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!

MC Ren "Kizz My Black Azz EP" (June 30, 1992)

Before there was a group called N.W.A. there were individually, angry, young Black males; roaming through darkened alley ways, surviving the roughest of street tests and emerging, once again as survivors. All of them had a story to tell; all of them wanted to be heard; all of them searched for an answer. But the true base of power for any group has been the individual strength and character of its members. And now, since they've stepped the fuck off! another MC emerges for the fall out -- "The Black N!gga that they call Ren." At a time when we were starving from a lock of hosts to boast about the west coast, Ren was rehearsing for his debut. "I had a rep at Roosevelt Jr. High, me and DJ Train (of JJ Fad)." M.C. Ren went on to high school with his reputation in tow. By the time he graduated, Eazy-E, from around the corner, was knocking on his door. Back in 1987, "Eazy was trying to get me and Train to sign on Ruthless for a solo deal, but Ice Cube had left to go to school. Eazy had me write some material for the N.W.A. album, so me and Train's solo project had to be put on hold." Now, Ren is ready to rock the mic on his own. He's out to show and prove what he is made of, 'cauz "Real N!ggaz Don't Die." Listen to Kizz My Black Azz, cont'd below...

Kizz My Black Azz, the debut EP on Ruthless/Priority, is the first sign of life since N.W.A.'s EFIL4ZAGGIN. This six track EP was produced by Bobcat, a member of the Boogie Men Production team, which ironically produces some of Ice Cube's songs. "The Final Frontier" is the first single to hit the streets. "The Final Frontier" expresses Ren's lyrical intent to handle all MC's that think gangsta rap is just a category. "Rap is getting away from where it started," explains M.C. Ren. "Everybody is trying to be like Hammer and have a band playing behind their raps." The hook on this will have even the most passive of listeners thinking of Ren, whenever real rap is the subject, "Who iz it? - The Black N!gga that they call Ren." The intro kicks in with the 'back in the day' piano riff from "The Bridge Is Over," and is woven throughout the entire cut with a nice sax handling the breaks, while Ren flows like melted I-C-E. "Right Up My Alley" begins as a neighborhood eviction of the local smokers (crack addicts) from the alley in which Ren reigns supreme and turns into the news story of the week. Our reporter Ren spins the rhymes and weaves the tell tell story of the day to day events in the alley; "90% of the black males from the streets got a spot in their neighborhood where all the dirt goes down -- gambling, drinking, dope-selling -- you know." - Press Kit (Priority Records, 1992). Also, check out the write-up in The Source (August, 1992) below...

Mobb Deep "Murda Muzik" (Retail vs. Bootleg, 1999)

Those who think they've heard it all from Mobb Deep, think again. Building on their powerful opus that earned them 4 1/2 mics the first time The Source got its hands on it, the Mobb has taken the expression, "They murdered that shit!" to a whole new level. Memorable joints that remain part of the previous musical massacre include the gritty "Allustrious," the Eightball-assisted, boisterously in-ya-face "Where Ya From" and the highly emotional "Streets Raised Me." And while the absence of "Mobb Comin' Thru," "F#ck That B!tch" and "Pile Raps" is no doubt noticeable, the drama-inspiring, horn-laced "Spread Love" quickly reassures that Hav and P knew exactly what they were doing when making their final cuts. To aid them in their murda spree, the Mobb enlisted some notable co-defendants. Lil' Cease pops up on the keyboard-sprinkled "I'm Goin' Out," and Raekwon sets up shop on the slightly bounce-flavored (but still unmistakably Mobb) "Can't F#ck Wit," on which the time-tested Shaolin-QB connection reminds MCs to stop talking shit and "see me when you get a record deal." And just when you thought "Quiet Storm" was the epitome of murda raps, the remix raises the stakes once again, as Lil' Kim joins the Mobb in bringing the "re-e-e-eal hip hop" to the people. But the true gem of the added joints has to be "It's Mine," featuring Nas Esco, himself. The Scarface-inspired bassline and drums harder than public school lunch rolls should make it an instant QB favorite. Overall, the 19 tracks (out of the nearly 30 tracks recorded for for their fourth album) that make up the newest installment of Murda Muzik should remove any irrational doubts about Mobb Deep's status as the sanctioned soothsayers of seriously sanguineous slang. Revisit it below...

