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A-Z Guide to Underground Hip-Hop

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fappy
Posts: 2960 - Karma: 15
alright, i had some extra time to kill so what the hell.

most of these songs throw back to original hip hop when drum snares and scratching were beats instead of brassy trumpets and obnoxiously loud bass but this isn’t about old school or foundation hip hop, so if you don’t know who rakim or nwa is then it’d be better to listen to that shit first.

A

All Natural - Queens Get the Money
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4ycjkv
just recently, someone upped their album Second Nature in the underground hip hop cult after I requested it, having never heard of them before. this album blew me away – dope flows, beats, lyrics = no filler at all. All Natural is seriously talented and seriously underrated. (Extra HW: “Elements of Style”).

"Queens get the money, broads get the boot
For runnin little game, tryin' to play me for my loot,
I'm down to split cash, with girls with class
But all you goldiggers can kiss my ass"

Aceyalone - Everything Changes
http://www.sendspace.com/file/pljniz
Ave Stites - Reach
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1q8gsk

B

Binary Star - Honest Expression
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3azlly
killer verses about the state of hip hop from both One Be Lo and Senim, but the samples and dialogue midway through are the juice, building up to the last verse. (Extra HW: “Reality Check”).

Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow
http://www.sendspace.com/file/b2sh4l
Black Star - Astronomy (8th Light)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7bijlx

C

J Dilla & Common – Nag Champa
http://www.sendspace.com/file/r2jk5x
it’s a Common-emceed track, and it’s on a Common record, but this is all Dilla, hence the first billing. yhis is an incredible song – from the rhythm to the flow, but mostly just for Dilla’s production. RIP J Dilla aka Jay Dee

Cunninlynguists - Seasons
http://www.sendspace.com/file/61b2up
Cyne - Steady
http://www.sendspace.com/file/v0yrfu

D

Deltron 3030 - 3030
http://www.sendspace.com/file/89zmrr
most people have already heard this track, mastermind, madness, and probably all of the 3030 album, but this is still del's best song far and away.

De La Soul - Brakes
http://www.sendspace.com/file/cdcrva
Digable Planets - For Corners
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sztw3g

E

Eyedea & Abilities - Bottle Dreams
http://www.sendspace.com/file/jggswl
gives me goosebumps every time i listen to it. Eyedea tells a story of a violin prodigy who endures abuse from her father. he sort of has a different flow, cutting rhymes short with pauses or making them a lot longer, but it works every time i hear him. the first time you play this, you’ll keep hitting back on your ipod over and over.

Edo G feat. Masta Ace & Pete Rock - Wishin'
http://www.sendspace.com/file/xpi4cs
EPMD - Symphony 2000
http://www.sendspace.com/file/1iqdmm

F

Foreign Exchange – All That You Are
http://www.sendspace.com/file/eamrkr
definitely a relaxing, chill beat, and the way they trade verses goes perfectly with their flow. check out their album Connected if you haven’t heard it already. Phonte from Little Brother makes up part of the crew.

Foreign Legion - Full Time B-Boy
http://www.sendspace.com/file/fve79v
Five Deez - Decapitated Orgasms
http://www.sendspace.com/file/j6h0p7

G

Gangstarr feat. Inspectah Deck - Above the Clouds
http://www.sendspace.com/file/9u1d3c
Guru and Inspectach Deck both go metaphorical on the stars, clouds, and universe with a beat that sounds almost exotic. from Gangstarr’s album Moment of Truth, recorded in 1998, this track is timeless. both verses are ridiculously good, but Inspectah shines through with his opening lines –

“I leave scientists mentally scarred, triple extra large
Wild like rock stars who smash guitars
Poison bars from the gods, bust holes in your mirage”


The Grouch - Once Upon a Rhyme
http://www.sendspace.com/file/c0tv6f
GZA feat. Ghostface Killa & RZA - 4th Chamber
http://www.sendspace.com/file/6lzdj4

H

Heiroglyphics - Mics of the Roundtable
http://www.sendspace.com/file/95kq8f
maybe it's the name of the song, but every time i hear it, i picture each mc standing around in a circle passing the mic back and forth. don’t sleep on Heiro

Heiroglyphics - Classic
http://www.sendspace.com/file/tji7rf
Heiruspecs - 5ves
http://www.sendspace.com/file/yrxo8y

I

Illogic - First Trimester
http://www.sendspace.com/file/cib4xo
Illogic rhymes from ALL perspectives in a story about an abortion. the piano beat is epic and the lyrics likewise. definetly his best track. (Extra HW: "Hate In a Puddle”).

