Time Is Illmatic

Insert this one right after Brand Nubian’s In God We Trust

Anthony Peaks, better known to the world as Apache, was one of the original members of Queen Latifah’s emcee collective known as the Flavor Unit. He got his start ghostwriting for different rappers, and while the liner notes don’t confirm this, many in the know claim he penned most of the verses on Latifah’s debut album All Hail The Queen.

The first time I heard Apache spit was on Naughty By Nature’s cipher joint “1, 2, 3” from their debut title album. While it would have been a hard task for anyone in the earlier nineties to murder Treach on his own shit, Apache gave him a run for his money with his hungry flow and tenacious verse on that song (go ahead, give it a listen). That verse and the fact that he was part of the Flavor Unit (which was poppin’ at the time), helped the Jersey City native ink a solo deal with Tommy Boy Records. Apache would release his debut album, self deprecatingly titled, Apache Ain’t Shit .

Apache Ain’t Shit did produce a modest hit (that we’ll get to in a bit) but didn’t move a ton of units, and despite production work from some of the best hip-hop producers of the era, it received underwhelming reviews upon its release. This would be the only solo album from the Flava Unit emcee, and as the nineties came to a close Apache found God and church and would walk away from his microphone and explicit rhymes.

Sadly, on January 22, 2010 Apache died from undisclosed causes (but natural, no foul play was suspected) at the age of 45. Rest in peace.

The Beginning – This intro introduces Apache to the world and coincidentally (I use the term “coincidentally” loosely, as I’m sure it was intentional) uses similar drums used on the intro to Sugar Hill Gang’s “Apache”.

Tonto – Apache uses Double J’s understated, yet dope instrumental (he borrows the drums and bass line from David Axelrod’s “Holy Thursday”, that most of you kids will recognize from Lil’ Wayne’s “Dr. Carter”) to introduce the ladies to his penis, that he affectionately named Tonto. Nikki D drops by to assist with adlibs and the hook (wonder what she’s up to these days). This one was pretty entertaining. You’re definitely laugh at at least one of Apache’s clever punch lines.

Do Fa Self – This was the second and final single released from Apache Ain’t Shit . Our host stops by a children’s classroom to share his struggle and the lessons he learned coming up in the hood, and he doesn’t hold any punches, or curse words for that matter (one of the kids even jumps on the mic to help Apache on the second first). DJ Mark The 45 King hooks up a nasty backdrop built around an eerie and slightly spooky organ loop that will have you vibin’ as you shake your head listening to Apache’s unfiltered advice to the youth.

Gangsta Bitch – Apache was never a huge name in the rap game, but casual hip-hop fans will remember him for this single, which was a modest hit back in ’92-’93.  Q-Tip (even though the liner notes credit A Tribe Called Quest) slides our host a beautiful instrumental that he uses to speak about the type of woman he desires and all the attributes and qualities that come in a gangsta bitch (which include great sex, doing stick ups, drug dealing and taking her son gun shopping). Apache’s wittiness and personality shine through on this one. Hip-hop classic.

A Fight – Apache’s ready to drop bombs on the first white boy he comes in contact with on this one. He even borrows the old hood playground chant (“a fight, a fight, a nigga and a white, if the nigga don’t win, then we all jump in”) for the hook. Double J’s instrumental samples the same JB’s bass line first made popular on Showbiz & A.G.’s “Soul Clap”, which just reminded me that I missed reviewing the duo’s debut album Runaway Slave, but I digress. Not a big fan of this song.

Kill D’White People – Short interlude that kind of goes hand in hand with the previous song.

Hey Girl – Apache uses this one to call out a money hungry chick that’s trying to play him. He invites Milo and Collie Weed (I’ve never heard of that strand either) to do a little reggae style chanting and assist with the hook. This is a song I completely forgot about. When I read in the liner notes that Large Professor produced it, I got a woody. Then I played the song and my woody quickly disappeared. It’s not terrible (The Meters’ lifted bass line is kind of nice), I just expect so much more from an Extra P produced track.

Apache Ain’t Shit – Over a frantic paced S.I.D. produced backdrop, Apache boasts about being a womanizing no good dog. Apache’s content is kind of juvenile but as long as you don’t take him too serious you’ll enjoy this one.

Blunted Snap Session – This is the longest, most unnecessary and unamusing, interlude in the history of interludes. It was included to set up the next song, but the insults the guys and girls are throwing at each other aren’t funny, and are kind of uncomfortable to listen to, especially when one of the dudes threatens to rape one of the ladies pussy.

Who Freaked Who – Nikki D makes her second appearance of the evening, providing the women’s perspective, as she and Apache take part in this battle of the sexes. Literally. Apache and Nikki deliver solid verses (Nikki’s second verse paints a sexy visual that might leave you with a stiffy), but Diamond D’s instrumental is very underwhelming…and where is the question mark in the song title, dammit?!!

Get Ya Weight Up – Apache’s on some emcee battle shit on this one. Diamond J’s hard instrumental (I love the horn loop on the hook) serves as the perfect canvas for Apache’s aggressive boasts, threats and shit talking.

Woodchuck – Apache gets the production credit for this cipher joint, as he invites his Flavor Unit brethren (Latee, Cee, Double J, Vin Rock and Treach) to brag about how much pussy they get. Unfortunately, Apache’s instrumental is dry (no pun intended) and none of the parties involved say anything worth quoting.

Make Money – Our host uses this one to give advice to the fellas and the ladies (I love his line “Sex appeal, be real, I don’t understand, fake hair and nails and you’re looking for a real man”) on how to make money, which Apache apparently thinks can only come by criminal activity, which is kind of sad. Double J’s instrumental is decent. I like the bass line, but a better mix would have made it and the horn loop on the hook stand out more.

Wayz Of A Murderahh – This was useless and a pretty weak way to end the album.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, or a cd by its liner notes. Based on the list of all-star producers who worked on Apache Ain’t Shit (i.e. Extra P, Diamond D, Q-Tip and DJ Mark The King), one would think that if all else failed at least the production would bang. Granted, each of the producers listed above are only accountable one track each, but even those four instrumentals are hit and miss, which also rings true for the rest of the album. Apache is a decent emcees and at times his wit and charisma shine through, but his abundance of sex talk becomes a bit monotonous after a few listens. Ultimately, Apache Ain’t Shit ain’t all that good.

-Deedub

After the release of his debut album 2pacalypse Now, a lot of things begin to change for 2pac. With one solo album under his belt and a starring role in the 1992 hood classic movie Juice, Pac was quickly becoming a celebrity. Unfortunately, with his new-found fame came problems, to which many credit to his metamorphosis from the conscious black militant emcee to the real life heartless character Bishop that he played in the movie. Whatever the case, 2pac would return in 1993 with his sophomore effort Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…

Pac would pretty much rely on the same group of dudes to handle the production on Strictly that worked on 2pacalypse Now. The album received solid reviews and many consider it Pac’s breakout album, as it would be the first album to earn him a gold plaque (it would eventually go on to earn him a platinum plaque as well).

Random factoid: Pac’s second album was originally supposed to be titled Troublesome 21 and released in the fall of ’92, but Interscope did not want to release it due to Pac’s violent content on several of the songs. The album was scrapped and only a few of the songs from that album survived to make it to Strictly. Most of the songs from Troublesome 21 would be released later on any one of the million 2pac posthumous albums, but you can easily track down the album in its entirety on the web.

Holler If Ya Hear Me – Strictly opens with the lead single from the album. Pac’s roadie Stretch from Live Squad hooks up a busy up-tempo backdrop that Pac brings plenty of energy to as he attempts to get an amen from the congregation for his politically charged black militant content. I never really cared much for this song. Stretch’s instrumental is blah and Pac’s lyrics are sub par, plus his cadence on this one becomes annoying after the first verse.

Pac’s Theme (Interlude) – Interlude that features 2pac sounds bites (and an oddly placed Speech from Arrested Development sound bite) over a pleasant Underground Railroad produced instrumental.

Point The Finga – By 1993, 2pac was fastly becoming a polarizing figure, as controversy begin to swirl over his head and meet him at every turn. On this one Pac addresses some of the things people were accusing him of at the time (including a man who shot and killed a cop after being pulled over and ridiculously tried to blame it on the lyrics from 2pacalypse Now’s Violent”). Big D The Impossible hooks up a bouncy bass lined backdrop (tongue twister much!), which I never really cared for, but it would probably sound impressive in a boomin’ system. I’m just sayin’.