When discussing the Bootleg Version of Murda Muzik, here's what they had to say back in 1999: "We leaked some of that shit ourselves. It was some ghetto street promotion for us," says Prodigy. 'It [the bootleg Murda Muzik] probably went gold on the streets. It worked out for the better.'" I'd agree. You can compare the tracklists for the retail version of Murda Muzik and the bootleg version below to see what tracks you might've missed. I remember coppin' one of the bootlegs at a damn car wash out in Queens on Woodhaven Boulevard. It was definitely reminiscent of the Nas "I Am..." situation, which later became a lot of the tracks for his "The Lost Tapes" release [and that other album we don't talk about much]. There was a ton of quality music on the streets in Queens at that time. Rest In Peace to Prodigy, one of our culture's most talented MCs. Read more below...

Happy 49th Birthday, Hip-Hop (The Source, 1993)

In 1993, The Source Magazine celebrated its 50th issue with well-known hip-hop personalities taking a walk down memory lane. They asked each of them their favorite album of all-time, their favorite 12-inch of all-time and their fondest hip-hop moment. As you can imagine, most of them found it hard to pick just one of each! As today marks the 49th birthday of Hip-Hop, I thought it'd be a fun way to celebrate and look back at what artists had to say were some of their favorite albums, singles and moments in their hip-hop lives. Maybe by the end of reading this, I'll share some of my own, too! Yeah that sounds like fun... Well, my favorite hip-hop album of all-time is "Illmatic" by Nas, "The Low End Theory" by A Tribe Called Quest and more recently, Blu & Exile's "Below the Heavens" to add something post-2000. My favorite 12" singles would be "Protect Ya Neck" bw "Method Man" by Wu-Tang Clan; AZ's "Sugar Hill" and "Rather Unique" and Eric B. & Rakim's "Know The Ledge (Juice)" from 1992. My favorite hip-hop moment... that's so hard to narrow down. One of the Rock Steady Crew anniversaries; going up to DJ Premier's show with Eternia on Sirius and he cut up records for 2 hours; after hours at Fat Beats on Halloween and Christmas parties; the Knitting Factory with Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Kanye West, and so many others. I can't narrow it down. I really can't. Hip-Hop has given us all so much, to know it'll be celebrating 50 years in 2023, I can't wait to see what the culture does to honor it. Anyhow, read below for answers from Casual, Positive K, Too Short, MC Eight, Maseo, Luke, Masta Ace, Biz Markie (R.I.P.), Red Alert, 2Pac (R.I.P.), DJ Quik, Jam Master Jay (R.I.P.), MC Shan, Craig G, Heavy D (R.I.P.), Kool G Rap, Fab Five Freddy, Fat Joe, KRS-One, MC Serch, Scarface, Chuck D, DIamond D, Common, Sadat X and many more.... HBD!!!!

A Tribe Called Quest "Beats, Rhymes & Life" (July 30, 1996)

Adulthood. On Beats, Rhymes and Life, A Tribe Called Quest has crafted the ideal soundtrack for moving out of your parents' house. Maturity and spirituality are the underlying, predominant themes bounced between Q-Tip and Phife on their fourth go-round since 1990's classic People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. Still, in typical Tribe fashion, these ideas transmit to the listener through a gradual, almost subliminal, process of absorption; overall, Beats is as fun and funky as any of their earlier output. Q-Tip's recent conversion to Islam surely accounts for the thematic direction of Beats, Rhymes and Life, evidenced in a couplet from "Get a Hold": "I praise the lord of the worlds that's unseen / Respect me for that and let do my thing." Elsewhere, on "What Really Goes On," the Abstract expresses a change in his libido: "I used to stress girls with long braids and long hair / Now I want a woman with a spiritual flair." In fact, the linchpin to Beats, Rhymes and Life occurs with Tip's moment of clarity after yet another night of party and bullshit from four years ago. It will recall, for anyone who's been there, the point in young adulthood where hanging out, getting lifted and collecting phone numbers starts to ring hollow. "I'm 22 years old, and I get crazy high every time I go to a party," Q-Tip laments after the organ-driven, guitar-laced housequake, "The Jam." "And this stupid shit be jumping off. I can't have this no more. I gotta find something new, man." As founding members of the newly-reinstated hip-hop bohemian clique Native Tongues, A Tribe Called Quest is undoubtedly expected to address the negative, self-destructive, gats n' blunts slant of today's rap music. On the very first track, "Phony Rappers," Phife relates his victory in battle with an emcee who rhymed weakly about "his .45, and. nickel bags of weed," then rationalized his loss with, "I need a Philly right before I get loose." Later, on "Where Ya At," Phife admonishes, "All that glock-toting trash you talk, it won't prevail / It's stale / You'd either be dead or in jail." Q-Tip even speaks on the tired East/West debate: "Let me let you brothers know, I ain't no West coast disser... I ain't got no beef, so don't come in my face" (from "Keep It Moving"). // (Cont'd below) ...

