GZA`s "BeNeaTH The SuRFaCe"...

What`s up y`all? Hope all is good, I`ve been enjoying some of the decent weather that we`ve been having here in the O~DouBLe T. It`s almost feelin` like Spring & I really can`t wait......LoL, I`m just sooooooo sick of this white substance called snow that`s been occupying most of the ground. Anyway, I was planning on posting up some Biggie related material seeing as how it`s been 15 years since his passing, but unfortunately I have misplaced the CD`s I was going to share. You`ll get them joints once I find `em....LoL, for now I have some GZA for your listening pleasure...

"Beneath The Surface" is the GZA`s third solo album, released back in 1999 thru MCA Records. One thing that was kind of surprising to me about the album is that RZA only produced one track. Guess he decided to let a few of the other Wu beatsmiths put in some work. Inspectah Deck, Arabian Knight, Mathematics & John The Baptist all provide some decent backdrops for the GZA`s lyrical liquid swords. One of the downsides though, at least for me was that there isn`t any Kung-Fu samples used like they were on "Liquid Swords" or any other Wu-Tang album at the time. I just think that when they`re used in the right manner it`s DoPe, it kind of adds a lil` signature stamp to the Wu`s music... 

I`ll chalk it up to wanting to try something different. If you compare how "Beneath The Surface" sounds production~wise to "Liquid Swords", you`ll notice that it has a more polished sound in comparison to the gritty & dusty sounds found on "Liquid Swords". Overall I think that this album`s a good listen, sure it may not be as DoPe as his previous effort but it`s definitely far from being considered wack. The GZA`s lyrics are iLL as always, but it`s mainly the skits & the beats that kind of take away from the album. There`s some great tracks on here like "Beneath The Surface", "Breaker, Breaker" & "Publicity" but there`s just not enough to make me write home to my mama about.....LoL, anyways check out the music for yourself it`s worth the listen...

GZA - Beneath The Surface

Label: MCA Records

Released: 1999

1. Intro

2. Amplified Sample

3. Beneath The Surface

4. Skit #1

5. Skit #2

6. Crash Your Crew {ft. Ol` Dirty Bastard}

7. Breaker, Breaker

8. High Price, Small Reward {ft. Masta Killa}

9. Hip Hop Fury {ft. RZA, Timbo King, Hell Razah & Dreddy Kruger}

10. Skit #3

11. 1112 {ft. Killah Preist, Masta Killa & Njeri}

12. Skit #4

13. Victim {ft. Njeri & Joan Davis}

14. Publicity

15. Feel Like An Army {ft. Hell Razah, Killa Preist, Prodigal Sunn & Trigga}

16. Stringplay (Like This, Like That) {ft. Method Man}

17. Mic Trippin`

18. Outro {ft. LA The Darkman & Timbo King}

N`JoY...

AuGuST`s iNBoX GooDieS Pt. 1...

S`up my readers/ vistors? Today I`ve got a few more inbox goodies for y`all ears` listening pleasure. I`ve got a joint off Warren G`s upcoming album, a fresh track off Raekwon`s "Cuban Linx II" & a hand full of new Havoc tracks. So enjoy, feel free to leave ya` thoughts on these tracks as a comment...

Havoc - H Is Back [Clean & Dirty Versions]
Off "From Now On" (The Mixtape) coming soon...

Havoc - Always Have A Choice [Clean & Dirty Versions]

Havoc - Going OT

Havoc - Smells Like Nine/Five [Prod. by Ty Fyffe]

Raekwon {ft. Inspectah Deck, GZA, Ghostface Killah & Method Man} - "House Of Flying Daggers" [Prod. by J. Dilla]
Cuban Linx 2 - Sept. 8!

Warren G {ft. Snoop Dogg & Cass} - Swagger Rich

Warren G Returns With New Studio LP, The G Files, With Special Guests Snoop Dogg, Ray J & Travis Barker

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The G Files, Produced By Warren G, Will Be Released On 9-29-09

Los Angeles, CA (August 3, 2009) -- With six LP’s already under his belt and 10 million copies sold worldwide, Warren G will release his seventh studio LP, The G Files, on 9-29-09. The album features the Snoop Dogg assisted lead-single, “Swagger Rich” and highlighted tracks, “Crush” with Ray J, “Let’s Get High (420)” with Black Nicc and guest Travis Barker on drums, “Suicide” with RBX and “100 Miles and Runnin” with Nate Dogg and Raekwon.

His laid back flow and production have made him an undisputed Hip-Hop legend, but those attributes and accomplishments have and always will certify multi-platinum rapper and producer, Warren G as a West Coast icon.

Warren G exploded out of the burgeoning Long Beach rap scene in 1994 and while many of his West Coast contemporaries such as Tupac, Dr. Dre, and Snoop signed record deals with LA's Death Row Records, Warren G took an alternative route and signed with Def Jam in New York, quickly proving he had something remarkable up his sleeve. His 1994 debut album, Regulate...G Funk Era, certified Warren G as a multi-platinum internationally acclaimed artist. He also received multiple award nominations (Grammy, American Music, Soul Train) for his smash hit “Regulate.”

Def Jam founder and the God Father of Hip Hop, Russell Simmons, would later cite Warren G's signing as “a turning point" for the storied Def Jam Records imprint and its subsequent mega-success. "After that, Def Jam never looked back," Simmons wrote in his book Life and Def. Likewise, as one of the first rap artists to appear on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Warren G helped put the West Coast on the Hip-Hop map with his success and by nurturing the careers of many other talented artists that would follow in his path.

Subsequent albums Take a Look Over Your Shoulder (1997) and I Want It All (1999) were certified gold and generated hits "I Want It All" and "I Shot The Sheriff," a cover of Bob Marley's popular song by the same name. Warren’s 2001 release Return of the Regulator showcased his studio skills through working with legendary artists like Stevie Wonder and George Clinton (the two, alongside the late Tupac Shakur, are cited by Warren as some of the great highlights of his extensive collaborations over the years). In 2004, Warren reunited with his teenage group, 213, (which also features Snoop and Nate Dogg) to release Hard Way, which quickly went Gold and further cemented Warren’s legacy.

Warren’s musical accomplishments have also translated to the silver screen, where he made an unforgettable cameo in “Old School” and he has also appeared on numerous reality shows including VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club” Flavor Flav’s “Flavor Of Love,” Ray J’s “For The Love Of Ray J” and he appeared as a mentor on “Celebrity Rap Superstar.” Warren has also appeared on television shows such as “The Parkers,” “Clueless” and “The Parent Hood” and contributed to countless movie soundtracks (including “Poetic Justice” “Above The Rim” “Bad Boys” “Barbershop 2”) and appeared on video games (NBA 09 and Def Jam Fight For NY).

Not only is Warren G back with The G Files, but the West is back!!









N`JoY...