Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 (May 23, 2000)

Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030

Del tha Funkee Homosapien is awesome. With six album releases under his own name (the latest released free on his website), two albums with the group Hieroglyphics, one released under the group Deltron 3030 and the man hasn't had a weak release.

For this review, I'll be reviewing his first (and so far, only) release with the group Deltron 3030. Deltron 3030 features Del emceeing, producer Dan the Automator (who's also released albums with Prince Paul (Handsome Boy Modeling School), Kool Keith (Dr. Octagon), Mike Patton & Jennifer Charles (Loveage), and more), and DJ Kid Koala.

I'm going to keep this intro short, as I'll discuss Del, Dan, and Koala's past when I review their respective solo albums.

Deltron 3030 is a concept album, set in the 3030. And while writing this, I had an epiphany. I'm not 100% sure on the plot of this damn album. Wikipedia claims it's about Del's fight against an oppresive government and powerful coporations, and his goal of becoming the Galactic Rhyme Federation Champion. My friend says it's about the concept of future life and the government's influence on the people of that future.

Heh. I guess I'll come to my conclusion after listening to it.

1. State of the Nation (feat. Damon Albarn)
Produced by Dan the Automator
A simple 26 second intro featuring Blur and Gorillaz lead singer Damon Albarn talking over a beat.

2. 3030
Produced by Dan the Automator
The first song of the album does an amazing job of introducing us to Deltron Zero and to Deltron 3030. Dan the Automator gives Del a great beat which he fucking kills.

3. The Fantabulous Rap Extravaganza (feat. Prince Paul)
Produced by Dan the Automator
Dan's Handsome Boy Modeling School partner in crime shows up for a slightly funny interlude of a Dan the Automator beat. Nothing special.

4. Things You Can Do
Produced by Dan the Automator
You know how I said above that Dan provides Del with an awesome beat and he just rips it? Yeah, that'll be a running theme in this album. A theme that shows up on this song, too.

5. Positive Contact
Produced by Dan the Automator
At this moment in the album, I'm near convinced that Del can do no wrong. Because this song is just great.

6. St. Catherine St. (feat. Beans, Mr. Lif, P. Wingerter, Peanut Butter Wolf, & Verna Brown)
Produced by Dan the Automator
More people talking over a beat.

7. Virus
Produced by Dan the Automator
Another great track, in which Del discusses about developing a computer virus that can, you know, CRASH EVERYTHING. And basically send us back into the stone age... you know, like Y2K. God knows how we rebounded from that...

8. Upgrade (A Brymar College Course)
Produced by Dan the Automator
I'm probably coming off as though I'm just copy-pasting, but Del kills a good Automator beat. Hell, that's pretty much the entire album in a nutshell.

9. New Coke (feat. Mark Ramos-Nishita)
Produced by Dan the Automator
See track #6.

10. Mastermind
Produced by Dan the Automator
My favorite beat off the album. Which is a hard pick really, because all these beats rock. It's really reminding me to go pick up Dan the Automator's solo album. See track #8 for my thoughts on Del on this track.

11. National Movie Review (feat. Brad Roberts)
Produced by Dan the Automator
These skits are getting annoying, especially when they cut inbetween every song. See track #9.

12. Madness
Produced by Dan the Automator
The sampled chorus is a good surprise. For the second verse, the beat stops and Del rhymes acapella for a bit before the beat starts back up, which is also nice. Kid Koala's scratches in here sound good. They sound good throughout the album, too. Hell, the three of the group ALL sound good throughout the album.

13. Meet Cleofis Randolph the Patriarch (feat. MC Paul Barman)
Produced by Dan the Automator
Well... isn't this weird.

14. Time Keeps on Slipping (feat. Damon Albarn)
Produced by Dan the Automator
Damon Albarn drops by again, this time on an actual track. While I'm not a huge Blur fan, I like Damon Albarn in this song... so maybe that means I should give them another try? (Somewhere in South Carolina, my friend Jordan cries out in joy for a reason that he does not yet know why). Del sounds good too here... and Dan's beat is good... but you knew that already... didn't you? If you didn't then have you been reading this review?

15. The News (A Wholly Owned Subisidiary of Microsoft Inc.) (feat. Hafdis Huld)
Produced by Dan the Automator
Nice beat. See track #11.

16. Turbulence (Remix)
Produced by Dan the Automator
A remix for a track that isn't even on the album? Sure, why not. I mean, it sounds good, so how can I complain?

17. The Fantabulous Rap Extravaganza II (feat. Prince Paul)
Produced by Dan the Automator
Pretty much track #3... again.

18. Battlesong
Produced by Dan the Automator
Well, isn't this song just awesome... that's really all I can say that fits this song.

19. Love Story
Produced by Dan the Automator
I'm gonna say that this is my least favorite of the album... which is also to say, it's awesome.

20. Memory Loss (feat. Sean Lennon)
Produced by Dan the Automator
Hey, look, Del got John Lennon's son to show up on the track. Oh, hey, look, this song's awesome...

21. The Assman 640 Speaks
Really, this is just the intro playing again, but slightly distorted.

Conclusion: Buy this shit. There's not a bad track on the damn album.

Coming Soon

• De La Soul - 3 Feet & Rising
  
• Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full
• Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
• QuESt - Broken Headphones
• Rakim - The 18th Letter

Shuffle Tuesday: Q-Tip - The Renaissance (November 4, 2008)

Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Review #6, post # 8. For this review, we delve into Q-Tip's newest album, The Renaissance.

Q-Tip was a member of what some hip-hop fans would call "A Tribe Called Quest." These fans typically would call A Tribe Called Quest "one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time." And with just their first three albums (People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, The Low End Theory, Midnight Marauders), the Tribe was one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop acts at that time.

With the release of their fourth album, Beats, Rhymes, & Life, the Tribe brought along Consequence (Q-Tip's cousin) and Jay Dee. Consequence appeared on several of the tracks, making many believe he was a new member. Jay Dee, meanwhile, composed The Ummah alongside Quest members Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. The album featured darker lyrics and production as opposed to the Tribe's previous album.

