Time Is Illmatic

As the eighties rolled on and hip-hop became more and more commercially excepted we begin to see all types of hip-hop sub-genres popping up.  One such sub-genre was Christian hip-hop (sometimes referred to as gospel hip-hop, or holy hip-hop).  Due to the fact I was a pastor’s kid and pretty much born and raised in church, I was well versed on Jesus and the ultimate sacrifice he made for man kind.  During the late nineties I began my “spiritual journey”, which eventually led to me diving deeper into christianity (which also led to my temporary insanity, as I broke and threw away all of my “secular” cd’s…which a few years later I would buy all over, again), and finding “purer” forms of music.  Since I was a hip-hop fiend before I became a teen, one such sub-genre I began to take interest in was christian hip-hop.  I’ve always disliked the term “Christian”  hip-hop.  In the late eighties and early nineties Hip-hop was flooded with emcees who sprinkled their rhymes with Islamic, Nation of Islam, and 5% Nation teachings, but yet were never coined as “Islamic hip-hop”.  Maybe the labeling was brought on by the Christian Community to separate this sub-genre as holy and set apart from the secular world.  In my opinion, hip-hop music doesn’t need labeling as the lyrical content of a song will speak for it self, quit insulting the listener (can I get an amen?)!  I’m stepping away from my soapbox….now.

Being that I didn’t start listening/buying “Christian” hip-hop until the late nineties, SFC (which released their debut in 89′) is far from the first christian hip-hop album that I’ve purchased, but since we’re working in chronological order, this will be the first one of said “sub-genre” that I’ll cover.

SFC, an acronym for “Soldiers For Christ”, was formed by lead emcee Chris “Super C” Cooper (also refered to as Sup (pronounced as “Soup”) who later go by Sup the Chemist.  Along with Chris was DJ Dove (who would later get the Gospel Gangstaz (whom some of you may be familiar with) career started…yeah I know, it’s corny group name), emcees Brother G, and QP, all hailing from the sunny state of California.

SFC independently release their debut EP Fully Armed in 1987 before signing to the christian label, Broken Records, where they would release their official full length debut Listen Up (which includes a few of the songs used on the Fully Armed EP).

Man, that was a long intro. And now, the review…

Listen Up– SFC waste no time getting the album’s title track out of the way.  Unfortunately the Casio keyboard instrumental sucks, and Sup The Chemist’s flow sounds severely dated.  Even with the dated flow, Sup uses the final (in what feels like the 6th) verse of the song to share his testimony, including his “Damascus Road” experience. While it’s not technically efficient, you definitely hear his heart in it.

Drugs – Wow.  This sounds like something you would have heard on one of those late eighties ABC Afterschool Specials.  This is your dad’s hip-hop.   Over another Casio keyboard quality instrumental, Sup and who I suspect to be QP (the insert only gives Sup credit for writing the song but there is clearly another voice reciting the lines with Sup),  spit verses about the negative effect drugs have on the user’s life. The song sucks, but I would definitely put this on my 10-year-old’s Ipod…but it probably wouldn’t get much rotation there, either.

No Stoppin’ – Yes, SFC does sample the Gamble & Huff classic of the same name title, and like all other hip-hop songs which have used the same sample, it doesn’t quite work.  Being this is a Christian rap group, predictably their message is there’s no stopping them from serving God.  Sup would become a much more polished emcee on later SFC projects and his solo work, but at this point his flow left a lot to be desired.

Say Ya – Sup’s gets in reggae mode for this story rhyme.  By 1989 standards he sounds okay, I guess, but everything I mentioned about the instrumentals and rhymes on the previous songs can be applied here as well. There is absolutely no reason this song should have dragged on for 6 minutes.

Transformed – No, Sup isn’t a Autobot or Decepticon (although he does managed to sneak in a reference to the Gobots…there’s a blast from the past).  He uses this boring instrumental to share about his transformation (again) to Christianity.  Hey, I love Jesus, but these songs are starting to sound identical.

You Are Worthy – This is SFC’s version of a “praise and worship” song.  Even though it’s not that good, the concept should count for something, right?  Why, why, why is every songs 5 plus minutes long?  Geez.

Dope Dealer – Picking up where “Drugs” left off, SFC uses this one to spin a tale about the neighborhood drug dealer (yes, another afterschool special, folks).  By the way, if I don’t mention anything about the instrumental work on any of the remaining songs, just assumed that it sucked…starting here.

It’s Like That – Sup handles mic duties on verse one, and while he doesn’t sound great he manages to sound better than any of his previous output on Listen Up to this point. Brother G handles the second verse and quickly brings the song crashing down (i.e. 500 lb woman jumping from a 30 story building).  They actually sample the theme song from Happy Days, which manages to sound okay, surprisingly.

Mr. Brain – This is dedicated to the religious scholars who deal with God only on an intellectual level, leaving faith out of the equation all together. Sup sounds okay, but as expected the instrumental sucks. Oops…I wasn’t suppose to say that anymore.

This Is What He Went Thru – Over an instrumental that makes a blatant attempt to stir up emotion (but just ends up sounding cheesy), Sup shares a 7 minute spoken word poem about the preceding leading up to and the crucifixion.  This was a gruelling listen, and the off-key-uncredited singer on the hook only adds to the pain.  Even Jesus himself would have begged to be crucified rather than forced to be listen to this hot mess.

Plain And Simple – Brother G shares mic duties with Sup on this one, clearly displaying why Sup is the chief emcee of the crew. I’m still not sure exactly what the title and the lyrics have to do with each other (this is hip-hop and that’s definitely not the first time that has happened).  By the way… the breakdown near the end of the song is hi-larious!

Brothers & Sisters – Sup’s breaks out the reggae chant again, to share with the listener his perspective on racial issues in America. Man’s not responsible for the race issue in America, it’s all on Satan?  I think that’s what he’s getting at but he never quite confirms.  Either way, this was terrible.

Fully Armed – This was the title track on SFC’s independently released EP of the same name.  The song begins with what is apparently a conversation between Satan and one of is emps, who fails in his mission to bring back SFC. Over what is probably the most interesting instrumental of the entire album, Sup and Brother G shares verses about being fully equipped (or armed) to take on Satan and his devious plans. I didn’t love it but compared to the previous songs, this was gold.

I Don’t Know – Sup and Brother G put away the sermon notes and let loose to have a good time over this simple drum beat. I don’t know if it adds anything to the album…then again, I don’t know if this album should even exist.  And with that we’re done, folks.  Thank you, Jesus!

