Buck 65 Vinyl Week, Day 5 - Dirk Thornton

After "Wicked and Weird," Buck 65 put out two more really strong singles off Talkin' Honky Blues, but unfortunately, in both cases, he made the CD singles far superior to the vinyls (including quality, exclusive tracks not featured on the 10"s). What? So, unfortunately, we can't count them amongst his great vinyl releases for this series. :(

So instead we jump right ahead to 2007 and his Dirk Thornton singles. Dirk Thornton is either another alias for Buck, a la Stinkin' Rich or DJ Critical, which he uses when he records with his collaborators DJ Flip and Freezemaster Slick, OR it's the collective name of the trio. It's not really clear which. Regardless, if you hear a Dirk Thornton song, it's Buck 65 with those two guys.

So, yeah. There's two limited (I've talked to some pretty serious Buck 65 fans online who were surprised to hear me tell them that these singles actually did come out) 7" singles on All City Records. This is the first:



"Chokehold" b/w "Catwalk." The first thing you'll notice on listening to this is that, after some... let's say uneven at best collaberations Buck has been doing in these last couple years, Flip and Slick really understand how to produce for Buck. It's not crazy, experimental French rock/new wave he's been doing a lot of, and it's not the ineffective attempt at hip-hop throwback of Situation. If I didn't know who did the music, I would've assumed it was Buck back by himself.

"Chokehold" is a slow, moody banger with Buck offering up some slick wordplay - seriously, some of his delivery seems to be taken out of a Project Blowed playbook; and it really works for him here. The hook is a little dull (couldn't you've added a few scratches or somethin'?), but it's a small mark against a really dope cut. And "Catwalk" is almost as good, with a strong, jazzy loop coming dangerously close to drowning out his vocals. The hook is more effective here, too, with a new piano riff played over his whispered voice. Quality lyrics, delivery (especially on "Chokehold,"), music... highly recommended on all fronts.



Part Two is another 2 song 10", featuring "Yesterday's News" and "Run." Everything is just as good on "Yesterday's News" as it was on the last single. Once again, I just have to say how well these guys' music compliments Buck's rhymes. "Yesterday's News" is a simpler song, evoking more of an atmosphere through images than telling a story or making a point.

"Avenue of the Americas, Hollywood Boulevard.
Blood on the sidewalk, and the night sky is full of stars.
Pain in the left knee at four in the morning;
Cold to the bone, and the old man is snoring.
Hand written letters: 'please lend me a hand;
The fish ain't bitin'. Could you send me a grand?'
Reading the phonebook, wondering who to call.
Girl with my rings sticks pins in a voodoo doll.
I pray to the wind to send you fine weather,
A hundred percent cotton and genuine leather.
Fire on the coastlline following plain;
A whale on a beach, a dog on a chain.
Sellin' my stories to the violent and perverted;
All eyes are on me and I don't deserve it.
Nothin' to do except I guess to play blues;
I sleep in the car... I'm yesterday's news."

"Run" is up to par with the rest, but this time the vocals are really mixed to low. It's a shorter song, with just a brief bit of musical flair separating the two verses. It's another dope song in a series of nothing but dope songs, though I do hope that this might someday see another release with Buck's rhymes and the scratching at the end up turned up to match the instrumental a little more evenly.

Now, these two singles were originally meant to be followed up by a Dirk Thornton EP, which would include a couple more songs, plus instrumentals. It's been a long time and there's no sign of it yet... I think it may not be coming. The fact that Buck later included the only other DT song from their myspace, "Temporarily In Love," on his limited Heck CD probably isn't a good sign. But we can hope. Dirk Thornton has his/its own myspace page, so keep a faithful eye on that from time to time for hopefully future word.

Tags: Buck 65, Dirk Thornton

Buck 65 Vinyl Week, Day 4.2 - Wicked and Weird

First of all, if you haven't already, go read this blog post about Buck 65's Anticon 12", "The Centaur;" because if I hadn't already written about it last year, it would be by all rights the Day 4 entry in Buck 65 Vinyl Week, and this post would be Day 5. But I think it'd be a bit of a cop out just to repost it and call that an entry. So, yeah. Just go read that for Day 4 and now here's Day 4.2:

"Wicked and Weird" was the lead single off of Buck's probably best-to-date album (certainly the most consistent), Talkin' Honky Blues, both of which came out in 2003 on Warner Brothers Records. That's a bit of a devisive opinion, because previously Buck had always changed styles (and even voices) from song-to-song on his albums, and on this one he picked one and stuck with it. So many people missed the variety, or perhaps were just stuck on a particular delivery he didn't choose to utilize this go 'round; so he caught a lot of flack. The fact that he made this change on a record that was his first on a major label (WB rereleasing and sometimes altering his back catalog doesn't count), really upped the scrutiny. But while pretty much all of his albums have reached moments just as good before, this is where his song-writing really held up for the entire album.

