THE PURPLE TAPE

August 1, 2020 Tim C.

My homie Rick texted me last night and I honestly had no idea. Could “The Purple Tape” really be 25 years old today? You’re telling me it’s been 25 years since Raekwon dropped Only Built 4 Cuban Linx? Okay, if I didn’t know now I sure do now… I am old. It’s alright though… I’m good with being an old head because those mid90s Wu vibes are just as fresh today as they were back then.

CLAIREMONT ROOTS

June 29, 2020 Tim C.

A story about Clairemont going all the way back to the mid-late 60’s here in sunny San Diego, CA. Dedicated to Clairemont’s own, Bryan Makinson…

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

June 14, 2020 Tim C.

Oakland holds a special place in my heart going back to the 80’s through the rap music of Too Short and Bay Area athletes like Mark McGuire, Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Chris Mullen, Tim Hardaway, and Mitch Richmond. The Bay Area always seemed cool to me so I wore A’s gear like I was from Oakland. This story is an ode to Oakland through music and sports.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

June 3, 2020 Tim C.

Do you know somebody who is racist? Can you have a good conversation with them without it getting violent? It’s these types of interactions that can help change things. It’s 1-on-1 interactions where we can start to see change. And it’s super tough! I know! But if we don’t change who we are as a country I fear for our future. I fear for our children growing up the same way that I did. I don’t want my baby boy to grow up in a world full of hate. And if these words can help us take a step in the right direction I will keep writing. I will keep talking… I will do all that I can do. And maybe this will push you to do seek out what you can do. And I don’t even know the right thing to do! If my message is all wrong, let me know! Let’s have a discussion. Let’s grow as human beings.

THE LIVING LEGENDS - PART 1

May 21, 2020 Tim C.

A story about a group of high school kids from San Diego in the late 90’s who connected through the music of the Cali hip hop group, the Living Legends. One friend bought an underground tape from a local record store and from there the music of the Legends spread like wildfire through hallways, classrooms, and different schools in San Diego. What remains is a group of friends who are still connected through hip hop culture more than 20 years later. It is all due to the music and movement of the Living Legends.

BASEBALL CARDS ARE BACK

May 8, 2020 Tim C.

Now I’m not the only one who has gotten back into sports card collecting. The business itself is the best it’s been in over 2 decades which is eye opening. And it’s not just baseball card fans. Investors are getting in. Sneakerheads are getting in. Opportunists are getting in. This is all just creating more and more buzz. And to know that Gary Vaynerchuck can help push this forward even more is amazing. Gary Vee always talks about his start in baseball cards. Gary is a huge collector. I think he is a marketing genius and is one of the best marketers in the world. Now the baseball card buzz has him help pushing it forward?! Boom! I think baseball cards are here to stay and I am loving every moment of this wave!

SLANGIN' CANDY

April 16, 2020 Tim C.

While we were only 12 or 13, we wanted to make money so we can buy shiny things like baseball cards, comic books, or maybe even a nudie mag. We had graduated from stealing chromed out shiners (tire valve caps) off of expensive cars for our BMX bikes and were now trying to see that cash money.

WHAT COACHELLA MEANS TO ME

April 9, 2020 Tim C.

This weekend was supposed to be Coachella and while I had zero plans to actually attend, I would have been streaming several performances right on my couch as I do every year. Some of my friends still go to Coachella but a lot of us have shifted over to Couchella where we either watch together at a homie’s house or just text each other from the confines of our own home during certain performances.

NUTHIN' BUT A G THANG

March 17, 2020 Tim C.

A summation of the West Coast Rap scene back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Starring Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, Ice Cube, Snoop, Daz, Kurupt, Warren G, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage and more.

DJ QUIK - BORN AND RAISED IN COMPTON

February 20, 2020 Tim C.

DJ Quik is a legend but for some reason he seems to be slept on and overlooked by rap fans outside of California. Quik was an influential musician and pushed boundaries with his rhyming, production, and engineering.

MAC MILLER - THE LEGACY LIVES ON

January 17, 2020 Tim C.

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In celebration of the release of Mac Miller’s new album Circles, I wanted to pay respect to his discography and share some of my favorite songs of his. We’ve had so many great rappers taken from us way too early and Mac just adds to the list. Luckily we are left with a ton of great music to listen to from Mac. Credit to Jason Kleeberg on the artwork.

PUT YOUR QUARTER UP

December 19, 2019 Tim C.

A time capsule from 1991 including the popular TV shows, sports, wrestling, video games, and rap music from that year. A 90’s nostalgic throwback with everything from Macho Man Randy Savage to Street Fighter 2.

EVERYDAY I'M HUSTLIN'

August 9, 2019 Tim C.

Paying homage to Rick Ross on the eve of the release of his new album, Port of Miami 2. I’ve added my top 10 list of Rick Ross songs as well but that was a feat in itself as Rozay has dropped a lot of hits over the years.

'93 TIL INFINITY

July 12, 2019 Tim C.

Going back to the late 90’s to talk through my history with West Coast Underground Hip Hop. So many dope artists coming out at the same time to start a movement and a slew of classic albums that I still listen to this day. At the end of the post you’ll find my list of Top 10 songs from 90’s Cali Underground Rap.

YACHT ROCK

June 21, 2019 Tim C.

This is a story about my childhood in San Diego in the 80’s and the music that was playing on my Dad’s radio while we drove to the beaches in La Jolla on those warm summer days. The music heard back then is now known as Yacht Rock and I thought it would be good to break down my list of Top 10 Yacht Rock songs. Hope you enjoy!

JORDAN AND GRIFFEY

June 12, 2019 Tim C.

There were 2 things I remember really wanting as a kid. One was a pair of shoes and the other was a baseball card. As a kid you don’t need much but in my elementary school I couldn’t get these 2 items off my mind. The Nike Jordan 3’s and the ‘89 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card were 2 things that I couldn’t go without. Fast forwarding to today and they are still as fresh as when they first dropped.

THE BEASTIE BOYS

June 5, 2019 Tim C.

On June 5th, 1995 I was 15 years old and my parents finally allowed me to go see a concert. The Beastie Boys were on tour and I couldn’t miss the show at the San Diego Sports Arena. I got together with a few of my closest friends and we saw our first show live. From that day in the Mid90s I haven’t stopped going to concerts. This is a story about The Beastie Boys!

MUSIC TO WORK TO

May 30, 2019 Tim C.

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What music do you listen to in your headphones at work? Is it the same music you listen to in your car or at your home or is it completely different? For me, I need something to help me focus while at the office so that means I have a lot of instrumental hip hop bumping through my earbuds.

CLEAN

May 23, 2019 Tim C.

Going back to the 80’s with this one walking you through what was popular in sports at the time along with a story of my first rap performance in front of my father that I will never forget. RIP to the legend known as Eazy E. You were one of my first idols and I didn’t care whether my parents approved or not!

EAZY DUZ IT

May 15, 2019 Tim C.

I had to go back on this one to pay respect to the one and only Eazy E and the NWA Posse. As a 9 year old I fell in love with their music and while my parents obviously weren’t fans, I was and that was all that mattered to me. Eazy E’s debut album is a classic and I can still recite nearly every word to ever song on the album.