Keepin' Up the Funky Beat is the Holland Crew

Hey, you guys remember Bivak Records? I did a video about them a year and a half ago, they were the guys that put out that nice unreleased Chain 3 and Great Peso 12" from '84, and then they had that mixCD I talked about. Well, they're back in 2012, unfortunately not with killer unreleased old school on wax, but with a second mixCD, which is still good.  I mean, honestly, mix tapes/CDs don't generally get me too terribly enthused. Even when the DJ's really talented (which, sadly, most aren't), I'd just generally rather hear the original records being spun.

But this mixCD I'm actually really enthused about and am recommending. It probably helps substantially that I don't own a single one of the records involved, and also just because it's coming from a really compelling angle. Bivak refers to it as "a non-commercial slice of pure edutainment.," and it's essentially a chronological history of Holland hip-hop from 1983-1992. Now, my knowledge of Holland hip-hop basically extends from MC Miker G to DJ Sven...  meaning, just those guys (actually, Urban Dance Squad, too; but I forgot they were from Holland until I saw them on this). But it's a scene I was already curious about... I subscribed to their blog, dutcholdschoolhiphop.blogspot.nl, ages ago, but you only get so much out of it when you don't know any of the players involved. So, this was perfect for me, as it's a as thorough as you can possibly get on a single disc (since it's a mix, they can cover a lot more records than a straight compilation). And even if you're thinking, "you know, I'm not sure I actually give a flying fuck about the Holland hip-hop scene, Werner, to be honest," I'm telling you, stick with me on this.

First of all, starting all the way back in 1983 means they've got a pretty extensive, classically old school period. If you've ever started to feel like you've heard all the best old school rap records out there, this is like a fresh start. Hip-hop records from all the great stages in old school hip-hop, disco style, electro, hardcore drum programs to the early sampling... and you've never heard any of it before! And, granted, there's not really any Melle Mels or Rakims about; but there is some really good stuff here.

I think the earlier stuff is the most exciting. It's really fun, and even the flaws or weaker MCing work in that "charming super old school" way, where any silliness on-hand just makes it all the more endearing. One song, "Papa Joe," is bordering on flat-out novelty rap (it's about a man with an unhealthy obsession for Italian food), but damned if it isn't catchy and entertaining as Hell. And as the mix progresses, you hear the music slowly evolve, and get more serious. There's some solid production and DJs with some serious turntable skills.

There's a big variety on here, from rap/hair band hybrids to a freestyle session where some guys are really, shamelessly imitating Run DMC, but the mix manages to make it all sound very cohesive and natural. And I should point out (as this was a concern of mine when I first heard about this disc), that it's pretty much all in English.  Out of thirty-something songs, only one is in Dutch, and some of the interludes (which are basically all interview clips from the period). It's a little disappointing we can't understand those skits - this CD would be even better without the language barrier, I think we'd get even more out of it; but seriously, 97-98% of this is in English, so nobody who can read this should feel too left out.

Like their last disc, this is credited to Chris the Wiz and another DJ (DJ Foxx); so I"m assuming it's situation as the last one, where the DJ is mixing records from Chris's collection.  Also like their last disc, it's limited (which seems a little off, considering the nature of this project... it's educational, no one interested should miss out) to 100 copies, so don't hold off if you think this might be up your alley. Really, it's better than just about any other album coming out in hip-hop right now, mixed or not. And definitely keep an eye on Bivak... hopefully they have another vinyl treat in store for us next.

Ultramagnetics' Greatest Hits - Ruined!

By 1997, Next Plateau had issued and reissued Critical Beatdown many times. And they did so with good reason - it's a terrific and important hip-hop album that's really held up over the decades.  But, still, how many times can you keep repackaging and reselling the same product to the same audience? Sometimes you've gotta do something different. And Tuff City was making a lot of noise with their multiple compilations of unreleased Ultramagnetic MCs material around that time. Dr. Octagon was beginning  to cross over to mainstream, non-hip-hop audiences... the time was right to cash in. But, unfortunately for the label, Ultra only ever released one album on their label.  So Next Plateau came up with The B-Sides Companion.

From the title, this doesn't seem like a bad idea at all. Ultra may've only recorded the one full-length for Next Plateau, but they released a slew of classic singles for them, almost all of which include remixes and exclusive B-sides as good or better than anything on the album. Compiling them all onto one album that all the new, younger Ultra fans who couldn't get their hands on all the original 12" singles could get and appreciate sounds like a safe and solid idea.  How could you mess that up?

Well, I guess the label decided the new fans weren't a big enough market, so they had to reach the die hard fans, too. But if the die-hard fans have all those B-sides already, what could Next Plateau do?  They made new, 1997 remixes of every single one of them. Unfortunately, remixing a classic ten years later is generally like painting a new expression on the Mona Lisa. Even if you're talented, you're fucking around with something that's pretty much perfect and spoiling it.

So, now we have what is probably the worst Ultramagnetics album short of Best Kept Secret. Ced Gee and William "Spaceman" Patterson (a studio musician who's played guitar on gajillions of hip-hop tracks over the years) take all of Ultramagnetics' rare 12" B-sides (well, mostly just the ones that came out on Next Plateau, of course) and make new, modern versions. "Break North" (not a B-side, by the way, but I guess we'll let that go) becomes "Break North '97 (Rmx)," etc.

Now, to be fair, they don't completely make all these great songs terrible.  Let's take "Break North." It's still basically the same rhymes over the same beat with the same samples. They just add some extra instrumentation noodling around on top of it.  And they replay some samples, so they're essentially the same, but just a bit off (the horns on "Watch Me Now ('97 Rmx)" are downright funny if you've heard the original). It doesn't fit, it makes it worse than the original one; but if for the most part you're still able to listen to and enjoy "Break North." Imagine you're listening to a fantastic album, and then your kid sister comes into the room and starts talking to her Barbies on the floor behind you.  You can still listen to the album, appreciate it, and enjoy it. It would just be nicer if she shut the Hell up. That's pretty much the experience you paid for if you bought this album.

But wait, there's more.  Next Plateau musr've figured kids wouldn't be too thrilled with just a collection of old songs, remixed or not. So there's a new song: "Ultra Reunion" (spoiler: only Keith and Ced showed up) and a brief clip of Keith rapping live at Tramp's. It's nothing special... pretty bland, in fact.

But there are two songs on this album that are actually quite exciting. "Kool Keith Android Model #406" ("yo, man, I want you to bust this beat out like a rappin' android, you know what I'm saying?") and "I'm On" sound like genuinely vintage, never-before released song from the late 80's. They're dope, and they don't even have the cheesy, replayed production sound of the remixes here - I don't think Ced and the Spaceman fucked with 'em. They're really great Ultra tracks!

For the most part, this project is a waste. It feels like, as Ultra fans in the 90s, we were almost tricked into buying this. An actual compilation of the original B-sides would've been redundant for the hardcore fans, but a lot more desirable than the collection of inferior remixes we have here. The time Ced and Patterson spent remixing all this stuff would've been better spent reading magazines; and the "Reunion" is just a half-assed cash grab.  But in the end, two un-highlighted songs tucked away on the B-side manage to turn this lifeless dud into a must-have gem. It's too bad they didn't make a 12" single for just those two tracks, but hey, whatever. We susceptible fans may've gotten snookered by Next Plateau, but we got something great out of it in the end.

Farewell, Ms. Melodie

(Youtube version is here.)

Stereotypes are Awesome - the weak meme

So I've been seeing this dumb ass picture for a while now but it seems to have picked up steam again for some reason. This is one of those things a lot of black people are trying to put out there when talking about judging people or looking at someone to see what kind of person they are before you know them. Now I'm not trying to say that Snoop is the worst person in the world but this

Ice-O-Tek-A-Mix

So blogging about Ice-T the other week has got me revisiting all his old albums. Lots of fresh production on Rhyme Pays, and Power still has me wanting to skip right to "High Rollers." But what about the stuff even further back than that? Before he was a gangsta rapper on Warner Bros/Sire Records?  Well, fortunately, I have a compilation of a bunch of that stuff I could rock in the car, and... it's more interesting than I remember it.

The compilation I'm talking about is called The Classic Collection, released on Rhino and Excello Records in 1993. It's pretty cool. It compiles the early singles Ice-T released on Saturn, Electrobeat and Techno Hop Records before he signed with Warner Bros and became the icon he is today.  These records are a lot of fun, because he's on some really old school breakin' stuff, which at first seems pretty far removed from his more famous Iceberg Slim-inspired styles (though, listening to all his early material, you can hear him bridge that gap pretty naturally). This is the Ice-T who dressed in crazy outfits, rapped about graffiti and performed elaborate break dance routines in early hip-hop movies. It's really good times, and would probably surprise the heck out of people who only know him for songs like "Colors." "Body Rock," in fact, is probably my favorite Ice-T song ever.

