My favorite songs of the year

Posted on December 30, 2024 by Blockhead

I usually do yearly round up of this blog, covering all the things I’ve written and the different music I’ve both covered and released. Not gonna lie…it all just seems like a huge undertaking that I don’t feel like doing at the moment. Perhaps I’ll get to it next week. Maybe not. Instead, I’m opting to just give you guys a folder of all my favorite songs from this year. A few people specifically asked me to do this and I don’t see why not.
Just a few caveats

1)Some of these may be over a year old but I listened to them a more THIS YEAR than last year so, you know, don’t be a stickler about that shit.
2)You will, very likely be disappointed in some of this list. If I know the people who read this blog, they have very particular taste. Well, we are all different and I’m not you. I purposely placed all the songs that I have a feeling people will hate at the end of the comp.So, when you hear that 50 cent song start? That’s when you know it may be time to sign out for some of you. I’d ideally like you guys to give those songs a chance and listen. Perhaps, try to understand why they are enjoyable but I’m not holding my breath.
3)I purposely left off the music by people I work with or I know well personally cause I felt like it. I hate seeing other peoples top ten lists and it basically looks like their contacts on their phone. I know a lot of great artists and they made a lot of great music this year. The music will keep coming from all of them, I assure you. So, Aesop, Open mike eagle, Marq Spekt, Run the Jewels, Billy Woods etc…You guys killed it this year and I can’t wait to see what ’16 holds for all of you.

It’s been a good year for rap. Versatile. I’ve enjoyed stuff from straight lyrical underground rap, to thugged out coke raps to trap shit that surprised me. I think that’s one thing I can say about the last 4 or 5 years. Every niche within the genre has it’s high and lows. It our job to discern what is and what isn’t good. But I would strongly advise against categorically dismissing certain types of rap music cause it doesn’t fit into the little box of interest you’ve created. Not only are you missing some good music but, trust me, in a few years you will look back and feel kinda dumb about being so stubborn over music. It’s music. It can be many things. If can make you think but it can also make your mind numb in a good way. So, with that said, here’s my top 25 list (in no specific order) , along with a folder of the songs. I have a feeling the download links won’t be up very long so get it while you can…
Link 1
Alternate Link
1)Lift me up-Vince staples
2)Untouchable-Pusha T
3)Huey- Earl Sweatshirt
4)Excuse- ASAP Rocky
5)Hold up- Tree
6)Burdoned- Bobby raps and Corbin
7)Day 93- Dr. Yen Lo (AKA Ka)
8)Sunday school dropout- Wiki feat Hak)
9)Top of the Whitney- Shirt
10)48th st- Your old Droog
11)Gas in my lung- Spark Master Tape
12)Auntie Pearls house- Golden rules
13)Jabar- DP
14)Meet the mets- Homeboy Sandman
15)Nah- JunglePussy
16)Shadows- Michael Christmas
17)Suede- NXWorries
18)Wold champion karate champion- Jon Wayne feat. Quelle Chris and Zeroh
19)I’m the man- 50 Cent
20)All about the sauce- Sauce Walka
21)Juggathon- Giftz
22)No tellin’- Drake
23)Rest in peace- Fat trel
24)G double O D- Swag Toof
25) White- Young Greatness

Christmas music for the REAL

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Blockhead

Let’s not kid ourselves. Holiday music is abysmal. You know it. I know it. Your friends and family know it. Aside from weird midwestern moms and people who get unusually aroused by tradition, I honestly don’t believe anyone truly enjoys it. At best, it simply reminds us that the holidays are here. The first moment I hear Mariah carey’s “All I want for christmas” wafting out of a storefronts doors in november, I know the season is here. Generally, when something is that bad, it’s at its best when being made fun of or spun in a different direction. So, I compiled a bunch of christmas songs I can fuck with. I left off a few classics (Run Dmc “Christmas in hollis”, grandma got run over by a reindeer (Fuck that song though), The run the jewels christmas song, etc….) and opted for the more obscure. So, here’s a playlist you can sneak on at your family christmas get together. Sit back and watch, as the face of anyone who is paying attention either gets filled with joy or becomes so enraged they kick over the tree and cancel christmas forever. Either way, you’re coming out on top.
So, ho ho ho…Enjoy.

