From Hus Kingpin’s New York N***a In L.A. mixtape, coming soon.

From Jakarta Records: “I guess everyone has that band that you heard a tiny bit longer and more often then all the others. for us this has definitely been looptroop rockers. i remember first hearing them and promoe around the time when i was 15, i just started working at a record store and they were among my favorite discoveries and since then we have been following their music closely, seeing them live a dozen times. Fast forward 15 years: we just signed their new album to be released in in late october. tell this the 15 year old me, i don’t think he’d believe you. and the line below is also quite fitting for jakarta records too….”

Diggin’ In The Crates co-founder Lord Finesse gives us a history lesson on his days as the Funky Technician, discovering the late great Big L, being a part of the Notorious B.I.G.’s classic ‘Ready To Die’ album, running with Puff, working closely to this day with Dr. Dre and his legal issues with Mac Miller. Of course there’s more to this, so pull up a chair because rap class is in session so you can stop guessing. PLUS, a cameo comeback by Dallas Penn. #Str8Flourishments in effect b.

On May 7th, D.I.T.C. Entertainment will release “The Remix Project” which features brand new remixes of D.I.T.C’s back catalogue. The all-star line-up of remixers includes D.I.T.C.’s own production powerhouse Showbiz, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, and Buckwild while also featuring extended family members DJ Premier, Bink, Apollo Brown, Alchemist, and 9th Wonder.

“The Remix Project” will be available as a free album download on May 7th with vinyl and CD bundles for sale shortly after in conjunction w/ the full web launch of D.I.T.C’s website www.DITCEnt.com.

Today we’re happy to share the DJ Premier remix of “Diggin’ In The Crates” featuring Diamond D, Showbiz, A.G. and Lord Finesse on mic duties. The original track was where it all began for the D.I.T.C. crew and was featured on Showbiz & A.G.’s self released “Soul Clap” EP in 1991. Free download of the remix here.

Slice-Of-Spice tells us:

Back in 2012 we released a Signature Sevens series of vinyl with Lord Finesse. There were 3 Volumes to the series (including a bonus record), and each was pressed on double 7 inch vinyl, and presented in stunning gatefold jackets.

A1. Pull Ya Card (Vocal)
A2. Pull Ya Card (Instrumental)
B1. Check Me Out Baby Pah (Vocal) ft. Page The Hand Grenade
B2. Check Me Out Baby Pah (Instrumental)

This track is a part of Funky Man: The Prequel 2LP release dropping in April on Slice-Of-Spice. The Funky Man “Prequel” material has been waiting 22 years to be properly mastered and put together in one solid release project. Check out the track and snippets from the entire project below.

Promo Only Flexi-Disc given out for free to customers who purchase ‘Double Packs’ of the 3rd in the Lord Finesse Signature Sevens Series. Check for the alternate intro and slightly different lyrics from KRS-One who re-recorded his vocals for this now legendary track.

After nearly a three year hiatus, the Bronx-bred spitter Butta Verses, who now calls South Florida home, has returned with a Lord Finesse produced single titled “That’s Me,” in promotion for his forthcoming mixtape. Although a working title for the project is yet to be finalized, the mixtape, which is slated for a September 18th release, boasts production from Marco Polo, The Mighty V.I.C. (The Beatnuts, Groove Merchantz, Ghetto Pros), BeanOne (of Dyme Def) and more. The mixtape is being released by Beats & Rhymes, a sub division of DeWolfe Music USA that specializes in music licensing for film and TV…stay tuned.

“What you have right here is the start of a song created during the making of the Funky Technician LP, that was never finished. Lyrically, it was actually parts of a live routine that I was trying to convert into a song for the album. DJ Premier found the loop and started putting the track together, but once Stu Fine (Wild Pitch Records owner) heard the track he immediately made me stop recording due to the extremely raw content. So this unfinished track remained stashed for over 20 years until recently. It’s funny ‘cos listening to it now makes me wonder what the hell I was thinking [Laughing]. I’m personally glad Stu & DJ Premier made me change my mind, but the track is now being released as an extremely rare limited edition promo. You can thank Rich (Slice Of Spice) for the constant persuasion ‘cos if it was left to me I’d have left it buried in the stash!” -Lord Finesse

This is available on limited 5″ vinyl – the size of a CD, in the shape of a reel – courtesy of Slice of Spice.

