Five On It: March 2009's Essentials

Welcome to March's Five On It: the top five breaks we mentioned over the last month for your downloading ease.

On our review of Scarface's debut album 'Mr. Scarface is Back', we mentioned the rarer break 'Sexy Coffee Pot' by Tony Alvon and the Belairs. Check out the breakdown two-thirds of the way into this one - it's a breakbeat bonanza for producers. In our first look at Madlib and MF Doom's 'Madvillainy', the Dramatics slo-mo 'In the Rain' from 'Whatcha See is Whatcha Get' was mentioned - a classic Volt/Stax side. In the second part of our look at 'Madvillainy' we mentioned 'PSK (What Does It Mean)' by Schoolly D. 'PSK' is the first classic hip-hop break to make it to the Five On It list, but its echoey drum machine boom bap is necessary for producers and DJs. During our exhaustive look at 'I Want You' by Marvin Gaye, we mentioned the often sampled single 'After the Dance'. Finally, during our look at the Wu's debut album 'Enter the Wu-Tang', we mentioned the essential breakbeat 'I Got the (Blues)' by Labi Siffre. Check out our bustling bonus cuts section below for more uses of 'I Got the (Blues)'.

The Lowdown:
Tony Alvon and the Belairs 'Sexy Coffee Pot'
from 'Boom-Boom-Boom' 7" (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Dramatics "In the Rain'
from 'Whatcha See is Whatcha Get' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Schoolly D 'PSK (What Does It Mean)'
from 'Schoolly-D' (1985) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Marvin Gaye 'After the Dance'
from 'I Want You' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Labi Siffre 'I Got the (Blues)'
from 'Remember My Song' (1975) (MP3/Import CD)

Bonus Cuts:
'I Got the (Blues)' is probably best known for its use (let's be real... its unadorned loop) on Eminem's 'My Name Is' produced by Dr. Dre, but it's been used plenty of times before and after. Two years before Eminem, Ski used the beat for Jay-Z 'Streets is Watching' which, of course, spawned the independent movie of the same name (bringing "f--- out of here" to the mouths of every rap fan within a 300 mile radius of Brooklyn). In 1998, Erick Sermon sampled 'I Got the (Blues)' for the Def Squad's 'Countdown'. In 1999, the beat was used by the Beatnuts for the Violator compilation track 'Beatnuts Forever' and Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob for Foxy Brown's 'Hot Spot'.

Rewind: Madvillain 'Madvillainy' (Part 2)

Welcome to the second installment of our two part look at Madlib and MF Doom's 2004 album 'Madvillainy'.

On 'Operation Lifesaver AKA Mint Test', Madlib samples a pair of tracks from George Duke's 1974 album 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry': the title track 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry' and 'Prepare Yourself'. Additionally, Madlib pulls some beats from Schoolly D's classic drum machine propelled 'PSK (What Does it Mean)'. More pscyh-rock breaks abound on Madvillain's 'Strange Ways', which samples 'Funny Ways' from Gentle Giant's self-titled 1970 album. Madlib samples 'That Ain't the Way You Make Love' by Z.Z. Hill on 'Fancy Clown'. For 'Eye' with Stacy Epps, Madlib samples 'So Good' from the Whispers' 1984 album of the same title. Finally, Madvillain samples Stevie Wonder's rare instrumental side project Eivets Rednow on 'Great Day'. The track uses a sample from 'How Can You Believe' from Eivets Rednow's 1968 self titled album.

Madlib and MF Doom are slated to return with a new album as Madvillainy, but to date nothing but a remix album of this album's tracks has been released.

The Lowdown:
Madvillain 'Operation Lifesaver AKA Mint Test', 'Strange Ways', 'Fancy Clown', 'Eye', and 'Great Day'
from 'Madvillainy' (2004) (MP3/CD)
George Duke 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry' and 'Prepare Yourself'
from 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Schoolly D 'PSK (What Does it Mean)'
from 'Schoolly-D' (1985) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Gentle Giant 'Funny Ways'
from 'Gentle Giant' (1970) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Z.Z. Hill 'That Ain't the Way You Make Love'
from 'Keep on Loving You' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Whispers 'So Good'
from 'So Good' (1984) (MP3 not available/CD)
Eivets Rednow 'How Can You Believe'
from 'Eivets Rednow' (1968) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 1)
Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 2)