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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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During the late 90's, armed with Fruity Loops production software, 9th Wonder began working with friends Phonte and Big Pooh under the name Little Brother. 2003 would see the release of Little Brother's debut album, 'The Listening', though it's underground success would be overshadowed by 9th Wonder's mainstream breakthrough.
Much like Danger Mouse, 9th Wonder's big break was making an unauthorized remix album for Nas' 'God's Son' album in 2002. This led to A&R interest and landed his production for 'Threat' on 'Black Album'. 'Threat' cribs Jay's sometimes collaborator R. Kelly's 2000 track 'A Woman's Threat'. Real talk. Another high profile beat also landed on De La Soul's 2003 album 'The Grind Date'. Sampling a block party classic, Pleasure's 'Reality', 9th Wonder laced De La with 'Church'. Little Brother experiences limited success, leading to a major label deal for their next album. 'The Listening''s lead single 'Whatever You Say' landed Little Brother with underground cred and proper beats.
Check back to this blog for more of 9th Wonder's exploits. In part 2 of his Producer Profile, we'll see 9th as he produces a full album for Murs and drops a major single with Destiny's Child in 2004. on Jay-Z's hugely successful The Lowdown:
Jay-Z 'Threat'
from 'The Black Album' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Threat'
R. Kelly 'A Woman's Threat'
from 'TP-2.com' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'A Woman's Threat'
De La Soul 'Church'
from 'The Grind Date' (2003) (MP3/CD)
Pleasure 'Reality'
from 'Dust Yourself Off' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Little Brother 'Whatever You Say'
from 'The Listening' (2003) (MP3/CD)
BONUS CUT:
The instrumental for 'Whatever You Say'.
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This is the first post in this blogs new serial titled The Future that will cover new, noteworthy acts in hip-hop and beyond. The group I'm covering in this post is none other than the blog-hyped Cool Kids from Chicago aligned with A-Trak's Fool's Gold Record label and Chicago's Chocolate Industries. 'Black Mags', the Cool Kids' latest single, makes flossing on BMX bikes seem suddenly possible. Fool's Gold single '88' (referencing / interpolating Nas' 'Made You Look' in its chorus) is a striking boom-bap throwback. One of the new tracks from the latest Cool Kids EP, 'The Bake Sale', is a house party anthem titled 'Jingling' that lifts some party fun from LL Cool J's '88 single 'Jingling Baby' from 'Walking with a Panther'. I admit that I'm not fond of the exploits of the internet's blog rap explosion, most artists littering the web with poor flows disguised as clever hipsterisms. The Cool Kids, though calculated, never dresses their music like it's a joke - their throwback 'Paid in Full' sound seems like it belongs. Check it out to see if you agree.The Lowdown:
The Cool Kids 'Black Mags', '88', and 'Jingling'
from 'The Bake Sale' (2008) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edits: 'Black Mags', '88', and 'Jingling'
Nas 'Made You Look'
from 'God's Son' (2002) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Made You Look'
LL Cool J 'Jingling Baby'
from 'Walking with a Panther' (1988) (MP3/CD)
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Main Source's 'Peace is Not the Word to Play' was the fourth single released from the album 'Breaking Atoms', and though it failed to chart, it is still a strong cut (which goes without saying for this album). 'Peace' picks a sample from Miles Davis' 'Right Off' from another classic album, 1970's 'A Tribute to Jack Johnson'. Additional sample sources include MFSB's 'T.L.C. Tender Loving Care' and beats from 'Britches' by the immortal Meters from their heavily sampled album 'Struttin''. 'Vamos a Rapiar', co produced by Pete Rock, plucks a sample from the James Brown produced Myra Barnes cut 'Message from the Soul Sisters'.
One of the most famous posse cuts in hip-hop history is the Large Professor produced 'Live at the Barbeque', which introduces the world to Nasty Nas (later, of course, Nas) and Akinyele (whose career didn't amount to much more than songs about putting things in peoples' mouths... their motherf---ing mouths). The driving beat of 'Live at the Barbeque' is from Bob James' 'Nautilus', the only reason you need to pick up that copy of 'One' from a garage sale.
