Illmatic Beat Contest: Week 5

by Kevin on January 18, 2009 · 81 comments

Sorry I wasn’t able to get this up earlier today; been busy chillin. Anyway, can you believe we’re halfway through the contest already? We’re still tallying up the winner for Week 3, so please stop asking when the winner will be announced… lol. We’re doing the best we can with all the heat being thrown at us, plus Akil is currently on tour so it’s been tough for him to check all these beats out. At any rate, I know you all are anxious to move onto Week 5, so here we go!

The Large Pro produced “Halftime” included a few samples — Average White Band’s “Schoolboy Crush” for the drums, “Dead End” from the Hair Musical for the bassline, and Gary Byrd’s “Soul Travelin” for the horns. Originally I was gonna give you all the “Dead End” sample for this week, but at the last minute I’m changing it up to “Soul Travelin”. There’s just so much more that can be done with that sample and I think we’ll get some better tracks. So show us what ya got and good luck!

Oh yeah, check the rules if this is your first time.

DOWNLOAD THE SAMPLE

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{ 81 comments }

1 S.2 January 18, 2009 at 9:02 pm: hahaha I was gonna flip that Dead End sample ahead of time but decided I’d wait. Lucky…. I wonder if anyone else already did?
2 Kevin January 18, 2009 at 9:15 pm: hahaha, yeah I wonder too….
3 RNP January 18, 2009 at 9:24 pm: Yeah i flipped Dead End on friday, thought i would get it in since school starts up this week… I was bringing some heat too!..
4 Harry G January 18, 2009 at 9:26 pm: You uploaded “Dead End” by accident, not “Soul Travelin”
5 Kevin January 18, 2009 at 10:19 pm: Are you serious?!?!? LOL… my bad. I’m upping the right sample now. I can see this is gonna be confusing to some people.

MAKE SURE YOU SAMPLE “SOUL TRAVELIN”
6 Kevin January 18, 2009 at 10:20 pm: Ok the right sample is up now.
7 Pee Duble January 18, 2009 at 11:01 pm: I think I’m back in for this week!! Aye, for all the cats that don’t know ultimately we all trying to get on the actual ILLTRAVIS record, g’head and download The Learning Curve to get a feel of how Trav will flow on your record if you are chosen. Here’s the link http://www.zshare.net/download/530365210abccb99/

Good Luck!!
8 Tokyo Cigar January 18, 2009 at 11:25 pm: I’m not gonna front i flipped Dead End too. The joint was too crazy. But here’s the new joint fresh out the oven

http://www.zshare.net/audio/543425233abf2509/

I hope yall feel it. Let the kid know.
Peace to Everybody doing this.
9 G.C. January 18, 2009 at 11:52 pm: Murder in a jar, my friend…murder in a jar! That’s my man Toke Yo’!

You are getting SERIOUS with the chops! Great job!
10 S.T.T.R.E.S.S. January 19, 2009 at 1:22 am: Yo Tok,U R DEFINITELY stepping up your chop game son.Big up!
11 J Fizz January 19, 2009 at 2:18 am: tokyo man you had me rockin out, the guitars were wailin
i was singin 21st century shizoid man! shit was groovin, i havent had time to listen to pee duble yet and man i gotta get on this one ….
12 The Natown Legend January 19, 2009 at 3:47 am: this is my post
good luck to all

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54349201cba8daef/
13 FlamesYall January 19, 2009 at 8:16 am: Yo, thats hot Tokyo. Really nice. Great change up.
14 the-grimystar January 19, 2009 at 9:44 am: made this at work..shoot i hardly have time but here goes nothing
http://www.zshare.net/audio/543586457f73795c/
15 Tokyo Cigar January 19, 2009 at 1:46 pm: YO thanks for the feedback yall mad love. Yo J fizz you wilding. LOL That King Crimson album is that joint. For real though thanks for the feedback yall.
16 C-Villain January 19, 2009 at 4:08 pm: yeah tokyo that was super clean. that beat had me moving…super bouncy
17 Isbjerg January 19, 2009 at 5:48 pm: If it aint broke, don’t fix it… Alter it to stand the demands of time and with these words I give you…
Second Halftime by Isbjerg
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5437651313cdba2e/

