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HardC.O.R.E. Vol. 3 Issue 5
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| H | / A \ | R | |D \ C O O R R E
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| | | | | \ | / C O O R R E
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Vol. 3, Issue 5 September, 1995
The electronic magazine of hip-hop music and culture
Brought to you as a service of the Committee of Rap Excellence
Section 1 -- ONE
***A***
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Table of Contents
Sect. Contents Author
----- -------- ------
001 The introduction
A Da 411 - table of contents staff
B Da 411 - HardC.O.R.E. staff
C Yo! We Want Your Demos staff
D A note about our listserv davidj@vnet.net
002 Monthly Articles
A Regional Report: Europe helmut@cosy.sbg.ac.at
B Homeboy from Hell Monthly isbell@ai.mit.edu
C The Singles File 3JB3BAUERJ@VMS.CSD.MU.EDU
D Back to the Old School r.macmichael@genie.geis.com
E Roots-N-Rap rapotter@colby.edu
003 HardC.O.R.E. Editorials
A Freestyle or Paystyle? krs_one@iastate.edu
B The cancellation of Yo! davidj@vnet.net
004 The Official HardC.O.R.E. Album Review Section
A Big L r.macmichael@genie.geis.com
B Bushwick Bill krs_one@iastate.edu
C Chucklehead krs_one@iastate.edu
D Five Fingers of Funk krs_one@iastate.edu
E Funkdoobiest krs_one@iastate.edu
F Grand Puba krs_one@iastate.edu
G Guru & Co. YCAA10A@prodigy.com
H King Just r.macmichael@genie.geis.com
I Da Nayborhoodz rapotter@colby.edu
J Raekwon the Chef krs_one@iastate.edu
K Raw Produce r.macmichael@genie.geis.com
L Rodney O & Joe Cooley k_tolber@colby.edu
M Shaggy r.macmichael@genie.geis.com
N Showbiz & AG davidj@vnet.net
***B***
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The C.O.R.E. creed
We at C.O.R.E. support underground hip-hop (none of that crossover
bullshucks). That means we also support the 1st Amendment and the
right to uncensored music.
The C.O.R.E. anthems
I Used To Love H.E.R. Common Sense
Crossover EPMD
Mass Appeal Gangstarr
True to the Game Ice Cube
Outta Here KRS-One
How About Some HardC.O.R.E. M.O.P.
Time's Up O.C.
Straighten It Out Pete Rock and CL Smooth
In the Trunk Too $hort
Remember Where You Came From Whodini
Access info:
FTP: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/HardCORE/
Gopher: gopher://gopher.etext.org:70/11/Zines/HardCORE
WWW: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~krs_one/homepage.html
Usenet: rec.music.hip-hop, rec.music.info, alt.zines
***C***
-------
Aight, let's say you got a hip-hop demo that you've been trying
to shop around. A few people like it, but nobody with some clout is
buying. Or let's say you know someone who's got some skills, but you
don't know what you can do to help 'em get on. Suppose even further,
that you've got an internet account and want to give you and your
friends' efforts a little publicity. Well, have we got a deal for
you...
HardC.O.R.E.'s review section isn't just for the major labels.
In fact, some of us would much rather review what the independent folks
are making, since they aren't affected by the A&R and high level decisions
of major labels.
So we want to hear what you guys are making. A few groups are
getting their demos reviewed here among the likes of Gangstarr, Grand
Puba, A Tribe Called Quest and Ol' Dirty Bastard. Who knows? You might
even hear bigger and better things from The Mo'Fessionals, Raw Produce,
Concrete Jungle and Union of Authority before you know it. With all the
people subscribing to or reading HardCORE, you never know who might want
to hear your music.
Give us a shout. You can e-mail me at davidj@vnet.net or Flash
at krs_one@iastate.edu, and we'll let you know where you can send your
tape. Keep in mind that we're pretty honest with our reviews (if we
think your shit is wack, we'll say so to your face), but if you think
you got what it takes, you'll see a review from us before you know it.
All you have to lose is a tape, right?
Peace... the HardC.O.R.E. Review Staff
***D***
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A NOTE ABOUT THE HARDC.O.R.E. LISTSERVER
Most of you folks who read HardC.O.R.E. on a regular basis get
it sent to you directly through e-mail, thanks to our distribution
listserver. Our circulation reached more than 600 about a month ago.
Unfortunately, VNet Internet Access, Inc., the company that
helps us out with the listserver, lost our entire subscription list
after a hard drive crash a month or two ago, and as a result, we have
had to scrap the listserver and find alternate methods of distributing
HardC.O.R.E.
So if you had subscribed to HardC.O.R.E. before, you won't be
able to get it via e-mail anymore.
We apologize for this inconvenience, and we promise that all
those responsible for losing our mailing list will have their backsides
sewn shut and be force fed 200 bean burritos from Taco Bell. (Okay, not
really, but we've had the urge...) In the meantime, please refer to
Section 1, article B in this issue for how to find the latest issue of
HardC.O.R.E., or check out the current HardCORE.411 file, which can be
found at both our Gopher and World Wide Web sites.
Oh, and one more thing -- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't e-mail
any of the editors asking for a subscription. We set up the listserv
so that we could concentrate on the zine itself and not waste time on
making sure everyone who asks is on the list, and now that it's gone...
well, we can't give any more subscriptions. We would appreciate your
patience and your cooperation on this. Thanks.
L8A...
David J. (davidj@vnet.net)
Director of Network Distribution
Section 2 -- TWO
***A***
Helmut
------
THE EUROPEAN REPORT
"Realism: a view from the distance"
How REAL is REAL and what is REAL, anyway? Considering the
ongoing discussions about the commercialization of hip-hop, I'd like to
present some thoughts on this topic. Naturally, these point of views
are biased by distance, and should by no means be considered the
ultimate truth. Like Nas says, "The world is yours, the world is
mine..."
One of the most often-heard phrases of true Hip-hop heads is
"Keep it real." But what is "real?" An easy answer would be that only
people who understand the music know what real is. Although this sounds
like an escape and is close to a tautology, this is in my opinion the
only real answer. If you listen to Guru when he says, "It's a long way
to go, if you don't know where you're goin'. You don't know where
you're goin' when you're lost," then you might get the idea and the
dilemma. People who know what "real" is don't need an explanation and
those who take the music and just use it for making dollars might never
understand the concept of being "real."
This leads to the question: do people doing the "real" thing
have to be "real" themselves? The answer is a loud and clear "Yeah!"
But more and more I read about rappers coming out big, selling big
numbers, and I listen to what they say in interviews, and I ask myself:
Are they really "real?" The first thing they say about their music is
how many records they sold and that they know exactly what people in the
streets would like to hear. Is this "real"? If the staff here at
HardC.O.R.E. wrote only what they could be sure most people would agree
with, what would you call these writers? Suckers, at least. You can't
be "real" if you give up your own identity, deny your background, your
roots and your very personal thoughts and feelings, unconditionally
sacrificing yourself to greenbacks.
It's extremely tough to stay "real" under the influence of big
record companies. As soon as you sign a contract, you're dependent on
other people, and even if you have the greatest of producers and
managers, they will influence you in some way. So this seems to be an
inherent problem of "real" music. The artists want to reach as many
people as possible with their "real" messages. People like it. Many
love it. The music business rapidly becomes aware of new developments.
New products are created which are expensive. Therefore, much more
people have to be reached, and this is achieved by sacrificing
individual reality to average reality and average music.
Hip-hop in Europe is definitely different from hip-hop in the
States. Many small and unknown groups did their own thing, and the
music industry didn't really jump on the bandwagon, because they could
earn a lot more money by producing techno. This is one of the main
reasons why hip-hop is generally "real" over here. People who don't
care for hip-hop, but just for money are much better off when they go
Techno. The main problem of some hip-hop groups over here is that they
slavishly try to imitate U.S. rappers. But with brothers like "MC
Solaar" in France or "Die Fantastischen Vier" in Germany (who are
criticized for falling off, too) many groups realized that they have to
speak about themselves and their situation, and not about a whole
different world they've never seen. To most people in Europe, hip-hop
is still a very strange, strictly black thing they can't relate to.
For all these reasons, hip-hop in Europe is far less commercial,
but it's still "real" in many aspects. With the usual time delay of
some years of developments in business and industry between the States
and Europe, only time will tell how long it takes until Hip-hop mutates
into a big industry over here.
***B***
Charles Isbell
--------------
HOMEBOY FROM HELL MONTHLY
You don't like how I'm livin'?
This time: _Straight Outta Compton_ by N.W.A
Next time: _Tricks of The Shade_ by The Goats (and I mean it)
_Enta Da Wu Tang (36 Chambers)_ by Wu Tang Clan
_Cypress Hill_ by Cypress Hill
Last time: _The Last Poets_ by The Last Poets
_Paid In Full_ by Eric B and Rakim
_Strictly Business_ by EPMD
New Jacks: _Hiphopera_ by Volume 10
_Boxcar Sessions_ by Saafir
_Blowout Comb_ by Digable Planets
_Black Business_ by Poor Righteous Teachers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distinctiveness: Well, at the time, sure.
Dopeness Rating: Well, I guess I have to say it: Phat+. Man,
you could see potential written all over
them... especially Ice Cube. Frankly, despite a
heathly dose of unhealthy attitude, they were the
bomb and I can't take that away from them. And even
in 1995, this stuff makes you move.
Rap Part: Phat. In fact, often Phat+. Except for a few
content low-points here and there and a smattering
of stilted flow, this worked.
Sounds: Can't complain at all. Phat+.
Message: One day... we'll be rich.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tracks: 13 at 60:25
Label: Priority/Ruthless
Producers: Dr Dre and Yella
Profanity: Let's see. Let me check. Um. Yep. Still cursin'.
And for no good reason. The worst kind... or the
best kind, depending on your point of view.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step back a minute. It's 1988. _It Takes A Nation of Millions To
Hold Us Back_ has made Public Enemy a household name. Mix in Boogie
Down Productions' _My Philosophy_, and you've got the first big wave
of politically conscious rap to make it big. Things looked
interesting all around.
