Big Pun "Yeeeah Baby!" (The Source, 2000)

Imagine the puzzle faced by a larger cat--slightly heavier than the average entertainer--tryin' to make a name in hip-hop. If you're one of the Fat Boys, you make light of your size, using your music as a way to run one long-ass joke about your weight. If you're Biggie or Fat Joe, you come with the raw, ice grillin' any and everybody who might even think about crackin' a "fat" joke. But what do you do when you're not only one of the sickest MCs in the history of the sport, you also happen to be a genuinely funny mu'fucka? Before he left to join our fallen heroes, Big Pun gave us the answer in the form of the latest, and sadly, his final album, Yeeeah Baby! As the re-up to 1998's Capital Punishment, the portly Puerto Rock's last haymaker at the world offers an even more in-depth peep inside the heart and soul of a man in constant struggle with himself. But don't get it fucked up. Like on... Punishment, you won't hear Big Pun feelin' sorry for himself on this album. Instead, you'll get a backstage pass to the all-out jam that was Pun's personality: street-wise, intellectually sharp, sex-crazed--and funny as all hell. The album's intro, straight outta late-night shock TV, features Lord Sear (R.I.P., of Stretch & Bobbito fame) playing a Dr. Frankenstein-type who's puttin' the finishing touches on his latest creation: The Punisher, the ultimate MC genetically engineered from equal parts Kane, G Rap and, believe it or not, Eddie Murphy. From there, Yeeeah Baby! unfolds like a road-map, guiding travelers in finding more and more ways to laugh at the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of life. "It's So Hard," the Donnell Jones duet y'all have been hearin' blowin' up your radios, contains just the right mix of yin and yang that made Pun, like B.I.G. before him, so popular. And when Pun proclaims that after losing a hundred pounds, he's "ready to live," you'll fight back a tear while crackin' a smile, knowing that he lived his tragically short life to the fullest. Cont'd below...

For those of y'all dirty-fingernail types, who've been hittin' the rewind button since "Dream Shatterer," check "Leather Face," which has been makin' the mixtape and club rounds since late January, along with "Off With His Head," featuring Prospect, "We Don't Care," with Cuban and "The Wrong Ones," on which TS newcomer Sunkiss helps Pun blow some steam. And just in case all the "Latino explosion," backlash made you think he would tone down his ethnic pride, the salsa-stained "100%," featuring Tony Sunshine, will have you paradin' up Fifth Avenue with damn near every proud Puerto Rican in the New York metro area come summa'time. From straight gangsta cuts like "You Was Wrong," with fellow BX battlecat Drag-On, and "Watch Those" to hilarious stabs like "My Dick," "Laughing At You" and "N!gga Shit," Big Punisher's last hurrah testifies his penchant for the punch line. Not so much the "clincher," as in "joke," but rather the witty, "one up on that ass" remarks from someone who has had his share of life--and gone back for the free refills. Ultimately, Yeeeah Baby! will be judged more for the unfortunate circumstances surrounding its release than for its collection of true-to-form hip-hop moments. Heads, however, will realize--or recognize, if they aren't already die-hard fans--that Big Pun was a master of his craft. And as for those pop-hungry neophytes who never would've thought to pick up on his music before his death, I'd bet all the unmarked bills in your favorite radio station's stash-box that Pun is lookin' at y'all right now--laughin' his muthafuckin' ass off. - The Source, 2000. Rest In Peace to Christopher "Big Pun" Rios.

 

Here's the Loud Records commercial for the release of Yeeeah Baby!

DL Presents: DJ Crossphader "The Basement Experience" (Mixtape, 2000)

Here's another gem from 2000: DL Presents: DJ Crossphader "The Basement Experience." This 2-cassette-only mixtape was released on Phono Synthetic Productions, which was co-founded by DL and HB, both hosts of The Basement; a college radio show on WUSB 90.1FM at Stony Brook University. Like previous mixes, they captured the essence of the indie "backpack" scene at the time and their tapes were highly sought after. Just some of the many lyricists included are: Common, Ran Reed, Reflection Eternal, De La Soul, Large Professor, Mass Influence, Dilated Peoples, Slum Village, L-Fudge, Freddie Foxxx, Jigmastas, J-Live, Cella Dwellas, Pharoahe Monch, Masta Ace, Screwball, Mad Skillz, Rascalz, and lots more. Other projects released on the label include "The Time Has Come," "Another L.I. Groove," "What's Next On The Menu?", "A Long Rhyme Coming" and more - some of which have already been posted/discussed. Another perfect time capsule, dig into this mix below...

