Wasn't planning on doing this, but since I got a couple emails requesting them and the fact that I don't feel like staying up all night working on a post, I'm going to take the easy way out and post up a couple of the compilations I used for the Jan 09 WYDU Classics that was posted up a couple days ago. Not going to talk about them really, cause I honestly don't know much about these. Anyone wants to share some insight, be my guest. I downloaded these from somewhere else, just don't remember where, but props to whoever it was.
Blackmarket Unreleased Vol 1 (Freeze Records, 1995)
1 Shanow* Remedy Man (Known As The Shanow)
Producer - RPM*
2 Jigmastas Dayz Of Our Lives
Producer - DJ Spinna
3 Grassrootz Grasslandz
Producer - Big Steve, Dapp
4 Nonchalant Lazy Afternoon
Producer - Todd Terry
5 Lyrics Woman In The Ghetto
Producer - Nkansa , Nolan "Douglah" Baynes
6 Da Ranjahz Hold It Down
Producer - Sweaty Palmahz Productions
7 Evil Twins Evil Twin Glock
Producer - Frankie Cutlass
8 Chun-Li Leave Your Guns At Home
Producer - Rob Wilson Jr.
9 Lost Souls Life Of A Lost Soul
Producer - Slice* , Mike City
10 Aqui Check Out The Sound
Producer - Musa
Ruf Diamonds Volume (The Ruf Label, 1986)
A1 Jeep Beat Collective - Hip-Hop Love (4:07)
A2 Unanimous - Freshest On The Mic (Remix) (4:00)
A3 Mighty Mindbomb - Metacosmic Dimensions (4:02)
A4 Numskullz - Trouble On My Mind (Remix) (6:25)
B1 Mighty Mindbomb - Westwood Is A Tw*t, Allegedly (4:18)
B2 Suspekt - MC Pretend (3:50) Featuring - Mystik Journeymen
B3 Tribal Lords - Where's It At (3:07)
B4 Metaphorce - Fair Means Or Foul (3:15)
B5 Godfather Of Weird - Lazy Days (Dub) (4:48)
1/29/2009
Various Artists Part Two.....
Pittsburgh Steelers In Super Bowl XLIII
We are straying away from hip hop today and for good reason. If you know anything about me, you know I'm a big sports fan, a big football fan (American style) and I'm an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I have been since I was six years old. I've never been to Pittsburgh, I grew up out west, but for me, rooting for the Steelers has been pretty much a life long activity. I've been through the highs and lows. This year, it's one of those high moments as the Pittsburgh Steelers get ready to take on the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII this coming Sunday. I've spent most of my week at work reading articles on the game and trolling it up on the Pittsburgh Post. Needless to say, my nerves are starting to kick in. Three years ago, the Steelers were also in the big game. Back then, WYDU was getting maybe 25-30 hits a day, but when I posted the Steelers tribute post, we got 100 in a day. I thought I was pretty hot shit. Three years later, they are back and once again, I feel the need to tribute the Pittsburgh Steelers, why? Cause I can hahaha....
I know the majority of y'all could give a rats ass less, but I know there are plenty Steelers fans out there, so this is for you. I've collected a bunch of Steelers songs from all over. I got a lot of them from the last time they made it, but there have been an onslaught of new ones this year as well. Most are rahter corny, but that's just the beauty of it, they show the passion that the Steeler Nation posses in rooting for the Black n' Gold. I'm not familiar with other teams, but it seems like there are a ton of songs for the Steelers and their have been. There are songs going back to at least the 60's, and every year there are new ones. It's rather crazy when you think about it. Anyway, if you are a Steelers fan, some of these are a MUST for your Super Bowl party on Sunday. If you want a good laugh, hell, give 'em a listen as well. Finally....HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!!!
2nd Shift - Rock Your World (new?)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5480517705729617/
1973 Pittsburgh Steelers Fight Song
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54805479b2f999af/
1978 Pittsburgh Steelers Fight Song
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54805907ca8f2670/
Another Fight Song
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548059778a9a076a/
David O'Block - We Got Roethlisberger 2007 (A spin off of Jimmy Buffett's "Cheeseburger In Paradise")
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548060898054c142/
We Got Roethlisberger 2008
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808609582fe61a/
We Got Roethlisberger 2004
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5480665659fdeae4/
We Got Roethlisberger 2005
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54806726fafa7d91/
Ruff Chemistry - BigNastyD (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54806157a7993212/
Billy Nordozi - Rock N' Roll Steelers (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548062235596e355/
Concrete - Black and Gold (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548063625020ccd1/
ClubSexyCool - Palomalu Blitz
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54806476cad4164b/
Damaged Sanity - The Towel Song (dissing the Titans...yes, fuck a Titan, and their bullshit display of disgracing the Towel. Too bad they didn't make it far enough for us to take them out ourselves)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548065995ca66f16/
Deaf Cat Band - Go Steelers (old)
http://www.zshare.net/download/54806782849f2df3/
Deck of Jack - Steelers Fight Song (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54806873ff888cd4/
DJ TJ - Baby We're Back (NEW, a parody of Baby Got Back....yes, it's as corny as you'd expect)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548069884f7bef93/
DJ TJ - Cardinals Roasting On An Open Fire (NEW...in the tune of the famous Christmas Carol)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807053b7a5fd36/
Fried Dirt - Time To Watch The Steelers
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548071990dea6b61/
Down With Us
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807172591c009f/
Good Art Rooney
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807227f21187a2/
High Powered Home Boys - Pittsburgh Headin' To The Super Bowl
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5480741032efe66f/
Headin' To Th e Super Bowl
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807305840529df/
The Hypocycloids - Gimme A Six Pack (Of Super Bowl Rings) (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548075086e7fd965/
In Acchord - Go Steelers
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807457f68c4625/
It's A Long Way To The Top
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807601dee0620f/
Jason Hopkins - Stillers Game Time Rumble (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807629f174f5be/
J-Dog - Wave Yo Towel (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548076852f57a0bb/
Jessica Peluso - Big Game One More Time (NEW) (Yeah, a Britney Spears spin off...I kinda like it) http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807716d67eaf34/
Jimmy Psihoulis - Steelers Polka (A Steelers CLASSIC)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807756ad268131/
Jolly Terry Bradshaw
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807775bc481e44/
Kardaz - Go Steelers 2009(NEW) (A Ghostbusters Spin)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5480781254d506d6/
Kelly Painter - Puttin' On The Blitz (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548078874880a6eb/
Maniac D - Steelers Anthem (2005)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54807930926b5e39/
Maniac D - Steelers Rap (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548079513b0a21f4/
Mark Gibson - Nothing But The Pittsburgh Steelers (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808012061d12bb/
The Monongahela Monsters - When The Steelers Go Down To Tampa (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548080307d3082ff/
Men of Steel
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808157fae3c7ac/