A Tribe Called Quest followed Beats, Rhymes, & Life with The Love Movement, an album that was announced to be their final prior to the release. In the same vein of as their previous album, The Love Movement featured The Ummah doing production and was received with mixed reception from critics and fans.

After The Love Movement, the artists went their seperate ways. Q-Tip quickly released his solo debut album, Amplified just a year after The Love Movement. Jay Dee provided production. And since I am yet to hear it, I will hold opinions about it until a later date.

Q-Tip then hit a bit of a snag. After releasing Amplified, Q-Tip decided to do some genre exploring and recorded Kamaal the Abstract, which can be compared to Andre 3000's The Love Below and Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreaks as it mainly features him singing as a opposed to rapping. Because Arista (his record company) though the record was too uncommercial, Kamaal the Abstract was shelved with no release date in sight (however, it's been recently announced that it will be released September 15th this year).

Then Q-Tip recorded Open. As you can guess, this didn't get a release either (though, I downloaded a mixtape by Tip called Open the Mixtape: Abstract Innovations, which I presume is songs from that session, but I'm not sure).

Flash forward to 2008. Q-Tip has finally convinced someone to release his second album, nearly nine years after the first. On November 4th, also known as the day Barack Obama was elected to office, but, you know, it's not like that's important or anything, The Renaissance dropped. Finally, Q-Tip had two solo albums to his resume.

But was the wait worth it?

1. Johnny is Dead
Produced by Q-Tip
On the previously mentioned Open the Mixtape: Abstract Innovations, the 13th song is titled "Johnny Died." After a quick check through, I can honestly tell you that the beat is the same and the opening lyrics are the same, but I'm too lazy to listen to through the full song to determine if they're both the same. Either way, Tip apparently had this song in mind for his second album for a while. Anyway, this song rocks. A great opening song to introduce your fans to your long awaited follow up album.

2. Won't Trade
Produced by Q-Tip
Another great song. Wouldn't make that bad of a single, if they decided to release more than two...

3. Gettin' Up
Produced by Q-Tip
Speaking of singles, here's the first one. Somewhere there's a remix produced by Swizz Beatz, featuring Eve. Why the hell would they have to ruin an already good song like this?

4. Official
Produced by Q-Tip
Good song, but nothing really diferentiates it from the rest of the first four tracks here.

5. You
Produced by Q-Tip
This shit is awesome. Plain and simple. I don't really have to go on here, but for the sake of you, I will. See what I do for you?

6. We Fight/Love (feat. Raphael Saddiq)
Produced by Q-Tip
"And it, and it begins..." I don't know why, but I love that opening. I'm not a huge fan of Raphael Saddiq's hook on this, but other than that this song is really good. Also, if you search hard enough on the interwebz, you can find a remix of this featuring Kanye West and Consequence... a remix which I will review at the end of this album for funsies.

7. Manwomanboogie (feat. Amanda Diva)
Produced by Q-Tip
I only know Amanda Diva as "the chick who replaced Natalie Stewart in Floetry." The beat is really good on here. The rhymes on here are weak. And I don't like the chorus. That makes this a meh track.

8. Move
Produced by J Dilla
The only non-Q-Tip production on the album, and it's awesome. This was the second single... for good reason. This rocks. Also, it goes into a hidden track called "Renaissance Rap" which also rocks. AND, there's a remix for the hidden track featuring Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, and Lil' Wayne... which will be reviewed just like the "We Fight/Love" remix. Yayzies.

9. Dance on Glass
Produced by Q-Tip
Tip rhymes acapella for a while, though when the beat kicks in, it's awesome.

10. Life is Better (feat. Norah Jones)
Produced by Q-Tip
In the middle of Q-Tip's verse, he begins randomly listing off MCs names. And oddly enough, it works. Q-Tip's singing at the end of the song is also good.

11. Believe (feat. D'Angelo)
Produced by Q-Tip
Oh, hey, D'Angelo isn't dead. Could've fooled me. It brings up the question: "Where is the guy that once was pretty much naked in a music video?" Well, apparently he's working on his third album, James River, which I believe will never be released. However, it's good to hear him here... he sounds good... it's a good track... yeah...

12. Shaka
Produced by Q-Tip
Good track... yay.

And these are remixes you have to find on the interwebz:

Renaissance Rap (Remix) (feat. Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, & Lil' Wayne)
Produced by Q-Tip
Begins with the same Q-Tip verse. Which is really good, so I'm not complaining. Busta has a really good verse too, which makes you wonder why the fuck he's doing shit like "Arab Money." Rae follows up, and while some people have complained about him sounding uninterested and damn near sleepy lately (he's not as agressive, but it's not like he's ruining any songs with his flow), the beat fits his "sleepy" flow. And then Lil' Wayne. I was fully expecting to absolutely hate his verse... so you can tell why I was pleasently surprised when his verse turned out to be one of the better ones I've heard from him. Only thing that could've made this better was if Tip had gotten De La Soul, Phife Dawg, etc. it had been turned into a Native Tongues posse cut (and Raekwon and Lil' Wayne). However, I'm not complaining as this remix is really... really good.

We Fight/Love (Remix) (feat. Kanye West & Consequence)
Produced by Q-Tip
Kanye leads off this remix with a good verse. This is followed by Q-Tip's first verse with absolutely no changes. This is followed by a good Consequence verse. I should really listen to some of his solo stuff. I have two of his mixtapes, and yet they sit with no listens...

Conclusion: Buy this shit. Go ahead, run along. It's not like you're gonna miss anything in thirty minutes.


Coming Soon

• De La Soul - 3 Feet & Rising
  
• Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
• Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full
• Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
• QuESt - Broken Headphones
• Rakim - The 18th Letter
  

Big L - Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous (March 28, 1995)

Big L - Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous

And so for review #5, we delve into Big L's only album released in his lifetime, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous.

Big L was born Lamont Coleman on May 30th, 1974. Unfortunately, Big L only lived up to 24. February 15th, 1999, Big L was shot and killed in Harlem. The case is unsolved, although there is speculation it might've been retaliation for something one of his two brothers did, however, that's not what this blog is about. This review is about Big L's first album.

Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous has been hailed as an East coast classic, with good reason: This is a classic album. And while I can't say I'm a hardcore fan (I only have his two albums) nor can I say I was listening to Big L before it got cool (I took my first listen a couple years ago and then forgot about this disc when I got into metal), I can say that I really enjoy his work.

Big L was the final member added to D.I.T.C. (Diggin' in the Crates), which members were Lord Finesse, Showbiz, A.G., Diamond D, O.C., Fat Joe (who also had a hand in finding another legendary MC, and Buckwild. And while I don't believe I've heard of any of their solo albums (except Lord Finesse and Fat Joe, the latter of which has gone south lately), D.I.T.C. is regarded as a classic group.

For his debut album, Lamont brought Buckwild, Showbiz, and Lord Finesse to produce, with Finesse contributing a verse for the second of two posse cuts "Da Graveyard." He also brought along Kid Capri, Cam'ron (then known as Killa Cam), Jay-Z, and a bunch of no name MCs. This combination made for a classsic LP.

But let's get on with this...

1. Put It On (feat. Kid Capri) Produced by Buckwild
The first single. Buckwild provides a good beat for L to wake up at 7:00 AM and walk down the street rhyming to himself (see the video). The chorus gets annoying after a while, as it primarily consists of Kid Capri telling L to "put it on." Before the last verse, there's a really random reggae-esque interlude. I don't know anything about regge, so I won't say anything about it except that it doesn't really fit here. However, this is a good way to open up your debut album. MUCH better than an intro or a skit. Oh, and Big L threatening to throw your head three blocks is actually kind of frightening.

2. MVP
Produced by Lord Finesse
Producer/MC/fellow D.I.T.C. member Lord Finesse shows up for his first of five contributions. This song was released as the second single. I guess I should note that the same loop in here shows up on Notorious B.I.G.'s "One More Chance Remix" and that L's use of it was released before Biggie's. ANYWAY... the track's good. I begin to get bored of the track near the end, and I'll probably just skip the remaining 20 seconds.

3. No Endz, No Skinz
Produced by Showbiz
This one is also a single, except this one was the fourth and final single. Wow... doesn't this sound misogynistic? Pretty much "girls only like rich guys." If you look past that (is that possible, though?), I guess this might be a good song, but I find myself unable to do that.

4. 8 Iz Enuff (feat. Terra, Herb McGruff, Buddah Bless, Twan, Killa Cam, Trooper J & Mike Boogie)
Produced by Buckwild
Mike Boogie unrelated to mixtape DJ Mick Boogie. Killa Cam also known as Cam'ron. L, Cam, and McGruff were all in the Children of the Corn. Where the hell Terra, Buddah Bless, Twan, Trooper J, & Mike Boogie came from is beyond me. Nonetheless, this serves as a good posse cut, where you can presumably guess that the host (that would be Big L, people...) comes off the best out of these eight.

5. All Black
Produced by Lord Finesse
"Ducks better scat when the gat goes click-clack, or I'ma have your family dressed in all black." Oh, what's up, Irony? Haven't seen ya for a while. Push that aside, this is actually a very good track. And thanks to the relatively quick chours, we get four verses of awesome.

6. Danger Zone
Produced by Buckwild
WOW. In a song warning visitors to not go to 139th & Lennox in Harlem, Big L pretty much says he has, will, or wants to EVERY FUCKING VIOLENT ACT KNOWN TO MAN. Hell, L in here says he might just rape Jesus if he gets up in Heaven. That and a decent Buckwild beat make this out to be a good song. YAY.

7. Street Struck
Produced by Lord Finesse
This is one of those songs telling tales about teens up in the gang world, which allows L to brag about what he did when he was in that and not be yelled at by conservative television hosts for glorifying gang violence and drug abuse. It's a meh track.

8. Da Graveyard (feat. Lord Finesse, Microphone Nut, Jay-Z, Party Arty, & Y.U.)
Produced by Buckwild
Once again, this posse cut features a name that would become big in the hip-hop world, this one would obviously be a young fella known as "Jay-Z." And that young fella's flow is quite different from we would see on his debut LP. Lord Finesse also shows up, though I don't know why he didn't provide the beat for this. Not like I'm complaining though, Buckwild's beat is pretty good here. All-in-all, I consider this the better posse cut of the two.

9. Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous
Produced by Lord Finesse
Lord Finesse gives L a slower beat than earlier seen on the album. And Big L responds by making this one of my favorites on the album. Thanks, Big L.

10. I Don't Understand It
Produced by Showbiz
Oh, hey, look. People were complaining about the state of hip-hop even back in 1995.

11. Fed Up Wit the Bullshit
Produced by Lord Finesse
Big L pens a song dedicated to police brutality. While we've heard this many times before (most famously by NWA with their subtle "Fuck tha Police"), it's still relevant today. It helps Big L's cause that this is also a good song.

12. Let 'Em Have It "L"
Produced by Craig Boogie
Who the hell is Craig Boogie? Whoever he is, I'm not a huge fan of his beat, though Big L's lyrics make up for it as even the beat can't stop this from being a great way to end not just a debut album, but an album... period.

Conclusion: Big L made a classic disc here. It makes you wonder how his career would've gone had he not been tragically killed and had his career gone on. I'd suggest you run down to Best Buy and pick this CD up.

Shuffle Saturday: Ghostface Killah - Fishscale (March 28, 2006)

Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

Introducing the second of several gimmick posts, this is Shuffle [whatever]day. Basically, I click through shuffle until my clock goes to the next minute (today it was 7:30 to 7:31 yay...) and then whatever song is up there, that's the album I do. This time, it was Ghostface Killah's Fishscale.

Ghostface Killah, better known to his family as Dennis Coles, was born on May 9th, 1970. He was raised in the Stapleton housing projects in Staten Island. He made his debut on Protect Ya Neck, alongside the rest of his Wu-Tang brethern (albeit under the name "Ghost Face Killer"). After that, Ghostface appeared on the Wu-Tang debut albums, as well as the first four solo albums, before he got his own debut.

Ironman was released October 29, 1996 and was the last solo album of RZA's "five year plan." The album was followed by the conclusion of the plan, Wu-Tang Forever, a double disc CD. Ironman warranted Ghostface a seecond solo album, the final fo second batch of Wu solo albums, Supreme Clientele. The album was hailed as the best sophmore solo albums.