In the meantime, unbeknownst to the rest of world, silently sleeping as
they were, folks were slowly but surely buying up _Straight Outta
Compton_, the first big hit by N.W.A (but no more their first piece of
work than _Nations_ was for PE). According to some folks somewhere
who count these things, there were some 2.5 million copies of this
stuff out on the streets, if you count illegal copies and
whatnot... all without airplay.
Things *were* interesting all around.
N.W.A referred to themselves as gangstas. They weren't the first.
You can hear the reference earlier, even on the East Coast, but they
managed to make the term stick in the mind somehow.
And stick it did. Riding the gangsta wave, West Coast rappers have
managed to dominate the market, at least when it comes to making
money. They're so successful, in fact, that nowadays everybody and
his great grandmother is a gangsta rapper. Even on the East Coast.
The term "gangsta rapper" has entered the American consciousness.
People debate it's impact, some want to ban it, others want to do it,
some folks just want to sell it and clearly more folks want to buy it.
Whatever. It's here. It's there. It's Big Bad Hank and it's
everywhere.
Which brings me to this review.
Why, you may ask, am I reviewing _Straight Outta Compton_? Not only
is it seven years old, everyone has it already. "Damn. Review
something I've never heard of, why don't you?" I can hear you saying.
Fine. I will... next time. I'll even review The Goats, after all
these years. Really. I promise.
But today, I'm reviewing _Straight Outta Compton_. After spending way
too much time listening to Mobb Deep in order to write them up for a
halfway decent review, it occurred to me that I should go back to the
source (Ok, so we could argue that it isn't the source. Fine, we all
know that. It was still an important album and it clearly motivated a
lot of stuff that came afterwards. Work with me, ok?).
So, here I am. It's 1988. I'm in college (yes, I'm *that* old).
I've been convinced to buy N.W.A by a friend and despite the fact I
have no good reason to do so, I buy the album.
I stick it in my then-pathetic little stereo with my incredibly sad CD
player.
This is what I hear:
"You are now about to witness
the strength of street knowledge"
....with "strength" pronounced "strinth," just the way it's supposed to
be. This is the opening line of the title track and the opening
volley of the album.
"Straight outta Compton
crazy motherf*cker named Ice Cube
from the gang called Niggas With Attitudes
When I'm called off, I got a saw-offed
Squeeze the trigger and bodies are hauled off
You too boy if ya f*ck wit' me
Tha police are gonna hafta come and get me
off your ass; that's how I'm goin' out
for the punk motherf*ckers that showin' out
Niggas start to mumble
They wanna rumble
Mix 'em and cook 'em a pot like gumbo"
"AK-47 is the tool
Don't make me act a motherf*ckin' fool
Me and you can go toe-to-toe, no maybe
I'm knockin' niggas out that box daily
yo, weekly, monthly and yearly
until them dumb motherf*ckers see clearly
that I'm down with the capital C-P-T
Boy ya can't f*ck wit me
So when I'm in your neighborhood
you'd better duck
'cause Ice Cube is crazy as f*ck
As I leave, believe I'm stompin'
But when I come back boy
I'm comin' straight outta Compton"
I think to myself: "Damn. Ice Cube? What kinda stupid name is that?"
That doesn't stop me from restarting the track, though, before I even
got to the next verse. Cube, frozen water or no, hit hard: on-time
delivery said with authority and an attitude that spoke of quiet
violence. Like Chuck D, he never quite shouted... but he was loud.
"(Yo, Ren) What's up?
(Tell 'em where ya from)
Straight outta Compton
Another crazy-ass nigga
More punks I smoke
You, my rep gets bigger"
"It's like burgulary
the definition is jackin'
when I'm illegally armed
it's called packin'
Shoot a motherf*cker in a minute
Or find a good piece of p*ssy
and go up in it"
Guns, bravado *and* sexual references, too? Damn, what else could a
teenage male want from his CDs?
"So if you're at a show in the front
Imma call ya a b*tch or a dirty-ass ho
You'll probably get mad like a b*tch is supposed to"
Hey, what did you want? "Misogyny" wasn't on the SAT. I didn't
even know how to spell it at the time (hmmmmm... and probably still
don't).
"A crazy motherf*cker from the street
Attitude legit 'cause I'm tearin' up sh*t.
MC Ren controls are automatic
for any dumb motherf*cker that start static
Not the right hand 'cause I'm the hand itself
every time I pull an AK off the shelf"
At this point, it didn't even matter that Eazy E's voice was waaaay too
high to follow Ren's.
"(Eazy is his name and the boy is comin')
Straight outta compton
is a brother that'll smother your mother
and make your sister think I love her
Dangerous motherf*cker raises hell
and if I ever get caught, I make bail
See I don't give a f*ck,
that's the problem"
I was pretty much hooked. Even if the rest of the album just outright
sucked, I had at least one good song for my trouble.
"____ Tha Police" made it two.
"F*ck tha police
comin' straight from the underground
a young nigga's got it bad 'cause I'm brown
and not the other color so police think
they have the authority to kill a minority"
Given my strong feelings about cops in general (I had had some
unpleasant interactions with them by that time in my life), all I
could say was "F*ck, yeah!". I didn't even notice that I'd used
"f*ck" when I said it. In fact, it was quite a while before I
realized that my curse-ration had increased fairly dramatically. Of
course, I didn't really care.
"Without a gun that can't get none
But let it be a Black and a White one
'Cause they'll slam ya down to the street top
Black police showin' out for the White cop"
As was the usual case, Cube had the best lines... but Ren wasn't half
steppin' either.
"Pullin' out a silly club
So you stand with a fake-ass badge
and a gun in your hand
But take off the gun so you can see what's up
and we'll go at it punk
and Imma f*ck you up
Make you think I'm gonna kick your ass
but drop your gat
and Ren's gonna blast"
And the Cube/Ren lyrics sound pretty good on Eazy, too.
"Without a gun and badge
what do ya got?
A sucker in a uniform
waitin' to get shot"
"____ Tha Police" is probably what they became best known for. It's
certainly what the cops knew them best for. On the other hand, those
that frequented the clubs might have known them better for "Gangsta
Gangsta." It seemed to get played quite a bit... at least where I was
at the time.
"'Ah, sh*t man, (give me my purse!)
them preachy Black gangstas are at it again.
I wonder who they f*cked up tonight, hunh?'
'YOU MOTHERF*CKER' [BANG]
'Got 'em.'"
"Here's a little somethin'
'bout a nigga like me
never should been let out the penitentiary
Ice Cube would like to say
that I'm a crazy motherf*cker from around the way
Since I was a youth I smoked weed out
Now I'm the motherf*cker that ya read about
Takin' a life or two
That's what the hell I do
You don't like how I'm livin'?
Well f*ck you"
Of course, the clubs played a cleaner version.
"And then you realize we don't care
We don't just say no
we're too busy sayin' YEAH
about drinkin' straight out the eight bottle
Do I look like a motherf*ckin' role model?
To a kid lookin' up to me:
Life ain't nothin' but b*tches and money"
And it goes on like that for a couple of more minutes. B*tch, Nigga,
F*ck, Sh*t and so on. And then some more.
But it sounded *good*, dog. Lyrics were on, sure, but Dre and Yella
had things runnin' in the production department. We didn't call
things the bomb back then, but we would have called this the bomb if
we did. Stoopid beats. Just plain stoopid.
How ya say it? It was fresssssh.
At this point, I had to go to class or something, so I didn't get past
the first three tracks that day. Or the next few for that
matter. I just kept it on the first three tracks and played them over
and over again.
Eventually, I got around to "If It Ain't Ruff." This one is all MC
Ren on mic. Without Ice Cube next to him, he sounds even better. It
didn't hurt that Dre and Yella hooked him up with a bit of music that
better suited his microphone tone.
"Groupies been waitin' for this
Suckers been hatin' for this
You know why?
'Cause so many of y'all are relatin' to this"
"I'm makin' a point
but it's a point that I'm makin'
ya see I'm hatin' the fakin'
I keep the suckers like shakin'"
Nice. This brings us to "Parental Discretion Iz Advised," one of only
two songs that lists Eazy E as the primary author. Plus it features
Dre on the mic for the first time this album.
"'Cause I don't give a f*ck about a radio play
Observe the English I display"
Yes, well, he always did say he preferred to produce.
Cough. Um... let's move on to the next track.
Things get better on "8 Ball (Remix)" written by Ice Cube and
performed by Eazy E. They seem to put more heart in these kinds of
songs.
"I don't drink brass monkey
like to be funky"
Once again, the muzak is nice.
"Put up the jammy
and like a mirage
A sucker like that
was out of dodge"
Very nice, in fact.
"Ice Cube writes the rhyme that I say"
Anyway, Dre gets a chance to make up for "Parental Discretion Iz
Advised" by teaming up with Ren on "Something Like That."
"For the record it's Ren
for the street it's villain
and strapped with a gat
it's more like Matt Dillon"
"Unlike a lotta suckers
who claim they gettin' busy
when the records only make good frisbees
You need to quit runnin' off the mouth
Stop and think before you put some whack bullsh*t out"
He does better, that's for sure. Throw in some random curse words
here and there and, hey, you got a good song.
"Express Yourself", again written by Cube, comes off nice. It
features Dre and sounds almost--but not quite--like a warm up for
Dre's later stuff (well, not really, it's missin' the now overdone Dre
sampling, but other than *that*...).
"It gets funky when ya got a subject and a predicate"
"Some drop science
Well I drop english"
"It's crazy to see people be
what society wants 'em to be
but not me"
This one's kinda tame by the standards of the rest of the album, but
it does sound nice.
"Forget about the ghetto
and rap for the pop charts
some musicians cuss at home
but scared to use profanity
when up on the microphone
Yeah, they want reality
but you will hear none
they'd rather exaggerate a little fiction"
Personally, I don't feel that it is my job to point out irony when it
happens. Therefore I won't point it out here. Besides, I don't have
to 'cause it's right there in your face. You see it. I see it. One
only wonders if they did.
Anyway, "Compton's N The House (Remix)" has far less irony.
"What's up suckers?
You want some of this?
Then you a stupid motherf*cker"
Actually, this sounds amazingly old school now that I think about it.
