Run The Line

The Gas Face...

2012-01-26T20:36:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year, folks.

As ever, life has been hectic, but I haven't forgotten about this place. During some down time at work, I knocked up this homage to the 3rd Bass classic album, 'The Cactus Album'.

Check it out below (click to enlarge) and feel free to let me know what you think.

More to come in the future.

All the best,

Mark 563

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 3 - A Guide By Mark 563

2011-10-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

What's good people? here's the third installment of my Wu-Tang Clan Guide for OzHipHop.com - check the link, or read below.

Cheers,

Mark 563

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 3 - A Guide By Mark 563

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 3

Mark 563

Part 3 – First Round of Solos – Gravediggaz, Method Man & Ol’ Dirty Bastard

Following the unexpected success of the 1993, critically acclaimed Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) LP, Wu-Tang Clan’s leader, Rza, negotiated an unheard of contract with Loud Records, allowing the individual members of the clan to pursue solo careers with other record labels, whilst still under the umbrella of Rza’s own Razor Sharp Records. But before the other Clan members dropped any solo material, it was the Rza who would branch out and join quirky production legend, Prince Paul’s side group, the Gravediggaz.

A super group in itself, comprising of Prince Paul (formerly of Stetsasonic, and the production genius behind De La Soul’s first three albums), the Rza, Frukwan (also of Stetsasonic) and Too Poetic (a solo artist, previously known as Poetic), the group came together based around a mutual disdain for their perceived individual unfair treatment by the music industry. Both Rza and Poetic had previous been signed to Tommy Boy Records, with both releasing 12” singles before being dropped by the label before finalizing albums, while Prince Paul and Frukwan had also been signed to Tommy Boy in the group Stetsasonic. Paul had also had to deal with label issues at Def Jam, where his own imprint, Dewdooman Records suffered problems, seeing only one official release, the Mr. Boops 12” from Resident Alien, before being shut down.

They debuted in June 1994 with their first group single, Diary Of A Mad Man, released on Gee Street Records. The track, produced by Rza alongside Wu-Tang affiliate, RNS, is a haunting enactment of a courtroom scene which finds the four vocalists on trial for various murders. Notably, Poetic doesn’t have a verse on the cut, but Wu-associates Scientific Shabazz (better known as Shabazz The Disciple) and Killah Priest (both originally in the group Sunz Of Man) drop great verses alongside the Rza and Frukwan. On the flip you have the Prince Paul produced, Constant Elevation, a simple piano looped beat with smashing snares, over which the Gravediggaz fully realize their adopted Gravedigga personas – Too Poetic as The Grym Reaper, Frukwan as The Gatekeeper, The Rza as The Rzarector and Prince Paul as the Undertaker.

http://youtu.be/NReT4f1bXY0

Gravediggaz Diary Of A Mad Man Video

In August 1994, the Gravediggaz released their first full-length album, 6 Feet Deep, on Gee Street Records. The album was originally planned to be named Niggamortis, but the title was considered too offensive (although the British release strangely kept the original name). It is a mix of horror movie referencing ultra violence, blood and guts gore, paranoia, schizophrenia, hallucination, sadism and suicide packaged perfectly with Prince Paul’s unique humour. Both Frukwan and Rza deliver on-point verses throughout, but the standout is Too Poetic, with his outlandish vocal style. Highlights include the low-fi, self-murder tale, 1-800-Suicide, and the industrial-rock/rap banger, Bang Your Head. The album is incredible, and is most certainly a valuable addition to any Hip Hop heads’ collection. If you can find it, it’s also well worth copping the UK pressing of the album, as it features one of their better tracks, the up-tempo Pass The Shovel, which was inexplicably absent from the US pressing.

Following the long player, the Gravediggaz put out a whole heap of singles with a wide selection of re-makes and remixes with varying degrees of quality. For the most part, it’s the European pressings that saw fit to couple the Gravediggaz with ambient / Trip-Hop acts such as Portishead and Tricky for re-workings of their cuts, and in most cases these are best avoided.

http://youtu.be/KN9I-fDkCkg

Gravediggaz Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide Video

The Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide single is definitely one of the better offerings if only for the fantastic, non-album cut, Freak The Sorceress. 1-800-Suicide dropped in a few formats with a number of remixes, but the version you want is the New Vocal Version from the Tales From The Crypt Presents Demon Knight movie soundtrack, which uses the original instrumental, but with all new verses. Also worth investigating is the 12” version of Mommy, What’s A Gravedigga? which takes the album skit and turns it into a full track.

http://youtu.be/JT5wudrHYvc

Gravediggaz 1-800-Suicide (Alternative Lyrics) Video

http://youtu.be/-BCCiIREFzc

Gravediggaz Interview and live footage from the 6 Feet Deep album release party

Around the time the Gravediggaz released their album, Samuel L Jackson guest-starred in Brooklyn drug-running / chess movie, Fresh. The film’s soundtrack, put out by Loud Records, comprised mainly of classic Old School artists such as Spoonie G, Whodini, Cold Crush Brothers and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, but the opening three tracks were of great interest to Wu-Tang fans. The first cut, I Gotcha’ Back, is a dark cautionary tale by the Gza, here credited as The Genius, produced by the Rza. Track two finds Rza behind the boards again for the incredible, slow paced Heaven & Hell from Raekwon, featuring Ghostface Killah. The third cut, billed as a remix to Can It Be All So Simple?, is more a remake or continuation of the classic Wu-Tang album cut, again featuring Rae and Ghost, but credited as the Wu-Tang Clan. Both the Gza cut and Heaven & Hell were also released as separate 12”s and both got treated to music videos.

http://youtu.be/pSQieA85arg

The Genius I Gotcha’ Back Video

http://youtu.be/X1i6QfsMUug

Raekwon Heaven & Hell Featuring Ghostface Killah Video

The first proper Wu-Tang solo offering came courtesy of the youngest member of the Clan, Method Man. Following his show-stealing performances on Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Meth’ inked a deal with Russell Simmons’ iconic Hip Hop label, Def Jam. In a joint promotion with label mate, Redman, Def Jam released the ‘Month Of The Man” double 12” single – a packaging of Redman’s Rockafella, the lead single to his second album Dare Iz A Darkside, and Meth’s Bring The Pain. Promoted off the tenuous fact that the two rappers simply both had the word ‘Man’ in their names, this was the first time Red’ and Meth’ had been grouped together (albeit not on a track together), but would prove to be a significant pairing for later in their careers.

A dark, up-tempo Rza produced beat, with Meth’ flipping his half rapped / half sung, dusted vocals, interpolating lyrics from Ninja Man’s Test The High Power, Bring The Pain was the classic Method Man his fan base had hoped for after hearing him on the Wu album. As well as being packaged with the Redman 12”, the record was also available on its own with grimy head-nodder, PLO Style on the flip, and a video featuring Meth’ and his crew cruising the night streets in a tagged up bus.

http://youtu.be/T0BlXy3Roj4

Method Man Bring The Pain Video

Meth’s much anticipated long-player, Tical, dropped in November 1994 and was an instant hit. Rza oversaw the production (with the exception of Sub Crazy and PLO Style, which were co-produced by Wu-Tang cohort, 4^th Disciple, and Method Man respectively), offering a bleaker and more deranged soundscape, than we’d heard from him before. Throughout, the beats were stripped down to the barest of elements – raw drums, gritty bass lines, eerie keys and abrasive horn stabs, while the star of the show, Mr. Meth’, took centre stage and proved why he was the breakout star of the Wu debut. Method Man’s rhymes switch from authentically menacing, to charmingly witty within the blink of an eye, whilst riding the beats with an astounding ease and a flow that most emcees would kill for. Wu-Tang cameos are kept surprisingly short, with Inspectah Deck and Rza delivering rhymes on Mr. Sandman, and Raekwon challenging his host on Meth Vs Chef. Meth’ does, however bring through a few of his personal peoples – both Carlton Fisk and Streetlife feature on a couple of tracks each. While Fisk’s career would false-start due to getting locked up, Streetlife would go on to appear on a number of later Wu projects, but would be most notable for being Meth’s number-one weed-carrier.

