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“Stress: The Extinction Agenda”-Organized Konfusion

Purchase “Stress..” HERE

Sometimes, Hip Hop groups just complete the near impossible feat and improve upon their debut album greatly, albeit avoiding the dreaded “sophomore slump”. That’s what Organized Konfusion did in 1994 with their 2nd LP, “Stress: The Extinction Agenda”.  Even though some herald O.K.’s debut as a classic, it was a complete disaster sales-wise, yet they still had the fortune of not getting dropped from the label (Hollywood Basic).  If so, we wouldn’t have been blessed with this oft-forgotten masterpiece.

Once again on this outing the lyrically inclined duo of Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po absolutely go off.  Perhaps, with “Stress..” they aren’t as much ahead of their time as they were in 1991, but still “Stress” served as one of the best overall showings of 1994.  Let’s not front, Pharoahe Monch is a tiny notch above Prince Po with the lyrics, but that doesn’t stop Prince Po from wrecking lyrical havoc in every last one of his verses.  Yet, you must take into consideration that the forward-thinking, open-minded,  Monch is one of the most flawless MC’s to ever grace the microphone, as Po served as Pippen to Monch’s Jordan.   Nearly every rhyme of this album delivered via Monch is a Hip-Hop quotable and he delivers his lyrics in such a rapid-fire, thought-provoking manner that is sometimes over your head, but definitely all deserving of a “rewind”.

The production featured on “Stress..” is also top-notch, sort of a post-”Enta Da Stage”/”36 Chambers” vibe that doesn’t stray too far away from the tried and true East Coast sound, thanks to the contributions of Buckwild. In his true signature fashion Buckwilld’s contributions: “Stress, “Why” and “Thirteen” are in other words, the 3 “Ds”, “Dark, Dreary and Dope. Every single cut on this album is just stellar, I can’t seem to conjure up one single negative word to say in regards to  “Stress..”  It’s simply a MUST have/copable album for all  fans of vintage hip hop.  And me being a true realist, this album is even waay ahead of the majority of the ‘ish that’s dropping in this day and age, talk about keeping up with the times!?

“Resurrection”-Common Sense

Purchase “Resurrection” HERE

Resurrection!!   Did Common display the most improvement from one album to the next with his progression between the release of his debut, “Can I Borrow A Dollar?” and this seminal release?  I’d have to say it’s right at the cusp with the best of ‘em, and when asked, this is the example that first comes to mind in most instances.  “Resurrection” had barely anything in “common” with Common’s debut, which often found the young, upstart lyricist making an overabundance of crazy, pig noises.  Oh, don’t get it confused, it’s not that I don’t like/love “Can I Borrow a Dollar?”, it’s really quite a fun album, but it just doesn’t compare to this one since Common Sense evolved into such a better rapper.

Most people will tell you that this is one of the best lyrical performances found on record of all-time and I’d have a hard time disputing the fact.  You want metaphors? Common beefs up every line with ‘em and he just refuses to stop the bumrush.  “Resurrection” is truly one of those albums that you really need to learn and “take in” all the lyrics to appreciate it fully. The production on this release also improved upon “Can I Borrow A Dollar?”.  The producer found on Common’s first offering,  who named himself Immenslope (whom also handled approximately half of the beats on “Can I..”) would re-emerge on “Resurrection”, this time with the alias of  No I.D. (did you know he produced the Rick Ross/Cee-Lo cut that just leaked? Wow!).  It’s also of note that it was indeed No I.D. who laced Common with all of the soundscapes on this LP but two (with “Sum Shit I Wrote” and “Chapter 13″ being the only omissions)

The beats that fuel “Resurrection” all share the “Midnight Marauders” influence and offer your preferred audio set-up a nice cardio workout.  The production is somewhat simple, yet thumping which permits Common from being overshadowed. All this makes “Resurrection” a classic LP, without a doubt, there’s nothing quite like this album as it served as the soundtrack to countless drunken summer night during my senior year of H.S.. I’ve always had a difficult time choosing between this one and “Like Water for Chocolate” as my to which is my favorite Common album. Yet, if you ask me today, I’m pretty sure of my pick and I’m rolling with “Chocolate” mainly due to the Soulquarians’ production which makes it a much more complete album than these simple mid-’90′s beats. Still there is minimal fault with “Resurrection”, it’s definitely an essential album to have for all the hip hop heads out there.

“Criminal”-Scientifik

Purchase “Criminal” HERE

Man, count me in as a “sleeper”!! I honestly probably never  had heard of this album until late 2003-early 2004 when I downloaded “Criminal” off of SoulSeek. Even more to my surprise was learning of his inclusion in the “Bulldogs”, aka Ed. O.G.’s posse that went along for the ride on early Ed O.G. releases such as “Like Of A Kid In The Ghetto” and “Roxbury 02119″. Someone help me out here, I can’t tell if that’s Scientifik that appears alongside Ed O.G. on the cover art for “Roxbury….” or not. Anyway, supposedly released on the Definite label imprint in 1994 “Criminal” has become somewhat of a myth and has been hyped to monstrous proportions due to in large part to it’s all-star production cast. Hmmm, “Ego Trip” states that Scientifik died in a car accident in 1998, but I also recall reading somewhere recently that he shot his wife/girlfriend and then turned the gun on himself. Don’t ask me, I’m just judging by hearsay.

Sadly, this album has basically been subjected to download based on the limited distribution of the album (if there was any at all). Although, “Criminal” was actually re-released by Traffic Entertainment Group in 2006….the dude who I imagine would really be able to hip you to the saga of Scientifik would almost have to be fellow Bostonian Dart Adams. I would consider “Criminal” to be “slept-on” no doubt…but, the album at 10 tracks deep is nowhere near “classic” status. I’d give it a solid 7/10 no more, no less. The Jeru sampled “Jungles Of Da‘ East” is hard not to like with it’s soulful yet bouncy production that would’ve no doubt rocked mixtapes up and down the East Coast border had the album received it’s proper due in 94′. The Diamond D assisted “I Got Planz” is another banger that leans to Diamond’s quality production featured on “Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop” rather than his lazy production from his follow-up “Hatred, Passions & Infedility“. All in all, I’ve enjoyed this album enough to purchase it which speaks volumes about this overlooked release from yet another emcee that left us way to soon.

“Nervous Breakdown”-Fu-Schnickens

Purchase “Nervous Breakdown” HERE

Boy did I LOVE the Fu-Schnickens first album!!! Three different MCs with three different complimentary styles, various comic references to TV-Shows and cartoons and many exhilarating quotations about Kung-Fu flicks; Sounds familiar? Do the math! But when you release your first album in ’92, your sophomore in ’94 and your record company (though Jive never displayed any prowess when it came to Hip Hop) decides to put out a best of album in ’96, something must have went totally wrong.

Enter “Nervous Breakdown”: Their lyrical formula had not changed dramatically; I just missed Ali Shaheed Muhammad, his snare, the jazzy atmosphere that came to your rescue, whenever you felt tired of Chip’s fast flow. But like I said, this was the first album. On “Nervous Breakdown” everything seemed a bit confusing: You had the Eric Sermon influenced “Breakdown”, the Lord Finesse influenced “Visions” and the DJ Muggs influenced “Sneakin’ Up On Ya” aligned back to back, causing a lack of identification and corresponding style. You never knew what to expect and that wasn’t necessarily a good thing coming off their success with the first album “F.U- Don’t Take It Personal”. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad record, a lot of good things happen here, but I was a little bit disappointed with them, trying to reinvent themselves…

“Blowout Comb”-Digable Planets

Purchase “Blowout Comb” HERE

The Digable Planets’ sophmore album “Blowout Comb” may not have been as popular or recognizable as their debut “Reachin..”, but it is twice as good. Not that there is anything unfavorable with “Reachin’”, it’s an excellent record, but on this outing they really pushed their sound forward. “Blowout Comb” is soo ahead of its time that it could easily pass off as a 2010 release, the production has really up to today’s standards, even if it was released a mere 16 years ago. One of the elements that pushed their sound to another pedestal was the addition of actual jazz musicians on top of the sampled drums. This ranges from bass, guitar, cello, vibes, keyboards, saxophones and all of this gives the album tons of rich details to digest.

The legendary Guru might have originated this concept with his Jazzmatazz in 1993 with flying colors, but the Planets just take the same idea and birthed a complete masterpiece.  One of the other things I really loved about “Blowout Comb” is it’s thick, dragging drums, they just sound so crisp and tight, yet never really screwed with the mellow vibe of the record. Again the Planets all possess a laid-back, conversational delivery, and while they might not be the most gifted lyricists, their style meshes perfectly with their production. I have nothing but positive things to say about this album, it’s an under-appreciated classic that’s somehow is overlooked due to the success of their debut album (which is due to the commercial success of “Cool Like Dat”). Highly recommended and arguably the apex of the jazz-rap sound.

