tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15328306598674044042024-03-13T15:56:12.432-04:00Werner von Wallenrod's Humble, Little Hip-Hop BlogWerner von Wallenrod's Humble, Little Hip-Hop Blog: looking at some of the most overlooked and under-appreciated hip-hop from the 70's to today. Record write-ups for hardcore vinyl enthusiasts, video posts, hip-hop documentary reviews, interviews with the artists and more.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.comBlogger1619125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-48347421906778483202024-02-29T23:19:00.001-05:002024-03-01T01:45:39.929-05:00For the No Face Fan Who Has Everything<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf_5Eq_a8wN54x07O0kcw0vrkyM3VAicAOO6G3nevTSjP1izqWXHp1fU0QX0aQZLiDmThHFUKbtooODxiSoOH2Ae4E5h8QrjCr7jypMXxsqxQ55ptR7zBAdadc60vwlhD-qy5nOI4RW4aqdYNXTX_L7GGUbn2Mu4CzPJ6pzdY0CWv2ECSO9Q7Mi0AEb0/s1424/nofake.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1424" data-original-width="904" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf_5Eq_a8wN54x07O0kcw0vrkyM3VAicAOO6G3nevTSjP1izqWXHp1fU0QX0aQZLiDmThHFUKbtooODxiSoOH2Ae4E5h8QrjCr7jypMXxsqxQ55ptR7zBAdadc60vwlhD-qy5nOI4RW4aqdYNXTX_L7GGUbn2Mu4CzPJ6pzdY0CWv2ECSO9Q7Mi0AEb0/s800/nofake.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>I've been after this release for so long, I was beginning to doubt its existence. Like, sometimes a record is at the top of your Want List because it strikes such a powerful chord in your soul: an amazing piece of music you can't do without. And sometimes it's just because it's eluded you for so long that it starts to become an obsession. This, for me, is the latter. It's no masterpiece, but it's been my white whale.<br /><br />And I don't think this started out super rare, like an independent white label that was only released in super limited quantities, possibly in a limited local market. This is a mainstream Columbia Records release from the early '90s (1991 to be exact) by a group that received regular play on MTV and was presumably available at malls across America. But I guess because it's cassette only, and an unremarkable single from a group that never really blew up or became a critical darling, that it just never really gets preserved. Like, the reason it never shows up on EBay or the like is just because people who find themselves with a copy never bother to list it. There's never been a big demand for it. Except, I've been looking for decades, and I it took 'till 2024 to finally land one.<br /><br />This is "Fake Hair Wearin'..." by <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/No.html">No Face</a></b>, yes <b>Ed Lover</b>'s old group that were briefly signed to Rush Associated. It's their second of two (or third if you count their white label 4-song sampler EP) singles of off their only album, 1990's <i>Wake Your Daughter Up</i>, featuring their only big guest <b>The 2 Live Crew</b>. 1990, remember, was pretty much their pinnacle year of controversy, when they were <i>Banned In the USA</i>, so they were a big get, if not the best rappers they could've found. It's a pretty catchy song that leans heavily into their <b>Gap Band</b> ("Burn Rubber") sample and a sung hook twists the original words into something in the same way that <b>DJ Quik</b> would do a year later - as in his <i>"just 'cause you didn't say that you wanted to fuck don't meant that you don't want to"</i> chorus for 1992's "Mo Pussy." Here it's the slightly more innocent <i>"just because your hair ain't real, don't think that I don't know the deal."</i><br /><br />But the other appeal of this song is the extreme anger they inject into the otherwise boppy, upbeat tune. Like, besides the raps and singing, they're just constantly screaming <i>"fuck you! FUCK you! Bitch! Bitch! Fuck you!"</i> 2 Live Crew do more traditional verses (where they mix in some slowed down "Planet Rock," which grounds it in a tougher, more Hip-Hop feel), but No Face's often don't even rhyme, feeling more like vile rants. It's such over-the-top hatred, you ideally wind up finding it funny. If not, then it's in the lead for most offensively misogynist Hip-Hop in the genre's history, right up there with anything <b>UGK </b>or <b>Akinyele</b> have ever done. I mean, sure it's some of both (the uncensored title on the LP is "Fake Hair Wearin' Bitch"), but in this case it's clearly meant to tongue in cheek is what I'm saying. No Face were always partially a comedy act. And the premise of dissing a girl for wearing a weave is right out of the <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/BobbyJ.html">Bobby Jimmy and the Critters</a></b>' playbook, as they had released "Hair Or Weave" just the year before. <b>Willie D</b> had "Bald Headed Hoes" around that time... That was a popular topic for a hot minute, this is really taking me back.<br /><br />Anyway, the reason I was after this cassingle was for the two exclusive B-sides. First is the "Fake Hair Wearin'... (Remix)." Since this has never been put up online ever to my knowledge, I couldn't hear it until I found a copy, and I was a little worried this was just going to be the clean version. It's produced by <b>Sexx </b>and <b>Shah </b>just like the album version and all their stuff (No Face did start out as a funk band, after all, so it's natural they tended to do their own music production), so I was ready for this just to be the sanitized edit they made for the music video. But no, happily both versions are uncensored and this is remix features an all new, never before heard instrumental with a completely different sample set. It's more of a stripped down track, with much more emphasis on the bassline and replacing all the lush Gap Band instrumentation with a little funk guitar riff. It's dope, and better during the rap portions, but the hook doesn't work nearly as well without the "Burn Rubber" groove it was made for. They should've recorded a new hook in a different style for it, but oh well, it's not terrible.<br /><br />Then the other exclusive B-side is an entirely all new song called "2 Minute Reply (U Know U Love It)," a response to "Two Minute Brother," the <b>BWP </b>song they appeared on, and which <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwM5AP1Iosg">they actually performed on <i>The Phil Donahue Show</i></a>. Of course that was a joke song about erectile dysfunction, very much in step with another Bobby Jimmy song from that period: 1991's "Minute Man Man." These guys were really driving in the same lane for a minute there in '90-'91. Anyway, this uses the same instrumental as BWP's, and the Bytches even drop in for a word or two. But it's mostly just an excuse for Ed to improvise riffs defending the fellas' injured masculinity, <i>"she gonna come around and spread that cavern-ass pussy. Shit, what you think I am, Evil Knievel? I ain't got no motorcycle! How am I supposed to jump across your pussy? Shit! I slipped on your clit and fell down that motherfucker. My man said 'watch out for that hole.' I said, 'what hooooollllllle!!?!?!??'"</i> They come up with a new hook which is pretty infectious, and they freestyle a bit, but it's mostly just talking over the track instead of proper rapping, which is disappointing.<br /><br />So both exclusives are fun to have, and it's a personal accomplishment to finally complete my No Face collection, but these aren't great songs anyone's missing out on. You can see why they're just B-side bonuses. These were designed to put a little smile on your face, and 33 years later, that's what they've done for me. :)<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-52041101093398547372024-02-16T07:12:00.002-05:002024-02-16T07:31:35.988-05:00Father MC Or Die<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZotyjXDFGuwTtFHQ3mJ_twaCHvS7XcYtHCL3Yavbhc9f6IVcJpjdAYEgFfqwyq5lvqslnShA97bOTuoTjUinD2Rr_qXC7XxCERe3GNwExXHAte4NsPbAUIOW0W_pFsbxK54hufQ0ey83sd8WTNhCYw88bSeT3FoRKSQk7MfqaHeWeKN1ZoJ9UF2SzTcU/s1697/whostheman.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1674" data-original-width="1697" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZotyjXDFGuwTtFHQ3mJ_twaCHvS7XcYtHCL3Yavbhc9f6IVcJpjdAYEgFfqwyq5lvqslnShA97bOTuoTjUinD2Rr_qXC7XxCERe3GNwExXHAte4NsPbAUIOW0W_pFsbxK54hufQ0ey83sd8WTNhCYw88bSeT3FoRKSQk7MfqaHeWeKN1ZoJ9UF2SzTcU/s800/whostheman.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Another new year, another new <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Father.html">Father MC</a></b> write-up. You think I've run out of material, no not yet. In fact, this is arguably one of the most important songs in his discography, the fulcrum point of his public image and lyrical direction, from Mr. <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-final-father-secret-nasty-one-nite.html">"Live Life Lovely, Love the Ladies, Live Life Correct"</a> to the aggressively sexual <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2012/03/father-mc-69.html">"I put my milkshake on ya tummy."</a> The legend goes that <b>Andre Harrell</b> pushed Father MC in the romantic direction. We've already seen he started out on a fresher tip with his <b>First Fleet Crew</b>; but he blew up making records like "I'll Do For You" and "Lisa Baby" with <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Fat2.html">The Soul Convention</a></b>. But for his third album, he changed. Now he was working with <b>Buttnaked Tim Dawg</b> and had a much tougher, more aggressive image. Not that he went full <b>NWA </b>or anything. But gone were the button down shirts and flat top with the blond peak; now it was leather jackets and Timbs. But there's an even more precise point in between those albums where that switch happened: on the <i>Who's the Man</i> soundtrack.<br /><br /><i>Who's the Man's</i> a pretty interesting soundtrack anyway. The <b>Ed Lover & Doctor Dre</b> movie directed by <b>Johnathan Demme</b>'s nephew, <b>Ted Demme</b>, and packed with rapper cameos naturally had to have some big songs on it, including <b>BIG</b>'s debut single and<b> Erick Sermon</b>'s debut solo venture. Somebody else vying for attention with a bit of a career move was Father MC. The song is called "Pimp Die," so yeah, the new direction is pretty hard to miss. If it wasn't obvious enough, though, it opens with the album's only skit, where Dawg is a WBUTT FM radio DJ announcing, <i>"that was Father MC featuring Jodeci, 'Treat Them Like They Want To Be Treated.' Well, Radio Land, I wonder what he has in store for '93. Maybe he'll take it to the streets."</i> So yeah, the intention's perfectly clear.<br /><br />It's got a much grittier, 90's track with rumbling bass, wailing horns, big drums and a shout chorus: <i>"what's the law? Pimp or die! What's the law?! Pimp or die!!"</i> It's not actually produced by Dawg, but by <b>T West</b> and <b>Kool Chris</b>. They were working under his wing for Dawghouse Entertainment at the time. They also did an unreleased track for <b>The Lost Boyz</b>' debut album, which Dawg also worked on. So that helps explain why "lyrics and rap" co-writing credit goes to one <b>Cocheeks</b>. That's <b>Mr. Cheeks</b>, a couple years before the Boyz broke out with their first single.<br /><br />But there's a seemingly even bigger name in the writing credits here. <b>J.Z.</b> As in<b> Jay-Z</b>!? 1993, this would put him in his post-<b>Jaz </b>sidekick, pre-<i>Reasonable Doubt</i> solo artist period, the same year he did "Can I Get Open" with <b>Original Flavor</b>, when he was really going "next level" with the lyrics. So does Jay take Father to the next level?<br /><br />Well, disappointingly, not so much in the crazy way Jay was flipping it in '93. You know, it's kind of run of the mill game talk, <i>"I'm the man, that's how I get down. I find recruits, knock the boots and then I got to skip town. I get money on the regular; every day on the highway honeys are calling on my cellular. I got a team From Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens; a bald head, leather jacket, and baggy jeans."</i> We're really just cementing the new image here. Yes, he name-checks his Timberlands, But later in the song, he gets more into old school pimp talk, which is pretty fun, <i>"taste the caramel sweet chocolate. One taste of my love makes your heart drip. Mister Man, sisters never diss the program; before I kick 'em out, I kiss ya hand. ...I get my nails done, baby, you won't be bitter. Dip my hands in the bowl and watch my rocks glitter. That's how pimply I am; pimpin' ain't hard, it's just a job, and ya really don't understand."</i><br /><br />But a lot of it's just tepid, generic rhymes, too, like,<i> "I'm gettin' money on the real, nothing's funny. Every day seems sunny when I'm chilling with my main honey."</i> Half of this feels like typical Father MC album filler, and I'm thinking Jay-Z maybe just suggested a couple individual lines. And Cheeks? Well, there's a very animated hype-man backing up Father's lyrics. His voice doesn't sound as scratchy as we all know Cheeks to be. I'd actually guess it's Tim Dawg doing it himself. But maybe in '93, Cheeks' voice sounded fresher and he's getting writing credit for improving his adlibs? That's a long shot, but it's possible. I mean, we're forced to do a lot of speculation here. Maybe J.Z. isn't even Jay-Z after all. Discogs connects them, but they don't have a perfect track record with this like that. And it's not like the credits say "Jay-Z."<br /><br />Also, it's interesting to note that on <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2022/09/father-mc-unplugged.html">the <i>Uptown Unplugged</i> album</a>, Father only got to perform the single solo song, "One Night Stand." But if you watch the full live show, you see they cut out his second song, which he introduces as <i>"a change for the better,"</i> suggesting his heart was no longer in the lovey-dovey stuff, if it ever was. Because yes, it's "Pimp Or Die." Tim Dawg gets on the stage with him to help with the hook, and it's a very different instrumental, with the band playing completely new horn riffs, and going heavy on the piano.<br /><br />Anyway, "Pimp or Die" isn't perfect, but it does the job. And it's better than most of the stuff that wound up on <i>Sex Is Law</i>, including the singles.<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-30764169803456623242024-02-06T06:39:00.003-05:002024-02-06T07:23:20.141-05:00Everybody Around Pseudo Keeps Fallin' Six Feet Deep<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCbOQlO6azF1A1ha7i_bIHus4BRb_bT_503LnFc0T1BLt9dObcICc2QNdfJ_lKW4LocF1IdRHWJDmMIVs6Aljj2GTu2LNux8E8AB7VrA7UhivVS2dbBvBumwoHTRkjhJOS5tuPYwv94f3z4cLx6MwlFzVeGkeuaL0LHiShoLRaVuuhcDyJCqpDVcpoz0/s3765/pseudonym3.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="3765" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRCbOQlO6azF1A1ha7i_bIHus4BRb_bT_503LnFc0T1BLt9dObcICc2QNdfJ_lKW4LocF1IdRHWJDmMIVs6Aljj2GTu2LNux8E8AB7VrA7UhivVS2dbBvBumwoHTRkjhJOS5tuPYwv94f3z4cLx6MwlFzVeGkeuaL0LHiShoLRaVuuhcDyJCqpDVcpoz0/s0/pseudonym3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>What's up, gang? I know it's been a little while since my last post. I wound up taking a few unexpected sick days this holiday season. But the good news is that I've spent the time building up a list of topics I'm excited to write (and vlog) about this year. So let's jump right into it! For the belated start of our new year, how about one... none of you were waiting for? 😝<br /><br />No, but stick with me here. This is an interesting one. Remember <b>Pseudonym</b>, the indie Ohio MC whose <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2019/02/someone-new-to-bite.html">early</a> <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2019/10/something-different.html">tapes</a> I wrote about in 2019? I capped that off by saying how he'd just signed to Hardcore Rap 4 Life, an interesting outfit dedicated to hardcore (naturally) <b>Onyx</b>-style 90s boom-bap throwback stuff. Yeah, the weird long-haired dude with the crayon-style album covers, a pretty weird fit. Imagine if <b>The Geto Boys</b> had replaced <b>Willie D</b> with <b>D-Mob & Cathy Dennis</b> instead of <b>Big Mike</b>. So, come on. You've gotta be at least a little but curious, right? Well, he hooked me up with that album and his two subsequent EPs, catching us up with his full discography to the present, so we can find out what that's like.<br /><br />To be fair, this step isn't 100% out of left field. He came out dissing wack MCs pretty aggressively on his previous tapes. And the fact that he rocked his own mini version of <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Ultra_Mag1.html"><b>Ultramagnetic</b></a>'s "Chorus Line," over the original beat, shows he's clearly got not just an appreciation for classic boom-bap, but a willingness to dive in.<br /><br />So 2019's <i>Frustration</i>, we're told in the intro, is an expression of our joint frustration (naturally) with the world. And in his case, particularly the music industry. It's almost entirely produced by <b>Blowin Up Beats</b> (the three skits are handled by <b>Tobe Donahue</b>), the label's house producer, and he has definitely perfected a consistent, aggressive old school sound. My favorite track on this album is "Tight," which utilizes <b>Diamond D</b>'s funky little "Soul Clap" horn with deep, bassy piano notes, hard drums, and some nice cuts by <b>DJ Etch</b>, from Pseudo's last tape. Blowin Up really does capture, across all his releases, that 90s vibe, I have to hand it to him.