Omniscence Interview Preview

(The direct link to the Youtube vid shown above is here.)

Truly Yours, Marley's Forgotten Remix

Marley Marl and Cold Chillin' have a history of releasing fantastic, slightly extended, reworked but not totally remade remixes on promo 12"s during the prime Juice Crew era. They're not all new sample sets or your typical "it's an all new version," style remix; it's basically just Marley going back to the lab, pulling it apart, and putting it back together again a little more exciting. A little more of his secret spice, as he'd say now. Think of Big Daddy Kane's "Ain't No Half Steppin'" remix,  Tragedy's "Arrest the President" remix, MC Shan's "Juice Crew Law" remix, the Hot Chillin' extended versions... They've been some of the most compelling reasons for hip-hop lovers to start collecting vinyl over the years. Well, there's another one you don't hear about: Kool G Rap & DJ Polo's "Truly Yours" remix.

I'm not talking about that "Truly Yours '98" thing G Rap did with Pete Rock and Extra P, which had everyone wondering "why the hell is a producer album recycling instrumentals made by other producers?" No, this is a vintage, 1989 12" single, with another recooked-but-not-drastically-remade remix by Marley, on Cold Chillin' Records.

I'm sure very few of you reading this need me to tell you that "Truly Yours" is infamous. It's probably the coldest diss record not directed at another rapper. The beat is crazy, old school funky and G Rap just takes it real slow and direct as he puts his ex-girlfriends on blast over a chunky bassline. The second verse is also certainly the most homophobic rap ever committed to wax. It was the 80's, not the most enlightened times.. And really, the fun of it id that the entire song is just designed to make his targets feel as shitty as possible about their lives. "Yeah, you got a little nine to five; so what? What do you do for a living, slice cold cuts?" Hopefully, they're all hypothetical composite characters, like New York Magazine does.  =)

So, anyway, this remix. Granted, it's not as impressive as most of the others I listed above... not so much because this instrumental doesn't stand on par wit the others, because it does. But it's just not one where the remix was such an improvement, at least compared to "Arrest the President," say. But I'm surprised how under-represented it is. I mean, even when Traffic reissued Road To the Riches as a 2CD, 4LP set with all the 12" remixes and radio freestyles, they somehow missed this one. They threw on all those Dub Mixes and A Capellas, but left this off.

Granted, the remixing this time is really subtle. So much so, in fact, most of it could be written off completely as negligible.  The cuts sound more prominent in the mix, but they're the same cuts. The ending is noticeably different... after Marley says, "word, now you wild females know how G Rap livin'," on the album version it quickly fades out. On this 12" remix, the ending is extended, and the big break beat and "hold up, my man" vocal sample come back for a reprise before the song ends.

Surprisingly, the biggest difference isn't instrumental at all; it's in the words. Marley's words. Before the second verse, Marley prompts Kool G Rap by saying,

"Yo, G, man. Yo, you should diss her man. Yo, I heard he's a homo, anyway!"

But on this Remix Vocal, his line has been completely removed and replaced. Marley's still here, though, with a new prompt:

"Oooohhh woooh!  'Ey yo, 'ey yo. Yo, G Rap! Why don't you kick it about her man. He be dressin' funny, anyway! Ha HAA!"

Did Marley have second thoughts? Maybe he wanted to dial back his participation in the vicious verbal onslaught to follow. More likely in my opinion, this change was just made to make for radio. Somebody at Warner Bros probably told them they shouldn't say "homo" on the air. But in context of the rest of the record, which admittedly doesn't feature any actual curse words, that one line seems like a pretty soft spot. In fact, we know that even with the change, this record still wound up causing a controversy and boycotted off the radio. As Kool G Rap told it in his Unkut interview, "That 'other community' got a little sensitive behind it and I heard that they boycotted one of the stations in California that added the record into rotation. They snatched my record off the air, they snatched my album off the shelves at a real crucial point in my career. I might’ve had a Gold record with Road To the Riches if it wasn’t ‘cos of that."

 So, I really can't say this remix is essential. The instrumental changes are too slight to probably even ping most listeners' radar, and some people might consider the vocal switch to make this a censored, radio mix. It's certainly an interesting little 12", though. It also has a Dub Mix and the album track "Cold Cuts" on the B-side, so it's not a bad crate filler. There's also a second, promo version of this 12" that has the same A-side, but a Remix Vocal - Fade version on the B-side instead of the other stuff, which I presume is the same as the A-side, but fades out like the LP mix.

Learn Along With Werner, part 7: How Much Boodie Can You Take At One Time?

So, if you read my blog regularly, you know I've been pretty interested in the I.C.P.... meaning the Ice Cold Productions family, not the clowns.  I'm definitely a fan of Fat Daddy and his projects with Balli and Don Ugly (I'm sure it's only a matter of time until a Madd Blunted post or two crops up on here); and I was quite impressed with Shake G's tracks on the ICP posse album. I was interested in Da Big Boyz and was hoping to find other material by them, but unfortunately I don't think they ever had a proper release. But in searching for that, I did find that the similarly named ICP group Dem Boiz did release a couple singles (literally two), so I had to cop one.

