Christmas F-ckin' Day

(Sharing one of my personal favorite Christmas rap albums, and even a surprise comeback. Youtube version is here.)

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 11: The Bitchizer

We finish out Poison Clan Appreciation Week with a quintessential, classic Poison Clan 12". You just can't do a series on JT Money, The Bitchizer, and not feature a record spittin' game about the hoes! This is the man who recorded "I Hate Hoes," "Hoe Stories," "Hoe Stories part 2," and "Somethin' 4 You Raggedy Hoes." That would be like only talking about the non-political Public Enemy songs, or only spotlighting Freddie Foxxx's love songs.

This is a six-track 12" (with, as you see, a sweet, graf-style picture cover): all versions of "Don't Sleep On a Hizzo" a.k.a. "Put Sh-t Pass No Ho" from the second album, 1992's Poisonous Mentality. It's another JT solo cut, although Uzi and a guy named Big Ram are on-hand to provide back-up vocals; and once again it's produced by Mike "Fresh" McCray. It's a great track, using the same basic groundwork as NWA's "Gangsta, Gangsta" but adding new sample layers and "Buffalo Gals" scratches, as well as deepening the bass and speeding the whole mix up a few bpm's. And JT has a nice, angry flow ("I got guns and I'm aiming at the slimy ones"). But as he says, "this is not a record about dissin' women" (although, by the time he gets to the third verse, he's done a good deal of that) it's about the men who don't know how to handle their game:

"And to my niggas in the dope game,
Who's getting stuffed with cocaine
And put it in their ho' name,
Better hope you ain't give it to the wrong bitch;
Make 'em angry, you'll have to put out ya own shit.
And ain't a damn thang you can do about it,
'Cause if it's in the bitch's name, she can put ya out it.
So to save all the drama,
Go ahead and give the shit to your sister and mama.
Let them be your main ladies;
Give your mother the house and your sister the Mercedes;
'Cause if you end up in the pen,
You know the good-for-nothin' bitch is gone with the wind,
With a fat grip and a couple of cars;
And you're looking like shit behind bars.
I knew back when I was up in the system,
Used to see niggas cryin' 'cause their hoes dissed 'em.
I remember one hoe told me
She was gettin' lonely,
So I had to let her go, G.
'Cause that's just an excuse to fuck a nigga...
Bitch, I ain't no sucka nigga!
I'll holler at ya ass, 'cause you know I know how it goes;
Yo, I put shit past no ho!"

So, ok. you've got the album version and the "Hizzo" version, which is just a clean version (though all the vocals have been redone with clean lyrics, so it's kinda worth checking out just for that). Then you've got two exclusive remixes from the usual gang, and clean "Hizzo" versions of those as well.

First up is Frank Ski's remix. It's not bad, using an interesting (Bobby McFerrin?) vocal skatting sample, a sped up version of the "White Lines" bassline and a few other cool instrumental samples. Still, the song hits the hardest when it uses the same horns and scratches as the album version on the hook. It does a good job of putting the emphasis on JT's rhymes, but otherwise this is just an interesting play on the superior original.

Femix Sama's remix, on the other hand, is much better. It keeps the same scratches, too; but everything else is new... an interesting mix of classic old school samples and a funky bassline you've heard before but never together. As an added bonus, Sama's version of the dirty version is also an extended mix adding another minute's worth of a funky breakdown that's not used on the "Hizzo" version. There's also some "Gangster boogie" samples dropped in at the end, which sound like they're done Double Dee & Steinksi-style, rather than being properly cut up on a turntable, but it still sounds kinda fresh.

So, thus concludes Poison Clan Appreciation Week... I couldn't leave ya, though, without throwing up the prerequisite link to his myspace, though (watch out, it's a browser crasher!). He has some songs up on his player from his upcoming album, Pimpin X-treme. He's still working with Mike Fresh (who has a myspace here). There's also a couple of other myspaces, which all seem to have been made by JT or his people; mostly with similar content but fewer updates. Feel free to check 'em out, though; here, here and here.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 10: Warlock Records

Ok, now I'm starting to get a little tired of The Poison Clan, so I'm gonna start looking to wrap this up. But I can't quit without addressing their Warlock years. After Luke went bankrupt, The Poison Clan were left without a home, but they still managed to come out with an album the very next year thanks to Warlock Records. It was called Strait Zooism, and spawned two singles: "Shine Me Up" and this precursor, "Fire Up This Funk."

