Doo Wop & Da Bounce Squad`s EPK...

 When it comes to documenting the earlier days of Hip Hop before this whole digital revolution I`m all for it, so when I come across something worth preserving I`m most definitely going to do just that. So first off allow me to BiG~uP Hip Hop Slam for originally sharing this video with the masses! The only issue that I had with the video was that the audio on it was really low, so I decided to boost it up for those that would like to actually hear it.

 

 

 

 

                      Da Bounce Squad EPK

N`JoY...

Saukrates` "Still Caught Up [12 Inch HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN]"...

 What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely y`all??? I made it thru another work week thank God! `Cuz I won`t even lie, on my 'Friday' which is actually a Saturday night I truly wanted to choke the ish outta one of my supervisors because they were doing some real dumb ish, but I took a walk away from the situation used some PTO & clocked the fuck out & started my weekend early instead. 😉 I gotta keep my job, until I find another way to support myself & my son. 😁Anyway, now that all that Life ish`s out the way, let`s get to the music shall we...

What I`m dustin` off this time around to share with y`all is Saukrates` very first 12 inch single that pretty much introduced himself to the Hip Hop world. It was originally released way back in 1994 thru Steppin` Bigga Records. I don`t know much about that label aside from it being independent, but from what I can tell it was probably Toronto, Canada based. They also released 12 inches from other Toronto artists like Freaks Of Reality, Da Grass Roots, as well as Apple & Orange (their single was actually the label`s first release "Givin` Ya A Taste bw I Kick Da Flava")...

Unfortunately there`s somewhat of a disconnect when it comes to the tracklisting on the 12 inch itself versus what`s on the actual 12 inch record, nothing matches up. Unless there`s another 12 inch version that`s out there the label stickers are completely wrong. 😄I`m thinking that the label owners or perhaps those that pressed up the record made the mistakes, either way the sticker labels don`t match up. So with all this being discovered I figured 'Fuck It' I`m going to give this the ol` HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN treatment as well! 😉Basically the DJ in me said yo there`s some accapellas & instrumentals missin` on this joint so I used some AI to strip them out of the available tracks. Maaaaaaaan...I soooooo wish that I had access to this type of software 20 years ago! The mixes that could`ve been create back then... 😆

The single opens up with "Still Caught Up", a solid introduction for Saukirates. The "Why are you on the dick?" KRS-One sample scratched in on the chorus only adds to the beat that was also produced by Saukrates himself. The next track is the clean version, it`s ok but y`all know that I`m not a huge fan of them clean/radio versions anyway. The third joint`s the Instrumental, a chance for ya to nod ya` head or let your inner emcee flex & bust a freestyle if you so very well choose to do. 😉 The "Still Caught Up [Rmx]" is next once, again it`s produced by Big Sox himself. The beat`s a bit more on the mellower side than the original, but still DoPe nonetheless. I can`t even front, at first I thought that Kardinal Offishall was doing the hook but it`s actually this kat named Kool Aid. I`m not sure who he is, but he definitely sounded like Kardi` on there. 😁 "Skillz Ta Thrill" closes out the original version of the 12 inch single. It`s got a nice head noddin` underground vibe to it, again produced by Saukrates. It also features an appearance from LJ a.k.a. Lock Jaw, some of y`all may remember him from his appearance on Kardinal Offishall`s debut album "Eye & I" on the track "My Niah". Actually I believe that these are the only 2 songs that I`ve ever heard him on to be honest. Anyway "Skillz Ta Thrill" is a decent tune, but unfortunately the version on this 12 inch is the clean edit. So it`s got some of them edits thru~out which kind of sucks, but it`s still a good song nonetheless...

The remaining tracks that I added to this HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN are just the previously mentioned vocals & instrumentals that I stripped from the tracks. I figured that it needed to be done, especially since the 12 inch sticker label says that it has the "Still Caught Up [Rmx]" instrumental on it when it`s not actually on there at all. 😂I had to do the single some justice & correct things. 😉So there you have it y`all, enjoy this debut from one of Canada`s iLLeST emcees/producers...