Q-Tip joins in producing Beats, Rhymes and Life with erstwhile Tribe producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jay Dee (of Pharcyde, Busta Rhymes and De La Soul fame). The collective, known as The Ummah, strike a musical balance somewhere between the jazziness of The Low End Theory and the acute beats from Midnight Marauders. Indeed, if every Tribe album has reflected a different hip-hop genre--Afrocentricity, jazz-rap, post-gangsta--Beats can be best pegged as continuing in the vein of Marauders. Largely due to Ali's perfectionism, Tribe can be credited for creating the most quality-consistent recordings in rap music, rivaled only by De La Soul. Thus it's disappointing that the presence of vocalist Faith Evans on "Stressed Out" and Tammy Lucas "1nce Again" proves detrimental to both tracks, sounding like an attempt to smooth the Tribe out on an R&B tip. Similarly, Q-Tip's cousin, Consequence doesn't add to the flavor of Beats like guests of past albums -- Leaders of the New School, Brand Nubian. But the music throughout Beats proves the Ummah to be the most proficient in the rap game at using samples as instruments in themselves. A cogent argument from way back for rap being a passing fad was that rappers couldn't continue to rhyme about their radios or sneakers when aging into their twenties and thirties. As hip-hop grows older as a culture, albums have begun to reflect the maturing interests of the twentysomething generation that grew up on it. Q-Tip has evolved from the mack mindset of "Bonita Applebum" and "Electric Relaxation," to the self-questioning refrain of "What Really Goes On": "I got some girls with plenty tails, smarts and big titties / And they all stressing me / Yo, really?" It sounds like the juncture in young adulthood that leads to a serious monogamous relationship and marriage; Q-Tip sounds 26. That artistic honesty alone is enough to praise Beats, Rhymes and Life. - The Source.

EPMD "Business Never Personal" (30th Anniversary)

Thumpin' fat, no-bullshit hardcore funk is the best description for this LP. Erick and Parrish are back, catchin' mad wreck and solidifying their position as one of the premier groups in hardcore hip-hop. The trademark EPMD slow-flow rhyme style and no-nonsense lyrics combined with their no-nonsense delivery hit you like a Tek-9 slug. And with an abundance of funky hard beats, this one promises to keep your neck jerkin'. "Crossover" deals with the sellout mentality in rap. "Cummin' At Ya" is a duet with the diggedy-Das EFX that has all four MC's flippin' shit over a fat slow beat. And "Boon Dox," with it's exploding bass, is simply the Long Island anthem. Don't forget to check for "Play The Next Man," warning of scandalous females, and "Headbanger," the Hit Squad posse cut that features MVP performances by K-Solo and Redman. Business Never Personal is EPMD at their best. With 12 cuts of pure slammin' funk, there's not going to be much fast-forwarding on this one. Chalk up another gold dish for the Hit Squad in '92. Swayze kids. - The Source (March, 1992). I got this tape at Sam Goody in the Metro Mall in Queens. You had to walk the tracks to the mall, come out through the parking lot or walk down the hill which was a no-go in the winter. I think I might've lost my copy and got another through Columbia House... but that's a whole other story. In any event, I remember taping a copy of "Headbanger" from the radio and waiting eagerly for the album's release. I credit 1994 as my favorite year in hip-hop, but my excitement for music in 1992 was probably at its highest heights. Business Never Personal was one of the reasons why, revisit the album below...

The review in The Source, ads and more below...

