Grandmaster Roc Raida on Wax

Recent days have seen many friends forwarding their favorite youtube and audio clips of Roc Raida in action over the years (the above - from Fat Beats' days on East 9th - passed along by JBX). While Raida's wizardry behind the wheels in battle or exhibition was, of course, jaw-dropping to witness, his recorded contributions - scratch records, productions, and featured moments on song choruses - were exhilarating in their own right. For the latest "Spine Blowing Decisions" I've collected many of my favorites as a tribute to this portion of his legacy (shouts to Monk for providing the one exception - a brief snippet of Raida live on WBAI's Underground Railroad from '96). Though most folks are no doubt familiar with Raida's appearance on one of the greatest hip-hop singles of the '90s, O.C.'s "Time's Up," he also had a huge hand in what is, for my money, one of the best of this decade, Aasim's similarly intense, severely slept-on "Hip-Hop 101." Download here. Playlist as follows:

Roc Raida - X-Men Style Beatz

Roc Raida - The Funky Beat

E. Bros - Funky Piano (produced by Roc Raida)

Artifacts - C'mon Wit Da Get Down (cuts by Roc Raida)

Fat Joe - Bad Bad Man (cuts by Roc Raida)

Jungle Brothers ft. De La Soul & Q-Tip - How Ya Want It We Got It (produced by Roc Raida)

O.C. - Time's Up (cuts by Roc Raida)

Aasim - Hip-Hop 101 (produced by Roc Raida)

The X-ecutioners - X-Outtakes 2

The X-ecutioners ft. E. Bros - Raida's Theme

Cactus Jack ft. Ed OG - Act Like What You Say (cuts by Roc Raida)

Big Punisher ft. Prodigy & Inspectah Deck - Tres Leches (cuts by Roc Raida)

Showbiz & AG - Next Level (cuts by Roc Raida)

Sadat X - The Lump Lump (cuts by Roc Raida)

The X-ecutioners ft. Ghostface Killah, Trife & Black Thought - Live From the PJs (produced by Roc Raida)

SWV - Right Here (Funkyman Extended Remix) (cuts by Roc Raida)

Roc Raida - On the Cut

The X-ecutioners ft. M.O.P. - Let It Bang (produced by Roc Raida)

Roc Raida Live on WBAI Underground Railroad, 4.27.96

The X-ecutioners - One Man Band

I had the pleasure of DJing twice at APT with Raida over the past couple of years. And even based on my limited experience of hanging with the man, I can't help but echo the sentiments being expressed by countless others in the wake of his passing: he was as incredibly chill and laid back an individual as he was supremely talented. Grandmaster Roc Raida, Rest in Peace. Rock, rock, rock-on.