A Tribe Called Quest "Scenario Remix" (The Source, 5/92)

"Freestyle fanatics will be bumrushing record stores when they hear the latest offering from Quest's gold album. Rocking over an entirely new beat stacked with crushing drums and a pimped-out bass line, the already incredible duet between The Tribe and Leaders Of The New School is fattened with all new lyrics and a few new voices on the mic. Q-Tip, Phife, Charlie, Dinco, and Busta come off lovely as usual, but it is Cut Montior Milo (L.O.N.S. DJ) and Hood who almost steal the mic. Hood has since passed away but his contribution as lead off MC will not be forgotten. Also included is the original "Scenario" and the hype instrumental of the remix. The B-side, "Butter," is one of the best cuts on the album and is a solo showcase for the skills of Phife Dawg." - The Source, 5/92

"The release of A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario," the third single from their gold album, The Low End Theory, has been marred by the tragic death of an artist who is featured on the remix. An MC named Hood, who goes first on the song, died only two days after recording his debut on wax. Hood (Troy Anthony Hall), was reportedly beaten and shot in the head outside of a group home in Harlem where he often resided ... Q-Tip, who was introduced by (Kenny) Lee (close friend and manager), had become a close friend of Hood's. It was Tip's initiative that gave Hood the opportunity to appear on the remix ... "Every time I saw him he was rhymin', he was dope. He really seemed like he was sold on coming out and working hard. The day we taped (the "Scenario" remix), he went in the studio, took his shirt off, and went in the booth. He did it in one take," says Q-Tip. At the very least, we can be thankful that Hood had the opportunity to be immortalized on wax before he died. His memory will live on in hip-hop forever." - The Source, 5/92 ("Ear To The Street"). R.I.P., Hood. (Updated)

L'Orange & Kool Keith "Time? Astonishing!" (Album Stream)

If there’s a secret to time travel, Kool Keith owns the patent. Even a flying DeLorean seems too conventional for the Bronx legend. He’d more logically orbit throughout the galaxy in a gleaming chrome spaceship, teaching the stars and aliens new forms of originality. He is too weird to live, too rare to die, too uniquely ultra-magnetic to be accurately mimicked. Time? Astonishing! is the latest dimensional warp from hip-hop’s premiere astral traveler. His union with MMG producer L’ Orange finds him exploring uncharted terrain: choppy volcanic rock planets, ice glacier moons, new surgical procedures, and fresh rappers to toss into the ether. The scalpel remains eternally sharp. The themes aren’t dissimilar from his past opuses as Dr. Octagon and Black Elvis. But L’ Orange’s production appropriately coaxes the most appealingly baffling gonzo vision from Keith since his days collaborating with Dan The Automator. Welcome to the new world, even more sinister and suspenseful than the last one. We live in astonishing times: abstract, absurd, and indelibly Kool. The album is about a man in the early 20th century who is a bored explorer and finds technology to go into the future - but he does so without any sense of adventure. He travels through time as if he is traveling to Tuscaloosa. He is then hospitalized as insane and then goes into suspended animation (a metaphor for his subconscious while sedated in the hospital). The adventure begins only after the album is finished, the record is all the thoughts and introspection before things really begin. - MMG

Nine "Cloud 9" (Rap Pages, October 1996)

"The skinny on Cloud 9 is that Nine's comical voice and throughly down-to-earth writing are almost an engaging enough combo to overcome most of the questionable choices that infiltrate his music. Almost, if nothing here matches the flowing grace of his own hit single from two years ago, "Whatcha Want?," at least a handful of songs provide their own winning moments. The LP's first single, "Lyin' King," takes dead aim at studio hustlers and strikes a bull's-eye from its hilarious opening sentiment. "I heard your album and I don't believe a word of it." The survival-driven "Make Or Take," featuring Nine's equally ruff-voiced labelmate Smoothe Da Hustler, may make your throat sore from just hearing it, but remains listenable thanks to thoughts like "Six million ways to die, but only one to live / I need enough money to spend, enough money to give." Meanwhile, Cloud 9's introspective closer, "4 Chicken Wings and Rice," recounts meager days gone past with a dope down-tempo groove and an affecting eye for detail: "Thirty cents away from a dollar / Goin' to the store for a 40 of water." Of course, check the visuals to the underground gem, "Lyin' King," cont'd below...