After Supreme Clientele, Ghostface dropped Bulletproof Wallets, an album that presumably attempted to draw paralells to Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... and Ghostface's own Ironman, by featuring Rae on the cover and on 5 of the 16 songs.

He followed that up with The Pretty Toney Album, released under the moniker "Ghostface." Which was itself followed up by Fishscale. Fishscale was received well with critics, and debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, his highest placing since Ironman.

However, was it worth it? Well if I said it was my second favorite Ghostface album, would you keep on reading? (No.) Oh... well then...

1. The Return of Clyde Smith (Skit)
A really boring, unnecessary intro. Only thing slightly interesting is that Ghost is Clyde Smith this time around, as opposed to Raekwon from Supreme Clientele.

2. Shakey Dog
Produced by Lewis Parker
Can't really say I've heard anything else from Lewis Parker, but the beat is pretty good. Ghost's lyrics are on point, making a great opening song. Something worth noting, at the end, Ghost says "to be continued..." Could we see a Shakey Dog 2 sometime soon?

3. Kilo (feat. Raekwon)
Produced by MoSS
Who the hell is MoSS? The hook sounds like they pulled it straight off a Schoolhouse Rock special. However, Rae and Ghost both sound good. Though, Rae's last verse is just weird.

4. The Champ
Produced by Just Blaze
I like Just Blaze. And his beat sounds really good, plus Ghost is great over it. I'd be a much bigger fan of this if it weren't for WWE's Smackdown vs. Raw 2007. Damn them for having that song play for what seems like every 10 minutes, along with Lil' Scrappy's "Money in the Bank" (ugh) and Three Days Grace's "Riot" (again, ugh). However, still a great song.

5. Major Operation (Skit)
Did this really need a spot on the tracklisting? IT'S 6 FUCKING SECONDS.

6. 9 Milli Bros. (feat. Wu-Tang Clan)
Produced by MF DOOM
I still don't understand why RZA didn't provide a beat for this... and why he didn't provide a verse. I mean hell, ODB has a verse on here (though, it's only five lines, two of which contain two words, "Brooklyn," and "zoo")... Cappadonna has a verse on here, surely RZA couldn't dropped 16 bars. MF DOOM's production is "Fenugreek," taken off Special Herbs, Vol. 1. All-in-all, it sounds good, though.

7. Beauty Jackson
Produced by J Dilla
Dilla's production here is "Hi." taken from Donuts, an amazing album. Ghost hops on the beat for a good verse.

8. Heart Street Directions (Skit)
This skit is just stupid.

9. Columbus Exchange (Skit) / Crack Spot
Produced by Crack Val
Columbus exchange would be another skit in the same vein as Major Operation from up above. Never heard of Crack Val, but he provides a decent beat for a decent, nothing special song.

10. R.A.G.U. (feat. Raekwon)
Produced by Pete Rock
R.A.G.U. obviously stands for "Rae(kwon) and Ghost United." I wonder if these two will ever collaborate for a full album. Though, now, there are talks that we could get a Ghost/Rae/Method album. This song is great... like pretty much every Rae/Ghost collabo.

11. Bad Mouth Kid (Skit)
Another boring skit.

12. Whip You With a Strap
Produced by J Dilla
Like the previous Dilla contribution, the beat is taken from Dilla's Donuts, this one being "One for Ghost." As the title hints to, Ghost discusses his childhood punishments. Well, that wasn't what I was expecting (back when I first heard it of course).

13. Back Like That (feat. Ne-Yo)
Produced by Xtreme
Who's Xtreme? I'm gonna admit it, as far as Ghost's contractually-required songs for the radio go... I like this one. Presumably because I enjoy Ne-Yo on the hook, since I've always thought he was a great singer. However, I don't think I've ever heard Ne-Yo swear like that. So much for that gentlemen style he had going on, you aren't a gentleman when you call her a bitch, Ne-Yo... (ikid). Oh, but I find the fact that he's saying him cheating on her was completely fine... but when she dates/fucks someone he hates, it's like she just ordered a hit on Ne-Yo's family... heh.

14. Be Easy (feat. Trife da God)
Produced by Pete Rock
I think this was the first single. Whatever it is, this song is fucking awesome.

15. Clipse of Doom (feat. Trife da God)
Produced by MF DOOM
Am I the only one who thinks that this name would be good for a Clipse/DOOM collabo? Like DOOM's previous contribution, the beat is swiped from his Special Herbs series, this time it's "Bergamot Wild" from Volume 3. This is the second song in a row where Trife handles chorous while Ghost dominates the verses.

16. Jellyfish (feat. Theodore Unit)
Produced by MF DOOM
"Sumac Berries" from Vol. 1. And Ghost singing in the beginning of his verse kinda stands out. His verse is the best here, while Cappadonna has the worst. A meh song.

17. Dogs of War (feat. Raekwon & Theodore Unit)
Produced by Pete Rock
Theodore Unit make their second consecutive appearance (Trife's fourth), but this time, they bring back Raekwon. Sun God and Trife sound good, Ghost and Rae have the best verses on here, look above to see my thoughts on Cap's verse.

18. Barbershop
Produced by Studio Steve
I'm gonna guess Studio Steve just appeared out of thin air and provided Ghost a beat when he needed one, because I don't know who the hell he is. This is pretty much a skit with an added verse.

19. Ms. Sweetwater (Skit)
The sixth skit.... ugh.

20. Big Girl
Produced by Ghostface Killah
Ghost's self-produced track. No chorus, just Ghost rhyming... and then talking. I like it.

21. Underwater
Produced by MF DOOM
"Orange Blossoms" from Vol. 5. This song is just weird. Ghostface is lost underwater... and one line describes him meeting up with SpongeBob... what the fuck?

22. The Ironman Takeover (Skit)
Skit #7. Please refer to track #5.

23. Momma (feat. Megan Rochell)
Produced by The Hitmen
Not that bad... but not that good, either.

I guess this is a bonus track...

24. Three Bricks (feat. The Notorious B.I.G. & Raekwon)
Produced by Cool & Dre
Apparently, this was cut from that horrible Duets album that was put out a couple of years ago. That should give an idea of this song's quality.

