New Mix: Guilty Pleasures Vols. 3 & 3.5 featuring Siik

Short lived but forever funky, New Jack Swing seemed like a blur in history due to its quick creation and complete extinction within less than a decade. It was urban, but at the same time pop, while always staying very soulful and upbeat creating an all around dope sound. Songs that often used very similar kicks, snares, and drum rolls were matched with lyrics on subjects from courting a honey, looking for that someone special, love, and promiscuity. No matter what the songs’ subject matter was about, the music was funky, the singing was on point, the rhymes were hype, and the dances were fun.

The Come Up Crew homie, DJ Siik, also created a nice New Jack Swing mix that was recorded live at the last Come Up party which is included in this post as Guilty Pleasures Vol. 3.5. You may hear a repititon of tracks but don’t worry about it, you haven’t heard these songs in a long time and they are worth listening to twice.

I implore you to go back and give New Jack Swing a re-listen. Bring back memories from the good old days. Go watch House Party and it will all come together. You will be rocking Cross Colours and Karl Kani in no time.

Enjoy the mixes.

Guilty Pleasures Vol. 3 (Week of 08.03.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Strafe – Set It Off
2. Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
3. Tony! Toni! Tone! – If I Had No Loot
4. Heavy D & The Boyz – Somebody For Me
5. Guy – I Like
6. Hi-Five – I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)
7. Al B. Sure! – If I’m Not Your Lover feat. Slick Rick (Remix)
8. Another Bad Creation – Iesha
9. Boyz II Men – Motown Philly
10. Bell Biv DeVoe – Do Me
11. TLC – What About Your Friends
12. Wreckx-N-Effect – Rump Shaker
13. Color Me Badd – I Wanna Sex You Up
14. Blackstreet – Booti Call
15. Al B. Sure! – Off On Your Own
16. Bobby Brown – Every Little Step
17. New Edition – A Little Bit Of Love (Is All It Takes)

Guilty Pleasures Vol. 3.5 featuring Siik (Week of 08.03.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Bobby Brown – Don’t Be Cruel
2. LL Cool J – Around The Way Girl
3. Hi-Five – I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)
4. Jade – Don’t Walk Away
5. SWV – Right Here
6. Toni Braxton – Give You My Heart feat. Babyface
7. Bobby Brown – Something In Common feat. Whitney Houston
8. G-Wiz – Teddy Bear
9. Teddy Riley – Is It Good To You feat. Tammy Lucas
10. Keith Sweat – I Want Her
11. Michael Jackson – Remember The Time
12. Guy – Groove Me
13. Portrait – Here We Go Again
14. Joe Public – Live And Learn
15. Full Force – Ain’t My Type of Hype
16. Janet Jackson – Because of Love
17. Big Daddy Kane – I Get The Job Done

New Mix: Silverlake Sessions Vol. 3

A practice session inspired by my closing set at the last Come Up party at the Terltdrace in Pasadena. The inspiration for my closing set was inspired by DJ Jedi’s funky fresh set. The practice session had potential but started to lose momentum towards the end when I tried to get into Hasim and Cybotron to immediately jump into Earth, Wind & Fire…it kind of killed my mood after that point and I just killed the mix. Otherwise, I am feeling it and I love to play music that I really like (love?). It seems like there are always some songs I always play when I get to play old school sets. Rock Steady, Saturday Love, And the Beat Goes On, I Can’t Wait, etc…whatever, I love that stuff so its all good in the hood.

Enjoy the mix. RIP The Come Up at the Terrace. The Come Up will rise again but be patient in the meantime and follow our work online. Peace.

Silverlake Sessions Vol. 3 (Week of 07.27.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Brothers Johnson – Ain’t We Funking Now
2. Brick – Ain’t Gonna Hurt Nobody
3. Cheryl Lynn – Got To Be Real
4. Cherrelle – Saturday Love feat. Alexander O’Neal
5. Janet Jackson – Escapade
6. L.T.D. – Love To The World
7. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – I Wonder If I Take You Home
8. Michael Jackson – Black Or White
9. Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots
10. Stevie Wonder – Do I Do
11. The Whispers – And The Beat Goes On
12. The Emotions – Best Of My Love
13. Evelyn “Champagne” King – Love Come Down
14. Rick James – Ghetto Life
15. Rose Royce – Car Wash
16. US 3 – Cantaloop
17. The Whispers – Rock Steady
18. Billy Ocean – Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car
19. Freezepop – Pop Goes my Love
20. Mary Jane Girls – In My House
21. MC Shy D – Gotta Be Tough
22. Prince – I Want To Be Your Lover
23. Vanity 6 – Nasty Girl
24. MC Shy D – Bust This
25. Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough
26. Royal Cash – Radioactivity
27. Shiela E – A Love Bizarre
28. Hasim – Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)
29. Cybotron – Clear
30. Earth, Wind & Fire – Let’s Groove

New Mix: Guilty Pleasures Vol. 1

I came up with an idea more than a year ago to create epic mixes that included a lot of the music that we all love so much that we never admit to like at all. The kind of music our parents used to force us to listen to when we were kids. Lionel Richie, Hall & Oates, Sting & the Police, Queen, David Bowie, and the like. After hitting a lot of dive bars I found out that there are people that are proud to listen to this music and the rest of us need to join them and stop pretending to be too cool for this music.