"Production-wise, much of the LP retains the string-concerto characteristics of producer Rob Lewis's work on "Whatchu Want," only the result is not quite so memorable. Complicating matters is an unappetizing menu of guests. In addition to the downright annoying King Just, 3rd Eye and female MC Uneek display similarly overbearing tendencies on "Richman Poorman" and "The Product," respectively. Dancehall don Bounty Killer also makes an unnecessary appearance on "Warriors," in light of Nine's own charming off-key patois, crooning on the last LP's "Redrum." While in the end the rap veteran's passion for his profession is convincing enough, these pitfalls make for an occasionally frustrating package. On the suitably dark "Every Man 4 Himself" Nine advises, "Don't chase dreams, chase paper." Cloud 9's inconsistencies suggest the chase is not yet over." - Rap Pages: October, '96.

Grand Puba "2000" (Hip-Hop Connection, 8/95)

"Around '92 Grand Puba had the mad flava. After splitting from Brand Nubian he was appearing on everyone else's tracks, and stealing the show on every posse cut he appeared on. It was the building up of this profile that made his '93 debut album something of a disappointment. Undoubtedly Puba had the lyrical skills, but the production let him down. On '2000' there are no such problems. It's more musical than his last effort with mellow, laidback, radio-friendly loops rather than just the hard beats, with the likes of Quincy Jones and Barry White getting slung into the SP1200. "It could be seen as more commercial, but not so much as to offend the hardcore ... And Puba is by no means backward in coming forward to the mic, still the master of the slick metaphor and clever rhyming couplet ... Subject matter is traditional Puba bragging and boasting of his prowess with the hoes and on the mic ... With Puba's ever present lyrical ability and the easier-on-the-ear production, there isn't a weak track on '2000.' A consistently pleasing effort." - via Lee Pinkerton, Hip-Hop Connection (8/95). People slept on Grand Puba; he was the man in the early 90s.

The full 2000 album review can be read below. 

Jeru The Damaja "The Sun Rises In The East" (The Source, 1994)

"It's evident, even to idiots, that this thing called hip-hop has been afflicted by a flood of mediocrity disguised in Karl Kani jean-suits, accessorized with cellulars and Saturday Night Specials. As a result, cynicism has strained the acceptance of happy-go-lucky formulas that worked for artists just six months ago. But as the hip-hop stakes have been raised to demand more pure rhymes and rhythms, Jeru The Damaja has stepped up to the challenge, his long-awaited debut with him. A long-time member of the Gang Starr crew, D. Original Dirty Rotten Scoundrel has rhymed on cuts such as "I'm The Man" and, most recently, "Speak Ya Clout." But the real truth came with the evolution of Jeru's first solo single, "Come Clean," from underground secret to bonafide hip-hop classic. A testament to his talent, Jeru balanced "mass appeal," respectability and longevity, without compromising shit. While his name isn't on the front cover, producer DJ Premier is as essential to this album as Jeru himself. Primo is already a legend in the beat field for his tracks with Gang Starr, Mobb Deep, Nas, etc, but with Jeru he goes further against the grain with a collection of simple but dense beats. He uses flutes, harmonic discord, bugged-out sound effects, even static to fill in his compositions. The music is more abstract than anything you'd hear on his Gang Starr record, but the gamble works. Throughout the album, you remain mesmerized while Primo cuts and scratches like a spit-out razor." Revisit Jeru The Damaja's classic LP, The Sun Rises In The East, cont'd below...