"Speakin' of Compton it's makin' me sick
Why?
Everybody's talkin' that crazy sh*t
Sayin' they were raised in the CPT
just as I was they try to be like me"
"They got a whacky whack record
with a whacky whack crew
Yo, what about the lyrics?
That sh*t's whacky whack, too
With a f*cked up style and a f*cked up show
Hey, yo, Ren, what about the scratchin',
Is it def?
F*ck no"
Really old school. Hmph. I never noticed that before.
Ice Cube returns to center stage with "I Ain't Tha 1".
"Sometimes I used to wonder
how the hell a ugly dude
get a fine girl's number
He's getting juice for his duckets
I tell a girl in a minute
Yo, I drive a bucket"
I'm not going to say anything.
"Give you money? Why bother?
'Cause you know I'm lookin' nothin' like your father"
"They get mad when I put it in perspective
but we'll see if my knowledge is effective
To the brothers, man, they robbin' you blind
'Cause they fine with a big behind?
Pay it no mind"
"I used to get no play
now she stay behind me
'cause I said I had a Benz 190
But I lied and played the one
just to get some
now she feels dumb
To my homiez it's funny
But that's what you get
tryin' play me for my money
Now don't you feel used?
But I don't give a hoot
because I knocked boots
You shouldn't be so damn material
and try to milk Ice Cube like cereal"
Well, it's more liberated than his earlier "A B*tch is A B*tch." He
was *growing*.
Yes.
Well, that brings us to "Dopeman (Remix)" another piece of Ice Cube
writing. Again, phat beats doin' well.
"Livin' in Compton, California CA
his uzi up your ass if he don't get paid
nigga beggin' for credit
he's knockin' out teeth
clockin' much dollars on the first and fifteenth"
"You need a nigga with money
so ya get a dope man
juice that fool for as much as you can
she like his car and he get wit her
got a black eye 'cause the dopeman hit her"
"If you smoke cane
you a stupid motherf*cker
known around the hood
as the schoolyard clucker"
They really do put a lot into this kind of stuff. It seems to inspire
them somehow.
Things take a sudden turn on "Quiet On Tha Set". Ren steps up again,
doing mostly minimal cursin' and droppin' verbs over funky, if
repetitive, beats.
"I can be loud as hell
Think I will?
Never
Quiet on the set"
"If it ain't ruff it ain't me
So who cares what you want me to be"
"They can be cold and ruthless...
no doubt about that.
But sometimes, it's more complicated."
Hmmm. Only one song left: "Something 2 Dance 2". Eazy E gets
primary credit for this one along with Dre. They intentionally avoid
cursin' on this and the music is practically disco. You can see why
they wrote this one: airplay and $$$$. Maybe there was some World
Class Wreckin nostalgia goin' on, too.
I hate this kind of stuff, but on it's on terms, it's not bad at all.
And it is hard to go wrong with Sly Stone. Still, there's no point in
copying lyrics.
So, that's it.
Bottom line? Well, you already know. It was the bomb, misogyny,
nihilism, cartoonish self-parody and all. And it still sounds pretty
good. It's harder to feel comfortable with stuff as one gets older,
but, well, what can I say, really?
N.W.A's _Straight Outta Compton_ did gangsta best. Few have come
close to that particular style of juvenile antics, dope lyrics, and
phat beats. N.W.A sure never managed it again, at least not together
(we all know that Cube managed to merge his gangsta persona with a
vaguely directed political sensibility while Dre managed to, well,
make lots and lots and lots of money).
So, I guess it really was a good album. I still listen to it every
once in a while, too. And I've got a lot of albums I could choose
over it. I'm glad I have it. I'm glad they made it.
But, man, who knew that this would bring all this other stuff upon us
all? I mean, look: controversy, I can deal with. I don't really care
about the evil influence of gangsta rap and how it's destroying our
moral fiber. I recognize that its underlying lack of respect for
authority--a healthy thing as far as I'm concerned--has somehow
managed to become an unfocused general lack of respect for everything,
including self. Unchecked, that's not at all a good thing. Still, I
think we'll pull it out one way or another, so I'm not worried about
it.
Now, what *does* bother me is that gangsta-gangsta, harder-than-thou
stuff is all I seem to hear. Even Kriss Kross tried to be little baby
macks. Worse, it worked for a little while. On the other hand,
Vanilla Ice Cream Cone tried to come hard with a psuedo gangsta album
that even he refused to buy from what I hear. So, at least we still
have standards.
Oh, well, what am I complaining for? This is the price you pay
sometimes. In the end, it's probably worth it.
Still... I must admit: I think it's time for something new to take
over. We've always got _Straight Outta Compton_ and _Amerikkka's Most
Wanted_ if we just must have some gangsta stuff.
But that's just one Black man's opinion--what's yours?
(C) Copyright 1995, Charles L Isbell, Jr.
All my Hip Hop reviews are available on the World Wide Web. Use the
URL: http://www.ai.mit.edu/~isbell/isbell.html and follow the
pointers....
*** C ***
Jesse Bauer
-----------
THE SINGLES FILE
KRS-ONE: "MCs Act Like They Don't Know"
The Blastmaster is back again with a slamming track produced by
DJ Premier. The new LP is slated for September, and after hearing this
and all of Parker's other works, you should know he's gonna come with
some lovely cuts. Premier throws in a bell into the song at times --
listen to it while your ice cream man is coming down the street. It
sounds exactly like that.
The beat is nice and Kris is fresh... check it out:
Hoping your defense mechanism
can divert my heat seeking lyricism as I spark mad izm.
The 1996 lyrical styles is what I give 'em.
DAS EFX: "Real Hip Hop"
OH MY GOSH! DAMN! Das Efx has surprised me thoroughly with
this one. This is one of my favorite songs of the whole year. This 12"
you simply cannot afford to pass up -- included on the vinyl is: DJ
Premier LP version, Pete Rock Remix, Solid Scheme Remix and PMD Remix,
of which the first two far and away outshine the others. The lyrics are
outstanding and outright impressive with tons of one-liners such as, "My
crew is getting more run than Carl Lewis" and "style is well-defined
like Webster's". Their third LP is called "Hold It Down." Don't wait
for it, though -- get the 12" right away -- with all the remixes and the
phatness of it, you'll lose out if you don't.
MASTA ACE INCORPORATED: "Sittin On Chrome b/w Ya' Hardcore
** OR ** b/w Maintain"
The INC's new single is the LP's title track, but you all should
know about that already. The B-side is what you've gotta get your eye
out for. The test pressing featured a marker-scribbled "B" on the
record and a new track by the name of "Maintain". It's a laidback song
about keeping on and maintaining today and, while nothing special, is an
overall good song.
Now it appears the public b-side will be a different, but also
previously unreleased song, "Ya' Hardcore". This one comically boasts
how he, jokingly, is going to switch up his style, making fun of people
who do so:
Snoop and the Dogg Pound make me bark
I dress in black and go out after dark
...I got some catching up to do
so let me get 200 dime bags and three lighters too
Both b-sides are pretty good, but "Ya' Hardcore" get the edge
simply because it had me rolling off of the lyrics.
RED HOT LOVER TONE: "Wanna Make Moves"
The number 1 player Tone's new 12" has him flipping metaphors
about dealing with them girlees. Greg Nice is on production of both
versions of the song. While the "Greg Nice Mix" is good, the b-side is
much better because it has the beat from Nice and Smooth's 1990 "Funky
For You". Nice flips the track by, for example, putting a quick AMG
beat into the cut when Tone says "I like the jiggable pie" and tossing
in the beat from "How About Some HardCORE" by M.O.P. when Red Hot says
"I like it hardcore". The b-side is some good stuff.
COUNT BASS-D: "Sandwiches (I Got a Feeling)"
This talented kid plays numerous instruments along with flipping
the vocals. The song begins by using, metaphorically, sandwiches to
explain girls. The concept is pretty fresh; peep:
Speaking on sandwiches is kind of fickle
she could be white, or wheat or even pumpernickel
she ain't even out there being discrete.
Au contrare, she walks around looking for the meat.
On the 12" make sure you check out both the "Mellow Mix" which
is a nice mellowed/smoothed out version of the song and the "Album Mix"
which showcases Count's nekkid live instrumentation skills. Both are
phat and I'm anticipating the LP "Pre-Life Crises" (due out late this
month) to be some refreshing hip-hop.
MAD SKILLZ: "Nod Factor"
Tight beat and nice rhyming have kids bumping this track all
day. There something funky about the beat which makes it actually
danceable, but there is also this strong realness to it that makes you
want to just chill and nod your head for days and days. I'm telling
you, this kid is NICE. You'll know all about the nod factor after
hearing this...
KOOL G. RAP: "It's a Shame"
Kool G. Rap is back with some of that old flava and he proves
that he has, without a doubt, still got it. The beat comes in and its
like... BAM. You'll have to stand the female vocals which are good
after you listen to the song a few times. Here's a quick sampling of
the lyrics:
I drink a lot of Beck's, get a lot of sex,
'cause I wear duplex, diamond infested rolex.
...and town and city, I'm rolling like Frank Nitti
back up kiddies, I got crimies that's grimy and gritty.
Look for his upcoming LP "4, 5, 6" in the near future and in the
meantime, make sure you check out this butta track.
BG KNOCC OUT & DRESTA: "50/50 Luv b/w D.P.G./K"
The two kids from Eazy's "Real Muthaphukkin G's" are back with a
12". The first track reminisces on how things used to be and how they
wish it could be, while the second is a slow-beat cut taking direct aim
at the Dogg Pound:
Easily I approach
the microphone because I ain't no joke
nigga tell Kurupt, Nate and Daz I'ma buck 'em
matter of fact tell that whole Pound I say "Fuck 'em."
I suppose the songs are basically what I expected from the group
and that really isn't that much. Unless you're into west coast/gangsta
type music, its not a track worth even looking at, except for a possible
laugh you might get outta "D.P.G./K."
JEMINI THE GIFTED ONE: "Can't Stop Rockin' (Tribute) b/w 50 MCs in a
Cipher"
Jemini has got hella skills. If you didn't notice it on his
first single, go get your head checked. Assuming you did, this 12" has
got a couple more impressive jams. Several phat remixes of "Can't Stop
Rockin'" are included. The song mentions many old school artists that
will get you reminiscing quickly. "50 MCs in a Cipher" is the phat b-
side:
Don't walk up to my face talking 'bout you can bust a rhyme.
