Time Is Illmatic

After Cube dropped four niggas and started making all the dough, N.W.A. was still able to pick up the pieces and drop two controversial and very commercially successful projects without him. But by 1992 the seams begin to fall apart within the group, as Dre and Eazy (rip) fell out and begin to feud. Ren, who was a neutral party in the beef, was the first to release a solo project after the break up, with his solid debut ep Kizz My Black Azz (read my thoughts on it here). Eazy and Dre would both release their projects on the same day, but we’ll start with Eazy’s first solo project since his 1988 debut Eazy-Duz-It (an album I’ve still never heard in its entirety), an ep titled 5150 Home 4 Tha Sick.

5150 is a 5 song ep (even though the front cover calls it a “maxi-single”) which includes production from Naughty By Nature, Cold 187Um (I’ve always loved that moniker), Bobcat and Dr. Jam. With the exception of the last name (only because I’m not familiar with any of his work), the producer list looks pretty impressive. Unsurprisingly, the project would go on to earn Eazy a gold plaque.

This is my first time listening to 5150 in its entirety. I found it a few years ago for a few dollars at one of the spots I frequent, and since one of my collection projects is to collect all the albums of each member of N.W.A, I picked it up.

If all else fails, at least the beats on 5150 will bang. Right? Right??

Intro: New Year’s E-Vil – A distorted vocal Eazy E opens the show wishing everyone a Happy New Year and, without mentioning his name, extends a big middle finger to Dr. Dre.

Only If You Want It – This was the lone single from 5150. Naughty By Nature is credited with producing this one (which means Kay Gee hooked up the instrumental), and a trained ear can easily (no pun intended) tell that Eazy’s rhymes were penned by Treach. As dope of an emcee as Treach was in the early nineties, not even his pen could make Eazy sound good on the mic. The hook walks a fine line between annoying as shit and super catchy. The instrumental is kind of nice, though.

Neighborhood Sniper – Over a barely average Cold 187Um instrumental, our host goes on a killing spree and gives himself the moniker in the song title. Eazy sets the mood by sniping Rodney King for his “can we all get along” speech, during the song’s intro. I wasn’t impressed by this one.

Niggaz My Height Don’t Fight – As you probably already figured out by the song title, our vertically challenged host uses this one as an excuse (or a warning) to why he doesn’t fight but will pump yo’ ass with led from his 9mm if you test him. Bobcat’s instrumental is kind of decent, but you’ll still forget everything about this song as soon as it fades out.

Merry Muthafuckin’ Xmas – I guess since the album was going to be released less than 2 week before Christmas, Eazy thought this would be a good idea. In all actuality, it’s a hot mess. I found it interesting that the king of dirty poetry Dolemite (Rudy Ray Moore), makes a brief appearance at the beginning of the song before being interrupted by some foul mouth chick. Also, Buckwheat from the Wascals (who made a few cameos on Pharcyde’s Bizarre Ride) spits a few decent bars about Christmas and his two front in the middle of the song. Still, this was a hot mess.

I’ll keep this short and simple. 5150 Home 4 Tha Sick is pretty much a complete waste of time. Respect to the dead, but Eazy was never a decent rapper and the only instrumental on the EP that really works is Naughty’s on “Only If You Want It”. I can’t even use my go to “this would have fared better as an ep” line, because it is an ep.

-Deedub

When Paris came on the scene in 1990 with his debut album The Devil Made Me Do, he created quite a bit of controversy with the title track and its militant stance, calling out the white man for his many transgressions since the conception of the United States. Through all the controversy, Tommy Boy stood behind their man. For a little while at least.

When he returned in 1992 with his sophomore effort Sleeping With The Enemy, Tommy Boy and the distributor Warner Bros, refused to release and distribute the album due to its content (which speaks of killing then President H.W. Bush [even one of the inner pages of the liner notes has a picture of Paris hiding behind a tree with a tech nine, as Bush approaches on foot] and crooked cops), and ultimately Tommy Boy would drop Paris from the label. This wouldn’t stop Paris from releasing the album, as he would start his own label Scarface Records, and release the project independently.

Paris does mention in the liner notes that the “album was censored and rushed”, which makes me wonder what and why it was “censored”, considering it was released independently; and is “rushed” code for SWTE is a hot mess?

The Enema (Live At The White House) – SWTE opens with what is supposed to be a shootout at The White House. Exhibit A for why Paris was dropped by Tommy Boy.

Make Way For A Panther – Over a mediocre backdrop our host demand that you make way for him and his violent black conscious message. Side note: the liner notes gives Shadow-as in the underground legend DJ Shadow-credit for the sample. Am I the only one that finds it interesting that a militant pro-black artist like Paris would let a white guy help with his production? I’m just sayin…

Sleeping With The Enemy – Paris dedicates this one to the brainwashed brothers that assimilate to white America and its European sensibilities. The instrumental is decent (I guess), but Paris doesn’t do a great job of articulating his points on this one.

House Niggas Bleed Too – This one kind of ties in with the previous song. On the title track, Paris calls out the “house niggas”; on this one he threatens to take them off the face of the earth for being “house niggas”. Well, at least the instrumental on this one is slightly interesting.

Bush Killa – The song opens with Paris snipping H.W. (Exhibit B for Tommy Boy dropping Paris). Paris uses the rest of the song to list the many reasons why he wants Bush dead in the first place. The first half of P’s instrumental is kind of nice, specifically the rough drums and bouncy bass line. Then he switches everything up and brings in a backdrop that has a Teddy Riley New Jack Swing vibe to it; needless to say, the dance track doesn’t quite work with Paris’ violent content.

Coffee, Donuts, & Death – Paris dedicates this one to killing crooked cops who’ve done the black community dirty. Exhibit C for Tommy Boy dropping him. Not a great song, but props for the clever song title.

Thinka ‘Bout It – Paris tones things down a bit, as he samples The Gap Band’s “Outstanding” for the instrumental and takes a slightly less violent approach, as he asks brothers to reconsider the destructive choices they make. Not a great song, but I have a soft spot in my heart for any song that samples “Outstanding”.

Guerrillas In The Mist – P’s song title happens to be the same as Ice Cube’s crew’s (Da Lench Mob) debut album and overall concept. Paris must have felt guilty about this, as he inserts a Cube sound bite at the beginning of the song, almost in an attempt to acknowledge them for using the concept first. Regardless, I’m not a fan of this one.

The Days Of Old – I believe this was the only single released from the album, and one of two reasons why I bought SWTE in the first place. Over a beautiful Blackbyrds’ loop (with the sample credit going to DJ Shadow), Paris reminisces on the innocence of yesteryear and how the black community has lost its sense of unity. It was nice to hear Paris put some of the blame for the plight of black America back on us, as we’ve got to start taking responsibility for our own actions ( “or maybe even more of us a blame the white man, before we understand now the problem is not him”). It sounds like Paris was siding with X-Clan on the whole humanist vs pro-black argument, while also taking an indirect shot at KRS-One with his line “What I’m telling ya is actual fact, I aint pro-human cause all humans aint pro-black”. P’s rhymes are solid and the content is still very relevant; and the instrumental sounds even better than I remembered it.

Long Hot Summer – This interlude has Paris having a phone conversation with a few of his boys (Khaliq Asharri & Kif) regarding the black struggle and a pending black revolution.

Conspiracy Of Silence – Paris invites his friend LP and probably one of the most unlikely emcees to appear on a Paris song, Sun Dubious (from Funkdoobiest), to join him on this one. And yes, Sun actually spits some slightly conscious rhymes. None of the three emcees really impress, and to make matters worse, the hook is trash and the Khaliq Asharri & Kif instrumental is ass.

