SyLK-E. FyNe`s "Tha CuM uP"...

Re~uPP`d, originally posted on 09.27.2009...

Alright y`all let me be perfectly clear here I really wanted to introduce y`all to Sylk-E Fyne by posting up her debut album "Raw Sylk", but unfortunately at the moment I can`t find the CD amongst all the boxes of CD`s that I brought back with me from Canada during my trip back in November....LoL, so y`all are just gon` have to deal with her second album "Tha Cum Up" for now (especially since I had a few requests for a re~uP on this joint). Once I find that "Raw Sylk" CD though I`ll post it up for y`all...


Anyways for those that aren`t familiar with Sylk-E Fyne (she has a MySpace page, but now~a~days who`s peepin` them?....LoL) I`ll school ya real quick. Reppin` South Central, Los Angeles, Sylk-E has been rhymin` since her high school days. It was somethin` that she did to keep herself distracted from the allure of the streets & all the trouble that comes along with `em. Her hard work, both musically & academically eventually paid off because not only did she receive a college degree, but she also link`D up with some Hip Hop legends. She`s worked with 2Pac, Eazy-E, Too $hort, Snoop Dogg & even toured with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. When she first stepped on the scene she was actually working along side the late great Hip Hop Thugsta Eazy-E as a member of G.B.M. (Gangsta Bitch Mentality), a group that he had been cultivating but unfortunately nothing of theirs was ever really released, aside from 2 tracks that I know of ("Shed No Tears" & "House Party") & they didn`t actually get an official release...


Since being a part of a group didn`t really work out to her benefit she decided to strike it out on her own & in 1998 Sylk-E Fyne signed with RCA where she was able to release her first album titled "Raw Sylk". While working on the album she linked up with Chill & the two of them recorded the surprise hit single titled "Romeo & Juliet". It got plenty of play during the summer of `98, I remember seeing the video all over the TV music stations like B.E.T., MTV & Much Music. Needless to say "Romeo & Juliet" was BiG for Sylk, it managed to reach the Number 6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 that year & still remains her biggest hit today. Unfortunately for her though the buzz from the hit smash single wasn`t enough to help generate interest in her debut album "Raw Sylk". Even though the album was a decent effort it sold poorly, peaking at the 121st spot of the Billboard 200. Disappointed in the album`s sales RCA made the decision & dropped her from the label...


So in 2000 Sylk-E Fyne bounced back & signed with Rufftown Records to release her sophomore album titled "Tha Cum Up". The album features her second & last (to my knowledge anyway) charting single titled "Ya` Style", a collabo` with Snoop Dogg & Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. The song reached the Number 17 spot on the Billboard Rap Singles chart of that year. Unfortunately for her though I guess Ruffhouse Records was expecting another smash hit single like "Romeo & Juliet" or they were just hoping that people would cop her second album off the strength of that single because they did little to no promo for "Tha Cum Up". Maybe they blew their budget on the music video for "Ya` Style", who knows? The computer animated versions of Snoop & Bizzy are killer though.....LoL, anyway just like her debut album this one was also a commercial disappointment. Some other side~notes about Sylk-E Fyne that y`all may not know are at one point in time she was signed to Snoop Dogg`s Doggystyle Records. She was also featured on the original version of the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony & 2Pac collabo` "Thug Luv"...




 

So what do I think of "Tha Cum Up" you ask? Well I think it`s OK, probably good for a one time listen because honestly it doesn`t really offer anything that`s groundbreaking or worthy of much replay value. If you`re a fan of hers & haven`t heard her second album then give it a listen. If you haven`t heard of Sylk-E. Fyne before though I do apologize, don`t let this album deter you from checkin` out her debut album because it is definitely much better than this one! "I`mma Give It To Ya" is a decent opening track for the album, nothing mind blowin` but it isn`t too shabby either. "How Hot?" featuring Chill is OK, but definitely a long shot from their previous hit "Romeo & Juliet". Ya can`t blame them though for attempting to capture that spark once again. "Dirty South Central" comes off as a weak attempt to ride the jock of the Southern style that was huge at the time, it also features an uncredited appearance by a kat named Diamond I believe, I`m probably wrong on the name though....LoL


"Players Comin` Up" features Phantom Smoove, it`s OK but nothing special. "Lick It" is a weak attempt at a sexual track, but it`s just too lame for my tastes. "My Life" is a decent joint, not sure who the uncredited emcees are though. "Tha Cum Up" features Mr. 'Who Dat' JT Money, it`s not too bad but again nothing super spectacular either. "Dirty Game" features Nicole Renee as well as another uncredited emcee, it doesn`t matter much though because there`s not much to make you want to check it out again anyway. "Ya` Style" is by far the best track on this album, sure the Snoop & Bizzy Bone features help but the beat`s also pretty good. "Why Oh Why?" closes out this album, it`s alright & could`ve been a good way to end things, but the super simplistic hook just makes it lose much of it`s replay value...


