My Old Ca$hflow Tape

So, if you've been paying attention to my twitter (and if you haven't, you might as well just go jump off a bridge now, because you've just missed out on all the precious moments that make life worth living), you know I've been looking back through my tape collection recently, pulling out the stuff I bought decades ago and have since forgotten what they sound like. You know, some timeless albums you go back to again and again, and others, even if they're not bad, you just keep passing over. So you know, recollection, nostalgia, reevaluation... good times. This one I pulled out I decided was worthy of a whole blog entry, so here we go.

It's the self-titled 1986 debut album (they had two) by Ca$hflow. These guys weren't really a rap group, but they did sometimes rap. In fact, I think that's why they got signed... to sort of bridge that gap between the burgeoning hip-hop movement and R&B/funk groups like The Time and Cameo. Especially Cameo, because Larry Blackman was personally involved with Ca$hflow.

Now, they didn't rap on every song, but they rapped on several of them. In fact, one of the reasons I wanted to revisit this album was to hear for myself how many songs they did actually rap on here; because all I remember is that I was disappointed they didn't rap as much as I expected, but it was more than none. And, well, the answer is three. Not that much, but remember, this is back when albums didn't tend to have so many songs on them. The first side of the album is just 14 minutes long. Ca$hflow had seven, making it almost half. And when you consider a lot of the really old school hip-hop albums (by groups like Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow and The Sequence) used to load their albums with singing songs (because rap was still just a fad back then), Ca$hflow was pretty close to the mark. Although there is still a pretty key distinction: on those rappers' albums, their rap songs were basically 100% rap. They sang on other songs, but when they rapped, they really made full rap songs. Here, Ca$hflow is doing the more mainstream sung pop songs with rap verses. So I still wouldn't actually call these guys a rap group; just a group who sometimes rapped.

If you'll indulge in a little speculation, I think part of why Blackman got these guys is because they'd already had success with adding a rap verse to what turned out to be one of their biggest singles, "She's Strange" but were reluctant to get pulled further down the hip-hop road. I mean, later Cameo hits like "Word Up," "Single Life" and "Back & Forth" sound like they were created by God to house rap verses, but they just don't go there. Maybe the label was even pressuring them to, but they didn't want to. So basically they signed Ca$hflow and said: that can be your job! You guys can be the group to bridge that gap. If it works, everybody gets rich, and if rap blows over, Cameo distances themselves, credibility untainted.  ...Or maybe not; that's just my little pet theory. Maybe it's the opposite, and Blackman always wanted to really jump into being a rapper and his label and band mates never let him, so this was his way of getting closer. But I find that harder to believe.

Anyway, let's leave the speculating and get to what's actually, factually there on the tape. The album starts out with one of my favorite songs, "Party Freak." Being one of my favorites, you know it's one of the ones with a rap verse; and this one's extra special, because the rap is performed by Cameo's Larry Blackman! It's a fun rap about how he picked up a girl at a bar, but she turned out to be such a party freak, she stands up in his car and starts break-dancing "on highway eighty-fiiiiiiive!" Otherwise, the song's okay. It's a pretty basic party funk jam with some good instrumentation, but it all lays a little flat. Like, it's on par with the work of their peers, but if it weren't for Blackman's rap, none of those groups would have made it a single, more like decent album filler that really needs a catchy horn or keyboard riff to put it over the top.

Their biggest hit, I guess, was "Mine All Mine" which does bounce a little more, especially thanks to a classy horn line; but it's still a little limp. Like it feels like an early single that should've led to a lot more, not a career pinnacle."Spending Money" is my favorite song; maybe it helps that it fits with the group's theme, but I think it's just an overall better song. It's got a slightly silly chorus that goes, "spending money. I like spending money. On youuuooooooooh." Plus it does have a catchy keyboard riff. And even though they're going for a smoother vibe, it all just flows more naturally and engagingly. Blackman's one verse is all we get for his rapping, so the duty now falls to lead vocalist Kary Hubbert. He's not the rapper Larry was, and his verse feels more generic and amateurish; but he's so damn cheerful it's hard not to go along with him; and any weaknesses are more than made up for by having a better song all around it, anyway. I really think this should've been a single; I think it would've caught on for them, even more so than "Mine All Mine," but oh well.