Funky Lil’ Party – Reason# 2 why I bought SWTE. Over a mellow and smooth instrumental (with another credit going to DJ Shadow for the sample), Paris recounts the details of a party he and the crew decided to go to one evening. While making his way to the bar (to get a glass of juice), Paris is approached by a group of fine ladies that make it crystal clear to him that they “want to do the oochie coochie and spread it ’round”. Like any honest warm-blooded heterosexual man, the righteous Black Panther considers the offer for a minute, but ultimately rejects them and leaves them with some “knowledge of self”, warning them of the consequences of being a hoe (“only gets ya kids, AIDS, or crabs”). Then everything goes wrong when a fist fight between two dudes, turns into gunplay and dead bodies. Grim ending and all, this was a dope song.

Check It Out Ch’All – Over raw, heavy, crashing drums, P-Dog spits more black revolutionary rhymes. Paris doesn’t say anything quote worthy, but his instrumental is kind of nice.

Rise – Khaliq Asharri & Kif return to produce and perform (I think?) this spoken word piece. Not live changing, but I’ve heard worst.

Assata’s Song – This is Paris’ ode to the black woman. Over a mellow jazz tinged instrumental (I love the live saxophone), Paris expresses his love and need for his Nubian sisters; he also shows a rare sign of vulnerability, as he apologizes to black women for running game on them and viewing them as just a piece of ass in the past. This was nice.

Bush Killa (Hellraiser Mix) – This mix uses the same instrumental and verses as the second half of the original, with one additional new verse and unnecessary extended instrumental breaks; and this mess goes on for nearly 8 and half minutes.

It’s a tough task for any emcee to make a full length album full of militant pro-black messages both conscious and entertaining throughout. It’s nearly impossible for a tier B (or C) emcee like Paris to pull this off. On Sleeping With The Enemy, the messages become repetitive, the bulk of the production ranges from mediocre to trash, and Paris (who sounds like a poor man’s Rakim) doesn’t have the charisma or lyrical ability to keep the listener engaged for a full album. SWTE would have definitely fared better as an EP.

-Deedub

I’ve been feeling under the weather for the passed few weeks (I was actually diagnosed with pneumonia this past Monday), which has caused a delay in me posting reviews. But when I got the news from my sister this morning that one-third of my favorite hip-hop group off all time had past away at the fairly young age of 45, I had to post about the Five Footer.

I immediately starting reminiscing about how Phife, Tip and Ali Shaheed’s music has touched and shaped my life since I was a young teen. Their innovative jazz infused brand of hip-hop, “common man” content, and the undeniable chemistry between the trio (and sometimes quartet, if you count Jarobi) set them a part from the crowd. I can’t count the hours I spent listening and studying their music and rhymes (and I can probably still recite every rhyme from every song off The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders albums verbatim), as they helped me cope with the stresses of my teen years, and later helped shape my thinking as a young man.

Selfishly, Phife’s passing saddens me when I consider the fact that I will never get the opportunity to see ATCQ rock a stage live. It also made me wonder how much more classic music ATCQ would have given us had they not went their separate ways after The Love Movement album. There will always be regret and questions of what could have been, but I want to thank Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor for blessing my life through his music. Rest in peace.

-Deedub

Anybody that reads my blog with any regularity knows how I feel about Kool G. Rap. But for those who don’t, a quick summary: he’s a great lyricist that doesn’t receive nearly the amount of credit he deserves. After going back and checking his first two albums, Road To The Riches and Wanted:Dead Or Alive, it occurred to me that while the heavily lisped emcee is an undeniable beast on the mic, maybe the fact that neither of his first two albums were spectacular could have some effect on the people’s’ opinion of him. Maybe G. Rap was aware of this too, as he would switch things up a bit on he and Polo’s third release Live And Let Die.

While G. Rap was known to do a little tough guy talk from time to time, Live And Let Die is the album that he would begin to reinvent himself as a ruthless gangsta throughout the majority of the album. Along with his new-found persona, he would also bring in Ice Cube’s right hand man, Sir Jinx, to produce the bulk of the album.

None of these changes helped Live And Let Die move units, as it probably didn’t even go wood. But forget the sales; we here at TimeIsIllmatic are only concerned about the quality.

Intro – Short introduction to New York city and the album.

On The Run – This was the second single released from Live And Let Die. G. Rap plays the role of a drug runner for a Mafia family, who one day gets the bright idea to rob his boss and skip town, but things don’t go as smooth as expected. The whole story line sounds like something Scarface would spit (even G. Rap’s delivery sounds similar to Face’s on this one). I like Sir Jinx’s smooth instrumental but it doesn’t really fit the mood of the song. You may remember the single/video version used a harder instrumental which was a much better fit for G. Rap’s content.

Live And Let Die – For the title song, G. Rap explains his rough upbringing and the things he saw in the hood that would lead to him becoming a ruthless drug dealer. Jinx’s instrumental uses the same Blackbyrds’ sample used on Da Lench Mob’s “Lord Have Mercy”, but when mixed together with the rest of the stuff he has going on in it, it sounds like a hot mess.

Crime Pays – Over a miniscule Jinx’s backdrop, G. Rap spits two verses that highlight the benefits of the fast life. I don’t agree with all of G. Rap’s theories, but he does makes some interesting points on this one. This may have been a dope song if Jinx’s instrumental was of a higher quality.

Home Sweet Home – The song title and content are a tongue-in-cheek take on the woes that come with living in the hood. Jinx’s instrumental is decent, and the song overall is pretty cool.

Train Robbery – In great detail, Kool G. explains the ins and out of what the title suggest. In today’s super sensitive and politically correct climate, there is no way a label would release a song like this (especially the part when he forces a woman to give him oral sex). Jinx’s instrumental is empty but it kind of works within the song’s scheme. If you take this for what it is, which is a movie type drama articulated through hip-hop, you’ll be able to appreciate it.

# 1 With A Bullet – This one opens with the sick Chi-Lites trumpet sample that would become mega popular after being used on Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love”. The sample had me believing that Jinx was going to come with some fire on this one; then the beat kicks in and the instrumental falls a part. G Rap invites his Juice Crew brethren, Big Daddy Kane to spit a verse on this one. Kane’s a dope emcee but gangsta rap is not his lane, which is made very apparent on this one.

Operation CB – This is one of the few songs I remember from Live And Let Die from back in they day. On this one G. Rap drops two hi-larious verses about cock blockers: Sir Jinx is the culprit in verse one, and the second verse calls out a kid who’s being babysat by a chick G. Rap is trying to smash. Jinx’s instrumental is decent, but G. Rap’s punch lines are so potent on this one it could have been accapella and would have still been entertaining. It was also a nice break away from all his gangster posturing.

Straight Jacket – The Trackmasters (or Trakmasterz, which is how they spelled their name at the time) get their first production credit of the night, and it’s actually a pretty solid backdrop. G. Rap uses it to invite the listener into the mind of a psychopath. This is another one that a Face cameo would have been perfect for. All in all, pretty nice.

Ill Street Blues – This was the lead single from Live And Let Die. The Trakmasterz hook up a nasty groove for our host to spill more of his murders raps over. I love the line “so to the next weasel that freezes, your begging and your pleases are only getting you closer to meeting Jesus”. This is probably the best song on the album.

Go For Your Guns – Over a serious Sir Jinx’s backdrop, G. Rap gives several examples why he’d rather use his gun than his fists in a battle. This was dope.

