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Welcome to our second look at Organized Konfusion's 1991 debut album titled 'Organized Konfusion' produced and emceed by Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch.
The album's title track 'Organized Konfusion' by Organized Konfusion features a sample from the James Brown hit single 'Think (About It)' by Lyn Collins, which has been notably sampled frequently throughout hip-hop's history. The track 'Open Your Eyes' samples a pair of tracks from Herbie Hancock's foundational album 'Headhunters': the huge breakbeat cut 'Chameleon' and 'Watermelon Man'. On 'Roosevelt Franklin', Organized Konfusion flow over another sample from Weather Report's 1973 album 'Sweetnighter', this time it's the cut '125th Street Congress'. 'Intro' samples the early Kool and the Gang burner 'Give it Up' as well as George Benson's 'California Dreamin' from his 1971 album 'White Rabbit'. Finally, on 'Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken?', the duo use a melange of samples including the Ohio Players' 'Pain', Skull Snaps' classic 'It's a New Day', and the J.B.'s 'Rice N Ribs'.
Following the end of Organized Konfusion in 1997 after only three albums, Pharoahe Monch went on to score a hit on Rawkus Records while Prince Po released solo material on Lex. In the 2000's, the group has briefly reunited at times, though not for long.The Lowdown:
Organized Konufsion 'Organized Konufsion', 'Open Your Eyes', 'Roosevelt Franklin', 'Intro', and 'Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken?'
from 'Organized Konufsion' (1991) (MP3 not available/CD)
Lyn Collins 'Think (About It)'
from 'Think (About It)' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Herbie Hancock 'Chameleon' and 'Watermelon Man'
from 'Headhunters' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Weather Report '125th Street Congress'
from 'Sweetnighter' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'Give it Up'
from 'Kool and the Gang' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
George Benson 'California Dreamin''
from 'White Rabbit' (1971) (MP3/CD)
The Ohio Players 'Pain'
from 'Pain' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Skull Snaps 'It's a New Day'
from 'Skull Snaps' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
The J.B.'s 'Rice N Ribs'
from 'Breakin' Bread' (1974) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Related Posts:
Five On It: July 2008's Essentials (Lyn Collins appearance)
Five On It: November 2008's Essentials (Skull Snaps Appearance)
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Welcome to part two of our look at James Brown soundtrack for 'Black Caesar'.
Sure, 'Down and Out...' and 'The Boss' are obvious tracks to sample, but hip-hop's finest have made use of some of 'Black Caesar''s lesser known album cuts too. Large Professor assisted Kool G Rap on the production of 'Play it Again, Polo' which used a sample of 'Black Caesar''s album cut 'Make it Good to Yourself'. James wrote and produced much of Lyn Collins' output, including her vocal contribution to 'Black Caesar' titled 'Mama Feelgood'. The blazing funk of 'Mama Feelgood' was used by Marley Marl for Big Daddy Kane's 1988 track 'Raw' from the album 'Long Live Kane'. Primo dips into James Brown's back catalog again for the beat to Gang Starr's 'I'm The Man' from their classic 'Daily Operation' album. DJ Premier sampled the 'Black Caesar' album cut 'White Lightning (I Mean Moonshine)' for 'I'm the Man'.
The film 'Black Caesar' was a success, as was the soundtrack. The team behind the film quickly started to develop a sequel that was released in late 1973 and titled 'Hell Up in Harlem'. James Brown was originally attached for the score, but (as the legend goes) had his music reject as it was not "funky enough" for the film. The song that was rejected would later be the title track to his 1974 album 'The Payback'. Notably, the soundtrack to 'Hell Up in Harlem' was ably handled by Edwin Starr, Fonce Mizell, and Freddie Perren - look for a future post regarding the 'Hell Up in Harlem' soundtrack.The Lowdown:
James Brown 'Make it Good to Yourself' and 'White Lightning (I Mean Moonshine)'
from 'Black Caesar' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Kool G Rap and DJ Polo 'Play it Again, Polo'
from 'Wanted: Dead or Alive' (1990) (MP3/CD not available)
Lyn Collins 'Mama Feelgood'
from 'Black Caesar' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Big Daddy Kane 'Raw'
from 'Long Live Kane' (1988) (MP3 not available/CD)
Gang Starr 'I'm the Man'
from 'Daily Operation' (1992) (MP3/CD)
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Back once again with Five On It, the last months five most essential beats. This months recap starts off with Otis Redding's 'Hard to Handle' featured in the second half of this blog's post on 'It Was Written' by Nas. 'Hard to Handle' will be covered in depth for a future post in this blog, but it shouldn't keep you from busting it out right now. It's kind of unbelievable to think about it, but it took 20 posts in this blog before the first mention of the Meters. 'Same Old Thing' from 'Struttin'' was one of the many breaks featured on part 1 of Pete Rock's Producer Profile. Without a doubt, many more Meters breaks are to come.
