These freestyle DJ sets were originally posted in August 2007 in the "Beatz by the Pound" blog at stylusmagazine.com, now archived at bbtp.net (01 02 03). The MP3s are not in the original posts. I wrote to the DJ, and he was kind enough to upload them for us. I like these sets because they're fun to listen to, they comprise a rough outline of the genre's biggest hits, and because they provide a sense of freestyle's origins and attributes, from a DJ's perspective.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - FREESTYLE ESSENTIALS 01
Mixed by Michael F. Gill
“People called it Latin hip-hop, but the pop producers didn’t want to use that term because hip-hop had negative connotations. So they started calling it freestyle.”—K7 of TKA
01. Shannon - Let The Music Play - Emergency Records 1983
02. Jellybean - The Mexican - EMI 1984
03. Lisa Lisa - I Wonder If I Take You Home - Columbia/CBS 1984
04. Nayobe - Good Things Come To Those Who Wait - Fever Records 1986
05. Amoretto - Clave Rocks - PKO Records 1986
06. Sa Fire - Love Is On Her Mind - Cutting Records 1988
07. Cover Girls - Show Me - Fever Records 1986
08. TKA - One Way Love - Tommy Boy Music 1986
09. Cover Girls - Inside Outside - Fever Records 1988
10. Nayobe - Please Don’t Go - Fever Records 1984
11. Alisha - All Night Passion - Vanguard 1984
12. Company B - Fascinated - Atlantic 1986
13. Expose - Point Of No Return - Arista 1985
14. Nocera - Summertime Summertime - Sleeping Bag Records 1986
15. Information Society - Running - Tommy Boy Music 1985
16. Debbie Deb - When I Hear Music - Jam Packed 1983
17. Debbie Deb - Lookout Weekend - Jam Packed 1984
18. Nice N’ Wild - Diamond Girl - Atlantic 1986
19. Judy Torres - No Reason To Cry - Profile Records 1986
60:22, 84 MB MP3, ~195 kbps VBR:
http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/1KP1 … .mp3_links
VARIOUS ARTISTS - FREESTYLE ESSENTIALS 02
Mixed by Michael F. Gill
It’s not an exaggeration to say that almost every freestyle song deals with variations on love lost, love found, love lost again. But what sets the genre apart in this regard is how literal the emotional appeals are presented: no matter how overwrought and dramatic the vocals may seem, there is no winking or irony to be found on these records.
01. Debbie Harry - In Love With Love (Heart Of Fire Mix) - Geffen 1987
02. Connie - Funky Little Beat - Sunnyview Records 1985
03. Sly Fox - Como Tu Te Llama? - Capitol Records 1985
04. Noel - Silent Morning 4th and Broadway - 1987
05. Giggles - Love Letter Cutting/Atlantic - 1987
06. Will To Power - Dreamin’ - Epic 1987
07. Sweet Sensation Hooked On You Next Plateau 1986
08. Trinere - I’ll Be All You Ever Need - Jam Packed 1986
09. Sweet Sensation - Victim Of Love - Next Plateau 1987
10. TKA - Come Get My Love - Tommy Boy Music 1986
11. Pajama Party - Yo No Se - Atlantic 1988
12. Nayobe - Second Chance For Love - Fever Records 1986
13. Latin Rascals - Arabian Knights - Tin Pan Apple 1987
14. Sa-Fire - Let Me Be The One - Cutting Records 1987
15. Cover Girls - Because Of You - Fever Records 1987
16. Trinere - How Can We Be Wrong - Jam Packed 1986
17. Stevie B. - Dreaming Of Love - Lefrak-Moelis Records 1988
18. Stevie B. - In My Eyes - Lefrak-Moelis Records 1988
19. Johnny O. - Fantasy Girl - MicMac Records 1988
20. Stevie B - Spring Love - Lefrak-Moelis Records 1988
53:59, 71 MB MP3, ~186 kbps VBR:
http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/17CE … .mp3_links
VARIOUS ARTISTS - FREESTYLE ESSENTIALS 03
Mixed by Michael F. Gill
It’s not that there weren’t big freestyle singles during the first few years of the ’90s. It’s that the majority of what was being produced wasn’t moving beyond the established template. The closest freestyle got to progressing was by adding more house rhythms and modern sounding hip-hop loops into the mix.
01. TKA - Maria - Tommy Boy Music 1992
02. Sa-Fire - Don’t Break My Heart - Cutting Records 1986
03. Jaya - If You Leave Me Now - Lefrak-Moelis Records 1989
04. Cynthia & Johnny O - Dreamboy/Dreamgirl - MicMac Records 1990
05. Lil’ Suzy - Take Me In Your Arms - High Power Records 1991
06. Collage - I’ll Be Loving You - Viper 7 Records 1993
07. Laissez Faire - In Paradise - Metropolitan Recording Corporation 1992
08. TKA - Louder Than Love - Tommy Boy Music 1990
09. Cynthia - Change On Me - MicMac Records 1989
10. Judy Torres - Love you, Will You Love Me - Profile Records 1989
11. George Lamond - Without You - Columbia 1989
12. George Lamond - Bad Of The Heart - Columbia 1990
13. George Lamond - Where Does That Leave Love - Columbia 1992
14. Lisette Melendez - Together Forever - Columbia 1990
15. Corina - Temptation - ATCO/Cutting 1991
16. Two Without Hats - 3 On The Mic - MicMac Records 1991
17. Rockell - In A Dream - Robbins Entertainment 1997
18. Jocelyn Enriquez - Do You Miss Me - Classified Records 1996
50:50, 64 MB MP3, ~175 kbps VBR:
http://www.mirrorcreator.com/files/A8UY … .mp3_links