You just best be hittin' the road when I explode.
I corrode the steel, overload it with the real
verbal manisfestation, lubrication when I peel.
GOODIE MOB: "Cell Therapy b/w Soul Food"
You remember these kids from Outkast, right? Their solo 12" is
hittin' right about now and is good. Again, it's not something that I'm
flipping out about, but it's not even close to something that's
hateable. It's good. The beat on Soul Food is a little boring, but
other than that I have no real complaints. It's something worth
checking out.
POPPA LQ: "Hot Club Wax"
Rap-A-Lot West and Rap-A-Lot are fresh in general when it comes
to dealing with college radio stations, so I have to give it up to them
for that. With this 12", you get six songs: "Take The Money and Run"
(a'ight), "Neighborhoodsta a Funk" (too G-funky), "Die Like a Gee Live
Like a Trick", "Why Hate Me" (fairly good), "South Central Solider"
(good), "Every Wants To B A G" (featuring AMG -- fresh). LQ got a nice
voice and delivery. Toss this kids skills in a pot, mix em up with
tight lyrics and tight beats and he could be one of my favorites.
Sadly, however, the lyrics are often uncreative, and the beats are often
borderline G-funk. Still, his voice and flow are good enough to keep
you interested and AMG's appearance is a definite plus.
***D***
Laze
----
BACK TO THE OLD SCHOOL
After hearing Grand Puba's latest joint (which isn't too bad)
and hearing brothers left and right saying his new album really ain't
shit, I decided it was time to check back on the kid's roots. With
that, I dug under my bed to tape case #2 (Geto Boys to Phase n' Rhythm)
and pulled out the Masters of Ceremony "Dynamite" dub I had, not
forgetting the Dynamite 12" down in the crates in the basement (4th and
B-way, 1987/88).
The title track/memorable single leads off the album. Is it
just me, or is this song just all-together hype? Great stuff from a
forgotten era of hip-hop. Lots of the verses by other emcees come off
sounding like a cross between MC Serch and Everlast, yet that wasn't a
bad thing. It all worked nicely. It was all about drums then -- and
the kicks you were sporting, too, of course.
Now the second cut, "Keep on Moving," has that dope-ass "ziggy-
ziggy zoon ga-zang" chant in the beginning that Nice & Smooth used on
their first album. And once again, all about drums -- hardly any
basslines or samples other than occasional beat-one stabs.
What I realized was amusing while I listened to this album is
that Grand Puba is very hard to pick out. He has a hyper in-your-face
style that is similar to most emcees around 1988. Maxwell was far from
his 1992 and 1995 sounds back then! The pitch even sounds different --
not higher, just at a different level than I'm used to these days.
Some other memorable tracks from this album were "Redder Rose"
(a reggae-R&B hybrid) and "Sexy", though the latter isn't necessarily
memorable because of it's dopeness (it's kind of a silly six-minutes).
Also a smiler is Puba telling us to get ready for some "stupid flavor"
(God I loved that slang).
So why have we forgotten this piece of history?! Dig in the
crates, check the dollar bins. You'll find that shit somewhere, and
it's worth it!
-----
Two names I'd like some current info if anyone can shed the
light my way (e-mail me with any knowledge):
Raheem: one of the original Geto Boys (though he never appeared
on their albums). He had two dope-ass releases on Rap-A-Lot that didn't
sell anywhere near what they should have. All I've heard from him in
the last three years has been a one verse guest spot on the Blac Monks'
album.
Lakim Shabazz: I know he dropped two LPs, the last being in
1991. This kid dropped crazy knowledge. Is he still down with the 45
King camp?
Until next month...
Peace... Laze
***E***
Professa R.A.P.
---------------
ROOTS 'N' RAP
Diggin' in the Crates, part 3: Urban Jazz
With the release of Jazzmatazz Volume II, the hip-hop-jazz
connection has finally come to full maturity. In the past, all too
often, jazz was just a flavor for hip-hop, and hip-hop was just a flavor
for jazz -- but now it's a little later in the night, and the midnight
marauders have come out of the kitchen with something different. Call
it "Street Jazz," "Jazz-Hop," "Hip-Jazz," whatever -- the fusion of
these two kinds of music has changed them both for the better.
A few other things have changed, too. What was once new now has
to face critics who may say it's *old*; as Guru puts it, "Time is movin'
on, ya betta get with it." Yet if you *really* turn back the hands of
time, jazz and rap -- in the form of spoken-word jazz poetry, skat, and
talking blues -- have long been a part of the continuum of the black
arts, what Amiri Baraka calls 'the changing same.' So let's recall a
little history.
Back in the earliest days, Jazz was the street music when folks
at society balls were still doin' the fox-trot. Artists such as Louis
Armstrong, King Oliver, James P. Johnson, and Ethel Waters got their
start at all-night clubs, rent parties, and the black vaudeville circuit
in the teens and early twenties, before the music industry had fully
realized what a market existed for African-American music. The only
ground back then was the 'underground.' In both music and lyrics, you
had to find your style and push it to the limit. Anything less and
you'd be out lookin' for a new gig.
Those who think that Humpty-Hump, Biz Markie, or Flavor Flav are
outrageous should take a look back at Pigmeat Markham, Slim Gaillard, or
Gladys Bentley. Just as with hip-hop, it was style -- *attitude* --
that made the crucial difference among hundreds of talented and
intensely creative musicians. Markham took his classic vaudeville "Heah
come de judge" routine and parlayed it into a forty-year career; Bentley
dressed in male drag, taking the pop tunes of her day and replacing the
words with 'alternative' lyrics so graphic that the clubs she played
would often be closed down by the police. Gaillard even invented his
own language, "Vout," and used it to compose extended pieces such as the
"Groove Juice Symphony."
Along with the verbal plays and ploys, the music carried on its
own strain of "Jes' Grew," sampling snippets of top-selling songs and
turning them inside-out rhythmically, melodically, and harmonically.
Sound familiar? There's more. The current paranoia against Gangsta Rap
couldn't hold a candle to the anti-Jazz diatribes of the 30's through
the '50's, where preachers inveighed against the 'devil's music' and
newspaper columnists attacked jazz as the music of wanton sensuality and
corrupting crossings of AmeriKKKa's racial divide.
From its streetstyle roots, Jazz underwent a series of
productive changes in mid-century, from Swing to Bop to Hard Bop to Cool
to Fusion, which altered its course considerably. While jump-jazz
personalities like Louis Jordan carried the beat through to rhythm-and-
blues and rock, musicians with a more hardcore anti-commercial ethos
turned a different corner, making Jazz the core of a new intelligentsia,
a sometimes-exclusive coterie of musical cognoscenti. Jazz made it at
Julliard, but in the process lost some of its street credibility, though
artists such as Les McCann and Eddie Harris, Miles Davis, Herbie
Hancock, and the Last Poets brought it back to the funky edge of its
earlier days. Jazz also gained a rep in some circles as a non-political
music, despite the potent messages delivered by artists such as Max
Roach (his "Freedom Now!" suite busted down racist doors in 1960),
Archie Shepp ("Malcolm, Malcolm, Semper Malcolm," 1965), or Les McCann
and Eddie Harris (whose 1973 anthem "Compared to What" took on Nixon,
Vietnam, and the fucked-up nature of things in general).
When hip-hop broke into the scene in '79, few Jazz musicians
were paying attention, even though many of them had laid down the roots
of the music. Among the first to bridge the gap was producer Bill
Laswell. No matter you think of his recent work (and I happen to like
it), he brought together hip-hop and jazz for the first time in 1983
when he produced Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" (with Grandmaster D.ST.
turning the tables) and Last Poet Jalal Nuriddin's b-box remake of "Mean
Machine" the following year. Rappers and DJ's, for their part, took a
lot longer getting around to sampling from the Jazz side. The earliest
examples that come to mind are albums such as the Dream Warriors' "And
Now, the Legacy Begins" (1991) or A Tribe Called Quest's "The Low-End
Theory" (which featured jazz veteran Ron Carter on bass on "Verses from
the Abstract"). Not much was heard for a while after that until 1993,
when the Digable Planets upped the ante considerably with "reachin' (a
new refutation of time and space)" and Guru dropped Jazzmatazz Vol. I.
That same year, Greg Osby returned the favor from the jazz-hand side
with his "3-D Lifestyles" disc, and US3 became the first "group" -- if
that's the right word -- to build an entire project around sampled jazz
loops.
It was as if the center of gravity moved. With P-Funk tracks
making a comeback among hardcore rappers, and "Payback" loops past their
expiration date, innovative hip-hop producers needed a new sound in
their sonic arsenal, and Jazz musicians, more often than not, provided
that new sound. Where Guru featured the *live* Roy Ayers, Ayers samples
were used to distinctive effect by Pete Rock and the Digables; Sonny
Rollins, Les McCann, and Stan Getz also provided some of their recorded
legacy. And even where no identifiable jazz loops were in evidence,
strange new sounds entered into the vocab of many producers: vibes,
xylophones, various jazz/funk piano loops, and not-so-horny horns
brought a cool, mellow edge to numerous hip-hop tracks. Coming into this
year, renewed collaborative efforts, such as DJ Premier and Branford
Marsalis's "Buckshot Le Fonque" and Herbie Hancock and Will Griffin's
"Dis is Da Drum" paved the way for the bustout innovations of discs such
as The Roots' "Do You Want More ?!!??!" and Jazzmatazz Vol. II, which
are as sonically and lyrically beyond Jazzmatazz Vol. I as Public Enemy
is from Whodini.
What new kinds of connections this hip-hop-jazz fusion will
bring is hard to predict, but it's a sure bet there will be plenty of
them. Among the innovators in this field are the Bay Area's Alphabet
Soup, who stirred up shit last year with a disc of fullblown
instrumental jazz-hop workouts, among them a funky retake of the Last
Poets' "Blessed Are Those Who Struggle." Other promising new voices
include the Justice System, with their blend of jazzy sounds and old-
school dedications, and Me'Shell NdegeOcello, whose smoky vocals and
funky Go-go basslines are surely lurking around somewhere preparing for
a followup to her incredible "Plantation Lullabies" (and in case you
missed it, her collaboration with Herbie Hancock on "Nocturnal Sunshine"
on the "Red, Hot, and Blue" compilation takes it *all* to another
level).
The only people this new kind of music is likely to trouble are
those who have big, heavy dividers between their "Jazz" shelf and their
"Hip-hop" -- assuming they've got both shelves to begin with. As
always, the creative vortex of music makes a shambles of categories, and
it's one clear sign of life in the middle of hip-hop's third decade of
darkness.
RECOMMENDED ALBUMS:
Slim Gaillard, Laughing in Rhythm: Best of the Verve Years, Verve 314
521651-2
Archie Shepp, _Fire Music_, Impulse MCAD-39121 (contains "Malcolm,
Malcolm, Semper Malcolm")
Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, Coleman Hawkins, and Olatunji, _We Insist!
Max Roach's "Freedom Now Suite"_, Candid CCD 9002
Les McCann and Eddie Harris, _Swiss Movement_, Atlantic CD ATL1537-2
(contains the full version of "Compared to What?")
Greg Osby, _3-D Lifestyles_, Blue Note CDP 0777-7-98635-2-5
Alphabet Soup, _Layin' Low in the Cut_, Mammoth MR0082-2
Justice System, _Rooftop Soundcheck_, MCAD-11118
_Jazzmatazz, Vol. I_, Chrysalis 0946 3 21998 2 9
_Jazzmatazz, Vol. II_, Chrysalis 7243 8 34290 2 8
_Stolen Moments: Red, Hot, and Cool_, Impulse/GRP GRD-9794
The Roots, _Do You Want More ?!!??!_, Geffen DGCD-24708
The Dream Warriors, _And Now the Legacy Begins_, 4th & B'Way
1624440372
Branford Marsalis & DJ Premier, _Buckshot Le Fonque_, Columbia CK 57323
Section 3 -- THREE
***A***
Steve 'Flash' Juon
------------------
FREESTYLE OR PAYSTYLE?
"Freestyle? Ah hell nah nigga, don't even know how to do that
shit..."
The other day, I was cruising the information superhighway,
looking for a place to park. I had barely pulled into the garage of one
BBS and let my motor idle when I received a message from CrackBaby, who
also happens to be one of HardC.O.R.E.'s writers.
"Hey KRS," says CrackBaby (my name there as on most bulletin
boards is KRS One), "you remember that tape you sent me of the Wu-Tang
freestyling at KZSU?"
"Yeah," I said after giving him some dap.
"Well, you remember how mad you got that Method Man and Ol'
Dirty Bastard used those same freestyle lyrics on their albums? Raekwon
the Chef did it too on his new shit!"
Damn, ain't that a bitch. The Wu has for some time now been my
favorite crew of lyricists (the Hieros are running far behind in 2nd),
but these solo forays have given me pause to think. Freestyle? If what
they did at KZSU in Stanford was a freestyle, why does it seem like
something they jotted down and used again later? In fact, what is a
freestyle?
These days, a freestyle seems to be a paystyle, to paraphrase
Too $hort. MC's come out for their shows or radio appearances and make
a big point of getting ready to freestyle. It was inevitable that
freestyling would become the mark of a true head, considering that both
the Hieroglyphics and Supernatural got deals on the strength of their
off-the-head lyricism. The unfortunate side-effect is that we now have
'studio freestylers' in almost as great a proportion as 'studio
gangstas'. You got people who come out claimin' freestyle, and then do
the same 'freestyle' night after night. Among those found guilty as
charged are:
Method Man
Ol Dirty Bastard
O.C.
Notorious B.I.G.
Raekwon the Chef
Saafir the Saucee Nomad
....and many others. We've come to a point in hip-hop where we need to
make a true delineation between 'freestyle' and 'off-the-head.'
I'm asking you, the listener out there, to think about it. Next
time your rapper on the radio says, "I'ma kick a freestyle," be a little
more skeptical. Is it a freestyle, or is it a paystyle? Put any MC in
a cipher and he can sound dope for a while with pre-writtens, but real
off-the-head rhymers make mistakes and are so good they can play off
them and keep on going. _That's_ the mark of a true MC, and claiming
freestyle while running pre-writtens sure as hell ain't.
***B***
David J.
--------
END OF AN ERA
The curtain falls on "Yo! MTV Raps."
A'ight, explain this one to me like I'm a three-year-old.
There is no more "Yo! MTV Raps." It's gone. Finished. Kaput.
Outta here like that $5,000 love seat. No more Ed & Dre clowning
around. No more Fab 5 Freddy fumbling and fawning over new hip-hop
artists. No more T-Money dressing up as a chicken (or whatever it was
this week). No more Live Fridays. No more half-hour or hour-long
forays into hip-hop -- straight, no chaser, as it were.
Now, MTV's official hip-hop spokesperson is none other than that
gel-haired, beach-lovin', stereotype-provin', Martin-Lawrence-wannabe,
caricature-of-himself, pencil-neck-piss-colored-Gumby-boy Bill Bellamy,
who wouldn't know a phat lyric if it crawled up his ass and spit out its
watermelon Jolly Rancher in his appendix.
And they expect us to continue watching.
Yes, that vast, stylish wasteland we like to call eMpTyV finally
pulled the plug on the show that many hip-hop fans considered that
network's lone salvation. No, hip-hop just isn't all that important
anymore, so let's just group it with all those other black artists and
make it all one big, happy, smilin'-with-gold-fronts-showin' family.
It's not that we couldn't see this coming. At its peak, eMpTyV
moves "Yo!" from 4:30 p.m. weekdays to 12:00 Midnight weekdays,
presumably to get away with showing stuff that the censors didn't want
on daytime television. (These obviously aren't the same censors who
watch talk shows and soap operas on daytime TV.) Then, just as Ed & Dre
hit the movie theaters with "Who's The Man?" in 1993, eMpTyV shows their
support for them by ditching the weekly show and replacing it with
"Alternative Nation," hosted by Kennedy, the original template for the
"It's Pat" sketches on Saturday Night Live.
With nary an announcement, eMpTyV buries two hours of Yo! on
Friday nights, leaving most hip-hop fans in the dark as to where their
favorite show went. Eventually, heads caught on, and Yo! started to
develop a little more. Then just as Live Fridays became a big thing,
Yo! slid further down the prime time schedule until it reached the late
night schedule. All the while, Gumby-boy was showing up regularly on
various shows and at all of the networks big events and such, while Ed &
Dre were reduced to beach beauty contest hosts.
Yo! enjoyed a brief resurgence in the past year or so, but it
obviously wasn't enough for eMpTyV to consider keeping it around. No,
hip-hop is a mainstream thing now, so you'll excuse us if we scatter
Craig Mack and Naughty By Nature videos in with Paula Abdul and Soul
Asylum. Never mind that heavy metal, alternative, R&B and various other
forms of music have their own shows and forums. There no room for hip-
hop at eMpTyV -- we have to show more Beavis and Butthead reruns.
I suppose a network that once considered The Brothers Grunt to
be quality entertainment would make a decision like this. They probably
looked upon Fab 5, Ed & Dre as yesterday's news, plain ol' jokers who
got too long in the tooth to stick around. Hip-hop shows up in the Top
40 regularly, anyway, so a show dedicated only to rap music is just
passe anymore.
But Yo! was something more than just a bunch of guys acting
stupid while announcing rap videos. Yo! was all about representing.
Artists who wouldn't have gotten any exposure otherwise could hang out
with Ed & Dre for a while and just do their thing, maybe put on a show
or drop a quick freestyle that would help boost not only their careers,
but the careers of hip-hop heads all across the country. Yo! was a real
voice for the hip-hop community, something no other network would give
us at the time of the show's inception. That voice is now gone.
We should go, too. Granted, this publication has a history of
pointing its flamethrower at eMpTyV any chance we get, but they have
made their point -- there's no more room for hip-hop on that network.
There's plenty of room for strange cartoons, beach parties, alternative
rock, Newt Gingrich interviews, and weak MC's who rhyme about how they
wish they were an Oscar Meyer weiner, but there's no more room for us.
If that's the case, I don't want my MTV anymore. They can have it.
But not before we let them hear about it. Be sure to go to
MTV's World Wide Web site (http://www.mtv.com) and send them an angry
note about the cancellation of Yo! In fact, copy this article and send
it to them a few dozen times. Maybe then they'll realize they just
threw away a rather large portion of their audience.
In the meantime, playas, grab your clickers if you love hip-
hop -- and change the channel.
Section 4 -- FOUR
************************************************************************
THE OFFICIAL HARDC.O.R.E. REVIEW SECTION
The pH scale
6/pHat -- EE-YOW!! A hip-hop classic!
5/pHunky -- Definitely worth the price of admission.
4/pHine -- Pretty good, give it a listen.
3/pHair -- Some potential here, but it's not fully realized.
2/pHlat -- Falls far short of a quality product.
1/pHlat -- Get that Vanilla Lice shit outta here!
************************************************************************
***A***
Laze
----
BIG L, "Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous"
(Sony/Columbia)
Let me break it down real quick. If you dig a Lord Finesse
sound (on production and lyrically) and liked "Put it On" and "MVP", you
will most surley dig Big L's album.
I've noticed that L really shines when he's over a classic
freestyle beat with heavy kick drums and rhythmic hi-hats. Thankfully,
the majority of this LP got the kid well-showcased. His flow is so well
crafted and the lyrics are often smacks-in-the-face ("You can't kill me,
I was born dead") that you can't help but bob your head and just groove
to this joint from track 1 to track 12. It's nice to see that even
though a brother can drop words with incredible speed, he doesn't feel
it necessary to force it for an entire album.
I mentioned earlier about Lord Finesse -- if you're a fan, check
the joints on this platter: he takes care of some production and drops
some lyrics as well. "No Endz, No Skinz" shows just the tip of the
similarity iceberg between L and Finesse, most noticeably on the
multiple-syllable rhymes. Nice chant on that baby boy, too:
If you don't got endz you won't be getting no skinz,
and if you don't got money you won't scoop a honey.
If you don't got cash you won't be getting no ass,
and if you're not clockin' the loot you won't be knockin' the boots.
The main difference between the two though is that Big L has
more of a notice change in vocal intonation. Finesse always seemed to
be on the same pitch whether he was spouting off about his ego or giving
a slap-your-head dis (which is neither good nor bad, just different).
With the monotony of boring hip-hop crews putting out records
this year, kids like Big L make heads remember there are people out
there still striving for quality. To close it out, there's no better
way than just letting him drop some flavor:
So don't step to this 'cause I got a live troop
You might be kinda big but they make coffins that size, too.
I was taught wise, I'm known to extort guys,
This ain't Cali, it's Harlem, nigga, we do walk-bys.
.........
'Cause on the shelf is where your LP cole stood,
Because it was no good, that shit ain't even go wood."
pH Level -- 6/pHat
***B***
Steve 'Flash' Juon
------------------
BUSHWICK BILL, "Phantom of the Rapra"
(Rap-a-Lot/Noo Trybe)
"First question, why did you decide to name the album Phantom of
the Rapra?"
"Well I named it Phantom of the Rapra because I like opera, and
it deals with sex, rape, violence, incest, and suicide ya know -- and
it's accepted by the same people that want to ban rap when rap is opera
to people in the ghetto that are dealing with the same issues."
Deep. Bushwick may still be the little Chuckie who wants to
swing his big nuts and cut your heart out with a knife, but this time
there's something more: an intellectual side, and a conceptual
presentation. If "Little Big Man" had been songs like "Ever So Cleer"
from beginning to album, it would probably sound like this album.
The world is on some ol' new improved shit.
They buildin' bombs everyday but screamin peace.
- "Wha Cha Gonna Do"
Sure, you might be tempted to jump around this CD to hear
whatever song your boy told you was pHat, but TRUST ME: listen to it
from the beginning to the end. Listen for that operatic drive, listen
for those piano licks, listen as it carries you from glorious heights to
tragic despair to violent revenge. This IS opera at it's best. Breakin
away a song like "Times is Hard" may be the move to sell a single and
push the album, but in the context it feels *that* much more right.
I'm spittin game so y'all can feel me.
Man, I'ma make it out the ghetto if it kills me.
- "Times is Hard"
This is the new funk, "Dr. Wolfgang Von Bushwick" p-funking up
some hardcore 5th Ward Houston, Texas style with a twist. Bushwick
manages to completely reinvent himself and yet remain completely true to
his original work, an artistic feat that many MC's who've had more
success were never able to pull off. When Bushwick asks the rhetorical
question "Who's the biggest little motherfucker that you know?", it has
to be himself, because even he is no doubt aware that he has set a new
precedent for hardcore hip-hop.
So here's the summary: Bushwick is the guy you know and love
from the Geto Boys, but just like the world in his lyrics he's on "some
ol' new improved shit." This album is the definite move for hardcore
hip-hop heads who like conceptual, dramatic, violent, intelligent music.
Beware that Bushwick is still not now and never has been the most
tasteful of MC's -- he's the kind of guy who chops up brains and eats it
as sushi -- but this time around more than ever you sense that it has a
point, a place, and a dramatic purpose. Bushwick gets nuff props for
this joint.
pH Level -- 5/pHunky
***C***
Steve 'Flash' Juon
------------------
CHUCKLEHEAD, "Fuzz"
(Summit Records)
There seems to be an interesting trend brewing up from the music
underground these days, uninspired by corporate profit makers or MTV
chic. Strange as it seems, funk/rap bands often comprised of mostly
white artists are brewing up a dope concoction of discoesque tracks that
slam as hard as anything by Clinton and Co.
One such group is Manhattan's own Chucklehead, who already have
two releases on Summit Records and have been featured in several motion
picture soundtracks. With their new album "Fuzz", they display a more
musical
and less hip-hop oriented focus, but still manage to funk things
up with a passion. This group is almost the Dave Matthews Band in
reverse -- a bunch of funky white musicians and a black lead singer, and
they all swing it hard. Occasionally the members of the group take
turns at the mic MC'ing, not in a serious hardcore hip-hop fashion but
in more of a Beastie Boys get-down-and-have-fun fashion.
Chucklehead covers a lot of bases: one moment they'll be
covering The Beatles ("We Can Work It Out"), the next they take it to
the grill ("Bozack"), and after that they just funk around for the fun
of it ("Big Dumb Song"). Their versatility suits their musicality well,
and it makes for an all around pleasing album.
If you see this release in your neighborhood music store, you
might want to pop it in for a preview first -- but if you like some just
good ol' funk you won't be dissapointed.
pH level -- 4/pHine
***D***
Steve 'Flash' Juon
------------------
FIVE FINGERS OF FUNK, "Slap Me Five"
(Ho Made Media)
"Respect to Gangstarr but I don't want to be 'em..."
Good attitude kid, although you do have some skills.
Introducing MC Pete Mizer and his fabulous Five Fingers of Funk, an all-
white funk group which hails from Oregon. These self-made funkateers
put together a *serious* promo package, including a fun for kids book,
reviews of their live show and photos. Would their album compare?
As a matter of fact, it does. This group has serious
credentials both as groovy track makers and as credible hip-hop
producers. Yes, I said hip-hop. Pete Mizer lays down some skills,
nothing you could compare to AceyAlone or Guru but on a good day Pete
Mizer could make Everlast jealous.
In fact, even the DJ's and the track producers have nuff skills.
Check out cuts like "Do You Know How Many Five Is?" and "DJ Chill Lost
in Phoneland 1" and you get a sense that these kids ain't playin. Why
they haven't caught wreck nationally yet? Likely because they haven't
sent out enough copies of their promotional package.
If you happen to run across this one somewhere, be sure to give
a listen to "Posters", a tale of struggle for survival, "Look at Where
You At" a song in which 'respect means more than any bullshit check',
and the hilarious "Me Jane You Funky" -- dedicated to when Pete Mizer
was an extra at a Jane Seymour movie.
Conclusion: It's sho' funky 'nuff.
pH Level -- 5/pHunky
***E***
Steve 'Flash' Juon
------------------
FUNKDOOBIEST, "Brothas Doobie"
(Immortal/Epic)
Aight, hold up a sec...
*Clean* version? Well what the fuck? If that's what the record
label wants me to have what can I do, and it's not much of a surprise
since they've been pumping this one really hard for radio play. It
makes me wonder though -- I've heard several songs which aren't listed
on this _Clean_ version: "Superhoes" from the Friday soundtrack, "Pussy
Ain't Shit" from the Dedicated 12" among others. So for those of you
who pick this one up at your neighborhood Sam Goody, check the listing
and see what you get. If those tracks ain't on then I guess we're all
out of luck.
This is definitely another Soul Assassins album, but this is not
the same group that did songs like "I bow wow wow yippe yo yippie yay to
the funk". Nobody can accuse the Funkdoobiest clan of being gifted
lyrically, but even so they come off with a noticable improvement,
especially Sun Doobie. The songs have stories ("What the Deal"), seek
spiritual upliftment ("Rock On") and speak to the homies that have
passed on ("Dedicated"). That's not to say these guys aren't still horn
dogs who like "XXX Funk" but this time there's a depth and quality to
their music that was previously lacking.
The best part is that musically speaking, this is a highly
listenable album. Between Ralph M, Lethal, and Muggs, the beats remain
funky from beginning to end, and samples like Chuck D. yelling "Tomahawk
slam!" in "Tomahawk Bang" are guaranteed to make you a convert to
Funkdoobiest funk.
My conclusion: for Funkdoobiest, this is probably as good as it
will ever get, but even at that it's pretty damn good. They've finally
broken away from the pack as just another two-bit group with a deal and
a hot producer and instead given us something we can truly appreciate.
pH Level -- 4/pHine
***F***
Steve 'Flash' Juon
------------------
GRAND PUBA, "2000"
(Elektra)
It's the return of the lyrical don who's smooth like Grey Poupon
so once again it's on. Nevermind the corny singing -- he's been doing
that since Masters of Ceremony, and I can forgive him for it -- the man
still has the mic skills that Brand Nubian *desperately* needed on their
last album and will hopefully be re-united with on their next joint.
So many brothers try to see me, but only two can be me
That's probably Ray Charles and Stevie...
Cause when it comes to this Puba's not a stranger
Get the honies hooked like the kids is hooked on Power Rangers
- "Very Special"
Do that shit, God! Damn, he comes through again with the witty
clever metaphors and rhymes that got me on his nuts like a squirrel, and
that cut is a throwaway compared to the rest of the album. On "2000",
he's makin fools stupid "like it's Friday and they Urkel." On "Play it
Cool" (with Sadat X from Brand Nubian) he's "cuttin niggaz down like
drivebys." The man never stops dropping jewels.
Musically this album covers a lot of bases, most of them in
ballparks that you've never seen before. This ain't familiar territory.
If you're thinking "360, what comes around goes around," you're not even
*close*. In fact, this is a much better album musically than "Reel to
Reel." Think about the "2000" when you listen to this one and realize
it's some ol' back-to-the-future type bombs. Everything from smoothed
out R&B like "A Little of This" to ultra-modern hype piano of "Play it
Cool" to George Jetson-style of "Keep On" -- it's all in the mix. Don't
sleep.
pH Level -- 6/pHat
***G***
Mr. John C. Book
----------------
GURU, "Jazzmatazz Vol. II: The New Reality"
(Chrysalis)
When Guru came out with the first "Jazzmatazz" two years ago, it
wasn't exactly revolutionary. A Tribe Called Quest had dabbled with
jazz, Stetsasonic sampled it in "Talkin' All That Jazz," and of course
Gang Starr opened up the possibilities with "Jazz Thing."
But "Jazzmatazz" worked on a lot of levels. With songs like
"Loungin'," "Trust Me," "No Time To Play," and "Le Bien, Le Mal," a lot
of rap fans who might have never touched a jazz record dug deep into the
collections of their parents, and some jazz purists finally saw rap
music as a true artform. It is one reason why so many looked forward to
"Jazzmatazz Vol. II: The New Reality."
A lot of the songs on this, even with Guru's lyrical skills,
remind me of a lot of classic albums from the 70's, like Graham Central
Station's "Release Yourself" and Earth, Wind & Fire's "Open Your Eyes,"
simply because of the vocal work of Mica Paris, Shara Nelson and Sweet
Sable, and the contributions from such jazz greats as Rueben Wilson,
Ronny Jordan, and Donald Byrd. Because of the diverse mixture of the
old and the new, Guru takes this "experimental fusion of hip-hop and
jazz" over the top and onto another level, totally blowing away all
misconceptions about what Guru can and cannot do.
"For You" hits massively hard with Me'Shell NdegeOcello helping
out on bass and vocals and Kenny Garrett on saxophone. Musically, it
has that vibe that is as hard as the reality of our world and as smooth
as a day at the park on a Sunday. In this track, Guru gives thanks to
those who have meant a lot to him in his life, such as family. In one
verse, he tells the listener the true meaning of friendship:
A true friend, kid, is mad mad rare.
Trust another is a risk. A lot of things ain't fair,
'cause where I be at, a lot of strange things happen, jack.
You could know a kid for years and still he'll stab you in the back.
But that's alright cuz I'm a good judge of character,
and me and my family, we maintain the balance ta'
master the challenges of life.
Like the chain in the star, we link up to shine mad bright.
To all my boys way across the country
dealing with the struggle, the good the bad and the ugly.
Yo, under pressure, we're the best,
no matter what the circumstance, no matter how much stress.
Our force has the power to bring forth change.
I'd rather see or succeed than feel shame or go insane.
Dedicated to my fam that's supported.
You should always, I said always be applauded.
"Respect The Architect" is mind blowing as well, with help from
Bahamadia, Ramsey Lewis on piano and moog synthesizer (circa "Sun
Goddess"), and turntable work from DJ Scratch. You hear the jazz
platform, you hear the funkiness, and you hear Guru and Bahamadia just
battling for supremacy in this song, and you got a wall of noise that
rivals anything the Bomb Squad did on "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted." Just
when you think it can't get any better, here comes Patra and Kool Keith in
"Young Ladies."
And yes, it gets better from there.
The overall mood of this album, even in the harder tracks, is
very laid back, but don't overlook Guru's lyrics. Many have said that
his "Jazzmatazz" work is weaker than his work in Gang Starr, but one
listen to "Something In The Past" and "Living In The World" proves
otherwise. Mix that with the talents of Jamiroquai, The Solsonics, DC
Lee, DJ Sean-Ski, and Bu, and you have an album that's going to satisfy
for a long time.
The only flaw here, ironically, happens to be Guru's track with
DJ Premier. "Watch What You Say" has everything going for it, in terms
of music, beats, and production. What makes this wack is Chaka Khan.
She is a wonderful vocalist, don't get me wrong, but somehow her voice
and this song do not blend. I haven't heard the remixes yet, but on
this album it fails miserably. Would have been a nice B-side.
If you have the CD, don't think your player is messing up.
Throughout the album you will hear crackles and the sound effect of too
much dust collecting on the needle (whoever thought we would hear *that*
on a CD?), which gives "Jazzmatazz Vol. II" a very intimate quality. It
may seem lengthy at 73 minutes (compared to the 44 minutes of the first
one) but after a number of listens it starts to settle in and you're
listening to this as an "album," not a collection of possible singles.
One vocalist that could have made this album even better is Blue
Raspberry. Raspberry's voice has been heard throughout a lot of Wu-
Tang's output ("1-800-SUICIDE" remix, "Glaciers Of Ice", "Stimulation")
and I am sure she would have caused further damage on this LP (she would
have been better on "Watch What You Say"). But as it stands,
"Jazzmatazz Vol. II" is an LP that will be talked about for quite some
time.
pH Level -- 4/pHine
***H***
Laze
----
KING JUST, "Mystics of the God:
The Sex, Money, Cess, and the Blas'e Blah"
(Black Fist Records/Select Street Records)
In 1994 King Just was having trouble getting his shit heard, so
he put it out himself on Black Fist Records. This single was "Warrior's
Drum," and the man with "one life to lose" made his first mark on the
hip-hop map. It was a large underground success and this brother-from-
Shaolin-but-not-a-Wu-Tang-artist clearly had his feet on the ground.
Finally, after quite a wait, the full LP has dropped. If you've
heard "Warrior's Drum," you'll notice that this LP is very much tied
into the first single, featuring cuts with titles clipped from the
"Warrior's Drum" lyrics: "Can I Get Some," "Hassan Chop," and "Boom
Bow!" The production on this album (from Easy Mo Bee, E-Swift, and RNS
from Wu-Tang) is solid. Basic, straightforward drums and the eerie
underground ghetto-flavor samples set the mood: this is a true hip-hop
album.
An interesting piece of this release is the remix of "Warrior's
Drum" which makes great use of the "Shaolin, Black Fist, they knew the
time / and Just came back with that old funky rhyme" vocal clip. The
beat is somewhat corny, but as a whole it works pretty well, though it
takes a couple listens to get past the "what the fuck?" stage.
Lyrically, King Just ranks up there among the better artists of
the year. His off-and-on sing-songy delivery works very well, and
though his metaphors aren't the most amazing I've ever heard (he used a
"David Banner/Hulk" analogy twice and he's far from the first to use it --
I can think of at least three others), but the kid comes off
nonetheless. As far as guest rappers go, it's pretty much run-of-the-
mill.
So, to summarize, I gotta' give this one the nod. It's straight-
forward hip-hop the way we haven't heard it in a while. "Now ain't that
some shit, kid?"
pH Level -- 4/pHine
***I***
Professa R.A.P.
---------------
DA NAYBORHOODZ, "Afta Dark: Illa Than Expected"
(React Records)
I came to this album as a skeptic. West Coast hip-hop meets
dancehall stylee? It sounded like a one-shot novelty act, and the
first time I checked out the trax, I didn't hear anything that sounded
all that special. But these guys convinced me, listen by listen, that
they were more than opportunistic genre-blenders. Despite a few cuts
that fall flat, this disc packs more innovative sound to the square inch
than most of what I've heard so far this year. If Da Nayborhoodz only
packed as much consciousness as they pack funky ragga-hip-hop sound,
this project would be an instant classic -- and even as it is, it could
be a hopeful sign of things to come.
Da Nayborhoodz is Minus (a.k.a. 'Pale Dog'), Culture, and DJ
Dub'l -- three boyz from the hood with one huge fuckin' axe to grind.
Minus, from what I can gather, does most of the lead raps; the self-
dubbed 'Amazin Caucasian' has a solid verbal flow which never falters
throughout this disc, though it takes more than a few drives by familiar
lyrical territory; MC Culture brings de raggamuffin sound, and DJ Dub'l
fills out the crew (along with producer Pro-Jay).
As with so much recent hip-hop, it's hard to tell where the DJ
leaves off and the producer begins, but whoever cut up these beats knows
what they're doing. Whether it's the eerie irie sounds of "Good
Mourning" and "Makin' Moves," the funky piano and horns of "Illa Than
Expected," the P-Funky worms of "How We Do It," or the all-out rockbox
of "Bad Boy Ya Come," this album runs through the whole spectrum of
sound, and adds new twists and pushes wherever it goes.
The lyrical flow is equally wide-ranging. One of the strongest
hooks on the record belongs to "Only the Strong Survive," switches
smoothly from Culture's ragga riffs to Minus's South Central flow:
Only the strong survive
No time to take five
'Cos in this game, either ya flow or ya die
Sure, it's been said before, but this kid's got a voice all his
own. I like it. On the title track, over a funky mush of horns, fuzz
bass, and Twilight-Zone whistles, Minus drops double-time lyrical
madness:
Let your guard down, catch a quick beatdown,
around my block, 'cos punks get socked.
Who gives a shit about the scripts ya flip?
'Cause I flip clips.
They comin' straight from my lips.
I run amok, write a rhyme and get fucked up.
You're outta luck, Punk, better duck.
There's enough lyrical voltage here to counteract the occasional
drift into cliches, and if it weren't for the (seemingly inevitable)
lapses into bitch-dissin' and gun-barrel braggadocio, Minus could be
more of a plus in this crew (sorry, couldn't resist that).
Other standout tracks include the ominous "Makin' Moves," which
showcases the sound-boi/b-boy shifts; the uptempo ragga-hop anthem
"Contact Hit"; and the total bustout of "Bad Boy Ya Come":
Don't even trip off, I'll rap ya fuckin' hip off
Tried to get that tip off, instead ya got the flip off
You got done by that son of a gun
Yo! The motherfuckin' notorious team minus one
From Da Nayborhoodz With madd skillz I gets props,
for fuckin every style in raggamuffin hip-hop...
In fact, if there's one negative about this album, it's the way
Da Nayborhoodz seem to try on every style for size; after a while you
start to wonder about the Zelig factor. Are these guys fe real, or are
they just real good at sounding sorta like somebody else? On some cuts,
such as "Payback" (a sorry-assed OutKast imitation) or the heavily Cube-
ist "How We Do It," you start to wonder if producers should be licensed
to clone. But on most of the other tracks, the skills come through and
the sounds are phat. I expect to hear more from this crew in the
future; here's hoping they'll come correct next time out.
pH Level -- 4/pHine
***J***
Steve 'Flash' Juon
------------------
RAEKWON THE CHEF, "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..."
(RCA)
Watch these rap niggaz get all up in your guts
French vanilla butter pecan chocolate deluxe.
Even caramel sundaes is gettin touched and scooped
in my ice cream truck -- Wu tears shit up.
- Method Man, from "Ice Cream Man"
The Wu-Tang saga continues, and like Godfather Part II, the
sequel comes off phatter. The Ol' Dirty Bastard? Yeah, that was a good
album but this bomb compares to Ol' Dirty like Ol' Dirty compares to
Method Man's solo: it's on some ol' NEXT shit. Speaking of ODB, you
won't hear him on this album, and I think that's a wise decision -- he's
a pHat Clan member but since his own solo is making noise he's already
exposed. It's time to let the other jewels in the Wu-Tang diamond
necklace sparkle for a while.