Best listened to through walkman (iPod) speakers, Tical was most certainly recorded with no regard for radio play, and it’s all the more better for it. But that didn’t stop Def Jam from correctly plucking the chaotic Release Yo’ Delf as the second single. There aren’t many hardcore emcees that could get away with borrowing choruses from Gloria Gaynor, but if anyone can, it’s Meth’, who, appropriately rocks a straight jacket and sliver fanged-fronts in the music video. The European releases of the single came packaged with remixes at the hand of the Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers, but neither are worth bothering with.

http://youtu.be/kZlhbx3yGkQ

Method Man Release Yo’ Delf Video

The track that really broke Method Man into the mainstream wasn’t even originally included on the album. Legend has it that Russell Simmons convinced Meth’ to remix hardcore ghetto-love tale, album track, All I Need, by offering him a new car. Sean ‘Puff Daddy’ Combs and the Rza both supplied fantastic re-workings of the track, adding Soul diva, Mary J. Blige to the mix to make the most of the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell chorus. Backed with a classic music video that sees Meth’ running from the law while out shopping for Maxi-pads for his lady-friend, I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I Need To Get By won Meth’ and Mary a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1996, and was added as a bonus track to later pressings of the Tical album.

http://youtu.be/UJnVhJgZuB0

Method Man and Mary J. Blige I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I Need To Get By Uncut Video

http://youtu.be/1vxhMy_rtRY

Method Man interviewed by Fab 5 Freddy Pt.1 @ Yo MTV Raps

http://youtu.be/vlG5DDD2E0g

Method Man interviewed by Fab 5 Freddy Pt.2 @ Yo MTV Raps

http://youtu.be/91iDKYwIr_s

Method Man interviewed by Fab 5 Freddy Pt.3 @ Yo MTV Raps

http://youtu.be/ithUVXttaa0

Method Man interviewed by Fab 5 Freddy Pt.4 @ Yo MTV Raps

Next up to bat on a solo tip was the Clan’s favourite drunken monk, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, who released the fantastic Brooklyn Zoo single in the first week of January 1995 on Elektra Records. Brooklyn Zoo found Dirty firing off warning shots at any challenger over a beat by Wu-related producer, True Master, and flipping a section of his verse from Wu’s Protect Ya Neck for the songs chorus. Dirty’s performance was on a completely different level, proving himself to be an absolute unique, with insanely spat rhymes bouncing between calm and chaotic within words. The 12” came packaged with a handful of extra goodies including a bass-heavy, orchestral-string flexing reworking of the cut at the hands of Lord Digga (of Masta Ace Incorporated fame). Give It To Ya Raw was another joint that was exclusive to the single, and was presented in two different formats – the original Rza version, and the more polished SD50 remix, produced by Elektra’s in-house production team, Stimulated Dummies (Dante Ross, Engineer Gammz & Geeby Dajani). Both versions are great, but the SD50 Remix is the one you need.

For no apparent reason, there are actually two music videos for Brooklyn Zoo. There’s the clip you’ve all seen, with Ol’ Dirty bugging out in a Housing Projects corridor with his Wu-Tang Crew, and then there’s the little-seen, so-called original version which features Dirty acting out the role of Pimp Daddy, interspersed with shots from the other video.

http://youtu.be/Z9n9rTMObL0

Ol’ Dirty Bastard Brooklyn Zoo Video – Original Version

http://youtu.be/m4_G4cWzKPE

Ol’ Dirty Bastard Brooklyn Zoo Video

In March 1995, Ol’ Dirty Bastard dropped the superb Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version LP. The album presented ODB in all his eccentric, borderline-insane beauty, with its mix of hardcore beats and over-the-top, erratic vocals. Dirty would flex on some Lounge Jazz type singing vibe, slipping into drunken outbursts, whilst still managing to flip some straight-up rhymes, captivating the listener from start to finish. Rza was still positioned very much at the production helm, adding that gritty Wu flavor, aided along the way by True Master, 4^th Disciple and Ol’ Dirty.

Again, fellow Clan’s men were never far away. Ghostface shines on Brooklyn Zoo II (Tiger Crane) while Gza and Dirty trade bars and finish one-another’s lines on Damage. Meth’ & Raekwon pass through to support on Raw Hide, and for posse cut, Snakes, Rza and Masta Killa are joined by Killer Priest (Sunz Of Man) and ODB’s right-hand-man, Buddah Monk. Besides his Wu comrades, Dirty also introduces us to his own gang, the Brooklyn Zu on Protect Ya Neck II The Zoo. Comprising of assorted friends and family members, the Brooklyn Zu include the likes of Buddah Monk, 12 O-Clock, Murdoch, Zoo Keeper and the delightfully titled Shorty Shit Stain.

If you only ever heard the vinyl version of Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, then do yourself a favour and check out the CD release, which comes packaged with two bonus cuts. Harlem World is entertaining enough, but the track you’ll go back to is Dirty Dancin’ featuring Method Man.

Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s second single is the real jewel in his crown. Released in May 1995, the stone-cold classic, Shimmy Shimmy Ya, become a Wu-anthem, driven by a killer piano loop and Dirty’s infectious sing-along vocals. The 12” release features an extended version of the cut and is backed with album track Baby C’mon. Worth investigating is the promo version of the record which offers up the Studio Ton remix. The remix has a classic West Coast flavor, utilizing squelchy bass and wailing synths and features Bay Area veteran E-40 and Compton’s Most Wanted’s MC Eiht.

http://youtu.be/N4nVn8K2kng

Ol’ Dirty Bastard Shimmy Shimmy Ya Video

Another promotional 12” worth looking for is his Raw Hide record, which features the classic Meth’ and Rae’ aided joint, plus the non-LP jam, Don’t U Know Part II. If you’re looking for the remixes and exclusives that were originally found on the singles, and you can’t be bothered copping all the 12”s, there was a limited CD only release, ODBEP, that dropped in 1996, which does the job of packaging all those cuts together on one CD.

http://youtu.be/YCxG8mEjwjo

Ol’ Dirty Bastard on MTV – Collects welfare in a Limousine

http://youtu.be/gH2dF_0rNyQ

Ol’ Dirty Bastard drunken freestyle @ Yo MTV Raps

Make sure you check out the Wu-Tang Clan show at your nearest venue – Wu-Tang Clan play Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Friday 5^th August (tickets from Ticketek), Melbourne’s Festival Hall on Saturday 6^th August (tickets from Ticketmaster) and Perth’s Metro City on Sunday 7^th August (tickets from Moshtix).

Mark 563

runtheline.blogspot.com

Soul Survivor...

2011-09-11T17:05:00.001-07:00

It's been so long since I've sat down and drawn a portrait - family and work have been keeping me super busy - but, this weekend with my Wife and kids on holiday, I broke out the pencils and took advantage of the free time.