But for some reason - maybe rights issues, or maybe Rhino just wasn't up on Ice's history well enough to know about them - they leave out all the stuff Ice did as a member of The Radio Crew and the records where his producer, Chris "The Glove" Taylor got top billing. So, it's not a terribly complete collection. In fact, it winds up being pretty short.

So, what is Rhino to do? Fill! Now, they don't go quite as far as Macola Records and steal an entire other group's songs and pass it off as the main artist; but they still manage to come up with some pretty quirky padding. First off they include some extra 12" stuff, which is what you'd expect a compilation to do when it's short on material (or, like Traffic, just looking to be as completist as possible)... So, not only is his 1983 track "The Coldest Rap" on here, but so is "Cold Wind Madness (The Coldest Rap Pt 2)," even though "Pt 2" is really just the dub mix of the original, and not a new song with new lyrics, etc. We get "Dog'n the Wax (Ya Don't Quit Pt 2)" which actually is a proper, new song that follows "Ya Don't Quit" (also present), but then we get "Iceapella" as well, which is just the acapella mix of "Dog'n the Wax" from the original vinyl (even though the rather extensive liner notes write about it as if it's a proper song on its own).

But there's nothing unusual or unwelcome about that.  I mean, I'd rather have the Radio Crew songs than dub and acapella mixes; but still, you expect that stuff.  Now, here's what you don't expect.

The album starts off with "Ice-A-Mix." This is an original mix recorded for this compilation, produced by Al Eaton (who's produced a bunch of west coast stuff), with cuts by DJ Rob-Scene (whoever that is). They basically make a little mega-mix of the Ice-T records you're going to hear later on this compilation, something Rhino Records did a lot of on compilations they put out in the 90's. Did I say Al Eaton produced it? Well, that's what the liner notes say. But, interestingly, this mix was actually released as a 12" single (okay...), and there the credit is given to DJ Flash. This makes more sense, because he did a bunch of this stuff for these compilations around this time (including those Rock On Crew ones). It's not bad, but not too exciting, as it mostly just features beats and verses we're about to hear in a few seconds anyway. The most noteworthy thing about it is the very dramatic trumpet solo that jumps in about midway through by a guy named Tim Larkin. I can't exactly say it blends in seamlessly - it sticks out like a sore thumb against these simple, old school programmed drum patterns; but it's not bad. Just odd.

But that's not as weird as what we get on the B-side, "Ice-O-Tek." This one's an original dance track that throws in a couple of random Ice-T vocal snippets "my name is Ice-T" and sporadically drops them over a very unrelated, poppy techno track. Seriously, even Technotronic would be like, "this isn't street enough to be on our album." It's not bad, though, in a very upbeat, bubbly sort of way; but man has it ended up on the wrong side of the streets amid Ice-T tracks like "Killers" and "6 In the Mornin'."

What? "6 In the Mornin'" is on here? Yup. Even though it's on Rhyme Pays on Warner Bros, it's here, too. That actually fits, because before it appeared on Rhyme Pays, it was released as the B-side to "Dog'n the Wax" on Techno Hop. And it's one of his greatest hits, so I'm not complaining that it's here, although it's a little redundant having it on both albums. I'm just surprised they could put it on here, since it's now the property of Warner Bros.

Plus, redundant or not, like I said, Rhino needed to pad. Honestly, if you took all the random shit like that and "Ice-O-Tek" off of here, you'd have a one-sided tape. It's that short - five songs. The fact of the matter is that, if you don't include the stuff Ice did with Chris Taylor/ Radio Crew, Ice just didn't release enough unsigned material to fill an album. In fact, if not a one-sided tape, I wish they would've at least put those five songs all on one side, and the odds and ends on the flip. That way you could listen to all that stuff through in a quick listen like an EP (and visit the other stuff on those rare days you're feeling adventurous). But instead, they mix it all together, so you're constantly having to fast-forward or skip ahead on your CD player. But still, unless you're going to collect all the original 12"s, this is worth picking up.

Now, interestingly, Blue Dolphin released an alternate version of this in 1996 with a different track-listing called Cold As Ice. I call this an alternate version, as opposed to just another compilation of early Ice-T tracks, because not only are many of the songs the same on both albums, but it even includes the "Ice-A-Mix" recorded specifically for Rhino's album. Cold As Ice includes those Chris Taylor/ Ice-T tracks from the the Breakin' and Breakin' 2 soundtracks like "Reckless" and "Go Off" (titled "Party People" here), which is a big plus. In fact, I'd say forget about The Classics Collection and rock this, except, frustratingly, they don't include "Ya Don't Quit" or "Dog'n the Wax," which are great, essential Ice-T classics. Why on Earth did they include shit like "Ice-O-Mix" and the dub version of "Coldest Rap" and leave those off? It could've been the definitive version, but instead it's just a weird, alternate version that's less desirable than the first Rhino comp, because it's missing two of the five most important songs. Bad, dolphin, bad!

Oh well, like I said, this is still a pretty handy, definitely enjoyable, collection if you aren't quite prepared to go digging for all the original 12"s. There's still room for a really definitive collection, though, that would include all this stuff, the Breakin' stuff, and the Radio Crew songs into one really solid album. And those crazy, original mixes do add to the fun, even if they're cheesy as Hell. And I don't think anybody's going to dig for that 12"!

Royalty, Dream Chasers and mix tapes

So I'm not into giving total album break downs to mix tapes but I have to figure out some way to incorporate them because they are so important in hip-hop these days. Pretty much everyone is putting out music every six months at this point. While there are inherent problems with that, this isn't about that aspect of it, this is about the music. So let's start with the artist who has impressed me

Album Review - Nas - Life is Good

One of the most anticipated albums of 2012 is without a doubt the return of Nasty Nas. For whatever reason, there is more want for this album than a long time for Nas. Maybe it's my generation holding on and hoping one of our legends can drop a classic that will 'save hip hop'. Maybe it was the return of good Nas on the street singles "Nasty" and "The Don" which whet our appetites for one of the

Rime Force Most Illiln'!

Yo, this tape is frrresh!  Rime Force Most Illin' (hereafter RFMI) is the newest group of Luke Sick (Sacred Hoop); and it's got a great sound.  This is definitely one of his first tier projects, like The Hoop and Grand Invincible, as opposed to second tier stuff like Motel Crew and Brougham that's still worth checkin' if you're a fan, but otherwise nothing essential.  This is essential.

Like the name suggests, RFMI is a throw-back/homage to classic B-boy hip-hop. But, of course, with Luke and those Gurp City cats, it's through a slightly twisted, demented lens.  The crew consists of Luke and partner Rob Rush spitting over some really impressive production by G-Pek and some slick cuts by DJ Raw B. Some of it's really old school - 80's drum tracks with cowbell and the whole nine - but other tracks are more contemporary, boom bap mixed with lush original samples, more in the vein of the Hoop or the last Grand Invincible project. All of it sounds really good, and just works. I mean, honestly, it's one of the most compelling releases of 2012. I've been playing it over and over since it arrived, it'll be your loss if you sleep.

Then, flip it over, and the B-side is a live set featuring all new RFMI tracks. The sound quality is good (you hear the music, not drunken people in the audience), so it does a good job of capturing the live, old school energy RFMI is going for without ruining the songs by a poor presentation. This set features the underrated DJ Quest on the wheels, and production by Vrse Murphy (yay!), Fatees and of course G-Pek.

This tape, sometimes referred to as The Supalove Tape, is a prelude to their upcoming EP, The Force Is Slammin', and is sorta presented as a mixtape - at least the A-side is - but all the songs are pretty separate and distinct as opposed to mixed together. It's limited to just 100 copies (though their bandcamp says 250 copies confirmed, definitely 100 - see comments), so move quick (rimeforcemostillin.com). As a prelude, the tape's a little short (about 25 minutes, with the live set playing longer than the A-side); but it's all great material and there are enough unique songs on here to leave you feeling full.  The tape also comes with a download card (props! Still too few physical releases are doing this these days)*, so if rocking a cassette isn't always convenient for you, you can throw it on your ipod, burn it to CD or whatever.  I still have a tape deck in my car, though, so I'm all set.  8)


*You could also just buy the digital release; but the tape is so cheap (literally, the same price either way: $5; except the tape requires $3 shipping), and comes with the digital download anyway, so there's really no reason to pass on it unless you've waited too long and the 100 are sold out.

Why 'Lord Finesse Vs. Mac Miller' May Be More Important Than You Think

(Youtube version is here.)

Marisco Fever

Another release from DWG? Didn't I just review four releases from them, like, last week? Well, considering they've been pretty much setting the standard for hip-hop releases in the last couple years (a standard very few labels have managed to live up to, even), I'm happy.

This one's being heralded as their first "new" release... that is to say, a release of brand new music, as opposed to their usual vintage gems. Sure, past releases like the Damu or Sputnik Brown records were contemporary hip-hop; but this is the first time the music's been specifically commissioned by DWG for release on the label.

It's an upbeat, perfect-for-summer party jam by a couple artists who could be said to be DWG regulars There's DJ Format, the DJ for their Lungbutters mixtape, who also produced for one or two of their past releases. And he's partnering up with The Good People, the duo of Saint and Emskee. Emskee, of course, released two records on DWG already, and they've already announced their next record to be a Good People EP.

The song's called "Marisco," named after a London Woolacombe nightclub, and it's a fun, ocean-crossing collaboration between a UK hip-hop producer and US (east coast) MCs. The lyrics are smart without being clever; it's not about flexing skills here; it's just a song about going out for a night of good times. Format kills it, not so much on the turntables this time - there is a bit of cutting, but just barely - but as producer. It's got some cracking drums and a funky bassline, but it really comes alive when the horns come in. Remember when people used to describe a record as being "live?" Not literally, like a concert recording, but just as a way of describing that energy captured in a hip-hop track? Well, this record is live.

Flip it over, and The Good People's own Saint takes a stab at a remix. What's cool about it is that it's totally different, using these funky xylophone kinda riffs to capture a totally different vibe. It's gives the proceedings more of a second era Tribe Called Quest feel. For me the original Format mix still wins, but this is a nice alternative when you've started to play the A-side out a little too much.

You might be inclined to pass on this because you've never heard of Marisco's nightclub and therefore this release doesn't "apply" to you, like "oh, it's a local thing." But hey, how many of us Biz fans have been to Albee Square Mall? Most NWA fans have probably never stepped foot anywhere in the city of Compton. And how many of us Egyptian Lover fans have been to The Alezby Inn? Well, I have; and let me tell you. It's weird... but I like it. Wait. What was I talking about again? Oh yeah, I'm just saying you don't have to have been to a location to feel the song. Yeah, it's a local thing, and the fun is in letting the song take you there. That's how these things become iconic.

So, am I saying it's another essential must-have DWG event release? Well, no, not compared to The Juice Crew EP or something. But it's good; that's what I'm saying. And it works just as well whether you're from the UK or not.

"Marisco" is a 7", but it comes in a really nice picture cover. It also comes with a poster of Marisco's flyer for their 45th anniversary, when Format and The Good People performed (and where this record debuted). It's limited to 500 copies, which is actually a pretty big run; and as you can see in the photo, it's pressed on cool, blue wax.

"Speaking of what we see in the photo," you might now be thinking to yourself, "what's that other record back there?" Well, you're being silly. There is no other other record; this is a single vinyl release. "Yes there is. See that 12" hiding behind all the other stuff on the right-hand side." Alright, you got me. That's the show vinyl. If you don't know what "show vinyl" is, it's the very limited wax that is pressed up specifically for the artists themselves to tour with. A lot of times, artists will have show vinyl pressed up with exclusive instrumental mixes and stuff, just for their own use... as is the case here. This 12" features vocal and instrumental mixes for both versions of the song, and as you can see DWG even made it a sticker cover (the first sticker cover show vinyl ever?). If you were quick, you could order the extra copies of this direct from the DWG site, but it's too late for that now, so it's really just a bit of a collector's item.  But the 7" is still readily available all over, and it'll be a nice companion piece for that Good People EP they're about to drop any minute now.

Can todays artists cross over into other endeavors?

A lot of people sleep on Will Smith's rap skills but no one can doubt that he has transformed himself into one of the top actors in Hollywood. In fact it was more than common in the late 90's to see your favorite rappers turn up acting in television or film. LL Cool J and Queen Latifah, both icons who went and held down their own prime time series for several years. Both have made a strong impact

Hoodlum II Soul

Soul II Soul was one of those UK groups that managed to cross over into the US with a really big single or two, and then essentially disappeared back to their own country. You saw this phenomena in pop music mostly; but really it's happened in all genres. Soul II Soul's particular genre was, uh... funk/ R&B/ dance/ soul, and their big single was "Back To Reality" (and to a lesser degree, "Jazzie's Groove") in 1989. I'm sure serious fans could tell you about albums and albums worth of material and singles; but for most of us in the US, it was basically just "Back To Reality" playing on the radio and BET day in and day out.

So, of course, somebody had to make the rap version. And, surprisingly, that somebody was Tragedy. This was his debut on A&M Records as The Intelligent Hoodlum (of course, not his actual debut on wax by any means), and to this day it remains his most pop, mainstream record. The fact that it's pretty serious, lyrically substantive, and not really what you'd consider a pop hip-hop record, then, is to his credit. So, in 1990 we saw the debut single off of his first full-length album, also titled "Back To Reality."

Produced by Marley Marl, you know him and Trag aren't just going to add an extra drum beat to Soul II Soul's instrumental and call it a day. In fact, while this song copies Soul II Soul's keyboards, and of course their unforgettable hook (I say "copies" rather than "uses" or "samples," because they actually have their own keyboardist and singer replay the material), this track is almost more dominated by George McCrae's classic breakbeat "I Get Lifted." I say almost, because while heads may be able to focus their attention on the snapping drums, you really can't get past the fresh but borrowed hook and the chintzy keyboard riffs that sound like they might be more at home on a hip-house record.

I'm sure Marley and Trag knew this - the main mix was surely a concession for the label looking for their MTV track.  And so Marley takes another stab at redeeming himself with the B-side only Marley's Mix. It's definitely funkier, using only a short keyboard riff that works and ditching the rest in favor of other snares and horn samples that come straight out of Marley's bag. By that I mean, he's used 'em all before, multiple times. They're his staple, go-to sounds, and so they sound good, but none too fresh. And the whole thing sounds busier than really cohesive. It's kind of a better version for the heads, but really neither version are all that exciting and can be considered some of their weakest catalog material. Essentially, in a land where "Arrest the President" exists, why would you bother listening to either mix of "Back To Reality?"

That's also because, in addition to the track, Trag's flow sounds more devised for mainstream audiences. It's just kinda simpler and pausing after each line so the mainstream audiences can keep up. It's a nice little story of his youth, with a lot of fun, nostalgic references; but clearly meant to be kept inoffensive and safe. I mean, did you ever expect Tragedy to spit the line, "so I pushed up on a cutie and started to move?" It's like he borrowed a rhyme book from MC Brains or someone.

And, that being the case, it means the UK mix actually winds up working best. Did I just say a CJ Mackintosh mix was better than a Marley Marl one? I know it's crazy, but it's true. It actually kinda bridges the gap between Trag and Soul II Soul by bringing in more of their kind of sound. He uses some really prolonged, steady synth sounds to give it a dramatic vibe, and other riffs from the original record with more of a house vibe, and he stutters the hook in a way that's more interesting and catchy than the previous versions, which just let the stolen hook play.

But, really, most heads have this single for one reason, and it has fuck all to do with Soul II Soul or anybody's mix of the song "Back To Reality." Besides the remixes, there's a whole new exclusive B-side song on here called "Live an Direct From the House of Hits." It features Craig G, and he and Trag just go off, spitting really fun, memorable freestyle rhymes over the same sample that GrandDaddy IU and Hi-C had hit singles with the same year: "Something New" and "I'm Not Your Puppet," respectively. Fans of each artist would probably claim their particular version as the best use, but where ever you fall in that debate, you have to admit all three are pretty great. Trag proves surprisingly capable to forgo his usual, more serious tough style to just get loose and creative with one of hip-hop radio's greatest freestylers of all times. We see that Tragedy could've gone into a totally different direction and been a whole different artist if he wanted. The energy and the fun of both the beats and rhymes hear actually totals up to being one of The Juice Crew's over all greatest hits.

I'm showing my cassingle here, but the only difference between this and the proper 12" is that the latter also includes the UK Dub Mix. And while I did say the UK version actually suits the song the best, there's still no reason to want that Dub. But there's absolutely a reason to want some version of this single, because regardless of how forgiving you are of "Back To Reality" (it is a good song, but you could be perfectly happy just having it on the album and not bothering with it as a single); "House of Hits" is an absolute must-own. So get the 12", get the cassette, heck get a CD single. But you lose if you don't have some version of this in your crates.