<br /><br />And how does Pseudo sound on it? Not bad. He definitely throws himself in with full gusto and absolute commitment. His eclectic delivery always called for a lot of energy, and you all that energy to live up to these tracks. That said, I remember saying he sometimes sounded a little overwrought on his previous EP, and that's all the more case here. All the complaints about not being a celebrated MC, like <i>"wackness gets negated when I've got a million styles just waiting to be demonstrated. But nobody wants to hear 'em,"</i> <i>"living in a city where the ego outweighs the talent,"</i> and so on just aren't that sympathetic.<br /><br /><p>And a few over-the-top bits will have your eyes rolling: <i>"in fact, I caught a motherfucker last night, talked a lot of shit and couldn't handle the fist fight. Took a blade to his skull and now he's got no eyesight. Leave the cracker brain-dead with multiple stab wounds to the head. Enough said."</i> Or the skit where a demon voice is telling him to kill. There's a horrorcore influence that just feels like the wrong direction for Pseudo to have gone in after "Super-Ego." The songs where he's just freestyling, following a flow rather than a strict topic, like "Hardcore Shit" or "Who Wants It," sound better. Then you can just nod away to an MC spitting fast and hard over a tight track without any awkward bumps.<br /><br />Ultimately, it was an interesting experiment, but I think I'm glad the Hip Hop 4 Life time is over. Though he didn't totally find his ideal lane immediately after. The title of 2022's <i>Cartoonish In Nature</i> certainly suggests a dramatic 180 from <i>Frustrated</i>. And guess who has a guest spot on here? <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Kwest.html">Kwest tha Madd Lad</a></b>! The whole EP's a collaboration with a producer named <b>Kilroywash3r3</b>, and he does a good job coming up with a creative and varied soundscape that better suits Pseudo. As a whole, though, this EP sounds a little adrift... like they said, we can say anything on here, so why not just say anything? It kind of reminds me of that period when <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Out_Sidaz.html">Eminem</a> </b>and <b>Nicki Minaj</b> just started arbitrarily rapping in faux British accents. "Obtuse" is a reflective and melodic opening where the two really blend well. Then "Psycho Losing His Shit" is like a hold over from <i>Frustrated </i>that goes even further:<br /><i><br />"It's a tragedy, like when I survived my abortion.<br />Born to bring an end of the Earth in epic proportions.<br />Yo, you want problems, we can settle them like men:<br />Smash each other with rocks until our worlds cave in.<br />Take ya back to the beginning when I didn't know shit;<br />Now I'm Hitler rising; all the girls are riding on my dick.<br />Fuck a trendsetter. Give me five minutes, he'll be a blood-letter.<br />Then I'll write a letter to his grandmother requestin' a new sweater.<br />Shit ain't a game, people do anything for the fame,<br />Endure the fucking flames before their lives go down the drain.<br />Thinking homicidal shit 'cause I ain't got a damn thing to lose;<br />Cooking culture vultures stewed with their blue suede shoes.<br />All battered and bruised, kill 'em all 'cause I hate the Jews,<br />What's the fucking use if all it does is leave us broke?"</i><br /><br />The old school horror movie organs and <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Just.html">Just-Ice</a></b> scratches on this song are dope, but lyrically, oof. Are these the outtakes Blowin Up Beats wouldn't let him put on <i>Frustrated</i>? Look, I've got a lot of <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/PE2.html">Professor Griff</a></b> albums in my collection, so I'm not going take a huge stand about the antisemitic lines... I've listened to all five of this man's releases now, and this is the only song where it's ever come up. So I think it's safe to assume he's just playing an outrageous character for shock value, as the title suggests, and not an actual Nazi looking to spread propaganda. In other songs he's called himself the Marquis de Sade, talked about stomping crews to goo, and all sorts of the usual Hip-Hop wylin'. But this whole verse sounds like some edge-lord shit he wrote when he was thirteen - it's not like that sweater line is cool - and better judgement probably should've prevailed.<br /><br />Let's just move on. Kwest sounds fresh as ever, and he has fun mixing Spanish into his verse and dropping silly punchlines. There's another guest on here, named <b>TINO</b>, who flips a tight, bouncy style, too. Kilroy's tracks are fresh and low-key that consistently compliment Pseudo. I wasn't a fan of the love song on this EP, but the instrumental worked. And "Leave 'Em Wanting More" ends things on a charming note that does what it promises.<br /><br />I could end this piece here, but Pseudo's already come out with another EP for 2023, so let's me thorough. It's called <i>Moments Like This...</i> It's more of a maxi-single (like his earlier tapes) at just four songs, one of which is only 90 seconds. It's all produced by <b>CJ Satellite</b>, a producer from Massachusetts. The opening instrumental is unusual and pretty great, bringing to mind the best parts of Pseudo's early work. Delivery-wise, he's mellowed out a bit, but I'm feeling the substance of his lyrics more, and he still flexes a quick, dexterous flow on "Never Do It Again." I think we saw Pseudonym wander off the path there, but now he's back on it.<br /><br />You can get all his CDs and tapes on <a href="https://pseudotheferalchild.bandcamp.com/merch">his bandcamp</a>, except <i>Frustrated</i>, which is still available through <a href="https://hardcorerap4life.bandcamp.com/album/frustrated">Hardcore Rap 4 Life's</a>.</p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-22913895280304664322023-12-25T00:00:00.002-05:002023-12-25T08:02:45.092-05:00Santasonic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprR8lhMWk1QczJcaY2bek3gkmiT6EPXCvqHrpacdb2cETVSWXXOsCdIuIc5Wrxiigbkt8XduAT9d1-0F9m-vnbkcmUVmqM7VT8AJzG8_te6KQn0BJzOdOvymT-ppppBluhZVi1exUzmFY_FJ4zM4PF_ik6EwTmsnIAGQqVY9hQZLjf4B21lEpb2faiqw/s5120/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%2012.07.46%E2%80%AFPM.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="5120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprR8lhMWk1QczJcaY2bek3gkmiT6EPXCvqHrpacdb2cETVSWXXOsCdIuIc5Wrxiigbkt8XduAT9d1-0F9m-vnbkcmUVmqM7VT8AJzG8_te6KQn0BJzOdOvymT-ppppBluhZVi1exUzmFY_FJ4zM4PF_ik6EwTmsnIAGQqVY9hQZLjf4B21lEpb2faiqw/s800/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%2012.07.46%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz9H02nyxBQ2F3RVeShCdYDLCsbRnT8PM6zxSyjPbxDmZFnwEq9Cp9pfV7VaR1zEfgj81OKRlagCkZScxIUdA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<b>Santa Claus</b> takes the D train to Brooklyn this year to help <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Stetsasonic.html">Stetsasonic</a></b> give the gift of music. Happy holidays, everybody! Youtube version is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCAPaydlAOs">here</a>.)</div>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-34593504947092360382023-12-21T06:27:00.000-05:002023-12-21T06:27:33.036-05:00Finally! Children Of the Corn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XJQc5mPQAtg4jSmFPi2Ol3sbnkrcXlfxm2iBPk-BuWHSe4O5QybMr4us6fYthxJK3oMDUL3XDlNNkL0XnYvbSFP2oHrafSltmRGRkhPHNC2NbMQG_GjcNfHr92N9U8CLp8V_73JeIhH6azvdDIt_ZIP9cSqiHSowR_18N-0K8DlIBhyphenhyphenz_hpI4UzLvm4/s5120/Screenshot%202023-12-21%20at%206.06.03%E2%80%AFAM.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="5120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XJQc5mPQAtg4jSmFPi2Ol3sbnkrcXlfxm2iBPk-BuWHSe4O5QybMr4us6fYthxJK3oMDUL3XDlNNkL0XnYvbSFP2oHrafSltmRGRkhPHNC2NbMQG_GjcNfHr92N9U8CLp8V_73JeIhH6azvdDIt_ZIP9cSqiHSowR_18N-0K8DlIBhyphenhyphenz_hpI4UzLvm4/s800/Screenshot%202023-12-21%20at%206.06.03%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx90njIEssd5q67AQArPTEneUKVD7SXBZy0CKrnThUE3HxBwMGyriwrD5eV79U1P9ndWePQznKOhyRgiblhWw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Okay, forces were definitely conspiring against me getting this particular video to you guys, but it's here now - the <b>Children Of the Corn</b>'s <i>Welcome To the Danger Zone</i> 2LP from Dust & Dope! Also a run-down of some other releases and interviews I've worked on, including an upcoming indie Philly restoration. Oh, and yes, I know it's almost Christmas and I am still planning to get a holiday video up in time for that, too. 🙂 Youtube version is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoOSqmnRPag">here</a>.)</div>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-56497615172896629762023-12-02T07:11:00.003-05:002023-12-03T01:27:07.037-05:00Whodini's Greatest Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXryJas0z3y21QWnZ06QjzaGdeMvE8FboUZJ2g8GaKRqMa1BaqYvOvyhoLyOvePVvDaBc0LSMSiHfvw7HGysSj-7gkBR-19_3n3QjYjNsb9dP_AdZi2nlJpBXNQwjbsECHbj9q3aQrv_guP3xfls31o0M6VF3SqpFUpcrby_pGsVruEa0oOHlRvW3qIE/s3900/whodinigh.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1924" data-original-width="3900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikXryJas0z3y21QWnZ06QjzaGdeMvE8FboUZJ2g8GaKRqMa1BaqYvOvyhoLyOvePVvDaBc0LSMSiHfvw7HGysSj-7gkBR-19_3n3QjYjNsb9dP_AdZi2nlJpBXNQwjbsECHbj9q3aQrv_guP3xfls31o0M6VF3SqpFUpcrby_pGsVruEa0oOHlRvW3qIE/s800/whodinigh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I've written before about how some artists have had exclusive, original songs on their greatest hits albums, like <b>UTFO</b>'s <i><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2007/07/something-by-utfo.html">Hits</a></i> and <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Moe.html">Kool Moe Dee</a></b>'s <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2021/11/kool-moe-dees-worst-hits.html"><i>Greatest Hits</i></a>. It's a good way to get the fans who already own all their albums to have to buy the hits compilation, too. Well, <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Whodini.html"><b>Whodini</b></a> also did it. There's a song on their 1990 <i>Greatest Hits</i> album that isn't available on any of their other albums, 12" singles, etc.<br /><br />This is kind of an interesting greatest hits album, because usually they come at the end of an artist's run on a label, like a summary at the end of a story (and it can also be a slick way for a label to finish out a contract if they don't want to continue budgeting albums for them). But this one came out in 1990, before their final album with Jive, let alone their comeback album and other great recordings that would merit inclusion on a true greatest hits collection (I mean, come on, if you're being objective, you'd have to include "It All Comes Down To Money"). And indeed, Jive wound up releasing two more, largely redundant Whodini greatest hits albums years later, neither of which include this exclusive song.<br /><br />It's also interesting that this album lists "Magic's Wand" and "Freaks Come Out At Night" as Bonus Tracks, just because it's crazy to imagine Whodini's greatest hits without those two classics. Something like "I'm a Ho," "Tricky Trick" or "Anyway I Gotta Swing It" are cool, too; but those I could see saying, well, these are just some more good songs we're sticking on as extras. But "Freaks Come Out At Night" is an absolute Whodini essential!<br /><br />Anyway, enough beating around the bush. The exclusive song is called "In the Beginning" and yes, it's a full proper song... not a skit or half-assed freestyle. And thankfully, it's produced by <b>Larry Smith</b>, so it's totally in keeping with the rest of Whodini's oeuvre, especially in that period. Deep beats, electric bass notes and drawn out, spacey keys with just some very delicate use of sparse electric guitar in the back half. It's essentially an Ecstasy solo song, although <b>Jalil </b>has the writing credit and I'm guessing the trio sings the hook (the credits don't specify), where he looks back at their rise to fame. Again, it feels like a farewell, but <i>Bag-A-Trix</i> was about to come out on the same label with all the same personnel just one year later.<br /><br />The one down-side is that it's very slowed down, giving it a properly sombre, retrospective feel. But also stripping away Whodini's usually reliable upbeat, dance energy. The gang makes sure it sounds like a true Whodini song, but not one that would be released as a single. Still, Ecstasy brings his personality to the lyrics as he documents his journey, <i>"we've come a long way, baby, we've suffered through thick and thin. And if I had to do it over again, it would be with you, my friend."</i> And yeah, he still can't resist throwing in the odd cheese-ball line: <i>"a good education did for me what Lipton did for tea."</i><br /><br />Like all these songs recorded specifically to be added to the <i>Greatest Hits</i> albums, it isn't quite a greatest hit itself. But it doesn't deserve to be forgotten either. "In the Beginning" is really well done, and definitely designed to appeal to serious Whodini fans. So if that's you, and you missed this the first time around (because after all, having to buy a whole other album just for one song really was a con), be sure to track it down.<br />Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-57678035426057645452023-11-12T07:21:00.000-05:002023-11-12T07:21:03.891-05:00On the Mic: Luke Sick, Controlled By Gamma Light<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq3-i60T6jWyUd7f2fXN4bg78936lLcjAkv8Kb1k6LrAT7m2jx0Ys53NNfoUgDjB5w4Umhl44-QqCtRVz-PGumOF5_ivUlVF8aC6K4XvqWCfVgyBt9-u9ZlJWR__UWnPDabKD6KzFgacgUptAMcJunAvLyy8g3gX5GpE4N8FvNELvMfTS80cnvVIjvL0/s1435/lukesicktacked.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="908" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBq3-i60T6jWyUd7f2fXN4bg78936lLcjAkv8Kb1k6LrAT7m2jx0Ys53NNfoUgDjB5w4Umhl44-QqCtRVz-PGumOF5_ivUlVF8aC6K4XvqWCfVgyBt9-u9ZlJWR__UWnPDabKD6KzFgacgUptAMcJunAvLyy8g3gX5GpE4N8FvNELvMfTS80cnvVIjvL0/s800/lukesicktacked.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>Aw yeah, it's about that time of year again, and <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Sacred_Hoop.html">Luke Sick</a></b> is back with a new solo album on Megakut Records. It's called <i>Tacked Out In the Gamma Light</i>, and produced entirely by the homey <b>QM</b>. I have to confess, even after listening closely to the album, which uses the phrase in the opening track, I'm not exactly sure what he means by the gamma light. Stage lights maybe? Or he does have a line that goes, <i>"convulse, turn into the Hulk."</i> I mean, I feel like it's an <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Ultra_Mag1.html">Ultramagnetic MC</a></b>s reference. <i>"Technic twelve hundreds are combined to rotate swiftly left to right. On the mix: Red Alert, controlled by gamma light"</i> is famously from "Bait." But I'm not sure what <b>Kool Keith</b> meant by it either. Maybe nobody really does, and maybe that's all part of the charm.<br /><br />Outside of a few mysterious phrases like this, <i>Tacked Out</i> is an otherwise utterly uncomplicated album. Ten short vocal tracks and a final instrumental, all solo songs except for one quick guest verse by QM, which immediately recalls the energy of their past <b>On Tilt</b> tapes. Otherwise, Luke's basically just going off on loose topics of MCing, smoking and kicking it with the crew to create attitude and atmosphere: <i>"arrived at the spot with a crispy-ass twenty, '89 mentality, got 'em pinchin' like a penny. But hand me the overweight fluffy for a good custy, Buddhahead Buckethead with the bud leaf. Before I spark it, 'cause the market's hella dangerous, gotta smell check and make sure it ain't angel dust. Suckaz can't hang wit us, lames is just ridin' on the tails of the coat, 'bout to get kicked in the throat."</i> Hell, the song titles alone tell you all you'll need to know: "The Beer Is Cold," "Blunts Upon a Time," "The Mess Is Yours (The Rest Is Ours)."<br /><br />And the production shares the same mentality: simple yet deceptively effective, short loops over tight beats using samples you won't recognize. Two tracks feature live bass played by someone named <b>Joe Nobriga</b>, which does give them a little more of
an organic feel when you really pay attention, but you wouldn't know it
was live instrumentation if it wasn't in the liner notes. If it wasn't clear, that's a compliment. It's all tightly calculated to keep you nodding along to Luke's words, although there are a couple extra-catchy tracks at the end of the album that'll steal your attention. "Bust Y'all" has some extra heavy bass and a fun mash-up of <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Kane.html">Big Daddy Kane</a></b> and<b> <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Joe.html">Joeski Love</a></b> quotes for the hook. "Troopin' Thru the Venue" features a wild, religious-sounding vocal sample looped through the whole song. And "All the Hustlers" is an especially smooth way to close out the show.<br /><br /><i>Tacked Out</i> is available on cassette only, limited to 100 copies, and comes as a cool looking <b><span style="color: #ffa400;">orange </span></b>tape with a full-color fold-out J-card. It's already sold out on Megakut's bandcamp page, but as of this writing, there are still a few available on QM's.<br /><br />Now if you're reading this thinking, gee, just one album? Hasn't Luke come out with like, four or five albums every other time you've posted about him in the last couple years? Oh yeah. Since we last checked in, he's also released a new album with <b>Bad Shane</b> (their second after <i><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2023/01/rogue-player-remixed.html">Rogue Titan</a></i>) called <i>Woofer Crust</i> on cassette, limited to 100 copies, as well as a new vinyl EP (limited to 250 copies) called <i>P.O.A.</i>, due out later this month. There's also an all new, second LP with <b>Wolfagram </b>called <i>Garshas </i>available from Iron Lung, 350 on traditional <b>black </b>and 150 on <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">lime green</span></b> vinyl. And there's a new <b>CCCRRCCSSLLRRKKRRSSS </b>album, which is a largely instrumental project Luke is part of, but does also feature some vocals by him, on limited edition CD (apparently only 25 copies), plus a shorter EP version on cassette, limited to just 20 copies. So don't worry; he's not showing any signs of slowing down. I do wish some of these limited editions weren't quite so limited, though.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-44785057884443373972023-11-07T01:50:00.004-05:002023-11-07T02:16:08.550-05:00Why Not To Name Your Group The "Verbal Assassins"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC91KTndTbVjZvHhIaWEARKTdeWQ3cUfMO0qoMC2WjODBkZ56dXM5MoU6yHKgqLxg9uSiidOBnXsq79J177LRrCGutFwCQ6KLtA-nIm8PPCpXLnR-bdAlppPIZVTLGV8dtIEZBz8HGDkBZihu8hk-rSjNPRrn-5G4Jbn3-w82J2rKq0UlOvnLscBbtHI/s2831/verbalassassins.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2779" data-original-width="2831" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjC91KTndTbVjZvHhIaWEARKTdeWQ3cUfMO0qoMC2WjODBkZ56dXM5MoU6yHKgqLxg9uSiidOBnXsq79J177LRrCGutFwCQ6KLtA-nIm8PPCpXLnR-bdAlppPIZVTLGV8dtIEZBz8HGDkBZihu8hk-rSjNPRrn-5G4Jbn3-w82J2rKq0UlOvnLscBbtHI/s800/verbalassassins.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>So, I have this rare CD single I've been thinking about writing about. It's from 1998, not on discogs or mentioned anywhere else online that I can find. And I really don't know anything about it except what's printed on the front and what I can hear on the disc. It's by a group called the <b>Verbal Assassins</b>, so I decided to look them up to see if I could find anything out, and sheesh.<br /><br />First of all, I'm highly confident that these are not the same Verbal Assassins as in <b>Crazy Sam and da Verbal Assassins</b>, the <i>Video Music Box</i> "Nervous Thursdays" VJ and his crew who put out one weird, little album in 1994. For one thing, these guys are from Virginia, as they point out in one of their songs. But that barely narrows it down, because "Verbal Assassins" seems to be a very popular rap group name, even though none of them ever had a hit song. So it might be a bit of a cursed choice.<br /><br />Let's see. If they're from VA, they're surely not <a href="https://www.soundclick.com/verbalassassinsnj">these <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a>, who helpfully point out that they're from NJ, probably because they've gotten notes from people looking for info on one of the other Verbal Assassin crews. And <a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/theverbalassassins">these <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a> are from South Africa. <a href="https://soundcloud.com/krystal-fleming/fall-through-the-cracks-ft-verbal-assassins-produced-by-k-styles">These <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a> are from Australia. <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/6963584-Verbal-Assassinz">These <b>Verbal Assassinz</b></a> are from Alabama and don't even spell the name right. I don't know where <a href="https://music.apple.com/us/artist/verbal-assassins/1510651373">these <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a> are from, but they sound way too young and new. Same with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0CdJurxJFQ">these <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a>. <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/644589-Verbal-Assassins">These <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a> are too new and from the wrong place. <a href="https://aaronhillsworld.com/bio">This guy was in a group called <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a>, but that was in Baltimore. <a href="https://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/sketch.shtml">This other guy formed a group called the <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a>, and he's from Virginia, but it was just a duo, and there's more cats in my group. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EP36TJ7Hp0">These <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a> are white, and from the lyrics here, that rules them out. Here's <a href="https://www.deezer.com/us/album/85435212">an interesting <b>Verbal Assassins</b> group</a>, but they sound nothing like the ones on my CD.<br /><br />I was really starting to think it was actually <a href="https://www.discogs.com/artist/5115628-The-Verbal-Assassins-VA">these <b>Verbal Assassins</b></a>: black with several members, from VA and around the same time period. But <a href="http://www.ugrap.de/reviews/album-reviews/the-verbal-assassins-v-a-the-black-usual-suspects/">this unflattering review</a> of their album lists member names (<b>Elsagandoe</b>, <b>Supreme</b>, <b>K-Otic</b>, <b>Erupt</b>, <b>Lowe Digga</b> and producer <b>Styles da Grinch</b>) that I don't hear on this CD and talks about club tracks, which doesn't sound like this crew's style. Plus, their imprint was Unshakeable Visions, and my group's is Hocus Pocus Records. Of course, that's not to say and up and coming rap group couldn't have switched indie labels in the course of two years, but taken all together, all these indicators are reading a big "mmm... probably not" to me. And I think groups named Verbal Assassins might just be more prevalent in Virginia because their state code is V.A.<br /><br />These Verbal Assassins are five MCs, one seems to be saying his name is <b>Sean Don</b>, another is <b>Baby Boy</b> and a third might be <b>Murder I</b>. And they mention <i>"Shakim on the wheels,"</i> though unfortunately none of these three songs feature any turntablism. They basically blur the line between lyrical freestyle rhymes and street talk, with a bit of a <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Natural_E.html">Natural Elements</a></b> influence, though they don't quite have <b>Charlemagne</b>'s classic production. "Open Mic" is just a non-stop freestyle with each MC taking a turn to flex his skills over a simple battle rap loop and no hook. "Rush Hour" is a little more street and does have a hook, and "Adolescence" turns even further, with a more musical sample and some serious warnings for the young bloods. All three beats are serviceable, but the selling point is definitely the MCing, with writing styles veering from creative metaphors to punchlines. A couple of the lines are stale even for their time (<i>"fuck with more women than a lesbian," "make 'em scream 'uhhh' like Master P"</i>), but they're mostly pretty slick, with distinctive voices and vocal styles to boot. One guy will be fast and smooth, then the next dude sounds like <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Hemis_Fear.html">Vooodu</a></b>, saying:<br /><br /><i>"Comin' from the underground, ambush this industry.<br />Catch it from all angles: physically, mentally.<br />Y'all niggas feel me; and if you don't understand:<br />My crew secretes verses, touchin' every gland.<br />Storm troopin' in your sanctuary,<br />See the views of a young, black visionary<br />With murderous vocabulary.<br />Seein' through your crew like lace panties;<br />Guzzle 'em down like E&J brandy<br />Liq-uor. Feel the script-ure,<br />But not visible. Verses: they rip through your physical,<br />Battles: they injure you. I enter this rap<br />Domain and give 'em all my thesis,<br />My opinions; speeches crush the opposition.<br />Leave a trail of shattered craniums on my mission.<br />Give me that mic and ball up in fetal position.<br />Feel the illness all up in your mom's uterus,<br />'Cause I move swiftly, usin' assassin tactics.<br />The new school of Hip-Hop, yes, I'm born again.<br />Break out the germ in this<span style="color: #45818e;">[? maybe "German-ness?"]</span>, cast into this world of sin.<br />It's like I'm torn between Heaven and Hell,<br />Neither wants me:<br />The fallen angel, enter the Elm Street."</i><br /><br />Honestly, the more I listen, the more it continues to grow on me. I'd love to discover more from these guys, but it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack where each straw is another rap group also calling themselves Verbal Assassins. Seriously, I wish more up and coming artists respected when a name is already taken.<br />Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-51453895809307258022023-10-31T00:00:00.000-04:002023-10-31T00:00:00.161-04:00Def Semetery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1-NeAFjAHHTHh3s8FOAo-TpAmRuC-ertc27KVo6RNKQSV5QbgB9K_TfYhnP0G7mZ5oXjyq8Wxi8L0GtPLYqCzitfNAN6hX0vFpoHZZvFgF_vmvFlbYA2FIB9QJxfi9fCViLohdl26xYNLFRhd2EjXNbfW6tI-pcfZBpt-5cBxUL0_NN_DHoplK71y6A/s5120/Screenshot%202023-10-29%20at%204.06.59%E2%80%AFAM.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="5120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1-NeAFjAHHTHh3s8FOAo-TpAmRuC-ertc27KVo6RNKQSV5QbgB9K_TfYhnP0G7mZ5oXjyq8Wxi8L0GtPLYqCzitfNAN6hX0vFpoHZZvFgF_vmvFlbYA2FIB9QJxfi9fCViLohdl26xYNLFRhd2EjXNbfW6tI-pcfZBpt-5cBxUL0_NN_DHoplK71y6A/s800/Screenshot%202023-10-29%20at%204.06.59%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyo4FTDfLsGlXRU8kRlMpMTEeQHQsvVd9J0TxBl0coTAExQ3dNJUmTLWEl145EX5aYu5rnYB0LP3VznG43YCQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">(A legit horrorcore group that for some reason never gets mentioned. Youtube version is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz2iQLBH8tM">here</a>. <b><span style="color: #b45f06;"> Happy Halloween!</span></b>)</div>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-37851462937213064222023-10-13T06:58:00.003-04:002023-10-13T06:58:54.106-04:00The Lost Deep Puddle Dynamics Interview<p><span style="color: #45818e;">I did not do this interview; I can take no credit for it except that I (sort of) commissioned it and got <i>The Source</i> to post it online back in 1999. And I think I minimally copy-edited it, because I was doing that for everything that got posted there in those days; but as I recall, it didn't need much at all. I never posted this on my blog ("necro'd" it) because, again, it's not my writing. You can tell; all that expository text really isn't my style. But this vintage <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Deep.html">Deep Puddle Dynamics</a></b> interview is no longer online, and hasn't been for decades. I'm pretty sure if I don't share it, it will be forever lost to the ages, so I'm posting it for you all to enjoy now in 2023 as a tiny bit of Hip-Hop history. Enjoy!</span><br /><br />"Hello?"<br />"Yeah is Del - I mean Jel - there?"<br />"Yeah, Del's here."<br />"No, I mean Jel. <br />"Yeah, Del. Catch a Bad One. I'll go get him."<br />"Word."<br />"Which one?"<br />"What?"<br />"Which word?"<br />"Um - chicken."<br />"Cool. I'll go get him."<br /><br />I'll probably never know which member of Deep Puddle Dynamics (besides Jel) answered the phone that afternoon. The smart money is on Slug, but whoever it was, I doubt he even remembers the interaction. Regardless, it pretty much reflects the dichotomy of the entire crew: For a bunch of guys who're trying to take hip-hop to the next, mind-expanding level, the members of Deep Puddle Dynamics are a bunch of goofballs.<br /><br />Deep Puddle Dynamics didn't come together like most groups do. All of the MCs (Slug, Dose, Sole and Alias) had distinct musical careers before they assembled as a group and have continued to work on their solo projects all along. And, even though Deep Puddle Dynamics is set to drop later this year, all four are working on a whole slew of solo albums and collaborations with and as other groups. Everyone involved is about putting out product and keeping their fans equipped with dope music.<br /><br />The MCs of Deep Puddle are a unique cast of characters, to say the least. Slug, straight out of Minnesota and the Rhymesayers crew, is practically a superhero in the Midwest underground, albeit a rather tall and gangly one. Many fans and MCs in Minnesota, Chicago and surrounding areas are literally awestruck in his presence. He has the charisma and ability (pun intended; his DJ's name is Abilities) to truly control the mic and the crowd. As for Dose, underground MC Eyedea has described him as the James Joyce of hip-hop. Some audiences don't know how to react when he hits the stage. Now living in Cincinnati by way Philadelphia and a bunch of other places, the 1200 Hobos MC wraps words and thought around the average listener's gray matter and squeezes hard. Sole, the short and kinda stocky former frontman for The Live Poets, is a physical counterpoint to Slug. Originally from Maine, now living in Oakland, he's self-described excessive talker and charismatic mic controller. Alias, one of Sole's old partners in crime from Maine, is much quieter and more reserved than the other three. Maybe it's his marriage. This calm exterior hides a propensity to lyrically snap hard on a track. Production for the group is usually split between Jel, Mayonnaise, Alias, Abilities, and ANT (of Atmosphere).<br /><br />Most of their interviews are nightmares for the conventional journalist. You ask them a serious question, and they fuck with you. You ask them a not so serious question, and they still fuck with you. Jel, one of their producers, told me about an interview they had with some German magazine while in California.<br /><br />"She kept on asking us these real deep questions, like 'What's your definition of hip-hop?' and 'What are trying to do with your music?' We just sat on the on the couch and had a blast. She didn't know what to say after a while."</p><p>That's what I had to look forward to that afternoon. This June, all of the components of Deep Puddle were together in Chicago for a show - a truly rare occasion - and on this Saturday they d gathered in one place: Jel's crib. So I got to do an interview with all of these components out on the lawn in front of Jel's apartment.<br /><br />The members of Deep Puddle have a penchant for spinning works of complete fiction during their interviews. The problem for the interviewer is that they're so damn good at it, it's hard to tell the difference between the fiction and the reality. They're great at building off each other while creating a story, and even better at telling you with a complete straight face that it's all true. Of course, when you're going over your notes, you realize that it was all a joke, but it sounds feasible at the time. I mean, how likely is at that Alias and Mayonnaise can't drive through Michigan anymore because they held up a pumpkin patch with two pale-skinned Goth women?<br /><br />Okay, so maybe I didn't fall for that one, but they got me with another, the details of which I won't divulge (something about Sole witnessing Bushwick Bill getting beat-down in Texas). But, hey, I didn't take offense. It was all in good fun.<br /><br />All of Deep Puddle agreed afterwards, however, that this was the most serious interview they had ever done. The reason being they were, in their own words, "humbled" by the previous night's concert. But more on that later.<br /><br />The members of Deep Puddle were united by pure musical appreciation, of other artists and each other. Although Sole and Alias, who d grown up together in Maine, had already recorded albums as The Live Poets, all they knew of Slug and Dose was their music. Then, they all came together at an Aceyalone concert.<br /><br />"We all loved each-other's music and wanted to do a project," Sole said, "And we said, Fuck it, let's all just come to Minneapolis. We all just scrapped everything we'd done to do something different, <span style="color: #45818e;">[and]</span> in doing so, we - for me - redefined hip-hop, what I want to do. It was totally life-changing."<br /><br />It all finally came together a little over a year ago, in a nearly week long, extended recording session at Slug's house. A bunch of Minnesota sunsets, one funeral and countless cigarettes and blunts later, Deep Puddle Dynamics was finished, and the crew was satisfied.<br /><br />"We vibed off of it. We just sparked the whole thing," Slug says. "And now, it's like everything that I get involved with has progressed way past what I used to be when I released <i>Overcast!</i> <span style="color: #45818e;">[his last album with Atmosphere]</span>."<br /><br />That week long session affected all of Deep Puddle emotionally.<br /><br />"I still listen to the album and look at the pictures, and every time I do, I just get a warm feeling, like, this is such a great thing to happen," Sole says.<br /><br />Alias agrees, "I didn't know what to expect but, like, it was a warm feeling to know all of us, not knowing each other, could get together and just rush an album basically in a matter of three days <span style="color: #45818e;">[of recording]</span>."<br /><br />"That weekend was like, none of us knew each other," Jel adds. "We might have met at a certain point, but after that weekend it was like " he paused as Slug snapped his fingers. "Yeah, it was like a family."