O.C. Demos Definitively Knocked Out the Park!

Oh snap! What's this? A third, bonus entry in the O-Zone Originals series[see also: Part 1 and Part 2] by O.C. on No Sleep Records? That's right, this is O-Zone Extras, an especially limited EP only pressed up and given to those of us who supported all five of No Sleep's previous vinyl releases. It can't be purchased anywhere, but 95 lucky people were lucky enough to receive this for free with their copies of O-Zone Originals Part 2, and man is it a treat!

The first side is all demos, including three ultra-vintage joints recorded as far back as 1991 and '92. They're produced by somebody I've never heard of, called Kemp, but don't let that put you off. They're great. Really, this is the "oh shit!" moment of the O.C. demos, when you first hear the opening of the first track, "Visual Picture." When we first heard O.C. debut on "Fudge Pudge" and were expecting him to follow it up with his own record, this is what the most optimistic of us expected to hear. O.C. goes in with fast battle raps over a hype but rugged, ever-changing beat and a perfect horn-blaring hook.

"Stay Alive" is a little smoother, and plays it safer with familiar samples we've all heard before, but it still knocks. And the third Kemp track is "Step Into the O-Zone" that later got remade as just "O-Zone" on Word... Life. You may remember Stretch Armstrong leaking this one on his blog several years ago. Well here it is, finally, in all it's non-radio-rip, remastered glory. This has a totally different spirit than the one Wild Pitch put out, with fast-paced, high energy samples as opposed to the slow, jazzy grooves of the album version. And I can't front on that version, but I definitely prefer this one.

Finally, the A-side ends with a demo by underground DITC/ Freestyle Professors-affiliate Page the Hand Grenade which features O.C. and a beat by Buckwild. Recorded in 1994, it's called "Weak Ideas," and is another low-fi banger. If you dug Your Pocket's Been P;cked - and of course you did, silly! - then you'll definitely appreciate this.

The B-side isn't quite as incredible as the A-side (how could it be?), but it's a very cool dip into O.C.'s past for his fans. It's labeled the Word... Life Sessions, and features three original mixes of songs from his first album.

First up is "No Main Topic." It's the same beat by DJ Ogee as on the album, and the same lyrics. But where Prince Po's lyrics were muted down at the end of the album version, here they're kept intact and at full volume. And he continues to adlib for a long time! So, it's an interesting alternate mix for the serious fans.

Next is "Story," also produced by Ogee. Again, the music is no different, but this one has a markedly different hook, with the sounds of a crowd of people freaking out about what happens in the narrative raps. The album version, you'll recall, had that stuttering whisper, "believe it or not-ot-ot" instead. I'm not sure which version I prefer. Again, this is more or just an interesting look at what might've been for the hardcore fans and any essential, unheard music.

Finally there's a remix of "Born To Live" by Organized Konfusion. This is largely the same remix that was on the CD version of the album and included on the vinyl represses, but not the original LP. The one on this EP, though, has a deep bassline absent from the released version, and that bass helps a lot. This is definitely an improvement over what was released previously, so it's nice to get it here.

All in all, I'm super happy with this bonus record... I like it even better than O-Zone Originals Part 2... and I think even O-Zone Originals Part 1! It's kinda rough on fans who missed out that this isn't purchasable by itself, and that the best of them is also the most limited with the smallest pressing. But I'm sure you hardcore diggers will find a way. I can certainly assure you that it's worth it if you do.

O.C. Demos and Vaulted Treasures

Remember when I reviewed No Sleep's killer EP release of O.C. demos last year? And it ended with the promise that, "This release is part one of two unreleased O.C. EP?" Well, guess what? Part 2 is here!

So, this time around, O-Zone Originals Part 2 isn't all demos like the first one. But they are all unreleased treasures from 1994-1996 that've been previously locked away unheard in O.C.'s vaults. It's also a little more limited than the first volume... there was 200 copies pressed of that, and only 175 of this one.