The Legion – “Theme + Echo = Krill” (1994, Mercury/555 Recordings)

Cop “Theme..” HERE

Capitalizing off their loose affiliation with Black Sheep, the Bronx trio The Legion released their one and only album, the oddly titled “Theme + Echo = Krill” in 1994. Boasting heavy East Coast production, provided by the likes of the Black Sheep (Dres & Mista Lawnge) and Showbiz, yet the majority of the beats on “Theme..” were surprisingly laced “in house” by the three-man crew.  The obvious Pete Rock and Q-Tip influences run a muck, and thankfully so, as the lyricism that can be found on this debut was very mediocre, at best.

Yet again, the Legion fell into your typical trap, that affected many of the acts that emerged from this era.  Even though, at the time, when the album received 3 outta’ 5 mics from The Source, I considered the estimation of the magazine to be somewhat flawed.  Listening to the LP, just recently, 3 mics was somewhat generous, considering the generic lyrics that lacked any real substance.  At best, this album is an entertaining listen on the basis of the “sound” production, but nothing is very memorable (aside from the Biz Markie-laced hook that fueled “Zootie Bang”) with the exception of the album’s length (almost 80 minutes). If you really love that sound it might be worth a shot.

Top Quality-“Magnum Opus” (1994, RCA)

Purchase “Magnum Opus” HERE

There was a moment in time when EPMD’s extended family had New York on lock.  While E-Double’s Def Squad collective scored early and often, with Keith Murray and Reggie Noble leading the pack, Pee’s Hit Squad counted on matching the success of Das Efx with the release of Top Quality’s “Magnum Opus” in ’94.

Packed to the gills with Philly Blunt references, delivered, in what it seemed like at times, pig Latin, “Magnum Opus” was an overflow of cliches straight from the mouth of yet another “hard” emcee.  With lyrical versatility seldom heard on one single album, Top Quality pulled out all the stops in a valiant attempt to outshine production handled by the likes of Solid Scheme and Jesse West.  The title cut from this album has proved to also be it’s most famous for it’s creative sampling.

The least successful to branch from the EPMD root, Top Quality failed to attain the popularity enjoyed by Das, Red, Keith Murry and don’t forget about K-Solo!  Even Parrish Smith’s (PMD) executive-production and oversight of this release couldn’t save it from slipping to the depths of “one-hit wonder” status.

Yaggfu Front-“Action Packed Adventure” (1994, Mercury)

Purchase “Action Packed..” HERE

Hailing from North Carolina, the jazzy trio of Jingle Bel, Spin 4th and D’ranged and Damaged dropped on overlooked gem in the shape of “Action Packed Adventure” on the famed Mercury imprint in the winter months of ’94.  As the years have passed since it’s initial release “Action Packed..” has turned even more heads and gained somewhat of a cult following in hip hop’s underground for it’s strange, yet irresistible, fun-loving lyrical stylings and neck-snapping breaks.

Yaggfu’s overall “sound” (fu*k, I hate the way I exhaust the usage of that word) lies somewhere between that of the Fu-Schnickens, the Pharcyde and Das Efx, yet they’ve carved out their own unique niche.  On cuts like “Frontline” the trio relate the having of glamor and glitz to attract the girls and then there’s “Left Field” that finds each member taken on a different lyrical persona.  Both tracks attempt to solve the theory of “just why Yaggfu can’t bag the honeys”.  All in all, this album is a DEFINITE must have/peep/download, etc.  While not the most daring or even original offering, you can tell that these cats had an absolute blast during the making of “Action Packed Adventure”.

Da Youngsta’s-“No Mercy” (1994, East West)

Cop “No Mercy” HERE

What most cats fail to realize is that during the makings of Da Youngsta’s ’93 effort “The Aftermath” the trio’s vocals still hadn’t yet fully developed, which accounted for a few scratchy moments.  The problem was magnified even more when Da Youngsta’s tough-talked there way through the majority of the LP.  Yet, to this day, “The Aftermath” is probably my favorite example of kiddie-rap gone “right”.  By 1994, the crackling voices were absent, on the crew’s 3rd album, “No Mercy” a much more mature album than their previous efforts.

Without a shadow of a doubt, “No Mercy” was much more genuine than “The Aftermath”, blending tales of the ghetto romance (“Put Me On”), celebrations of growing up in the shi*ty inna’ city and hip-hop life, in general.  Boasting more of a flow and consistent sound, thanks in part to the production contributions of the legendary Marley Marl and K-Def.  Even though it was a blow to loose the production talents of DJ Premier and Pete Rock (whom both contributed to “The Aftermath”), the duo of Marl and Def create an exquisite, jazzy underground aesthetic that blends the grit with the chill, a sound that lends itself to the more measured, timely approach of Da Youngsta’s this go ’round.  The music on this LP is less commercial as a result of the shift of tone and intent, but it made for an all around better album.

Don Jagwarr-“Faded” (1994, Priority)

Purchase “Faded” HERE

Who is Don Jagwarr? Well….first & foremost, most of you will remember Don Jagwarr from his “appearance” on Ice Cube’s “Wicked” from Cube’s 3rd album “The Predator”. Jagwarr also appeared on releases from Anotha Level (“Let Me Take Ya”) & MC Ren (“One False Move”) as well, around the same time frame as “Wicked”. This album was picked up on yet another one of those “new release Tuesday’s” when there really wasn’t anything else notable released and I had $40.00 (which was always my limit) about to burn a hole in my pocket. I figured what the hell, he was on Cube’s sh*t…so why not give “Faded” a shot? Needless to say, I picked up “Faded” that day along with Black Sheep affiliates (see above) The Legion’s “Theme + Echo = Krill” (weren’t they backed by the Orlando Magic’s Dennis Scott?) and was soon on my merry way.

Now listening to “Faded” today, it isn’t nearly as “flavorful” as it was in 1995. The majority of the beats contained on “Faded” were entertaining but definitely didn’t age very well. I rarely break this album out, but when I do it’s usually to give “Skank Wit’ U” featuring 2Pac a listen (don’t ask me what the title means). Be prepared, as Don Jagwarr’s flow may take a little getting used to, he’s somewhat of a mix between Supercat, The Hoodratz & well…you get the picture. The production on “Faded” was initially pretty dope though, the majority of it resembles that mid-90′s West Coast flavor of Sir Jinx. Quicy Jones’ son QDIII & Ice Cube produced one track apiece and the rest of the beats were handled by prevalent West Coast beat maker Brian G & Lay Law. Even still, this album is pretty hard to find on the net’ (I had to pick this one up on Amazon for about $8.00) and it’s also a pretty nice addition to your collection that not so many cats may recall.

Leaders Of The New School – “T.I.M.E.”

Purchase “T.I.M.E.” HERE

With the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut “A Future Without A Past”, The Leaders Of The New School set out to prove that there was a whole lot more to this four man crew than just the happy go lucky, zanny rhymes that they garnered a far amount of attention for with “A Future….”. The group’s sophomore effort “T.I.M.E.” (The Inner Mind’s Eye) left some die hard fans of the crew in limbo, expecting to hear the subject matter that was displayed on album number one yet being blindsided by the more straightforward, hardcore if you will…”T.I.M.E” . Still, if you asked me which album from the group’s far too short lived career that I preferred it would without question be “T.I.M.E.” nine times outta’ ten. For one reason, the group displayed a much more “mature” stance on “T.I.M.E”, not only lyrically but also with the beats as members within the group handled the bulk of the production duties. Secondly, Dinco D (who was virtually silent on the group’s debut) pulled a Phife Dawg on us. If you listen to Tribe’s debut “People’s Instinctive….” and then their second disc “The Low End Theory” you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

With the exuberant, boisterous Busta Rhymes at the helm, fellow members Dinco D, Charlie Brown & Milo formed a nice cohesive unit that feed very well off of each other’s vastly different styles. I believe the first single released from “T.I.M.E.” may have been “What’s Next” which was probably the cut that most resembled the group’s prior material on “A Future Without…..”. My favorites at the time of the album’s release in the winter of 1993 where the extremely bass-heavy “A Quarter To Cutthroat” and the irresistible horn loop of “Classic Material”. I can remember when I picked this album up along with a D.J. Magic Mike cassette ( I can’t seem to recall which Magic Mike album it was, but a song on the album sampled “Impeach The President”), hell….”T.I.M.E. hit just as hard, if not more than the Magic Mike tape and coincidentally Bass music is where Magic Mike made his check!!