Unfortunately, 'Breaking Atoms' would be the only album released with it's classic line-up (their second album, 'F--- What You Think', was delayed and finally released in 1994 after the group's second line up had broken up and just before the Wild Pitch label went under). Large Professor would go on to contribute to Nas' debut album 'Illmatic' and would run into his own label problems when his second solo album, 'The LP', was shelved in 1996 (to this day, the album has never officially been released).The Lowdown:
Main Source 'Peace is Not the Word to Play', 'Vamos a Rapiar', and 'Live at the Barbeque'
from 'Breaking Atoms' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Miles Davis 'Right Off'
from 'A Tribute to Jack Johnson' (1970) (MP3/CD)
MFSB 'T.L.C. Tender Loving Care'
from 'Universal Love' (1975) (MP3 unavailable/CD unavailable)
The Meters 'Britches'
from 'Struttin'' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Myra Barnes 'A Message from the Soul Sisters'
Bob James 'Nautilus'
from 'One' (1974) (MP3/CD)
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'Breaking Atoms' has all of the ingredients of a modern day myth. It is the debut album of the short-lived rap unit Main Source, highly acclaimed upon release and leading to no less than five singles that went out of print as its stock started to rise. Add Nas (here as Nasty Nas) and early beats by super producer Large Professor to the mix and the interest in one of East Coast hip-hop's mostly widely recognized classics is risen.
One of 'Breaking Atoms'' indisputable classic cuts is the single 'Just Hangin' Out' that cribs samples from Gwen McCrae's '90% of Me Is You', Ike and Tina Turner's 'Bold Soul Sister', and most famously 'Bam Bam' by Sister Nancy (which was covered extensively in a past post on this blog). 'Looking at the Front Door' is the album's first and highest charting single, reaching #1 on the Billboard rap charts. 'Front Door' features, among other samples, bits of 'Think Twice' from Donald Byrd's 1975 album 'Stepping into Tomorrow' produced by Larry Mizell. Main Source's album cut 'Scratch and Kut' has the notable drum break from Kool and the Gang's live version of 'N.T.' from their album 'Live at P.J.'s' (the 'N.T.' drum break is a cornerstone of Large Pro's sound).
Check back for part 2 of 'Breaking Atoms', which will include the track that broke Nas to the rap world.The Lowdown:
Main Source 'Just Hangin' Out', 'Looking at the Front Door', and 'Scratch and Kut'
from 'Breaking Atoms' (1990) (MP3/CD)
Gwen McCrae '90% of Me Is You'
from 'Rockin' Chair' (1975) (MP3 not available/CD)
Ike and Tina Turner 'Bold Soul Sister'
from 'Hunter' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD)
Sister Nancy 'Bam Bam'
from 'One, Two' (1982) (MP3/CD not available)
Donald Byrd 'Think Twice'
from 'Stepping into Tomorrow' (1975) (MP3/CD)
Kool and the Gang 'N.T.'
from 'Live at P.J.'s' (1972) (MP3/CD not available)
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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)
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Way before 'Detox', 'The Chronic', and N.W.A., at the age of 19 Dr. Dre joined the electro group World Class Wreckin' Cru. Though Dre's tenure in World Class Wreckin' Cru would last less than three years, he produced a string of regional hits that are still landmark electro cuts.
Wreckin' Cru's initial hit was 'Surgery' which references Dr. Dre by name numerous times throughout the song. World Class Wreckin' Cru's second album 'Rapped in Romance' (with its often-lampooned cover) produced another minor hit titled 'The Fly'. In 1986, Dre left World Class Wreckin' Cru due to money issues and formed N.W.A. with Ice Cube, Eazy-E, DJ Yella, and the Arabian Prince who were also initially an electro group ('Panic Zone') before reinventing themselves as "the world's most dangerous group" in 1988.