Letters – I wasn’t really feeling this one.

Nuff Said – G. Rap spits one long verse full of threats and sound pretty good in the process. Jinx’s instrumental kind of pissed me off, though. During G. Rap’s verse, it sounds like garbage; then all of a sudden at the end of the song it goes into a bluesy organ and guitar loop that would have been nice to hear underneath G. Rap’s verse. Wtf Jinx!

Edge Of Sanity – Over a melancholy instrumental, G. Rap discusses how his past bad decisions lead to him making more bad decisions, and the consequences have him on the verge of going insane. This one was pretty cool.

Fuck U Man -This one picks up where Wanted: Dead Or Alive’s “Talk Like Sex” left off. Over a decent Trakmasterz instrumental, G. Rap drops clever punch line after punch line as he assumes the role of Fuck U Man, which sounds like the perfect name for a porn superhero, or Deadpool. G. Rap is guaranteed to make you laugh at this one.

Still Wanted Dead Or Alive – More murderous threats from our hosts. Well, at least one of them. I’m not sure what Polo actually contributes to Live And Let Die; which is probably why this would be the last album that would list them as a duo. Jinx’s instrumental is semi-decent, though.

Two To The Head – For the final song of the evening, G. Rap invites Scarface (whom I’ve been waiting to show up for pretty much the whole album), Bushwick Bill, and Ice Cube to join him on this bloody cypher session, as each party tries to sound more psychotic than the others. While Cube probably contributes the best verse, Jinx’s dark instrumental is the true star of this one.

Live And Let Die marks the beginning of G. Rap’s new-found mafioso flow, as he would continue to get deeper into this style as his career went on. Even though I’m not big fan of this version of G. Rap, there’s still no disputing, son is sick on the mic. Speaking of not being a big fan of, Sir Jinx production is really uneven throughout Live And Let Die  (surprisingly, the Trakmasters provide three quality tracks, which make me wonder what Live And Let Die would sound like had they taken the production wheel). When you combine the hit and miss production with G. Rap’s repetitive narrative for the bulk of the seventeen songs, as much as I was hoping I could, there is absolutely no way I can call Live And Let Die a dope album. It not terrible, but not even in the same galaxy of classic status.

-Deedub

While the west coast may not be the originators of gangsta rap (that title is often credited to Philly native Schoolly D), there is no disputing that they innovated the style, adding their own left coast swag to it, and made the sub genre popular all over the globe. With the help of artist like Ice-T, N.W.A. Above The Law, Compton’s Most Wanted, Cypress Hill and Snoop Dogg, it became the west coast’s signature style, and by the early nineties you had all kinds of west coast artist popping up that would approach the mic with a gangsta persona. The Pharcyde was one of the few west coast artists to arrive on the scene in the early nineties and go against the grain.

Los Angeles natives Slimkid 3 (the “3” is pronounced “Tre”), Fat Lip, Imani and Bootie Brown were actually dancers before they ever thought about picking up the microphone. But thanks to a mentor who had an in-house recording studio, the foursome would soon start honing their mic skills, formed a group and begin recording. In 1991 Pharcyde’s three song demo would wind up in the hands of Delicious Vinyl co-founder Michael Ross, who loved it and quickly signed the quirky quartet to a deal. The Pharcyde would release their debut album Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, in the winter of 1992.

The Pharcyde would  let newcomer J-Swift (who actually produced the demos that got them signed) handle the bulk of the production duties, with a co-production credit going to themselves as well. Bizarre Ride wasn’t instantly deemed a critical or commercial success upon its release, but thanks in large part to one key hit single (that we’ll get to in a little bit), the album slowly begin to pick up steam. Though it took nearly 4 years, the album did earn the quartet a gold plaque and now many hail Bizarre Ride as a classic. But before we do that, let’s go back and revisit Bizarre Ride.

4 Better Or 4 Worse (Interlude) – Bizarre Ride opens with J-Swift playing the instrumental to “4 Better Or 4 Worse” on the piano. I remember listening to this back in the day and rewinding it over and over again, just to bask in its beauty. It sounds just as pleasing to the ears today as it did back then. If this is the last thing I hear before I die, I’ll leave this earth content; it’s that good.

Oh Shit – The Pharcyde officially begin their bizarre ride with this comical piece, as Slimkid 3, Imani and Fat Lip each take a verse to recall a sexual encounter that made them utter the two words in the song title. Decent song, but it’s probably one of my least favorite songs on the album.

It’s Jiggaboo Time (Skit) – When it comes to interludes and skits,Bizarre Ride probably has the best group of them on any album I’ve heard. Over dope piano keys provided by J-Swift, the boys throw out different actions that they equate to jiggaboo like behavior (does spelling jigaboo incorrectly count as jigaboo like behavior?). Side note: when they first got started, Pharcyde was thinking about naming the group True Jiggaboo, but decided it might be too controversial of a name. I think they made a wise choice.

4 Better Or 4 Worse – This is was the 4th and final single released from Bizarre Ride, and my second favorite song on the album. Over an airy and melodic instrumental filled with good vibes, Slim Kid and Imani spit metaphorical verses, comparing their commitment to hip-hop to a marriage between a man and a woman (maybe this was the blueprint to Common’s classic “I Used To Love Her, released a few years later?). Tre and Imani’s verses are decent but Fat Lip steals the show with his psychotic third verse (“I’ll take a hammer and start to drill your skull…and then I’ll really start picking…your brain cells I will be thinking…mmm…mmm…mmm…you taste so intelligent!”). By the way, Fat Lip’s portion in the video for this song is hi-larious. This is a timeless and very underrated record.

I’m That Type Of Nigga – Over an average instrumental, Pharcyde invites their buddy Buchwheat from the Wascals to join in this cipher joint, and in my opinion he delivers the best verse on the song. This is not a bad song, but it doesn’t really have a heart.

If I Were President (Skit) – Another skit over more dope J-Swift provided keys.

Soul Flower (Remix) – The original version was on the Brand New Heavies’ Heavy Rhyme Experience album (read my thought on it here). I prefer the original, as I never cared much for this remix.

On The DL – No, this song isn’t about married men who cheat on their wives with other men. In the nineties the acronym was used to describe a person being low-key or keeping something a secret. Slimkid 3, Imani and their buddy Buckwheat, spit verses about different scenarios that they want to keep on the down low, but decided to share them with the world through song. This is still a dope song; I love the instrumental.

Pack The Pipe (Interlude) – Interlude.

Officer – Pharcyde takes a more lighthearted approach to a serious subject. Over a solid up-tempo backdrop our hosts spit rhymes about their run ins with the boys in blue. Decent.

Ya Mama – This was the lead single released from Bizarre Ride. The fellas use this one as a mama ranking session. A few of the jokes in their raps will make you chuckle but the best ones come at the end of the song when they stop rhyming and start throwing out mama jokes at each other (“your mama was an extra on The Simpson”). You can feel the fun they had recording this record.

Passing Me By – This was the second single and easily the biggest record on Bizarre Ride. Pharcyde beautifully articulates a situation most men can relate to: crossing paths with the perfect woman, but are not able to work up the nerves to approach her, for many different reasons. J-Swift and the gang throw together samples from Quincy Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Skull Snaps, Weather Report and Eddie Russ and turn them into a brilliantly blended instrumental. This is one of the top 10 hip-hop songs of all times. Yeah, I said it! Feel free to agree or debate me in the comments.

