Gang Starr "Step In The Arena" (CMJ New Music Report, 1991)

Gang Starr Step In The Arena (Chrysalis, 645 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10022) -- It's been quite a turnaround this year for the Brooklyn-based duo known as Gang Starr. After a falling-out with their old label, Wild Pitch, the duo took their show on the road, made appearances on "Back To Back Rhyming" from Lord Finesse's LP and soon thereafter caught the attention of Spike Lee. That resulted in a collaboration with jazz saxophonist Brandford Marsalis on "Jazz Thing" from the Mo' Better Blues soundtrack and an eventual deal with Chrysalis. Their second LP, Step In The Arena, borrows the more stylistically sophisticated, classier samples of jazz, funk/soul and straight-up streetwise hip-hop. DJ Premier's extensive musical knowledge helps him to create sparse beats that rousingly mesh with distinctive samples, loops and scratches to create sharply enticing bass-lines which range from early Motown funk on "What You Want This Time?" to hypnotizing jazzy textures. Overall, his DJ work is the perfect backdrop of G.U.R.U.'s lyrics that promote the group's positive philosophy in "Street Ministry," "Say Your Prayers," "As I Read My S-A" and "Precisely The Right Rhymes." Gang Starr reminds us just how creative and boundless rap can be. Also experience: "Step In The Arena," "Form Of Intellect," "Execution Of A Chump," "Beyond Comprehension" and "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow." - CMJ New Music Report (January 11, 1991). Images: Hip Hop Connection.

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!

The Notorious B.I.G. "Life After Death" (3/25/97)

While his 1994 debut, Ready To Die, was a conceptual opus that provided insight on the rise of a Brooklyn drug dealer into the rap game, Notorious B.I.G.'s followup, Life After Death..., more fittingly focuses on the artistic growth of one of hip-hop's most controversial figures. This double album reveals what makes Biggie so appealing to a wide variety of music fans. Whether it's raunchy R&B-flavored songs like "F#ckin' You Tonight (with a guest appearance by R. Kelly), the thumping "Hypnotize" and the Vanity 6-inspired "Nasty Boy," or raw hip-hop gems like the DJ Premier-produced "Kick In The Door" and RZA of Wu-Tang Clan's masterpiece "Long Kiss Goodnight," Mr. Smalls continues to deliver hit after hit. A product and spokesman of the show-me-the-money generation, Big demonstrates that he'll do whatever it takes to make the cash. He'll make a record with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony ("Notorious Thugs"), collaborate with West Coast icon Too Short ("The World Is Filled") or even make his singing debut (the hilarious "Playahaters"), and make it all seem effortless and entertaining. It's hard to argue that Biggie Smalls is indeed the King of New York. And he's about to conquer the world. - CMJ New Music Monthly (May, 1997). The article captures the overall sense that Biggie was adept at all aspects of the game -- he made use of numerous styles, flows and sounds throughout this classic LP. He put his best foot forward in an argument he never had a chance to make... would he have excelled in current day hip-hop? That answer, I believe, is YES, because he already did it all in just too short LPs and before the age of 25. Rest In Peace, Biggie!

We'll Always Love Big Poppa...

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...

Mobb Deep "Hell On Earth" (November 19, 1996)

Queensbridge, New York's ice-pick-packing duo Mobb Deep (Havoc and Prodigy) has returned with a third album, Hell On Earth (Loud-RCA), that, believe it or not, is even darker than 1993's acclaimed Infamous. The raw elegance and jazzy-bop beats provided by A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip last time have been replaced by eerie, suspenseful bass lines and simplistic but jarring drum kicks, entirely self-produced. Grim tales like "Bloodsport," "Extortion," "Get Dealt With" and "Man Down" are violent narratives on the dangers of street life, detailed with the intense passion of young men who will do whatever it takes to survive in their troubled surroundings. This disc is not for the faint of heart... - CMJ New Music Monthly (January, 1997). I've posted the enhanced CD, press kits, album reviews and much more for this album. I regrettably didn't burn my copy of the album sampler before passing it off to someone else, that was a major oversight on my part. Either way, dig in the archives for a lot more and run this incredible winter album back, over... and over again. RIP, Prodigy!