Something 2 Die 4 (Interlude) – Big D The Impossible gets another production credit on this one (with a co-production credit going to Pac), hooking up a somber and emotional backdrop that Pac uses his distorted chopped and screwed voice (i.e. the older brother from 2pacalypse Now’s “Soulja’s Story”) on to drop a few jewels for the listener’s ear. This interlude will definitely leaving you reflecting on Pac and his brief life.

Last Wordz – Pac invites the legendary Ice’s (no, not Isis. Ice’s as in Ice Cube and Ice T) to join him on this cipher joint. Bobcat’s instrumental sounds like a poor man’s DJ Muggs beat, and while none of the three emcees sound impressive, if I had to pick a winner on this one, the title would definitely go to Pac. That said, I’m not a fan of this one.

Souljah’s Revenge – The title is in reference to 2pacalypse Now’s “Soulja’s Story” (not sure why he decided to add an “h” to the end of “Soulja” this time around, but whatever). The brothers from that song are back at it (apparently the younger brother who died in a shootout with the cops on that song got his Lazarus on), as they take turns firing verbal shots at the police (it’s also the third consecutive song that Pac uses his “one nigga, teach two niggas” line…enough!). Bobcat redeems himself from the last track and hooks up a hard backdrop (that sounds a lot like the instrumental from Death Certificate’s “Wrong Nigga To Fuck Wit”) for Pac to spark the revolution over. This would have been dope to hear live back in the day, especially when he goes into the chant at the midway point of the song.

Peep Game – This is a song I completely forgot existed. Pac invites Deadly Threat to join him on this duet, as the two share the mic like a joint. Unfortunately, neither one of them smoke it properly and just end up choking all over it. Pac and Threat are only part of the problem, considering Bobcat’s instrumental is garbage as well. By the way, this is the third consecutive Bobcat produced track and concludes his contribution to Strictly, leaving him with a .333 batting average. One out of three is pretty good for hitters in baseball, not so much for a hip-hop producer. The blandness of this song must have forced me subconsciously to block it from my memory.

Strugglin’ – The brother duo of Stretch and Majesty (better known as Live Squad) join Pac on this one. Stretch and Maj sound almost identical with their raspy and muffled flows, that put a strain on the ear when trying to understand what the hell they’re saying. Their influence must have rubbed off on Pac for this one, as his rhymes sound like they were sanded into and lost in the instrumental. I do like the Live Squad’s up-tempo backdrop, though.

Guess Who’s Back – Here’s an unlikely collabo: Special Ed and his DJ Akshun, get the production credit for this laid back slightly drunken, but nice, instrumental. Once again, Pac’s rhymes are overpowered by the backdrop, and it was kind of sad to hear him rhyme “I went from hustling dicks to making hits, busting flicks, now I’m sure to be rich by ’96”, knowing now that he would die the same year.

Representin’ 93 – Truman Jefferson (who’s great-grandfather was Thomas Jefferson’s second cousin’s great grandmother’s brother’s first cousin’s brother’s slave) gets the production credit and hooks up a nasty chopped and screwed backdrop (with an ill slowed down Scarface sound bite on the hook) built around a random Joe Public (remember them?) loop. Pac’s rhymes range from mediocre to cheesy with lines like “how you gonna play me like a sucka Dunkin Donut?”. I did like his second verse, which sounds like a shout out freestyle. And Pac invites the elder brother from “Soulja’s Story” back to spit the final verse. Again, Truman Jefferson’s instrumental is sick.

Keep Ya Head Up – This is easily one of the top five biggest hits in Pac’s storied catalog. D.J. Daryl rips Zapp’s “Be Alright” instrumental at wholesale, and Pac stands up for his Nubian sisters (because “2pac cares, if don’t nobody else care”) and delivers some of his strongest bars on Strictly. Dave Hollister (credited as Dark Angel in the liner notes) drops by to provide adlibs and sings the hook. This is one of those songs that will always make the legendary rapper beloved, regardless of his many contradictions.

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z… – Laylaw’s (yes, the same Laylaw that was a founding member of Above The Law) instrumental sounds like its playing in slow-motion and makes me want to take a nap when I hear it (I actually just yawned thinking about it). Pac does his best to work with what he’s given, but his bars aren’t potent enough to bring energy to the title track’s sleepy backdrop.

The Streetz R Deathrow –  Stretch hooks up an emotional and soulful backdrop that Pac uses to confront the demons he’s faced since his youth coming up in the hood. And we all know Pac was at his best when confronting demons and paranoia in his songs. This one would have fit in perfectly on Me Against The World.

I Get Around – This was the third single from Strictly and is easily my favorite song on the album. Shock G (who is pretty much the D-Flow Production Squad that the liner notes give the production credit to) hooks up a beautiful instrumental for Pac, himself and Money B to remind the ladies that “the Underground just don’t stop for hoes”. It would have been nice to hear Humpty make an appearance on this one, but regardless it’s a hip-hop classic that never gets old.

Papa’z Song – Big D The Impossible returns and hooks up an emotional instrumental that Pac and his stepbrother Wycked (who you may know as Mopreme from Thug Life or as Komani from The Outlawz, or by his government name, Maurice Williams) use to fire verbal darts at their Pops for being a dead beat. Interestingly, Pac raps as the absentee father on the final verse (in his “Soulja’s Story” older brother vocal), giving an explanation for his absence and asking his sons for forgiveness. I love the funky guitar licks the song fades out with. This is a well orchestrated and executed Pac jewel that is heavily slept on.

5 Deadly Venomz – Strictly ends with Pac, Stretch, Majesty, Treach and the wildcard, Apache taking part in the cipher, and surprisingly, Apache delivers the strongest verse. It’s pretty sad to think that three of the five emcees on this song are now dead (Pac, Stretch and Apache). I’m not a fan of Stretch’s instrumental or the song, for that matter.

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z… marks the end of the revolutionary Pac and the birth of the gangster Pac, as both personas are at war throughout the album. I’ve never thought of Pac as a great lyricist, but an emcees who’s strongest when he draws from his emotion, so it’s no surprise that he’s at his best on Strictly‘s more emotional songs. My biggest issue with Strictly is the mix, as the music tends to drown out the vocals throughout the album (it definitely sounds better when listening to it through headphones). But even a good mix wouldn’t have helped some of the lackluster production on Strictly, which tends to miss more often than it hits. Strictly is my least favorite 2pac album and the most inconsistent project in his catalog (and no, I’m not including the billion posthumous albums that came later in that statement).

-Deedub

It can be said that Craig A. Miller, better known to the world as Kam, put the LA neighborhood of Watts on the proverbial hip-hop map. Unlike many of his west coast counterparts, The Nation of Islam member chose to spew substance on the mic instead of tough guy gangster raps. The first time I heard Kam was on Ice Cube’s “Color Blind” from the Death Certificate album. His streetwise conscious verse delivered in a smooth laid back vocal tone is part of the reason that song is, in my opinion, one of the best posse cuts of the nineties. It was only right, since Cube gave the Watts native his first break that he would sign with Cube’s Street Knowledge imprint and release his debut album Neva Again on East West Records.

Kam would recruit a handful of producers to provide the backdrops for his black conscious messages on Neva Again. And while Neva Again didn’t move a lot of units, it was held in high regards by most critics upon its release.

Let’s give her a listen and see how it holds up twenty plus years later.

Intro – The album opens with a simple backdrop (provided by Coze, Stone, Stan The Guitar Man and Toothie, who collectively make up Torcha Chamba Productions) and a soundbite taken from a speech by Farrakhan (which is the second consecutive post that his name pops up).

Peace Treaty – This was the lead single from Neva Again. Solid Scheme (the duo of Chris Charity and Derek Lynch who were responsible for most of the production work on Das EFX debut album Dead Serious) hooks up a funk heavy instrumental that sounds like something EPMD would have hooked up and spit over back in the day (and very similar to their work on Das EFX’s “Straight Out The Sewer”). Kam uses it to shout out the Bloods and Crips for the peace treaty the revival gangs came to after the Rodney King riots. This was decent.

