A REAL OUTLAW IS A MUTHA FUCKA

When K-Rob is outlawed, only The Outlaws will have K-Rob production. Y'all know who K-Rob is, right? He's best know for his classic old school duet with Ramellzee, "Beat Bop," a record known for adding off-beat funk (featuring unusual instruments and echo effects over a slow bassline) to hip-hop when everybody else was still doing the pure disco sound, and for having a famous picture cover painted by Basquiat. Then in the mid-80's, he did a couple records for Profile, and finally resurfaced in the 90's as a producer... mostly underground, though he worked with Jay-Z several times.

And I don't suppose you get much more underground than this. I'd never heard of it until The Old School Rap King hipped me to it, and there's not a single mention of it online anywhere. In this day and age where the most obscure random rap singles have countless message boards and blogs on fire, how many albums can you say bring up zero hits on Google?

So yeah, this album is called Super Heroes Of the Ghetto by The Outlaws, for whom K-Rob seems to be the sole producer and lead MC. There is another rapper who appears less often, and a reggae guy... think The Crusaders Of Hip-Hop, where K-Rob is Tony D and you get the picture. This came out on Bad Azz Records in 1993, a label which I'm guessing is K-Rob's own (the only other record I know of on this label was also produced by K-Rob: "Who You Be?" by Bro-N X).

So how is it? It's pretty raw. K-Rob's got a pretty tough but sample-heavy sound... Most of said samples are pretty original, though "Give the People What They Want" is essentially the exact same instrumental as Grand Daddy IU's "I Kick Ass," but filtered so heavily the horns are all but inaudible, sunk deep beneath a roaring sea of heavy, heavy bass. Like, "WHOMP!! Whomp, whomp, whooomp!" And a few other songs use some very traditional hip-hop samples, but in every case they're flipped uniquely or paired up with something fresh and unheard. K-Rob is definitely a producer who can stand next to the greats.

Lyrically, it's even rawer. There's some really angry content here... with songs dedicated to their hatred of white rappers ("No Frosted Flake") and rape victims "She Cried Rape (Dedicated To Mike Tyson)." They lighten the mood a bit to talk about their hatred of the media "(Kill the Media"), killing cops (an untitled skit about Rodney King), how much it sucks to ride the subway ("Hopping Trains"), and their resentment of Yo! MTV Raps ("Fuck MTV (Doctor Dre and Ed Lover Dis...)"). They even squeeze the line "fuck the Pope," into "How a Black Man Feels." This album is so much like the New York equivalent of Disco Rick's first album, they even have a similar manifesto in their liner notes:

"A REAL OUTLAW IS A MUTHA FUCKA WHO HOPS TRAINS, DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT BITCHES AND COULDN'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT MTV ...... CAUSE DRE AND ED LOVER ARE NOTHIN BUT UNCLE TOMS. A OUTLAW HATES THE DAILY NEWS, THE POST, NBC, ABC, CBS, TED KOPPEL, DAN RATHER, MARK KRIEGEL[a sports columnist lol] AND PHIL DONAHUE (THE WHITE LIBERAL).
CUZ WHEN IT COMES TO A BLACK MUTHA FUCKA THEY NEVER TELL THE TRUTH! SO KILL THE MEDIA AND GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT OR YOU'LL HAVE RIOTS ALL OVER AGAIN, CUZ THAT'S THE WAY A BLACK MAN FEELS! SO SUCK MY DICK AND LICK MY NUTS AND LISTEN TO THESE FAT ASS CUTS."

Yeah, this album isn't for the squeamish. But then neither is this site; we love the hardcore here! And this album is pure good times. This album gets a full, all-around recommendation from me... if you can find it any place!

Hip-Hop on 8-Track with 2XL!

(Youtube version is here.)

Marley In the Mirror

"Check the Mirror" is pretty much the track used to illustrate how far In Control vol. 2 fell from vol. 1. After all, vol. 2 had a lot of dope tracks: Tragedy's "America Eats Its Young," Ak B and Kev E Kev's "Out for the Count"... Hell, even Marley Marl's own rap track, "No Bullshit," was alright. But Marley went for a wider scope on that outing, with a little more new jack swingy moments and giving his R&B group The Flex a solo track... and the flagship of What Went Wrong was Portia's "Check the Mirror." So of course he chose it for the single!