Listening to this album today, it’s still sounds fresh and even though the rumor mill stated that there was plenty of dissension within the group’s reigns at the time of the album’s recording, it’s hard to here it as the group’s chemistry overruled any of L.O.N.S’ naysayers. Here’s something that may surprise you, although Busta Rhymes was the true “clean-up” man in his heyday (see Craig Mack’s “Flava‘ In Ya’ Ear Remix) he wasn’t even my favorite emcee on this album…that title belonged to Cut Monitor Milo, who really stepped it up on this album and really had an interesting, entertaining flow and voice to match. In closing, the album’s centerpiece “Spontaneous” (13 Deep) which featured Leaders’ cronies Rumpletilskinz is the subject of today’s post and in my opinion one of the most overlooked posse joints ever. It’s a damn shame this would be the last full length that Leaders’ would offer to it’s starving listeners. And the so-called “reunion” joint that appeared on Busta’s solo debut “The Coming”…well, I would’ve done without it.

De La Soul-“Buhloone Mind State”

Purchase “Buhloone Mind State” HERE

Equipped with a clever marketing scheme (remember the full page print adds featuring an inflated balloon with the words “It might blow up, but it won’t go pop” written on it?), “When I….First….Heard…..”Buhloone…Mind….State”……I thought it sucked…No Bullshit!! Remember the dude on the “De La Soul Is Dead” skits when he first heard “3 Feet High..”? Yeah, well that was me, BLAAAAAAHH, THIS SUCKS! What really pissed me off was that I was sooo amped to pick up this full length after hearing “Breakadawn” (damn, that Michael Jackson sample was smooth as hell) bump all over the radio throughout the summer of my Junior year in High School. To me, it was obvious that Pos, Mace, & Dove had spent a little too much time with Guru’s “Jazzmatazz” in their headphones while whipping up “Buhloone Mind State”. My initial reaction was “Damn, this shit is just too damn jazzy!! I’m not talking “Low End Theory” jazzy, but smokey town hall, 10 people in attendance, no air conditioning JAZZY! Sh*t, I honestly didn’t listen to “I Am I Be” long enough for the beat to kick in until 2000! What about “I Be Blowin”? Who the hell is Maceo Parker and what the hell is he doin’ on my De La Soul album playing a trumpet?…and where the hell are the lyrics?…my disgruntled ass questioned. Other than “Breakadawn” this album was dead to me, it’s a damn shame that I was a 16 year old punk who would’ve much rather listened to “The Chronic” or “Bacdafucup” (although, that may be the general consensus)than this BS! I can admit it today as a married man with two little girls, I just wasn’t mature enough for “Buhloone Mind State”.  Simply put, my “peanut-shell” of a brain just couldn’t quite comprehend such a level of creative genius.

Bottom Line, what I hated about “Buhloone Mind State” then is what I’ve come to love regarding the album today. Perhaps, my favorite De La album from their historic catalog (I still don’t see what is so damn special about “Stakes Is High”) of classics “Buhloone…” is straight up Genius!! Of course, the same can be said about “3 Feet…” & “De La Soul Is Dead” ..but this is one of those albums that you can break out on Memorial Day (yes I did!) every year and it still will provide you with a perfect soundtrack for an evening of chillin’ with family & friends. If I could kick myself in the ass for not giving this album it’s proper due back in 1993….or hell, the whole 90’s for that matter….I would do so proudly. Today, I really can’t pick a favorite off of this album. It’s kinda’ like “The Main Ingredient”, “Whut?Thee Album” or even “Enter The Wu-Tang” where the overall fluidity of the album hinders you from selecting that one standout track..simply because every single track is of the utmost quality. If you’ve given up on “Buhloone Mind State” like I once did, break it out again and I promise you that you’ll soon see the light as well. As corny as it may sound, this album is like fine wine it gets better with…awww hell, enough already! just pay homage to one of De La’s undermentioned masterpieces.

MC Lyte-“Ain’t Like No Other”

Purchase “Ain’t Like No Other” HERE

Can you truly blame MC Lyte really blame Lyte for jumping on the riggidy rough bandwagon?  I mean, hell, look at Big Daddy Kane and LL Cool J in 1993!  Besides, who wasn’t, really?  Damn, I miss those days, don’t you?  Well, in Lyte’s case it was a helluva’ lot better than being on the “pop”-rap tip similar to Lyte’s effort prior to “Ain’t Like No Other” (“Act Like You Know”).  However, with “Act Like You Know” there was just too many inconsistencies and lack of focus. She got criticized for it and we arrive at “Act Like No Other”.

First off the production is your “run of the mill” ’93 East Coast sound, hard drums jazz horns and all that goodness. It seems like she turned into a total “BOSS” (pun intended) on this album, although Lyte doesn’t claim to be one like other female rappers I feel that her attitude is just plain “hard to believe” on this album. Good skills but it just  doesn’t feel natural, this is not the MC Lyte that I usually love. She’s just trying too hard to be hard.  This just applies to too many ’93 rappers despite the wonderful progression in the production sounds. It’s still a decent album, because they’re aren’t really any wack songs on the LP, but it’s just not the classic MC Lyte from the late ’80s which I would strongly recommend checking out first before getting into this album.

Black Moon-“Enta Da Stage”

Purchase “Enta Da Stage” HERE

“Somebody call the moooooorgue/I just caught a D.O.A.”.  Damn, all these years and I can’t believe that I have yet to write about one of my favorite albums of all-time, Black Moon’s seminal “Enta Da Stage”.   “Enta Da Stage” is one of the darkest, most uncompromising albums I that I own. Never has an emcee painted such vivid pictures which actually made me feel as if I was in the heart of Bucktown U.S.A.   Buckshot was realistic without being materialistic. His menacing flow and disturbingly surreal imagery send chills down my spine. You can feel the hunger in his voice. Da Beatminerz on the flip side create a template of dark lo-fi rhythmic basslines, haunting strings, and creepy bells and chimes which whistle in and out every 4-8 bars.

The lead single from “Enta Da Stage”, “Who Got The Props” sounds as hypnotizing today as it was when Headz weren’t ready for it in 1992. “How Many Emcees” displays the true chemistry of Black Moon with an unforgettable Krs-One sample on the chorus. Although “I Got Cha Opin” and “Buck ‘Em Down” would be revamped into stronger versions, they still hold their own as originals that were “trumped” by their remixes. Especially, the former whose bassline would be jacked a dozen times more. I could go on about the strength of each song. Everything is a banger (even “Powaful Impak” which was proclaimed a not so great track from a classic album by Ego Trips “Book of Rap Lists”).

Even though “Enta Da Stage” is a stone cold classic, you should enter at your own risk. Da Beatminerz shine behind the boards and lyrically (“Son Get Wrek” is an ILL overlooked solo) but some of their lyrics can make adults cringe. Check the Evil Dee verse on “Ack Like U Want It”. Lines like “Now I’m taking all you own/ Plus I’m f******’ your wife/After that my man’s, gonna hit your only daughter/ And leave her body floating in some bloody bath water/, (DAMN Evil, take it easy on ‘em)are NOT for the feint of heart.  Still, that doesn’t justify not an absence of “Enta..” from your record collection.

In conclusion, the brave and strong at stomach will rejoice. Unfortunately, the Moon never got the props they really deserved from all audiences. Their debut received 4 Mics from the then credible Source which were the same ratings that the “Doggystyles” and “Midnight Marauders” (which also should have been coined as 5-Mic classics, and were a few years later) of the world was receiving at the time. Like so many videos at that time, Black Moon’s videos repped their street corners to the fullest making you feel like they came from the most poverty stricken, crime related projects in the world. After listening to this, don’t be surprised if you find yourself on the corner stompin’ out wack emcee troops with your big black timb bootz and Champion hoodie. The best album from one of the greatest crews in hip hop history.  Boom!

Domino-”Self-Titled”

Purchase Domino’s debut HERE

“Here we go, Here we go as the tune starts to boom with tha back pack track blah, blah..ahh hell.  Just what was Domino saying in the lyrics to Geto Jam? Anyway, that was my introduction to Domino, via the maxi-cassette for “Geto Jam”. I’ll admit, I thought Domino was gonna’ be as big as Snoop or Dre after hearing his first single and then he hit us off with a little “Sweet Potato Pie” which I loved equally.

