Side A
Korn-Freak On A Leash
Hole-Awful
DMX-The Prayer
Redman-Da Da DaHHH!
Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase-Mo' Money Mo' Problems
The Lox-Not To Be Fucked Wit
Madonna-Drowned World/Substitute For Love
Barenaked Ladies-Call and Answer
Lauryn Hill-Every Ghetto, Every City
Beastie Boys-The Negotiation Limerick File
Madonna-Little Star
Side B
Slick Rick-Bedtime Story
New Radicals-Someday We'll Know
Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson-What's It Gonna Be?
Fatboy Slim-The Rockafella Skank
En Vogue-Giving Him Something He Can Feel
The Allman Brothers Band-In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
Blaque-808
Jimi Hendrix Experience-The Wind Cries Mary
Underworld-Push Upstairs
Godsmack-Whatever
Metallica-The Unforgiven
For the most part, my mixtapes were enjoyed in a solitary fashion, which probably explains why I was always so eager to share them at a moment's notice. It's a habit that still sticks with me today, but I do it more out of necessity now. Back then, it was more opportunistic and anticipatory. If I knew there was going to be a gathering of some sort, I would bring at least a few tapes in my pocket, regardless of how bulky they made my pants look.
On this occasion, my friends went to a party that one of their classmates was throwing. I remember being quite fond of this classmate because she knew who Sublime were and had the Hooverphonic album on cassette nestled in the back of her car. I thought we had an instant connection. It didn't take much to impress me back then.
Growing up on the West Side, I always cherished those moments whenever I found someone who listened to music outside of the normal hip hop and R&B that dominated the neighborhood. This was rare territory and I was instantly smitten.
I would have loved to have been able to sit down with her while one of my mixtapes played and just find out more about her, but that never became a reality at the party. I mostly stuck with my friends and when there was a desire for a change of pace in the music, I brought up my mixtape, which I had already queued up ready to go starting with DMX and ending with The Lox.
The hosts allowed me to play my tape and my friends felt more comfortable that they were listening to music that they recognized. Of course, I ran like hell to stop the tape once the opening of the Madonna song came on, but overall, no one complained since the crowd got some Biggie out of it.