Stereotype – Kam uses this one to address some of the stereotypes that whites place on black people. Rashad builds the instrumental around the commonly used James Brown’s loop (“Papa Don’t Take No Mess”) as Kam cleverly dispels some of these ignorant myths.

Still Got Love 4 Um – This was the second single and the primary reason I checked for Neva Again in the first place. Over a smooth laid back instrumental (produced by T-Bone from Da Lench Mob) Kam reminisces about the relationships he formed growing up in the concrete jungle as a “little nappy head nature boy” and pledges his allegiance to his homeboys no matter where life takes him. This is easily my favorite song on the album.

Hang ‘Um High – Kam is throwing a hanging party and all black preachers, drug dealers and child molesters are invited, as pay back for their trickery and dastardly deeds on the black community. The Torcha Chamba Production team builds the instrumental around a loop from Faze-O’s “Riding High”, and it works fairly well underneath Kam’s verses.

Drama – Kam uses a Mr. Woody concoction to talk about the drama that comes with living in the Watts area of L.A. I like the Three Dog Night’s loop and the Graham Central Station vocal sample, but the Marvin Gaye Troubled Man loop (the same “”T” Stands For Trouble” loop used on Brand Nubian’s “The Meaning Of The 5%”) adds nothing to the song. This is one of those songs that you might not dig the first few times you listen to (like myself) but after a few listens it begins to grow on you.

Neva Again – Kam calls out America for its many evil deeds since its formation. While I can get with Kam’s content, the Rashad produced backdrop has a new jack swing feel that I can’t really get into.

Y’all Don’t Hear Me Dough – Kam’s on his soapbox again as he tells crooked cops, his homeboys that bang white girls and eat pork and neighborhood snitches, “I told you so”.  Mr. Woody gets his second and final production credit of the evening, and it’s decent enough I guess; so is the song.

Ain’t That A Bitch – Kam remains on his soapbox as he criticizes the school system and how the American government treats its veterans. Solid Scheme gets their second production credit of the evening on this one, and while it’s not a terrible instrumental, it’s not great either. This song could have been left on the cutting room floor.

Holiday Madness – Torcha Chamba Productions hooks up this dark instrumental that Kam uses to question and call out the hypocrisy and silliness in the traditions behind Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and July 4th. Kam definitely makes some solid points on this one that will leave you with something to think about.

Watts Riot – Kam invites Ice Cube to join him on this one, as they take turns addressing some of the injustices that affect black people in America, and threaten to spark another Watts riot if things don’t change. DJ Pooh hooks up a rough instrumental that works well underneath the duo’s militant bars. Ironically, a few years later Kam and Pooh would be at odds with Cube over some business handling (aka money dispute) and recorded and released the Cube dis record “Whoop Whoop” as a single from Pooh’s solo album Bad Newz Travels Fast. According to Kam, the beef with Cube was resolved even before the single was released, but I’m sure the label (Atlantic) pushed them to release it as a single in an attempt to cash in on the controversy. In the end, it didn’t pay off.

Outro – I guess its only right since Torcha Chamba Productions opened Neva Again with an unimpressive backdrop that they end it with one just as boring. Kam only uses it to give his shout outs over, so I’ll give them a pass.

Kam definitely has a lot to say on Neva Again, and he stays true to his black militant stance as he delivers quality conscious bars, wasting no time on nonsense (i.e. boasting, bitches and flossing). The production on Neva Again is not spectacular (but decent), and Kam can come off a bit too preachy at times, but overall it’s a solid debut from the Watts native.

-Deedub

After the success of their debut album (both critically and commercially) One For All, Brand Nubian’s chief emcee, Grand Puba Maxwell left the group to pursue his solo career. This left Sadat (Derek) X and Lord Jamar to pick up the pieces and carry on the Brand Nubian name. The duo would bring in DJ Sincere (since Alamo left with Puba) and kick off ’93 with their sophomore effort In God We Trust.

In God We Trust would be drenched with 5 percent doctrine and black militant themes, with Brand Nubian providing the majority of the production (two songs were produced by outside parties). The album didn’t move as many units as it predecessor but it did receive pretty solid reviews upon its release.

Lets give her a listen and see how the Now Rule brothers fare without their lead emcee.

Allah U Akbar – Allah U Akbar (or Allahu Akbar) is an Islamic phrase that means “God is greater” or “God is greatest”. This opening song’s backdrop is built around a vocal sample of a man singing that phrase over hard drums and a bouncy bass line, as Sadat and Jamar each drop dope verses over it.

Ain’t No Mystery – Over a simple but effective backdrop built around a Wilson Pickett loop, Sadat and Jamar spit some of their 5 percent doctrine as they proclaim the black man as God (or god?) and take shots at the Christian doctrine as well. I don’t agree with most of their theories on this one, but I love Sadat’s line “whose the clown that didn’t paint Jesus brown?”. Dope.

Meaning Of The 5% – This interlude takes a portion of a sermon from Louis Farrakhan that explains the basic foundation of the 5 Percent doctrine. I love the epic instrumental (which is built around a loop from Marvin Gaye’s  Trouble Man Soundtrack) placed underneath it.

Pass The Gat – Sadat X and Lord Jamar are ready to spark the revolution, spitting hard and sharp bars over this dark and rough backdrop. I love the saxophone loop and the vocal sample on the hook (“Gimme the gat so I can smoke this muthafucka”…is that from Boyz N The Hood?). As the kids say, this one goes hard.

Black Star Line – This one is sort of an ode to (and named after) Marcus Garvey’s short-lived steamship line that was designed to transport blacks back to Africa, as well as provide a means for them to exchange goods in services in the early 1900’s. There’s your history lesson for the day. As far as the song goes, if there was one song that should have been left off the album, this is the one. I never cared much for the verses, Redd Foxx’s chanting or the boring instrumental.

Allah And Justice – Over a hand clap and a funky piano loop, Sadat and Jamar semi sing some of the words from Abdul Noor’s book The Supreme Understanding: The Teaching of Islam in North America. Not a great song, and even if you don’t agree with (or quite understand) Brand Nubian’s religious rhetoric, you’ll enjoy the funky instrumental.

The Godz… – The eerie loop and pulsating bass line give the backdrop a dusty and dark feel, as Lord Jamar and Sadat X flex all over it. After the first verse, Jamar does a pretty good Snoop Dogg impersonation (was he taking a shot?), but Sadat steals the show with his last verse. This one sounds better today than it did 20 plus years ago.

The Travel Jam – On this one the duo discuss the preparation and adventures that take place when they travel around the world to perform. I actually got a chance to watch Brand Nubian perform at a show a few years ago, and it was pretty bad, and not the bad that means good. They showed up over an hour late, none of them (including Puba, who was with them) seemed to be prepared or focused on their performance, and they kept checking their cellphones the whole time, like a text, Facebook post or Instagram pic couldn’t wait to be read later. It was really bad, but it was free, so I guess I can’t complain that much. Back to song: after “Black Star Line” this is my least favorite song on In God We Trust.

Brand Nubian Rock The Set – Brand Nubian hooks up and rocks over the same Cal Tjader loop Naughty By Nature used for “Pin The Tail On The Donkey”, and I must say, I prefer Kay Gee’s interpretation to BN’s. Even though the song is only average, it was still nice to hear Jamar and Sadat let their hair down without any true topic and just spit bars (I still chuckle when I hear Sadat’s line “the first round pick, why’d the Knicks trade Rod Strick?” You youngins probably have no idea what that means. For today’s episode of Kids Korner google: Rod Strickland).

Love Me Or Leave Me Alone – This was the second single released from In God We Trust. Over a beautiful, almost heavenly backdrop, the duo give the women of their affection the ultimatum posed in the song title, and both provide some pretty entertaining lines along the way. Now this is how a hip-hop love song is supposed to be done. Classic.

Steal Ya’ Ho – The Nubian brothers use the same Five Stairsteps loop used on Positive K’s “A Flower Grows In Brooklyn” a few months prior. After Lord Jamar slips and slides all over the track with slick lyrics and a smooth delivery (Am I the only one that finds it weird and slightly ironic, that the black militant 5 percenter, Lord Jamar first, brags about Sincere’s sexual stamina, and secondly, credits the Irish beer Guinness Stout, for his DJ’s ability to last long while in the sack with the ladies? Hmm…), Sadat hits it second with his unorthodox off beat flow, and is just as effective as his partner. These dudes are usually super serious, so it’s a nice change of pace to see them do a fun record like this.