 

 

 

Saukrates - Still Caught Up [12 Inch HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN]

Label: N/A (Steppin` Bigga Records

Released: 2024 (1994)

1. Still Caught Up

2. Still Caught Up [Clean]

3. Still Caught Up [Instr.]

4. Still Caught Up [Rmx] {ft. Kool Aid}

5. Skillz Ta Thrill [Clean] {ft. LJ a.k.a. Lock Jaw}

6. Still Caught Up [Vocals]

7. Still Caught Up [Clean Vocals]

8. Still Caught Up [Rmx Vocals] {ft. Kool Aid}

9. Still Caught Up [Rmx Instr.]

10. Skillz Ta Thrill [Clean Vocals] {ft. LJ a.k.a. Lock Jaw}

11. Skillz Ta Thrill [Instr.]

BaCK~uP LiNK #1...

BaCK~uP LiNK #2...

N`JoY...

NME`s "The MoST DaNGeRouS Man" [UnReLeaSeD ALBuM]...

When it comes to music I`m a HuGe fan of the unreleased stuff, whether it`s good or bad. Don`t get me wrong, I`d prefer that the music was DoPe every time, but we`ve got to be realistic here. That`s not always the case, however when the music does turn out to be good it`s a nice bonus indeed. For me, getting to hear unreleased music almost gives me the same feeling that an archeologist would get when they`ve discovered some historical artifact, regardless of its actual historical significance. That rush from the initial discovery is what I dig the most! Of course doing the detective work to find out more about the music is kind of interesting as well. With all that said & out of the way let`s get into the music shall we???

What I have to share with y`all today comes courtesy of kingsol81 (he`s the one who originally shared a link over at Bomb1st), so major BiG uPs & much ReSPeCT goes out to you! Props also goes out to BowdenCstyle for creating the cover art for this music, much appreciated. As for NME, I don`t really know much at all about him. The first time that I heard him on record was on the DoPe "Tales From The Hood Soundtrack" on the song "Talkin` To Myself" that also featured Grench The Mean 1 (R.I.P.), that`s actually one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack! NME reps Los Angels, California & is loosely affiliated with the Dogg Pound, Kurupt`s his cousin. At one point Daz & Kurupt were interested in signing NME & his homie Grench The Mean 1 to their sub-label Gotta Get Somewhere Records, but I don`t think that anything really ever came of it. Still, I guess that`s how we can explain NME`s appearances alongside some of Death Row`s artists, mostly the unreleased stuff unfortunately...

Well, actually that`s not all true...thanks to this wonderful thing called the Internet, some of that music is now being shared. From what I can tell these songs were recorded between 1994 & 1996 while NME was either signed to or affiliated with Hoodsta 4 Life Records. I believe this to be more of a fan~made bootleg, sourced mainly from songs off NME`s Sound Cloud Page, but I could be wrong. Either way it`s kind of interesting just to see this music come to light instead of being lost & overlooked in some record label`s "vault". Even more so now because a few of the artists featured on this music are longer with of us; Slip Capone & Grench The Mean 1. One thing that I need to mention is the fact that I found the volume on a lot of these tracks to be on the low~side so I took some liberty & boosted it up a few notches...

The first quarter of the songs on here aren`t as good as the remaining 3 quarters, but that`s just my opinion of course. You definitely need to listen to them on your own! The previously mentioned "Talkin` To Myself" is my favorite joint on here, but there`s still a quite a few gems to check for so don`t sleep!! I`m DiGG`n these joints mainly; "Set Trippin`" (with its Reggae~vibe`D hook & hard thumpin` Battle Cat produced beat), "Flatline" featuring Kurupt & "40`z `N` Bud" featuring Jewell, Kurupt & Grench The Mean 1. Honorable mentions also go to "Oooh Ah Wee Wee" featuring Slip Capone & Grench The Mean 1 & "My Last Wordz (Conquer This Game)" featuring Kurupt & Grench The Mean 1. So there ya have it, give it a listen for ya`self! I think you`ll enjoy at least one or 2 joints on here...

