What`s happenin` y`all? Hope all is well on your side of the tracks! With today`s post I`m gon` be taking y`all back to 1989 with somethin` from Donald-D, the Microphone King. It`s actually his debut album titled "Notorious" which was released thru Epic with production handled by Afrika Islam as well as Donald-D himself. While his homie & fellow Rhyme Syndicate member Ice-T executively produced it. Now I`m gon` have to be honest & say that I`m just getting into Donald-D`s music now in 2013.....LoL, yup I have been sleepin` on this kat. Always heard Ice-T BiGG`n him up on his albums & what not, just never had the urge to actively search out the Microphone King`s music. It was actually some requests thru this very blog for this album that made me check for it & you know what? I am kind of glad that I gave the album a chance because it`s a decent listen for sure...
Apparently Donald-D`s first taste of Hip Hop was as a B-Boy breakin` on the Bronx streets, but he really introduced himself the Hip Hop world as a member of the As Salaam Brothers crew along with Easy AD & DJ Rashid. They did a few local house parties & some out door jams. The group didn`t last all that long though, but Donald-D wasn`t about to let that stop his Hip Hop. Not that long after the As Salaam Brothers disbanded he became a member of the Universal Zulu Nation & he also linked up with some other kats to form another group called The Funk Machine. The Funk Machine was a 6 man crew which consisted of 3 emcees & 3 DJ`s. The members were; Donald-D, El Jay, Kid Vicious, DJ Superman, DJ Jazzy Jay & DJ Afrika Islam. While a member of the group Donald-D perfected his microphone skills, one of his strong points was his ability to spit great story~telling rhymes. Then in 1983 DJ Afrika Islam started a radio show on W.H.B.I. called "Zulu Beats" along with DJ Red Alert. Whenever they needed an emcee to rock the mic of course Islam invited his homie Donald-D to spit his story~telling raps. The radio show`s intro was even done by actors Cheech & Chong...
Apparently Donald-D`s first taste of Hip Hop was as a B-Boy breakin` on the Bronx streets, but he really introduced himself the Hip Hop world as a member of the As Salaam Brothers crew along with Easy AD & DJ Rashid. They did a few local house parties & some out door jams. The group didn`t last all that long though, but Donald-D wasn`t about to let that stop his Hip Hop. Not that long after the As Salaam Brothers disbanded he became a member of the Universal Zulu Nation & he also linked up with some other kats to form another group called The Funk Machine. The Funk Machine was a 6 man crew which consisted of 3 emcees & 3 DJ`s. The members were; Donald-D, El Jay, Kid Vicious, DJ Superman, DJ Jazzy Jay & DJ Afrika Islam. While a member of the group Donald-D perfected his microphone skills, one of his strong points was his ability to spit great story~telling rhymes. Then in 1983 DJ Afrika Islam started a radio show on W.H.B.I. called "Zulu Beats" along with DJ Red Alert. Whenever they needed an emcee to rock the mic of course Islam invited his homie Donald-D to spit his story~telling raps. The radio show`s intro was even done by actors Cheech & Chong...
His appearances on the "Zulu Beats" shows got Donald-D enough recognition that eventually the CEO of Vinetertainment Records took notice of D`s talent. He decided to visit the radio station that the show was broadcasting from to meet up with Donald-D to voice his interest in working with him. Shortly after that D hooked up with DJ Chuck Chill Out & the two of them formed the group The B-Boys. As a duo they recorded 3 songs in total; "Two-Three Break", "Rock The House" & "Cuttin` Herbie". After those three records DJ Chuck Chill Out decided to go solo so Donald-D decided to add DJ Master-T & another emcee named Brother-B to the group...
Now a trio they recorded the tracks "Stick Up Kid", "Girls" & "Girls Pt. 2". Eventually DJ Master-T decided to leave the group so he was replaced by an old high school friend named DJ Jazzy-G. Not long after that though their record label felt that they no longer needed The B-Boys on their roster. That`s when Donald-D decided that he was going to go solo & left the group. The first songs that he recorded as a soloist were done in 1987 & they were titled "Outlaw" & "Dope Jam" released on the label Rockin` Hard Records as a 12 inch single. In 1988 he decided to head out to the West Coast & linked up with Ice-T becoming a member of the Ryhme Syndicate. He made his West Coast debut on the Rhyme Syndicate compilation "Comin` Through" on the track titled "The Name Of The Game" which also featured his homie Bronx Style Bob...
Finally, in 1989 Donald-D signed with Sony Records to record his first solo album titled "Notorious". Like I mentioned before his old DJ, Afrika Islam handled most of the production. Donald-D helped out while Ice-T was the executive producer & also makes the only guest appearance on the album appearing on "Lost In A Freestyle". Overall Donald-D can rip the mic, but I find that he truly shines when he`s flexing the story~telling rhymes. Standout joints for me are; "F.B.I.", the album`s lead single is a track that warns listeners of the dangers of Crack use from every angle. Donald-D`s observations cover the women that become hoes, the children that end up neglected & when it comes to the dealer he even talks about those he sells to like the sports star & the famous & rich & how it affected them. "Who Got The Gun?" is a great storytelling joint that involves police brutality, corrupt cops, shoot-outs, false accusations & of course a missing firearm....LoL
"Armed & Dangerous" is a good track that promotes unity & freedom of speech. "Car Chase" is another storytelling joint, this one involves a bank robbery & the escape that ensues afterwards. "Lost In A Freestyle" is a decent collabo` with his homie Ice-T, it has a nice 'freestyle' type of vibe to it as they pass the mic amongst each other. Overall there`s really only 2 joints on the album that seem a lil` out of place. The first one is "A Letter I`ll Never Send", it seems like a joint that LL Cool J would`ve done. It`s a love song...not a bad one, but in comparison to what else is on the album it just doesn`t really fit. The other song is pretty much the complete opposite of "A Letter I`ll Never Send" & this one`s titled "Just Suck".....LoL, you can tell that Ice-T had a lil` influence on this joint. It`s in the same vein as Ice`s "Girls L.G.B.N.A.F." so you know it`s stacked full of X-rated rhymes. Aside from those 2 songs the rest of the album is pretty solid & fluid, the beats mesh well with the content of the tracks. Go `head & check this album out, I know I slept on this joint. Don`t make the same mistake I did, the album`s well worth the time that you`ll spend listening to it...
Label: Epic
Released: 1989
1. Intro
2. Notorious
3. F.B.I.
4.Who Got The Gun?
5. Syndicate Posse
6. A Letter I`ll Never Send
7. Armed & Dangerous
8. Car Chase
9. Just Suck
10. Lost In A Freestyle {ft. Ice-T}
11. On Tour
12. Another Night In The Bronx
N`JoY...
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