Da BRaT`s "LiFe AFTeR DeaTH [MiXTaPe]"...

 

What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely y`all??? As usual I hope it`s going well for ya `cuz we all know that we ain`t likin` it when Life`s molestin` the fuck out of us! 😂With all of that being said I`ve been listening to a lot of Da Brat`s music this past week & I`ve gotta say she`s MaD underrated when it comes to mentions of iLL Women rockin` the mics in Hip Hop! This is clearly my opinion of course, if you don`t agree that`s fine but you should probably stop reading this before ya get 'triggered'... 😁

 

I was listening to her 2011 released mixtape titled "Life After Death" earlier today & was really digg`N it! Can`t even front, I`ve been a fan of hers ever since I heard her debut "Funkdafied" back in 1994. That joint`s a CLaSSiC to me y`all, I don`t care what ya say about it! Anyway, let me get back to this mixtape. I know that I`ve actually shared it here before back around 2012-ish, but all the links on that post are long Elvis`D out, so that`s one reason for this post. It needed a Re~uP, the other reason is of course because I`m a notoriously BiG fan of Da Brat`s & I feel that this joint is pretty much the last of her musical outputs that fans got to hear before she pretty much bowed out silently. Yeah-yeah, apparently she`s got a 2018 release titled "The Return" which may very well exist but until I get to hear it fuck all of that! 😄 From what Jermaine Dupri has said Shawntae Harris a.k.a. Da Brat was released from prison on February 28, 2011. So this previously mentioned mixtape was definitely put together shortly after Da Brat-Tat-Tat-Tat was inhaling that freedom oxygen. I was really glad that she had decided to get right back into the recording booth after being released from prison because it seemed to me like she was using those moments as a way to release some of the ish that she had heavy on her chest, some release~therapy if you will without the fake~ass doctor Phil. 😆 

First thing`s first, I gotta mention how that lil` explosion sound & Jermaine Dupri "This is a So So Def World Premier" tag that`s used on this 'mixtape' is hella fuckin` annoying & track ruining! Soundin` like a Temu DJ Clue.😀 Honestly I`m thinkin` of flippin` an HeRBaN DeLuXe VeRSioN of this joint so I can take it out especially since I have already adjusted the volume on a few of these tracks as well as fixed how the tracks ended without cuttin` off ish. It just didn`t sound right to me so I was cuttin` & pastin` like a ransom note writing mutha fucka so the tracks could flow smoothly listening~wise! J.D. says that he doesn`t smoke trees, but he was definitely on something thinking that folks wanted to hear that bullshit tag all over this 'mixtape' that`s for certain. From what I can find online this joint was actually released as a freebie back in 2011 thru the global14.com website which is apparently affiliated with So So Def Records somehow. Nowadays that site`s  lookin` like MySpace or Detroit in a Robocop movie, but either way that ish is straight up Sid Justice...........R.I.P.! The DJ that`s hosting this so~called 'mixtape' is Greg Street some of y`all Hip Hop heads may recognize the name...

It was funny to me when I was reading the reviews by the online folks for this joint, they were so butt~hurt claimin` some ish like "How can she use this title for her mixtape when it's Biggie`s last recorded album`s title?" That`s where y`all fools that know nothing about what you`re talkin` about come in naturally. What you fucks failed to observe is the fact that it was actually about a flip of words regarding her music career after being recently released from prison. It had nothing to do with Biggie at all, but some of y`all fuckin` clowns really felt she was trying to capitalize off of Biggie. Never mind the fact that both artists have worked together on a track & it was never ever pimp`D out for clout... 😉

 

Greg Street`s on the Intro, it`s nothing special. The Brat~Tat~Tat~Tat opens things up with & rips "It`s Brat", her flip of Meek Mill & Rick Ross` "2Pac`s Back". Da Brat mellows things out with "West Side", it`s best to smoke one to this because it`s got a smooth`D out G-Funk vibe on it. "Get It, Get It" has a good street vibe to it thanks to the Lox`s Jadakiss with an R&B twist courtesy of Brandon Hines. Da Brat`s remix flip of YC`s "Racks" is far iLLeR than the original, perhaps it`s my 80`s Baby Ignorance but it sounds waaaaaay better than this one~hit wonder`s track -- my opinion of course! Her remix flip of Miguel`s "Sure Thing" with J.D. is something pleasant with the Biggie "Dead Wrong" vibes on it...

