After all, the Game notwithstanding, where has Los Angeles hip-hop been for the past decade? But rather than revisit worn-out gangster-rap tropes like the rising rappers Nipsey Hussle, Jay Rock and Clyde Carson, these old-timers Quik is an underloved G-funk architect and Kurupt a recharged veteran of the early Death Row days reclaim the scene by looking forward. “We the West,” scream the T-shirts in the video for “9X Outta 10,” by DJ Quik & Kurupt: a riff on DJ Khaled’s “We the Best” catchphrase but also a statement of presence. To wit, the Twitter message she recently posted to the producer Mitch Allan, imploring him to “make a country version of Wanted!!! Country stations want it!” But can she go home again? James knows getting embraced by the home crowd would be nice too. James’s own step routine and tweaks Dem Franchise Boyz’ 2004 hit “White Tee,” is perhaps the first white-girl country-rap song. The clever “Blue Jeans,” which uses a beat drawn from Ms. And while we’re mixing, why can’t it be hip-hop as well? “Cowboy,” written with Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser, has snappy snares and puckish fiddle.

James, whose self-titled debut (on Mercury) is due in July, is asking. If Nashville can go pop, why can’t pop start out a little bit Nashville? That’s what the music of Ms. Here is what Taylor Swift hath wrought: “Wanted,” the debut single by the Georgia-raised, Nashville-based Jessie James, is feisty shampoo-commercial pop save for three bars near the bridge, when a country guitar shows its hand.

“Don’t want to disrespect you, know I just met you.” What he’s after, as the title of his version explains, is “First Date Sex.” “Baby I’ll undress you from the sofa to the dresser,” he croons in a lovely voice that’s plaintive without weakness. “Girl you know I-I-I/don’t need candles and cake.” Currently approaching the top of the Billboard hip-hop/R&B single chart, it has already spawned bawdy remixes by Red Café and Fabolous, but the most inspired revision comes from the more experienced soul man Trey Songz, who’s not waiting for a special occasion. “It’s your birthday so I know you want to ri-i-i-ide out/Even if we only go to my-y-y house,” he ecstatically stutters on the fantastic single “Birthday Sex” (Def Jam).

Kelly the nimble young R&B singer Jeremih clips his lines short like a rapper and writes bedroom songs that verge on parody. Rap' (DJ Spin.Like his fellow Chicagoan R.

Demos: Snoop Doggy Dogg & 213 Demo Tape (1991).

Rap Treats #17: Group Home 'Superstar' (Alternate.

Rap Treats #18: Mobb Deep 'Quiet Storm' (Original.

Classic Material: LL Cool J + Krush Groove.

Rap Treats #20: DJ Quik 'The Red Tape' (1987).

Rap Treats #21: Resident Alien/Prince Paul (1991).

Rap Treats #22: Beastie Boys & RUN DMC Live (1987).

Rap Treats #24: Kurious 'Blue' (Unreleased).

Rap Treats #25: BIGGIE 'Queen Bitch' (Reference Tr.

Rap Treats #27: High Potent (Jay-Z circa 1986).

Marvin Gaye 'Ain't Nothing Like Auto-Tune'.

Rap Treats #28: Kanye West 'Gotta Pose' (Pre Roc-A.

Rap Treats #29: Jay-Z Live Glastonbury (Audio).

Jay-Z - Live At Glastonbury 2008 (audio).

If anybody has an actual copy of The Red Tape please hollar. Either way, this tape is dope and a rare classic piece of history. Either Quik was WAY ahead of his time, or The Red Tape was recorded in 1989/90 at the earliest. In fact, Quik's overall production sound on The Red Tape sounds nothing like anything sounded in 1987. I can't see that song being record 5 years before it was released. The third thing is 'Born & Raised In Compton' is on the tape and it's the exact same version that was released in 1991. The second thing was Quik uses the 'life ain't nothin' but bitches and money' sample from N.W.A.'s 'Gangsta Gangsta'. For starters, on one song they start saying 'go LL, go LL' and then go into the 'Jinglin' Baby' hook. There are a few things listening to the tape that makes me think it was released a few years later. The Red Tape is the most popular of DJ Quik's underground tapes and it supposedly came out in 1987, but because I didn't get it until many years later I can't be sure about that.

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