Milkcrate brings it back...Old skool Pete Nice classic!

Back in the 80s Def Jam was the don of rap...so that made 3rd Bass's 1989 "Catcus" album down by law.

My personal jam was "Gas Face" with its rhythmic, choppy drum track. Watching the video now seems so alien to the British way of life that I grew up in, yet it seemed like second nature at the time. Suddenly, all the other kids who weren't black (white kids, Asian/Indians/Pakistanis, Chinese, etc.) were offered an olive branch of coolness! :)



Balitmore's Milkcrate (Aaron LaCrate) recognized the impact that 3rd Bass M.C., Prime Minister Pete Nice, had on hip hop in the late 80s. That's why Milkcrate printed up a tribute t-shirt that blesses us with a rare meeting of hip hop greats...Pete Nice with N.W.A.'s Eazy E and Dr. Dre and MF Doom, aka Zeb Love X.

Supposedly, this t-shirt was deadstock until a recent unearthing in some storage unit....so now it's available in limited quantities again. I grabbed a Small size for myself. Grab one before it's double deadstock! :)

Milkcrate's Pete Nice t-shirt

"This classic tee is an official collaboration between MILKCRATE NYC and the 'Prime Minister' PETE NICE. That's right: Official. 

The photo print on the front of the tee is from an old pic from Pete Nice's personal archives, taken backstage on tour sometime during the 90's. It features an incredible and improbable group: Pete Nice, Eazy E, Dr. Dre and MF Doom (or Zeb Love X at the time). 

This is an old school tee from the MILKCRATE NYC vaults and there's only a few pieces in a couple sizes that they just re-discovered. Get yours before they're gone forever." www.Milkcrate.nyc.com 

DJ Jazzy Jay schools us on beat-digging

The legendary Jazzy Jay gives us a rare tour of his record collection, courtesy of Fuse TV. And yes, he does spill the beans on the break names!

Grandmaster Caz (Cold Crush) and Jazzy Jay, Tools of War, 2009

"You couldn't get no files, there was no YouTube or Limewire or downloading...What? You're crazy! 

"I got into the culture of hip hop early on in the developmental stages in the Bronx back in the mid-70s...There was always a sound eminating from [Afrika] Bambaataa's window...he was the one who inspired me to go to the next level...[D.J.] Red Alert was the one who taught me how to D.J.

"I just remember this crazy looking white guy standing in front of the booth...One day he got up the nerve and he introduced himself to me. He was Rick Rubin....he said, 'Listen, I want to start a record label.' We didn't have no plan to have anything to be first...let's just make a song. At that time, the only artist we had was me, andbeing I wasn't a rapper it was lucky we had T [La Rock] at least he had something to say. You'll notice it was Def Jam 001 - which was 'It's Your's,' 002, 003 are all my tunes. 

"And 'Chillin' In the Spot' I just made up a beat on the DMX and Russell [Simmons] came in with Andre Harrell one night he was drunk from a party. 'Hey we ain't got nothing to put on this record, throw Russell in the booth...' " Jazzy Jay

"It was a thing, a challenge to play those songs before anyone else played them, so you got the tag, the credit for bringing that song out. Now, Bambaataa has so many tags, so many credits 'cause he was the master of records. But, you have people like [Grandmaster] Flash, DXT, Coolade...cats that contributed to the Sacred Crates...the foundation that hip hop, the whole culture was built." Jazzy Jay

Jazzy Jay produced

S.S.O. Orchestra, "Faded Lady," 1976 (not "Shine Your Light")


Diamond D "I Went for Mine," 2006


Def Jam releases

Def Jam 001 - T. La Rock "It's Your's," 1984


Russell Rush and Jazzy J, "Cold Chillin in the Spot," 1985

Bambaataa sureshot...Sacred Crates

Rhythm Heritage, "Sky's the Limit," 1978


Wild Sugar, "Bring it Here," 1980


Cerrone, "Rock it in a Pocket" (Live), 1978


Juice, "Catch a Groove," 1976


King Ericsson, "Have a Nice Day," 1977

#Vintage Def Jam jacket for $1500 [#defjam #oldskool #hiphop]

How much would you pay for some hip hop memorabilia?  $1500 or $80 for the same garment?

Of course, I'm talking about eBay! Over the years I've hunted down authentic Double Goose Country leather 3/4 length jackets (and less original versions too,) but my search for a burghandy or black colored Def Jam record label baseball jacket has been tough!

Even though I know how rare these collector's garments are (especially in my size "small,") I can't believe how greedy folks get...an eBayer has the audacity to *try to* charge way over $1000 for his Def Jam varsity jacket. May be he should get the hint...after at least three re-listings it's still not selling.

Best Offer? What would you offer? When I spotted Miranda (also from the U.K.) selling her husband's vintage hip hop collection (omg, don't get me started!!) I advised her to raise her price of her exact same Def Jam jacket after seeing the one above. Despite my advice it stayed at a low price and sold for...wait for it...$80!!

I feel sick for her husband ;) You know he paid a shade more for this jacket back in the 80s

C-rated collab series: adidas and Def Jam

When I think of Def Jam Records from the late 80s I picture the record sleeves of T. La Rock ("It's Yours"), L.L. Cool J. ("I Need a Beat") and The Beastie Boys ("Paul Revere".) And my adidas kicks and gear of that period were (Patrick) Ewing high-tops, shell toes and Campus sneakers. So what went wrong when these two brands came together this year to celebrate their respective birthdays?!

eBay bound After 60 years of adidas design and 25 years as a pioneering urban record label you'd think we'd be shown a collection to covet for another quarter century! But, no, the actual results are some half-arsed effort to cobble together a collection. Where are the amazing Def Jam leather sleeved baseball jackets? Or some Metro Attitude basketball sneakers with some (fake) snakeskin action? This collaboration misfire will disappear neve to be seen except adidas outlets and eBay!

Ok, I exaggerate as there are some ok pieces worth adding to your collection, but there are also some items that should've never taken up value shelf space! Please adidas get it right this collab should've 100% p-e-r-f-e-c-t!

To understand why I'm a hater on this collaboration scroll down and listen to the banging hip-hop tunes that built the fortunes of these two brands!

Here's what's Hot

Here's what's Not

Old skool...directed by Va$htie

Have you seen Vashtie's video for a Kanye West mixtape tune called "Us Placers" sampling Thom Yorke's "The Eraser". Of course, I did a bit of a search as I heard she's hoooot ;). I found a few pics online and this Armand van Helden video. Inspired by old skool hip hop the video features an adidas Run DMC sweatshirt I have in my collection and adidas remixed last year replacing the word "adidas" with "Power" - why I have no idea!? My adidas, yo! Love it!

Apart from directing videos, Vashtie's day job *was* creative director at urban record label, Def Jam, where Jay-Z is CEO until he retires that post to go back to being an artist and entrepreneur. I read that she's given that up to do videos and stuff. (I also read that she's no longer seeing Pharell). Of course I've linked to her blog and MySpace.