Words by John Morrison.
In the years since the emergence of the internet, the means by which music is produced, administered and distributed has been radically altered. Not only did the introduction of peer-to-peer file sharing, streaming and social media change the way music found its way to listeners, these new technologies have also changed the way artists would gain the attention of labels.
Today, aspiring artists have the tools to connect with listeners and build their own autonomous fan bases, with or without major record labels. Years ago, this was not the case. During the Golden Era of Rap, a relationship with a major label was almost mandatory if a budding artist wanted to secure consistent radio play and make an impression on millions of potential fans. For many artists, recording and shopping a demo tape was the first step toward securing that relationship.
Whether recorded in professional studios or in grandma’s basement, on Tascam 4tracks, ancient reel-to-reels or Ampex DATs, a tight demo tape was often times the key to an artist getting on and being heard. Mostly unheard in their own era, a wealth of homemade demos from future rap greats have now found a home on YouTube. John Morrison breaks down a few of the best and most significant.
1. Biggie Smalls – Unsigned Hype Demo: Recorded in the basement of his friend DJ Hitman 50 Grand, future GOAT Christopher Wallace’s first demo tape is a brilliant look at a rough but gifted young MC. Biggie shows off his trademark polysyllabic flow while 50 Grand cuts up classics like The Emotions’ “Blind Alley” break. The tape was so good, it won a feature in The Source Magazine’s coveted Unsigned Hype in March 1992.
2. Organized Konfusion Demo: When Queens New York duo Organized Konfusion first arrived on the scene under the name Simply II Positive MCs, it was clear that Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch were already standing at the vanguard of the science of rhyming. Forward-thinking and fully developed, a few songs on this demo made it to O.K’s mind-bending eponymous debut album. “Prisoners Of War” is a stark, dramatic barrage of words delivered at rapid fire clip, while “Mind Over Matter” is intense, funky and avant-garde.
3. S.B.I. (Timbaland & Pharrell Demo): A true gem of a demo that’s been floating around for the past few years, S.B.I. (Surrounded By Idiots) is the teenage rap crew made up of future super-producers Pharrell Williams, Timbaland and his partner in rhyme, Magoo. Colorful, creative and full of soulful, jazzy samples, the S.B.I. demo tape is deeply indebted to the lighthearted Black Bohemia that A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul was mining during this era. Despite being noticeably derivative of the Native Tongues aesthetic, the S.B.I. demo is full of some refreshingly forward-thinking moments. “Skull Caps & Stripe Shirts” is a fun, uptempo “Human Nature” flip, while the quirky, skating vocal sample and dramatic piano stabs of “Uh Uh Uh” are like looking into a magic 8-ball that reveals the production steez that Timbaland would use to completely transform the musical landscape in the not-so distant future.
4. DJ Quik – Red Tape/Underground Tape: While there is some discrepancy around the true-title of this tape unloaded by the Underground Dope YouTube page in 2015, this cassette demo of Los Angeles legend DJ Quik is one of the best of its kind available. Expertly produced and featuring young Quik’s x-rated lyrics and high-pitched delivery, this demo contains many West Coast classics like “Underground Terror” and “Born And Raised In Compton.”
5. Nas – Pre-illmatic Demo: By the time his landmark debut Illmatic was released, Nas had already made noise with show-stealing appearances on “Live At The Barbeque”, “Back To The Grill Again” and pre-Illmatic singles like “Halftime”. Before his debut would change the course of rap music, the young Queensbridge MC found himself in the studio crafting demos that showcase Nas as a gifted, blossoming wordsmith. In recent years, a treasure chest of Nas’ pre-illmatic demos have been archived on YouTube. The best of these demos include a rough and dreamy demo version of “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” entitled “Nas Will Prevail”.
Bonus Beats:
1. Jay-Z – Pre-Reasonable Doubt Demo
2. Wu-Tang Clan Demo Tape 1992
3. Juggaknots – Baby Pictures 1989-1993
4. T.I. – T.I.P. Demo
5. Artifacts – 4Track Demo
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John Morrison is a Philadelphia based DJ, producer, and music journalist (Red Bull Music Academy, Jazz Right Now, Bandcamp Daily etc.) His debut instrumental Hip Hop album Southwest Psychedelphia is a psychedelic trip through a day in the life in his Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood, and available now on Deadverse Recordings. Follow John on Twitter and Instagram.