Otha Fish – This was the third single released from the album. Slimkid 3 gets the only solo song on Bizarre Ride, as he raps and sings the blues about a lover who’s left him heart-broken. The melancholy jazz flavored instrumental compliments Tre’s rhymes perfectly.

Quinton’s On The Way (Skit) – Another dope skit. Literally and figuratively. On this one the fellas sing praises to their weed man. Side note: Quinton actually tried to capitalize on his exposure from this skit and released a single “Quinton’s On The Way” on Tommy Boy. I don’t think an album ever materialized from it, though.

Pack The Pipe – By 1992, the weed dedication song was almost a perquisite for a hip-hop album; and Bizarre Ride is no exception to this rule, although they dude approach the subject in a slightly different manner than most. The instrumental was cool but I’ve never been a fan of this one.

Return Of The B-Boy – Pharcyde closes the album with a dedication to old school hip-hop, which in 1992 was considered the mid eighties. Time is illmatic. The fellas all adopt old school flows and use the old school call and response chants of yesteryear.  Just like on “Ya Mama”, you can feel the brotherhood and fun these dudes were having; and that along with a dope instrumental, makes for a solid closing record for Bizarre Ride.

Bizarre Ride lives up to its name, as this is not your typical west coast nineties hip-hop album. There is no gangster posturing, drug dealing, or murder confessions on this album (well, there is one on “On The DL”, but it was done in self-defense). Instead you’ll hear a bit of emotion and heart-break mixed with a heaping helping of quirky lighthearted rhymes from four urban everyday Joes having fun expressing themselves through their music. They kind of remind me of an animated west coast version of A Tribe Called Quest, with their content and jazz tinged backdrops.

I personally don’t consider Bizarre Ride a classic album. J-Swift’s production is pretty solid throughout, and half of the songs on the album are actually great records. Occasionally, the foursome put together rhymes that match the quality of J-Swift’s instrumentals, but none of the fellas are great lyricists, so the other half of the songs end up sounding pretty average.

-Deedub

As I mentioned a few weeks ago in the Guerillas In The Mist post, Ice Cube was the hottest rapper alive in 1992. After helping put Compton on the map as part of N.W.A. with their controversial debut album Straight Outta Compton, releasing two consecutive platinum selling and critically acclaimed solo albums, as well as making his acting debut, starring in John Singleton’s 1991 hood classic Boyz N The Hood, Ice Cube was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

He would return in 1992, with his third solo album The Predator. Cube, along with longtime collaborators DJ Pooh (who I will forever remember as Red, getting knocked the fuck out by Deebo in Friday), Bobcat and Sir Jinx would handle the bulk of the production duties on the album, with DJ Muggs contributing a few tracks as well. The album was released on the heels of the Rodney King verdict and L.A. riots, and both subjects are touched upon quite a bit throughout The Predator.

The Predator would be an even bigger commercial success than Cube’s prior solo albums, as it would become his first double platinum selling record. But here on TimeIsIllmatic we’re more concerned with the critical side of things.

The First Day Of School (Intro) – The Predator opens with a sound bite from an unsung hood classic American Me.

When Will They Shoot? – DJ Pooh, Bobcat and Cube hook up a sick instrumental to start things off (I love the clap from Queen’s “We Will Rock You” added in to this one); and Cube picks up where he left off at on Death Certificate, as he comes out brash, fresh and focused, addressing several of the inconsistencies and issues that effect African-Americans in Amerikkka. He also manages to slide in a low-key jab at his former running mates N.W.A. (“cause I bust styles, new styles, standing strong, while others run 100 miles…”). I haven’t heard this song in years and it actually sounds better today than it did in the past.

I’m Scared (Insert) – For some reason Cube labels this as an insert, but it’s really just an interlude with some pretty interesting dialogue created by different sound bites linked together.

Wicked – This was the lead single from The Predator. Torcha Chamba hooks up a high energy backdrop (with some ridiculous drums on it) as our host proclaims how wicked his style is. This is the first song that shows Cube’s gimmicky evolving rhyme style that sounds heavily influenced by Everlast from House Of Pain. Common would later use the video for this song (which features a few members from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) as ammunition on his Cube dis record “The Bitch In Yoo”, where he says “your lease is up at the crib house niggas get evicted, in videos with white boys talking you get wicked”. Despite Cube’s questionable new flow, Torcha Chamba’s backdrop is a banger! Side note: the “Wicked” single’s b side is a song called “U Ain’t Gonna Take My Life”, in which Cube articulately (for the most part) confronts police brutality with maturity beyond his then 23 years. The Mr. Woody produced backdrop isn’t all that great but Cube’s lyrics make it worth checking for.

Now I Gotta Wet’cha – DJ Muggs gets his first production credit of the evening, as he slides Cube one of his vintage dusty drunken backdrops. Cube uses it to declare open season on genocide contributing gangbangers and the 12 jurors that found the four cops that beat Rodney King, not guilty. Overall, this was decent.

The Predator – For the title track DJ Pooh builds this backdrop around a loop from Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “Superman Lover”. The instrumental is decent but Cube’s rhymes aren’t focused, and at times he sounds pretty sloppy (especially when he gives a shout out to his new homies, Das EFX and attempts to spit in their style).

It Was A Good Day – This was the second and easily the biggest hit of the three singles released from The Predator. DJ Pooh builds the slick instrumental around a sample of the Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps In The Dark”, as Cube reflects on a wonderful day in the hood, filled with mom’s cooking a pork free breakfast, exploiting brothers with Jordan like skills on the basketball court, taking the homies money in craps, bangin’ out a chick he’s been trying to get with since high school, and caps it all of with the Goodyear Blimp declaring him a pimp for all of South Central L.A. to see. Now that’s a good day. While most of Cube’s rhymes are playful on this one, the song does also have a serious undertone: Cube shows thanks for another day in the land of the living, while also staying alert to the very real possibility of becoming a victim of violence by someone who looks like him or the boys in blue. Because as nice as it is to be declared a pimp, it’s equally as nice not to have to use your AK. This song is near genius; and twenty plus years later it still sounds as good as it did the first time I heard.

We Had To Tear This ___ Up – This one opens with sound bites from news coverage of the L.A. riots. Then Muggs adheres to Cube’s opening request to “make it rough” and drops a dope backdrop with a deep bass line, and lays down some rugged drums underneath it. Cube’s discusses the injustice that led up to and ultimately got the community fed up enough to start the riots, and he also throws in an occasional “I told you so” for good measure. This one still sounds dope.

____ ‘Em – I’ll let you fill in the blank for title of this interlude.

Dirty Mack – Cube dedicates this one to all the snitches and haters. Probably my least favorite song on the album.

Don’t Trust ‘Em – Rashad, Ice Cube and DJ Pooh all get co-production credit for the decent instrumental that our host uses to warn brothers that trusting a big butt and a smile can turn into getting jacked.

Gangsta’s Fairytale 2 – The first installment of this song appeared on Amerikka Most Wanted. Over a much slower paced instrumental than the original, Cube picks up where he left off at on the first one, as he puts an urban twist on all your favorite childhood fictional characters (the kid talking at the beginning and end of the song sounds a lot like Riley from The Boondocks, whose voice was done by Regina King). I still chuckle when I hear Cube’s line “what is Mr. Rodgers doing, moved out his Jordan and bought him a Ewing”. Cube’s rhymes are pretty entertaining; and the Cube and Pockets instrumental works well with the song’s concept.

Check Yo Self – This was the third single released from The Predator. The . instrumental on the album version is built around a traditional drunken Muggs loop. Speaking of Muggs, it was kind of interesting to hear Cube take a shot at Muggs’ Irish allies House Of Pain, over his instrumental. The single and remix version borrows the instrumental from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Fives’ “The Message”. Das EFX stops by to add some  ad libs over the hook. The album version is cool, but I prefer the remix.