Actually, I remember thinking back in the day that this track wasn't so bad, and today it gives me a nice feeling of reminiscence for all the time I spent watching BET after school. I mean, I kinda like new jack swing, and the track is well produced if you go for that sort of thing. Portia was an dancer turned R&B singer "who also rapped." Her singing's okay... I doubt anybody came out of this eager for her solo album; but the track, with a funky piano line, bouncy beat, boards and synthesized back-up vocals made for an upbeat good time.

Now, this is the CD single (the 12" only came in a plain sleeve as far as I know), but it has essentially the same track-listing but with two extra mixes, totaling SIX different versions of "Check the Mirror." So strap yourself in for some serious neo-pop soul swing!

Actually, it's a lot to listen to, but it's not too complicated to break down. You've essentially got two key mixes, the Mirramix and the Reflection Mix, and both of those come in regular, extended and instrumental versions (the 12" only has the extended and instrumental mixes). And neither of these versions are the same as the album version, which isn't included here.

The album version was a little more hip-hop, and the remixes are a little more dance. The drums, stuttered hook ("ch-ch-ch-ch-check the mirror, y'all") and all the vocals are retained, but the remixes go for more of an almost house music feel. The album version had harder drums and old school samples (horn stabs and such), not to mention some scratching, that are all dropped for the single.

The Mirramix adds some vocoder and some additional keyboards. It starts out with a nice little acapella lick (sample?), that recurs once or twice throughout the song. There are more little touches and changes, especially on the extended mix, but the main distinction is that it downplays the deep bassline of the original, playing up instead a new, lighter keyboard line that plays throughout the song. The main piano loop is the same as the album version, though, so this mix doesn't feel too far removed. This is the version they used for the video (yeah, there was a video for this).

The Reflection Mix, then, is even more club-oriented with more new keyboards and spacey disco sound effects. The extra acapella lick is back on this version, too. The signature of this mix is that the keyboard player is really allowed to shine here, getting a couple solo numbers and everything; and the piano riff of the album version is completely dropped.

But even if you don't give a fig for Portia and her dance music, this single's worth picking up for the B-side: "At the Drop Of a Dime" by MC Cash. This is a pure hip-hop track, with Cash kicking freestyle rhymes over a fast but very hard hitting track. It's pretty much all rugged, layered percussion, a lone horn squeal and a bassline until the hook, when the "UFO" riff screeches in the background and Marley gets on the 'tables and cuts up his signature like from "The Symphony." It's a fast, unrelenting experience with a seamless blend from verse to scratching to verse.

"At the Drop Of the Dime" was also on the album, but this single features an exclusive extended mix. It's not a remix - the instrumental's completely unchanged except where the album version would end, this one keeps going into a whole new third verse! The beat's allowed to ride out more at the end, too... but a whole new verse? That clearly bumps this up into Definitive Version status. It's more furious freestyling just like the other two verses ("now watch ya step, no beef, no Rambos; the Cash just keeps 'em souped like Campbells"). Oh, and the instrumental is also included for a final treat.

So yeah, another worthwhile single that can be had pretty cheap. Buy it for the MC Cash, but the Portia stuff's at least a fun bit of nostalgia. Kinda wish they'd included the album track, too, but oh well. They already included a lot, so can't really complain. Oh, and if want some more Portia nostalgia, she's got her own channel on Youtube, with her music video, an interview, and footage of her dancing for LL Cool J and EPMD. Check it out and relive the early 90's. :)

Triggerman 2000

Last time I did a post about The Showboys, I talked about their lesser known debut single that dropped the year before their big hit, "Drag Rap." Well, I'm gonna keep dancing around their classic centerpiece, and this time talk about their under-the-radar follow-up, "Triggerman 2000"/ YIIG'$.