Props to SFC for going against the grain and standing firm on their conviction and passion.  Unfortunately, conviction and passion doesn’t necessarily translate to quality music, which definitely holds true on Listen Up.  While Sup would go on to vastly improve his microphone skills a few years later (on future SFC albums, and later his own solo projects), there isn’t a whole lot on Listen Up that makes you want to…listen up.  And if you’ve read the rest of this review there is no need for me to reiterate my opinion on the terrible instrumental work.  In 1989 this might not have sound as bad as it does in 2011, but I can’t imagine time would have had that big of an impression on this train wreck of an album.  Which raises the question: if fine wine grows better with time, what happens to the stuff that starts out bad?

-Deedub

If you’re even remotely familiar with early nineties hip-hop, you’ve heard of Naughty By Nature. I’m even willing to bet if you mention the name amongst a group of friends, somebody is sure to break into the hook from their biggest hit “O.P.P.” (with “Hip-hop Hooray” coming in a close second). But before the East Orange, NJ trio of  Treach, Vinnie, and Kay-Gee would become Grammy award-winning, bonafied rap stars, known by the world as Naughty By Nature, they were first the New Style. No. Seriously. That was the group’s name.

In 1989 The New Style secured a deal with MCA and dropped their debut album Independent Leaders, which would ultimately be the only album released under The New Style crew name, and the only album released on MCA before they were eventually dropped from the label.

Apparently they showed enough potential to impress Queen Latifah who put them down with her up and coming crew, the Flavor Unit…but I digress.  We’ll get to that later, for now let’s focus on Independent Leaders.

Scuffin’ Those Knees – Treach opens the song with a brief science lesson before he and Vin play catch with the mic for 3 verses.  The song title is a request for sucka emcees to either a:stop giving falatio or b:invest in kneepads to spare their knees when performing…I don’t remember any of either Treach or Vinnie’s rhymes, though.  This was a very mediocre way to start the proceedings.

Start Smokin’ – Most of you will immediately recognize the opening sample that LL would later use on his “Doin It” hit a few years later.  The track quickly transforms into The Jackson Five classic “Stayed Away To Long” sample,where surprisingly, Vinnie’s gets first dibs on the mic, as he and Treach (sorry, I can’t bring myself to call him Double T. Treachery…it sounds way too corny) pass the mic like a hot potato over 3 verses.  Again, lyrical neither emcees stands out (which is a surprise in Treach’s case, as  I’ve always considered him a pretty nice emcee.  Vinnie’s line about his “bank account being longer than constipated dog shit” pretty much confirms why he should ONLY touch the mic as Treach’s hypeman ), but Kay-Gee’s instrumental work is very melodic, at least making the instrumental enjoyable.

Picture Perfect – This is The New Style’s attempt at a “conscious” rap song. I said attempt because it fails miserable.  Largely do to Treach’s terrible (and corny) singing over the hook.  As this stage in his career Treach’s flow was still very unpolished, and he and Vinnie once again don’t contribute any hip-hop quotables, but sound…decent, I guess.  Kay-Gee’s instrumental work is decent but the atrocious hook squeezes every ounce of decency his instrumental provided out of the song.

Can’t Win For Losing – Treach and Vinnie are in battle mode, and Treach shows glimpses of the hunger he would come with on the first Naughty By Nature release (Vinnie even managed to not sound as bad as he normally does).  While Kay-Gee backdrop is minimal, it actually works well behind Treach’s quick tongue and witty lines.

Droppin’ The Bomb – The holes in Treach’s flow and breath control are fully exposed on this joint (especially on his first verse). I think Vinnie appeared on this song, but if I can’t remember then obviously it wasn’t that impressive (and honestly I’m not interested enough to go back and check).  Kay-Gee’s instrumental work (which samples portions of Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Hearing) sounds boring and very dated.  They definitely dropped a bomb, but I’m sure it wasn’t the kind they were hoping for.

To The Extreme – Over a simple Kay-Gee instrumental Treach and Vinne spit what they call  “free-style” rhymes (although from the sound of it, I’m pretty sure they were written).  This wasn’t terrible, but far from great.

Independent Leader – What technically is the title song (minus a “s”) turns out to be The New Styles second “conscious” song of the evening.  Treach uses the term “parasitically selfish” (still not sure what that actually means), which is probably the only time you’ll hear that phrase on a rap record.  Kay-Gee’s subdued instrumental is forgettable while Treach’s singing on the hook (again) is unforgivable.  This should have been left on the cutting room floor, son!

New Vs. Style – The title sounds like this will be an explanation for the group name, but instead turns out to be a battle between Treach and Vinnie. According to the ringside announcer after the first verse Vinnie’s the defending champ and Treach is the challenger…the battle easily goes to Treach since I’m pretty sure he wrote Vinnie rhymes for the battle anyway.  They get points for the concept but the execution left a lot to be desired.

Smooth Mood – Some of you will recognize the instrumental sample which was later used on New Edition’s “Hit Me Off” (and a few “real heads” will remember it’s usage on Grand Daddy I.U.’s “Mass Destruction”).  Treach goes for dolo on this one, and other than one major misstep (he invents the word”wrongness” in an attempt to rhyme with “songless”) he rides the smooth instrumental like it was custom-built for his flow.  Nice.

Bring The Rock – John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Jack And Diane” meets hip-hop…yep.  It sounds just as bad to the ear as is does written on paper. Treach and Vinnie shoutout a bunch of hip-hop, pop, and rock artist in what sounds like a half-hearted attempt to cash in on the hip-rock cash cow that made Run DMC legendary.  Needless to say, they fail miserable, making this a very bad way to end the show.

How can I put this gently…Independent Leaders is a hot mess.  Treach shows signs of the much more polished emcee he would become a few years later on Naughty By Nature, but those moments are far and in between.  There are a few decent moments on the production side, but the majority of the instrumentals are weak to decent at best. And like the rest of the Naughty’s catalog Vinne’s contribution is pretty must useless on Independent Leaders. It’s a good thing Latifah saw enough potential in the trio to give them another chance on Tommy Boy. Based on the output from this album they could have easily faded into obscurity before their hip-hop careers ever took off.

-Deedub

In the late eighties groups like NWA, Ice-T, and Above The Law would lay the ground work in defining what would soon become the West Coast hip-hop blueprint.  Like the east, the west coast artists used raw beats, but with a heavily synthesized sound, and lyricism that painted a very cold and violent image of their environment (which for some artist was a legitimate painting, while others were simply playing their favorite gangster movie character behind the mic, aka studio gangstas).  But amongst the rags, bullets, hoes, and drugs, there grew a flower in the concrete: Jeffery “Def Jef” Fortson.  Yeah, that last sentence was a little over the top but it grabbed your attention, right?