And this was the light but clever, really catchy lead in to that album. It's fast paced, has a really great hook (you don't get that often from rappers who started in the 90's, after all), using his clever rhyme style to set up the atmosphere of the album, and still hold up as an absorbing, self-contained song, as opposed to a freestyle with some stand-out lines. His gravely voice, a twangy guitar loop and a thumping bassline mesh perfectly to make an anthem about his boldy eccentricity and passion for nostalgic Americana (yeah, I know he's from Canada) on the road:

"Hole in the muffler, ghost on the shoulder,
Cough drops, loose change in the beverage holder.
To roll down the window you gotta use a wrench.
...I'm thinking about brushing up on my French.
Right there in the glove box, if you should look,
You'll find forty parking tickets,
And a copy of the Good Book.
Don't bother looking... you'll never find me;
I'm starting from scratch and leaving trouble behind me."

There's a hot breakdown where it sounds like it's he's going to let the guitar player go solo, but it quickly becomes a showcase for his turntable skills, cutting up carious samples as the background music fades and transforms.

This is followed up by the "Jacknife Lee" remix of the same song. It's not as good as the original; but it's good, and different enough to make for a decent alterantive. I have no idea who this Jacknife Lee is, but according to wikipedia, "Garret 'Jacknife' Lee is a Grammy Award winning music producer and remixer. He has worked with a variety of artists, including U2, R.E.M., Snow Patrol, Bloc Party, The Hives, Weezer, Vega4 and Editors." So I guess he's a big deal in some circles; but that also kinda lets you know what to expect... this isn't no DITC remix. The basic pace and rhythm of the original is kept, but most of the samples are stripped away and replaced by some hard, grungy electric guitars. I'm no rocker, but I'd be pretty impressed with this if I wasn't already familiar with the original. But as it is, it's just a decent remix.

The b-side, a non-album track called "What's Wrong With That," also utilizes some heavy guitars; but we're out of Jacknife Lee grunge rock metal (or whatever) territory and back into Buck 65's production style. The guitars mostly stick to a simple loop supporting a fast, upbeat track... it actually reminds me of some Def Jam-era Beastie Boys, but more polished (it's got some 80's style percussion in there, too; which helps the comparison). The lyrics, too - though technically still following the 12"'s theme of defiantly bold individuality - are a little more freestyle and all-over-the-place like the Beasties would be:

"I hate to hear that whistle blow,
Gettin' dirty, make a racket.
Got some sun, torpedo neck,
Backpack and my snakeskin jacket.
My woman's good; she keeps me straight,
Gives me Hell and loves the Lord.
I got my wheels, a place to rest...
I got everything and I still want more.
What's wrong with that?"

It's kind of a perfect b-side. It doesn't quite mesh with the album, so it doesn't belong there. It echoes the themes of the A-side. And t's not so well written that it steals the show from the main track (B-side doesn't win again this time); but it's good enough that you'll want to buy the single to get it even if you have the album.

So, all in all this is a definite for the crates. You might also want to track down the split 2004 12" from Ninja Tune (split because there's a song by some group named Airborn Audio on the other side), which doesn't include the remix or "What's Wrong With That," but does have the "Wicked and Weird" instrumental, which Warner left off of this 12", probably for space. See, even though this is a 12", it plays at 45rpm; possibly just to stick with the eccentric theme of the single... but that doesn't leave you much room for instrumentals and the like. So you might want that one if you're a completist; but you'll defintiely be wanting this one: another of Buck's great 12"s.

Tags: Buck 65

Buck 65 Vinyl Week, Day 3 - Wild Life

And we're back to Buck 65 Vinyl Week with Day 3's entry, the 1998* "Wild Life" 12" on Hand Solo Records. Here he credits himself as Buck 65 featuring Stinkin' Rich. If Buck was Kool Keith on "yesterday's" Sebutones' 12", he's a full-blown, blue flower growing Dr. Octagon on today's.