The Showboys are from Queens, but in 1986, "Drag Rap" became a huge hit in the South, and is one of the most important records in the history of bounce music. "Drag Rap" was often mistakenly referred to as "Trigger Man," since Trigger Man's name is used so often in the song. In fact, when Profile repressed it in the 90's, they retitled it "Drag Rap (Trigger Man)." So know that, it's obvious that "Triggerman 2000" is their sequel to "Drag Rap," Orville “Bugs Can Can” Hall and Phil “Triggaman” Price's colorful gangster narrative about being pursued by the infamous real-life crime-fighter Elliot Ness. But "Trigger Man 2000" is actually just one song on their debut full-length album, YIIG'$ which they dropped on album, CD and tape on their own label Papergame Records.

There's no reference to their debut single (or their Christmas rap song from 1987), but this song is all about "Drag Rap." Seriously, the entire album is one giant ode to that song. It opens with one in a series of well-produced skits telling us how Bugs and Trigger are still on the run from Ness. Then they play the original "Drag Rap" (exactly as it was released in 1986) and after another skit where a judge sentences them to prison, they hit us with "Triggerman 2000."

Now, you'd be forgiven for thinking this song and album would be one huge piece of crap, but actually it's pretty dope! "Triggerman 2000" plays it very close to the original, using the same instrumental, including the crazy whistling and human beatbox breakdowns, but provide a very updated hook and all new lyrics. These detail the further exploits of Bugs and Trigger as they organize a jailbreak. They sound older (and Trigger sounds grimier), but otherwise this could easily have been a lost 1986 B-side:

"Triggerman!
Yeah, I'm in jail.
My boys ain't raisin' no bail;
Them niggas raisin' HELL!"

Oh yeah, they do curse a bit more than they were back in the 80's. But this whole song, in fact the whole album, is all about being a fun throwback... both to their 80's sound and to the old school style of 1920's era gangsters.

The rest of the album doesn't sound quite as old school as "Trigger Man"/ "Trigger Man 2000," but the samples of that record return in different forms and styles through-out the album. One song will have the same drums, another the same bassline. And the whole album continues the narrative of Bugs' and Trigger's escapades with elaborate skits and songs that continue the theme. For example, there's a skit called "Da Hideout" where some old girlfriends let them hide out at their place and lay low, which is immediately followed by the song "Ladies Luv Gangstas." The title says it all, I think.

Sure, it's a bit corny - The Showboys incorporating modern Southern elements to their old school styles - but it's surprisingly well produced, and the whole album feels much more like a "rap opera" than The Fugees' half-assed attempt at it (or The Fat Boys, who did it first). The only disappointment is that it peters out on side 2. Instead of building to a climax, the skits just kinda stop, and there's a remix and a song or two that don't quite fit in with the whole theme as well. So that's a bit of a let-down.

But seriously, when you hear that some old school rappers are coming out of retirement after fifteen years to do a sequel to their biggest hit, you hope for one thing and expect another. And I'm happy to report that more often than not, this is a lot more of what you hope for than what you'd expect.

Cuttin Gets the Paper, Heltah Skeltah Still Gets the Props

This is one of Heltah Skeltah's nicest and most slept on singles. It came out in 2000 on Blahzay Music, a small label owned by PF Cuttin, the former DJ/producer of Blahzay Blahzay (hence the label name). This is BLAH002. BLAH001 was an indie comeback track by Blahzay Blahzay and BLAH003 was another pairing with Sean Price. I'm pretty sure that's the label's full run.

So, yeah, this is Heltah Skeltah's first comeback 12" after their run on Priority... It took them 'till 2008 to come out with their comeback full-length. And by that time, I guess they figured the material'd been out for too long, 'cause these songs didn't wind up being on it. So they're only on this 12", meaning most people missed out on 'em, which is a shame.

The A-side, "The Crab Inn" is just some fun raps about girls over the Kool G Rap's "Truly Yours" instrumental, being stuttered and mixed up a bit by Cuttin, who produced both songs on here. It's light hearted material, kinda amusing... you can't go wrong with classic Juice Crew beats... but the real highlight is the interplay between the two MCs. They're not just each kicking one verse with a hook in between them, but constantly passing the mic back and forth, like a dirty Kid 'N' Play with street cred.