Def Jef was actually born in Harlem, NY,  only to later move west where he would put himself on the hip-hop map.  While I won’t say Def Jef was the first emcee to shake free of the signature West Coast gangsta sound, he was definitely one of the earliest to break the shackles.  Def Jef’s production definitely had more of an east coast feel, while lyrically he would touch on everything from the ladies, to conscious rhymes, to straight emceeing.

Jeffery released his debut Just a Poet With a Soul (which I always felt would have been a cleaner album title had he dropped the “Just A”) on Delicious Vinyl in 1989.  It should come as a surprise to know one that Just a Poet With a Soul would go on to receive heaps of critical acclaim for Jef’s sociopolitical themes and  sell exactly 7 copies…  2 on cassette and 5 on cd.

Def Jef would later go on to release one more solo album (more on that one at a later date),  join the Flavor Unit where he would help with production for other crew member’s albums, before he would hit the road heading to Hollywood to produce tv theme songs, including the score for That’s So Raven and The Game. 

According to Wikipedia some critics have refered to Just a Poet With a Soul as a lost hip-hop classic.  But as we all know Wikipedia isn’t the most reliable source.

Droppin’ Rhymes On Drums – Jef kicks off the proceedings with a very humdrum, drum track, that does little to get you excited about tonight’s show (even the Etta James vocal sample does little to pull you in).  Even with the less than impressive instrumental, Jef sounds pretty nice on the mic…although I can’t remember anything he just said.

Give Em’ Rhythm – Well, the instrumental definitely sounds better than the previous track. Not great by any means, but a definite improvement.  Jef sound pretty solid but again don’t expect any hip-hop quotables or anything.  

On The Real Tip – Man, does that song title date this song.  I actually like Jef’s drowsy instrumental work, and the Cheryl Lynn sample from “Got To Be Real” is sprinkled perfectly over the refrain.  While the track is more enjoyable than the previous songs Jef’s flow sounds very dated compared to the other songs up to this point. 

Poet With Soul – I hate when title songs are meh…technically, in an unofficial way this is the title song, right?

Give It Here – The Dust Brothers of Beastie Boys fame assist with the instrumental on this one.  Jef doesn’t cover any new ground here as he spends over 4 minutes trying to get in some particular chick’s draws.  From the track to the subject, to the execution, this sucked.  

Do You Wanna Get Housed – Any of you who have followed this blog on a regular basis already know that a hip-house song was a prerequisite for a hip-hop album in the late eighties (kind of like a club banger is mandatory in this day an age).  But unlike most of his counterparts Jef chooses to rest his chops, letting his very forgettable instrumental do the talking.  

Black To The Future – Nice message Jef, but I couldn’t really feel this one.  Next…

Do It Baby – N’Dea Davenport (of Brand New Heavies fame) stops by to provide vocals on the hook, which honestly, doesn’t add or distract from the overall outcome of the song.  Jef is in rare form sounding more nimble on the mic than anything else on Just a Poet  up this point.  Unfortunately The Dust Brother’s simple and bouncy track doesn’t quite work.  Sorry, Jef.  

God Made Me Funky – That title can be interpreted a few different ways.  But in so many words what are host is saying is: he’s the shit.  I thought his reference to the over use of James Brown samples was pretty hi-larious (“it aint the same sounds, cause it aint James Brown”).  But like the song before, the Dust Brothers provide yet another generic instrumental. I’m starting to see a pattern here, folks.

Downtown – Jef gets serious on this one as he effectively articulates the discrepancies between the inner-city and the burbs, turning in his best lyrical performance of the evening to this point.  His instrumental work sounds more west coast than anything else on Just a Poet up to this point as well.  This was pretty solid.

Just A Poet – To end the show Jef calls on The Dust Brothers to help with the instrumental. Unlike the previous two Dust Brothers produced tracks, this one is really nice.  Jef uses this laid back groove to wax philosophical turning in his strongest bars of the evening.  Beautiful way to end the show, Jef.

Upon its release Just a Poet With a Soulwas praised by critics (allegedly, I’ve personally never read any of these reviews). Listening to it today, time hasn’t aged this album very well.  The last two songs are really nice, but unfortunately the first nine songs are so lackluster (and that’s putting it gently) even the quality of the final two songs can’t repair the damage previously done. Sorry Jef, I was rooting for you but this wasn’t a solid debut.

-Deedub

After releasing their debut album Straight Out The Jungle on an independent label (Warlock Records) which accumulated into lackluster records sales (but what more would you expect from an independently released hip-hop album? Especially from the late eighties), the Jungle Brothers struck a deal with Warner Brother Records where they would release their next two albums before getting dropped parting ways with the label that Prince built and fading into hip-hop obscurity (for the most part), but I digress.  Today we’ll be focusing on the JB’s sophomore effort, Done By The Forces Of Nature.

I think I might have mentioned this in the write-up of their first album, but I’ll say it again: I love the Native Tongue. They might just be the greatest hip-hop collective of all-time.  But I’ve never been crazy about the Jungle Brothers.  My purchase of their catalog is/was mostly out of love for fellow NT groups De La Soul, and firstly, A Tribe Called Quest…and with the exception of their debut, they were all purchased used for under three dollars. That’s not to say they’re terrible or don’t have any good songs.  Matter of fact, their debut was pretty decent.  The problem is they’re clearly out matched in talent when compared to their Native brethren.

Needless to say, based on that (and what I remember from this album) I’m not too excited about doing this write up, but I’ve reminded myself it’s not about the journey but the destination (yes, I remixed that slogan…whatever it takes to get through, man).

By The Way… has anybody seen recent pics of Baby Bam?  WTF?

Beyond This World – In true Jungle Brothers fashion, the JB’s kick off the show with abstract lyricism over a barely decent instrumental.  Not much to see (or hear) here folks.

Feelin’ Alright – Lets get one thing clear upfront: neither Mike Gee or Afrika are great lyricist, so don’t expect a bunch of hip-hop quotables from the duo. Over a simple but effective instrumental the duo spit random rhymes about what makes them feel good.  Afrika’s story about getting to work early only to be met with the pleasant surprise in the form of a raise and a 2 month vacation time was pretty amusing.  Fairytales aside, this would have been decent had they not added in the duo’s out of tune singing during the chorus.