Some folks have suggested I should be drawing some less obvious artists, so I thought I'd take their advice and look at producers rather than rappers. As a Golden Era Hip Hop fan, it's probably no surprise that Pete Rock ranks up there, for me, as one of the finest ever beat-makers, so he was the first subject I thought I'd tackle.

Have a look below at the result and feel free to leave a comment.

All the best,

Mark 563

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 2 - A Guide By Mark 563

2011-07-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

Here's the second installment of my Essential Guide to Wu-Tang Clan for OzHipHop.com - check the link, or read on.

Enjoy.

Mark 563

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 2 - A Guide By Mark 563

Writing an introduction to Hip Hop super group, the Wu-Tang Clan, seems somewhat absurd. After all, the Wu-Tang is an empire that has permeated all aspects of the entertainment industry and beyond. From music and television, to film and literature, to fashion and video games, the Staten Island posse have more than stamped their mark, they even had their own nail salon. The Wu ‘W’ has become a pop-culture icon, as recognizable as McDonalds’ Golden Arches, yet there are still some heads out there that aren’t fully up on the good shit put out by the Shaolin clan. So, here’s part 2 of my essential guide to the Wu-Tang Clan, this time focusing on their groundbreaking debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

After embarking on solo careers with limited success (as discussed in Part 1), cousins Rza and Gza split ways with their record labels (Tommy Boy and Cold Chillin’ respectively) and focused efforts on a group project, enlisting the talents of their homeboys and family.

Rza’s Stapleton Projects basement served as Wu-HQ as the Clan assembled to put together their first record. The result was an independently released 12” posse cut featuring no less than 8 emcees on one mammoth, hardcore track. Protect Ya Neck, initially pressed in a vinyl run of 500 records, perfectly presented the individual Wu-Tang members, as each took a verse to introduce themselves. Originally released in 1992 with the Rza / Ghostface duet After The Laughter Comes Tears (an early version of album track Tearz) on the B-Side, Protect Ya Neck was re-packaged and rereleased in 1993 on Loud records, this time with Method Man’s eponymously titled solo track on the flip. Both tracks become underground smashes building anticipation for the debut full length.

In November 1993 Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) dropped and it changed the game. Released to overwhelmingly positive critical acclaim, the album is an incredible blend of Kung-Fu movie dialogue, classic Soul breaks, tales of life in Staten Island’s toughest housing projects and braggadocios freestyles.

With Rza at the production helm, the overall sound of the album epitomizes hardcore, with gritty, unpolished samples that were in stark contrast to the saccharine sweet sound of the West Coast G-Funk that had been dominating Rap radio at the time. The Wu introduced a unique lexicon of slang that further enhanced their Shaolin mystique, inviting the listener into their Staten Island world of ancient martial arts, White Owl blunts, pissy stairwells, drug deals, drive-bys in Jeeps and Land Cruisers and, surprisingly, chess.

As a package, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is sequenced perfectly, but each track also stands alone, offering the audience something different, with each Wu member establishing their own individual style. Instant breakout stars, Method Man and Ol’ Dirty Bastard master flows like no other - Meth’ comfortably delivering both smoked out verses (Shame On A Nigga and Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit) and charismatic sing-song hooks (C.R.E.A.M.), while Ol’ Dirty’s drunken style positions him as one of Hip Hop’s truly original, eccentric characters (Shame On A Nigga, Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’). Raekwon and Ghostface cement their future partnership with swagger filled cuts like Can It Be All So Simple, while lyrical technicians, Inspectah Deck and Gza posited themselves as fan favourites with their no-nonsense verses – Deck delivering complex rhyme schemes (C.R.E.A.M., Bring Da Ruckus, Wu-Tang: 7^th Chamber) and Gza dropping relaxed, precise lyrical wisdom (Protect Ya Neck and his solo cut, Clan In Da Front). Rza proves he’s equally at home on the microphone as he is behind the boards while U-God, in jail for the majority of the albums’ recording, serves up a meager verse and a half in his distinctive baritone voice, but as one of the lesser talents of the Wu, his sparsity is welcomed. The often forgotten ninth member of the Clan, Masta Killa only delivers one verse (closing Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’), and, as legend has it, he barely made the cut, edging out Wu affiliate, Killah Priest (Sunz Of Man) for the position after the two competed for the spot.

A few singles were released from the LP, the aforementioned Protect Ya Neck obviously being the first. Ghetto-life tale, C.R.E.A.M. was the second single released in January 1994, with Raekwon and Inspectah Deck laying down classic verses and Method Man pledging his allegiance to the pursuit of money (Cash rules everything around me. CREAM. Get the money. Dollar dollar bill, y’all) on the chorus. The track was backed with Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’, which finds the majority of the Clan representing, dropping ferocious battle raps. The 3^rd single, Can It Be All So Simple, dropped a month later, and is a more soulful, reflective joint, with Raekwon and Ghostface Killah reminiscing on their hardships coming-up and expressing their aspirations for a lavish lifestyle. On the B-side, we’re treated to the all out, call to arms, Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit, a motto by which the Clan most certainly lived, courtesy of Rza, Deck and Meth’.

If you already have the album, the only advantage to copping the C.R.E.A.M. and Can It Be All So Simple singles would be for the instrumentals, and (in the case of the vinyl) slightly louder pressings. The Loud pressing of Protect Ya Neck offers a couple of versions of both Protect Ya Neck, most notably the Bloody Version (which features the swearing, unlike the album version), and Method Man, which delivers Smoked Out and Home Grown mixes of the track. The Method Man track also got dropped as a limited run Promo only 12”, on which you’ll find the Skunk Mix, which was not on the original pressing of the album (but was included on later pressings as a bonus track). Another Promo single worth investigating is the promotional only Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit 12” single, which has album track, Shame On A Nigga on the flip, supplied in 2 formats; the regular album version, and the hilariously re-recorded, must-have Radio Edit, Shame On A Nuh. Both Promo 12”s are nice, but can often be relatively pricey.

Loud records obviously offered the Wu a decent budget, as there were plenty of music videos recorded from this era. Protect Ya Neck, presumably filmed before the record deal was inked, is a low budget camcorder affair, complete with timestamp. Enjoyable for what it is, no new ground is really broken here, with each emcee menacingly rhyming to the camera in front of their assembled homeboys.

http://youtu.be/GCZrz8siv4Q

Wu-Tang Clan Protect Ya Neck Video

Method Man unnecessarily got 2 videos. The original version, with Blunt-toting Meth’ performing on a rooftop, and the official video where the Clan inhabit a derelict building as an energized Method Man proves why he was deserving of a solo cut.

http://youtu.be/gpL0xVIYbnU

Wu-Tang Clan Method Man Original Version

http://youtu.be/WJOl3vWPfbc

Wu-Tang Clan Method Man

The C.R.E.A.M. video fully captures the essence of the vocals and served as the benchmark for grimy New York Hip Hop videos for the next few years. Shot on a freezing cold night in a Staten Island Housing Project, Method Man croons the chorus whilst warming himself over a burning garbage bin while Rae’ and Deck deliver their verses to the camera.

http://youtu.be/LkeBPgszdoM

Wu-Tang Clan CREAM Video

The video for Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’ takes a literal route, with the clansmen performing their battle raps during a game of human chess. During the filming of this video, Fab Five Freddy memorably interviewed the Clan for Yo! MTV Raps, introducing the audience to a fresh-faced, pre-celebrity Wu-Tang, complete with full-faced stocking masks.