<br /><br />Sole continues, impassioned, "After I met Slug and Dose and Jel, I felt closer to them than anyone else in the world, plus Mayonnaise and Alias. I felt these were like my best friends. We're all drawing from each other and pushing each other <span style="color: #45818e;">[as artists] </span>and nobody's satisfied. We just keep pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing. And I don't think it's ever gonna stop. I was humbled by the whole thing."<br /><br />It was emotional on other levels for Slug as well. That week he d severed ties with a close friend and lost a grandfather. During the drive to the funeral, with his mother, his son and his son's mother, he sat and wrote a verse. This verse became his part of "June 26th, 1998," a track Deep Puddle considers a culmination of the entire week.<br /><br />"I think this group we have is really good for showing and proving," Dose concludes, "I think that's what we did. Since we did Deep Puddle, a lot more innovative stuff between the four of us, and all of our friends, has been done. But it was Deep Puddle that really gave us a perspective."<br /><br />The previous night's show left Deep Puddle feeling deeply conflicted. Slug didn't even want to talk about it at first. Everyone else grumbled about how frustrated and annoyed they were on how the show went down. But what left them so "humbled" by the experience was that, in many ways, it was a disaster waiting to happen. After it was all said and done, the audience left happy.<br /><br />The concert itself would be any crew's nightmare. It was disorganized, to say the least. Not too long before the first act went on, there was a serious chance that the show would be cancelled, because the promoters said not enough people had shown up. Mayonnaise said he'd already packed his records and was ready to go, when the opening act went on.<br /><br />The venue itself didn't help either. They performed on a stairwell in the lobby of a large concert hall. The really high ceiling made the acoustics sound terrible. "It sounded like we were performing in St. Patrick's Cathedral," Alias quips.<br /><br />And like every troubled show, they had to contend with the soundman. But they all agreed that he was basically a nice guy, just out of his element.<br /><br />"He dressed like a wedding DJ," Dose remarks, as everyone murmured in agreement. "He had it on him. He smelled like a wedding DJ."<br /><br />"You could tell by the cordless mics," Slug agrees. He and Dose then proceeded to discuss whether or not the mics smelled like cake or Macy's.<br /><br />The cordless mics were another source of trouble. Apparently someone forgot to change their batteries before the show, so they buzzed really loud during the performances.<br /><br />"Let that be a lesson to you," Slug says. "As much as rappers wish they had cordlesses so they could, I don't know, stage dive - or whatever the fuck it is that they wanna do - corded mics are a lot more dependable."<br /><br />Furthermore, they had to perform without monitors. As an attempt to remedy this, they faced the DJ speakers at the top stairwell outwards, but even that didn't work.<br /><br />"Actually, it was kinda funny, 'cause all we could hear coming through our monitors was our vocals, which was really weird," Slug says. "So at least we could hear what we were saying, but we already knew what we were saying, so "<br /><br />And, on top of all that, the DAT machine stopped working midway through the show, forcing the crew to perform sans music. Phenomenally, this didn't set Deep Puddle back at all. In fact, it helped give the show its really unique character.<br /><br />"At that point we were like, 'We can't rock beats any more. Let's just do it acappella,'" Sole explains, "And Dose loves doing acappellas anyway."<br /><br />So, for reasons that Dose couldn't fully explain, halfway through his set of the show, he instructed everyone in the audience to sit down on the steps while he read his poetry for almost 10 minutes--not something you see everyday.<br /><br />"I was just doing what's in me, and that's what s cool about it: it wasn't contrived, it was natural," Dose beams. "And in my opinion, the type of shows I want to walk away from - it's that type of stuff. Because naturally, I'm a nervous wreck, so I have to put effort into being relaxed and happy, and things like that helped." But the audience loved it.<br /><br />"So, like, it went from like a hip-hop show gone bad to almost a slam, and that's something these kids have never seen before," Sole says. He then concludes, "I didn't have a good time performing until we started doing the acappella shit."<br /><br />The entire audience had a great time. Deep Puddle credits the audience's reaction for transforming the evening from a disaster to a life-affirming experience. Fans that Deep Puddle didn't even know they had showed up and gave they crazy love.<br /><br />"Afterwards, it was like, 'You guys are fucking freaks! You are fucking crazy! You guys moved me!'" Sole exclaims. "And we had all the conversations afterwards with kids who knew our stuff, had heard our stuff. It s just a nice feeling to know that you're not doing it for nothing. Forever we've done it for nobody, just each other." Since it was the first time that Deep Puddle had performed for its fans, they were especially troubled that the conditions at the venue were so atrocious.<br /><br />"See, it would have been different had we played unknown, opening for some known group, and the sound was that bad; we would've looked at it differently," Slug explains. "But since everybody was so cool to us and so nice to us, that the sound thing sucked But we still walked away from it feeling good about the audience."<br /><br />"Last night I think I came into my own, performing," Dose says. "And only because I had confidence that was genuine. With all these guys behind me, I could truly be myself. That's never been the case before. It was like I was myself on stage for the first time. And it was because I had these three guys with me. It brought so much to me."<br /><br />But not everyone in attendance appreciated Deep Puddle's show. One wannabe MC in particular took it upon himself to challenge the crew to a battle as the show wound to a close. He wanted to battle Dose; big mistake. In all honestly, it was over before it started, and actually pretty embarrassing. Dose quickly showed his lyrical superiority, and the challenger was unable to mount even a basic comeback. Soon the crowd was chanting for the guy to get the hell off the stage.<br /><br />That's almost a metaphor for what we're doing," Sole reflects. "We want these people to listen to our records. And if you take someone like that up on stage, and they're doing their DMX impersonations, and you got Dose doing Dose, it's just funny."<br /><br />Dose himself didn't take the whole thing too personally, and even though he made the guy look like a schmuck, he says he didn't try to totally destroy him. He admits, "I went in there and I didn't mean to be mean or angry with that kid; I just had a blast and let him completely reflect himself in me. He was just being a fool, so I gave him what he wanted for dinner, and then it was mellow. It was just a mellow battle."<br /><br />Slug agrees, and explains how the entire encounter really reflects what the group is trying to accomplish musically. "That kid, when he came up, wanted to hate on Dose in general 'cause he couldn't understand Dose. And then, afterwards, I was talking to kid, and he was like, 'Yo, I'm from out East, and out East we do it a little different. But I gotta say, you guys got your own sound, your own thing, and I think it's really dope.' We could present what we re doing. Granted, we're coming from four different things as it is. And if we can push it all together and present it and have cats accept it like that, to me that's what it's all about. Quit writing out of your head and start writing with your heart."<br /><br />After the interview is over, a small brown rabbit comes out of the brush and hops leisurely across the lawn. Dose points and exclaims, "Look! A rabbit."<br /><br />"Let's get it," Slug replies.<br /><br />"You wanna?" Dose says, and then looks at Slug for half a beat. They both then spontaneously break out in a sprint across the lawn towards the fleeing rabbit.<br /><br />They chase it down the alley along the house, onto the nearby street, towards a large brown house. As they turn the corner into the yard, Jel says, "Yeah, they're having fun now, but wait 'till they run into the dog that lives in that house."<br /><br />On cue, the dog bellows three or four times, and Slug and Dose run back in the opposite direction, to the rest of us congregated on Jel's lawn. As they approach, out of breath, Slug says, "You know what's the worst thing about hip-hop? Chasing rabbits through the streets."<br /><br />Dose adds, "I think we just changed the course of nature. That dog probably killed that rabbit. We hit the lawn and the dog went directly for it."<br /><br />Deep Puddle then heads back into Jel's apartment trading jokes and insults all the while. <br /></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-38699619109256029572023-10-07T03:31:00.001-04:002023-10-07T03:32:31.249-04:00Yeahhhhhh Get Ready Ta Roll<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqm2CUbeQN653FBld0kd-TyUrtz566pOxIL-XIewuBSfPTUucLvoUijiv3rxRlrFu4dK5Bb1TL9z2P8IyVUguMxft0ETkSPDbYBod8tzoAEwkguAQUbhXRxg3V__ejaNx29e-kamvWW686ZrjYF0MHmAAz_gGToSG7uFUObd3otBv7KjzLTYqwLGVKI3k/s1702/readytaroll.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1684" data-original-width="1702" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqm2CUbeQN653FBld0kd-TyUrtz566pOxIL-XIewuBSfPTUucLvoUijiv3rxRlrFu4dK5Bb1TL9z2P8IyVUguMxft0ETkSPDbYBod8tzoAEwkguAQUbhXRxg3V__ejaNx29e-kamvWW686ZrjYF0MHmAAz_gGToSG7uFUObd3otBv7KjzLTYqwLGVKI3k/s800/readytaroll.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>In 1992, an indie New Jersey rap crew put out their first record under the handle <b>2 Hard Ta Handle</b> called "That Girl," which combined kind of a pop dance track based on <b>Alicia Myer</b>'s oft looped "I Want To Thank You" (<b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Father.html">Father MC</a></b> and the <b>Fu-Schnickens</b> used it that same year). After that, they toughened up their image and came out as <b>Ready Ta Roll</b> with two harder and more impressive 12"s: 1993's "The Real Hip-Hop" and 1994's "Drug Game." After that, they split up, though their lead MC, <b>Supreme</b>, carried on into production, doing a bunch of stuff for bigger artists like <b>AZ </b>and <b>LL Cool J</b>.<br /><br />Anyway, those two Ready Ta Roll 12"s became rather pricey, sought after minor grails in the "random rap" sphere. But luckily, last year, they were reissued as a new EP with all the A and B sides from both singles, including the instrumentals. Plus, even more excitingly, two never before released bonus tracks.<br /><br />So, as you can guess from the titles, the "The Real Hip Hop" / "Ready Ta Roll" is a little more on the backpacker tip, talking about <i>"lyrical skills"</i> and taking <i>"your very next show and let's turn it to a battle date."</i> The production is both smooth and raw with big boom-bap drums and crisp jazzy samples. And Supreme's got a deep, hard voice (which was even impressive on "That Girl"). You'll fall in love with this music on the first listen. But if there's a weakness, it's that lyrically, he can be a little stiff. Also, the hook on the first track also name-drops all the big artists of the day (<i>"the real Hip-Hop, you know the kind of Hip-Hop Pete Rock and CL Smooth got? The real Hip-Hop, the real Hip-Hop, you know the kind of Hip-Hop Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg got?"</i>) feels a little gimmicky and more than a little ass-kissy.<br /><br />There's some very 90's shout hooks, which anybody nostalgic for the 90s will especially appreciate. "Ready Ta Roll" lets their DJ <b>Tysheen </b>get on the mic, and he's pretty dope, too. That's good, since he doesn't get to do much scratching on here. Only the B-side to their second 12" really let him lay down some cuts with a tight <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Lakim.html">Lakim Shabazz</a></b> vocal sample. Tysheen gets on the mic on that one, too, though you almost wouldn't notice, since he's just as capable an MC as Supreme. But "Drug Game" is their classic. It's got their most addictive production and a serious message that feels heart-felt rather than preachy. Even when he brings up <i>"the devil's tricknology,"</i> it feels like it's coming from a place of genuine anger and frustration rather than some finger-wagging principal.<br /><br />So yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, but what about the exclusive bonus tracks already? Well, honestly, one is a lot more exciting than the other, so let's work our way upwards. The first is a never-before released remix of "Drug Game." It doesn't say so on the label anywhere, but I'm pretty sure this is a new remix, created for this EP. It's produced by a Greek DJ named <b>Jazzy Chavo</b>, who I don't think was even active in the music scene back when "Drug Game" was originally recorded. But it's still dope. He brings in an entirely new sample set for this mix, but keeps the original drums so the vocals don't sound out of place. And this new track is moody, subtle and strikes a similar mood of jazziness without being too dark. I can't imagine any fan of these 90s tracks not digging this new take on the material.<br /><br />Finally, there's "Live Episode," which when I first saw it listed in the track-listing was going to be a live recording of the crew freestyling on a local radio station or taped at a vintage show. But no, it's a proper, fully studio produced Ready Ta Roll song, recorded in 1995 but just wasn't able to be released before the crew broke up. The production is just as crispy as the songs from their two 12"s. Supreme, now using the name <b>Chop Diesel</b> and Tysheen are both back on the mic, and Tysheen gets another chance on the turntables as well, cutting up a little "Just Rhymin' With Biz." It's absolutely as fresh as their last two singles, even better than some of the songs.<br /><br />Limited to 250 vinyl copies (in a full picture cover) or 300 CD copies from Hip-Hop Enterprises, this is an excellent way to pick up Ready Ta Roll's rare material. And even those deep collectors who've got both original 12" will want this for the killer '95 track (and stay for that slick remix). I got mine a little late (did I mention this came out in '22?), so it's only available direct from the label on CD, but as of this writing, the wax still appears to be in stock at VinylDigital, Juno and places like that.<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-71711720553810987802023-09-24T08:34:00.002-04:002023-09-24T08:34:32.340-04:00Unagi, Too<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-YFMJucPNbcOJ0rU6X5KXt_e8SMDXkcVxrlQSaYHzlth8Abpx0Cg6FwWzwfSYcxymw_kfmb78ngAd65y30OEz9g4pTdQQII8EO48Id9fIIlfRIkSHuttbmIcxOUGafyCNx-cxzkbH04bW5yZpqBp49XB_4GQGA8vHNULIKjLN2uqRNtMc7AaZCiwiRo/s2480/unagi2.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2247" data-original-width="2480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-YFMJucPNbcOJ0rU6X5KXt_e8SMDXkcVxrlQSaYHzlth8Abpx0Cg6FwWzwfSYcxymw_kfmb78ngAd65y30OEz9g4pTdQQII8EO48Id9fIIlfRIkSHuttbmIcxOUGafyCNx-cxzkbH04bW5yZpqBp49XB_4GQGA8vHNULIKjLN2uqRNtMc7AaZCiwiRo/s800/unagi2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>You may remember me posting <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2022/06/kick-tires-and-light-fires-with-unagi.html">a review of an instrumental album by producer </a><b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2022/06/kick-tires-and-light-fires-with-unagi.html">Unagi</a> </b>saying, "listening to this gets me more excited to check out a vocal