Needless to say, I popped this in the headphones today and took a trip down memory lane (while assembling this rideable firetruck contraption for my daughter…remind me to read directions from now on!) and the ride wasn’t a smooth as it was back in ’93-94. Still, to me the only quality cuts on this album remain the two that I mentioned above. And if I had any brain I would’ve have noticed that Laquan aka Poppa LQ made an appearance on “Domino” therefore I wouldn’t have had everyone and their Mother e-mailing me saying “Dude, Poppa LQ wasn’t a “One Album Wonder” he was Laquan. Anyway, for those of you that haven’t picked this up it’s worth the listen, the only product from Domino’s faltering catalog that is/was.

“Here Come The Lords” - Lords Of The Underground (1993, Capitol)

Cop “Here Come The Lords” HERE

In 1993, Marley Marl proteges L.O.T.U.G., cared about one thing and one thing only, keepin’ it real.  Emerging from Derty Jerz, the three-man crew comprised of Mr. Funke, DoItAll and Lord Jazz unleashed a debut that boasted production from the aforementioned Marley and the equally-potent beatmaker, K-Def (Real Live).  Even though “Here Come The Lords” dropped in ’93, the overall feel of this album is a throwback to Hip Hop’s “pass the mic” days. DoItAll and Mr. Funke come from a school of rhyme that predates other ’93 releases, when MCs weren’t so lyrical and didn’t take themselves very seriously. The rapping has a humorous tone throughout, but the Lords don’t necessarily focus on content. What is important is their charged delivery, boisterous and speedy , with yelled chants instead of hooks. It’s enough to get any crowd hype.

There’s not many booty tracks on here, but some are more polished than others. The more conceptual songs, which are absent from a lot of other rappers’ albums, are actually the weakest ones on “Here Come The Lords” because it’s not what the Lords do best. The beats bang a little less and lyrics emerge to the forefront, but Funke and DoItAll aren’t really accomplished lyricists so it does expose the album’s faults.  Cuts such as  “Lords Prayer” and “Sleep For Dinner” serve to show off the Lords’ sense of humor, but “Grave Digga” and “Psycho” are less impressive.

For the most part, this album is very solid and could be considered a near-classic. That is, if you like to nod your head to some of the best beats from the mid-’90s (see: “Return Of The Funky Child”). The truth is, Lords of the Underground sometimes feel like a one-trick pony, but the trick is so damn good you won’t even care. Plus, the old-school vibe gives it a feel of 100% pure hip-hop, removed from the politics, watering down of sounds, beefing, etc. that were starting the plague the growing rap industry just a few year later. Definitely a worthy part of any Golden Age hip-hop collection.  Yet, the truth of the matter is, Marley Marl and K-Def added at least as much as the Lords to this disc. They laced the three-man crew with banger after banger, steady coming with the heavy-hitting bass and blaring horns. I’ve never heard so much crazy energy fused into tracks as on this album.  Well, lemme’ retract that statement, Onyx did drop “Bacdafucup” in ’93 as well.  They have an old-school sound but with a kind of chaotic quality, as opposed to the overly-simplistic beats from the ’80s. Song after song will get your head banging right from and start and keep it going till the finale of “Here Comes The Lords”.

“Reachin” (A New Refutation Of Time And Space)-Digable Planets (1993, Capitol)

Purchase “Reachin” HERE

Damn ya’ll!! Score me a late pass on this one!!! While searching for some of my favorites this morning to post today, I scanned right over Digable Planets’ 1993 CLASSIC “Reachin….”. “Wait a minute!!!”, I said to myself..”I’ve surely posted this album before!!!”. Well, as you can see…I never did, and it’s amazing to me because this album as well as Digable’s follow up “Blowout Comb” (which many would argue succeeds it’s predecessor in terms of cohesiveness) in my Top 25…without question!! I remember the first time I saw and heard Digable Planets, performing on an episode of “In Living Color”, when I first heard that horn loop from “Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat“) (they actually won a Grammy for that song in 1994!!) it was a wrap for me. Never in my (at the time) brief 7 years of Hip Hop had I ever witnessed something soo jazzy, dusty and catchy as that record!! Pete & CL’s “T.R.O.Y” may be the exception in this case, but damn….my only exposure to riffs and horns like that was with Primo’s production for another CLASSIC (GangStarr’s “Daily Operation”).

I know I posed the question in the review writing for “Beats, Rhymes & Life”, “What would you do for another Tribe album”??. To hell with that!!! Gimme’ another Digable Planets album along with the Pete & CL reunion and I’d be set for life. Another interesting tidbit that I found in Brian Coleman’s book “Check The Technique” (BTW, if you even claim Hip Hop as a passion, this book is essential reading for you) this week was that Rosie Perez (of the numerous titty-scened “White Man Can’t Jump” fame) actually recruited Butterfly, Doodlebug & Ladybug to appear on In Living Color as well as every Hip Hop act that ever appeared on the show (she was actually the choreographer for “The Fly Girls”).

Getting back to the album, every cut is quality….period, with the aforementioned “Rebirth Of Slick” being my favorite followed by well…every track that followed!! Admittedly, I could have done without Doodlebug on the mic though, as I never felt that he offered much lyrically. Ish (Butterfly) (who KILLED Jake One’s “Home” from ’08) and Ladybug Mecca on the other hand were very entertaining both with their flow and cadence (“It’s Mostly Tha‘ Voice”). Whoa, that most recent Ladybug Mecca joint was out there though, huh? Anyway, enjoy this one folks then follow it up with “Blowout Comb” and don’t forget the incense (insert fingersnaps and clouds of blunt smoke)…

“The Untold Truth”-Illegal (1993, Rowdy)

Purchase “The Untold Truth” HERE

Comprised of lil’ MC’s Jamal & Malik, Illegal dropped what was one of the more hardcore albums during what was considered the “kiddie craze” (about 92′-94). Hoping to capitalize on the massive success of Kriss Kross, major labels were putting up large amounts of dough to put out younger acts such as QUO, Da Youngstas, Shyheim, The FamLee,etc. Released on the Rowdy Records label, “The Untold Truth” hit the streets sometime in 1993 with the lead single “Head Or Gut”, which was produced by “The Green-Eyed Bandit” himself, Erick Sermon. I really wasn’t that impressed with “Head Or Gut” being that the production sounded like it was a leftover track from Sermon’s first solo outing “No Pressure”, and hearing a couple of 14 year olds boast about how they’ll do this and that to basically fu*k up your life…wasn’t something I was tryin’ to hear at the time. Although, “The Untold Truth” does boast some decent production which is attributed to the almost “All Star” lineup of producers i.e, Diamond D, Biz Markie, Dallas Austin, Lord Finesse and the previously mentioned Erick Sermon.

I liked Jamal and Malik better as solo MC’s as they would mature much more as artists over the years. Jamal’s first solo effort “Last Chance, No Breaks” has some real BANGERS and Malik almost stole the spotlight from Snoop on “Pump Pump” off of Snoop’s classic “DoggyStyle”. I don’t think that Malik ever put out a solo joint, which is unfortunate as I always felt he was the more prolific of the duo. Anyway, I probably should’ve given this another listen recently but I always reach for Da Youngsta’s “The Aftermath” instead…

“21 & Over”-Tha Alkaholiks (1993, Jive)

Purchase “21 & Over” HERE

I first heard the Alkaholiks back in the beginning of ‘93, on King Tee’s “Tha Triflin’ Album” on the track “Got It Bad Yall”. I admit I wasn’t overly impressed; all I thought was, damn they make King Tee look bad (I know it’s not hard to outshine the man on the lyrical tip!). With all the hype surrounding the launch of Loud Records and the promotional machinery Steve Rifkin had already mastered to perfection, the expectations were semi-high and directed towards the new phenomena of left-coast artists mimicking New York’s recipe of sample-heavy and hard-hitting Boom Bap underlining tales of bragging-rights. Well, “21 And Over” was exactly what you expected!

“21 & Over”  was far from the basis of conceptual lyricism and intricate rhyme-schemes. More than anything, this trio recited a no-holds-barred attitude, having a whole lotta’  fun (the effects of alcohol!?) recording songs like their first single “Make Room”, the enticing “Likwit” or their ode to marijuana on “Mary Jane”. My favorite stand-out was and still is the outlandish “Only When I’m Drunk” with memorable lines like ” Yeah I’m good, I’m bad, I’m dope, I’m freaky fresh / I make hip hop fans say yes yes / The Liks coming through, you know we gonna blow up / Hold up, hold up, I think I gotta…(throw up)”. There isn’t much I can personally add to this: I have never been a huge fan of the group, but their first two offerings (“Coast To Coast” included) were more than enjoyable and cornerstones in our culture’s history, alongside the efforts of The Pharcyde and Souls Of Mischief with their similar approach.