Down load HERE
1)Albert King- Santa Clause wants some lovin’
2)Blowfly- The 12 lays of christmas
3)Clarence carter- Back door santa
4)Dr. Demento- I saw daddy kissing santa clause
5)Eazy-E- Merry muthafuckin’ Xmas
6)Kam- Holiday Madness
7)Ludacris- Ludacrismas
8)James Brown- Santa claus goes straight to the ghetto
9)Snoop dog- twas the night before christmas
10)Steel panther- Sexy santa
11)The Frogs-Here comes santa’s pussy
12)Tiny Tim- Santa has got the AIDS

Re-up: Rare old NYC radio Freestyles and demo tapes

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Blockhead

When I initially started this blog about 4 years ago, one of the first posts I ever did was upping a bunch of extremely rare songs and freestyles I had recorded off the radio in the 90’s. I was looking through my I-tunes the other day and happened upon them once again. I thought “Hmm, I should bring these back out cause, logically, my readership is completely different now than it was 4 years ago.”
So, as a gift to all you meticulous rap nerds who love underground rap from the early/mid 90’s, here you go.
To be clear, these are all things I personally recorded live off the radio from shows like Stretch and bobitto, Nighttrain and Martin Moore on WNYU. I Used to stay up way past my bedtime and go to school like a zombie just so I could have the newest shit to listen to in my walkman the next day.
I’m not gonna do a track listing (it’s 27 tracks) but included in this folder of music are Rare freestyles from the artifacts, Jay-z, Cage, Redman, MAster Ace, ODB and many many more. Also, there are demo’s and unreleased songs. The demo’s are mostly obscure groups that never came out but there are a few that will surprise you. Including a super rare Kool Keith song and a Jay-Z song not many people probably know ever existed. Like I said, this is deep crate nerd shit but, if you’re like me, this will be your shit.
If you’re an audiophile who can’t deal with anything below a certain bit rate, skip this. This isn’t for you. This is all stuff recorded on cassettes off the radio. The quality varies but, at it’s best, it’s never amazing.
So, I hope you all enjoy this stuff. This is definitely the music of my youth and stuff like this is what inspired me to get into rap music in the first place.
OLD NYC RADIO GOODIES!
https://www.sendspace.com/file/n319hi

My old hip hop 12’s in the form of a compilation vol. 2

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Blockhead

As grinchy as I can be, there is still a part of me that is willing to give a little during this holiday time. A few weeks back I posted a compilation of songs I had on vinyl from the 90’s era of indie hip hop. Most were rare, some were just great songs. Here’s a link to that:
https://phatfriend.com/2013/12/12/my-old-hip-hop-12s-in-the-form-of-a-compilation-part-1/
Here is the second , and final, volume. I wish I could make more but, to be honest, my hard drive crapping out a few years back lost a ton of these and most of the actual vinyl is packed away. So, this will have to do. Lucky for you guys, this one got bangers (not to be confused with “Bangerz”). This one goes back further than the previous as the Master Ace and Frescho songs date back to the early/mid 90’s. If you’re a hip hop nerd, this will be your shit. I promise.
Enjoy and merry fucking christmas or whatever.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ip8569
1)No time to Chill: Labtekwon
2)Synopsis:Erule
3)I’m rhymin’: Mr Complex
4)Day one: D.I.T.C
5)Hot: John Forte
6)Pushin’ Orbits: Sub Con
7)Ig’nant: Al Shid
8)Rollin’:Saukrates Feat Masta Ace and O.C.
9)The music of business: Ras Kass
10)The Session:The Arsonists
11)Sippin’ Brandy: King Sun
12)Sunroof top: Pace won
13)Go where I send the: Master Ace feat. Eyce U rock
14)Cranium: Gauge
15)Planet Brooklyn: Frescho

My old hip hop 12’s in the form of a compilation. Part 1

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Blockhead

I haven’t done a compilation in a minute and I know how much you guys like free shit. well, talk a walk down memory lane with me. To many of you, this mix with feature a bunch of shit you have never heard before. To others, you’ll have it all and not give a fuck. But, hey, can’t please everyone.
What this is , is a collection of indie rap joints I own or once owned on vinyl. The range from extremely obscure to pretty under the radar. The time line goes from a few in the early 90’s to some in the early 2000’s. This shit is all over the map. Because some of these are vinyl rips (some are even cassette rips cause that’s all I had left) the sound quality may vary. I know how upset you audiophiles get but tough luck, dude. In my day, we listened to 5th generation cassettes dubbed off the radio, filled with hiss and we loved that shit.
So, this is one of two mixes I’ve compiled. No order. No theme. Just rap songs from a different era. This first mix is more west coast heavy but that’s purely coincidence.
Here’s a track listing and download link:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/w4ozhl
1)Outside Looking in: Darc Mind
2)L’chemy: L’roneous
3)8 Step agenda: Latyrx
4)U can’t escape the hypeness:BLVD Mosse
5)You’re late: The Cenobites
6)I am a record: The Derelicts
7)Bless Ya life: KGB
8)More Cheese: Bashton
9)Do you wanna hear it: The nubian Crackers feat. The artifacts
10)Brainstorm: Latee
11)Dope fiend: Ill Bill
12)Settle the score: Mr. Lif
13)Survival of the fetus: Messiah
14)Tru day: Puppets of chaos
15)After Dark: Pep love