Conclusion: Buy this. No, seriously, go do it. This is probably gonna be the best Wu-related album of the 2000s (only Raekwon has the chance to top it, come on OB4CL2).

Blah blah blah new blog coming tonight blah blah if I'm not tired blah blah.

Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt (June 25, 1996)

Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt

Here we go, blog #3. Shawn Carter was born December 4, 1969. After spending years selling crack and freestyling and appearing on other artists' (Jaz-O, Big Daddy Kane, Big L, Mic Geronimo), Shawn started up his own record label, called Roc-A-Fella, alongside his mentor Jaz-O (who he's now taken to dissing) and Dame Dash (who split from the label).

With the release of this album, Jay took the subgenre "mafioso rap" to the highest point it's been since Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (OB4CL2 is coming out September 8th, with the first single coming out Tuesday... supposedly). Hov's debut has been cited as a classic, and used to justify his positioning on a "Top MCs of All Time" list. It's also placed on the "Top Hip-Hop Albums of All Time." All this despite not selling a lot of copies, but you know that the best albums usually seem to be the ones ignored by the consumers.

For Reasonable Doubt, Jay brought along some good producers (DJ Premier, Ski, DJ Clark Kent, Big Jaz) and good features (The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Big Jaz, Sauce Money) for his mafioso classic.

...another boring intro. Damnit.

1. Can't Knock the Hustle (feat. Mary J. Blige)
Produced by Knobody & The Hitmen
Pain in da Ass does a 40 second, uncredited intro over the sound of a heartbeat before Jay jumps into rhyming. I don't like the beat on this. It sounds like first beat I learned when playing the drums. The lyrics are good, though, but as a total package... it's boring.

2. Politics as Usual
Produced by Ski
Much better beat. The lyrics are on point. This would've been a much better opening song, as it actually keeps your attention.

3. Brooklyn's Finest (feat. The Notorious B.I.G.)
Produced by Clark Kent
I think this might be the only collaboration between Biggie and Jay that was released in B.I.G.'s lifetime. I could be wrong though, but I can't recall any. The beat's not what you think it would be for a collab like this, but I like it. The two trade the mic back and worth, with a quick chorus interrupting them. I really like this song. Biggie's "joke," I say that because it doesn't come off as one, is really... awkward.

4. Dead Presidents II
Produced by Ski
Jay released the original "Dead Presidents" as the first single off Reasonable Doubt about four months before the album dropped. And when it did, the song was off it, but replaced with this one, it's got the same beat and the same chorus, but different lyrics. Why? Oh, and a track called "Dead Presidents III" was put on tracklists for American Gangster a while back (so were collabs with Kanye and T.I.). If I recall correctly, the song actually leaked... I should go find it. ANYWAY... this track is my second favorite off the album. Oh, and it started the whole Jay/Nas feud... so that's worth noting... yeah.

5. Feelin' It (feat. Mecca)
Produced by Ski
The final single off the album... it brings one question to my mind: Who the fuck is Mecca? Still a good track.

6. D'Evils
Produced by DJ Premier
The first of three Premo contributions to the album. I'm gonna keep this track short and just describe it with one word: AWESOME.

7. 22 Two's
Produced by Ski
Somewhere, I remember reading a 44 Four's when looking over a Jay-Z track listing. I think it was of the Reasonable Doubt 10 Anniversary Concert. He swipes the chorus from A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?" The random talk show intro in the beginning is not really necessary. The "freestyle" (yeah, right...) is awesome. The beat's decent, too.

8. Can I Live
Produced by DJ Irv
"DJ Irv" would obviously be Irv Gotti... heh. Sounds pretty good... which is weird considering "DJ Irv" here is responsible for giving the hip-hop world Ja Rule.

9. Ain't No Nigga (feat. Foxy Brown)
Produced by Big Jaz
Big Jaz drops by to give Jay a beat and then leaves (don't worry, he'll be back). It's all good up until Foxy's verse.... which doesn't sound too bad, but I don' feel like it fits the song.

10. Friend or Foe
Produced by DJ Premier
Hey, Premo's back. That's always good. Third favorite off Reasonable Doubt. This needs to be longer. Had it been around 3 minutes, it would definitely be second favorite. (OOOOOOO... SECOND FAVORITE.)

11. Coming of Age (feat. Memphis Bleek)
Produced by Clark Kent
Oh, hey, look, it's Jay-Z's replacement. Thank God that when Jay retired, we got Memphis Bleek in his place... right? Wrong. What the hell is Memphis doing nowadays? The only time I've seen his name pop up this year was when he randomly got a guest appearance on that Wale/9th Wonder mixtape that dropped a month ago. But it's not like he deserves to be Jay's replacement... he almost ruins a good song. Almost. Oh, and part of the final verse (where Jay and Bleek steal the mic from each other) comes off as gay...

Jay: Hey, fella, I been watchin' you clockin'.
Bleek: Who? Me? Holdin' down this block, it ain't nothin'. You the man n----, stop frontin'.
Jay: Haha, I like yo style...
Bleek: Nah, I like YO style.
Jay: Let's drive around for a while.
Bleek: Cool, n----.
Jay: Here's a thou.

Bleek: Till death do us part.

You can check Cracked for more unintentionally gay lyrics.

12. Cashmere Thoughts
Produced by Clark Kent
This beat sucks... just saying. Hov's lyrics are good, though. That's beginning to be a running theme throughout the album... I'm not complainin'.

13. Bring It On (feat. Big Jaz & Sauce Money)
Produced by DJ Premier
Jaz must've drove around in circles and had to reenter the studio to ask Jay for directions and decided to hop on Premier's final contribution for the album. Sauce Money must've brought the pizzas to the studio, and since he was a such nice delivery boy, Jay offered him a spot on the album. That's not to say he's not good on the track, much better than Memphis Bleek. Same with Jaz. The beats good, ut the song is my least favorite out of the three Premier contributions, but it's still awesome.

14. Regrets
Produced by Peter Panic
Who the hell is Peter Panic? Whoever he is, he produced a simple beat. Pretty good song, would start a trend of downbeat songs ending the albums.

