Commercial Rap: Run DMC & Beastie Boys "Together Forever Tour" TV Commercial (1987)

Love this kind of stuff.

Happy Birthday Hip-Hop!

Happy 40th Hip-Hop. Salute Kool Herc!

For those wondering, this is the flyer for the very first party that Kool Herc threw at 1520 Sedgwick Ave aka the birthplace of Hip-Hop. This means August 11th, 1973 was the day Hip-Hop was born. Today was a good day.

25 Year Anniversary of Public Enemy's Seminal Album

In the hot, hot summer of 1988 Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back could be heard in jeeps, boom boxes, and airwaves from coast to coast. It featured sample-rich Bomb Squad beats, powerful lyrics, the stark contrast of Chuck D and Flava Flav's vocals, and the introduction to what later became a standard convention on rap LPs, the interlude. Although it's the kind of album that is best listened to from front to back, here is a taste (or a reminder for those that remember the fury it leashed 25 years ago). 

Classic Material: Run DMC Live at the Ritz NYC (1985)

We've been away for a while here at Nation of Millions, but we're back with some serious heat. Before Run DMC and Jam Master Jay dropped Raising Hell (1986) and turned the entire music world on its head, they were already two albums deep and seasoned veterans of the stage. Check out this 30 minute performance at The Ritz in NYC recorded for MTV. Songs include "It's Like That," "Rock Box," "King of Rock," and even a preview of their third album in "It's Tricky."

Classic Material: Wu-Tang Clan Live at The Fever (1993)

Wu-Tang Clan at The Fever a couple weeks after 36 Chambers dropped. Dope. Shout out to Tony Touch for the footage. Part 1 above, part 2 below.

LL Cool J doing an air band to LL Cool J (circa '89)

I swear we dig new music here at N.O.M. too, it's just that these vintage clips are gold and you can find the newest of the new daily at about 1 dillion other sites. So, with that said, here is LL Cool J doing an air band to "Big Ol Butt" by LL Cool J! The gem is the very end when LL reads a list of words that don't rhyme. 
Classic material!

Rakim interview with Red Bull Music Academy (Long!)

Rakim recently sat on the RBMA couch with journalist/DJ "Chairman Mao" for an epic interview. The R speaks on his career from its earliest days in Wyandanch, Long Island, to meeting Eric B., and recording their many classics. He even breaks down the lyrics in "I Know You Got Soul," "The Ghetto," and others
 Do the knowledge.

Questlove vs. Nardwaur 2013

An epic 45+ minutes Nardwuar vs. Questlove interview above, and the flip the script Pharrell vs. Nardwuar below that sees Nardwuar get the Nardwaur treatment from Skateboard P.

Beastie Boys Lost Interview With Animation (1985)

Blank on Blank is a multimedia non-profit whose mission is to archive unheard interviews and add animation resulting in a new audio/visual experience for the viewer. Here are the Beastie Boys from a 1985 interview. This is pre Licensed to Ill, therefore, pre huge commercial success. Listen closely for some eerily prophetic statements from the terrible trio. And go to www.blankonblank.org for more. 

Demos: Kanye West Demo Tape (2001)

Even though most of our download links are dead until we are able to re-up them (process started), we are going to keep hitting you with treats. This one just turned up on the interweb a couple of days ago. If the story that goes along with it is correct, then this is the demo tape the 'Ye was passing around to labels before he signed his deal with Roc-a-fella. The highlight for me is the original version of "Jesus Walks". Enjoy!

Kanye West

Demo Tape (2001)

Nice & Smooth "No Delayin" (1989*)

"No Delayin" is a cut off of Nice & Smooth's self-titled debut LP. Although it wasn't released as a single, that didn't stop the duo from shooting this video years later - proving to the world that it's never too late to create a video for a classic. 

"You Know What I'm Sayin'???"

Out Of Order... kind of.

Looks like all the download links on NationOfMillions have been shut down by the fine folks over at DivShare. Anything posted before April 20th has a dead link. We've already started the process of re-upping all the Rap Treats, 12inch's, Demos, and Mixtapes.

Stay tuned.