Seventh Script
Written 7/4/94 - 10/31/95 * Recorded 4/2/95 - 10/31/95 (14 hours in studio)
53 minutes, 16 Tracks (+1), Featuring AC, Stan da G.O.B, Christina Walker, Josh C, Rob G and Dr. J (aka Soysos)
The song written but not recorded was "Come To Grips".
Notes:
This one (my 7th tape, can you tell?) is just about as long as Vital Signs and perhaps a little better spread out. The only track that was really filler was The Complete Package - and that in itself is not a bad song. Some of those lyrics are gems, but they weren't written for that beat. I actually took some various lyrical jams and put them all together with that beat to make a song, so it didn't all fit together as naturally as if they were written with the music. The Ladder turned out not all that great, but it's got a nice concept. 'da G.O.B. FINALLY came in through the studio and we rocked the Back 2 Back song we had written well over a year earlier. I did the It Ain't Over song/intro right after a Purdue football game (hoarse as hell) and it turned out dope. One of my best songs, ever, I think. Unfortunately my rough voice didn't work as well when we did Back 2 Back right after that. Ah well. It was good to have Stan back in the studio.
There is a lot going on in this tape. Christina (my girlfriend at the time) makes her first appearence on this tape and sings her ass off on Old Daze (my token "reminisce" track). She's got some nice pipes. AC (roommate at the time) also debuts here (Come On, Get Down) as well. He can actually freestyle and I wanted to bring in his humorous style and flow into the album. It worked well, cuz we were actually friends at the time. Heh. Rob G does his usual one song and drops a gem on 'em in I Did It Again. Josh Cantwell comes through again and does some backing vocals on Transluscent, which ended up not being all that memorable. Not his fault, though. Dr. J didn't do any vocals on this one, but his presence is felt. We produced What a Rush, straight from scratch. It was amazing how we did it... I got ahold of the CD called Classic Beats and Breaks, and we took one of the breaks, looped it on his Midi computer; we took the bassline from The Roots' Swept Away, and sampled Craig Mack from Get Down - plus Jay did some drum work on his TR707 and added that in. The result : a song! No Casio keyboard bullshit, either. Unfortunately, the song ended up a little on the slow side, and
the lyrics I wrote (which weren't bad) didn't quite fit into
the slow vibe of the beat. It was a proud moment, though - we had taken samples and made up a *completely* original song.
I messed around with a few of the songs, too. I did some vocal overdubbing on Why Don't Ya (one of my faves) and I fucked with the pitch on Structural Beatdown and Superb (Wit No Herb). Basically, I recorded the song at one speed but changed it up
for the final version. I slowed down the beat on one of them and on the other I tried to slow down my voice but with the regular beat. It didn't quite work out the way I planned, but I think they're both interesting, at least. I tried to loop a Keith Murray sample into the chorus of Action/Reaction and it sorta half-worked. I dig that song, but it just doesn't feel the right way. Savor The Behavior is an OB gem. I love how that came out - I put the mic really close to my mouth and sorta did some feedback type stuff (Beastie Boy Style) for that one. The beat is slammin' (The Roots Silent Treatment remix) and I come off well.
Overall, I think this tape is pretty good. 3 tracks made As Bestos. Some new guests, some familiar faces. Definitely better subject material and attitude than my earliest efforts.
It also took 6 months to finish this album, mainly becuase I
started it just before the semester was over in the spring - and therefore couldn't get to the studio to finish it up until the fall. I liked the cover, but I think it's a little too "busy". There were 10 copies given out, that I know of. Come To Grips was complete crap and never should have been written.
Indestructible - you better watch out, 'fo I blow up 'cuz I'm combustible
What A Rush - what gets me high.
Old Daze - it wasn't ALL all good.
It Ain't Over... - nah, we thick like Oprah.
Back 2 Back - ...and tight like glue.
Structural Beatdown - I could do a whole album on you and your wack crew.
Why Don't Ya? - Do what you say? Say what you mean? One thing leads to another...
Savor The Behavior - now that you got what I gave ya
The Ladder - I keep climbin' but I ain't moving up
Translucent - you can see it but you can't see through it
Superb (wit no herb) - enough said!
Action/Reaction - did someone say hip-hop was dead? lookout...
I Did It Again - yeah, no kidding...
Lyric of the Album : The entire song It Ain't Over...
Honorable Mention : "So ya better zip, shut ya lip and defacate, I come straight wit more tapes than Watergate" (The Complete Package)