Both 'I Want to Take You Higher' by Sly and the Family Stone and 'Think (About It)' by Lyn Collins were mentioned in the first installment of Dr. Dre's Producer Profile. There is no doubt that even back in the late 80s, Dre could lace a beat. Finally, Kool and the Gang's widely used open drum track on 'N.T.' was mentioned in the first part of this blog's coverage of Main Source's 'Breaking Atoms'. 'N.T.' is one of the building blocks for hip-hop and is a necessity for all beatmakers who want to achieve classic golden age sounding tracks.The Lowdown:
Otis Redding 'Hard to Handle'
from 'The Immortal Otis Redding' (1968) (MP3/CD)
The Meters 'Same Old Thing'
from 'Struttin'' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'I Want to Take You Higher'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Lyn Collins 'Think (About It)'
from 'Think (About It)' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Kool and the Gang 'N.T.'
from 'Live at P.J.'s' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
BONUS CUTS:
'I Want to Take You Higher' was a smash hit for Sly and the Family Stone, and like many smash hits in the 70s, it was covered extensively by peers. Kool and the Gang delivered a live version of 'I Want to Take You Higher' on 'Live at the Sex Machine'. Additionally, Ike and Tina Turner deliver a pretty slick version of 'I Want to Take You Higher' as well. Enjoy!
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After the success and controversy of N.W.A. (which will be reviewed in a future post on this blog), Dr. Dre's production work was in high demand. Some of Dre's best work comes in the period between 'Straight Outta Compton' and 'The Chronic'. The entire album 'Eazy-Duz-It' was produced by the N.W.A. production team of Dr. Dre and DJ Yella and was released in 1988. Eazy's thick gangsta track 'Nobody Move' incorporates a sample from Yellowman's 'Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt' from his 1984 album of the same title.
The D.O.C. was a contributor to both 'Straight Outta Compton' and 'The Chronic', but shines on his little known Dr. Dre produced album 'No One Can Do It Better'. The D.O.C. single 'Mind Blowin'' features a series of samples including 'Mind Blowin' Decisions' by Heatwave and Sly and the Family Stone's 'Stand!'-era single 'I Want to Take You Higher'. This album would be the height of the D.O.C.'s career due to a car accident that damaged his voice. Though he would record more albums and have a cameo on 'The Chronic', no other album by the D.O.C. will be as good as 'No One Can Do it Better'.
In 1989, Dre produced the debut album for his then-girlfriend Michel'le Toussaint titled 'Michel'le'. Though probably known more for being the punchline to Tim Dog's 'F--- Compton', it's worth noting Michel'le's album as it sold over one million copies. 'Keep Watchin'' incorporates a sample from Lyn Collins' James Brown produced break 'Think (About It)', a staple of block parties.
One more notable pre-'Chronic' Dre production work is for Above the Law's 'Livin' Like Hustlers', which will be covered in a future two-part post on this blog.The Lowdown:
Eazy-E 'Nobody Move'
from 'Eazy-Duz-It' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Nobody Move'
Yellowman 'Nobody Moves Nobody Get Hurt'
from 'Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt' (1984) (MP3/CD)
The D.O.C. 'Mind Blowin''
from 'No One Can Do It Better' (1989) (MP3/CD)
Heatwave 'Mind Blowin' Decisions'
from 'Central Heating' (1976) (MP3/CD)
Sly and the Family Stone 'I Want to Take You Higher'
from 'Stand!' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Michel'le 'Keep Watchin''
from 'Michel'le' (1989) (MP3/CD)
Lyn Collins 'Think (About It)'
from 'Think (About It)' (1972) (MP3 unavailable/Import CD)