Coolio "It Takes A Thief" (July 19, 1994)

After what seemed like an endless wave of negative attention, it seems as if the American media has decided to leave hip-hop alone (for now at least) and concentrate on more pressing issues (Bosnia, South Africa, etc.). And since things are returning to normal, many artists are once again kicking tales about their own individual realities. So it should come as no surprise that Coolio is going to be at the top of the pile this summer. Yeah, he's from Compton, but this isn't your typical gangsta record. For Coolio, Compton isn't just the spawning ground for G-rap; it's a place where the concept of comedy and tragedy can be viewed up close and personal. Where the ills of American society (unemployment, welfare, drug addiction, homelessness...) are discussed from the first person. And like Richard Pryor did years before him, Coolio refuses to let the realities of what many would consider to be a no-win situation extinguish both his artistic spirit and sense of humor. If you don't remember Coolio, you can think back to his appearance with WC on the 1990 Low Profile album. If you can't go back that far, just peep the rhymes he rocked as a member of the M.A.A.D. Circle. Even if you missed his debut, there is no reason for you to sleep on his current reality-inspired work...

While "County Line"--a humorously cool lead-off single dealing with the shortcomings of the welfare system--didn't quite evoke the anticipated response, the current single "Fantastic Voyage" really articulates Coolio's message. The video is hilarious. As the Lakeside groove carries you along, Coolio piles about six million people in the trunk of his '64 and takes them into a magical land where race, poverty, gangs or sexual orientation don't matter and everybody is cool. On the real side, tracks like "Smokin' Sticks" and "Locked In The Closet" are '70s-styled pimp tracks that have Cool kicking real-life tales about how he used to trip out smokin' sherm (cigarettes dipped in embalming fluid or PCP) and doing cocaine. Another excellent track, "Can O' Corn," speaks on his younger days, growing up in a drug-infested household with nothing to eat but a can of corn. But then it's back to the laughs. "Ugly Bitches" is one of the funniest rap records ever. Reworking the melody that 3XDope used on "Funky Dividends," Coolio pokes fun at his homies who, when their funds were low, had to settle for the not-so-fine girls. The chorus is a killer: "When I was young/I used to have fun/F#ckin' with ugly bitches/But now that I'm grown/I leave them alone/'Cause I went from rags to riches." There are also a few standout group efforts. Le Shaun stands by her man on "Mama I'm In Love With A Gangsta," Tha Alkaholiks drop by for "I Remember" and W.C. puts in work on "U No Hoo." And when added to tracks like "On My Way To Harlem" and "Ghetto Cartoon," the album seems to take on a movie soundtrack-like quality. Perhaps for the unmade Trouble Man II or Hell Up In Compton. Whatever the case, in order to capture that '70s dusty feel, you have to get some dusty n!ggas to make the tracks and the production by Dobbs The Wino, Brian G and Crazy Toones is top notch. No P-Funk. No G-Funk. Just the best of the 8-Track pimp era. - The Source (July, 1994). Revisit it today.

The Roots "Tipping Point" (July 13, 2004)

A band is usually only as good as its front man. The Roots are no different. Take their last album Phrenology. When Black Thought stuck to a subject (for example, "Pussy Galore" and the first four minutes of "Water"), Phrenology's appeal went beyond the rock fans who dug "The Seed 2.0." So it's pretty safe to say that as Thought goes, so do The Roots. And on the Illadelph crew's sixth studio album, The Tipping Point, Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter delivers some of the best work of his underrated career. Sounding invigorated by the turbulent political climate, he condemns Dubya's foreign policy on "Why? (What's Going On?)" rhyming, "Young teen joins the Marines, said he'd die for the corps / Inducted in the government's war / Is it for land or money?" However, The Tipping Point is not about heavy-handed preaching. Producing entertaining music with a message is one of Hip-Hop's greatest challenges--ask your favorite struggling, "conscious" artist--but The Roots manage to pull it off. Even on "I Don't Kare," one of the band's most club-friendly beats to date, Tariq spits, "The police known the green, black and red are too strong to control." With their political agenda satisfied, The Roots go back to '88 with "Boom!" a vicious track akin to the Bomb Squad's chaotic, yet melodic barrage of sound. On the final two verses, the skillful mimicry extends to the mic, as Thought impersonates Big Daddy Kane's and Kool G Rap's voices and flows, down to the very last lisp. Such reverence for the past is admirable, but sometimes The Tipping Point goes off the deep end. Tariq veers off topic on "The Web," seemingly freestyling over a dull drum-and-bass heavy track. Also, while "Din Da Da" and "Melting Pot" are impressive instrumentals, at a combined twenty minutes in length, they disrupt the album's momentum. But those missteps don't spoil The Roots' most entertaining album since 1999's Things Fall Apart. With minimal cameos, skilled lyricism and topical rhymes abound, The Roots front man takes center stage on The Tipping Point. And that's to the benefit of everyone in the band. - The Source (Sept., 2004). Revisit The Tipping Point below...

