However, I have what may be a better episode for this week of tributes to Tony D. This episode is from February 8, 1990. Easy M was off DJing a party somewhere in Jersey, so his partner from “Too Smooth” (later “Sounds from the Underground”) Fresh J filled in as a co-host. Easy’s absence meant that Tone was given a full two hours on the wheels. And, man, was Tone in full promotion mode. Tons of great Trenton acts, special announcements about groups that were to become legendary, and even some MC Serch references. This really is a classic episode.

So, side by side:

Side 1 (10:05-10:48pm)

The show kicks off with some technical difficulties, but Tone steps up to the wheels to kick off his two hours and displays some nice turntable work when he starts things off with Gang Starr’s “Words I Manifest.” From there, he moves into Marky Fresh’s underrated “Mack of Rap” and then hits a couple of Trenton cuts from Too Kool Posse (“Music Makes You Move”) and YZ.

During the first break, Tone pimps an upcoming show for the first of many times. The show sounds like a killer, put on by the Awesome Two in New York City at Quando’s (which was on 9 East 2nd Ave). It featured A Tribe Called Quest, LONS, Freshco and Miz, Robbie B and DJ Jazz, Poor Righteous Teachers in their first NY appearance, and Tony D. When Tone mentions Tribe, he asks G, “Have you heard of those guys?” and G replies that he has but has trouble remembering the name of their first single. Seems weird now, huh?

Among the tracks in the next set are “The Gas Face,” which surprised me not only because they didn’t cut out the repeated “Oh shit”s, but because that was the track that kicked off the Tony D-Serch feud (quick recap: Tone mistook Serch’s dis to “Tony Dick” as a shot at him and then fired back at Serch on vinyl). Debuted on the show is one of my favorite all-time cuts that’s nearly impossible to find, 360 Degrees’ (made up of Prophecy and Gusto) “The Harmony.” Back in December, Tone was selling the EP for $500 on eBay.

Side 2 (10:49-11:35pm)

Some great banter on this side (“Lance, Lance with the dookey stain pants”). Tone hints at a possible “Serch vs. Tony Part 2″ and the upcoming New York show (“If Serch comes…”).

Also on this side, a Tony D-voiced ad for the “Sound of Trenton” record store, an 8-minute anti-apartheid song with Black Rock and Ron, Brand Nubian, and many others (can’t find what this song might be — any help?), the premiere of “Listen to Me Brother,” and more Tony D, Blvd. Mosse, and PRT goodness.

Side 3 (11:35pm-12:15am)

At the end of the night, Tone debuts a new track with PRT that didn’t even have a name yet (it later became “Can I Start This?” and kicked off PRT’s Holy Intellect). They also play the top track in their new countdown and close out the show with some funny back and forth between Tone and Fresh J before it kicks into Fresh J’s “Too Smooth” underground house show.

Side A is the closing of one episode. Tracks include one by Isis (not sure of the title “The Power of Myself is Moving,” thanks, Daren), “Looking Out My Front Door” by Main Source, Big Shot by King Sun, and an excellent “fast rap”-era track by Trenton’s own B. Fine and The Funk Family with Tony D titled “Lose ‘Em.” The show closes out with some PRT, Brand Nubian, and the KMD “Peach Fuzz” instrumental. During the closing shout-outs, you’ll hear one of mine, from “Lazy B” to DJ Qwik-Cut and “Dre Ski” (which I’m pretty sure was supposed to be Jay-Ski, but I guess they heard me wrong). After the shouts is some of Easy M’s underground house show that he did with a dude named Fresh J. The show was titled “Too Smooth.” Nothing too remarkable here other than tracks near the end that sampled Prince and the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” lady.

Side B is the first 45 minutes of the next show featuring some great 1990 hip-hop from X-Clan, Special Ed, Master Ace, and Eazy-E (including a “Tom’s Diner” accapella mixed with the “Eazy Street” instrumental!). The break features the King Sun “Be Black” instrumental. Easy M, G, and Dre are in the studio. Tone steps up to the wheels for the last segment of the tape, which kicks off with an excellent track by Gusto and some others (I think it’s called “Rated XXX (360 Degrees”). Perhaps Tone can provide the exact title and artist for this one.

Side A [ download ]:

Side B [ download ]:

So, some more Club Crush for you. This one comes a week after Thanksgiving, 1990 and kicks off with an incredible set. It features a remix of “Can I Kick It?” followed by “Tom’s Diner” (?!!) and a wicked remix of “Gas Face.” Then it rolls into one of my favorite King Sun joints, “Be Black.” Marquis from the Too Kool Posse joins G, Tone, Dre, and Easy M in the studio. Tone declares the “Gas Face” remix “booty.” Gee, I can’t imagine why (he and Serch had some serious beef back then). There’s also a great PRT drop I don’t remember hearing too often where they say, “When we’re not tied up in Tony D’s basement with strands of spaghetti, we’re listening to WPRB, Princeton.”

Side B’s a little shorter than usual. Not sure why. Troy Wonder and Candy Cane are in the studio. Apparently The Hillbillies (of “Bottom of the Hamper Jam” fame) rolled through between breaks, too.

Our next post will be a non-PRB post to mix things up a bit.

Side A [ download ]:

Side B [ download ]:

Though the stuff on here is occasionally a little more mainstream than what you’d hear on Club Crush, there are still some good tracks for fans of late 80s/early 90s hip-hop.

1:45 – 2:25am [ download ]:

Enjoy this great set from 17 1/2 years ago.

10 – 10:45pm [ download ]: