2 Nazty released one album, Indecent Exposure, on Miami's Attitude Records in 1993. Interestingly, to promote the album, it was heavily billed that this was Brother Marquis "formerly of the 2 Live Crew" and DJ Toomp "formerly of The Poison Clan." It's all even written right on the front of their album cover. I call that interesting, because it was news to me that DJ Toomp was ever "of the Poison Clan." Toomp came up as MC Shy D's DJ, and was on all of his early albums. Now, sure, Toomp produced a little Poison Clan - just like every other in-house producer at Luke Records - but that's sort of like writing, "DJ Premier of Heavy D and The Boyz," just because he produced "Yes Y'all" and "Here Comes the Heavster," isn't it?
Anyway, they actually released several singles off that album. But I picked this one because it has an exclusive remix on the B-side. It's called "Do 'Em Dirty," and it's got Clean, Dirty and Instrumental versions on the A-side, and the same 3 versions of the remix on the flip.
If you couldn't tell from the group name, album title, song title, or their album cover with a model bent over in a thong, 2 Nazty was aiming to play up the dirty-talkin' notoriety of The 2 Live Crew; but this time they've slid over to the sleazy side, away from the 2 Live's happy, party, sex positive vibe. In other words, they're in full on, woman-hating strictly for the streets (read: boys) only mode, "all you bitches are sluts, dick suckin' mutts with fat butts that drive me nuts. And even though I can't trust ya, I guess I got no choice, bitch, but to bust ya. I don't give a fuck about ya, 'cause when you suck my dick, ho, I'ma talk about ya. I rather it be you than it be me; the Brother Marquis is known to do 'em dirty." So, there ya go: the theme of the song, and pretty much their entire catalog, laid bare.
What's more surprising is that Toomp raps, too. You'd expect 2 Nazty to be your typical "He's the DJ, I'm the rapper" set up; but no. They're both the rappers this time. And Toomp comes alright, but Marquis has the better voice and also edges him out slightly in lyrics and flow.
But of course the production credit isn't equally shared; it's all Toomp. And he comes with a nice, understated track that really fits the tougher, more underground 2 Live Crew alternative. This is more gangsta rap than booty shaking music. You know, like Poison Clan's later albums. But with some funky bass that's just catchy enough to pull you in musically. And there's even an unexpected funk guitar solo at the end of the track.
And the remix? Well, it takes out that bassline and replaces it with these higher-pitched sounds, which breaks out into one of those full-blown G-funk slide whistles for the hook. It doesn't sound that great on paper, and it's not amazing on wax either; but there's a quality to the music that you don't hear on most records of its ilk. I'd say they're aiming low (on all fronts), but they're talented enough to raise it a few levels higher than their contemporaries. In other words, it's the kind of record most people who aren't square in these guys' target audience would like to dismiss and be like ah, I'm not into that shit. But if it's playing in the room, they'd have to begrudgingly nod along to the music. It's good and infectious.
Other things to note: there's a second, different solo at the end of the remix, which is also quite cool. Overall, I prefer the original mix; but this remix is different and good enough that you'll want to have both. Also, the clean versions are fun because they've been rewritten, not just edited. So they laid down all new vocals. And there's enough cursing in there that it makes the clean ones substantially different. Even the hook has to be totally reworded.
So, I mean, this is no masterpiece and nobody should be shelling out big bucks for one of these 12"s. But if you've got a pang for the kind of dirty, underground rap nobody makes anymore, this will hit the spot. Just make your impressionable, tumblr-posting youngsters cover their ears first. 8)
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