Giving The P-Man His Props

For those that don't know, P-Man was sort of the third member of Young and Restless.  Like, if you looked at the back of their album, he seemed to be their DJ/ producer; though the conventional wisdom is that he was really just the money man, managing and financing the group while somebody else did all the music.  And he may not even really have been much of a money man if you heard what Dr. Ace and Prince P. said when they fired him after he got sent away for drug trafficking before their second album.  Well, that's all as may be, but P-Man was an actual DJ and he definitely did the music for his 1987 solo 12" from Bound Sound Records called "Rock it Baby."  And it's dope.

No, P-Man does not rap on this.  This is a DJ joint, in the tradition of "Touch of Jazz," "DJ Premier In Deep Concentration" and those other all-too rare songs where the DJ got to shine and his turntables were given the lead track rather than a rapper's vocals.  Admittedly, the scratching might sound a little rudimentary today compared to later examples guys like Magic Mike or DJ Aladdin would come up with just a year or two later.  This is more akin to, say, N.Y.C. Cutter (Marley Marl)'s "DJ Cuttin."  But that was an important record in its day.

One element that immediately makes "Rock It Baby" stand out is that it loops the same famous riff from Rick James' "Super Freak" years before MC Hammer's "U Can’t Touch This" blew it up.  The P-Man came first!  But this record doesn't rely as heavily on it, frequently flipping the script and changing the root samples and drum machine effects its instrumental is based on.  And then of course he's cutting up various soundbites like Kool Doobie saying "perpetrators praise me" from the Whistle classic "(Nothing Serious) Just Buggin'" on top of that.  Again, a lot of the scratches are fairly old school and basic, but if you pay attention, he lays in some trickier, more forward looking tricks in there, like some scribbles.

Oh, and it's worth noting that there are two versions, the Scratch Mix and The Other Mix.  Both actually feature full scratching and stuff; it's not like one is just a dub mix or something.  In fact, you might not notice the difference on a first, casual listen.  But they are different lengths with different edits throughout.  I guess you could say The Other Mix is an extended mix, lasting approximately two minutes longer and letting more of the beats ride unencumbered for a while.  As such, I'd say the Scratch Mix is the tighter and more energetic of the two, and it has a couple additional keyboard samples (it sounds like he's mixing in "Saturday Love" maybe, but it's hard to tell because he's juggling it so much), but The Other Mix is nice for when you want to just vibe out to a longer-lasting experience.

P-Man did return to music when he was released from prison sometime around 1993, including a group called If Looks Could Kill with his then wife, and the Polo Boyz/ Dynaztee.  He later changed his name to Sam Silvasteen and got into publishing Hip-Hop mags and websites, before he was tragically killed in 2009.  So his image has almost always been about his management, his various businesses (on both sides of the law), his beef with Rick Ross, etc.  But it's worth remembering he had this fresh little record with his own music to his name, too.

Dead Presidents To Represent Ace

In 1995, The Southern Conference put out their only album, Who Am I?, and this is the first (of two) singles off of that album. But Southern Conference aren't just some random nobody group that came and went in a quick minute. In fact, it was just the latest step in a hip-hop career that started back in 1989, and continued on his last album (to date) in 2005. The Southern Conference is none other than Dr. Ace, of Young and Restless fame - who also put out records under the names of Da Real One and Mr. Charlie - backed by a couple other guys collectively known as The S.C. Mafia.

Yeah, you remember Young and Restless, surely - "B stands for Broncos, Benz, BMW, bass, bangles, and a pair of bars!" They actually had a long and varied career after they broke up (I say "broke up" because they stopped putting out records as the group, but they remained friends and continued to work together). And in 1995 they both dropped their first solo projects: Prince of Power dropped "Give Me 50 Feet" under his new monicker, P.O.D., and Ace dropped this record, "Dead Presidents."

And this is a solo record, make no mistake. Despite it being credited to "Southern Conference," Ace is the only one rapping on here (though Alvin Rodgers adds the occasional background vocal and a strange Bugs Bunny impression), the song's sole writer and the song's sole producer. It starts out with a quote from the Christian Slater film Mobsters, "What's the secret of America? MONEY! Everything is money, Charlie." "Charlie" is an extra little in-joke, because, in addition to being the name of the main character in the movie, it's Dr. Ace's real name.

