DiggingTheGreats

FREE Extended Video: Breaking Down Nas' "It Ain't Hard To Tell"

In honor of the 30th Anniversary of Nas' Illmatic, I'm giving you the FULL Extended Edit of today's video for free!

You're a member of the Free Tier here on Patreon, which means you get updates, streaming playlists, and a few bonuses here and there - but for members of the "Kick It" ...

The Break Room - April Giveaway

Going live in just a few minutes! Drop a comment and say what's up! Make sure and click through to the video so you can view the live chat!

(This is an unlisted YouTube link, so throwing it on a TV should be easy)

Livestream & Giveaway - This Wednesday!

This month's Break Room is extra special - not only will I be DJing, playing music, and hanging out with you live, I'll be giving away records and DTG merch!

Tap in THIS WEDNESDAY, April 17th at 5pm PST for the livestream - I'll be picking winners randomly from...

Outtakes - First Hip Hop Song

Look, nobody's perfect, alright? Here are some outtakes from the most recent video, an investigation into the first hip hop song, which of course led me MUCH further down the rabbit hole - SPOILER ALERT - if you haven't seen that video yet, you should watch that first!

As you'll see ...

What's the First Hip Hop "SONG"? - An Investigation

Today I want to answer the question - what was the first Hip Hop SONG? Let’s just say, the rabbit hole goes a lot deeper and a lot earlier than you might expect. Like, a LOT.

Note: This is the extended edit which is over 5 minutes longer than YouTube

Around the World in ONE Legendary Hip Hop Sample

Today, we’re going to cover a lot of ground, by way of this song, “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club. I’ll go ahead and tell you everywhere that we’re going, but you’ll have to see how we get there. We’re gonna talk about Tom Tom Club, sure, but then also Zapp, Common, Paul Simon, J D...

What’s Coming This Month at DTG

Hello Friends!

There’s a LOT happening here at Digging The Greats this month, and I want to make sure you don’t miss anything - Here’s what’s coming up in April, as well as a couple other housekeeping announcements.

2024-04-03 15:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Why Tribe Made ZERO Dollars from “Can I Kick It”

Today we’re talking all about the classic song “Can I Kick It” by A Tribe Called Quest, why they’ve never made a dime from it, but with that… the strange story of the betrayed rock star who took 100% of this song - and why it’s a perfect encapsulation of everything wrong with the musi...

Streaming Playlist: Digs, Vol. 3

Every month I release a new Streaming Music Playlist here on Patreon - last month was a playlist specifically dedicated to Funk, but this month I'm returning to the eclectic mix of the "Digs" series. I'm pleased to bring you "Digs, Vol. 3" - as a reminder, I've put this in a specific order based ...

The J Dilla Album That Doesn’t Get Enough Credit

There’s one album that doesn’t come up in the Dilla conversation enough. It’s some of his best work, was a turning point for him as a producer, and helped birth the neo soul movement.

Today we're talking about Slum Village. If you’re a Dilla fan and you don’t know Slum Vill...

The Break Room Radio - March Madness

Was "March Madness" a very loose theme for this livestream? Yes. Did we still have a ton of fun? YES

The full video replay is up with comments and everything, but here's the Radio Mix that doesn't include my mic, music only! 

Thank you to everyone who tuned in LIVE! I love gettin...

The Break Room - March Madness

Going LIVE in The Break Room - come say what's up, kick back, and enjoy the music!

"93 'Til Infinity" Recreation

This is the Ableton recreation I made of "93 Til Infinity" by the Souls of Mischief for the video I just released. Normally, these recreations are available only for members in the Producers tier, but I'm making this one available to the Kick It tier as well! 

Download it, mess around ...

Why 93 ‘Til Infinity Will ALWAYS Be a Classic | Breakdown

The song “93 Til Infinity” is a classic song that instantly transports you back to the first time you heard it. It’s one of those songs that will FOREVER be a classic - but why do some songs fade with the years, and others, like this one stand the test of time?

Today...

Coming This Saturday: The Break Room

Every month here on Patreon I do a livestream called "The Break Room" where I DJ, play new mixes, new mashups, play bass, and hang out with everyone in the chat. Last month was "Dilla Night" which was dedicated to the life and music of J Dilla. THIS month I've picked the loose theme of "March Mad...