"Wild Life" is actually a trilogy of songs detailing his dreams about riding in the Tour de France. That's dreams in the "while sleeping" sense, not "aspirations" sense. This distinction becomes readily apparent early into the first listen, as the narrative is as fluidly bizarre as a trip through anyone's subconscious can be: "Everywhere, all around me, people they be just be talkin' all about the camp as if their bike is gonna rust if they don't begin to pedal; 'cause if the rain hits the metal, the parts that are wet'll corrode if the drops settle," it begins.

An atmospheric beat driven by a strong bass sample rolls on, with Buck smoothly narrating what he sees in what's practically one, giant (rhyming) run-on sentence: "I can't see the big and yellow dashes in the middle of the road because it's covered in ashes two inches deep, making for treacherous conditions, poor visibility and rising suspicions. I know I'm not in hell; I don't hear the sounds of P-funk[LOL]; but I'm trying to get my bicycle past a fallen tree trunk that's blocking the road off, barricade fashion. My legs are getting tired and some other guys are crashin' because of the ashes and there's a long way to go, still: I can't believe how dark it is. There's a whole lot of hills and sharp corners to navigate, and vampires in the distance - I can see the campfires."

He soon crosses the finish line, but that's only the end of part 1. A short keyboard loop, wailing horns and the same drum beat kicks off part 2. This is my favorite of the series... at least instrumentally. Lyrically, it's hard to really divide the three. It's worth noting that, while all three songs are off his album Weirdo Magnet (also Hand Solo Records, 1997) the more widely available rerelease from Warner Bros completely remixes the song. In fact, the whole album's pretty different... but really "Wildlife part 2" suffers the most. It's just not nearly as catchy - you really owe it to yourself to track down the original version if you're a fan of this trilogy.

Anyway, whichever version you're listening the lyrics are the same. As Buck crosses the finishline his bike disappears and, "something wasn't normal there; all the other campers were dressed up in formal wear; and everybody's angry, so I decide to form a story, keep a low profile, and try to find the dormitory. Thinking I was too late, I asked my roommate about the jackets and dress pants, and he said the best chance to stay out of trouble ain't a heavy task at all, 'be at the gym at nine for the first game of basketball. Otherwise, you could be collecting dead animals around the campsite by kerosene lamplight, just like those guys in tuxedos - it's a rip off. So whatever you do, just be in time for the tip off.' ...God in heaven, dead animals?"

The third instrumental is sort of a cross between the first and second, slow horns, a whining keyboard sample... the drums are different this time. The instrumentals for all three are featured on the flip.

And besides those, there's a short, untitled bonus track, which is exclusive to this 12". It's a similar instrumental to the other three, a slow bass loop, snare-y drums, and one or two other samples that fade in and out. This song is mostly a showcase of his DJing skills, which are considerable. It's fresh, and he does drop a nice, short freestyle rhyme at the end. He's back down to Earth.

All in all, this is a really great 12". What's more, I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is the best song (or series of songs) about a dream in hip-hop ever - it's certainly the most authentically dream-like. Don't sleep.


*His discography on buck65.com says 1997, but I daresay that's a mistake. It certainly says 1998 on my copy; and I'm pretty sure that's correct.

Tags: Buck 65

Drifting Away from the Atlantic

We interrupt today's edition of Buck 65 Vinyl Week to bring you this hot, brand new limited release.

One Leg Up, the label that brought us Herb McGruff's Godfather Don-produced demo, and the awesome Cenobites EP, Demented Thoughts, just released its third release: The High Plains Drifter EP by Lord Digga.

This is an 8-song EP (hey, 8 songs = more like an album in my book) of long lost tracks. See, Lord Digga, of Masta Ace Inc. fame, was briefly signed to Atlantic Records in the mid 90's. You may remember the one song they put out promotionally on a split 12" with The Artifacts, "Man Digga Comin' Through." That was all they put out though; and Digga's album never wound up surfacing... He eventually came back on the indie tip with that infamous song using The Price Is Right theme. Well, 1LU has gotten with Digga to release all the tracks Digga recorded for Atlantic that've never before seen the light of day.



It's all self-produced (which is fine, since Digga was always a dope producer... having worked on tracks from "Land Of the Lost" to his terrific "Brooklyn Zoo" remix), with the occassional bit of co-production from Ace. A lot of his stuf here kinda sounds like some Biggie Smalls material (which follows, since he was also producing for Biggie around that time), and to my mind the production mostly outshines the laid-back lyrics. But he tells some cool Flatbush stories over some smooth beats; it's a good cool out EP.