My Entire Kid Rock Collection

(Youtube version is here.)

Ice-T Gets Wrecked

Oh, Ice-T. What to say about Ice-T? I really like his early B-boy stuff ("The Coldest Rap," "Dog'n the Wax"), and when he first developed the gangsta style it was sick. "6 N the Mornin'," "High Rollers," "Colors." But that's probably about where his career should have ended.

It didn't, though. In fact, for mainstream audiences, he was just coming onto the scene, with his big-time controversial material. And, to be fair, he still did some decent stuff in those days... I already blogged about one of my favorites from that era, and Melle Mel-did some solid song-writing for him on "The Tower." But as far as I was concerned, Ice may have been the masthead for The Rhyme Syndicate, but he was the least interesting artist on the roster. His almost spoken word style of delivery drifted further from more a traditional (and enjoyable) rap flow, and his schtick always struck me as pretty thin even before he wore it into the ground with album after album. Warner Brothers may've dropped him because of "Cop Killer," but I suspect, if that had never happened, his time would've been short there anyway.

But "Cop Killer" was a huge deal, and so Ice was immediately picked up by Priority, who ate that kinda publicity up, and Ice's career was sustained for years and years, despite never having another hit record. The biggest of those post-Warner Brothers albums was Home Invasion, because it was first - in fact, the first single ("Gotta Lotta Love") actually came out on first on Sire/Warners, and then again on Priority; that's right when the switch happened. So, when this third single dropped in 1993, the writing was already on the wall: he might push out albums for years and years to come (further aided by his later success in television and movies as an actor), but the days of him making "relevant" music was over.

But it's kind of interesting to see what he got up to when he was off the radar. Ice opted to jump into the trend of the time, and that trend was the east coast hardcore backpacker... You know, like Young MC put on the tough image for his What's the Flavor album. Okay, maybe that's a little harsh. Think more EPMD putting on their hoodies to diss crossovers or Run DMC when they hung up their iconic style to dress and act like Naughty By Nature for their practically final album (or, for that matter, The New Style dressing and acting like Naughty By Nature haha). This was that time. Black Moon and co. were jumping off, Tim Dog was getting wreck with Krs One, etc.

Now, "I Ain't New Ta This" is right off the album, and really only partially in that What's the Flavor mode. He actually manages to work the phrase "it's time to get wrecked" into two of his verses (that's not really a good thing, just to be clear), and the production is very much of that time and style, with deep but clearly strummed bass notes, and DITC-like drums (Lord Finesse was in The Rhyme Syndicate, so that kind of instrumental connection to his style makes sense). In fact, the production here is pretty tight, . It's by DJ Aladdin, who also drops in some nice but not too in your face scratching. It really sounds like a New York record, except Ice-T just isn't up to the track. I'd love to have heard Big L or Pun on this. Fortunately the 12" includes the instrumental, so if you're feeling creative, you can play with those possibilities. But on it's own terms, the beat feels like a missed opportunity, and you get the impression that some label executive accidentally released album filler as a single.

What compelled me to pick this single up, though, was the exclusive B-side: "Mixed Up" featuring SLJ of Wrecked Dialect. Now, that's a 90's sounding group name if ever I heard one. So, who are Wrecked Dialect? No clue, as they don't seem to have any records or other appearances. But I sure know who SLJ is. Heck, just look at the credits on this single and you'll get the idea - he's Ice and Aladdin's production partner, who produced the majority of this and their previous album with them. He has a few other west coast production credits from around that time, but he's much better known today as Shafiq Husayn of Sa Ra. Now, he just does R&B neo-soul funk kinda stuff, so it's not really my thing. But here he spitting like a NY hardcore backpacker, credited as a member of Wrecked Dialect. Who knows, maybe that was Sa Ra's original name before they established themselves. Or maybe Ice just made it up to give him some underground rep and compel east coaster heads to get curious and pick up the single. Hell, I fell for it.

And SLJ plays that role to the hilt. He even rhymes "mystical... spiritual... lyrical." They go back and forth trading verses with a lot of enthusiasm, but he's not all that impressive; and he winds up being outshone by Ice-T, who comes even harder on this one. So hard, in fact, it feels a little too over the top ridiculous, like he's fronting, especially since he plays it so straight and earnest:

"One, two, three,
It's time to flip with the O.G.
Gangsta, banga,
Underground slanga
Of the murderous rhymes your moms hates.
Motherfuck the KKK and Daryl Gates.
Give me the microphone now, god damn it,
So I can blow it, throw it,
Rip it, wreck it, pimp it, ho it!
...
I got a bullet with your name on it,
Want it?
Knock your grill out,
Fill it with gold and pawn it.
Oh my god!
This nigga's hard, call the bomb squad.
Too late, I detonate,
Obliterate three states!
Boom!

I got a fucking slow leak in my damn brain
And this shit's drippin' out; I'm damn near insane.
...
What's up? You wanna try to focus your sights on the mic?
This nigga can flip scripts all night.Yeah! I wrecks shit nice!
The microphone smokes like dry ice.
Bang nigga, bang nigga, I'm a known gang figure,
Catch so many bodies, need to my trunk bigger. (Ha!)"

This single actually kinda reminds of when Shaq started rapping (really, can't you just hear him kicking those rhymes above?), and was out to prove he could come as "lyrical" as any real MCs... He wasn't totally off-base, his intent was in the right place, and he got good collaborators and everything. But he just couldn't carry it off like said real MCs, and it wound up sounding just a little too corny to listen to unironically (you can almost make a drinking game out of the times Ice uses the word "wreck").

On the other hand, to its credit, it does feel like Ice is trying to lay claim to his more pure, hip-hop roots after having possibly drifted away with the pop success and heavy metal projects. The A-side in particular feels in some ways like the darker successor to the short "Fried Chicken" track from O.G. But unfortunately it's too clear that he's desperately cycling through all the tropes of what's popular at the time. It's cool if you're open-minded and interested in it as a semi-successful experiment that never quite takes off. But the instrumental's really dope (for the A-side; the B-side's alright but nothing special), so get this 12" for that if you're up to making a remix with somebody else's acapella.

The Craziest Show

I'm not sure how many heads are really familiar with UTFO, beyond "Roxanne, Roxanne," these days. But certainly to anyone who was, it's pretty well known that Doctor Ice wound up leaving the group to pursue his solo career, and in 1991, for their final album, the famous four-man crew became three. But it's been well less publicized that, in 1986 for the period of their second album, the four man crew was also reduced to three when EMD, The Educated Rapper rather mysteriously went AWOL. He returned four their third album, Lethal. But for their one EP, Skeezer Pleezer, they were briefly one man short, consisting only of two MCs: Kangol Kid and Doc Ice, and their DJ Mixmaster Ice. But they still managed to produce one hit single, "Split Personality."

"Split Personality," like the rest of Skeezer Pleezer, was produced by their parent group, Full Force; and it's already a damn fun song. Kangol tells light-hearted anecdotes of being afflicted with not only split, but constantly reverting, personalities:

"Help an old lady across the street...
Then trip the crab by sticking out my feet!
But then I'd pick her up before she dirties her dress...
And charge her five dollars for all that mess!"

And Doc Ice in particular uses it as a platform to segue from one silly impression to another. He becomes Miguel, the Chief Rocker MC or his larger than life ragamuffin personality Dread Doc, which he actually maintained throughout the rest of his career.  He not only rocks crazy foreign accents, from Chinese to... Eddie Murphy, but even raps in foreign languages.

But the zany heights soar even higher on this 12" single, where it's been remixed by Howie Tee. It's about a minute longer, and most notably features the infamous organ refrain from Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," known throughout the world for being the theme of The Phantom of the Opera. Again, this dropped in 1986, and evidenced by the big programmed beats and crazy voices and free-for-all nature of the songwriting, this is clearly their entry in a long line of "The Show" knock-offs.  But the fact that they tie everything together with the concept of multiple personalities - there is a coherence to what the MCs are rapping, if not a lot of actual sense - plus some of the darker themes, lyrically and instrumentally with the Phantom theme, give this almost as much in common with songs like "Haunted House of Rock" and "Amityville (House On the Hill)." This makes it just as much of a Halloween party record as another record in "The Show" mini-genre.

So either version of the song is a good time, and most of the elements of the song are featured in both versions. But the 12" version just goes that extra but further, making it easily the definitive version.  I can still clearly remember back in the 80's when I bought Skeezer Pleezer, and being disappointed that the Phantom theme never played, "this isn't the right version!"