http://youtu.be/QMKe0s7OxTQ

Wu-Tang Clan Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’

The signature stylings of iconic Hip Hop music video director, Hype Williams, were called upon for the next 2 videos. The Can It be All So Simple clip found Ghost’ and Rae’ hanging out the front of their local grocery store, retelling their rags to riches tale while their crew lounged on the bonnets of their assembled vehicles, and features an unexpected cameo from Comptons Most Wanted’s MC Eiht.

http://youtu.be/WhGDEu11MRM

Wu-Tang Clan Can It Be All So Simple Video

Hype’s other offering is a splicing together of 2 Wu-Tang tracks into one super video. Opening with Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’Wit, the video features a mash up of footage from the previous Wu videos mixed in with new footage of the entire Wu, plus what looks like an army of affiliates, franticly rapping on a bull-dozed housing plot, while firebombs explode and light up the sky. The second half of the video alludes to the release of a forthcoming Ol’ Dirty Bastard solo LP, before cutting to Ol’ Dirty’s performance of Shame On A Nigga.

http://youtu.be/5HpD_v4lYs8

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit / Shame On A Nigga

It is not over the top to suggest that Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is a masterpiece. Held in tremendously high regard, the album is often touted as being one of the greatest of the genre and is essential in any music fans collection, but of course you already know that.

Make sure you check out the Wu-Tang Clan show at your nearest venue – Wu-Tang Clan play Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Friday 5^th August (tickets from Ticketek), Melbourne’s Festival Hall on Saturday 6^th August (tickets from Ticketmaster) and Perth’s Metro City on Sunday 7^th August (tickets from Moshtix).

http://youtu.be/wIRbpiVVasY

Wu-Tang Clan on the set of Mystery Of Chessboxin’ Video Pt.1 @ Yo MTV Raps 1994

http://youtu.be/whgPOv2LTpo

Wu-Tang Clan on the set of Mystery Of Chessboxin’ Video Pt.2 @ Yo MTV Raps 1994

http://youtu.be/aVyli8DAeAg

Wu-Tang Clan on the set of Mystery Of Chessboxin’ Video Pt.3 @ Yo MTV Raps 1994

http://youtu.be/O_D2fCNcqGY

Wu-Tang Clan on the set of Mystery Of Chessboxin’ Video Pt.4 @ Yo MTV Raps 1994

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 1- A Guide By Mark 563

2011-06-30T18:58:00.001-07:00

Here's another article I have written for Ozhiphop.com - check the link or read below.

All the best,

Mark 563

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 1 - A Guide By Mark 563

Anyone with even the slightest interest in Hip-Hop will be familiar with the Wu-Tang Clan. Their catalogue is deep but not all of it is indispensable. Certainly, their better material ranks up there as some of the best of the genre, but other releases can be quite forgettable. The crew is currently on their Rebirth tour with dates announced to include Australia, so in preparation for their local shows, we’re breaking down the essential Wu-Tang releases.

For the first installment, we’re taking it back to the essence and focusing on the early material.

Back in 1993, the Staten Island super-group exploded onto the Hip-Hop scene with the release of their certified classic debut group album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Prior to the LP, they dropped the 12” single, Protect Ya Neck, an underground smash featuring hot verses from no less than 8 fresh emcees.

The Protect Ya Neck single had initially been released in 1992 on an independent tip through Rza’s own Wu-Tang Records. This release had an orange and yellow centre label and different tracklist to the more familiar Loud Records release from 1993. Limited to a pressing of only 500 units, the original Wu-Tang Records pressing is a fairly sought after record and attracts a hefty price tag. The main difference between the 2 versions is the B-side cut, which on the Loud pressing was Method Man’s eponymously titled solo track, whereas on the earlier release you get After The Laughter Comes Tears, a rougher, slightly different version of the track Tearz. It was the underground success of the original Protect Ya Neck 12” that really got the Wu noticed and secured their group deal to Steve Rifkind’s Loud, which prompted the re-release of the single.

But even before that, members of the Wu had already experienced dealings within the recording industry.

It’s common knowledge that the Gza had previously had a record deal alongside the legendary Juice Crew at Fly Ty’s Cold Chillin’ Records. In 1991 the label released his debut album, under the stage-name The Genius, entitled Words From The Genius. The majority of the albums production was handled by Easy Mo Bee (who would later rise to fame for his work on Notorious BIG’s Ready To Die LP), but musically it sounded dated, even at the time. To the Gza’s credit his vocals don’t sound terrible on the album, but with such uninspired beats backing him, this makes the album only worth checking as a curiosity.

Before the deal turned sour, Cold Chillin’ released handful of 12” singles from the album. The instantly forgettable Who’s Your Rhymin’ Hero, Come Do Me, a horrible New Jack Swing type track that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Bel Biv Devoe album and finds the Genius dropping some sex-style lyrics that are a million miles away from the deep style he’s now known for, and Words From A Genius, one of the stronger cuts from the album, which gets the remix treatment at the hands the Rza and is well worth checking out.

http://youtu.be/iSosOZ11fQ8

The Genius Come Do Me

Capitalizing on the huge success of the Wu-Tang’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Cold Chillin’ re-released the Genius LP in 1994, albeit with the addition of Pass The Bone, a Prince Rakeem (Rza) produced track from ’91 that never made the original album. Not wanting to miss a dollar, the label also put the track out as a single, but without any added tracks, it’s only worth copping if you didn’t already grab the LP.

Prior to Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) dropping, the Rza, also had a brief solo career. Signed to Tommy Boy Records under the name Prince Rakeem, he released the 12” single, Ooh, I Love You, Rakeem. The record has 3 different tracks plus a couple of remixes, and all warrant a listen. Rakeem adopts a Loverman steez throughout the record that bares no resemblance to the Rzarector persona most Wu heads are more familiar with, but it works on a goofy tip. The title track flexes some sleazy horns as a posse of women provide a chanted chorus, while the Rza roll-calls all those special ladies that he loves. It’s is a personal favourite of mine and a track still gets regular burn, but I may be alone with that sentiment. Also worth noting is the cut, Sexcapades, which features a remix credited as ‘Wu-Tang Mix’.

http://youtu.be/Tzsdc_QbPqQ

Prince Rakeem Ooh, I Love You, Rakeem

Back in the day, before Myspace and Youtube, rappers had to actually record demo-tapes and shop them around to record labels before they released any material. Yeah, I know, judging by today’s scene, the whole process sounds archaic, but it was the standard process. As a result, there’s a plethora of rough, unfinished and original versions of tracks from most of your favourite established acts. A quick search online will find you links to various versions of the Wu-Tang Clan Demos. These include tracks from the original Wu demo-tape that was shopped around labels for a deal, as well as freestyles, outtakes and alternate versions of more recognizable songs. With almost all of the original members featuring throughout the various cuts, the sound quality tends to be pretty poor, but that’s to be expected.

Back before the Wu, the Rza, the Gza, and fellow cousin, Ol’ Dirty Bastard (then known as Ason Unique) were in a group known as All In Together Now. You may have seen the video floating around Youtube of the group performing at a talent show. If not, the live audio is included on the demo-tape, which features Ol’ Dirty ranting in his drunken style before laying down a beatbox for Rza to kick oral-sex based rhymes over.

http://youtu.be/7dy2D8vVxRE

All In Together Now Talent Show Freestyle

Bring Da Ruckus and After The Laughter are rough versions of the tracks that would eventually end up on Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Both tracks are more relaxed than the final versions, but certainly have that gritty Wu-Tang feel that the album is known for.

