Taskforce - The Final Countdown (Free download)

It's been a long time since we've had some 'music from the corner', but here's a quick freebie that the boys have let loose via Bandcamp. According to the notes, this was the last track that they ever recorded together as Taskforce, back in September 2009.

In related news, the much delayed MFTC 5 should see the light of day some time this year. Looking forward to that, of course...

'Sticksman' - Skitz Coming Soon!

Scant details but enough for the salivating - May 3rd is the release date for the long-awaited Skitz album 'Sticksman'. Here's the tracklist:

1. 'Intro' ft. IYE 95 Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

2. 'Struggla' ft. Rodney P, Kardinal Offishal, Skibbadee. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

3. 'Slaves' ft. Harry Shotta, Iron Braydz, Brotherman. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

4. 'Born Inna System' ft. Buggsy. Cuts by DJ Skully. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

5. 'Don’t Cry' ft. Deadly Hunta. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea and Prashant Engine-Earz Mistry

6. 'Rumble' ft. Dynamite MC. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by Prashant Engine-Earz Mistry.

7. 'Rebel Stand' ft. Mr Ti2bs. Cuts by DJ First Aid. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

8. 'Left' ft. Rodney P. Cuts by DJ Manipulate. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

9. 'Rainy Day Science' ft. Taskforce and Juni. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

10. 'Requiem of the Gods' ft. Orifice Vulgatron, Mr Ti2bs, Dynamite MC, Harry Shotta. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

11. 'Diamonds and Gold' ft. L Dot Man. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

12. 'Never' ft. Rodney P. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by Prashant Engine-Earz Mistry

13. 'Music is my Life' ft. Darrison. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by Prashant Engine-Earz Mistry and The Sea

14. 'Set you free' ft. Masta Ace and Wordsworth and Nathan Flutebox Lee. Produced by Skitz. Co produced by The Sea.

15. 'Plain Oats' ft. Deadly Hunta and My Sis. Produced by Skitz. Co-produced by The Sea

'Jimstrumentals' - Jimmy Green (free download) **New Link**

Rapsploitations Sessions man Jimmy Green has put this awesome mixtape together of his beats with UK Hip Hop verses from the greats - just check the image for the list of MCs. Let me assure you now before you listen in, Jimmy Green's beats are HOT, next thing he'll know is that these rappers will be calling him for beats and next thing we'll know is that his beats are on tracks and albums by said rappers.

Check out the way he totally changes the vibe of Rodney P's vocals from 'The Doggist' and how he re-flips Premo's 'It's Yours' beat! Listen as he throws in quotes from 'Dead Mans Shoes' and comedy routines about bad breath. Get this for yourself and if you're an MC get in touch. If you're a producer - watch out! Click for tracklisting.

Here's a new link that includes DPF's verse:

Collabo Connections #2 - Skinnyman

Skinnyman featured on Mark B & Blade’s ‘The Unknown’ in ’01 on the track ‘The long awaited’, a banger for sure. Skinnyman, considered by many to be a UK Hip Hop veteran, spent his childhood in Chapeltown, Leeds, moving to Stoke Newington when he was 10. These two locations schooled him in the art of toasting lyrics at reggae sound system clashes and after Malcolm Mclarens ‘Buffalo Girls’ introduced him to Hip Hop it was inevitable that the two styles intertwined.

The year before Baby J dropped ‘F.T.P.’ he produced 3 tracks on Skinnyman’s long awaited debut album. The two big tracks were ‘I’ll be surprised’ and the Bobby Byrd sampling ‘No big Ting’. This led to Skinnyman having the first track on F.T.P. – ‘None of them (ft. Laurissa)’. Also producing on ‘Council estate of mind’ were DJ Flip (producing the title track), DJ Noize, Stone and Adam M. ‘Council estate of mind’ was released on the number 1 UK Hip Hop label – Low Life Records (owned by Braintax whos Biro Funk set featured Skinnyman on ‘Opening Titles’).

Taking it back Skinnyman was, and still is, a member of Mud Family who released, most famously, ‘Itchy Town’. Mud Family at the time comprised of Skinny himself, Chester P (Now of Taskforce) and (Blak Twang hater) Mongo. The changing line up of Mud Fam meant that Skinny also worked with SupaNovar, Mr. Ti2bbs, Farma G (Chester P’s Brother/other half of Taskforce) and others. Before Mud Family, in the mid 80’s, Skinny was a member of the Bury Crew also with Chester P and Mongo as well as Intenz, Mike Skilla, Keith and Sparks.

In 2000 Skinny appeared on ‘Twilight of the Gods’, a Skitz track which also featured Rodney P, Wildflower, Riddla and Prime Cuts. Skinnyman was on Westwood’s second compilation (2002) holding up the UK’s tiny section (2 tracks) at the end of the 2nd CD was ‘Straight Outta Jail’, a song probably written straight after Skinny got out of jail (“I ain’t sayin’ what I do//I ain’t gettin’ catched”). Skinnyman also featured on a track with Mystro and Jargon called ‘Put the word out’.

2003 brought a teaming up with Foreign Beggars on ‘Asylum Speakers’ and 2004 saw a couple of collaborations with Karl Hinds; ‘Have Patience’ and ‘Let’s av it’.

In ’05 Skinnyman (along with Blade) featured on First Rate’s album ‘Walky Talkyz’. His track Barfight is a song all about…well you know…over a wobbly piano led beat. In the same year he featured on a remix of Sway’s ‘Up your speed’ with Pyrelli, Triple Threat, Bruza and Bigz. Skinny also worked with Life (of Phi-Life Cypher) and Sway on ‘The whole nine’ in this year.

Skinny’s latest track is ‘Live Right’ featuring Monkane, an ex-label mate at Gilles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud records before it folded.

There are plenty more leads to take here as well as the ones from the post on Blade, this is just gonna get bigger peeps!

(There are so many collabos, for a full list of appearances check out Wikipedia)

Skinnyman - Ill be surprised.mp3
Mark B & Blade - The long awaited ft. Lewis Parker &.mp3
Mud Family - Itchy Town.mp3
Skinnyman - Straight Outta Jail.mp3
Skinnyman & Baby J - none of them ft. Laurissa.mp3
Skinnyman - No big ting.mp3
First Rate - Barfight ft. Skinnyman.mp3
Skinnyman - Council Estate of Mind.mp3