It Like That—Declaime We didn’t want an MTV "party-in-a-box" type CD. over and over. 17. Live Rhymes #2—Key-Kool, Metalogik & What we wanted was a mixtape that could be That’s it. I hope you enjoy our early Christmas Longevity (Dark Leaf), Otherwize, 2Mex, and universally enjoyed anytime—from the day of its present. Hell, it’s a free CD. I’d love to hear your AWOL One 18. Platinum Plus—Big L comments, and especially your suggestions for the 19. Raise It Up (prelude)—DJ Mark Luv next project. Just open your eyes and your mind. 20. Raise It Up—Slum Village 21. Fresh Rhymes—Sound Providers 22. Live Rhymes #3—Mykill Miers, Subtitle, Peace, LMNO, PSC, MURS, Poseyedon, Able Body, [email protected] and Xololaxinxo (Of Mexican Decent)

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in general." He takes you to that level through UNIVERSAL "Grime and Grit," "US," and "Black People (Melanin K-OTIX Magnetic)." Then he returns you to Earth with a BRONX SCIENCE props-to-the-hood cut "Pacific Heights" and a chip-in-movie-inspired cut "Fight Club." Dilated, with their attitude-adjusting hype- music by , scratching by Babu and a chorus by Iriscience (), is a sure rocker. In addition, guest appearances by , The Grouch (), and dancehall-rapper Major Terror pass through to help on accents. .com

GOLDEN STATE OF MIND Gangstarr, and Boo-ya Tribe has got to know some DJ SERG roots. Groups like this keep the history of INSIDUOUS URBAN RECORDS hip hop fresh and for that Numbs is the word. Numbs.com The Bay Area, though still dropping bomb mater- Guaporecords.com ial, released some underground heaters back in K-Otix’s Universal LP seems to sum up their rap- ping style. Letting this album run from beginning ANGLES WITHOUT EDGES to end you’ll catch the obvious hints of Cali- and YESTERDAYS NEW QUINTET NY-underground styles mixed together in a way that seems appropriately, well, universal. The tracks are cleverly laced with loops of funky bass lines, violins, pianos and a hypnotic sample from the Eric B-made-famous "Mahogony." Sure-hitting tracks "Mind Over Matter" and "World Renown" are set to blow, but it’s a verse from "Take a Breather" that got me: "With these fly raps that’ll out tap Sevion / let a player play on / snatch the mic back from kids give them crayons / play with that / facts the day whose sound took paths that drifted away purer than Evian / I capture and train rapper like from the stereotypical, pimp-oriented topics of Pokémon." I tell ya, if it weren’t for Beyoncé, Kelly, Too Short or that NorCal slangin’ E-40. DJ Serg and Michelle, K-Otix might have been the hottest puts this album out to highlight the many thing outta Houston…OK maybe not, but on an Northern Cali underground hits circa 1992-1997. underground level they could come close. Artists like Rasco, The Dereliks, Hobo Junction, Plan B & Saafir, Bored Stiff and DJ Shadow, NUMBS THE WORD Wait a minute. Is this funky jazz? It’s Stones among others, donate their gold placards to help NUMBS Throw Records so it must be hip hop. “Angles ensure the remembrance of past accomplish- GUAPO Without Edges” is best classified as Madlib ments. Cuts like ’ "Swan Lake," and () produced five-man funk/jazz album Peanutbutter Wolf’s "Lunar Props" are examples Salt Lake City, Utah, represent! Flavors of a funk- from a hip-hop perspective. It’s not bad. I actual- of the "wait-a-minute-I-know-that-cut" syndrome inspired, Beastie-Boy-type energy over live snares, ly had a jazz aficionado take a listen to it. It came that Serg is stepping toward to cure. He’s on his kicks and high hats is the type of formula that back with a "It’s pretty good" rating and a com- mark with Golden State Of Mind. helped them sell out shows back in SLC. It’s the ment about the choppy drum breaks—it’s beat insiduous.com type of equation that got them opening for Del the juggling. Madlib’s side step from hip hop takes Funky Homosapian and Aceyalone. Numbs adds a him into a new realm of music where his experi- subtle flavor of late ‘80s early ‘90s hip hop to their mentation with bass and electric guitars clashes cadence and their props-to-the-old-school cut with his vibraphone, Fender Rhodes and Hohner "Recognition" explains where their love comes Clavinet to put him in a jazz era of the ‘70s. This from. Anytime an artist brings together a clearly album from a hip-hop perspective? It’s pretty accented Sugarhill Gang/Grand Master Flash flow good. Next level stuff seems to grow on you. AND references Public Enemy, Special Ed, Stonesthrow.com