It starts out with two tracks recorded after Word... Life, but before Jewelz. "Flipside," produced by DJ Ogee, has a smooth, summer cool-out vibe to it. It's honestly a little forgettable, especially if it had come out when it was recorded back in '94, but O.C. rides the beat like a pro and raises it above the glut low budget major label stuff that was dropping in '94. "Master Ya High," produced by Buckwild, also has s slow, mellow groove... in fact, apparently Buckwild wound up giving this a slightly altered version of this beat to Faith Evans when this got shelved, so that tells you how un-hard the instrumental is. But the drums are raw and O.C. is on some serious spitting, so it winds up being a compelling counter-point and a generally better song than "Flipside."

Next up is "Gone," produced by DJ Ogee. You might remember the song from O.C.'s 2005 album, Smoke and Mirrors - the one he did with Hieroglyphics! - but it turns out this was originally recorded for Jewelz, and this is the original version with a different instrumental than the version on Smoke. This one's more stripped down, as opposed to all the R&B singing included on the later version by Mike Loe. I actually liked the singing on that version, so it's hard to pick a favorite, but this one has a whole different tone to it; it's practically an entirely different song.

And rounding out side A we have a radio promo produced by Buckwild for the Kevvy Kev show. It's just a super short, single verse freestyle as opposed to a proper song, but OC sounds great and the beat is really cool. If this was expanded into a full song, it would've sounded great on Word... Life. Unfortunately, he only raps for like 20 seconds here, but what little there is certainly cool.

Then, onto the flip, we finally have a demo joint... like everything on O-Zone Originals Part 1, it was recorded before Word... Life. It's called "Sharp As a Knife" and it's produced by Buckwild. This is the kind of O.C. stuff I'm really after on an EP like this. It's tight, though a little more relaxed than the title might lead you to believe.

Next we've got the original version of "Stronjay," a song from Jewelz. I think this version, produced by DJ Ogee, sounds better better than the released version, even though that one was done by Da Beatminerz. But, frankly, I never really cared for this song, and this hasn't changed my mind. It's cool to have it here as a historical artifact, but otherwise... meh.

Speaking of Da Beatminerz, there's a song by them on here called "Pain." it was recorded for Jewelz but left off. I can't imagine why, though, because this is better than a lot of stuff on Jewelz (like, say, "Stronjay"). The beat is dark and cool, and it has a fresh, uncredited reggae hook on it.

Finally, O-Zone Originals Part 2 winds out with another cool radio promo, this one featuring MC Serch, recorded for The Wake Up Show. Fortunately, unlike the one on Side A, this one isn't over before it starts... though I still wish it was longer. Serch and OC pass the mic back and forth, kicking a funky, staccato flow over a chunky, piano loop provided by Ogee.

Overall, I don't know if this is quite as impressive as the first volume, but it's definitely quality O.C. material that deserved to finally see the light of day, and any serious O.C. fan will want to get this; and they won't be disappointed when they do. Still, it would be nice if those last few, remaining truly vintage and great OC demos could come out on a similar EP one day...

O.C. Demos Restored and Released

"Fudge Pudge" was large in 1991. It was a crazy song with an incredible bassline, crazy freestyle rhymes and some fresh piano playing for the hook. Though not technically their first release, it was definitely most peoples' introduction to the bugged and beloved crew, Organized Konfusion. So after the single, we all rushed to the album, only to discover, "oh, that guy who kicked the illest, final verse isn't actually part of the group? Well who was he?" Of course he was O.C., and in 1994, our expectations were met and then some with his stellar debut single, "Time's Up," on Wild Pitch.

But that's a long gap between 1991 and 1994. Surely something had to've been going on behind the scenes during all that time... Surely he was must've been meeting potential producers and managers, shopping demos, and recording some pretty dope music, right? Well, of course he was! In fact, he was signed to Serch's production company along with Nas. And now, thanks to No Sleep Records, they've finally been released on wax! O-Zone Originals is a 6-song EP featuring all previously unreleased songs recorded in 1993, plus a bonus radio promo he recorded for Stretch and Bobbito, also in 1993.

So, let me start off by saying that, despite these being demo tracks, the sound quality is excellent (with one possible exception, which we'll come to). This isn't some dodgy Maxwell cassette ripped onto vinyl; these must've been mastered from the original DATs or something, because they're loud and crisp. It's limited to 200 copies, and as you can see above, comes in a nice sticker cover. Okay, now let's talk about the music!