Steady Bootleggin’ – Once upon a time, before the internet and downloads ruled the land, cassette tapes and cds (and vinyl) were the standard forms of music media. I personally still prefer cds over iTunes purchases, because I read liner notes and appreciate cover art work, and it just feels good to hold a physical copy of an album in my hand, dammit. But with these old school forms of media came the threat of people being able to bootleg your music (meaning make an unauthorized and usually less than quality copy of an album to sell without the artist or record label knowing). Brand Nubian addresses that issue on this song in great detail (Sadat even questions if the record companies are involved) and let the culprits know to prepare for a beatdown if they ever catch them selling their shit.

Black And Blue – Over a stripped down but dope backdrop, Sadat and Jamar each spit a verse about a crooked black cop whose crookiness they deem worthy of a beat down, giving double meaning to the song title. This one sounds just as dope today as it did back then.

Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down – Sadat X and Lord Jamar use this lead single to let those who think they’re “two soft new jacks” and that because Puba left the group the  “Nubian reign” is over, to guess again. This is one of two songs on In God We Trust that was not produced by Brand Nubian, as Diamond D gets the production credit for this one. The album version uses a different Lou Donaldson loop than the single version (both produced by Diamond D), and I prefer the single’s instrumental over the album’s. I always thought it was strange that this was placed at the end of the album. Regardless, this is still a hip-hop classic.

Grand Puba leaving Brand Nubian might have been the best thing that ever happen to Lord Jamar and Sadat X’s emcee careers. On One For All, Puba’s witty bars and polished flow dominated the album (hell, the second half of the album was basically a Puba solo project), leaving his partners in rhyme as an after thought in the background. In Puba’s absence, Jamar and Sadat are forced to step up, and they show and prove that they are more than capable of holding down an album without the Grand man. Speaking of the Grand man, In God We Trust has a much more serious tone without him, as the duo had a lot of topics to address and don’t waste too many verses on boasting and nonsense. Not only is the duo’s lyrical output impressive but their dusty brand of boom-bap backdrops are just as quality. Pound for pound, In God We Trust is arguably a stronger album than their debut, and an underappreciated classic from one hip-hop’s most underappreciated groups.

-Deedub

1993 has gotten off to a colorful start. We started the year in a Blue Funk but now we move on to a Black Mafia Life.

When it comes to west coast gangster rap and the G-funk sound, Above The Law should receive more credit for helping usher in both movements. Instead, the California collective is often overlooked and forgotten when that conversation comes up.

Above The Law, which originally consisted of Cold 187um, KM.G, Laylaw, Total K-oss and Go Mack, formed in the mid eighties in Pomona, California where they begin to develop their sound and hone their skills when they weren’t on the streets hustling. The group would eventually cross paths with Eazy-E and sign a deal on his Ruthless Records label, where they would release their critically acclaimed debut album Livin’ Like Hustlers in 1989 (which is alleged to have sold platinum, but I was unable to confirm that on RIAA’s website), followed by their 1991 EP Vocally Pimpin’, which many consider to be the first officially released G-Funk influenced album. I’ve never heard either of those releases in their entirety, but first became familiar with Above The Law with their 1993 second full length release Black Mafia Life.

Black Mafia Life was produced by their lead emcee Cold 187um (with a co-production credit going to Above The Law). Like Livin’ Like Hustlers, Black Mafia Life is also alleged to have gone platinum, but I couldn’t find evidence of this on the RIAA website either.

Rest in peace to KM.G who passed away in 2012.

Black Triangle – The album opens with this intro, that has Go Mack explaining the meaning of the Black Mafia Life in a few different distorted voices.

Never Missin’ A Beat – The instrumental that this one opens with is as funky as a thousand pounds of diarrhea and should have been made into its own song and spit over. Instead, after about a minute and a half of audio perfection (I manually looped this on cassette for my guys and I to spit over back in the day), 187 drops a completely different backdrop built around a loop from Funkadelic’s “(Not Just) Knee Deep” and handles this one dolo. Cold 187um isn’t the greatest emcee but his high pitch melodic delivery mixed with his pimp sensibilities make him interesting to listen to as he tiptoes over the quality backdrop.

Why Must I Feel Like Dat – KM.G joins Cold 187um on this one as they tag team mic, repping for Tha Pimp Clinic.  KM.G mentions that a “P-Funk tape wakes me up every morning”, which becomes evident pretty quickly, as Funkadelic/Parliament loops and references are laced throughout Black Mafia Life. This song uses a loop from Parliament’s “I Can Move You (If You Let Me)” and a vocal sample from George Clinton’s classic “Atomic Dog”.

Commin’ Up – 187um goes dolo again on this one (with a few adlibs provided by KM.G) as he talks about the lessons he’s learned chasing the almighty dollar as a gangster and pimp. The slightly out of tune piano loop in the backdrop creates a dark feel and compliments 187’s content well. RBX would have sounded nice rhyming next to 187 on this, but it’s still sick as is.

Pimpology 101 – Over a smooth instrumental, 187 and KM.G give shout outs to some of their peeps (which includes a dude named Amp, who 187 hilariously rhymes “without him don’t you know that we would be on food stamps”). It was kind of weird to hear a shout out song placed a third of the way through the album. It kind of works as a pleasant intermission, giving you a chance to run to the fridge or take a bathroom break before the show continues.

Call It What U Want – ATL invites Tupac and Money B to join them on this one as they each spit a verse over a backdrop built around a deep bass line and a funky guitar loop. Neither Tupac or Money B (or KM.G) sound that impressive, but 187um shines, referencing childhood game quotes (“clear the smoke, and grab a fool by his throat, and don’t let him go until he holla holla Billygoat”) and hilariously scolds Money B for questioning him on choosing to be a gangster. Not the strongest song on the album, but decent.

Harda U R Tha Doppa U Faal – Over a hard funk backdrop, 187 and KM.G pass the mic back and forth like a hot potato, and sound pretty good in the process. This is one of those songs you might not feel the first few times you listen to it, but it will quickly grow on you; plus it sounds real nice when you bang it in the whip.

Game Wreck-Oniz-Iz Game –  Over a slightly zany Cold 187 backdrop, ATL invites Eazy-E and Kokane to join them on this cipher cut. Eazy-E bats first (and even though he doesn’t sound great, his verse on this song sounds miles better than anything he spit on the horrendous 5150 Home 4 Tha Sick), with an animated Kokane going second, followed by KM.G, then 187 rapping things up. Not a great song, but tolerable.

Pimp Clinic – After a distorted voiced Go Mack (I think?) rambles on for a minute or so at the opening of this song, a dope beat drops, and just as you begin to nod your head and screw your face in enjoyment, it ends and morphs into a boring pile of dread. Interestingly, 187’s instrumental uses the same Parliament loop Dr. Dre would use on “Let Me Ride”, but it’s not nearly as affective.

V.S.O.P. – On the lead single from Black Mafia Life, ATL gives their favorite cognac some love (I wonder if they were compensated for the promotion). Even though 187 and KM.G’s verses have absolutely nothing to do with the liquor, they still sound pretty entertaining spitting over the One Way “Cutie Pie” influenced funk instrumental.

Process Of Elimination (Untouchakickamurdaqtion) – For the first time on Black Mafia Life, ATL takes off their pimp hats and get into some old gangsta shit. The song opens with 187 and KM.G shaking down a chump named “Tow truck Tommy” (which I find to be a hilarious moniker) who owes them money, and when they find out he’s short on what he owes, shots are fired. 187 lays down a hard and dark instrumental that he, KM.G and special guest, MC Ren exchange murder tales over. The New Jack City sound bite placed at the end of the song was a nice touch. I have no idea what the part of the song title in parentheses means, but this one is still pretty entertaining.

G’s & Macaronies – This is KM.G’s solo cut, but 187 makes sure his presence is felt as his adlibs are laced throughout the song. Based on the song title alone, I think you’re bright enough to figure out what this song is about. Thanks to the mediocre instrumental and rhymes, I don’t care much for this one.

G-Rupies Best Friend – Kokane returns to help 187 and KM.G continue their ongoing discussion of pimping. Not really a fan of this one either.