The first thing you'll notice about this record is that it's fuckin' orange - yeah, baby! Apparently, not all pressings are on the neat colored vinyl, though; so make sure you're getting the one you want. And if you prefer picture covers, here's the cassingle (left).

This sometimes gets dismissed as second shelf Poison Clan, but really it's pretty solid and consistent with their previous efforts. Just from this single alone we can see that producer Mike "Fresh" McCray came with them on their exodus from Luke Records, and Madball and Uzi (now known as The Rufftown Mob) stayed down, too.

First up is the Radio Version. It's a hype, high-energy track with a nice funk guitar riff and horns and some nice DJing on the hook. Madball and Uzi don't really rap on this one, though; they just do backup ad-libs and provide the hook. Make no mistake, this is a genuine banger.

I don't know why the previous owner (Shabazz, apparently) decided to cross the "Instrumental" out of the track-listing, because it is on there. It's also followed by the accapella, which is something you rarely get from the Clan.

Now, interestingly, on the b-side we have the Album Version, which is more than just a few flipped curse words different from the Radio Version. Instrumentally it's the same, but the lyrics are completely different (oh, and for the record, that accapella was of the Radio Version).

sample of the Radio Version opening:
"Once again it's on!
Rufftown Mob in the house;
Representin' true funk
Comin' straight from the South.
East Miami:
Bottom of the map;
Dead in the city
When ya don't bring ya strap (Believe dat!)"

sample of the Album Version opening:
"I'm down with the youth
Of the motherfuckin' C I,
And you
Can motherfuckin' see I
Don't fuck around,
But I do sleep around;
And if you're mad about your bitch,
Well... (Then you can keep her, clown!)"

Finally, there's one other b-side: "Ahead of My Time," a slower JT outing, also produced by McCray. It's got some nice atmosphere, with a nice soulful instrumental and JT talking about his former label, its pres ("On the videos lookin' all pretty. Frontin' like you're loved, but can't walk through your own city. It's a pity the way you went out like a sucker; your records only hit 'cause I was on the motherfucker. Me and Mike Fresh gave you nothin' but hits, but I'ma tell you we're beyond that bullshit") and the Clan's new direction. It might not be the obvious choice for a single that the A-side was, but don't overlook it; this track is a nice little jewel.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 9: The Poison Clan Record They Call 'Action'

"Action" is a nice little remix 12" from Poison Clan's second album, Poisonous Mentality, that came out in 1992. Interestingly, it doesn't even feature the album versions, just three exclusive 12" remixes in clean and dirty versions.

First up is Mike Fresh's "Nasty Mix." The album version was already one of the better Poison Clan joints, with some slick reggae-style lines by Uzi ("any pussy won test go head and murder dem"), and JT spinning some straight gangsta tales:

"I remember, me and this cat did a caper;
Two young niggas 'bout gettin' paper.
"We tossed a nigga we heard had big grip,
Walkin' around with five or six money clip.
We laid him down and got away;
Went back 'round the way to count our pay.
We had five grand exactly.
The nigga had my gun and then he point it at me.
I gave the nigga the loot and he stepped away;
But then I bumped into his ass the next day,
Put that thing up to his head and said 'give it, nigger.
Yesterday you were bad with your hands on the trigger.'
He said the dope made him act in that fashion;
I say fuck that shit... (I want action!)"

The only downside was that the track was built around a familiar sample (and cutting up the same vocal sample Special Ed's DJ used on his first album as his anthem), making it the perfect candidate for a dope new instrumental by Mike McCray. Echoes of the original remain, but it's constantly being scratched and switched out with new (albeit also familiar) beats. But they go one further than just re-tooling the music, it's basically an all-new song with new vocals and everything. Uzi's reggae verse is replaced with more genuine Jamaican flavor by actual reggae artist Likkle Wicked. JT kicks two new verses, more in the freestyle battle rhyme mode, and even though his reggae chat was removed, Uzi's still on the track, kicking a straight-up American-style rap verse. It might've made more sense to call this "Action part 2" rather than just a remix - it's pretty must-have for any PC fan.