Which Way Is Up and It’s Murdah are Rza solo joints that sound like they were recorded during the Ooh, I Love You, Rakeem session and are enjoyable, on that more lighthearted Prince Rakeem tip.

Method Man (known here as Shaquan) and U-God (Baby-U) Join the Rza on Your On. Meth is barely recognizable whereas U-God’s inimitable voice is instantly unmistakable, as are his robotic delivery and nursery rhyme lyrics. I Gets Down For My Crown sounds similar to Wu-Wear: The Garment Renaissance (recorded for the High School High soundtrack in 1996), with Meth, U-God and Rza joined by Inspectah Deck. Much like on the finished album proper, Meth also blesses a solo joint on the demo-tape, Ice Cream Man, which is much more of a nod to the charismatic style he’d go on to perfect.

http://youtu.be/gK893IpzSU0

Method Man Ice Cream Man

Ol’ Dirty Bastard pops up again on a number of tracks. The short freestyle, Take It Back To Brooklyn is an entertaining solo worth checking. Wu-Tang is a cracking track not dissimilar to Shame On A Nigga, featuring lyrics that Ol’ Dirty would eventually recycle on Funkmaster Flex’s Nuttin But Flavor single in ’95. He’s paired up with Gza on What Do You Say, where, again he spits verses that he would later reuse (this time for his hit single, Brooklyn Zoo).

http://youtu.be/3aTQkEnj0RI

Wu-Tang Clan (Ol’ Dirty Bastard) Wu-Tang

While none of this early material compares to the quality of the finished debut album, it’s all worth exploring. Some of it’s really good and some of it is really bad, but it’s out there for you to check.

Make sure you check out the Wu-Tang Clan show at your nearest venue – Wu-Tang Clan play Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Friday 5^th August (tickets from Ticketek), Melbourne’s Festival Hall on Saturday 6^th August (tickets from Ticketmaster) and Perth’s Metro City on Sunday 7^th August (tickets from Moshtix).

http://youtu.be/K9C4-sbQISg

Pre-Wu-Tang Clan Gza, Rza and Ol’ Dirty Bastard on Rhythm & Soul Public Access TV March 1991

The Essential Onyx - A Guide By Mark 563

2011-06-16T23:19:00.000-07:00

What's good chaps? Here's an article I wrote for Ozhiphop.com - check the link or read below.

Cheers,

Mark 563

The Essential Onyx - A Guide By Mark 563

Anyone who has seen or heard me DJ out over the years will know that I’m a mad Onyx fan. As a part of my play-out set, I regularly dedicate a section to the bald-headed crew from Queens, opening with their jump-up anthem, Slam, blending into the grimy Shifftee and closing the section with their call-to-arms, Throw Ya Gunz. All three cuts have received ridiculous spins at my hands and are guaranteed to get a party open, and all three tracks have remained firm favourites of mine since the day they dropped.

With Onyx embarking on their first ever Australian tour, we at Ozhiphop.com saw fit to offer you a refresher course in all things Onyx.

As a trio consisting of Fredro Star, Suavé and Big DS, Onyx got their start way back in 1990 with the release of the scarcely remembered 12” single Ah, And We Do It Like This on Profile Records. There’s a good reason why the record is little known, and that is simply because it really isn’t that good. It sounds nothing like the Onyx you’d expect and is only really worth peeping as an obscurity, or for tone-deaf completists.

The group linked with Run DMC’s, sadly now deceased, DJ, Jam Master Jay and signed to his JMJ Records, adding Fredro’s cousin, Sticky Fingaz to the mix along the way. They dropped the incredible Throw Ya Gunz 12” in late ’92 and blew up. The track was the first display of the groups new hardcore style, a mix of automatic weapons, army fatigues, bald heads and raspy-rasp vocals, and set the template for their following releases.

http://youtu.be/FLzfyjIAByY

Onyx Throw Ya Gunz

They soon followed in 1993 with their full-length debut, the subtly titled Bacdafup. The album was a package of no nonsense grimy, hardcore joints with some of the rap-worlds most questionably spelled titles. Track titles such as Atak Of Da Bal-Hedz, Da Nex Niguz and Getdafucout kick-started a trend of terrible phonetic spelling that would plague the Hip Hop scene for years to come. Illiteracy aside, tracks such as Blac Vagina Finda and Bichasbootleguz left nothing to the imagination, but banged super hard and ensured that the LP was a success.

A few 12”s were released after the long-player and are certainly worth investigating. Slam was an absolute monster smash for the group and is essential in any Hip Hop heads’ collection, as is the equally incredible Shifftee. Of lesser importance are the group’s ventures into the Rock/Rap crossover genre. Slam got treated to a slew of unnecessary, unlistenable remixes including a re-recording of the song with Biohazard, who they would team-up with again for the title track to the movie Judgement Night.

http://youtu.be/ZrtdBy4Pxf4

Onyx Shifftee

Between recording Bacdafucup and their sophomore LP, Big DS left the group amid claims that he wasn’t getting enough mic time, which was a fair call, considering I couldn’t recollect a single contribution he made to the record and always wondered what his role was in the group. His solo career never materialized and sadly, in 2003 Big DS passed away after a battle with cancer.

Slimmed down to a trio, and with Suavé changing his name to Sonee Seeza, in 1995 Onyx dropped the cut, Live!!! on the soundtrack to Russell Simmons’ movie, The Show, before returning with another cracking album, All We Got Iz Us. Far less testosterone fueled and much darker than its’ predecessor, the album was more mature and more convincing as a window into life in the United States Ghetto. A fan favourite, the album spawned a couple of singles, Last Dayz backed with album highlight All We Got Iz Us (Evil Streets) and Walk In New York, which dropped on the B-side of the aforementioned Live!!! (renamed for the album, Live Niguz) 12”.

http://youtu.be/TJgOOdUR3tM

Onyx All We Got Iz Us (Evil Streets)

Around this time Fredro Star and Sticky Fingaz began to concentrate on their acting careers. Fredro starred in basketball movie, Sunset Park (1996), with Onyx providing an impressive soundtrack cut, Thangz Changed. Both Sticky and Fredro featured in the Spike Lee classic Clockers (1995) and the instantly forgettable, Ride (1998). More memorable than the movie itself was the track they delivered on the films soundtrack, The Worst,a banging collaboration with Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon and Method Man and Killarmy’s Killa Sin. Sticky appeared in numerous roles on in TV and film, while Fredro bizarrely found success as a regular on R&B singer Brandy’s sitcom, Moesha.

http://youtu.be/Ivx7Gh-X4DY

Onyx & The Wu-Tang Clan The Worst

In 1998, Onyx returned with their 3^rd album, Shut ‘Em Down. The album was a decent offering, but relied heavily on featured artists, with the likes of DMX, Big Pun, Norega, Lost Boyz and All City all passing through to lend vocals. The previously released Onyx/Wu link up, The Worst, was featured here, as was the single, React, most notable for featuring a fresh-faced 50 Cent.

Later releases, Bacdafucup Part II (2002) and Triggernometry (2003) are far from essential. The former claiming, in name at least, to be a sequel to their debut, but all comparisons should end there. Single, Slam Harder, bares no resemblance whatsoever to their 1993 smash 12” of a similar title, but does feature an enjoyable re-working of the ‘70s sitcom, Welcome Back, Kotter, theme tune courtesy of producer DR Period. Still, Slam it most certainly aint.