I know that it looks like I`m hating on this album, but honestly I`m not I`m just being real. Sylk-E. Fyne has definitely given listeners much better music than what`s included on this album Just check the features that she`s done with other artists like Eazy-E, Too $hort & 2Pac to name a few, or better yet peep her first album "Raw Sylk"! Maybe "Tha Cum Up" sounded better when it first dropped, but 14-soon-to-be-15 years later it`s safe to say that this joint hasn`t aged all that well. The beats range from fair to decent, while the lyrics are just OK. Remember now, this is just my opinion you may really DiG this album & that`s fine - to each their own! So good `head & check it out for ya`self...

Sylk-E. Fyne - Tha Cum Up

Label: Rufftown Records

Released: 2000

1. I`mma Give It To Ya
2. How Hot? {ft. Chill}
3. Dirty South Central
4. Players Comin` Up {ft. Phantom Smoove}
5. Lick It
6. My Life
7. Tha Cum Up {ft. JT Money}
8. Dirty Game {ft. Nicole Renee}
9. Ya` Style {ft. Snoop Dogg & Bizzy Bone}
10. Why Oh Why?

 

 

MeGa LiNK...

For those of y`all wondering, apparently she`s working on a new album...

N`JoY...

BuDD@H BLe$$eD EnT. PReSeNTs - "I`m TaLK`n ABouT CHiCKeN WiNGZ"...

Re~uPP`d, originally posted 11.07.2009...



I know that I haven`t posted anything in a while, but no this blog isn`t dead yet! I have just been busy with Life, it`s bound to happen once you become a parent....LoL, anyways I`m going to attempt to get a few posts up on here within the next few days. To start things off I have a Re~uP of a mix that I had originally put together back in 2009. Since I have had numerous requests to post up new links for it I decided to do so seeing as how I was able to grab a bunch of CD`s from my parents` crib in Canada when I visited them in November. This mix that I`m referring to is titled "BuDD@H BLe$$eD EnT. PReSeNTs: I`m TaLK`n ABouT CHiCKeN WiNGZ". At the time that I had originally put it together it was a nice combination of new & older tracks, but now obviously it`s just old & older joints....LoL, anyway the iNTRo says it all! Check it out & enjoy this lil` Christmas gift...

BuDD@H BLe$$eD EnT. PReSeNTs - I`m TaLK`n ABouT CHiCKeN WiNGZ
MiXeD: Saturday, November 07, 2009


1. iNTRo
2. D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune) {Jay-Z}
3. Robot {KRS-One & Buckshot}
4. Hidden Scriptures {Krumb Snatcha}
5. Thru My Eyez {X-Clan ft. Tony Henry & Bun B}
6. Choose Your Side {La Coka Nostra ft. Bun B}
7. TaXeS [iNTeRLuDe]

8. Off The Books {The Beatnuts ft. Big Pun & Cuban Link}
9. You Ain`t A Killer {Big Pun}
10. Thug Paradise {Capone-N-Noreaga}
11. How Many Emcees (Must Get Dissed) {Black Moon}
12. Crooklyn Dodgers {Buckshot, Special Ed & Masta Ace}
13. iNTeRLuDe #2
14. Hate {DJ Haze ft. Young Buck & Game}
15. Fuck Y`all {DJ Quik & Kurupt}
16. Blaaow! {Hittman ft. Dr. Dre & Knoc`Turnal}
17. Trafficin` Green {Crooked I}
18. Only In California {Mack 10 ft. Ice Cube & Snoop Dogg}
19. Cali Kali {Kali}
20. Breathe Thru The Years {J. Cardim ft. Saigon}
21. Hustle In My Blood {AZ}
22. I`ma Go & Get My... {Busta Rhymes ft. Mike Epps}
23. My Job {Cam`Ron}
24. Mr. DJ {Warren G}
25. OuTRo

MeGa LiNK...

N`JoY...

MeTHoD MaN`s "TiCaL [HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN]"...

What`s up y`all? I know, I know it`s been a long while since I`ve actually posted something up on the blog, but you got to bare with me & understand that since I`m a full-time father now I don`t have as much free time as I used to (or would love to have!). Even though the number of posts may be down a lil` bit I promise that I will do my best to ensure that when I do post something that it`ll be well worth the wait. So today I have another album to share with y`all that gets the HeRBaN DeLuXe treatment. The album that I decided to touch this time around is Method Man`s 1994 debut solo album titled "Tical". Now I`m sure that most of you have at least heard the album if not own the original release. The reason that I choose to do this album is pretty simple really, Def Jam recently released the 20th Anniversary 'Deluxe Edition' (I think it dropped in September) & I wasn`t really all that impressed with the extra joints that they decided to add to it...