Immortal Technique - Peruvian Cocaine
http://www.sendspace.com/file/91d46m
Intellekt and Dirty Digits – Photos Do Not Bend
http://www.sendspace.com/file/iatocm

J

J-Live - Nights Like This
http://www.sendspace.com/file/chg5rr
J-live is one of the most talented MCs out right now and “Nights Like This” is one of my favorite laid-back, chill songs. J-live used to teach middle school in Brooklyn and his lyrics reflect that of a socially aware rapper. (Extra HW: “Brooklyn Public”).

J Dilla feat. Common & D'Angelo - So Far So Good
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ewfaza
Junk Science - Wherego?
http://www.sendspace.com/file/w70549

K

Kanye West – Coming Home
http://www.sendspace.com/file/573igu
i know Kanye isn’t underground, but i don’t really care. hands down my favorite song of his. one verse long, Kanye raps about what seems to be a woman until his last couple lines. it also features a nice vocal background/hook, too. not on college dropout or late registration.

k-Os - The Love Song
http://www.sendspace.com/file/hgcipv
Kev Brown – Albany
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7xtgcb

L

Louis Logic - The Ugly Truth
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mbqumg
4 verses long, Logic goes on a tirade about jews, blacks, asians, and gays. it’s not what it initially seems – pay attention to the last couple lines, and the meaning will come full circle. this is modern socially conscious hip-hop at its best. (Extra HW: “Best Friends”).

Living Legends - Nothing Less
http://www.sendspace.com/file/90jbc1
Lifesavas – Hellohihey
http://www.sendspace.com/file/e6vb0z

M

Murs - Like What
http://www.sendspace.com/file/tcvwys
from his album, Murs Rules the World, this track embraces hip-hop roots, with shout-outs by the Living Legends crew in the background. and as they’ll tell you, they don’t care much about anything except hip-hop:

“Destiny, we took and shaped it,
Heart and soul, we took and taped it
LOVE hip-hop while others hate it”

Mos Def feat. DJ Honda - Travellin' Man
http://www.sendspace.com/file/up76lz
Mystick Journeyman - Changeyaflow
http://www.sendspace.com/file/kj6t8b

N

Nas – The Message
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nbkb1g
Nas : underground? no. mainstream? moreso. commercial? never. I put him on this list just because he is one of the most influential hip hop artists ever. he recorded one of the best hip hop albums of ALL TIME, Illmatic, when he was only 19. this track is from It Was Written, and features one of my favorite verses after sampling his classic line from NY State of Mind as the chorus:

“I never sleep cause sleep is the cousin of death”

Nujabes feat. Cise Starr – Highs 2 Lows
http://www.sendspace.com/file/t7ywnh
Nice & Smooth – Sometimes I Rhyme Slow
http://www.sendspace.com/file/737xd7

O

Organized Konfusion feat. Cella Dwellas - Ill Collabo
http://www.sendspace.com/file/yxl9mk
ill collabo for sure. in the heiro tradition of smooth, flawless transitions between each mc, this track also features a nice adrenaline beat. (Extra HW: “Stress”)

Oh No feat. Posdnuos – Smile a Lil Bit
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vmfms1

P

People Under the Stairs - Time to Rock our Shit
http://www.sendspace.com/file/snx945
P.U.T.S is pretty well-known now, with tracks like Acid Raindrops and San Fransisco Knights, and even after listening to every album they’ve put out, Time to Rock Our Shit is still my favorite track of theirs. production is flawless on this one

Pep Love - Family and Friends
http://www.sendspace.com/file/bo67zl
The Procussions – Miss January
http://www.sendspace.com/file/re1kdy

Q (i’m not a fan of quasimoto or q’unique so you guys are on your own for this one)

R

RA the Rugged Man, J-Live, & Think Differently Music – Give it Up
http://www.sendspace.com/file/bd20fa
Wu meets the indie culture!!! crazy, right? that’s what I thought when I heard the ridiculous rhyming on this track. the beat is solid too, but RA’s flow makes this a stand-out.