The Infamous back in the house once again...

GZA/Genius "Liquid Swords" (November 7, 1995)

Genius/GZA (say "gizz-uh") is the fourth, and last, member of the mighty Wu-Tang Clan to demonstrate his talents in a solo format (not counting a poorly marketed pre-Wu-Tang album in the early '90s). But, like Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Raekwon's albums, these offshoots aren't typical solo records; Wu-Tang side projects never fly far from the nest. Each one, including Genius' Liquid Swords, is created with the same ingredients: rock-solid, devastatingly sparse beats and dirty hooks that infect like slow poison on the brain. It's all part of the Wu-Tang empire, which contains everything from its own line of merchandise to an amazing World Wide Web site. With all of the familiar earmarks in place, like tales about head-hunting Ninja warriors, GZA shows us his well-disciplined flow: it's unlike the double-edged rhymes of Raekwon, but more akin to Method Man's lyrical precision. "Labels" may be the most creative, as it incorporates nearly every rap label into the lyrics, while "Duel of the Iron Mic" is a lyrical showcase of Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, and others. Also be sure to hear Meth take over "Shadowboxin'." - CMJ New Music Monthly (February 1996). Still one of the greatest winter albums of all-time and some consider to be the greatest solo album from the Wu-Tang Clan... I'll leave that to y'all to debate (still). I share something from this album almost every year, so dig into the archives for rare press kits, promotional items (stickers, postcards, posters), + more! Revisit GZA's classic sophomore album, Liquid Swords, below...

"My Priority is that I'm First Priority..." - Labels.

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)

Big L "Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous" (3/28/95)

There is a small number of MCs who can keep you hanging on every syllable; Big L may soon be among them. L's lyrical wit, clarity and lethal one-liners have more lasting value than gold ingots on his debut Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous. He gives his mentor Lord Finesse the first shout-out on the album's opening cut, "Put It On," before delivering a tireless parade of hardcore punch lines that rock like a left hook to the grill. As an MC, Big L clearly casts himself in the rhyme-savvy old-school; the callous, often brutal tone of his first-person raps is cleverly offset by imaginative lyrical hooks ("I got a crime record longer than Manute Bol") on nearly every cut, transforming outrageous rhetoric into artistic gems. While he can drop your jaw like a Paul Mooney outburst on "No Endz, No Skinz," Big L will also astound you with his fluid hardcore flow on "MVP," "Danger Zone" and "I Don't Understand It," along with the posse-cut "8 Iz Enuff." - CMJ New Music Monthly, April 1995. Big L's debut album is certainly a release we need to continue to celebrate along with the life of one of our slain legends. Hopefully you cop'd the exclusive 25th anniversary vinyl last year, the images of it are above and below. Revisit Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous below and R.I.P., Big L!

Original contact sheet from the book Contact High...

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...

The Roots "Things Fall Apart" (2/23/99)

Philadelphia's Roots have been one of the consistently brightest hopes of hip-hop's new school to have emerged in the '90s. Their forward-thinking, on-point, no-b.s. lyrics, and fresh, funky live beats--brought to the people on wax and through exhaustive touring for the better part of this decade--have earned them a well-deservedly airtight rep. With Things Fall Apart, their third major-label release, the Roots have gone back to the basics, scuffing up most of the smoother edges they displayed on 1996's Illadelph Halflife. Lyricists Black Thought and Malik B are in top form throughout, backed by a set of tracks that occasionally highlights the Roots' kinship with late-model A Tribe Called Quest. "The Next Movement," "Dynamite" and "Don't See Us" are all guilty as charged, using minimal drum snaps, pulse-tone bass lines and ethereal background effluvium to grab our ears. The juxtaposition of the calming tones and the aggressive, battle-oriented lyrics makes for a strong combo, and the pattern works time and again. These tracks can also be raw: "Without A Doubt," "Step Into A Realm," and "Double Trouble" (featuring Mos Def) could all go up against any underground track you might bring to the table. Things Fall Apart will ranks as one of 1999's most enjoyable hip-hop platters. - CMJ New Music Monthly (April, 1999). Revisit this classic once again...