They pretty much just added the entire "All I Need" CD single, 2 remixes of "Release Yo` Delf" (Prodigy Remix & the New Blood Mix), 2 remixes of "Bring The Pain" (Chemical Brothers Remix & the actual remix) & it`s instrumental, "The Riddler" & the Capleton collabo` "Wings Of The Morning [Dynamik Duo Mix]". Some of the tracks aren`t bad, but overall I just found it to be a real lazily put together 20th Anniversary release. I`m not saying that my selection of tracks is the greatest either, but it`s definitely much better than their version. I tried to keep it to songs that were released around the same time period as his debut album, but wanted to keep it to a one disc compilation. I could`ve easily made it a double disc comp`, but decided against doing so. Who knows maybe later on down the line I`ll put a second disc together to accompany this one, but for now it is what it is...

 Now let`s get to the music shall we? The album starts off with "Tical" a nice dark & dusty way to kick things off. "Biscuits" is a short 2 verse joint with a good thumpin` beat behind it that compliments Meth`s flows. I always laugh when I hear that lil` interlude that he kicks at the beginning of the track:

"Yo` mama don`t wear no drawers,

I saw her when she took them off!

Standin` on the welfare line eatin` swine

Tryin` to look fine with her stank behind

You can ask the bitch & she`ll tell ya fast

Meth-Tical got style with his nasty ass"...

"Bring The Pain" may have been played a whole lot since it was first released, but I don`t care it`s still a banger to me! I remember when it first dropped back in the day, I had taped the song off the radio from a local college Hip Hop show (can`t remember the exact show it`s been a few years) & was playin` the fuck out of the tape (in my walkman, yeah it was that long ago....LoL). As soon as you hear the first few notes of the beat at the beginning of the track you just know that it`s gon` be something awesome! This song was released as one of the album`s singles with "P.L.O. Style" on the B-side. "All I Need" is next & although it isn`t the Mary J. Blige featured remix version that helped Meth` win a Grammy it`s still a nice track. Meth` basically kicks verses for his girl letting her know how he feels for her, a ghetto love song if you will. Rumor has it that Def Jam actually had to bribe Method Man with a Cadillac or some ish just so he`d do the remixes for this song because they wanted something that was a lil` more radio airplay friendly since the album doesn`t really have any commercialized sounding joints. Not sure exactly how true it is, but regardless I glad that he decided to do the remix with Mary `cuz it`s a banger. The music video was pretty entertaining too...

"What The Blood Clot" is a quick & short one verse track, Meth` also chooses this song to give shout outs to all the homies. "Meth vs. Chef" is another one of my favorite songs on this album, hearing it 20 years later it still sounds great. The only thing that kind of sucks is that Raekwon sort of gives up about half way thru his verse....LoL, always thought it would have been a DoPe idea if the Wu had more battle type joints between other members of the Clan on later solo members` albums to keep the competitiveness going & keep `em lyrically sharp & on point. "Sub Crazy" is another short lil` dusty track that has Meth` flippin` straight lyrics. It`s not a track that I`m really much of a fan of, it`s not wack but is far from the banger that the song before it is. The Blue Raspberry collabo` "Released Yo` Delf" definitely picks things back up! Right from the opening lines of Blue`s lyrics you just know that this song`s gon` get you pumped up especially after the beat kicks in. This song`s another one of my faves no doubt about it!!!

"P.L.O. Style" follows & is a short lil` collabo` with Carlton Fisk (I`m not really too familiar with this kat), it`s a decent back & forth song though. "I Get My Thang In Action" is next & is backed by a nice head noddin` beat, Meth` kicks rhymes just showin` you that he can flex his style with ease. "Mr.Sandman" is a nice dark & dusty posse cut collabo` that features Carlton Fisk, Inspectah Deck, RZA, Street Thug (they probably mean Street Life but it`s listed as Thug instead) & Blue Raspberry. Something interesting to note, this is the first posse cut that`s not on an actual Wu-Tang Clan group album. "Stimulation" features Blue Raspberry once again handling the hook for the track, overall it`s nothing super spectacular but it`s still better than "Sub Crazy". Although I prefer the original version that`s featured on the Wu-Tang Clan`s debut album the "Method Man [Rmx]" isn`t too shabby either...

That remix is where the original album would`ve ended, but like I said at the beginning of this post I decided to make this version somewhat of a 'deluxe' compilation to celebrate the album`s 20th birthday if you will. So without any more of a delay let`s get to the bonus content shall we? The first joint that I chose to add was the "Bring The Pain [Rmx]" which was originally featured on the re-released album that Def Jam put out back in 2000 as part of their Def Jam Remasters series. It`s nothing super spectacular, the beat is slightly different but the lyrics are still the same as the original version. Not everyone has heard this version so that is why I decided to add it. Following that is the demo version of "All I Need" which is a pretty rare joint in my books. So BiG uPs goes out to the homie dirt_dog for hookin` me up with this & a lot of the other joints that I used to complete this compilation! The beat is the same as the album version, but what is different with this joint is that it has a lil` interlude that features a couple of chicks (not sure who they are) talkin` to each other about men. They are also featured on the hook, well where the hook would be, talkin` & gossiping about men as well (it`s kind of entertaining to hear)...