I have a version containing one more bonus track...

15. Can I Live II (feat. Memphis Bleek)
Produced by K-Rob
YAY. ANOTHER TRACK WITH MEMPHIS BLEEK. YIPPIE. And who the hell is K-Rob? I'll just finish this here by saying that I personally prefer the first one.

Conclusion: Reasonable Doubt definitely holds up after 13 years its been out. With a total of 14 tracks (15 on my version), there's 6 great songs on here, 6 good songs, and 2 meh songs (3 with Can I Live II). What does that all mean? Well, it means you should go get this right now, because it's a great fucking album. Run, children... run.

Depending on how tired I am, there might be another review in a couple hours. If not, then you can expect it during the day.

Kanye West - The College Dropout (February 10, 2004)

Kanye West - The College Dropout

And for our second album review, I have decided to listen to the first album of my favorite MC that debuted in the last decade or so.

Kanye West began his career in hip-hop as a producer, making beats for artists such as dead prez, Mase, Beanie Sigel, Lil' Kim, and more, all before he got his first production credit on a Jay-Z album. Before College Dropout, West was mostly known as "that guy who produces for Jay-Z." After producing "This Can't Be Life" off The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, an album that, followed by The Blueprint 2 and Kingdom Come (this isn't counting the R. Kelly and Linkin Park collabs).

After that, Kanye West produced five songs off Hov's The Blueprint, including The Takeover, a track that caused Nas to respond with Ether, the song that restarted his career. After that, Kanye West was hot property, producing for artists such as Cam'ron, Scarface, Trina, Talib Kweli, Fabolous, Beyonce, T.I., DMX, and more.

Eventually, Kanye was able to convince Jay to get a guest feature on his track "The Bounce" from The Blueprint 2. And if that track had been the deciding point of his career, I highly doubt we'd hear his debut album, as that verse was shit. But, I digress...

There was also another factor that almost caused us to not here his debut album. On October 22nd, 2002, Kanye West drove home from the recording studio and was in a near-fatal crash. Kanye lived, but his jaw was wired shut. However, that didn't stop Kanye, who decided to record... with his fucking jaw wired shut. "Through the Wire" was released in 2003 and pretty much convinced Roc-A-Fella to sign him to a deal and allow him to release his solo debut.

Goddamn, that was boring. Let's go into the album...

1. Intro
A quick 19 second intro featuring DeRay Davis of Wild 'N Out fame. It basically serves as an introduction to the first song of the album...

2. We Don't Care
Produced by Kanye West
A decent, "nothing-special" song. However, it's a good introduction. "They favorite 50 Cent song 12 Questions" makes me chuckle every damn time.

3. Graduation Day (feat. John Legend)
Once again, Deray Davis makes an appearance, however, this time, he's accompanied by John Legend and Miri Ben-Ari. The two do a quick interlude before we go into the second single (third if you count Slow Jamz).

4. All Falls Down (feat. Syleena Johnson)
Produced by Kanye West
we goAs you know, Syleena Johnson appears here to sing an interpolation of Lauryn Hill's "Mystery of Iniquity." I'm like 99% sure there's a version on the interbutts featuring the actual sample of Lauryn Hill's vocals that Kanye originally wanted. This is a good song. One that has a good music video, if only because it assured me that Kel Mitchell is still alive (at least in 2004).

5. I'll Fly Away
Yes, another interlude. This time, Kanye brings Tony Williams (whoever he is) to song over Ervin Pope (whoeverhe is) playing the piano. Leads into this next song...

6. Spaceship (feat. Consequence & GLC)
Produced by Kanye West
I love this song. The first credited appearance of GLC (Wiki says he also appeared on Encore by Jay) and the first guest feature of Consequence since Beats, Rhymes, & Life by A Tribe Called Quest. Listening to this song makes me look forward to GLC's Love, Life, & Loyalty which is supposed to come out this year. Despite releasing three singles (two featuring Kanye), it doesn't look like it's coming out soon. And it makes me want to go listen to the two Cons mixtapes I have (A Tribe Called Quence & Take 'Em to the Cleaners).

7. Jesus Walks
Produced by Kanye West
The third most-successful single from the album (including Slow Jamz). Also received a Grammy for Best Rap Song. Despite I'm not a very religious person, I really like this song. One thing, I highly doubt this song has really converted any atheists, as Kanye said he wants it to. And he pulls some Twista out with the line "They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus."

8. Never Let Me Down (feat. Jay-Z & J. Ivy)
Produced by Kanye West
As thanks for producing a lot of the early 2000s Jay-Z songs we here, Jay-Z hops on this track for two verses (I believe the final one was one he recorded for a song on The Blueprint that was cut and tossed on here, but I could (and probably am) wrong). Jay doesn't really sound inspired on the first verse, as if he's reluctantly spitting. I like Kanye's verse. Then J. Ivy jumps on and begins spitting a spoken-word poem, one which is fucking awesome, and one I actually enjoy better without the beat. Then Jay's possibly-tacked-on-verse is next, which he actually sounds interested, probably because he wanted it on his own album...?

9. Get 'Em High (feat. Talib Kweli & Common)
Produced by Kanye West
This makes four great songs in a row now. Kanye brings what some would call a conscious hip-hop dream team along with him. Talib's verse is great, while Common's is a bit... startling? Not really the best word, but it doesn't matter, what I'm trying to say is Common rhymes slow compared to Kanye and Talib. Still good though, just a bit awkward...

10. Workout Plan
A skit designed to lead us into this next song...

11. The New Workout Plan
Produced by Kanye West
This song is really, really weird. It was the final single, and also had a remix featuring Twista and Fonsworth Bentley (wasn't he supposed to release an album?). I used to like this two years ago, however, nowadays, I'm not feeling it... However... "rode a plane, rode a plane, rode a plane."

12. Slow Jamz (feat. Twista & Jamie Foxx)
Produced by Kanye West
Really a Twista song, but since it went #1 on the charts, Kanye decided to put it on his album (and make it nearly two minutes longer) to help bump up the sales. Did it work? Probably. Aisha Tyler makes an appearance when she and Kanye both introduce Twista's first verse, by making it appear as if Kanye's fucking Aisha, only to give her over to Twista. Is it weird? Yes. This also makes me realize, I can't fucking understand Twista, unless I read lyrics while listening to the song... ANYWAY. This is a good song.... yeah.

