By 1997, Tash, J-Ro, and E-Swift, collectively known as Tha Alkaholiks, were establishing a solid following for themselves. Unlike a lot of their West Coast colleagues, Tha Liks didn’t walk a gangster’s path. Instead, they chose an alcoholic shtick and light-hearted content to gain respect from their peers, the streets, and frat boys alike. 21 & Over and Coast II Coast didn’t garner much commercial success for Loud Records, but the label would stick by Tha Liks side as the inebriated threesome would return in the summer of ‘97 to release their third effort, Likwidation.

One of the first things that stuck out to me with Likwidation was the track list. 21 & Over had ten tracks, and Coast II Coast had eleven. Likwidation comes in at bloated twenty-two tracks. Granted, seven of them are skits, but still quite lengthier than their previous works. As usual, E-Swift would be responsible for most of the production with a few guest producers pitching in. Speaking of guests, the album also features a handful of cameos on the mic. Likwidation would continue Tha Liks trend of mediocre sales numbers, and Loud would give them one more chance with 2001’s X.O. Experience, before severing ties with the trio, landing them at the hip-hop graveyard, Koch Records (see Firewater).

If you read this blog regularly, you already know I felt Tha Liks’ first two albums were decent at best. I liked what Tash and J-Ro did on the mic, but felt the production was middling. This write-up marks my first time listening to Likwidation, and seeing that E-Swift is the album’s main director of music, left me a bit apprehensive. Nevertheless, let’s get into it.

AA Meeting Intro – Ninety-nine percent of hip-hop album skits are completely useless. This opening skit is of the one percent. I chuckle every time I hear the drunk AA meeting leader say “harmonism.”

Likwidation – For the title track, J-Ro, E-Swift, and Tash stick to their usual Alkaholik script as all three members verbally entertain with playful bars. The only problem is they chose one of Easy Mo Bee’s driest instrumentals to do it over.

Captain Hook – J-Ro and Tash rap about the hook-reliant, rhyme/style-stealing rapper known as Captain Hook. He’s a fictional character, but I’m sure his actions are based on true-life events. I enjoyed the original song idea, but E-Swift’s backdrop is as stale as a bagged loaf of bread after being left open for three weeks.

Nas Skit – Nas stops by to discuss his liquor of choice when it’s time to get twisted. I’m a Nas Stan, but not Stan enough to deny this is part of the ninety-nine percent I mentioned earlier.

Tore Down – The Lootpack (comprised of Wildchild, Madlib, and DJ Romes) appeared on The Alkaholiks’ first two albums, and they keep that tradition alive with this record. I didn’t like Coast II Coast’s “WLIX,” I hated “Turn Tha Party Out” from 21 & Over, and I absolutely despise “Tore Down.” First off, Wildchild and Madlib are not good rappers (at least not at this point). Both have deadpan vocal tones and flows that are dry as Ashy Larry’s knees and boring as watching paint dry. Secondly, Madlib’s instrumental sounds horrible. Today, Madlib is one of my favorite producers, but this soulless noise with no direction may be the worst beat made in 1997.

Off The Wall – Keith Murray joins Tash (whose verse left me wondering if he lost his girl to an R&B nigga) and J-Ro as the three verbally spar over a loose musical remake of Kurtis Blow’s “The Breaks” (it’s credited to T-Smoov and E-Swift, but features live instrumentation: Morris “Fonky Bass Man” Rentie on bass guitar, and Cypress Hill affiliate, Bobo on percussions). I wasn’t crazy about this one, but musically it’s a step in the right direction compared to the drab production featured so far on Likwidation.

Killin’ It – Madlib gets his second production credit of the night courtesy of a drunken piano melody placed over nearly non-existent drums (an early example of what his signature drumless production would sound like). X to the Z (aka Xzibit) joins J-Ro and Tash on the mic as the three take turns spilling freestyle bars. It was nice to hear Tash shout out his mentor, King Tee, in his verse for giving Tha Liks a chance before they got a deal. Heartwarming shit, man.

LL Cool J Skit – J-Ro and Tash ask LL’s advice on the best drinks to give the ladies, and in true LL fashion, he provides a colorful response.

Feel The Real – Tash and J-Ro use E-Swift’s breezy backdrop, complete with a smooth bassline and slick guitar licks, to share their jaded perspectives on relationships with the ladies. Tash vows to play the field (“’Cause the last girl I had, that bitch made me want to kill her”) and J-Ro shares his own story of deception and heartbreak. Easily my favorite record on Likwidation to this point.

Hip-Hop Drunkies – This was the lead single from Likwidation. E-Swift resurrects the opening funky piano riff from the video version of “The Symphony” (which is probably why Marley Marl receives a co-production credit in the liner notes) as Tash and J-Ro invite Ol’ Dirty Bastard to join the drunken cipher, which is a collaboration that makes sense. Low-key, J-Ro raps circles around his cohorts on this record.

