Check out these excerpts from the recent dissertation by San Francisco's most accredited hip hop historian, Peanut Butter Wolf. If only all DJs gave back this much to the sample pool. Listen up, there will be a midterm on this.
Peanut Butter Wolf has kept himself busy during the past few years. As one of the originators of the "turntablist-as-the-star" phenomenon, he continues to contribute to hip hop on many different levels. He's released numerous singles and EPs featuring young and upcoming talent. He's started
his own record label, Stones Throw, which has helped launch the careers of
such artists as Encore, Lootpack, and Encore (not to mention the tragically shortened career of Charisma, RIP). He's an accomplished producer who's worked with all of the aforementioned artists, as well as Kool Keith, Redman, and Rock from Heltah Skeltah. He also possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the music and a voluminous record collection.
On his first full-length, My Vinyl Weighs a Ton, he flexes dope scratches, ill beats, and obscure samples. He also collaborates with a wide range of guest MCs and
turntablists, giving the LP a nice, well-rounded feeling. Planet Asia represents lovely on "Definition of Ill" and "Styles Crews Flows Beats," the latter a
multiple-part masterpiece featuring the talents of the Lootpack. P.B. Wolf
was one of the first pioneers of the contemporary "just a beat, some scratches, and a hook" formula for producing hip hop tracks and My Vinyl Weighs a Ton shows that he remains one of the best.
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