If you're interested, below is the full tracklist for both cassettes. Enjoy!

Ghostface Killah "Supreme Clientele" (25th Ann. Mix by DJ Filthy Rich)

Toronto's DJ Filthy Rich blesses us yet again with an anniversary mix. Ghostface Killah's classic Supreme Clientele turns 25 and Filthy Rich celebrates it in proper style, breaking down its original soulful samples and crafting dope blends for this fine mix. Supreme Clientele was arguably the best album (or most acclaimed) in the second round of Wu-Tang Clan solo releases, and featured the most contributions from RZA at the time. AllMusic shares, "Ghostface Killah had avoided the sophomore slump experienced by other Wu-Tang Clan members' second solo releases with Supreme Clientele, which "proves Ghost's worthiness of the Ironman moniker by deftly overcoming trendiness to produce an authentic sound in hip-hop's age of bland parity" and "is a step toward the Wu-Tang's ascent from the ashes of their fallen kingdom." Tap into Filthy Rich paying tribute to a classic below...

Big L "The Big Picture" (August 1, 2000)

In recent years, hip hop fans have become all too familiar with the once inconceivable idea of posthumous album. In many ways, Big L was to the underground what Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur were to the mainstream -- a fan favorite as well as an icon. Although his 1995 debut, Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous, lacked focus and dimension, his talent was evident. Over the next several years, L honed his writing and began to release songs, like 1998's "Ebonics," that truly reflected his cleverness and relentless flow. But when he was tragically murdered in 1999, it looked like his gifts would never be fully displayed. Fortunately, Rawkus has pieced together a collection of Big L's previously released classics and unheard new material, Born Again-style, as a final testament to his legacy. Featuring highlights like "Flamboyant," the Mike Heron-produced future classic, The Big Picture truly captures L's energy and rhythm. No matter what the beat, he remains in the pocket like wallets and car keys. Problems arise only on "Holdin' It Down": Despite Pete Rock's hot track, L's lyrics are poorly synced, and, consequently, painfully offbeat at times. Thankfully, the majority of the disc--which boasts such unlikely guests as Tupac, Big Daddy Kane, and Sadat X--shows L at his best. The Big Picture proves once again why he was the Most Valuable Poet on the M-I-C. - Vibe Magazine (October, 2000). Dig into the archives for more about this album and Big L. Rest In Peace.

The full review in Vibe is below. Rest In Peace, Big L. 

Slum Village "Fantastic Vol.II" (June 13, 2000)

Imagine performing a big Los Angeles gig and realizing that so many people in the audience know your lyrics because they've bought bootlegs of your unreleased tracks. Such was the bittersweet epiphany for Detroit's Slum Village at a recent House of Blues gig. Rapper T3 recalls his mixed feelings. To know so many people appreciated his music was nice, but to know that record label struggles were keeping him from a wider audience and, of course, personal profit, was not. The buzz around the decade-old group first began in the mid-90s, when member Jay Dee passed Q-Tip a tape of his tracks backstage at a show. This led to work on A Tribe Called Quest's Beats, Rhymes & Life, and brought together Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Dee as The Ummah production team. Dee's resume filled out with De La Soul's "Stakes Is High," Busta Rhymes's "Woo-Hah" and several tracks by Common. "Jay Dee goes through phases," says T3. "He doesn't do one style. The Common joint is funk and soul. The Q-Tip joint is like techno. Different producers have one set style--with Jay Dee, you don't know." The thread that joins all of Dee's work, including his Slum Village production, is an appreciation of realistic, stripped drum patterns that may sound simple, but are complex in texture and process. The trio signed with A&M in '98 just before the subsidiary label was phased out during the Universal merger. In the meantime, the influence of Baatin and T3's unorthodox delivery--bouncy cadences that often stutter-step and defy traditional rhythms--was cropping up in the throats of their peers, including Tip and Common. How does it feel to hear your influence on seasoned artists when your debut hasn't been released? "We're all a big family," reasons T3. "It'd be different if he was someone we didn't know." And now that Slum Village's Fantastic Vol.II (Good Vibe-Atomic Pop-Barak/Virgin) is dropping, there's a chance for the group to be more than just a Motor City wheel in the underground machine. - CMJ New Music Monthly (July, 2000). Dig in!