NME - The Most Dangerous Man
Label: Hoodsta 4 Life Records
Released: Unreleased (Recorded 1994-1996)



1. The Most Dangerous Man
2. Hoodsta Innaffect {ft. Mortisha, Grench The Mean 1 & Jay Capone}
3. Straight Gettin` Served {ft. Slip Capone}
4. Hoodsta 4 Life {ft. Jay Capone & Mortisha}
5. Mistaken Identity {ft. Slip Capone & Mortisha}
6. Set Trippin` {ft. Mortisha & Chico}
7. Way 2 Much {ft. Grench The Mean 1 & Profit}
8. Oooh Ah Wee Wee {ft. Slip Capone & Grench The Mean 1}
9. Mental Masterpiece {ft. Mortisha & Jay Capone}
10. I`m Talkin` To Myself {ft. Grench The Mean 1}
11. Flatline {ft. Kurupt}
 12. 40z `N` Bud {ft. Kurupt, Jewell & Grench The Mean 1}
13. My Last Wordz (Conquer This Game) {ft. Kurupt & Grench The Mean 1}
14. A Toast

BaCK~uP LiNK...

R.i.P. SLiP CaPoNe & GReNCH The MeaN 1...

TueSDaY TaPe RiP...iNDo G & LiL` BLuNT`s "BLaMe iT On The FuNK [CaSSeTTe SiNGLe]"...

What`s happenin` y`all? I figured that I`d try something new with the blog & hopefully I can keep it going. The idea that I had was to rip some random cassettes from out of my collection & share `em with y`all every Tuesday, hence the "Tuesday Tape Rip" title of this post. Now I don`t have an endless supply of tapes since I lost most of `em however I do have a box or 2. Some rips may come from a few of my homies others from folks that just hooked me up with `em, credit will be given to those that hooked me up with `em. Anyway, if this is something that you`d like to see feel free to drop some feedback/comments & let me know...

So for the first entry in this Tuesday Tape Rip series I reached into my box o` tapes & grabbed this cassette single by Indo G & Lil` Blunt titled "Blame It On The Funk", it was released thru Luke Records back in 1994. I`m gon` be transparent with y`all because I have really just started getting into Southern Hip Hop in the last 3-4 years so there`s plenty that I am still learning, so it shouldn`t be too much of a surprise that I don`t know much about these two kats -- aside from them reppin` Memphis, Tennessee. If any of y`all know more about `em, feel free to school me! Now "Blame It On The Funk" is a single from their 1995 released album titled "The Antidote" which also dropped on Luke Records. The song itself is a flip of The Jacksons` "Blame It On The Boogie" a Disco/Funk song that was released way back in 1978...

You get 4 tracks in total on the cassette single; "Blame It On The Funk" & its Instrumental on the A-side, then "We Got Da Weed" & "Where Dem Doggs At?" are on the B-side. All the tracks were produced by SMK, again forgive me but I`m not at all familiar with this kat either. He reps Tennessee as well & I`ve heard that he also raps, but other than that I got nothing else info` wise. Luther "Luke"Campbell of 2 Live Crew fame is listed as the executive producer of the single. I have to say that "Blame It On The Funk" is probably the better song on this cassette single, followed by "We Got Da Weed". Neither track is mind blowin`, but their beats are good enough to hold your attention. "Where Dem Doggs At?" sounds like it could have been the inspiration for the Baha Men`s "Who Let The Dogs Out?" released in 2000. It`s not a bad song, just not my cup of Rum...I mean tea...LoL, so there ya have it feel free to check it out for yourselves...

Indo G & Lil` Blunt - Blame It On The Funk [Cassette Single]

Label: Luke Records

Released: 1994

A1. Blame It On The Funk

A2. Blame It On The Funk [Instr.]

B1. We Got Da Weed

B2. Where Dem Doggs At?

SoLiDFiLeS LiNK...

MeGa LiNK...

N`JoY...

CooLiO`s "iT TaKeS A THieF [HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN]"...

Sadly this legend is no longer with us, he passed away September 28, 2022 R.I.P. Coolio! Links have been updated...

 

 

 

I hope y`all have been having a good start to the new year so far! Mine has been alright, I won`t complain. Anyway, I have another album to share with ya that I decided to give the ol` HeRBaN DeLuXe treatment to. I actually had this album put together before the end of 2014 & forgot about it because I had misplaced it in a different folder on my PC. Well I just so happened to stumble across it a few days ago & figured that it was about time to share it with y`all. So without any more waiting let`s get down to it shall we? So the album in question is Coolio`s 1994 debut titled "It Takes A Thief" which was released by Tommy Boy Records. Folks may clown him now~a~days because of his TV appearances & well that lil` video he did with PornHub didn`t help his case either, but early on in his career his music was pretty DaMn good -- at least his first 3 albums anyway (this is of course my opinion)...