Mee Vs. My Ego – 187 and KM.G discuss the civil war that goes on between their true self and their gangsta/pimp alter egos. Speaking of alter ego, 187 starts his verse with his standard rap voice and by the midway point goes into a Shabba Ranks type chant, and it actually sounds pretty nice (did he say he can’t go to heaven with a dirty dick?). The backdrop is built around a sample of Taana Gardner’s “Heartbeat”, but 187’s flip of the loop sounds harder than those who used it before him.

Outro – Black Mafia Life ends with KM.G and Go Mack (I think?) sharing a few parting words as 187’s pleasant and smooth instrumental plays underneath them.

Cold 187um brings his own brand of G-funk to Black Mafia Life, and with the exception of a few songs, his production bangs. Lyrically, he and KM.G rarely go beyond gangster posturing and pimp talk, but 187’s animated style keeps most of the songs interesting. Black Mafia Life may be three or so tracks too long but it’s still a solid effort from the self-proclaimed untouchable crew, and in my opinion, underappreciated.

-Deedub

We last heard from Heavy D & The Boyz in 1991 with the Peaceful Journey album. The album was dedicated to (well, at least the album title) Heavy’s backup dancer and friend, Trouble T-Roy, who died in a tragic accident in 1990. Despite the pain and sadness that came with their loss, Peaceful Journey would go on to earn Hev and crew their second consecutive platinum plaque.

In 1993 Heavy D & The Boyz would return with their fourth release, Blue Funk. The title is an expression that even though the group was still mourning their fallen brother (as the album cover and the artwork throughout the liner notes would indicate), the music (or funk) most go on, which is a pretty dope album title and concept. Heavy would recruit some heavy hitters to produce the album, including Premo and his cousin, Pete Rock. The album received pretty solid reviews, and even though it didn’t sell as well as his previous two albums, it would still earned Hev a gold plaque.

It’s been nearly 5 years and it’s still hard to believe that Heavy is gone.

Truthful – It’s only right that the overweight lover starts Blue Funk off discussing love. On this one, Hev finds out that the woman he fell in love with is not who he thought she was. Tony Dofat slides Heavy D a decent backdrop that manages to turn into an overly r&b saturated joint when Terri Robinson (from the short-lived eighties group The Gyrlz) shows up to sing the hook. Someone named Phat Doug (who I thought was Kid Capri) adds some unnecessary adlibs on the hook, which starts to become annoying by the midway point. Not a big fan of this one.

Who’s The Man? – This was the lead single from Blue Funk. MTV’s Dr. Dre and Ed Lover released a movie a few months after Blue Funk was released with the same title as this song. Heavy had a song on that soundtrack, but not this one (the soundtrack would include a song from House of Pain, titled “Who’s The Man?”). Tony Dofat’s instrumental is cool, but this is definitely not one of the strongest songs on the album.

Talk Is Cheap – Heavy opens this one chanting lines from reggae artists Chaka Demus & Pliers’ classic “Bam Bam”, and then drops what may be some of the roughest rhyme in his catalog on this one. “So Money knock it off with the tough guy imagery, you think I aint tough cause I don’t talk tough? Scrimmage me”. But don’t expect hard bars from Hev throughout, as he spits his share of nonsense on this one as well. Shoutout to Skeff Anselm, who gets credit for the understated but enjoyable backdrop.

Girl – Heavy gets his chant on over this reggae flavored instrumental. In the interview interlude before the song starts, Heavy explains to the interviewer how important the black woman is to the black man. Then he spends the length of the song praising the black woman’s beauty and waistline, while offering up his phone number (shallow much). Then he completely abandons his praise of only black women and begins to shout out Japanese and Indian women as well. Not that I’m opposed to it (there are beautiful woman of every ethnicity), but it kind of shits on everything he talks about in the interlude before the song. Never really cared much for this song and I still don’t.

It’s A New Day – The title of this song is kind of odd, considering all of Heavy’s verses are about the crime and violence that takes place in the hood. Heavy’s last verse is based on the true life event of his brother being murdered, which is pretty sad. Pete Rock is responsible for the instrumental (and he uses the same Jimmy McGriff loop that he used on Redman’s “How To Roll A Blunt”), which is decent, at best. I can appreciate the sentiment, but I never really cared for this one either.

Who’s In The House – This is probably my favorite Heavy D song of all time (even if he didn’t punctuate the title with a question mark) and easily my favorite song on Blue Funk. Tony Dofat slides the Heavster an instrumental that is equally melancholy as it is upbeat, and completely what I would expect to hear when I think of the term “Blue Funk”. Heavy sounds right at home over the up-tempo backdrop, flipping words like a limber gymnast, even though half of his words aren’t real words. Heavy, who is better known for his flow than his lyricism, drops a few clever punch lines on this one (“I never run, I never ran, cause I’m not the running man, I can do more than one, so call me Toucan Sam”). This is one of those songs that I can listen to a million times and never get tired of it.

Love Sexy – Pete Rock builds this instrumental around a nasty loop from Hamilton Bohannon’s “Singing A Song For My Mother”. Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs used it for “I Got To Have It”, but the way PR flips it (combined with the seductive female voices on the hook) gives it a much sexier feel then the former. PR’s instrumental matches the song title perfectly, while Heavy sounds like he had no idea what the concept was for the song.

Slow Down – I never really cared for this one. Jesse West’s instrumental kind of drags and his inclusion of the regurgitated Lafayette Afro Rock Band saxophone loop (see Wreckx-N-Effect’s “Rump Shaker” and N2Deep’s “Back To The Hotel”) was misguided. When you add that to Heavy’s ingenuine (and borderline nonsensical) verses about relationships and the subpar harmonies from Terri Robinson and a Tabitha Brace, this one quickly becomes underwhelming.

Silky – Heavy drops more random rhymes and jibber jabber, in an attempt to convince the listener that he has lyrical potency. Jesse West build this instrumental around a loop from King Floyd’s “Groove Me”, which one would think would result in a pretty funky backdrop. Unfortunately, it’s not that impressive. This one is forgettable.

Here Comes The Heavster – Premo slides Hev some old rough slickness for this one. Matter of fact, it’s so slick that Hev felt the need to slow down his rapping pace and brings his vocal tone down an octave to accommodate it. Hev is cool on this one (literally and figuratively), but Premo’s brilliant backdrop is was carriers the song.

Blue Funk – Heavy sounds like he’s on a first date, as he talks about what he likes to eat (chicken soup), do in his leisure time (take spins in his Lexus, watch cartoons and listen to Bob Marley records) and his future plans for a family (“when the time is right I’d like to have a little Heavster”). PR’s backdrop for the title track and second single is dope and exactly what I’d imagine blue funk would sound like.

Yes Y’all – Premo gets his second and final production credit on Blue Funk, revisiting the Aretha Franklin loop he used on the “92 Interlude” from Daily Operation. And Heavy, does Heavy. This concludes what was a wicked three song production combo, brought to you by two of the greatest to ever do it. Come to think of it, Blue Funk is one of only three albums, that I can think of, that feature production from both Pete Rock and Premier (with Illmatic and Termanology’s Politics As Usual, being the other two). If you can’t think of any others, hit me in the comments.

A Buncha Niggas – Heavy closes Blue Funk with this cipher cut, inviting 3rd Eye (which is the emcee alias for producer Jesse West, who also produced this track), Guru, Biggie Smalls, Rob-O and Busta Rhymes to join in the party. It’s kind of eerie listening to this song now, considering three of the seven emcees involved are now dead. At this point Biggie was still finding himself and sounds like a more animated version of Mr Funke from Lords Of The Underground (see “Gimmie The Loot”). Speaking of animated, Busta Rhymes (who after his energetic contribution to ATCQ’s “Scenario” was quickly becoming a cameo whore) gets the last verse of the song and tries to make it work off of his energy alone, but without decent bars, he falls flat. Come to think of it, none of the emcees on this one sound impressive. West’s instrumental is cool, but it could have used a tighter mix; as is, the more monotone emcee’s (Guru and Rob O) vocals are hard to hear because the instrumental drowns them out.