“Till Death Do Us Part”-The Geto Boys (1993, Rap-A-Lot)

Purchase “Till Death Do Us Part” HERE

It’ll only take you a few minutes into “Till Death Do Us..” to figure out that something is noticeably different from the previous Geto Boys’ LPs.  Big Mike, former member of fellow Rap-A-Lot group the Convicts was a welcome addition to the controversial crew, stepping into to fill the void caused by Willie D’s sudden departure.  Good thing too, because Mike was definitely more lyrically “capable” than Willie, at times on the LP his flow is right up there with that of the legendary Scarface.  From the start of the album, Rap-A-Lot owner James Smith displays a noticeable discontent with the DEA, the IRS “and other wicked people in high places”, and decides to take it upon himself on the album’s lengthy intro.  The “intro” seems misplaced, however, the rest of the album gains a head of steam quickly with the bass filled compositions of “G.E.T.O” and yet another “fu*k the police” anthem, “Crooked Officer”.

On the production tip, it’s hard to categorize the Geto Boys’ sound as “East or West”.  They have always produced music that had a stamp and originality of their own which has always made the Geto Boys’ sound very easy to distinguish.  Once again, the album’s high points are delivered in the form of Scarface’s lyrical antics, and who could forget Bushwick Bill’s crazy, Chuckie-totting ass “eating out your eyeballs” lyric?  You’ve gotta’ give it up to the Geto Boys, one of the first group’s whom you had to love….no matter where you were from, or where you were at.

“Slaughtahouse”-Masta Ace Inc.

Purchase “Slaughtahouse” HERE

“Shit, I sure the hell don’t have a clue who’s “sleepin’ on” this Classic sophomore album from the legendary Masta Ace. I’ve always loved this album ever since I purchased it on the strength of the single “Jeep Ass Nigguh” being featured in the Source’s “Sure Shot Singles”. “Slaughtahouse’s” elevation to classic status (I assume) is greatly due to it’s appearance on countless blogs and Hip Hop featured sites that more or less gained the album a cult following (I’ve even seen one very prevalent blogger (who shall remain nameless) give this album the #1 spot on his top albums of all time. Ace totally blindsided the listener (hell, he even flipped the script a bit with “Sittin’ On Chrome” as well) with this very original and brilliant follow up to “Take A Look Around” all the while making a mockery of all the “shoot em’ up” gangsta rappers that attempted to capitalize on the success of reigning “gangsta” heavyweights such as Ice Cube, Ice T, The Geto Boys and N.W.A., but failed miserably.

“Slaughtahouse” is a truly timeless album…..a gem, listening to this album today you can’t help but get the feeling that it was so0 far ahead of it’s time it’s ridiculous. The majority of the production on the album was so unlike anything else that hit the streets in 1993, I often hear the word “boom bap” thrown around loosely (shit, I do it my damn self!) but the production courtesy of a vast array of beatmakers such as Uneek, The Bluez Brothers & Masta Ace aka Ace One truly defined “BOOM BAP”. At times Ace’s debut “Take A Look Around” felt a bit light-hearted, not as intimidating, but on “Slaughtahouse” don’t you dare take Ace, Lord Digga or Paula Perry lightly for one minute or you’re bound to be slapped back to reality on tracks such as the incredible “Style Wars” (why didn’t that make my “Top 25 beats”?) and the unscripted rawness of “Boom Bashin”. My absolute crowning moment on “Slaughtahouse” comes courtesy of the track that shares the album’s title. At about the 2 minute mark, after Paula Perry’s warning to all wack emcees…the playfulness of the cut is quickly halted by the rolling drum track and Lord Digga’s repetition of the phrase “Death to the wack emcees, Death to the wack emcees”. “Slaughtahouse” is the perfect opener to the album as Ace makes his intentions to steamroll over all fraudulent emcees clear as day.

Okay, here’s were you, the reader comes in….I need a bit of clarification, when I bought “Slaughtahouse” on tape back in 1993 I could have sworn that the album’s finale (the certified classic “Saturday Night Live”) was NOT included on the cassette. Is this indeed true? Okay, here’s part two of my dilemma…..At about the 17 second mark of “Saturday Night Live” you can vaguely hear one of Ace’s homies utter “DJ Premier” just as the scratching commences, shortly thereafter I swear that you can also hear Lord Digga say “DJ Premier” again.  Can someone please offer some clarity on this “argument”. In the meantime….”death to the wack emcees, death to the wack emcees, death to the”……
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“No Need For Alarm”-DEL (1993, Elektra)

Purchase “No Need For Alarm” HERE

Nearly departing from the P-Funk influence that he showcased on his debut LP, “I Wish My Brother George Was Here”, Del resorted to a harder, boom-bap sound on his sophomore LP, “No Need For Alarm.  Much of the same could also be heard on brethren Souls of Mischief  debut LP.  Needing no production assistance from Ice Cube or Del (who handled many of the beats for Del’s debut), Del handled biz with help from other “in house” producers from Hiero to handle the production, possibly venturing away from the synth sounds that where now closely associated with Dr. Dre, Above The Law and Co.

“No Need For Alarm” will go down as one of the more defining moments of Del’s recording career.  Del’s sound has drastically changed (or to some, progressed) on nearly every album since his debut, seemingly without looking back.  Hell when listening to Del’s “The 11th Hour” one could tend to forget that this dude can truly spit with some of the best. The way Del effortlessly connects one rhyme with the next is done is extremely dope, if not innovative.  Del was much more edgy on “No Need For Alarm”, yet he still delivered the “down to earth” rhymes that were a direct correlation of his debut.  On “Unicorn” Del alters his voice and unveils his 16 year-old alter ego that is easily mistaken as just another random Hiero affiliate,  just one the little weird, quirky, clever sides of Del that makes him so darn unique.

The production on this LP is heavy, displaying a true “Hiero” sound which is in the mid-’90s was defined as dark beats and hard ass bass lines.  It’s arguable that the production found on this album are a step above S.O.M’s “93 til Infinity”, hell they both could have released together as a double album for all that I cared, the albums share much of the same overall feel.   Needless to say, this is one of my favorite Hiero moments and a definite must add to your Golden Era library.

“Sneeke Muthafuckaz”-Hoodratz (1993, Sony)

Purchase “Sneeke..” HERE

Hoodratz’ “Sneeke Muthafuckaz” just reeks of that signature “middle-tier” boom-bap, rugged, hardcore sound. With beats comparable to those that could be heard on albums from the likes Pete Rock, Erick Sermon and even D.I.T.C, if you’re pushing the envelope.  The emcees went by the monikers of Dingbat and Doh-Doh, and if the name of the group wasn’t wack enough, this didn’t really enhance album says by any stretch of the imagination.  Neither of the emcees had much to offer, other than gritty, forceful deliveries, and the usual “hardcore” content, think a lite, bootleg version of Onyx with less lyrical talent.  However, on the same token, I can’t front some of these beats.  The production on this album really bangs even if this isn’t the most original album ever released.  And to be quite honest, the lead single from the album, “Bootlegga” did have anthemic qualities.  Kinda’ funny that a track in 1993 based on bootlegging had semi-success, I wonder what Hoodratz would have to say about bootlegging in 2010?  A decent effort that I would only recommend to hardcore East Coast heads, the production aspect of the LP is well worth checking for, if you can overlook the sub-par deliveries and lyrical content.

“What Is A Rumpletilskin?”-Rumpletilskinz (1993, RCA)

Looking back on fellow L.O.N.S’ pals Rumptilskinz‘ debut “What Is A Rumpletilzkin?”, it’s hard to believe that this album was actually released before L.O.N.S’ sophomore effort “T.I.M.E”. The reason I make the mention is simply because if you listen to “What Is A Rumpletilskin” and follow it up with “T.I.M.E.” you’ll be able to hear the obvious similarities and one would even go as far as to say that L.O.N.S’ may have patterned the overall feel of “T. I.M.E” after the sound of “What Is….”. Maybe not so much lyrically, but you will absolutely be able to hear the production similarities. Now, I may be off my rocker here and I’m too lazy to surf the net’ but I’m almost sure that this is the case as far as the Tilskinz‘ prior release. Yeah, it had to be because I picked this album up the night before I left for a week at Pittsburgh University for Basketball camp between my Junior & Senior year in High School. Oh, getting off the subject here a bit and also tooting my own horn at the same time…let me say that the highlight of my visit for the week long camp was being able to have open runs with members of Pitt’s squad at he time and being a 6′4″ junior throwing down an “and-1″ alley-oop over then Pitt big man Darren Morninigstar (who went about 7 Feet). I think dude actually played a bit for the Celtics then got released (rightfully so). Oh well…enough of my 10 seconds of fame.