He only really flexes freestyle/battle-type rhymes on one song, "Word Play," which is cool; but not as good as, say, his verse on "Saturday Night Live." What would be the worst song on the EP, "Party Jam" (it's like it sounds, including the predictable R&B hook by Leschea) is saved to a large degree by an appearance by Masta Ace. Digga is joined on two other tracks by an understudy MC by the name of Logic, who's pretty good... his voice provides a good contrast to Digga's bass-heavy delivery.

But the EP is really carried by the last song, which elevates it from a worthwhile but unexceptional piece of recovered history to a must-have banger: "Good Vibrations" (don't let the Beach Boys title fool you) Unlike the other 7 tracks, this wasn't recorded for his Atlantic album... this is an earlier demo track he recorded in '92. The label says it's featuring Masta Ace, but this is really a Masta Ace song featuring Lord Digga, who just comes on briefly to do about 5-10% of the MCing - but he wrecks shop when he does. Master Ace rips it over a fast beat with a familiar sample, but with some phat, new horn loops and fresh scratching on the hook. This is seriously some 'Greatest Hits' material for both artists involved. It's definitely cool that 1LU unearthed Digga's lost Atlantic material, but thank fucking god this song has finally come out as well.

Last I heard, 1LU just had a handful of these left (and UGHH still seems to have a couple preorder copies available), so like Luke would say, "don't stop; get it, get it!" You can grab it from their (or, as I say, UGHH): oneleguprecords.blogspot.com... there's a great interview with Digga up there as well.

...Oh, p.s. - yes, Lord Digga has a myspace page: it's here. And tomorrow we'll be back for Buck 65 Day 3. Cheers. 8)

Tags: Lord Digga

Buck 65 Vinyl Week, Day 2 - Sebutonedef

It's Day 2 of Buck 65 Vinyl Week, and today I'm drinking chocolate milk and listening to The Sebutones' only vinyl release, the "Sebutonedef" 12". It dropped on Four Ways To Rock Records in 1997. This is the single off of SixToo and Buck's first collaborative album, Psiorasis, and it has some nice vinyl exclusives.

The first track, of course, is "Sebutonedef (Original Mix)." The first thing you'll hear is the looped stand-up bass, in the style of Digable Planets' "Cool Like Dat," playing acappella. Soon some phat drums, scratching, and a horn sample that sounds like it's coming out of an old David Lynch soundtrack kick in. Buck 65 describes the song in his own words in his Psioriasis review on his own site, buck65.com, "'Sebutone Def' has a huge, frantic sound. It's death-jazz hip hop. The drums are outrageous. The bass line is on crack. There's even a catchy hook! The turntable work is also interesting. I remember recording it without listening to the track and then flying it in randomly. It's crazy, but it works. This is the best song the Sebutones ever made. It's not saying much on the surface, but it was something very fresh in hip hop and it was a good song." He may be right about it being the best thing the Sebutones have done (collectively, at least)... it's realtively simple, but it just works.

That's followed up by "Industrial Arts Remix" of the same song. There's some new horn samples and abrasive sound effects, and the bass from the original mix is flipped backwards. It's kinda cool, but not as effective as other remixes (like Pumpkinhead's "Dynamic") were using the same gimmick. This remix is good, mind you; but the original just sounds better; and that's the one you'll keep going back to unless you're really deadset on an alternative.

That's followed up by a rare treat for any DJ or remixer: "Sebutonedef (Accapella)." Like Buck said, the song's not really saying a whole lot, but Six manages to not only hold his own, but compliment Buck's unique delivery. It's really like some classic Ced Gee and Kool Keith shit, back when they were both kicking some nice verses.



The first track on the B-side (pictured above... check that out, huh?) is "Flux Capacity (Vocal Version)," another album track. Buck and Six both kick some hip-hop history over a moody head-nodder. Both are nice, but the beat outshines the vocals on this one... so it's perfect that the following track is "Flux Capacity (Instrumental)." They kind of remind me of a dark Raw Produce here... one can't complain about that.

