Harold Stallworth and his crew roll tight like The Firm.
By the time you read this blog, I’ll be rummaging through a TJ Maxx clearance rack, searching for an irregular Chaps sweater to wear to Nas’ Kennedy Center concert. This weekend, barring any unforeseen hiccups, the honorable Kid Wave will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Illmatic at Washington D.C.’s snazziest venue. Quite frankly, the age of the album is immaterial because timeless works are just that. Age, as they say, ain’t nothing but a number. Anniversaries are just savvy excuses to learn what we already knew, and some things we’ll never get tired of polishing up on.
DJ Mister Cee isn’t above circling dates in his day planner, but the man has always shown an uncanny ability to carve out the perfect blend, with or without a befitting occasion. His “Throwback at Noon” mixshow on Hot 97 is perhaps New York City’s most underrated cultural export. For proof of Cee’s genius, look no further than his recent primer on The Firm. He stitches together a seamless mix of vintage collaborations between Nas and company before capping with a nod to the late, unheralded Half-a-Mil. There may never be any reissues or documentaries or books or anniversary shows to commemorate the contents of this mixshow, but the bulk, if not all, of these records deserve relearning every so often.
Download below the jump.
via On Smash