What else is on here? "Can't Let Love Pass Us By" is pretty good, but it sounds like it was made for hair dressers and dentists' office waiting rooms. "Reaching Out" is their slow song, and it's boring. "It
s Just a Dream" is their most funk-ish song, with more of a 70s vibe. And finally "I Need Your Love" is their most rappy song, with a legit rap verse, a quasi-rap intro, and plenty of electric drums, handclaps and other 80s hip-hop elements. Pretty fun, but the singing is weak on this one. I didn't like "Reaching Out," but I thought it showed he could sing a lot better than he does here. Oh well.

Overall, I guess this album still matches by faded memory: okay, but could've definitely been better, with a lot of waiting for the next really enjoyable moment. They're a good band, but even if you're not as much as a specifically hip-hop devoted purist as I am, it's a lot of sifting around looking for the good parts. I can see why I ultimately found it wasn't worth it and put this album aside for more consistently strong albums from beginning to end.

The only other Ca$hflow song I have is "Big Money" from the 1987 Disorderlies (The Fat Boys' movie) soundtrack. On the one hand, they sound more like they're trying to sound like Cameo on it. On their first album, they may've been under Blackman's wing, but they felt more like their own group. Now they sound like they're trying to be Cameo. But it's also a lot more upbeat and danceable, with another fun rap verse. In fact, I think Kary's gotten better at rapping since the debut album. And I guess they knew it was working for them because they wound up titling their second album Big Money in '88. I never got that album, though. I should check it out.

Authorized Wu Fam Material From the Vaults

The Wu-Tang Clan have a lot of spin-off acts, to the point where I'm not sure I could list them all if I tried, and I'm not going to. But some of those spin-offs wind up coming off a little tighter than the actual original Clan, especially when you consider how corny or lazy some of the main members have been known to get at times. It's especially true if you allow yourself to cheat and compare vintage 90s spin-off material, from when they were still coming up and exciting, to some more contemporary Wu efforts like, I dunno, Pro Tools.

Well, so anyway, one such spin-off group was Othorized F.A.M. They got less attention than most, even though their connection is pretty strong in that member Lounge Lo is actually Cappadonna's brother. It didn't help that they kept recycling their lyrics, like "Caught My Eye," which was their debut single in 1994. Then they used the same rhymes in "Dime Piece" in 2001 and yet again in 2007's "You Shine." It's all the same song, with just slightly different instrumentals. Or take "Money Getters" from 1994, which is the exact same song as "Easy" from their 2007 album, including the instrumental. But then on this record I'm about to talk about, there's a song called "Easy" with completely different music and lyrics. It's damn confusing and surely puts off a lot of potential followers. Plus, Remedy took a lot of the novelty shine off being "the white Wu-Tang guy," so they couldn't count on the random publicity that might've brought them.

Okay, let me get to the record in question already, because it's some of their best material, and it's mostly unreleased from 1995. It's called Mugshots Vol. 1, and it came out on Heavy Jewelz last year and is still available on their bigcartel. It's a five-song EP, and some of the song selection seems a little random - it includes two of the songs from their rare 1995 12" single but not the third - but that's probably because a Vol. 2 is planned, which would combine into a more complete collection.

"Pictures Of Life" is their second, quite rare, promo only 12" on Red Line from 1995. I don't have that record to compare this to, but Mugshots has "Pictures" mastered straight from the original DAT, and it sounds great. It also features "The Plan" from that 12", but this is a different recording of it with an alternate verse. And then there's that "Easy," which like I said doesn't seem to be the "Easy" FAM previously released. I'm not entirely sure what it i, honestly, except a decent, dark and slow-moving track of crime stories.

The other two songs are completely unreleased tracks, and two of the strongest, especially the title cut, which is an old demo that got played on Stretch and Bobbito but never came out except as a tape rip of a radio recording that's been floating around the 'net in much worse quality. These are pretty much the highlights, although getting the 12" tracks cleaned up and affordable is a big boon, too, 'cause the OGs go for big money.