Aww Shit! – Xzibit returns to clown around with Tha Liks on this decent album cut/filler material.

J-Ro Late Skit – This skit sets up the next song.

Keep It Pourin’ – After showing up forty-five minutes late to his AA meeting, J-Ro traces back the origins of his drinking problem to high school and self-reflects on his alcohol dependency: “Why-oh-why do I drink all these 40’s? Why-o-why do I down all the gin? Why-oh-why do I need a double Hen? How come every time I hurl, I say I’ll never drink again?” He ends the song, playfully, acknowledging that a life of drunkenness isn’t okay and now lives with proper balance (“You can’t get by, by living that way, so now I only drink after I get my pay”). I enjoyed J-Ro’s “laugh to keep from crying” approach to discussing his vice. I also love E-Swift’s combination of late-night jazzy piano chords mixed with funky wah-wahs and church organs. The French-speaking woman who ends the song was completely random, but she still sounds sexy as hell.

Likwit Ridas – The Whoridas were a cousin combo comprised of King Saan, aka ChopBlack, and Mr. Taylor. I just learned of their existence after listening to this song and reading the liner notes. I did a little Googling and discovered they released their debut album, Whoridin’, in 1997 on Delicious Vinyl. They jump in the cipher with Tash and J-Ro on this record and get their asses handed to them. E-Swift’s backing music was borderline bland, but the thumping bassline gives it vigor.

Funny Style – Tash sits another one out and lets J-Ro and King Tee exchange verses over some unoriginal but still funky James Brown licks. It’s always good to hear from King Tipsy.

Commercial Skit – It plays just as it reads.

All Night – E-Swift turns the infectious guitar riff from Stevie Wonder’s “Too High” into a bonafide groove and invites Derrick Davis to add a delectable flute melody to the beat (I’ve never heard a funkier flute solo than the one Mr. Davis provides at the end of this record). J-Ro spends most of his track time giving shoutouts while Tash references ATCQ’s “Hot Sex,” which allows me the opportunity to hand out another Tribe Degrees of Separation.

DeBarge Skit – El and James DeBarge stop by the studio, and naturally, J-Ro offers them a drink. This is more of the ninety-nine percent.

Pass Out – J-Ro and Tash pass out brews and bars over E-Swift’s quirky, twangy guitar loop and soothing soul chords.

20th Caller Skit – More of the ninety-nine percent.

Rockin’ With The Best – Phil Da Agony (who the liner notes credit as “of Barber Shop Emcees,” but I was introduced to nearly a decade later when he was part of Strong Arm Steady) joins J-Ro, Tash, and E-Swift to rock upon the mic. All parties involved make solid to decent verbal contributions, but it’s the distorted guitar loop (I think it’s a guitar) and the barbaric drums that make the biggest impact on this record.

Contents Unda Pressure – Tha Liks close the album with another hard instrumental, and this one comes with a cinematic, serious tone. But the musical tone doesn’t affect J-Ro, Tash (who spits one of my favorite lines of the whole album: “When you see me on the mic we go buck for buck, we only battle decent niggas, so be glad y’all suck”), and E-Swift’s lighthearted rhyming approach. This was tough.

They say there are two things certain in life: death and taxes (with Enoch and Jeff Bezos, respectively, being the exceptions to the rule). I’d like to add a couple more items to that list. First, (no matter how much I would love to see it) the Vikings will never win a Super Bowl, and secondly, Tha Alkaholiks will never make a classic album.

Tash and J-Ro are a talented tandem on the mic. Since their debut album, 21 & Over, they’ve used clever punchlines, witty metaphors and similes, a touch of braggadocio, a pinch of misogyny, all filtered through a playful alcoholic theme to win over a niche following. Their entertaining brand of emceeing continues on Likwidation, but unfortunately, so does the hit-and-miss production that plagued their first two albums.

The first quarter of Likwidation is so bland musically, I thought it was kin to Bobby Blue. Things start to pick up by the time “Killin’ It” rolls around, and it stays consistent until the midway point, but the production for the second half of the album sounds like a musical seesaw. The album is also riddled with useless interludes and a few mediocre cameos that slow down its momentum. Through it all, Tash and J-Ro’s drunken technique helps smooth things over (even E-Swift sounds sharp on the few records he raps on) when the production road gets bumpy.

On “Pass Out,” J-Ro raps, “Instead of five mics, I’d rather have five brews.” For those unfamiliar with the “five mics” reference, it’s the rating Source Magazine would give to albums they deemed classic, which held a lot of weight in the nineties (for the record, The Source gave Likwidation 3.5 mics). That line sums up Likwidation (and possibly Tha Liks catalog) in a nutshell. They’d rather continue to get drunk with the homies than sober up and realize that one of the homies’ production (*cough* E-Swift) might be the element standing in the way of taking their music from decent to classic.

-Deedub
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