This is their first release, called "How Much Boodie" and it came out in 1994 on CMBR/ Critique Records, distributed by BMG. It's produced by Afro-Dominican Eddie DM Wilson, who I believe is one of the Boiz, and also features a remix by DJ Roonie G, who I'm not terribly excited by, but I have at least heard of.

I'm sorry to report, however, it's pretty disappointing. It's a very generic "booty bass" track with a very uninspiring instrumental and "same ol' same ol'" concept. Hearing a line-up of MC passing the mic keeps things a little interesting, and makes me wonder how these guys would sound if they tackled a different style of song. We hear very briefly that Wilson has an exotic flow which could be interesting if actually put to use. I'm not sure how strong any of these guys are lyrically, but I can hear some interesting deliveries being given very little attention by the track. If they had a chance to flex their mic skills, they could do something at least more interesting; but as it is, they're mostly just kicking short, predictable "fill the space between the chorus" verses. There are some earnest attempts to inject energy into this song by bringing in different samples and elements throughout the song; but it's just not enough when the core is so limp. For everyone who hates 90s Miami bass music, this is exactly the kind of song they have in their minds.

There's a Low Rider Bass Mix, which changes up the percussion a bit, and I think actually works worse than the main version. It ends with an amusing "Sex! Or be destroyed!" chorus, though, which again hints that these guys might've been capable of better than we're shown here. And after that Low Rider Mix, there are two versions of the Roonie G remix: Radio and a slightly longer Club Mix, which breathes a little more life into things.  But at the end of the day, none of it's very good. You'd have to be a die-hard lover of the booty bass scene to work up a strong opinion of this single.

Based on the title, I don't expect much more from their follow-up single, "Body Talk," though I'm enough of a completist that I'm sure I'll have to at least give it a spin if I come across a copy one day. If it turns out there was a single from Da Big Boyz, though, that I'd have to get.

The Godfather of Rap

Any old school head who knows their shit will hold up Spoonie Gee as one of the titan lyricists of the dawning hip-hop age. His narratives, his cleverness without forsaking his street edge. Groundbreaking classics like "Spoonin' Rap," "Love Rap" and "The New Rap Language" with The Treacherous Three. But then, it's like the story ends. Almost a flash - a strong, critical flash that forever changed the genre -  but still not much more than a flash in a form of music that was evolving at light-speed. Once Run DMC and T La Rock came, it was over for all those disco dinosaurs. But Spoonie Gee hung in there, man.

After the Sugar Hill era, CBS Records took him out for a quick spin, releasing the single "the Big Beat," but it never blew up and that was enough for them. But a smaller, indie NY label was working with CBS in those years, and wound up hanging on to Spoonie for actually quite a long time. And you can't really blame anyone for not paying much attention to all this... The production on later singles like "Street Girl" and "Get Off My Tip" would not have turned any heads in the new era of big studio product like Whodini or even The Boogie Boys, and again with Def Jam just popping up on the scene. When "The New Love Rap" dropped that same year, it probably looked like the misguided flailing of somebody who should've retired years ago.

And by 1987, the year of Rakim and the early classic Juice Crew records, even the new school that had left Spoonie behind was old school. But anyone who took the time to check in on what Spoonie was still tinkering around with over at Tuff City was justly rewarded. Spoonie had caught up with up and coming, cutting edge super-producer Marley Marl in 1986, and from there it was back on!

In 1987, he released this: his strongest single since the old days, "The Godfather." As he says on the record, "I changed my style; people just didn't know it." Spoonie had never lost it as an MC, and on this record he was coming back full swing to take his title back. He had the swagger of "Spoonin' Rap" combined with an updated style that put him back on the forefront of the day's lyricists. And Marley gave him one of his toughest breaks, with some raw cutting and a blaring horn loop for the hook. This could not only fit in perfectly on Paid In Full, and even be one of the hottest songs. This was a serious monster jam!

Unfortunately, Tuff City didn't really have the reach to get his record out there to have the impact it should've. It got some play and earned props to be sure. And Spoonie has doing everything right. He had early singles with Teddy Riley just as he was on the cusp of exploding. He was killing classic breaks, stayed working with Marley. Tuff City put out a solid full-length, but just couldn't really get it out there nationwide and compete with the majors for publicity. It also didn't help that some tracks did sound kinda shaky and unhip, like his ode to boxer "Mighty Mike Tyson." It would be hard to sell that to kids whose minds were just blown by "Night Of the Living Bassheads" and "Fuck the Police."

But "The Godfather?" Holy fuck, that is just timeless, great hip-hop right there.  How many copies did it sell? Who knows. Forget about it. This record is like a litmus test: if it's not in your collection, it's wack and turns green. There's not a lot to the 12"... the main vocal version on side A, and the Instrumental plus a Dub Mix on the flip. Killers like this don't need a bunch of remixes or B-side bonuses. It just sits there and commands respect. Did you ever see the movie The Godfather? It's just like that except it's a rap record instead of a wheezy, shadowy Italian guy. But that's the only difference.

The Puppies Are a Lie!!

 

It's time I got down to the bottom of The Puppies' conspiracy, and worked out exactly just who's for real in this mess. What? You didn't even know there was a Puppies conspiracy? Ha ha! You probably didn't even realize that Jay-Z is the head of an evil, Satanic cult that's brainwashing our children. ...Okay, no, but seriously. There is a real thing with The Puppies.