album." Well, I guess he was listening, because - while he has occasionally rapped on songs before - he's just dropped his first proper vocal album where he's both the MC and producer. Now, real quick, just in case I've got any residual influence left, I want to say: I think <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Special.html">Special Ed</a></b> and <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Slick.html">Slick Rick</a></b> should record an album together. Okay, now watch this space in 2024.<br /><br />Meanwhile, back to the new Unagi LP. It's called <i>Terminally Eel</i>, and the title is one of several eel puns he's named his albums after. I actually only recently got it now because I googled the name "Unagi." It comes from <a href="https://mario.fandom.com/wiki/Unagi_the_Eel">the eel in <i>Super Mario 64</i></a>. Anyway, <i>Terminally</i>'s an album of mostly all new songs, each of which are 100% full vocal tracks. I say "mostly" because a few of these songs are remixes of rare vocal tracks from his past: "U Stole My Heart" is from 2009's <i>Reinventing the Eel</i>, "Sunshine" is from 2011's <i>All Set</i> and I think "Excuse Me" was an online only joint from 2021.<br /><br />So if you're new to Unagi as an MC, he's got a relaxed, low key voice and simple flow you're either going to vibe with or not. The most direct analog, I think, is <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Park.html"><b>mcenroe</b></a>, who's always kicked a pretty similar sound. But his subtle yet jazzy production - which, actually, is also pretty in tune with the Peanuts & Corn gang - will be harder for anyone to dismiss. There's more of a uniformity to the sound on this LP. We don't really get any bouncy tracks, or high energy ones. It's smooth, cool, but when you pay attention, they're pretty hearty, with a lot of rich samples.<br /><br />An underlying theme of this album is aging, specifically in Hip-Hop, and some of the conflict inherent in becoming a mature artist in a genre often known for its brashness. But Unagi approaches this in a considerably more wry way than, say, <b>Whirlwind D</b>. He definitely has a penchant for punchlines like, <i>"stay way underground like a Thai soccer team"</i> or <i>"you make me feel finer than the kindest grass in the winner's circle at the Cannabis Cup."</i> I think he's also intentionally using dated references and creaky old school style lines like <i>"you got me flippin' like Mary Lou Retton"</i> or <i>"like </i>The Jerk<i> with the Optigrab and the <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2009/09/willus-world.html">special purpose</a>"</i> to sort of ironically emphasize the theme of an older head out of his time. Or maybe that's just his tastes.<br /><br />He gets away with it, in part, I think because of his droll flow, where if you're not in the mood, you can just vibe to the music and glide right over 'em. And they're all in the service of more interesting contexts. For example, "Baystate OGs" is at once a fond ode to his home state, listing out everything it's famous for, <i>"originators, man, you know how we're living: so old school we invented Thanksgiving. Center of the universe and you know it's all true, started basketball, volleyball and baseball, too. Indian motorcycles, guns from Smith & Wessun, cranberry juice, Dr. Seuss teach you a lesson."</i> But it's not afraid to cynically point out its flaws and veer into scathing take-down territory, <i>"Boston traffic nightmare like Wes Craven... where the witch trials caused widespread hysteria: Massachusetts, it's the spirit of America."</i><br /><br />So as you can see there, I don't mean to imply this album is all on one topic. He's got a song about rural life in the country, a song about being an overlooked artist, a love song, cars, weed, 80s nostalgia... "Worstworld" is specifically about crises in current world events. But even then, it's sort of from a midlife "things used to be better than this" perspective. And even that song can't help but get a little irreverent at points (<i>"blue versus brown: shoot now, proof later. Now there's more dead cops than in the first Terminator"</i>). Yeah okay, maybe it does go too far at points. But there's a sincere melancholy in and self-deprecation when he talks
about his life that keeps things from feeling too whimsical: <i>"I love making music but don't care to promote it. Maybe that's why nobody noticed."</i> The only flat-out jokey song I'd say is the final one, "Old Man Rappin," which reminds me of novelty rap records like "Geezer Rap" or "You Didn't Use Your Blinker Fool" (lyrically, not sonically), by which point I reckon he's earned a spot of unrepentant silliness.<br /><br />And <i>Terminally Eel</i> gets the fully loved vinyl treatment. It comes from his own 442 Records label in a color picture cover and also includes an insert with the complete lyrics and his discography. Speaking of which, he also has a very limited edition LP release of his self-titled 2003 instrumental debut, <i>Unagi</i>, still available as of this writing from his bandcamp.<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-45516284603760890892023-09-04T18:09:00.000-04:002023-09-04T18:09:41.050-04:00Two Gucci Crew IIs and a Lie<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg402K_GDXVAEvOOPGF7Z-rvAG4JIMBr4VBOwpC56BScsdVkutJ2-MiyYF6DN8cihh2AzaKaFGxKFZSkJCSoaqt36KkbJHRrmfAl0h-xVE2b8Py2UXHh_jLwTwT3_XmYDLOO18ks3LpExLgjdHgSPuS3yR-LtV4CcxdzGQniCkg0EBovvTuWBNAmMQQHVM/s5120/Screenshot%202023-09-04%20at%205.52.38%20PM.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="5120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg402K_GDXVAEvOOPGF7Z-rvAG4JIMBr4VBOwpC56BScsdVkutJ2-MiyYF6DN8cihh2AzaKaFGxKFZSkJCSoaqt36KkbJHRrmfAl0h-xVE2b8Py2UXHh_jLwTwT3_XmYDLOO18ks3LpExLgjdHgSPuS3yR-LtV4CcxdzGQniCkg0EBovvTuWBNAmMQQHVM/s800/Screenshot%202023-09-04%20at%205.52.38%20PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzuigyhYa2pnp4BcOvKbH3_mPkwtNmpn7P6sz_8XxEwKT8T5dDQExhyPaLNG00UjoVdqs-hpcqwsNSqVFG-TA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;">(Fake singles, a lost album and children's birthday parties? Youtube version is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdSn8g6eXPs">here</a>.)</span></div>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-44155592349018275052023-08-22T08:07:00.001-04:002023-08-22T08:07:18.392-04:00The Biz Doc<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3kcCUP_dMRPqV6MtKv372gBC0AH2uYOJXpQ2_PhsHsmS5vEHTiID05DW1SuwDZNAv-sqgTCaNCUHl9HuzbvOcmVF2yJQkK5FI3StsV8e94xmL2dkpjCBqBkpvNZ_YsIkvhurByvTsphKz7qdwaBG3DjhQeC-zGo0a-lwcYxubQsKqmU3nVMAsWcUYtk/s3000/allupinthebiz.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3kcCUP_dMRPqV6MtKv372gBC0AH2uYOJXpQ2_PhsHsmS5vEHTiID05DW1SuwDZNAv-sqgTCaNCUHl9HuzbvOcmVF2yJQkK5FI3StsV8e94xmL2dkpjCBqBkpvNZ_YsIkvhurByvTsphKz7qdwaBG3DjhQeC-zGo0a-lwcYxubQsKqmU3nVMAsWcUYtk/s800/allupinthebiz.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>If you didn't know, Showtime has produced an original documentary feature about <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Biz.html">Biz Markie</a></b>, which just debuted this week. It's directed by <b>Sacha Jenkins</b> who did that <i>Wu-Tang: Of Mics and Men</i> thing (also for Showtime). Biz Markie absolutely deserves a documentary, so I'm glad he got one. I was worried going in that this would be a pretty superficial doc that said he made "Just a Friend" and starred in <i>Yo Gabba Gabba</i> and bounced. Well, it absolutely does begin with a tribute to "Just a Friend" followed quickly by a clip of <i>Gabba</i>. But thankfully this doc then proceeds to get it right.<br /><br />And I went in with my arms crossed, ready to be disappointed. We've been let down enough by these kinds of projects, and I can't say I place a ton of faith in... Showtime. In the very beginning, I thought it might be leaning too heavily
into big name celebrities and some silly animation, but really I have
no complaints. <b>Juice Crew</b> guys get more time than guys like <b>Nick Cannon</b> and <b>Tracey Morgan</b>; there's some great vintage footage. They speak to his childhood friends and family, from <b>Diamond Shell</b> to the high school crush who inspired "What Comes Around Goes Around." They dive deep into his earliest history, show us his famous collection, and even use a "Me & the Biz"-style puppet to reenact his final days in the hospital<span style="color: #45818e;">(!)</span>. Then <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Ace.html">Masta Ace</a></b> makes a little "Me & the Biz" sequel, his wife shows us his rhyme books, <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Craig.html">Craig G</a></b> and <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Kane.html">Kane</a></b> perform original tributes to him. <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/3rdBass.html">Pete Nice</a></b> shows us the Biz pieces in his museum, <b>Rakim </b>takes us to his high school cafeteria where they first met, perhaps best of all, <b>Marley Marl</b> plays us a taste of the first demo he ever recorded with Biz.<br /><br />Even if you feel like you already know all there is to know about Biz, you should check it out. I was really pleasantly surprised.<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-72041926916907468482023-08-14T07:13:00.002-04:002023-08-14T07:14:20.597-04:00Libra D<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wgFXCttV69lkeZtKgklmPPQtXR35gwlyYo-PhuZFSpdyVWcu4ESiBaDwBVEIVrHXZBdM4ixNpz4rBIZaSKpmNJ3ZQ2orcwdy7maJ_U7y4cdJrn1FWasz4Vbevp86s56JqVaIMCRx5pDo7_tuMpvwOQCiLUqBH0b1lkCcIQvFAwG5v74FSvt4zjGgq-Q/s4216/wd51.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="4177" data-original-width="4216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wgFXCttV69lkeZtKgklmPPQtXR35gwlyYo-PhuZFSpdyVWcu4ESiBaDwBVEIVrHXZBdM4ixNpz4rBIZaSKpmNJ3ZQ2orcwdy7maJ_U7y4cdJrn1FWasz4Vbevp86s56JqVaIMCRx5pDo7_tuMpvwOQCiLUqBH0b1lkCcIQvFAwG5v74FSvt4zjGgq-Q/s800/wd51.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b>Whirlwind D</b> is a really prolific artist, particularly on vinyl, which we especially appreciate here at <span style="color: #45818e;">Werner's</span>. He's basically been dropping a new vinyl release every year for a long time. So it's surprising to think this is basically only his fourth album even when you include his rare 90's cassette. He's been releasing singles, EPs and <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2020/09/unlocking-whirlwind-demos.html">that nifty compilation that included his demos and stuff</a>. But this is actually his first album in seven years.<br /><br />This album is split into two distinct sides, "Grey Matter" and "Dark Matter," which kind of mirrors the light and dark sided theme of his single, <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2022/07/whirlwind-d.html">last year's "Lucky Number,"</a> which is featured on here (though its B-side, "Do It Now," remains exclusive to that 7"). It suggests two sides of the artist and also presumably is meant to suggest the two sides of the scales of justice that portray the Libra Zodiac sign, suggested in the cover image of the split brains on the two turntables. Grey Matter consists of upbeat songs celebrating Hip-Hop, etc (we'll delve more into specifics as we proceed) and Dark Matter has another six with a more ominous sound and more serious subject matter.<br /><br />Besides Dark Matter's "Lucky Number," the only other song returning to us is the ever-popular "Labels," which is naturally on the Grey Matter side. "Labels" debuted on <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2018/12/labels-and-other-bits-and-bobs.html">his 2018 EP <i>Beats, Bits and Bobs</i></a>, was featured on the aforementioned 2020 comp, and was later remixed for the B-side of <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2021/12/whirlwind-d-and-music-that-binds-us.html">his "Without Music" single</a>. You may recall that was the Smoove Mix 7" Edit. Well, here we finally have the Smoove Extended Mix, which adds about 35 seconds, including some nice build-up at the start and letting the horns fade out at the end. No extra verse or other elaborate additions, but it's a super catchy instrumental, so just letting it ride a little more is a welcome touch.<br /><br />Grey Matter starts with a short instrumental Introduction with some nice little scratches. Scratching, as ever in D's catalog, is going to play a major, hype part of this album, especially on Grey Matter. In fact, the very next track, "When It's Fast" has <b>Specifik </b>going nuts on the turntable, totally living up to the title, D's ode to his love for fast, high energy production. Of course, that can be setting yourself up to fail if you don't have a killer instrumental, but <b>Djar One</b> does, with a sample set that harkens back to the late 80s and early 90s, but put together in a way that feels fresh and not at all trapped in the past.<br /><br />"Sambuca" slows things down a little, but is still full of life, a light-hearted anthem for D's liqueur of choice. It definitely reminds me of Gulp City's celebratory hedonism, but D brings his own personality to it. The beat has a real smooth touch, this time by Specifik, with Djar One (they've switched places) slicing in a collection of choice vocal samples for the chorus. In fact, it's all Specifik and Djar One for the rest of side A (apart from Smoove's remix of "Labels," but even that was originally produced by Djar with cuts by Spec). "Everyday Hustle" has an especially catchy rolling piano loop and twangy funk guitar sample on the hook with another upbeat track and plenty of cuts as D talks about maintaining positivity in his daily struggles (<i>"whatever the challenge ain't really a trouble; pick myself; it's an everyday hustle"</i>). It reminds me of the best tracks by artists like <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Kwame.html">Kwamé</a></b> or <b>Groove B Chill</b> in the early 90s.<br /><br />Finally, "Ocean's Breeze" is pure mood with some crazy flute and a brilliant horn sample on the hook, plus of course more cuts, but they're more subtly used on this track than the others, because they know they've already got such killer instrumental samples. There's even this crazy little laserblast sound effect they quietly mix in that makes everything feel so full and alive. This song brings to mind the vibes <b>Brandon B</b> was able to capture on <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2023/05/contemporary-rhythmic-american-poetry.html">his solo</a> <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2022/08/weve-gotta-stop-sleeping-on-brandon-b.html">albums</a>. In fact, I could totally see Brandon and D working together someday. The energy on this whole side is off the hook.<br /><br />Not that the fun's all over when we flip this over. Well, maybe in a way it is, but I like dark stuff in my music. Let's have some real talk. To that end, first up we have "Flames" featuring and produced by <b>Farma G</b>, who's one half of <b>Task Force</b> and a prolific solo producer. Right from the opening notes, it's slower and heavy, could be the soundtrack to the tragic scene in a <i>Mad Max</i> movie with Whirlwind D starting off saying, <i>"I see pictures of places and people dying in flames."</i> This isn't science fiction, though, it's about contemporary wartime, displaced refugees and the world being <i>"on fire and we're all shrouded in flames"</i> right now. Specifik's cutting in the sounds of screams and news reports for the otherwise wordless chorus.<br /><br />"False Prophet," with its extended bass notes feels like a <b>Paris </b>track. <b>Jazz T</b> cutting in lines from <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Solo.html">K-Solo</a></b> and <b>Lone Catalysts </b>adds some welcome glimmers of light to the grim tones. "The Deep" starts with <b>Sista Souljah</b>'s famous <i>"we are at war!"</i> line. It's actually a posse cut, with <b>Junior Disprol</b>, B-Line labelmate <b>Chrome </b>and Specifik each taking turns on the mic. But that doesn't make things any less political; each MC takes the opportunity to slam the far right and authoritarian ruling classes: <i>"a true king in my own world, never cared about the royals. Which god can save the queen? The answer's obviously none of them."</i> "Sweat," with beats and cuts by <b>Mr. Fantastic</b>, picks up the pace again, which is appropriate as it's a first person narrative about pushing your physical limits in a marathon, <i>"pressure pushes hard on my muscles and limbs, every step cries hard, washes away the sin."</i> That is exactly why I never exercise.<br /><br />We conclude with "The Music (Dirty Mix)." As far as I know there's never been a previous mix of "The Music" released anywhere, but maybe we should stay tuned for a Clean Mix on a future project. Anyway, when I first heard it, I was driving myself nuts asking myself where do I recognize that from. The next day it hit me: he's clearly paying homage to the underrated <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Just.html"><b>Just-Ice</b></a>/ <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Flash.html">Grandmaster Flash</a></b> collaboration of the same name. I thought I was the only person who Stan'd that song! Anyway, lyrically, it seems more like it belongs on the Grey Matter side, but it's got a deep, oddly chopped horn loop and deep beats by <b>Simon S</b> that sonically fit on this side. Plus it kind of bridges the gap if you wanted to flip this album back to side A and start all over right away, which is something I've found myself doing several times already.<br /><br />So <i>Libra </i>is a single LP in a full-color picture cover, co-released by B-Line and Hip Hop Be Bop. It comes out on September 1st, which is just two weeks from now, so get ready. It could be a long wait 'till the next one.<br />Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-67051115808458559172023-07-23T12:46:00.004-04:002023-07-23T12:46:49.629-04:00Eaze Back<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQlOBNUF5Ay6q5DgwKOb_br6hL0rEHW6LK65Da9Up8XOYkCnOaWxzZSILEyZi6pTHMmFz5Ym2_rIWIIcTevxzZyxag5lvsJbaHbQmqTqHzdDSLarph3LPmUor84J9_54B01C6Fj7RAesW-OpRCTOjoayMCgmjMjm0RbP3f8IdS_XidPx0dcph2ldHrWE/s2369/djeaze.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2021" data-original-width="2369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQlOBNUF5Ay6q5DgwKOb_br6hL0rEHW6LK65Da9Up8XOYkCnOaWxzZSILEyZi6pTHMmFz5Ym2_rIWIIcTevxzZyxag5lvsJbaHbQmqTqHzdDSLarph3LPmUor84J9_54B01C6Fj7RAesW-OpRCTOjoayMCgmjMjm0RbP3f8IdS_XidPx0dcph2ldHrWE/s800/djeaze.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #45818e;">Dear ChatGPT, please tell me all about the last record released by a member of <b>C.E.B.</b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, C.E.B. (which stands for Cognitive Epicenter of Boom) is a hip-hop group formed in the early 1990s. The group was primarily known for its affiliation with Ice-T, with the members including hip-hop artists Cool Chuck, Evil E, and MC Overlord.<br /><br />At that time, the last record released by a member of C.E.B. was likely to be "Countin' Endless Bank" (also known as "C.E.B."), which was the group's debut album. It was released in 1993 under the label Atomic Pop. The album received some attention and featured guest appearances by prominent artists like Ice-T and Everlast.