The full review in The Source and more are below...

Noreaga "N.O.R.E." (July 7, 1998)

No, this ain't no Pete Rock & CL Smooth type break-up. Noreaga has been forced by uncontrollable circumstances to release an album without the lyrical assistance of his partner Capone. Last year, the duo's critically-acclaimed debut, The War Report, was faithfully bumped in the underground, but was slept on like a Featherbed pillow by the mainstream. Still, after Capone's incarceration, Noreaga continued to hold down the fort. With a guest appearance on the Firm Album ("I'm Leaving") that couldn't go unnoticed, a solo project from Nore quickly became highly anticipated. With Capone's blessings, enter N.O.R.E. Representing Iraq (Lefrak), Queens to the fullest, Noreaga proves with the title track/first single that he can hang with the rest of the lyrical masterminds that have come outta the illustrious borough. What separates him from the rest? It's his signature characteristic, his language, his own form of Norebonics if you will. He even takes it to the next level on "Superthug," where his trademark "what, what" is repeated throughout the chorus. This unconventional cut will take about three listens to grow on you before you can appreciate how hot it is. Also blazing are the album's posse cuts: the anthemic "Banned From TV," which features Nature, Big Pun, Cam'ron, Styles and Jadakiss of The Lox; the rousing "The Assignment," on which Nore trades verses with newcomer Maze and Flipmode Squad's Busta Rhymes and Spliff Star; and the cinematic collaboration with Nas ("Body In The Trunk"). Ladies don't fret, Nore's got a couple songs for you too. He gets sincere on "The Way We Life" with Chico DeBarge; and on the introspective "I Love My Life," blessed by the crooning harmony of Bad Boy vocalist Carl Thomas, the charming thug validates his crossover appeal. Momentary slip-ups like the disappointing remake of Kool G Rap killer kut ("40 Island"), and the fraudulent party filler of "Fiesta," are easily overlooked as Nore rises to the top all by his damn self. Ya heard! - The Source. The album was well worthy of this 4-mic rating!

Original review in The Source magazine below...

Pete Rock & CL Smooth "Mecca and the Soul Brother" (6-9-92)

Straight from the jump, Pete Rock & CL Smooth have it goin' on. The two represent Mt. Vernon, a city just north of the Bronx made famous by Pete's cousin Heavy D, and they're quickly approaching the status of becoming the L.A. and Babyface of rap. They've produced or remixed funky gems for the likes of Public Enemy, Heavy D. & The Boyz and even Run-DMC, and the duo released the EP, All Souled Out last year which featured the hits "Mecca And The Soul Brother" and "The Creator." Just recently, they dropped the album Mecca and the Soul Brother, an 18-cut must, filled to the brim with hardcore jams that will have heads noddin' for months to come. From the first single, "T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)," which is dedicated to the late Trouble T-Roy, to the party movin' "On And On," to the posse cut "The Basement," Pete and CL have succeeded in creating a record that relies on no gimmicks or short word hooks, just straight-up live rhymes, with fat beats and scratches--the true essence of early rap music. CL Smooth shares, "I want people to focus first on the tracks. They will be able to understand the lyrics more down the line as they play it.... Basically, we talk about things that goes on feeling more than just basic fantasy. The beat will draw them into the lyrics because they're entwined. You can't appreciate one without the other." - The Source, 1992. 

Below is the full article and interview from The Source Magazine...