A mix for the youth

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Blockhead

I’ve been working on a few projects lately and the bulk of the recording has been happening at Wreckroom studios. This is a studio in brooklyn owned by Adrian Grenier that serves as sort of a community for a bunch of different local artists. One of those artists is a group I’ve mentioned on here before called the Skins. they’re 5 kids from NYC. Three siblings and two non-family members all between the ages of 14 and 21 who make some awesome balls to the wall rock music.

I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know some of them cause they’re always hanging around the studio (also , the lead singer Bay-li has been assisting with some vocals for the Mighty Jones album I’ve been working on).They are awesome, wildly talented and well on their way to becoming so famous that they probably won’t remember my name in two years. Actually, that last part is not true at all cause they are really good kids. Like amazingly good kids. So good, in fact, it makes the idea of ever having kids seem okay, after the years of being in airports had seemingly sucked that urge out of me.

I say all that to this: The youngest member of this group is the drummer, Reef. He’s 14 and the dude is on some next shit. He can play any instrument, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of music of all sorts and he can beat anyone in NBA 2k13 on the highest level. Being around him kinda reminded me of what it was like to be that age and obsessed with music. I was similar except my scope was much thinner. I only fucked with rap where as Reef seems to find interest in all genres. But he reminds me that the way music made me feel back then was unlike anything else. Every song seemed like a new experience. It got me thinking about people who fed that hunger I had back then and how much that shaped my taste well into adulthood. Reef likes rap. Hell, he even raps. But to see a kid with so much knowledge of music who was mostly listening to radio shit made me feel like I wanted to give him a taste of what else is out there. So, I made him a mix. It’s not of the best music on earth. It’s simply a compilation of rap I like that I think he might also be into. It’s all sorts of different stuff, cause really, a mix like this is just trying to put out feelers.And expansion of horizons is a good thing when you’re that age. I had a friend do that for me when I was younger and it opened all sorts of doors. Cause, really, even though Jay-z , Kendrick lamar and Kanye are all great artists, there’s so much more to rap than them. So, I figured I give you guys the same mix. Chances are, you have a lot of this stuff. After all, it’s shit I’ve been pushing on this blog for a while. But, if not, enjoy…Besides, it’s been a while since I gave a mix away. I was due.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/n6m2v7
1)Devotion: Tree
2)5ree thinkers: Open Mike Eagle
3)Half of Nepal: Spark master Tape
4)For the record: T-shirt
5)Hands on the wheel: Schoolboy Q & ASAP rocky
6)Hit me:Mystikal
7)Untitled: Killer Mike
8)Chuch:Shabazz palaces
9)Juice: Chance the rapper
10)All Smiles: Marq Spekt and Kno
11)Contra: Danny Brown
12)Jumanji flow: Asaad
14)Look out: Homeboy sandman
15)Molotovs at Poseidon: YC the Cynic
16)Gold Soul Theory: The underachievers
17)Thuggin: Freddie Gibbs
18)Mighty morphin foreskin: Captain murphy

Phat friend year in review 2012

Posted on December 26, 2024 by Blockhead

Yeah yeah yeah..year end lists are played out and all that. Instead of just giving lists, I’d like to use this time to take a look back at the year that was this goddamn blog. My blog. This is like my second job that i never get paid for. I do it for the love, man.
Anyway, if you got endless time to kill, this should be right up your alley. Links, links and more links. Fun things to watch, read, download and rub your genitals up against. Enjoy.

Top Five most read articles
These are the things I wrote that, for some reason or another, got read the most. In some cases it was the actual content, in others, it was cause some big website retweeted them…and in the case of the “Fuck/marry/kill” I’m assuming it had something to do with google and a word I happened to use in it. That’s the only realistic explanation.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/01/25/before-lana-del-ray/
This is about my brief experience working with Lana Del Ray before she was Lana Del Ray. Easily the most read thing of the year and, to this day, I get emails from crazy Lana Del Ray fans asking me for anything else I may have done with her. Which is nothing. Sorry guys!

https://phatfriend.com/2012/01/19/fckmarrykill-volume-8/
No clue why this was so popular…other than the game itself being so awesome.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/09/20/making-mixes-for-girls-part-1/
This got linked to the website Hairpin.com which is a huge website for stylish women. Thanks to my homegirl Jane Marie for that.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/08/16/my-case-against-men-wearing-open-toed-shoes/
This was the most controversial thing I wrote all year apparently cause, to this day, it still gets new comments from butthurt losers in sandals. Although it’s probably not the case, I like to imagine most of the traffic to this consists of furiously bitter dudes in sandals checking if any other furiously bitter dudes in sandals have commented on the post.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/07/05/behold-my-childhood-art-part-1/
I’d like to think this one got so many views cause it was so fucking awesome. Either that or Pedophiles googling game is slipping.