Another notable production credit by Dre is the 1988 hit 'Supersonic' by J.J. Fad on the cleverly titled album 'Supersonic'. There's not much you can say about this one; it's still a dancefloor filler and there isn't much to talk about lyrically (am I asking too much?).The Lowdown:
World Class Wreckin' Cru 'Surgery'
from 'World Class' (1985) (MP3/CD not available)
World Class Wreckin' Cru 'The Fly'
from 'Rapped in Romance' (1986) (MP3/CD not available)
J.J. Fad 'Supersonic'
from 'Supersonic' (1988) (MP3/CD)
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Like many facets of hip-hop, Pete Rock's history is linked to Jamaica. Peter Phillips is the son of a Jamaican father who DJed in the Bronx. At the age of 17, he caught the ears of producer Marley Marl and at 21, he released the 'All Souled Out' EP with C.L. Smooth. 'The Creator' was covered in a previous post (Rewind: Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth 'The Creator'), so for this post I am going to cover another of 'Souled Out''s many standout tracks: 'Good Life'. 'Good Life', like many of the tracks from Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's catalog, is dense with soul samples from Pete Rock's deep crates. It's mind boggling to me, but it took 20 posts in this blog to mention the Meters. The Meters track 'Same Old Thing' provides one of this track's samples, along with Eddie Kendrick's 'Girl You Need a Change of Mind' and O'Donel Levy's 'I Wanna Be Where You Are'.
Another big break for Pete Rock came courtesy of his cousin, already established rapper Heavy D, who used some of Rock's beats for his 1991 album 'Peaceful Journey'. Pete Rock's production on the Heavy D and the Boyz posse cut 'Don't Curse', which includes guest spots from an all-star cast of emcees including Big Daddy Kane, Grand Puba, Kool G. Rap, Q-Tip, and C.L. Smooth. 'Don't Curse' draws a sample from 'Hip-Hug-Her' by Booker T and the M.G.'s. The track was a charting hit, but was ultimately overshadowed by the album's much bigger hit 'Now That We Found Love'.
In 1993, Pete Rock contributed to Run D.M.C.'s "gangsta" comeback album 'Down with the King', that may not have been all it was cracked up to be, but showcased some incredible production talent (including tracks by the Bomb Squad, Q-Tip, Jermaine Dupri, and others). 'Down with the King' was the first of three singles released from the album and is THE best late career Run D.M.C. track. 'Down with the King' samples 'Where Do I Go?' by James Rado and Company from the soundtrack to 'Hair'. It might seem like 'Hair' would be an odd place to pick up samples, but a contribution from Galt MacDermot turns up the funk quotient considerably. MacDermot will no doubt be covered in a future post on this blog.
Check back for the next installment on Pete Rock's career, including information on his contributions to 'Illmatic' and 'The Main Ingredient' - two of 1994's most important hip-hop releases.The Lowdown:
Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth 'Good Life'
from 'All Souled Out' (1991) (MP3/CD)
The Meters 'Same Old Thing'
from 'Struttin'' (1969) (MP3/CD)
Eddie Kendricks 'Girl You Need a Change of Mind'
from 'People... Hold On' (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
O'Donel Levy 'I Wanna Be Where You Are'
from 'Dawn of a New Day' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Heavy D and the Boyz 'Don't Curse'
from 'Peaceful Journey' (1991) (MP3/CD not available)
Booker T and the M.G.'s 'Hip-Hug-Her'
from 'Hip-Hug-Her'(1967) (MP3/CD)
Run D.M.C. 'Down with the King'
from 'Down with the King' (1994) (MP3 unavailable/CD unavailable)
James Rado and Company 'Where Do I Go?'
from 'Hair' Soundtrack (1969) (MP3 unavailable/CD)
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Six years after first appearing on Too $hort's 'Life is... Too Short' album and serving time for drug charges, Rappin' 4-Tay delivered his second album, 'Don't Fight the Feelin'' in 1994 which contained his two biggest singles. 4-Tay's biggest charting single and the song that is still the soundtrack to lazy West Coast summer days is 'Playaz Club'. Although it only barely broke the top 40, 'Playaz Club' is an must have for G-Funk fans and connoisseurs of mid 90s trunk bangers. The song's smooth sound is lifted from William Bell and Judy Clay's Stax single 'Private Number'.
