Nas, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, MC Eiht & More Appear On Mr. Magic’s ’94 Mix (Audio)

John “Mr. Magic” Rivas will forever be respected as a radio pioneer who introduced Rap to the masses. In 1981, “Mr. Magic’s Rap Attack” became the first ever exclusive Rap radio show to premiere on a major station (WHBI) and its historic impact on the music industry can still be seen (or heard) in nearly any market today. For much of the 1980s, Magic had DJ Marley Marl on the turntables, Tyson “Ty Fly” Williams as co-producer and Marley’s tenacious Juice Crew at his side. “Sir Juice”’ played a crucial role in increasing the visibility and legitimacy of Hip-Hop music as a genre.

In 1994 (the same year The Notorious B.I.G. shouted him out on “Juicy,” Mr. Magic made his way back to the airwaves, care of 91.5 WNYE. This time, Sir Juice was with the help of Mister Cee (of Big Daddy Kane/Biggie Smalls fame). This past week, DJ Eclipse was gracious enough to share a piece of the accredited Hip-Hop duo’s chemistry that he was fortunate to capture when it first aired nearly 21 years ago. Though it had been the better part of a decade since his now-legendary run as the founder of Rap Attack, Mr. Magic and “The Finsher’s” new show had a similar nature to the foundation-laying broadcast and was successful and unique in its own respect.

Eclipse adds this introspective preface to accompany his modern relic:

We all know Mr. Magic opened the doors to Hip Hop radio in the ’80s, but not many know that he returned to radio in the ’90s alongside fellow Juice Crew member DJ Mister Cee. The pair hit the airwaves every Thursday night from 9pm-11pm on 91.5 WNYE. The show was called the ‘Best Of Both Worlds’ and featured Magic on the mic and Cee on the tables playing Hip Hop and a little R&B. Cee would play the newest 12″s, exclusives and dope blends better known as a ‘Mister Cee Special Mix’ while Magic co-interviewed guests, ran down shoutouts from callers (peep the mention of ‘Joe wants to say what’s up to Fat Beats’ a month before the store opened 20:08) and told you what the weather was going to be like that weekend. On this show they had a 20 year-old Mic Geronimo (64:30) alongside his Cash Money Click and manager Magoo (a/k/a Irv Gotti). Mic G then hits the mic for a freestyle at 94:25. It’s crazy listening back to these shows and hearing the beginnings of people’s careers.

Mr. Cee’s ’94 mix had no shortage of Rap gems with the recognizable rhymes and styles of Nas, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Jeru The Damaja, Snoop, MC Eiht and others making appearances, and Mr. Magic doesn’t miss a beat as his voice navigates the sonic landscape with the utmost amount of style and professionalism.

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