Following that is perhaps the most realest joint on this 'mixtape', "Second Chance" a deep emotional release that has Da Brat speakin` on her trials & tribulations at the time; you know all the ish that she had to experience while locked down. "Fab 5 Freddy" is some clever word~play regarding some raw Hip Hop, more so her style & flow makin` it seem like she talkin` about some dope....you know that ish that would have the cops grinning upon discovery. "Dumb, Stupid, Crazy" has Da Brat & fellow Chi~Town`R Twista flexin` them rapid flows, definitely a treat. Her remix flip of Kelly Rowland`s "Motivation" is spectacular & if you don`t think so we can`t be friends. 😂Never mind that Chris Brown`s not on here & definitely forget what J.D. spits on the "Look At Me Now [Rmx]" Da Brat flexes her skills all over that beeyatch & owns it!!!

 

Da Brat - Life After Death [Mixtape]

Label: N/A

Released: 2011

1. Intro

2. It`s Brat

3. West Side

4. Get It, Get It {ft. Jadakiss & Brandon Hines}
5. Racks [Rmx]

6. Sure Thing [Rmx] {ft. J.D. & Miguel}

7. Second Chance

8. Fab 5 Freddy

9. Dumb, Stupid, Crazy {ft. Twista}

10. Motivation [Rmx] {ft. Kelly Rowland}

11. Look At Me Now [Rmx] {ft. J.D.}

BaCK~uP LiNK #1...

BaCK~uP LiNK #2...

N`JoY...

FoXy BRoWN`s "BK MaDe Me" [UnReLeaSeD]...

 What`s good? What`s happenin`?? What`s lovely y`all??? Hope all is well & the new year has been treating you well! Lately I`ve been on a Foxy Brown kick, searchin` for them unreleased jewels & gems since she hasn`t really been supplying us fans with anything new to listen to. I came across this song titled "BK Made Me" that was originally recorded for her 2001 album "Broken Silence". It`s DoPe & on that deep heart~felt emotional tip, kind of similar to the Ron Isley assisted joint "The Letter". For whatever reason it didn`t make the actual album, maybe it was a sample issue? Who knows for sure aside from the label heads in control of the album`s release. I can only guess that perhaps they felt that the album didn`t need to have 2 songs with the same type of content & vibe. With that being said tho, I think that they made a mistake by not choosing this song because it`s pretty awesome. Don`t get me wrong "The Letter" is a good song & I guess that the Ron Isley feature gave it a bit more of that commercial appeal, but "BK Made Me" is the better song in my opinion. Thankfully the song did get a release thru the mixtape circuit DJ Clue`s "Stadium Series Pt. 3" being one of the tapes that it was featured on. Thankfully this tagless version was out there for all of us Foxy fans, unfortunately it`s not in the highest of quality 128 kbps to be exact, but whatever at least we can give it a listen without any annoyingly placed tags, enjoy...

Foxy Brown - BK Made Me [Unreleased]

BaCK~uP LiNK #1

BaCK~uP LiNK#2...

N`JoY...

MaGNoLiA SHoRTy`s "MoNKeY On Tha DiCK EP"...

 

 

 

W`ud up my peoples? Hope all is well! Today we`re gon` head down South on a Bounce music tip. We`re going to dust off an EP that was released by Cash Money Records in 1996 from Magnolia Shorty. I believe that it was Birdman who discovered her which would explain how she became the 2nd lady signed to Cash Money Records, Ms. Tee was the first. Also called the Queen Of Bounce, she actually received her stage name Magnolia Shorty from another New Orleans legend, Magnolia Slim (a.k.a. Soulja Slim). Seein` as how both came from the rough & dangerous Magnolia Projects it was a natural choice. Paying her dues she collaborated with Juvenile & the Hot Boys, eventually releasing this EP that we`re talkin` about now...

 

The "Monkey On Tha Dick" EP was entirely produced by Mannie Fresh & features guest appearances from fellow label mates B.G. & Juvenile. This is definitely for the Bounce fans since 4 of the tracks on here cater to that spectrum of music. It makes total since considering that was her lane & these tracks display just that. Especially on the title track, which is exactly why it received both an explicit & radio version. I wish that it would`ve had a music video. Guess Baby & them didn`t quite have enough ca$h money yet, or maybe it was more of a local/regional hit. Either way it is definitely a solid Bounce track! "Charlie Whop!!" is in the same vain as the title track. "Soldier Chant" is the weakest joint on this EP in my opinion, had it been like 2 minutes shorter I guess it wouldn`t have been so bad but it just goes on for far too long! "Magnolia Shorty" has Juvenile & B.G. making an appearance on the only non~Bounce joint on the EP. The trio display good chemistry together & deliver a track that would be right at home on any Hot Boys album...   