Slum Village's Fantastic Vol.II is a project you can always come back to!

Big Pun "Yeeeah Baby" (4/04/00)

Christopher “Big Pun” Rios passed away just shy of two months before the release and anticipated success of his sophomore LP, Yeeeah Baby, which came on the heels of his debut album, Capital Punishment. With appearances from the entire Terror Squad and executive production by the Terror Squad general Fat Joe, the 16-track album showed Pun’s acute diversity not only in his lyricism but his approach to song-making, which yielded some of the most memorable songs of his career. Because of Big Pun’s extreme obesity, the album took longer to record since his breathing problems couldn’t permit him to freely spit his custom, rapid-fire flow. Some of the LP’s favorites are the Puerto Rican anthem “100%” with Terror Squad crooner Tony Sunshine on the hook, “New York Giants” featuring M.O.P., “Ms. Martin”, an ode to his protege Remy Ma and the touching single “It’s So Hard” featuring Donnell Jones. Salute to Big Pun, Pun Jr. and the entire Terror Squad for this unparalleled piece of Hip Hop History! - The Source. While not a classic like his debut, Capital Punishment, this posthumous album did celebrate his greatness in terms of flow and delivery, as well as charisma and comedic personality. Revisit Pun's Yeeeah Baby below, and also check out the official Loud Records commercial HERE. R.I.P., Big Pun! I wish we had more music from this lyrical GIANT.

The rhyming ability and personality of Big Pun are sorely missed today.

Ghostface Killah "Supreme Clientele" (Feb. 8, 2000)

After the great Wu-Tang creative storm of 1999 was greeted with weak album sales and critical jeers, many were doubtful that the Clan Empire would be able to recover from the blow. Supreme Clientele not only eclipses the majority of recent Wu-related releases in terms of sheer hunger and in-your-face creativity, it marks a renewed sense of unification and strength within the Wu World Order. While the album's production credits go to such non-family members as Beatnut Juju, Carlos "Six July" Broady and the UMC's Hassan, all of its tracks were arranged by Ghostface and Wu sound-sensei RZA, giving the album a strong sense of focus. Beat-wise, the grooves harken back to the dungeon-raw Shaolin style of the Clan's mid-'90s prime, interwoven with early '70s soul orchestration, acid-rock guitar lines and thunderous bass loops. Lyrically, the Ironman's trademark rapid-fire cadence and vivid wordplay are as sharp as ever, particularly on the relentlessly gritty "Might Healthy" and on future-classic posse cuts such as "Buck 50," which features Method Man, Masta Killa, Cappadonna, and Redman. Supreme Clientele was well worth the wait, and a solid reminder as to why Ghostface's voice is the first one you hear on the Clan's inimitable debut. - CMJ New Music Monthly (February, 2000). Ghostface was razor sharp on this one. Revisit the LP below..

A copy of the February 21, 2000 review in CMJ New Music Report...

Nature "For All Season" (2000 + HBD, Nature!)