DJ Laz provides the second remix, the "Reggae Mix." It also uses the new lyrics and Likkle Wicked's parts. Now, pretty much everything I've ever heard from DJ Laz has, uhmm, sucked? But this one gets a pass for basically turning the whole thing into a classical reggae instrumental. Certainly the Mike Fresh version is the banger, but this is an okay alternative that achieves a distinct vibe and works alright if played right after the first mix.

Finally, Felix Sama provides an extended mix of another Poisonous Mentality track, "Groove With the Poison Clan." This isn't just an extended version; it's a full out remix with a totally different instrumental. But in this case, that might be where they went wrong. It was a fun, lighter song with a brief appearance by Uzi again. So an extended remix of the album version would've been a neat bonus; but this replaces the enjoyable instrumental of the original with generic-sounding club music. It does accurately reproduce the feel of being in a crummy club, I'll give it that; and it's not terribly executed. But unless you're starved for any new Poison Clan material, I'd recommend just sticking with the album version.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 8: Home Team

Ok, so the original line-up of The Poison Clan was DeBonaire and JT Money. Deb's little brother Drugz was loosely down, too (he speaks briefly on the first album and has a skit on the second album called, "Drugs Bullshittin'." After the first album, DeBonaire quit The Clan to form Home Team.

In 1992, they put out one album (Live Via Sateliite From Saturn) and the hit single "Pick It Up" on Luke Records. JT talks about the split in this Murder Dog interview, "I never knew to this day really why. He just wanted to do what he wanted to do. Maybe he felt like he wasn't doin the typa music that he wanted to do. Cause remember when he went and did Home Team with his brother, they did 'Pick It Up Pick It Up,' when I was doin 'Shake Whatcha Mama Gave Ya.' But we were always tight, we still tight."

In 1993, they followed that up with this second (and unfortunately final) single, "Back To the Bronx," produced by DeBonaire himself. It's the Home Team formula at its best: a classic old school beat and familiar samples retooled to boom even deeper while the MCs kick ill freestyle verses. They're not really saying much, though there's a few clever rhymes; but it's mostly all about their use of dozens of short, clipped staccatto rhymes, their voices kicking almost like another set of drums. The actual drum track is a short loop that's continually re-scratched in (ok, the scratching is probably looped, too... but it still sounds great); and the hook is nothing but them letting the beat roll in silence until one of the MCs grabs the mic again for another crazy verse.

Then once again, regular Poison Clan contributor Frank Ski is back on hand to issue another exclusive 12" remix, the "Blunted Remix." He's added a bunch of new vocal samples (mostly on the hook, but really throughout) and an extra-old school hand-clap track to the original, unchanged instrumental. It downplays the bassline, which dominated the original, and plays up the snappy percussion. It's hard to pick a favorite - both versions are dope for different reasons.

The b-side is "Reminiscing," the final song on the album that stood out as the only one where they completely changed their styles. Instead of just fun freestyle rhymes, they stick to straight, simple topic-driven rhymes, reminiscing (natch) on their high school days in Brooklyn:

"Combination locks,
They got broken with a hammer.
The classroom was boring
Like they threw you in a slammer.
Girls that wanted to wear them bamboos,
They got them yanked out;
Brothers that was illin' gotta fight
For gettng ranked out.
Teachers couldn't stop us
When we roamed the whole buildin';
We had a crazy fat mob
When we was in Tilden.
We used to go up to the mall
They call The Kings Plaza.
Kings Plaza was kinda cool;
I think it has a
Macy's, maybe JC Penny, and some others.
We used to boost the gear
From out the store with other brothers.
If you was a sucka
And you wasn't actin' proper,
You would get a hundred stitches
From somebody's chopper;
Or maybe I should say a shank,
A razor, or an axe.
We used to wear the funky outerwear
and sport the backpacks.
People got robbed
For stuff like Polo gooses;
People carried handlers,
Knives and deuce-deuces.
We used to cut school
And go up to the ball court;
Slap-boxin' everyday
Like every day we fought.
I really can't forget
How we made the rap tapes,
Then brung them up to school
And let the suckas catch the vapes."

It's also produced by DeBonaire, and uses the same piano loop The Geto Boys used on "Six Feet Deep" the same year. The 12" also includes the instrumental version of "Reminiscing."

Home Team were all set to drop a second album, Malignant Graffiti, but Luke never put it out. I've blogged about that here; there's even an image of the cover. The Poison Clan have also talked every so often about reuniting - first on Luke Records (one reunion song, "Movin' Along," was featured on Luke's third solo album, which I've already blogged about here). But then Luke's label went bankrupt and all that got shelved... They talked about it again years later. In the interview I quoted earlier, JT had this to say on the subject, "We're gonna do an album. I went and talked to him a coupla months ago. Like right when I get this out we're gonna put this thang down. He's just waitin. He's still doin his music, but he ain't did no deals or nothing. He might be waitin on his boy, might be waitin till I come back to the hood." Most recently, in March of '08, they had a Poison Clan reunion concert that featured JT, Deb, Drugz and Uzi.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 7: Bustdown

I'm not sure how much Bustdown was ever really considered an actual member of Poison Clan, but apart from being labelmates and collaborating on Luke's Kid 'N Play diss with JT Money (see this previous post for more on that), he also appeared on "Somethin' 4 You Raggedy Ho's" from Poisonous Mentality. He also worked with Poison producers Mike McCray and DJ Toomp on his album. So he's at least a relevant affiliate.

Bustdown had a series of singles - "Pop That Thang," "Pissin' Razor Blades" and today's 12": "Putcha Ballys On," - and even managed to get an album (Nasty Bitch, Chapter 1) out before Luke closed his doors. Juvenile talked about him in this 2006 interview (I recommend reading the whole thing; though none of the rest pertains to Bust), "Bust Down, the dude that invented pussy poppin’, he came out with a record that was real big called 'Putch' Ballys On,' and he had 'Nasty Bitch,' and that record got him a deal with Luke Skywalker, and Luke Skywalker kinda shelved him and took the whole pussy poppin thing away from him."

So this 12", along with all his other singles and album, came out in 1991 on Effect Records. There's nothing on this 12" but the one mix of the one track, but it's all he needs. Produced by Ice Mike, the first thing you'll notice is the blaring horns. It's got a nice funky guitar lick and a funky breakbeat, and Bustdown just kicks some fresh freestyle rhymes - it's just all about how cool his rhymes sound on the track and really isn't what you'd associate with a 90's Florida track at all ...I guess because he was originally from New Orleans and held that style down. Bustdown's really an MC who should've gotten a lot larger than he did.

But unfortunately, his '91 output and 1992 guest spots were the end of his run on Effect Records and effectively his entire career. He did put out a comeback 12" in 1997, though. It's a pretty interesting story (his label turned out to be a front for a drug runners), which I've already blogged about here. So check it out if you're interested. ...Oh and by the way, just because this was day 7, don't think this is the end of Poison Clan Appreciation Week. I've got more good stuff to come. :)

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 6: Madball & Uzi

Probably the biggest non-JT Money staples of The Poison Clan are these guys: Madball & Uzi (unless you count producers like Mike McCray or DJ Toomp, who even credits himself as "of the Poison Clan" on the 2 Nazty album cover). Take a look at Poisonous Mentality for a minute... "Uzi Gets Shot," "The Tip On Madball," "Shorty-T in Madball's Basement"... yeah, that's these guys. And they stuck with the Poison Clan even in their post-Luke Records days.

But it wasn't until the post-Luke days that these guys struck out for themselves. Calling themselves The Rufftown Mob, Madball & Uzi released an album (Rock Bottom of the Pile) and this single, "Surviving the Game." Both came out in 1997 on Lil Joe Records, not coincidentally the label that bought up the entire Luke Records catalog when they went bankrupt and also signed the post-Luke 2 Live Crew.

To be honest, I'm not sure why the fellas picked this track for a single. It's pretty good, but the beat doesn't stand out like some others on the album. I guess they felt the subject matter was emblematic of where they were, though, and were using it as a sort of anthem.

Now, I've gone with the CD single for the image, just because it fits better in my scanner. But I have both the CDS and the 12" and they have exactly the same track-listing and the same picture cover. The cover is handy because the album has no production credits - it just tells us that Madball and Uzi wrote all the songs and some guy named Gary King played guitar on two of them.

But the single tells us that DJ Toomp produced everything on this single. First we've got the Album Version/Explicit" mix (there's also a radio edit and instrumental available for this version). The beat is alright, slow but hardcore with a hint of the g-funk slidewhistle that dominated the mid 90's and no recognizable samples. It features guest vocals by the unfortunately named LilHo (did he lose a bet?). Everybody's lyrics are pretty solid, though; and the hook sounds like it's provided by JT Money, though he's not credited. It's a solid, "real" rap single that won't disappoint their fans; but wouldn't've attracted any new ones.

This single picks up for the last track, though, "Surviving the Game - Part 2 (Radio Remix)." It features a lot of the same elements, but with harder drums, a subtle piano riff, and a few nice samples (though, again, nothing recognizable - these are purely studio-made, non-diggin' tracks). LilHo has been replaced by Big Ram and B.O.X. who provide an angrily hollered hook (though I'm pretty sure the verses are just by Uzi, Madball, and Uzi again respectively). Again, the lyrics on the subject matter are of a quality that help this stand out ("I got it in my heart, just can't find it in my pockets").  I mean anyone who rhymes Donkey Kong with Farakhan while delivering a serious message is alright in my book. ;)

Afterwards, the duo did return, this time dropping the "Rufftown Mob" moniker and just coming out as Madball and Uzi. They put out two 12" singles and finally an album titled 21 Thug Salute, which was also produced by DJ Toomp, as well as Mike McCray.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 5: Clayvoisie

One of the most common questions I hear about The Poison Clan is, after DeBonaire left, who the heck are all those other guys in Poison Clan? So for the next couple of days, we're going to look at all the members of Poison Clan who aren't JT Money.

First on my list is Clayvoisie. He was featured on several songs on Rufftown Behavior, but is probably best known for doing "Cowards In Compton" (again, see the vid I just did on that joint). He was also featured on "Freestyle Joint," a fresh posse cut I wrote about in yesterday's post.

But in addition to those appearances, he was signed to Luke's Effect Records as a solo artist. The label shut down before they could release his debut album, but fortunately they did at least put out this nice cut. "I.O.U. Nuhthin'" comes in four mixes on this 12", so let's start with the "Original Recipe Mix."

Let's get this out of the way - the song is hype. Pick it up and you won't be disappointed. Clayvoisie is joined by a hypeman calling himself Mr. Perfect and later a chorus of taunting girls who shout, "hey! Hey! Hey! I owe you nothing" to anyone who had their hands out to Clayvoisie. It's a fast paced-beat with a little funk guitar and some great horn stabs. It's upbeat, but definitely a hardcore track, with Clay angrily dissing anyone who's "trying to gain all on my fucking wealth."

The "In Your Face Mix" is similar to the original but has a new, mch more distinct bassline. Mr. Perfect also has some new adlibs (among other things telling us that this is the remix version). Then, on the B-side you've got the "In Your Nasty Face Mix," which is the same as the "In Your Face Mix" but with the vocals redone with added cursewords. Mr. Perfect especially curses up a storm; and there's also an added vocal sample of Ice Cube going, "mother fucker" on the hook. Finally, there's the "In Your Face Instrumental," which is pretty much what you'd expect. It should probably actually have been titled the "In Your Nasty Face Instrumental," though, because this instrumental includes Cube's angry "mother fuckers" on the hooks.

So even though Effect Records wound up shutting down right after this 12" release, this is not quite the only record Clay put out. He came back later with a very interesting indepedent release on a label called Black Power Records - a 12" I already blogged about here.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 4: The Good Luke Songs

There's a reason most Luke albums are the stuff of dollar bins and rarely even find their way online. They're bloated and about 50% skit. And Luke doesn't even pretend to be a rapper and adopt a rudimentary flow - ever - he just talks on half his songs and does hooks only on the rest. I mean, he's had some short-term successful singles with his shout and call songs, with good reason: he had some great in-house producers (even his biggest detractors can't really front on the instrumental to "Breakdown"). But I could still sleep peacefully at night if all of those songs were wiped from existence tomorrow.

But, there's one reason to own them all: The Poison Clan!

All of his albums before Luke Records self destructed (post label destruction his albums changed and aren't really relevant to the discussion) were worth picking up because, naturally, Luke used his albums to promote his artists (and help deflect the fact that he was putting out rap album after rap album without being able to rap). Each of his albums have some great songs; all featuring The Poison Clan. The rest of the albums you could throw away. So, let's look at all of those now:

From I Got Shit On My Mind:
1) "Fakin' Like Gangstas" - This is essentially a JT solo joint, although Luke adlibs ("I still don't know the fuck nigga that I was shootin' at!") on the hook. It's a solid cut, with JT using a simple flow over a nice beat, speaking out against everyone he thinks is faking being a gangsta. It's the song that made Snoop and Dre turn around and diss Luke on "Dre Day," and would be a solid entry any Poison Clan album.

2) "Pussy Ass Kid and Hoe Ass Play (Payback Is a Mutha Fucker)" - This is great. A raw, hardcore beat with JT and the underrated Bustdown just trading verses dissing the hell out of Kid & Play. The beat switches around and there's some nice scratching on the hook; but Bustdown really steals the show. JT is as dope as ever, too. Luke riffs a bit at the end, but he doesn't really add anything.

3) "Head, Head and More Head" - At first this sounds like just another of Luke's shout and call songs, with him shouting out various dirty phrases to an audience that enthusiastically shouts back over a hype track with an ill guitar lick. But then JT Money and Jiggie Gee get on the track, spitting sexual diss verses at each other. It's a fun battle-of-the-sexes joint, though Luke's parts feel a little protracted.

From In the Nude:
1) "Bad Land Boogie" - I forgot about this when it was new, so it was a really nice surprise when I went back to my old Luke tapes in the 2000's (even more surprising, Luke included this on his greatest hits CD years later). This is a Home Team joint (just in case anybody's joining us late, both Home Team members were down with Poison Clan; Deb Rock was a founding member), and in classic HT tradition takes a well-loved old school beat and adds some deep bass and samples, and the duo take turns kicking ill, bugged verses. This is really the only proper Home Team song besides what's on their album, so fans should definitely snag this - you won't be disappointed!

2) "Cowards In Compton" - I just did a video blog about this yesterday, so refer to that. Suffice to say: it's dope, and the only noteworthy Luke track that he released as a single.

3) "Head, Head and More Head part 2" - This is pretty self-explanatory; Luke clearly wanted to recapture the success of the first one by barely varying from the first one at all. JT and Jiggie are back over the same beat and Luke is doing the same thing over the hook. The only change is that JT and Jiggie have some new verses... but, really, what more do you want? These are definitely the least of the songs I'm highlighting, but they're still fun.

4) "Freestyle Joint" - Now this is what it's all about. JT, Deboinaire, Clayvoisie and Fresh Kid Ice of the 2 Live Crew make a posse cut over a really nice track. Everything about this song is just right, the beat is fresh, the samples are cool and everybody sounds good with their verse... like when Deb gets on the track, his voice sounds perfect. Even Fresh Kid Ice's hardcore boasts ("fuck with Chinaman and ya die!") work when they shouldn't. I don't think you can even be a hip-hop fan and not enjoy a song like this. The two concepts just can't occupy a human brain at the same time.

From Freak for Life 6996:
1) "That's How I Feel" - This is a cool, Mike McCray produced solo joint for JT, with a fresh MC Lyte sample cut up for the hook. Luke adlibs a bit on the breakdown but again, his input is irrelevant; it's just about JT, the beat and the DJ. Good shit.

2) "Represent" - This is sort of like "Freestyle Joint" part 2. The beat is different but still tight... it's rawer (there's even a Big Daddy Kane sample saying "get raw" on the hook) with whining horns, and the MCs on this posse cut get a little more lyrical. There's even a human beatbox on the track! This one features JT, Verb (of The New 2 Live Crew who tried to bring an east coast lyrical vibe to the group), Fresh Kid Ice and Drugz.

3) "Movin' Along" - We end with a nice track but an unkept promise - a Poison Clan reunion track! It's just credited as being PC, but it's JT and Deb as a pair again. It's a slow, smooth cool-out rhythm and features Luke's in-house reggae artist Likkle Wikked (who sounds dope) on the hook, along with a soulful, vintage vocal sample. It's all about hearing each of them ride the groove, with a collection of old school funky guitar samples, including one which is clearly a deliberate call back to the Poison Clan's first album. It's painful to imagine all the nice material we'd've had if Luke Records didn't have financial problems... damn.

So, anyway, that's it. After that, Luke lost all his good acts and his subsequent guest stars were all lame or outside his camp (a la his stuff with Doug E Fresh and Biggie). It's probably hard to justify picking up crap albums for an average of three good songs; but considering how cheap you can get them now, it's like buying three sweet singles of just the tight songs (and, like I said, at least the rest has some good production). So to me it's worth it: classic Poison Clan material.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 3: Cowards in Compton

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 2: Check Out the Ave.

This next single from the PC is of their third album, 1993's Ruff Town Behavior. On the album, this is two songs, "Check Out the Ave. part I" and "Check Out the Ave. part II," two to three minutes each. On this 12", however, they're edited together into one five minute song.

This song is clearly indebted to Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day." A mellow vibe as JT Money narrates some tales of his own hood. He does it well, though; and Mike "Fresh" McCray's beats are always dependably solid, if sometimes familiar. Here he samples Curtis Mayfield's "Let's Do It Again," which has certainly been used a few times (the only example that comes to mind at the moment is Wrecks-N-Effect's "Let's Do It Again" off their debut EP), but it always sounds good. There's a quick line in the lyrics about how he's driving with Home Team's "Pick It Up" in the deck (including a soundbite), just in case anyone thought he was sour about the split.

The 12" then has an exclusive remix (no credits are given, so we can only assume McCray did this one, too). It's an original instrumental (no Mayfield or other driving sample to speak of), but effectively maintains the same vibe. So, basically you've got your choice between the original, which sounds better but has been around or the remix, which is still ok and original. There are also edited radio versions of both mixes of the song.

Finally this 12" also includes the album track "Sugarhill Style." It's a fast, upbeat track with an instrumental that's like half classic Miami bass and half old school throwback. There's some "Planet Rock" vocal samples being cut up while someone (Mike Fresh again?) talks shit on the hook. Good times.

Poison Clan Appreciation Week, Day 1: Dance All Nite!

Another "week" kicks off here at Werner's! As you'd expect, we'll be looking at some Poison Clan 12" action, plus we'll take a look at their affiliate groups, and I've got a cool little "Mini-Post" article in the works, too. So let's jump right into it, shall we?

We're starting off with Poison Clan's first banger, their single "Dance All Nite." Now there's two separate 12" singles of this (not counting promo and foreign variants), but you'll want to stick with this one. The other version features some of the stuff on here, plus two house remixes which I would recommend for only the most die-hard fans. And it's missing some nice stuff this 12" has got, so yeah... this is the 12" you want.

It's easy to see why "Dance All Nite" was picked as the single - it's the clean, dance-oriented track of the album - and I think it worked better than they expected. It was the huge 1990 hit (especially regionally) that showed Luke Records The Poison Clan was more than just a throw-away "Baby 2 Live Crew," but recording artists to be taken seriously. Produced by the underrated Mr. Mixx, this song works mainly for its instrumental - it's a killer loop from the Shaft soundtrack laid out over some classic Florida beats and of course a hot, deep bassline. It's also got some really nice scratching for a chorus. It's got a breakdown where the music eventually strips entirely away, and the DJ is cutting it up acapella - fresh! The rhymes are simple and unimpressive, but they (this is back when the Poison Clan was a two-man outfit, Deb and JT) have cool, distinct voices that sound good over the beat.

But before getting to the album version, this 12" starts things off with the "Remix With Bonus Beats." It's basically just the album version but better. You've got the same beats and rhymes, but additional break-beats and samples are added to the mix (plus an added shout & call vocal sample on the hook between Luke and his audience shouting, "dance, sucka!"). It also ends (like its name suggests) with an extended bonus beats outro which loops some killer Shaft horns and adds a really nice bass drop.

Next you've got the "Felix Remix." No other credits are given, but I think it's a safe assumption that it's by Felix Sama. It's essentially the same as the "Remix With Bonus Beats" minus the bonus beats, but it does drop in those Shaft horns in a few other places which is cool, and there's some additional points where the beat is chopped up (a la Double Dee and Steinski rather than proper scratching).

Finally, it ends with the awesome posse cut "Poison Freestyle" featuring Tony M.F. Rock (of Let Me Take You To the Rockhouse fame) and Brother Marquis of The 2 Live Crew. While no one here is going to put Percee-P out of work with their complex lyricism, each MC comes with a tight verse - think Ant Live on "Money In the Bank." And they've picked the perfect track to rap over, the incredible instrumental K-Solo used that same year for his third single, "Fugitive" ...and which, more recently, it turned out Unique used on his Die Hard EP. Considering those guys used it for a narrative and message song respectively, it's great to hear this as the foundation for just a raw, freestyle posse cut. It's one of those songs I could just lift up the needle when it ended and listen to again and again.