The 12" rounds off with another non-album exclusive, "To Mock a Killing Bird" (two punny titles on one 12" is dangerously close to overload, but I think they just manage to get away with it). After about 40 seconds of sound effects (no doubt intended to stir up even more atmosphere, but you'll probably want to just needle drop a few rings in once you've heard it a couple times), a really catchy-but-ominous piano loop comes in that sounds like it could be lifted from the score of an old episode of Nigel Kneal's Beasts or something wakes you up. The drums kick in and suddenly you've got a really good song playing. Lyrically, Buck 65 just bugs out with his content and his rhyme scheme:

"In a position
Where I'm wishin'
The conditions weren't so miserable
The movers and shakers
With the visceral maneuvers
The designated minimal
Effect upon the educated
Criminal mind
And I never need religions
When I can always feed the pigeons
Rather than going to catechism
Born Catholic with the crack addict's jizzm
I'm telepathic
You paid to see the blue suede shoes
Stamp on my soul
And swallow a used tampon
Vandalize churches
My alarm signals me to scandalize disciples
And then to purchase firearms
And as we layer the ammo
And sing battle hymns
Along with the player piano
We dress up in cattle skins
Stockpile supplies
One eye on the clock dial
And, uh, one on the executioner
For the mock trial
Cut with precision
We make a final decision
Maybe we should pull the plug
On a television baby
But it's debatable
'Cause it's the ego andthe onus
Truth is still inflatable
He's scared to die
All we need to do is cut the air supply
Tamper with the remedies
The veins feed the poison
From the heart to the extremities
Beyond potential
We command a force
The non-essential ones
That ponder the causes
And also honor the losses
And prophets
What's that?
Beg your pardon, historian?
Spill your blood upon the dust
To make a garden for scorpions"

SixToo has a tough job to follow that verse up, but he does alright... his flow stands up better than his actual lyrics (we're back to the Keith and Ced vibe here). He's bouyed greatly by a hot X-Clan vocal being cut up for the hook - you really can't miss sampling the Grand Verbalizer. And they don't miss at all on this 12" - an underground classic of its time that still holds up today. Absolutely one for the crates.

Tags: Buck 65, Sebutones

Buck 65 Vinyl Week, Day 1 - Stolen Bass

It's time for another "week" of posts (I put that in quotes, because I don't really stick to a proper calendar week when I do these), this time looking at of some the most interesting Buck 65 vinyl pieces out there. And where better to begin than at the beginning?

"Stolen Bass" (the title of this 7", but interestingly, not the name of either song on the single) was his first vinyl release, on Murderecords in 1994. It came in a picture cover (as you can see in the image to the upper left) with an insert detailing the production credits, etc. and in two versions: black or red vinyl. The combined photo shoot (front and back cover and both sides of the insert) form some kind of visual narrative where Buck (or Stinkin' Rich as he was known at the time) goes to a hotel with a bunch of music executives (I'm guessing) and shoots them all - possibly an homage to his label? You'll notice my copy is signed, as it came from Buck 65 himself... he also threw in an autographed picture and some stickers. :) Here's his own description of the record:



"[T]his is my first vinyl-only musical release. It's from 1994 and it's called Stolen Bass. It was released by a label called Murderecords which was/is run by a band called Sloan. It's rare as hell. There never were many of these made in the first place and there never was a second pressing. I had recorded and sold a few little things before this sucker, but for all intents-and-purposes, this is my first proper record. The music on this record is rather silly. Let's just say I've come a long way. But it's scrappy. It's got oomph. Lo-fi oomph. It's dusty. It's 14 years old. I was around 20 when I recorded these songs (on a 4-track). I was living in a log cabin at the time and hadn't yet developed my fine taste in films. So having no girlfriend, I was watching lots of shlocky movies over and over again. This sort of life has a way of rotting one's brains. But all criticisms aside, this is an important piece of my 'story.' Now I've written close to 1,000,000 songs, but this is where it all began."

I usually find myself disagreeing with artists' takes on their own work, but in this case I think he's right on the money. Like most (but certainly not all) of his music, these two songs are all him: the vocals, production, writing and the scratching (they're credited in the notes to DJ Critical, another of his aliases). The A-side is "Who You Frontin' For," which uses simple but catchy battle rhymes over a very 90's-style track that still has the power to instantly draw you in:

"Stinkin' Rich is X-rated,

Complex, ill-fated;
But I still made it.
I concentrated
On phat rhymes;
It's not a past-time.
Now at last I'm
Gettin' two thumbs up.
If a challenge comes up,
It's goin' down.
Now this is how flowin' sounds,
'Cause I'm the only pro in town.
I'm lookin' for a chump for me to rob;
But I don't need a job;
I'm deadly like Marquis de Sade.
So don't bite or jock,
Don't even try to talk.
If I decide to rock,
You'll end up on the sidewalk
With a lot of chalk
Traced around your carcass.
You'll be slipping into darkness
When I reach way back
And smash
You in your teeth with more weight, then
You'll be picking up the pieces
Like The Average White Band.
I got a flight plan
For any sucker who be wantin' more;
You ain't got a chance in Hell...
So who you frontin' for?"