The next joint is the Frankenstein remix of "P.L.O. Style" which is originally from the Frankenstein "Live From New York (The Remixx Album)" promo that was released back in 1996. I posted that joint up a while back, you can peep it here. One thing that I should mention is that I cut the track a lil` short because the end of the song was just the instrumental looped & I wanted to leave room for more songs on this comp` so that`s why I faded it out early. "No Hook" is off of Shaquille O`Neal`s album titled "Shaq-Fu: Da Return" & features the RZA as well. The "Wu Headbangers Freestyle" is a DoPe freestyle that was originally featured on the "P.L.O. Style" 12 inch single that was released back in 1997. "Freestyle Lyricstyle" is another freestyle joint that was originally released on a promo 12 inch single in 1997. The "Funkmaster Flex `95 Freestyle" that also features Redman was originally released on Funkmaster Flex`s "60 Minutes Of Funk Vol. 1 Mixtape" that dropped in 1995...

"The Riddler" is a joint that Meth` did for the "Batman Forever Soundtrack", the "Hide Out Rmx" (which isn`t as widely heard as the original version) was originally released on a 12 inch (or CD) single from 1995. The "Evil Streets [Rmx]" is an iLL collabo` with Onyx that was originally released back in 1995 on a 12 inch promo single. The original version of "The What" featuring the late & great Biggie wasn`t officially released, but most of y`all probably heard it off that "Notorious B.I.G - Ready To Die [O.G. Version]" that was circulating on the web a few years ago. What`s interesting about this version is that it has different lyrics than the version that appears on B.I.G.`s debut album, so it`s definitely worth checking out! Things close out with "Hard To Kill", a collabo` with Spice 1. This West Coast/ East Coast pairing was originally released back in 1994 on Spice 1`s "AmeriKKKa`s Nightmare" album. So there ya have it y`all, another reason to check out Method Man`s debut album & appreciate it. Enjoy the bonus tunes, happy listening... 

Method Man - Tical [HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN]

Label: Def Jam

Released: 1994-2014

1. Tical

2. Biscuits

3. Bring The Pain {ft. Booster}

4. All I Need

5. What The Blood Clot

6. Meth vs. Chef {ft. Raekwon}

7. Sub Crazy

8. Release Yo` Delf {ft. Blue Raspberry}

9. P.L.O. Style {ft. Carlton Fisk}

10. I Get My Thang In Action

11. Mr. Sandman {ft. Carlton Fisk, Inspectah Deck, RZA, Street Thug & Blue Raspberry}

12. Stimulation {ft. Blue Raspberry}

13. Method Man [Rmx]

14. Bring The Pain [Rmx] {ft. Booster}

15. All I Need [Demo Version]

16. P.L.O. Style [Frankenstein Rmx]

17. No Hook {ft. Shaq & RZA}

18. Wu Headbangers Freestyle

19. Freestyle Lyricstyle

20. Funkmaster Flex `95 Freestyle {ft. Redman}

21. The Riddler [Hide Out Rmx]

22. Evil Streets [Rmx] {ft. Onyx}

23. The What [Original Version] {ft. Biggie}

24. Hard To Kill {ft. Spice 1}

N`JoY...

DJ DiGGa PReSeNTs: "The GoLDeN ERa ReMiXeS VoL. 1"...

Figured that I`d take a lil` break from re~uPP`n & post somethin` that wasn`t up on here yet, so here comes the fun.....LoL, what I have to share with y`all today is a mixtape that was released back in 2008 by DJ Digga titled "The Golden Era Remixes Vol. 1". I shall be honest with y`all, up until a few hours ago I didn`t know who this kat was. I still don`t really know anything else about him expect that he`s reppin` Sweden (you can peep his blog here). The good news though is that it doesn`t matter much because his talent truly speaks for itself, at least on this project anyway. What ya get on this 10 track 27 minute long mixtape is some great beats & some good remixes. Some remixes are much better than others, but even the joints that aren`t super spectacular still have DoPe beats behind them. Honestly these remixes will have you wishing that the project was much longer in running time. Digga does a great job choosing some gems from the `90's to put his own twist on. Standout remixes for me are; Nas` "It Ain`t Hard To Tell", Saukrates` "Father Time", Rasco`s "The Unassisted", Amerie`s "Talkin` To Me" & Das EFX`s "Real Hip Hop". My fav` joint on here is the Saukrates remix, definitely a banger! The other joints are decent, but I found that even though the beats were awesome they just didn`t mesh totally with the vocals. So there you have it y`all, check it out for ya`self it`s definitely worth the 27 minutes that you`ll spend listening to it...

