Learn Along With Werner, part 7: How Much Boodie Can You Take At One Time?

So, if you read my blog regularly, you know I've been pretty interested in the I.C.P.... meaning the Ice Cold Productions family, not the clowns.  I'm definitely a fan of Fat Daddy and his projects with Balli and Don Ugly (I'm sure it's only a matter of time until a Madd Blunted post or two crops up on here); and I was quite impressed with Shake G's tracks on the ICP posse album. I was interested in Da Big Boyz and was hoping to find other material by them, but unfortunately I don't think they ever had a proper release. But in searching for that, I did find that the similarly named ICP group Dem Boiz did release a couple singles (literally two), so I had to cop one.

This is their first release, called "How Much Boodie" and it came out in 1994 on CMBR/ Critique Records, distributed by BMG. It's produced by Afro-Dominican Eddie DM Wilson, who I believe is one of the Boiz, and also features a remix by DJ Roonie G, who I'm not terribly excited by, but I have at least heard of.

I'm sorry to report, however, it's pretty disappointing. It's a very generic "booty bass" track with a very uninspiring instrumental and "same ol' same ol'" concept. Hearing a line-up of MC passing the mic keeps things a little interesting, and makes me wonder how these guys would sound if they tackled a different style of song. We hear very briefly that Wilson has an exotic flow which could be interesting if actually put to use. I'm not sure how strong any of these guys are lyrically, but I can hear some interesting deliveries being given very little attention by the track. If they had a chance to flex their mic skills, they could do something at least more interesting; but as it is, they're mostly just kicking short, predictable "fill the space between the chorus" verses. There are some earnest attempts to inject energy into this song by bringing in different samples and elements throughout the song; but it's just not enough when the core is so limp. For everyone who hates 90s Miami bass music, this is exactly the kind of song they have in their minds.

There's a Low Rider Bass Mix, which changes up the percussion a bit, and I think actually works worse than the main version. It ends with an amusing "Sex! Or be destroyed!" chorus, though, which again hints that these guys might've been capable of better than we're shown here. And after that Low Rider Mix, there are two versions of the Roonie G remix: Radio and a slightly longer Club Mix, which breathes a little more life into things.  But at the end of the day, none of it's very good. You'd have to be a die-hard lover of the booty bass scene to work up a strong opinion of this single.

Based on the title, I don't expect much more from their follow-up single, "Body Talk," though I'm enough of a completist that I'm sure I'll have to at least give it a spin if I come across a copy one day. If it turns out there was a single from Da Big Boyz, though, that I'd have to get.