We start out with two hot tracks produced by Buckwild: "Outsiders" and "Would You Believe?" "Would You Believe" brings a succession of hard, deep jazzy samples (and those early 90's sleighbells are in full effect!), but to be "Outsiders" is the winner. This is a pure, hardcore cut with that classic street jazz DITC are the masters of when they're at their best:

"There's a lot of real fake brothers, quick to ride us.
All they wanna do is divide us.
I'm hip to it, fella. Well, you better decide
How you're livin', or you're gonna get taken for a ride.
Yeah, it's a threat, with no guns involved.
Fellas inside of my crew will do a nice, clean job.
I can't stand snakes and connivers;
My crew consists of strivers and survivors.
As far as I'm concerned, you can terminate
Your whole damn effort. I'm on to it,
But I'm acting like I never knew it.
Like a parasite, they wanna get inside us.
Sorry, There's no room for outsiders!"

Next up is "Kick a Rhyme for the Record," produced by two guys named Mark Pearson and John Mcgann. I'm not gonna front: I have no idea who those dudes are, and that just adds to the unusual feeling here. Yeah, this one's a little unorthodox... it's got OC kicking a really dope rhyme over a cool bassline and hand-clappy beats; but it features these weird... I don't know, a keyboard set to some kind of horn setting, I guess. It's definitely unusual and I could see it ruining the song for a lot of traditionalists, but I dig it. It's fun, a little quirky, but the bass and percussion keep the proceedings from straying too far from "real."

And side A plays out with that Stretch and Bob promo, with back-up vocals by MC Serch. It's a quality rhyme, albeit purely promotional for the hosts, over a surprisingly smooth beat by DJ Eclipse. And it sounds professionally produced, not like one of those Wake Up Show on-air freestyles. But it's short and ends abruptly. Still, it's definitely a cool inclusion, and the production fits in surprisingly well with the rest of the EP.

Flipping it over to the B-side now, we get one more track by each of the previous producers: Buckwild, Eclipse and those Mark and John dudes. Actually, only Mark is credited on the label, but the promo e-mail No Sleep sent out lists both of them. Anyway, their second track is tight and more conventional than "Kick a Rhyme:" a rough bassline and a nice horn sample on the hook. These guys aren't name producers, but it's definitely up to par with everything the known producers' contributed, and better than a lot of the tracks on Word...Life.

Eclipse's second track, "That Bad Motherfucker," has a funkier vibe. It's more upbeat, but still has a nice, plodding, head-nodding tempo with lots DITC-style samples and some fresh scratching by DJ Riz. The lyrics have more of a clever, playful wordplay to them, too; more like something you'd expect from Big L than O.C.... It's kinda more what you would've expected after hearing "Fudge Pudge" than the more serious O.C. we've gotten used to.

Finally, we end with Buckwild's third effort, "Sugar," a narrative rap about a girl named Sugar. I prefer the freestyle or braggadocio rhymes to the story stuff (though this one's amusing), but the star is Buckwild's beat. It's a pretty unique track, that shifts between different sample sets, that's both peppy and grimy at the same time. Unfortunately, this is the one "possible exception" in sound quality I mentioned before. The bass is ultra-deep, and is maybe a little distorted... you do notice it when you raise the volume up. I don't know if this is a fault in the mastering here, though; or just in the original recording. I saw it mentioned on the DWG forums, and it wasn't hard for me to "find" the issue they're referring to; but I have to say, it really doesn't bother me. It all sounds pretty clean to me, even turned up loud. Maybe I've just listened to too many Hobo Junction songs where the engineers intentionally "broke" the bass, but I personally have no complaints - it doesn't break here, it just overwhelms the rest of the song more than it was probably meant to. And overall, this whole EP definitely sounds a lot nicer than your average demo pressed onto wax.

So, yeah. I can't really do this EP enough justice. It's a great release, and as a whole, maybe even better than Word... Life (though "Time's Up" is still his #1 song, of course); it's really that good. Unfortunately, at just 200 copies, it sold out in only six days of being announced (hey, don't get mad at me; I tweeted the news on day 1!). So if you didn't pre-order it, be prepared to either wait a long time for a good opportunity or pay through the nose. But don't worry, I won't end on a downer; here's something that should cheer you back up. In No Sleep's initial announcement, they ended by saying, "This release is part one of two unreleased O.C. EP." So keep your eyes peeled!