On a solo tip, Sticky Fingaz has been the most successful of the group, with his acclaimed Blacktrash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones, while Fredro Star dropped Firestarr on Koch. Both have other records out, but they really aren’t worth bothering with.

As far as harder to find tracks go, both Da Nex Nigguz and Bacdafucup from the first album got put out on promo only 12”s but offer little of interest other than radio versions. There are a bunch of rarer Onyx tracks out there well worth tracking down, and most feature on the Cold Case Files album compiled from harder to find mid ‘90s cuts, released in 2008. A promo definitely worth investigating is the remix of Evil Streets, featuring Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man, backed with Purse Snatchers Pt. 2, which features Smoothe Da Hustler, Trigger Tha Gambler and DV Alias Khrist. Both tracks bang and can be found on the Cold Case Files compilation, as can the only release from relative unknowns, Gang Green (a group that featured Sticky Fingaz’ brother X1, who sadly died in 2007), I’ll Murder You, which features Onyx on the cracking remix and was originally put out by Tape Kingz in 1995.

http://youtu.be/XUBqhkAz0cw

Gang Green I’ll Murder You Remix Featuring Onyx

Guest spots are surprisingly slim pickings. The group featured on Run DMC’s Get Open from their Down With The King album, and on female emcee Boss’ Livin’ Loc’d from her LP Born Gangstaz, both released in 1993. In 1998 Onyx provided guest vocals on All City’s Xtreme from the Metropolis Gold full length, and Sticky Fingaz contributed rhymes to Pete Rock’s Soul Survivor project (the cracking Strange Fruit) and Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz’ Make It Reign long player (Massive Heat).

If all that wasn’t enough, they dropped the incredible 15 Years of Videos History & Violence DVD in 2008, which is jam packed with all their videos, mad amounts of live footage and plenty of behind the scenes footage of the crazy bald headed crew.

Onyx play Melbourne’s Espy on Thursday 9^th June, Perth’s Civic Hotel on Friday 10^th June, Adelaide’s Rocket Bar on Saturday 11^th June, Sydney’s The Gaelic on Sunday 12^th June and Brisbane’s The Step Inn on Thursday 16^th June. Grab your ticket and be prepared for some serious Slamming in the mosh pit.

http://youtu.be/gd861hB5kbM

Onyx Slam Live

One Love...

2011-03-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

What’s good everyone?

As ever, it’s been an absolute age since I lasted updated the blog, despite promises to be much more active here. I know I always complain about life being hectic, but this time, forreal, life is bonkers. On March 8^th our Family expanded, when my beautiful Wife, Corrie gave birth to our son, Mace. All is good – Corrie is doing great, Mace is a dream and even his 2 year old big Sister, Marley has handled his arrival brilliantly. As I’m sure you can imagine, he’s been keeping us more than occupied, so the drawing hasn’t been my top priority.

On the flip side, work has been slow again, so on the down time I’ve finally gotten around to rocking this Nasty Nas illustration. I’ve been a fan of Nas since I first heard him on Main Source’s ‘Live At The BBQ’ and, like the rest of the Hip Hop heads of my generation, was blow away by the quality of his debut album, ‘Illmatic’. I’ve long wanted to do a Nas artwork, and have had a painting of him on the go for well over a year now, but haven’t found the spare time to finish it off. So, in the mean time, I’m pretty stoked to have put together this ode to his ‘One Love’ single.

Check it out below and don’t hesitate to drop a comment.

Cheers,

Mark 563

D'Evils...

2011-02-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

What’s happening, folks?

Life here, as usual, is super busy. We’re counting down the days until we grow from a three person to a four person family - less than a month to go and the time is flying by. We’ve still got so much to do to get the baby’s bedroom sorted (moving Marley from the cot to her big girl bed, getting new air-con fitted, and packing up/selling a whole bunch of my records) but we’re getting there slowly.

At work, we’re short-staffed, but there’s really not much work on right now, so I’ve managed to find at least a little time to do a quick Jay-Z biro sketch for you.

I drew a real rough version of this Jay-Z caricature months back and misplaced the sketch. After a lot of searching, it finally turned up the other day, so I tidied it up and am much happier with this version.

I’m not gonna front, I’ve not always been a Jay-Z fan. When he came out with his debut, I was firmly in the Independent camp – Stones Throw, Fondle ‘Em, Rawkus steez. I was late getting into Jay, but now hold him in very high regard. For Christmas, Corrie very thoughtfully got me a copy of his new book, Decoded, and so far it’s been a great read.

Anyways, check out the quick drawing and let me know what you think.

Cheers,

Mark 563

Queensland Flood Money Charity Auction.

2011-01-30T13:49:00.000-08:00

What’s going on folks?

Art and photos aside, I have to mention the great charity work the good people over at Peak Street are doing in aid of the victims of the devastating Queensland floods.

If you don’t know the story, or haven’t seen the news in a month, check out Peak Street’s Flood Money website for the low down. They’ve basically called upon the Australian Hip Hop community to donate a bunch of great stuff to be auctioned, with all proceeds going to the Premiers Flood Appeal.

As some of you’ll know, Corrie, my Wife, is expecting our second child in a few weeks, and with that in mind, I have made the decision to take an extended break from DJing so that I can focus more time on my new family. As a result, I’ve made the hard decision to put my records into storage, and while I was packing the vinyl up, I pulled a few hard-to-find Australian Hip Hop 45s out and have donated them, along with a couple of prints of my artworks to the Peak Street Flood Money auction.

Those joints have now begun to hit ebay, so check them out at the following links, and please dig deep in your pockets. This is a great cause that I am wholeheartedly behind.

Biggups to Peak Street – Great work.

All the best,

Mark 563

Mindfield ‘This Way Up’ 7”

Maundz / Pohetikut 7”

Clandestien ‘Ancillary Cover’/’Utter Shit’ 7”

Eternia ‘Evidence’/’Bang’ 7”

Muph & Plutonic ‘Day Off’ Remix 7”

Chasm Feat. Mantra & Ozi Batla 7”

The Phuncky Feel One...

2010-12-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

Wow – 2 posts in a week? Yep – I’m on a roll here. Truth be told, work is dead slow at the moment with most of our clients already broken up for the Christmas break, so during my down time I’ve had a chance to flex some artistic muscle.

I’m a huge Cypress Hill fan – have been since they dropped their debut. They were the first Hip Hop act I ever saw live, back in the early / mid ‘90s at Brixton Academy, and their first 2 albums remain firm favourites of mine to this day.

Anyways, this particular illustration has been sat half finished for the last 3 or 4 month, and it took a prompt from TROY blogger, Markshot to get me motivated enough to finish it.

So, here it is – a vector illustration of nasal-toned, Cypress Hill frontman, B-Real.

Have a butchers and let me know what you reckon.

Happy Holidays,

Mark 563

Big Poppa...

2010-12-13T20:39:00.000-08:00

It’s been forever and a day since I updated this place – same old story, again and again. And more excuses – on the real, I’ve been pretty sick, laid up for well over a week with Glandular Fever, so doing anything other than sleeping really hasn’t been a priority.

Anyways, getting back to work in time for everything to slow down to a crawl for the Christmas period allowed me some spare time to flip a quick scribble.

Here’s my Notorious BIG offering. Rest In Peace Biggie.

Have a safe Christmas and New Year, if I don’t see you before hand.

All the best,

Mark 563

Rainy Dayz...