Anyway, it's a nice little record... Young and Restless meets 90's random rap indie vinyl. It's a fresh, but low-key instrumental with a super funky bassline - not a Miami bass ridiculous bassline, but a straight funky one - and a little live guitar by Rich Serrotta. There are some subtle, female background vocals by Grace, who's allowed to flex at the end of the song. And there's a cool little routine where Ace does some back and forth with her, very reminiscent of the records Grand Puba used to do with Mary J. Blige.

While P.O.D. went to the obvious route of making a pure dance track for the clubs, Ace made a slower, reflective hip-hop track. It's got enough live rhythms to still feel lush and upbeat, and there are still hints of the Ace's wit in his writing, but for the most part he plays it straight (though not too deep) with a mature song about the ups and downs of his financial issues. And just for the record, this came out the year before Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents."

This 12" just features the one song, but it is fully loaded, coming in Radio, Ride Out, Club, Instrumental, and Acapella Versions. The Ride Out mix isn't a remix with a new instrumental - it's just a slightly extended mix where the beat rides out. This record can usually be found pretty cheap - even though it's kinda rare - just because most people don't seem to know what the heck it is. But I recommend it - it's not exactly a random rap classic that should be commanding insane prices, but if you appreciate good hip-hop, you'll like this. It's just good.

The Intriguing Life of The Prince of Darkness

Why do rap artists from Miami always have the most interesting stories? I mean, it's not always the right kind of interesting (see: the tragic and awful story of Ant D); but I swear, every local rapper who's graced The Miami Herald could have their careers turned into the most fascinating, wild movies. And The P.O.D. (Prince of Darkness) is certainly no exception.

This is not my first time blogging about P.O.D., and I don't think it's gonna be the last. For those who need a reminder, P.O.D. is the artist formerly known as The Prince of Power, one half of the infamous and beloved Young & Restless. But I'm not going to get all into their crazy drama with their former producer/manager, The P-Man (I'll save that for another blog)... instead I'm just focussing on one of the most obscure twists and turns in their subsequent solo careers: "Life" on B.U.M. Records.

"Life" dropped in 1996, and it's distributed by Ichiban. Yes, it's another one of those releases with the red spines and white letters... surely he was one more artist on Ichiban's underrated comeback roster in the mid 90's, where they signed a plethora of established artists who were at the time unsigned, from Kool Moe Dee and The Treacherous Three to MC Madness to Kwamé to Doctor Ice, and so on. Some of the material was disappointing, but it was still a nice time for a fan, getting albums from so many artists you thought you'd never hear again. In fact, if you read the liner notes of the single, it claims to be "from the upcoming LP The Renegade." But The Renegade was not to be... only this rare single exists from P.O.D.'s Ichiban signing.

Now, if you're wondering if P.O.D. was still on good terms with his partner in Y&R Dr. Ace, I can assure you the answer is yes, because he produced this song (under his real name, C. Trahan). But despite that, this is nothing like a Young & Restless record. Not only does this not have the humor of their past collaborations, it's not even a fast-paced club song like P.O.D.'s other solo single. This is a slow (think: Scarface speed) and serious record. I suppose that's why The Prince changed his name from Power to Darkness - to show that he was going in a new direction.

It's a reflective, autobiographical song about growing up... talking about putting away the weed to take care of his kids:

"Did God put me here to be miserable and high,

Then not tell me why?

I'ma a fill in what I'm feelin': no father or mother,

Separated from my brothers at one age or another.

My head started to swell. When will good prevail?

Tormented by my sins, and I feel like I'm in Hell.

I feel like my life's a total mess."

Musically? Well, it's not sample-based, so that's a disappointment right off the bat. It's largely all studio sounds... you can almost picture them making this beat like that scene in Hustle & Flow. But one element raises it above that level and makes it more compelling... there's a lot of live guitar (lead and rhythm) played on this song. So it's got a real genuine appeal, with sincere lyrics and well-guided musical vibes.