13. Breathe In, Breathe Out (feat. Ludacris)
Produced by Kanye West
For whatever reason, Ludacris hops on the track to the chorus. This is presumably to entice buyers into thinking it was Stand Up 2: Stand Harder. Back when I first listened to this, I was a big fan of Luda, and this song just pissed me off. All in all, this is a really boring song.

14. School Spirit Skit 1
Boring skit.

15. School Spirit
Produced by Kanye West
A meh track. I was interested when I noticed the first two lines are repeated by T-Pain in "Good Life" off Graudation. But... meh.

16. School Spirit Skit 2
See track #14.

17. Lil' Jimmy Skit
Two skits in a row? What the fuck?

18. Two Words (feat. Mos Def, Freeway, & The Harlem Boys Choir)
Produced by Kanye West
An interesting concept. Sounds pretty good. Probably one of my favorites on the album. Anyway... that's all I have to say.

19. Through the Wire
Produced by Kanye West
The first single, spit through a wired jaw. It's a good song, but compared to other songs on the album... no, no.

20. Family Business
Produced by Kanye West
I really like this song. No idea why, but it's one of my favorite on the entire album.

21. Last Call
Produced by Kanye West & Evidence
Did you see that? A song that isn't 100% produced by Kanye! SHOCKING! Evidence would obviously be the Evidence from Dilated Peoples, but, anyway. Kanye spits a quick verse, followed by a longer one, which I feel that I've heard before (probably because they've been used on mixtapes). Then Kanye decides to put the length of this track up to near 13 minutes with a LONG fucking outro that you'll probably skip (I know I did).

CONCLUSION: A good album, one that NEEDED to be a good. If it wasn't, then Roc-A-Fella probably would've cut it's costs and tried to convince Kanye to go back to being a producer, only. However, I feel Kanye topped this with Late Registration and (dare I say?) Graudation (yes, I said it). I suggest you go buy this in an effort to convince Kanye to go back to rapping and leave autotune (even though, I do like 808s & Heartbreak).

One more post coming tonight. Next review coming tomorrow (or tonight if I'm bored).

Track Reviews #1: Crooked I, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Royce da 5'9", & 2Pac

Introducing the first of several "gimmick" posts, I'll have, I'm introducing Track Reviews. Yes, I know. Very creative name, right? Basically, what I'll be doing here is reviewing random tracks that came out in the past week/24 hours. This one is based around the tracks that came out today, since a lot of shit dropped. We have two Crooked I tracks, the first Jay-Z single, a Kid Cudi joint, a Royce joint, and fifteen unreleased Pac tracks (I only have two).

Let's go in...

Crooked I - 8-11
Crooked jumps on 50 Cent's "Ok, You're Right" (produced by Dr. Dre). At the beginning, Crooked talks about installing a studio on the tour bus to release a track every week (Hip Hop Weekly: Part 2?). As Slaughterhouse fans know, the title is obviously a reference to the Slaughterhouse debut (an album I'm gonna cop and one you need to). In the middle of the song, the beat stops and all you hear is a siren, while Crooked references the short-lived Slaughterhouse/Inspectah Deck feud that went on for a minute. The beat starts back up and Crook goes back in. A really good track, got me looking forward to Slaughterhouse's debut and to the possible Hip Hop Weekly 2.

Crooked I - 8-11 (Pt. 2)
So, I had just finished up the first edition of Track Reviews when I decided to hop on NahRight to make sure I got everything. Turns out, I didn't. 14 more unreleased Pac joints are out there, plus Crooked I released a second 8-11, this time over a local producer called Qwest. One thing I noticed immediately was "The House of the Rising Sun" sample which is pretty prevelent through the whole song. The beat's more mellow than "Ok, You're Right," which is actually better. I think part 2 is better than the original. "I just sit and watch the internet ride rapper's dicks, giving 'em five stars, I kill 'em in five bars." Best line. Once again, Slaughterhouse drops August 11th. Cop it.

Jay-Z - Run This Town (feat. Rihanna & Kanye West)
Produced by Kanye, this is the first REAL single from The Blueprint 3, replacing "Off That" with Drake. This is one I've been waiting for, a Jay/Kanye collabo on a Jay album (not counting "The Bounce," which sucked). Rihanna's on the hook and sounds good. This along with "D.O.A." really has me looking forward to The Blueprint 3. I've heard Kanye and Rihanna refered to as Jay's little bro and little sis respectively and I actually agree with that. I've also heard a lot of people claiming Kanye was better than Jay on this song. I'd say that's true, but Jay wasn't bad himself. The Blueprint 3 drops September 11th.

Kid Cudi - Call Me Moon Man
An unreleased Cudi joint, one that I'm not exactly sure is going to be on Man on the Moon, but that won't stop by from looking forward to it. September's looking good, Raekwon, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, Megadeth, Dethklok (yes, I'm gonna be reviewing metal. Yayz?) This joint's like Mr. Solo Dolo and Day 'N' Nite, it's not your typical hip-hop song, but it's great. September 15th.

Royce da 5'9" - 8-11
Royce joins Crooked in releasing a track dedicated to hype up the Slaughterhouse debut. I have no idea what beat Royce is on, or even if he's on one, since the beginning features a woman singing "8-11... all must fall." Royce is my favorite out of Slaughterhouse, looking forward to the Street Hop album he's putting out this year (6 Premier joints). I actually prefer this to Crook's joint.

2Pac - Changed Man (feat. Big Syke & Nate Dogg)
I have no idea where this song is from or if it's unreleased as I picked it up when Ivan from Hip Hop Is Read linked me to it on Twitter. Anyway, I still don't like Big Syke. Never have, never will. Nate Dogg on the other hand, he's awesome. Tops everyone in the hook department. 2Pac sounds good, which he always did.