RA the Rugged Man - Chains
http://www.sendspace.com/file/r1b0n7
The Roots – Y’all Know Who
http://www.sendspace.com/file/10d87w

S

Sage Francis – Bridle
http://www.sendspace.com/file/g388qi
i’m not the biggest sage francis fan, but this track gave me goosebumps the first time i heard it. formerly of def jux, francis wised up and dropped that shit. my one complaint about this track is that it’s much too short – he should’ve made it twice as long with a production and flow that gives you goosebumps

Soul Position – Right Place Wrong Time
http://www.sendspace.com/file/nzvu8l
Sound Providers – The Throwback
http://www.sendspace.com/file/veznb5

T
Tribe Called Quest – Electric Relaxation http://www.sendspace.com/file/5dyj6n
fucking classic. back before you’d ever heard of Q-tip and Vibrant Thing, he dropped lines like:

“shorty let me tell you about my only vice,
it gots to do with lots of lovin, and it ain’t nothin nice”

(and on a side note, kanye, i got love for you, but wtf? Rhyming about glocks, nines, and cars on a cover of ATCQ? you butchered this shit.)

Tonedeff & Cunninlynguists – The Gates
http://www.sendspace.com/file/q9gl99
Tonedeff – Porcelain
http://www.sendspace.com/file/0pi163

U

Ugly Duckling – Journey to Anywhere
http://www.sendspace.com/file/yrfief
i’m not the biggest fan of ugly duckling either, but this track is dope. mixed with a high-pitched rough beat, the lyrics are funny and interesting as hell

V

Visionaries – If You Can’t Say Love
http://www.sendspace.com/file/d3zjj7
Dec 13 2006 2:54PM
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fappy
Posts: 2960 - Karma: 15
W

killa bees on a swarm. clan in da front. wu-tang forever motherfuckers

Wu-Tang Clan – Da Mystery of Chessboxin’
http://www.sendspace.com/file/9yygn5
RZA – Grits
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sa28ko
RZA – Must Be Bobby
http://www.sendspace.com/file/eqf8zm


Z

Zion I – Fingerpaint
http://www.sendspace.com/file/f9rv0f
Zion I – Trippin’
http://www.sendspace.com/file/g9fp7j



here’s some online shit to find new underground hip hop:

-Pandora.com
-iTunes hip-hop podcasts (namely Indiefeed.com Hip-Hop)
-iTunes iMixes (created by iTunes users)
-Ughh.com message boards

UNDERGROUND HIP HOP CULT ON NS

Dec 13 2006 2:55PM
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dat_dude_sammie
Posts: 42 - Karma: 10
oh shit
Dec 13 2006 3:50PM
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Frederick
Posts: 121 - Karma: 10
dude that cyne song is fuckin insane thx for the uploads.
Dec 13 2006 5:55PM
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xnick11
Posts: 1866 - Karma: 171
If you really want the guide from A-Z for Underground Hip Hop all you gotta do is listen to Papoose - Alphabetical Slaughter.
Dec 13 2006 6:50PM
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DJ_i_2727
Posts: 203 - Karma: 10
yea it is
Dec 13 2006 7:39PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
Trippin and Breathin Slow are like my favorite songs ever.
Dec 13 2006 7:43PM
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.David.
Posts: 1273 - Karma: 12
That's what I call a post. Good work.
Dec 13 2006 7:44PM
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foodisfun
Posts: 5427 - Karma: 287
or if you want a guide from A-G listen to "A-G" by Blackalicious
Dec 13 2006 8:05PM
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foodisfun
Posts: 5427 - Karma: 287
o yea and that Cyne guy has a little similar sound to Benefit.  i just found it interesting
Dec 13 2006 8:08PM
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scofield
Posts: 7973 - Karma: 2,467
weak underground list.. unless you were only going off what you could get on that site
Dec 13 2006 11:30PM
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fappy
Posts: 2960 - Karma: 15
why, cause i left out aesop and jmt? i uploaded all of these
Dec 14 2006 12:39AM
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Ghst
Posts: 5820 - Karma: 10
Yeah that was ok I guess
Dec 14 2006 1:42AM
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fukeneh
Posts: 4571 - Karma: 23
ill list dude.