Now if for some reason you never took the 'Fantastic Voyage' with Mr. 'Gangsta`s Paradise' & have no clue about who Coolio is I guess after I laugh a lil` at that corny pun I could school ya real quick. Ha~hah, anyway Coolio reps Compton, California (although he was born in Monessen Pennsylvanian) & first stepped on the scene in 1987 on a Electro style Hip Hop track titled "You`re Gonna Miss Me" by Nu-Skool (which consisted of Coolio & Spoony I believe, if I`m wrong please correct me!). Very few liked this love song overall & it was a flop sales~wise so Nu-Skool recorded another track titled "(I Wanna Know) What Makes You Dance" & released it the following year in 1988. This joint was more on the Bass Music vibe but still has some Electro elements to it. Again it wasn`t anything super spectacular although it was better than their first outing that`s for sure. Then in 1991 he linked up with WC & his group The Maad Circle & landed a feature on their hit single "Dress Code"...






 

Later in that same year, now a member of The Maad Circle, they released their debut album titled "Ain`t A Damn Thang Changed". Coolio was featured on 5 of the album`s tracks; "Back To The Underground", "Behind Closed Doors", "Get Up On That Funk", "You Don`t Work, U Don`t Eat" & the album`s title track "Ain`t A Damn Thang Changed". Then in 1994 Coolio signs a contract with Tommy Boy Records & they release his debut album titled "It Takes A Thief". The album does well, becomes certified Platinum reaching the #8 spot on the Billboard 200 with the help of it`s lead single "Fantastic Voyage". "County Line" & "I Remember", the albums other singles were also minor hits as well. The following year, 1995, Coolio released his best selling album to date "Gangsta`s Paradise", but I`m not going to get into all of that now because I want to focus on his debut so I`ll save that for another post...


With this HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN I mainly just boosted the volume up on a few tracks & added some joints from a few of Coolio`s singles. There`s not really any rare B-sides that he released during that period of time around "It Takes A Thief" so that`s why I just added the 2 remixes of "Fantastic Voyage". Sure wish that there was an uncensored version of that Funk Flex Remix, the Dave Bellochio Mix is decent though. I added the Radio Versions of "County Line" & "Sticky Fingers" because they have alternate lyrics instead of just being censored annoyingly with beeps. The Original Version of "I Remember" is pretty similar to the album version, but there is a slight difference in the beat & honestly I think that they should have just used the Original Version for the album instead because it does sound better. Now let`s get into my thoughts on the album...

The album opens up with it`s lead single "Fantastic Voyage", Coolio puts his twist on the Lakeside`s `80's hit with the same title. It`s a nice funky & danceable joint produced by Dobbs The Wino with Stan "The Guitar Man" Jones rockin` the guitar on the track while G.A.T. a.k.a. Gangstas & Thugs (Snappz, Blue, Drew Baby & Tycco) a singing quartet from Compton, California sings on the hook. It opens the album up on a light~hearted funky party vibe & of course it`s the track that most folks remember the album for because it received a lot of radio & music video play during the time of its release. "County Line" follows with it`s funky vibes provided again by Dobbs The Wino. On this joint Coolio kicks the somewhat humorous tale about his experiences while waiting in the County Line trying to get a check. "Mama, I`m In Love With A Gangsta" features female emcee LeShaun, that`s right before she was 'Doin` It' with Mr. Smith she was rappin` love songs about her locked up gangsta boyfriend with Coolio. The two trade verses back & forth; Coolio rappin` from the perspective of the locked down gangsta while LeShaun plays the role of the down~ass girlfriend on the outside waiting for her man. It`s a decent song as far as love songs with a gangsta twist go, Dobbs The Wino`s beat also helps make this joint a lot more enjoyable with it`s laid~back funky vibe...