Look at this "Big Booty 12"" put out by Vision Records in 1995. The first track is by The Real Pupps, featuring the legendary Disco Rick and Fresh Kid Ice. They also have a song on the flip-side with MC Roni D. Well, why would you specify that you were "The Real" Pupps, unless you felt that there was another group out there, capitalizing on your name, style and the media attention that should be rightfully yours? I can't think of another reason, but if you can it doesn't matter because that's exactly what's going on here.

If you were paying attention in the 90s when kiddie rap groups became popular, you may remember The Puppies. They were the big Miami bass representatives of that phenomenon who scored some hits with tracks like "Funky Y2C," "Summer Delight," and to a lesser extent, their club rendition of the "Hokey Pokey." They had two albums: their self-titled debut in 1994 and its follow-up, Recognize, in 1996, both on Joey Boy Records. Listen to those albums and they name-check themselves hundreds of times. Look at the album covers, watch the videos... It's two kids, a boy and a girl, named Big Boy and Tamara Dee. Sure, we remember them.

But were those two always The Puppies? Let's delve a little further into the history of the group. The first place you would've heard of The Puppies was The Dogs' infamous hit single, "Crack Rock," where a chorus of children taunt, "yo mama's on crack rock!" Or maybe you recall the kid on the intro to "Where Is Disco Rick At," Disco Rick's angry response to his former crew, Gucci Crew II's "Show Bizz," where a young kid yells, "can somebody tell me where Disco Rick at?" How about the chorus to "Ten Little N....s?"  They were never credited (the album was very light in song credits in general), but this was the inauspicious debut of The Puppies. That's the origin of their name - they were the little kids version of The Dogs.

A later album from The Dogs featuring Disco Rick, Beware Of the Dogs, is fortunately a little more forthcoming with its credits. The liner notes there spelled out the line-up of The Puppys[sic.] as: Li Greg, Extherlena, Sereba, Cantrell, Keysa, Latrell, Disheka, Chanelle, Terrick, Donta, Shalena, Dorena and Shunda. Holy crap, that's a lot of kids. But you'll notice two names that aren't there: Big Boy and Tamera Dee. Then, two years after that album, when Disco Rick left the label to sign with Luke, and Dogs member Ant "D" released his solo album, Top Dog, featuring The Puppies, the credits were a little different. They list the line up as: Big Boy, Tamera "D," Pup Pound, Melissa, Monique, Shante and Porsche.

Well, things are starting to become clear now, right? In between Beware Of the Dogs and Top Dog, Disco Rick left the label to sign with Luke. The Dogs was always essentially a solo act of just Disco Rick backed up by his crew. He did all the rapping, song writing and production. The line-up of The Dogs was pretty large on the early LPs, including guys like Rodney, Baby D, Damien, JJ, Peanut, Nova and DJ Tony Tone. When Rick left, Joey Boy Records tried to keep the group alive by making dancers Ant D and Peanut the lead rappers, and doing all the production themselves. Then, when Ant D wound up getting put on death row for murder, the label owners just became The Dogs themselves. They were certainly capable, since the owners are brothers Carlton Mills and Calvin Mills II, a.k.a. The Rock Force, who actually produced a large majority of the artists' albums on their label.

Now let's look at Big Boy and Tamera D's real names... Calvin Mills III and Tamera Dee Mills. That's right, Joey Boy just stuck their own kids in and took over the group name, making them the new Puppies. Pretty much the same thing they did with The Dogs... the artists were out but they kept the group names and continued to release records as if they were still the original act.

By the way, just to be thorough... you may've noticed that The Puppies second album, Recognize, says it's featuring The Pup Pound. That Pup Pound consists of Tinika, Tamyra and Candice, who may or may not be the same Pup Pound from Top Dog.

So, okay, here's the chronology of Puppies albums... Top Dog with Ant D in 1993, self titled in 1994 and Recognize in 1996. Now, this "Big Booty 12"" on Vision Records (which Disco Rick was a co-owner of)? 1995. Putting The Real Pupps right in the middle of The Puppies' two major albums. I suspect these songs were recorded for what was intended to be a full-length album by The Real Pupps, designed to challenge The Puppies for their name and clout.  But Vision became a graveyard of Rick's unrealized projects at that time, with singles and compilations promising albums by acts like Silence (Down 4 Life) and Roni D (Mind of a Mother's Child) that never came out. So they wound up just being included on this EP and a CD compilation called Bass In da Hood.

But just who are The Real Pupps exactly? Bass In da Hood has more detailed liner notes than the 12", but even that doesn't tell us much besides the interesting tidbit that Quad Star and Don Ugly (of Madd Blunted) had a hand in "Get Low, Get Low" and that both the Pupps' material is being released in conjunction with Phat Rat Records (who presumably would've released the album, had anybody done so). But actually listening to the songs, it gets a little more interesting...