After appearing on Leaders’ “Sound Of The Zeekers” the Rumpletilskinz displayed much promise, but one could easily group them amongst the likes of The “aforementioned” Hoodratz and Onyx whom all shared similar lyrical styles (insert De La Soul vocal “those HARDCORE acts!!!”). Needless, to say this was the group’s “one shining moment” as they would fall off the face of Hip Hop shortly after this release. I honestly don’t remember any cut making any significant noise, and the album was slightly above average with no real stand out track. The highlight of the album would have to be it’s bass-heavy production handled almost primarily by member R.P.M. Still, don’t pass this one up as it is a pretty nice piece of nostalgia if you where any where near the L.O.N.S. fan that I was…

“Straight Up Sewaside”-Das Efx (1993, Elektra)

Purchase “Straight Up..” HERE

Alright ya’ll, I can’t even front and I’d be willing to bet that you shared the same sentiments as me when you first heard Das Efx‘ “Straight Up Sewaside” the follow-up to their monumental debut “Dead Serious”. This is how bad it was at the time, I picked this album up along with Queen Latifah’s “Black Reign” (which still remains my favorite album from a female emcee…at least until Jean Grae drops something new) on what was probably one of my 30 or so “skip” days during my Senior year. It took months for this album to truly get any play, partly due to the fact that I loved “Black Reign” so much pushing “Straight Up….” to the wasteside. I was disappointed to say the least, “Straight Up Sewaside” may have had 10 plays the first year of it’s release and I really didn’t get into this album until the early 2000’s. Now, I’ve come to the realization that this was another quality Solid Scheme production filled with entertaining, lyrics from VA’s own Drayz & Scoob. The problem has been stated many times over the course of the years that on “Straight Up Sewaside” Das Efx were truly “victims of their own style”.

Say what you want, but even your favorite emcee has stolen a page our two from the originators of the “stiggedy, stiggedy style” (Common, Treach & Ice Cube being a few that instantly come to mind). If you had to pick one word that would convey the overall feeling of this album it would be “tentative”. Why “tentative”?? Quite simply, you can hear both Drayz & Scoob holding back on this album a bit, not wanting to continue on with what made them such a huge success and so recognizable. Not to say that the album still didn’t rank amongst the top 15-20 releases of 1993, but like I said….we just expected more. Still, “Straight Up Sewaside” is loaded with bangers, the uptempo “ruckus bringer” “Check It Out” always being my favorite. Also, “Gimme Dat Microphone” has the sound and tempo of “Dead Serious”….so much that one would assume that it may have been left on the cutting room floor while assembling the final track list for their debut. If Das‘ 3rd disc “Hold It Down” would have been trimmed down to say…11 or 12 tracks it would have definitely found itself in my “Top 100″ and would definitely have surpassed their sophomore effort. In all fairness, it would have been tough to match their debut in terms of cohesiveness and originality. Nonetheless, a great effort from two originators in the rap game whose debut will never be forgotten.

“Look Ma’ Duke, No Hands”-Mad Kap (1993, RCA)

Purchase “Look Ma’..” HERE

What I most ironic about Cali in 1993, is that 100 percent of the underground most resembled New York.   You know just another one of those albums that’s influenced by Tribe’s “Low End Theory” and “Mecca & The Soul Brother”.  Boasting  the usual jazz-rap beats, face slapping drum kicks and the much needed horns and bass, the only difference with Mad Kap is that one of these guys actually played the trumpet live.  With Mad Kap’s debut there was nothing so awe-inspiring and unfortunately the rappers on this album fell into the same old problem that most ’93 albums have done.  The emceeing leaves much to be desired, it isn’t listenable but there’s nothing that truly captivates the listener.

On the bright-side, DJ Broadway delivered as slew of dope beats and it is his input that is the primary reason why you should be checking out this album, but I can’t really recommend it with high priority there are just too many albums that sound JUST like this one.

“Runaway Slave” LP-Showbiz & AG

Purchase “Runaway Slave” HERE

In 1992, the D.I.T.C. (Diggin’ In The Crates) Crew blasted out of the starting gains and gained quite a following within the NY circuit.  More importantly, Show and AG  didn’t fit into the category of “gangsters” or hippies”, their beats and lyrics were hard but not overboard, conscious but not too soft. They didn’t buy into unrealistic optimism, nor were they over-cynical. Instead they offered up a sort of “dudes from the corner” everyday street feel, I mean even check the cover photo, does it get any more real than that?.  No pretense there. No colorful tie dye tee shirts or gat brandishing, just two guys stoop sitting.  How does “Runaway Slave” hit you? Quite simply the album was refreshing as hell, very comparable to fellow D.I.T.C. alumni Diamond D’s “Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop” in terms of playability and quality.

In Hip Hop,  you either dedicate so much time either in dark ideals or rose tinted ones, yet at times, your best bet is to just take what life gives you sometimes.  Show & AG weren’t trying to please anyone but themselves with this album, the album flows effortlessly, seamlessly blending one classic cut into another.   The production of Showbiz reflects all of this as well, it exhibits the jazzy angle of the “alternative rap” of this particular time frame, but also takes some of the pounding boom bap of hardcore rap. The fusion of the two makes for some delicious raw jazz rap that almost distantly starts to signal the roots of the yet to be birthed Noir Rap genre. Though East Coast heads were soon turned onto Pete Rock & CL and Das EFX, the next big thing in the rap genre, peeps like the DITC and Kool G Rap were busy building something else entirely.  I ain’t mad at ‘em one bit.  “Runaway Slave” yet another classic that 1992 blessed us with.

“Don’t Sweat The Technique”-Eric B & Rakim

Purchase “Don’t Sweat The Technique” HERE

“Don’t Sweat The Technique”, the most disappointing album in your Eric B & Rakim collection, right? That’s the resounding sentiment that most people share, yet I’m still trying to find what’s just so disappointing about it. Sure, you may not find as many classics as with “Paid In Full” or even “Follow the Leader”, but “Don’t Sweat the Technique” definitely packed much heat. The opening track “What’s on Your Mind” (also featured on Kid N Play’s “House Party”) is probably the softest substance that Rakim released up until then, yet it’s always been a personal favorite (kind of an uptempo version of “Mahogany” if you ask me). Lyrically Rakim was still on point, and this album found Rakim going into other directions with tracks like “Teach the Children” & “Causalities of War”.

The credits on “..Technique” state that production is handled by Eric B & Rakim (ahem!) and the beats are constantly dope with a rugged, hard edge, straight up East Coast ‘ish. The only surefire classic track on the album is “Know the Ledge” (also see: “Juice” OST) but with it’s recent placement in those damn Target commercials the title track isn’t lagging too far behind. This album also served as Eric B & Ra’s last work together, and “…Technique” was still a great way to go out for the legendary duo. If you’re a Rakim fan you definitely need this album in your life, and even if you’re not, I still wouldn’t pass this album over.

“Blue Funk”-Heavy D & The Boyz

Purchase “Blue Funk” HERE

While never releasing albums that where all that high on my list in terms of “repeatability”, Heavy D remained very high atop the charts nearly every time he dropped product. You gotta’ give it up for the “overweight lover”, he truly knew how to craft those hits without lacing his tracks with violence or any hint of profanity. What’s very intriguing with Heavy’s catalog is that the albums he released in the ’90′s where blessed with some of the best producers during that era.

The production of “Blue Funk” is it’s saving grace. The production on this album isn’t just “good” it is freakin’ marvelous! On “Blue Funk” Heavy had three contributions from the legendary (and my all-time favorite prouducer) Pete Rock, two joint from another legend, DJ Premier, and also a total of six jawns between two highly overlooked producers of their era, Tony Dofat and Jesse West. And while Heavy D is not a lyrical giant by any means, his style was always simple and a little corny at times, but you couldn’t help but love the guy. On this effort, his fourth LP, Hev boasted an “edgier, rougher” style that surprisingly worked. Besides, the production of this album didn’t really leave him with any other choice. I mean, the photo-shoots for this album were comprised of butter leather jacks, black jeans and Timbs. Blue Funk is one of the most consistent, if not best, Heavy D album, and I gotta’ admit…”Blue Funk” is easily one of my favorite albums of all-time. Aside from the weak “Girl” there isn’t a song that’s truly horrible, and at worst “Girl” is still very listenable. A major improvement over “A Peaceful Journey”, the album comes to a fitting end with the great posse cut “A Bunch Of Ni#$as” which features many hip hop legends, to include the late (man, feels weird sayin’ that) Guru and B.I.G. While “Blue Funk” may not be as high on your list of favorite LPs as it is mine, you gotta’ peep this to peep Heavy in his finest hour.