The RZA really put it together this time, with both the pHat
kung-fu flick samples and the RAZOR sharp beats. Check a chumpie like
"Guillotine (Swords)" for example. He pulls the intro to Meth's album
and stretches that shit into a WELL deserved full length bomb, over
which 1/2 the Clan (Rae, Ghost, Inspectah Deck, GZA) catch wreck.
That's the second pHat thing -- you hear so much of the Wu that
you might think this is the REAL "Return to the 36 Chambers," and even
the new jack Wu members like Master Killa come off like finely honed
swords. Most of the tracks feature Raekwon and Ghost Face, and these
two set it off like EPMD, tag teaming over the tracks.
One last note, and this is for the headz: Nas got some new shit
on it. He sounds like he's asleep at the wheel but he STILL comes off.
How does he do it? Suffice to say, the track is appropriately titled
"Verbal Intercourse."
Stickin weed in they pussy with they minds
on the pretty things in life
Props is a true thug's wife.
Rae truly deserves the dap, because he is the lyrical and
physical glue which keeps this whole album sticking together, and he
gets enough time on the M-I-C to leave no doubt it's his joint. A wise
move was the inclusion of "Heaven and Hell" and the "Can it All Be So
Simple (rmx)" from the Fresh soundtrack, both being examples of the Wu
_and_ Raekwon at a lyrical and musical peak. The nice thing though is
that you can put this CD on random and nearly any track you hit is gonna
shine like a mouth full of gold.
Don't wait on this one. Go buy it now.
pH level -- 6/pHat
***K***
Laze
----
RAW PRODUCE, "Cycles/Make a Mark" 12"
(Insomnia Records)
About two years back Raw Produce, two kids outta' Boston with
skills far beyond other Massachusetts-bred emcees (Marky Mark, Danny D,
Def Duo, etc.), put out the cleverly-titled SELLING CELERY TO MAKE A
SALARY. This freshman effort showed a deep musical knowledge with sweet
jazz and big-band loops topped off with a consistent, deliberate flow of
intelligent lyrics and well-weaved rhymes.
The most recent effort from these two is available on vinyl.
The first track, "Cycles," makes use of a beautiful Q-Tip vocal sample
and a smoothed out jazz sound. The flow is the same as it's always
been, but that's perfectly fine because these kids are so unique in
their sound it can't be duplicated.
"Make a Mark" has strong, driving, familiar drums and verses by
both Pitch and Cadence and picks out the appropriate Nice & Smooth vocal
hook from "Dwyck." Closing out the first side is the remix of "Make a
Mark," simplified with mainly drums and a thick bassline.
The second side has instrumentals of all three tracks and the
acapella for "Make a Mark." The instrumentals are perfect for DJs to
spin in the background on the radio or for emcees to freestyle, and the
acapella is screaming "remix me again!"
These kids have a clearly defined path for the future: stay on
point and do what comes naturally. As they say, plainly and simply, in
"Make a Mark": "'cause ya know my shit is mad dope."
pH Level -- 5/pHunky
(For more information, contact Insomnia Records at 617-776-7491.)
***L***
MC Tevski
---------
RODNEY O AND JOE COOLEY, "Greatest Hits: Everlasting Bass"
(West Funk/React)
How you feel about this album depends a lot on where you grew up
and whether or not you like Miami/Bass Music. If you liked Tag Team or
95 South albums, then you'll most likely dig this. If you didn't, well,
leave this one on the shelf.
The album starts with a trio of late-eighties cuts --
"Everlasting Bass," "This is for the Homies," and "Say it Loudly." They
sound a lot like party cuts, the kind that you walk into a party or club
and figure it sounds okay, so you'll at least check it out. The other
problem that these cuts have is that they sound like the "homage to my
DJ" cuts that everyone used to put on their albums in the mid-late
eighties. (If you don't know what I mean check out the Jive compilation
"Battle of the DJ's.") The beats aren't great, the rhymes are kinda
crackerjack, and cutting and scratching aren't special.
The next few cuts from '91 and '92, two of which contain the
subtitle "F**K New York" aren't anything to really jump at. Rodney O &
Joe Cooley give us more sub-mediocre rhymes and decent beats. The
problem is they diss people who they couldn't even hold jockstraps for,
like Naughty by Nature. It kinda reminds of listening to (98.7) Kiss
and (107.5) BLS back in the day when if you were up and coming you
either dissed Run-DMC, LL, KRS, or the Juice Crew to try to make some
noise and put yourself on the map.
Later they give us more forgettable songs like "Cooley High,"
"DJ's and MC's," and "Nobody Disses Me." Why they would say nobody
dissed them I can't tell. "Say Yeah Boy (Supercuts)" is wack for (at
least) three reasons: one, it simply is; two, the rhymes sound like
they're off of Ice's The Mic Stalker album (if you haven't heard it be
happy); and three, they bite part of DJ Jazzy Jeff's routine. I guess
they figured their stuff was so wack it would travel up the coast so it
was okay to do shit that other people had already done.
There's more songs after this but they sound like early eighties
throwaways, even though they were made 5-7 years after that era. It's
hard because I wanted to be positive about this album, but hey, wack
shit is wack shit. If you've never rhymed before and want to feel like
you're the next Rakim, Nas, or CL Smooth, play "Everlasting Hits" and
then write some rhymes over some beats from one of those synthesizers
you get at K-mart and compare. Trust me -- you'll think that you're the
shit.
pH Level - 2/pHlat
***M***
LAZE
----
SHAGGY, "Boombastic"
(Virgin)
Shaggy made considerable noise a couple of years ago with his
remake of "Oh, Carolina". Truthfully, it wasn't that bad. Nowhere as
entertaining as the original, but the higher-end production seemed to
work pretty nicely.
The title track's remix from his new album has been getting a
lot of airplay lately (to say the least). The remix loops Marvin Gaye's
"Let's Get it On", and needless to say it probably didn't take a lot of
intelligence to find that sample, but it works well (the album version
isn't half as good). Shaggy has a vocal style that appeals to the
masses but isn't a blatant-jump-up-in-your-face style like Buju or
Shabba. He often lays back and just kicks it like on the remake of "In
the Summertime" with Rayvon and "Day Oh."
Shaggy isn't the most unique reggae artist on the planet (the
accent is strictly for his albums -- kid's from New York), but he does
have a style that can reach out and grab you if the mood is right. His
collaborations (especially with Rayvon but also with Wayne Wonder and
Ken Boothe) generally work quite nicely and really help boost the
overall performance. However, the joint with Grand Puba (which samples
yet another Marvin Gaye song) is really a one-sided affair, leaning
heavily towards Shaggy. The beat just doesn't fit Pooh quite right
("Every day it seems like you're maxi on the pad?" Come on, kid, you
could have gone a *little* deeper).
Though the album as a whole is not overly innovative, it's a
nice easy listen worth picking up if you can find a used or sale copy.
Shaggy is beginning to really make some waves and I sense a lot of
talent trapped inside his body -- there's just something holding him
back.
pH Level -- 4/pHine
***N***
David J.
--------
SHOWBIZ & A.G., "Good Fellas"
(Payday/FFRR)
Yeah, yeah, I know -- it says "Show and A.G." on the album
cover, but we all know who it is, so why bother hiding it? After all,
this is the group that came out of nowhere in 1993 to help Diamond D.
put DITC (Diggin' In The Crates) on the map in a BIG way. "Runaway
Slave" is still worth bumpin' in your ride in '95, a year in which there
seems so little that's truly worth bumpin'.
So just how are Andre and the Show-B-I going to top that? With
their latest LP, "Good Fellas," they prove that they don't have to top
anything. They just bring the beats and the rhymes and let you judge
for yourself who got the skills.
A.G. dominates the mic this time around, while Show sits back on
the production board and sticks with the music for the most part. This
works primarily to their advantage -- A.G.'s freestyle skills are
sharper than nearly anything I've heard in '95, and Show brings all
sorts of different flavors on production, from the playful horns of
"Next Level" to the eerie boom of "You Know Now" to the all-out illness
of "Medicine," a personal favorite of mine.
You won't find anything you've heard before here; A.G.'s
contention that "Show kept diggin' and diggin' -- now he's got more
crates" fits the sound of this album just right. Just as on "Runaway
Slave," a few breaks are sprinkled here and there for the D.J.'s and
freestylers, though Showbiz is a bit more stingy with them this time
around.
Meanwhile, D.J. Premier gets the assist with a phat Nyte Time
Remix of "Next Level" (two phat mixes of one song on the same LP, a la
1993's "Silence of the Lambs"), while D.J. Roc Raider presents his first
beats for DITC. He has some potential, but were it not for A.G.'s
smooth delivery and lyrical finesse, those tracks would be throw-aways.
In addition, some songs on this LP suffer from chronic ACS (Annoying
Chorus Syndrome), though it usually doesn't interfere with the phat
lyrics.
Speaking of finesse, Lord Finesse adds to the freestyle flavor
of the M.C.'s on this LP, as do Diamond D., D-Flow and a couple of new
kids -- Wali World, who makes a fairly impressive debut on "I Got Your
Back," and Party Arty, who sounds like a cross between Lord Digga and
Busta Rhymes. In fact, on the posse cut "Add On," Party Arty's vocal
resemblance to Digga makes A.G. seem to sound a bit like Masta Ace.
Unlike the Inc., however, Showbiz and A.G. dismiss the gimmicks
and stick with the straight-forward hip-hop sound that we've come to
expect from DITC -- no garnish, no fries, just a platter of beats and
rhymes. Take 'em or leave 'em. My advice would be to take 'em.
Showbiz and A.G. are as true to hip-hop as you can get.
pH Level -- 5/pHunky
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The more things change, the more ways you can get HardC.O.R.E. We
apologize to all those folks out there who subscribed to the listserv,
but we weren't expecting anyone's hard drive to crash. Don't fret,
though. HardC.O.R.E.'s WWW site is back and better than ever, and
now that we're posting to Usenet News, we should be reaching more
people than ever before.
So until next time, keep ya heads noddin', y'all. PEAAAAAAACE!!!!!!!!
L8A...
David J.
