What Wendy Wants She Gets

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Unreleased Slick Rick, Chapter Seven

Apparently J-Love is back again with another version of his Slick Rick: Legends vol 2 CD, this one dubbed 2.2. And so, too then, must this blog series rise up out of the grave like a Grave Riser Outer in response. Here's the latest cover and renovated track-listing (thanks to Fecam at the DWG forums for bringing this to my attention):

1. Women Lose Weight Rmx Produced By J-Love 04:02
2. Moses 02:47
3. Lick The Balls 03:31
4. I Own America Rmx (Unreleased) 03:37
5. Treat Em Like A Prostitute Feat Doug E Fresh Live 03:49
6. Reggae Chat Feat Doug E Fresh (Unreleased) 00:50
7. La Di Da Di Feat Doug E Fresh 04:48
8. The Rulers Back 03:33
9. Whats The Scoop Marley Marl Rmx (Unreleased) 04:12
10. Indian Girl 03:06
11. Its A Boy Large Professor Rmx 02:50
12. Dont Come My Way Feat Common 03:27
13. Star Trek Large Professor Rmx (Unreleased) 03:09
14. Art of Story Telling Feat Outkast 03:59
15. Just Another Case Feat Cru 03:13
16. Tonto 03:01
17. I Run This 03:56
18. King 02:27
19. Cant Shake Us Feat Special K (Unreleased) 04:01
20. Pimpin Anit Easy Feat Dana Dane 03:13
21. Get A Job 02:34
22. Cuz Its Wrong 02:48
23. 2 Way Street 03:11
24. Sampson (Unreleased) 03:22

So this new track-listing kinda makes it clear why he reworked the CD the first time around (see here)... this version seems to be intended as more of a sequel to the first one (specifically the redux of the first one), rather than a replacement; and the strange decision to remove "Sampson," for example, now makes perfect sense since it's been added here.

Now, I haven't heard this yet, but you can see on this 2.2, we've got a couple new remixes (including his own remix of "Women Lose Weight"), "Reggae Chat" with Doug E. Fresh (I'm guessing another clip from a live performance? It's under than a minute long, whatever it is), and the only new "Unreleased" song he's added to the mix: "19. Cant Shake Us Feat Special K (Unreleased) 04:01." As with most of the ones on his previous entries, this song actually has been released, and if you want to hear it without the radio blends and J-Love's name all over it, it's pretty easy to find.

The original release of this song comes from the Special K 12" "Can't Shake Us" b/w "Nobody Loves Me" (which doesn't feature Slick Rick; just an unnamed R&B singer on the hook) on Never Knew Records from 2002. Produced by Kenny Dope, the instrumental is a pretty simple break with a chop of the main sample from The Crash Crew's "On the Radio" on permanent loop. It's an ok song, though the production on both tracks sounds a bit tinny, with Slick Rick kicking a short opening verse, then passing the mic to Special K for the rest of the song, only returning to provide the hook.

So, once again... we're treated to another episode of frustration via a third selection of great Slick Rick tracks that continue to never get proper releases. Why can't this stuff get pressed onto a proper slab of vinyl with some halfway decent sound quality? Large Professor remixing "Star Trek?" I need that on 12", man. But also once again, at least there's not so much new material as J-Love claims, and most of these songs are otherwise available.

Update 9/4/7: Ok, I've heard it now. That "Reggae Chat" is indeed just a clip of what sounds like a live performance... The sound quality on this 2.2 is a bit of a step-up from his older CD, but still not great (and the name-drop samples over every song is super annoying... these mix-CDs aren't press promos - despite disingenuously having "for promotional use only" written right on the cover, they're clearly commercial products produced only to be sold to paying listeners). The remixes are all a bit underwhelming... I actually preferred the original to the Large Professor remix of "Star Trek," the Marley Marl remix is cool (it sounds vintage), and the J-Love remix of "Women Lose Weight" is pretty worthless. The loop just doesn't match with the song and ESPECIALLY doesn't when the hook comes in (he should've taken a hint from The Alchemist's mix). I'd still like to see the remixes (except the "Women Lose Weight;" he can keep that one) get a proper release, though, along with all the genuinely unreleased tracks from the older discs.

Tags: Slick Rick, Special K