 

 Unfortunately for her family & the Hip Hop world on December 20, 2010 Renetta Lowe a.k.a. Magnolia Shorty was shot 26 times & murdered while sitting in a car with another occupant in her gated apartment complex. Unlike many of those Hip Hop murders this case was actually closed & those responsible charged. On February 22, 2017 both McCoy "Rat" Walker & Terrioues "T-Red" Owney, were found guilty of the murder. It`s because of those fools that the world will never get to hear an album from Shorty & that`s a DaMn shame! She had a lot of talent & from what I heard was working on a full length album around the time of her death. "My Boy" a collabo` with Kourtney Heart is one of the last songs she recorded before her death...

 

 

 

 

 

Magnolia Shorty - Monkey On Tha Dick EP

Label: Cash Money Records

Released: 1996

1. Cash Money Style Intro {Manny Fresh}

2. Monkey On Tha Dick

3. Charlie Whop!!

4. Soldier Chant

5. Magnolia $horty {ft. B.G. & Juvenile}

6. Monkey On Tha D$ck [Radio]

BaCK~uP LiNK...

R.I.P. MaGNoLiA SHoRTy....

LiL` KiM on HoWaRD STeRN`s RaDiO SHoW...

A re~up for a post dated Saturday, May 14, 2011...

 

 

 

I`m trying to clean out my computer`s hard-drive & in the process I came across this video of an appearance that Lil` Kim made on the Howard Stern Show. She`s promoting her "Notorious K.I.M." album so I`m guessin` that the year`s around 2000 or so. The video is about 21-22 minutes in length. Can`t even try to front Kim looks pretty smokin`! Howard Stern is flirtin` with her the whole time sayin` her titties are poppin` out. Aside from all the jokin` & ish Lil` Kim does speak on the relationship she had with her father, not a great one. She also speaks a lil` bit about Biggie & their relationship. Then towards the end they bring in "Brock The Stutterer" & he sings in an attempt to get signed to Lil` Kim`s record label. I kinda felt bad for the dude, he did an alright job but the whole time they were crackin` jokes & clowin`  him. Anyway if you`re bored & lookin` for a laugh peep this video...

 

 

 

Lil` Kim on Howard Stern [2000]

N`JoY....

FoXy BRoWn`s "CoMe FLy WiTH Me [CD SiNGLe]"...

Here`s another Foxy Brown single that was released in 2005 by Roc-A-Fella Records for the much anticipated (but yet to be released) "Black Roses" album, yes another unreleased Foxy Brown album! For those that may not have known Foxy left Def Jam around 2004 or so because they had cancelled the release of her "Ill Na Na 2: The Fever" album (although promo copies did see a limited release). Pissed off about the whole thing she bounced from the label, but after reuniting with Jay-Z while performing some shows during his Best Of Both World Tours she linked up with him on a business tip. She was originally set to be the first artist signed to Jigga`s S. Carter Records imprint, but once Jay-Z became the new president & CEO of Def Jam all plans for his imprint were put on hold/ cancelled. So he then resigned Foxy to Def Jam again as one of the first artists on his new roster. I can only guess that`s where the whole Roc-A-Fella/ Def Jam relationship stems from for the first couple of "Black Roses" singles that were released in 2005 by the labels...


Unfortunately "Black Roses" was also never released which sucks like $2 hooker$ on pay~day because it apparently featured production from the likes of Dave Kelly, The Neptunes, Trackmasters, Timbaland as well as Kanye West. Foxy Brown also confirmed that she had guest appearances from Spragga Benz, Baby Cham, Rakim, KRS-One, Mos Def, Shyne, Barrington Levy, Luther Vandross, Dido, Big Daddy Kane, Jay-Z & even Roxanne Shante. Both lists are pretty impressing, so one can only imagine what the album was cookin` up to be. Sadly Foxy announced on December 8, 2005 that she was experiencing sudden & severe sensorineural hearing loss in both of her ears. She had kept it a secret from most for about 6 months, I`m guessing she was afraid to tell anyone. Although I think that would be a silly route to take considering that as a recording artist you kind of need the use of your ears, but hey only God knows what was going thru her mind at the time. Anyway during this time she obviously pushed the "Black Roses" album aside to focus more on regaining her hearing...