"Hand On My Nutsac" is basically a joint for Coolio to flex some braggadocio style lyrics over another Dobbs The Wino beat, it`s alright but nothing that`ll blow your mind. The Reggae influenced "Ghetto Cartoon" follows, it features Junior P. on the hook & is produced by Rashad Coles. Coolio kicks a ghetto tale using famous cartoon characters in the story, similar to Spice 1`s "187 Proof" except without the drug & liquor references. I find it to be entertaining & it gives Coolio a chance to flex some of his storytelling skills. "Smokin` Stix" is produced by Billy Boy & it has Coolio detailing his experience smokin` Stix (Sherm` mixed with embalming fluid & a cigarette). Although I can`t relate to the experience myself I can`t deny that the beat will have your head bobbin` & maybe it`ll even get ya up dancing. Dobbs The Wino handles the production for the somewhat depressing but Jazzy vibes of "Can-O-Corn", a joint that has Coolio speaking on the struggles of growin` up on the poor side of the tracks. Coolio keeps The Maad Circle vibe alive by featuring WC on the Crazy Toones produced "U Know Hoo!", it`s a decent rugged track...

The album`s title track "It Takes A Thief" follows The Maad Circle reunion, CS Coleman provides a great backdrop for Coolio to flex his tales of thievery. This joint is one of my favorites on the album, the storytelling is done well & definitely captures the vibes of thieving. Coolio`s Nu-Skool homie Spoon a.k.a. Spoony even shows up on the track providing background vocals. Dobbs The Wino hits the boards again to provide the beat for the decent sounds of the 'don`t forget where you`ve come from anthem' "Bring Back Something Fo` Da Hood" while Stan "The Guitar Man" Jones handles the Bass G-tar action. Coolio decides to delve into the dark days of his past as a Crack~head with the Dobbs The Wino produced "`N Da Closet" which features G.A.T. providing some of the background vocals. Clinton Sands plays the Bass while Coolio utilizes his lyrics to capture & express the experience that only one that was truly on the pipe could describe. "On My Way To Harlem" is a Jazzy~vibed joint that has Coolio taking a trip out to the East Coast detailing his experiences. It`s a decent joint, I really dig the beat so I don`t mind that the song doesn`t have a hook...

Much to the disappointment of any Onyx fans "Sticky Fingers" isn`t an ode or tribute to Mr. Black Trash, but rather the tales of Coolio`s career as a thief before he was a rapper. It`s a humorous track with a simplistic beat, but overall it`s not too bad. PS of 40 Thevz fame & Billy Boy are featured on "Thought You Knew" another braggadocio joint. All three deliver decent G`d up verses over the bangin` instrumental provided by Dobbs The Wino. The album`s humor continues with "Ugly Bitches" a cautionary tale warning the fellas about the iLLs of linkin` up with women from the ugly side of the tracks. To this day it still makes me laugh whenever I give it a listen, maybe it`s because I used to bump it whenever I was chillin` with my homie Forbes because he was always braggin` about the chicks he was baggin` when most of them came from the side to the tracks I was just referring to in the previous sentence....LoL, "I Remember" closes out the album & features Billy Boy & J-Ro from the Alkaholiks. It`s a nice way to finish off things, each emcee spits verses reminiscing about their childhood over a good & funky beat while it`s hook is sung well by some uncredited artist...

Now on to the bonus treats that I have added to the album, first off is the Funkmaster Flex Remix of "Fantastic Voyage". The only thing that I don`t really like about it is that it`s a censored version, I seriously searched & searched for an uncensored one but unfortunately came up shorter than vertically challenged porn` stars. The horn~infused beat makes for a good backing to Coolio`s flow. The David Bellochio Mix of "Fantastic Voyage" is definitely one of the better remixes out there & yes this one`s the Street Version, the change~ups in the beat help to keep things interesting. As I previously mentioned towards the beginning of this write up the Radio Versions of "County Line" & "Sticky Fingers" were added because they contained alternate lyrics instead of just being censored with annoying beeps or muted silences, so they`re definitely worth a listen. I always respect the artists more when they choose to rewrite their lyrics for the Radio Versions because it just shows that they really want to keep the listeners listening. The last & final song that I added was the Original Version of "I Remember", overall it`s pretty much the same as the version that appears on the original album. The only things that I noticed was that the beat is slightly different, you really need to listen to both tracks side by side to hear it though. The other thing is that the Original is a few seconds longer than the version that`s on the album. Regardless of these small differences though I still prefer the Original Version over the one off the album & feel that they should have just used it instead...

