Rare Freestyle Showcase: Test Pressings, Autographs, and Other Rarities

Nouveau Imaje Autographed Photo

There's a lot of crate digging done here at Metrowax. Sometimes we turn up very rare records and other music collectibles of interest, which are usually hoarded indefinitely, until we ultimately decide to sell them (or not). In terms of freestyle music, we've found some pretty rare pieces.

Here's our current hoard of rare freestyle records and artifacts. Enjoy these high quality scans of some of the nice freestyle music rarities we have found over the last couple of years:

Freestyle Test Pressings:
Test pressings were never intended for public consumption, and are usually just boring looking white labels with black print. They usually sound just as good, and are a whole lot more rare than the standard issues.

1. & More - You'll Never Find Another Love

And More - You'll Never Find Another Love (Test Pressing)

And More - You'll Never Find Another Love (1988 Micmac Records Test Pressing). A rare early Micmac Records test pressing, made by Hauppauge Record Manufacturing Ltd.

2. Ale - I Wanna Know

Ale - I Wanna Know (Rare Test Issue Promo Cover)

Ale - I Wanna Know (Test Pressing)

Ale - I Wanna Know (1988 Vendetta Records Test Pressing). This hit freestyle track almost cracked our list of the Best 15 Freestyle Songs Ever Made. Above is a very rare test pressing of I Wanna Know complete with promotional cover.

3. C-Bank -  Love Don't Come Every Day

C-Bank -  Love Don't Come Every Day (1990 Next Plateau Test Pressing)

4. Cyre - The Life

Cyre - The Life (1992 4th & Broadway Test Pressing)

5. Giggles - Love Letter

Giggles - Love Letter (Test Pressing) Side A

Giggles - Love Letter (Test Pressing) Side B

Giggles - Love Letter (1987 Cutting Records Test Pressing). This one is pretty rare as a test pressing, and it's a very good freestyle track as well. We've shown side A and side B above.

6. Mauge - That Girl

Mauge - That Girl (Test Pressing)

Mauge - That Girl (Karousell Records Test Pressing). A rare and obscure handwritten white label test pressing from Mauge. The exact year of this release is not known.

7. Nu-Image - Tears In My Eyes

Nu-Image - Tears In My Eyes (Test Pressing)

Nu-Image - Tears In My Eyes (1992 Funkee Records Test Pressing). One of my favorite freestyle tracks. The regular vinyl is just about impossible to get. The test pressing is orders of magnitude more rare than the original Funkee Records release.

8. Reinaldo - My Sweet Love

Reinaldo - My Sweet Love (Test Pressing)

Reinaldo - My Sweet Love (1988 High Power Records Test Pressing). A classic track from Reinaldo, produced by Tony Garcia. Rare and sought after title.

9. Sa-Fire - Let Me Be The One

Sa-Fire - Let Me Be The One (Test Pressing)

Sa-Fire - Let Me Be The One (1987 Cutting Records Test Pressing). Popular freestyle track produced by the Latin Rascals.

10. TKA - Come Get My Love

TKA - Come Get My Love (Test Pressing)

TKA - Come Get My Love (1986 Tommy Boy Records Test Pressing). Another test pressing of a classic freestyle jam.



Freestyle Autographs and Photographs:
We find simple autographs all the way to full blown letters written right on the record cover. Back in the day, a lot of respect was given to the DJs that helped artists gain recognition by playing their tracks in the clubs. Sometimes respect was paid with an autographed picture or record.

 1. Alisha - Too Turned On (1985 Vanguard Records)

Alisha - Too Turned On (Autographed Label)

2. Arlene - We Can Work It Out (1988 Midnight Sun Records)

Arlene - We Can Work It Out (Autographed Cover)

3. Girls Club Featuring Eileen - I Lost The Love (1988 Active Records)

Girls Club Featuring Eileen - I Lost The Love (Autographed Cover)

4. Liz Torres

Liz Torres - Promotional Picture

5. MKG - Tear Shed (1988 Dance City Records)

Michael "Kidd" Gomez Autographed Generic Sleeve

6. Nouveau Imaje - I Just Want To Be Your Number One

Nouveau Imaje - I Just Want To Be Your Number One + Business Card

Nouveau Imaje - Autographed Photo #2

7. Prelude To Passion

Prelude To Passion Autographed Photo

8. Rene 

Rene Autographed Photo

 

9. Without Warning

Without Warning Promotional Picture

10. Hot Music Industry Party at the Octagon (Featuring Cynthia)

Hot Music Industry Dance Party Flyer (Featuring Micmac artist Cynthia)

Reverse Side of the Flyer (Frankie Bones, Carlos After Dark Berrios)

11. Tropique Records 

Tropique Records DJ Feedback Form

Enjoy these rare freestyle items, and we'll keep digging to find more! Thanks for your support.