They start laying claim to their authenticity by asking, "remember back in the days when we used to kick it with The Dogs?" They rap, but a large part of their act (just like the other Puppies) is providing hooks and shouted choruses. And a lot of that is sampled and replayed by the producers. Interestingly though, a major refrain from both of the new songs is actually a sample from the intro to the original "Crack Rock" song ("oochie wally wally, oochie bang bang" - long before Nas or The Bravehearts recorded their songs!), I guess to demonstrate that these are the real Pupps. But they name-check themselves, too; and while it's a little hard to make out since they're talking over some very busy instrumentals, it seems to be just two girls named Sereba and Noochie (guessing on the spelling, of course). Now let's scroll back up to the list of kids from The Dogs' album before the Mills brothers substituted their own offspring.  Sereba's there, but I don't see any Noochies. Maybe it's a new nickname, or maybe it's just one more kid being thrown into the mix. If anyone wants to come forward, I'd love to know.

At the end of the day though, all The Puppies/ Real Pupps kids sound the fucking same, and a large percentage of their performances seems to be created by their producers anyway. But I like that at least one of the original Puppies girls got to come back for a second round while The Mills' kids were making deals with Sony and Pandisc. It's a shame The Real Pupps' album never came out, not so much for the lost art, but just because it would've made for a pretty entertaining publicity battle to have two kids groups claiming to be the authentic Puppies. It would've made for some amusing Source articles, and all these Puppy records are at least fun examples of the more hype side of 90s Miami bass; you can never have too much of that.

Vertex On Vinyl

(Youtube version is here.)

Still Fat for the 90's

I'm not going to introduce Lord Finesse because he doesn't need it. But any fan who's looked into his catalog in the last ten years will find an overwhelming number of releases - most on vinyl even - presenting us with lost remixes, demos and unreleased tracks. His back catalog has been - and is still being - lovingly preserved like few very few other hip-hop artists' have. Most of the official ones came out first through Soundtable/ No Sleep, and more recently on Slice of Spice (Vinyl Addicts also got a pretty sweet release out there) in collaboration with Finesse's own Underboss imprint. Quality music on nice vinyl releases, and they're 100% official, not bootlegs. But with so much being put out there, it can be pretty daunting to sort through, especially since so many of the songs seem to have been released multiple times as different versions.

Well, what we have here is a brilliant, brand new double LP (or CD if that's more your speed) release that cuts through the thick. It doesn't include everything - because there's simply too much for any one release - but it's a pretty thorough collection of the me must-have material at least from his Funkyman (album #2) period. It's called Funky Man: The Prequel on Slice of Spice/ Underboss Records.

Because it's so complicated following what's been released where, I'm going to tackle this album track-by-track, and give a complete break-down of what's included here.

Before I begin, though, I have to make something clear. Slice of Spice have remastered every track here from Finesse's original DATs and reels. So everything they've put on here (and their other releases) are fresh remasters compared to the material that was released on Soundtable or any other label. Those were all respectable and official releases, too, so none of them sounded bad. But Slice of Spice's do seem to be consistent and substantial improvements in sound quality every time - this isn't one of those situations where only professional DJs are gonna notice the difference. For a more casual fan, though, if you have the old records, then how essential the new masterings are will be a personal call. Maybe you need the upgrade or maybe you're satisfied with what you've got. But the short and sweet of it is: the SoS masterings are consistently superior to the others, and definitely the ones to scoop up if you don't have any yet. Also, just to be clear, in cases when it's the same song on two or more SoS releases - like "Fat for the 90's" being both the first song on this LP and as a B-side to one of their picture discs - then they're exactly the same.

Okay, now let's get down and dirty:

A1) Fat for the 90's (Original Version) - produced by Diamond D - This mix first appeared on Soundtable/ No Sleep's Rare and Unreleased vol. 2 in 2008. That was CD only, though, so they put it out again on Rare Selections vol. 2 vinyl EP the same year. Slice also put this out as the B-side to their limited Still Funky for the 90's shaped picture disc (it's shaped like his head!). It's hard to say which mix is better - the one we've all known for 21 has some really chunky, compelling samples. This one is rawer and edgier, and I think suits AG's guest verse better. Maybe familiarity is tainting my judgement, but I have to side with the original. But this is absolutely a worthy alternative.

A2) Isn't He Something (Showbiz Mix) - produced by Showbiz, obviously - This is NOT the "Isn't He Something (Original Version With Intro)" from Rare & Unreleased vol. 2, which seems to basically be the same as the regular album version, except with an extended intro. Instead, this is the "Isn't He Something (Unreleased Mix)" from Rare Selections vol. 3. You couldn't be blamed for assuming that the Rare Selections mix would just be the same mix lifted from the Rare & Unreleased, but pressed onto vinyl; but nope - they were totally different. So yeah, this is the second one, the substantially differing one, from the EP.  It begins off with a funky, dominant Weather Report sample; but as the song progresses, a variety of interesting sounds and samples swap in and out of the mix, and there's some really hype scratch choruses that live up to the crazy horn riff from the familiar mix.

A3) Funky On the Fast Tip (Original Version) - produced by Lord Finesse - This mix was featured on Rare Selections vol. 1, mistakenly titled as "Fat for the 90's (Alternate Beat)."  It's not "Fat for the 90's," though; it's "Funky On the Fast Tip," and is now also available on SoS's Still Funky picture disc. I have to say, though, Finesse made the right choice to re-do this one. The original version here is cool, another one of those changing sample sets throughout the song, so you're not always listening to the same instrumental. But none of them are as effective or flat-out dope as the one we've known.