Mercedez - Rock On (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5480812036600423/
Mike Pesta - Fast Willie (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808171998b0ec2/
Mike Stout - Steeler Nation (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548082584f91360a/
Mr. Devious - Puhlamalu (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548082844691e4d3/
Paint It Black (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808388b2df727f/
Pittsburgh's Finest (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808432695011c6/
Random Groove - Super Bowl Bound (old)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548084665684a97f/
Robz - We Got 5 (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808620b1641dd3/
Ron Brooks - Steelers Super Bowl March (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548087279f35f31d/
Soul Merchants - Steelers Sunday (NEW)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808841a43d71df/
Steelers Nation (A MUST FOR ANY STEELER FAN)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808951bfb6a67f/
Steelers Got Their Mojo Workin
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54808997bfd89207/
Steelers Polka II
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54809040f7dad1f2/
Steve DeRose - Wave On
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548091705dd93fbc/
Super Steelers
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54809301bd6dbc5f/
The Busseltown Brawlers - How 'Bout Dem Steelers
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548092559b58445b/
The Smick Brothers - Steelers Boogie
http://www.zshare.net/audio/5480943867fb8612/
The Soul Searchers - Tomlin Town
http://www.zshare.net/audio/54809455270b4d60/
The Terrible Band - Steel Barrel Polka
http://www.zshare.net/audio/548098503496343b/
We are going to take a little detour today. I know this is a "Hip Hop and Audio Blog" and rarely am I going to go off the beaten path, but I did warn that I would use this blog for my own rants and raves from time to time and this happens to be one of those times. I realize I might be alienating some of our overseas fanbase (LOL @ us having a "fanbase") but the Super Bowl happens to be a big ordeal here in the U.S. and this year it's an even bigger event for me. Anyone that happens to know me, knows that I'm one of the biggest Pittsburgh Steelers fans outside of Pittsburgh. I have been since I was six years old. I haven't missed a game this season and I've only missed three in the last three years (I'm talking on TV of course).
The Steelers were founded in 1933 by Art Rooney, who's family still owns the team today. They were originally called the Pittsburgh Pirates before changing the name in 1940 to the Steelers in celebrate the blue-collar tradition of the city of Pittsburgh and to also give the team a new identity after spending the first seven years without a winning record. It would be 1942 when the Steelers would post their first winning record. From the teams inception in 1933 until 1971, the Steelers would only muster up 10 winning seasons. All that changed starting in 1972. That's the season that THE greatest dynasty that the NFL has ever seen began.
Starting that fateful 72' season, the Steelers would DOMINATE the 70's. Six consecutive AFC Central titles, Eight playoff appearances, and FOUR Super Bowl victories. They would be characterized by rough, physical football. They had a defense that was nearly unstoppable that was known simply as the "Steel Curtain". During the pinnacle of the Steel Curtain in 1976, they would go on a nine game stretch in which only two teams would score more than seven points against them including four shutouts. The offense wasn't to shabby either. They could run over opponents with Franco Harris or Rocky Bleier, or they could pass on teams with Terry Bradshaw throwing to the dynamic duo of Lynn Swan and John Stallworth. The 70's Steelers would produce nine players (Bradshaw, Mel Blount, Mean Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Harris, Jack Lambert, Stallworth, Swann, and Mike Webster) and coach Chuck Noll that would later go on to be inducted into the NFL Hall Of Fame. The Steelers would win Super Bowl IX in 74', Super Bowl X in 75', Super Bowl XIII in 78', and super bowl XIV in 79'. It would be this last and final Super Bowl victory for the Steelers that would have me jumping on the bandwagon.
I was only six years old. I didn't know any better. I saw the black and gold colors and thought that they looked pretty cool. Growing up, both my mom and dad were sports fans so it was always in our household. The funny thing was that some earlier pictures of me are of me decked out in Rams coats and hats. I'm not really sure what it meant, more than likely hand me downs at some point in time. Back to love at first sight. I don't really remember much about that Super Bowl other than my mom telling me the L.A. Rams (as they were known at that time) were going to win. Being the defiant six year old that I was and being enamored by the team colors, I told my mom I disagreed. Somehow a wager of fifty cents came down (the only time you'll see 50 cent mentioned in this blog). Well the rest is history as they say. I guess I figured any team that could win me money must be worth keeping around. During my young impressionable years, I was swayed with temptation to jump ship to other teams. I remember being bought a Rams jersey again in those early years. My Dad being a big Denver Broncos fan also tried to get me to jump ship a few times as well. But alas, through all of it, my love for the Steelers continued to grow.
The 80's were a tough time for us Steelers fans. Names like Mark Malone, Cliff Stoudt, and Walter Ambercrombie would lead mediocre Steelers teams through the decade. They would play in the 84' AFC Championship against the Miami Dolphins only to lose in a blow-out, 45-28. This would be the first of many times the Steelers would end the season with being me disappointed, sad, and pretty much pissed off. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those fans who constantly degrades his teams and is never happy. On the contrary in fact. I've been fully behind them through thick and thin and rarely question their direction. But to say I'm passionate about the Steelers is an understatement. Anyone who has had the pleasure (or more like displeasure) of watching a game with me, can attest to just how wrapped up I get into the games. Don't call me during a game. I'm likely not going to answer unless you are a fellow Steelers fan. If they lose? Give me a few hours at least to cool down. I scream, I yell, I curse, I throw things. If its going good though, I'm a great person to be around. Being a Steelers fan since the 70's though has had many disappointments.
The 80's ended with the Steelers losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos in 1989. I remember my dad rubbing in that loss pretty good. The 90's started off with the Steelers missing out on the playoffs both in 90' and 91'. Coach Noll called it a career at the end of the 91' season which lead to one of the most recognizable chins in all of football to be named head coach. Immediately Bill Cowher would start a relationship with Steelers fans that would have the greatest of times and the worse of times (1-4 in AFC Championships before this year). Right out the gate, Coach Cowher lead the Steelers to the playoffs only to lose to the Buffalo Bills at Three Rivers stadium. I remember being devastated, and not wanting to talk to anyone for a week. The playoff misery would only get worse. In 1994, the Steelers would dominate the AFC and capture home field advantage, a first of many times for Coach Cowher. And like many times to come, the Steelers lost an AFC championship game at home. I can still see Alfred Pununu of the Chargers streaking up the middle while I screamed "NO!" while everything around me was in slow motion. I didn't talk to anyone (including my then girlfriend) the rest of the day.
The next year, I remember being very excited about the upcoming season. The bad thing was I was going to school full time and working a 20 hours on the weekend including Sunday's. It wasn't to bad because this was before Direct TV and the NFL package so you had to hope that they were shown in your area that week. The Steelers ended the regular season with a 11-5 record. I was basically in a frenzy. Their first playoff game was against Buffalo. I remember calling in sick to work, getting up early and pretended to be going to work at the usual time because my parents would not approve of me missing a day of work for a football game. I arrived at the bar I was going to be watching game at 7 a.m. and slept in my car until they opened up. The Steelers kicked some major ass that day with Kordell Stewart doing one of his best Slash impersonations. They would end up playing the Indianapolis Colts who the week before upset the top seed in the playoffs to give the Steelers the home field advantage. Again, I was supposed to work. Which, I did. For awhile. I was being laid off in a week, so during my lunch break, I found a conference room that wasn't in use and proceeded to sit down and watch the second half of the game. There were three of us. I was the only Steelers fan. The game was a tight one. The game basically came down to a last second "hail mary" toss in the end zone by Colts QB Jim Harbaugh that appeared to be caught by a WR laying on his back in the end zone. I was shocked. I was dumbfounded. The announcers on TV weren't sure what was going on either. My "friends" were laughing hysterically at what they thought was me about to go in to a meltdown of size that hadn't been seen since Chernobyl. I threw myself on the floor. Then another friend started saying he didn't catch it. I interrupted my mounting tantrum to see the Steelers jumping around. I lost it. I ran out on the floor where I was supposed to have been back at work some hours ago screaming "They WON, THEY WON!"
Super Bowl XXX was the first "real" Super Bowl for me, since I really didn't remember XIV. I wish I didn't remember XXX. It wasn't as bad as the media said it was going to be. The Steelers put up a valiant fight. Honestly if it wasn't for rightful Super Bowl MVP Neil O' Donnell (who else was more instrumental in the Cowboys winning it?) the Steelers had a chance. But thanks to two O' Donnell INT's the Steelers would go home 27-17 losers. Since everyone and their dog said the Steelers had no shot before the game, this game wasn't as bad for me as some of the AFC championships they have lost. But a Steelers loss is a Steelers loss and the fact that it was to the Cowboys, a team that I despise as much as I love the Steelers, it still had a sting to it.
Every year it seemed so much promise is there and ever year, we blow it in the playoffs. In 97', after a 11-5 season, we lose to the Patriots (An occurring theme to our playoff loses) and I would beat the hell out of a beer cooler at the bar I worked at. AFC Championship in Pittsburgh in 98' against a Denver Bronco team that we had beaten soundly only a month before. The result is Denver winning its first of two Super Bowls and me once again beating the crap out the beer cooler. After some mediocre years with Kordell Stewart and the incredible Mike Tomczak at the helm we come back in 2001 to host the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. It's the Patriots, we know what happens there. I on the other hand take my frustrations out on a nonfunctional (at least it was when I got done with it) phone booth in front of the bar I watched it at. Same story, same verse in in 2004. The Patriots stomp us, in what was probably the most painful defeat in all my years as a Steelers fan. The older and "more mature" me doesn't break anything, I just proceed to drink away the pain and go to class the next morning with a monstrous hangover.
Being a Steelers fan is kind of like being in a specialized clique. You see a Steelers fan somewhere and you automatically are drawn to each other. You talk to each other, give pounds and move on. But it's being part of that Steelers Fraternity that is a great thing. I never fully understood that Fraternity until I finally got to go to my first Steelers game in person. It just happen to be that first game was this years AFC championship. I'm living in Denver, trying to finish up my degree. I'm broke college student (still) trying to make it on an interns wage. Not an easy thing. The fact that the AFC championship game was in Denver was pretty cool but I figured my apartment that is some 10 miles or so south of Invesco Field was as close as I was going to get to the game. Not so fast. My best friend, who happens to be a life long Broncos fan came through (I skipped over alot of our antics of the previous Denver/Pitt AFC championship game that happened while him and I were roomates) . I always thought my first Steelers game would be in Pittsburgh itself. My dad had promised me that when I graduated from college that he would send me to Pittsburgh for a Steelers game. The fact that I wound up at the AFC championship game that the Steelers were playing is still almost dream like. The fact that they won it was even better. My friend and I couldn't get tickets together, so we wound up sitting apart from each other. I ended up sitting with four other Steelers fans. At the beginning of the game we were strangers. At the end of the game we were jumping up and down hugging one another and singing "Heeeeeey I got a Feeeeeeelin', Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl!!!!!!" I took pictures with Steelers fans from all over. It didn't matter what walk of life you were, what color, what nationality, if you were sporting Steelers colors you hugged one another and took pictures with each other. It's was definitely one of the highlights of my life.
Super Bowl XLI downed my six pack before the kick-off and while I can handle my alcohol, the fact that I downed a sixer in an hour and didn't feel a thing is a testament of how jacked I was. To be honest, I haven't seen that Super Bowl since it went down. I don't remember a whole lot about the details other than I spent the whole game in my apartment, by myself, with the lights off and sitting on my hands and knees about 2 feet from my little 21 inch TV. The game itself was a rather ugly game all the way around, but they got it done. Of course, the two plays I recall the most was FWP's (Fast Willie Parker) Super Bowl record breaking run on the first series after half-time and the trick play from Randel El to Hines Ward for a TD. There was a lot of cheering that was only rivaled by the 2006 Fiesta Bowl and the Boise State vicotry in terms of pissing off my neighbors.
I haven't missed a game yet this year either. I must say I'm somewhat surprised by this years success. The Steelers had the toughest schedule in the NFL at the start of the year (going by their opponents 2007 records), so I was thinking 10-6. They didn't blow out many teams, but that plays more into the competition they had than anything else. I watched all the games except for the Monday night game against Washington at my parents place. Big screen TV, High Def, food, you get the picture. It's been a good year, hopefully they can finish. So you see, if you happen to stick your head out your window come Super Bowl Sunday and you hear screaming....it's just us crazy ass Steelers fans celebrating our six pack and starting on the other hand!!!
1/27/2009
WYDU Classics Jan 09: The Various Artists Edition
The hip hop compilation has been around since the beginning of time. It's kind of the bastard child of the mixtape. I remember buying the cheap ass K-Tel compilations from back in the day, basically because they were easy to come by and they provided some music that I didn't get to hear very readily because of my location. They would just jack whatever tracks where hot at the time and throw them on a tape. Over time though, some of the would become specialized, provide only exclusives and unreleased stuff. Those particular releases could contain some prized gems, or they could be full of half assed crap that a particular artist didn't want to release on his own projects.
This month's WYDU Classic focuses on some of those hidden gems and just some of my personal favorites from a small, small, small sampling of "Various Artist" compilations found on my computer. I tried to focus on songs and tracks that only showed up on that particular compilation, the ones that showed up in other places that I noticed and remembered, I tried to note. Of course, I might of missed some, but these are all tracks that I enjoy.
I included the discogs links for them, if anyone wants a particular compilation that is listed, feel free to request it, I have all of them so it would be no problem.
WYDU Classics Jan 09: The Various Artists Edition
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=W3XHEHR3
or
http://rapidshare.com/files/190512505/WYDU_Classics_Jan_09.rar
1. De La Soul - Speed Limit (From Stimulated Vol. 1, 2001)
2. Original Flavor - Grip Da Mic Tight (From Still Got The Props Vol. 2, 1999) A
3. Grand Puba - Hip Hop (From Underground Airplay Vol IV, 1995)
4. O.C. & Buckwild - What I Represent (From America Is Dying Slowly, 1996)
5. Del The Funkee Homosapian - Del Meets The Dummies (From Stimulated Vol.1, 2001)
6. Pharcyde - Westcyde 242 (From The Lawhouse Experience Vol 1, 1997)
7. Joey Chavez feat Dilated Peoples - Heavy Lighting (From Always Bigger & Better Vol. 1, 2000)
8. Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - Just Like A Test (From Bomb Hip Hop Compilation, 1994)B
9. Motion Man feat KutMasta Kurt - Megalo Maniac (From West Coast Lyricist Lounge, 2003)
10. Concrete Mob - Boiling Point (From Beat Factory's Rap Essentials Vol 1, 1997)
11. Square One - Dayz To Come (From Superrappin' The Album, 1999)
12. Word A Mouth - Block Met Will (From Will Tell Compilation 4, 2002)
13. Sha-Now - Remedy Man (From Blackmarket Unreleased Vol 1, 1995)
14. Special Ed - The Bush (From One Voice Pride, 1990)
15. The Jaz - Stone To The Bone (From The D & D Project, 1995)
16. MC Fizal Eff & DJ Quick - Juss Cool (From Hard Core One, 1988)
17. Live Squad - Troopin' It (From BQ In Full Effect EP, 1988)C
18. MC Trouble - Can't Get Enough (From What Does It All Mean?, 1988)
A. Not sure if this is some home made compilation that sneaked into my files, I can't find any info on it otherwise. It's dope though. The track is also a B-side only track from their "When I Make It" single that dropped originally in 1992.
B. Was first released on the Bomb Hip Hop Compilation, but later was released as part of a special bonus CD for the Big Shots release that was put out in 1994. For some reason, I don't remember getting an extra CD with mine when I bought it, I'm going to have to go back and look.
C. Yup, same Live Squad as the one Big Stretch would later be involved in. I'm not on the up and up about their history, but if Stretch is on this song, he sure the hell changed his voice and delivery later.
WYDU & WTR Presents I Love The 90's Year Two: 1990
My man Eric and I are back at it again, doing the "I Love The 90's" series that we started last year (Eric finished it after I got sick and fell behind). There is soooooo much music out there from the 90's that is getting lost in the shuffle of the classics. Nothing wrong with the classics, there is a reason why they are classics, but this year, I hope to bring a little something different to the table with the 90's series. We are doing three albums a week for each year, and I'll pick one personal classic, which isn't always the traditional classics, an album that I personally slept on, to maybe expose myself to some music that I originally glossed over the first time around and one album that I haven't heard before, which surprisingly, there are a few of those.
The Trav "Classic"
Above The Law - Livin' Like Hustlers (Ruthless, 1990)
By 1990, NWA and all of it's individual members were running shit. Eazy's Ruthless Records was starting to really spread and Dr. Dre was riding the wave of success from the NWA, Eazy E, and DOC projects that he produced for. They were the king shit. For the next wave of Ruthless acts and Dr. Dre produced projects, Above The Law dropped their short and precise effort in the form of Livin' Like Hustlers.
Made up of Cold 187um, Go Mack, KMG and DJ Total K-Oss, Above The Law was one of the main focuses of the early Ruthless days. In 1990, they dropped their debut album, Livin Like Hustlers, some say an early predecessor of the G-Funk sound that was soon to come. Dr. Dre gets the credit for the production found on the album, although there is some debate to that claim from Cold 187um. Cold 187 has said the group did most of the production on the LP, while Dr.Dre gets the majority of the credit. While it's arguable, but this is probably the best produced album out of their catalog. The majority of the material sounds Dre-ish in nature, but there is also some stuff that doesn't sound like what Dre was coming with during that time period. On the mic, it's mainly Cold 187 aka Big Hutch handles the rhyming duties, with KMG offering some adlib help and the such.
Livin' Like Hustlers is lead off by one of my all-time favorite west coast tracks, "Murder Rap". You know this has to be a typical Trav track with the siren like synth running berserk through out the track. It also has the backwards scratch that sounds like someone is ripping of the roof of your ride when you play it on a strong system. I want to say that "Murder Rap" was my introduction to Above The Law, as it was their first single released. Here is where I'd post a video of "Murder Rap", but since Sony BMG obviously hasn't learned that videos of songs help promote the music, we'll just say "fuck you" to Sony for disabling the embed feature on youtube and move on.
When the album dropped, I was pleasantly impressed with the wide variety of production found on Livin Like Hustlers. "Murder Rap", is the "hardest" track found on the album, but "Another Execution" comes in a close second. Thanks to the hard drums, this dark and menacing track is a soundtrack for a drive-by waiting to happen. Cold 187 has an unique voice and a delivery that works well with tracks such as the singles, "Livin' Like Hustlers" and "Untouchable", which both are on some smooth gangsta shit. Dre used some fairly familiar/common samples for the album, which makes this a type of release that is easy to divulge yourself into. You will recognize the smooth vibes of "Float On (Move Me No Mountain)", the piano sample used on "Freedom of Speech", which was featured on the white slacker Christian Slatner flick, "Pump Up The Volume". The possible jewel of the album though is in the form of "The Last Song", the posse cut that was often found at the end of Ruthless releases in those days. This is quite possibly my favorite of the posse cuts found on the Ruthless albums, as everyone involved brings the lyrical heat.
