DJ ALF of Hip Hop Slam
This Way or That Way

LABEL: Hip Hop Slam
RELEASE DATE: November, 2009
RELEASE #: 50
CATALOG #: HHS-101
FORMAT: CD

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This Way or That Way is the killer new debut album from Hip-Hop Slam's
own DJ ALF featuring collaborations with the likes of Dawgisht, DJ Skizo,
Jimmy The Penguin, and DJ Sniper. Buy the CD here for the discounted price
of only $4.99 and support turntablism 2009 style. Meantime read more info
on the amazing 20 track CD here:

For the past decade DJ ALF has remained below the radar, quietly honing
his turntablist & production skills. But now, the summer of 2009, with the
release of his powerful debut This Way or That Way, the Baltimore, MD
area artist unveils the fruits of his tireless dedication to the art of
turntable. This 20-track hip-hop collection, whose underlying theme is
statement on the music industry and the tough choices that artists are
faced with, features not just ALF but some equally talented guest DJs too.
DJ Skizo and DJ 2p (Italy's Alien Army), Jimmy Penguin (Ireland's Vince
Mack Mahon), Holland's DJ Sniper, and Bay Area to DC DJ Dust-One, as well
as Oakland producer Dawgisht all contribute to individual album tracks.
This Way or That Way also features the emcees Dunn-D, Nations, and
Skahlah.

It was during his six years as a member of the US Air Force that ALF
perfected his scratching skills. "After working 12 - 13 hour shifts at
times I used to practice for at least 4 hours," he recalled of his time
stationed in Okinawa, Japan. A case of insomnia during that period only
helped by allowing even more time for him to perfect his skills. In fact
practicing hip-hop scratch music often acted as a form of therapy for the
Avionics Technician who worked on F-15's. "A lot of my other buddies who
were fellow DJ's in the service, drank their pressures away. Some people
were on the brink of suicide. I scratched my pressures away," said ALF.

Having played the clarinet from the 4th grade to the 12th grade, ALF
gained a basic music theory that would later serve him as a turntable
artist. "Since I used to play in a marching band, concert band, and
orchestra, I must say that alone has helped me easily figure what fits in
terms of doing freestyle turntable orchestration with others," he said.
Like many DJs hearing Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" for the first time, a
young ALF was tempted him to try out a little amateur scratching on his
mom's non motor-driven home turntable. But it wouldn't be until 1999 when
ALF would become a fully fledged DJ. That happened as he was helping his
longtime buddy DJ Ronnie Darko in making his first Mix CD. "I've been
hooked ever since," he laughs.

During his 3 years stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where he would also DJ out
in clubs, ALF frequently found himself under pressure in balancing his
DJing and his Air Force career which often clocked at a grueling 80 hour
work week. "There were times when my plans to DJ at my weekly spot were
cancelled because the squadron would tell me the day before that I had
weekend duty. Sometimes I lost money because of it. So from there, I had
to make sacrifices if I wanted to become a turntablist."

Not surprisingly inspiration for This Way or That Way is drawn from
ALF's first hand experiences including some bottled emotions from his
years in the US Air Force when he could not openly say how he really felt
about his Commander in Chief (George W. Bush) and his reasons to get into
the Iraq war. On the up side ALF's military training and structured
lifestyle left him with a sharp focus and excellent organizational skills.
"It made me become aware that you have to triple check everything in terms
of making a song."

For the recording process DJ ALF used vinyl for all the scratch parts on
the album ("I have no need for Serato.") and worked off of
a Vestax Controller 1 turntable, Vestax PDX 2000 turntable,
Vestax PMC-08, and PMC-05 Pro III mixer, as well as Propellerhead's Reason
program, and Pro Tools LE. "In some form or another I see the songs on the
album parallel to what the artist may see or hear in their surroundings,"
said ALF. "They may tend to ask themselves if they want to approach the
subject this way or that way."