Who Got The Camera? – 20 plus years later and this song couldn’t be more relevant. On this one Cube gets the Rodney King treatment, and as he gets his ass kicked he asks the crowd of bystanders the question posed in the song title. Sir Jinx gets his first production credit of the evening and he makes it count, hooking up a dope instrumental that has melodic undertones mixed into its rugged exterior. Cube’s rhymes are decent (wait…did he just say ‘badder”?) but Sir Jinx production is the true star of this one.

Integration (Insert) – Cube puts together more interesting sound bites for yet another thought-provoking interlude.

Say Hi To The Bad Guy – Our host takes more shots at crooked cops on this one, but uses a more playful approach (playful up until he shoots the cop at the end of the song). Sir Jinx gets his second and final production credit of the evening, and it kind of sounds like something Muggs would have created (at least the portion of the instrumental Cube spits his verses over). This wasn’t terrible but definitely one of the weaker songs on the album.

The Predator is actually a pretty solid album. But it also marks the beginning of the end of Ice Cube’s reign as the hottest rapper in the game. Overall, the production is quality, and despite his new-found delivery (or deliveries), Cube still had something to say, even if the messages aren’t as potent as they were on his prior projects. But when compared to the intensity, execution and end product of AMW and Death Certificate, The Predator is a few steps below its predecessors. And as Hollywood continued to pull on Cube’s coat strings, the quality of his music would continue to take steps in the wrong direction.

-Deedub

When it comes to the Port Arthur, Texas-based duo of UGK (which is an acronym for Underground Kingz, and consisted of Pimp C and Bun B) I’m pretty unfamiliar with their body of work. The first song I ever heard from the duo was “Pocket Full Of Stones” from the Menace II Society soundtrack. I didn’t care much for the song which is why I probably never really checked for them. UGK really didn’t get my attention until I heard them on Jay-Z “Big Pimpin'”, and a decade later when I heard Bun B drop solid verses on Reflection Eternal’s “Strangers” and a Statik Selektah project. So a few years ago when I saw their debut album Too Hard To Swallow in the used bins for a few bucks, it was clearly my queue to start getting familiar with the Texas emcees.

Too Hard To Swallow is UGK’s official debut, released on Jive Records, but 7 of the songs from the album were originally released on the duo’s EP The Southern Way, which was released on the independent label Bigtyme Recordz in April of ’92. Legend has it that there were a handful of songs that Jive deemed too explicit and left off the final cut of Too Hard To Swallow; but Bigtyme Recordz would release the songs a few weeks prior to the album’s release on an EP, appropriately titled Banned.

Too Hard To Swallow wasn’t a huge commercial success but it did do respectable numbers. More importantly, it helped UGK broaden their audience to ears outside of the south. And while the late Houston legend, DJ Screw is widely recognized as the father of the chopped and screwed sound (which involves slowing down the record tempo between 60 and 70 bpms and applying some type of distortion to give it a “chopped” feel), Too Hard To Swallow is one of (if not the) first major label release to put this unique Texas innovation on display for the world to hear.

Pimp C and Bun B would go on to have a pretty successful career as a group and as solo artists. Tragically, on December 4, 2007, Pimp C was found dead in his room at a West Hollywood Hotel. The cause of death is believed to be related to the now popular drink known as “sizzurp” or “lean” (which is basically a high dosage of prescription strength cough syrup that includes codeine and promethazine, usually mixed with a soft drink). May he rest in peace.

Something Good (Extended Version) – UGK kicks things off with a mellow and melodic Bernie Bismark/Shetoro Henderson produced instrumental built around a loop from the Isley Brothers’ “Summer Breeze” (and a loop from Rufus’ “Tell Me Something Good” on the hook), which is pretty dope. From the jump, Pimp C and Bun B each establish their own unique voices. Pimp C makes a memorable first impression when he tells a dude who’s girl he slept with “bet it feels funny when you’re doing 69, knowing that you’re sipping on all my jimmy wine” and “when you get a kiss don’t you feel bad, knowing that you swallowed all the skeeter that I had?”. Hi-larious! By the way, was Bun B’s line instructing an anonymous someone to “take your Raiders’ cap off” a shot at anyone in particular (hit me in the comments if you have the inside scoop)? Like I said in the opening, I’m not familiar with UGK’s catalog, but from the little bit I have heard from them, I’ve always felt that Bun B was the stronger rhymer. That still may be the case, but on this song Pimp C definitely outshines his partner in rhyme.

Use Me Up – Pimp C borrows Bill Wither’s “Use Me”  on this solo joint, as he describes a woman whose body, loving, and cooking (is hot potato pie the same thing as sweet potato pie?) are so wonderful its got him whipped to the point he’s giving her his credit cards, car keys and picking up her little brother from school. Pimp C drops all kinds of entertaining one liners on this one, and when delivered in his thick southern accent, they’re both amusing and enjoyable.

Pocket Full of Stones – This was the song that first introduced me to UGK. The version of the song I heard on the Menace II Society soundtrack uses a different instrumental than the album version, and I wasn’t a fan of the soundtrack mix. But the album version uses the same Eugene McDaniel loop that Pete Rock used for an interlude on Mecca And The Soul Brother; and I love the melancholy feel of it.

Short Texas – Pimp C and Bun B invite their homie, Blue Light to join them on this one, which is pretty much a warning to any out of towners who think they’re going to come to UGK’s neck of the woods to sell dope, to think again. Pimp C’s (who kind of sounds like Spice 1 on this one) hard instrumental fits the song’s content perfectly, and I love the bass line on this one.

Cocaine In The Back Of The Ride – Over a decent Bernie Bismark and Shetoro Henderson instrumental, the duo continue to brag about their successful careers as street pharmacists. I’ll never understand why rappers love to snitch on themselves on record. Regardless, this was a decent listen.

It’s Too Hard To Swallow – For this almost title track (why the hell did they have to throw an “It’s” on there?), Bernie and Shetoro slow things way down, as Bun B and Pimp C use it to talk their “tough guy shit” on. The instrumental is way too mellow and boring to make their “rah-rah” rhymes sound even remotely convincing.

Cramping My Style – Bun B invites guest female emcee Infinity, to help him with this duet. Infinity uses her verses to explain to Bun that she needs to be more than just a booty call if they’re going to have anything; Bun response by letting her know he’s looking for sex without commitment, or as he eloquently puts its: “you just might see me again but not soon, you can keep the wedding I just want the honeymoon”. Bun drops a bunch of clever one liners on this one that will make you chuckle at least a little bit. Bernie and Shetoro loop up arguably hip-hop’s most sampled record (the Isley Brothers’ “Between The Sheets”) for the backdrop. And as many times as I’ve heard the loop used, their interpretation of it sounds fresh. This was dope.

Feel Like I’m The Who’s Doin’ Dope – Pimp C gets another stab at a solo joint on this one. Speaking of stab, Pimp C’s rhymes are pretty gory on this one, as he recalls a brutal dream that has him acting like a murderous dope fiend. I’m not a huge fan of Pimp C’s backdrop, but something about his vividly detailed and morbid rhymes are pretty entertaining. Does that make me a psychopath? If Jive didn’t find the content of this song too explicit I’m afraid to listen to the songs that were left off of the final cut of Too Hard To Swallow.

