5 Deadly Venoms of Brooklyn: Tony Touch, PF Cuttin, Mister Cee, DJ Premier, Evil Dee (1997)
Side A
DJ PF Cuttin
I’ll Be Damned - Verbal Hoodz
Puppet Master - Dr. Dre and B-Real
Forsaken - Breeze
Wild Hot - Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip
Say Word - Camp Lo
Surrounded - Dutchmin
Bright Lights, Big City - Powerule
DJ Mister Cee
Request Line - Zhane (Mister Cee blend)
Step into a World - KRS-One
Not Feelin’ You - Yvette Michelle (Mister Cee blend)
The Medicine - The Veterans (Brucie Bee, Luv Bug Starski, DJ Hollywood)
Hypnotize - Notorious BIG
Know the Game - Frankie Cutlass feat. Kool G Rap, Mobb Deep, M.O.P.
Young Luv - Mobb Deep
Side B
DJ Tony Touch
Freestyle - Tony Touch
Freestyle - Sunz of Man (Killah Priest, Hell Razah, Prodigal Son) and Makeeba
Freestyle - Steele, Kat One, Lil’ Noc
Freestyle - Guru
Freestyle - Freddie Foxx
Freestyle - Channel Live and Benny Boom
Freestyle - Jeru the Damaja and Lil’ Dap
DJ Premier
Military Cut - Grandwizard Theodore, Kevy Kev Rockwell
Busy Bee vs Kool Moe Dee: Live at Harlem World
Double Trouble: Live at the Ampatheater LES
It’s Us - Cold Crush
It’s Yours - T La Rock
I Need a Beat (Jazzy Mix ‘84) - LL Cool J
Buffalo Gals - Malcom McLaren and World Famous Supreme Team
I Cram to Understand - MC Lyte
Holy War - Divine Force
DJ Evil Dee
Posion Pill - Black Skavengers
Me or the Papes - Jeru the Damaja
Downtown Swinga - M.O.P.
Closer - Krumbsnatcha
Tight Team - Shamus feat. Flu
East to West - Ak Skills
Calm Under Pressure - Shadez of Brooklyn
Five Deadly Venoms (1978) is a classic martial arts film directed by Chang Cheh for Shaw Brothers Studio. The story centers on Yang Tieh, a young student sent by his dying master to find out which of five former pupils has used their deadly skills for evil. Each of these Five Deadly Venoms uses a unique animal-inspired fighting style: Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad, all based on Chinese folklore. As Yang investigates, the film mixes kung fu action with mystery, betrayal, and shifting alliances. It became a cult favorite and helped make the “Venom Mob” famous in martial arts cinema.
While the film features secretive fighters with their own combat styles, the 1997 mixtape 5 Deadly Venoms of Brooklyn takes that idea and applies it to DJing. Here, the “venoms” are top Brooklyn DJs: Tony Touch, PF Cuttin, Mister Cee, DJ Premier, and Evil Dee. The film’s drama comes from hidden identities and betrayal, but the mixtape stands out because these five talented DJs share the same space. There’s no main character or clear ranking, just each DJ showing their skills, reflecting the film’s main theme: different styles, equal strength, and no weak links.
So… who had the strongest showing on 5 Deadly Venoms of Brooklyn?
Honestly, it depends on what you look for in a DJ, since each one shines in a different area. That’s exactly what the film was about, too.
Side A
PF Cuttin (The Lizard)
Back then, PF was known for his work with Blahzay Blahzay and brought a fresh underground vibe. He starts the tape off, focusing on the new sound of the underground, with dark tracks from Powerule, Breeze, and Camp Lo, alongside more established names like Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, and Dr. Dre.
Mister Cee (The Toad)
Mister Cee spends much of his set showing off his skill at blending tracks. His style is smooth and party-friendly, mixing R&B vocals with hard hip-hop beats.
Side B
Tony Touch (The Snake)
Tony focused mainly on exclusive freestyles, which was his signature style back then. This tape dropped soon after Power Cypha 1 and continues the freestyle vibe, setting up for Power Cypha 2 later that year.
DJ Premier (The Scorpion)
Primo based his set on hip-hop’s history and roots. Rather than spinning new tracks, he created a mix of old school classics, rare finds, and live performances to pay tribute to the culture’s beginnings.
DJ Evil Dee (The Centipede)
Evil Dee’s set might be the rawest on the tape. He goes deep into the Brooklyn underground, playing tracks from M.O.P., Jeru, and Shadez of Brooklyn.