TRACKING

01) "This Way" feat. Billy Jam
02) "Funk 141 Controller"
03) "You Know"
04) "Here They Come"
05) "Put The Needle On The Record"
06) "Lab Insomnia"
07) "Sculpted Music" feat. Skizo and DJ 2P of Alien Army
08) "Judging The Maker" feat. Skahlah
09) "Streptomisen"
10) "TVT"
11) "2015 or 1960"
12) "The Deployment II"
13) "One More Drink" feat. Dunn-D
14) "Let's See Now"
15) "Hedspace Meditation" feat. Dawgisht
16) "Nebula" feat. DJ Sniper
17) "Say Yeah" feat. Dust-One
18) "What If" feat. Nations
19) "That Way"
20) "The Galway Formula"

DJs of Mass Destruction
WAR II (the turd hunt continues…)

LABEL: Hip Hop Slam
RELEASE DATE: June, 2007
RELEASE #: 49
CATALOG #: HHS-100
FORMAT: CD

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WAR II (the turd hunt continues…) is the sequel to the controversial, critically acclaimed 2003 Hip Hop Slam release WAR (if it feels good, do it!) whose numerous accolades included making it into Robert Christgau's "honorable mention" list in the Village Voice.

The latest hip-hop anti-war/pro-peace collection is again produced by the DJs of Mass Destruction (Billy Jam, Dawgisht, DJ ALF, DJ Pone, & DnZ) with repeat cameos from Public Enemy, Shing02, and Steinski as well as first time contributions from the likes of emcees Little Larry and Will Villainova, DJ/producers Backyard Bangers, and UK hip-hop wordsmith Braintax. What helps make WAR II's message resound so strongly is the fact that several of its contributors are or have been members of the US Armed Forces including ALF, Dunn-D, and OkiZoo.

TRACKING

01) DJs of MASS DESTRUCTION / “The Turd Hunt Continues...”
02) SENECA + SHING02 / “WarTimes”
03) DJs of MASS DESTRUCTION / “Shut Up & Listen”
04) DUNN-D / “Wake Up”
05) STEINSKI / “Number 3 on FLT 11: a dirge”
06) WILL VILLAINOVA / “Same Year, Different Number”
07) BRAINTAX / “Exit Plans”
08) PUBLIC ENEMY / “He Got Game / Fuck The War: Live in London (DJ Pone remix)”
09) ALF-a-DAWG / ”Don't Worry? (Katrina Blues)”
10) LITTLE LARRY / “Peace On Earth Rap”
11) OKIZOO / ”Soldiers Letters”
12) DJs of MASS DESTRUCTION / “Addicted To Oil”
13) DJ ALF / “The Deployment”
14) BACKYARD BANGERS / ”The Road of Good Intentions”

Hip Hop Slam TV '93
Vol. 7

LABEL: Hip Hop Slam
RELEASE #: 47
RELEASE DATE: April, 2007
CATALOG #: HHS-107
FORMAT: DVD (NTSC)

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ORIGINAL AIR DATE: October 16, 1993

Volume 7 from the forgotten Bay Area hip-hop television series "Hip Hop Slam TV" that broadcast on October 16th in 1993 out of Oakland CA in all its lo-fi but authentic glory. Clocking in at just about an hour, this DVD includes interviews, freestyles, and videos.

DVD EPISODE 7 CHAPTERS INCLUDE:

Mad Flava - Interview and Freestyle + “Feel tha Flava (Remix)”
Mike DREAM - Interview with Malinda Bell (c/o Debonair Affair)
E-Dawg - Interview and Freestyle + "Drop Top"
Jazz Lee Alston - Interview and Spoken Word
"Finding a boyfriend for Pam the Funkstress"
Too Short - “I'm a Player”
Ice Cube - “Wicked”
The Coup - “Funk (Remix)”
Black Moon - “How Many Emcees?”
Nemesis - “Cantfiguritout”
Ultramagnetic MC's - “Raise It Up”
YZ - “The Ghetto's Been Good To Me”
Diamond D - “Fuck What U Heard?”