But the real stand out here is the B-side, "Caca Gosa Vixen (Fuck All Y'all Niggas)." The beat is hardcore, but funky as hell. The drums are rugged and there's a cool violin sample, but it's all about the ultra-head nodding bassline. And Ruck and Rock just go back and forth (I think there's like nine or ten verses total) kicking crazy, semi-battle freestyle rhymes, along with their frequent collaborator, an uncredited Illa Noyz.

"Break North! ...When the Ruck rippin' the stage;
My nickel gauge rip your face off like Nicholas Cage.
Fuck the front page, nigga; I need the main article,
On how me and my crew blew niggas' brains into particles.
So don't start if you can't ...finish,
'Cause I will be sure to end it - whatever you created.
I hate it when the MC blow up like a helium balloon,
But soon to be deflated, 'cause my niggas ain't feeling your tunes."

There's no hook, and a lot of adlibbing by the MC's who aren't rapping at the moment. It has that unique blend of playfulness and ruggedness that really brings to mind "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka" ...which frankly, is what I think we're all always hoping for but only occasionally find in any BCC-related record.

Both tracks come in Clean, Dirty and Instrumental versions and comes in a nice sticker cover. This is a real gem, and fortunately isn't rare at all. I picked up my copy for 99¢, which just goes to show that cost and value aren't nearly the same thing. Happy days.

He's Little Run

Here's another fun one from the annals of Virginia rap history, again courtesy of The Old School Rap King (see my Fayze review). It's Little Run "I'm Little Run" on So-Def Records from 1990. I've never heard of the label before - don't get it confused with Jermaine Dupri's So-So-Def Records - and judging from the catalog number (001SDR), this is their first and quite possibly only release.

Like his name suggests, Little Run is a kid rapper (and presumably meant to call to mind Run of Run DMC, though there's no direct connection), which is interesting since it pre-dates the pig kiddie rapper phase that came about with acts like Kriss Kross and Da Youngsta's who debuted in 1992. Not that he's the first - for example, T. Omar dropped "I'm Only Nine Years Old" back in 1985 - but he's at least ahead of the curve.

But anyway, more interesting than the fact that he's a kid rapper is the fact that he's a pretty good kid rapper. He's got a pretty hardcore flow, but without getting into ridiculous Quo territory. If Basically, if you appreciate a good LeJuan Love record, you should like this. The lyrics are simple freestyle, over-the-top boasting; but they're fun and engaging enough:

"How can you rhyme and persist to diss,
And then be talkin' a lot of junk and be rhymin' like this?
'Comin' straight out the projects but I'm harder than him;
My name may begin with 'Little,' but I still get trim.
This rhyme'll get mad - furious!
The young Einstein of rhyme, you can call me Yahoo Serious.
No bad influence, girls be thinkin' I'm sweet;
Others think I'm a hoodlum 'cause I come from the street.
A new jack, I got something you lack, Mack.
Get in my face and get smu-smu-SMACKED!
I got back, yes my brothers is black;
Black folks ain't no jokes 'cause we got it like that.
When I went in 7-11, I created a fuss,
'Cause all the cashiers was lookin' at us.
Lookin' at the brother thinkin' I'ma steal a Slurpee,
Or a Big Gulp.
So tell me, what's up?
...'Cause I'm Little Run."

And, you know, I say he's a good kid rapper... but like any kid rapper, it's probably all really comes down to his production and handlers. In this case, he seems to brainchild of M.C. Tony T (not that Tony T... this one's real name is Tony Austin), who produced the track. It's a rugged, bass-heavy beat that uses a good chunk of "Atomic Dog," but also has enough unique, funky elements that it doesn't sound tired and played out like "Atomic Dog" based beats often do. The instrumental's also provided.

Then M.C. Tony T turns the spotlight on himself for the B-side, "Tony's Groove." No instrumental's included this time, but that's ok, because more than half the song is just instrumental. It's cool, kinda funky, kinda cheesy and pretty new jack swingish. He refers to the corniest synth riff as "horns," I literally laughed out loud when I first heard it. There's some Miami-style percussion and some girls singing, "let me see, let me see ya groove," and various vocal samples and ad-libbing by Tony. Finally, about midway through, he does grab the mic and rap for a single verse. He's ok, and has clearly at lest put in the effort to come with something impressive; but again it's kinda corny. "Tony's Groove" is an amusing old school tune if you're open-minded and in the mood for a throwback, but nothing more.

