Hip Hop 50 DJ Mixes — Robert Luis

Hip Hop 50 : 1979-1989 DJ Mix by Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts)

This is a first in a series of DJ mixes by Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts) celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop in 2023. This one focuses on 1979-1989 playing the tunes in chronological order of their release and taking you on a journey of how Hip Hop developed sonically and lyrically over these specific years.

The mix also feature audio of interviews with Cindy Campbell (who can be described as the first Hip Hop promoter), DJ Kool Herc and Coke La Rock. Clips of classic Hip Hop films Wild Style and Beat Street, one of the first mainstream USA news features on Hip Hop from 1981, Debbie Harry (Blondie) The Wire & Curb Your Enthusiasm and more. Plus some special Hip Hop Dubplates and Edits and Drops from Hip Hop icons too.

Robert said about the mix: “I initially decided it should only be 1 or 2 songs per year but that was impossible for me to do. With so much music to choose from, I needed some other limits, so went for USA releases only for this and included songs that I absolutely loved when I first heard but still play out and listen to today. Plus tunes that I have great memories of DJing out with at my club nights and gigs over the years (especially in Brighton). I have missed out tunes that I love and used to play out a lot and also some artists who are on the follow up DJ mixes but feel this DJ mix is a good soundtrack to the Hip Hop tunes I feel are amazing and ground breaking for a variety of reasons”.

Check out the DJ mix and let us know any artists and songs missing you would have included in your favourites or which songs that are in the mix that you are 100% agreeing with.

Look out for the 1990-1999, 2000-2009, 2010-2019 DJ mixes plus a special UK artists only DJ mix too.

TRACKLISTINGS:

Incredible Bongo Band – Apache (MGM)

Interview clips from Cindy Campbell, DJ Kool Herc & Coke La Rock

Sugarhill Gang - Rappers Delight (Robert Luis Dubplate) 1979

Grandmaster Caz - This Ain't Rappers Delight (Tape) 1979

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Super Rappin No.1 (Enjoy) 1979

Kurtis Blow - The Breaks (Mercury) 1980

Master Jay & Michael Dee - T.S.O.B (The Sound Of Brooklyn) 1980

Funky 4+1 - That's The Joint (Sugar Hill) (1980)

Grandmaster Flash - Adventures On The Wheels Of Steel (Sugar Hill) 1981

T Ski Valley - Catch The Beat (Grand Groove) 1982

Melle Mel – The Message (Robert Luis Dubplate) 1982

Duke Bootee & Melle Mel - The Message (Nirobi Edit) 1982

Wild Style - Down By Law (Instrumental) (Mr Bongo) 1983

Wild Style - Subway Theme (Instrumental) (Mr Bongo) 1983

Rammellzee Vs K-Rob - Beat Bop (Tartown) 1983

Run-D.M.C. - Sucker M.C.'s (Profile) 1983

The Russel Brothers - Party Scene (Portrait) 1983

Malcolm McLaren and The World's Famous Supreme Team - World's Famous (Radio I.D) (Virgin) 1984

Divine Sounds - Do Or Die Bed Sty (Specific) 1984

Disco 3 (Fat Boys) - Human Beat Box (Sutra) 1984

Doug E Fresh & Slick Rick - La Di Da Di (Reality) 1985

Double Dee & Steinski - Lesson 1 (Tommy Boy) 1985

Just-Ice - Cold Gettin' Dumb (Fresh) 1986

Boogie Down Productions - South Bronx (B Boy) 1986

Roxanne Shante - Have A Nice Day (Cold Chillin) 1987

Sweet Tee - It's Like That Y'all (Profile) 1987

Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full (Nirobi Edit) (Island) 1987