Thankfully she was fortunate enough to have her hearing restored thru surgery around June of 2006 & she had planned to resume recording & working on the "Black Roses" album which was hopeful for a release towards the end of 2006 (December) although her label didn`t set a date. Rumors then began to circulate in November of 2006 that Jigga wasn`t too impressed with the progress, or lack there of, on her album & he was planning to drop her from the label. Shortly after these rumors began the some~what 'planned' December 2006 release for "Black Roses" was cancelled altogether. Eventually Brown once again left Def Jam in August of 2007 & linked up with Black Hand Entertainment for a management deal, Chaz Williams then became her manager. The plan after leaving Def Jam for the second time was that she was going to launch an independent label called Black Roses Entertainment that was going to have distribution thru Koch Records. To tide her fans over until she could release her much anticipated "Black Roses" album she decided to release a street album titled "Brooklyn Don Diva" which dropped in 2008 shortly before she was released from prison (that whole manicurists assault thing). Sadly the street album didn`t do as well as she expected & things began to sour between her & Black Hand Entertainment. Eventually they both parted ways & as for the "Black Roses" album it still remains unreleased. All that I have seen materialize from it are a few singles & this one that I`m sharing with y`all is one of them...





So excuse the long winded explanation about the "Black Roses" album, but I wanted to school those that may not have known about it. As for the single I`m sharing with y`all it`s titled "Come Fly With Me" & it features Reggae artist Sizzla. You get 4 tracks on here; Radio, Instrumental, Call-Out Hook & the Dirty Roc-A-Pella. It`s a shame that they chose not to include the LP version of the song, but hey if you`ve got some DJ~type skills you can take the Instrumental & just mix in the Roc-A-Pella & you`ll have the album version for your listening pleasure. The track itself is decent, obviously you`re gon` need to enjoy some X~rated hood flavored raps with a Reggae vibe to `em, but overall the track`s not bad. So check it out for ya`self & enjoy...

Foxy Brown - Come Fly With Me [CD Single]
Label: Roc-A-Fella Records
Released: 2005



1. Come Fly With Me [Radio] {ft. Sizzla}
2. Come Fly With Me [Instr.]
3. Come Fly With Me [Call-Out Hook] {ft. Sizzla}
4. Come Fly With Me [Dirty Roc-A-Pella] {ft. Sizzla}








MeGa LiNK...









N`JoY...

FoXy BRoWn`s "Oh YeaH b/w B.K. AnTHeM [12 iNCH SiNGLe]"...

What`s happenin` y`all? Hope all is well in your Life. Today I figured that I`d post up a single since it`s been a while since I have shared any with y`all. So without any delay, let`s get to it shall we? This single is from one my favorite female emcees Foxy Brown, it was released back in 2001 by Def Jam. This single contains 2 songs; "Oh Yeah" & "B.K. Anthem" both joints from her 2001 released album titled "Broken Silence" (also one of my favorite Fox Boogie albums). There`s 6 tracks in total on this 12 inch single, each song includes the LP, Radio & Instrumental versions. Out of the 2 songs my favorite on here has got to be the Eddie Scoresazy produced "Oh Yeah" with the backing vocals of Spragga Benz. Don`t get me wrong the Robert "Shim" Kirkland produced "B.K. Anthem" isn`t too shabby either, but man you simply just can`t really compare it to "Oh Yeah". The war~like chant & the Reggae infused beat make for a great listen. While Foxy spits some pretty decent bars only to compliment the beat even more... 

I`m not sure why they censor out Diddy`s name in that one line; "Niggas say I`m too pretty to spit rhymes this gritty. Fuck y`all thought? Be dancin` around in suits like I`m (**Diddy**)"...I could be trippin` but I think the advance copy of "Broken Silence" doesn`t have it edited out (I`ll have to DiG it out of my collection to find out). I don`t see what the deal is anyway, it`s not like it`s a huge DiSS & besides everyone knows who`s implied in the line so why bother to censor it out? Other lines that I dig in that song are; "Bitches smile up in your face, turn around & pop shit. You a industry bitch, I`m a in~the~streets bitch"... as well as this one; "Listen, never trippin`, never catch Brown slippin`. Fuck, y`all only nice around mics like Pippen"...Alright now let`s move on to "B.K. Anthem" which isn`t a bad tune either, it was definitely made with them mixtapes in mind. Fox shows some love to her home turf of Brooklyn, the only thing that I don`t really like much is that she tries a lil` too hard with all the guns & drug references on this one, it`s just a lil` overbearing, but she still manages to keep it somewhat interesting...