A few promo items from Things Fall Apart + full article in CMJ...

Ghostface Killah "Ironman" (October 29, 1996)

The Wu-Tang Clan has dominated the hip-hop world for the past three years, starting with its classic debut, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Each subsequent solo release from individual members has further added to the Shaolin collective's mystique. The fifth in that series is Iron Man, the debut disc from Ghostface Killah. Originally one of the Clan's lesser known figures, Ghost became visible in his co-starring role on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... But while Raekwon's album perfected criminology rap, Iron Man delves into more earthy, introspective topics. Ghost rhymes like he has too much to say and not enough time to say it. His unorthodox flow makes his double-meaning-packed lyrics hard to fully absorb at first listen. While last year's single "Motherless Child" first hinted at his troubled childhood, "All That I Got Is You" (featuring Mary J. Blige) passionately details that autobiography of the Clan's most mysterious member over a loop from the Jackson 5's "Maybe Tomorrow." Backed up with support from his Wu-Tang brethren and a surprise cameo by '70s soul group the Delfonics ("After The Smoke Is Clear"), Ghostface Killah saves the day like a superhero by allowing us to take a look at the man behind the mask. - CMJ New Music Monthly (1/97). Ghostface's Ironman was released on October 29, 1996. Revisit this classic LP below...

A copy of the CMJ album review (January, 1997) is available below...

Mobb Deep "Murda Muzik" (August 17, 1999)

The high-profile album that is hyped and delayed beyond expectation only to fail to live up to the fanfare is an all too common tale in hip-hop. Such is not the case with Murda Muzik, the fourth joint from Queensbridge alchemists Mobb Deep. Unquestionably one of the most anticipated rap releases of the year [1999], Havoc and Prodigy's basement-born collision of ominously minimalist breakbeats and insightfully infamous poetics have never sounded so mature and defined, particularly on the tracks such as "Allustrious" and "Quiet Storm." Even the album's newest cuts impress, particularly "Can't Fuck Wit" with Raekwon and "It's Mine" with fellow Queensbridge product Nas. Cop that! - CMJ (9/99). Man, I remember coppin' a  bootleg of Murda Muzik at a neighborhood carwash! in the spring of '99, lol. That's how much this project was leaked, bootlegged and highly anticipated! The production was incredible, adding The Alchemist's production to Hav and P's already gritty soundscapes, and also featured vocals from Big Noyd, Cormega, Lil' Cease, 8 Ball, Kool G Rap and, of course, Lil' Kim on the smash remix to "Quiet Storm." People don't talk about Murda Muzik as much as they do The Infamous or Hell On Earth, but the replay value is nearly as intense, so revisit this classic below - released on this day in 1999! Dig up the bootlegs, too, for some extra tracks! lol.

Below is a review in Spin Magazine + the Platinum Party flyer...

The Roots "Do You Want More?!!!??!" (January 17, 1995)

Hip-Hop, a genre of canned beats and laboratory samples, has been broken out of its test-tube origins to explore the worlds of live jazz and funk. On the Brand New Heavies' 1992 breakthrough Heavy Rhyme Experience, guest rapper Grand Puba heralded the dawn of a new hip-hop era with the memorable declaration, "The bass player's real and the drummer's real." Philly-based rap-jazz ensemble the Roots continue this move from laid to played grooves on their debut offering, Do You Want More?!?, a mellow new recording that cockily celebrates its lack of synthesized sound. Inventively backed by bassist Hub, drummer B.R.O. THE R.?, and guest instrumentalists Steve Coleman on sax, Rufus Harley on jazz bagpipes, and Rahzel the Human Beatbox, rappers Malik B. and Black Thought spin rapid rhymes of self-aggrandizement over original bass-heavy jazz compositions guaranteed to set heads nodding... The group shines on funky tracks like "I Remain Calm," a laid-back groove with an addictive bassline, and on more haunting offerings such as "Swept Away," a breathy hip-hop neo-ballad, to firmly establish themselves as daring and highly capable pioneers of the new live hip-hop. - CMJ New Music Monthly, 1/95. The review argues that the lyrics are "predictably empty" on the album, and I disagree, but you can read that in the full review, and listen below...