2Pac - If There's a Cure (I Don't Want It) (feat. Snoop Dogg)
I also got this from Ivan on Twitter. I prefer it to Changed Man. Whenever Snoop and Pac are on the same track, you know it's gonna be good (e.g., 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted). And, also, according to NahRight, 14 other unreleased Pac tracks leaked today (which I can't get, since it's on zshare).

There we go. If anything noteworthy drops tonight (like Joe and Joell's version of 8-11... maybe...?) I'll update it. Next review probably coming later tonight... depends, I'm on a roll at the moment.

Nas - Illmatic (April 19, 1994)

Nas - Illmatic

And so we begin Kyle Collins Reviews His Music with my favorite hip-hop album of all-time.

Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (who thankfully shortened his stage name down to Nas) dropped his debut album on April 19th, 1994. This album has been debated as not only one of the greatest hip-hop albums, but also one of the greatest albums... ever.

Born in Long Island City, Queens to father jazz trumpeter Olu Dara and mother Fannie Ann Jones. He made his debut on Main Source's "Live at the Barbecue" (off their Breaking Atoms, an equally influential album). He then dropped his first single, "Halftime," albeit under the moniker Nasty Nas. However, it took Nas a year and a quarter to drop his second single, "It Ain't Hard to Tell." Both singles were produced by Large Professor, the producer of "Live at the Barbecue."

Illmatic not only features production by Large Professor (who supplies three tracks, the two above, and "One Time 4 Your Mind"). Oh, no (also the name of a great producer, but I digress...), Nas snagged Pete Rock ("The World is Yours"), Q-Tip ("One Love"), L.E.S. ("Life's a Bitch"), and my favorite producer, DJ Premier ("N.Y. State of Mind," "Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)", "Represent").

Oh, and he has one guest (not counting Q-Tip's chorus) on the album (AZ, oh, and this one song pretty much made his fucking career). ONE GUEST VERSE. If Illmatic were released today, Nas would be contractually obliged to have an 18 track album (3 skits), and only about 5 to himself, the rest would feature label mates and other artists on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Plus every other third track would be a feature heavy track with T-Pain, Akon, The-Dream, or whoever the new popular guy to get for a hook is. Anyway, I'm ranting here... Shall we get on to the album?

We shall.

1. The Genesis
A typical album intro. Boring and unintersting, except for the fact "Live at the Barbecue" is playing in background... which on second thought... still isn't that interesting.

2. N.Y. State of Mind
Produced by DJ Premier
DJ Premier lays down an awesome beat that, combined with Nas's awesome lyrics, helps create a very... very epic song. However, you've heard this before (granted, you've probably heard this entire album before, and if not, put down the fucking Soulja Boy album and buy this shit.)

3. Life's a Bitch (feat. AZ)
Produced by L.E.S.
Nas's dad (Olu Dara) plays cornet on this. It leads off with the only guest verse on the entire album, one which made the career of AZ (didn't I just say this?). And then Nas comes with his verse... and then the chorus repeats... and then we fade out to Olu Dara's cornet. And L.E.S. solidifies his spot as "random Nas associated producer."

4. The World is Yours
Produced by Pete Rock
The only Pete Rock production on the album. Also known in the Collins household as "that fucking awesome song that Jay-Z sampled for that other fucking awesome song (Dead Presidents II) that pretty much started that fucking intense feud between the two." However, that could just be a regional thing... oh, and the title's referencing Scarface, but you know that... right?

5. Halftime
Produced by Large Professor
Look, kids, it's the first appearance of Large Professor on the album! Also the first single Nasir ever dropped (once again, didn't I just say these things?) Not as good as some of the songs on here, but still fucking AGES above the shit on the radio today. Warning, my distaste for the shit on the radio will be a theme throughout this blog.

6. Memory Lane (Sittin' in da Park)
Produced by DJ Premier
Premo's second beat. I'd give this track review a couple lines, but I think it can be summed up in one sentence: I love this fucking song.

7. One Love (feat. Q-Tip)
Produced by Q-Tip
Q-Tip of some group called A Tribe Called Quest (kidding... please don't hurt me) provides the beat and the chorus to a song composed of Nas penning letters to his incarcerated friend. The chorus is quick, just Tip repeating "one love" a couple times, before Nas gets right back into the verses. The third verse... is insane.

8. One Time 4 Your Mind
Produced by Large Professor
Large Professor's one contribution that wasn't released as a single. Nas pretty much describes what he does when he's chilling. That and then he and Large Pro do a call-and-response chorus. Probably the weakest song on here, but to quote myself from above...

Not as good as some of the songs on here, but still fucking AGES above the shit on the radio today.

9. Represent
Produced by DJ Premier
Premier's final beat. This song is fucking awesome. Also contains the "pullin' the Tec out the dresser" that Jay-Z decided to criticize on The Takeover... just a random fact for you... pretty much to make the track review look bigger in context... I think I can mvoe on now.

10. It Ain't Hard to Tell
Produced by Large Professor
Large Pro samples Michael Jackson (RIP)'s "Human Nature" (a fucking great track) for the final track of the album. No real chorus here, Nas just steps away from the mic and let's the beat play out before he comes back with the verses. Definitely the best track out of the three Large Professor-produced songs on here.

CONCLUSION: This album is amazing. There's not a weak track on here, even the weakest track on here is amazing. There's a reason this album is my favorite (and no, it's not 'cause I have shitty taste, you douche). It holds up, even after 15 years. If you don't have it, which you probably do, I suggest you run down to the nearest store that sells music (skip Wal-Mart though... fuck them) AND BUY THIS SHIT. And then ask yourself, "Why the hell didn't I get this earlier?"

Did I say "a week" in the intro, oh, sorry, I meant a couple hours. I'm usually much more procrastinative (that's not a word, but fuck it).

Next review coming tomorrow (actually later today)... hopefully, that is. Just because I did this one immediately doesn't mean my problem with procrastination is gone (neither does it mean my problem with herpes is gone... actually, wait, nevermind, you didn't hear that.)

Peace.

The Intro.

Why is this blog here? For random reasons, I have decided to create a blog where I will write about music, giving it a review. Will you agree with all my opinions? Hopefully. Do I care? No. Will I cry if you insult me in the comments? Yes.

So that means get to insultin'... you know, once I begin posting and shit.

First review will hopefully be up within a week.