Rewritten with a review & new links, originally posted 12.29.2007...
One of the comments left on the original post:
-
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...
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
N`JoY...
No comments:
Post a Comment