Exclusive in-depth interview with Joey Badass (Bada$$) and CJ FLY. Part 1 starts with The Progressive Era members talking to Nick Huff Barili about being on a national tour while still in High School, how Pro Era got started, who is involved and where its going. As the interview continues Nick asks Joey how he feels about Lord Finesse suing Mac Miller for using his beat on a mixtape, since Joey also used a Lord Finesse beat on his mixtape 1999. Nick also asks Joey if the lawsuit is going to prevent him from using non-original beats on other projects. As the interview progresses Joey and CJ talk about New York Hip Hop, Nas and Jay-Z comparisons and hints at having had a conversation with Hov already. Could a deal be in the works for Pro Era with Roc Nation? Mere speculation on our part but the look on Joey and CJ’s face while talking about the Jigga man is priceless.

How dope is this cover art? Slice-Of-Spice will release a special, limited vinyl LP for Lord Finesse and Mike Smooth’s seminal album Funky Technician, in instrumental format. Produced by DJ Premier, Mike Smooth, Showbiz, and Diamond D. Order now via UGHH.

Lord Finesse has slapped Mac Miller with a $10 million lawsuit over an uncleared sampling of his 90′s single, “Hip 2 Da Game” on the track “Kool Aid & A Frozen Pizza”, from his K.I.D.S. (Kickin’ Incredibly Dope Shit) mixtape.

The lawsuit states: “In 2010, Mac Miller recorded himself rapping over Finesse’s music and renamed the song ‘Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza’ (‘The Kool Aid Song’).”

Mac Miller has since responded via Twitter, stating “I made that record and video as nothing more than an 18 year old kid who wanted to rhyme and pay homage, no other intentions. Finesse and I spoke on the phone for an hour after he heard the record and we cleared the air. We even planned to work on music together. All I wanted to do was shed light on a generation that inspired me. Finesse never cleared the Oscar Peterson sample on the original record. I did nothing wrong. We spoke on the phone had a good conversation, he was cool with the record. It’s all love tho. I ain’t even mad at dude. He still a legend. When I heard there was a problem I reached out to him to try to solve it. No response. Lord Finesse, thank you for what u did for hip-hop. Thank you for bringing my favorite rapper into the game.”

Finesse has responded via Twitter, stating: “I appreciate Mac’s kind words, but his people did not handle his business correctly. Basics – Mixtapes are one thing, but you can’t take someone else’s entire song, shoot a music video, and call it your own. Mac’s on top of his game right now. I wish him the best in Europe and I hope to hear from him besides on Twitter.”

We’re not sure what that all means as far as the lawsuit is concerned…..

Lord Finesse recites a verse from “Flip Da Style” from Ice-T’s “Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap”, in theaters June 15th.

Lord Finesse writes:

“What you have right here is the start of a song created during the making of the Funky Technician LP, that was never finished. Lyrically, it was actually parts of a live routine that I was trying to convert into a song for the album. DJ Premier found the loop and started putting the track together, but once Stu Fine (Wild Pitch Records owner) heard the track he immediately made me stop recording due to the extremely raw content. So this unfinished track remained stashed for over 20 years until recently. It’s funny ‘cos listening to it now makes me wonder what the hell I was thinking [Laughing]. I’m personally glad Stu & DJ Premier made me change my mind, but the track is now being released as an extremely rare limited edition promo. You can thank Rich (Slice Of Spice) for the constant persuasion ‘cos if it was left to me I’d have left it buried in the stash!” -Lord Finesse

Its been over 14 years since the Funky Man, Lord Finesse dropped his third album, The Awakening back in ’96. The album boasts a shlew of guest features, including O.C. & KRS-One who both appear on one of the album’s standout tracks, “Brainstorm”. Confidence, the MA-based beat smith, puts an extremely dope twist to the original version, which serves as the first leak to his forthcoming mixtape ReCon, which drops next week! ReCon contains a collection of mid-90′s underground classics that are all remixed by Confidence & mixed by Belgium’s European DMC Champ, DJ Grazzhoppa.

Lord Finesse feat. O.C. & KRS-One – Brainstorm (Confidence Remix)(MP3)