So overall I really think that "It Takes A Thief" is Coolio`s best album, sure "Gangsta`s Paradise" & "My Soul" are decent but I feel that his debut didn`t really feature any forced commercial joints. True there`s "Fantastic Voyage" & even "I Remember", but honestly they come off as natural sounding songs to me whereas on his later albums it seems as though he went out of his way to ensure that he did the commercialized songs. His debut album is more honest with its gangsta sounds & the added humor within Coolio`s lyrics help keep the album from trying to come off as being too hard. At a time when everyone was trying to show out & front about how hardcore they were Coolio wasn`t afraid to kick rhymes that showed that he was just an average kat from the `hood even if it meant talking about a past drug habit that he had overcome. Truthfully whenever I give it a listen I don`t skip over any songs because as a whole I really dig it. The production definitely helps keep the album interesting. Dobbs The Wino did a great job with the majority of the album`s beats since he handled the bulk of it, but even the ones that he didn`t produce are good. So in a nutshell I honestly think that "It Takes A Thief" is a well executed album. I`m sure that there`s some folks out there that will disagree with me & that`s fine. Either way I think you should give this a listen & come up with your own opinion, so check it out...

 

 

Coolio - It Takes A Thief [HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN]
Label: Tommy Boy Records/ BuDD@H BLe$$eD EnT.
Released: 2015 (Originally Released In 1994)



1. Fantastic Voyage [Timber Mix] {ft. G.A.T.}
2. County Line
3. Mama I`m In Love With A Gangsta {ft. LeShaun}
4. Hand On My Nutsac
5. Ghetto Cartoon (Includes Cleo`s Mood) {ft. Junior P.}
6. Smokin` Stix {ft. The Homies}
7. Can-O-Corn {ft. The Homies}
8. U Know Hoo! {ft. WC}
9. It Takes A Thief {ft. Spoon}
10. Bring Back Something Fo` Da Hood {ft. The Homies}
11. `N Da Closet {ft. G.A.T.}
12. On My Way To Harlem
13. Sticky Fingers
14. Thought You Knew {ft. Billy Boy & PS}
15. Ugly Bitches {ft. The Homies}
16. I Remember {ft. Billy Boy & J-Ro}
17. Fantastic Voyage [Funk Master Flex Rmx (Clean Radio Edit)]
18. Fantastic Voyage [Dave Bellochio Street Mix]
19. County Line [Radio Version]
20. Sticky Fingers [Radio Version]
21. I Remember [Original Version] {ft. Billy Boy & J-Ro}

BaCK~uP LiNK #1...

MeGa LiNK...

R.i.P. CooLiO...

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}

BaCK~uP LiNK #1...

 

 

BaCK~uP LiNK#2...

 

N`JoY...

Da BRaT`s "FuNKDaFieD"...

Re~uPP`d, originally posted on 02.11.2012...

What`s goin` on y`all? Hope that your Friday`s gon` be good to you! Today I`m going to share with y`all an album that I`ve been listening to all morning since I decided to pull it out of my CD collection & take it back to 1994. The album is titled "Funkdafied" which is Da Brat`s debut album (she`s also the first solo female emcee to go platinum). I still remember bein` a young buck buyin` the cassette from the Music World store at the Billings Bridge mall back when it first dropped. Let`s just say that it got plenty of play in my Sony Walkman...

Now for whatever reason if you don`t happen to know who Da Brat is I will drop a lil` run~down so you get a lil` more familiar. Although you`d think she was reppin` Cali` Da Brat, born Shawntae Harris is actually from Chicago, Illinois. Story goes that she linked up with Jermaine Dupri & his So So Def record label back in 1992 after she had won a local Rap contest that was sponsored by Yo! MTV Raps. The prize was a chance to meet Kris Kross (who at the time were blowin` up with their hit single "Jump"), they in turn introduced her to J.D. who was so impressed by her talent that he signed her to his label. During an interview for the newspaper the Atlanta Journal - Constitution she told the reporter she received her rappin` moniker "Da Brat" because she`s, "a spoiled only child"...

