The Boondocks Mixtape
After a weekend of holidays (4/20, Easter and Record Store Day all on the SAME WEEKEND?? Just throw in the Mayan Apocalypse why don'tcha...) you're going to need the perfect soundtrack to get over the back-t0-life workweek blues. We have just the prescription and it ain't all cowbell. Today's Mixtape Mondays includes the fourth edition of The Official Boondocks Mixtape, DJ Mister Cee proving why Nas-Nas-NaS is the king of disco with his Illmatic tribute, West Philly's own DJ PHSH brings the funk as MATTHEW LAW, and South Africa via Scandinavian innovator Spöek Mathombo dropping a mixtape of Swedish rap (!) Balancing out the international equation, French/Mexican selector Déni Swain runs through a mix of vintage Ghanaian funk (for the Germany-based Analog Africa label, naturally), new mixes from Tycho and LeFtO, and a handful of 80's New Wave mixes. Put your new vinyl, chocolate bunnies and bong aside (for best results, wrap separately) because it's time to stream your way through Mixtape Mondays.
Yeah this is top of the Mixtapes stack because even though this was put together by Complex, you couldn't really get more Okayplayer than a mixtape dedicated to The Boondocks (Returns tonight! We are scared and exhilarated). Unless of course that mixtape had exclusives from Killer Mike, Chuck Inglish and The Alchemist dedicated to The Boondocks. Which it does. Stream below (and cross your fingers).
Nas is the best rapper ever, Illmatic, his flawless debut LP, is celebrating its 20th Anniversary and there's only one DJ who has established himself as the undisputed king of throwback/anniversary/artist-dedication mixes. That DJ is Mister Cee and this is his Hot97 Illmatic Anniversary mix. I don't know what else you really need to know, except that if you just stream this mix instead of copping Illmatic XX deluxe reissue, it's like you are bootlegging him all over again and that is wrong.
To celebrate his sonic and personal growth, DJ PHSH emerges from his lab as MATTHEW LAW and delivers a heaping helping of funk to coincide with the adoption of his new moniker. The West Philly wunderkind also known as the 2013 Redbull Thre3style East Coast Champion and 6th member of the almighty Illvibe Collective draws inspiration for the name change from world-renowned pioneers on the ones and twos:
"All my mentors have moved on in their respective careers using their real names. King Britt…Rich Medina…Mr. Sonny James. DJ PHSH was a name I made up in 10th grade Chemistry class. It’s time to grow."
The release is a delicious dose of rhythm packed with an eclectic mix of sounds. With a deft hand and discerning ear, Matthew Law combines his own originals with exclusive remixes of both emerging artists and classic sounds. This impressive selection demonstrates his knack for seamlessly bridging the gap between the iconic eras of Patrice Rushen and Marvin Gaye next to Manzel, Pomo, The Internet and Matt Ford. Law’s West Philadelphia origins - a geographical circumstance that found him growing up in close proximity to Questlove’s childhood home and helping to start his vinyl collection at the age of 14 by stumbling across a set of record crates on the street once belonging to DJ Dozia and King Britt - figure greatly in the development of his aesthetic and world class sets. The overriding theme of this mix is the preservation of the funk - the foundation of his epic parties and a cause to which Matthew Law has dedicated his musical journey:
“There's always a place in my life for something funky and that's the place I want to share with the world. I can play all types of music, turn up all kinds of ways, but no matter what I'm always a funky, jazzy guy.”
Check the track below to stream Matthew Law presents: What’s For Breakfast? Scroll down to peep the tracklisting. Stay tuned for more from Matthew Law. This is just the beginning.
What's For Breakfast? TRACKLIST:
•Beat Street Intro
•Thundercat - For Love I Come (Tree Bootleg)
•Patrice Rushen - Remind Me (DJ Day edit)
•Jackson do Pandeiro - Capoeira Mata Um (Remix)
•Mr. Sonny James - Street Tales
•Matthew Law - Walk On The Spinning Wheel (J. Rocc Edit) vs. Grown Up
•Matthew Law - Controller 7 Bounce vs. Dangerous
•Donald Byrd - Wind Parade (King Most's Dub 'Em Down Redirection)
•7 Days of Funk - Do My Thang
•Star Slinger - II/IV
•Jamiroquai - Too Young To Die (Zjakedabeat Mix)
•A.T.C.Q. & De La Soul - Simply Havin' Footprints (Excel Edit)
•Matthew Law - Hit Em With That March
•Matthew Law - Bounce in E Flat
•Pickster & Riot Earp - Around
•Michael Jackson - Remember The Time (Louis La Roche Remix)
•Matthew Law - Heights (demo)
•Tryezz - Phase and Mist
•Moon Boots - Love Strong
•Sade - Nothing Can Come Between Us (Pomo edit)
•Pomo - Work It Out
•Matthew Law - Grind That Dutch
•Marvin Gaye - Grapevine (Matthew Law Edit)
•Manzel - Space Funk (Kenny Dope Remix)
•Childish Gambino - II. Shadows
•The Internet - Shadow Dance
•Matt Ford - Smoking Portrait
Tycho's new mix for FADER is less wavy, more synthwave-y (see what I did there?) but still very intoxicating listening if you're in the mood.