As you can see above, Heavy Jewelz has released this is a phat picture cover. It's limited to 300 copies, 150 which are on red wax, and 150 on standard black. As of this writing, the red seems to be mostly sold out, but you can still order it in a combo pack with a black copy. Or there's just the regular black vinyl version by itself. This is a seriously high quality release with excellent sound quality. Any Othorized fans, or just Wu appreciators in general, should be really happy with this release in all regards. I'm actually surprised it didn't sell out ages ago. Come on, folks, do you want them to make Vol. 2 or not?

When Common Cheated On Just-Ro With Saukrates

In 1996, Common was in his prime. His last album out had been Resurrection, after his early "wacky" Can I Borrow A Dollar flow material and well before he started turning off fans with his Electric Circus "it's me and my R&B singer girlfriend against the world" stuff. 1996 was the year he leaked his "Bitch In Yoo" diss track to Ice Cube on white label vinyl. You couldn't get more credible and respected than Common at that point, so it was a big deal when he did a guest appearance on a pretty obscure 12" by an indie Chicago MC named Just Ro. And it felt like an even bigger deal when he rapped the same verse he kicked on that record on Saukrates' record a little later in the year.

Now, granted, this isn't the first time a rap verse had been recycled by an MC. You can trace it back to the very oldest rap records, like when Melle Mel repeated his greatest verse from "Super Rappin'" on "The Message." Busy Bee almost made an annual tradition out of telling us the story of how he won the lottery with his fly limousine "and the space antenna on the back of the car." And very shortly after the Common incident, you started to see a lot of credible MCs do the same thing, like Kool G Rap and Krs One. And obviously (and sadly) there have been a ton of MCs taking guests verses by deceased artists and including it on their own projects, like Chino XL re-purposing Big Pun, Trapp jacking Biggie and Tupac or Royce da 5'9 using them all. And all those crazy fake 2Pac albums with a million and one producers trying reusing the same handful of acapellas over and over.

But when this happened, it was pretty rare. It was at the time when miixtape freestyles started outshining everything else on mixtapes including the mixes; and you started having freestyle compilations like the Wake Up Show's and Tony Touch's "50 MCs." And you invariably heard those freestyle verses turn up on the artists albums a couple months later. So I guest reusing those same freestyle verses on song cameos was just the next step. But it was surprising when it happened; it felt like we'd sorta caught someone in the act of getting away with something they shouldn't. In the past, the rare rap songs with repeated vocals tended to be intentional references or semi-sequels to past songs. Sure "Tanji" and "Tanji II" repeated lyrics. But this kinda felt like: hey! He can't do that! And frankly, even now that those doors have been long open, it's still pretty dodgy.

So "Souldiers" b/w "Confusion" was Just Ro's debut, so nobody outside of Chicago had heard of this guy before this record. We all bought it really for Common's verse. He put out a longer cassette and CD release at the same time or shortly after, too, called Make It Happen (where he changed the spelling to the more conventional "Soldiers"), which featured the songs from the 12" plus a couple others. But it didn't really get out there like the single, because again, it was really moving on the strength of Common's contribution. It helped that 1996 was before Common and most 90s MCs, really started flooding the market with guest spots on smaller rappers' indie label singles. Fans would still be excited at the prospect of "ooh, another Common song!" at that point.

Fortunately, it turned out Just-Ro was pretty good, and he made a solid beat, too. Even the song without Common on it was worthwhile. I'm so used to getting burned by mediocre to worse MCs when I pick up a 12" for a guest spot. Still, there's no question who out-shone who on the 12", and I can see why audiences continued to Common rather than Just down the line, though the fact that it took Just Ro four years to put out any kind of follow-up surely didn't help his career.

Meanwhile, Canadain rapper/ producer Saukrates (pronounced like Socrates, get it?) was having a surprisingly successful come-up. He'd just dropped his split 12" with Choclair where his song "Father Time" got a lot of buzz. And at the end of '96* he dropped what is still probably to this day his signature release, the Brick House EP. It included "Father Time," again, along with a new remix, and new songs with big and highly respected American MCs: Masta Ace, OC and Common. But the song with Common, "Play Dis" featured a surprisingly familiar verse:

"Stimulated by a tree of drama,
I advance on a branch of respect and honor.
A patient of the Ill state
Centered in trauma. Never been one to side with homi-.
For Armageddon, I'm gettin' armed plus armor.
The karma of a martyr on the rise like the temp
In this Southside sauna.
The preface to the book of life states to pack human.
To it I react by staying strapped with the mac of courage.
Parallel to a carrousel of murders,
I prefer to make a life than take a life.
Stopped at the street called Wise and made a right.
Sort of how I play my broads is how I play the mic:
First I cuff it, then finger fuck it.
Check it, spit something rugged, other niggas be reluctant
To touch it after me.
Passively they strike, never matchin' me.
Rapidly though placidly,
I fabric the verbal tapestry;
Tap the keg of you conscious;
Navigate niggas like Farrakhan with a compass."

