Next Time:
Canibus - Can-I-Bus
Hip-Hop Blowout Part 2
We only have one year left!!!
Yo, what's up? Wow . . . almost 1999. I can't believe it. I also can't believe I've been doing these reviews for a year now. That's right, my first review, Wyclef Jean's The Carnival was written on Christmas Eve, 1997. Since then, I've written 21 other reviews (which works out to almost one every two weeks . . . that's not too bad, is it?), gotten almost 3000 hits on my site, won the respect of some, gotten some harsh words from others, and had LOTS of girls send me e-mails telling me I "look really hot" in my pictures. All in all, 1998 was a great year for me, and this site was definitely something that I enjoyed spending time working on. I'd like to thank everyone that's ever visited my site, read a review, signed my guestbook or message board, taken the poll (which NOT ENOUGH of you have done!), or sent me an e-mail. ALL of your comments, both positive and negative, have been welcome, and have helped me improve my site.
Expect even more improvements when '99 rolls around, like Real Audio files, more pages, and anything that YOU, the readers, want.
Until then, I've decided to make up for all the reviews I wasn't able to get around to with this "1998 Hip-Hop Blowout" (excuse the goofy title). I know that I had LOTS of unfinished reviews on my Next Time list. Plus, there are plenty of other noteworthy albums that were released in the last couple of years that I feel are definitely worth commenting on. These won't be full reviews, obviously, so I'm going to do something similar to that Public Enemy Catch-Up I did a while back. These will be short, sweet, and to the point. Oh, yeah, in alphabetical order by the artist's name, too, just to avoid any confusion. Are we clear? All right . . . as Slick Rick (and Wyclef, and Mos Def, and Danja Mowf) said, "Heeeeeeeeeere we go."
Artist: Black Moon THE GOOD NEWS: All-around, a classic album. Buckshot's flow is simply untouchable, and Evil Dee brings jazzy, fonke hardcore beats that are sure to get your head noddin'. Black Moon's Enta Da Stage is an album that often turns up on peoples' lists of the "Best Albums of the 90's." And for good reason, too: the chemistry here is undeniable, with Buckshot Shorty's amazing flow over basement-sounding beats, with plenty of appearances by 5 Ft. Accelerator and a couple cats named Tek and Steele (who would later become Smif-N-Wessun and drop, to great acclaim, a debut titled Dah Shinin', but then rename themselves as the Cocoa Brovaz and release a disappointing follow-up). It's because of this unconsciously dope chemistry that Enta Da Stage is a classic, the first and best from the Boot Camp Clik (made up of Black Moon, Cocoa B's, Helta Skelta, and more).
Songs like "Who Got Da Props?" and "How Many MC's" just sound GOOD. Buckshot flows like butter over these joints. Unfortunately, the rapper who would later be known as B.D.I. has the same problem as other emcees such as Snoop Doggy Dogg and Method Man; his flow is amazing, but he just ain't saying much. There really isn't any one memorable line that comes to mind when thinking of the lyrics on Enta Da Stage. No serious message is involved, either. It's just straight up gangsta sh*t.
But, for straight up gangsta sh*t, you can't do much better than this. Along with the debuts by Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., and Wu-Tang Clan, this is one of those ultra-important New York albums that were able to swing the Hip-Hop balance back to the East. I'd even say Enta Da Stage may be one of the top 5 gangsta rap albums of all-time. Who else can compete? The perfect album to just blast out of your car with the bass ALL THE WAY UP, Stage is a classic. Not one of the 20 greatest albums ever or anything, but for what it is, it's definitely worth your money.
Artist: Company Flow THE GOOD NEWS: The lyrics enthusiast's wet dream. El-P has more punchlines than any rapper you've ever heard. And the beats definitely grow on you. There are only a few albums in existence that just make me say "DAMN" everytime I hear them. First, there's Rakim's older stuff. Put on Paid In Full or Follow The Leader for me, and I'll be captivated for hours. Second, there's Common Sense's Resurrection. I think I articulated my thoughts on that album in the previous review. Third, there's Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus. It might seem a little hasty to put these guys in the same league as Rakim and Common. But they are. At least when it comes to dope lines.
Bear in mind that Hip-Hop isn't just about dope lines, though. And that's where Co-Flow's main problems come in. Although I could quote El-P (Co-Flow's caucasian frontman) for hours on end, and never get tired of it, it'd be obvious to anyone that nearly all of his lines are simply saying, "I'm dope." He has creative ways of saying it ("even when I say nothing, it's a beautiful use of negative space"), but the end meaning is nearly always the same. There's some of that indie Hip-Hop vibe in here, too (i.e.: dissing the major labels and pop rappers), of course, but don't expect Co-Flow to be speaking on religion or history or the like.
Not that it's a problem that they aren't as conscious as Common or KRS-One. Being insanely dope is good enough for me, and El-P and his partner Big Juss certainly fit that description. The beats here are also quite nice, although they, like the emcees' flows, are very noncommercial and could leave you scratching your head instead of nodding it on first listen. They grow on you, though. All-in-all, Co-Flow have a mighty dope album here. Lyrics heads and underground fans should pick this up as soon as possible. If your ears are too accustomed to pop music, this will sound very noisy at first, but give these guys a chance. They'll make up for it later with some of the greatest Hip-Hop one-liners you'll ever hear.