“Fu*k All Ya’ll”-Troubleneck Brothers

Purchase “Fu*k All Ya’ll” HERE

Yet another crew whom hailed from New York that never really received their due props was the Troubleneck Brothers, who released the overshadowed “Fu*k All Ya’ll” in 1992. I don’t remember EVER seeing this cassette sitting on shelves, but I’m sure with the album title that they had, it was for good reason. Sporting signature hardcore, gritty production, the Troubleneck Brothers did very little lyrically so separate them from the remainder of the pack. Each of the emcees were far from dismal, but I can remember having a helluva’ time differentiating just who was who. Their lyrics are generic, basic “braggadocio” with an added dose of “hardcore” thrown into the mix.

If there is a definitive highlight to “Fu*k All Ya’ll” it would have to be the production (as with most early-’90 albums). The drums are knocking, meshed murky basslines but the album lacked that “it” factor and no one single track seems to stand out from the remainder of the LP. The Troubleneck Brothers never really made it big, they released a few singles and an EP afterward but never got to record another full-length after this LP.

“Return Of The Product”-MC Search (1992, Def Jam)

Purchase “Return Of The Product” HERE

After the much publicized demise of 3rd Bass, MC Serch wasted no time whatsoever in 1992, delivering his first solo LP on Def Jam, the unbalanced “Return Of The Product”. The first difference that you will notice between this and Serch’s work as 1/3 of 3rd Bass is the variance in production styles. Sam Sever (see: Downtown Science) and Pete Nice laced much of 3rd Bass’ output with stellar productions, yet on his debut, Serch opted to work with a then unheard of T-Ray and Wolf and Epic, who prior to “Return Of The Product” most notably produced some tracks for MC Lyte. And to be blunt, the inclusion of Wolf and Epic accounted for the album’s more house, danceable feel and it may have been forward thinking at the time, but it just didn’t pan out to well. However, T-Ray fared much better on his productions, yet Serch just wasn’t ripping ‘ish he did on “The Cactus Album” or “Derelicts Of Dialect”.

I say “Return Of The Product” and what is the one single track that immediately comes to mind? Yep, that’s what I thought, “Back To The Grill Again” aka our second exposure to an upstart Nasir Jones. While “Live At The BBQ” gets all the fame and glory, I personally preferred the good ol’ pass-the-mic bounce of this gem that also found verses from Red Hot Lover Tone and Chubb Rock to be equally impressive as Nasty Nas’. Serch would later bring together much of the production for Nas’ “Illmatic” so if that is attributed to “Back To The Grill Again”, I’m all for it.

Serch’s rapping career took a huge dive after the release of “Return Of The Product”. Widely recognized as a “flop”, today Serch has gained more notoriety as the host of the now-defuct “White Rapper Show” on VH1. Kinda’ sad actually when you sit back and reflect on just how huge a group like 3rd Bass could have been….

“Reel To Reel”-Grand Puba (1992, Elektra)

Purchase “Reel To Reel” HERE

The distinctive, original (and as per Treach: “One of the fiercest emcees”) Grand Puba separated from Brand Nubian shortly after the arrival of their classic debut “One For All”, mostly in part due to vision, sound and noticeable creative differences. Brand Nubian (Alamo, Sadat X and Lord Jamar) would flourish with their political, pro-black and oft-controversial style sans Puba on their sophomore album “In God We Trust”. Grand Puba released “Reel To Reel” on the highly regarded Elektra label before the group (Brand Nubian) disbanded.  As classsic and ground-breaking as “One For All” was, “Reel To Reel” was a nice change of pace for the “Puba frenzy”.

Rather than the Afrocentric theme of “One For All”, “Reel To Reel” found Puba displaying a more clever, boastful rhyme style.   Opting to get away from all the controversy that surrounding tracks such as  “Drop the Bomb” and simply go to the origins of hip hop, nothing but beats and rhymes. “Reel To Reel” was mainly produced by Puba, yet he also received a welcome push from the SD50s (Stimulated Dummies), which resulted in a sound that fit somewhere between that of “One For All” and “In God We Trust”, yet nothing at all like that of Puba’s 2nd solo LP, “2000″.  It’s extremely difficult to find a noticeable flaw in “Reel To Reel”, but it’s definitely not on the same plateau as “One For All”, and arguably not even as complete a work as “In God We Trust”.  Even if Puba was one of the more talented emcees of the Golden Era, it’s just not the same without Dottie X and Lord J.  Still, “Reel To Reel” earned style points as Puba albeit put Tommy Hilfiger and Girbaud on the map with numerous references to the clothing brands on “Reel To Reel”.

“Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop”-Diamond D & The Psychotic Neurotics (1992, Polygram)

Purchase “Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop” HERE

After having his first project as 1/2 of  Ultimate Force scrapped by MCA (only to be re-released in 2007), Diamond D went for dolo showcasing his emcee skills on the classic, and arguably one of the best albums of 1992, “Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop”.  Diamond’s production contributions to Lord Finesse’s  “Funky Technician” exhibited promise but it’s with “Stunts..” that Diamond really made a name for himself, almost instantly becoming one of New York’s most in-demand producers.  With backing from the Diggin’ In The Crates crew, Diamond truly put it down, not as much lyrically, but more so with his production on this album.  Armed with a heavy “A.T.C.Q.” influence, Diamond took that jazzy style and made it a bit more street and edgy with hard, crisp drums.  Diamond’s backdrops on this album are nearly flawless, as he perfected the art of creating an unforgettable LP.

Lyrically, Diamond devoted the majority of his bars to poltickin’ about every day street themes, but he had no qualms unleashing an entertaining storyline either.  “Stunts” is the epitome of New York Hip Hop in 1992, classic, timeless production, real lyricism and one of the Top 25 albums ever created in my humble opinion.  If you’re missing out on this one, go back and check your history books, this right here is on some classic ‘ish!!

“Self Titled”-Zhigge (1992, Polygram)

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One of the more overlooked “tiggedy-tongue twisting” groups of the 1992, the five-man crew of Zhigge couldn’t quite be mentioned in the same breath as similar groups the Fu-Schnickens or Das EFX (who dropped solid, if not classic debuts in 1992).  Representing Harlem to the fullest with a young, inspired producer by the name of Salaam Remi in tow, Zhigee caught my ear when their debut single “Toss It Up” appeared on an episode of “In Living Color” during the summer of 1992.   Utilizing the oft-sampled “Substitution” break-beat, “Toss It Up” is a New York, breakin’ anthem that is most often referred to as Zhigee’s lone smash.

The lyrics that can be found on Zhigge’s debut leave much to be desired, yet on the same token, each emcee had a delivery that overcompensated for the limited lyrical content. The main problem with the album is that aside from the singles, the aforementioned “Toss It Up” and “Rakin’ In The Dough”, the remainder of the LP is very unmemorable.  However, at the end of the day, Zhigge’s lone LP was still  pretty decent album simply because it’s hard to go wrong with early-’90s East Coast Hip Hop.  Yet, if you haven’t heard Das’ debut or even “F.U., Don’t Take It Personal” prior to this, I’d recommend you do so, as Zhigge wasn’t much more than the 1992 version of Questionmark Asylum.

“Funk Your Head Up”-Ultramagnetic MCs (1992, Polygram)

Purchase “Funk Your Head Up” HERE

Damn, didn’t know that today’s edition was gonna’ pay homage to the Polygram label (see: Diamond, Zhigge and this LP)? Of course EVERYONE has heard Ultramag’s classic debut, “Critical Beatdown”, but what about 1992′s “Funk Your Head Up”? Lemme’ start things off with some of the LPs more likable findings:’ll kick things off with the things that I like about the album. Kool Keith!!! You just don’t understand!! A truly unique emcee, when in his prime there weren’t too many cats in the game that were ‘uffin’ with Keith!  Ahhhh…that was quick,  now let’s discuss the dislikes:

The production on “Funk Your Head Up” causes the album to falter.  I get it, duplicating the sound of the classic “Critical Beatdown” was nearly unimaginable, but damn….the jawns on this album can’t even light a match to “Critical..”. ” Critical Beatdown” was so innovative and ahead of its time, yet “Funk..” is just the exact opposite with something that sounds outdated, even for 1992 standards.  Go ahead, pop Diamond’s “Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop” in your headphones and then immediately listen to this LP.  See, I told you so!  The drums that can be found on “Funk..” are so faint and weak when compared to Diamond’s or Prem’s  on “Daily Operation”.  I mean,  y beats are not that bad, but we are talking about a classic group here and decent beats just didn’t do it for me.  It feels as if Ultramag cut corners with this effort, or lack thereof.