Sunshine – The JB’s ode to the sunshine… (and no they didn’t sample Roy Ayers’ song of the same name), in it the physical form and metaphorically.  Mike Gee and Afrika come across as straightforward as they have up to this point, and this is a good thing.  The true star of this song is the laid back instrumental. I love the tribal chant sample used over the chorus.  Nice.

What “U” Waitin’ “4”? – Picking up where “House You” left off, the JB’s make another one for the dance floor.  Although it’s not as enjoyable as “House You” it turns out to be a solid hip-hop dance track (wow, it felt kind of weird saying that).  Mike Gee and Afrika don’t turn in any memorable lines, but the instrumental mix of funk and jazz is a nearly perfect mix.

“U” Make Me Sweat – The title might make you believe this is going to be another dance track.  Instead it turns out to be a dedication to the ladies of their lives, that sweat them.  The funk instrumental sounds like a generic EPMD rip off, qualifying this as skippable.

Acknowledge Your Own History – The JB’s use this one as a call for the black man to “do the knowledge” (i.e. learn your history), while also exposing some of the lies blacks are fed from “his story”.  Mike Gee and Afrika provide some of their best lyrics up to this point, but unfortunately the instrumental did nothing to help their rhymes stand out.  Random fact to note: Vinia Mojica makes her first (of many to come) vocal appearance on a Native Tongue crew song.

Belly Dancin’ Dina – Mike Gee and Afrika paint a tale about, well, a belly dancer named Dina.  This was cool, the most interesting part of the song is the bass line sample used during the hook (which MC Breed would later make popular on his “Future In Ya Frontin” hit).  That’s all I got.

Good Newz Comin’ – Interlude…which at nearly 5 minutes is way too long for anyone’s good.

Done By The Forces Of Nature – Mike Gee and Afrika sound pretty good over this subdued jazzy instrumental, which also happens to be the title track.  And you know how I feel when the title song of an album is solid.

Beeds On A String – Wow.  Nothing to see here, folks.  Moving on.

Tribe Vibes – This one did nothing for me.  But KRS-One does make a brief cameo towards the end, so that should count for something, right?

J-Beez Comin’ Through – This JB’s instrumental starts off with a playful piano sample (that sounds like something De La Soul would have used), only to disappear for the bulk of the song and reemerge as the song fades to black. I happened to love the piano sample so the song loses it’s luster when the sample disappears.

Black Woman – Caron Wheeler of Soul II Soul fame gives an assist with a vocal contribution over the hook for this JB’s ode to the black women.  I’ve always liked this song and it still sounds good today.  I love you momma!

In Dayz “2” Come – The JB’s are in apocalyptic mode as they spit rhymes about the end times.  I actually like this song as it doesn’t come off too preachy.  It also helps that I love the instrumental, including the soothing flutes. Nice.

Doin’ Our Own Dang – The JB’s invite fellow Native Tongue members De La Soul, Q-Tip, Monie Love, and Latifah into the studio for this posse cut.  Other than Posdnous no one else turns in memorable verses, but it was nice to hear from some of the other members of the NTs (or maybe I just needed a break from Mike Gee and Afrika).  Overall this was decent.

Kool Accordin’ “2” A Jungle Brother – Afrika reminds me of MC Serch on “Flippin’ Off The Wall Like Lucy Ball” as he’s in full clown mode over this laid back jazz/bluesy track.  Afrika’s not as funny as Serch, but it was cool.

Done By The Forces Of Nature solidifies why the JB’s in my book always will be at the bottom of the Native Tongue totem pole.  With the exception of maybe 5 songs, Done By The Forces is underwhelming and makes for a tedious listen (take that as a warning all those with short attention spans).  Neither Mike Gee or Afrika’s voices or lyrical contributions will hold your attention for too long, which would have been kind of nice since the beats don’t either.   If this is what I have to look forward to for the rest of the JB catalog the future looks pretty bleak.  Oh, well… I guess I do owe the JB’s a thank you for opening the door for ATCQ and De La. There is always a bright side, even if you sometimes have to search for it with a microscope.

-Deedub

Wow! I can’t believe it’s been over a month since my last post.  I’ve been consumed with a move an a bunch of other personal matters, but I promise to have a new post up in the next week or so, and to start posting at least once a week going forward.  For those who care, thank you for your patience.  Hip-hop forever!

-Deedub

Some of you younger readers may find it hard to believe that before Queen Latifah was known as an actress/singer/covergirl, Dana “Queen Latifah” Owens’ initial claim to fame was actually as a rapper. 

Following the path paved by other pioneering female acts like Salt N Pepa, Roxanne Shante, and MC Lyte, Dana decided to pursue the microphone.  She started off beatboxing for an all female rap group know as Ladies Fresh, before she would eventually connect with DJ Mark the 45 King and become one of the original members of the Flavor Unit emcees.  45 King would produce Dana’s first demo, which found its way into the hands of Yo!MTV Raps, Fav Five Freddy, which Tommy Boy Records would eventually hear and enjoy so much they offered Dana a deal, and as they say in the business, the rest is history.

Queen Latifah released All Hail The Queen in November of 89′, with the majority of the production handled by Mark 45 King, with a few production credits from a few hip-hop legends as well (more on that later).  All Hail would eventually earn Latifah a gold plaque as well as heaps of critical acclaim.   

On a personal note I’ve never listened to All Hail The Queen from beginning to end.  I’ve really only heard the singles and radio joints from the album.  The Nature Of A Sista album was my first introduction to the Queen.  I stumbled upon All Hail at a used cd shop for a few bucks and figured I’d give it a shot.  Even if it sucks, its only a few bucks lost.  Right?

Dance For Me –  Latifah uses this 45 King produced track to command the listener to dance for her.  Sorry Dana, I didn’t dance.  This was okay at best, nothing you need to listen to more than once.   Dana does warn you in her first verse that this isn’t going to be life changing lyricism, or even the best you’ve heard from a female.  She was absolutely correct with that assessment.  I appreciate the modesty, Dana.  

Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children – Latifah invites her label mates De La Soul to join her on this posse cut, which shouldn’t be a surprise since Prince Paul produced it.  In true Prince Paul fashion he brings his signature zaniness to the party.  From the movie soundbite at the intro, to the constant changing of the samples, to a chipmunk voice shouting out his peeps, Paul leaves his fingerprints all over the track.  Latifah plays the mother and De La Soul are the sons she birthed.  But not a physical birth…as piritual one.  Yeah, the concept was kind of corny, but the song overall was decent. 

