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Music

Diamond D Reimagines East Flatbush Project's "Tried by 12" on the Remix of Blu & Nottz's "Boyz II Men"

Even when the beat's minimal, Diamond D renders it a beautiful use of negative space.

East Flatbush Project's "Tried by 12" is one of the greatest instrumentals of all time, illustrating the power of the adage "do less." Because really, there's nothing to it—just a few terse, plucked strings, and drums as sparse as the streets of East Flatbush on an ominous night. It's one of the indelible, undeniable beats in underground hip-hop, so it's only fitting that Diamond D dug in the crates to retrofit Blu & Nottz's "Boyz II Men," off of their Gods in the Spirit EP. By bushwacking Nottz's original, lush instrumental, Diamond D foregrounds the fact that when in prime form, Blu needs nary a beat to keep you listening. Even when the beat is barely nothing, Diamond D renders it a beautiful use of negative space. The remix comes as an iTunes bonus track to Coalmine Records' ten-year anniversary compilation which you should buy on, uh, iTunes.

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@drewmillard