I’m So Bad – This has to be in the running for the dumbest song of all time. And coincidently, the song’s concept is built around one of the dumbest boast of all time, courtesy of Cool James, who claims (on “Clap Your Hands” from the Walking With a Panther album) that “I’m so bad I can suck my own dick”. Pimp C used that LL line for the hook and builds the instrumental around a loop of the Isley Brothers’ “I Turned You On”, so at least that part of the song was decent.

Trill Ass Nigga – Trill is slang for “real” or “authentic”, and there is no question that UGK was the first to use and make the term popular in hip-hop abroad. On this solo joint, Bun B spends his verses trying to convince the listener of just how trill he is. At this point, Bun B’s flow wasn’t nearly as polished at it would become later in his career. I couldn’t really feel Bun’s rhymes or the boring Bernie and Shetoro instrumental.

976-Bun – Another Bun B solo joint. I’m not feeling this one either.

The following song is listed as a bonus track on the cd version of Too Hard To Swallow:

Something Good (Pimp C’s Remix) – This song is pretty much the same as the original, with a chopped and screwed twist to it and a few changes to the lyrics. The most questionable lyric change is on Pimp C’s second verse, when he talks about bangin’ a chick in his homeboy’s Caddy. On the original he says: “I hit it from the back and the girl just threw me, told me pump it harder and she scratched me on my booty”; but on the remix he says: “I hit it from the back and the girl just threw me, turned me on my stomach and she scratched me on my booty”. What kind of freaky shit was Pimp C into that he would have a woman lay him on his stomach and scratch his ass? I’ll leave that one alone. This mix is not terrible, but I prefer the original.

In case you were unaware, I listen to and collect a lot of music, with a strong concentration on hip-hop. One of the reasons I started this blog was that I felt it would allow me to thoroughly take in and digest some of the pieces that I’ve overlooked or missed through the years, and possibly discover some gems. Now, I can’t quite call UGK’s debut Too Hard To Swallow a gem, but UGK does bring enough to the table for it to be considered a diamond in the rough.

UGK doesn’t cover any new territory on Too Hard To Swallow, as their content doesn’t go beyond money, drugs, murder, and pussy. But the duo manages to make the first two-thirds of the album entertaining with decent to solid production, an occasional clever rhyme, humorous punchlines, and unique slang, all delivered in their thick southern drawl. Too Hard To Swallow would have been stronger as an eight-song EP, since the last four songs should have been scrapped. As is, it makes for a strong first impression, and I’ll be checking for the rest of the UGK catalog.

-Deedub

-Deedub
Follow me on Instagram @damontimeisillmatic

Every genre of music has had it’s share of one hit wonders. There was Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”, Jane Child’s “I Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” (which I still play from time to time on the IPod), Bill Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Bracky Heart”, and we can’t forget about Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters”, or Johnny Kemp’s (rip) “Just Got Paid”. Hip-hop has also had it’s share of one hit wonders: N2Deep’s “Back To The Hotel”, Ahmad’s “Back In The Day”, MC Breed’s (rip) “Ain’t No Future In Your Frontin'”, Skee-Lo’s “I Wish”. But who will ever forget Positive K’s massive hit, “I Got A Man”?

The Bronx born emcee Darryl “Positive K” Gibson first got his foot in the door in the mid eighties, writing and recording songs for an underground compilation project called Fast Money, released on the small short lived label, Star Maker. The project would feature Positive’s first record (“I’m Getting Paid”) as well as a collaborative joint with Rob Base and himself. Eventually, Lumumba Carson  (better know to the hip-hop world as Professor X from the X-Clan, you sisssssssssys! [rip]), son of the activist Sonny Carson, would become Positive’s manager. The relationship with Professor X, would lead to Positive signing with First Priority, the same label that brought us MC Lyte.  Speaking of Lyte, Positive would write more songs and make appearances on some First Priority projects, but the one song that made the biggest impression (and probably the only one anybody really remembers) was the duet with Lyte, “I’m Not Havin’ It” (will discuss that song more in a bit). Positive would continue to pay his dues, which would score him a deal with Island Records, where he would release his debut album The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills.

Thanks to the monster hit single “I Got A Man”, The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills became a gold selling album. But after the buzz from that song died down and a few more singles from the album were released and forgotten about, Positive would never be heard from again. And please don’t mention that album he release 20 years later, because no one was checking for him by then or has heard that album, with the exception of his cousins and grandma.

Back in the day, when “I Got A Man” blew up, I wasn’t really checking for Positive K. The song was okay, but with all the over exposure it got from radio and the video shows, I was tired of it. Plus, something about Positive K’s vibe just seemed cheesy to me; needless to say I never heard or bought TSDPDB when it came out. A few years ago, I ran across a copy of it in the dollar bin at one of my spots, and the historian in me had to cop it.

This is my first time listening to TSDPDB in its entirety. I’m still baffled to why an artist with a gold selling album and one of the biggest hits of the year, never got a chance at a proper follow up.

Intro (Pos K Theme) – Decent jazzy instrumental to open the show.

Pass The Mic – Silver D slides Positive a quality instrumental that he uses to drop mediocre rhymes over. The hook (which takes a vocal sample from Positive’s duet with Grand Puba from “Positive And L.G.” on Brand Nubian’s One For All) starts to grate on the ears by the beginning of the second verse.

One 2 The Head – Jazzy Jay, formerly of Masters Of Ceremony (gets a mention in consecutive posts), and LG get co-production credits for the backdrop, and it’s fairly decent. Positive spits more boasts and playboy rhymes, but his flow sounds sloppy and as if he’s struggling to keep pace with the beat at certain points; which is kind of strange considering the pace isn’t that fast.

Shakin’ – Positive’s flow sounds better on this one then it did on the previous song; but I was more impressed by LG’s smooth instrumental.

How The F*?#! Would You Know – Positive’s energy sounds completely different than what he gave us on the first three songs; he sound a little like Freddie Foxxx (you youngsters may know him by his new alias Bumpy Knuckles) on this one. LG gives him a decent beat and Positive spits arguably his best rhymes of TSDPDB, and gives Premo the perfect sound bite for a classic Jeru Da Damaja record he would produce a few years later (“I can rock a rhyme to just static”).

Carhoppers – This was the fourth and final single from TSDPDB. In a clear attempt to capitalize on the success of the first single “I Got A Man” (which we’ll get to in just a second), Positive completed scrapped the album version of the song for the radio/video mix. The radio version of the song samples The Emotions’ “Best of My Love”, and instead of Positive simply calling out women who get with brothers based on the cars that they drive, he uses the same “man/woman conversation” template from “I Got A Man”. Though it didn’t have the same success as “I Got A Man”, it is more entertaining than this blah LG produced album version. Side note: A fortyish Thelma from Good Times makes a cameo in the video, and the girl was still lookin’ dyno-mite!

Nightshift – Legendary Brooklyn emcee, Big Daddy Kane sits behind the boards and gets the production credit on this one, and it’s actually kind of decent. Positive K plays a pimp that has his hoes, I mean ladies, working the streets for him. While an actual verse from Kane would have been a nice addition to the song, he does drop some clever pimp poetry in between Positive’s verses, which was a nice touch.

Intro (Back The F*?#!? Up) – You might ask why this is labeled as an intro being we’re half way through the album. Well, once upon a time before the digital takeover, most albums were purchased on vinyl or cassette, which contained music on each of the two sides, so you physically had to turn them over to hear the other side of an album. So in essence this “intro” marks the beginning of the second side (or as the back of the album jacket calls it, the “Pay The Bills Side”) of TSDPDB. In reality, it’s just an interlude.

