Rewind: Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop' (Part 3)

Welcome to our third and final look at Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics' 1992 album 'Stunts, Blunts and Hip Hop'.

Diamond D samples a couple hits for 'Confused', cutting up King Floyd's excellent single 'Groove Me' and the 80s joint 'Intimate Connection' by Kleeer (which sounds a lot like "internet connection" - you'll hear it). On the posse cut 'Pass Dat S---', which includes some early raps by Fat Joe, Diamond samples the Ohio Players song 'Pride and Vanity' from 1973's 'Pleasure' and Rare Earth's Motown rock joint 'Keep Me Out of the Storm'. Q-Tip joins Diamond D on 'K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Stupid)', which samples fusion rock group Weather Report (who yield a lot of samplable cuts, take note)'s 'American Tango' from their 1974 album 'Mysterious Traveller'. On the title track for 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop', Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics use a sample of Billy Cobham and George Duke Band's 'Almustafa the Beloved' from the 1976 album 'Live on tour in Europe'. Finally, on 'Feel the Vibe', Showbiz and Diamond D sample Lee Dorsey's huge break 'Get Out My Life Woman', Brother Jack McDuff's 'Hold it for a Minute', and Earth, Wind and Fire's 1970 song 'Bad Tune' from their self titled debut album.

'Stunts, Blunts and Hip-Hop' yielded three singles and peaked just outside of the Billboard R&B / Hip Hop top 40. Big L and Fat Joe, who both contributed to the album, would achieve greater acclaim due to the album's underground success. Though Diamond D would produce for a slew of acts following this album, including Fat Joe, he would not record a follow up solo outing until 1997's 'Hatred, Passions and Infidelity'.

The Lowdown:
Diamond and the Psychotic Neurotics 'Confused', 'Pass Dat S---', 'K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Stupid)', 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop', and 'Feel the Vibe'
from 'Stunts, Blunts, and Hip Hop' (1992) (MP3/CD)
King Floyd 'Groove Me'
from 'King Floyd' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD)
Kleeer 'Intimate Connection'
from 'Intimate Connection' (1984) (MP3/CD not available)
The Ohio Players 'Pride and Vanity'
from 'Pleasure' (1972) (MP3/CD)
Rare Earth 'Keep Me Out of the Storm'
from 'Back to Earth' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Weather Report 'American Tango'
from 'Mysterious Traveller' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Billy Cobham and George Duke Band 'Almustafa the Beloved'
from 'Live on tour in Europe' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Lee Dorsey 'Get Out My Life Woman'
from 'The New Dorsey' (1966) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Brother Jack McDuff 'Hold it for a Minute'
from 'Getting Our Thing Together' (1968) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Earth, Wind and Fire 'Bad Tune'
from 'Earth, Wind and Fire' (1970) (MP3/CD)

Rewind: Madvillain 'Madvillainy' (Part 2)

Welcome to the second installment of our two part look at Madlib and MF Doom's 2004 album 'Madvillainy'.

On 'Operation Lifesaver AKA Mint Test', Madlib samples a pair of tracks from George Duke's 1974 album 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry': the title track 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry' and 'Prepare Yourself'. Additionally, Madlib pulls some beats from Schoolly D's classic drum machine propelled 'PSK (What Does it Mean)'. More pscyh-rock breaks abound on Madvillain's 'Strange Ways', which samples 'Funny Ways' from Gentle Giant's self-titled 1970 album. Madlib samples 'That Ain't the Way You Make Love' by Z.Z. Hill on 'Fancy Clown'. For 'Eye' with Stacy Epps, Madlib samples 'So Good' from the Whispers' 1984 album of the same title. Finally, Madvillain samples Stevie Wonder's rare instrumental side project Eivets Rednow on 'Great Day'. The track uses a sample from 'How Can You Believe' from Eivets Rednow's 1968 self titled album.

Madlib and MF Doom are slated to return with a new album as Madvillainy, but to date nothing but a remix album of this album's tracks has been released.

The Lowdown:
Madvillain 'Operation Lifesaver AKA Mint Test', 'Strange Ways', 'Fancy Clown', 'Eye', and 'Great Day'
from 'Madvillainy' (2004) (MP3/CD)
George Duke 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry' and 'Prepare Yourself'
from 'I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry' (1974) (MP3/CD)
Schoolly D 'PSK (What Does it Mean)'
from 'Schoolly-D' (1985) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Gentle Giant 'Funny Ways'
from 'Gentle Giant' (1970) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Z.Z. Hill 'That Ain't the Way You Make Love'
from 'Keep on Loving You' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The Whispers 'So Good'
from 'So Good' (1984) (MP3 not available/CD)
Eivets Rednow 'How Can You Believe'
from 'Eivets Rednow' (1968) (MP3/CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 1)
Rewind: Metal Fingers 'Special Herbs Vol. 1 and 2' (Part 2)

Rewind: Spice 1 'Spice 1'

1992's 'Spice 1' is the proper debut album from Bay Area rapper Spice 1 if one excludes the independent release 'Let it Be Known' from a year previous. The controversial, gritty lyrics of 'Spice 1' are matched perfectly with the production of Ant Banks throughout the album. This post will cover the sample basis of this album.

The album opener 'In My Neighborhood' samples the 1977 George Duke song 'Reach for it' from his album of the same title. 'Peace to My Nine' is injected with a bit of G-funk via Funkadelic's 'One Nation Under a Groove'. Ant Banks samples two legends on 'Money of Murder': Isaac Hayes' post-'Shaft' single 'Joy' and Curtis Mayfield's 'Sweet Exorcist'-era album cut 'Make Me Believe in You'. Finally, Spice 1's nightmarish 'City Streets' makes use of the title track from the Dramatics' 1971 Stax/Volt album 'Whatcha See is Whatcha Get', one of my personal favorite soul singles of all time (why aren't more people using this one?).

Spice 1 would go on to release six albums on a major label through the rest of the 90s and early 00s and has released many more albums via independent labels since.

The Lowdown:
Spice 1 'In My Neighborhood', 'Peace to My Nine', 'Money or Murder', and 'City Streets'
from 'Spice 1' (1992) (MP3/CD)
George Duke 'Reach for it'
from 'Reach for it' (1977) (MP3/Import CD)
Funkadelic 'One Nation Under a Groove'
from 'One Nation Under a Groove' (1978) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Isaac Hayes 'Joy'
from 'Joy' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Curtis Mayfield 'Make Me Believe in You'
from 'Sweet Exorcist' (1974) (MP3/CD)
The Dramatics 'Whatcha See is Whatcha Get'
from 'Whatcha See is Whatcha Get' (1971) (MP3/CD)