Had to do the drums with some ‘Flowing for MCing’
18 Young K January 19, 2009 at 6:24 pm: I let my man GC take week 4, that why you didn’t see a post from me. I got a confession of my own tho, this sample don’t do it for me what y’all have done so far i feel but I fliped it a lot different. check it out, Isberg I see you on that remix tho.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5437763033374ea5/
19 Cory Hall January 19, 2009 at 6:37 pm: http://www.zshare.net/audio/54378023fbe8d38d/

kept it simple
20 Cory Hall January 19, 2009 at 6:43 pm: natown legend brought that southern funk. I feel like i’m at an hbcu bowl game.
21 Thomas January 19, 2009 at 6:59 pm: http://2dopeboyz.com/2009/01/19/2dopeboyz-dj-kos-best-to-do-it-remix-contest/

Sure you guys would like to get in on this. I put this on the other one…might get to all of y’all.
22 RNP January 19, 2009 at 8:45 pm: My submission:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5438100810497eaa/
23 Pee Duble January 19, 2009 at 9:34 pm: It might not fit for this project but this joint goes hard!! If Trav don’t use it, I will!! LOL, gimme some feedback ya’ll!! Holla!!

http://www.zshare.net/audio/543833078c3b5e2a/
24 Skidmatik January 19, 2009 at 9:38 pm: week 5

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54383383352050c1/
25 Pee Duble January 19, 2009 at 9:46 pm: Skid!! That shit is funky mane!! “Break it down”
26 Skidmatik January 19, 2009 at 9:50 pm: Tokyo..ill flip bro!

The Natown Legend…very very dope.

RNP…nice my dude..

P -Dubble…joint sound gangsta…got you & Trav written all over it..
27 J Fizz January 19, 2009 at 11:20 pm: i am definitely feeling some of these beats so far…

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54386293df135022/

I barely used samples from halftime but trust me they are in ther…

tell me what you think
peace,
28 the-grimystar January 20, 2009 at 1:01 am: is it possible to re-enter a different version of the beat?
29 the-grimystar January 20, 2009 at 4:35 am: http://www.zshare.net/audio/5439471866008bfb/

coz after some consideration oi realised i was suposed to post this one
30 FlamesYall January 20, 2009 at 6:36 am: IsbJerg – Thats a nice little banger you made there… Real nice.
Young K – That shit is HEAVY!
Cory Hall – Nice chops. I like how it goes up and down.
RNP – Nice bass and drums, good atmosphere.
Pee Dub – Shits hard! Like a 70s cop drama… NICE.
Skidmatik – Real upbeat, nice vocal chops.
J Fizz – Thats nice. Contemporary and nice use of female vocal. Pianos cool.
GrimyStar – Thats a nice version, full of energy.

Man, I gotta start mine soon, I got a lot of dope tracks to go against. Good stuff, folks.
31 The Natown Legend January 20, 2009 at 7:46 am: Shouts Out To:

Skidmatik: What else can i say but “break it down” straight crack = Strack

Cory Hall: Dope as hell very Kanye-Esque

Good Look to everyone

“Natown Legend On Tha Track” DOUBLE C-I-N, N-A-T-I
It’s The “King” Homie…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
32 DizzyD January 20, 2009 at 2:15 pm: Ait i made it on time this week… Hav a listen n lemme know wut u’ll think..
Peace.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/544154450ee44b2a/
33 Tokyo Cigar January 20, 2009 at 4:44 pm: Natown-YOOOOOOOOOO! This that white fur coat swagger into the club joint.

Grimystar-Very soulfull. I see common blacking out on that.

“Yo it’s the P e duble/push a lex bubble in the winter” Yo son this joint is crazy. It’s mean and funky at the same time

Skidmatik-Dope ass layering. Ill joint.

Yo J fizz-Very sublime illness. I love the piano’s in there.

Young K-DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA. James Bond shootout type vibes. Incredible beat. Cormega would sound lovely on it.

These were my personal favorites. Everybody’s still going hard with it as usual.
34 Isbjerg January 20, 2009 at 6:33 pm: DizzyD : At times a bit messy, but I like it as a nice banger…
the-grimystar : annoying hihat, but when beat came in, I almost forgot about it… I like the vibe…
J Fizz : Really nice one…. I like the layers…
Skidmatik : I cant place the mood for this, nor which rapper to suit it, but it got a funny thing going on…
Pee Duble : Im hooked…. So simple and so rough…. I like it a lot…
RNP : Good vibe and togetherness in the beat…
Cory Hall : Not this week…. Sounds like an hour on the MPC – Im sorry, Im down with your things but Im not feeling you this week…
Young K : A winner joint…. If they dont dig my ish, I hope for yours….
The Natown Legend : I like the presentation and the southern vibe… And then I got into a loop… But a winner intro..
Tokyo Cigar : good to see some balls in here…. Daring selection of samples and ruff man…
35 The Natown Legend January 20, 2009 at 6:39 pm: Tokyo Cigar: That track is is beyond crack it’s so dope it’s LSD…ya dig
36 FlamesYall January 20, 2009 at 7:28 pm: Here’s mine. I’d love some feedback… I just wanna keep improving.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5442715560a44c97/