DJ Digga Presents - The Golden Era Remixes Vol. 1

Label: N/A

Released: 2008

1. The Sun Don`t Chill [Intro]

2. It Ain`t Hard To Tell [DJ Digga Rmx] {Nas}

3. Father Time [DJ Digga Rmx] {Saukrates}

4. Slang Editorial [DJ Digga Rmx] {Cappadonna}

5. Ms. Fat Booty [DJ Digga Rmx] {Mos Def}

6. The U.N.A.S.S.I.S.T.E.D. [DJ Digga Rmx] {Rasco}

7. Talkin` To Me [DJ Digga Rmx] {Amerie}

8. Real Hip Hop [DJ Digga Rmx] {Das EFX}

9. Fakin` Jax [DJ Digga Rmx] {Pete Rock & I.N.I.}

10. Rock On [DJ Digga Rmx] {Funkdoobiest}

N`JoY...

187 PRooF: "DoPe LiKa PouND Or A KeY" [CoMPiLaTioN]"...

Rewritten with a review & new links, originally posted 12.29.2007...

One of the comments left on the original post:

Travis said...

Thanks man, I seem to remember this comp for some reason back in the day. I always liked the old gangsta shit back then. Good lookin' out

Thursday, January 03, 2008 6:52:00 pm

 

Since I`ve been getting a lot of requests for a re~up on this somewhat rare compilation I figured today was the day to finally get around to doing so. I had originally posted this joint back in 2007 when I was just starting out with the blog, hard to believe that it has already been 7 years......WoW! Now that that has been realized let`s get to the lil` review of what is being shared with y`all today shall we? First off I definitely gotta say that this joint`s a trip! Not only does it contain some early Spice 1 tracks, but it also includes some early The Coup songs, some interludes & skits as well as a song (& also a different version of the same song) that features some artists that I can`t quite identify. Alright now let`s get into it already! The compilation opens up with Spice 1`s "187 Proof"; a song that most folks should recognize. Lyric~wise it`s exactly the same as the version that appears on his self titled debut album, but the beat`s slightly different & there`s a bit of an intro before the track starts with Spice takin` a few hits off a joint while a sample of someone saying "A Green Leafy Substance..." kicks in then is followed by an LL Cool J sample of him rappin` "Roll up a phat one & pass it around..." (I believe it`s from "Boomin` System") over & over until the song sparks off. It almost seems like maybe this was just the demo version that he had before he reworked it into the track that`s on his self titled album because it definitely has that demo type of vibe to it. It`s also not the entire song either, it`s cut a lil` short but it`s an interesting listen nonetheless especially if you`re a Spice 1 fan...

"Lights Start Flashing" is somewhat of a funky but trippy instrumental/ dub type of thing. Following that is an early mix of The Coup`s "Foul Play"; the song itself later appeared on their debut album "Kill My Landlord" which dropped in 1993 on Wild Pitch. The version on this compilation however is apparently The Coup`s very first recorded appearance, just another reason why you should give this comp` a listen. "One Nation" is a posse cut that kind of reminds me of that "We`re All In The Same Game" joint, it`s got a similar type of message. Exactly who is on the song? I couldn`t tell you, sorry. If you happen to know, please school me! "Oakland California" is just a short lil` interlude that`s under 30 seconds in length, following that is an early mix of Spice 1`s "East Bay Gangster". What`s DoPe about this version is that not only does it have a different beat & hook (it`s scratched Eazy-E samples on this version), but it also has different lyrics as well as a different third verse altogether when compared to the version on his debut album. It also has a short lil` intro where someone asks him if he`s still sellin` that Yayo & then proceeds to ask him where the dope is at...LoL, I think that I may just DiG this version more than the one that has that Reggae vibe to it. Maybe I just like how they used the bassline from the O`Jays` "Give The People What They Want" or maybe it`s the different hook & lyrics. I don`t know, but either way it`s DoPe!!!

 

 

"976-Spice" is an interlude that features Spice 1 of course & is quite similar to the 1-800 & 1-900 Spice interludes on his debut album, just a lot shorter in length. The Coup`s "Foul Play [Rmx]" follows, it`s decent but I think that I prefer the original version more. "2 B Reel" is a rare track by Spice 1 seeing as how it`s only available on this compilation & hasn`t been released on any of his other projects. Overall it`s not the greatest Spice 1 song, but it`s still a fair track. Honestly it`s mainly the beat that just sounds a lil` too soft for a Spice 1 joint. Maybe they were aiming for some radio play with this one, who knows for sure? The Jazz Appella version of "One Nation" isn`t nearly as enjoyable of a listen compared to the original. I just find that the vocals don`t mesh too well with the beat, while the beat`s not too shabby it just doesn`t work with the rappers` flows. The "211 At 711" skit is just that, folks robbin` a 711 store. The compilation closes with another rare Spice 1 song titled "Gangster Thang", just like "2 B Reel" this song`s only available on this compilation & hasn`t been released on any of his other projects. "Gangster Thang" has Spice 1 kickin` some of his trademark gangsta tales over a simplistic Ol` School soundin` beat. It`s definitely a song you should listen to, especially if you`re a Spice 1 fan. Now I just want to let it be known so folks don`t get it twisted. I didn`t rip this cassette, I just simply used the mp3`s that are out there already floating around on the web. I did however edit the files, making slight adjustments here & there. Mainly increasing the volume, especially on the interludes because they were pretty low. So there you have it a lil` run~down of this relatively unknown compilation, now check it out for ya`self...