And who plays those guitars you ask? Gary King of the Kendall Toyota Show. He's even credited exactly that way in the notes: "of the Kendall Toyota Show." So what is the Kendall Toyota Show, you ask? It was a surprisingly successful celebrity talk show/infomercial (which later became known as the Miami Tonight Show) that aired on Miami television, produced by a local car dealership and hosted by their general manager. The Miami New Times described it as, "so provocative, so unremittingly, uh, bad, that one feels almost obligated to watch -- the same way that, upon passing a nasty car wreck, one slows unconsciously to assess the carnage. The carnage, in this case, consists of Hollywood has-beens who have been reduced to guest stints on a fake chat show hosted by two large, impossibly caffeinated men in cummerbunds." ...See? Only Miami artists have such fun details spring out of even the tiniest of liner note credits.

But there's more! There aren't any instrumentals (just as well) or radio edits or anything, but there is a B-side (labelled as a "Bonus Track"), entitled "Mortal Combat." It's not quite the battle rap massacre you might expect from the title, but it's certainly faster and harder than "Life." It's sort of a low-fi, gangsta rap freestyle cut produced by P.O.D. himself, but with some unmistakeable writing touches of the original Prince of Power:

"Fuckin' with the P.O.D.'ll be a no-no.

Pull a strap on your dad and treat your mom like a dog-ass ho;

Through this process of feelin' no remorse;

And if she fine? Sexual intercourse!

I gotta say this kinda shit 'cause it's that kinda jam,

And besides, that's the kinda nigga I am."

I can see how this single wouldn't appeal to all of my usual readers... I can see how it wouldn't appeal to most people, period. But if you loved all that low budget, Ichiban come-back material like I did, and if you've got a warm pace in your heart for Young & Restless, then you don't need to hear my opinion before you start tracking this down for yourself. And the rest of you guys, at least it was an interesting one to read about, right?

Do You Like Pina Colada?

Have you ever heard that old Rupert Holmes (yes, I looked it up) tune "Escape (The Pina Colada" Song)" and got it stuck in your head? The one that goes, "Do you like Pina Colada? And getting caught in the rain?" You thought it was kinda catchy, but you're too staunch a hip-hop head to spin some corny old 70's lounge record? Well, the music industry was looking out for fans like you in 1997, and came up with the solution "U Like Pina Colada" by Da Real One.

This is a song off of LaFace Records' bass compilation album, And Then There Was Bass, which was then released as a successful single. Da Real One looked like an unknown artist when you checked out the album's track-listing, but once you gave it a listen, it turned out to be the new identity of Dr. Ace, from Young & Restless. His partner had already changed his name and put out a few records as The P.O.D. Prince of Darkness, but this was Ace's first solo outing.

So, yeah, this is the hip-hop version (written and produced by Ace) of the 1979 record, and it heavily samples the original, including keeping Rupert's vocals on the chorus (though Ace sings over them and completely overshadows them). Interestingly, it's got a few bottom-dropping bass drops, but they're used very sparingly; it's mostly about the ever-present funk guitar loop, some funky breakdowns and a lot of BPM. And of course it's got all new words. The style and lyrics stay very true to the tone set by your favorite Young & Restless records:

"Now I met another lady...
Check out what she had to say:
I asked her where her man at?
She said, 'baby, I'm gay.'
I said, 'that don't really matter...
As long as you ain't got a sex change.
Because I'm down with a threesome...
But I need to know some thangs."

And the hook is updated from:

"If you like Pina Coladas,
And getting caught in the rain.
If you're not into yoga,
If you have half-a-brain.
If you like making love at midnight,
In the dunes of the cape.
I'm the love that you've looked for,
Write to me, and escape."

to:

"If you like Pina Colada,
Alize or champagne.
If you like juice in your gin;
Me, myself Hennessy.
If you like making love at midnight?
Rolling out on the avenue.
If you like firing up a fat one,
Well, then you're down with my crew."

The only problem I have with this song, is that it's all done in the sing-songy delivery of the original (albeit with a modern twist); and he never quite busts out and raps over the track, which would've really pushed it over the edge. But i guess that's the lack of Prince's influence showing? Remember how I said you feel the loss of Ace in P.O.D.'s solo material? Well, I guess it works the other way 'round, too (not that they were irreparably separated... Young & Restless reunited on two songs from Ace's Southern Conference project). Though, I suppose there was already a precedent set for this, in Young & Restless's debut single "Poison Ivy." But I just wish for a little more of what they did with "Louie Louie," in terms of transforming it further into a proper rap song.