Cassette, sticker and full review in CMJ are below...

Peanut Butter Wolf "My Vinyl Weighs A Ton" (CMJ, 1999)

Released on this day in 1999, Peanut Butter Wolf's debut studio album "My Vinyl Weighs A Ton" is one the most important releases to come out of indie hip-hop in the late 90s. In the March (1999) issue of CMJ New Music Monthly, Brian Coleman reviews the album saying, "San Francisco's Stones Throw label has been pumping out amazing underground hip-hop for over two years now, and it's about time that the label's proprietor, DJ Peanut Butter Wolf, finally get his chance to shine. As he proves on his debut full-length, he's not only Stones Throw's CEO and A&R Director, but also its best musical resource. As a producer, Peanut Butter has an obvious love for both hard drums and tossing changes into a track mid-song, making damn sure that you're paying attention. Outside of the three supreme DJ-centered tracks (including the breathtaking epic "Tale Of Five Cities," which features Kid Koala, Rob Swift, Shortkut, Cut Chemist and J-Rocc, among others, cutting like mad), it's the vocalists who make this the truly props-worthy package. Planet Asia kills on "Definition Of Ill" and "In Your Area," Rasco rips up "Hold Up" and "Run The Line," the skills of the late Charizma are remembered with "Keep On Rockin' It," and the Lootpack and Kazi represent solidly on "Styles, Crews, Flows, Beats" and "Breaks 'Em Down," respectively. For the best of what the left coast has to offer, you won't do much better than this." Listen to it HERE, and the original review is below...

Cali Agents "How The West Was One" (CMJ, 2000)

These days, street marketing is a corporate-funded phenomenon. But back in the day, labels like Sugar Hill broke artists on a street level, pumping 'em through the clubs and the mom-and-pop stores. Emcees Rasco and Planet Asia of the Bay Area duo Cali Agents return to those old-school, DIY ethics on How The West Was One, which comes from Ground Control via Nu Gruv Alliance, a small California label that's recently been gaining notoriety in hip-hop circles. The enterprise is a matter of artistic and economic autonomy, principles not exactly high on a major label's priority list. "If we can sell 50,000 units, we're cool," Planet Asia says. "The advantage of being on an independent is being able to do what we want to do." The group's no nonsense musical style and estimable rhyming skills have already brought them much respect within hip-hop's inner circles, with The Source naming their 1997 breakthrough Time Waits For No Man one of the best independent albums that year. In the wake of their strong support in the indie world, both have heard the call of the major label world, as well. Planet Asia, who has also garnered notice for his work with the Lyricist Lounge, is working on a solo debut for Interscope. Ironic? Maybe. But with Cali Agents, he will no doubt stay true to the game. "I'm trying to play both sides," he explains. "But people are gonna know me from the underground." - CMJ New Music Monthly (August, 2000). Listen below...

Deltron 3030 Comic Book (CMJ, January 2001)

Back in January 2001, CMJ New Music Monthly released this fresh comic short in support of Deltron 3030's debut self-titled album. If you don't know, Deltron 3030 consists of Del The Funky Homosapien, Dan The Automator and Kid Koala. I'd consider the album to be a cult-classic, which also sees featured work from Prince Paul, Mr. Lif, Peanut Butter Wolf, MC Paul Barman, and more. There's a large portion of hip-hop heads who were also heavily into comics - for example: Pete Rock, DJ Eclipse, Method Man and numerous others. Wu-Tang was featured on the cover of this CMJ issue in support of The W, and there was also a nice feature with Mr. Lif you can read HERE. Check out "three hip-hop heads traveling through a post-apocalyptic, post-World War IV universe" when you hit play on the album. The comic also features Ice-T, Kool Keith and more; check it out above and the album review is below, which considers the album 'half-baked.' You agree or disagree?