There's only the remix on 12". The B-side is the The Remix Dub. Fans should also know that Doctor Ice also wrote a bit of a sequel to "Split Personality," somewhat darker (but not without its own sense of silliness) for his second solo album in 1994. It's called "Possessed," and while it doesn't fully recapture the magic of this near classic, it's pretty enjoyable in its own right - especially if you're familiar enough with the history to appreciate it. But of course, nothing beats the original.

Tupac Back, Tupac Back

You may say I'm late on this entire Pac at Coachella thing since that was oh solong ago, but in a way I'm not. Let me explain and lets see if you can follow through on my thinking. See probably last year or the year before some time, I reminisced on the fact there aren't many great performers anymore. I mean Busta used to be the shit when he had his hair, was ten years younger and 40 pounds

Where the Sidewalk Ends

There's been a hip-hop documentary floating around online for years now. I'm not sure I watched it all the way through, but there are pieces and snippets on Youtube and all over, and it had some nice freestyles and clips of unreleased music.  Released in 2003, the uncreatively titled Hip-Hop: A Tale From the Hood* followed indie favorite IG Off, and after his recent passing (if you haven't already, check out this piece by DJ Eclipse), I decided it was time to finally seek it out and watch it properly.

Unfortunately, that proved rather difficult. There is no DVD or official release of this film. It's actually a German film - filmmaker Harald Rumpf came to America to film this, and it aired on German TV, plus had various screenings throughout the world. And DVDs were definitely planned... Off the Block Entertainment, the indie label IG Off was associated with, still has a rough looking DVD cover on their myspace page. And I even found a photo showing the plans for the DVD's menu [right]... but no DVD ever appeared, here or in any other country.

IG Off and his partner Hazadous put a few nice tracks and a lot of freestyle appearances during the late 90's and the heyday of the DIY vinyl scene; but never really seemed to make much noise after that.  Well, this documentary details that "after that"period first-hand, capturing the creation of their labor of love, the essentially unreleased IG Off and Hazadous album, Where the Sidewalk Ends. Every element is here, from IG Off's home life and day job (working with the mentally handicapped), to late night studio sessions, radio appearances, securing guest verses (look for multiple cameos, including Killa Sha and Kool G Rap, who nearly becomes this film's Godot) and discussing the real specifics behind the budget of the album.

The filmmakers follow him and his crew for some time, as opposed to single interviews, so they capture a lot of insight and depth. Personal stories are shared, it manages to get very close. One disappointment is that, while IG occasionally speaks on the history of hip-hop, they never really talk about his own musical history, like his old school production work and writing for Antoinette. I'm sure there's a ton of great stories there, but while his mother briefly mentions that he had disappointments in the industry, that's it. I suspect the filmmakers really didn't know enough to ask, which is a bit of a sad missed opportunity.  But what they do get is certainly compelling enough and overall makes for a successful and rewarding film. It's touching. And one of those rare films that works just as well if you're a hardcore hip-hop head who knows all the players involved, or a film lover who never listens to rap.

Now, granted, the film is in German. Meaning, not just of German origin, but made in the German language. If you don't speak it, good luck understanding what the heck the narrator's talking about at any point in the film. But fortunately, 98% of this film is just off-the-cuff footage of IG and co speaking their native language in Queens. So you can just ignore the subtitles and follow the film with ease. ...Or, you could, if this film was ever actually released.

Maybe the slim silver lining to IG's tragic passing could be that renewed interest in his work leading to both a proper DVD release of this film and IG Off and Hazadous's Where the Sidewalk Ends album. Granted, some of the tracks found their way onto a compilation album called Burnin' tha Block, but I'm sure we'd all like one of those CDs (if not vinyl) of their whole album like we see in the movie. I know a lot of heads still hold down their early 12" singles and appearances on projects like the Lyricist Lounge album and Eddie Ill & DL tapes, so if the rights-holders could make it happen, I'm sure there would be fan interest to support the projects. Here's hoping.


*I believe the original title was going to be Where the Sidewalk Ends like the album, as implied by this trailer for the film on Youtube; but it was probably changed to avoid confusion with the famous Otto Preminger film.

Album Review- Maybach Music Group - Self Made Vol. 2

Rick Ross is one of the hottest artists in the game now and of course when you're on top you have to establish your own label and last year, Ross officially did that last year with Self- Made Volume 1. On it he officially introduced Meek Mill, added Wale into the fold and also featured Miami artist Pill as well. A new year and some slight changes have been made, Meek has an album coming up and

How Come Nicki Minaj's Starships isn't hip-hop?

So I was thinking about this after the whole Hot 97 thing. Why is it that Nicki Minaj feels the heat for doing so much pop and crossover music from some members of the hip-hop community? This little concept further intensified while I was watching some video from the musical duo 'Karmin' who crossed over for doing covers and especially for their rendition of Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now" and the

The Burger Bounce

Who knew Milwaukee had such a vibrant hip-hop scene back in the 80's, with such a deep well of smashing records to continuously draw from?  It turns out Jamille Records is the answer. They know, and they're back with another impressive repress of another funky dope group you've probably never heard of: the 20/20 Boys.

"Burger Bounce" was originally released on VU Records, the same label A-Tak debuted on. And indeed, their entire record was produced by Speech (in fact, I think he either owned or co-owned that label).  But these guys are nowhere near the Arrested Development lane; they have much more in common with groups like The Showboys or Worse 'Em. They're a four-man crew consisting of Jimmy "C," "D" Griff, Will Kill and D.J. Mad Dog, and they pack a lot of energy into pair of short songs.

Interestingly, Jamille has decided to make the original 12"s B-side their A-side.  Probably because it's the best song.  "My Position" is hard, LL-inspired, yelling over big echoey drums, rhythm scratches and catchy keyboard riffs. It's a lot of fun; one of them even starts singing "Why Have I Lost You" on the break. It has more of a low budget sound than its more professionally mastered Def Jam contemporaries, but in some ways that works in its favor, feeling even rawer and edgier. This is the kind of songs heads who spend big money on "random rap" are hoping to find.

Then we come to the eponymous dance theme, the "Burger Bounce." It's lighter, sloppily cuts up a healthy dose of "Atomic Dog" and features much more relaxed, bemused flows from the MCs explaining the graphic nature of their three-person dance. It's enjoyable, and it's easy to imagine this was the song that they would've gotten all the attention for on the local scene back in 1987.  It's still a good time if you're an aficionado of rap music's bygone eras; but "My Position" is the track that holds up (despite sounding equally, or even more, old school) and will impress heads to this day.

This is Jamille's tenth record, and the ninth in their series of colorful Milwaukee old school 7"s, making some practically impossible to find material available to own on wax. This one's pressed on white (white) vinyl and limited to 100 hand-numbered copies (mine's #36). And it doesn't intrude on the original VU 12"s collectability, since that features a third song, not included here, titled "Killer Will." Jamille is like the underdog in this limited game. Everything they put out is more than worth your time, so don't sleep. And unlike many limited labels, their releases are quite reasonably priced  If you think you don't care about Milwaukee rap, you probably just don't know what you're missing.

Album Review- Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

Killer Mike is one of those slept on artists who manages to have street sensibility with somewhat conscious lyrics. He has struggled to go beyond the underground however, but his most recent affiliation with T.I.'s Grand Hustle imprint looks to improve upon his success. He dropped an album last year and 2012 brings us a new EP from the man who once changed his name to Mike Bigga in an attempt to

DWG Massive

So, yesterday, I talked about the near historic bonus record that came only with a direct purchase of all three of DWG's latest records, released concurrently. So today it's time to talk about those three projects in their own right. They're thankfully available separately, too, so we cab pick and choose.  So let's see what's good.

Since I introduced the discussion off already with the one Jorun Bombay record, I guess I'll talk about the other Jorun Bombay record here: Remixes: Vol. 1.  Where Jorun dutifully applied himself to recreating the past as accurately as humanly possible, here he's gone back to classic hip-hop songs from the late 80s and early 90s, but allowed himself creative freedom. He's remixing eight of the greatest hip-hop hits, like "Ain't No Half Steppin'" and "The Symphony," but still in keeping with the production styles of their era.  In other words, his remix for "Mama Says Knock You Out" sounds like the kind of remix that would've been produced for it in 1990, not 2012. Some of the remixes give you practically entirely new instrumentals (though they'll still keep some elements, like the "Ain't No Half Steppin'" still retains the subtle "UFO" riffs in the background of this new groove), while others, like Run DMC's "Beats To the Rhyme," become a great excuse to just add to the fun and throw new scratches and sounds into the mix without taking so much away from the original. My favorite actually turned out to be his remake of The Beastie Boys' "No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn," where he gives it a new, more traditionally hip-hop vibe, but still keeping it predominantly driven by grinding rock guitars. But different rock guitars, more mellow, grungy ones.  Really, it's fresh, and only 200 copies were made, so decide fast.

