My first time hearing Steady B was back in the late 80's when his video for "Serious" came on The Box (video jukebox, remember that? lol). I didn't know it at the time, but it was the BDP remix produced by Krs-One. The lyricism was on point and the production was fine, but it was Tat Money on the 1's and 2's that demanded my attention. He killed the last few seconds of that song. He was so good that it compelled me to go and get my dad's turntable and wear out his records. Anyway. I eventually copped the album and was bummed when I found out the remix was nowhere to be found. I quickly tossed the album on the shelf and left it there for years. One day, while looking for albums to trade in, I figured I'd give it a listen to see if it was worth trading in or not. Turns out the album is pretty good. Production is your typical late 80's fare with Steady holding down the entire album on his own. It's not required listening, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance. It's definitely worth holding on to. Oh, and I threw the remix in there for those that haven't heard it. In hindsight, the remix isn't all that different from the original, but I still love it more. I think will.i.am sampled this joint when he did that track on Chrisette Michelle's debut album. Crate junkies probably already knew that though...
Let The Hustlers Play [Jive/RCA Records 1988]
1. Let The Hustlers Play
2. Certified Dope
3. The Undertaker
4. I Got Cha
5. Turn It Loose
6. Ya Know My Rucka
7. Serious
8. Do What You Wanna Do
9. Who's Makin' Ya Dance
10. On The Real Tip
11. Through Thick-N-Thin
Bonus Cut:
12. Serious (BDP Remix)
I don't know a whole lot about Missin' Linx outside of the fact that they're dope. I purchased the second installment of Hip Hop Forever (mixed by Jazzy Jeff -- it's a classic; get it if you haven't already) and there was a track called M.I.A. on it that stood out to me somewhat. Anyway, it turns out that Missin' Linx consisted of Al Tariq, Black Attack, and Problemz. I'd only heard a few underground 12" singles from Black & Problemz, so I wasn't really that familiar, but I already had God Connections, so I copped this on the strength of how dope that album is. The end result is a short (6 tracks, just over 23 minutes) and so-so release comprised of typical Y2K production from the likes of Necro, Alchemist, Adam 12, DJ Emz, and V.I.C. along with some dope lyrics. Though you'll rarely (if ever) hear from these guys again, I'd have to say it's not worth the king's ransom that I see it going for online. It's definitely worth coppin' if you can find it for a nice price, though.
Exhibit A [Stimulated Records 2000]
1. What It Is
2. Ain't Nothin'
3. Hotness feat. JuJu of The Beatnuts
4. Family Ties feat. Freddie Foxxx
5. That's That
6. M.I.A.
I figured I'd throw this on the blog since a buddy requested it. This joint is what made me a believer in Chef Raekwon. I wasn't really feelin' his style on Enter The 36, but there was simply no way any fan of the Wu could front on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...it was (and still is) simply flawless. As we all know by now, RZA handled the production and Ghostface appears as a "guest star" for what went on to become one of the illest Wu albums ever. Enjoy, people.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... [Loud / RCA 1995]
1. Striving For Perfection
2. Knuckleheadz feat. Ghostface Killah & U-God
3. Knowledge God
4. Criminology feat. Ghostface Killah
5. Incarcerated Scarfaces
6. Rainy Dayz feat. Ghostface Killah & Blue Raspberry
7. Guillotine [Swordz] feat. Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, & GZA
8. Can It All Be So Simple [Remix] feat. Ghostface Killah
9. Shark Niggas [Biters]
10. Ice Water feat. Ghostface Killah & Cappadonna
11. Glaciers of Ice feat. Ghostface Killah, Masta Killah, 60 Second Assassin, & Blue Raspberry
12. Verbal Intercourse feat. Ghostface Killah & Nas
13. Wisdom Body feat. Ghostface Killah
14. Spot Rusherz
15. Ice Cream feat. Ghostface Killah, Method Man, & Cappadonna
16. Wu-Gambinos feat. Ghostface Killah, Method Man, RZA, & Masta Killah
17. Heaven & Hell feat. Ghostface Killah
18. North Star [Jewelz]
When Onyx debuted, I wasn't that big a fan of all the screaming and gimmicks that they brought along with them. In fact, despite diggin' a few of the singles, I thought they were really, really corny. Well, their sophomore effort, which was criminally underrated, answered the question of what they were capable of if they just ditched the gimmicks, went to the lab, and rocked over some tight production. Sure, some of the gimmicks surface here or there, but the overall outcome was nothing short of top notch. Though the first album was a top selling pop smash, this is the album that made official heads recognize skill.
