Million Dan ‎– Dogz N Sledgez - UK CDS - (2003)

Gut Records ‎– CDGUT52

Million Dan, actual name Michael Dunn AKA Milli D AKA Million Dappa... AKA Mike J from the legendary Demon Boyz posse. Demon Boyz came from my home town (I should say 'ends' or 'manor') of Tottenham, North London and gained massive respect for rapping with Brit accents along with Lndon Posse back when most were imitating US rappers. Members included Mike J AKA Million Dan (born in Jamaica), Demon D (Almshouse Demon) and DJ Devastate.

They won a rapping contest run by Rebel MC (also from Tottenham) aged 14-15 and were snapped up by Simon Harris and Music Of Life, where they released all their material, up til 1992 when they were on Reb's Tribal Base Recordings label..

Anyway, that was all in the late 80s-early 90s but Million Dan resurfaced in a BIG way in 2003 with the awesome Dogz N Sledgez.

Maybe this cut is a little too ruffneck for the Soul Vendor, and perhaps it doesn't truly belong here, but I love it.

The two other mixes are pretty decent but I advise you to jump straight into the Freestylers produced Original Version for some high octane bad bwoy ruffneck bizznizz.

Tracklist

1. Dogz N Sledgez (Radio Edit)
2. Dogz N Sledgez (Demolition Man Remix)
3. Dogz N Sledgez (The RMen Remix)
4. Dogz N Sledgez (Original Version)

Discogs page

Download: MD-DNS.7z | Filesize: 35.3MB

Al Jarreau Feat. Phife ‎Dawg – In My Music (Dodge Remixes) - (2001) / In My Music (Remixes Promo) - (2000)

Al Jarreau Feat. Phife ‎– In My Music (Dodge Remixes) - 2001

GRP ‎– 158 568-2

My second birthday gift today is a two part post for you, Vendistas.

Musical heavywieght Al Jarreau is a legendary figure within the jazz and soul worlds. 

Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and musician. He received a total of seven Grammy Awards and was nominated for over a dozen more. Jarreau is perhaps best known for his 1981 album Breakin' Away. He hit the mainstream in a BIG way when he did the theme tune to the 80's classic TV show Moonlighting, starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis (Now there's a blast from the past for you!), and was among the performers on the 1985 charity song "We Are the World."

He had such an expansive and influential career that I really couldn't do it justice in a single post devoted to just one song of his, so please check out his Wikipedia entry for more info.

Malik Izaak Taylor was born November 20, 1970 and sadly passed in March 22, 2016.  Known professionally as Phife Dawg (or simply Phife), Malik was an American rapper and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest. He was also known as the "Five-Foot Assassin" and "The Five-Footer", because he stood at just 5 feet 3 inches.

Phife formed A Tribe Called Quest, then simply named Quest, with childhood friend Q-Tip and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad (also for a short time Jarobi White) in 1985. The band would go on to have a huge affect on the Hip Hop landscape, understandably frequently cited as many peoples' favourite Hip Hop band. 

The melodic Mix is nice, but I would suggest jumping into Dodge's Main mix immediately, as it's my favourite. They're both an upgrade over the original, although that one is great in its own right... but you know how I feel about my man Dodge!

Tracklist

1. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix Radio Edit)
2. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix)
3. In My Music (Melodic Mix)
4. In My Music (Original Album Version)

Discogs page

Download: AJ-IMM-CDS.7z | Filesize: 40.7MB

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Al Jarreau Feat. Phife ‎– In My Music (Dodge Remixes) - Original Promo - 2000

Verve Records ‎– VERR-01049-2

And because I love you, here is the UK promo release on Verve Records from a year before.

It's 7 tracks with three variations on the Dodge Main Mix as well as three variations of the Melodic Mix, all topped off with the original album mix.

This is a good one for mixologists but it'd be nice if they'd put an acapella on there!

Thanks for your amazing music, Al! xx

Peace & luvizm, people!

Tracklist

1. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix)
2. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix Radio Edit)
3. In My Music (Dodge's Main Mix Instrumental)
4. In My Music (Melodic Mix)
5. In My Music (Melodic Mix Radio Edit)
6. In My Music (Melodic Mix Instrumental)
7. In My Music (Album Version)

Discogs page

Download: AJ-IMM-P.7z | Filesize: 67.9MB

Erick Sermon featuring Marvin Gaye ‎– Music - (2001)

Polydor ‎– 497 622-2

I'm putting up two posts today, technically three, all with a certain theme, but you'll get what I mean by that with #2 later today. You're allowed to go a little nuts on your birthday, right? :D

As a huge fan of both Marvin Gaye and EPMD/Def Squad, I was delighted when Erick Sermon dropped the track "Music" in 2001 - even happier that it was a bona fide hit for both parties. 

The song was inspired when Erick Sermon heard an outtake of Gaye's 1982 album track, "Turn On Some Music" (titled "I've Got My Music" in its initial version), Sermon decided to mix the acappella vocals and make his own song with it.

This hip hop and soul duet featuring the two veteran performers was released as the leading song of the soundtrack to the Martin Lawrence & Danny DeVito comedy, "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" (which I've not seen to this day). 

The song became a runaway success in the US rising to #2 on Billboard's R&B chart and was #1 on the rap charts. It also registered at #21 pop giving Sermon his highest-charted single on the pop charts as a solo artist and giving Gaye his first posthumous hit in 10 years following 1991's single, "My Last Chance" also bringing Gaye his 41st top 40 pop hit. 

I can't find the data on what it did in the UK - not much probably, considering the awful mainstream consensus.

There was also a version that removed Erick Sermon's verses, leaving Marvin's vocals over the beat, although that ain't available here.

There's an F bomb on the Album version, so depending on whether you're okay with profanity or not, go with either the Album version or Radio Edit. The Instrumental should be of interest to some more DJ minded folks.

I wish it had the Marvin Gaye-centric mix on here as well for completion, but mostly I'm just happy to have the track. 

This is one brilliant release.

- Kymba x

Tracklist

1. Music (Album Version)
2. Music (Radio Edit)
3. Music (Instrumental)

Discogs page

Download: ES&MG-M.7z | Filesize: 25.4MB