And speaking of remixes... You may remember their big TDS Mob release a couple years back. At that time, they also announced a remix competition, where producers could request the acapellas of any of the Mob's songs, either from their original singles or the unreleased tracks DWG was introducing to the world in 2010. The eight winners were chosen and given a pretty sweet vinyl release (limited to 300 copies), including a dope picture cover and press sheet with notes from each producer, giving details on how/why they did their mix.  It took ;em a long time to get this out, but in the end it was probably worth it, because it gave everyone the chance to twerk and rework their songs to fully professional-level mixes. This isn't a bunch of random myspace teens playing with Fruity Loops for the first time. You've got some pretty established artists contributing, including, yes, Jorun Bombay, and even a five piece band. My favorite is probably DJ Format's mix of "Bounce," which keeps all of the original elements, including "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" as the main thrust of the instrumental, but continually mixes in classic break after classic break into the track.  DJ Arok's "Dope For the Folks" is really hot, too; it wouldn't have sounded at all out of place on the original 12", while Will C's rocks and takes his song in entirely new directions.  People might write this EP off as a little vanity project, but they'll regret it years later when heads are asking, "that's a hot track, but wasn't there another version...?"

Finally, we have a more traditional style DWG release, in that it's a compilation of older, unreleased tracks by a single group. It's That Brown Underground EP (though with ten tracks, it's more like an LP) by Sputnik Brown, and it's kinda like their Damu or Cadence 7"s, in that they're relatively newer songs (the songs here were recorded between 2005 and 2011), that've gotten attention online as mp3s (and, in one case, a limited edition cassette), but never had a proper vinyl release until now. SB has a cool sound going, kind of an interesting blend between NY backpacker rap and a more soulful, almost Goodie Mob kinda vibe or something. Guests include Wyld Bunch and the magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff, who breathes fresh life into an earlier single of theirs.  This one's limited to 350 copies, 100 of which are pressed on appropriately brown vinyl, which you can see in my photo [above].

I'm not sure what's still available at this point. I'm pretty sure all three are still readily on hand as individual releases; but I don't know if it's still possible to get them as a set with the bonus record. DWG's already announced their next record, though (a 7" of DJ Format and The Good People), so they're clearly not gonna slow down and wait for anybody dragging their heels.

Wayne creates excuses for Nicki

Get More: Lil Wayne, Music News





So If you watch the above clip you will see Lil' Wayne give his reasoning behind why he pulled Nicki Minaj from Hot 97's summer jam. Now he could have some business reason thats not utter pansy assness but he doesn't but at least he was able to calmly speak on the situation. However, with that said, his reason is bullshit for a couple of reasons.


Number

Album Review- Waka Flocka Flame- Triple F Life: Friends, Family, and Fans

So I'm not a fan of Waka Flocka, cause he can't rap and just exacerbates every thing wrong in hip-hop, talking about killing with no remorse, getting people amped up and not having any lyrics. He is all about getting people rowdy and there is a market for this type of noise. So I'm giving this a try because at least he can admit he isn't nice and sort of knows his place in the game.

The first

You've Been Waiting and Debating For Oh So Long

I just got a big, sweet package in the mail from DWG.  Three separate, completely unrelated records by different artists, all released at once.  And if you ordered all three from DWG direct, you got an awesome fourth, bonus record (not sold separately) that's possibly the most exciting of them all.  It's an instrumental release by Jorun Bombay.  You probably know him as the guy behind Haltown Projects and a lot important, early releases by some major Canadian artists like Buck 65 and Classified.

That sounds like a release that's very easy to write off, and I'm the first to say "instrumental equals 'who cares'?"  But just wait 'till you hear what this is... four words: lost Def Jam classics.

Back in the days, Def Jam released some serious, cornerstone of hip-hop records, without instrumental versions. LL Cool J's catalog specifically is missing some critical pieces.  "Rock the Bells," yeah there was a 12" - but it just had the two mixes, one on each side.  It's one of the most important hip-hop records of all time, used as heavily by DJs today as it was in 1985, and yet no instrumental has ever been released of "Rock the Bells."  Until now.

No, the original elements weren't just made available somehow.  Jorun actually went back and found all of the original samples (apparently with some assistance from Bobcat and 2 Live Crew's Mr. Mixx).  Then he hooked up two Technic 1200 turntables, an original 808 beat machine, and remade the instrumental from scratch, exactly the same way it would've been made  They're timed out so the cuts (freshly made but sounding exactly like the original record), drum rolls, etc all come in at exactly the same times as they did on the original record.  Finally, in 2012, "Rock the Bells" instrumental is available on vinyl for the very first time.  ...It's really hard to believe we've gone this long without it.

And it's not just "Rock the Bells" on here.  This is an EP of five of LL's most indisputable classics (well, okay, maybe four indisputable classics, and one good but largely forgotten album track from Bigger and Deffer).  There's no track-listing spelled out on the label, but you guys shouldn't need one.  This isn't just a really dope record, it's an important record.  Hip-hop, it's about time.  Thanks to Jorun.  And I couldn't help but notice the title is Instrumentals: Vol. 1  ...implying a Vol. 2.

Oh, and all those other records in the set?  That'll be tomorrow's post!  =)

Album Review- Big K.R.I.T.- Live From the Underground

I am behind slightly on the album reviews but I'm trying to really get into these joints when they do actually drop. Today's review is from Big Krit who has been getting a strong buzz over the past few years as a Southern artist who isn't just drug dealing and pimping, he's more of a newer David Banner. He has street smarts yet can be more than just another hood rapper.






The intro is more of

Casanova Without The Super Lover

Back in the days, I used to go to the music stores each week and look for any new hip-hop cassingles (new tapes hit the shelves on Tuesdays). When I saw a hip-hop single but didn't recognize the artist, I'd always check out the credits to look for recognizable names. I'd still be doing that to this day, I'm sure, if music stores existed today like they did back then. It's what lead me to pick up these seemingly random cassette singles by artists who never released anything else... T-Roc and Pop Megga.

Both these tapes debuted the same week in 1996 on Profile Records. Again, I had no idea who either artists was (although I knew Miss Jones, who guest stars on the T-Roc single, because she was just blowing up as a solo R&B singer after leaving The New Get Fresh Crew). But I immediately recognized one of the names who appeared on the back credits of both singles, so out of curiosity, I had to pick 'em both up.

That name, of course, was Casanova Rud, famous for making some super dope records with Super Lover Cee in the late 80's. The pair of them had last appeared on the scene with a comeback EP on Wild Pitch in 1993; but here he was, three years later.  I'm guessing he scored some kind of producer deal with Profile and these were the artists he brought to the label; or maybe he was just brought on as an in-house producer, and the label found these guys. Either way, he was paired up with somebody named Spunk Khadafi, and together they produced these two singles, and apparently nothing else ever again.Neither single mentions a "forthcoming album" either, which is unusual.  ...So let's see what my haul yielded.

Pop Megga's A-side is "Ghetto News." Despite it's decidedly topical sounding title, it's all freestyle raps. He even assures us at the opening of the song that it's all off the top of the dome. And I believe him, because it's very free-form and natural sounding. To the point where it's not even terribly impressive. But the beat here is pretty cool. It's dark, with deep bass notes and a sparse piano loop with random-sounding notes (which was in vogue at the time, following hits like Jeru's "D Original").

Then he stops and the beat is completely replaced with an all new one. Suddenly it's a full, polished song. It's got a very Duck Down-type bass rhythm (actually, the exact bassline's been notably used before - I wanna say Mobb Deep? - but I can't think of which song it's from at the moment*), but the rest of the music's a little lighter.  I'm really impressed with the production here, in fact.  And this is the one with the message, with pop telling us the kind of ghetto news we can probably already imagine just from seeing the title: crooked cops, hookers, drug dealers... Not bad, but you've heard it before and better.

His B-side is "Raw." Just from the title, you know what this is about. Megga sounds good here, though his lyrics aren't anything special. The instrumental is a little more disparate, but Megga's flow holds it together. He's got a good voice, too.  All in all, it's a nice single, but Pop Megga doesn't come off as a particularly compelling artist.  I'd've checked for a follow-up, though.