When it's all said and done, I still consider Livin' Like Hustlers one of my all-time favorite west coast releases. The music, the vibe, the lyrics, they all come together to form a short but sweet release that should be cemented in history as one of the better releases to come out of the west.
The Slept On Album
Paris - The Devil Made Me Do It (Tommy Boy, 1990)*
| 1 | Intro (0:41) | |
| 2 | Scarface Groove (4:35) | |
| 3 | This Is A Test (2:47) | |
| 4 | Panther Power (3:58) | |
| 5 | Break The Grip Of Shame (3:34) | |
| 6 | Warning (1:07) | |
| 7 | Ebony (3:55) | |
| 8 | Brutal (3:53) | |
| 9 | On The Prowl (1:10) | |
| 10 | The Devil Made Me Do It (4:12) | |
| 11 | The Hate That Hate Made (1:09) | |
| 12 | Mellow Madness (4:50) | |
| 13 | I Call Him Mad (4:16) | |
| 14 | Escape From Babylon (5:18) | |
| 15 | Wretched (3:32) | |
| 16 | Break The Grip Of Shame (The Final Call) (8:02) | |
| 17 | The Devil Made Me Do It (Poach A Pig Mix) (5:44) |
There are always different reasons for me sleeping on albums, it could be I can't relate to it, or it's out of my particular tastes, sometimes it's where the album is from, like I tend to overlook the international album. While I sat down to listen to the Paris album, The Devil Made Me Do It, I can't really pick out a reason why I never really got into Paris. In some ways, I think it made me uncomfortable. It was like having an angry black man yelling at me. I got into some of the black conscious music of the early 90's, and I still consider Public Enemy one of my all-time favorite groups, but Paris and his message was up another notch. Chuck D and KRS weren't as angry, thus it wasn't as intimidating. Even Ice Cube, who had an angry streak on Death Certificate, came off as someone who do all the shit he was saying, like Paris was doing.
I was first exposed to Paris through the same means as most of the music I was exposed to in those days, "Yo! MTV Raps", through the incredibly dope "Break The Grip of Shame". The video was often shown on the hip hop video show. I remember liking the track, with it's deep bass line and scratching over the chorus, things that I really got down with at that time (and still do). But even the video was somewhat menacing. He was truly the Black Panther of hip hop and the images portrayed on the video back that up. I got this was the point that I got lost. Despite liking the singles that I heard, I never picked up any of his albums when they dropped. The only album of Paris that I own is his second LP, Sleeping With The Enemy.
In my older age, I've sat down and tried to digest the smorgus board of anger and black consciousness. Some of his anger is well placed, as The Devil Made Me Do It has Paris aiming his AK-47 at crooked cops, corrupt politicians and racists of all colors, shapes and sizes. All the topics are streamed toward revolution, anarchy and over throwing the corrupt government, all things that I'm sure any forward thinking person has mulled over once or twice in their lifetimes. But The Devil Made Me Do It truly could be the soundtrack to Armageddon. The beats are often backed by a thick and fuzzy bass line and supported by a minimalistic break beat. They are basic, yet chaotic in nature with lots of guitar sounds, sirens, scratching and mass confusion, almost reminiscent of the Bomb Squad. You do have some exceptions to that rule, such as "Ebony", which brings a whirling of harp like strings and a light guitar sample. It's actually a very relaxing track, very smooth and precise. The hook's energy is raised with some scratching and a "Go! Go! Go!" chant and some other added elements, but coming in at the middle of the album, it's a nice switch up from the preaching (not meant to be negative). Another interesting track musically, is "Brutal", which for the first half, follows the set formula of Bomb Squadish approach. The second half though, Paris incorporates an ill electric guitar, which is a powerful instrument when used right.
As I said, it takes an effort to get into Paris brand of hip hop, especially if you are not open thinking and like to take a dose of thought with your music. It's important to point out that Paris is Pro-Black, not someone full of hate. Yes, some of the music found on The Devil Made Me Do It, is angry and radical, but I've always thought it was important to investigate WHY someone thinks the way they do instead of easily writing off Paris and his music as anger and hatred. The album makes you do uncomfortable, but I think thats what Paris was aiming for when he created it.
*was released locally on Godhead in 1989
The Unheard
Style - In Tone We Trust (Select Records, 1990)
| 01 | What A Brother Know (5:13) | |
| 02 | Hip Hop Blues (3:25) | |
| 03 | Set The Mood (4:30) | |
| 04 | The Assassinator (5:15) | |
| 05 | Who Do You Love? (6:19) | |
| 06 | In Tone We Trust (3:40) | |
| 07 | Release Your Body (4:43) | |
| 08 | Pray For Death (4:06) | |
| 09 | How You Livin'? (4:54) | |
| 10 | Victim To The Vinyl (4:59) | |
| 11 | Loverboy (3:25) | |
| 12 | Just A Little Something (3:16) |
I like to think I've heard most of everything there is to hear, or at least anything from a "major" label from back in the days. Select wasn't major by any sense of the means, but they had a nice roster of artists in those "Golden Age" era days. It was also a label that had fairly good distribution. So why am I just now listening to Style for the first time? Good question, I really don't know why it took me so long. I do remember the name in liner notes of other artists "Thank You's" and "Shout Outs", yet I don't remember seeing the album in any of the stores I used to hit up, nor do I remember any videos on "Yo!" that I used to get a lot of my introductions to new music from. He was also the little brother of hip hop legend, T La Rock. Truth be told, I've had Style's In Tone We Trust on my hard drive for lord knows how long. I've probably have played this before while playing Madden or doing something else, but I didn't remember anything on it. When looking through my hard drive, trying to find something from 1990 that I hadn't heard, for some reason, this one stuck out to me. Like Cube said, "Once again, it's on!"
While pushing play on the...ummm...Winamp (shit just ain't what it used to be), I started to do a little research on the one called Style, who also went by Tone. Much to my surprise, the album was produced by Hollywood Impact, a cat who did production for Twin Hype and King Sun and who I thought was pretty damn talented when looking back at his sound. Hollywood Impact's sound is quite evident on the album's first track "What A Brother Know", with it's slap-hard drum sequence that straight up take the track over, all over a sinister bass line. It's quite an impressive first track, making me wonder why the hell it took me to listen to this album.
