Maestro Fresh-Wes: Drop the Needle (1990)

United States United Kingdom
The rhymes I bring them spread like syndromes
T.O. mixed it, New York pressed it
All these def hits you can't test this

Five versions of Drop the Needle on one record might be useful to a DJ, but it's hard to listen to all five versions in succession. Nevertheless, I am happy to have it. Here are the tracks:

The Stylus Side
Drop The Needle (The 45 King Remix)
Drop The Needle (The 45 King Dub)
Drop The Needle (LP Version) 5:44

The Cartridge Side
Drop The Needle (Radio Edit) 4:45
Drop The Needle (The Throwdown Club Mix)

I paid about a dollar for this piece of vinyl. My copy was pressed in Canada.

Maestro Fresh-Wes: Let Your Backbone Slide (1989)

Rap scholar, soul like a Dominican
But like I said before, I'm not American
It's who you are, not the way you went
We all originate from the same descent

This 12" contains five versions of Let Your Backbone Slide. They are The Power Mix (which is the album mix), Bonus Beat, Acapella Version, Club Mix, and Instrumental. We all know that drum track, borrowed from James Brown. He sampled the Mohawks as well, though I admit that I had to look that one up. I have the US pressing, though I cannot remember where I got it.

Maestro Fresh-Wes: Symphony in Effect (1989)

Wesley Williams, better known as Maestro Fresh-Wes, is a true Canadian icon. Wikipedia mentions that Exclaim! - a popular Canadian music newspaper - labeled him the "Godfather of Canadian hip hop." That sounds right. He later moved to New York City, which is where I would go if money and commitments were not an issue.

This record was notable because it is one of the best-selling Canadian hip hop albums of all time. And, the first single - Let Your Backbone Slide - appeared on Billboard's hot rap singles chart, which was a first for a Canadian. It also won a Juno for best rap recording, the first time that category was used.

I'm not a fan of the tune Private Symphony, however. I think he tried to channel LL Cool J and missed. The first two singles were very good, on the other hand.