DJ Mike C

This one has been getting non-stop walkman rotation here at the Lab and to the friends we slipped it to. It's a joint collaboration of Nando and Mike C from the left coast crew, Top Rawmen. Nando's side is a mix of the early 90s songs that all of us rocked in high school: "Chief Rocka, 360, Who Got the Props, The ? Remains, Ring the Alarm, Time's Up, PLO Style, Award Tour, Come Clean, Gasface Refill, Rakin in the Dough, Where I'm From" and many more forgotten classics. Nando's blends are smooth as 2 dollar bills, and his skratching and doubles tease like MTV Spring Break. Also on this side, you get that drop dead chinese restaurant prank call (Me Thai too!) that was circulating over the net, and Nando's impressive appearance on the Wake-Up Show where he rocks his George Michael, Tone Loc, and Award Tour routines. Mike C flexes his skills on the flip side with mixed sections consisting of special remixes of newer songs, special blends of older underground classics (peep Nas' Fast Life verse with Crooklyn Dodger's beat), and some wicked crispy skratching. A lot of hidden dopeness on this side, so pay close attention. And if that ain't enough, the entire crew gang bangs the turntables in the monster scratch song "Say Who's in Your Crew." Definite automobile tape deck material or walkman if you ride subways like us. Cool cover too. - www.turntablelab.com

Souper DJs: Hip-hoppers and turntablist fans bear witness to "My Side's Better ... Naw Mine Is!," the tasty new mixtape from Top Rawmen, a DJ crew featuring Greenhaven native Mike C (nee Mike Chua). Along with DJ Nando, Top Rawmen blend East Coast hip-hop classics (Lords of the Underground's "Chief Rocka," Gang Starr's "The ? Remains") along with turntable trickery that'll spin heads. Thump it in your car or study the scratch mayhem -- Top Rawmen deliver the goods. - Sacramento Bee newspaper

various artists :: Return of the DJ Volume 4 :: Bomb Hip-Hop
as reviewed by LOS

At a time when true Hip-Hop representation is lacking from the many outlets that claim to "keep it real" or take Hip-Hop politics and culture to a "higher level," Bomb Hip-Hop has again hit the industry hard like penitentiary steel. The all DJ/all scratching Return of the DJ series is undoubtedly the definitive sound/source representing the DJ pillar of Hip-Hop (DJing, B-Boying, MCing, and Graffiti writing are the holy pillars). Volume IV of the acclaimed series enlist some old greats with signature styles and traditional tricks along side some young guns biting and scratching for new found fame. Right now a lot of DJ's have settled. Plain and simple. They've told themselves that they've mastered all there is to learn on the 1 and 2s. Volume IV showcases those DJ's that know the craft hasn't even scratched the surface of musical contribution and/or manipulation as a Hip-Hop DJ. In the previous volumes the general feel has been that of expressing current styles or a wonderful collage of sorts. Not this time around! Someone, somewhere bumped into a table one too many time at a set. Or, maybe MC Nu Nigga, in the shiny suit, all blinged out, sittin' on dubs surrounded by a herd of video hoes is no longer going to be tolerated. In any case, the message is loud and clear: "Without the DJ Hip-Hop wouldn't be here," to paraphrase Defari a bit...

Representing the yesteryear sound bites of Hip-Hop jams comes from the dexterity of Top Rawmen (Yeroc, Nando, Nomad, Mike C, and Jay Slim). They went back to massacre Marley Marl's 'Symphony vol. 1' upgrading it raw like and tweaking out a 'Symphony 3000.' One part beat juggling mixed with two parts of , "... how you like me now?" Personalized the song they did. Staying inside lines of how the original was laid out by Juice Crew members, you get a full flavor rush of what what five DJ's sound like ripping the same song to create one new song.
- www.rapreviews.com