I've already posted the press kit for Nature's gem of an album, For All Seasons, as well as his original Next feature in Vibe, and two volumes of the Queens Classics mixtape series. But, today -- on Nature's born day -- I'm diggin' back, once again, to 2000's For All Seasons. I remember I was traveling from Queens on the LIRR (Woodside line - after 2 buses) out to Nassau, Long Island to college - I'd get off at Hempstead and take the bus or walk from the Westbury line, which was a HIKE! I specifically remember packing Nature's For All Seasons and LL Cool J's G.O.A.T., which I think were released about a week apart, and I ran those projects (among others) that fall semester of college traveling back and forth. Nature was 50 Cent before 50 Cent, yet he obviously never reached the highest of heights that 50 did. He came up in the mixtape scene, had the industry ablaze with crazy records, freestyles; a ton of classic features and so on, landing him a solo deal to release the long-awaited album on Columbia Records (home of Nas). My favorite joints off the album were "Man's World," "We Ain't Friends," "The Ultimate High" with Nas, "Young Love", "Nature's Shine" and "I Don't Give a Fuck" - oh, and "Young Love," too. It had joints, perhaps not the critically acclaimed release, but it did have joints! The Queens Classics mixes fill in all the gaps, minus "If I Ain't a Thug," which I'm still trying to get my hands on! Critics labeled the album as an uninspired effort that lacked hooks and content-driven lyrics, but like today, I still go back to it from time to time. If you were outside -- especially in Queens -- you remember what a threat Nature was on a track in that timeframe. So, Happy Born Day, Nature! Dig back in For All Seasons, streaming below...

Don't forget to dig into the archives for more...

Prodigy "H.N.I.C." (November 14, 2000)

A consistent MC, Prodigy builds on his previous work, defies audience expectations, and steadily increases his fan base with each accomplishment. His solo debut, H.N.I.C. (Head N!gga In Charge), introduces listeners to a side of him that isn't always rocking Mobb Deep's tried-and-true gun-blast formula. As a result, H.N.I.C. stands as a slight departure and a vivid portrait of P as an artist. H.N.I.C. is an invitation into the happy, sad, and violent world of P's life. On "Veteran's Memorial," he offers a sobering reflection of his early days, when he and his fellow Mobbster, Havoc, would record demos and shop record deals. Instead of another "listen to my demo" routine, he includes details about the many friends who have died and aren't here to see him shine. Prodigy addresses familiar Mobb topics on "Lumbar Support" and "Y.B.E." (feat. Twin and B.G.) but from a different angle. He expresses sadness at the thought of young black men choosing to earn money through illicit means and blows holes in the theory of "survival crimes" along the way. The most personal track, "You Can Never Feel My Pain," offers a candid discussion of his struggle with sickle cell anemia. After describing his love-hate relationship with the prescription drugs that keep him alive and lamenting about his inability to engage in sports, he tells his rap peers that their complaints about money and living in the projects can't match his more severe, life-threatening problems. Cont'd below, revisit...



Between thought-provoking meditations on life and art, P squeezes in a few of the hardcore club bangers that keep him paid. "3," featuring Cormega, opens with a booming orchestra that fades into lustrous harp crescendos; the hyper-tense title track sounds like an action-movie theme. Then there's "What U Rep," on which he and Noreaga team up over an ill harpsichord to humiliate peers with lines like: "Queens n!ggas like to shoot / Ain't afraid to fight / While you n!ggas wear Pampers / Like the cradle tight." Producers such as Havoc, The Alchemist, EZ Elpee, and P himself give H.N.I.C. enough hard snare snaps and gloomy strings for the hardcore Mobb fans while redefining the formula with upbeat tracks and jumpy piano chords and samples. Overall, H.N.I.C. is an outstanding combination of diverse sounds and complex themes. As long as Prodigy is rapping, the bridge ain't over." - Vibe (December, 2000). Rest In Peace, Prodigy! LP is still not available to stream!

Jay-Z "The Dynasty: Roc La Familia" (October 31, 2000)