The A-side is worth going out of your way for, though; at least if you see it cheap. Anyway, I enjoyed it. 8)

When Kurious Was All Great

Kurious released just one record since his last single on Columbia in 1994 until his return in 2008 with his awesome demo EP and lackluster comeback CD, II. And that record is the single "All Great" on Stonegroove Recordings, which dropped in 2001.

Predictably, this is middle-of-the-road Kurious material... not as funky as A Constipated Monkey, but better than most of the material on II. It's a single song 12" with two mixes of the one song "All Good," both coming in Clean, Dirty and Inst. versions. The A-side is produced by Celph Titled; and while it lacks the rich, soulful samples of his early work, instead sounding like it was made out of studio-created sounds. But despite that, it's catchy. It's got some very upbeat percussion, a head-nodding bassline and some fresh horn stabs. The hook features some very Premiere-like scratching by DJ Cheapshot (of Styles of Beyond). Lyrically, it's pretty solid, with Kurious doing his usual style of thoughtful freestyles:

"On a lifelong search for what's divine;
It's gettin' kinda hard to find an openin' line.
I met a wise man who said it's all in the mind.
I'm feelin' like I'm God and the devil at the same time."

Solomon comes on at the end to kick a short sing-songy verse:

"Players get played on;
We're gettin' sick and tired of the same song.
You're talkin' all this and that - whatcha sayin', dog?
Look at all them cats that ya paid off.
You niggas ain't sellin' dimes and ya ain't raw,
You don't do crimes and you afraid of law.
Now people tell me what y'all came for?
You want more, you only get what you paid for."

Then the B-side is remixed by Cheapshot. Conceptually, the instrumental is pretty much the same... catchy studio sounds. It's a little harder, but still bouncy. I think, personally, I marginally prefer the A-side, but it's a narrow distinction. Which isn't to say that they sound too similar, though. They sound different enough that it's worth having both mixes. It's just that they come in at a photo finish.

So yeah... this single lacks the deep production sound of his early work, but if you like Kurious, you'll like this. It's not must-have status like his debut or his demo, but it's not like we've got hundreds of Kurious records to choose from either.

Still Another 1-4-U-2-N-V

(Youtube version is here.)

The link I mentioned in the video is: http://www.another14u2nv.ning.com and their e-mail is another14u2nv@gmail.com.

OB4CL2 - FINALLY!!

(Youtube version is here.)

3rd Bass 2000

3rd Bass has to be one of the most request - and promised - reunions in hip-hop history. Fans beg, the artists say they'll do it... but then nothing happens. I remember reading an interview in The Source where Serch was saying that they were finally reunited and that their long-awaited and unfortunately titled third album, Icabod's Cranium, was in the works. He asked us to be patient, however, because they were taking their time, indulging in the fact that a label wasn't pressuring them with deadlines, so they could take their time and do it right. I think now, in 2010, I can finally say that my cynicism was justified - it ain't coming.

A small run of one promo single did sneak out, though, in 2000, on Serch's own label, Serchlite Music. It was called "Hail To the Chief."

"Hail To the Chief" is not the incredible comeback song you might be hoping for. It's not up to par with the material on their previous albums. But it sorta wasn't meant to be - this is more of a mixtape teaser. It's a simple, concept-less track (except loosely that they're running for best the position of "street chiefs") with 3rd Bass kicking freestyle rhymes over a simple track. It's further tarnished with appearances by Stone Rivers (a mediocre MC Serch was managing at the time) and DJ Corey Hill. But fortunately, they're both relegated to just the hook and intro/outro.

So that's the downside.

But the upside is that it was a new 3rd Bass in a world where it seemed certain there would be no new 3rd Bass songs, the track isn't bad or anything, and the rhymes are solid. Damn it's good to hear new material from Pete Nice, and Serch is always nice with his. Daddy Rich doesn't seem to've been involved, though in interviews, they always said he'd be a part of Icabod's. Certainly his involvement could've helped this song enormously, but like I said... it's still good.

