News + Review: Vinyl Con Experience & Discovery. Raekwon ( Purple Tape on Wax - Instrumentals )
On November 23rd, 2024 something exciting took place, a blissful discovery. In some ways 4 years after it’s release. But the story gives sight to the blind who may have missed the vinyl convention. After entering the 23rd Street Armory, in downtown Filly or center city we say - there present were the smell of crates, bins and tables, all packed + full of records, some older, while some new and still others classic in soul, funk, jazz, rock, hip hop - you name, it was there. With vendors from all over Philadelphia, and other areas - private collectors & sellers, record stores like Sit & Spin, Stand Still Music and of course even the boys at the Rock Shop were present. Yes, a warehouse and convention setting full of vinyl records.
Picture the scene: You’re respectfully in your own zone, beginning your excavation, all the while, Skeme Richards is spinning on the one’s and two’s playing that good old funky James Brown, Bboy - just stop everything you’re doing in the moment and start up-rocking while you become the center of attention, unintentionally type of mood. But no, no one actually did that, to our knowledge! But, still as you enter you’re distracted by people, and faces - some familiar while others not so much. As you dig, your wife would say - “More? You want more?” As if a person fixated by something like this would be considered a fiend - “find yourself in the Hudson rocking cement shoes.” Or something of that nature.
But no! Wait, you discover something worthy of your undivided attention and that refutes, all reason. A record that stood out, possibly among all of the others you’ve already got in your hand, the ones under your arm pit, and of course, others already inside your backpack.
What is this you might say? Hcaze would call it this: “The Color Purple.” But even better than that entitled classic film, and still nothing like anything related to Prince, is this:
Only Built for Cubin Linx ( Instrumentals ) Produced, Remixed and arranged by The Rza.
Yes, the entire album. A first in his sight - that guy in the picture of course. Someone who’s definitely been around the block since its inception, was a little curious how something like this could slip between the cracks of sight and sound to his ears & eyes in 2020. Back in good old 1995, it was played a billion times over, but the instrumentals? Newly / Re-released & stamped officially in 2020. Go get yours. Bong!
News & Review Written: Sun Dec 23, 2024.
Album Originally Released: August 1, 1995 / Instrumentals Released: 2020.
Image of:
Zachary Hcaze
Courteous Shout out to VinylCon!
