Episode 198: Skeff Anselm

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Skeff is a producer and engineer who worked on some of the best hip-hop to come out of New York in the 1980s and 90s. He started out as the in-house engineer for the label Strong City Records and its associated recording studio, both of which were run by the legendary Bronx DJ Jazzy Jay.

Skeff has worked on records by Brand Nubian, De La Soul, Mos Def, Heavy D, MC Serch, D-Nice, Busy Bee, Diamond D, Tragedy, and countless others. But he is perhaps best known for his work with A Tribe Called Quest. On the group’s classic second and third albums, The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders, Skeff was one of only two non-group-members to produce songs—the other one was Large Professor. Skeff also worked very closely with the late Phife Dawg in the vocal booth, helping to turn Phife into the iconic rapper he is remembered as today.

Tracks featured in this episode:

1. Kid ‘N Play, “Rollin’ With Kid ‘N Play”
2. Lauryn Hill - “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”
3. Bob Marley & The Wailers f/Ms. Lauryn Hill, “Turn Your Lights Down Low”
4. G.Q., “Disco Nights (Rock Freak)”
5. Boogie Down Productions, “South Bronx”
6. T La Rock & Jazzy Jay, “It’s Yours”
7. Masters of Ceremony, “Sexy”
8. Daydream, “Just Understand (Vocal)”
9. Giorgio Moroder, “Chase”
10. Ultimate Force, “Supreme Diamond D”
11. The Cipher Episode 150: Fat Joe and Remy Ma
12. Ultimate Force f/Fat Joe, “C’mon”
13. Hip Hop Against Apartheid, “Ndodemnyama (Free South Africa)”
14. Blakkheart, “Fire”
15. Jamalski, “African Border”
16. Nu-Sounds, “Simply Go”
17. Masters of Ceremony, “Keep It Moving”
18. Brand Nubian, “I Ain’t Goin’ out Like That”
19. Kool Moe Dee, “I Go To Work”
20. Brand Nubian, “Brand Nubian”
21. Heavy D & The Boyz, “Big Tyme”
22. Brand Nubian, “Feels So Good”
23. Brand Nubian, “Brand Nubian”
24. Brand Nubian, “Ragtime”
25. Brand Nubian, “Concerto In X Minor (Remix Edit)”
26. Brand Nubian, “All For One (Tramp Remix)”
27. Brand Nubian, “Slow Down (Pete Rock’s Newromix)”
28. Busy Bee, “Suicide”
29. Busy Bee, “Busy Bee’s Limo Rap”
30. A Tribe Called Quest - Unreleased Demo Tape
31. A Tribe Called Quest, “We The People….”
32. Jazzy Jay f/Russell Rush, “Cold Chillin’ In The Spot”
33. T La Rock, “It’s Yours (Radio Mix)”
34. A Tribe Called Quest, “Georgie Porgie”
35. Papoose, “Obituary 2012”
36. A Tribe Called Quest, “Show Business”
37. A Tribe Called Quest, “The Chase, Part II”
38. A Tribe Called Quest, “Steve Biko (Stir It Up)”
39. A Tribe Called Quest, “Show Business”
40. A Tribe Called Quest, “Check the Rhime”
41. De La Soul, “Big Brother Beat”
42. Urban Thermo Dynamics, “Manifest Destiny”
43. Mos Def, “The Universal Magnetic”
44. A Tribe Called Quest, “Check the Rhime”
45. A Tribe Called Quest, “Check The Rhime (Mr. Muhammad’s mix)”
46. A Tribe Called Quest, “Check The Rhime (Skeff’s Mix)”
47. Yall So Stupid, “Van Full Of Pakistans (Skeff Remix)”
48. D-Nice, “Time To Flow (Skeff’s Mix)”
49. B’Zar Behaviour, “Behaviour The Sickness”
50. Scientists of Sound, “Landmine Situation (The Jedi’s Knife LP Mix)”
51. Mavis Staples, “Positivity”
52. Mahavishnu Orchestra, “You Know, You Know”
53. MC Serch, “Hits The Head”
54. Intelligent Hoodlum, “Mad Brothas Know His Name (Remix)”
55. Intelligent Hoodlum, “Mad Brothas Know His Name (Remix)”
56. Masters of Ceremony, “Keep It Moving”
57. Lord Jamar, “Acquired The Knowledge”
58. SigNif, “Runnin’ Away”
59. Incredible Bongo Band, “Apache”
60. Mike Curb Congregation, “Mickey Mouse March”