Hip Hop Slam TV '93
Vol. 6

LABEL: Hip Hop Slam
RELEASE #: 46
RELEASE DATE: April, 2007
CATALOG #: HHS-106
FORMAT: DVD (NTSC)

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ORIGINAL AIR DATE: October 9, 1993

Another rare episode from the forgotten Bay Area hip-hop television series "Hip Hop Slam TV" which broadcast on various Bay Area TV stations from 1990 to 1993. This series, considered to be the best by most TV fans at the time, was Episode 6 in the thirteen-episode, Saturday afternoon Hip Hop Slam TV show that ran in the summer/early fall of 1993 on legendary, now defunct, Oakland black music television station Soulbeat on Channel 37.

Clocking in at just an hour, this DVD includes all the highlights from an episode midway in the series, broadcast October 9th, 1993. It packs interviews, freestyles, and videos including KRS-1 (interview & freestyle), Pam the Funkstress (turntable session), Erick Sermon (interview and turntable display), and much much more.

DVD EPISODE 6 CHAPTERS INCLUDE:

KRS-ONE - Interview and Freestyle
+ Induction into the “Hip Hop Slam Hall of Fame”
KRS-ONE + Turntable T + Pam the Funkstress
Dan-I-Spencer - Interview and Reggae Freestyle
Erick Sermon - Interview and Getting Busy on the Turns
Turntable T + Pam & Boots (of The Coup)
Jamalski + DJ Frankie Stylee - Interview and Freestyle
Paris - “Days of Old”
Del - “Dr. Bombay”
Digital Underground - “Doowutchyalike (PartyHowYouLike mix)”

THREE EXTRA CHAPTERS:

“Pam knows karate” + C-Note
Dan K + Luenell (“Borat”) -
“Ultimate Phat Pak” giveaway
+ playing with Turntable T's hair
D.E.E.P. and Shictee - Freestyles

Hip Hop Slam TV '93
Vol. 3

LABEL: Hip Hop Slam
RELEASE #: 45
RELEASE DATE: March, 2007
CATALOG #: HHS-103
FORMAT: DVD (NTSC)

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ORIGINALLY AIR DATE: September 18, 1993

This is the first episode to be released (out of chronological order) from the forgotten Bay Area hip-hop television series "Hip Hop Slam TV" which broadcast on various Bay Area TV stations at different times in the early nineties. There were a few separate series including this one, an independently produced thirteen-series, Saturday afternoon Hip Hop Slam TV
show that ran in the summer/early fall on legendary, now defunct, Oakland black music television station Soulbeat on Channel 37. Clocking in at just an hour, this DVD includes all the highlights from the third episode (September 18, 1993) in that series including interviews, freestyles, and videos. Featured are the members of the then new ieroglyphics crew ("Hiero Day"), New Kingdom, and Fat Joe. Originally this show was taped and broadcast live every Saturday afternoon from 2 to 6 out of a small jenky but very special TV studio deep in East Oakland. The show always gave much love to the Bay Area scene at large, drawing no distinction between so-called "hip-hop" and "rap" which was typically discriminated against at the time by the average programmer and industry power-hitter.

NOTE: due to the underground nature of this rare recording some of the sound (on interview portions) may be "ghetto-style" which, as one praise-bestowing hip-hop critic gushed, is "all part of the charm and authenticity of Hip Hop Slam TV '93."

DVD EPISODE 3 CHAPTERS INCLUDE:

Hieroglyphics - Interview and Freestyle (Tajai of Souls)
(featuring Del thefunkeehomosapien, Souls of Mischief, Casual, Extra Prolific, Shamen, and Domino)
New Kingdom - Interview and Freestyle + “Good Times (Del remix)”
Fat Joe - Interview and Freestyle + “Flow Joe”
Del thefunkeehomosapien - “Mistadobalina”
Souls of Mischief - “’93 Til Infinity”
Casual - “That's How It Is”
Digital Underground - “The Return Of The Crazy One”

BONUS: Hidden TV Commercials