Artist: Daz Dillinger THE GOOD NEWS: Death Row gangsta rap at its best. Remember when I reviewed Snoop's No Limit release? I kinda reminisced about the glory days back at Death Row. Seriously, I grew up on The Chronic and Doggystyle. Since my early teenage years, I've discovered a lot of Hip-Hop that I feel is superior, but every now and then I like to throw in some Dre or Snoop and just chill. And those albums were perfect for doing just that. Later Death Row releases weren't bad, either - Tha Dogg Pound released a bluesy album, Tupac's two-disc set was well-worth buying, and even the label's weakest albums, Snoop's Tha Doggfather and Tupac/Makaveli's The Don Killuminati, were certainly ahead of the rest of the gangsta pack.
You all know about Death Row's tragic fate, though. Suge's in jail. Dre, Snoop, Kurupt, Nate Dogg, and just about everyone else jumped ship. New artists, like this loser named YGD The Top Dawg, are just plain lame. Is the company dead?
Not if Daz Dillinger has anything to do with it. You all remember this cat. He's Snoop's little cousin. He used to always be called "Dat Nigga Daz" (I guess the name was a little too politically incorrect for an official title, though). He was one-half of Tha Dogg Pound. And, most importantly, he was Death Row's second most important provider of beats, behind only Dr. Dre.
Quite frankly, the guy never impressed me much, though. His flow and lyrics paled next to Kurupt's, and his beats were sometimes just cheap imitations of Dr. Dre's. Well, that's changed. On his new album, not only does Daz come with some of the all-around fonkiest tracks of the year, but his rapping abilities have grown, as well. I'd definitely place him on top of the "Most Improved" list for '98, for both rapping and producing. He was just a part of the crowd back in the day, but now he's definitely stepped out and made a name for himself.
This album is certainly much better than Tha Doggfather or any Death Row releases that have been released since. In fact, it's probably the all-around best gangsta rap album since Tupac's All Eyez on Me. Maybe even better (the beats are better than on that album, but the lyrics aren't quite as good). The subject content is nothing new, of course, but what's here is all good.
Of course, a few tracks are definitely songs I could do without. The E-40 featuring "Playa Partners" sheds no new light on an already cliched topic, just like other sub-par offerings on Retaliation. But, there's still plenty to be excited about here: Kurupt raps on four tracks, and has quite possibly the tightest lyrics I've ever heard from him. There's a great song with Tupac and Fatal (which lasts just a LITTLE too long when all the other Outlawz rap on it). Snoop and Nate Dogg combine for the so, so silky smooth "O.G." And even the album's closer, "Thank God For My Life" is an extremely goofy, cheesy way of giving thanks. I love it.
You all know I'm no big fan of Gangsta Rap. So this is a pretty unique CD, being that it's a modern G-Rap album that I seriously like. Some of the lyrics are nice, most of the flows are nice, and nearly all of the beats are nice. This is the perfect album to chill to, the best Gangsta album in YEARS. It completely puts all the No Limit fakers to shame.
Artist: Kurupt THE GOOD NEWS: Kurupt is still Kurupt. A few of the guys he rhymes with aren't bad, either. Damn . . . what a disappointment. After his amazing appearances on Daz's album, I was all hyped up for a really dope album by Kurupt. While this isn't painful or anything, it sure isn't dope.
Kurupt was one of those emcees I used to just REALLY like. He was able to combine the best aspects of the East and West Coasts better than anybody, period. This ability came from the fact that he was born and raised in Philadelphia, but spent his entire recording career in Los Angeles. All in all, he was just an ill lyricist, easily the best in the Death Row camp. Any song he was on was hype, and he'd always have the best verse anyone flipped. Sure, he couldn't touch his idol emcee, Rakim, but he was at least comparable to a lot of the rappers you always hear everyone sweating.
Which makes this album so disappointing . . . Kurupt just doesn't excite me at all here. His lines lack the venom of old, and somehow his voice sounds different. The idea of splitting the album into two discs, one for the East Coast and the other for the West, was novel, but all in all, it just ends up dividing his efforts. I always wondered what Kurupt would sound like flowing over East Coast tracks, but now that I know, I just want to hear some more Dogg Pound records. And the West Coast disc is filled with generic tales and beats, as well.
Some tracks are dope, like "No Feelings" on the East Coast disc. But there really isn't much memorable on Kurupt's debut. Even a duet with Dr. Dre ("Ask a Question," I think it's called? It isn't listed on the packaging) fails to bring any real noise. It's almost less of a true solo album than a compilation of artists on Kurupt's new Antra label. Some of these guys are cool, some aren't. But the album did nothing for me. Kurupt needs to just stick with Daz Dillinger, if you ask me.