Jeru The Damaja "The Sun Rises In The East" (5/24/94)

The first time I heard Jeru The Damaja was in 1992, when he blew up Gang Starr's "I'm The Man" on Daily Operation. While every b-boy east of New York was trying to figure out who the man was, Jeru was touring with Gang Starr throughout Canada, England, Europe, West Bubblef#ck and the U.S. boondocks. After the Gang Starr movement parlayed, he showed you who the man really was with his unique, underground single, "Come Clean." With his single quickly approaching street-status gold, a fat recording and worldwide distribution deal, and a DJ Premier-produced album in the making, Jeru is well on his way to cleaning the music industry and ridding the stage of these snake-fake-wannabe-toy-emcees that misrepresent what the hip-hop culture is all about. Speaking on the album's title, The Sun Rises In The East, Jeru shared, "I chose that title 'cause that shit is on point as far as life is 'cause the sun always rises in the East. And I'm from East New York [in Brooklyn] and I represent the East Coast, you know what I'm sayin'? Plus, I'm the son of man and this son rises from the East. I try to make all my shit coincide with how shit is out here. Anything I kick is some kind of consistence 'cause that's just my thang. So even if it's just some old regular shit, still it's a message in there for somebody, 'cause it's a message in everything. You just have to take it." - The Source, April 1994. Art above by Torre Pentel. Revisit Jeru's The Sun Rises In The East below...

You won't find many albums that still bump front to back like this one...

The Life & Musical Legacy of Biggie Smalls (The Source, 5/97)

May 21, 1972: Christopher Wallace is born to Violetta Wallace in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. 1989: Arrested for weapons possession in Brooklyn. Sentenced to 5 years probation. At the age of 17, arrested in North Carolina for selling crack. While waiting to make bail, he is incarcerated for nine months. March '92: Appears in The Source's Unsigned Hype column. Subsequently signed by Sean "Puffy" Combs to Uptown/MCA. Unfortunately, he's unable to use his other stage name, Biggie Smalls, because some obscure white rapper copyrights the name first. Summer '92: Makes recording debut on Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" remix. Fall '92: Makes an acclaimed appearance on "A Buncha N!ggas," a posse cut from Heavy D's Blue Funk. April '93: First solo recording, "Party-N-Bullshit," is one of the standout tracks from the platinum-selling Who's The Man soundtrack. Another song with Onyx and Naughty By Nature is not released. Summer '93: "I love it when they call me Big Poppa..." Kicks an ear-catching verse on remix of Supercat's "Dolly My Baby." February '94: Appears on Mary J. Blige's "What's the 411" remix. Around the same time, promo-only copies of "I'm Just Playing," aka "Dreams," a raunchy salute to popular R&B singers, hits the streets. This underground favorite whets appetites for his upcoming solo album. Cont'd below...

Summer '94: Records "Da B-Side," a duet with Da Brat that appears on the soundtrack for the movie Bad Boys. July '94: "N!ggas is mad; I get more butt than ashtrays...." Shines on labelmate Craig Mack's all-star remixed version of "Flava In Ya Ear." August '94: Marries singer Faith Evans nine days after meeting her at the video shoot for "Juicy." August '94: Assists Red Hot Lover Tone's #1 Player by appearing on "For My N!ggaz," with Grand Puba and fellow Crooklynites M.O.P. September '94: "Let's Get It On." The title track off Eddie F & The Untouchables album is the first official recording of Biggie and Tupac together. It also featured Grand Puba and Heavy D. October '94: Releases the heavily anticipated Ready To Die. LP quickly goes on to platinum status, a rarity at the time for an East Coast rapper. Avid fans notice that there are several unreleased tracks that did not make the final cut. Most notable are the original, uncleared-sample version of "Me and My Bitch" and the Lord Finesse-produced "Cum on Muthaf#cka," which featured Sadat X. November '94: Records "Cunt Renaissance" with the bizarre Crustified Dibbs. Also appears on Red Bandit's "Nine Dog MCs," with Grand Puba and Grandaddy I.U., among others. December '94: In various interviews, Biggie says he fears for his life. He claims his newfound success will make jealous people try to prevent him from moving ahead. January '95: Releases the single "Big Poppa/Warning," which features the controversial "Who Shot Ya" on the B-Side. The songs reach the #1 spot 28 days after release. Cont'd below...