<br /><br />However, it's important to note that the information might be outdated, and I do not have access to real-time data to provide updates beyond my knowledge cutoff date. To find the latest information on C.E.B. or any of its members' recent releases, I recommend checking music streaming platforms, official websites, or music news outlets for the most up-to-date information.</span></span><br /><br />Nope! AI's not ready to replace me yet.<br /><br />So, I don't think readers of this blog will need me to recap how <i>Countin' Endless Bank</i> turned out to be the last bank <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Cool.html"><b>Cool C</b></a> and <b>Steady B</b> would ever count. But there's actually one last chapter to the C.E.B. story on wax. C and B went away, but E was uninvolved with <a href="https://medium.com/cuepoint/how-cool-c-and-steady-b-robbed-a-bank-killed-a-cop-and-lost-their-souls-d24d404f120a">that awful incident</a>, and so free to come back.<br /><br /><b>DJ Eaze</b> started out as Steady B's DJ after <b>Tat Money</b> left the <i>Hilltop Hustlers</i> for <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Kwame.html">Kwamé and a New Beginning</a></b>, billed then as DJ Ultimate Squeeze Eaze. He'd shortened it to Ultimate Eaze by the time he started MCing with C.E.B., and in 2003 he got it down to just DJ Eaze, for his final record (to date) on Sabre Records, "I'm a Come Through." I gather Sabre Productions was Eaze's own venture. And we can be confident it came out in 2003, despite not having dates on the label, because some copies came with a helpful press sheet ("This particular single... is one of exception to our planned repertoire for Sabre Entourage"). <br /><br />It's kind of a clubby beat that shows some versatility, but is basically the kind of style that had me checking out from a lot of early 2000s pop Hip-Hop, though it has an admittedly funky bassline. The <b>Sabre Entourage</b> is not actually on "I'm a Come Through;" it's just Eaze going solo with a very <b>Puff and Mase</b> kind of flow, which he's perfectly open about: he shouts P Diddy out in his second verse and has girls singing, <i>"bad, bad boys" </i>for the hook. Anyway, it's a good opener for fans, because he catches us up from where he last heard him, <i>"no time to kill, now it's the time to build. Didn't even have to sign a deal. Didn't even want to let me in; had me standin' outside of the labels like 'let me in.' Now I'm knockin' down they doors, lockin' down they tours, now this sound is gonna cost 'em more."</i> Did I mention how clubby it sounds? It's well made, but not really the kind of sound I think most of us C.E.B. fans were hoping he'd come back with.<br /><br />The B-side, which does feature the Sabre Entourage, fills that role. "Got My Gloc Cocked" is exactly the kind of rough street song it sounds like. It actually starts out by declaring, <i>"this here is the remix,"</i> but I daresay it's the first and only version to ever be released. Spoiler alert: this is the first and last record released by Eaze or Sabre. And that's a bit of a shame, because I suspect I'd prefer the original version. The beat sounds very software-based. But it has a catchy keyboard loop, deep dark bass notes that compliment the subject matter, and the sound of an actual glock cocking as part of the percussion.<br /><br />Anyway, these three Sabre guys (and one woman) have an appealing, unpolished hardcore flow. Eaze doesn't rap at all on this one, just laying down a few lines for the hook and leaving it to his team to set it off with lyrics like, <i>"I gotta keep this thing cocked; niggas wanna try my chin. They think it's all fine they in 'till they find they men. Rib cage exposed all through the bottom, Mossberg. They tongue kissin' curbs for shootin' the wrong words."</i> With a better instrumental, this could be a killer cut.<br /><br />But that's it; there's just those two songs. You also get the "Come Through" instrumental; and it technically comes
in a sticker cover, with that little "Sabre Records" address label on
the sleeve. It's not an amazing 12", probably mostly just of interest to us old <b>Hilltop Hustler</b> fans who need the whole story. "Gloc Cocked" is the better song, but "Come Through" is more interesting, given the history.<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-51158198315317758322023-07-09T05:44:00.002-04:002023-07-09T05:44:46.967-04:00It Takes a Million Midnights To Hold Him Back<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TS9y-6ocP-nynAm66p7Wb6c0tuoH05iDiHHh8CcVU1EJ6RY9qn3GnYOjuLoeRwoPKPtXE_CysJqLdI5v29Ammc82lY4tvp7SJ3MOleF7rZWVei9VZAGzQJY19geuHZdFztiGD1sKgO0720oCqdy26cqWR6iF08lagwYlF7lkr8o7pA2ofpL6YM77QOQ/s1200/drasarmdtamm.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TS9y-6ocP-nynAm66p7Wb6c0tuoH05iDiHHh8CcVU1EJ6RY9qn3GnYOjuLoeRwoPKPtXE_CysJqLdI5v29Ammc82lY4tvp7SJ3MOleF7rZWVei9VZAGzQJY19geuHZdFztiGD1sKgO0720oCqdy26cqWR6iF08lagwYlF7lkr8o7pA2ofpL6YM77QOQ/s800/drasarmdtamm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Out of the blue - or perhaps more appropriately, the black midnight sky - <b>Drasar Monumental</b> is back with a new EP entitled <i>Darker Than a Million Midnights</i>. That's the kind of title you hear and say to yourself, well, I hope he can live up to it. But given Drasar's last couple releases, I think if anybody in 2023 could, it's probably him. Because an easy trap you could dig for yourself with a title like that is to just dive immediately into raw, stripped down hardcore beats and menacing lyrics, giving yourself nowhere to go after the first couple songs. But Drasar, using nothing but his own personal record collection, regularly concocts a lush, vibrant soundscape that's anything but minimalist, despite his purist methods (this record comes with a paper explaining, "no digital 'digging' methods were employed in any of the production sourcing").<br /><br /><i>Midnights </i>comes right out the gate with some classic heist raps, looping up a vocal sample of <b>Master Killer</b> from "Snakes" just in case it wasn't already immediately obvious the spirit it's meant to be taken in. <i>"Guns don't argue, hand over your wallets, empty out your pockets, give me all your watches. Carnage, because the motherfuckin' rent's due."</i> Not exactly innovative, but excellently executed... sort of like how I can listen to <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/IU.html">Grand Daddy IU</a></b> rap about pimpin' all day every day. But it also turns out to be the set-up to a more complex lyrical trick, where two songs later (broken up by some more traditional battle raps), the subject matter has transformed into a serious condemnation of our economic system. He starts out stating, <i>"the free market doesn't exist if you don't have the capital,"</i> and cutting up <b>Double X Posse</b>'s "Money Talks" before settling into even darker truths, <i>"no love, no sympathy for the downtrodden. We've seen so much death, now our hearts have turned rotten."</i> It ends with a authentic(?!) recording of someone broadcasting their immediate intent to commit suicide, news reports on the growing homeless population, and a grimly ironic <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Shan.html">MC Shan</a></b> vocal sample from "Left Me Lonely." <br /><br />Part of what keeps Drasar's work so dynamic is his how he regularly shifts tones and samples sets mid-song, so it's always much more packed than a predictable loop, and this is definitely on display here. Or just his ability to pack together a host of sounds that all delicately piece together. For example "Disco Razor Tag, Part 2" (Part 1 was on <i>Box Cutter Brothers 5</i>) feels as alive as if he'd collaborated with a full-on disco band, packed with interludes and crowded instrumentation. But anything but soft, it's actually a direct challenge to producers who don't take their work dead seriously or appreciate Hip-Hop's disco roots, including an intro explaining that weren't always as family friendly as we may remember them today and where you could end up, <i>"hit upside your head with a bottle; now your brains are hanging out."</i><br /><br />This is an angry record in all the best ways, the way only Hip-Hop can talk with no punches pulled. He saves the most personal blow for last with "The Numb Out:"<br /><i><br />"Life ain't the same since my brother died.<br />Sometimes I wanna run and hide; can't look my mother in the eyes;<br />And then take time to breathe.<br />Pardon me if I wear my heart on my sleeve.<br />The world took my dreams...<br />And shattered them;<br />Took all my aspirations, and then they laughed at them;<br />Stabbed me in the back, in the abdomen.<br />That's why I treat you like an unwanted pathogen."</i><br /><br />The next verse starts out similarly, <i>"life ain't the same since my father died."</i> Like, remember when we first heard <b>Sister Souljah</b> going off on <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/PE2.html">Terminator X</a></b>'s album, and then she signed to Epic and we all thought, wow, this album is going to be crazy? The production was there, but then it turned out she basically just did this stiff spoken word thing, with <b>Ice Cube</b> and <b>Chuck D</b> rapping circles around her? This record is like the promise of that album delivered upon, if she had the skills to <i>"turn the booth into Pearl Harbor,"</i> as Drasar puts it. And yeah, there's more nuanced artistry and less didacticism; I'm not trying to say this guy's literally the male Sister Souljah or anything. I'm just saying he's giving us now what we wanted then.<br /><br />All up, it's six songs with the instrumentals on the flip. Keeping it a tight EP was probably a judicious decision, so there's never a lax moment. It comes in a full color picture cover and yeah, it's out now. Grab one while you can.<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-43064743022912450702023-06-28T05:40:00.001-04:002023-06-28T06:33:56.333-04:00It's Yah Yah, the Outsidah Who Moved To Floridah<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYkKGjcnq0VDHtfYGd4ubD4K8KC6JRvZOx_p9OadHMwzjzMUrpO_NjhbjckNmpqjtrWqrZs_5YJ49RmBV3PAXu36BAptlcjyxHmO5CjNU64aq63HjovhMAOV8wCWpkf8btLgPsAHc5KJSWvdUfC0ZxyxJju8mHdOJp8Oqsee3ErEAK23F1ubM4jhMcbk/s5120/Screenshot%202023-06-28%20at%205.12.28%20AM.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="5120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYkKGjcnq0VDHtfYGd4ubD4K8KC6JRvZOx_p9OadHMwzjzMUrpO_NjhbjckNmpqjtrWqrZs_5YJ49RmBV3PAXu36BAptlcjyxHmO5CjNU64aq63HjovhMAOV8wCWpkf8btLgPsAHc5KJSWvdUfC0ZxyxJju8mHdOJp8Oqsee3ErEAK23F1ubM4jhMcbk/s800/Screenshot%202023-06-28%20at%205.12.28%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dykTXSD46L46rEcmYGhe7BdUwsDk4nZU1bFjc3pMOxRaMEZXYzWdn2Auwn1G7C-czP9iYAfC4MxUBxvPjibFg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Plus a bonus look at current, under the radar Hip-Hop publications. Youtube version is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKs-NDb9LEI">here</a>.)</div><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-16014091309749681642023-06-18T21:26:00.006-04:002023-06-18T22:52:49.824-04:00It's Father's Day!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCfT2HpCf0_Vfj79i75cM1HNYG3RwrAcUbKdKNOe6-WgKJMRyuZkSiSFxezYFxLPM9_cn6WkptCZOUDVFSucW7bfpvRaP40BIpOFpyrtrkQbp5LLJYkfKY8tk9flt8tqchGVd4OhCxRcPO8B4CSGZ-Ksvtwo2N4vLSRKBolC6BmCafSjwyxBVHaq-/s3895/fathersday.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2008" data-original-width="3895" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCfT2HpCf0_Vfj79i75cM1HNYG3RwrAcUbKdKNOe6-WgKJMRyuZkSiSFxezYFxLPM9_cn6WkptCZOUDVFSucW7bfpvRaP40BIpOFpyrtrkQbp5LLJYkfKY8tk9flt8tqchGVd4OhCxRcPO8B4CSGZ-Ksvtwo2N4vLSRKBolC6BmCafSjwyxBVHaq-/s800/fathersday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Today is Father's Day, so let's talk about "Father's Day" by <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Father.html">Father MC</a></b> from his 1990 debut album, <i>Father's Day</i>, because it's Father's Day! No, "Father's Day" wasn't one of the many singles he released off of that album, but it was the title cut, and it stands out because it's the only hardcore track on the album... and kind of the only hardcore track he'd release until many years later. And though it's still not on par with his early <b>First Fleet Crew</b> material, I'd say it's one of the best songs in his career... like Top Ten-ish? Top Twenty for sure.<br /><br />So <b>Mark Morales</b> and <b>Mark Rooney</b>, b.k.a. <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Fat2.html">Prince Markie Dee and the Soul Convention</a></b>, produced most of the album (and yes, executive produced by <b>Puff Daddy</b> and <b>Dr. Jeckyll</b>), but this is one of the two tracks actually produced by the Hitman <b>Howie Tee</b>. And while we're having fun reading the liner notes, it's definitely also worth noting that this is one of three songs where the lyrics are actually written by <b>Little Shawn</b>, here credited as <b>Lil' Shawn</b>.<br /><br />Honestly, I don't know if Shawn did Father any favors; the lyrics aren't amazing or better than what Father had already proven himself able to pen in his indie days. But Howie Tee definitely did. He's cooked up one of the hottest tracks on the album. And it's the song that really showcases Father's DJ, <b>DJ G. Double E</b>. Did you even know he had a DJ? Yeah, he's credited in the notes and name-dropped on this cut.<br /><br /><i>"Everybody think Father MC is on that R&B tip. 'Ey yo, Father, just cold get it,"</i> are the introductory lines to this song. I have to admit, I can see where people got the impression that Father is on the R&B tip, since this album is packed with love songs in collaboration with R&B singers like <b>Jodeci </b>and <b>Mary J Blige</b>. But Father is out to tell <i>"everyone who think I went on that R&B tip, take that!" </i> I feel like maybe they should be saying "everyone who thought I was ONLY on that R&B tip, seeing as how I clearly am definitively on that R&B tip at this stage, and indeed most, of my career." But hey, why get hung up on semantics?<br /><br />Howie Tee starts out with a solid, but a little bit old school and not terribly groundbreaking breakbeat loop. I'm not sure exactly what record they're looping, but I know <b>The Jaz</b> had rocked it the same year on his second album, and I feel like it's just one of those late 60s or early 70s funk records a million rappers have used. So a stalwart classic, but a little stale. Except then he starts blending in the theme song to <i>Police Woman</i>, sirens and all, which is a banger. And remember, this is like a full decade before <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2012/08/where-hell-did-hi-tech-go.html">"All Time Einstein"</a> kicked off that craze of rappers looping up the themes to shows like <i>Knight Rider</i> and <i>Magnum PI</i>. Of course, <b>Bambaataa </b>had already sown the seeds with "Bambaataa's Theme," but still, this was rare and incredibly dope.<br /><br />Father kicks off with an interesting, sometimes playful (especially given the hardcore nature of the instrumental) style that he seems to struggle with a little bit. <i>"Yes, yes, y'all, so forth and so on, I grab the microphone and give ya one to grow on. Don't sleep on me, 'cause I keep, keep it on, see. Don't call me uncle or daddy, it's Father MC. When I make 'em up I'm makin' sure that you can hear me, 'cause I speak very clearly. There's not another like me, so more than likely, you'll watch then but in the end you'll try to bite me. But you'll get bit back 'cause it's an eye for an eye. Oh yeah, and one more thing, I'm fly. The M-I-C means a lot to me 'cause when I'm on, the rappers that shouldn't be there flee. I'm new, I know that, and now ya know to stay back. So save that, yo, I ain't even tryin' to hear that. Go on the bench, back off with that play, allow me to let ya know that today is Father's Day."</i> I feel like Little Shawn may've delivered it real smooth and it sounded great, but then Father had a hard time recapturing that magic, so it sounds a little clunky. But it's still fairly fresh, and the closer you pay attention, the more you'll appreciate it.<br /><br />Still, his later verses work a little better when he's kicking simpler but tougher rhymes like, <i>"come find out what Father's made of! I'm not bulletproof but grab a mic and I'll light this whole place up tonight. Like a match hittin' another, I'll burn a brother like a condominium, 'cause I'll crush anyone schemin' to take what's mine and that's wild. And anyone bitin' that same old style."</i> Father just feels more confident, and it fits the instrumental better with the more aggressive energy they're clearly trying to lay down. This isn't the time to get all <b>Original Flavor</b> on us. Father may not be blowing our minds, but he's holding it down.<br /><br />And that's all you need to keep the record working until <i>Police Woman</i> and G Double E drop in again. When was the last time you heard scratching on a Father MC record? I could almost believe this was the only one, except strictly speaking, there's one or two other harder-edged track on this album with cuts, too (see also: "Ain't It Funky"). But it sounds great here, slicing up the line <i>"give me that title, boy"</i> from "Raw." It goes a long way to selling this as a strong record not to be dismissed.</p><p>I always thought this was would've made a way better final single than "I've Been Watching You," but I guess Puff didn't think they could really sell the image of Father as a hard rock. Maybe they were right. But this is still a fun song, especially one to play today of all days.