187 Proof - Dope Lika Pound Or A Key

Label: Wax That Azzs Records

Released: 1991

1. 187 Proof

2. Lights Start Flashin`

3. Foul Play

4. One Nation

5. Oakland California [Interlude]

6. East Bay Gangster

7. 976-Spice [Interlude]

8. Foul Play [Rmx]

9. 2 B Reel

10. One Nation [Jazz Appella]

11. 211 At 711 [Skit]

12. Gangster Thang

BaCK~uP LiNK....

N`JoY...

Ms. Toi`s "THaT GiRL"....

Rewritten with an album review added & new links, originally posted 08.18.2009...

Yes~Yes y`all I`m back with a lil` Chi~Town/ Inglewood flava for y`all courtesy of Ms. Toi. Now for those folks out there that don`t know of her I`ll do my best to school y`all....LoL, so here goes...Toikeon Parham (or Ms. Toi to the HiP HoP world) was born in Chicago, but her family decided to move to Inglewood, California when she was 11 years old. According to her parents Ms. Toi has always been an entertainer, at a young age she was singing Chaka Khan songs before she could even speak. Her first taste of the Music Industry came when she played the role of the 'other woman' in R&B group Mokenstef`s "He`s Mine" music video. Shortly after that Ms. Toi became the lead dancer for the girl group Thick & The Girls (Couldn`t find any info` on `em). During this period in time Toi was truly motivated because the lead rapper of Thick & The Girls was slippin`, always forgettin` her lyrics during live performances due to heavy alcohol consumption. Toi felt embarrassed, dancing for someone that couldn`t represent HiP HoP the right way -- so she made sure folks took notice of her dancing skillz. When Ms. Toi looks back now she can laugh because she understands that it was her beginning & everyone has to start somewhere...

Even though she was getting some props for her dance skillz, she really wanted to rip the mic! While she was working on her rappin` techniques she linked up with Brooke Payne, Ronnie DeVoe`s (of Bel Biv DeVoe fame) uncle, who later became Ms. Toi`s first management team. Shortly after that Ms. Toi recorded her first professional song with Ronnie DeVoe titled "Life Styles Of The Rough & Sexy". She then toured with Ronnie DeVoe & ended up linkin` up with another Rap group named the Militia when she returned home to L.A. Now the Militia was a group that producer & former Dr. Dre understudy Emanuel Dean put together along with emcees Lord G, Diz, Deviuz & Mr. Tan. Mr. Tan was also a part of the L.A. group Da Phat Pak along with Ms. Toi ( I couldn`t find any info` out there on this group so if ya know something school me!). Ms. Toi originally linked up with them to be featured on the remix for their single "Burn" (which is the first time I heard her rap), but the chemistry between them all was real natural so the label (Red Ant Records) put `em all in the studio for about a week`s time & they finished up an album. They shot a music video for the "Burn [Rmx]" with all 5 Militia members & even followed things up with a second video for their track titled "Who`s The Next MC To Crumble", but shortly after that Red Ant Records went bankrupt forcing the Militia to branch out on their own individual solo~careers...

Things really started to PoP off for Ms. Toi one night when her homie K-Mack, a member of the Rap group The Comrads, called her up asking her to hit up the studio to help Ice Cube finish up a song that he was recording at the time. Cube was recording "You Can Do It" which also featured Mack 10, he was about to scrap the track altogether but things changed once Ms. Toi hit the studio & blessed it with her vocals. The song became an overnight phenomenon, getting mad radio play & also ended up landing a spot on the soundtrack for Ice Cube`s film "Next Friday". Shortly after that in the year 2000 Ms. Toi joined the legendary "Up In Smoke Tour", things were lookin` real good for her career! Maybe just a lil` too good though since she thought that she was gon` end up gettin` a deal thru Ice Cube, but nothing materialized even after numerous efforts by Toi herself...

Things didn`t work out with Ice Cube the way she thought they would, but soon after her doubts faded out of her mind other labels started pursuing her. Eventually Ms. Toi signed a deal with Universal Records to release her first solo album titled "That Girl" which was released in 2001. Ms. Toi says she did everything in her power (she even co-executive produced the album & also co-produced many of its songs) to make the album a successful one, but the label just didn’t understand her. So with little to no promo for the album, ish was a commercial failure. Maybe it`s because Ms. Toi chose to stray away from the sexually explicit angle that she rocked on "You Can Do It" & instead focused on empowering women & offering a more complete portrait of the female experience in America. Don`t get it twisted though, there`s some good music on the album. It`s definitely worth checkin` out...