Similarly, 'I'll Be Around' by the Spinners is used for 4-Tay's track 'I'll Be Around', the other charting hit from 'Don't Fight the Feelin''. It's not quite as powerful as 'Playaz Club', but fits nicely with his laid back style. A deeper album track from 'Feelin'' is the Bob James sampling 'Sucka Free', lifting a sample from 'Tappan Zee' from James' 'Four'.
Rappin' 4-Tay would never duplicate the success of 'Playaz Club', though he would try with a string of albums.The Lowdown:
Rappin' 4-Tay 'Playaz Club', 'Ill Be Around', and 'Sucka Free'
from 'Don't Fight the Feelin'' (1994) (MP3/CD)
William Bell and Judy Clay 'Private Number'
The Spinners 'I'll Be Around'
from 'Spinners' (1971) (MP3/CD)
Bob James 'Tappan Zee'
from 'Four' (1977) (MP3/CD)
Bonus Cut:
'Playaz Club' (Instrumental). You can't front on that.
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Following the limited success of 'Runnin'' by the Pharcyde, J Dilla (then, as Jay Dee) scored his second single 'Stakes is High' for De La Soul. 'Stakes is High', like 'Runnin'', was not initially successful but is now seen as one the essential mid 90s East Coast singles. The trademark laid-back beat for 'Stakes is High' is cut partially from James Brown's 'Mind Power' from his landmark album 'The Payback'. Dilla met Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest through Amp Fiddler in 1995, leading to the formation of the Ummah with Ali Shaheed Muhammed and Tip in 1996. One of the Ummah's most notable production credits is on Janet Jackson's 1997 single 'Got Til It's Gone', which famously interpolates Joni Mitchell's 1970 hit 'Big Yellow Taxi'. Though the actual production credits are still argued, the liner notes claim the producers of 'Got Til It's Gone' are Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, but many hip-hop fans contend that the beat is obviously by the Ummah.
In addition to breaking into the charts with the Ummah, Dilla was still trying to launch his own group, Slum Village. Slum Village, though not making an impression on Q-Tip at first, toured with A Tribe Called Quest in 1998. Due to problems with their label A&M, their 1997 album, 'Fan-tas-tic Vol. 1' was never officially released until 2005 (five years after the sequel was released). 'Fan-tas-tic Vol. 1' gives insight to Slum Village in an early stage and offers up some early Dilla beats. 'Forth & Back', in particular, shines with a sample from Herbie Hancock's 'I Thought it Was You'.
In a future post of this blog, we'll see Dilla's stock rise with Ummah's production for ATCQ's 'The Love Movement' and the formation of the Soulquarians.The Lowdown:
De La Soul 'Stakes is High'
from 'Stakes is High' (1996) (MP3 not available/CD)
James Brown 'Mind Power'
from 'The Payback' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Janet Jackson 'Got Til It's Gone'
from 'The Velvet Rope' (1997) (MP3/CD)
Joni Mitchell 'Big Yellow Taxi'
from 'Ladies of the Canyon' (1970) (MP3/CD)
Slum Village 'Forth & Back'
from 'Fan-tas-tic Vol. 1' (1997) (MP3/CD)
Herbie Hancock 'I Thought it Was You'
from 'Sunlight' (1977) (MP3/CD)
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Not unlike the 'War of the Worlds' radio broadcast, 'Two Sevens Clash' by Culture led to widespread panic in Jamaica. Based on a prediction by the national hero of Jamaica, Marcus Garvey; one of the reggae band Culture's biggest singles warned of a day of judgment on July 7th, 1977 leading to schools and businesses closing temporarily. Of course nothing happened, but 'Two Sevens Clash' is still played by dancehall DJ in the know on July 7th.
