Producer Profile: Mark the 45 King (Part 2, 1990-1991)

Mark the 45 King was riding high in the late 80s with production credits for Flavor Unit member Queen Latifah and Gang Starr and continued into the 90s with a series of high profile beats for hip-hop's most forward thinking labels at the time.

In 1990, Flavor Unit emcee Chill Rob G released his album 'Ride the Rhythm', produced almost entirely by the 45 King. On 'Court is Now in Session' samples the fantastic cut 'Soul Power 74' from Maceo and the Macks' 1974 album 'Us!' and the hit single 'The Jam' from Graham Central Station's 'Ain't No Doubt About It' from the same year. For the album's title track, the 45 King samples Baby Huey's 'Hard Times' from the famous posthumous Curtis Mayfield produced album 'The Baby Huey Story'. In the same year, the Flavor Unit released the album 'The 45 King Presents the Flavor Unit' which featured the song 'Flavor Unit Assassination Squad', which cut up James Brown's 'Let a Man Come In and Do The Popcorn' from James' 1970 album 'It's a New Day So Let a Man Come in and Do the Popcorn'.

In 1991, Mark the 45 King produced a number of tracks for Delicious Vinyl artist Def Jef's second album 'Soul Food'. On 'A Poet's Prelude', the 45 King deftly samples Sly and the Family Stone's 'Poet' while on 'Fa Sho Shot', the 45 King samples 'Everytime I Turn Around (Back in Love Again)' by L.T.D. - two sample sources that may as well be light years away.

Check back for more on Mark James, the 45 King.

The Lowdown:
Chill Rob G 'Court is Now in Session' and 'Ride the Rhythm'
from 'Ride the Rhythm' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Maceo and the Macks 'Soul Power 74'
from 'Us!' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Graham Central Station 'The Jam'
from 'Ain't No Doubt About It' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Baby Huey 'Hard Times'
from 'The Baby Huey Story' (1970) (MP3/CD)
The Flavor Unit 'Flavor Unit Assassination Squad'
from 'The 45 King Presents the Flavor Unit' (1990) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Let a Man Come In and Do The Popcorn'
from 'It's a New Day So Let a Man Come in and Do the Popcorn' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Def Jef 'A Poet's Prelude' and 'Fa Sho Shot'
from 'Soul Food' (1991) (MP3/Import CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'Poet'
from 'There's a Riot Goin' On' (1971) (MP3/CD)
L.T.D. 'Everytime I Turn Around (Back in Love Again)'
from 'Something to Love' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD)

Related Posts:
Five On It: January 2009's Essentials (Baby Huey Appearance)
Producer Profile: Mark the 45 King (Part 1, 1988-1989)
Source Material: Sly and the Family Stone 'There's a Riot Goin' On'

Rewind: Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop' (Part 2)

Welcome to the second part of our 3 part look at Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics' 1992 album 'Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop'.

'I'm Outta Here', produced by Diamond D and Showbiz samples the funk rock album cut 'Gotta Get Away' by the Flaming Embers. On 'Red Light, Green Light', Diamond rhymes over Baby Huey's 1971 song 'Hard Times' famously produced and written by Curtis Mayfield and 'Down by the River' by Band of Gypsys drummer Buddy Miles from his 1972 album 'Them Changes'. Jazzy Jay joins Diamond D on the mix for 'I Went for Mine' by using a sample from S.S.O. Orchestra's 'Faded Lady'. Diamond brings out some classic breaks on 'What You Seek' by sampling Sly and the Family Stones' single 'You Can Make it if You Try' and Kool and the Gang's 'Who's Gonna Take the Weight?'. For 'Lunchroom Chatter', the Psychotic Neurotics rhyme over Mel Brown's 'Indian Giver' and Jeff Beck's drum laden 'Come Dancing' from his 1976 album 'Wired'.

Check back for our final look at Diamond D's Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop' original sample sources.