Artist: Mos Def and Talib Kweli (Black Star) THE GOOD NEWS: The *ahem* definition of indie Hip-Hop is right here. Incredible lyrics, nice beats, cool positivity, and even an awesome album booklet. Who's Black Star? Mos Def and Talib Kweli. While those names may not sound familiar to the typical Jay-Z and DMX-loving mainstream, the underground has known these cats for a while now. Mos Def first came to my attention on his multiple cameos on the Bush Babees' Gravity (ill, ill album, by the way . . . one of the most underrated of all-time). As if the album wasn't dope enough, Mos Def stepped in with an ultra-unique flow, crazy phat lines, and just a mic presence that couldn't be touched. His presence certainly helped turn Gravity into the classic it was, and following appearances with A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul showed that he could hold his own even with the Native Tongues. Talib Kweli, of the duo Eternal Reflection (along with DJ Hi-Tek), has been on lyrics-enthusiasts lists as one of the best out there for quite some time. Tracks like "Manifesto" (off of the Lyricist Lounge 2 disc set by Rawkus) showcased his incredible style many have described as poetic.
Mos Def and Kweli joined forces for the first time on the Eternal Reflection track "Fortified Live" (which also featured Bush Babee Mr. Man). The track was just pure genius, as classic as they come. The odd thing is, Mos Def and Kweli seemed to have some real chemistry together, which they further explored on several freestyles (many of which can be found on the excellent Rawkus Soundbombing album). When it came time to record their own albums, I guess they figured, why not team up? Thus, Black Star was born.
Now, don't go thinking I don't like this album. It's one of the year's top ten, for sure. I like it a lot, and I highly recommend it. But it's just not the classic I was hoping for. It's certainly not the best work Mos Def and Talib Kweli have performed (see the classic cuts "S.O.S." and "Fortified Live" for that), at least.
What's the problem with the album? Mostly, the whole tone. It's too mellow. There are too many throw-away tracks (not a good thing on an album this short, anyway). When Black Star actually get into their groove, they're unstoppable. But when they sit around, it can take them a while to get flowing.
I guess I should mention that there are a lot of excellent tracks on here, and I certainly feel like this disc was worth my money. "Definition" and its remix are stunning displays of sheer DOPENESS. "Thieves in the Night" is just mesmerizingly intriguing, seriously making ME think, at least. Common shows up on "Respiration" doing what only he can do. Speaking of Common, I'd like to point out that the two emcees in Black Star both remind me of Common, but for different reasons: Mos Def has a similar voice and flow, and Kweli comes with the same introspective lyrics that always give you something to think about.
Alas, even with such talents, Black Star can't produce the classic that should have come so easily. I love the song "Children's Story," but the dis on beat-biters seems ULTRA hypocritical, considering that the track to "Definition" was a direct sample of BDP's "The P Is Free." But, that's the only flaw in the otherwise perfect message the emcees are giving.
Overall, the rapping is top-notch. I found very few lyrical flaws on this album, which really made me want to give Black Star a higher score. But the album, as a whole, isn't perfect, so I won't pretend that it is. Still, though, if you like dope, intropective Hip-Hop, this should definitely be on your "to buy" list.
Album: Enta Da Stage
Genre: Gritty, dark, mid-90's East Coast Gangsta Rap.
Producers: DJ Evil Dee, Mr. Walt.
Tracks: 14 tracks at 56:54.
Label: Wreck Records. Year of Release: 1993.
THE BAD NEWS: Well . . . the album's kinda pointless. This sort of thing has been done many, many, many times before its '93 release date. Buckshot certainly has a tight flow, but often, his lyrics are lacking.
8/10
Album: Funcrusher Plus
Genre: Underground, noisy, "independent as f*ck," skills-based rap.
Producers: El-P, Big Juss.
Year of Release: 1997
THE BAD NEWS: Don't expect anything accessible here. If you're not used to this sort of stuff, it could take you a LONG time to get into it. And the lyrics, as dope as they are, tend to be somewhat one-dimensional.
8/10
Album: Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back
Genre: Ain't nuthin' but a G-thang, baby.
Producers: Daz himself produces almost all of the songs. Soopafly helps out a bit.
Year of Release: 1998.
THE BAD NEWS: Well . . . the subject content is nothing new. And I'd be lying if I said it was an incredible Hip-Hop album or anything like that.
7/10
Album: Kuruption!
Genre: Semi-"Old School," almost Run-DMC sounding Hip-Hop.
Producers: Daz Dillinger, Soopa Fly Priest, Kurupt, Dr. Dre, Easy Mo Be, Warren G., Devante, Battlecat, Studio Tone, Twin, D-Moet, MED, Storm, RJ Rice.
Year of Release: 1998.
THE BAD NEWS: Yawn . . . I keep falling asleep. The album is too boring. An overall gigantic disappointment.
4/10
Album: Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star
Genre: Underground Hip-Hop, on that conscious vibe with real lyrical skills.
Producers: DJ Hi-Tek.
Year of Release: 1998
THE BAD NEWS: I know these guys can do a little better than this. Black Star is a dope album, no doubt, but no classic . . . and I KNOW these two are capable of recording a classic.
7/10