"As for Jeru, the music both contrasts and compliments his disjointed flow and deep poetical lyricism. Like a portrait in rebellion, Jeru is frighteningly nonchalant with his punch lines and philosophizing. All of the tracks are ill, but the stand-outs include "D. Original," "Come Clean" and "Da Bitchez." The masterful metaphors of "Can't Stop The Prophet" have Jeru (in the guise of a super-hero) chasing the personification of Ignorance, as his agents: Deceit, Anger, Despair and Animosity conspire to destroy him by cutting off his dreds and poisoning him with pork chop venom. But the most powerful cut on the album is "Ain't The Devil Happy." Primo combines violins with kick drums and an evil laughter hook that sounds like it was sampled in hell... While only 10 cuts, The Sun Rises In The East is short but well worth the money for those who think they can handle Jeru's mindspray. This is not happy music, there is no G-Funk involved, and you must pay attention." - The Source

Special Ed "Revelations" (The Source, 8/95)

"He's back. It's the specialist, Special Ed comin' straight outta Flatbush. The youngest in charge is all grown up, legal and neva goin' back. And he's coming with lyrics and a flow which transport the listener to an open mic session. Ed's flow is reminiscent of a freestyle off-the-top session straight off a dubbed underground mixtape. "Lyrics," the voice of KRS-ONE echos, "lyrics, somebody want lyrics?" Adjacently, a deep, bouncing bass attached to an in-an-out guitar commences to make the head bob. Ed then proceeds with what seems like unarranged verses that twist, babble, flow and stumble, but still manage to land on solid lyrical feet. He displays lyrical dexterity by droppin a succession of rhymes that end not with any one particular word, which then catapults Ed to switch and flow in a totally different topical direction altogether. This technique and style is employed throughout most of the album." Check out the visuals to Special Ed's "Neva Go Back," below...

"The production through the entire album makes use of devious, sinister basslines that occasionally ride high-hates, bass drums and hard-ass snares. One drawback that might hinder some people's "earousal" is the consistent similarity in pace, speed and beats-per-minute on most of the tracks. But six years later, Ed's still got it made, he's still magnificent and now he's coming new and improved." - The Source, August 1995. The album was released under the title Revelations, with "Neva Go Back" as the lead single to the LP. The full Revelations album review is available below...

Yaggfu Front "Action Packed Adventure" (1994)

Yaggfu Front was a North-Carolina-based Hip-Hop Group, consisting of the members Spin 4th, D’Ranged & Damaged, and Jungle Bel. Thanks to Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists, I learned that their name was actually an acronym for “You Are Gonna Get Fucked Up If You Front.” Working as late night DJs at NCSU (WKNC), they allegedly landed the first major record label for a Hip-Hop artist out of NC with their deal with Mercury Records. Their first studio album, “Action Packed Adventure,” was released in 1994; a unique conceptual album with an infusion of Hip-Hop and Jazz. They left the label soon after, and didn’t return until 2002 with the release of “The Secret Tapes,” which was a compilation of material recorded between 1992 and 1996. One of their more known records was “Slappin Suckas Silly;” the remix version featured D.I.T.C’s Diamond D. Other than that and their first single, “Lookin For A Contract,” additional 12” releases included “Left Field" and probably my personal favorite, "Busted Loop," which had a great video to accompany the 12" release. Despite a small amount of music, their humor, instrumentation and scratches on the records have left enduring fans still celebrating their music all these years later. Peep the "Busted Loop" video...

LA Leakers x Raekwon "Only Built 4 Cuban Leaks" (Mix, 2009)

Originally released in 2009 ahead of "OB4CL2," this is "Only Built 4 Cuban Leaks," by the L.A. Leakers and Raekwon The Chef. They released it again today on the 20th Anniversary of "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx." A day indeed to celebrate Raekwon and his debut solo album. Justin Credible and DJ SoulMilk give us all classic Wu-Tang Clan and Raekwon joints! It speaks for itself, so dig into the mix below...