Audio Two - Top Billin (First Priority) 1987

Antoinette - I Got An Attitude (Sound Check) 1987

Mikey D & The L.A Posse - I Get Rough (Public) 1987

Ultramagnetic MCs - Moe Luv's Theme (Next Plateau) 1988

Lakim Shabazz - Pure Righteousness (Tuff City) 1988

Ms Melodie - To Sing All Night (Jive) 1988

Stetsasonic - Talkin' All That Jazz (Dominoes Vocal) (Tommy Boy) 1988

Mantronix - King Of The Beats (Capitol) 1988

Chill Rob G - Court Is Now In Session (Wild Pitch) (1989)

Public Enemy - Fight The Power (Nirobi Edit) (Def Jam) 1989

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road To Riches (Cold Chillin) 1989

EPMD - So Wat Cha Sayin (Fresh) 1989

T La Rock - T-N-Off (T's Mix) (Fresh) 1989

Gang Starr - Words I Manifest (Remix) (Wild Pitch) 1989

De La Soul - Eye Know (Tommy Boy) 1989

Hip Hop 50 : 1990-1999 DJ Mix by Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts)

The second in the series of DJ mixes by Robert Luis celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop covers 1990-1999. The DJ mix features special Dubplates recorded for Robert from KRS One, Brand Nubian, Das EFX, Masta Ace, The Pharcyde, Jeru The Damaja, Camp Lo and Dead Prez, as well as clips from some classic 90’s films.

Robert explains:

“To try and narrow the choice of records in this DJ Mix I went for tunes that I was playing out at my weekly club nights in Brighton that got good reactions and that I still play out now. This mix is in chronological order and shows how Hip Hop was developing lyrically, politically and sonically over the decade, compared to the previous DJ mix covering 1979-1989.

DJ Premier, Large Professor, KRS One & De La Soul were pushing their sound forward. In the early 90’s a new generation of producers like Pete Rock, The Beatminerz, Diamond D and The Beatnuts were pioneering a unique sound and as the decade progressed Jay Dee /J Dilla, Madlib and DJ Spinna pushed Hip Hop further.

The mix also reflects how I DJ’ed at my night at that time. I used to buy doubles of the vinyl and play the instrumental and then the vocal versions and then drop in the original sample sources too.”

Look out for the DJ mixes celebrating Hip Hop 50 and covering 2000-2009, 2010-2019 and a UK special.

Tracklistings:

Hip Hop 50: 1990-1999 DJ Mix by Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts)

The Jaz - The Originators feat Jay Z ((EMI) 1990

Main Source - Looking At The Front Door (Nirobi Edit) (Wild Pitch) 1990

Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (Priority) 1990

Public Enemy - Shut Em Down (Pete Rock Remix) (Def Jam) 1991

Organized Konfusion - Open Your Eyes (Hollywood Basic) 1991

The UMC'S - One To Grow On (Wild Pitch) 1991

Diamond And The Psychotic Neurotics - Freestyle (Yo That's That S***) (PWL) 1992

Showbiz & AG - Still Diggin (Payday) 1992

The Goats - Hip Hopola (Ruff House) 1992

Brand Nubian - Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down (Robert Luis Dubplate) (Elektra) 1992

Das EFX - They Want EFX (Robert Luis Dubplate) (East West) 1992

Pete Rock & CL Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y) (Nirobi Edit) (Elektra) 1992