In fact, the first four tracks on In Tone We Trust are all tracks that make old farts such as myself which it was 1990 again. "Hip Hop Blues" employs a very familiar piano loop that was made popular a year before this album dropped. Hint: Think "Principal's Office", and you'll know what I'm talking about. But to give Hollywood his props, he hooked up better than the Dust Brothers. "Set The Mood" finds Hollywood doing what he does best, hooking up a club jam. Not quite "house" music, more like "Do It To The Crowd". This was in the days when it was still cool to get up and tear up a rug, and this track would cause you to grab your dance shoes. One of the singles from the album comes up next in the form of "The Assassinator", which is possibly the best track on the album and easy to see why it was a single. It's a hard edged track, which really just lets Style just rip shit lyrically. While he's not the greatest MC ever, he's more than just acceptable and he really flexes his lyrical muscles on the quick paced track. It's nothing that stands out from the time, but it's just done extraordinarily well. Lyrically, Style aka Tone, is a bit better than some of the untalented basic MCs of the time. On some songs, he almost sounds like Kool Moe Dee, and others he sounds like others. It's not too distracting though, as he makes the songs sound interesting and adds to the overall enjoyment of the album. Other standout tracks include "How You Livin'?", "Victim To The Vinyl" and "Just A Little Something".
In all actuality, this album is a very good listen from front to back. True, a credit a lot of it to Hollywood Impact's, with his underrated production style that took shit to the next level back in those days. There is really only one track that I would skip in future listens, and that's the mandatory for the day love song, "Who Do You Love?" Just about every album had to follow the LL Cool J theme and have one, but most often they sucked, just like this one. I could see myself being all over this album back in the day, it's just sad it took me 19 years later to finally hear it.
1/26/2009
This or That: Gang Starr
I was thinking of doing another "This or That" and was thinking, "Who could I highlight?" Then it hit me, I haven't touched on one of the greatest groups that hip hop has ever seen, Gang Starr. How could I over look them? They have three great albums, in the form of Daily Operation, Hard To Earn, and Moment of Truth. I've seen many internet debates and have been a part of many debates with friends over this subject. we still can't have a "This or That" without covering Primo and Guru, better known as Gang Starr.
My introduction to Gang Starr is like most of my introductions at that time, through the exposure on Yo MTV Raps. Honestly, even though I like both albums now, I didn't care for either Step In The Arena or No More Mr. Nice Guy. Or should I say, I didn't like the singles all that much, other than "Just To Get A Rep". Then I would be intrigued with the "Jazz Thing" track that would appear on the Mo' Better Blues soundtrack. Although I still shudder when Gang Starr gets labeled as a "Jazz Rap" group, it is one of earlier jazz influenced hip hop tracks that got major play and in some ways could be created with the whole Jazz-Rap thing that took off soon after. In the spring of '92, Yo! would start showing the new Gang Starr single "Take It Personal." I would be memorized by the hard drums from the Skull Snaps sample and it would quickly become one of my all-time favorite tracks. This set up my anticipation for the release of Daily Operation.
Daily Operation Released May 5th, 1992
Gang Starr and Daily Operation is one of the few groups/albums that didn't put out their best material with their initial debut. If you have been following the "This or That" series, you will know a majority of groups/artists put out their best effort in their debut. Everything after that is down hill. Not so with Gang Starr. Neither No More Mr. Nice Guy or Step In The Arena can be labeled as "bad" albums, but I don't think their sound really matured and meshed until their third album, Daily Operation. The first single that got play was "Take It Personal", It's the track that hooked me in as a Gang Starr fan. DJ Premier would use the drum track from the sample classic, the Skull Snaps "It's a New Day", and although he wasn't the first (Steezo would have that distinction) to employ the incredibly hard hitting drum track, it was probably the first "mainstream" track to gain mass exposure for the sample.
Primo would adjust his sound for Daily Operation. The album is a much harder and grittier sound than their first two attempts. This is demonstrated on the albums first track, "The Place Where We Dwell." It comes out with a simple drum track and constant cymbal sounds. There isn't much there but hard New York boom bap. This can all be attributed to the maturation of DJ Premier as a producer. Up until '92 or so, I don't think you could say he had a "sound", or that he was one of the top producers in the game. His sound was starting to be defined with the hard drums that were found all through out Daily Operation and the simple one to two measure loops that comprised most of the samples on the album made for a focused effort on the sonic level. It would soon become the trademark Primo sound and tracks like "Flip The Script", "Take It Personal", "B.Y.S." and "2 Deep" encompassed.
As I previously mentioned, I didn't get heavily involved with Gang Starr's material until Daily Operation, so I didn't get too deep into the first two albums until much later. It was probably after Hard To Earn that I checked Gang Starr's first two efforts, but my opinion is that the variety of topics, sounds and song structures are another thing that makes Gang Starr's third album much better than their previous adventures. The ever popular third single for it's time "Ex Girl to the Next Girl", had Guru spitting about a conniving ex that is all up in his B-I-IZ. Yes, you had "Love Sick" on Step In The Arena, but overall the sounds and execution on "Ex Girl...." is much more mature and on point.
lovemaker, backbreaker but then I made a
mistake yes I fell in love with this ill chick
sweatin' me for money, my name and the dilsnick
my homeboys told me to drop her for it would be to my benefit
she used to say I'd better quit hanging with those derelects
romancing is my thing but I can't swing with no scheming hoes
wherever my beema goes you know that I'm driving
surviving in the 90's is a must so I trust
that everyone listen up as my vocals give thrust
I bust my rhymes first never chasing a skirt
do much work while other suckas need more time to rehearse
now back to the ex-girls, ex-lovers, ex-friends
it made me mad to find that she was only after my ends
she phones me and goes on about her new life now
I wish she knew right now
I think she's busted let's discuss it
when I was with her no trust, just fights
just the he-say-she-say and the neighborhood highlights
bow I got my new girl or as I say my baby doll
but I'm still gettin' crazy calls, my ex-girl's got balls
don't wanna play the field cuz I get lovin' at home base
don't gimme no long face just exit with a grace
you and I are the past, c'est la vie, much respect girl
but now you're my ex-girl cuz I'm on with the next girl
Guru will never been seen as a lyrical master and in some ways, if it wasn't for the production of DJ Premier, it would be easy to just forget about Guru all together. Yet that's the beauty of the whole group concept, Primo brings out the best in Guru. His monotone flow and vocal tone just adds to the whole overall vibe found on all three of Gang Starr's greatest albums, but again, it was Daily Operation that was the first to really perfect their chemistry together.