Dune 2's UNEXPECTED Musical Connection

The movie Dune 2 is out, and features Christopher Walken as the Emperor. This is crazy not only for Dune fans, for Christopher Walken fans, but also for fans of early 2000s big beat electronic music!

Today we're diving into the Dune Cinematic Universe (albeit, a loosely connected one) to se...

The CRAZIEST Music Concert Documentary This Century (Full Edit)

How does a music documentary this good even exist? This movie captures the past, present, and future in many crazy ways.

NOTE: This is the Full Edit which is 2 mins longer than the YouTube version)

SOURCES 

2024-03-08 17:15:05 +0000 UTC View Post

This Song ACCIDENTALLY Made It on “Thriller”

This week we're diving into the story of the song that accidentally ended up on "Thriller", including demos and alternate takes.

NOTE: this video is 4 minutes longer than the YouTube edit, featuring more music, and even a lame joke that didn't make the cut!

2024-03-01 17:15:01 +0000 UTC View Post

Streaming Playlist: FONK

For this month's streaming playlist, we're diving into some funk - but the problem is the term "funk" or "funky" can be applied to a wide range of artists and songs. So where do you draw the line? 

I'll tell you where I've drawn it - music that makes you feel good, songs that make you ...

This Curtis Mayfield Song DOESN'T ACTUALLY EXIST

Everybody knows the song "Diamond in the Back" by Curtis Mayfield. You know the one that goes "Diamond in the back, sun roof top, diggin' the scene with the gangsta lean..."?

Well, I'm here to tell you that this song DOES NOT EXIST and 2024-02-23 17:15:01 +0000 UTC View Post

2 Mashups - "Lovely Day" and "Cleva"

In January, for the "Midwinter Chill" edition of The Break Room, I played 2 new mashups - 

• "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers X "Breathe and Stop" by Q Tip X "American Boy" by Estelle
• "Cleva" by Erykah Badu X "Sing About Me" by Kendrick Lamar

Here are the mashups f...

Full Convo: Ken Lewis Round 2!

The College Dropout just turned 20 years old, and Ken Lewis was generous enough to connect with me on short notice and discuss his involvement with this album. He was my very first podcast guest back in July of last year, where we discussed his incredible portfolio of work, but there was more to ...

The Shocking Sample Secrets in Kanye's College Dropout - FULL EDIT

This past week, Kanye West's debut album, "The College Dropout" turned 20. This was a groundbreaking album that catapulted him into another level, and despite where he's gone since, this album remains a classic.

My very first Digging The Greats video was breaking down "Through The Wire" fro...

The Break Room Radio - Dilla Night

Man, this was so much fun! Everything in this mix is either something J Dilla produced, something he sampled, or in a couple cases, The Roots covering Dilla. This one has some special interludes as well, with interview clips over deeper cut Dilla beats. Doing my best to pay respect to the legend,...

Replay - Dilla Night in The Break Room

Tap in! Let's celebrate the life and music of J Dilla! 

BEAT BATTLE: Who Flipped THIS Sample Better? (FULL EDIT)

The song "I Love Music" by Ahmad Jamal from 1970's  “The Awakening” was sampled by two different legendary producers. One instance of this sample is from the song “Me or the Papes” by Jeru The Damaja, which was produced by DJ Premier - and the other is “The World is Yours” by Nas...

Coming Saturday: The Break Room - Dilla Night

Every month here on Patreon I do a livestream called "The Break Room" where I DJ, playing new mixes, new mashups, playing bass, and hanging out with everyone in the chat. We kicked it off with the NYE Party, followed by January's "Midwinter Chill" which was a mix of more downtempo chill stuff - b...

The Myth and Meaning of J Dilla's "Donuts" - FULL EDIT

Today we’re talking about Dilla’s final release during his lifetime, his supposed “magnum opus”, diving into the REAL story behind Donuts, the myth surrounding it, recreating several beats that showcase a variety of sampling styles, and attempting to find the meaning of it all.

...

The Break Room Radio - Midwinter Chill

Thanks to everyone who tuned in on Saturday - it was great getting to hang with everyone, chat, and of course, dig through some great music together. 

As always, the video replay is still up on Patreon as a separate post, but this is the "Radio Mix" that I've cleaned up and removed my ...

The Break Room - Midwinter Chill

The Break Room is now open! Going Live Now! Come chill and say what's up!