Seein` how Snoop Dogg was blowin` up at the time in the West Coast, J.D. decided to mold Da Brat`s image as 'the female Snoop'. So when he cooked up the beats for her debut it`s no surprise that they are all heavily G-Funk influenced. Don`t get it twisted though, Da Brat is not a Snoop Dogg clone rappin` over some wannabe~Dre beats. Da B-R-A-T comes original & can flow like the winds in the city of Chi, while Jermaine Dupri provides her with some great Funky backdrops to drop her lyrical tornadoes. Production~wise if J.D. has ever cooked up anything DoPeR than these 9 tracks here, I just simply haven`t heard it yet!!!

 

"Da Shit Ya Can`t Fuc Wit`" has Da Brat flexin` her murderous lyrical skillz. "Fa All Y`all" features Kandi of Xscape fame & it reminds me of somethin` you`d hear at a block party with it`s bouncin` beat gettin` folks up dancin`. "Fire It Up" is a nice smokey~vibed ode to blazin` up some Buddah (it works trust me, smoke a joint to this one). "Funkdafied", which was a #1 Rap Single, is just well that, funkdafied....LoL, what`s not to like about this? "May Da Funk Be Wit` Cha" continues the funky vibe with some DoPe Cali~esque synthesizer work & features Xscape`s LaTocha Scott...
 




"Ain`t No Thang" features Y-Tee of Da Bush Babees, here Da Brat shows the doubters that she can`t spit with the best of `em. "Come & Get Some" has Da Brat teamin` up with Mac Daddy of Kriss Kross. "Mind Blowin`" has a good & funky beat packed with some G`d up synths (there`s even some organ in there). Da Brat closes things off nicely with the J.D. collabo` "Give It 2 You". It`s got probably one of the best beats on the entire album. So there ya have it, although it`s a tad bit short in length Da Brat`s debut is a banger so go on & check it out for ya`self & fire it up...

Da Brat - Funkdafied

Label: So So Def

Released: 1994

1. Da Shit Ya Can`t Fuc Wit`

2. Fa All Y`all {ft. Kandi}

3. Fire It Up/ Celebration Time [Skit]

4. Funkdafied {ft. Jermaine Dupri}

5. May Da Funk Be Wit` Cha {ft. LaTocha Scott}

6. Ain`t No Thang {ft. Y-Tee}

7. Come & Get Some {ft. Mac Daddy}

8. Mind Blowin`

9. Give It 2You {ft. Jermaine Dupri}

SoLiDFiLeS LiNK...

DL the "Give It 2 You" music video in mp4 file format here...

Here`s a live performance with Total, they`re performing "No One Else".
Da Brat saves the whole thing...

R.i.P. MaC DaDDy...

KiSH`s "A NaTioN Of HooDs"...

Re~uPP`d, originally posted 04.18.2007...

Anonymous said...
 This dude does voice work now, you can catch him in "Saints Row"...

April 1, 2009 at 5:38 PM

Kish a.k.a. Andrew Kishino reps Toronto, Ontario, Canada & to my knowledge has released two albums in his career as an emcee. The first one titled "Order From Chaos" was released back in 1991 & it included his biggest hit "I Rhyme The World In 80 Days". The second album is titled "A Nation Of Hoods" & it was released in 1994 with it`s sole single being "Crates To Concrete"....

 

 

 

Shortly after releasing his second album he apparently moved out to L.A. to work as a Hip Hop producer, but nothing really panned out for him so he began work as a voice actor. He has done voice work for television, animated cartoons & even video games (which seems to be his bread & butter `cuz he`s done lots of `em). As mentioned by the Anonymous visitor back in 2009 you can hear his work in the video game "Saints Row" as the character Donnie, he also made a returning visit for "Saints Row 2" as Donnie, but also Kish & Ziggy as well. Anyways that`s all that I know of this kat, so now I share with y`all his second album "A Nation Of Hoods". It`s a decent listen, go `head & check it out...

Kish - A Nation Of Hoods

Label: ISBA Records Inc.

Released: 1994

1. Straight To Your Grill

2. Crates To Concrete

3. Sunrise

4. A Nation Of Hoods

5. You Can`t Sleep On A Shorty

6. Props Due

7. 3:26 am

8. It`s Tha Bomb

9. We On Some Next Shit {ft. MVP (Wio-K, C Mo & Cosmo)}

10. Undercover

11. Get Off Your Knees

12. 4KD

N`JoY...