In the pantheon of street-cultural gods, the hustler is the bejeweled strategist, a ghetto politician who moves with the money and mommies — the cat who can hang with the thugs, high rollers, Los Angeles Bloods and Brooklyn gods with equal grace. And Jay-Z is his pop personification. Outside of Iceberg Slim, no one has offered a more detailed portrait of the hustler as a young man. Over the last four albums of his reign, Jay-Z has offered crime-born insights edged with a razor awareness of not only the dangers and angles of the streets but also the consequences of his actions — on himself, his family and his community. For every glamorous “Big Pimpin,” there is a document of his fear and loathing like “Streets Is Watching.” In return for his crimes, he gave us a window into the process of his evolution from hustler to pop phenom — all the while keeping count of his progress in diamonds, cars and bottles of Cristal. In his latest offering, the strangely titled The Dynasty Roc La Familia, Jay settles into a more natural role: that of the hustler-teacher. Sensing correctly that bling fatigue has set in, Jay steps away from the flash and floss of Volume 1, 2 and 3 and focuses on more weighty subject matter. La Familia is not without its pimping and posturing, but it is much more about family. On track after track, Jay confronts the new, unfamiliar demands of being a father figure with the same determined egoism and intelligence that he used while hustling in the streets of Brooklyn. “Soon You’ll Understand” finds Jay having to confront a young girl’s tears instead of rival drug dealers and FBI surveillance. There are unanswered questions and unresolved emotions. And throughout, Jay returns to a core theme. In an offhand moment, Jay calls to the father he hardly knew: “But I ain’t mad at you, Dad/Holla at your lad.” The production is as reflective as his lyrics: pulled back, less frenetic and more full-bodied than on his previous album, Volume 3 . . . Life and Times of S. Carter. La Familia is closer, in many ways, to his seminal 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt, and his pre-Timbaland days. Dynasty is Jay-Z working back toward his roots musically, all the while creating a solid foundation for the next generation.... - Rolling Stone. Listen...

You have truly created a Dynasty Like No Other...

Take It Personal Podcast "Ode to 2000"

In their latest episode, the T.I.P. crew takes it back... way back (ok, not that far) ... Back to the new millennium where hip-hop was thriving, the DIY backpack era started to fizzle, but the major labels swooped in and were plucking groups one by one. Collabos were in full effect and more noticeably than in years past, very cross-coast friendly. The independent game was coming off a stellar '99 with the release of Operation: Doomsday, but powerhouse labels like Interscope, Def Jam and MCA started to infiltrate and influence while changing landscape of hip-hop. OutKast released Stankonia. Eminem dropped he Marshall Mathers LP and the Wu came with the underwhelming The W. Each week we were force-fed videos by Black Eye Peas, Wyclef Jean, Jay-Z and Mystikal. 2000 was a pivotal time in music. The Rawkus dominance was slowly winding down and many of our favorite rappers starting yearning more and more for that commercial success, indirectly alienating their fan bases. Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre controlled much of the market and Dre's 2001 album, which released in 1999, made everyone rethink their production. No longer were the days of lo-fi beats or low-budget anything. Production had to be sonically rich, with heavy bass lines, strings, powerful synths and sporting soulful vocals. On episode 96, the crew plays some of their favorites that came out in the new millennium with music from Ghostface Killah, Xzibit, Dilated Peoples, Zion I, Blackalicious, Screwball and M.O.P. to name a few. At the break, they reminisce about 2000, The Spitkicker Tour, burning CDs off Napster and Limewire, Sega Dreamcast and select their sleeper albums of the year. All that and a whole lot more, dig into Episode 96 of the Take It Personal Radio podcast below...

Reflection Eternal "Train of Thought" (October 17, 2000)

Anyone familiar with Talib Kweli's impressive raps with Mos Def on the 1998 Black Star album might consider taking a deep breath before facing this semi-solo project. Like so many others in the fertile hip-hop underground, Black Star put words with a stark seriousness, measuring their flow and message with such minute precision it was no wonder they kept the beats solid but simple. It focused your attention on their small corner of the street. But, as Kweli says, he's not out for the street now, but for all the folks in it. From the Nelson Mandela impersonator who kicks things off by announcing that he always listen to Kweli "whenever I'm in Africa chilling out," to the heartrending closing tribute "For Women," this tremendously ambitious album consistently balances serious depth with serious cheekiness. Moreover, DJ Hi-Tek earns his equal billing with beats both rough and lush that bust Kweli out of the underground and into hip-hop's center stage. Not too long ago, that center was a no-man's land, but now Kweli joins De La Soul, Blackalicious, LL Cool J, Common, Jurassic-5 and all the others who have made 2000 the year the fellas got their groove back. Together, they'll help us all learn to exhale. - CMJ New Music Monthly (12/00). Revisit below...

