Hip Hop Golden Era Deep Cuts, Classics and New Underground
Breakup Gaming Society Track of the Week Retrospective, Episodes 1-20
Quality on the early episodes of Breakup Gaming Society varied wildly, as did the BAC and whatever other chemicals were at hand. But the Tracks of the Week were always good. Or at least interesting. We pulled some lesser-known Golden Era tracks, a few hands-down classics, and the occasional new effort from the 21st Century talent pool.
Whether these are “deep hip hop” tracks or not depends on your age, perspective and level of fanaticism.
There will be few surprises here for oldheads and obsessives. If you’re one of these, you still might find a surprise or occasion to dust off and reunite with an old Golden Era/underground banger.
For casuals who love the era but keep letting Spotify pick the obvious stuff for you: You are ready for this list. Listen and tell me I’m wrong.
Related Stuff to Check Out:
• If you’d like to hear me talk through hip hop tracks with commentary and highlights — and maybe find your next favorite drink or board game — check out an episode.
• Here’s a playlist where you can listen to another deep cuts list I compiled for Hip Hop’s 50th birthday. (Some overlap with this list.)
Episode 1: Big Pun "Twinz (Deep Cover '98)" (featuring Fat Joe)
I still use the famous “Dead in the middle of Little Italy…” run as a mic warmup.
Episode 2: RZA "Grits”
I handed the reins to El Pistolero for this episode (The Death Angel Comes on New Year’s Eve) and he pulled a good one. I didn’t realize this episode was the last time we’d ever play Space Hulk: Death Angel together, which we’d done for nearly 10 years.
Episode 3: Cage "Agent Orange”
A selection from Xian, a mainstay of the Unsustainable Days, when I thought I could orchestrate a gang of millennials, get super fucked up, turn on the mic and just win.
Episode 4: House of Pain "Jump Around” (Pete Rock Remix)
One of two allowable versions of this track, the other being Muggs’ 25-Year Remix with Damian Marley, Everlast and Meyhem Lauren. The original’s only for shitheads at sporting events, sorry.
Episode 5: Mantronix “Listen to the Bass of Get Stupid Fresh - Part II”
Kurtis Mantronik was a magician. This was the episode where we featured it, which also birthed the Fetid Haze shot featured in our cocktail booklet, “Chaotic Shots and Cocktails That Will Hurt Your Friends.”
Episode 6: Smokey Joe & The Kid “Jailhouse Blues (feat. Blake Worrell)”
An interesting pull from HP, another member of the early crew in Colorado Springs. We played Yahtzee.
Episode 7: Run-D.M.C. “It’s Tricky”
Tweek got his rotational pick in on a night of Tincup and King of Tokyo. He said this song was in one of his video games. I’d never heard of it before.
Episode 8: 3rd Bass “No Static at All”
The Dread RPG is attempted. I take control of the playlist again to fantastic effect. First of a series featuring Prince Paul production guest shots.
Episode 9: Boogie Down Productions “How Not to Get Jerked”
Xian and I posted up at a restaurant where I worked part-time and crushed $200 worth of Don Julio then closed a bar across the street. A fiasco in every regard. This outstanding track is the only thing I want to keep from the whole affair.
Episode 10: Big Daddy Kane “It’s Hard Being the Kane”
Another shambolic party, almost impressive for its emotion and sprawl. The third and final installment of the three-episode “Prince Paul guest-shot production” series.
Episode 11: Custom Breakup Gaming Society Mix
”Just begin and end it with ‘The Creator’ by Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth,” I asked him. And he did. Skip to 13:12 and listen, this was a minor triumph of the early show, never to be repeated.
Episode 12: Sylvan LaCue “Best Me”
Another fine pick from Xian that sounds a lot better without me drunk and interrupting everything with stories and lectures.
Episode 13: Stetsasonic “Pen and Paper”
COVID hits. The desolation of Arkham Horror and a deserted downtown. Sans posse, I drink Suavecito Añejo until I can barely speak.
Episode 14: Lil Darkie “THERAPY”
The crew reunites for card battles and Xian pulls another pretty artful track for us.
Episode 15: Sean Price & Small Professor “Refrigerator P! (Peaky Blinders Remix) (feat. Rob Kelly)”
Our drunk asses didn’t even remember to pick out a track during this one. So I’m retroactively picking P!
Episode 16: Jay-Z “Reservoir Dogs (feat. L.O.X., Sauce Money & Beanie Siegel)”
A chill time with Xian talking Sekigahara: Unification of Japan and drinking Maestro Dobel.
Episode 17: The Beatnuts & Tha Alkaholiks “Grumpy Crocodile”
They turned all my cousins into bags and boots/In crowded elevators, I just laugh and poop
Episode 18: Social House “Magic in the Hamptons” feat. Lil Yachty
Probably the single best pure talker I’d ever had as a guest, let him pick the Track of the Week, then drunkenly argued with him about it.
Episode 19: billy woods “The Man Who Would Be King”
A second tawdry stunt that becomes an entry in the Breakup Gaming Society cocktail booklet. In retrospect, a pretty thoughtless juxtaposition with the searing track Xian picks out later.
Episode 20: Milo “Call + Form (Picture)”
Another daffy guest who took to the mic and made the show unforgettable, making me think this gonzo board game approach might actually work. Xian picks the track again!