One thing that's interesting is that the two songs have pretty different tones, and yet the verse feels at home on both. You can also tell, from Common doing adlibs or mentioning Sauk's name on the song, that he actually went into the studio and recorded specifically for both songs. No one just took a finished acapella and ran with it.

And Just wasn't totally short-changed; Common actually laced him with two verses on "Confused," so only one turned up on Sauk's record.  Unfortunately, it was kind of the most impressive and memorable verse, not just on that son but from Common in a while...although to be fair, part of the reason it's so memorable is probably that we heard it on two consecutive songs. That's a bit of an unfair advantage. But, still, did Just know Common was going to lease the same material out a second time? For that matter, did Sauk know the material he was getting was used goods? If not, no matter how much some of us might hand-wave the practice, they must've felt ripped. I felt ripped, and I was just a fan.

Both "Confusion" and "Play Dis" feature additional - and unique - Common verses, though. So if you bought both records solely for Common, at least you'll be getting some new material of his on both records. In fact, Brick House also has a "Play Dis" remix which not only features a catchier instrumental, but even another, more playful bonus verse from Common. So it's by far the definitive version, to the point where Sauk really could've left off the original entirely.

At the end of the day, I tend to favor Just Ro's "Confusion." but the Brick House is really nice all around. Just Ro comes off more as the street dude with realer things to say and rawer tracks. Sauk has a more polished and fun feel, and he served up a great EP. So despite Common having been the biggest draw on both records, and despite him repeating the same material on both, both records are really worth having in your crates. And, hey, if you have to hear a verse twice as often, this is a good pretty good one.


*There's no date on the label. Discogs puts it at '07 and diskunion listed it with a release date of 1/1/7, but I kinda remember it dribbling out a little before that.  So I say '96, and either way, it was certainly right around that time.

Other People's O.P.P.

(Youtube version is here.)

Sorting Out Our Scientific Shabazzes

Back at the very beginning of the year, you may've noticed Chopped Herring released a Shabazz the Disciple record called Lidushopahorraz: The Unreleased 90s EP. And you may've been a bit puzzled that a lot of the titles on it seemed pretty familiar. I didn't cop it right away, because I wanted to see if someone online would break down what was what here before I made a purchasing decision. And then I remembered that was my job.  :P

I didn't get it until I heard the title track, but the name of this EP, Lidushopahorraz, is an alternate spelling of "Little Shop of Horrors." And "Little Shop of Horrors" was the last song on his old EP with Supreme Kourt in 1998. What are the odds it's the same song? "I'm Breathing for You" also seems to match up with "Breathing for You" off that EP. "Organized Rime" and "Crime Saga" are familiar songs. Weren't they on that album The Vault? Or The Becoming Of the Disciple? Or The Book of Shabazz? Or The Passion Of the Hood Christ? Has Shabazz just been repackaging the same old songs over and over again for decades? Why is the room spinning? Are you my doctor? Help!

Okay, let's break this down track by track and try to approach things scientifically...

1. "Organized Rime" - This title is surely ringing a lot of bells, but you're probably thinking of his 1997 12" single, "Organized Rime (Part II)." Shabazz has a weird way of sequelizing [not an actual word, but it should be] his songs... His first single was "Death Be the Penalty," and his second one was "Crime Saga (Death Be the Penalty - The Sequel)." But there's also a "Crime Saga 2?" Shouldn't that be "Death Be the Penalty 3," then? It's confusing. So when he released "Organized Rime (Part II)" despite there never having been a "Part I," most of us just assumed it was another semi-sequel to "Crime Saga" or something. But it's not. "Organized Rime" is its own song, and it's being released for the first time here. Awesome, right? Well, kind of. If you got the 2006 CD/DVD combo The Passion Of the Hood Christ, this song was actually on there. So it's not actually unreleased or debuting on here... But this is its first time on vinyl.

2. "Lidushopahorraz" - Right, so like I said, it's really "Little Shop of Horrors" which is on the old Supreme Kourt EP., based on a line from Kool G Rap's "Ill Street Blues." Except the credits here say it's produced by C-12, not Supreme Kourt. How can that be? Because this is a remix. Or maybe this is the original version, and the Supreme Kourt version is the remix. Either way, it's the same vocals but set to a different instrumental. I'm not sure which version I prefer; this one is a little more conventional, but both tracks are dope. The biggest disappointment is that this is a shorter version, missing the second verse and skips from the first to the third. So overall, the original is definitely preferable. But this is at least a decent companion piece for people who already have the full version. And this version at least is completely unreleased.

3. "I'm Breathing For You" - Right, so "I'm Breathing For You" is obviously "Breathing For You." But once again, it's an alternate C-12 version. And this time it's got all the verses and I think it's doper than the one from the old EP. This was released already, however, on the 2008 CD The Vault (Hidden Safiyahz). And the old EP version is the one labeled "I'm Breathing for You" on The Becoming Of The Disciple: 94 B.C.- 00 A.B. So, another case of: not really unreleased, but at least making its vinyl debut.

4. "Crime Saga 2" - So, right. "Crime Saga 1," was "Death Penalty 2," his second single on Penalty Records. There was also a remix on that 12", but this isn't that. So is Part 2 really debuting here? Not really. It was on The Vault (Hidden Safiyahz), where it was titled "Crime Saga 2 (The Struggle Continues)." But again, vinyl debut at least.

5. "The Souls Journey A.D. (After Death)" - This one's entirely new to me. The label says it's another C-12 production, though it sounds different from his usual work - lyrically, it's an ill, spiritual imagery filled story along the lines of his early Gravediggaz verses. Lovin' this one, and again it seems to be quite old but completely unheard.

6. "Ya Exodus (Instrumental)" - Well, the full song, "Ya Exodust," was featured on The Vault (Hidden Safiyahz), but this is the instrumental version. Exclusive, but just an instrumental (with the full hook on it).


7. "I'm Breathing For You (Instrumental)" - Pretty self-explanatory. Obviously, this is the instrumental for the version of the song featured earlier on this record, not the old EP. And it's an exclusive instrumental.

So, has Shabazz just been repackaging the same old songs over and over again for decades? Well yeah, kind of. But he has a big back catalog, so there's not too much repeating going on throughout his releases. Usually each song just comes out 2-3 times.

This particular EP isn't nearly as unreleased as the title would leave you to believe. But does feature at least one seemingly completely unreleased song, which is pretty great, and am unreleased remix. Plus two instrumentals. And its all making its vinyl debut. So alright, if you're a vinyl head just looking for some ill 90s music, this is it for sure. But if you're a serious Shabazz fan expecting a full EP of songs you don't already own, be prepared for some disappointment. But at least you'll get "Souls Journey."

The sound quality is nice; "Souls Journey" definitely does not sound like some crusty old tape rip. And it's all given Chopped Herring's usual high quality treatment: sticker cover, limited to 350 copies, 75 on gold colored vinyl, 75 on silver (silver), and 200 on classic black. This is probably more for serious vinyl heads than people who already have all the CDs; they should be very happy with this, even if we have had the bulk of these songs before.

The Masta Ace Pic Disc U Missed

(Youtube version is here.)

It's Broaden Your Horizons Day!

Remember Cheese Steez? It was a mixCD of hip-hop from the Netherlands I reviewed a couple years ago by Chris the Wiz and DJ Fozx. It was a fun mix of stuff most of the world wouldn't have been familiar with, and a nice upbeat education. Well, they did a sequel in 2013, called Cheesesteez Vol. 2, and anyone who appreciated that one should be just as happy with this one. This one, which also goes in chronological order, encompasses a shorter period of time: 1988-1993, which gives the disc a more consistent tone.

This volume is also free of skits and has zero Dutch language songs (the last mix had 1), so there's even less reason for English listeners to feel left out. Admittedly, there was a song or two where I had to listen pretty closely before I realized they were rapping in English, because the cadence was so un-American. But yeah, it's 100% English friendly.

Another interesting aspect of this mix is that they've broadened the scope of music they've included from Dutch hip-hop released on vinyl to include rare cassette and demo tracks. So this time even the most plugged-in Dutch listeners won't have heard it all before. Speaking for myself, I'm sure I wouldn't have recognized anything they might've included unless it was "Holiday Rap." And no, this time Miker G and Urban Dance Squad aren't on hand, so they're pretty much all unknown acts (in the USA) this time around. But even having never heard of any of these guys, I'm sure you'll find a lot of familiar elements here, with the artists often rhyming over familiar beats, like D.C.O. using the same base sample as Partners In Kryme's "Undercover" (though they laid a little extra music on top of it), DJ Knowhow and Rudeboy Remmington freaking Kool G Rap's "Talk Like Sex" break, the Pleasure Posse rocking the classic "It Takes Two" loop, or Next of Kin spitting over the bassline to "Groove Is In the Heart."  Plus, as you may've noticed from that last sentence, some of the acts are recurring from the first Cheese Steez mix.

I'm not sure how many of the records spun here will actually inspire you to run out and track them down for your crates, but to hear as a part of a mix full of interesting songs you've probably never heard before, they're consistently compelling. There's less silly stuff this time around, like the last CD's song about pizza, although the Zombi Squad's ainti-Nazi song will probably sound over the top to audiences where neo-Nazis never achieved any traction or credibility. Maybe the strongest selling point is all the nice scratching on hand. Couple that with some high energy deliveries and hype tracks, it's a really dope mix even if rappers aren't quite up to your favorite MCs. Seriously, even if you're like, "ah, I don't give a crap about Dutch rap," I recommend giving it a listen - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Like the first volume, this CD is a limited edition. But you can still cop it, as they're selling brand new copies directly through its discogs listing. And if you have any interest in Dutch hip-hop at all, you should check out their site cheesesteez.com, as it's a pretty great database, including bios, photos and songs from the Netherlands' old school hip-hop scene.

Doug E. Fresh Vs. Masterdon and Friends

(Youtube version is here.)

The Complete Return Of Omniscence, part 2

Okay, so we're back with our coverage of Omniscence's new material. After Sharp Objects in 2013, GRR released a second EP, 2014's The God Hour. It's structured pretty similar to the last EP in that there's an EP of new songs - this time bumped up to 6 - and then that's doubled to LP length with all new remixes. This time the production feels a little tougher, with more emphasis on the boom bap. It's a little more New York, with a slightly darker, more serious tone all around, although Omniscence is still kicking punchlines and clever, complex rhymes. And Debonair P's still on the production and scratch hooks.

So on the one hand, you've got "The Return (Of the Oneliner)," on this EP, but you've also got lyrics like, "while they pay for love, ours' genuine, And I see it each and every venue we in. Put your O's in the air and hold 'em there, then close your eyes as we hold a prayer for the soldiers. I ain't talkin' Uncle Sam; I'm talkin' bout the ones holdin' that contraband. I'm talkin' bout the ones workin' that graveyard, 'cause they couldn't make enough on their day jobs." It's close, but I expect heads will wind up preferring this to the previous EP.

Once again, you've two versions of the vinyl, 150 on a clear gold and black mix, and 150 on a red and blue splatter. And they both come in the very cool, full color picture cover. The EPs have all 6 of the new songs, and remixes of four songs. Then there's an extra limited orange cassette with all six songs plus remixes for all six songs (the vinyl is missing the "Purge" and "Show and Prove" remixes). This time there's no instrumentals, though, on vinyl or tape.

And we have to take a quick pit stop here to look at another EP that GRR put out at the same time as The God Hour: Truck Jewels and Filters by K-Hill. K-Hill, you may remember, was the other North Carolina MC who did a guest appearance on Omniscence's Sharp Objects. It's also produced entirely by Debonair P, though it's got a distinct feel from Omni's stuff. Omniscence does a guest appearance, though, so fans will want to check this out for that. I mean, heads should check it out anyway, because it's good. But even if you're only here for the Omniscnece, then completists will need this.

It's a four-track EP; and like the other EPs we've been looking at, it also features an alternate remix version of every song. I feel like Debonair's cutting is given a stronger emphasis on this release, which is definitely a plus. And there's also a guest verse by Prince Po I should point out. K-Hill himself actually has sounds a little more old school than Omni, with that kind of "super lyrical" backpacker-style flow. But you know, not the super nerdy sci-fi type; definitely more down to Earth. That's probably for the better, although one song about quasars might've been nice. haha

The K-Hill EP also comes in a dope picture cover, as you can see, and is available on 150 copies of clear (clear) and black vinyl, and 150 randomly colored copies. I got a random one and it turned out to be pink with blue streaks. All four songs and all four remixes are on the vinyl. There's no cassette this time around, but there is a CD, which also has all eight tracks, plus hidden bonus track, which is a second, alternate remix of "Whenever I Write."

So those EPs came out right at the end of 2014 or so. Now, in 2015, there's a double CD compilation album, also called The God Hour, that has the same cover and title, but it's actually a little misleading and selling itself short. The CDs actually sum up the original God Hour EP and the Sharp Objects EP and even the original "Raw Factor 2.0" 7". It It lists 22 tracks, but there's actually 2 unlisted bonus tracks on each CD for a total of 24.  Edit: Derp, 22 + 2 + 2 = 26, not 24.

It basically breaks down to the original version of every song from each EP, including "Raw Factor 2.0" on disc 1, and then the corresponding remix to each song on disc 2. That might be a little confusing, since the original version of "Raw Factor 2.0" wasn't on the Sharp Objects EP, it had a new remix. But on here, it's the original from the 7" single. Then, on disc 2, the version they use is the remix from the 7" B-side. But don't worry, you get that jazzy third remix from the EP, too, as one of the uncredited bonus tracks on disc 1.

The other bonus track on disc 1 is the bonus remix of "Ease My Mind" that was only on the cassette and instrumental EP.  Back over to disc 2, and the two extra tracks are the bonus remixes of "Letter To the Better" and "Welcome," the other ones that were only on the Sharp Objects cassette and instrumental EP. So that means, this CD set gives you the full "Raw Factor 2.0," Sharp Objects and The God Hour packages (well, minus the instrumentals), with every song and every single remix that was featured on any version of those releases. Believe me, I'm sitting here with a pen and notebook paper, writing down every single uncredited bonus track, in case anything was missing or exclusive to a particular release. I've got 'em all on my desk and I can confirm, it's all 100% there.

So obviously, if you're a vinyl head, you'll still prefer the three EPs, and some of us old school collectors will want the cassettes. But if you're happy with CDs, this release is way more than just The God Hour pressed on CD, it's a complete archive of everything Deb and Omniscence have collaborated on for GRR Records. Oh, except that bit on the K-Hill EP; you'll still have to get that separately.

The Complete Return Of Omniscence, part 1

So, I've pretty thoroughly covered all the great releases that've resurrected Omniscence's lost 90s material, both rare and unreleased. But apart from his initial "Raw Factor 2.0" single in 2012, I'd been kinda putting off getting into all the new stuff he's been doing in the last couple years. If you've been missing it, the resurgence of his music has basically propelled a full throttle comeback, which has been running right alongside the reissues this whole time. But with the arrival of his latest double CD collection, I think it's time to finally break it all down.

The first record - or cassette, which is what I went for - to follow up the "2.0" 7" was the Sharp Objects EP in 2013. It's essentially a five-song EP to start us off on the idea of new, modern Omniscence music. But Gentlemens Relief Records packs it so generously full of bonus tracks, remixes and instrumentals, it (depending on which version you get) winds up being longer than most LPs. And really, the first thing to address even before we get into specific songs or colors of vinyl, is just this: how is new Omniscence? Does it sound like his old stuff? Will fans of his classic material really want to hear this, or is it just gonna piss 'em off and disappoint people.