Promo sticker and album review in CMJ (December, 2000)

Phife Dawg "Ventilation: Da LP" (September 26, 2000)

With Q-Tip already an established star and Ali Shaheed Muhammad scoring gold with his first post-A Tribe Called Quest project, Lucy Pearl, it's now Phife Dawg's turn to show and prove all by his lonesome. With Ventilation: Da LP, the five-foot assassin establishes himself as a streetwise iconoclast capable of mind-boggling vocal gymnastics. The album opens with a brief acoustic-guitar ditty that will make heads worry that Phife has gone soft--but only for about 45 seconds. A lyrical pyrotechnician, Phife wields the mike like a flamethrower, scorching listeners with hectic rhyme schemes that morph from one flow to another with true virtuosity. He tries on rap styles like most MCs try on sneakers, switching from the staccato assault of "Lemme Find Out" (featuring Pete Rock) to a singsongy old-school lilt on the unapologetically horny disco-flavored single "Ben Dova." On the album's best cut, "Alphabet Soup," Phife recalls the glory days of the Native Tongues but injects a harder edge. On "Beats, Rhymes & Phife," he looks back on growing up in a West Indian household in Queens, N.Y., and demonstrates that special mix of humor and intelligence that made Tribe famous. - Vibe (December, 2000). MTV deemed Phife's album "brilliant but ignored" ... don't make the same mistake! Revisit it below with production from Hi-Tek, Pete Rock, J Dilla (R.I.P.), Fredwreck and more.

Man, Phife Dawg is surely missed in Hip-Hop. Rest In Peace, 5-foot assassin...

Cam'ron "S.D.E." (September 19, 2000)

The only way to win the game is to play to your strengths. This is a life lesson we all learn sooner or later. Uptown representative Cam'ron learned it the hard way with his sugarcoated debut, Confessions of Fire, a watered-down CD of trite, radio-friendly songs like "Horse and Carriage." The album met with a mixed response, but one thing was clear: Cam's at his best when he gives it to you raw and uncut. Thankfully, he has finally taken control: He has severed ties with the commercially minded Untertainment and has made a rugged album that showcases his potential. On Sports, Drugs, and Entertainment, Cam employs harder-edged beats as a backdrop for his witty wordplay and cynical worldview. "That's Me" cleverly states, "Imagine me wake up 7:30 for work / I'd rather run the streets 730 with work." It's his sharp sense of humor that separates Cam from the rest. He effortlessly mixes bitter sarcasm with poignant thoughtfulness on songs such as the autobiographical title track. Thought it's likely that, at his pace, Cam will outdo himself on the next go-round, this album is a good indication that he's mastering the game. - Vibe (September, 2000). 

Full review in Vibe Magazine by Noah Callahan-Bever (Sept. 2000)...

Eminem "The Marshall Mathers LP" (May 23, 2000)

Eminem’s 1999 triple-platinum major-label debut, The Slim Shady LP, was a shot in hip-hop’s arm, the grand entrance of a hurricane dressed as a Detroit kid with major-league skills and a potential mental disorder. This time out, he’s more funny and much more scary. On The Marshall Mathers LP he hits you with the lyrical complexity and detailed narratives of Biggie, the hilarious, is-he-kidding-or-not button-pushing of Howard Stern, the disaffected angry-white-boy-ness of Fight Club and the fearless, kill-me-if-you-can energy of Tupac. He has a macabre imagination to rival Satan’s and an incredible ability to create new rhyme patterns. He has a frightening proclivity to spit venom one moment and humor the next, and a never-ending slew of jaw-dropping punch lines.... Expect, during this summer of Shady, to hear Marshall Mathers following you around the hip-hop nation, flowing from boomboxes, trucks and lips the same way Dre’s The Chronic, Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... and B.I.G.’s Life After Death once did. You may find Eminem popping out of your own mouth, because he’s the most quotable MC alive, both consistently funny and ridiculously far over the top. He rarely uses the same rhyme pattern twice, and he changes his vocal style again and again on Marshall Mathers, often in the space of one verse — he uses six different voices in one stretch of “Criminal.” Dr. Dre and partner-of-late Mel-Man produced much of the album, while Eminem and his Detroit crew, F.B.T., handled most of the rest. The sound shifts between slick, bright, melodic funk that’s so R&B-ish, you can dance to it (“Who Knew,” “The Real Slimy Shady”) and slow, driving, outrageous-bass hardcore raw hip-hop made for cruising (“Amityville,” “I’m Back”). Seven years after The Chronic and fourteen after the dawn of N.W.A, Dre is that legendary coach taking a third different team to a national title, still making your head hurt from all the nodding, still crazy dope after all these years.... The Marshall Mathers LP is a car-crash record: loud, wild, dangerous, out of control, grotesque, unsettling. It’s also impossible to pull your ears away from. - Rolling Stone, 2000.