2010-10-13T15:56:00.001-07:00

Here's another quickie for ya.

I've been wanting to do a Raekwon The Chef (Wu-Tang Clan) portrait for ages, but have struggled to find the right image to work from, so in the mean time here's a simple biro caricature I flexed between clients at work.

Let me know what you think.

Cheers,

Mark 563.

Brooklyn Zoo...

2010-09-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

Here's a quickie for you all on a slow Friday.

Just a 5 minute scribble of Wu-Tang's much missed Ol' Dirty Bastard. Rest in Peace Big Baby Jesus.

Have a cracking weekend folks.

Mark 563

A Tribe Called Quest @ Festival Hall 12th August 2010...

2010-08-29T22:42:00.000-07:00

What's going on, chaps?

I know, I know, I promised more regular updates and didn't deliver, but what can you do? Life is still bonkers busy here, but I do try and update as frequently as possible.

Amidst the madness of my day-to-day life, Corrie and I scored a rare night away from our beautiful daughter and rocked up to Melbourne's Festival Hall for the once-in-lifetime opportunity to see Native Tongues legends, A Tribe Called Quest perform the first ever Melbourne gig.

On the real, I've been fiending to see Tribe live forever, having missed them when they hit London way back in the day, and when they split in the late '90s I honestly thought I'd never get to see them, so I was mega stoked that they reformed and were touring.

Festival Hall was absolutely jam packed when we got there and Maseo from De La Soul was handling warm-up duties lovely, although a lot of the tracks he dropped seem to go way over the heads of the majority of the crowd - I know Tribe have / had massive crossover appeal, but I was somewhat surprised at the sheer amount of hipsters in attendance - of all the tunes you know will hype a crowd, I'd never imagined I'd hear Jeru's 'Come Clean', Das EFX's 'Real Hip-Hop' or OC's 'Times Up' fall on deaf ears.

The show was incredible. Q-Tip and Phife smashed it, Ali Shaheed represented and even Jarobi put in a surprise appearance while Tribe worked their way through quite a surprising selection of less obvious tracks. The big hits were present too and the night was off the hook.

Corrie, Cricket and I spent most of the show to the back of the venue, choosing not to fight for a spot nearer the stage, but still managed to get a decent enough view. While our viewpoint may have been good, we were bitterly disappointed to have to queue in line for the bar for 20 minutes even though we were only buying water - shocking - speaking of which, I'm not used to Hip Hop jams on a sober tip (and this may or may not be related), but was bothered by the amount of drunken idiots constantly walking into, onto or over me - I'm not a small fella, so not sure why these fools had so much trouble avoiding my personal space, but that shit seriously began to piss me off and almost came to blows with one cretin.

Anyways, here's a bunch of video footage a caught.

Check it out and feel free to leave a comment.

All the best,

Mark 563

Check Yo Self...

2010-07-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

What's up, folks?

I can't believe I'm posting a new update here so soon, but I guess it's been a productive few days.

The World Cup has ended and I'm a few Dollars better off for it thanks to the work Sweep-stake, if that wasn't a great way to begin the week, my boss is off work this week and next week I'll be having a holiday too, so the mood here is great.

Work has had it's slow moments lately so I managed to get some vector artwork done. This time it's a caricature of West Coast Legend and ex-NWA member, Ice Cube. I started this illustration a while back, but had been flat out here so never got around to finishing it off until now.

As with my other vector pieces, I started with some rough sketches, scanned them in, and set to creating some smooth vectors.

Check out the result below (click to enlarge) and let me know what you reckon.

Cheers,

Mark 563

The Ruler's Back...

2010-07-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

What's going on, folks?

This week I stumbled across a great website jam packed with the cracking artwork of Brothers Scritch and Scratch. As I worked my way through the pages of pictures I found myself more and more motivated to try an update this place a little more frequently. The guys there seem to post up pictures on a daily basis and the quality of their artwork is top notch. It was the rough sketches posted by Scratch that really inspired me.

I have always been a keen drawer. From as far back as I can remember there was nothing that kept me happier than to be drawing something or other. I'm that guy that always has a pen and a pad of paper at hand, and I find myself scribbling doodles all the time. At work I have a stack of small blue pads that were made using scrap paper. I am constantly sketching rough ideas on these pads, and I often come home with my pockets stuffed with blue paper.

So, taking my cue from Scratch, I thought I may as well share some of the unfinished sketches that consume my down time at work.

Here's the first offering - a Slick Rick caricature I flipped the other day using a trusty Bic.

Cheers,

Mark 563

Capital Punishment...

2010-06-20T19:14:00.001-07:00

Yes yes y’all. What’s cracking?

I know I say it every time I update this blog, but life is mad hectic and feels like I haven’t been keeping this place updated as much as I should. As if my normal day-to-day wasn’t busy enough, the World Cup has been keeping my up at all hours of the day (and night) for the last couple of weeks, so drawing has really taken a back seat.

This weekend however, my Wife and Daughter were interstate meeting the newest edition to the Family – Congratulations Charna and Shauny on the arrival of Chae – so it left me with some free time to crack out the pencils and flex a new sketch.

With a repeat of the dismal England match in the background I worked on a portrait of Puerto Rican legend, Big Pun. For those that don’t know, Pun tragically passed away from a heart attack in 2000.

Anyway, peep the drawing below (click to enlarge) and let me know what you think.

All the best,

Mark 563

Above The Clouds...

2010-04-29T23:14:00.000-07:00

What's good everyone?

Life at Run The Line Mansions has been somewhat slow as of late with the whole family representing colds.

Runny noses aside, the news of Gang Starr emcee, Guru's tragic death recently inspired me to sharpen my pencils and rock a portrait.

Online, it seems like everybody and their grandma is flexing a Guru Tribute of some sorts or other, which just goes to show the impact Keithy E had on us Heads. In the last week I must have listened to 10 or more different Guru Tribute mixes, including DJ Premier's insightful radio salute.

I had the pleasure of meeting Guru a few times. As an other-enthusiastic aspiring DJ, I did my best to holla at him at the Gang Starr Full Clip Tour after party at London's Astoria, but he was understandably more concerned with talking to the ladies than listening to me. I wasn't mad. He passed through Mr Bongo one time while I was on my lunch, and my boy Wayne Wonda scored me an autographed 12" (good looking out). I also met him at Camden's Kung Fu randomly - he joined us at the bar and chatted for some time, and was real cool and super humble.

Obviously the questionable final statement and Solar's bizarre behaviour have had the internets buzzing, but I don't want to dwell on that. Instead I'd just like to offer a simple Rest in Peace to Guru - my thoughts go out to your friends and the Elam Family.

Anyways, check the sketch below (click to enlarge) and feel free to leave a comment.

All the best,

Mark 563

DJ Mark 563 Live Mix @ Wax Museum Monthly Jam...

2010-03-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

What's going on folks?

Life here has been pretty hectic of late. Aside from my day job, the local football has been keeping us occupied with Melbourne Victory’s unfortunate A-League Grand Final performance and their current Asian Champions League campaign. Add to that the demands of a rapidly growing 1 year old Daughter, and I'm left with very little spare time, which means not much drawing. That said, this Easter Weekend is a 4 day holiday, so aside from my regular commitments, I hope to get some artwork done at some point.

In the mean time, I've been meaning to post this up for ages but for whatever reason I've not gotten around to it until today. A few months back the good folk at Wax Museum Records invited me down to their Monthly Hip Hop Jam at The Order Of Melbourne to spin a 2 hour set. I did it, and had a blast doing so. Below is a link to the set I played, which was recorded for the Wax Museum Podcast.