Cash Money Brothas V3 Wit Da Trunk Of Funk Golden Age Hip Hop Mixtape

Cash Money Brothas - Volume 3 (Wit Da Trunk Of Funk)

When it comes to golden age hip hop mixtapes, it doesn't get much better than this gem. I first heard CMB V.3 when I copped the cassette back in 1992. Ever since, it has haunted me, since the mix was loved and lost. Wit Da Trunk Of Funk has a good share of hip hop classics mixed with some tight underground tracks. Shake it up with some flawless mixing and beat matching, and you have a real hip hop mixtape that was not done with the aid of computers.

Former business partner and best friend Commish really liked this mixtape, as did almost anyone I played it for back in the day. It's a perfect length - long enough to be packed with tracks, blends, and dope beats, but short enough to listen to on your ride in to work. Believe me, you'll want to listen multiple times to catch the more subtle parts of the mix. It's true mastery of the mixtape on cassette format.

Rewind back to 1999. I left my one and only copy of Cash Money Brothas V.3 in a U-Haul truck that we were using to move a big record collection we bought. When I realized I had left it in the truck, I tried to get it back, but it was gone. Ever since that fateful day, I have googled like a madman trying to find this lost mixtape.

Read more about Commish and moving huge record collections by clicking here.

Finally my prayers have been answered. Over ten years of relentless searching has finally paid off. The elusive Cash Money Brothas V.3 has been found expertly by The Commish. It still pounds, and is the best gift a friend could give. V.3 has stayed in my Alpine for a week (so far). A much deserved thank you to the Commish, once again coming through in the clutch. Genius.

Anyways, there's not much info out there about CMB, but I can tell you that I acquired the mix back in 1992, in the Chicagoland area. They have an entire series of mixtapes. But I am highlighting V.3 because to this day, I think it is the best hip hop mixtape I have ever heard. Much props to Cash Money Brothas for a well executed mixtape that is as good now as it was then.

Side A:
Intro
K-Solo - I Can't Hold It Back
Rodney O and Joe Cooley - U Don't Hear Me Though (MC Hammer diss track)
Spice 1 - Welcome To The Ghetto (sample)
Fu Schinickens - True Fu Schnick
Tung Twista - No Peace Signs
Wrecks n Effect - Rump Shaker (Remix)
Heavy D - Don't Curse
Digital Underground - Humpty Dance
Redman - Skit
EPMD - Scratch Bring it Back
Public Enemy - Hazy Shade of Criminal
N2Deep - Back to the Hotel
MC Breed - I Ain't To Be Fucked With
Tribe Called Quest - Hot Sex
EPMD - So What Cha Sayin
UGK - Something Good
Compton's Most Wanted - The Hood Took Me Under (Remix)
Bushwick Bill - Ever So Clear
Outro

Download Side A


Side B:
Intro
Kenny Dope - Pick It Up
Redman - Blow Ya Mind
Gang Starr - DWYCK
House of Pain - Boomshalaklakboom
Tribe Called Quest - Can I Kick It
MC Serch - Back to the Grill Again
Trilogy - Good Time
Zhigge - Toss It Up
Interlude
Ice T - Escape From the Killing Fields
Tung Twista - Mr. Tung Twista
South Central Cartel - Pops Was a Rolling Stone
Rough House Survivers - Chek Da Backpack
Coldcut - Beats & Pieces
A.D.O.R. - Let It All Hang Out
Common - Take it EZ
Black A.G. - No Typa Drugdeala
Cypress Hill - Latin Lingo
Ice Cube - Wicked

Download Side B


Download this amazing mix now. If it's the only thing you do today, download it. It's a perfect mixtape for the summer. Maybe this should have been on there.