Okayafrica (and Diplo) favorite Spöek Mathombo comes through with a mix of Swedish rap in a tribute of sorts to his recent conversion to Scandinavian mindstate (hid wife Gnucci Banana is Swedish and these days he's as likely to be playing a show in Copenhagen as in Johannesburg. As Spöek put it:
"Springtime in Malmo, Sweden...cooked up a yung swedish rap mix.Mix is named after JaQe's line in his song, Oprah."
Lilla Namo - Tuggare utan gränser
Abidaz - Nitti5 (feat. Robyn)
Som Fan - Time Out (feat. JaQe & Simon Emanuel)
Alaska - Bomberjacka
Petter - King (feat Lilla Namo)
Samboii - Västerortsstil
Sjukstugan - Zig Zag (feat. Skizz) [Mash Up International Remix]
Rawda - Bli inte sur
DaCosta - Vi två
JaQe - Oprah
Som Fan - Aha-Ok (feat. Timbuktu)
Timbuktu, Lilla Namo, Dida, Joy, JaQe & Promoe - Spring (Svenska Bars)
Phil T. Rich - Gal (feat. Jaqe, Eboi & Lilla Namo)
Rikard "Skizz" Bizzi - Kapitel 15-27 (Botkyrka)
Samboii - Kanner_Mig
Stress - Tystas Ner (feat. Sebbe Staxx, Aleks, Malcolm B, Nimo, Promoe, Moms & Adam Tensta)
Cleo - Gå På Salong
Grillat & Grändy - Vafan händz?! (feat. Ison)
Adam Kanyama - Bara för en natt
2 Mixtape Mondays favorites--that's LeftO and Grown Kids Radio (who turned in one of our favorite Frankie Knuckles tribute mixes) join forces like chocolate and peanut butter (wolf) on this new GKR mix, featuring a grip of young souls that are also OKP favorites (including THEMpeople) are finna-be favorites.
vegyn – afrika
THEMpeople - New Mecca
Jelacee – miley cyrus
niceguyxvinny – sierra
LTGL – hat to the back (brownswood edit)
Hector Plimmer – our space secrets
ILLingsworth – take your badge
Chester Watson – mommoth ft. breeze pachino
Nikitch – moods
TUFO – lupin IV
Mimi Jones – nothing like you
Reginald Omas Mamode IVth – fire burning
Henry Wu – mislead (talk about it)
The Commissioner – air jupiter
The Spandettes – sweet & saccharine
A mix of rare Ghanaian funk and afrobeat (and no I'm not applying that as a generic term just because it's African music--listen and tell me I'm wrong!) from Déni Shain on the Analog Africa label. As the description states:
"The songs used here were taken mainly from mastertapes found in Ghana, the others were recorded from obscure vinyls. Needless to say that half of these songs have never been heard before..."
So you can feel special while you feel funky. Stream below:
Last but not least, the ever-surprising chronicle of tropical tech and Prince remixes Generation bass, comes through with not one but two mixes of '80s
01 New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle
02 When in Rome - The Promise
03 Yazoo - Situation
04 A Flock of Seagulls - Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)
05 The Human League - I Love You Too Much
06 Red Flag - Russian Radio
07 Book of Love - Boy
08 Red Flag - Broken Heart
09 Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
10 Q Lazzarus - Good Bye Horses
11 Talk Talk - It's My Life
12 New Order - Temptation
13 Cause & Effect - Another Minute
14 Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)
15 Real Life - Send Me an Angel
16 Echo & the Bunnymen - Lips Like Sugar
17 New Order - Blue Monday
18 Hohokam - Harlequin Tears
19 Trans X - Living on Video
20 Camouflage - Love is a Shield
21 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy
