Hawaiian Magnetic B-Boys

Sticking with interesting, indie 90's 12"s, today's record is Walkman Classic by a Hawaiian group called Invisible Inc. For a minute there, Hawaii seemed to have a pretty lively hip-hop scene, mostly by joining forced with indie artists and labels in Cali. In this case, they're being put out by IPO Wax, primarily known for being Tony da Skitzo's label.

My personal copy is a test pressing (that's an actual handwritten label, bit a creative design choice), but there's a proper, retail pressing with the same track-listing. They call it an EP, but filled with just three songs and their instrumentals, I'd be more inclined to classify it as a 12" single. But either way, it's pretty good.

This dropped in 1999, and it's actually their second release. It's also pretty much their last release, at least with as a unit. Akira 8, Ha'o, Mr. Rios and Syze-1 seemed to break up after this record, though  some of them did go on to work and cameo on other Hawaiian projects around that time. That was all pretty short lived for most of them, however Akira 8 changed his name to Emirc and went solo for a couple years. Then he changed his name again, to Tassho Pearce (his real name all along), and continues to work this day, including a new song with Kid Cudi and No I.D. released under a month ago.

So it's a pretty long and twisty career that traces back to this more traditional, 90s 12".  I almost said "boom bap;" but you know, it's more of that indie backpackery kinda vibe that's almost as influenced by Project Blowed as it by their devotion to traditional New York B-Boyism. It's not too artsy, though. Slick flows and  intelligent lyrics over very traditional beats with just enough interesting instrumentation and scratches on the hook to make it a little more compelling than the norm.

I wrote recently that I tend to prefer talented journeymen hip-hop artists over the showy larger-than-life personalities that usually capture the larger audiences' attentions; and that's what we find here. It's smart, a very effective head-nodder; but also very forgettable.  I can never remember the loops and sounds of this record until I put it back on the turntable for another revisit. And I've revisited it a bunch of times now over the years. But it really holds up every time, which is more than I can say for a lot of the 12"s I collected back in the 90s. It;s a pleasant surprise that keeps paying off.

And who knows, if Tassho's star rises high enough, maybe he can bring the gang back for a fun reunion track. I'd download that for nothin'.*


*What? That's all new music asks of us anymore, isn't it?

Black Sheep Meets Tha Alkaholiks ...and Some Other Guys

Since long-lost, unreleased tracks are finally being released on vinyl by both Black Sheep and Tha Alkaholiks, I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at this fun but mostly forgotten 90's record where they collaborated. This is "Dirty Money," by J-Ro and Dres, on PAC Records. Oh, and some guys known as The Flowmastaz Click.

Yeah, this is actually The Flowmastaz' single, and J-Ro and Dres are their special guests on this one song, though I've often seen it listed on line as if the Flowmastaz was a mini "super group" consisting of J-Ro and Dres. But, no, there's actually a whole Flowmastaz Click album, appropriately entitled Flowmastaz Click, and J-Ro and Dres are only on this one song. It's just that the star power of their guests outshone them.

In fact, The Flowmastaz have a bit of a history, albeit an obscure one. They're a Californian Latino trio consisting of Echo 1 aka Bout It, T-Swoop and Nome. They released their album and an earlier single, "Who's To Blame," the year before in 1998. They owned their own label, PAC Records, which also put out releases by a couple other groups. That album didn't feature "Dirty Money," though. That was only released on this one 12".

But the Flowmastaz story didn't end there. A few years later (2002), The Outsidaz' label RuffLife signed them under a slightly different name, Flow Click. And they didn't just drop 1/3 of their name but 1/3 of their roster, as Nome was out, and it was just Bout It and T-Swoop left; and their album was titled, appropriately, Flow Click. I wonder if Rufflife even realized they were releasing the Click's second self-titled "debut" album? Anyway, they dropped one single ("Pretty Lady") and of course we all know what happened to Rufflife, so that was pretty much it for them.

I can't say The Flowmastaz deserved any better than they achieved... Their first album was one of those sort of G-funky west coast albums where the MCs were kind of more on an east coast lyrical tip, but not very much. You know: all very soupy and a middle-of-the-road mash of the popular styles at the time, kinda like DPG-lite. Then their second album catered more to the niche Spanglish audience. But, given that, they pull their own weight on "Dirty Money" surprisingly well.

It's a funky but tough little beat, produced by some guys named Lamark and J. Crumb, with some nicely rubbed in percussion by an uncredited DJ. There's a little bit of a hook, but mostly it's just a lyrical free for all with the MCs trading the mic back and forth.So it's not like a single verse from each guest and then they're done. They keep getting back on the mic for more. J-Ro - dubbing himself "J-Ro J. Simpson" here - mostly steals the show, but Dres has an impressively tight little rhyme scheme - though his voice is probably the most exciting aspect of his bars. And like I said, the Flowmastaz really hold up their end of the bargain as well (T-Swoop really sounds good on his last verse). If they'd recorded an album like this single, I probably would've checked for these guys' material even without J-Ro and Dres on it. But as it is, this is the only Flowmastaz record you really need in your crates.

But you really should have this one, because it's surprisingly fresh. It's just got the one song but complete in Dirty, Radio, Instrumental and even Accapella versions. And again, this is a vinyl exclusive (though I'm sure this found it's way onto more than a couple mixtapes in its day). It's just one of those awesome little 12" singles that could've only appeared in second half of the 90s.

Werner's R&B Quiz Show Challenge Spectacular - Special Vinyl Edition!!!!

(The Youtube version is here, contestants.)

The Next Eminem ...Circa 1999

Back in the 90's, Paradime's manager told me this guy was "the next Eminem." Now, over the years, you'd probably be hard pressed to find a white rapper with an even passing interest in his lyrics who hasn't been promoted at some point as the next Eminem. Except Dose One; he's always been a galaxy or two removed from what the rest of the hip-hop scene was doing. But Paradime's next Eminemness is a bit stronger than Chris Webby, Mac Miller, or this woman. Paradime was also coming out in the 90s, from Detroit, working with many of the same people and was sincerely being marketed by the same guys who put Eminem out there as an almost official Eminem #2.

Of course, it's unfair to lay any artist so much in another's shadow, and being forced to compete directly with the most explosive star of his day is pretty damn rough. But at the same time, most of us who picked up his record were probably doing so exactly because of the explicitly drawn Eminem connections, so at the end of the day, it probably still helped more than it hindered. So, let's take a look at Paradime's debut record - the 12" that really sailed with its "next Eminem" colors the highest.

The good news is that while he might've been the next Eminem through his circumstances, connections, etc; he's not a Dasit.  He doesn't rap like an Eminem clone, he doesn't have an indistinguishable voice and cadence like Asher Roth, and he's not a hacky joke machine like Hot Karl.  So go ahead and take your fingers out of your ears. He's not going for Eminem's fast talking acerbic style - although his punchlines are clearly aping Em. But Paradime has a much deeper, gruffer delivery. You'd never think maybe you were listening to an Eminem record at the start of one of his songs. He's closer to somebody like Vinnie Paz, really.

So this is the lead (and only) single for his debut album, Paragraphs, on his own label, Beats At Will. This single however, "Paragraphs (Remix)" is on Federation Records, the same label Bizarre was on before Interscope entered the picture. And we've actually got two remixes of "Paragraphs" here (plus an Instrumental and Acapella). The first is produced by Hush, of Da Ruckus, another Federation Records group that also recorded with Em; and it's the clear winner. It's a really well produced track that makes the song work. Honestly, lyrically, it's way too reliant on corny punchlines. But the beat makes it work, you'll be into the whole thing. Once you hear the next version, though, the Stank Breff Mix produced by Paradime himself, all the faults rise to the surface. And it's not that the production is bad - it's not as good as Hush's moody beat, but it's passable enough. It's just not one of those beats that can raise an average collection of verses to another level. I guess it's always nice to have an exclusive vinyl track (Hush's remix was included on the album); but honestly they should've probably just left it off.

Flip it over, and you've got another album cut called "Ain't Gonna Stop." And this... is some shitty club shit. The beat (also by Hush) sucks and the hook is worse. Dime's flow is alright over the beat - A for effort - but you're never going to listen to this crap a second time. Oh and lucky us, the Instrumental version is on here, too.

But the last track completely redeems... everything. It's a posse cut called "Clash Of the Titans," (also on the album), featuring a couple of his and Eminem's Dirty Dozen compatriots (Paradime went on to record multiple times with D12, though never Em himself), Bizarre and Bugz. It's produced by DJ AMF, regular producer for Federation Records label-mate S.U.N., who also kicks things off with a cool and calm opening verse. And Bizarre is at his best here in a small dose, taking battle raps to the extreme. It's Invincible who steals the show, though, with a flow that puts the rest to shame nad even makes some questionable lines sound incredibly dope. "Clash Of the Titans" is her fucking record. And it all rounds out with some hyper ad-libing by Bugz, who unfortunately doesn't actually spit any bars.

Unfortunately, that leaves Paradime out in the cold with the least memorable appearance. If a shorter edit of this song were released without his part, I'm not sure how many fans of this song would even notice. Roll that up with the rest of the 12" and you're left with a 12" that's absolutely worth having on the strength of "Clash of the Titans" and a good chunk of the production, but doesn't really leave you wanting to follow the rest of Paradime's career. It's kind of too bad, because he seemed like a decent artist; but he just never quite manages to grab you. And that particular failing is what truly and crucially separated him from Enimem.

Interestingly, though, Paradime pressed on over the years. And while he did continue to record with D12 (plus Royce da 5'9, Obie Trice, King Gordy and probably any other past associate of Em's that you can name) as I mentioned earlier, and most of his online fanbase seems to live in Eminem message board communities, he did persevere in forging his own non-Eminem related persona and putting out music on the underground level. Check him out still going strong in 2013. But according to his wikipedia, he's best known for "do[ing] the turntables and back up vocals for Kid Rock." Still, that's not a bad way to earn a living, even if he's not rolling in Super Bowl money. Things seem to have worked out about right for everybody.

Giving DJ EZ Rock Back His Due

About two weeks ago, the world was shocked to learn about the passing of DJ EZ Rock. When I tweeted the sad news, I linked to the best article I could find about it, which happened to be from Rolling Stone. I paused, because I noticed some misinformation, but I decided to just let it slide. I mean, nobody looks to Rolling Stone for highly informed hip-hop coverage. And no one else had published anything better. At least they knew his partner was Rob Base and that they made that song from the Sandra Bullock movie.

So here's what Rolling Stone wrote that's wrong: "Bryce would not appear on Rob Base's 1989 follow-up The Incredible Base, but reunited with the rapper for 1994's Break of Dawn."

They probably just sourced that info from Wikipedia, which says, "DJ E-Z Rock also was forced to leave the group due to his own personal issues, so Rob Base was left to be a solo artist.[citation needed] He responded in 1989 with The Incredible Base, his debut solo album. It did not sell as well as It Takes Two. One song from the album hit the dance chart in late 1989: "Turn It Out (Go Base)," credited only to Rob Base. Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock had a reunion album in 1994."  Citation needed indeed.

I only blog about it now because it seems everybody is reporting this fact...

Billboard wrote that, "Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock would split soon after [It Takes Two] only to reunite in 1994." HipHopDX wrote, "While Rob Base followed up It Takes Two with a solo album of his own called The Incredible Base, the duo reunited six years later." Consequence of Sound wrote, "E-Z Rock was not featured on Rob Base’s 1989 record The Incredible Base." XXL wrote, "Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock would split after the success of It Takes Two for personal reasons," TheBoomBox.xom wrote, "After the success of that album, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock split up due to personal reasons, only to reunite in 1994 for their second album,‘Break of Dawn.’" The Huffington Post wrote, "E-Z Rock was not featured on Rob Base's 1989 album, 'The Incredible Base'..."  I could go on and on. There's tons more articles saying the same few sentences, all clearly having just copied the wikipedia or each other.

The Truth:

Yes, their first and third albums are credited to Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, while the second album only lists Rob Base as the artist. That much is true. But Rob Base did not make The Incredible Base (or any other album) without EZ Rock. They made all their records together and none separately. EZ Rock is all over The Incredible Base; and it's impossible to miss for anybody who's ever actually listened to it.

Rob Base starts off the song "Get Up and Have a Good Time" by saying, "Now with the help of my man EZ Rock - and I'm Rob Base - we're getting ready to kick it off." Then, in the same song, he says, "EZ Rock in the back on the wheels." There's plenty of songs with cuts on them here (they're the only good part of the song "War"), and you certainly don't see anybody else credited with them.

Big Daddy Kane's albums are just credited to Big Daddy Kane, but that doesn't mean he broke up with Mister Cee right before every release. Cool V was still The Biz's DJ even though his name wasn't on the covers. Neither DJ K-La Boss or DJ Scratch's initials were part of EPMD, but they were still the group DJs. You get the point. DJs just typically weren't credited on hip-hop albums, especially as we moved into the 90s.

And since Rob Base's music was moving further in the direction of pop on The Incredible Base, it made even more sense not to have split the bill with his DJ. Like when MC Hammer dropped the "MC" from his name. And after that flopped due to the push-back against crossover rap, he decided to make a bid for hip-hop credibility again for his reunion comeback album in 1994, by returning to the old school style of crediting the DJ. Maybe there really were some "personal issues" between them around this time; but EZ Rock was definitely still on board for that middle album.

Hell, the man has his own solo song on The Incredible Base, called "Dope Mix." You know, one of those fresh DJ solo songs like "DJ Premier In Deep Concentration" or "Touch Of Jazz," where the spotlight is finally turned towards the man on the turntables? In fact, "Dope Mix" would make the perfect song to feature in a tribute article about him, much more appropriate than just "It Takes Two" again.

And see the photo at the top of this article? That's a screenshot of him doing the cuts in the official music video for their lead single, "Turn It Out," which they keep cutting back to. He was hardly hidden away. But because some random, uninformed internet user decided EZ Rock must have been uninvolved with The Incredible Bass, suddenly it's become the unquestioned history put forth by every music journalist who's never listened in the first place*. So call me nitpicky - I admit I might be going in a little hard here on what many would probably consider a negligible detail - but I just wanted to write this to let you guys know that this rumor you're reading everywhere** isn't really the truth, and to give EZ Rock his credit for this album.

RIP


*And how long will it be until somebody resolves that "Citation Needed" issue on the wiki article by linking to some of these articles that got this tidbit from the erroneous article, completing the circle of irony and "proving" the misinformation?

**They even wrote a song decrying rumors just like this on The Incredible Base. It's called "Rumors." :P

A Concurrent Example

So, I think I might've made some slight, tiny mention of the fact that the second part of Young Zee's Musical Meltdown has finally dropped on Dope Folks Records. And I've been kinda excited about it. I mean, you might've missed it, because I've been real subtle about it; but yeah. So, instead of doing a blog post about it - which would probably just wind up reiterating all the things I said about it back when it was still pending - I thought I'd write about the other record Dope Folks dropped at the same time. Yeah, they usually put out their records in pairs, which is great for shipping, but almost made me totally miss this one, eclipsed as it was by a record I've been pining almost 20 years for.

I'm talking about Progressions (The Austin St. Suites) by Example. It's a two-man pairing consisting of Dekay and DJ Cipher, and like their title suggests, these guys are from Texas. They're down with those K-Otix guys, and like that group, they... well, "backpacker" isn't quite the right phrase for them, but they definitely eschew the styles you'd typically associate with hip-hop from their particular state. They're definitely more lyrical and jazzy, sort of the artsy intellectual types you expect to find in jamming a small city club than blowing up on the charts. Think of a more down-to-Earth Boogiemonsters, or better yet - remember The Dereliks, who released the very underground "I Am a Record" in the mid-90's? These guys remind me of them.

Which I guess has pretty much been their narrative. They've been around for a long time, and they've even had a release on Dope Folks before this one. Last year, DF repressed their highly sought after "random rap" EP release Impulses from 1997, which is one of those rarities that goes for big bucks among hardcore collectors. Well, this time they're pressing up Example's 2001 self-released album, Progressions, which was originally a CD-only release (ughh even used to carry it), making this its vinyl debut.

This is technically an LP, as opposed to their previous EP, but it's right on the line. It's ten tracks long, but that includes an Intro, a short spoken word track and a long piano solo you'll be skipping after the first listen. But of course quality is what counts, not quantity, and who doesn't love a strong EP? Within those remaining seven tracks, you've still got thoughtful, introspective songs, moody, personal songs, creative concept songs, and a posse cut with K-Otix and an unexpected and show-stealing verse by Bun-B. The highlights definitely impress, though it also feels like it's meandering around sometimes, short of direction or focus.

Ultimately, I don't think it's as essential as Impulses, but it's still a cool, obscure find that's worthy of being rescued and re-presented to the public by a label like DF. It's limited to 300 copies and comes in a sticker cover matching the original CD cover. You have to specifically be in the mood for an album like this, but when that moment hits, you'll be loving it. Then you'll put it away and forget about it for a long time until that vibe strikes again. It's good to have a few of those in your collection, just enough to rediscover every few years. So, if you're picking up Musical Meltdown Pt. 2 [and if you're not, you'll regret it!], you might as well throw this in the cart at the same time and save on shipping.  8)

The Final Father

We're gathered here today to look back at Father MC - then going just by Father - 's last record, "My." Now, this is not the last thing he ever recorded... He made an mp3-only album in 2010, and maybe he's still got some more music up his sleeve. But this is the last actual, vinyl record he ever put out. And considering the present music business and the kind of music Father makes, unless it turns out he has lost demos produced by Paul C tucked away in a vault (and he doesn't), I think it's safe to say this is his last record. It's called "My."

This is his sole single leading up to his presumably last CD album, also called My. You'll note that the label prominently reads "TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM 'TODAY'," so clearly the album was still being worked on when this was released. Indeed, the single came out in 2002, and the album in 2003, both on Empire MusicWerks[sic.] and BMG.

So, reading the title and knowing Father's history, this is obviously a love/sex rap for the ladies, either based on a classic old school sample, or some cheap, sappy keyboard riffs, right? With a hook like that Johnny Gill song probably. Wrong! It's actually a somewhat tough track, clearly inspired by the mid 90s, Hot 97-type rappers. The chorus goes, "My womens! My crew, my thugs. My city! My block, my drugs. My chicks! Set up chicks with them brims[?]. My army! My whole block of L'il Kims." This is the possibly the most New York Father MC has ever sounded. Not that Father hasn't veered into other lanes for a few songs in different stages in his career, but this was still pretty surprising.

Not that it's amazing. This would blend in alongside your average Jadakiss and Papoose tracks on a mixtape. And heads who didn't immediately recognize his voice would never guess this was by Father. But it's pretty well written, actually, and the beat is decent enough. It's even got that style of punchlines, with lines like, "I'm a rob you like Bivens, have Boyz II Men sign to me to make a livin'!" And there's no production credits on the label, but since I've also got the album on CD, I was able to look it up, and Father MC actually produced this, as well as everything else on the album, himself. The sticker on the CD promises that the, "UPTOWN SOUND INNOVATOR RETURNS WITH A BRAND NEW SOUND," and I think you can say he actually delivers. New for himself, at least, if not the industry.

And there's a couple versions on this 12". It's actually pretty well loaded, including the Instrumental, a Radio Mix and Acappella. But besides that, there's three versions of the song with unique instrumentals... The Main Mix, which is the most NY-sounding of its era. Then there's a rougher, choppier Club Remix, with all new, disparate samples and a tougher feel than you'd expect from a "Club" mix. This Club Remix, by the way, is also included as the final song on the album, where it's just labeled "My (Remix)."

That leaves one more remix, exclusive to the 12", The Hotlanta Remix. It utilizes a nice, old school bassline ("Genius of Love"); but unfortunately covers it in all kinds of cheesy synth riffs that you'd barely recognize it. In other words, the kind of crap you'd expect from something called a "Hotlanta Remix."

So, overall, it's no masterpiece, but it's really not bad. And it's definitely nice to have our expectations subverted a little bit. Plus, it's the kind of record that seems to make more sense to have on vinyl, as again, it's more in line with the sort of thing east coast DJs would spin. I mean, they probably didn't. But still.

The Original Starchild

(Youtube version is here.)

NWA's "Express Yourself" - The Ice Cube Version?

(Youtube version is here.)

Reminiscing… Record Stores

(Youtube version is here.)

Are Two Trick Daddy's Better Than One?

Before Maurice Young became internationally known as Trick Daddy, there was a Flordian duo known as Two Trick Daddy's (no, I don't understand why they didn't spell it "Daddies" either ). And no, this wasn't Trick Daddy's first group (wouldn't that have been fun?). These guys just seemed to pop up out of nowhere, put out an album on Joey Boy Records, and then disappear just as quickly. The year was 1993, and their album title: Ain't Nothing But a Sex Thang, is obviously an attempt to cash in on the explosive popularity of Dr Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. ...Never a good sign.

 But the connection ends their, because there is not a damned thing G-funky about this album at all. Sex Thang is a dyed in the wool Miami bass album through and through. And, produced by Felix Sama - who I'm usually not very taken with - it's actually pretty good. A lot of credit probably belongs to DJ Spin, who's only credited with co-producing two tracks, but seems to be their DJ through the whole album and may've had a bigger hand in composing these songs than the album credits suggest. This theory is evidenced by the fact that in the shout outs track, "Givin Out Props," they thank DJ Spin "for making those dope tracks on the Trick Daddy album." The title track, for instance, features a nice combination of break beats - including the famous Lyn Collins drums with the "woo! yeah!"s made famous by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock - that's a little more pure than hip-hoppers tended to expect from random Miami albums in the early 90s.

Or "Big Fat Girl," which sounds like it should be the worst song simply based on its title, actually features a phat update of the "Good Time" grooves The Sugarhill Gang blew up off of. The super old school with a modern Miami update reminds me a lot of something Mike Fresh would make. Couple that with some super funky scratches by Spin, and you have a song that's way more enjoyable than it has any right to me.

"TD Show" has them riding a high energy rhythm with some nice percussion. But it really comes alive when Spin gets busy on the breakdown and a subsonic window rattling bassline slips in. And their single, "Snatch and Grab," is a real head-nodding gangster track you'd never expect to find on a project like this. There's a clear Poison Clan influence, but that can only be a good thing. And even the more predictable entries, like "Head Pack" or "Doggie Style" (the latter of which is saved largely by the cuts) still have a doper feel than many of their ilk.

And the Two Trick Daddy's aren't just being carried by their production either. They might not be the most "next level" lyricists you'll ever hear, but they're more than capable MCs for rocking a variety of styles and make it all sound good. Sex Freek does actually sound a little bit like a young Maurice; but Jit (who sometimes also calls himself Ice) sounds a lot more like JT Money. So much so, I almost wonder if it's intentional that JT and Jit are such similar names. Probably not, but if you just heard one of these songs on the radio, you'd swear it was JT Money.

The Two Trick Daddy's pretty thoroughly disappeared after this album, which is kind of a shame. Jit did actually pop up on a DJ Uncle Al album (the same album that featured P-Nut after his partner Ant D's notorious crimes that landed him on death row) a couple years later, but as far as I know, that's it. I wouldn't be surprised (and would love to discover) he possibly did some more under a different name, because they had more to offer than a lot of their contemporaries. They probably lacked the star power to make any real break out hits like Maurice Young managed to do, though. But that's right up my alley. I usually prefer musically talented journeymen to pop celebrities for my hip-hop fix, so I actually found this album more rewarding than most of Trick Daddy's stuff. Maybe you will, too.