Lord Finesse - Summer Jam Part 2 (08/03/91)

Known best for his MC and production skills, Finesse was also an early contributor to the NYC mixtape game as a DJ.

Lord Finesse is one of the greatest MCs in the history of New York City. Known for his laidback flow, witty lyrics, and knockout punchlines, there’s no denying his influence on other rappers in the game, including legends like his late D.I.T.C. brethren Big L.

But let us not forget that Finesse wears other hats, too. Most notably as a producer—the guy’s been saving the best beats for himself for decades, and has laced everyone from Dr. Dre to The Notorious B.I.G. to the Artifacts with fire production, too.

But what Finesse may be least celebrated for are his mixtapes. Yes, Lord Finesse was early with the cassette mixes—his tapes were sold Uptown at famous spots like Rock ‘N’ Will’s and blasted out of whips from Fordham Road to Fulton Street. And thankfully, we had the chance to speak to him about it all as part of the Do Remember! producers chapter. 

For those who may be unfamiliar with Finesse’s mixtape contributions, here’s a gem from 1991 that actually celebrated its 32nd birthday earlier this month. Summer Jam Part 2, which was re-released as part of the Tape Kingz Classic Cuts series with the date 08/03/91, finds Finesse putting down a mix of early ‘90s hip-hop that’s guaranteed to bring you right back to the days of high-top fades and Cross Colours gear. 

That first Biz Markie song “What Comes Around Goes Around” is a sleeper, too—gotta love how ‘Nesse sets the tone with that after letting listeners know, “It’s the Funky Man Lord Finesse on the 1 and 2, with all that new artillery and ammo. We’re gonna kick this one on the smooth tip…” Consider this Classic Cuts joint a fitting follow-up and companion to our first 50 TAPES drop from earlier this week.

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Stream Summer Jam Part 2 (08/03/91) below, and stay tuned for more 50 TAPES posts as we make our way toward the release of Do Remember! The Golden Era of NYC Hip-Hop Mixtapes, out October 17th via Rizzoli.

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Lord Finesse - Summer Jam Part 2 (08/03/91)

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