The b-side is "Chin Music." The beat is a little less effective, but when he starts cutting in the horn sample (plus a nice little "7th Chamber" vocal courtesy of Inspectah Deck), it's all redeemed. His delivery is a lot more playful, changing his style line-by-line, like a laid-back Fu-Schnicken. It's interesting, and the rhymes are fun; but I'm glad it's an experiment he concluded by the end of this song.

Only the most extreme purists would call this 7" his best work, but it's definitely a stellar example of the indie hip-hop movement of the mid-90's. Pick it up if you can find it.

Tags: Buck 65, Stinkin' Rich

King Amper Rock's Lost album

You may remember King Amper Rock (or King Amperock... it's always fun when even the artist can't decide how we should spell his name) for his opening joint on Red Alert's 4th tape (or 5th if you count the reggae one), Kool DJ Red Alert Presents, "Check Me Out Baby." One of the stand-out elements of those tapes were the exclusive tracks. Well, on the earlier ones it was for the great rare records, but then as the track-listings got closer and closer to volumes of MTV Dance Party, it was the exclusives that kept us coming back.

Not a lot is known about Amper Rock. A single listen of "Check Me Out Baby" will forever imprint upon your brain the fact that he's from Uptown, and I know his real name is William Brown; but that's about it. Like pretty much all of the Red Alert exclusives, it was a hot joint; but disappointingly Amper Rock never seemed to follow it up with any of his own records.

A 5th Ave party announcement in 2003 (do a google search for "King Amperock"), promised that he'd drop his new single, "Bobble Head," but it never happened [if anyone can prove me wrong and unearth a copy, I'd love to hear about it!]. He seemingly just disappeared forever.

Except I've found a copy of this demo tape album of his from 1998! It's called Mob Wars on 145 Hun Forty Fif Recordings. It's eleven tracks deep (plus some skits), and it's damn nice. The production, all handeled by a cat named Brown Eyes, may sound a little low-budget; but if you're in the market for gritty, NY street rap, this is it in spades.

It opens up with some straight east coast criminology rap, with a delivery as smooth as Nas or AZ in their heyday:

"Tuesday, around two thirty,
There was a beef about bandits movin' on our territory.
I locked the spot up, jumped into the Expedition,
Venturin' towards my man on a kill 'em all mission.
These niggas threatened my life, my moms and my wife.
I gotta do this cat personally: an eye to the knife.
A term used by crews when you're slayin' dudes who fronted:
Look 'em in the eye, stab 'em in the stomach.
This I wanted while gettin' blunted - their days are numbered,
Without authorization or properly bein' funded.
So I'm doin' 85 on the Harlem River Drive,
Headin' down the Concourse then change my course.
Parkin' between One Eighty Third and One Eighty Fourth,
Right at the top of the hill where Cubans down with Rastas,
The crack vial kings, Seventh Ave mobstas,
The hitmen representin' the cash flow,
Intendin' to blow, dealin' the snow; and a-yo,
The connect is on tomorrow, at one oh oh."

On other tracks like "9ins in Rhymes," he just represents with verses of freestyle lyrics between a hardcore hook, "I got nines in rhymes that blast off as chrome shines/ Smack bitch-ass niggas on gates for shortin' weight/ Move keys in states from New York to Delaware/ Prepare to shoot with this gansgta shit here." The subject doesn't vary much from those two subjects (though he gets into some gritty sexual conquest tales on "Bag Dyme Pieces"), but he flexes over some different type tracks as the album goes on... "Laid Back Smooth Shit" is exactly what it says it sis, and his voice blends as perfectly with the slower drums and sparse piano as it did over the tougher, hardcore tracks earlier. By the time you get to "Take It Uptown Ampe!" which features a hype track with a DJ constantly rubbing in the drums and blaring horn-like sounds, the production grows from low-fi-but-rugged to straight hip-hop perfection. Sometimes the quality dips a bit, but if he could've just afforded one or two Premiere and Large Pro beats to fill in the potholes, you'd practically have Illmatic 2 on your hands.