Next up is T-Roc. His A-side, "Citi Never Sleeps," almost feels like a Miss Jones song featuring T-Roc than the other way around. The music is very up and R&Bish, and Jones is all over this, stealing all the attention. Like Pop Megga, he has a nice (though higher) voice and engaging flow, but the lyrics are pretty simple and unimpressive. This is a pretty soft, radio-pandering joint. So maybe the B-side will be more compelling for us heads...

Well, "Mirages" is definitely more hip-hop and raw. Again, the beat is pretty nice and original, flipping samples and sounds I've never heard elsewhere. And despite the title, he's just spitting raw and angry. It's pretty nice; but neither MC here comes off as a noteworthy lyricist. And considering this was the time of Natural Elements, Wake Up Show freestyles, Chino XL and everyone's attention being devoted to the cleverness of the rhymes, these guys were destined to get lost in the wash.

That's kind of a shame, because these guys were sort of generic, but they also both proved they were capable of making worthwhile records. I'm glad to have both of these in my collection, and I recommend 'em if you see them around cheap. But the production is what really shines across all four very different songs, and the real shame is that Casanova Rud didn't get more momentum out of this. A compilation album of tracks like this would've been hot, or if he'd just gone on to produce for more artists. I'm sure he could've racked up a couple hit singles over time. But as it stands, it's an interesting little footnote in his career, that at least showed he had more in him than just his Paul C-assisted classics.


*Update 6/15/12: Yes, it was Mobb Deep (see the comments - thanks, step one).  Specifically, "Back At You" from the Sunset Park soundtrack, which also dropped in 1996.

How do we really see women?

I'm starting to think a lot of guys either really don't respect women or don't care who they are at all. Look I understand that often times music is oversimplified but it's getting ridiculous to the point where every song that is meant for the radio that is designed to appeal to women is only about them as relation to money and how much you can give them or if they're worth a certain dollar

Album (EP?) Review - ASAP Rockie - Goldie

So ASAP Rockie is one of the hottest new artists on the scene right now and has been getting a buzz for well over a year. Coming on the heels of a successful year with a mix tape or two, he drops an EP that is built more like an album around the single 'Goldie'.

"Goldie" the title track has a solid beat with a heavy throwback Miami style bass line and a screwed hook. The song is the typical '

Be Nice To Canibus Day

(Youtube version is back home.)

Rick Slicker Without Canibus

(Youtube version is back where it belongs.)

New Music from Mainstream (sort of) artists

So if you don't know by now, Mysonne is one of the few gangster rappers I can still stand to listen to. Now his full mixtapes get repetitive for me but he can give me some good music in short bursts. Now he is releasing some new West Coast inspired Pac music freestyles and 'I Get Around" was cool, but this "Ambitionz Az a Rider" freestyle verse is straight murder.











Mysonne has good

UK Hip-Hop for Adults

Previously, I've made a couple of posts about the early 90's UK hip-hop duo Solid 'N' Mind releasing top quality vinyl 12"s of their vaulted material from back in the day. Well SnM's MC, Whirlwind D, is back... this time with new material. But the quality's just as high.

The release is titled WD-40, as it embraces Whirlwind's new role as a representative of grown man rap. In other words, Whirlwind D is turning 40, and it's time to celebrate with a limited release of 300 slabs of wax in a smart picture cover.  WD-40 is a three song 12", plus instrumentals, so let's jump right in.

Regardless of which side you decide to start on, the first thing you'll notice is that the production is really vibrant. Solid 'N' Mind's Johnny F may not be along for this ride, but the relatively inexperienced Waxer (who, appropriately enough, is also turning 40) proves himself more than ready to take the wheel.  Music starts out sounding like a Phillip Glass film score, then explodes as crisp old school break drums drop like dynamite. Instrumental samples are rich and original, sometimes jazzy and sometimes cinematic; and they combine forces with instantly recognizable vocal samples for the choruses (from the opening to "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash On the Wheels of Steel" to Ferris Bueller), giving us an an epic sense of the old school returning without simply retreading old ground. It's the old school back on new terms.

"32 and Tea" is a nice, concise moment of reflection over some rich piano. But just in case that's too mature for you, "Stronger" takes it back to the rough, fast-paced battle delivery. Lyrically, however, it's an ode to UK hip-hop, including short (non-rhyming) appearances by MC Duke, Original One and Bandog of Killa Instinct. And "Hunter" has a nice PM Dawn vibe going for it.  That might not be a comparison anybody involved would embrace [there's an ocean between us, though, so I can say what I want  haha], but I'm talking about that all too brief period before Prince Be and Minute started lean towards house and pop music (much less that sappy, new age-y R&B stuff further down the road), and they were actually producing some nice, innovative hip-hop that made you chill and think.

Oh, and on "Stronger," they've enlisted a DJ named Theory 77 to provide the needle work. His work is really sharp and  precise; I could've done with a scratch mix, with just him cutting up over the beat. And I want to hear this guy on a lot more records in future.

If you're into UK hip-hop, this has gotta be one of the best new releases in a while. It's a limited, and the pre-orders have shipped, but you can still order copies (and listen to clips) from D's bandcamp page for a reasonable 6.99.  ...That's pounds, though, not dollars.

Generation of Love - No Beef, No Criticism, and YOLO

I almost forgot I wanted to give my take on what happened with Nicki Minaj, Wayne, Rosenberg, and Hot 97 at the Summer Jam over this past weekend in New York. The reason why i really remembered and got irritated was because Angela Yee and DJ Envy of Power 105- possibly the best interview and morning show crew just because of Charlamagne the God who speaks his mind- decided to give their

New Artists and Music

So I am going through my e-mails and trying to pick out the good from the bad and what is really astounding from what is just average. In today, average doesn't cut it and some of you who submit have some ability but you don't have the personality that comes across on the track. For those people, I hope you're not banking on rap, even if you're doing the normal average trendy 'get money swagger'

The Mysterious Rock On Crew Exposed

This post is unusually long, but I promise you it's worth it.  :)

In the early 90's, a lot of labels wanted a piece of The 2 Live Crew. They had mega-hit records like "Me So Horny" and "Banned In the USA," genre defining dance classics like "Trow the D" and "Move Somethin'," and they were possibly the most controversial rap acts of all controversial rap acts - their music was declared so obscene they were arrested for it, records were seized, and it went all the way up to the Supreme Court. Where they won.

And, at the same time, Luke's penchant for failing to pay his artists meant the group was fraying. Mr. Mixx put out solo albums, Brother Marquis formed a new group called II Nazty, and Luke formed a whole New 2 Live Crew. So, not only did every record label want a piece of the 2 Live Crew, but there were enough pieces to go around.

One such label to get lucky was the great, west coast monopoly, Macola Records. Pretty much every rap group to come anywhere near Macola, from NWA to Digital Underground, put out records through Macola. And that included The 2 Live Crew... before they moved down South to Miami. Back before Brother Marquis joined and they hooked up with Luke, Mr. Mixx and Fresh Kid Ice put out 2 singles, for a total of three songs - "The Revelation," "2 Live" and "What I Like" - with another founding member, Amazing V.  All the hits The 2 Live Crew recorded with Luke were locked up with Luke Records, but Macola could capitalize on these early tracks and release them in the 90's to their hordes of new fans.  Perfect, except... 3 songs wasn't enough to fill up an album, even when they tacked on original 12" instrumentals.

And so The Rock On Crew was formed. Macola apparently enlisted the disenfranchised original 2 Live Crew members Fresh Kid Ice and Mr. Mixx to record new music under a new non-contract-violating name. Thus the very unusual 2 Live Crew/ Rock On Crew featuring Fresh Kid Ice split album, Deal With This, was conceived. And just who is that on the cover? There's no way that's Ice and Mixx. They're just some mystery dudes; but that's not the half. This album would go on to have a long and fanciful journey, but it started here, on Macola Records, in 1992.

Now, if you're familiar with the original 2 Live Crew stuff, you know it's nothing like you'd expect from the famous 2 Live Crew. It's not hyper, it's not dirty - it's the antithesis of As Nasty As They Wanna Be. "Revelations" is a slow, plodding message rap with Ice and Vee talking poverty and the bible over early electro rap beats (the cow bell and the whole bit):

"You see, the road to vanity
Is filled with flowers,
You'd better be careful
Of its hypnotic powers.
While the road to truth
Is long and full of distress;
But if you make it through,
You're truly the best!"

Granted, the other songs are a little closer to what you'd expect... both "2 Live" and "What I Like" are more upbeat, with Fresh Kid Ice kicking fast-ish raps over big TR-808 drums and a ton of cuts by Mr. Mixx. They're still far from what you'd expect as a kid raised on "We Want Some Pussy" and "Fuck Shop," but they effectively bridge the gap between "Revelations" and "Trow the D."