The Lowdown:
Diamond and the Pyschotic Neurotics 'I'm Outta Here', 'Red Light, Green Light', 'I Went for Mine', 'What You Seek', and 'Lunchroom Chatter'
from 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Flaming Embers 'Gotta Get Away'
from 'Sunshine' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Baby Huey 'Hard Times'
from 'The Baby Huey Story' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Buddy Miles 'Down by the River'
'Them Changes' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
S.S.O. Orchestra 'Faded Lady'
from 'Shine Your Light' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Sly and the Family Stone 'You Can Make it if You Try'
from 'Stand' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Who's Gonna Take the Weight?'
from 'Live at the Sex Machine' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
Mel Brown 'Indian Giver'
from 'Blues for We' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Jeff Beck 'Come Dancing'
from 'Wired' (1976) (MP3 not available/CD)

Five On It: January 2009's Essentials

January was a burner on this blog! On some months, it's a no-brainer to pick five essential beats, but this month we covered so many heavy beats that it was hard to pick a top five. That being said, this months Five On It is all killer.

For our review of James Brown's classic blaxploitation soundtrack 'Black Caesar', we mentioned the influence of James' 'The Boss', a career defining bad ass anthem. During our review of the samples used on Spice 1's 'Spice 1', we mentioned the classic Funkadelic cut 'One Nation Under a Groove' that should already be a part of your party rocking playlist. James couldn't be confined by one beat on is month's list: 'Funky President (People It's Bad)' was mentioned in our second look at DJ Premier's production work and coincidentally during the month of the inauguration of America's funky president. A happy coincidence, I assure you.

During our first look at Ghostface's 'Supreme Clientele', we mentioned the breakbeat party starter 'Do the Funky Chicken' by Rufus Thomas, one of the many serious Stax breaks by the king of dances that will no doubt be covered in future blog posts. Finally, from the second look at 'Supreme Clientele' is the Curtis Mayfield produced 'Hard Times' by the Living Legend Baby Huey. Look below for more Baby Huey breaks.

The Lowdown:
James Brown 'The Boss'
from 'Black Caesar' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Funkadelic 'One Nation Under a Groove'
from 'One Nation Under a Groove' (1978) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Funky President (People It's Bad)'
from 'Reality' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Rufus Thomas 'Do the Funky Penguin'
from 'The Crown Prince of Dance' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Baby Huey 'Hard Times'
from 'The Living Legend' (1970) (MP3/CD)

BONUS CUTS:
'The Living Legend' by Baby Huey is full outstanding breaks used regularly by producers. 'Listen to Me' was sampled for both Eric B. and Rakim's 'Follow the Leader' and Public Enemy's 'Revolutionary Generation' while the wah guitar squall and heavy drums of 'Runnin'' and the full out funk party of 'Mighty Mighty' are ripe for the plucking. 'The Living Legend' is the lone album by Baby Huey, released after his untimely death. One can only imagine the albums he could've made if his career wasn't cut so short.

Rewind: Ghostface Killah 'Supreme Clientele' (Part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of our 3 part look at 'Supreme Clientele' by Ghostface Killah.

'Supreme Clientele''s RZA produced Wu posse cut is 'Buck 50', which I presume is one of the album's 50 Cent disses. RZA samples the Curtis Mayfield produced 'Hard Times' by Baby Huey from his lone, posthumous album 'The Living Legend' from 1970. Mathematics produced the beat for Ghost's 'Mighty Healthy', which samples 'Wish That I Could Talk to You' from the Sylver's self titled 1972 album as well as James Brown's 'Funky President' from 1975's 'Reality'. Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' 'Hope That We Can Be Together Soon' plays behind the skit titled 'Woodrow the Basshead' (sorry, no download for this one - you'll have to buy the full album to hear it) to excellent effect. Finally, Inspectah Deck samples David Axelrod's 'Strange Ladies'-era song 'Terri's Tune' for Ghostface's 'Stay True (Deck's Beat)'. Inspectah is digging in the crates for that one!

Check back for the third and final part of our look at 'Supreme Clientele'.

The Lowdown:
Ghostface Killah 'Buck 50', 'Mighty Healthy', 'Woodrow the Basshead', and 'Stay True (Deck's Beat)'
from 'Supreme Clientele' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Baby Huey 'Hard Times'
from 'The Living Legend' (1970) (MP3/CD)
The Sylvers 'Wish That I Could Talk to You'
from 'The Sylvers' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
James Brown 'Funky President (People It's Bad)'
from 'Reality' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes 'Hope That We Can Be Together Soon'
from 'To Be True' (1975) (MP3/CD not available)
David Axelrod 'Terri's Tune'
from 'Strange Ladies' (1977) (MP3 not available/CD not available)