Is The Marshall Mathers LP his best album to date?

Black Rob "Life Story" (March 7, 2000)

"The last man standing in the Bad Boy camp completely transcends the stigma of being Puff Daddy's "next big thing" on his long-awaited full-length album, Life Story. In addition to the quintessential street-jam "Whoa!," some of the album's highlights include "Lookin' At Us" (with Goodie Mob's Cee-Lo), the killer "Thug Story" and "Spanish Fly," which features Jennifer Lopez," says CMJ in March, 2000. Vibe Magazine declared that "Whoa!" was the Best Single in their 2001 Vibe of the Year, adding "By the beginning of 2000, with the dirty South bouncing at its heels, Bad Boy's tenuous reign as hip-hop's star-making machine appeared to be over. Then Black Rob dropped "Whoa!," a roughneck club banger with a slick hook that burned through the floss and hater checking that had been choking the house of Puff. With one smash single, Bad Boy resurrected itself and reminded everyone that it still reps for the streets." Black Rob's Life Story sold 177,000 copies within its first week of release; later held the No.3 spot on Billboard's Top 200, and No.1 on its Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album came late in Bad Boy's run, so some might have mistakenly overlooked this gem of an album. If you dig into the archives you'll find a Freestyles EP that was run as promo of Black Rob rapping over some familiar beats like "Who's Got Da Props" and "Children's Story," and don't forget "I Dare You," which was a bonus cut on Life Story but was originally included on the Slam soundtrack in 1998. "Jasmine" was my joint, lowkey, too! Revisit Black Rob's Life Story below...

Below is the full single review for "Whoa!" in Vibe + the back of the 12" poster...

Ghostface Killah "Supreme Clientele" (February 8, 2000)

It seems like an eternity since Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah certified himself as a superior MC--kicking lyrics of steel on Raekwon's sleeper classic, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (Loud, 1995), and his own CD, the bulletproof Ironman (Razor Sharp/Epic, 1996). But mixed reviews of recent solo offerings from clan members GZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and Rae have some doubters whispering their speculation of Wu's demise. Fortunately, like his laser-toting cartoon alter ego Tony Starks, Ghost saves the day with the naysayer-silencing Supreme Clientele. Championing the cause of Wu dominance, Supreme Clientele exemplifies Ghost's lyrical dexterity. While his thunderous light-speed delivery hasn't changed much, his jagged wordplay is at its zenith. One minute, he breaks down street-survival tactics on "We Made It"... then he takes you on a rough ride down memory lane as he reminisces about adolescent crushes on "Child's Day"... Then there are those Ghostface-isms we love. You know, the muddy treat, "One," where he brags about his "rhymes made of garlic." But it's this banger's luscious linguistics and potent production that support its claim of supremacy. Everybody will be catching Saturday-night fever when they hear "Cherchez LaGhost," Ghost's brilliant remake of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band's 1976's classic, "Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon." But for those of you used to those subterranean street-sweeping beats, "Buck 50," featuring Method Man, Redman, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna, is pure delight. - Vibe, '00.

Here's some additional promo + the full article in Vibe (April, 2000)...

The Lyricist Lounge Show (4 Episodes, 2000-2001)