B1) Stop Sweating the Next Man (Lord Finesse Mix) - produced by DJ Aladdin and SLJ - This is the "Stop Sweating the Next Man (Unreleased Mix)" from Rare Selections vol. 2. It's a more subtle remix, in that both versions use the same basic "Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down" bassline and sound pretty similar.  The main difference is a protracted horn note that plays over the hook.

B2) Show 'Em How We Do Things (Demo Version) - produced by DJ Aladdin and SLJ -This was on a Fat Beats compilation of unreleased material called From the Crates To the Files (CD and 2LP), and then turned up on Rare Selections vol. 2. And it's on a vinyl EP called A Little Something for the Homiez, which I think is a bootleg. But maybe Finesse pressed it himself, I dunno. Anyway. this seems to be exactly the same as what was on the original album, and at first I was confused as to why SoS put it on here - was I missing some subtle, remixed difference? But then I realized I always had this song because I bought the cassette back in the day. This was a CD and cassette bonus track missing from the wax, so it was making its wax debut on the Fat Beats comp, and its remastered wax debut now.

C1) Hey Look At Shorty (Demo Version) - produced by Lord Finesse -  Okay, once again, the versions on Rare and Unreleased vol. 2 and Rare Selections vol. 1 are different. This is the latter. Both are distinctly different from the one we all know; though I have to say I prefer that one to any of these alternate versions. This one's got a nice break, but is otherwise kinda boring, with a merely perfunctory bassline.

C2) Isn't He Something (Large Professor Remix) - produced by Large Professor - This is a.k.a. "Extra P Session Mix" on From the Crates To the Files and A Little Something for the Homiez. SoS also released this last year on the first of their Signature Seven 7" series of Lord Finesse material. It's exactly what you'd expect a Large Professor remix of a Lord Finesse song to sound - really dope.

C3) I Like My Girls With a Boom (Original Version) - produced by Lord Finesse -  This one's interesting. It first appeared on Rare Selections vol. 1, and uses the same sample as the regular album version, but where the first one used the opening guitar lick as a brief intro, this one keeps bringing that lick back throughout the whole song. It also sounds a little slower and bass-heavier. 

C4) KABOOM! KAPLOW! - EXPLOSIVES! - I'm sorry, I'm just being a goofball. There is no track C4.

D1) Praise the Lord (Underboss Remix) - produced by Lord Finesse and Davel "Bo" McKenzie - I should point out that this and the next track are specifically labeled as bonus tracks.  This is NOT the Diamond D remix from Rare Selections vol. 1 (which is too bad, because that was awesome). This is a new mix, I think, not as good as the others but still pretty cool with some funky piano notes and a cool organ sample and definitely worth your time. It's exclusive to this LP.

D2) Kicking Flavor With My Man (Underboss Remix) - produced by Lord Finesse and Davel "Bo" McKenzie -The classic duet with Percee-P is given a cool, gangsta rap vibe with this mix. I prefer the original, but am definitely happy to have both in my collection now. Again, it's a bonus track and I assume a contemporary remix, though SoS did already release it last year on 7".

So that's the run-down. Most (though not all!) of this material has seen the light of day before; but this is a nice definitive edition to close the book on each of these tracks for good. And to cinch that, SoS has gone all out with the presentation as well. First of all, it's a solid 180g double LP in a fresh gatefold picture cover. How many hip-hop albums have gotten gatefold covers? Not many! And it's been released at the standard, no "special limited" business price of $19.99. But if you do want to spice it up even more, you could pay just a little extra to get the same 2LP pressed on a limited run (250 numbered copies - mine is #30) of cool silver (silver) vinyl. And if you really had the money to lay out and were a hardcore Finesse fanatic, you could get the crazy pre-order package which included the double LP on silver wax, an Instrumental EP (6 tracks, pressed on white (white) wax in a sticker cover), that picture disc I mentioned earlier, and an exclusive 7" with that awesome Diamond D mix of "Praise the Lord" that I really wanted on the LP. I think you'd give your mailman a hernia with that one. Unfortunately, that big set was only available during the pre-order stage, so if you didn't get it by now, it's too late. But the LP, black or silver, is still available, as it only just came out. If you order it direct from SoS, you also get a free digital download emailed to you, plus stickers. =)

Questionable Lyrics #3: Beware the Beast Man...

The only thing more impressively dark than Paris's sociopolitical debut album in 1989 was his follow-up: Sleeping With the Enemy. He made the top hardcore artists of the day like NWA seem like clowns for not daring to get as political and serious as he did, and righteous, political acts like Public Enemy seem meek for not being as bold. This is the album George Bush himself spoke out against (ostensibly because of the anti-police song "Coffee, Doughnuts and Death," but more likely because the album cover originally depicted Paris about to assassinate Bush with an uzi. His label, Tommy Boy Records dropped the controversial album but Paris didn't give a fuck, he put the damn thing out himself. Shit was serious.

And he wasn't just picking safe "stick it to the man" targets. Who can forget "House Niggas Bleed Too?" One of many heavy, ominous beats and Paris spittin', "Thought I forgot ya, but I caught ya, punk; I thought ya knew: house niggas bleed, too. Shit ain't through."