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WEST NEXT: THE COMPILATION VARIOUS ARTISTS RIGHT HAND RECORDS

mumble his name as you do a double take when reading the track listing. Its bonus tracks adds another layer of fascination. This collection of Bay Area artists show why the Bay Area is allowed to flex their rep.

Some of Southern Cali’s better-known Gs like SINGLES TO CONSIDER , Mausberg, Tray Deee, Bad Azz and , put it down on this one West Coast style. West Next is the compilation that’ll get everyone—even those of the Caucasian persua- sion chillin’ in the suburbs—c-walkin’ like Lil’ Bow Wow at the BET Music awards. Their first release, "Cali Way" (Mr. Mash featuring Tray Deee and Kokane) takes the first steps to load up on the South Cali pride. The one I’m waiting on is the cut with "Ras Kass-inatra" Tash, Phil the Agony, and . Oooweee! I ain’t no gangster but damn, sometimes it’s just a plain ‘ol good feeling listening to something that makes you feel just a little gangster. Put on your blue-and-whites and crip-walk your ass to the "HOME" FEAT. MIA DOI TODD B/W "THE COME ON" closest Tower Records to pick this one up. MISSION: WestNext.com INSIDIOUS URBAN RECORDS

HEAVY OFF THE RICTER Two dope cuts back to back. "Home" with Mia VARIOUS ARTISTS Doi Todd’s soulful crooning mixed with that Kat HERATIK Kuano manipulated Fender Rhodes makes you feel like you’re on a bus on a rainy day reminisc- Now here’s a shopping cart of emcees. You’d ing about the past. "The Come On" with it military think that more visible MCs and their benefit of style drumming eludes to the influence of a exposure, like and Rasco, would Special Ed "On a Mission" remake. carry this album. Surprisingly MCs Bas MissionHip-Hop.com Bombing, Sub Contents, Mic T, Kubiq and Azeem take turns in the driver’s seat—Planet Asia and Rasco shouldn’t mind the ride. Each emcee gets their own cut mixed mixtape style by DJ Serg. OK, I’ll admit that Rasco’s "Unassisted"—even though doesn’t actually carry the album—is just dope enough to make

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"THE PLAYED LIST" B/W "THE UMPIRE" MASPYKE DEEPCON RECORDINGS

From forthcoming album “Truth, Concequences, and Dirty Melodies.” The ‘70s sound of a Fender Rhodes keyboard must be on the rise. Maspyke simplifies the formula with a basic kick and snare accented with the FR keyboard and Video To See scratch accents proving that a focus on dope lyrics can be as powerful as the dope music. "PAINT THE TOWN BLUE" omrecords.com INSIDUOUS URBAN RECORDS / SILVER SERVER / PLATTERMEISTER

ONE ROCK COLLECTABLE "Paint the Town Blue" seems like another docu- mentary about hip hop’s music and lifestyle. On the surface, and in its rawest form, it may be just that—a documentary. But consider the fact that hip hop is a little over 20 years old—this video starts to lean more toward being a testament to the "fad" and its longevity. This tape features some of the most known of DJ culture, like the X-Ecutioners, Q-Bert, Cash Money, Tony Vegas, DJ Krush, DJ Akakabe, Mixmaster Mike, Mr. Thing, Madcut, DJ Kou, DJ Disc and Finger Bangerz Crew. Rap groups like Planet Asia, Jurassic5, Dilated Peoples, , Foreign Legion, Ugly Duckling, Anticon and Mission: set the stage for the next 20 years. GUNS N ROSES insidious.com APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION paintthetown.at INTERSCOPE RECORDS

If you don’t have this album you don’t love America. This album is a must have for any music fan, it is loud, fast, and generally imma- ture, but isn’t that more fun anyway. -erik

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