DJ Mark 563 Live at Wax Museum Records’ Monthly Jam

Here’s the tracklist:

Miles Tacket / Kid Named Miles - Ring Of Fire
Sister Nancy - Bam Bam
Rodney P - Nice Up
Louis Rankin - Typewriter Feat. Red Hot Lover Tone
Sister Nancy - Big Bam Beat
Capleton - Wings Of Morning (Remix) Feat. Method Man
Big Daddy Kane - Stop Shammin'
Big Daddy Kane - Who Am I Feat. Gamilah Shabazz
Black Sheep - Flavor Of The Month
Fat Joe - Watch The Sound Feat. Diamond D & Grand Puba
Showbiz & AG - Fat Pockets (Remix)
Diamond D - Best Kept Secret
Heavy D - Blue Funk
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Straighten It Out
Ed OG - Love Comes & Goes
A Tribe Called Quest - The Jam
A Tribe Called Quest - Can I Kick It
Capleton - Original Man Feat. Q-Tip
Time Zone - Zulu War Chant
Frankie Cutlass - Puerto Rico (Instrumental)
Das EFX - Real Hip Hop
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Gin & Juice
Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt II
Nine - Whutcha Want
Dr Dre - Next Episode
Gang Starr - Full Clip
Nas - Nas Is Like
Nas - Halftime
Nas - Made You Look
KRS One - Step Into A World
Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See
Notorious BIG - Hypnotize
Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half Steppin'
D-Nice - Call Me D-Nice
KRS One - Sound Of The Police
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Shimmy Shimmy Ya
Super Cat - Ghetto Red Hot (Remix)
Funkmaster Flex - 6 Million Ways To Die
Gang Starr - DWYCK Feat. Nice & Smooth
Main Source - Fakin' The Funk
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill A Man
Diamond D - Sally Got A One Track Mind
Masta Ace - Music Man (Remix)
Breakestra - Cramp Your Style

Check it out and feel free to leave a comment.

Have a great long Easter Weekend.

Mark 563

Mark 563 Art @ T.R.O.Y. Blog...

2010-03-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

What's good everyone?

Just a quick update to say a big thanks-you to the guys over at the Philaflava T.R.O.Y. blog.

The homeboy Markshot did a couple of flattering write-ups about my artwork that you can check out here:

http://philaflava.blogspot.com/2010/03/mark-563s-hip-hop-portrait-sketches.html
http://philaflava.blogspot.com/2010/03/mark-563s-hip-hop-portrait-sketches-wu.html

Feel free to drop a comment or whatever, and let 'em know Mark 563 sent you.

I'll be back soon with some more artwork.

All the best,

Mark 563

Rza (Wu-Tang Clan) @ POW 12th February 2010...

2010-02-18T20:36:00.000-08:00

What’s going on, people? I trust life is being good to you all.

Things here have been good, give or take the local football, if not a little hectic, so excuse the lack of recent updates.

Still, last weekend I was lucky enough to be given the gig of warm-up / fill-in DJ at St Kilda’s Prince Of Wales for the Rza (Wu-Tang Clan) show. Those that know me know I’m a Wu fan, so was stoked to play the jam, and the night was a good’un.

Aside from playing to a packed house, I got to link with the Rza and crew backstage for some flicks (allow the super happy facial expression) and a sneaky record signing, and I also found time to catch some of Rza’s set on video as he worked his way through some classic Wu and Gravediggaz material.

Anyways, check the pictures (click to enlarge) and videos below and feel free to leave a comment.

Catch y’all at Good Vibrations this weekend.

One,

Mark 563

Gin & Juice...

2010-01-17T14:22:00.001-08:00

What’s happening folks?

This weekend I got another chance to break out the pencils and do some drawing while Corrie had lunch with the girls.

I’ve wanted to draw a Snoop Doggy Dogg portrait for a while, but hadn’t really found the right source image – I wanted a ‘Doggystyle’ era image, rather than a more recent picture, so was stoked when I came across this particular photo.

Have a butchers at the image below and let me what you reckon (click to enlarge)

Cheers,

Mark 563

Run The Line

The Gas Face...

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 3 - A Guide By Mark 563

Mark 563

runtheline.blogspot.com

Soul Survivor...

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 2 - A Guide By Mark 563

After embarking on solo careers with limited success (as discussed in Part 1), cousins Rza and Gza split ways with their record labels (Tommy Boy and Cold Chillin’ respectively) and focused efforts on a group project, enlisting the talents of their homeboys and family.

Wu-Tang Clan Protect Ya Neck Video

Method Man unnecessarily got 2 videos. The original version, with Blunt-toting Meth’ performing on a rooftop, and the official video where the Clan inhabit a derelict building as an energized Method Man proves why he was deserving of a solo cut.

Wu-Tang Clan Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’

Wu-Tang Clan Can It Be All So Simple Video

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit / Shame On A Nigga

It is not over the top to suggest that Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is a masterpiece. Held in tremendously high regard, the album is often touted as being one of the greatest of the genre and is essential in any music fans collection, but of course you already know that.

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 1- A Guide By Mark 563

Here's another article I have written for Ozhiphop.com - check the link or read below.All the best,Mark 563The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 1 - A Guide By Mark 563

For the first installment, we’re taking it back to the essence and focusing on the early material.

But even before that, members of the Wu had already experienced dealings within the recording industry.

http://youtu.be/iSosOZ11fQ8

The Genius Come Do Me

http://youtu.be/Tzsdc_QbPqQ

Prince Rakeem Ooh, I Love You, Rakeem

http://youtu.be/7dy2D8vVxRE

All In Together Now Talent Show Freestyle

Bring Da Ruckus and After The Laughter are rough versions of the tracks that would eventually end up on Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Both tracks are more relaxed than the final versions, but certainly have that gritty Wu-Tang feel that the album is known for.

Which Way Is Up and It’s Murdah are Rza solo joints that sound like they were recorded during the Ooh, I Love You, Rakeem session and are enjoyable, on that more lighthearted Prince Rakeem tip.

http://youtu.be/gK893IpzSU0

Method Man Ice Cream Man

http://youtu.be/3aTQkEnj0RI

Wu-Tang Clan (Ol’ Dirty Bastard) Wu-Tang

While none of this early material compares to the quality of the finished debut album, it’s all worth exploring. Some of it’s really good and some of it is really bad, but it’s out there for you to check.

http://youtu.be/K9C4-sbQISg

Pre-Wu-Tang Clan Gza, Rza and Ol’ Dirty Bastard on Rhythm & Soul Public Access TV March 1991

The Essential Onyx - A Guide By Mark 563

One Love...

D'Evils...

Queensland Flood Money Charity Auction.

The Phuncky Feel One...

Big Poppa...

Rainy Dayz...

Brooklyn Zoo...

A Tribe Called Quest @ Festival Hall 12th August 2010...

Check Yo Self...

The Ruler's Back...

Capital Punishment...

Above The Clouds...

DJ Mark 563 Live Mix @ Wax Museum Monthly Jam...

Mark 563 Art @ T.R.O.Y. Blog...

Rza (Wu-Tang Clan) @ POW 12th February 2010...

Gin & Juice...

Here's another article I have written for Ozhiphop.com - check the link or read below.

All the best,

Mark 563

The Essential Wu-Tang Clan Part 1 - A Guide By Mark 563