My personal favorites
These are the posts I wrote that I enjoyed the most. They may have slipped under the radar or just been not that interesting to people that weren’t me. Who knows? Whatever the case, give them a chance.
https://phatfriend.com/2012/11/29/things-i-once-believed-to-be-facts/
This is a recent one that is just me thinking back to some truly dumb shit I believed to be factual in my younger years. Very relatable stuff…kinda.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/08/30/the-opening-act-aka-eating-shit/
This was about how musicians all have to eat shit at some point as the opening act. It’s a brutal things but it’s also very necessary.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/01/04/the-friendzone/
This is about the realities of being in the friendzone. Not surprisingly, it fucking sucks.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/02/29/behind-the-electronic-curtain/
This is my ode to the faceless self promoters online and human spam machines.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/05/09/pussssyyyyyyy/
This is a a look at the pussification of the human race that’s been going on over the last ten years. Make it stop.

https://phatfriend.com/2012/01/11/i-used-to-love-h-i-m-pause/
This is a detailed breakdown of how I fell out of love with the music of the rapper Common. Shit’s deep, brah.

Mixtapes I made:
https://phatfriend.com/2012/11/28/mixtapes-for-girls-vol-4-the-close-it-out-mix/

https://phatfriend.com/2012/11/07/mixtapes-for-girls-vol-3-the-eclectic-guy-mix/

https://phatfriend.com/2012/10/10/mixes-for-girls-vol-2-the-im-sorryi-want-you-back-mix/

https://phatfriend.com/2012/03/21/some-good-old-album-tracks/

Making mixes for girls Part 1

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Blockhead

Some of you are probably too young to even know this was once a thing, but there was a time when making a mix for a girl was every sucker-for-love types go to move. I’m not talking about putting together a soulless playlist on I-tunes and exporting it into a some girls external hard drive. I’m talking about sitting by a cassette player, dubbing songs from cd’s and tapes onto a cassette or cd. I’m talking about writing down the song titles and artists with your bare hands on that paper fold out that came with the blank cd/cassettes. I’m talking about optional artwork you might add to the cover and maybe even personal notes written to the girl you’re giving the cd/tape to. This took time and thought. You had to literally sit and listen to every song as it recorded and even consider the order of the songs. Often putting songs in a very particular order to somehow purvey a message. It was , in a way, an expression of art and desire , concealed as a casual thing you just did for a buddy. A buddy, I might add, that you wanted to have sex with.

In my mid teens to my mid 20’s, I was shy with girls. Because that was an era when people actually had to talk on the phone and communicate like humans, it wasn’t as easy as it is now. We couldn’t just send a text pic of our cocks and call it a day. We had to actually use words that came out of our mouths. Because that was never entirely in my comfort zone, I always would make girls mixes. If I liked you, I’d make you a mix (unless it was just some girl who had heard another mix I had made for another girl and asked me for one cause she too wanted cool music to listen to).

Making a successful mix for a girl was walking a fine line. You wanted to , first and foremost, give them good music. Music you legitimately enjoy. You also wanted to be subtle. Love songs were a must but making a whole mix of slow jams was kinda presumptuous. You had to spoon feed your intentions. I’d imagine crafting a mix tape that gets across the right emotions without being too overt could be compared to sculpting a bonsai tree. It was about balance. Pretty songs, funny songs, message songs and just songs you liked and wanted to share. It was truly a craft.

When done right, mix tapes would resonate with that girl. To this day, I’d like to think there are girls out there who, when they hear certain songs, they think of my bum ass. That’s the beauty of music really. It sticks around in a persons head and rattles their thoughts. There are still tons of songs I hear all the time that take me to a specific place and time whenever I hear them. A place I would otherwise assume I had long forgotten. With a proper mixtape, it could be like a deep tissue massage for the soul of some girls you once liked. AND it would get you laid.