But before we got to rhyming, the first half the song was the a recording of a traitor, the voice of temptation, selling out his race:

"What's wrong with having it good for a change? And they're gonna let us have it good if we just help 'em. They're gonna leave us alone, let us make some money. You can have a little taste of that good life, too. Now I know you want it... Hell, everybody does."
"You'd do it to your own kind..."
"What's the threat? We all sell out every day - might as well be on the winning team!"

But the song winds up having a slightly different feel to it if you recognize the vocal sample. Once you realize it's the voice of character actor George "Buck" Flower in the science fiction campfest, They Live. The race he's selling out is the human race, as he tries to convince wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper that he should fall in line with the secret race of space aliens that he can only see when he wears his special sunglasses. They're talking outside the aliens' underground television studio/ interstellar airport, and the guy who interjects, "you'd do it to your own kind" is the great Keith David. At the end of his speech, Flower pushes a secret button on his watch, says, "see ya, boys" and disappears from the movie.

I actually think it's more impressive that Paris was able to pull such atmosphere and earnestness out of such a (charmingly) silly movie. It's one thing to sample a gangster movie on a gangsta rap record to evoke a little mood. But this took a real creative element to transform one set of emotions into something totally different, yet perhaps even more evocative than its original context.

And this isn't the only example of such a subversive move in Paris's catalog. Who wasn't chilled by the creepy, ominous words at the end of "The Devil Made Me Do It?"

"Beware the beast man, for he is the devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport... for lust... for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him. Drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death."

That sounds like some crazy, gothic cult leader telling you judgement day's about to drop on us, right? Unless you're a film buff. Then you're picturing Roddy McDowell in a monkey mask reading this to Charlton Heston and friends out on the sunny Atlantic, beach. Yes, these lines are from the ending of the original Planet Of the Apes, and these words are spoken right before Heston gets on his horse and rides off into the sunset with his mute slave-girl to re-propagate the human race in the forbidden zone. But Paris makes it sound like some frikkin' scary-ass devil music.

Oh, and how I mentioned "Coffee, Doughnuts and Death?" That one opens with a dark exchange of police officers grievously abusing their authority and ultimately assaulting a woman: We hear police sirens and tires squealing as a cop car pulls up and two men jump out.

"Let's go. Inside!"

(knocking)
"Police! I said open up!"

"Isn't it a little late, officers?"

"This is an emergency. May we come in?"

"I'm... not really dressed."

"It's okay, we're police officers."

Would you believe an 80's James Spader horror movie about Jack the Ripper coming back to kill people in Los Angeles on the 100th anniversary of his death? Yup, it's called Jack's Back! I remember it because I was a hardcore horror fan as a kid, and taped every single horror movie that played on cable in the 80s. Spader plays twins - check out the trailer!

Paris's later albums seemed to lack the punch of his first two. I got Guerilla Funk, and that was alright. But I haven't really kept up, even though he kept releasing albums well through the 2000s. But it might be worth going through the rest of his catalog just to sample hunt, I don't know. Does he have a song where he harrowingly narrates the horrors of the Rwandan genocide that opens with a one and a half minute clip from Hollywood Hot Tubs 2: Educating Crystal? Because if anybody could pull it off...

Dream Team Adieu

the 12" label

Sorry if I've been overloading you with LA Dream Team posts lately, guys; but even before I started the DTP post, I knew I was going to follow it up with this one. What we have here is the final Dream Team record. There's no release date on either the vinyl or CD release; but internet sources place this at 1996, and that sounds about right. Now, Rudy Pardee had been keeping the Dream Team dream alive since the group broke up by releasing solo singles or with new collaborators. But the original pairing hadn't made a record together since they were dropped by MCA in 1990. But this is it: a proper reunion. A new and final LA Dream Team Record, back on their own Dream Team Records, before Rudy Pardee tragically died in 1998. Yes, Snake Puppy is back.

The A-side is called "Faces" or "Smilin' Faces," depending on whether you're looking at the CD or 12" record. Yes, the song title is different on the two versions. But the song itself is the same, a reworking, naturally, of "Smiling Faces" by The Undisputed Truth. Now, The Dream Team were hardly the first to discover this territory. Big Lady K and Whodini both released singles remaking this song in 1990 and 1991, respectively, and Kid Frost had one on his East Side Story album in '92. So this is well trodden turf, with a very familiar R&B hook (provided by Sharon Hall and Phillip Ray) and the famous, atmospheric bassline. Here, they tone the atmosphere down, though; going for a very calm, smooth and definitely west coast sounding track.

The B-side, titled "Got'ta Be O.G. Sometimes," is more instrumentally original, though it's actually very similar to "Faces." The bassline and R&B hook (this time by Tre Unique) are no longer patterned after "Smiling Faces," but every production element in this song is otherwise just like "Faces." The notes are just a little different.  And while both songs are produced by Rudy, and co-produced by Snake; this one gets a special credit saying that the music was written by Mike "The P" Perison. But, since they're so similar, your opinion on which is better will depend entirely on how keen you are for another "Smiling Faces" remake. If you're happy to re-experience that soulful bassline once again, "Faces" brings it and kinda sounds better objectively. But if you've heard it one too many times over the years, you'll be glad for the less derivative "O.G."