So in a nut~shell this is a pretty solid single overall, definitely worth checking out. Like I mentioned before these songs are off of "Broken Silence" which in my opinion is one of Foxy`s best albums (if not the best). If you are a fan of Foxy Brown & haven`t heard this it`s definitely worth the listening time spent. Something to note, the cover art that I`ve included & added in with this post isn`t the original cover for this release. I couldn`t find a decent quality pic so I just used the cover art from the UK 12 inch release instead. Besides this picture of Foxy is waaaaaay better than the boring & plain text cover that was used as the original on this release. So there ya have it, check it out & enjoy...

Foxy Brown - Oh Yeah [12 Inch Single]

Label: Def Jam

Released: 2001

1. Oh Yeah [Radio Edit] {ft. Spragga Benz}

2. Oh Yeah [LP Version] {ft. Spragga Benz}

3. Oh Yeah [Instr.]

4. B.K. Anthem [Radio Edit]

5. B.K. Anthem [LP Version]

6. B.K. Anthem [Instr.]

MeGa LiNK...

N`JoY...

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...

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...

AMiL`s "A.M.I.L. (ALL MoNeY iS LeGaL)"...

 Gotta love that No Limit Record~lookin` promo

anyway let`s get it in shall we???

 

I hope all is well with y`all, today I will be dusting off an album that was released in the year 2000 on Columbia/ Roc-A-Fella Records by female emcee Amil titled "A.M.I.L. (All Money Is Legal)". I`m sure most of y`all slept on her solo album because well ya never knew that she dropped one.....LoL, after all there wasn`t a whole lot of promo done for it. For those of you that aren`t up on the First Lady Of The Roc a.k.a. The Dynasty`s Princess, Amil I`ll drop a lil` info` for y`all. The first time that I heard Amil rap was on the Jay-Z song "Can I Get A..." which also featured Ja Rule (doing his best 2Pac impression in the music video). After that she was featured on another Jay-Z (Jaz-O is featured as well) track titled "Jigga What, Jigga Who" rappin` the hook...

After that it was on & poppin` for her as she was officially a member of the Roc-A-Fella team, but let`s rewind just a lil` bit so we can get a better idea of Amil`s roots shall we? Before she linked up with Jay & the Roc-A-Fella crew she was actually a member of an all female rap group call Major Coins (or Coinz, I`ve seen it spelled both ways) which also included members Liz Leite & Monique. I`m not sure if they ever released anything officially, but Jay-Z who was recording his 3rd studio album "Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life" at the time (1997-1998) took some interest in the group because he was searching for a female rapper to spice up his song "Can I Get A...". Originally the spot was gon` be filled by Amil`s partner in rhyme Liz Leite, but once Jigga heard Amil freestyle he felt that she was better suited for the song. Liz Leite did make it on Jay-Z`s "Vol. 2..." album though, she`s featured on the song "It`s Like That". Shortly after Amil made her appearances on the album Major Coins disbanded, was it because of jealousy? I`m not sure, but either way once her group was done she decided to take up a solo career & join Jay-Z at Roc-A-Fella...

She began to pay her dues while being a part of the 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour & then once that was over she hit the studio & started to collab` with plenty of artists such as label mates Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek & Jay-Z as well as Mariah Carey, Solé, Tamar Braxton & LL Cool J. After working on "The Dynasty: Roc La Familia" album things were put in motion for Amil to start working on her self titled debut solo album. The album features production from L.E.S., Tone & Poke a.k.a. Trackmasters, EZ Elpee, Just Blaze, Rockwilder, Tyfife, Lofey, K-Rob, Omen & Jon-John. Guest appearances on the album include; Beyoncé, R&B singer Carl Thomas as well label mates Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek. I believe that the album  had only one single which is the Beyoncé assisted "I Got That", an independent women anthem that lets all the fellas know that some females can make it out on their own without the reliance of a man. Some of y`all listeners may recognize that the beat shares the same sample that was freaked for Biggie`s "Friend Of Mine"...







The album`s opening cut "Smile 4 Me" is a great way to spark things off, Amil`s spittin` about her personal Life struggles. It`s nice to hear her start things out on a personal level instead of say an over sexualized tip. I`ve already touched on "I Got That" so I won`t spend any more time on it except to say that I can`t really get into it. I can dig the overall message, but the song itself just isn`t all that good to me. "Get Down" is another joint that I`m not really much of a fan of, you can definitely tell that they created this one for the commercialized loving folks. "Ya`ll Dead Wrong" is a joint that has Amil letting the doubters know that she`s not to be messed with, definitely a braggadocio track. The Jay-Z assisted "Heard It All Before" makes for an entertaining listen, it`s a woman vs. man joint. Basically; a playette & a player exchanging game amongst each other, which includes plenty of lies & truth bending no doubt...