Come Into My House – What would a late eighties hip-hop album be without a house track?  Dana and 45 King provide the backdrop for Dana to personally invite the listener into her house, while repeatedly requesting you give her body (what ever the hell that means…I’m not even sure I want to know)?  I belief this was the second single off the album. Dana’s not in anyone’s top 10 lyricist list (unless we’re talking about female emcees, I guess), but her voice has a certain quality, and when coupled with her solid delivery she turns in a decent performance.  I actually like house music, so this was, and still is, pretty enjoyable for me.

Latifah’s Law – Louis “Louie Louie” Vega (yeah, I’ve never heard of him either) provides a very nice instrumental for the Queen to laid down her law.  Dana sound good enough on the mic, dropping a few clever lines and reppin’ for the motherland.  But the true star on this one is Mr. Vega’s courtesy of his instrumental. I love the cinematic feel the horns bring to the song.

Wrath Of My Madness – Latifah sounds really nice over this funky 45 King produced track,  as she comes of more nimble than anything else on the album up to this point. She rides this mid tempo instrumental beautifully, spilling rhymes all over the track, adding a little reggae chant over the chorus.  Nicely done, Dana.

The Pros – Not to be out done by his former Stetsasonic band mate Prince Paul, Daddy-O contributes this reggae tinged instrumental.  Daddy-O and Dana tag team doing their best to prove to the listener that they are top-notch emcees but don’t quite provide enough evidence. Neither party ever seems to find a comfort zone over this beat.  Daddy-O sounds way too amped up for his first few verses, which must have exerted all his energy, as he sounds worn out by the time he delivers his final lines.  This just…was.

Ladies First – This is probably the most popular song from All Hail The Queen.  Dana invites Monie Love to share the mic, as they take turns repping for the female population of the world.  They both sound pretty good and I love the 45 King’s horn sample over his instrumental.  I think the video version had someone singing the song title over the hook.  But either way it still sounds good.

A King And Queen Creation – 45 King not only provides this horny instrumental, but he also steps out from behind the boards to share mic duties with Dana.  The King and Queen use this decent instrumental to talk a little junk.  Dana sound cool, and while Mark doesn’t sound terrible on the mic, he definitely shouldn’t quit his day job. 

Queen Of Royal Badness – Latifah switches to battle mode firing verbal darts at all competitors.  45 King’s instrumentals plays as the perfect backdrop (of course he brings the horns out, again) for Latifah’s wrath.  This was hot.

Evil That Men Do – KRS-One provides the backdrop for this one, as he borrows a portion of Gil Scott Heron’s “The Revolution Won’t Be Televised” over an extremely generic drum beat that actually works (especially on the hook).  I’m pretty sure Kris wrote Dana’s rhymes as well, as it sounds like he vomited his lines into her mouth, and she in turn regurgitated them back up (he even contributes a few line on the second verse).  This was Latifah’s “message” song, but unfortunately it wasn’t that convincing.  

Princess Of The Posse -This was the demo that Tommy Boy records heard that led to Latifah’s initial deal.  She mixes slick lyrics with reggae chants and sounds solid in the process.  45 King actually leaves the horns out in exchange for a bouncy-bass heavy instrumental that works in an economical kind of way.

Inside Out – This Mark 45 instrumental uses the same sample as Ghostface’s joint “Guest House” (circa Ghostdini:), and the same horn sample Main Source would later use for “Peace Is Not the Word To Play”.  While I love both elements separately, I’m not sure if the two work well when combined.  Like the majority of the album Latifah sounds decent on the mic but doesn’t say anything that will have you hitting the rewind button.   

Dance For Me (Ultimatum Remix) – 45 King’s instrumental sucks all the dancibilty out of the original track, voiding the song’s concept and making this a complete waste of time.  The track’s dullness exposes some weakness in Latifah’s flow that I missed on the original mix.

Wrath Of My Madness (Soulshock Remix) – 45 King adds a bell here and a whistle there, and a few scratches for good measure, but not enough to warrant a remix.  Dude, this was useless.

Princess Of The Posse (DJ The Mark 45 King Remix) – Wow, 45 King borrows a portion of the “Night Court” theme song?  Really?  The bass line works… the problem is the rest of the instrumental doesn’t.  This album could have ended 4 songs ago.

All Hail The Queen represents a time when female emcees required skills and were more than verbal porn stars. Dana uses her debut as a platform to prove that ladies can emcee, and for the most part backs her argument pretty well.  No, she’s not a great lyricist, but you can’t front on her dope voice and solid delivery.  The 45 King’s (which I might add is way too long for an alias) jazzy production works for the most part, and even the guest producers turn in decent to solid instrumentals.   Even though the three remixes tacked on at the end were completely useless, overall All Hail The Queen is a solid effort.  Not spectacular or great, but solid. 

-Deedub

I was a pre-teen  in 1989, and I can remember my mom would take my twin sister and I to Target with her for frequent household need runs, because in a house of 7 someone was always using the last bit of toilet paper without letting her know they used the last roll.  Around the same time I begin receiving my first dosages of hip-hop in the form of music videos.  Each Target visit for me consisted of a stop by the electronic section to check out the new music releases.  On this particular visit I stumbled across 3rd Bass’ The Cactus Album (the compact disc was labeled The Cactus Ceedee, but it 89′ only a select few owned cds. It was all about the cassette tape, son).  Their first single “Steppin’ To The AM”, was in heavy rotation on the video shows, so I proceeded to cohoarse my mom into buying it for me (even though they didn’t condone secular music in the house…I’m a PK), making The Cactus Album my first ever musical purchase (followed by K-Solo’s Times Up and BDP’s Edutaiment a few months later)…or my mama’s first ever musical purchase for me.

For those who don’t know (or can’t tell by the cover art posted above) the emcees of 3rd Bass, M.C. Serch and Prime Minister Pete Nice, are caucasian.  Unlike the Beastie Boys, 3rd Bass weren’t former rockers turned clowns on the mic (although legend has it that Serch attempted to join up with the Beastie after signing to Def Jam), and unlike Mr. Van Winkle they weren’t posers pretending to be something they were not.  Peter “Nice” Nash and Micheal “Serch” Berrin (whose personalities were completely opposite), who were born and bred in Brooklyn and Queens respectively, were two kids who took to the happenings of their environment, which happen to included hip-hop.  Back in 87′ Sam Sever (who would be responsible for the bulk of the production on The Cactus Album) convinced then Columbia University english major Pete Nice (who also hosted a hip-hop radio show at the University) to start rhyming with M.C. Serch, who at this time was already performing solo on the NY club scene.  Add DJ Richie Rich to the mix and 3rd Bass was born.