K Solo – Letterman (Atlantic) 1992

A.D.O.R - Let It All Hang Out (Atlantic) 1992

Black Moon - Who Got The Props (MW Smooth Mix) (Nervous) 1992

Da King & I – Tears (Rowdy) 1993

The Beatnuts - World's Famous (Relativity) 1993

A Tribe Called Quest - Award Tour (Jive) 1993

Cypress Hill - Insane In The Brain (Columbia) 1993

A Tribe Called Quest - Oh My God (Jive) 1993

KRS One - Sound Of Da Police (Robert Luis Dubplate) (Jive) 1993

Masta Ace - Born To Roll (Robert Luis Dubplate) (Delicious Vinyl) 1994

Wu Tang - Can It Be All So Simple (Loud) 1994

Big Daddy Kane - Show & Prove feat Shyheim, Jay Z, ODB (MCA) 1994

Group Home - Supa Star (Payday) 1994

Ruggedness Madddrama - Checkin Down The Menu (Emay) 1994

Bahamadia - Total Wreck (Chrysalis) 1994

Gang Starr - DWYCK (Chrysalis) 1994

Unity Committee & Rebels Of Rhythm - Unified Rebelution (UR) 1994

The Notorious B.I.G – Unbelievable (Bad Boy) 1994

Das EFX - Real Hip Hop (Robert Luis Dubplate) (East West) 1995

J Live - Braggin Writes (Raw Shack) 1995

Lord Finesse - Hip 2 Da Game (Penalty) 1995

KRS One - MCs Act Like They Don't Know (Robert Luis Dubplate) 1995

Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt II (Loud) 1995

Boogiemonsters - Jugganauts (Bump Mix) (Pendulum) 1995

The Pharcyde - Runnin (Robert Luis Dubplate) (Delicious Vinyl) 1995

Mad Skillz - The Nod Factor (Big Beat) 1995

Blahzay Blahzay - Danger (Fader) 1995

The Cenubites : Godfather Don feat Kool Keith - Lex Lugor (Fondle Em) 1995

Frankie Cutlass - Boriquas On Da Set (Relativity) 1995

Ras Kass - Nature Of The Threat (Priority) 1996

De La Soul - Stakes Is High (Tommy Boy) 1996

Company Flow - Vital Nerve (Official) 1996

KGB - Heads On (Hot Wax) 1996

Jeru The Damaja – Ya Playin Yaself (Robert Luis Dubplate) (Payday) 1996

Rawcotiks - Hardcore Hip Hop (DJ Premier Remix) (Freeze) 1996

Camp Lo - Luchini (Aka This Is It) (Robert Luis Dubplate) (Profile) 1996

Bahamadia – Wordplay (Chrysalis) 1996

The East Flatbush Project - Tried By 12 (10/30 Uproar) 1996

Natural Resource - Bum Deal (Ekapa RPM) 1996

Frankie Cutlass feat Craig G, Roxanne Shante, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane - The Cypher Part 3 (Relativity) 1996

Numskullz - If It Ain't Raw (G.A.P Town)

Rha Goddess - My Pen (Remix) (Ozone) 1997

Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz - Deja Vu (Uptown Baby) (Instrumental) (Columbia) 1997

Jurassic 5 - Jayou (Pickininny) 1997

Black Attack - Verbal Attack (Correct) 1997

Rasco - The Unassisted (Stones Throw) 1997

MF DOOM - Hey (Fondle Em) 1997

L. The Head Toucha - Too Complex (Direct) 1997

Mood Swingaz - The Blessin (Boom Boodya Ya) (Raw Shack) 1998

Dujeous – Cinematic Mental (Nirobi Edit) (Wax Poetic Productions) 1998

Sir Menelik - Space Cadillac feat Kool Keith (Rawkus) 1998

Paula Perry - Extra Extra (Mad Sounds) 1998

A Tribe Called Quest & JD Of Slum Village - That S** (Loud) 1998

T Love - Return Of the B Girl feat Kool Keith (Pickininny) 1998

Big Twan - One Time 4 The Lyricist (Nirobi Edit) (Blindside) 1998

7L & Esoteric - Def Rhymes (Direct) 1998

The Unspoken Heard - Jamboree (7 Heads) 1999

Dead Prez - Hip Hop (Robert Luis Dubplate) (Loud) 1999

J Zone - Candy Razors feat Huggy Bear, Kobayashi & Trip (Old Maid Entertainment) 1999

Mos Def - Mathematics (Rawkus) 1999

Quasimoto - Microphone Mathmatics (Stones Throw) 1999

Massinfluence - All Out (Nonstop Music Works) 1999

MF DOOM - Rhymes Like Dimes (Fondle Em) 1999

Blackalicous - Alphabet Aerobics (Cut Chemist 2.5 Minute Workout) (Mo Wax) 1999