Don't Sleep Vol.1

I was listening to some albums this weekend and it really got me thinking about how much DOPE music is out there that is being heavily slept on like memory foam. And not just you, me too. I've been sleepin on sooo much good stuff. Partly because there's just so much stuff out there that it's hard to keep up but more so because I can be hella-snobbish about what I grace my listening space with.
Alright. It's like this. If I ask any Heads, "Hey, have you heard Dr. Octagon?" They'd look at me screw face like "Yes!" and "Yeah, and I was over it like 10 years ago". But I'm talking about that stuff that I can stump heads on...I mean STUMP some SERIOUS heads on. Or stuff that's been out for years and I'm barely hearing it our being introduced to it. Or the worst - when you know the artist/group, you're familiar with their music and you STILL sleep! Yikes.
This weekend I just copped a Shock-G album "Fear of a Mixed Planet". This album came out in '04. Oh Four! Shock-G. Shock Jesus. Humpty Hump! What?!? I knew when this album was coming out. I should have been checkin for it. A solo album from the bringer-of-the-Funk and I'm not on missions trying to get a copy?? Anyway, years later I get a hold of a copy and I'm listening to it like, "Damn, how come everyone's not sweating this shit like they're sweatin Mickey Factz or whatever Johnny-Come-Lately shit that's coming out?" This is the dude that gave Tupac his style and cadence (if you don't believe me, REALLY listent to a D.U. album or better yet - go cop "Fear of a Mixed Planet" - you can hear Pac in there). Anyway, I'm listening and I'm thinking - "Yo, shame on me. I hope I'm the only one that's been sleeping." So, I ask other ear-to-the-under brothers. And...nope. Nobody's heard the album. Nobody's HEARD it. I'm not saying it's the greatest ever, up there with the classics of our generation. But. It's a Damn good album and what you would expect from a pioneer like Shock. Don't Sleep. Grab a copy. Listen and Learn.


I'm gonna start a Volume of Slept on Gems.
Here are some runners up for this week.
1. Collective Efforts "Medicine"
Nobody has heard this. It's gooood. Nice vibe. You'll like it. Just look out for it.

2. Anotha Level "On Anotha Level"
If I remember right, I got this one back in '94. This one's got Pharcyde and Ice Cube on it! Cube's freestyling (terrible!) and everything. These guys were bringing that Souls of Mischief quick flow with 16 bars of the same ending rhyme patterns. It was Super Nice when I first heard it (still its). Check it.