CaZ`s "THuNDaDoMe"...

This post right here was inspired by some good ol` YouTube surfin` that I did a few weeks ago. I was searching for some 2Pac related stuff & came across this video with this one kat talking about having in his possession some 2Pac masters, so naturally it sparked my interest (it starts at about the 3 minute mark in the clip below)...

Up until seeing that clip I had never seen or heard about this Caz kat, but y`all know how YouTube works...showing you related videos to the one you`ve just watched, so eventually it showed some other ones that included Caz. Eventually after watching a few others I had this conflicting view on things because on one side the dude`s talking about; being a banger, a dope dealer, how he did some time, having a mother who was a prostitute, growing up rough, etc.

Then on the other side there`s this;

So needless to say I`m not going to spend a lot of time typing out about this kat, he`s entertaining I`ll say that much, besides I`m feeling a lil` on the lazy side today so you can just chalk it up to that. Peep the videos & you`ll see for ya`self what I mean by saying that he`s entertaining. Anyway, a few weeks after watching those interviews & stuff about Caz I went to this garage sale & bought a box of CDs for $20. It was a great deal y`all, this box was mad full & had mostly Hip Hop in it from what I could tell. There`s probably 80-90 albums in there, so I didn`t take `em all out to look at until I got home. That`s when I pulled out this one CD...Caz`s CD "Thundadome"......Ha! Maaaaan, I tell y`all up until seeing those YouTube clips I had no idea who this Caz kat was. It`s just kind of funny to me that I would end up finding his album by accident shortly after watching some YouTube even though the album was released 19 years ago. I really wish these weird lil` coincidences in my Life would just involve me comin` up on some extra ca$h instead, God loves to entertain Himself I guess......LoL, anyway let`s get to the album shall we? I know you`re hyped so let`s get it in...


This joint was released by Glasshouse Records in 2000 & was executively produced by Caz himself. Production~wise the tracks were handled by the likes of; Super Sako ("Chedda" & "Ride Wit` Me" but Tim Feehan also helped produce the latter track), Battlecat ("Flossin`"), Damizza ("Big Caz"), Rich "E" Blaze ("Thundadome", "Headknockas", "Lool Out", "Nobody Luvs U", "Money", "Bring It", "U A Thug" & "All Nite"), Platinum Brothers ("Pop Pop"), Rod Norman ("Talkin` Loud" & "Take Me Home") & Caz himself ("Intro", "Chedda", "My City" & "Talkin` Loud"). The album itself seems to be more of a compilation of Industry connects/collabo`s than an actual solo album since there`s only 3 tracks that don`t have any features, but this isn`t a bad thing though. In all honesty I`m not sure that I could listen to a whole album of just Caz alone. His style of rappin` is only slightly tolerable in short bursts, my opinion of course, so the guests featured thru~out the album are definitely appreciated. I say this because Caz has a tendency to 'yell~talk'...he isn`t rapping & even says, "I think I just talk on these songs" on "Big Caz" so I ain`t hatin` just being honest...


The album itself isn`t all bad, there are some decent tunes on here so it`s worth at least one listen. Personally I can`t get into any of the songs where Caz is on that playa/mack shit or the songs he`s got for the ladies, it just comes off as corny to me especially when homie portrays himself as more of a hardcore street kat. Alright, alright I`ll lighten up & get to the better aspects of this album. The songs worth a mention are; "Headknockas" featuring Layzie Bone & a few other uncredited kats, "Pop-Pop" featuring Jayo Felony, "Look Out" featuring Onyx`s Sticky Fingaz & Rappin` 4-Tay (even tho Sticky recycles his verse from "Money Talks" off his "Black Trash" album), "U A Thug" featuring Layzie Bone, Ice-T & MFS, "Chedda" featuring Krayzie Bone & LV, "Flossin`" featuring Battle Cat, "Talkin` Loud" featuring Bad Azz (R.I.P.) & "Ride Wit` Me" featuring Kurupt. I think "Chedda" is probably the best song on the album overall. Without any of the features I don`t think too many folks would be checkin` out this album because Caz couldn`t carry it by himself. He probably realized this, that`s why he filled it up with all the guests. So there y`all have it, it`s not a terrible listen but the album`s far from great. Check it out for ya`selves, it`s worth at least one play~thru...

Caz - Thundadome

Label: Glasshouse Records

Released: 2000

1. Intro

2. Thundadome

3. Headknockas {ft. Layzie Bone}

4. Pop Pop {ft. Jayo Felony}

5. Look Out {ft. Sticky Fingaz & Rappin` 4-Tay}

6. Nobody Luvs You {ft. C-Bo}

7. Big Caz {ft. Shade Sheist}

8. Money {ft. O & Gold}

9. Bring It {ft. MFS}

10. U A Thug {ft. Layzie Bone, Ice-T & MFS}

11. All Nite {ft. Baby S}

12. Chedda {ft. Krayzie Bone & LV}

13. Flossin` {ft. Battle Cat}

14. My City

15. Talkin` Loud {ft. Bad Azz}

16. Ride Wit` Me {ft. Kurupt}

17. Take Me Home

BaCK~uP LiNK...

R.i.P. BaD Azz...

VaRiouS ARTiSTs: "The LaWHouSe ExPeRieNCe VoL. 1"...

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...

Various Artists - The Lawhouse Experience Vol. 1

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}

BaCK~uP LiNK...

R.i.P. LaYLaW & KMG...