who is a leader in the hiphop cult, i want in
Dec 14 2006 2:15AM
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lucyford
Posts: 4742 - Karma: 15
talk about hip hop?
you have a fucking oprah icon. the only person that hates hip hop more than oprah is bill cosby.

and if you don't like quas (WHAT?) or q-unique, you can at least big up Qwel.

effort is appreciated, but...you killed it for me when you said you had love for kanye.
Dec 14 2006 3:25AM
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DJ_i_2727
Posts: 203 - Karma: 10
kanye is extremely talented, he is just an asshole
and the list is really good, you obviosly cant have every underground artist on one little list, but overall it was good and the least you could say is thanks
Dec 14 2006 11:51AM
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.David.
Posts: 1273 - Karma: 12
How do you get music off that site? You sign up and everything.. and then when you click the link, you just have to wait until it downloads?
Dec 14 2006 12:18PM
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whattheshit
Posts: 6562 - Karma: 107
meh.  id prefer if you kept a couple of those a secret.  and its "A tribe called quest."
Dec 14 2006 12:45PM
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dwalk
Posts: 1023 - Karma: 21
good list, much appreciated
Dec 14 2006 9:24PM
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313ridah
Posts: 62 - Karma: 10
fuuck, jus put mo 313 bois n dere!!! what what! theys so much talent waitin to blow, shyte crazzy. chill list homes. illight
Dec 14 2006 9:26PM
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Dosh
Posts: 1818 - Karma: 14
fuck the haters. i give you a lot of credit for uploading those. a lot of kids on here have never heard of a lot of that shit im sure. and i like a lot of those songs. cyne is definitely one of my favorites up there and all natural as well. i uploaded second nature for you. you should get no additives, no preservatives as well from all natural.
Dec 14 2006 9:45PM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,184
kanye west is not underground hip hop



Dec 14 2006 11:10PM
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,057
Intellekt and Dirty Digits – Photos Do Not Bend needs itunes authorization to play.
Dec 15 2006 2:37PM
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RastaSkier9
Posts: 1563 - Karma: 15
yes alot of those are not underground and you missed a lot of artist undergrounbd that bring it back to the early 90's
Dec 15 2006 2:41PM
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.David.
Posts: 1273 - Karma: 12
Do those songs just automatically start downloading when you click the links or what? It's not working for me..
Dec 15 2006 3:02PM
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4ReeL_
Posts: 3187 - Karma: 1,563
sick thanks a lot
Dec 15 2006 4:34PM
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skisebski
Posts: 5970 - Karma: 21
scroll down...
Dec 16 2006 11:17AM
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TimothyLord
Posts: 2114 - Karma: 568

im so happy it goes straight to itunes

Dec 16 2006 12:22PM
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mattwalker
Posts: 5063 - Karma: 2,478
Sickkkk

Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow, Sky is Falling is sickkk too on the same album
3030 really is Dels best song
Both Gangstarr and Grouch songs are dope
Living Ledgends is sick, they came to boulder, insane… plus Murs is sick, he wasn’t there tho…
I think by farrrr Silly Puddy is the sickest Zion I song, and the remix on the Heroes in the City of Dope, Z&G, is just as sick…

In addition to that list…
Andre Nickatina, his underground shit, not ayo for yayo…
K’Naan, the Dusty foot philosopher
Cormega
Papoose
Hi Tek
And finally… CLASSIFIED

So sick… glad to see good rap getting recognized
Dec 16 2006 1:16PM
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Kev
Posts: 7411 - Karma: 35
interesting spread you got there.