"Quarrels" features Carl Thomas on the hook, Amil spits some more deep type lyrics. I`m not much of a fan of its hook, but Amil`s rhymes aren`t too shabby at all. "Girlfriend" definitely is geared towards radio~play with it`s catchy beat & simplistic chorus. It`ll get your head nodding, but lyrically no new ground is broken. Amil basically lets ya know that she`ll snitch to ya` girl if you`re tryin` to holla at her. Talk about the ultimate cock~blockin` maneuver....LoL, the album`s title track "A.M.I.L. (All Money Is Legal)" has a nice beat backin` it, but again Amil pretty much fails to impress me with her rhymes on this one. The second Jay-Z collabo` on the album "That`s Right" isn`t nearly as DoPe as the first. It`s more of a braggin` fest with a simplistic hook & a generic beat that`s supplied by Just Blaze. Honestly it sounds like a throwaway beat that was rejected from a Ruff Ryder compilation...



"Anyday" is a DoPe track produced by K-Rob with a well placed sample that complements the rest of the song along with Amil`s deep emotional lyrics. With it`s darker sounds produced by Lofey "Raw" keeps the momentum of good tracks flowin`, sure Amillion is on that braggin` ish again but she manages to make it sound much more believable on this song. "No 1 Can Compare" may have a weak beat behind it, but Amil still manages to keep it interesting (except for the hook that is) by spittin` some heart~felt emotional lyrics over this Omen produced track. The album closes out with the bonus track "4 Da Fam", a Roc-A-Fella collabo` that features Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel & Jay-Z. It`s not too bad of a song & I can see why they added it to the end of the album. They wanted to keep the Roc`s buzz going, just in case you weren`t too impressed by Amil`s solo outing they wanted to remind you that they still have some other artists that`s sure to grab your attention. Beanie Sigel steals the show with his verse on here, my opinion of course...

One thing that you may notice is that Amil definitely shines the most when she gets a little more personal on the mic & leaves the sex rhymes & braggin` ish alone. Sure at times she can pull of the X~rated raps & the braggadocio type stuff, but most times it`s just meh to me. She has a nice distinct voice that could`ve helped her standout amongst the rest of the women emcees out there, but its not being used right when she`s sounding like Kim or Foxy. It may seem like I`m being a lil` harsh with my opinion of the album, but hey it is what it is! I like what I like & when I don`t like something I`ve got to let it be known. This album may appeal more to other peeps, but overall I was really only DiGG`n about half of it. Standout joints for me are; "Smile 4 Me", "Heard It All Before", "Anyday", "Raw" & "4 Da Fam". "No 1 Can Compare" isn`t that bad of a tune either... 
 


Now for those of you that are curious as to what happened to her after the album, from what I have read she just started to lose interest in the Rap game. She stopped caring about recording music & was more focused on taking care of her son. So with no love left for rappin` she didn`t leave her label any other choice but to drop her. She now lives in North Carolina, (who knows maybe someday I`ll bump into her.....LoL) fourteen years later though she`s still working on music & is actually putting together a mixtape titled "A Moment In Life", it may be out now I`m not sure though. She was interviewed by billboard back in March & said that it was gon` come out late Spring early Summer, so it should be released but y`all know how release dates change. You can peep the billboard interview here if you interested. So there ya have it y`all, go `head & peep the album...

Amil - A.M.I.L. (All Money Is Legal)

Label: Columbia Records/ Roc-A-Fella Records

Released: 2000

1. Smile 4 Me

2. I Got That {ft. Beyoncé}

3. Get Down

4. Ya`ll Dead Wrong

5. Heard It All {ft. Jay-Z}

6. Quarrels {ft. Carl Thomas}

7. Girlfriend

8. All Money Is Legal (A.M.I.L.)

9. That`s Right {ft. Jay-Z}

10. Anyday

11. Raw

12. No 1 Can Compare

13. 4 Da Fam [Bonus Track] {ft. Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z & Memphis Bleek}

Here`s another interview that Amil did with HipHopDX.com back in 2007 if you`re interested in reading it...

N`JoY...