All We Got Iz Us [JMJ/RAL/Def Jam 1995]
1. Life Or Death (Skit)
2. Last Dayz
3. All We Got Iz Us (Evil Streets)
4. Purse Snatchaz
5. Shout
6. I Murder U (Skit)
7. Betta Off Dead
8. Live Niguz
9. Punkmotherfukaz
10. Most Def
11. Act Up (Skit)
12. Getto Mentalitee
13. 2 Wrongs
14. Maintain (Skit)
15. Walk In New York
I first heard of Little Brother while I was living in Texas (late '02/early '03). The internet was buzzing about them, but I didn't know much about downloading, so I got on Limewire and downloaded like 3 tracks. That's all it took, though, because I was hooked after hearing them. It took me about a month to download the entire album (lol) due to a crappy connection and not much availability but, when I did get the whole thing, the CD stayed in rotation for about 5 months straight. I mean, I didn't play anything else during that period -- car, iPod, whatever...it was all LB all day. I was floored by the production and the two rappers -- Phonte and Pooh -- were on some "have fun with it" type of vibe. I pretty much bought anything with their name on it from that point. Fast forward to 2009 and I still call this one a classic. They hadn't been well worn by the industry yet and their music reflected that. That element is what's missing from subsequent releases, in my opinion, but I'll forever be thankful for this overlooked gem. Flawless from top to bottom.
The Listening [ABB Records 2002]
1. Morning feat. Chaundon
2. Groupie Pt. 2
3. For You
4. Speed
5. Whatever You Say
6. Make Me Hot (Interlude)
7. The Yo-Yo
8. Shorty On the Lookout feat. Median
9. Love Joint Revisited
10. So Fabulous feat. L.E.G.A.C.Y.
11. The Way You Do It
12. Roy Lee, Producer Extraordinaire (Interlude)
13. The Get-Up
14. Away From Me
15. Nobody But You feat. Keisha Shontelle
16. Home
17. Nighttime Maneuvers
18. The Listening
This is it. This is the album that launched Slick Rick into the stratosphere and made him a household name. It's also his debut solo joint after label politics forced him out of Doug E Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew (looks like the label did him a favor, if you ask me). The album doesn't reall need a description if you have any idea who Slick Rick is -- the album is a certified classic. Anyway, I'm dropping his entire solo discography on the blog. I was gonna post him or Ghostface, but I looked and found out that I don't have Big Doe Rehab, so it wouldn't have been complete. Enjoy.
The Great Adventures of Slick Rick [Def Jam / Columbia 1988]
1. Treat Her Like A Prostitute
2. The Ruler's Back
3. Children's Story
4. The Moment I Feared
5. Let's Get Crazy
6. Indian Girl (An Adult Story)
7. Teenage Love
8. Mona Lisa
9. Kit (What's The Scoop)
10. Hey Young World
11. Teacher, Teacher
12. Lick The Balls
The sophomore set set from Rick plays more like The Great Adventures Part 2. I don't mean that in a bad way, but you can sort of tell that he didn't deviate very far from the original script, if you will. While just as dope, Rick failed to yield any timeless singles this time around. To his credit, the album was rushed because of a jail sentence was hanging over his head. I'm under the impression that he would've put out a stronger product if he had the time to do so. That said, it still went gold, but it failed to reach the bar that he set so astronomically high with his debut...
The Ruler's Back [Def Jam 1991]
1. King
2. I Shouldn't Have Done It
3. Bond
4. Moses
5. Tonto
6. Mistakes of A Woman In Love With Other Men
7. Venus
8. Ship
9. It's A Boy
10. Top Cat
11. Runaway
12. Slick Rick - The Ruler
The third release from Slick Rick didn't make much of a splash. It came out while he was locked up and didn't get the kind of promotion it deserved. Despite all of that, the album almost went gold anyway. The production is handled by Pete rock, Large Professor, Easy Mo Bee (so underrated), and Prince Paul. I don't think Rick has released anything that would get less than 4 out of 5 from this listener and this album is no exception...