As for the album I`ll drop a quick lil` summary for y`all. Guest appearances come from the likes of Toi`s homegirl Cl`Ché, E-40, MC Ren, Squeak Ru, Poppa LQ, Nelly, Ali & Murphy Lee. Production is handled by Dame Grease, Phantom Of The Beats, Don Saunders, Mike City, Jason Epperson, DJ Don, Rhythm D, Doug Rasheed, Mike "Punch" Harper & even Ms. Toi herself. The album opens with the the title track "That Girl" which features her homegirl Cl`Ché over a Dame Grease produced beat, the hook has a slight Reggae vibe to it. It makes for a nice introduction for the listeners as Ms. Toi discusses the rough roads that she`s traveled to get to where she`s at now. "Handclap" is alright, but definitely sounds like an attempt to get some play on the radio with it`s commercialized vibe. The beat`s catchy, it`s hook simplistic, but Toi still manages to spit decent lyrics. "Love Me Or Leave Me" features vocals by Dalya Riley on the hook, while the Don Saunders beat complements the song`s overall message. Here Toi chooses to get a lil` more personal with this one, telling her loved one that he`s either gon` love her for who she is & respect what she`s doin` or he can get to steppin`...

E-40 makes an appearance on "Work A Twist" produced by Mike City. Like the beat the song`s decent, but nothing super spectacular which is a shame because these two artists are definitely capable of delivering much better. I can`t lie though E-40 makes the hook more catchy than it should be just by the funny way he says the song`s title. "Can`t None Of Y`all" features some more vocals from Dalya Riley while the song carries somewhat of a commercialize feel to it. Ms. Toi is basically on brag mode with this joint, lettin` folks know that no one can step to her. "C`Mon" is another joint that isn`t anything special, it`s not wack but you can definitely tell they were attempting to hit the radio with this vibe. Nelly, Ali & Murphy Lee are featured on "Be Like Me" a braggadocio joint that`s backed by a nice Jason Epperson beat....LoL, honestly I don`t know if I have heard anything else that Jason has done, but I like this beat. As for the tune I can`t really get into because I`m not much of a Nelly fan (NEVER was) & his homies don`t make this song any better. It`s not wack, it just has that Nelly-ized vibe to it & I simply can`t stand it....LoL

"Fly Chick" features The Transitions on a joint that`s sort of similar to Foxy Brown`s "Big Bad Mama" vibe but it has a bit of a darker sound to it. To switch things up Ms. Toi decides to keep it hood on the Squeak Ru assisted & street soundin` "My Dogs & My Locs", a DJ Don produced track which also features an Ice Cube sample used for the hook. "Bonnie Ride" carries the street vibe along as Toi lets the listeners know that she`s down to ride & die for her Clyde (man), while Dub Niche helps out on the track. Poppa LQ is featured on "Well Say That" a DoPe back & forth convo` between a hustler & a woman that he`s trying to hook up with carried on over Rhythm D`s backdrop which only enhances things. I`d have to say that this song is my favorite on the entire album, the way it`s done is great because both artists have good chemistry together. Ms. Toi decides to put a woman`s twist on 2Pac`s "Wonder Why They Call You Bitch?" with "Wonder Why..." featuring Dub Niche. It`s basically the female version with Toi speaking about a male 'trick' instead. It`s not a bad song at all, I actually find the hook pretty catchy....LoL

"Bangin`" has an appearance by the 'Villain In Black' MC Ren & is produced by Dame Grease. Unfortunately the song`s a lil` disappointing, to me anyway mainly because I was expecting some spectacular ish.....LoL, it`s not wack but the simplistic hook & the beat itself just don`t cut it for me. "Here To Stay" is probably my least favorite song on the album, the beat just doesn`t seem to complement her flow at all. The "Love Me Or Leave Me [Rmx]" once again features Dalya Riley, it`s not bad but I prefer the original version more. The album`s closing track titled "When I Bust" is another DoPe tune & a great way to bring things to an end. The Mike "Punch" Harper beat really meshes well with Ms. Toi`s braggadocio flows. So there ya have it y`all go `head & peep the album for ya`self...

Ms. Toi - That Girl
Label: Universal Records
Released: 2001



1. That Girl {ft. Cl`Ché} [Prod. by Dame Grease]
2. Handclap [Prod. by Phantom Of The Beats]
3. Love Me Or Leave Me {ft. Dalya Riley} [Prod. by Don Saunders]
4. Work A Twist {ft. E-40 & Stef} [Prod. by Mike City]
5. Can`t None Y`all {ft. Dalya Riley} [Prod. by Don Saunders]
6. C`Mon [Prod. by Phantom Of The Beats]
7. Be Like Me {ft. Ali, Murphy Lee & Nelly} [Prod. by Jason Epperson]
8. Fly Chick {ft. The Transitions} [Prod. by DJ Don]
9. My Dogs & My Locs {ft. Squeak Ru} [Prod. by DJ Don]
10. Bonnie Ride {ft. Dub Niche} [Prod. by Mike City]
11. Well Say That {ft. Poppa LQ} [Prod. by Rhythm D]
12. Wonder Why... {ft. Dub Niche} [Prod. by Doug Rasheed]
13. Bangin` {ft. MC Ren} [Prod. by Dame Grease]
14. Here To Stay [Prod. by Mike "Punch" Harper]
15. Love Me Or Leave Me [Rmx] {ft. Dalya Riley} [Prod. by Don Saunders]
16. When I Bust [Prod. by Mike "Punch" Harper]

Some newer music...