February '95: "Gimme all the chickenheads from Pasadena to Medina..." Big's opening line on Total's "Can't You See" single helps launch the career of Bad Boy's first female R&B group. March '95: Despite brewing Death Row/Bad Boy rivalry, "Runnin'," the 2nd collaboration between Biggie and Tupac, is recorded. Originally intended for 'Pac's Thug Life Vol.1, it's featured on a compilation, One Million Strong. Spring '95: Along with business partner Lance "Un" Rivera, Biggie forms Undeas Recording, which quickly secures a distribution deal with Big Beat Records, and will later unleash his group of proteges, Junior M.A.F.I.A. Spring '95: "Think Big," a track originally intended for Pudgee The Phat Bastard's album, makes the mix-tape rounds. It features B.I.G., Pudgee, and Lord Tariq. Although it is never released, its title would eventually become the marketing slogan for Biggie's Life After Death... May '95: "Best of Biggie" mix-tape is put together by Mister Cee. It includes various freestyles, many of Biggie's recorded appearances, and highlights unreleased gems like "Real N!ggas Do Real Things" parts 1 and 2, in which he ironically freestyles over a collection of Death Row's most successful beats. June '95: "One More Chance" reaches number #1, knocking Michael Jackson out of the top spot. Charged with robbery and aggravated assault in Camden, NJ, Biggie is later arrested in Pennsylvania. August '95: At The Source Awards 2nd Annual Show, Biggie snatches up four of the most coveted prizes: New Artist, Live Performer, Lyricist, and Album of the Year awards. September '95: The Notorious B.I.G.'s Brooklyn-based collective, Junior M.A.F.I.A., makes their album debut with Conspiracy. Biggie plays the background on this promising release, but is the verbal force behind the album's first hit single, "Player's Anthem." The Life of B.I.G. cont'd below...

Fall '95: Records a live version of "Me & My Bitch" for the soundtrack to The Show, a documentary about hip-hop music. The film utilizes footage of Biggie with his mother seated next to him, reflecting on his troubled beginnings. Makes a cameo appearance on an episode of "Martin." November '95: Appears on R.Kelly's self-titled third album on the track "(You To) Be Happy." December '95: Receives Billboard Award for #1 R&B single-sales, #1 Rap Single, and #1 Rap Artist. March '96: Freaks a raunchy duet with Luke on "Bust A Nut," off Luke's album, Uncle Luke. Police seal off the VIP area at the Soul Train Music Awards Show in LA after an argument breaks out between the Bad Boy and Death Row camps. Arrested near New York City's Palladium nightclub for smashing the windows of a taxicab and allegedly chasing two autograph seekers with a baseball bat. He pleads guilty to 2nd degree harassment and is sentenced to 100 hours of community service. Receives the award for "Best Rap Artist of the Year" at the Billboard Music Awards. "One More Chance" is named best rap single for 1995. June '96: "Guns, I bust 'em/Problems with my wife don't discuss 'em..." Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s "Get Money" remix reaches #1 a mere fourteen days after its release. Cont'd...

July '96: Biggie trades verbals with fellow Brooklyn power broker Jay-Z on "Brooklyn's Finest," from Jay's Reasonable Doubt. Biggie and seven members of Junior M.A.F.I.A. are arrested on drug and gun possession charges when cops find semi-automatic weapons and 50 grams of marijuana in his Teaneck, NJ home. Summer '96: Kicks the opening verse for the 112 single, "Only You," and once again helps jumpstart the career of a new Bad Boy R&B group. September '96: With Lil' Cease driving, Biggie breaks his leg in a car accident. Fall '96: Appears on "Young G's Perspective" off West Coast producer/rapper Blackjack's album. November '96: His protege, Lil' Kim, releases her solo debut, Hard Core. Adds the hooks to two of the album's strongest tracks: "Crush On You" and "Drugs." Duets with B-baller Shaquille O'Neal on the title track of Shaq's You Can't Stop the Reign album. January '97: Appears in Miramax's hip-hop documentary, Rhyme and Reason. February '97: Drops a freestyle on Funkmaster Flex's Mix Tape Volume 2 with Puffy's new group, The Lox. February 24, 1997: On BET's "Rap City," Biggie says he no longer wants to portray the image of a drug dealer/gangsta because he does not live that life anymore. He says it's up to him to stop the growing East Coast/West Coast animosity. March 9, 1997: After attending a party at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, Biggie Smalls is shot seven times while waiting at a stop light in the passenger seat of a GMC Suburban. He dies shortly after at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. March 25, 1997: Biggie's 2nd album, Life After Death... 'Til Death Do Us Part, is released. - The Source (May, 1997). R.I.P., Biggie.

