(JUAN.of.a.KIND)

Prince - The Greatest Romance Ever Sold [Neptunes Extended Remix] (feat. Q-Tip & Pharrell)

Going to peep the artist currently known as Prince later tonight. I’ll admit I’m not a huge Prince fan (more of an MJ guy) and I know the man’s discography about as good as the average person. But I do have great respect for the artist, largely due to the tremendous influence he has had on the careers of musicians that I greatly admire (i.e. ?uestlove, D’Angelo, The Neptunes and many more). Plus, getting to see a living legend do his damn thing live in person is surely an opportunity that one cannot pass up (the tix are compliments of my sister). And tonight’s musical event provides the perfect excuse to post this silky smoove example of turn-of-the-millennium Neptunology. The artist probably won’t perform this particular joint (unless Tip and Skateboard P are somehow miraculously featured as surprise guests) but I’m looking forward to my first live Prince experience regardless (for all of those iconic hits and elaborate extended jams).

Michael Jackson - Off The Wall (7” Remix)

Happy 53rd bornday anniversary to the late, great KING.

Notorious B.I.G. - Big Poppa (Remix)

From the Doo Wop 95 Live mixtape. Happy 39th bornday anniversary, BIG!

Jodeci - What About Us (Mr. Dalvin Version)

It’s been far too long since I last posted some J-O-D-E-C-I. I’m currently in a 90’s hip-hop/soul-type mood and this ill joint (on the remix tip) fits the bill perfectly. On and on and on and on…

The Pharcyde - Passin’ Me By (Fly As Pie Remix)

The Dust Brothers - This Is Your Life (feat. Tyler Durden)

From Fight Club Re-Mixes: Music Derived From The Motion Picture

Note: You may have noticed that my Daft Punk/Slum Village music post has mysteriously disappeared. I noticed it too and I definitely do not remember deleting it (nor have I ever deleted a post that I’ve made). Weird. So anyways, press play before this ill joint disappears as well.

Edit: The invisible post in question still exists here, just not where its supposed to be in the normal order of things (which would be precisely between the Fight Club soap and N*E*R*D video posts below). Strange.

Daft Punk - Aerodynamic (Slum Village Remix) [Daft Club, 2003]

“Behold!” (c) Kenny Powers. Another daft hip-hop collabo and the ONLY Daft Punk track to have cursing on it (you can always count on hip hop to come through in that department). But seriously, this futuristic joint depicts the SV in FAR better days, although Dilla (R.I.P.) had already left the group by this point. T3, Baatin (R.I.P.) and eLZhi wax poetic (in that order) over the production of Bangalter and de Homem-Christo. And eL kills it as per usual.

Snoop Dogg - Drop It Like It’s Hot (Remix) (feat. Pharrell & Jay-Z) [Prod. The Neptunes]

“Spendin’ money, mang…” (c) Chef Boyar-P

Michael Jackson - Rock With You (Q-Tip Remix)

Now this right here is one AMAZING remix of my all-time favourite MJ joint. From 1979’s legendarily underrated Off The Wall —-> the true and timeless multi-genre hidden diamond of MJ’s solo discography as well as a perfectly sequenced and consistently great recording that IMO is musically superior to the more widely appealing, easily digestible but ultimately uneven mainstream pop monster that is Thriller. Don’t get me wrong, Thriller is great (and I loved it as a kid). But Off The Wall just gets really deep in the pocket, as great music always does. For me, it’s the Michael Jackson album that my music tastes have matured to appreciate over the years, so to speak.

About the remix: Tip does a superb job of flipping the script (i.e. incorporating studio dialogue of what appears to be Rod Temperton, a sick beat drop and some lovely alternate MJ ad-libs near the conclusion) while completely maintaining the spirit, melody and instrumentation of the official version (something that other RWY remixes don’t tend to do so well). Rock With You to me is the epitome of 1970’s era music with Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones masterfully combining soul, funk and disco into one beautifully perfect package. Happy 52nd born day to the King!

Kelis - Milkshake [Neptunes Remix] (feat. Pharrell & Pusha T)

IMO, this near 5-minute chaotic monsterpiece (complete with a quirky soundscape that fittingly evokes visions of thick milkshake mixing) trumps the original infamous 2K3 radio hit (which was also a Neptunian production). Because after all…”this is the re-mix.” Kelis dear, please find some way to get back in the studio with Pharrell and Chad; pretty please, with sugar on top and milk in the shake. Because you literally made beautiful(ly ill) music together. Happy Friday Night.

Michael Jackson - Never Can Say Goodbye (Neptunes Remix)

One year later and we still miss you, Mike. May his majesty rest in continued peace.

P.S. The ‘Tunes KILLED this remix (point blank) of an already legendary Jackson 5 track. It’s a low down dirty shame that P, Chad and MJ never worked together as I imagine that there would have been many more magical joints like this timeless gem. “OH!” (c) Pharrell (at which point the ill, bridge-like drum pattern kicks in; I simply adore that part)