Overall, I usually claim Daily Operation as my favorite Gang Starr album. Is it because of the nostalgia factor that surrounds such releases like a first love? It might be, I'm pretty comfortable with saying it probably isn't the best of the three albums from a musical perspective. I'll save that title for the next album.
Hard To Earn Released March 8th, 1994
I can still remember the day I bought this CD, it was March 8th, 1994. I only had a class or two that day and jetted by the local mom & pop CD store to grab a copy with my fairly new girlfriend in tow. This would be her first time around me when checking out a new CD, and especially one of Gang Starr's caliber. She started yapping on the way home and I had to tell her very politely to shut her trap. It's a wonder we made it through those first few months.In all honesty, after the first listening, I wasn't quiet sure where I stood on Hard To Earn. Some of it was, well, kinda of weird. Hip Hop was changing in that time, with the Wu and RZA dropping some crazy ish as far as beats went and Primo would follow suite with some of his production found on Hard To Earn. The albums first track, "A Long Way To Go", just sounded....weird to me on that first listen through, which put me in an more pissy mood, which lead to more arguing between the chick and I. After chilling the girlfriend out, I would give the album a listen again while driving around. I remember hearing tracks such as "Code of the Streets" and that wicked violin sample, the hard drums and Guru's monotonous delivery pillage my ear drums. It was any true hip hop fans dream.
Primo was on point with this album, dropping some of his finest productions on Hard To Earn. He switched things up from his previous works. The work he did on was more bare bones, drum breaks and simple sounds assisting the beat here and there. On Hard To Earn as well with Jeru's The Sun Rises In The East, he had a lot more "sounds". There was a lot more muscle in each beat, a lot more experimentation. I already mentioned the albums lead off track, "A Long Way To Go", there was also the whirlwind of drums and sounds found on "Brainstorm". It's a perfect example of what type of shit Primo was on for the production on Hard To Earn. Then there is one of my all time favorite beats found on Jeru's verse on "Speak Ya Clout". My fondness for weird ass sounds ala The Bomb Squad was intrigued from the start with the weird ass echo/siren shit that is found on that first beat of a three beat song and it's an excellent preview of what we would hear from Jeru only a few months later.
As I've mentioned, Guru isn't the flashiest MC in the world. He doesn't need to be. The thing with Guru, he's very consistent, you know what you are getting with him in terms of lyrics. They won't be flashy, they won't make you go "holy shit, what did he just say?" He just does his thing, not taking away anything from the song and in most cases making the perfect verse for a incredible Primo beat. "Mass Appeal", might possibly be one of my favorite tracks on Hard To Earn, both in the terms of the incredibly dope beat Primo cooked up on his MPC, but also in terms of Guru just dropping lyrics like these:
I be like fascinatin when I be updatin
Cuttin off wack kids, pullin their trump cards
I thump hard, and make em say that I'm God
Niggaz be pretendin they hardcore
Never know the meaning of raw
But I get props like a slogan and no man
Could ever try to diss when I kicks my jam
Lyrically def and connecting complete mic wrecking
No double checking vocals kill like weapons
But if I have to I go all out with no mic
Yeah that's right cause I survived mad fights
And for my peeps I truly care
Cause without some of them I wouldn't be here
And they all know how I feel
Guru would also come up with some nice concepts in the form of "It's Mostly The Voice", in which he makes some good points. I thought the song was one of the more interesting ones in the Gang Starr discography up until that point. The other track that would grab my attention as far as being lead by Guru is "Suckas Need Bodygaurds", in which Guru, in typical MC fashion, called out all the weak ass MCs. It's hip hop in all it's goodness. Guru even sounds harder (pause) and hungrier on the mic in one of the few tracks that has him coming with a different flow. It works so well that you almost wish he would done this more often.
In all, Hard To Earn is another excellent effort in the Gang Starr legacy. It's really hard to say exactly where this one ranks in their discography. One could argue for it's spot on the top with classics like the previously mentioned "Mass Appeal" as well as the previously released b-side classic "Dwyck". Hard to Earn really cemented Gang Starr's legacy in hip hop and put them on the level of an EPMD, A Tribe Called Quest or Public Enemy, if they weren't already.
Moment of Truth
What was to be the last of the "super dope, supreme, uno numero" releases of the Gang Starr legacy (We all know that while The Ownerz was decent, it doesn't match up to the other releases), Moment of Truth dropped at a time transitional time for hip hop in general. In 1998, you had the Golden Age "hangover", you had Puffy and his club hop ruling the airwaves and finding good quality hip hop was becoming more of a choir. Toss in the fact that the internet was starting to make some waves in hip hop, and you had a storm on the horizon. The year 1998 was kind of one of upheaval for me, but I still remember my first exposure to Moment of Truth, which was "Above The Clouds" before the actual album dropped. I used to cop Tony Touch mixtapes from this shop in Salt Lake City, I think this particular one was #54 or something like that. Of course, the track is arguably the best from Moment of Truth, with one of the wickedest Primo beats he's ever made. This was a month or two before the album dropped, so it automatically had me pumped for the album.
I picked up Moment of Truth the Tuesday it dropped and right off the bat, I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed when "You Know My Steez" filled my car's interior. The the thick horn sample that leads into the familiar guitar sample just makes the hair on your neck stand up in attention. It's a great way to leadoff the album, and for the whole album, Primo does little to disappoint. For me personally, this was the Primo in his prime, and probably marks the time when I started saying Primo was my all-time favorite producer. It's the beats found on Moment of Truth that make a lot of people say Primo is their favorite. Beats like that found on "Work", are just amazing. The piano stabs found on "Work" or second to none and his chops are not to be duplicated by anyone. There are so many beats like this found on the album, there is the aforementioned "Above The Clouds", which as I said probably ranks as one of Primo's top 5 audio triumphs, as he uses the wicked far east sounding sample that just causes me to shudder to this day. Primo truly does his thing on Moment of Truth.
Lyrically, and I didn't really catch on to this until today when I was talking to Paten Locke (aka Therapy of The ABs and the Smile Rays), but Guru was starting to lack on some of the tracks found on Moment of Truth. A lot of songs on Moment of Truth are hit and miss for me, and I didn't really realize because the good tracks are as good as anything Primo and Guru have done. Not saying Guru didn't have his shining moments as well, "Rep Grows Bigger" (which I forgot to mention for having an ill beat) is one of the better performances by Guru on the track.