<br /></p><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-55181791463040909862023-05-30T06:49:00.001-04:002023-05-30T07:03:07.822-04:00Nobody Ever Talks About Warp 9<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RFkCbKDGvMoRtZ_2XhcL7soDNdoKK4WgeuINaDJGwekh6dkTlRiAinxwwIaxR2lwsbKWROYr6U-W6NOGGWw--3KbAR5o6-v4uHfrACyDUGmS-_7EYkNIWgO2rOdkEpMh7nKlzSkF4vk8sJuWkHMwU-jIMcraypksqW7je2RSQnn7AUFFsXIOxjuJ/s2570/warp9.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1862" data-original-width="2570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RFkCbKDGvMoRtZ_2XhcL7soDNdoKK4WgeuINaDJGwekh6dkTlRiAinxwwIaxR2lwsbKWROYr6U-W6NOGGWw--3KbAR5o6-v4uHfrACyDUGmS-_7EYkNIWgO2rOdkEpMh7nKlzSkF4vk8sJuWkHMwU-jIMcraypksqW7je2RSQnn7AUFFsXIOxjuJ/s800/warp9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I used to love <b>Warp 9</b> as a kid, but these days they seem to have been completely memory-holed. I guess that's because they made more break dance music than strictly Hip-Hop. But I dug that stuff, too, and I used to play their tape to death. And honestly, they did both. There are songs where they're straight-up rapping, the DJ's cutting... sure, it's electro disco-era stuff. This is not made from the staple two turntables and a microphone, and you weren't checking for their MC's skills. Even for 1983, nobody would put them alongside the <b>Grandmaster</b>s <b>Caz </b>or <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Flash.html"><b>Melle Mel</b></a>. And they're not delivering a serious "Message." It's just a fun, <i>"we're chilling the most"</i> good time music, somewhere in between <b>Break Machine</b> and <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Newcleus.html"><b>Newcleus</b></a>. In fact, if you appreciate <i>Space Is the Place</i>, you'd be totally in <i>It's a Beat Wave</i>.<br /><br />And we'll get to <i>Fade In, Fade Out</i>, but <i>It's a Beat Wave</i> is what it's all about. It's so good. Every song on this album was a single! These guys were a studio group, put together by their label like <b>Timex Social Club</b>, but their stuff is really well done, and pretty versatile. <b>Connie Cosmos</b>, <b>Dr. Space</b> and <b>Mr. C</b> (not <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Kane.html"><i>that </i><b>Mister Cee</b></a>) on the turntables. The production on "Nunk (New Wave Funk)" is a killer, with a little help from <b>Jellybean</b>. "Beat Wave" and "Master Of the Mix" are my favorites, if only for being the most straight rappy cuts. I think Connie actually left after "Nunk" and it's a new girl, <b>Ada</b>, on the rest of this album. But she sounds real cool rapping on "Beat Wave" regardless. "Master Of the Mix" is all about the DJ skills, and no, the cuts aren't amazing. But this was the era of "Rockit," well transformer scratches were invented, so this was about all you could hope for. The fact that they put scratches up front at all was exciting.<br /><br />"Light Years Away" is low-key pretty fresh, with a spacey vibe, their most Newcleus-y song, even dropping in a vocoder to deliver some words from the future towards the end. But the songs on side 2 definitely got lighter and a little more mainstream pop. "No Man Is an Island" is easily my least favorite, basically a flat out disco song, but it's still upbeat and catchy with a zippy little breakdown. It's all well crafted. But honestly, half the time I would just rewind side 1 back and give the side 2 stuff a pass.<br /><br />But yeah, the second album was a disappointment. They basically pulled a <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Whistle.html"><b>Whistle</b></a>, who lost their main rapper guy, then later their DJ, and just carried on with the singers. In this case, Ada left and the other guy took a back seat (he's just credited with Additional Background Vocals along with five other people now)<b> </b>for a new female singer, leaving the new official line-up of Warp 9 to be <b>Katherine & Chuck</b>. I think you're meant to see those two on the cover with the shadowy drummer figure in the background and assume it's the same trio, but it's all different now. Three years had passed since their 1983 album and they'd switched labels from Prism to Motown, too. The older white couple who produced the group (<b>Lottie Golden</b> and <b>Richard Sher</b>) stayed the same across the album, but otherwise Warp 9 was just a totally new beast on a totally different vibe.<br /><br />It's not bad, mind you. The music is still well produced (I spotted <b>The Sugarhill Band</b>'s <b>Doug Wimbish</b> playing bass in the album credits) and the new pair could still sing. But they're just aiming for a sappier, duller R&B thing. Their one single, "Skips a Beat" is probably the best song, that or "Big Fun." The rest is pretty boring. "The Cutting Edge" has a cool, little breakdown, but you can tell the musicians are on more of a rock vibe. "King of Hearts" straight up sucks. But otherwise, you could totally bop along to this in your car on the commute to work.<br /><br />Apparently, I wasn't alone in being disappointed. <i>Fade In, Fade Out</i> was the end of Warp 9. Everybody went on to other projects in the music industry, though. After all, it was a studio group. But nothing else really Hip-Hop. I wish we could've gotten a couple more "Beat Waves" while they were in that sweet spot, but I can at least hang onto what they did give us.<p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-45998071897743682102023-05-19T06:14:00.000-04:002023-05-19T06:14:59.576-04:00Saukrates Says Freeze<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf48gqlla9jmFPLJD0Qnx_7QBuF3yU9UhdwHN_1mlPzvuxqlFvjVyyA3XmPaVMbivWAvk1J4qYoTVZBWzBEIU2iGLjuAtstKWC8wyNjEj2C3wM9b1Dq2bwTWj26cFYEJRJubpUwtPfjt8M1lG7m5V_u2noEBnGu7TJYjFWY3NANnNSxk7jkJyIuSVi/s5120/Screenshot%202023-05-19%20at%205.56.13%20AM.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="5120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf48gqlla9jmFPLJD0Qnx_7QBuF3yU9UhdwHN_1mlPzvuxqlFvjVyyA3XmPaVMbivWAvk1J4qYoTVZBWzBEIU2iGLjuAtstKWC8wyNjEj2C3wM9b1Dq2bwTWj26cFYEJRJubpUwtPfjt8M1lG7m5V_u2noEBnGu7TJYjFWY3NANnNSxk7jkJyIuSVi/s800/Screenshot%202023-05-19%20at%205.56.13%20AM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzMPLeXiM9jPcUJ2eDm7SRXS1oQcPC60iXDCtRb7X03pNnJtTmYlZPlvCVzjvuT3CbaG6Pq6SYItOrdYiX25A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Unreleased, unheard <b>Saukrates</b> music from the late 90s, courtesy of a(n admittedly unwitting) rap publication legend! Check out <i>The Underground Vault</i> <a href="https://alexkuchma.com">here</a>. And <i>Dig Mag</i> <a href="https://www.martinlovegrove.co.uk/store/digmag">here</a>. Youtube version is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfomGRSX09k">here</a>.)</div><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-11237626789304891242023-05-15T05:30:00.001-04:002023-05-15T05:30:59.478-04:00Contemporary Rhythmic American Poetry<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqzVf8-wCM4Z7-3vrxb3TCVwR-RuGjfKkzXaUxAT1jovGXTvi0XtWKZgBRfKP6Juyhg_D6zyr0-NZm7lmd4p3HQdNlzuGOSqV_PIKIH7J4ShBrcE2RAaYjGAZLwYJVqy8t6BlGIhqrU-ZzRDDvlDaSBp9XEL_NtduiJNwmmTEEC6M5JNJaDIi7RqY/s1200/brandonb1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIqzVf8-wCM4Z7-3vrxb3TCVwR-RuGjfKkzXaUxAT1jovGXTvi0XtWKZgBRfKP6Juyhg_D6zyr0-NZm7lmd4p3HQdNlzuGOSqV_PIKIH7J4ShBrcE2RAaYjGAZLwYJVqy8t6BlGIhqrU-ZzRDDvlDaSBp9XEL_NtduiJNwmmTEEC6M5JNJaDIi7RqY/s800/brandonb1.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>Last year, when I had a little technical problem with the <b>Brandon B</b> <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2022/08/weve-gotta-stop-sleeping-on-brandon-b.html">CD I was reviewing</a>, he was good enough to not just send me a replacement copy, but hit me off with a CD of his first album, <i>Rhythmic American Poetry</i>, from 2018. Of course, when I say first album, I mean as a solo artist, because of course he's had plenty of albums as a member of different Gurp City groups like <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/search/label/Yole%20Boys">The Yole Boys</a></b> and <b>Official Spill</b>, actually going all the way back to <b>Supermarket </b>with their famous, underground <i>Dump Koch</i> album in 1996. So the history goes way back. But lately he's been striking out more on his own as well.<br /><br />The title of course comes from <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Fila.html">The D.O.C.</a></b>'s "The Formula," where he devised the perfect acronym for rap. And if you're familiar with Brandon, you know he's not just the MC but the producer. So this album is essentially all him, albeit with a healthy helping of guest spots, from those you'd expect and even someone you wouldn't. <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Sacred_Hoop.html">Luke Sick</a></b>, yeah, he's on here, as well as fellow <b>Trunk Dank</b> member <b>Eddie K</b>. And <b>Z-Man</b> appears twice. Official Spill's <b>Dev Rambis</b> is also here, <b>Philo </b>from <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-gurpy-dozen.html">The Flood</a></b>, <b>Jaymorg</b>, fellow Gurp MC <b>TopR</b> and <b>DJ Quest</b>. So those're all the usual crew guys you'd expect. And Equipto, who's been collaborating a lot with these guys. And production-wise he's got some help from <b>DJ Eons One</b>, <b>Brycon</b>, <b>Elliot Lanam</b>, Philo and somebody named <b>Uncle Buck</b>. That's a lot of people to call an album "all him," but Brandon still manages to make this feel like a distinctly personal project.<br /><br />I mean, nobody bridges the gap from early Electro-Hop to the classic 90's 4-track era like Brandon. This is the direction Gen Z should've taken Hip-Hop, instead of whatever they've done instead. Hearing the intro track, "A Little Wine Cooler" on a new record is pretty mind blowing, and damn catchy. Honestly, this album is a fat collection of highlights. I was already familiar with the track "The American Riviera," a mellow anthem for his hometown he'd made <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMtZ3j_5vOg">a music video for</a>. It's super laid back and inviting. I mean, hell, it makes me want to go there. "Rhymes Too Funky (Live At the Pointe)" is a funky, upbeat posse cut, and yes it's a homage to <b>Compton's Most Wanted</b>'s classic. It has a different, more electric track; but if the adlibs didn't already bring the CMW version to mind, the ending where they cut up <i>"man, fuck my neighbors"</i> erases any doubt.<br /><br />This album is full of vibes. "Midday Wasted" sounds exactly like you'd expect from the title, "California Livin'" is a fun party record and "Dark Blue Camaro" owes its hook and its spirit to <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2010/12/e-40-click-week-day-3-watered-down.html">a classic <b>Click </b>joint</a>. My favorite, which is saying something on a packed project like this, is "It's Like Vegas." It has a hype, old school dance vibe with big horns and some funky intoxicated vocals by TopR and Z-Man, <i>"fuck a Motley Crew, we're the party crew; we'll sedate you with liquor and barbecue. I may be on Adderall but I'm all for 'shrooms, and I'll do 'em both at once like some mom would do. I'm armed with two, placin' all bets with cheaters 'cause I'm full of a lotta liters out in (Gurp City!). A lotta pre-drinking before the weekend evenings. Yes, I am recording in my forties drinking a forty, pouring another forty, yeah I'll tell 'em a story: about a culture with low self esteem, American dreams, veteran MCs with liver disease."</i> It's both celebratory and tragic with serious dance-in-your-chair energy all at the same time.<br /><br />Oh, and didn't I promise a guest you wouldn't expect that? Yeah, this album closes out with a banger called "Cash In Advance," which is at once smooth and high energy. It's got a fast, funky groove that Brandon rides excellently. And its hook? Sung by <b>Michael Marshall</b>, the main vocalist of <b>The Timex Social Club</b>! And damn, he sounds just as good now as he did in '86. This album is a strong recommend, even if you're not sure about Brandon, give this album a chance and you will be. And as of this writing there are still exactly 2 copies of the CD available on his bandcamp. Get 'em!<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-58444916959143545322023-05-07T03:38:00.007-04:002023-05-07T03:38:58.820-04:00New Jersey's Own Soul Kingz<p>First a little history. The <b>Soul Kings</b> are an indie New Jersey crew fronted by <b>MC Nicky Dee</b> who were featured in <i>The Source</i>'s Unsigned Hype column in 1990. Dee put out a pretty obscure album called <i>Rap So Hot It Will Make You Sweat</i> under the name <b>Soul King</b> on Big City Records, before forming <b>Soul King Productions</b>, which was him and <b>Hasskills</b>. The pair released an incredibly rare cassette-only album in 1993 called <i>Trace Ya Stepz</i>. Online bios mention several other members, but it's basically those two on all of this stuff and on the album cover (the two girls on the ends are models). Anyway, there was also a 12" single from that album in 1994, under the name <b>Soul Kingz</b>, that's been a minor grail for collectors. For a more extensive history, and an interview with the Soul King himself, I highly recommend you read <a href="http://hiphop-thegoldenera.blogspot.com/2020/06/soul-kingz-catch-wreck-trace-ya-stepz.html">this blog post on <i>TheGoldenEra</i></a>.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOHbWgYjqf47xAPrSleuaRL73gduvdV11xNM-WsCY82-dt8kfY_oB6dS5V9iidcnJldD9h8LgySunsisSpvhEX7YnEMOaNwnMCs53QLyfjP_1KtOdihuqs2Sl2Lm0Q0c6QMuEivOZODNDkIkg33IE3xQruU7J4gMxAHlhHAujWLdmETj9Vz-u19Gy/s1005/soulkingz1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1005" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOHbWgYjqf47xAPrSleuaRL73gduvdV11xNM-WsCY82-dt8kfY_oB6dS5V9iidcnJldD9h8LgySunsisSpvhEX7YnEMOaNwnMCs53QLyfjP_1KtOdihuqs2Sl2Lm0Q0c6QMuEivOZODNDkIkg33IE3xQruU7J4gMxAHlhHAujWLdmETj9Vz-u19Gy/s800/soulkingz1.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>That's the backstory. Now, in 2016, Dope Folks put together an LP of tracks from <i>Trace Ya Stepz</i>, which they titled <i>Guess Whooz Back</i>, after one of the highlights from the album. The Dope Folks release is meant to act as a companion piece - in addition to, rather than instead of - to the original 12", so they left those songs off. That leaves us with nine hot tracks only previously available on that original '93 tape.<br /><br />The first track is "Word To Ya Mutha," which features a funky guitar loop and a DJ cutting up <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Kane.html">Big Daddy Kane</a></b> on the hook, but then it cuts out for a deeper, darker bassline driven track for the verses. And it sets the tone for how these guys are coming right off the bat, <i>"hittin' hard like a hammer, but not the Hammer that dance, though. 'Cause all that dancin' shit is for them niggaz that can't flow."</i> "Kick a Verse" is just a cool freestyle rhyme joint over the same basic instrumental as <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Ace.html">Master Ace</a></b>'s "Brooklyn Battles," but "Lovezs Runaway" is more than your typical token rap love song but a serious, socially conscious track about broken families. "I'm Feelin' It" starts with the same sample as the <b>Jazzy 5</b>'s "Jazzy Sensation," but slows it way down, then throws it out for a hardcore <b>NWA</b>-style beat. They make up for what the lack in nuance by coming hard over great sample choices, though they cut loose a little on "Xtacsie," which uses that wacky little guitar loop from <b>Roxanne Shante</b>'s "Knockin' Hiney" as they kick stories about their girls and clumsily sing on the hook. Overall, it's a pretty rich, varied experience but with a consistent vibe from the duo.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JiGfRfx2dvCB0qfl0xefgdzqNzdMVfqWoPy2hiwYs2lnEq4jN08SxC0WiG2hFoxOzLWLTRAAP9hBfRFM7RX1GHLQjMv_d3tDT8NE0sLSjUNLuj5V3qbd0nSG_hYKadXQabIQb216YxyhncEFAyfJgmYrLU4H4cC7HO2Vkpd33a3rd8_VUAW3MvxO/s1686/soulkingz2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1686" data-original-width="1673" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JiGfRfx2dvCB0qfl0xefgdzqNzdMVfqWoPy2hiwYs2lnEq4jN08SxC0WiG2hFoxOzLWLTRAAP9hBfRFM7RX1GHLQjMv_d3tDT8NE0sLSjUNLuj5V3qbd0nSG_hYKadXQabIQb216YxyhncEFAyfJgmYrLU4H4cC7HO2Vkpd33a3rd8_VUAW3MvxO/s800/soulkingz2.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>Still, Dope Folks had to shave off a couple album tracks to fit everything they could onto a single record. Four of those were just little intro skits, which add to the experience but are no great loss. But that also means another hot, full-length song was left exclusive to the original tape. "Grab the Mic" is a wild, hardcore track full of high pitch whistles and constant scratching as Hasskills lays down a challenge to his fellow producers, <i>"reppin' beats from the 60s and the 70s, too. Too smooth for words so you can't compare or get near, so why even dare come out your face with your played out breaks? Why don't you try a little originality? Everybody knows your beats come from Music Factory. It's no mystery, check your rap history, some beats are classic like 'Impeach the President' and 'Substitution.' But that's no excuse for you to keep usin' em. But that's another lesson, so I'ma cut this short. Too smooth for words and I'ma tear shit up."