The trio inked a deal with Def Jam (ironically, right around the same time The Beasties defected to Capitol…coincedence, I think not. Sounds like Russell was looking for another hot white act to cash in on, now that his money cow was gone… but hey, white label Execs do it all the time to black groups, so now were even…well not quite even)  released The Cactus Album in October of 89′ and eventually it would quietly reach gold status, thanks to a few mild hits, with “Gas Face” probably being there biggest.  The duo (I mean trio, sorry Rich) would go one to release one more album together (more on that at a later date) before they disbanded, tried solo careers, then faded into the hip-op obscurity, forever.  Serch actually reemerged in the mid 2000’s, trying the reality tv path (i.e., The White Rapper Show), only to fall deeper into the black hole with added taint on his reputation.

Nostalgia has a funny way of playing tricks on our memory.  Lets see what 20 years has done to The Cactus Album.

Stymie’s Theme – Short instrumental from the Little Rascal…

Sons Of 3rd Bass – I’ve always loved this Sam Sever/Pete Nice concocted production.  It serves as the perfect instrumental to kick off the album as Serch and Nice trade verses over the stellar instrumental.  Pete Nice’s minute plus rambling of someone who apparently pissed him off in that past, is hilarious, but Sam Sever’s movie sample at the very end (“he is stupid, but he knows that he is stupid, and that almost makes him smart”) is hi-larious! Great way to start the show, fellas.

Russell Rush – Russell Simmons rambling about the group name…

The Gas Face – Hip-hop classic and probably 3rd Bass biggest hit to date.  Prince Paul provides the backdrop for 3rd Bass and their invited guest Zev Love X (better known today as the masked one MF Doom) to give sucka emcees (including Hammer, and anybody else they don’t like) the gas face (another way of giving someone the finger). You’re probably familiar with this but if not, get yourself acquainted.  This is essential hip-hip music.

Monte Hall – The Sever-Nice connection unite for the second production credit of the evening, providing a laidback-jazzy instrumental (someone else has used this sample before but I can’t quite put my finger on the song right now) for Serch and Nice to talk about ladies they’ve met at dance halls (which must be an inside joke as even in the late eighties they called them clubs).  This was decent..far from great, but decent enough to listen to without hitting the skip button.

Oval Office – After meeting the ladies at the Monte Hall, natural progression would have the duo taking their feminine acquaintances home to explore their, oval offices (props to Search and Pete for the clever song title). Even more interesting is that the Bomb Squad provides the instrumental (and a few hi-larious vocal samples) for Serch and Pete to, take office over, and they actually sound pretty comfortable over the Bomb Squad production.

Hoods – Interlude…

Soul In The Hole – Serch and Pete use this Sam Sever beat as a simile comparing rapping to basketball, and do a pretty effective job in the process (I love the “you got your socks up to your knee like Michael Cooper” line).  Sever’s instrumental makes for the perfect laid back backdrop for the duo to shoot over.  Who said white boys can’t jump?

Triple Stage Darkness – Serch and Pete Nice provide some interesting rhymes, touching on a bunch of racial issues and misconceptions, with Pete even acknowledging that white privilege does indeed exist.  Sever’s instrumental work matches the duo’s serious substance, perfectly. This was nice.

M.C. Disagree – Useless interlude…

Wordz Of Wizdom – The title doesn’t really fit the content of the song, as Serch and Pete’s rhymes jump all over the place, but Sever’s instrumental work, once again sounds very nice. That’s all I got, kids.

Products Of The Environment – I believe this was the third single off the album. Serch and Pete use this Sam Sever beat to let the listening public know they’re not just two white dudes from the burbs posing as hip-hop heads, but kids that actually grew up in the hood and took to the happenings of their environment. Overall this was a pretty enjoyable listen.

Desert Boots – Interlude setting up…

The Cactus – First there was the Jimmy, then the Bozak, and now…the cactus (which makes me think of Ice Cube’s line:black dude’s jimmies and white boy’s cactus…I know that was random but I had to throw it sonehow).  The duo provide pretty entertaining lines, but the true star of this song is Sam Sever’s drum heavy instrumental.  Wonder what Sam’s up to these days…

Jim Backus – …

Flippin’ Off The Wall Like Lucy Ball – Serch does his best Louie Armstrong impersonation over a jazzy Sam Sever sample.  Twenty years later and this is still hi-larious!

Brooklyn-Queens – Okay, this might have been the third single and ” Product Of The Environment” the fourth?  I can’t quite remember, but I know there are videos for both songs.  Anyway, Sever samples The Emotion’s “Best Of My Love” for the meat of his instrumental that Serch and Pete dedicate to the gold diggers ladies of  Brooklyn and Queens.  I remember this being a lot more enjoyable back in the day than it sounds today. That said

Steppin’ To The A.M. – I’m positive this was the first single off of The Cactus Album.  I still remember Serch bustin’ a move in the video while Pete posted up with his cooler than cool poise.  One thing I did overlook all these years is that The Bomb Squad is responsible for the production on this (which listening to it today I should have been able to tell).  I can’t remember anything Serch or Pete said, but the instrumental was pretty entertaining.

Episode #3 – …

Who’s On Third – Sam Sever and Pete Nice cut up portions of the famous Abbott and Costello skit with random sound bites thrown in for good measure.  Not great, but it’s short which makes it tolerable.

Wordz Of Wizdom (II) – Same lyrics as the original mix with a different instrumental.  Sever’s instrumental this time around sounds empty, rendering the original mix the stronger of the two.

The Cactus Album is one of those hip-hop releases from the late eighties that is often overlooked or just plain forgotten about.  This is understandable when you consider the monster hip-hip releases from the late eighties, if not 88′ alone.  Sam Sever’s production is consistently solid (and at times brilliant) throughout, and while neither M.C. Serch or Pete Nice are great emcees, they both turn in serviceable performances, keeping pace with Sam Sever’s heat.  Like most hip-hop albums there are a few missteps (and way too many skits), but overall The Cactus Album is a solid listen from beginning to end.

-Deedub

Hello faithful few.  You may have noticed its been a few weeks since my last post.  I’m currently in the process of moving so as I’m sure you all can imagine it’s been hectic to say the least.  You can expect a new post sometime in the next few weeks as I rap up the eighties with a few albums that’ll bring back fond memories, and move into the nineties.  In the meantime read the back catalog….oh yeah, comments are welcomed and very appreciated.  I care about your thoughts and opinions…well not really, but it does let me know somebody’s actually reading the posts and not just skimming through them.  