So the original mix I created more than a year ago was never recorded and my setlist was lost in a move. This mix was actually created for my ex-girlfriend since she is really into cheesy 80s music. She never got the finished product and I thought about just deleting the mix altogether but I felt like it was decent enough to put out there and my older cousins might appreciate it as well.

The actual name “Guilty Pleasures” was thought up by the homie Alagy a.k.a. Budda Baboon, who is a dope MC/Producer that I met at SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans). Much love to Alagy for the name, whom I haven’t seen in a minute, where you at?

Check the mix.

Guilty Pleasures Vol. 1 (Week of 07.13.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Europe – The Final Countdown
2. Cherrelle – Saturday Love feat. Alexander O’Neal
3. The Whispers – Rock Steady
4. Midnight Star – Midas Touch
5. Nocera – Summertime Summertime
6. Kool & The Gang – Fresh
7. Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough
8. MC Shy D – Gotta Be Tough
9. Madonna – Holiday
10. DeBarge – Rhythm of the Night
11. Newcleus – Jam On It
12. Patrice Rushen – Forget Me Nots
13. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – White Lines
14. Parliament Funkadelic – (Not Just) Knee Deep
15. De La Soul – Me, Myself, & I
16. Evelyn “Champagne” King – I’m In Love
17. Skyy – High
18. Shalamar – Second Time Around
19. Tom Brown – Funkin’ For Jamaica
20. Luther Vandross – Never Too Much
21. Culture Club – Karma Chameleon
22. Pat Benatar – Love is a Battlefield
23. Beastie Boys – Paul Revere
24. Juicy – Sugar Free
25. Brothers Johnson – Strawberry Letter 23

New Mix: Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2 & 2.5

With no TV and internet at my new place, I hit the turntables a lot to entertain myself in some way. Much thanks again to Mike Deuce for lending me his turntables, I don’t know what I would do without the ability to mix. So I got home early the other day to wait for the fridge to be delivered. This gave me a lot of time to do nothing, especially since delivery people are ALWAYS LATE. I decided to put together a shorter piece for Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2 with a focus on Caribbean inspired music from Jamaica, New York, and beyond. Since the fridge delivery was super late, I decided to fill the other half of the mix and make Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2.5. 2.5 was focused on funk and soul from the late 70s and early 80s. I did branch off a little but it was just because I felt like playing the song at the moment. Wasn’t really feeling this one cause I was really off and my mixes kept drifiting, but I share what I record so its all good Check the mixes. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated. And again, shit is raw and uncut and totally off the top of the head. Enjoy.

Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2 (Week of 06.08.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Mad Lion – Take It Easy
2. Brick & Lace – Love Is Wicked
3. Beenie Man – Feel It Boy feat. Janet Jackson
4. Wayne Wonder – No Letting Go
5. Shaggy – Bonafide Girl feat. Rik Rok & Tony Gold
6. Supacat – Ghetto Red Hot
7. T.O.K. – Top Shota
8. Capelton – Tour
9. Born Jamericans – Venus
10. Chaka Demus & Pliers – Murder She Wrote
11. Born Jamericans – Sending My Love (RBL Remix)
12. Mr. Vegas – Heads High
13. Buju Banton – Champion
14. Inner Circle – Blood A Run feat. Junior Reid
15. Cham – Ghetto Story feat. Akon
16. Collie Buddz – Come Around
17. Damien Marley – Welcome To Jamrock
18. Estelle – Come Over

Silverlake Sessions Vol. 2.5 (Week of 06.08.09) – Click to Download

Tracklisting:

1. Michael Jackson – Day & Night
2. The Isley Brothers – Who’s That Lady
3. Sly & The Family Stone – Dance To The Music
4. Mass Appeal – Firecracker
5. James Brown – I Got The Feelin’
6. Curtis Mayfield – Pusherman
7. Foxxy – Get Off
8. Dazz Band – Let It Whip
9. The Bar Kays – Freakshow On The Dancefloor
10. Afrika Bambaataa – Soul Makossa
11. Westbam – Beatbox Rocker
12. Evelyn Champagne King – Shame
13. The Pointer Sisters – Jump
14. Eddie Murphy & Rick James – Party All The Time
15. Prince – I Would Die For You
16. Rare Earth – Get Ready
17. Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
18. The J.B.’s – Blow Your Head
19. Rufus & Chaka Khan – Do You Love
20. Skyy – Call Me
21. Eddie Grant – Electric Avenue
22. D-Train – You’re The One For Me
23. Prince – Erotic City

Spotlight on DJ Siik

I met DJ Siik at the May 2008 Come Up party. This San Fernando Valley kid’s mixes was real clean and his music selection was immaculate. His mixes sounded like they were meant to be together.