Blue Funk is my favorite Heavy D album and the purist hip-hop album in his catalog, but that doesn’t mean it’s without flaws. There are a few r&b flavored joints that could have been left off and a handful of other mediocre songs (including the watered down closing cipher joint) that I could do without. Thankfully, Premo, Pete Rock and Tony Dofat (who may have out done the former two with his backdrop on “Who’s In The House”) provide a nice dosage of heat for the overweight lover to spit over, bringing balance to Blue Funk.

Heavy ends Blue Funk with this quote: “When I’m over, when it’s done and said, when I’ve made my last album because you don’t appreciate the music no more, I will step away. But I’m not going to step away without someone saying “that nigga Heavy D, was rough in his day”. I don’t know if “rough” is the best adjective to describe Heavy D, but there is no denying his charisma, dope voice, solid delivery and showmanship. All attributes that will cement his lasting legacy in hip-hop. Rest in peace.

-Deedub

Cousins, Kelton McDonald and Deon Barnett, respectively know as KK and D (or Gangsta D), and together as 2nd II None, were the home boys of fellow Compton native, DJ Quik. After Profile Records heard Quik’s now legendary “The Red Tape” (which has multiple meanings, including being a shoutout to the Piru Blood set that both Quik and 2nd II None rep), they signed him to what was at the time, the label’s most lucrative deal. 2nd II None, who appeared on “The Red Tape”, would also sign with Profile, releasing their self titled debut album in the fall of 1991.

DJ Quik would handle the production duties for the entire album, but unlike his debut album Quik Is The Name, 2nd II None would not have anywhere near the same level of commercial success as the former. 2nd II None would be the only album the duo would release on Profile. They would sign to Death Row Records, and like several other nineties acts, got lost in the shuffle and wouldn’t release a proper follow-up to 2nd II None until signing with Arista and releasing Classic 220 in 1999. And after eight long years, nobody was checking for them anymore.

I bought 2nd II None on cassette when it came out back in the day, but like most of my tapes, it fell victim to the teeth of my Walkman. A few months ago I stumbled upon a copy of the cd at Cheapos, and since it had been on my “want list” for sometime, it felt like destiny. And here we are.

Intro – To kicks things off, KK and D (in that order) each spit a quick verse about foes, hoes, and more hoes, over a nasty Quik instrumental.

More Than A Player – Warning: pimps and hoes are very popular subjects throughout 2nd II None. On the first official song of the evening, KK and D use their verses to discuss just that. Quik samples a portion of Al Green’s “Love And Happiness” for the solid backdrop.

If You Want It – The moral of this song is summed up best by the last line of the song: “Young hoochies, we love coochies, if we want it, let us up on it”. Quik samples the same Isaac Hayes record the Geto Boys would use a few months prior on, what is without question the biggest hit in their catalog (“Mind Playing Tricks On Me”), but of course Quik’s interpretation has a cleaner and smoother feel than the southern trio’s take. After listening to this song once you’ll be stuck bobbing your head while singing the soft porn hook. Resistance is futile.

Be True To Yourself – This was the lead single from 2nd II None. The duo temporarily deviate from their favorite subject (hoes) to discuss the importance of one being true to him/herself. KK spits a verse about a chick who spends all her money flossin’ to keep up with the Jones’, and after blowing all her money she can’t afford to get her hair done, to which K says “now you’re unhappy cause your head all nappy”; after all these years that simple but effective line still cracks me up. Quik continues his streak of dope production, as he builds this beauty around a vintage Curtis Mayfield loop. This one sounds better today than it did back in ’91. Fine wine, baby.

Let The Rhythm Take You – AMG (who sounds a lot better than I remembered him sounding) joins KK and D on this one, as they each get a verse and drop lines over yet another brilliant DJ Quik produced backdrop. The crispy clean melodic instrumental is so pleasing to the ear, no one should have a problem following the instructions given in the song title.

Comin’ Like This – Quik, AMG, and Hi-C join 2nd II None for this cipher joint, as they collectively rep the 304 Posse over a dope reggae tinged instrumental. None of them are amazing emcees, but Quik, who is easily the most polished of the group, steals the show with his swift flow on the second verse.

Underground Terror – The Compton duo give us their version of battle raps on this one, and neither one of them provide any memorable quotes. The instrumental (which uses a rarely used sample of Marvin Gaye’s “Life Is For Learning”) is decent but not as potent as the first six songs on the album.

Just Ain’t Me – Never liked this one and I still don’t today.

The Life Of A Player – Quik samples The Fatback Band’s “I like Girls” and turns it into another nasty backdrop, as his buddies continue to talk about pimpin’ bitches and mackin’ hoes. By this point KK and D’s repetitive content starts to become a bit too much, but just ignore them and enjoy the instrumental.

Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong – The song title and the funky smooth sample, both come from KC & the Sunshine Band. While KC and company’s content was clean and innocent, D, KK and Quik’s verses give the song title a much raunchier meaning.

What Goes Up – D and KK share a few tales of those who were once on top but didn’t stay level-headed and eventually hit rock bottom. D’s last verse is about a church girl who gets wrapped up with a drug dealer, and D curiously points out that she was “seventeen but she lookeded twenty”. No, “lookeded” was not a typo, that is actually how D says it, which unfortunately gives merit to the Young Black Teenagers’ use of “likeded”  (click here to read that post). And what exactly are the physical differences between a seventeen and twenty year old bodies? Hell, I’ve seen thirteen year old girls built like grown women. The line might have gone over better had he said thirty, or at least twenty-five… and if he said “looked” instead of “lookeded”. The instrumental is built around a frequently used James Brown loop and a vocal sample from Blood, Sweat & Tears’ “Spinning Wheel”.  Decent song, but definitely one of my least favorites on the album.

Mystic – Quik builds a mysterious instrumental around a loop from Bobbi Humphrey’s “My Little Girl”, which serves as the perfect backdrop for D and KK’s story about a pretty young seductive girl named Mystic. This was a nice.

Punk Mutha Fuckaz – This one is both a dedication to the dead homies and to those who killed and turned their back on the dead homies. I know that last sentence sounds weird, but listen to the song and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. The instrumental isn’t terrible, but it pales when compared to the incredible production work on the songs before it.

Niggaz Trippin’ – 2nd II None ends the evening with another posse joint, which features the same players involved on “Comin’ Like This”. AMG comes with a nice off beat flow and delivers another decent verse and takes what sounds like a shot, at Too Short (“I don’t joke when I talk about poking, I’m too tall cause I aint from Oakland”). Not a huge fan of the instrumental (which is built around a loop from Tom Tom Club’s “Genius Of Love”), but I’ve heard worse.

D and KK are mediocre emcees at best. Luckily, they were friends with (who would become) one of hip-hop’s most prolific producers, who was gracious enough to lace them with his crispy clean sonic brilliance throughout 2nd II None. If you’re looking for superior lyricism, you’ve come to the wrong spot. But if you’re willing to overlook 2nd II None’s mediocrity and juvenile content in exchange for exceptional production, you’ll appreciate 2nd II None.

-Deedub

I first heard of the Young Black Teenagers when they appeared on an episode of The Phil Donahue Show back in the day. I’m not sure what the specific topic of the show was, but I remember seeing five white guys dressed in baggy jeans, hoodies and Timberland boots, take to the mic and share their theory that being black in a state of mind, and because they were of the “black mind state”, they considered themselves black. Even as a snot nose kid I knew their theory was bullshit.

I never checked for them, mainly because of their ridiculous theory, and the fact that I thought they were corny in general. Then a few years ago I read an article and found out that the YBT’s (which consisted of New York natives Kamron, Firstborn and Tommy Never on the mic, and DJ Skribble and ATA on the turntables) were the first act signed to Bomb Squad member, Hank Shocklee’s label, SOUL, which ironically is an acronym for Sound Of Urban Listeners.

Not only were they signed to Shocklee’s label, but the Bomb Squad would also handle the production duties for pretty much the entire album. Unlike most of the other melanin challenged emcees before them, the Young Black Teenagers would not reap the same level of commercial success, as the album failed to chart and wouldn’t even go wood. They would take one more shot at it in 1993, with their sophomore effort Dead Enz Kidz Doin’ Lifetime Bidz, which would do a little better than the debut album, thanks to the mild hit “Tap The Bottle”; but that would be the last release from the YBT’s as a group. Kamron would go on to deejay and produce tracks for the likes of Public Enemy, Ice Cube, Jill Scott and 50 Cent, to name a few, while DJ Skribble would go on to become a prominent deejay, working for MTV, winning deejay battles and releasing several solo albums and mixed tapes.