Good stuff, yo.
37 Harry G January 20, 2009 at 10:20 pm: Here you go:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54433067240e2c2f/

Hopefully you vibe, mine is a little more laid back.
38 Young K January 21, 2009 at 12:15 am: Flames I really like your remix bro, tokyos too. keep it up boyz
39 DizzyD January 21, 2009 at 12:29 am: Yo Isbjerg thnx for the comments man. Appericiate it.
1
40 Young K January 21, 2009 at 3:07 am: aw fuck are you serious kev? so my beat doesn’t even count then does it?
41 Young K January 21, 2009 at 3:11 am: fuck im pissed off… i sampled dead end, waste of a beat.
42 FlamesYall January 21, 2009 at 3:23 am: Young K, thanks for the love. It means a lot.
43 Isbjerg January 21, 2009 at 4:14 am: Young K : Imma get at you on facebrizzle… Dont change the beat – add some… Imma holla at you…
44 FlamesYall January 21, 2009 at 7:29 am: IsbJerg – Ha ha ha, Facebrizzle!
45 Digivillainous January 21, 2009 at 4:27 pm: Here’s my entry!

http://www.zshare.net/audio/544710390764dcae/
46 P Floyd January 21, 2009 at 4:51 pm: I will Fly out a track tonight….Fly Muzik
47 Pee Duble January 21, 2009 at 4:59 pm: Digivillainous- Sounds wreckless, on some who want what type shyt. Dope!!

Harry G- That kick is something serious, gives me a “Show me what you got” type vibe.

Flames- Yours and mind sound kinda similar, but yours gives me a wu-tang vibe with the hard chopping of the sample, don’t know if that was on purpose but it works.

Everybody’s definitely doing their thing tho!! I been focused on writing lately but slowly getting back behind the boards with this contest. Thx for the feedback ya’ll!! Good luck!
48 Skidmatik January 21, 2009 at 7:29 pm: EVERYONE IS COMING WITH BLAZE THIS WEEK…WHATS REALLY GOING ON? LOL
49 C-Villain January 21, 2009 at 8:28 pm: wow loving these beats on the real! like i said great job tokyo!
J Fizz doing it real big! i see you playa. like the piano and vocal sample. really ill. Harry G dam those drums slap hard. thats some real shit u got going.
50 Var January 21, 2009 at 8:36 pm: Here’s mine. I think it has a clean your house on Saturday morning type vibe to it. I welcome feedback

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5447897351a298a3/

peace
51 ZooMan January 21, 2009 at 9:22 pm: Ay Isjberg, i see that you try to help people a lot and i think thats really cool. However after listening to your beats, i have concluded that you need the help. Every single week you post some bull shit….. You try to make the beat exactly like the original, but somehow it always ends up worse. Dude sry man but you need your own style and flavor/ obviously you have a lot of skill, you just don’t use it right.
Dont you think trav could have downloaded the illmatic instrumentals if he wanted to????
52 Cartel January 22, 2009 at 12:12 am: Is it too late for a newbie to enter this contest?
53 P Floyd January 22, 2009 at 1:10 am: This why its called Fly Muzik……Purple Airlines…..
Enjoy Your Flight
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54486824ba94c667/
54 Isbjerg January 22, 2009 at 1:42 am: Ay Zooman, thanx for your oppinion and your point of view.. To call my beats bull and then exactly like the original is confusing – You’re calling Illmatic bull ?
I don’t get many points for originality for my beats in this contest, but I choose to make my version sound like the original with a little extra, I choose to make the beats true to the Illmatic and if Trav happens to like them, i’m cool.. What I don’t do, is think to much how I make Trav and the judges like my production – I submit my joint and hope that they like my version.. I submit my oppinion to others and hope that they’ll gain some help and pointers but what I don’t do, is call someone’s work bull.. I’m pretty proud of my productions and proud to be in the contest, but to change the beats to something I don’t like, would be bull…
Zooman/Tubgirl, I do hope that your very original productions wins ? or your critique helps others, but I do things my way…
55 31st July January 22, 2009 at 5:19 am: Whatsup homies! I’m new to this site but enthusiast with giving some contribution to this Beat contest which -I hope- is a good way to rediscover those main ingredients that made one of the best Hip-Hop albums till now. Anyway I’d like to know (even if I already red the Rules) if it’s possible to add some personal composition like Pianos, Organs and more … in our sampled sounds. If not I’ll spit mine as soon as possible. Shoutout to my homie Trav Williams for remembering us the Golden Era and God bless all these cats that make Hip-Hop sound so classic! Cheers from Switzerland!