And the new music recorded by "The Rock On Crew?" Well, on first crack, it definitely sounds designed to be a throwback to that earliest material. It starts out with "Serious Conversation," which might as well be called "Revelations Part 2." It uses a lot of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" (used a lot in hip-hop, but most notably by Scarface for his single, "A Minute To Pray and a Second To Die"). It features the album's only guests, The New Born Clan. Whoever that is - it sounds like one of the members says his name is "Dice Spliff?' Anyway, they're pretty good... they have a much more natural flow than the original 2 Live Crew which is good because... they don't seem to be on this song at all. The liner notes may say, "Performed - Rock On Crew Featuring - New Born Clan," but this seems to be The New Born Clan all on their own.

Then "What I Like" is properly attributed to the 2 Live Crew, but for reasons unknown they re-title it as "Fresh Kid Ice Is Back." Later on the album, they still call the instrumental "What I Like (Inst.)," so really, who knows?

The third song is "Tab Ski Cuttin' Up." Now, who the heck is Tab Ski? I thought Mr. Mixx was the DJ for both groups? Well, the liner notes say it's performed by the Rock On Crew, produced by Mixx and Ice and written by Ice. But now they've just gotta be straight up lying to us. Because this song is actually "Tad-Ski [note the spelling] Cuttin' It Up" from Balli and the Fat Daddy's 1990 album, The Master Plan on Miami Bass Records. That's right, Tad Ski was their DJ and this was his song on their album... Mixx and Ice didn't perform this as Rock On Crew or any other name; this is crazy! Interestingly, Fat Daddy was very associated with Fresh Kid Ice around this time, producing and rapping many songs on his 1992 album for Luke, The Chinaman, and is even credited as a featured guest on "2 Live Freestyle" by The New 2 Live Crew (though, for a final irony, he doesn't seem to actually appear on that song at all).  Confused yet?  Let's press on.

Next up is "Revelations" and then another Rock On Crew song called "Dead Ass Broke."  Wait a minute... That's a Balli and the Fat Daddy song, too! And let's just jump ahead... another Rock On Crew song called "Jack Boy Story?" Yup, another one from their Master Plan LP.

What's left? Well, there's a 2 Live Crew song called "It's Gotta Be Fresh." Never heard of it? That's because it's another random re-titling, this time of "2 Live." And there's a final Rock On cut called "Freestyle," No, there's no song called "Freestyle" from Balli and the Fat Daddy's album. ...But there is one called "Miami Bass," and that's what this is! Balli and Fat Daddy say their names an amazing number of times in this song (it's literally over 20), so it's a terrible choice to try to pass off as another group. What's more, they end the song by saying "Balli and Fat Daddy recording for Miami Bass Records." On this album, they reverse that line so you can't hear them name the label!

So where did we even get the idea that this Rock On Crew was Mixx and Ice? Let me show you the big notice they publish (in large text taking up the whole page; this is no obscure "small print") inside the tape sleeve: "This is a new release featuring Chris (The Chinaman) Wong Won AKA 'Fresh Kid Ice' and David (Mr. Mixx) Hobbs. They were the original "2 Live Crew", Fresh Kid Ice (Chris Wong Won) is still an integral part of 2 Live Crew, and both these artists are performing on this album as 'Rock On Crew' by special arrangement with Luke Records. This album contains 5 newly recorded songs (recorded in Miami) and 5 previously recorded songs (recorded in Los Angeles)" [.sic on all that funky punctuation]. What an incredible web of lies - practically none of that is true! Amazing.

Oh, but we're not done. That was just the first incarnation of this ridiculous album. Now let's jump ahead to 1995, when Blue Dolphin Entertainment and Hitman Music collaborated to bring us a self-titled album by The Original 2 Live Crew. Here's what their liner notes have to claim, "WHAT YOU'RE HOLDING IN YOUR HANDS IS A COLLECTORS ITEM! Carefully compiled for the first time ever on CD [yes, it says that on the liner notes for a cassette], 'The Original 2 Live Crew' contains fourteen rare recordings from that notoriously controversial rap group."

Wow. Neat. Let's look at some featured songs... "Jack Boy Story," "Dead Ass Broke," "Freestyle"... Excuse me, I lost consciousness for a second there. Yes, this album has picked up all the "Rock On Crew" songs (and the New Born Clan song) and now accredited them to The Original 2 Live Crew.  At least they're smart enough with their cover up to re-title "Tab Ski Cuttin' It Up" to just "Cuttin' It Up." It's the entire Deal With This album all over again. My favorite part is when the liner notes explain, "contained within this collection are distinctly different styles of songs that bridge the gap of the group's early days to from a decade ago." Yeah, the new songs sure sound different than the old ones, don't they? Almost like they were written, produced and performed by an entirely different group!

What separates this version is the bit about "fourteen rare recordings." Deal With This had ten, so what's new here? There's "Intro," "2 Live Nasty Mixx," "Nasty Mix" and "From the Vaultz Megga Mixx)." Interestingly, the credits for these songs include not just Mr. Mixx, but DJ Unknown, Tony G, Julio G and DJ Flash.DJ Flash even raps on the intro - whoah! Granted, "Nasty Mix" and "2 Live Nasty Mixx" are essentially two different edits of the same track, but I'm still impressed. How did these guys all get tangled up in this mess?

"The Original 2 Live Crew," you might say if you're a fully blown rap nerd like me, "that name sounds familiar. Wasn't there a previous album credited to an Original 2 Live Crew?" Why yes, in 1994, 2 Live Bass by The Original 2 Live Crew came out on Boomin' Records (home of DJ Whiteboy and Sheep Doggy Dogg). This is... another weird album. I can't wait to read you what these liner notes have to say!

"Motherphuckers talk that shit about Luke and The 2 Live Crew, but if it wasn't for those 4 Niggers... Bass Music wouldn't be shit right now. 'Tryin' To Get Paid Like Luke' is a bad ass track that is showing that a Nigger from the Ghetto 'will get paid'. The original 2 Live Crew was some bad motherfuckers and that shit was dope. Then Luke came along and took that shit to another level: Special thanks to Luke, Brother Marquis, Fresh Kid Ice and Mr. Mixx!" No, that's not a Youtube comment; that's what's written in the liner sleeve.

It starts out with an original remix of "2 Live" called the LSD Remix, where they basically just loop a very short, repetitive keyboard riff over the entire original song. It's kind of an awful, half-assed attempt to give it a g-funk flavor. They also include the original "2 Live," "Revelation" and "What I Like."

Then there's two original instrumental mixes by DJ LSD, which are admittedly a lot better than his "2 Live" remix. They're very derivative of the "Mega Mixxes" Mr. Mixx did on 2 Live Crew's Luke albums, only simpler and not nearly as good; but hey, at least they're listenable. And there's a new vocal track called "Jackin' 4 Bass," which is actually the best song on here despite it having absolutely no connection to any formation of the 2 Live Crew. But you want to hear about that last song, though, don't you? "Tryin' To Get Paid Like Luke" is also produced by DJ LSD, and features lead vocals by World Famous DJ Spankx. In it, he mostly just raps about having a lot of money and wanting a lot of it, with very little reference to our man Luke except for dropping his name on the chorus. The beat uses a lot of "Triggerman" with some other stuff scratched on top. It's actually kinda enjoyable in a shady, low-fi kinda way.

And, just in case this whole story wasn't convoluted, crooked and insane enough for you, the Deal With This album was released one more time, in 1998. Street Dance, a label that specializes in these kind of dodgy "before they were famous" rap compilations (they have about fifty by Dr. Dre) put this out as a Fresh Kid Ice solo album. They call it Fresh Kid Ice Is Back, naming it after Macola's curious re-titling of "What I Like." And they do also name the 2 Live and Rock On Crews on the cover, just to perpetuate the confusion, I guess (the lies have been cited verbatim on every site from AllMusic to Wikipedia). The track-listing is 100% exactly the same as Deal With This, right down to the "Tab Ski" title.

Blue Dolphin released their version again in 2000, as one third of a 3 CD set called Legends of Hip-Hop, again crediting all those Balli and Fat Daddy (and New Born Clan) songs to the 2 Live Crew, and there are a bunch of overseas albums by labels like Dance Factory and Street Dance that feature some or all of these songs credited to 2 Live Crew, with nutty titles like Dr. Dre Presents Mega Big Gangsta Rap.  Balli and Fat Daddy, I hope you got paid for all these albums... but somehow I suspect you didn't.