Instrumentally, this isn't bad but it's kind of a dud. They just play it so damn safe. It's not at all compelling, and yet too decently produced to be bad in an interesting way. This absolutely does not have that re-listenable quality of "Rockberry (Revisited)." But, the story of this record isn't really the music. That barely even matters... to the point where it feels like the Team specifically was trying to set it to music that wouldn't matter or call attention to itself. Anyone who cares about this record cares because it's Rudy and Snake back together again. How do they come off?

Eh. I definitely prefer hearing Rudy paired with Snake than any of those cats he brought in as substitutes. Snake brings a, yes, O.G. quality to his rhymes. This is his and Rudy's house, and the pretenders to the throne need to scat. And, lyrically.... well, they say pretty much exactly what you'd expect them to say. They don't really mention the break-up or reunion, except very indirectly, and mostly are mostly just concerned with establishing themselves as veterans. Here's a taste of "O.G.:"

"Welcome to Los Angeles,
City of Angels.
(No, city of the scandalous!)
But the O.G.s can handle this.
Four twenty-five's not my salary
But you know, I clock my dough
From my street mentality.
Reality's a mother.
I'm tired of gettin' judged by my color;
It's time to make somebody else suffer.
I'm a O.G. hustler,
I never had no love for a buster
Get to close and I'm gon' have to cut ya.
I'm true.
I'm down with my race and I'm down with my crew;
I'm down with my niggas smokin' blunts and a brew.
That's what we do everyday up on the streets;
Represent the real, 'cause you's an O.G."

So, you know, like that. Snake tells a little tale of being a youngster which pumps a little extra energy into things; and "Smilin' Faces" naturally incorporates the subject matter of the Undisputed original (though I like the line, "he snaked on a Pup and now I'm locked up"). But it ultimately all boils down to the same stuff.

The record label doesn't mention it, but the back of the CD promises that this is "From the fourth [sic.] coming album GUESS WHOS BACK?" Sadly, that album never came out. But I can't help wondering if it was ever completed, considering how much Rudy seemed to record and not release throughout the 90's (be sure to read the comments of my DTP post to find out even more of Rudy's underground saga!). The record comes in a plain sleeve, while the CD has the picture cover posted above; but both have the same track-listing: Street, Radio and Instrumental versions of both songs. I'd recommend this to long time fans of the Dream Team.  If you're excited at the prospect that they got back together for one last record on the underground tip, it's decent enough that you'll enjoy this. But anyone else can give this a miss.

Update 6/25/13: You know, I put that "[sic.]" in the phrase "fourth coming album," because obviously the word is "forthcoming."  But thinking back on it, I'm realizing that had it come out, Guess Whos Back would have been the LA Dream Team's fourth full-length album. Maybe I just wasn't giving them enough credit. What do you guys think? Intentional, punny double entendre, or stupid mistake? Bear in mind that their should also have been an apostrophe in "who's," so I may just be reading too much into it.

Pace Won's Secret

So, back in 1998, The Outsidaz were blowing up, and Pace Won was all set to drop his debut LP, the Pace Won Effect on RuffLife/ RuffNation/ Roffhouse/ Ruff Wax Records. He had a pretty successful single with "I Declare War," but then things started to get held up. The label was having problems, and the album leaked online, which may or may not have been a big factor. But for whatever reason, it got shelved, and it wasn't until 2000 that Pace Won had re-geared up with a new single ("Sunroof Top") and a re-configured album, and Won dropped with very little marketing or promotion. And the label, with all its Ruff divisions, pretty much died shortly thereafter.

Now, the majority of the tracks from the unreleased The Pace Won Effect (sometimes alternately titled The Pace Won Affect) did find their way onto Won, along with a bunch of new ones. But not all of them. And in that span of time between the original shelved album and the ultimate retail one; Pace quietly released two more 12" singles from the Effect/ Affect album. One of them, this one, was called "Secret;" and it's pretty compelling today because "Secret" is one of those songs that didn't survive the migration to Won.

It didn't get much fanfare at the time, because both singles (the other was "It's Yours" with Wyclef Jean) just seemed like soon to be readily available releases of songs about to be widely released on the upcoming album. They weren't big radio pushes; no videos were shot. Just a little something for the DJs until the album came. It was just we few die-hard fans who looked back in 2000 at the little 12" we'd picked up along the way and realized we had a neat little exclusive on our hands.

There's no production credits on this 12" (and again, we can't look to the album, 'cause it ain't on there); but at a guess, I'd say Ski probably made this track. Maybe not though. But whoever did, it's definitely got that classic Outsidaz feel that all of their earliest, most beloved material had. Staccato but deceptively engaging piano notes over a chunky break, with funky little Danny Devito vocal sample. Lyrically... well, it's a concept song, so not really as appealing as an all out crazy freestyle would've been. But it's still got that cleverness and that edge to make it stand out above your average Hot 97 airtime filler.