So now, if Amp disappeared forever, I guess I wouldn't have a myspace link or anything for him, right? No wai! I found him [that's why this post took so long.]- he's changed his name to Frank Villain (or F. vLN) and started a clothing line ("Frank Villain is an original stylish clothing line, specializing in apparel for men, women and children. Frank Villain is the name of tomorrow and the face of what's new in fashion. We strive to be the best there is in clothing design."). So, yeah, he actually has two myspaces: this one is fuller, with two tracks (good stuff, too), but hasn't been logged into since May, 2006; and this one which is newer but has less content.

Tags: King Amper Rock, King Amperock, Frank Villain, F. vLN

Cancelled Delivery

^Video blog!!
(More all-original content! ZOMG!!)

Update 8/28/08: Turns out Carlos Bess produced this O.G. version of the track; he sent me this message: "Wow! I produced that song Deliver by Chino Xl. Quincy did not clear the sample because of what chino said about Woopie Goldberg. Thats crazy... good find." And that Whoopie Goldberg line in the song ("Did I do that? Not Whoopie Goldberg or Steve Urkel but I'll leave ya grill the color purple"), isn't even a diss to her, just a play on words with the title of her film.

Tags: Chino XL

The Real Crazy Like a Foxxx

Ok, this post is about the recently released, long awaited Crazy Like a Foxxx album by Freddie Foxxx. And before I go any further, let me just ask: where is the vinyl LP of this? Seriously, Fat Beats, what the fuck?

Ok, that just had to be said. Now onto the real point of this post: the Crazy Like a Foxxx double CD that Fat Beats just released is not the same as the old Crazy Like a Foxxx album that's been in circulation since it was sent out to the press for review back in '94 (3 mics in The Source if you're interested)... not the Jailhouse version on disc 1 or the DITC demo on disc 2.

The differences start right at the intro. In fact, "Intro" on the original version is essentially two intros in a row, neither of which are on the CD set. The first is a brief welcome to the album by Foxxx, where he tells us every song has a hidden message. Then there's a second one where he and his partner Shorty Dog talk shit for a while over a beat. And midway through the original, there's another "Intro #2," where he talks about the concepts of the album and gives his message to all MCs, which was also left off this release. Now, none of these are great losses, but I can't help feeling like it would've been nice to be completist on a project like this.

Anyway, playing a little further into the album we find another skit that's not on the Fat Beats release, of a violent highway shoot-out. Then, just one song later comes another unused skit, where Shorty Dog brings two Chinese gangsters to meet Freddie, who demands to be cut into their operation. And leading up to "Step" is yet another skit absent from the Fat Beats set. Here a narrator asks us about dreams over the signature Twilight Zone theme, followed by a look into one of Freddie's gangster dreams, where Italian mobsters threaten to drop him out of a window. It's kinda odd. All in all, the original version of the album was definitely going for more of a "cinematic" skit-heavy vibe that I can't really say I'm so sad to see go.

But there's more absent here that I actually do miss, including "Raw Skill:" a pure, acapella rap. And it's no quick freestyle verse, but a full, political and angry track that just happens to not have a beat or hook. Dope stuff.

And the unreleased album also included the superior "Mellow Mix" of "So Tough" (in addition to, not instead of, the "Video Version" present on the CD). This isn't as big of a loss though, since it was already featured on the 12" single, which was properly released back in the day. And that single also features an exclusive, third mix of "So Tough," so you'll be wanting to pick that up if you haven't already got it, regardless.

Finally, the O.G. version concluded with a full-length shout-out track over a hot beat called, "Mr. Microphone," with his DJ getting busy cutting up some vocal samples at the end. That's been removed as well.

But the changes here aren't all subtractions. Besides, of course, the delightful inclusion of the DITC Demo version on the second disc, Fat Beats also sneaks a couple of extra tracks into the Jailhouse version. In fact, that was the first thing that occurred to me when I saw the track-listing for this release: "I don't remember a track with Tupac on it...!"

Track 8 on the Jailhouse disc, "Killa," sure wasn't on the album any of us heard before. And in addition to 2Pac, it also features an uncredited Ray Benzino. It's not hard to imagine why Fat Beats might've decided to leave his name off of their CD and press-kits. But of course it's only natural he's present, as The RSO was part of Latifah's reinvented/defiled Flavor Unit at the time. Now, this is really a reworking of an unreleased track that's been floating around the internet for a while called "Tryna Get Through This." The beat is different (it's better, and doesn't feature the sappy R&Bish hook), and Foxxx and Benzino kick different lyrics, but it's definitely the same 'Pac verse. ...I'd love to hear the full story behind this song.

