Phat Tape: Chronicling Golden Age Hip Hop One Year At A Time
We catch up with show host Revizionary for a dive into one of Hip Hop’s most treasured eras.
Revizionary, creator of the expansive Hip Hop audio history, Phat Tape
For many, the late 1980s and 1990s proved an artistic pinnacle for the genre known as Hip Hop. Just a decade removed from its inception on the streets of The Bronx, New York, the genre took strides that sent shockwaves throughout the wider musical landscape in ways that are still felt today, offering classic albums and moments that would fortify Hip Hop as a cultural tour de force. For those who lived through it, the golden age remains Hip Hop’s peak in every way, and you wouldn’t be hard pressed finding content paying tribute to this glorious time.
But Revizionary takes it one step further. The music editor and self-confessed Hip Hop fanatic has dedicated much of his life to archiving the golden age. Since his youth as the genre began to take shape, he would use cassette tapes to produce his own compilations of his favourite tracks of the day, with the hobby soon quickly becoming a passion.
Fast forward to the present day and Revizionary’s expansive output can be found on Keakie in the form of Phat Tape, with each episode dedicated to a particular year of the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, all aligned with his aim, as he puts it, “to compile all the great Hip Hop artists and tracks throughout the years, from old school to current times, to highlight all of the classics and hidden gems.”
We caught up with Revizionary about his show, his love of Hip Hop, digging up rare grooves at flea markets and the art of turntablism.
“I loved listening through the tapes and finding the tracks that moved me in some way and putting them together in a cohesive way for others to appreciate and hear new songs that deserved attention. ”
What led you to start making compilations?
R: I started making compilations on cassettes back in the late 80’s when I was young. At first, I had to wait for my favourite songs to come on the radio, which meant a lot of waiting with my finger next to a record button. Eventually I was given some older cassette decks so I could record straight from the albums I had. Mostly those were tapes I borrowed or bootleg tapes from the flea market since my parents weren’t about to buy them at full price [laughs]. I loved listening through the tapes and finding the tracks that moved me in some way and putting them together in a cohesive way for others to appreciate and hear new songs that deserved attention.
Eventually in the mid to late 90’s I had better decks and Metal Bias tapes so I could make them better quality. A standalone CD recorder came next and then in the 2000’s I got some basic editing software for my PC so I could really edit the tracks the way I had always wanted to, like adjusting EQ levels, shortening hooks, cutting out skits or long intros, and even making instrumentals from actual tracks by cutting out the vocals and stitching together the rest as seamless as possible.
Growing up in the late 80s and early 90s and discovering Hip Hop, tell us about the climate at that time? It must have been really exciting to see it mature in real time.
R: Yeah, it’s crazy to think back to it now and realise people my age were blessed to grow up with so much great Hip Hop. You could feel music changing rapidly with the times and the social and political climate as well as the technology producers and beatmakers had available to them. Creativity and lyricism were at a very high level, and there was a rawness and heart to the sound. I was lucky to grow up in an area that had a pretty diverse mix of people and culture, so I was exposed to a wide variety of music including Hip Hop from all over, not just from my region. It was interesting to see the evolution of the music from content and quality, as well as watch as different regions seemed to take over during different years, at least in the mainstream.
Which year that you’ve covered in your compilations has surprised you the most in terms of its quality?
R: I would have to say any of the mid-2000’s are surprising. Mostly because so many people seem to think Hip Hop started to die off soon after the 90’s ended. But as I work on some of my mid-2000s compilations, I’ve found so many great albums and tracks, especially Indie and more underground, that it is hard to choose and compile each volume.
What do you think is one of the least appreciated aspects of that golden era of Hip Hop?
R: I think that would probably be turntablism and the amount of scratching that would be on many albums back then, usually as part of a hook but also highlighted during an extended section of a song. As an example, I remember how much I loved The DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince albums because every track had some scratching and there would always be at least one track that was just an instrumental with DJ Jazzy Jeff going off and showing off his turntable skills. I would play those tracks over and over, pretending to scratch and move an imaginary crossfader with my hands [laughs].
If you could pick one year that you wanted more people to know about in terms of the material that came out, which would it be and why?
R: I wouldn’t pick just one year, I would pick the 2000’s. I’m really amazed at how much great Hip Hop was available and not heard by so many, including myself at the time. I have heard all the classic 90’s Hip Hop tracks so many times so it’s refreshing to listen to some good 2000’s Hip Hop albums that share some of the same heart as the golden era, but with evolved technology and sound.
What do you think were some of the greatest moments to come out of that golden age era?
R: For me the greatest moments would be in the form of classic albums that moved me through the years. I was very much an introvert and I spent most of my free time listening to music. I would read each new Source Magazine that would come out and check out all the reviews and then plan out which tapes I would save my lunch money towards. There were a lot of albums that would have some good tracks but too many that were skippable. And then there were the classics that you could play mostly all the way through. Eric B and Rakim’s Follow the Leader, The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die, A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders and Low End Theory, Redman’s Dare Iz a Darkside, Nas’ Illmatic and Stillmatic, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, EPMD’s Strictly Business, Masta Ace’s Sittin’ on Chrome, The Click’s Game Related, Eightball and MJG’s On Top of the World, Outkast’s ATLiens and Aquemini, Wu-Tang’s Enter the 36 Chambers, Spice-1’s Amerikkka’s Nightmare, MC Eiht’s Death Threatz, DJ Quik’s Safe and Sound, Digital Underground’s Sex Packets, South Circle’s Anotha Day Anotha Balla, O.C.’s Word Life, Warren G’s Regulate…G Funk Era. I could go on, but those are just some that jump out immediately.
Are there any new school rappers that you feel are retaining the essence of that golden age? If so, who?
R: Yeah, there are plenty of rappers out there that have that essence and heart, you might just have to dig and search for some of them. Just to name a few: J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Tyler the Creator, Cordae, The Doppelgangaz, Jay Electronica, Oddisee, Big K.R.I.T., Action Bronson, Logic.
What’s next for Phat Tape? What can listeners expect?
R: I love Hip Hop, digging through albums, and editing music so I will keep making these as long as people keep enjoying them. I also make beats inspired by golden era Hip Hop and Boom Bap, as well as horror and movie score samples and plan to start sharing those on my YouTube channel and other streaming platforms as well in the near future.
How has your understanding of Hip Hop been affected by your compilations?
R: As a fan and observer digging through so many albums through the years, I just take in each experience and appreciate the windows all of these artists allow us to peer into. The highs and lows, joys and struggles, stories and lessons, heartache and regret. All set to different soundtracks that help paint the backdrop for each. Relating to some more than others but appreciating them all for the different worlds and sounds they convey.
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