Serch comes with some humor: "yes, I inhaled and real deep. yes naked when I sleep - trust me, you don't wanna peep;" and manages once again to say something uncomfortably racist, "all my life, only rode between a pair of black thighs. Word to my sister and my mother, the only white lips I kissed. You should know before you vote I fuckin' hate white chicks. Not racist I just say this so your vote is not jaded." Well, gee, I guess if you say "not racist" afterward, nothing you say is racist? lol Meanwhile, as ever, Nice comes with the stylish, more abstract wordplay, "'ey yo, illuminatin' on your frequency: the high level and degree of the epitome. Master of the subterranean in your cranium; auditory outlets feelin' like a stadium. If ya got the fluid on the brain, I got a method to relieve it; unscrupulous minds aiming to deceive it. I’m mischievous, devious, hittin' never missin'; got a pocket full of nitroglycerin."

It comes in a sticker cover (above), and features five mixes: Album Version (what album? sigh...), Radio (which is about a full minute shorter), Instrumental, TV Track and Acapella. So it's just that one mix of that one song, but at least it comes fully loaded.

So that's about it. Eventually, in 2008 or so, MC Serch released an mp3 only album (he promised vinyl, but it never happened) of tracks he recorded for a second solo album that never got finished. As two bonus tracks, he included the only three songs (besides "Hail To the Chief") 3rd Bass got recorded for Icabod's Cranium, "Cats In the Cradle," "Commute" (a Serch solo track) and "Out the Back," two of which (the latter two) were released in part back in 2000 on a Serchlite snippet tape[pictured right]. Again, "Hail To the Chief"'s not the best, but it's respectable; and there's no use in holding out for anything more from them.

Remixes Against Phony Entertainers

This is an interesting, alternative UK version of a common US 12" with an extra remix. Now, UK versions of 12"s with extra remixes aren't all that uncommon in hip-hop... but usually they're dreadful CJ Mackintosh or Norman Cook things that are best ostracized. But how about an extra SD50s' remix on a 3rd Bass 12"? Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised, too.

The 12" in question is 1991's "Pop Goes the Weasel," the debut single of 3rd Bass's second (and sadly final) album, Derelicts of Dialect. It's their anti-old to pop music... you surely remember the music video where they beat down a Vanilla Ice look-a-like and giant weasels terrorize the city? "Hip-hop got turned into hit pop the second a record was number one on the pop charts."

Now the US version came in a cheerfully colorful picture cover and featured Radio, LP and Instrumental versions of "Pop" plus four versions, including an SD50 Remix, of "Derelicts of Dialect." Well, this version comes in a sticker cover and features just two versions of each song: LP and SD50 Remix versions - which means an all new SD50 Remix of "Pop Goes the Weasel." Oh, and just to keep you on your toes, this 12" plays at 45 rpm and is mislabeled, listing the songs in the wrong order.

So yeah, the "Derelicts" remix isn't exclusive here, but if you haven't heard it, it's dope. It's smoother and mellower than Prince Paul's original, but features a bunch of extra samples and different instruments - organs, piano, flutes, scratches of crazy vocal samples... all drift in and out over a similar, but much more low-key, softer drummed track. It's more Midnight Marauders.

Well, so like how the "Derelict" remix keeps a lot of elements of the original, the "Pop" remix (called the "Weasel Remix," but the label credits tell us it's by the Stimulated Dummies, who also produced the original) keeps even more. It starts out with an old storybook vocal sample saying, "let's sing 'Pop Goes the Weasel'," and then it sounds kinda like the LP version at first - it's the same drum and bass lines, even the same sleigh bells. But the key distinction is that the signature Peter Gabriel sample is removed. You might say, "but that sample was hot!" Yeah, but it's been replaced with a new, tight horn sample. There's a few other little bits, like a little funk guitar, sprinkled into the mix sporadically to spice things up, too. But the main difference is the replacement of the signature horn sound with another.

I wonder if this is maybe an alternate version they created just in case they couldn't clear the Gabriel sample, and that's why they just threw it away on this little 12"? At any rate, I'm not sure which one is better... they're both worthwhile, and the remix has the added benefit (or weakness, depending on your PoV) of losing that instant pop tune recognizability. So I'll leave you to make your own judgments, but whichever version you consider to be definitive, it's worth picking this up to have both on call.