Also new to the Jailhouse version is "Do What You Gotta Do," a song originally released on a rare 12" single I blogged about some time ago [Update 8/25/08 - the version on the CD is a bit different. The basic beat, hook and bassline are the same, but the piano and some of the change-ups you hear on the CD are new... it sounds like the 12" is the original, and they did some tinkering for the version on the CD.], and the "Crazy Like a Foxxx (Alternate Mix)." The Jailhouse version also adds a new "Interlude" skit of a guy picking up a prostitute... it would've really fit in perfectly with the ones from the old version, but it's actually being released here for the first time.

So, all in all, what would have been better? The real O.G. version with its crap-ton of skits and a few exclusive bits, or this remade version with all its odds and ends thrown in. Ideally, of course, it would have been nice to have it ALL included... but there's no denying that this is a must have 2-disc set of never-before released material no matter how you look at it. Even if it's not on vinyl.

Update 5/22/09 - The versions of "Step" and "Pressure On the Brain" (both the Demo and Jailhouse versions) in this set are also substantially different than the ones on the original (and the originals are better!). The original mixes were made available, however, on a limited 1996 white label 12" that I review here. This review gives detailed coverage of the differences in the versions.

Update 7/30/09 - Newly added pictures of the O.G. tape and sleeve, courtesy of Noz of Cocaine Blunt$.

InstaRapFlix 11: Beef

It's been a minute since I've done one of these (at least compared to how fast I expected to churn these out), but here I am with another one. Tonight I watched Beef (Netflix rating: 1 & 1/2 stars) a roughly 90 minute doc about... beef. As in contention, not the cow meat. :P

As the annoyingly long opening sequence rolled on (I recommend skipping ahead about five minutes), I had a bad feeling about this one... we were gonna lots of footage of rappers at their most embarrassingly ignorant and hammy coverage of pop rap star he said/she said-type junk. And the narration from Ving Rhames is pretty cheesy; but apart from that, this film came a lot deeper and smarter than I was expecting.

First of all, it takes it all the way back. They cover Kool Moe Dee versus Busy Bee, and both Dee and Bee are on hand to tell the story in their own words. And Krs, Kane, and all these other rappers are talk about it in a knowledgeable, historical perspective. They've got footage of the event... everything.

Then they cover Krs versus MC Shan, again all in their own words, with Marley and others there, too. It covers the basics for new school head s who have no idea who's who, but also gets detailed enough to keep the fans who already know all about it interested.

They go into Ice Cube splitting from NWA, and everything that lead to (Dre moving to Death Row, etc)... they've got archival interview footage from back when it was happening, everything. I was impressed.

And the film, which goes in chronological order, also successfully illustrates how beef transformed from the friendly competition of MC battles to stupid, violent fights like Tru Life's issues with Mobb Deep, and of course 'Pac and Biggie, etc. They even include the press's role in building the east vs west beef into the ridiculousness it became, interviewing Vibe editors, etc.

Towards the end, it does slip down some, becoming partially what I feared at the beginning... more stories of rappers glorifying fights (stay tuned after the credits to hear one photographer go on and on about some stupid fight for like fifteen minutes or some equally crazy length of time). And another problem is that the second half suddenly becomes the 50 Cent show. Now, don't get me wrong... he belongs in this film. Nothing against the guy, and he's certainly been involved in enough beef to warrant inclusion... but it's obvious the film dwells on every little thing he's ever been involved with and gives him heaps of interview time purely because he was the biggest star when the DVD came out. I mean, heck... just look at the cover. It starts out interesting; he has a fun anecdote about Jay-Z taking it to him after he released "How To Rob" (with footage from the event as well). But after a while it just got damn sick of hearing this dude, and his stories got pettier and pettier

So, yeah. Not an amazing film as a whole... but there's a lot of quality coverage, with a lot of interesting artists (I couldn't even count everybody they got on camera) from all time periods telling their stories in their own words. Definitely worth the view for any hip-hop fan.

Now, there's three sequels (or maybe there's even more, but Netflix just has the three)... My first instinct is that this is just going to be more of the worst of part 1. But hey, I was pleasantly surprised by this entry, so I'll definitely be giving those sequels a shot (each and every one of 'em), and report back. Watch this space.

Tags: Beef

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