"Who's The Man?" Soundtrack (April 20, 1993)

Because Uptown Records has earned a reputation in some circles as being the "champagne of rap" it should come as no surprise that their compilation for Ed and Dre's flick comes off as the "caviar" of hip-hop movie soundtracks. And even with a great diversity of artists and producers, the sophisticated Uptown sound manages to shine through. As a soundtrack this album succeeds in displaying a wealth of talent that truthfully represents the current flavor and direction of hip-hop and R&B. But more importantly, this project serves as a convenient showcase for Uptown Records' talent, both new and established. Out of the many new artist featured here (Third Eye, Crystal Johnson, Timbo King), it is rapper Biggie Smalls (the big, Black man, not the little, white boy, mind you) who livens things up with a hardcore debut on the perfectly titled "Party & Bullshit." Biggie is clearly the star of the album and you will definitely be hearing good things about him in the months to come. The collection also boasts new material from Uptown mainstays and collaborators like Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth, who freak the notes on "What's Next On The Menu," Mary J. Blige, who sings over the "Vapors" track on "You Don't Have To Worry" and Father MC, who asks you to "Pimp Or Die." Heavy D and Nesto also put in solid performances, as do a few non-Uptown guest stars. Erick Sermon gives us a taste of his funk-filled solo flavor with "Hittin' Switches" while House of Pain has the honor of kicking the gangsta rhymes on the album's hard-hitting title track. Dancehall's own "Mr. Controversy" Buju Banton battles it out with Heavy D on "Hotness" and for the roughneck audience, "Flip That Shit" pairs Biggie Smalls and Third Eye with Naughty By Nature and your favorite gun waving baldheads--Onyx! With all this to choose from, this tape should have no problem blasting from both the jeep and the bubble bath. - The Source, 1993. Revisit this classic soundtrack below...

Ed Lover and Doctor Dre publicity photos...

2Pac "Me Against The World" (3/14/95 + The Source)

Uncontrolled rage, frustration and lack of direction pretty much describe Tupac and the focus of his previous albums. Though the material was reflective of the modern madness that constantly surrounds "hip-hop's outlaw," it was also reflective of the direction he and his music were taking. Both albums showed flashes of brilliance and contained incredible hits, but other songs lacked the musical depth of his best songs, radio friendly or not. And as many agree, subject matter and content have never been the problem with Tupac's albums, just the beats and erratic song sequence. True Tupac fans may have noticed his gradual musical progression from one album to the next (including his guest appearances on other albums), and his latest, Me Against The World, follows suit as he releases his best work by far. Lyrically, he was never a slouch, but this time anger, love and 'thug life' philosophy are stronger. Musically, each cut on the album is a tight mixture of hip-hop and dusty soul grooves. "So Many Tears" expresses Tupac's mourning over lost homies and a community falling apart under heavy stress while the beat is freaked with the harmonica of Stevie Wonder's "That Girl." Tupac enlists the help of his long time homie and Oaktown rap legend Richie Rich to relate the everyday lunacy of being "Heavy In The Game." "Temptations" comes off as not quite an apology, but as Tupac's self-recognition of his moral rights and wrongs when it comes to women, indo and 40 oz.'s. On a more sensitive note, "Dear Mama" will be the Mother's Day theme for all the hard-headz who love their mama and recognize the sacrifices that are made through thick and thin. Since 1994 it seems that givin' props to the early influences of hip-hop is a must and "Old School" is Tupac's homage to the likes of Eric B & Rakim, Flash, LL, Run-DMC and so forth. Other notable tracks include "It Ain't Easy," "If I Die 2 Nite," "Young N!ggaz" and the incredible "Me Against The World." Any complaints critics and fans alike had about Tupac's last two albums can be put to rest. Me Against The World is quite simply a manifestation of Tupac's talents becoming completely whole as they are mixed with the tracks that may, for a change, overshadow him. - The Source 4/95

2Pac's career continued to ascend after Me Against... but this is still his best LP.