It must have been 1997 when my friend brought Cut Master C’s Silent Murder mixtape back from New York City. I don’t know where he bought the tape but judging by the quality it was probably behind the counter of a bodega somewhere up in harlem World or further South on Canal Street. The hissing and saturated screams make for very average listening quality, but I guess that also authenticates the griminess that precedes mixtapes you’d cop in the street for a few dollars. Cut Master C is a Queensbridge native who’s probably most famous for two things: introducing the world to 50 Cent; and dropping mad exclusives on his tapes. Silent Murder boasts freestyles from all of the bad Boy camp’s heavy hitters (Puff daddy, Notorious BIG, Lil’ Kim, Mase, The Lox), Brooklyn’s Jay-Z and Foxy Brown; and several tracks from fellow Queens representatives Cormega, Royal Flush, CNN, Nas and Mobb Deep. Like I said earlier, the quality s pretty sub-standard, but then again so are those old VHS tapes you watch of MTV Raps…

Side A

Just a little bit remix – Mase / Keith Sweat
Niggaz bleed just like us – Notorious BIG
Can’t hold me down remix – Puff Daddy / Mase
Freestyle – Lox / Notorious BIG
Harlem NYC – Herb McGruff / DJ Mo Money / Boosie
First day of spring – Tragedy Khadafi / Mobb Deep
Freestyle – Nas
Life’s an exile – Royal Flush / Noreaga
True Lies – Mobb Deep
If it’s on – Jay-Z / DMX / Cash Money Players
Freestyle – Jay-Z
Crime Connection Pt. 1 – Cormega / Mobb Deep
Freestyle – Cormega
Last day – Notorious BIG

Side B

Call me – Lil’ Kim
Freestyle – Lil’ Kim
Young Luv – Mobb Deep
You’re only a customer – Jay-Z
Can we – SWV / Missy Elliot
Freestyle – Mase / Puff Daddy
Marvel – Ghostface Killah / Rza
Dead man walking – Cormega
Life I choose – Richie ?
Neva die alone – Capone n Noreaga
Third world – RZA / GZA
Iced down medallions remix – Royal Flush
Freestyle – Foxy Brown / Pretty Boy
The case – Foxy Brown
Everyday gunplay – Mobb Deep