But the question remains: is Young Black Teenagers worth the wax it was recorded on?

Punks, Lies & Video Tape – Kamron, Firstborn and Tommy Never each take a verse to complain about the lack of radio and video play the YBT’s get (yes kids, there was a time long before YouTube that artist looked for exposure on BET and MTV), crediting the reason for the blackball to their explicit content and for thinking they actually had black balls. Just like the YBT’s verses, the Bomb Squad’s instrumental is also just mediocre.

Korner Groove – The Bomb Squad slides the YBT’s a sick instrumental to spit on, as they pass the mic around the crew like a blunt. And even though none of them say anything worth quoting, their energy is nice. But the real star of this one is the delicious Bomb Squad backdrop.

Traci – Our hosts dedicate this one to a garden tool around the way named Traci. Well, at least the first two verses are dedicated to her. On the final verse, Kamron goes on a side trip and starts spitting battle rhymes. Curiously, the YBT’s chose to censor the curses in this song, or maybe that was a clause that came with permission for using one of the samples in the song. The Bomb Squad’s zany instrumental is decent and sounds nothing like their traditionally sample busy backdrops. Not a terrible song but you probably won’t need to listen to this one more than once.

First Stage Of A Rampage Called The Rap Rage – This is the first song of the evening that the YBT’s actually claim to be black (“I got a question that’s kind of outrageous, about stages of blackness…are you kicking black from the heart or because you want to be a part of a fad, or a trend?”, “So take that you dirty rat, in fact, I said it and I meant it, I’m proud to be black”). They also do this annoying thing were they rap over each other, and it makes it nearly impossible to understand what anyone is saying. The instrumental is kind of dope, and probably would have really shined had more talented emcees finessed it. By the way, the song title is way too wordy and would have been in the running for worst song title had I done a best and worst for 1991.

Nobody Knows Kelli – On this one, the fellas spit nonsensical tales about Bart Simpson and banging Kelly Bundy (who was quite the hottie in the early nineties). Yeah, it sounds as cheesy at it reads. At least the Bomb Squad provide a decent backdrop.

Daddy Kalled Me Niga Cause I Likeded To Rhyme – I have all types of issues with this song. Let me start with the song title: the fact that five white boys thought it was cool to use the n-word in the their song is a problem; and what’s up with “likeded”? Is that how they think black people talk? Secondly, during their verses they have the nerve to consider things like walking with a limp, drinking 40’s, rocking dreads and wearing their hats backwards as attributes that define black. Nigga, please. Their Pops were right for calling them wannabees, and Hank should be ashamed of himself for letting this shit pass.

Chillin’ Wit My Posse – Over a reggae flavored instrumental, Firstborn takes on his self-proclaimed “pale face roster” flow. I’ve heard worst, but I’m still offended by the shit they said in the previous song.

Mack Daddy Don Of The Underworld – Tommy Never gets a solo shot on this one and plays a Mafioso emcee, as he brags about his rhyme prowess and takes out rival crews and competitors with his lyrical tommy gun. Tommy’s rhymes are mediocre at best, but the instrumental is lovely.

Loud And Hard To Hit – This one is very forgettable.

My TV Went Black And White On Me – Firstborn (I think?) goes dolo and spits one verse to discuss a few of the injustices blacks experience in the American justice systems, and of course he puts himself in the black category. The instrumental is decent but I struggle with Firstborn’s content. There is truth in his verse, but for the millions of African-American brothers (including myself) who have been prejudged, profiled, stereotyped, overlooked and mistreated simply because the color of their skin, it’s hard to hear a white guy group himself with “us” and limit the black struggle to a mind state. I’m just sayin’.

Proud To Be Black – The Bomb Squad loop up a piece of James Brown’s “The Boss” for the YBT’s to profess their “black pride”. Awkward.

To My Donna – Kamron and Firstborn dedicate this one to a chick name Donna, as they attempt to finesse her out of her panties. I normally think it’s pretty corny when an artist has a moaning woman on the track, but the moaning kind of works with this sensual instrumental. This was sexy.

My Color TV – This is the just the instrumental version of “My TV Went Black And White On Me”. And we’re done.

For the most part, the Bomb Squad provides decent to solid production for most of Young Black Teenagers, which is a good thing, considering that is really the only reason I bought the album in the first place. As expected, the YBT’s are the demise of Young Black Teenagers. It’s not that their terrible emcees, but their underwhelming song concepts combined with their warped theory on blackness leaves too much to swallow. Hank Shocklee still deserves a mouth shot for letting them say “nigga” on a record, though.

-Deedub

We last left Run DMC in 1988 with their fourth release, Tougher Than Leather. The album wasn’t as commercially successful as their previous album Raising Hell, but it still would earn the boys from Hollis another platinum plaque. I personally thought it was an okay listen, that hit just about as often as it missed. The trio would return in 1990 with their fifth release Back From Hell, which they would also handled the bulk of the production duties on.

Before Run, DMC and Jay went in the studio to begin recording Back From Hell, their was conflict amongst the crew. By this time, they weren’t getting along as well, Jay allegedly owed the IRS over $100,000 in back taxes, Run was struggling with depression and D started to develop a drinking problem. On top of each their personal issues, Jay and Run thought it was time to update the Run DMC sound, meaning copy the popular trends of the time, while D wanted to stay true to the formula that the world came to love Run DMC by. Ultimately, Jay and Run would win the civil war and (by Run DMC standards)Back From Hell flopped and received negative reviews from the critics, which I’m sure left DMC with a “I told you so” grin on his face.

Considering I’m already not a huge Run DMC fan and what I wrote about the flopping and negative reviews, I’m not looking forward to this listen.

Sucker D.J.’s – Back From Hell opens with an intro that has DMC talking and dropping a few rhymes over pretty much the same instrumental they used for their first hit record “Sucker M.C.’s”.

The Ave. – Run and DMC discuss the perils and happenings of the street life on this one, and neither of them sound authentic in doing so. Further more, the backdrop (which is built around a loop from The J.B’s & Fred Wesley’s “Same Beat”) is a bit too laid back for the duo’s content.

What’s It All About – This one picks up where “The Ave” leaves off. Only Run and D briefly make mention of the KKK, Mandela’s freedom and the newly fallen Berlin Wall, to give it a world-wide feel. Imagine a hip-hop version of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, only not as good (and neither song ends the question asked in the title with a question mark…grrrrr). DMC completely abandons the song’s original concept on the third verse, as he goes on a tangent about those that question he and his team’s relevance, dropping enough f-bombs in one verse to make Richard Pryor and Sam Kinison roll over in their graves. The instrumental is built around a loop from The Stone Roses “Fools Gold”, and the bass line is pretty nice. Glen Friedman (who was the group’s photographer) and Russell Simmons are given co-production credit for this one, along with Run DMC and Jam Master Jay.

Bob Your Head – Along with Run DMC and Jam Master Jay, Frankie Inglese gets a co-production credit on this instrumental that is built around a loop from James Brown’s “Popcorn With A Feeling”, and it’s pretty sick. Run and DMC don’t say anything memorable and their verses sound like they had nothing to say.

Faces – This was the third and final single released from Back From Hell. Over a New Jack swing r&b flavored instrumental (that Stanley Brown gets his first production credit of the evening over), Run, DMC and Jam Master Jay, each spit a verse about the different faces they’ve come in contact with through their journeys. Not a great song, but I’ve definitely heard worse bad rap and r&b joints.

Kick The Frama Lama Lama – Over a sick instrumental, Run opens the song spitting a nonsensical verse about alligators and the Flintstones’ domestic disputes. D follows with a public service announcement about the importance of wearing your jimmy hats. Run then takes the third verse and sounds like he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, going for the neck of someone (or anyone) that thinks Run DMC fell off. It was both funny and entertaining to hear the good Reverend threaten to “run this ruler up your ass to measure the shit you’re poppin'”.