Another cool thing about making mixes for girls was you could throw on that corny song you secretly like cause, well, there’s a good chance the girl would be cornier than you and like it just as much.
So, I decided to make some mix tapes for girls…Basically, I put together 4 mixes of songs. Each with an angle. Each going for a different vibe. I’ll upload the rest in the coming weeks. But, fellas, don’t be dissuaded by all this girl talk. These are still, for the most part, awesome songs. Songs that men are allowed to like (well, some of them are straight up embarrassing but that’s the point).
So, here’s part 1.
This is the more “upbeat” of the mixes. That doesn’t mean it’s for dancing but it has happier moods. This is the mixtape you wanna give a girl that you like, but you’re not crazy serious about. Like, you wanna bone her, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t.
Also, long time readers might be familiar with some of these songs , as I’ve been doing the “song of the day” thing for years now. Sorry about that but that’s how it is. Whatever, stop complaining for once and enjoy it. Free music , dude.
Mixtape part 1
NEW LINK
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7mtmwb
Alternate link:
http://depositfiles.com/files/wac5aa1h2
1)I only have love: Syl Johnson
2)Artibella:Ken Boothe
3)Fever:Little Willie John
4)Golden Brown: The Stranglers
5)Love that will not die: Johnny “guitar” Watson
6)You’ve made me so very happy: Lou Rawls
7)Why can’t we live together: Timmy Thomas
8)Left with a broken heart: john Holt
9)Missing: Beck
10)Ruby Lee: Bill Withers
11)Sexy Secrets: The Midnight Show
12)The First Taste: Fiona Apple
13)You push, I’ll Go: Baby Dayliner

Jay Electronica mix

Posted on May 23, 2024 by Blockhead

I don’t suppose a somewhat hip hop themed blog can exist nowadays without having some sort of Jay Electronica mixtape. Well, I’m not different in a few ways.
For one, I’m a huge fan of the guy. In a time when 95% of the new music being made is complete and utter bullshit and/or the work of hacks, J.E. brings something that all of us old heads can appreciate. Good rapping. Non-pretentious yet original sounding rap music. To me, He’s like a blend of MF doom and Nas but from the south No, he’s not going to change rap music as we know it, but he is gonna at least push it in the right direction going forward. Hopefully to a place where talent, thoughtfulness , creativity and intelligence are no longer frowned upon by the majority of hip hop listeners. Unlikely, but we can hope, can’t we?
Secondly, We’ve all got our favorite joints and what some other blog may love, might not be my shit and vice versa. I just wanna put in my two cents.
It’s always funny for me to come across people , who are still somewhat engaged in today’s hip hop scene , who hate on this dude. It blows my mind , really. When asked why , they usually shrug and list of other mc’s out now equally worthy of praise. The problem is, those mc’s they’re listing are usually mediocre at best and won’t be around in a year. When i first heard of him, like many others, I was extremely put off by his name. It sounded like a Euro house DJ to me. But once I gave the dude a chance, I was a huge fan. Hopefully, if you’re in the same boat as I was, this little mix will help sway your mind.
So, here’s a bunch of songs by Jay that I love. I omitted “Exhibit C” cause everyone knows that song by now and there no point to really put anyone on to that.
Enjoy:
http://www.mediafire.com/?q1ljlp1h4l31fxq
1)Exhibit A (transformations)
2)Departure
3)Exhibit B (feat. Mos Def)
4)Retro Electro
5)So what you sayin’
6)Bitches and drugs
7)Something to hold on to
8)Dealing
9)Dimethyltriptamine
10)Extra extra
11)My World (Nas salute)
12)A prayer for Michael Vick
13)Eternal Sunshine
14)The ghost of Christopher Wallace (feat. Puffy)

Danny Brown is Dope

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Blockhead

A few weeks ago, I got put on to Danny Brown and downloaded one of his mixtapes. It pretty much has become the only thing i’ve been listening to lately so i went ahead and downloaded as many of his other mixtapes i could find. I haven’t even had that much time to sit with them but , after a full day of bumping a large portion of his catalogue (as far as i know it) , I figured it would be a nice move on my part to share the love and hopefully put some people on to a new rapper that is actually good. shocking…I know.
So, here’s a mix of songs by Brown. To be totally honest, some of the titles may be wrong cause the tracks were unmarked and a google search came up with nothing. But , whatever, you get the idea…Enjoy

Danny Brown is Dope
http://www.mediafire.com/?zzzmwz54mjd
1)Greatest rapper ever
2)Intro
3)Get down
4)Broadcaster
5)Up this high
6)Exotic
7)Get the message
8)L.O.L
9)Re-up
10)Bag back
11)Stupid ass
12)The Nana song
13)Do your homework
14)Words on the beat
15)Counterfeit
16)The wizard
17)Marching band
18) Learn about me

Phat Friend

Sweeping generalizations and unicorns

Tag Archives: mixtape