"How Many Of You Know About Crate Diggin? What Does Crate Diggin Mean To Me?"

Allright this post has become a nightmare. This is the 3rd time i had to rewrite it from scratch. I hate this because each one is getting progressively worse due to me getting irate. Anyways, today I’m going to focus on Crate Digging. Crate Digging is the fine art of record collecting. Im not a hardcore digger, but i have been digging for a few years. I just copped a Vestax Handy Trax to assist me on the hunt. I try to spend whatever loot I can though on records. There are some real hardcore diggers out there, like the folks over at Soul Strut. These cats are dropping knowledge daily. Digging for records is a lifestyle. It becomes an addiction.

The first thing you have to know about when digging is where to find the records. There are many different resources out there for finding vinyl. You can goto pawn shops, estate sales, garage sales, salvo, thrift stores, antique stores, classifieds, your friends, parents, relatives, online etc... Get creative. There are records everywhere and they are mad cheap. If you got some dough, digging online is fun once and a while. You can head over to Dusty Groove to find dope wax. You can also check out Soul Strut’s Ebay auctions. You can also just goto Ebay and find shit records. But be prepared to go into bidding wars with the diehards. I got a spot round me that is pretty untapped. They got a lot of jazz and funk that I scoop up, but its expensive. I also hit up the expos and flea markets. Just be aware of these things and try to get out to them as much as you can.

The next thing you have to do is homework. You have to read the liner notes on records. Look for who played what, what label, what producer, what studio, what year, etc... Make mental or actual notes of this shit. This is a great way to school yourself to new names and records. Also research places like The Breaks.com. They have a listing of who used what on what record. Try to remember these names. Another good resource is comp records. Compilation records have a lot of names that are super rare or slept on. Get a bunch and listen to them and research the artists. You can find them in most hip hop record stores like Turntable Lab. Another good way to find names is the All Music Guide books. These books have thousands of names and reviews for you to check out. I have the soul one and that shit is as big as a phone book. They also have a jazz one.

The last thing I would like to address is to appreciate the music. A lot of cats that I know, just look for loops. They dig through wack records and just skim tracks for sounds. They don’t sit back and listen to the music. I think of it as a homage to listen to a track completely before I sample an artist. Also I only sample music that I’m a fan of. I like to dig for shit that I’m feeling. I look for shit that leaves and impact on me. Some shit that hits a nerve. A record that really is a good piece of music first and foremost.. This is just my opinion. I think that if your gonna jack someone’s music to make your own, at least respect them and take in there work. But do what u gotta do.

And with that here are a few tracks that feature crate digging as the theme. I also threw in a dope bonus cut for the hell of it.

1. Lootpack - Crate Digging
On this track Madlib talks bout what crate digging means to him. He handled the production and emcee work on this track by himself. This is off Lootpacks album, Soundpieces: Da Antidote. Its a dope track and I like the beat a lot. Also check out this months Scratch Magazine for an interview with Madlib. I haven’t seen it yet, but I heard he talks about records and how he gets down.

2. Madlib - Catchin the Vibe
I usually don’t like to post 2 cuts from the same artist, but fuck it. This track is hot. It is a unreleased cut from the loop digga. I really like the melody. Oh and what the fuck is up with the crossfader on this track. Shit is buggin the fuck out.

3. Count Bass D and J.Rawls - Sifting Through Records
I really am feeling this cut. Count Bass breaks it down and pretty much shits on everyone. He number 1, u fuckers. I love the beat. The hook is crazy. We might be having a little ten questions joint with Bass D on the blog soon. Also check out his new album in stores, BEGBORROWSTEEL

4. PUTS - The Dig
I know I did a post bout People Under the Stairs a little while ago, but u cant talk bout digging without mentioning this track. They talk about there addiction and how they get down on this jam. Shit is tight.

Bonus Beat: Pete Rock - #1 Soul Brother
This track isn’t about digging, but P to the R Ah rhymes bout his career. He really is the #1 soul brother. Fuck what u heard.


LINKS

Aight you need to get your ass to our forums. There is some dope mp3s up in there (Commons BE was leaked) and some other cool shit. You have to register to goto the mp3 section though.

This why you dont put your pic on the web. (thanks to splinter for the link)

Just Blaze speaks on Fruity Loops on MTV2 (thanks to markus3k for the link)

George Bush - D.R.A.F.T. (thanks to prah for the link)

Old School Hip Hop Flyers

Questlove's Record Collection (thanks to MPC4000xl for the link)

Madlib Interview (need realaudio to play)

The History Of Rap poster (swiped from Spine Magazine)

Mark the 45 King killing Serato Scratch

Mr. T and your momma

and thats it for today. JOIN THE FORUMS AND GET FREE SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!