The Lyricist Lounge Show combined traditional comedic skits with the breakthrough concept of lyrical sketches, an innovative convergence of hip-hop music and theatrical narratives. Farcical comedic sketches pushed the envelope of political correctness, while lyrical acts showcased the talent of the show's resident rappers, who performed humorous vignettes with rhyming dialogue and hip hop beats. The lyrical sketches featured a variety of hip hop artists such as Q-Tip, Mos Def, Cee-lo, Common, Tash, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Krayzie Bone, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, and a host of others. The ensemble cast of the series included rappers Wordsworth, Master Fuol, and Baby Power (aka BabeePower). All three were responsible for creating, writing, and producing the lyrical sketches. Marty Belafsky, Tracee Ellis Ross, Heather McDonald, Mike Ricca and Jordan Black formed the comedic side of the cast, each with their own original brand of humor. Due to high production costs and conflict between the show's producers and MTV, the show lasted for only two seasons. As Wordsworth, BabeePower, and Master Fuol rap on the theme song: "Welcome to the lyricist lounge show, it's rappin' and actin', laughin', clappin', lights, cameras, action, we're the first ones to ever place a sketch to a beat, it's the avenue the street where hip hop and comedy meet..." Props to AndyMan187 for uploading and sharing four random episodes of the show, check them out below...

Prodigy "H.N.I.C." (Press Kit, 11/14/00)

Prodigy put his lifetime in between the papers' lines. He's the quiet storm n!gga who fight rhymes. P, yeah, you heard of him, the haunting lead vocalist who, along with partner-in-rhyme, Havoc, propelled Mobb Deep to platinum heights. On his debut solo release, H.N.I.C. (Head N!gga In Charge), Prodigy of Mobb Deep unveils a slew of gems that takes listeners on a journey through life, death and the pains of living in this cruel world. Prodigy's distinctive off-beat/on-beat rhyme style has effectively made him one of the most respected emcees in hip-hop. He explains his writing process, "When I write rhymes I think about who is poppin' right now. I try to come with some other sh!t that nobody is saying or if they did I twist my sh!t, so it sounds different." By the age of 15, Prodigy, an art & design student at the prestigious Graphic Arts High School in Manhattan, was trading rhymes with classmate-turned-rhyme-partner, Havoc. In 1993, Prodigy and Havoc released Juvenile Hell on 4th-n-Broadway. In 1995, Mobb Deep signed with Loud Records and released their classic opus, The Infamous. This album became the unofficial Mobb Deep debut and spawned the underground gold single "Shook Ones".... Hell On Earth followed in 1996 and Murda Muzik in 1999.

Murda Muzik spawned another classic with "Quiet Storm" and then another with the remix featuring Lil' Kim. "Quiet Storm" was originally intended to be a track for Prodigy's solo album. Prodigy reminisces, "That song was actually supposed to be Noyd, Havoc, and me. But these n!ggas wanted to go party and left me in the studio.... I sat there all night and wrote the song. I was gonna save it for my solo album, so I could just hand in the album all done. But n!ggas was like you gotta put that on the Mobb album. I was like hell no, that's my solo sh!t." He refused for six months and ultimately put it on the Murda Muzik LP. The song calmly worked its way from underground mix-tape favorite to a groundbreaking classic within a few months. In the tradition of "Shook Ones" and "Quiet Storm," Prodigy comes equipped with one of the most powerful records this year and first single to be released from H.N.I.C, "Keep It Thoro." "That's my flippin' on the whole industry song," confesses P. "A n!gga get tight sometime cause he feels that n!ggas don't show respect when it's due. So I just had to do a song that said f#ck everybody." Produced by honorary Mobb Deep producer, Alchemist, this amplified gem is sure to work its way from the corner to the clubs in no time. Cont'd below...

Instead of avoiding personal matters such as the state of his health, Prodigy tackles his battle with sickle cell on the emotional "Never Feel My Pain." "I felt that sh!t needed to be put out. A lot of n!ggas come out with songs about pain, but I'm saying you have never felt my pain." Quickly killing any speculation of a Mobb Deep break-up, Prodigy explains why he decided to release a solo album, "Mobb Deep is still Hav and me; my solo album is just a whole different project we comin' out. Before we started doin' Murda Muzik, I decided to put out some solo sh!t, because I was writing so many rhymes." Prodigy continues, "At one time, Mobb Deep was coming out like every two years and there was a big gap in between with no music out. We decided to release H.N.I.C. to fill the gap between Murda Muzik and the next Mobb album so that Mobb is consistently in the public's eye. On H.N.I.C., fans get the chance to soak in the provocative thoughts of one of hip-hop's most prolific lyricists. - Press Kit. R.I.P., Prodigy! H.N.I.C. isn't on streaming platforms, I'll update when its back.