DJ Siik, Unknown Photographer

Getting to know Siik more I found out that he is still a beginner on turntables and that he never really touched any until that day at The Come Up. That amazed me because he just picked it up real quick and his mixes are hella clean. Later I got to see him mix in some acapellas for a 4×4 set with Mike Deuce and he even had great timing, which can take other DJs years to master. He is a natural and with a few more years on turntables he will become one of the siikest in the business.

Siik also has a blog that is very successful and has a huge following. He got a lot of mixes up there as well as remixes that sometimes seem to be a better fit to the song than the original track. Keep up with DJ Siik at www.siik.org and download his mixes and remixes.

If you are in Honolulu, Hawaii, pick up Siik’s mixtape “In Between” at In4mation.

DJ Siik - In Between at In4mation in Hawaii

Here are some of my favorite DJ Siik mixes and remixes (in no particular order):

Remix: Amerie – One Thing (Siik Remix)

Remix: Aaliyah – If Your Girl Only Knew (Siik Remix)

Remix: Snoop Dogg – Signs (Siik Remix)

Remix: Estelle – American Boy (Siik Remix)

Remix: T-Pain – Can’t Believe It (Siik Remix)

Remix: Robin Thicke – Wanna Love You Girl (Siik Remix)

Michael Jackson – Remember the Time (Siik Remix)

Mix: Siik – In Between

Track listing:
dem franchize boyz – oh i think they like me (remix?)
dan the automator – to catch a thief
the avalanches – tonight
blackalicious – deception
fantastic plastic machine – black dada
nightmares on wax – morse
black sheep – B.B.S.
camp lo – gotcha
cibo matto – moonchild
the roots – you got me
pharcyde – she said(mike caren mix)

Mix: Siik – How’s Your Lady

Track listing:
q-tip – blue girl
pharcyde – passin me by(fly as pie mix)
nightmares on wax-a night’s interlude
a tribe called quest – bonita applebum(hootie mix)
kick the can crew – nounai vacation
the roots – proceed ii
ugly duckling – another samba
nujabes – kumomi
black star – brown skin lady
will i am – lay me down

Mix: Siik – All I Want

Track listing:
lemongrass – lightning fire
kanye west – heard em say (instrumental)
federico aubele – postales
bonobo – ketto
thievery corporation – the supreme illusion
polyrhythm addicts – take me home
gift of gab – evolution
dwele – keep on
one self – over expose
nujabes – reflection eternal
the roots – act too (the love of my life)

Mix: Siik – Bous

Track listing:
kelis – glow
common – love is
glenn lewis – don’t you forget it
brandy – best friend
michael jackson – butterflies
dwele – hold on
cooly’s hot box – what a surprise
laurnea – keep your head up
carmen rodgers – dream
raphael saadiq – be here
lauryn hill – i used to love him
toni braxton – you’re makin me high

Mix: Siik – I Don’t Even Like Coffee

Track listing:
a tribe called quest – i c u doin’ it
the roots – what they do
black eyed peas – fallin’ up
andre 3000 – she lievs in my lap
amerie – why don’t we fall in love (richcraft remix)
kenny dope – horn joint
misia – escape (dj watarai remix)
miho – esperanza
shing02 – luv(sic) instrumental
monday michiru – when i’m with you (dj krush remix)
a tribe called quest – like it like that
yesterday’s new quintet – uno esta
the tribe called quest – like that
outkast – ms jackson
jazzanova – no use

Mix: Siik – Unable to Satisfy

Track listing:
pharcyde – on the dl
gift of gab – to know you
common – faithful
n.e.r.d. – run to the sun
thievery corporation – samba tranquile
dj cam – dieu reconnaitra les siens
gagle – practice and tactix(soljazz mix)
nightmares on wax – 70s 80s
shakkazombie – kokoro warp(4 hero friday nite remix)
tosca – chocolate elvis(boozoo bajou remix)
jaffa – sneakin
ratatat – crips
q-tip – movin with u
prefuse 73 – detchibe

Did I mention that Siik is a siik ass photographer with samples on his blog.

Sample of Siik's photos, Shot in Hawaii

No more sleeping on DJ Siik. Kid is dope…