-Deedub

Thanks to the 2 Live Crew’s Nasty As I Want To Be album and all the controversy that surrounded it, hip-hop became Tipper Gore and her pet project PMRC’s, main subject of affection in the late eighties.  The PMRC would eventually broaden its scope taking aim at more hip-hip artists with material they deemed offensive, further stirring the pot in the debate between censorship and freedom of speech.  The PMRC applied pressure to the record industry, which led to the RIAA forcing record companies to place parental advisory stickers on the packaging, preventing retailers from selling these stickered albums to minors, and some stores (*cough* Wal-Mart) deciding not to sell them at all.  While I don’t consider placing an advisory sticker on an album to inform a concerned parent that the material inside may contain inappropriate content for their kid (isn’t that the same concept as moving ratings?) as a violation of the 1st Amendment, I do believe rappers had a legitimate beef when local law enforcement begin enforcing censorship at rapper’s live shows.

Ice-T was one of many rappers effected by locally imposed censorship.  Before a show in Columbus, GA, Tracy was warned he would be arrested if he used profanity during his show.  This episode and all the controversy would lead to Ice-T’ titling his third release (at least a portion of it) The Iceberg/Freedom Of Speech… Just Watch What You Say (which is way to long of a title, so from here on out I’ll refer to it simply as The Iceberg).  The Iceberg would go on to receive decent reviews from critics and be the third consecutive Ice-T release to reach gold status or above (which is really impressive when you consider the limited airplay Tracy got back in the day).

Unlike his first two albums, there’s no Darlene Ortiz gracing the cover art with her beauty, bikini, and curves.  Yep, things have already gotten off to a bad start.

Shut Up, Be Happy – Over a dark guitar sample a voice interrupts your normally scheduled program to inform the American public that all their constitutional rights have been revoked and the country is now under Marshall law. The voice then gives a list of can and cannots (including only being able to take drugs administered by your supervisor?  that was kind of weird and random to hear).  At least it does set the tone for the albums over all concept.

The Iceberg – This is the only song on the album not produced by Afrika Islam.  Johnny Rivers gets credit for this James Brown sampled instrumental, which is barely decent.  What starts out sounding like a song for Ice-T to reintroduce himself and, break the ice (rimshot), turns into Tracy sharing random tales about his crew’s sexapades, which kind of sounds gay.  This was a hot mess.

Lethal Weapon – I’m not sure if I like Afrika Islam’s instrumental or not, as the synthesizer sample brings a nice dark feel to the track but also borders on cheesy. Though I’m torn on the instrumental, I’m positive that Ice-T sounds better on slower mid-tempo beats as the faster paced joints, like this one, expose his limited flow and breath control issues.  He does makes some solid points on this one, so I can’t completely write this one off.

You Played Yourself – Islam hooks up James Brown’s horn heavy “The Boss” for this mid-tempo groove. Tracy sounds like the wise old owl, sitting in the treetops watching different scenarios unfold as the subjects play the fool, sharing their errors with the listener so you don’t walk their path. Like I said in the previous song, Ice-T is at his best when he lays in the cut on a mid-tempo grooves like this. This was and still is dope.

Peel Their Caps Back – Islam provides a bangin’ dark instrumental for Tracy to paint his murder portrait on . Tracy and  crew are seeking revenge for the murder of one of their crew members, but retaliation ultimately leads to both sides loosing.  In true Ice-T fashion he leaves an underlying message that will leave you with a lot to chew on. Tracy dates the song with mention of dubbing movies off his VCR. This is easily one of Ice-T best works.  Brilliant.

The Girl Tried To Kill Me – Over a rock-tinged guitar Tracy shares a tale about a chick he meets at a club and after going home with her, to his surprise, discovers she’s a dominatrix.  I know, on first thought it sounds like fun, but this chick is wicked.  She back flips onto his dick! I don’t care if she looked like Halle Berry with Kim Kardashian’s body, that’s some painful stuff.  Tracy and the gymnast are interrupted by an unexpected guest, who happens to be her 6’10 husband, making that two people seeking to take his life. Tracy screams each line of the song as if he’s battling the guitar sample. Even though Tracy’s delivery is poorly executed, his animation and hilarious storyline, ultimately make this song work.

Black ‘N’ Decker – This was a dumb and completely useless skit.

Hit The Deck – For the first time on IceBerg Tracy abandons a topic and just spits random freestyle rhymes.  Islam’s instrumental work is a hot mess, so it was hilarious to hear Ice-T describe the beat as treacherous.  I was think of another word starting with “t”.  Terrible.

This One’s For Me – The title doesn’t really fit the song, as Tracy’s in “dis mode” taking on a black radio station that wouldn’t play his music, the government (for allowing drugs in the hood and then arresting the ghetto dwellers who sell it), and fake people in general.  He even dedicates an entire verse discussing the internal feuding that when on within Public Enemy, calling out PE’s fair-weather friends, and proclaiming himself a dedicated supporter of both Chuck and Professor Griff, taking neither side. Boy we could all use a friend like Tracy in our corner. Islam’s track, samples from yet another James Brown song, but the results are only decent. Tracy’s sleepy delivery only makes matters worse.

The Hunted Child – This first person narrative, has Tracy in the role of a running 17 teen-year old wanted for murder, even backtracking the path leading up to the murder.  I could careless for Islam’s instrumental, and I think I’ve clearly expressed how I feel about Tracy rapping over these faster paced beats. This is no exception. On a positive note, I’ve always appreciated Tracy’s attention to detail as this storyline clearly displays.  It was just poorly executed.

What Ya Wanna Do? – This posse cut runs on for nearly 9 minutes (which is nearly 9 minutes longer than it should be) as each member of the Rhyme Syndicate gets two verses.  The only stand out on this song is Everlast, who turns in two solid verses. Islam’s track is forgettable, and there is really no reason to listen to this more than once. Tracy mentions at the end of the song that two members of the syndicate, Kid Jazz and Rangol, for whatever reason, couldn’t make it to the session for this song. Imagine how much longer this torture would have gone on if they did show up. Thanks, guys!

Freedom Of Speech – The second of two title songs finds Tracy “articulately” defending and questioning, the 1st Amendment. He takes a few shots at Tipper Gore, PMRC, Columbus, GA (which apparently threatened to arrest him if he dropped the f-bomb at a concert: reliving that got Tracy so upset he completely abandons his flow for an angry rant), but still manages to make a few good points. This song suffers from Islam’s generic instrumental work and Tracy’s sloppy execution.

