Links have been freshly Re~uPP`d!!!
What`s up y`all? Hope all is great & Life`s treatin` you well! Today I`m dustin` off a compilation album that was released back in 1997 to share with y`all. This compilation joint was put together by the late & superbly great producer/songwriter Laylaw (R.I.P.). For those of you that aren`t familiar with his work he has done production for Above The Law, N.W.A., Eazy-E, Kokane ("Addictive Hip Hop Muzick"), Michel`le (wrote most of her self-titled debut album), Ice Cube, 2Pac ("Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.", "California Love [Rmx]") & E-40 to name a few. It`s safe to say that he`s been puttin` in that work on the West Coast for a long while & has worked with plenty of talented artists. Honestly, I always thought that he was an unofficial member of Above The Law, but apparently that`s not the case at all....LoL, he did release 2 Electro styled singles as a solo artist in the early 1980`s thru his own label Rolex Records. "Monster Rapping" was the first single, released in 1985. It may have been cool for a novelty style record at the time, but by today`s standards not so much. Gotta love that authentic Count Dracula accent...
While "What`s Your Name?" was released in 1986. It`s actually the more enjoyable single of the 2, my opinion of course, 38 years later at that. Honestly after listening to it for the first time tho it was stuck in my head for a week, mainly the hook but overall that joint`s pretty iLL!!!.......LoL, anyway Laylaw was more of a humble kat & preferred to lay low & preferred more to shine on the production side of things. That`s exactly how he eventually ended up rollin` with his homie Dr. Dre over to Ruthless Records landing some production work with Above The Law, while also writing for other artists on the label. `Law also linked up with another producer by the name of D`Maq & the two worked together to produce the entirety of the Los Angles group Anotha Level`s debut album titled "On Another Level" released in 1994 thru Priority Records. The album includes features from Don "Wicked" Jagwarr, Ice Cube & The Pharcyde...
In 1997 Laylaw released this West Coast compilation (the only folks that weren`t reppin` the West on there are Eightball & MJG) titled "The Lawhouse Experience Vol. 1" on his very own label Lawhouse Records. I think if I`m not mistaken that this comp` is the only project that was released thru Lawhouse Records, that is until he decides to drop "Lawhouse Greatest Hitz" which is supposed to be a 3-Disc Box Set. It`s said to feature both released & unreleased music from Ice
Cube, 2Pac, DJ Quik, E-40, Above The Law, Eazy-E, MC Ren, Nas, Flo-Rida,
Pharcyde, Luniz, Michel’le, Stanley Clarke & George Duke amongst others. As a teen I remember seeing this `97 Lawhouse compilation CD on the shelves at the records stores & wanted to cop it, especially since the featured artists were some of the best from the West. But back then with limited funds as a teen I chose to skip out on it because the price tag was just not all that attractive at $24.99.....LoL, especially when I was able to grab a newer release for $12-15. Fast~forward 15-16 years later I was able to cop this joint for a whole $4.25 so I did (guess it paid off to wait.....hehe~heh!) Anyways let`s get to the music now shall we???
Now right off the top I have to be honest & say that the Intro, Skits, Interlude & Outro are nothing short of just album filler. Sure there are some aspects of the Phat Freddie skits that are a lil` comical, but really if you don`t hear them you aren`t missing out on anything. Once you get passed that there`s really only 1 joint on this compilation that I didn`t really care for much; L.V.`s "I Just Wanna Play". L.V.`s joint isn`t wack I just find that it`s a lil` out of place since it`s the only R&B flavored joint on this comp`. The rest of the artists on this compilation deliver some pretty decent joints overall, nothing super spectacular but also nothing that`s crazy wack either. Standout tracks for me are the Ras Kass & Xzibit collabo` "Arch Angels", Ice Cube`s "Legal Paper", Kausion`s "Lil` Sumpin`", Phalos` "Phalosmode", K-Dee`s "World Wide" & Da Pharcyde`s "Westcyde 242". Above The Law`s former DJ, Go Mack`s "One Way In" isn`t too shabby either. In conclusion I wouldn`t say that this album`s to die for, but if you`re a fan of the late 1990`s West Coast sound you should give it a listen. So there ya have it y`all now go `head & check it out for ya`self...
If you`re interested in reading a lil` more about Laylaw & his beginings in the Rap world you should peep this interview that he did with Hip Hop DX back in 2011. He talks about his early days, working with Dre, working with Eazy & Ruthless Records, as well as working with 2Pac amongst other interesting ish...
Label: Street Life Records/ Lawhouse Records
Released: 1997
1. Entrance [Intro] {Coolio & Kokane}
2. Arch Angels {Ras Kass ft. Xzibit}
3. Give It Up {W.C.}
4. Legal Paper {Ice Cube}
5. Spank That Ass [Skit] {Phat Freddie}
6. Your Hustle Ain`t On {Ice-T}
7. One Way In {Go Mack}
8. Lil` Sumpin` {Kausion}
9. Drank Break [Skit] {Barney Rubble}
10. Live Yo` Life {The Luniz ft. Dru Down}
11. You Might Get Stuck {Above The Law}
12. Phalosmode {Phalos}
13. Housin` [Interlude] {Eightball & M.J.G.}
14. World Wide {K-Dee}
15. Westcyde 242 {Da Pharcyde}
16. I Just Wanna Play {L.V.}
17. Phat Chance [Skit] {Phat Freddie}
18. Exit [Outro] {Kokane}
R.i.P. LaYLaW & KMG...