Another problem is that there is no other Kool Keith in the crew, think Lebron and the Cavs.  Ced Gee & TR Love both drop verses often, yet none of them could even be considered memorable.  Simply put, Kool Keith carries the album, without him it would be worthless. The album is also too long, and there’s just entirely too much filler.  Why it took them 4 years to follow up their debut is beyond me and they made a huge mistake as Ultramag’s style wasn’t quite up to par with the new crew in 1992.  Thank god that Ultra totally redeemed themselves in ’94 with “The Four Horsemen”

“Self-Titled”-Downtown Science (1991, Def Jam)

Purchase “Downtown Science” HERE

Without a doubt, one of the more under-appreciated and oft-overlooked LPs to emerge from the depths of Def Jam’s storied catalog, Downtown Science released their one and only LP in 1991.  An album that true underground heads still hold near and dear to them, “Downtown Science” the duo comprised of Bosco Money and Sam Sever (whom is most noted for his production contributions to 3rd Bass) didn’t necessarily “fail” with this album, the poor sales aren’t a direct reflection of the album’s true quality.  However, a direct correlation to the “below the radar” steez of Downtown Science could very well be attributed to Def Jam’s poor promotion, which is somewhat odd when compared to the noted sales success of nearly every album released on their label during the era of this album’s unveiling.

The production on this LP is extremely sound, not a far stretch when you consider the dopeness that Sam Sever lent to much of 3rd Bass’ discography. The only minor beef I had with this LP was the lyrics, which, even for 1991 standards where, for lack of better wording, behind the times.  No matter how many times I play this album (which due to the production is a fair amount), I simply cannot recite one lyric or bar that even faintly resembles a “Hip Hop Quotable” (c) THE SOURCE.  Again, Sam Sever held up his end of the bargain, production-wise  making this album very worthwhile and a “must hear”.  The sadness of it all, unfortunately, Def Jam has never bothered to re-issue this one as no one cared for it even back in 1991.

“Streetwize”-J-Rock (1991, Ghetto Groovz)

Purchase “Streetwize” HERE

Easily one of the most slept-on albums of the early 90′s era, J Rock released his only solo album on the unheard of  Ghetto Groovz print. What makes “Streetwize” so unique when compared to your average early-’90s “gem” is that four of the productions that are included on the album were birthed by none other than the legendary DJ Premier.  However, don’t jump the gun just yet, these productions are not the quality, or should I say near “classic status” type joints that we’ve become accustomed to hearing from him.  Primo’s joints favor the production stylings of “Step In The Arena” more so than “Hard To Earn” to be exact.

Also of note, Easy Moe Bee produced the album’s first cut (“Let Me Introduce Myself”) and the remainder of the LP’s production is handled by J Rock himself and don’t be fooled, J Rock’s production isn’t anything to shy away from.  If you don’t glance at the production credits, you’d have a hard time believing that many of Rock’s productions aren’t Primo’s contributions.  In his heyday, J Rock was an intelligent street rapper, as he intertwined vivid tales of “the corner” with an added level of street smartz thrown into the mix.  “Streetwize” is pure, East Coast,  golden age hip hop, but I would highly  recommend the 2007 (and the celebrated (?) 15th anniversary release, which the album art states?) re-issue to those who want to add to their DJ Premier collection, or simply if your searching  for an above average “gem” that you have yet to enjoy.

“Terminator X & The Valley Of The Jeep Beats”-Terminator X

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One of the most intriguing and unexpected (and even more of a “head scratcher” was that this album warranted a sophomore project) side projects of Public Enemy was Terminator X’s debut album, “..Valley Of The Jeep Beats”. TX’s debut featured his THUMPING, BASS HEAVY (hence: jeep beats) production with a bunch of no-name, D-Listers. Aside from the album’s first single “Buck Whylin” (a good “first single” selection, nonetheless), a gem that featured Chuck D and the militant, controversial Sistah Souljah (BTW, who actually purchased her debut? Man up!), none of the artists that could be found on “..Jeep Beats” ever delivered anything else that may be considered noteworthy.

Yet the lack of notable features hardly affected “..Jeep Beats” for the most part, as many of the tracks did some serious damage to whatever stereo “setup” you where posting up on back then.   The production of the LP was very similar to the Bomb Squad anthems that could be found on much of Public Enemy’s earlier works: frantic, energizing, busy beats. Terminator drops ill cuts on nearly every track, putting his very own “stamp” on the album, just in case you mistook it for a Public Enemy “featuring” Terminator X project. The only misstep as with many “collaborative”  efforts is the overall inconsistency of the project. The album begins with a bang, but once “..Jeep Beats” approaches the 2nd half, excuse me….side B,  it’s voyage into the dance, R & B and Reggae cuts, while displaying a wider range of the urban sound, deters from the album’s overall cohesiveness.  Yet, this album is “check-worthy” if only for “Side A” alone.

“The Black Tie Affair” -Maestro Fresh-Wes (1991, Attic Records)

Purchase “Black Tie Affair” HERE (good luck!!!)

As the  follow-up to his debut “Symphony in Effect”, Maestro Fresh-Wes’ “Black Tie Affair” was another important album that was very instrumental to the success of the Canadian hip hop scene. While “Black Tie Affair” may not have been quite as popular as Maestro’s debut, it wasn’t for a lack of quality material . The only notable downfall that can be found on “Black Tie Affair” was the remix of the bland, radio-friendly “Private Symphony”, why did Maestro take another “hack” at this track is beyond me.  It’s quite evident that “Private Symphony” was Maestro’s lone Big Daddy Kane “Taste Of Chocolate” moment on the album.  Speaking of which, the Kane comparison is somewhat warranted.  While not quite up to par lyrically with the pre-”Prince Of Darkness” Kane, the two do exhibit many of the same qualities with their deliveries and lyrical structure.

What is also very intriguing about “Black Tie Affair” is that fans of Main Source may  want to go right ahead and check for this album on the basis of the K-Cut inclusion.  As 1/3 of Main Source, Cut produced seven tracks on “Black Tie Affair” that are all pretty damn funky (think: 1991), yet nothing at all like those that can be found on the “Breaking Atoms” (thanks Large Pro!)

“To Tha’ Resuce’-D-Nice (1991, Jive)

Purchase “To Tha Rescue” HERE

D-Nice quickly followed his debut album, “Call Me D-Nice” with another album full of traditional New York, bass-heavy stylings. On this effort, D-Nice handled much of the production but unfortunately he came up short when compared to the soundscapes found on his debut. Some of the tracks found D trying to go for broke (read: commercial) and damnit, it just didn’t sound right!   I remember being so PISSED after my first listen of “To Tha Rescue”. Here I was a 14 year old punk wasting my $9.99 on this poor follow up, the true definition of a sophomore slump.   Now, “Call Me D-Nice” is easily in my top 50 of all time..no doubt.   Even the albums “so called” highlight “Time To Flow” pales in comparison to much of Nice’s rookie effort. Man, this album “still” gets to me..I was a big D-Nice fan…just my opinion

There’s a few dope standout tracks but on the whole the record really feels like an inferior version of the debut. D-Nice even made reference to his old songs, which showed that he doesn’t have much more to say after this album. D-Nice produced a few more tracks after this LP, but he pretty much abondoned rapping and producing.   Now, you can find D-Nice DJ’ing one of your favorite “BIG TIME” gatherings or taking some dope ass photos.

“Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed”-Nice & Smooth (1991, Def Jam)

Nice & Smooth returned for a second album that injected a much-needed and entirely welcome sense of the absurd into the generally far too sincere New York underground hip-hop community, which has traditionally sacrificed humor for hardcore technique when it comes down to rhyming. Greg Nice and Smooth Bee, however are often downright silly and goofy on “Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed”. Despite the conscientious-sounding title, thee is very little on the album that is concerned with anything other than, first, rocking the mic,and second, timing the punchline perfectly.

There are certainly serious tones tossed out from time to time. The duo’s biggest hit, “Sometimes I Rhyme Slow”-which is simply the track of Tracy Chapman’s somber, solemn “Fast Car” matched with the duo’s super-imposed rhyming-makes references to guns, violence, and drug abuse, and several of the other songs contained similar allusion. But far more frequently, the album is characterized by a reckless old school (think Audio Two) sense of fun, with loony, stream-of-consciousness lyrics that are most interested in dropping the other shoe, shouted sing-songy choruses (“Sex, Sex, Sex”, “Paranoia”), catchy as hell hooks (“Sometimes..”, “One, Two and One More Makes Three”) and production filed with bouncy beats and cartoonish, electronic keyboards. The presence of fully harmonized background vocals is another characteristic that gave the album a jarringly whimsical quality that most rap crews at the time would never have come within earshot of.
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