Dec 17 2006 1:02AM
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SSBS
Posts: 785 - Karma: 10
No Beastie Boys?? still a nice list
Dec 17 2006 1:12PM
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ski8990
Posts: 5961 - Karma: 19
Sick list. you will always have the people who whine because they disagree with something or are all "OMG you left ____ out!!!" but that was solid mang
Dec 17 2006 5:21PM
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JNix.
Posts: 645 - Karma: 12
if you could read he defenetly said that it wasnt and if people are saying shit why dont they just upload music themselves, everyone has different musical tastes so saying something sucks is just stupid. Eyedea & Abilities - Bottle Dreams..amazing
Dec 17 2006 5:22PM
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foodisfun
Posts: 5427 - Karma: 287

the songs don't go to my itunes when i click them.  i click the link and then some Microsoft Word loading thing comes up but then doesn't work.  i just cancel that and click the other download thing, but it goes to windows media. 

anyone know what i can do.

Dec 17 2006 5:46PM
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philipc
Posts: 6651 - Karma: 1,286
thanks, but if you were to read what he wrote after the kanye west song, he said "I know kanye west isnt underground..."   nice try though, read the whole post next time
Dec 18 2006 8:41AM
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BusyJohnSohn
Posts: 3483 - Karma: 29
I have so much respect for you bro for taking the time to do this list, thanks. Solid list to
Dec 18 2006 12:07PM
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TimothyLord
Posts: 2114 - Karma: 568
that cyne song is so dnak
Dec 20 2006 6:37PM
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flyinghighagain
Posts: 1069 - Karma: 22
kanye is overratted
Jan 5 2007 1:27AM
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JNix.
Posts: 645 - Karma: 12
and if you were to read the comments you would see that i already pointed this out
Jan 6 2007 1:49AM
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flatspinner
Posts: 2701 - Karma: 546
I'm gonna have to add three.

Mars Ill
www.marsill.com
www.myspace.com/marsill

Ohmega Watts
www.ohmegawatts.com
www.myspace.com/ohmegawatts

L.A. Symphony
www.lasymphony.com
www.myspace.com/lasymphony
Jan 6 2007 12:30PM
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ummmmm53
Posts: 424 - Karma: 12
deserves a bump
Jul 1 2007 2:28PM
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tremp
Posts: 273 - Karma: 10
wiz khalifa http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=27396116

Jul 2 2007 12:26AM
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ndrwchrst37
Posts: 510 - Karma: 159
dead prez jedi mind outer space sage francis ratata mf doom madlib Dr octagon viktor vaughn

just some adds
Jul 2 2007 12:44AM
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timoski
Posts: 3036 - Karma: 45
ill check some out.

not sure if they're underground or straight hip hop, but
mattafix
Jul 2 2007 10:47AM
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fourhundred
Posts: 2760 - Karma: 21
everytime I click on them it says the source/file is expired.. any ideas what I'm doing wrong?
Jul 2 2007 11:22AM
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JFerg
Posts: 2440 - Karma: 62
I'm gonna guess the source/file is expired.
Jul 2 2007 12:51PM
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bobs
Posts: 4801 - Karma: 868

ahhhh all the links are dead thats a bummer, there were some dope songs in there i've just never dl

Jul 2 2007 12:56PM
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1111111111111111
Posts: 1207 - Karma: 38
links are down but itunes isnt. thanks alot bro theres some sick shit in there and im sure it took a while
Jul 2 2007 1:08PM
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1111111111111111
Posts: 1207 - Karma: 38
now that i said that i cant find anything on itunes...
Jul 2 2007 1:13PM
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dave44
Posts: 11052 - Karma: 113
Bump. Foppa, any chance you could upload some of that again?
Jul 29 2007 12:22PM
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Shorton
Posts: 2889 - Karma: 13
yeah, theres loads i wanna download too
Jul 29 2007 1:43PM
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