Behind Bars [Def Jam 1994]
1. Behind Bars
2. All Alone (No One To Be With)
3. Sittin' In My Car feat. Doug E. Fresh
4. A Love That's True (Part 1)
5. Cuz It's Wrong
6. Let's All Get Down feat. Nice & Smooth
7. I'm Captive
8. Get A Job
9. A Love That's True (Part 2)
10. It's A Boy (Large Professor Remix)
11. Behind ars (Dum Ditty Dum Mix) feat. Warren G.
The Art of Storytelling is the last release from Slick Rick. It's not bad at all. As a matter of fact, it's pretty good. I expected a fall off from Ricky D after such a long layoff, but he proved that he still had it, in my opinion. There are a handful of so-so tracks, but the majority of the album is nothing but solid production and tight rhymes...Rick still has it. Now, I just need a new album from him...
The Art Of Storytelling [Def Jam 1999]
1. Jail Skit feat. Ed Lover, DJ Rev. Run, & Redman
2. Kill Niggaz
3. Street Talkin' feat. Outkast
4. Me & Nas Bring It To Your Hardest feat. Nas
5. I Own America Part 1
6. Bugsy Radio Skit feat. Bugsy
7. Who Rotten 'Em
8. 2 Way Street
9. King Piece In The Chess Game feat. Canibus
10. Trapped In Me
11. Impress The Kid feat. S&S
12. Q-Tip & Peter Gunz Skit feat. Q-Tip & Peter Gunz
13. I Run This
14. Frozen feat. Raekwon
15. Why, Why, Why
16. Adults Only
17. Memories
18. Unify (Kid Capri feat. Snoop Dogg & Slick Rick)
19. Bugsy Radio Skit feat. Bugsy
20. I Own America Part 2
21. CEO Outro
22. We Turn It On feat. Doug E. Fresh
23. La Di Da Di [Live] feat. Doug E. Fresh
24. The Show [Live] feat. Doug E. Fresh
The debut album from Sunz Of Man. Most of the production is handled by 4th Disciple and True Master with RZA, Supreme, and Wyclef sprinkling in a track here and there. The overall product is nothing short of dope if you like your hip hop with a heavy dose of east coast boom bap.
The Last Shall Be First [Red Ant Entertainment 1998]
1. Intro
2. Cold
3. Naturla High
4. Flaming Swords
5. Illusions feat. Masta Killah
6. Shining Star feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard
7. Israeli News
8. Tribulations
9. The Interview
10. The Plan
11. Collaboration '98 feat. Method Man
12. Inmates To The Fire
13. Not Promised Tomorrow feat. Tekitha
14. For The Lust Of Money/The Grandz
15. Can I See You
16. The Battle
17. Next Up feat. Method Man
18. Intellectuals feat. Raekwon & U-God
19. Five Arch Angels
E Double is one of those guys that, no matter how tight his track record is, he never really gets the props he truly deserves. The man is one of the best producers ever. I think I covered all of this in the Insomnia post, though. Anyway, Double or Nothing is the sophomore solo joint from the Green Eyed and, as expected, the production is on point. I think his only shortcoming is his delivery (and the occasional wack simile), but his output is still second to none. This album wasn't as well received as his debut, but it's on the same level. The strength is definitely in the production (obviously). If you slept on this, like most people did, be sure to give it chance.
Double Or Nothing [RAL / Def Jam 1995]
1. Intro [Skit]
2. Bomdigi
3. Freak Out feat. Redman
4. In The Heat
5. Tell 'Em feat. Roz & Keith Murray
6. In The Studio [Skit]
7. Boy Meets World
8. Welcome feat. Keith Murray & Aaron Hall
9. Live In The Backyard [Skit]
10. Set It Off feat. Keith Murray11. Focus
12. Move On feat. Redman & Passion13. Smooth Thought [Skit]
14. Do Your Thing
15. Man Above
16. The Message [Skit]
17. Open Fire feat. Keith Murray & Redman
Cash Money & Marvelous have a style that's similar to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.It's pretty much the same light, radio friendly material, but it doesn't feel as pop. The production is par for the course when you talk about 1988 rap. I think the most popular song on the album would be the classic "Uly People Be Quiet", but I think the first track I heard from them was "Find An Ugly Woman" and I loved it the first time I heard it. If you're at all familiar with those tracks, then you have a pretty good idea what the entire album sounds like since a lot of the production is the same and there isn't much topic range. That said, it was great for partying to when it dropped and it's still good for cutting the occasional rug. Enjoy, people...