Oh well; it's still a lot of fun, and the 12" comes loaded with with Clean, Dirty, Instrumental and Acappella versions in a sticker cover.

Furthermore, it's b/w another song from the compilation, Luke's "Let's Ride." Most of the songs on And Then There Was Bass were all-new material, but this one's on loan from Luke's Changin' the Game album. I guess that's why LaFace didn't bother to credit the featured artists on this song: Jiggie and No Good But So Good. The song (which is produced by Luke himself) ain't not bad... It's hectically paced, has some nice change-ups, and the guest rappers keep it from being all Luke shouting, like a lot of his records become. And, as with the A-side, the 12" provides the full rationing of Dirty, Clean, Instrumental and Acappella versions for the song.

This is the only record Dr. Ace would put out as Da Real One. After this, he changed his name to Mr. Charlie and released a couple more records. And he's still around doing his thing: check out his myspace.

Boom Boom, Skeet Skeet!

Urban Dictionary credits the phrase "boom boom skeet skeet"* to a brief line in a 2004 Trick Daddy song ("J.O.D.D." off of Thug Matrimony: Married To the Streets). Well, they're correct in that he said the phrase, but it's actually a reference to another Miami artist's record: The P.O.D. Prince of Darkness's "Give Me '50 Feet," which came out a full 9 years earlier on World Wide Entertainment Enterprise. It's the catchy, oft-repeated hook, "boom boom, skeet skeet! You got to give me fifty feet!" It's even printed on the label, so shoppers would know, "this is the boom boom, skeet skeet song."

And Trick Daddy was surely familiar with The P.O.D., since he appeared on his 2001 album, The Power of Dollars. 'Cause, if you don't know, P.O.D. is the artist formerly known as The Prince of Power, a.k.a. Young & Restless; and this was his first solo joint.

It's produced by E-Chill, who was also managing P.O.D. (or something along those lines), up to and including his 2001 full-length. It's a super high-energy, high BPM dance track with a couple fast but simple raps by Prince and a lot of hook, mega-deep bass, shout & call responses, whistles and classic Miami-style samples. It was certainly not the type of song built to convince east coast lyricists to give props to the Florida scene, but it's well-crafted good times.

If you're expecting the humorous side of Young & Restless, though, forget it (perhaps that's what changing his name from Prince of Power to Prince of Darkness was meant to signify?). The tone certainly isn't dark, but the raps are kept pretty short and simple. Not that you'd want a joke song, but a little bit of Dr. Ace's songwriting goes a long way. Still, his delivery is quick and we're not subjected to any corny one-liners; but it seems like the intent here is really not to draw any attention to the lyrics at all, and just bridge the gap to the next hook or breakdown:

"Now you learned the hook;
Where your eyes at? Where you wanna look?
Keep swingin' that monkey,
Poppin' that coochie or ridin' that donkey.
Break it down to the ground,
And bring it back up with the doo-doo brown.
And if the niggas say
You ain't anyway, then that is when you say..."

The 12" features Raw and Radio Edits (not that this is a dirty song... despite the title, it's a pretty innocent dance song with just a few quick references to "the niggas" and "gangsta bitches" in the club), plus the Instrumental and P.O.D.'s Remix, which is disappointingly more of a dub version. It's stripped-down with more of an emphasis on the bass, but unfortunately during the rap verses, they only play the back-ups and double-lines, so you can't fully enjoy the remix as a proper song. Oh well, the original's better anyway.

So, if you're looking for some disenfranchised-youth-vs.-the-illuminati-type music, keep on walkin'. But if you want good times, hey. It's the original "boom boom, skeet skeet" song. 'Nuff said.


*In before any underage Lil' Jon fans post a comment asking what "skeet" means... that's a conversation for y'all to have with your parents. ...Actually, on second thought, I don't think that's a conversation you really want to have with your parents. Ask on the schoolyard.

Louie, Louie (The Raps) 3

^^I don't know why YT is compressing my widescreen video into a fullscreen ratio, but whadevuh.