31st July a.k.a. “Afro-Cuban”
56 Schizo-Manic January 22, 2009 at 6:52 am: did a quick flip this morning what up Skidmatik props on informing me about this contest PEACE

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5449690627b68cd2/
57 FlamesYall January 22, 2009 at 11:17 am: P. Floyd – Thats HUGE!! Nice BIG vocal, too.
58 P Floyd January 22, 2009 at 2:22 pm: Peace Flames…your track was tough as well…simple enough for someone to rock to….I just wanted to give a preview of Fly Muzik

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54486824ba94c667/
59 vucaheela January 22, 2009 at 4:41 pm: http://www.zshare.net/audio/54518264444c74d2/

i like this site really a lot! respect!
60 Harry G January 22, 2009 at 6:12 pm: Vucaheela killed it, good energy.
61 Skidmatik January 22, 2009 at 7:14 pm: vucaheela…BLAZIN!
62 JLH January 22, 2009 at 11:53 pm: This is my third consecutive entry. If you can please leave feedback, always looking to improve.
Here is my WEEK 5 entry:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/545308350b9d655f/
63 Beau FoSho January 23, 2009 at 1:29 am: Here’s what I came up with…

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5453333199f93841/
64 Sima January 23, 2009 at 8:09 am: http://www.zshare.net/audio/54544756c09d6219/

yeaah!
65 vucaheela January 23, 2009 at 12:00 pm: thank you for the positive feedback!!
66 RNP January 23, 2009 at 9:17 pm: thanks for the feedback, everyone is going IN!
Isbjerg, keep doin what you do homie.. Tokyo, I’m a fan dude.. Vucaheela – good shit..
67 Var January 23, 2009 at 9:32 pm: JLH- I’m feeling the classic drums on your track,, Keep that heat coming..

Peace
68 S.T.T.R.E.S.S. January 23, 2009 at 9:56 pm: What up gang.Here to put my name in the hat,for what its worth.Dont have alot of free time for myself this time of the year.I put this together in 24hrs so be gentle.LOL.From what i’ve heard so far,there’s some SERIOUS FIRE on here.Keep it going!

http://www.zshare.net/audio/545755614a7a0970/

One!
69 31st July January 24, 2009 at 9:39 am: Here’s mine. Good listening and see ya for the next contest. Big respect to the site!

http://www.zshare.net/audio/545882559e215ce9/
70 S.Shorey January 24, 2009 at 6:52 pm: Here’s my entry playas.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54615633170c45b6/
71 Illdependent January 24, 2009 at 7:10 pm: Much love 2 everybody bringin’ it this week,
here’s my version, hope you like…

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54616612556b238d/
72 Var January 24, 2009 at 8:23 pm: Illdependent- yo I’m really feeling that joint
73 S.T.T.R.E.S.S. January 24, 2009 at 10:07 pm: S. Shorey thats a nice beat but did u use any of the Soul Travelin sample in there? Holla
74 g1tkod January 25, 2009 at 2:06 am: http://www.zshare.net/audio/546292276202f8be/
75 S.2 January 25, 2009 at 3:00 am: http://www.zshare.net/audio/546304781faa2e79/
76 WABITZ January 25, 2009 at 9:49 am: My beat

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54641909031a9d32/

enjoy !
77 Garcia's Grooves January 25, 2009 at 12:00 pm: Track #5
Nas – Illmatic – “Halftime [Garcia Groove Interpolation]
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54646475091cd6dc/
78 AGOR January 25, 2009 at 12:27 pm: http://www.zshare.net/audio/5464795694b85b47/
79 mofuwalters January 25, 2009 at 2:58 pm: heres mines if its not to late. kinda just woke up hope its alright, and O yea the samples definetly in there.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/54654256fca88fbb/
80 ''BLINKY'' January 25, 2009 at 3:11 pm: I’m uploading in a rush, hope it is not too late
81 Kevin January 25, 2009 at 3:11 pm: TIMES UP! Congrats guys…. you’ve made it to the halfway point. Ya’ll been hittin’ it hard… take a week off and we’ll see you back here next Sunday.