And the answer to that question is pretty much exactly what you want it to be. It sounds like he never went away. This isn't some low-fi recording of him trying in vain to imitate Bobby Shmurda or some other popular teenage rapper over awful, computery tracks emailed to him by some random myspace producer.  He sounds like himself, he's got production to match, and yet he's not completely stuck in the 90s either. He's got rhymes for now. And sure, this is somewhat throwback rap. He's definitely trying (and succeeding!) to recapture the magic of the singles that made him famous in 1995. So this EP would sound out of place in a Youtube Playlist of Fetty Wap and 2 Chainz videos. He's embracing the style he mastered - which I think is what we want all artists making a comeback to do, rather than chasing fads.

A big, big chunk of the credit has to go to his new producer, Debonair P, who conveniently runs his label, GRR. In the past, I raved about how much I loved his production style for his group Low Budget. Well, this shit sounds nothing like that stuff; but it's great in another way. It's way more mellow, smoothed out and subtle... and very much in keeping with the kind of music Fanatic and them were making for Omni back in the day. I've heard that remix EP Deb released long before he started working with Omniscence, though, so I know he didn't just pull this sound of the air when that collaboration started; it was always in his wheelhouse. It's just with, with Omni, he's finally found a home for it. 'Cause this style fits Omniscence more than it did those other songs he was remixing. Deb P is also nice enough on the turntables to provide a lot of very Premier-like scratch hooks.

So this EP features four brand new songs, plus a new remix of "Raw Factor 2.0." And just to clarify, I mean a NEW remix, because the "2.0" single had a remix on the B-side. But that remix isn't the one on here either; it's a third, exclusive remix. This one's much jazzier, especially thanks to the big, summery horn sample that opens the track up. I feel like it takes it further in the direction the first remix was going in a cooler, more laid back alternative to the original.

"Welcome," as you might expect, is an introduction to Omniscence. HE tells the story of his life, lays down where he's coming from, and eases us into lyrical style by keeping it subtly rather than showy: "my world off the rocker but I keep it within. Fuck a spoon, I'ma show ya how to eat with a pen." "Ease My Mind" feels like a sex song he wrote in the 90s and just never recorded 'till now. It's basically built on the same loop as Gangstarr's "Gotta Get Over," which is sure to make it a fan pleaser. "Letter To the Better" is the kind of old school reminiscing track we've heard many times by now, and it's got an R&B girl on the chorus which is a little on the nose, but Omni manages to keep it authentic and respectable. "Church and State," from it's title, sounds like it's going to be the preachy message song of the record, but it's actually his hardest, most skill-flexing song. It features a guest verse by a fellow NC native K-Hill who sounds pretty good and holds his own alongside Omni, which isn't easy.

So, in a way that's the whole EP... But then you've got the remixes. Every single song on here is featured a second time, with an entirely new instrumental. There's actually two remixes here for "Welcome," "Letter To the Better" and "Ease My Mind." For the most part, I tend to prefer the original versions; but the remixes are all distinct enough that you can basically listen to the whole EP like it's twelve different songs. And I do prefer the remix to "Ease My Mind," both because it has a funkier, bouncier track, and because it replaces the sung chorus with a new scratch hook with a sick Big Daddy Kane vocal sample. Another cool thing which keeps the remixes fresh is that "Church and State" replaces its second verse, K-Hill's, with a new one by a new guest MC named Paul Bunyun. That's a terrible name, but his verse is alright. He sounds like one of those guys you hear on a Detroit posse cut when they have a million MCs on it.

Sharp Objects came out in a couple different versions. There were two vinyl EPs, 150 pressed on purple translucent wax and 150 pressed on blue swirl, both of which came in picture covers. The only downside is that two of the bonus remixes - the second "Welcome" and "Letter To the Better" remixes aren't on them. They're only included on the very limited cassette version, which has the same cover art and is made of gold plastic. What's more, all twelve of those songs fit on one side of the cassette, so all of the instrumental versions are included on the B-side. But if you think it sucks that vinyl lovers had to miss out on the instrumentals, a separate instrumental record. Limited to 150 copies, it also featured the two bonus remixes from the cassette. So yes, if you copped both vinyl EPs, you could have everything, just like with the cassette.

...And jeez, I didn't expect my coverage of just the first EP to run so long. I wound up having more to say than I anticipated. Well, I'm just going to have to break this up into two posts. So come back tomorrow (or, latest, the next day) for Part 2, because there's a lot more of Omniscence's return to get to.

The Critters Without Bobby Jimmy

(Youtube version is here.)