Pause – This was the first single released from Back From Hell. Each of the trio spit a verse with a different meaning for the word that makes up the song title: Jay turns the word into a dance, D instructs those using drugs to pause, and I’m not sure what the hell Run’s verse is about. The instrumental (with another production credit going to Stanley Brown and Davy-D) has a bit of an r&b feel to it (I actually like the keyboard chords that come in at the end of DMC and Jay’s verses), but I found it decent.

Word Is Born – For those not familiar with hip-hop in the nineties, the phrase “word is bond”, which simply means you stand by and put everything on the words you speak, was a popular term used by hip-hoppers in that era. I’m not sure what the hell “word is born” means. My guess is our hosts were trying to sound hip and thought they were saying the phrase correctly, but I digress. Over a funky up-tempo instrumental (that kind of reminds me of LL’s “Jingling Baby (Remix)”), Run uses his verse to call out drug dealers, while D uses his to brag about his emcee prowess and call out wack emcees. Once again, our hosts don’t leave us any quotables, but the backdrop in nice.

Back From Hell – For this title song, Run and D tell the stories of three convicts’ prison experiences. Neither Run or DMC are great storytellers, and I’m not sure how the content on this song ties into the album’s overall concept, but the instrumental is hard and sick.

Don’t Stop – Over a cheesy r&b instrumental, Run and DMC attempt to give the listener words of encouragement to help push them through whatever he or she may be facing. Aaron Hall stops by to sing the hook, but even his crooning can’t save this hot mess of a song. Come to think of it, he probably adds more heat to the burning mess.

Groove To The Sound – Speaking of Aaron Hall, this one sounds like it may have sampled his voice from Guy’s “Groove Me” and imbedded it in the backdrop (which also samples one of hip-hop’s favorite sources, Bob James’ “Nautilus”). Neither Run or D impress on the mic, but the instrumental is nice, which is starting to become a running theme.

P Upon A Tree – Silly DMC interlude.

Naughty – Garbage.

Livin’ In The City – Over a very mediocre instrumental, DMC get’s a rare solo moment,  spitting one quick verse on what the title suggest. Hood politics seems to be a popular topic on Back From Hell.

Not Just Another Groove – I have a sneaking suspicion that Stanley Brown is more responsible for the production on this one (and the other three songs he’s listed as a co-producer on) than Run DMC, as all 4 of the songs he’s credited for, have a strong r&b vibe to them. Similar to “Pause”, I kind of like this instrumental, but completely understand if you think it’s garbage. Unfortunately, Run and DMC don’t add much to it lyrically. Considering the song title, It was kind of ironic that they drop random rhymes over the beat and then suddenly at the end of the song try to make it seem like this song actually had a message, instructing the listener to throw up the peace sign while chanting “stop the violence”.

Party Time – The fellas end Back From Hell with a hot mess of a song that Run even refers to as “bullshit”, as the song comes to an end.

Back From Hell reminds me of the “Return Of The King” episode from season 1 of The Boondocks. In this episode, Aaron McGruder explores the scenario that MLK didn’t die in the assassination attempt, but instead was left in a coma and finally comes out of it in the new millennium, where he struggles to adjust to a new America (“Huey, I don’t know if I need a 2o gig Ipod or a 40 gig”). On Back From Hell, it’s evident that the Kings of rock, who ruled the eighties, are trying to find their lane as the new decade begins. Some of the production work on Back From Hell is actually pretty dope, but Run and DMC’s rhymes don’t sound authentic as they come off like O.G.’s trying to sound hip (and hard) by forcing curse words into their lines, unnecessarily. And for every “hardcore” song they have a danceable r&b track, intentionally trying to be all things to all people. That’s acceptable if you’re an Apostle trying to get souls into heaven. Not so much for a legendary groundbreaking hip-hop group just trying to fit in to move units.

-Deedub

Craig G is not a new comer to TimeIsIllmatic. He spit the lead off verse on the classic Juice Crew Posse cut “The Symphony”, and I reviewed his 1991 sophomore effort Now, That’s More Like a while back (If you’re interested in reading my thoughts on that album, click here). His debut album The Kingpin, has long been out of print and is a hard find, unless you’re willing to pay $30 or more for it on Amazon or Ebay, which I am not. As fate (or luck) would have it, I was able to find and buy a copy on Ebay for a very reasonable price and make it a part of my ever-growing but still very incomplete collection. And here we are.

Craig G was only sixteen years old when The Kingpin was released on Atlantic Records. His mentor, Marley Marl would handle the production duties for the entire project (random factoid: Craig G recorded his first record “Shout Rap” at the age of twelve, which was also produced by Marley Marl). Like it’s predecessor Now, That’s More Like It, Atlantic did little to promote The Kingpin, which would result in lackluster sells numbers.

I’ve waited long enough to hear this album, so without further adieu, let’s get into it.

Love Thang – The Kingpin opens with a feel good Marley instrumental that our host uses to display his storytelling abilities, sharing a few different scenarios loosely based on the subject of love. I say loosely because none of his verses are really about love, but the title does match the semi-catchy hook. Craig does a quality job of putting his verses together, and I like Marley’s bouncy bass line on this one.

Dopest Duo – Craig uses this one to brag about how dope he and his producer/fellow Queens brethren are with this hip-hop thing. Craig’s rhymes were decent but Marley’s instrumental is missing that umph to solidify them.

Rock The House – For those who lived through the mid eighties and early nineties, you’ll recall that house music, with all its repetitiveness and pulsating drum beats, was all the rave during that time period, and of course hip-hop sniffed the fad and dabbled with it (see Latifah’s “Come Into My House” and Jungle Brothers “I’ll House You”, just to name a few). On this one Craig spits his rhymes over a house beat, hence the title. And yes, it sounds just as corny as you think. Craig doesn’t sound that bad, but Marley’s instrumental is really bad.

First Day Of School – Craig reminisces about the childhood experience of summer coming to an end and preparing yourself (physically and mentally) for a new school year. Marley’s instrumental is driven by a bouncy bass line and an organ loop that stabs the beat ever so often. Cute song, but the instrumental doesn’t match Craig’s content.

Shootin’ The Gift – Marley hooks up a simple but funky guitar loop for Craig to recite his neatly written rhymes over. That’s all I got.

Slammin’ – More boasting from our host over a decent Marley Marl instrumental.

Turn This House Into A Home – Craig spills decent rhymes over another Marley house instrumental, but I don’t even think Rakim could have salvaged this hot mess of a backdrop. To add insult to injury, the hook is corn on the cob.

The Kingpin – Craig G takes his rhyming pace down a level and takes on a vocal tone that sounds similar to LL’s on “Going Back To Cali” and “I’m That Type Of Guy”; and it actually sounds dope. Matter of fact, I think this delivery sounds better than his standard one. Combine Craig’s rhymes with Marley’s slick instrumental, and this title track is a winner.

The Final Chapter – Based on the first line of the song (“After 11 songs had your brain captured, here’s the twelve one, this is called the Final Chapter”), Craig must have been planning to have this as the last song on the album, or maybe it was just the last song he recorded for The Kingpin. Regardless, he spits decent rhymes, but Marley’s mediocre backdrop kills the momentum.

Why’d You Have To Go? – TJ Swan must have blackmail pics of each member in the Juice Crew. There is no other explanation to why such a terrible vocalist has been granted the opportunity to sabotage several of the crew member’s songs with his atrocious cameos. I’ve always thought the dude sounded god-awful, but he takes off-key to another level on this one. I considered shooting myself to end the misery, but then I remembered all I had to do was hit the fast forward button. Craig G attempts to sound vulnerable as he reminisces on the love of his life who’s left him down and out in the dumps. Instead of sounding vulnerable, the shit just sounds cheesy, and Marley’s Casio keyboard instrumental makes it sound even cheesier. This was really bad. Think LL’s “I Need Love”, only ten times worst, and I’m not exaggerating.

Smooth – Decent.

The Blues – Craig G and Marley Marl end The Kingpin joking around on this silly outro.

Craig G is considered by many hip-hop historians to be a great freestyle and battle emcee. This may be true, but neither of those attributes are on display on The Kingpin. His written verses are cute and decent but not memorable, and definitely not potent enough to put him in the same conversation as some of his fellow Juice Crew brethren. Marley’s production work on The Kingpin (like much of his work prior to 1990) is lackluster and misses as often as it hits. It’s not that The Kingpin is a terrible album, it just lacks personality, which makes it easily forgettable.

-Deedub