</i> I'm surprised Dope Folks chose this one to forgo, because it's tighter than a bunch of the ones they chose. I mean, the instrumentals tend to outshine the MCing on all these joints, but these guys always come tough enough to hang in there (I guess it should be no surprise that the production is the star of the show on an album by Soul King <i>Productions</i>). And they really shine when they're angry and have something to say, like on this one, where the beats and rhymes are both batting a thousand.<br /><br />And I say it "<i>was </i>left exclusive" because now Hip-Hop Enterprise has come out with a <i>Trace Ya Stepz</i> CD, with everything from the original tape: "Grab the Mic," the intros and all four 12" tracks, including the B-sides that weren't even on the original tape. One is a remix, the Jeep Mix (Beat Squad Jointe) of the title track "Trace Ya Stepz," which is a cool alternative with a groovier bassline. But the other is a bigger deal: the angry music biz salvo "The -N-tertainer" the Nicky describes in his interview. The way it's written on the 12" label and how it's listed on discogs makes it seem like it's another version of "Catch Wreck," but it's not. It's a completely separate, dope ass song, based on his frustrations with the <i>Rap So Hot</i> release.<br /><br />So vinyl heads can combine the Dope Folks with the original 12" to get most of this. But the Hip-Hop Enterprises release is the only truly definitive collection with all the Soul King Production songs, though of course it's CD only. But at least we have options. The Dope Folks is limited to 300 copies (50 on <b><span style="color: red;">red </span></b>wax and 250 on standard <b>black</b>) and the CD is limited to 350; but both are still available from their labels as of this writing.<br /><br />Now it might be fun if somebody reissues that <i>Rap So Hot</i> album. Apparently it includes the songs that got them into <i>Unsigned Hype</i> in the first place.<br /><p></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-40309502869713863702023-04-10T07:39:00.004-04:002023-04-11T03:26:16.485-04:00The Lost(?) Grand Daddy IU Album<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPl7YhJSK1QS3n_YToUtvo2ABc4A7vXoLzV4SOVjDgCZVdmu3BNRbE2X6Gmc4A0T-3ftLGmBYVDJ7MprUO0dOv2TFWCFWd2ZKEmsjAn62noevd2MSDgTr-sVmIk6GxgHsEPU5_H8kmX2R70PsrNiBlB84_ntsgiUpXXRW4D4t--F5_3JCujKweANyi/s0/IUVol1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="659" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPl7YhJSK1QS3n_YToUtvo2ABc4A7vXoLzV4SOVjDgCZVdmu3BNRbE2X6Gmc4A0T-3ftLGmBYVDJ7MprUO0dOv2TFWCFWd2ZKEmsjAn62noevd2MSDgTr-sVmIk6GxgHsEPU5_H8kmX2R70PsrNiBlB84_ntsgiUpXXRW4D4t--F5_3JCujKweANyi/s800/IUVol1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Losing <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/IU.html">Grand Daddy IU</a></b> a few months back is one of the ones that hit me the hardest, and pretty much purely for reasons of meritocracy. You know, sometimes it's hard to explain why it strikes you so much when a particular famous artist passes. Maybe something corny they released came out when you were a child and left an over-sized impact, or something in their private life just happened to sync up with yours and it became an inspiration. I did get to <a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.blogspot.com/2007/09/werner-interviews-grand-daddy-iu-part-1.html">interview the man once</a>, so there was a bit of a personal edge to it. But mainly it just hit me because he was one a disappointingly small handful of artists who I was a huge fan of growing up and was putting out music just as good today. There's plenty of artists I was a fan of then, and still a decent amount I am now. But not a lot where I was just excited to get a new album from in the 1990s and the 2020s. Especially with no disappointing missteps in between.<br /><br />And it's not lost on me that I've got an album of his that seemingly nobody else has. I mean, they should. It was sold online, seemingly exclusively, on a site called <i>The Catacombz</i> that lasted years selling mostly underground CDs, but also the odd tape, record, magazine and even "Herbalz." Essentially the Canadian version of outfits like <i>Atak</i>, <i>Foolblown </i>and <i>AccessHipHop</i>. So I always feel like a bunch of other people must've been copping stuff there semi-regularly for them to have stayed in business. But I've never seen it even hinted at online anywhere other than my own content, and when I brought it up to IU, even he was surprised.<br /><br />It's simply called <i>I.U. Volume #1</i>. I'm pretty certain there never was a <i>Volume #2</i>.<br /><br />Is it a bootleg? Hard to say... It's a CDR in a slim case with a cheap cover and sticker label, but that's true of tons of indie and self-released music from those days. I've gotten OG Day 1 releases on Maxwell tapes and Office Max CDs. And IU was in no way signed to any kind of label, even a little indie one, in 2002 when this came out. It's marked as "Steady Flow Ent.," which was his own imprint that many of his later releases that we know are legit came out on. But it features a ton of exclusive material never released online or anywhere else, so it's not something just anybody out of the loop could've thrown together. Obviously, IU telling me he'd never heard of it is a huge red flag ("Wow…<span> </span>Who in the fuck did that?<span> </span>That’s crazy.<span> </span>Somebody dipped in my stash.<span> </span>Wow… Holy shit" is a direct quote), but if this was a tour CD or something he spread around a little as a demo, it makes sense he might've forgotten years later, or just didn't want to acknowledge on the record. Especially since he was planning to release some of this music on upcoming projects, as he wound up doing.<br /><br />Anyway, those are the facts as I know them, so now you know as much as I do. The official description <i>Catacombz </i>wrote for its listing is, "The 'Smooth Assasin<span style="color: #45818e;">[.sic]</span>' finally returns w/ a bomb underground album chock full of joints spanning from after 'Lead Pipe' to present. The whole CD is good, I.U. has skills no doubt & is a vet in the game. The guest spots are few but quality such as: 2Pac Shakur, DV Alias Chryst & more!"<br /><br />Does any of that sound familiar? Didn't I say IU released some of this stuff later? Yes, the <b>2Pac </b>guest spot is "Ghetto Blues," which came out on his 2007 album <i>Stick 2 the Script</i>. But while he's worked with <b>DV </b>a couple of times, the song here isn't any of those. This one's called "Get Your Doe." It's a killer, smooth and dark track. DV sings on the hook and also has a proper verse. An uncredited female also sings on it a little, and there's a crazy Chinese vocal sample blended into the mix. Honestly, I think it's better than any of their collaborations that were released.<br /><br />At the end of the day, almost all of this album is still exclusive. "One Night Stand" later came out on his 2012 mp3-only album <i>Self Made Man</i>, and there's a track called "Spitting," which according to a name drop, was produced by <b>The Mole Men</b>, but it's not "Face Down" - maybe it's a from a mixtape? Basically everything else is original, and even those songs had never been released before when this came out. A couple of these songs did come out on the 2008 <b>J-Love</b> mixCD <i>Return Of the Smooth Assassin</i> (so I guess that's one other person with a copy of this album) - "Spittin" and "Mind Over Matter" - but that's about it. Four songs and this album is nineteen tracks deep.<br /><br />And it's pretty damn tight. A couple tracks use that early 2000s club style, which isn't the best, but even then he comes hard and makes it work. Like "Ya Know," has this kind of boop boop beat with handclaps and a few software pack samples. But it also has slow, deep bass notes and IU flowing like crazy in duet with an MC named <b>Scuzz</b>. And plenty of his other tracks, like "Time Is Hard" and "Stop Fronting" just have his classic, stripped down sample-based production style we come to him for. There's only one track I'd label weak, "Surfing Shit" featuring somebody called <b>E-Zae</b>, where they're clearly just having fun flipping some weird surf music record and turning it into a down south club song with a corny hook (<i>"let me see you do that wave, girl. Now do that wave, girl. Now shake your thing, girl. Now what's your name, girl?"</i>) Even then, it's listenable and kinda catchy, but it's way below IU's par.<br /><br />The last track is one of the illest: "Conspiracy Theory." It's got cracking drums and a tight piano sample, pure underground NY, but then this low humming and <b>Malcolm X</b> speeches come in for the hook. And IU is coming hard and angry, though without getting "We Got da Gats" shouty. And he's speaking on some serious, controversial topics, like <i>"white folks feel like niggas need 'em, how egotistic/ when we ruled the planet before Europeans even existed"</i> - I can definitely see every label telling him there was no way they were touching this track! Admittedly, as a pretty agnostic dude, the religious angle doesn't land as hard for me; but this is a serious side of IU I wish we'd gotten to see more of.<br /><i><br />"This shit is listed, go look it up if you feel. In fact, open your fucking' bible, I'ma show you what's real! In Genesis 2-6, God brought the rain down. In Verse 7 he formed Adam from the dirt of the ground. But dirt and rain make mud, which means Adam was brown. Now can you handle that? Knowin' the original man's black? ...Once you acknowledge I'm right, than you must have to admit that your preacher and your history teacher was full of shit!"</i> And he's not just mad about ancient history. <i>"While these crackers still mad screamin' OJ did it, JonBenet Ramsey's parents is walkin' and they nanny got acquitted? Coppers kill blacks all day and get acquitted, and all that fuckin' tax we pay? Them niggas split it! Why is it less time for powder cocaine than crack, and the only crime you hear about is black on black? You never hear about white on white crime, or Jew on Jew crime; but all that'll change in due time!" </i> It's wild that this song has gone virtually unheard.<br /><br />So how about actually getting some of this unreleased stuff out, you ask? There's not just this album, but all kinds of killer songs he either just released for free, or were mp3-only (try finding a copy of his 2000s <i>ITunes </i>only EP <i>Long Island's Finest</i> anywhere on Earth today), dating all the way back to the Cold Chillin' era. Well, it's been tried. DWG reached out to him about putting out an EP of their favorite unreleased tracks, but they were never able to work out the deal. And more recently I tried to talk Dust & Dope into it, and they were game; but IU wasn't interested because he just wanted to focus on his new music "and let that old shit lie." Now that he's no longer with us, who can we even go talk to? Has someone inherited the rights to his catalog and/ or his masters? If that's you and you see this, definitely reach out to me or somebody, because I promise you there's interest. I'll help for free, because his fans deserve to hear this stuff.<br /><br />But then again, maybe a bunch of you are sitting out there with your own copies of this. Because it was openly for sale for four years or so. 🤷 I'm really missing IU, and you know, I kinda miss <i>The Catacombz</i>, too.<br /></p>Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532830659867404404.post-70971111756294329972023-04-01T00:00:00.022-04:002023-04-01T00:00:00.196-04:00If You Can't Take a Joke, Don't Play This Record<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa_RRUEnQrQBwn6fZmxgV2BPfWSondKn6TLvrHty9I8KXZpnGRGx8lwx7oVilcImOldnVreno0AHb0mT7l4o4QGyPaSfNPwKLQb6QJSaMEcXNBPV432flkIM1n6uuOsQsnhB0WyKdf8lNjWn6QtIGrYhpllVIs4yT2cXjEaYUJW7ej-sH9dkR3fQF/s1434/luhuru.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1408" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa_RRUEnQrQBwn6fZmxgV2BPfWSondKn6TLvrHty9I8KXZpnGRGx8lwx7oVilcImOldnVreno0AHb0mT7l4o4QGyPaSfNPwKLQb6QJSaMEcXNBPV432flkIM1n6uuOsQsnhB0WyKdf8lNjWn6QtIGrYhpllVIs4yT2cXjEaYUJW7ej-sH9dkR3fQF/w196-h200/luhuru.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>I first heard <b>Luhuru</b>'s "In Jail" on Macola Records' <i>Street Kuts: The Posse</i> compilation album in 1989. They put out a bunch of these tapes: <i>Prime Kuts 1 </i>&<i> 2</i>, and <i>The Posse 2</i>, all about the same year, showcasing some of their better and lesser known Californian 12" releases. It was a good way to get the stuff that wasn't on proper albums of their own, especially in those days when malls across America weren't selling vinyl anymore, and I wasn't quite old enough to make the treks to New York or Philly yet. Anyway, it was a fun song, and I had no idea who this guy or group was, but I sure wanted to. The inner J-card notes were no help; the artist and writing credits both just said "Luhuru." How had I never heard of 'em? What other records had Luhuru put out?<br /><br />Well, it turned out none. There's just the one 12", and it's not terribly elucidating as far as the artist's identity. But we get at least one more song on the B-side, or "Serious Side," strictly speaking. Because, yeah, while I wouldn't classify Luhuru as a novelty act like <b>MC Pillsbury</b> or <b>Pitman</b>, Luhuru makes it perfectly clear that "In Jail" is intended as a joke song, prominently displaying a warning on the label's, "Joke Side" that "[t]his record is meant to be funny. If you can't take a joke, don't play it."<br /><br />Because, yeah, "In Jail" is a <b>James Brown</b> diss record, released right after his arrest in 1988 where he was sentenced to six years for, <a href="https://time.com/3629041/james-brown/">as reported in <i>Time Magazine</i></a>, "carrying a deadly weapon at a public gathering, attempting to flee police, and driving under the influence of drugs." It's got a pretty hard if by-the-numbers programmed beat and bassline, and Luhuru has a sort of Compton <b>LL Cool J</b>-inspired flow, but he sounds good, with plenty of energy as he relentlessly clowns James for three verses.<br /> <br /><i>"Now you're sittin' in jail for resistin' arrest,<br />Givin' the cops a race.<br />You were the king of soul,<br />Now you're the king of Cell Block H.<br />You'll be wearin' the stripes,<br />Headed upstate;<br />Instead of making records,<br />You'll be making license plates,<br />Crushing rocks,<br />Eating bread and water.<br />James, you're a has-been<br />And, yo, I think you gotta<br />Watch your back,<br />And don't pull your pants down,<br />Or you'll come out of jail as<br />Miss James Brown!"</i><br /><br />He uses the famous <b>Yellowman </b><i>"nobody move, nobody get hurt"</i> vocal sample, sped up just the way <b>Eazy-E</b> had used it the year before. And there's an on-going skit throughout the song, where the contestants on a game show called <i>Word 2 the Mutha</i> (note: that's also the name credited as Executive Producer on the record label) are prompted to guess "where James Brown will be for the next six years." Actually, it turns out, Brown only had to serve three years of his sentence for good behavior, though he'd go on to be arrested a few more times throughout his later years. Anyway, at the end of his song, he prompts his DJ (it sounds like he's saying "<b>DJ Shock</b>?") to reveal the correct answer, and he cuts in the <b><a href="http://wernervonwallenrod.com/Fat1.html">Fat Boys</a></b> singing the hook from their record "In Jail." You could look at this like: who's this nobody daring to about the Godfather; but as the label makes clear, we're not meant to take it so seriously.<br /><br />And yeah, there's another song that didn't make it onto any compilations or anything, but it's pretty good, too. It's labeled the "Serious" song, but it's not terribly serious. It's called "Men's Game," and it's a song warning girls about the tricks men will play to get them into bed. But even that makes this sound more serious than it is. If you notice the label credits "Naive Chick Played by <b>Anita "Sweet Neat" Hurd</b>," and she's on the hook if this song arguing how her man can't run a game on her, before Luhuru gets on the mic again to break down another con. The beat has a slick drum track and a slow doo-wop kind of vocal loop playing over the whole thing. So the whole song is rather playful and catchy, with Luhuru still flowing hard while he spits lines like, <i>"girls don't realize they're gettin' bit, right between their legs - that is the target!"</i> It's a bit of a gem.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the record label doesn't tell us much more than the <i>Street Kuts</i> card. My copy here is the promo version (as you can see my the giant, pink "<span style="color: #ea9999;"><b>PROMO</b></span>" text emblazoned across it), but the only difference is that the retail has full-colored labels and comes in a proper Macola sleeve instead of the plain, white sleeve. Besides the two songs, we get an instrumental of "In Jail" and acapella of "Men's Game," including the doo-wop humming thing, because I don't think that's a sample. The notes just credit everything to Luhuru, no proper names, and the label is Luhuru Recording. The run-out groove is no help. I'll note, however, that their logo is a map of Africa, and I googled it - there is a village named Luhuru in Tanzania, so maybe that's the origin of the name. At any rate, this seems to be a One and Done by a mystery artist, but it's pretty fun and worth adding to your collection, especially on this holiday.Werner von Wallenrodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04102856408266833762noreply@blogger.com0