I Got A Man – This was the first single from TSDPDB and the song that will forever define Positive K’s career. LG creates a slightly popish backdrop built around a loop from A Taste Of Honey’s “Rescue Me” for this epic battle of the sexes. Over the course of three verses, Positive tries to spit game to the object of his erection, who has a response for each of Positive’s playboy line (which until recently, I thought was a female rapper, but it is actually Positive playing the role of the resistant female, which he pulls off flawlessly, thanks to a little studio technology). Many have forgot (or simply never knew) that Positive K attempted the same concept with MC Lyte on their 1989 duet “I’m Not Havin’ It”, which wasn’t nearly as successful or executed as well as this. I’ve never been a big fan of this one, but you have to give the brother props for the clever concept.

Ain’t No Crime – Apparently this was the third single from TSDPDB. I don’t recall hearing this song on the radio back in the day, and I actually saw the video for the first time a few days ago on YouTube. Not a great song, but it starts to grow on you after a few listens.

The Shout Out – Over a dope LG instrumental Positive K spits one verse of average battle rhymes before shutting things off and going into his shout outs. With 5 more songs to go, this was kind of a weird spot to stick a shout out record; but whatever.

Friends – Positive sends this one out to all those so called “friends” who use you for their benefit and are nowhere to be found when things get tough. Positive must have really been hurt to spit a line like “who ever made up the word friendship, needs to get beat with a slave whip”. I can feel his sentiment but I couldn’t really feel this song; and the Rich Lord of the Mix Board instrumental probably sounds cheesier than his moniker.

Minnie The Moocher – Laz-E-Laz slides Positive a smooth instrumental that he uses to discuss the exploits of a man eating chick named Minnie. Strangely, Grand Daddy I.U. stops by just to contribute a few ad libs to the song (that don’t really add anything to the song) but doesn’t bless us with a verse, which left me questioning why he even bothered to show up. Regardless, this is easily my favorite song on the album, mainly due to the dope backdrop.

Nightshift (Remix) –  Silver D’s remix has nothing on the original. Not only is the instrumental inferior but Kane’s clever ad libs between Positive’s verses are very much missed.

A Flower Grows In Brooklyn – LG turns a Five Stairsteps’ loop into a dope instrumental that our host uses for the canvas for this ode to his Brooklyn Queen (or Queens). Decent.

It’s All Over – Positive closes out TSDPDB with three solids verses over a slick LG produced backdrop. And we’re done.

After several listens to The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills over the past week, I’ve concluded it’s a decent album. Positive isn’t a great emcee but I’ve heard a lot worst. At times during TSDPDB he shows glimmers of hope of lyrical mastery, but those moments are few and far in between; and he never quite recaptures the charisma displayed on “I Got A Man”, that helped turn it into a hit record. On the bright side, the production is pretty solid on TSDPDB, which makes listening to Positive’s average flow and plethora of mediocre rhymes a little easier.

-Deedub

In late 1990, Brand Nubian made a great first impression on the hip-hop community with their debut album All For One. Grand Puba Maxwell, Lord Jamar, and Sadat (or sometimes Derek) X’s, combination of solid rhymes, black consciousness, 5 percent teachings, and dope hip-hop beats, had the trio pulling in heaps of critical acclaim. And just when it appeared the threesome were getting ready to take over the game, their chief emcee Grand Puba, decided it was time to leave the group and pursue his solo career.

In hindsight, this shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone, considering the whole second side of One For All was pretty much a Puba solo album. Regardless, the once front man for Masters Of Ceremony had decided it was time to move on, from his second group in less than two years, and would sign a solo deal with Elektra (the same label Brand Nubian was signed to at the time), releasing his debut album in the fall of 1992, Reel To Reel. Puba, who also had a large part to do with the production on One For All, would produce the majority of Reel To Reel, with a little assistance from a few friends.

Puba would release one more solo album (1995’s 2000) before reuniting with Brand Nubian to release their 1998 album Foundation and 2004’s Fire In The Hole (if you want, you can throw Time Is Runnin’ Out in that group as the 4th album with Puba [and 6th Brand Nubian album overall], though most of the material was recorded prior to Foundation but wasn’t released until 2007). Puba would release another solo album in between Foundation and Fire In The Hole (2001’s Understand This), and Retroactive in 2009; the latter which I bought a year or so ago but still have not listened to. But I digress. For now, we focus on Reel To Reel.

Check Tha Resume – Grand Puba starts off the show with a Funk Inc. drum loop mixed with a soulful Otis Redding sample and some nasty trunk rattling bass. Which all combine to form the perfect canvas for Puba to spill his verbals all over, and put his sick flow on display.

360° (What Goes Around) – This was the first single released from Reel To Reel. Over another simple but solid Puba production, are host spits more of his superior freestyle rhymes.

That’s How We Move It – Puba brings in one of his old Masters Of Ceremony brethren, DJ Shabazz, to produce this one and it’s pretty solid. If you’re looking for songs with a focused topic, you’ve come to the wrong spot. Puba’s lyrics are pretty much interchangeable between songs, but he still makes them entertaining to listen to.

Check It Out – This was the second single from Reel To Reel. Mary J Blige stops by to repay Puba for his contribution on the title track of her classic album What’s The 411? On the original collabo the two had a loose concept: Puba spits a verse (though he steers slightly off course) to get with Mary, who then offers a response (through rhyme), before the two break into singing a portion of Debra Laws’ “Very Special” on the final verse. This time around, Puba spits random lines that never amount too much, while Mary just sings ad libs in between Puba’s rhymes. What’s The 411? also had a dope backdrop; Puba attempts to construct something similar on this one but it comes out sounding a bit empty. This is easily my least favorite song on Reel To Reel.

Big Kids Don’t Play – This Puba produced backdrop is one of my favorites; and Puba’s sick flow is on full display.

Honey Don’t Front – Finally a song that Puba actually has a specific topic for. Puba dedicates this one to his favorite subject: hittin’ the skins. Not a terrible song, but not one of my favorites, either.

Lickshot – Speaking of favorites, this is easily my favorite song on Reel To Reel. Puba and the Stimulated Dummies hook up a sick instrumental built around a loop from Byrdie  Green’s “Return of the Prodigal Son”, and Puba goes hard all over it.

Ya Know How It Goes – I love everything about this bouncy Puba produced instrumental. I know I’m starting to sound like a ball washer, but he makes spitting sound so easy, as he skates all over this track like its second nature.

Reel To Reel – Puba uses the same Lou Donaldson loop Showbiz hooked up for Lord Finesse’s “Stop Sweating The Next Man”; only Puba’s interpretation is nicer and his flow ethers Finesse’s. Yeah, I said it.

Soul Controller – Puba temporarily leaves his playful boasts and skins talk alone to get conscious, as he discusses the “devil”, racism, religion, and hood politics. Back in the day this Latief produced instrumental sounded a lot more effective than it does today; it almost sounds hollow now.

Proper Education – Over a reggae tinged instrumental, Puba chants about the white man’s “tricknology” and how they discreetly uses it on the black man’s subconscious to keep us dumb, deaf, and blind. This is dope, and has aged well. And why does the black jelly bean always taste the worst?

Back It Up – Puba and Kid Capri get the co-production credit on this one, and share microphone duties as well. The instrumental is decent, but Puba is the true star of this one, as he drops arguably his best verse on Reel To Reel. I’m still scratching my head to why Puba didn’t close the song out instead of it ending with Kid Capri’s mediocre verse. But, whatever.