The B-side did make the transition from album A to album B, so it's not so exciting. It's called "Bring It Out Of Me," produced by Ski (we can confirm with Won's album notes this time) and features an indie cat named Richie Thumbs (who's not as tight as Pace, but holds his own well enough) and a smokey nightclub singer named Janelle Barksdale crooning in the background. It's a cool blend of being a smoother, laid back "smoke out to this" kind of cut mixed with the MCs more rugged street styles. Like the A-side, it was never going to be a big, attention-getting fan favorite; but it's anyone who takes the time to get into it will have to say it's a good song.

There's just the one, Main version of "Bring It Out Of Me," but the exclusive "Secret" comes fully broken down with a Main, Radio, Instrumental and even an A Cappella version. There wasn't a big run of these pressed up, but this record's slept on enough that you can probably scoop it up pretty painlessly. And now that time has passed and its hidden value has been elucidated, I'd recommend any Outz fan, hardcore or casual, do just that.

Father MC's Day

Well, it's Father's Day weekend, so what better MC to blog about on this fine day? If you guessed Mama Mystique... you're probably over-thinking the question. No, if you don't recognize the picture cover photographed above, alongside our site's exclusive model (sorry, TMZ) Emma, that's Father MC's "Lisa Baby," the third big single off his debut album, appropriately titled Father's Day.

Like his previous singles, "Lisa Baby" is produced by ex-Fat Boy Prince Markie Dee and the Soul Convention, and like "Treat Them Like They Want To Be Treated," features an up-coming Jodeci singing the chorus. It's a pure, unadulterated example of new jack swing rap, and how much you like or detest that sub-genre will dictate what you think of this song. His previous singles, "Treat Them..." and "I'll Do for You" were elevated by the lyrics and the surprisingly strong R&B elements (Mary J. Blige, of course, standing out on the latter). Here, while Jodeci still sound solid, those elements don't really shine. Lines like "well, the joke's on you, so nibble on my Almond Joy" definitely reveal that we're operating in a lower strata this time around, and this whole narrative about Father getting pissy about the eponymous Lisa's questionable behavior lacks the universal appeal of his previous hits. So while the previous tracks rose above it, this one's really standing on the swing production, which is quite good as Mark & Mark proved themselves to be surprisingly masterful at it. So, like I said, your appreciation will depend entirely on just how keen you are on hearing some vintage new jack swing.

But even heads who aren't so big on that stuff tend to have some interest in this 12", because it features a robust collection of remixes, with one in particular standing out. I'll save that one for last.

The first version you'll come across on here is the Daddy Radio mix, produced by Jodeci's own Devante Swing. It's a pretty cool, tougher mix, that gets rid of some of the smooth keyboard tones in favor of playing up the banging percussion. Unsurprisingly, it also emphasizes Jodeci's role, including some new sung vocals, making their performance a little less repetitive than it was on the album version.

Devante also produced the Swing House mix, which is a weird little twist on the Daddy Radio mix. It's not really house... well, it sort of is. But it's more about just taking out a lot of Father's vocals... it almost sounds like an instrumental version that only leaves in Jodeci's parts, but then Father's stuff comes in at the end. I think they were just padding record with this one.

So, okay, you've got those two mixes, plus the LP version and an Instrumental. Now let's get to the ones collectors like. You've got two mixes here by Pete Rock. Now, there's nothing unusual about that; they're both major players in the Uptown fam (in fact, Father's Day is tastefully dedicated to Trouble T-Roy), and Pete would return to provide a beat for Father's third LP, Sex Is Law.

Well, first up, you've got the Smoothed Out mix. This one really doesn't sound like Pete's work at all, and I wonder if the credits aren't a little off here. I mean, maybe he was there in the studio and had some input on this; but it actually doesn't sound very removed from Devante's earlier mixes. It adds some hip-hop samples makes it a little more of a hardcore hip-hop track, most notably by completely removing Jodeci, replacing them with just a vocal sample saying "here we go!" The stand out moment is the breakdown where a DJ gets busy on the turntable. It's a dope little remix; and really not smoothed out at all (why did they call it that?); but I really wouldn't be surprised if Clark Kent or somebody else came out and said he really did that.

The final mix, however - the Hip-Hop Fat Mix? Now that is pure Pete Rock. While all the other remixes felt like variations of a single instrumental; this one is completely different. It's really sample based, and has a super funky bassline, plus some sweet horns. It does have the "here we go" vocal sample instead of Jodeci, which is probably why Pete gets credit for the Smoothed Out mix. He probably made this one (well, he surely did), and then somebody else just used pieces of it to construct that one. The turntable breakdown is here, too. It's really a rich, bumping track. Indeed, the only disappointing aspect is that it deserves better than this Father MC acappella. His poppy story doesn't really have the same vibe as Pete's creation, and it just raises the bar too high for this level of MCing. If this had Guru or somebody rhyming on it instead, I guarantee this would've been a hit, especially critically, that would last through the ages.

So yeah, this is a good single for Father MC fans, with some variations of one of his better, if not great, songs. And it's even a good single for non-Father MC fans, because it contains one of Pete Rock's greatest creations. Unfortunately, no, there is no instrumental for the Hip Hop Fat Mix; but the beat rides for almost two minutes after Father's final verse, with all the change-ups and everything. So that's almost the same end result. Throw in the fact that it comes in a colorful picture cover and can usually be found in record stores' cheap bins for ninety-nine cents or less; and this makes for a perfect little Father's Day gift for yourself.