You never talk too much to get your spot blown
Now you're no longer just a face in the crowd
You're gettin so much respect that niggaz might as well bow
And movin up with your hustle like you planned it
Rakin dough like the world's greatest bandit
Always got one eye open, for the stick-up kids postin
So much cream chumps they can't understand it
Ladies flock to your jock like it's golden
Curious, to test the weight you be holdin
but you ain't got no time, to be chasin felines
If she's the chick that you pick then she gets chosen
People treat you like you're ghetto royalty
And all your staff shows you utmost loyalty
You paid your dues, refuse to lose in this scenario
The rep grows bigga, you're a legend and a hero
But far to often, despite strong beats found on songs, the subject matter and rhymes failed to hold my attention, so I did a lot of skipping. Tracks like "She Knowz What She Wants", which was produced by Guru himself, "My Advice 2 You", "New York Strait Talk", and others just don't do much for me as far as the lyrics and what is being said. There is also a large influx of guest appearances found on the album, most of which work. The Inspectah Deck verse is only second to his verse on the Wu's "Truimph" as his best. Then of course we have the one of the best posse cuts of all-time found on Moment of Truth, with "The Militia" on which Freddie Foxxx drops the most energy arousing verse of all-times:
For you dope fiend niggaz in rap, I here to inject, check
My style is water baby, spread it around
But when you niggaz don't flow it right and fuck up my sound
I get down; in '89 I spit the buck in the face
of every MC that came in the place, a scar you'll never erase
MC's are only recognized for their flows
I'm worldwide for the bitches, that I turned into hoes
You heard me spit it on Jew-elz, that's how it goes
For all them faking ass niggaz and how I bust up they nose
And while your, nose is drippin, and drainin blood
I be standing over you screamin, "Nigga, WHAT, WHAT?! Nigga WHAT?!"
Niggas feel my presence, like I'm right in they palm
Cause a stormy day is coming, when you see me so calm, it's on
No more twin glocks, they jam up my plays
Now its twin .40 calibre Walther PPK's
I'm in the control of my game, you must respect me like The Ref
Uh-huh, you disrespect *gun clicks* you get the tech
I turn you fake niggaz on and off, like I'm the clapper
I rob so many niggaz, they should call me Jack the Rapper
I'll the illest nigga doing this, dead or alive
Gloria Gaynor on you motherfuckers, I Will Survive
You can try to come at me, but do you want the kick back?
You snap inside the cage of a pit, and you get bit back, huh
My war is so tight, my drama so ill
Beef with me hangs around like a unpaid bill
I push these lyrics through any MC, and make it burn
So the niggaz who be rhyming next, will miss a turn
When you speak of who's the dopest MC, I don't come up
But when you speak of who's the livest MC, I stay what up, what's up?
I got stripes while you got strikes and bogus mikes
Do what bitch niggaz do best *UTFO sample* bite
You niggaz can't make up a law that I don't overrule, overthrow
Prim' brought Bumpy these tracks so I can let you know
Before I slide I'ma leave you this jewel
Even mechanics walk around with they tools
It's the Militia
It's amazing that I haven't punched someone in the face while listening to his verse, especially around the time he starts screaming "What, WHAT, WHAT!!!" The Scarface appearance, which at the time seemed somewhat strange from the casual observer is also a nice track, and one in which Guru does another nice job. Of course there is Krumbsnatcha, before he had his falling out with The Foundation, on "Make Em Pay". Despite a somewhat weaker (compared to other beats on the album) beat from Primo, Krumb does his thing as well.
The album isn't horrible by any means, hell, it's damn good, but I think we saw a glimpse of things to come in the future for Gang Starr. Primo shines on the album, but some of the songs just don't measure up to the first two Gang Starr joints, but it's still strong enough and popular enough to be mentioned in the same breath.
The Final Verdict
Trav: Truth is, I've been working on this particular post for over a month, only because I've had a lot of stuff going on. During that time though I've had a lot of time to think about each album and which was my favorite. I went into this whole thing declaring Daily Operation as my all-time favorite Gang Starr release. Since then, I think I've made an argument in my head that any of the three could be proclaimed at the penicale of the Gang Starr legacy. Since really sitting down this week end finally hammering this out, I've found myself gravitating toward Hard To Earn.
SoulClap: Moment of Truth. It had the dopest tracks, I loved every single track on there. Hard To Earn would be my second favorite.
P. Locke aka Therapy: For nostalgia, I want to say Daily Operation, but they really hit their stride with Hard To Earn. Moment Of Truth is not there for me. I'd say Primo was at his peak on Hard to Earn, he was in between looping and the chop/Primo of today. Guru's voice was at its peak, gravely from the drank, but still on beat, which he wasn't much more after Hard to Earn. Daily Operation was old style Primo product, ill two bar loops, but Hard To Earn was the best of both worlds. Aw man, "Tonz o Gunz", "Along Way To Go", "Mostly the Voice", frigigin "Code of the Streets", "Mostly tha Voice?" That LP was fuckin bonkers. Gotta go with Hard to Earn. Anyone disagreeing is old like me but they on that nostalgia tip. Its a no brainer, Preem had stepped it up on that one.
Akrobatik (via Paten): Daily Operation was a classic. Hard To Earn was a masterpiece. Nuff said.....
Has-Lo: I think we can all agree that these are the 3 greatest albums in all the Gang's catalog. Picking a favorite out of those 3 is a gargantuan task. Each one is a classic in its own right and we all know, some days it may be a Daily Operation day. Some days its a Moment Of Truth day and so on. This day I think I'll have to choose Hard To Earn. I love, love, love the Moment Of Truth lp. Their 1998 opus represents the pinnacle of their formula. Premier had fine tuned his production to surgical sharpness. Guru gives a spirited performance and when you throw in the various guests that made up Gang Starr foundation and subsidiaries, you quite literally cannot lose...and if the gold plaque they snagged for this album is any indication, they didn't. BUT- Hard To Earn comes from a place before the years hardened them. Before genuine hip-hop was something you had to fight for. I didn't "get it" when it came out. I didn't think it was wack, my ears just weren't mature enough...yet. Later, I picked it up and realized how genius Hard To Earn was. How replayable, rugged, underground...how NATURAL it was. It was/is as pure as hip-hop albums get.
Final Verdict: Hard To Earn