Baby What’s Your Name? – Puba hooks up a lovely instrumental built around a Donny Hathaway loop, as he attempts to sing about a tender young thing he wants to get better acquainted with. Even though Puba can’t sing, he still manages to vibe well with the instrumental, making this enjoyable.

The following two songs are listed as bonus tracks on the cd version of Reel To Reel:

360° (What Goes Around) SD50 Remix – The Stimulated Dummies are responsible for this remix. I’m not really a fan of it. It’s not that it’s terrible, it just doesn’t add anything special to the original.

Who Makes The Loot? – This was originally released on Brand New Heavies’ Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1. Click here to read my thoughts on this song.

In my opinion, Grand Puba Maxwell is one the greatest to ever do it. His lyrical content was never too complex, yet he was able to flip simple words with a complexity that is rarely matched. And when it comes to delivery and flow, even fewer are fuckin’ with Puba’s smooth and polished presentation; on Reel To Reel all of Puba’s attributes are on full display. Similar to his lyrical content, Puba and company keep the instrumentals simple yet quality. If Reel To Reel has any set backs it would be on the conceptual side, since with the exception of three songs, it’s pretty much one long freestyle over different beats. Yet and still, a solid solo debut from an underrated hip-hop legend.

-Deedub

We first heard from the Newark, New Jersey native Reginald “Redman” Noble on EPMD’s Business As Usual album, as he would make a solid first impression on “Hardcore” and “Brothers On My Jock”. But both of those cameos would pale in comparison to the show stealing verse he would drop on EPMD’s Hit Squad posse joint “Head Banger” from Business Never Personal. Not long after, Red would release Whut? Thee Album on RAL (Rush Associated Label)/Columbia in the fall of 1992.

Erick Sermon (with a co-production credit going to Redman) would produce the album from beginning to end. And like just about everything else Erick Sermon had a hand it at the time, Whut? Thee Album would go gold, earning Reggie a plaque and heaps of critical acclaim.

But acclaim and gold don’t always translate to quality music. So lets revisit Whut? Thee Album.

Psycho Ward – Whut? Thee Album opens with Redman in a psych ward as a distorted voiced Dr. Trevis (played by Reggie Noble himself) runs through Redman’s list of criminal acts, before the skit ends with Trevis encouraging Red to “focus his mind” and show him how he would construct an album if the opportunity presented itself. Well, guess what?

Time 4 Sum Akson – The first song of the evening has Redman displaying some of his slightly off kilter flow that would turn him into a rap star (I still chuckle every time I hear his “brother, where your eyes at?” line). I love Erick Sermon’s rough up-tempo backdrop and the dope Cypress Hill sound bite brought in on the hook. Great way to start the show.

Da Funk – I love this backdrop’s laid back adaptation of Parliament’s “P Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)”. Reggie lays in the cut and hits it perfectly, like a jumper settling into their groove in between the double dutch ropes. And just when Red really starts to find his stride, the song ends abruptly in the middle of his second verse (which interestingly ends with his final line being “I’m well-known like Donald Trump”; who would have thought DT would still be such a relevant figure nearly 25 years later?).

News Break – Short interlude that sets up the next song…

So Ruff – This is probably the closest thing to a conscious song that you’ll ever hear on a Redman album. He uses the first verse to recall a stick up gone bad, the second verse is about a chick he (and E Double) hit raw dog, only to find out later she is HIV positive; and on the 3rd verse Redman reminds men and women about the importance of using protection. And of course Redman puts a lighthearted twist on these serious topics. Too bad the instrumental is garbage, otherwise this may have been a solid song.

Rated “R” – I love this one. Mr. Sermon slides Redman a rough backdrop with a sick saxophone sample and well placed vocal samples from Rakim and Ice Cube on the hook. Reggie picks a part this instrumental as he drops psychopathic rhymes and  destroys all of your favorite horror movie villains in his final verse. If you take it for what it is, which is a playful record, you’ll also still find it very entertaining.

Watch Yo Nuggets – Erick Sermon makes the only guest appearance on Whut? Thee Album, swapping verses with Redman on this duet, and they both sound decent. I can’t quite put a finger on it, but something about E Double’s lazy funk groove is dope as hell to me.

Psycho Dub – Short but pleasantly relaxing interlude.

Jam 4 U – This may be my favorite song on Whut? Thee Album. Redman bugs out (his line “doom doom, dom, dadoom, dong, ding, extremely wild like the hair on Don King” will never grow old) over this ill backdrop built around an infectious bass line and a dope vocal sample from Guy’s “Teddy’s Jam 2”. Nearly 25 years later, this still sounds nasty.

Blow Your Mind – This was the lead single for Whut? Thee Album and I have always hated this song. The instrumental sounds like a bunch of noise, and Redman must have been having a bad day when he recorded it, as his energy doesn’t sound remotely close to the rest of his output on this album. Or maybe he also hated the instrumental but was coerced by E-Double into using it and this was all the energy he could muster up for it. Regardless of how many times I follow Reggie’s instruction to “press rewind if I haven’t blown your mind”, my brain continues to remain in tact.

Hardcore – Redman takes his verse from the EPMD song (which I mentioned in the intro) that introduced him to the world a few years prior.

Funky Uncles – Interlude to set up the next song…

Redman Meets Reggie Noble – For the first time this evening, Redman gets a solo production credit, and it’s actually pretty decent (coincidentally, he uses a loop from the same Emotions’ record his Hit Squad brethren Das EFX would use on “Klap Ya Handz” [but was first effectively used on BDK’s classic “Ain’t No Half-Steppin'”]). Reggie Nobles exchanges lines with his rap alter ego Redman, and it’s pretty entertaining.

Tonight’s Da Night – Okay. So if “Jam 4 U” isn’t my favorite song on Whut? Thee Album, this one is. The smooth backdrop is built around a loop of The Mary Jane Girls’ “All Night Long”. Redman’s rugged rhymes clash with it, yet manage to mesh with it flawlessly at the same time. This one is still dope.

Blow Your Mind (Remix) – Although I love the loop from Zapp’s “Dance Floor” that comes in on the hook, the remix is still not good.

I’m A Bad –  I never really cared for this one and still don’t.

Sessed One Night – Interlude to set up the next song…

How To Roll A Blunt – Pete Rock stops by to drop off a quality instrumental that Red uses to breakdown the art of rolling a blunt. An animated Redman leaves the listener with a pretty entertaining presentation.

Sooper Luver Interview – Interlude to set up the next song…

A Day Of Sooperman Lover – This is the first installment of what would be a part of each of Redman’s solo albums until 2010’s Reggie. Over a dope Johnny “Guitar” Watson loop (and later in the song, a loop of James Brown’s “The Payback”), Red displays his heroism by saving a cat from a tree and returning it to its beautiful female owner, who in turn wants to repay Redman Sooperman Lover with a little something for his good deed. Maybe “little” isn’t the right adjective to describe the “something” she wants to give our host. I won’t spoil the end of the song for those who haven’t heard this, but this was a fairly entertaining listen.

Encore – Just in case you weren’t already bored to death with the shitty “Blow Your Mind” suite, Reggie brings the instrumental back one more time to finish the job.

There are a few bumps along the road (i.e. “Blow Your Mind”), but overall Whut? Thee Album is a solid debut from Redman. Erick Sermon provides a cohesive batch of hard and funky backdrops for Reggie to get loose over, and he handles them well. Redman isn’t the greatest lyricist but his rugged flow, mixed with his knack for clever punch lines and his colorful personality (they don’t call him Redman for nothing) make for a pretty entertaining listen.

-Deedub