The Two Sevens Clash Riddim is not among the most popular riddims in dancehall, but still has a handful of worthwhile sides. 'Your Love is Real' from Barry Brown's album 'Far East' and 'No Watch That' by U. Brown are notable Two Sevens Clash versions. In 2003, Culture joined Anthony B for a remake of 'Two Sevens Clash' on Anthony B's 2003 album 'Street Knowledge' (note to Ice Cube: while you were out making equels to 'Friday' and 'Barbershop', dudes were naming their album 'Street Knowledge'. Weren't you in 'Tresspass'? Regulate on that!).
31 years past the date, 'Two Sevens Clash' has lost a bit of its chilling, foreboding edge; but it's still a summer jam (even if it is dramatically apocalyptic). Give it a play tonight and celebrate the end of the world that wasn't.The Lowdown:
Culture 'Two Sevens Clash'
from 'Two Sevens Clash' (1977) (MP3/CD)
Barry Brown 'Your Love is Real'
from 'Far East' (1995) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
U. Brown 'No Watch That'
Anthony B and Culture 'Two Sevens Clash'
from 'Street Knowledge' (2003) (MP3/CD)
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Collapsing under the pressure of hit albums, number one singles, and rampant drug use, Sly Stone delivered his 1971 album 'There's a Riot Goin' On' to anxious label executives. Though billed as Sly and the Family Stone, the album was produced almost entirely by Sly Stone himself who played many of the instruments on the album himself in overdub sessions and, mythically, recorded some of the album vocals from his bed. The dark sound of 'Riot' matched the gleeful optimism of the late 60s fading into the harsh realities of the early 70s. The lead single, 'Family Affair', would be Sly and the Family Stone's final number one record and the density of 'Riot' surprised fans and critics upon it's release. Through the album's audible turmoil, it has become one of the most highly acclaimed and heavily sampled albums in funk history.
Both 'Brave and Strong' and 'Poet' were used as sample sources for the Dust Brothers produced Beastie Boys sample-laced sophomore album 'Paul's Botique' on '3 Minute Rule'. The drum machine darkness of 'Family Affair' was stripped away for the early Black Eyed Peas party jam single 'Weekends' with Esthero. The ominous sound was added back to Ghostface Killah's 'Fishscale' Pete Rock produced album track 'Dogs of War' featuring, as the sample title would imply, Ghostface's son Sun God. 'Riot''s second single 'Runnin' Away' is famously the source for A Tribe Called Quest's 'Description of a Fool' from their 1990 debut album 'People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm'.
Increasing drug-fueled paranoia, overblown egos, money matters, and a possible murder-for-hire plot broke the band apart in 1972. Although Sly and the Family Stone would ever reach the heights of success beyond 'Riot', they would release six more albums which provide a salvo for samplers worldwide.The Lowdown:
Sly and the Family Stone 'Poet', 'Family Affair', 'Brave and Strong', and 'Runnin' Away'
from 'There's a Riot Goin' On' (1971) (MP3/CD not available)
Beastie Boys '3 Minute Rule'
from 'Paul's Boutique' (1989) (MP3/CD)
Black Eyed Peas 'Weekends'
from 'Bridging the Gap' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Ghostface Killah 'Dogs of War'
from 'Fishscale' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Clean Edit: 'Dogs of War'
A Tribe Called Quest 'Description of a Fool'
from 'People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm' (1990) (MP3 unavailable/CD)
BONUS CUT:
Between the recording of the albums 'Stand!' and 'There's a Riot Goin' On', Sly Stone formed the short lived Stone Flower label under the Atlantic umbrella and produced the label's lone four singles. During this time, he produced two top 10 hits for Little Sister, 'Somebody's Watching You' and 'You're the One'. The third and final song by Little Sister (who, maybe not surprisingly, is Sly Stone's actual sister) is the a-side to 'Somebody's Watching You', the not-often heard 'Stanga'.
