Three and a half years ago, a British DJ named Chris Read released The Diary—a chronological “megamix” that stitched 801 classic hip-hop recordings into a stellar, 77-minute MP3. Now Read’s “Classic Material” series is picking up where The Diary left off: Each new mix is a deeply enjoyable, totally danceable hip-hop history tour.
The first mix, Edition #1, is split into two parts, and moves from 1979 to 1987. Each of the seven subsequent editions zooms in on a single year, from 1988 (a high-water mark for Public Enemy and N.W.A) to 1994 (the year that Nas and Biggie Smalls broke out of the underground). The quality may dip as Read gets closer to the 21st century, but he’s got some good years left to work with—and we can’t wait to hear his next release.
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Chris Read’s “Classic Material” mixtapes
to Read’s megamix, The Diary
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