My Word Is Bond – Over a simple Islam drum beat Tracy and crew take turns telling tall ridonkulous tall tales. This reminded me of an update version of L.L’s “That’s A Lie”. And just like “That A Lie” this sucks as well. Terrible way to end the album, Tracy.

Iceberg is like that girl in junior high that you thought was extremely hot and had a huge crush on, then years later when you stumble across her picture in your old yearbook, you’re hit with an epiphany: she wasn’t all that. There are 3 really good songs (“You Played Yourself”, “Peel Their Caps Back”, and “The Girl Tried To Kill Me”) and a few other decent joints, but overall The Iceberg suffers from too many lackluster beats, and too many up-tempo tracks exposing Tracy’s weaknesses. At least the cd jacket doubles as a two-sided poster collage full of hip-hop legends for you to pick out, providing a visual distraction to keep your ears from realizing they just witnessed a very underwhelming hip-hop listening experience.

-Deedub

At the tender age of 16, MC Lyte dropped her debut album Lyte As A Rock, which just so happened to come out in 88′, which is considered by many hip-hop historians to be the best year, ever, for hip-hop releases .  Lyte As A Rock wasn’t a commercial success, but Lyte showed potential in her skills, while making heads take notice.  The nagging problem with her debut (in my opinion) was in its production, with the majority being handled by Audio Two (Milk, half  of the duo, was her brother).  I guess blood is thicker than water, even if that means sacrificing the quality of your debut album.   

Lyte would return in 89″ to release her follow-up effort Eyes On This, staying true to her original format of party and battle rhymes over… Audio Two production.  Lyte would invite a few other producers to handled a handful of tracks (more on that later) but the bulk of the load would again fall on Milk and Gizmo’s shoulders.

I’m all about second chances. Maybe their work on Lyte As A Rock was a fluke. Maybe the duo matured, and they’ve learned to craft beats that compliment Lyte’s sharp flow.  Maybe they were both suffering from hearing loss during the recording of Lyte As and made enough money in between albums off royalties to get hearing aids to correct the issue, or at least purchase q-tips to take care of the wax build up.  I’m trying to be optimistic, guys.

Cha Cha Cha – This hip-hop classic was released as the first single off Eyes On This.  King Of Chill lives up to his name, providing this chill but equally funky instrumental for Lyte to spill smooth lines (that King Of Chill also wrote) over.  This sounds just as good today as it did twenty years ago.

Slave 2 The Rhythm – PMD, of EPMD (which is actually spelled out “Pee MD” in the liner notes, just a colon short of being a request) gets a rare solo production credit (other than the work on his own solo projects) for this track, and it’s actually pretty good.  Lyte puts in blue-collar day’s work on the mic, even at one point taking another shot at her long time nemesis Antoinette.  This was nice.  Now I’m curious on what PMD’s beats sound like on his solo work…maybe one day I’ll track those down.

Cappucino – Marley Marl turns in his only production contribution on Eyes On This.  I belief this was the second single off the album.  Lyte uses this simple but effective instrumental to tell a story about her quest for a cup of cappucino that turns fatal…or does it?  Props to Lyte for the original song idea.   

Stop, Look, Listen – King Of Chill’s instrumental sounds a lot more interesting with headphones than it does when listening with the naked ear.  Lyte sounds cool, but King Of Chill helped write the rhymes, so  she loosed a few cool points.  This was still a decent listen.

Throwin’ Words At U – Lyte’s brother’s group, Audio Two, provide this generic instrumental, which sounds like it was just thrown together for Lyte to, throw words at you.  The beat was so boring I completely lost interest in whatever it is Lyte was saying.  Next…

Not Wit’ A Dealer – Lyte and  a nameless female guest use this one to paint a tale about her friend who gets herself in a bad relationship that ends fatal.  unfortunately Lyte again looses points as Milk wrote this one.  I’ll give Lyte a few of the points back since Audio Two’s beat sucks elephant balls (I see you, Max!).

Survival Of The Fittest (Remix)  – This instrumental work is credited to both King Of Chill and Audio Two, but its generic feel has Audio Two written all over it (the proof is in my yawning).  Lyte’s credited for writing her own line on this one, but unfortunately she sounds half asleep.  But once you hear Audio Two’s production work you’ll empathize and forgive her for her drowsiness (*stretching* I need a nap…).   

Shut The Eff Up! (Hoe) – Picking up where “10% Dis” left off, Lyte dedicates this one to her arch nemesis and long forgotten rival, Antoinette. Some of Lyte’s shots are pretty entertaining (love the line about Antoinette’s two-for-one skips), but when she calls Antoinette out for not writing her own rhymes, I wanted to introduce the kettle to the pot. Unfortunately, Audio Two’s empty beat does nothing to evoke a battle rhyme environment, so Lyte verbage is in vain. 

I Am The Lyte – Grand Puba (yes, of Brand Nubian) provides the instrumental for this one, and it actually sounds pretty good.  Then again, after hearing Audio Two’s lackluster production for the last few songs, anything remotely decent sounds like Premo’s best at this point.  A la Pete Rock, Puba throws in his adlibs throughout the track.  This was pretty cool.

Rhyme Hangover – King Of Chill borrows Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover” for the hook, adding a bouncy bass line for Lyte to talk her trash. Decent enough.

Funky Song – Puba get his 2nd production credit of the evening for this very genericly titled song.  Howie Tee used this sample on Special Ed’s “Taxing”, and I must admit Howie’s interpretation sounds more complete, and since we’re comparing, Ed does a better job than Lyte on the mic as well. 

Please Understand – Lyte spits several tales about dudes who seem to have forgotten that Lyte is not haven’t.  Audio Two’s instrumental sounds more filled than the rest of their work on Eyes On This, and it actually works for me.  This is definitely one of the better songs of the evening.

K-Rocks Housin’ – K-Rock get a chance to go for his on the turntables, and at 4 minutes it runs a few minutes too long.   And with that we’re done.

When discussing the greatest female emcees of all time, MC Lyte has to be mentioned, no question. Granted, in the early part of her career she had a staff to help write her lyrics, but she still wrote the majority of her material, so you can’t put her in the same category as Foxy Brown, Lil’ Kim, or Kriss Kross.   The real problem with Eyes On This is the consistently inconsistent production.  There are a few times when  the stars align and the beats and rhymes move together in harmony (which normally occurs when Audio Two’s not involved), but this is the exception not the rule.  I wonder what Lyte would sound like over Premo’s boom-bap or Pete Rock’s heavy drums.   Eyes On This a very uneven listen that misses more often than it hits.  You might want to consider the water, Lyte.

-Deedub