Where's The Party At? [Sleeping Bag 1988]
1. Find An Ugly Woman
2. Play It Kool
3. Is It Real
4. Time Is Up
5. A Real Mutha For Ya
6. Marvelous' Drawers
7. Ugly People Be Quiet (Remix)
8. Ugly People Be Quiet
9. The Mighty Hard Rocker
10. Who's In The Place
11. Where's The Party At?
12. All About Partyin'
13. The Music Maker
Dru Down is a rapper I didn't see a lot of when I was growing up. Being on the east coast, you simply didn't see a lot of west coast cats unless they were multi-platinum superstars like Dre or Snoop. So it wasn't until about a year agao that I actually found this sitting in my local record store for $5 used (but in like new condition). I popped it in, because I remember the video for "Can You Feel Me" and I found that this album was pretty good from top to bottom. He has a voice that took a minute for me to get used to, but the beats were pretty solid. Not as advanced as production in '96 should've been, but still good. The end result for this listener was a 4 star album that just as slept on as his debut. Peep this shit, y'all.
Can You Feel Me [C-Note / Relativity 1996]
1. Intro
2. Playa Fo Real
3. Baby Bubba feat. Bootsy Collins
4. Can You Feel Me
5. Choppin' It Up feat. Chris "C.H." Hicks
6. Head & Shoulders
7. Mista Busta
8. Hustlin' Ain't No Thang
9. The Game
10. Breezy feat. Yukmouth & Poppa LQ
11. Freaks Come Out feat. Luniz & L.V.
12. Deal Went Bad
13. Underestimated feat. Soopafly
14. I'm Wondering
15. Suspect One
16. 500 Mobsters
17. The Mobb feat. Luniz, Knucklehead, Eclipse, NicNac, & T. Luney
RJD2 is a dope producer that I got into almost accidentally while living in Texas (of all places). There isn't a whole lot to be said about instrumental albums -- which this happens to be -- unless the producer is wack. RJ is far from wack, so you can expect dope production throughout. If you're not into instrumental albums, take a pass on this one. I don't recommend that, though. Enjoy.
Deadringer [Def Jux 2002]
1. The Horror
2. Salud
3. Smoke & Mirrors
4. Good Times Roll Pt. 2
5. Final Frontier feat. Blueprint
6. Ghostwriter
7. Cut Out To FL
8. F.H.H. feat. Jakki Da Motamouth
9. Shot In The Dark
10. Chicken-Bone Circuit
11. The Proxy
12. 2 More Dead
13. Take The Picture Off
14. Silver Fox
15. June feat. Copywrite
16. Work (w/ bonus track "Here's What's Left")
Smoothe's major label debut was what most would refer to as slept on, but outside of the classic "Broken Language", I don't remember hearing much from the guy. It's a shame too, because this album is solid from top to bottom. Production, lyricism, guest shots -- from DV Alias Christ and his brother, Trigger Tha Gambler -- this album had it all. It did hit store shelves during the dawn of the jiggy era, so it may have been too hardcore east coast for most. For those that want to hear NY represent for '96 like it was supposed to, then peep this album. You won't be sorry.
Once Upon A Time In America [Profile 1996]
1. Once Upon A Time...
2. Fuck Watcha Heard feat. Trigger Tha Gambler
3. Dollar Bill feat. D.V. Alias Christ
4. Glocks On Cock
5. Broken Language feat. Trigger Tha Gambler
6. Speak My Peace
7. Neva Dia Alone
8. Food For Thoughts
9. Family Conflicts
10. Only Human
11. Hustler's Theme
12. Murdafest feat. Trigger Tha Gambler & D.V. Alias Christ
13. Hustlin'
14. My Brother My Ace feat. Trigger Tha Gambler
15. Dedication