N`JoY...

DJ Rei DouBLe R & G-Bo The PRo`s "THRoW BaCK: BeST Of VoL. #11 & #12"

First off all, BiG uPs to the homie RuSTy NuTZ! He`s the one that hooked me up with the joint that I`m sharing with y`all today. I`m not sure if he`s the one that personally ripped the mixtape from his collection or if he just passed the files onto me, but either way I`m very thankful. So thanks very much kind sir, the hook up is very much appreciated! Now if any of y`all visitors out there have something that you would like to share with the masses, just holla at me & together we shall get it out there to `em. I`m really trying to gather up a nice collection of the classic mixtapes from the early & late 1990`s because there`s some great tunes on `em. Not only that though, that`s when mixtapes were actual mixtapes not like the ish that gets released now~a~days....LoL, so hook `em up!!!

I got to be honest & say that until RuSTy NuTZ hooked me up with this mixtape I had not heard anything done by DJ Rei Double R & his partner in crime G-Bo The Pro, it`s a DaMn shame I know! Trust me you don`t have to tell me....LoL, anyways for those that aren`t familiar with these 2 kats today`s the day to change that. These 2 fellas reppin` New York have released some major classic mixtapes! It`s definitely a pleasure & an honor to be able  to share with y`all this "Throw Back: Best Of Vol. #11 & #12" tape. What this mixtape consists of is some tracks from their #11 tape titled "Da Stopper" which was released back in March of 1992 & also some joints from their #12 tape titled "Old To Da New" which came out in June of 1992. If you`re a fan of Hip Hop from the early `90's then you should recognize most of the gems on here. The only joint that I found to be a lil` out of place was Mary J. Blige`s "You Remind Me" & that`s only because it`s the sole R&B song on here. It`s a good tune, just a lil` out of place in my opinion...

The only joint on here that I wasn`t DiGG`n much was the "Freestyle" from L.G. (Lyrical Genius), it just wasn`t too impressive. Now to be fair it`s a true freestyle not some pre~written flow stuff so he doesn`t lose my respect, especially since he does drop a nice joint with "Trinidadian" (one of my favorite joints on this tape). On that one he sounds kind of like Slick Rick with the delivery. Until listening to this tape I hadn`t heard anything from L.G. a.k.a. Lyrical Genius so it was kind of a treat, one of the bonuses of discovering this gem of a tape. Another bonus is the awesome remix that Double R does with Rakim`s "Know The Ledge". The original version is my favorite Rakim joint hands down & not only because it reminds me of my favorite movie "Juice" either, it`s just a DoPe gem straight up. So once I heard Double R flippin` it the way he did I was an instant fan because he did it so nicely!!!

One thing that I need to mention about this tape is that there`s actually 21 tracks to it & not 20 like the cover lists. The 3rd track is actually Cypress Hill`s "Real Estate", everything else follows as is on the cover after track 3. The only thing about the 3rd track was that it was pretty jacked up, maybe the tape was eaten by a tape deck & that song was the unfortunate victim, I don`t know......LoL, but to remedy that I just cut off the jacked up parts & mixed in the Cypress Hill song so you`ll notice a slight difference if you listen close enough. The only issue is that because the song was so fucked up I couldn`t tell where it originally ends on the tape so I just left the entire song on there. Some folks may not appreciate what I did & that`s fine (I didn`t do it for you!) I really just did this for my personal collection & besides it makes for a smoother listen anyway. So there you have it go `head & check out this gem...

DJ Rei Double R & G-Bo The Pro - Throw Back: Best Of Vol. #11 & #12

Label: N/A

Released: March & June 1992

1. Intro [Double R Rmx]

2. Jump Around {House Of Pain}

3. Real Estate {Cypress Hill}

4. La Schmoove {Fu Schnickens ft. Phife}

5. They Want EFX {Das EFX}

6. Know The Ledge [Double R Rmx] {Rakim}

7. Uptown Anthem {Naughty By Nature}

8. Days Of Way Bak {BDP ft. Freddie Foxxx}

9. The Choice Is Yours {Black Sheep}

10. Klap Ya` Hands {Das EFX}

11. You Remind Me {Mary J. Blige}

12. Jiggable Pie {AMG}

13. Trinidadian [Double R Rmx] {L.G. (Lyrical Genius)}

14. Intro To #12

15. Fakin` The Funk {Main Source}

16. Don`t Sweat The Technique {Eric B. & Rakim}

17. Poppa Large {Kool Keith}

18. Freestyle {L.G. (Lyrical Genius)}

19. Deep Cover {Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg}

20. DWYCK {Gang Starr ft. Nice & Smooth}

21. T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You) {Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth}

N`JoY...