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The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die (Bad Boy, 1994) //THROWBACK REVIEW

09.17.2017 by StretchCorleone // Leave a Comment

Buck shots out the sunroof of Lexus coupes
Leave no witnesses, what you think this is?
Ain’t no amateurs here, I damage and tear
Emcees fear me, they too near not to hear me
Clearly, I’m the triple beam dream
One thousand grams of uncut to the gut
It seems fucked up, the way I touched up the grill
Tryin’ to play gorilla, when you ain’t no killer
The gat’s by your liver, your upper lip quiver
Get *ready to die*, tell God I said hi
And throw down some ice for the nicest emcee
N***as know the steelo, unbelievable….
(“Unbelievable”)

This past Wednesday marked the 23rd anniversary of one of hip hop’s all-time greatest debut albums; the quadruple-platinum-selling Ready To Die, from the late, great Brooklyn, NYC lyrical sensation The Notorious B.I.G. a/k/a Biggie Smalls. A critical and commercial success, this classic joint even to this day remains a defining moment for East Coast hip hop, showcasing Biggie’s incredible lyrical talents over sample-heavy production that would please both underground boom bap heads and mainstream audiences alike. It would also establish Sean “Puffy” Combs’ newly formed Bad Boy Entertainment as a credible force to be reckoned with in the industry; the previous year, Puffy had been fired from Uptown Records, which had spawned Biggie’s debut single as a solo artist, “Party And Bullshit” and was also home to his earliest guest appearances on records from Mary J. Blige and Heavy D, respectively. Biggie’s verbal gymnastics contain a unique and unparalleled combination of raw skill, humor and attention to detail that should consistently keep you not only happy but thirsty for more as you nod your head.

Ready To Die contains two of Biggie’s biggest (ha!) singles to date, both of which incorporate prominent samples from ’80s old school throwback jams; the autobiographical success story “Juicy” (based on a beautiful sample of Mtume’s “Juicy Fruit”), and the slick player’s anthem (no, not “Player’s Anthem”) “Big Poppa” (which just as beautifully samples the Isley Brothers’ “Between The Sheets”). Additionally, the album cut “One More Chance” was given two different hit remixes; the first of which, the “Stay With Me” remix (based on a sample of yet another ’80s old school throwback, DeBarge’s “Stay With Me”), would shoot up to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and become a platinum seller.

Other classic Biggie staples found on Ready To Die include the stick-up anthem “Gimme The Loot” (where Big expertly adopts two different voices to play out a robbery scene in a back-and-forth hip hop verse format), the grimy DJ Premier-produced banger “Unbelievable” (featuring a memorable R. Kelly vocal sample being scratched in the chorus; this song also happened to be the B-side to the “Juicy” single, as Big wanted to make sure to cater to the streets just in case heads wouldn’t respond well to the radio-friendly jam (SPOILER ALERT: they did)), “The What” (just a fun, dope little track where Big trades verses with none other than the almighty Wu-Tang Clan’s own Method Man; the latter is the album’s lone guest rap performer), the tragic ghetto love story “Me & My Bitch” and the chilling Lord Finesse-laced album closer “Suicidal Thoughts” (in which Big kills himself at the very end, setting the stage for his next album release, the posthumous and equally important Life After Death, nearly three years later). I should also mention that Easy Mo Bee’s production graces about a third of the album, on the aforementioned “Gimme The Loot” and “The What” as well as the title track and additional highlights like the gritty “Machine Gun Funk” and the cinematic mastery of “Warning”.

This loose concept album is simply one of the very best of its kind and is an absolutely timeless and essential addition to any hip hop fan’s collection. Come on now, I shouldn’t even have to tell you how crucial this shit is. And if ya don’t know, now ya know….

R.I.P. Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace a/k/a Biggie Smalls (1972-1997)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JZom_gVfuw?ecver=1]

Heltah Skeltah – Nocturnal (Duck Down, 1996) //THROWBACK REVIEW

08.08.2017 by StretchCorleone // Leave a Comment

I control the masses, with metaphors that’s massive
Don’t ask if the n***a Ruck’ll bash shit like Cassius
I’m drastic, when it comes to verbs I be flippin’
‘Cause herbs just be shittin’ off the words I be kickin’
I scold you, double-headed sword for the petty
But I told you, bitch n***as that heads ain’t ready
Now I mold you, back to the bitch that you are
Fuckin’ with the Ruckus get bruised, battered and scarred
(Sean Price a/k/a Ruck; “Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka”)

I can’t believe today already marks two years to the day that legendary Brownsville, Brooklyn emcee Sean Price tragically and completely unexpectedly passed away in his sleep at the age of 43. In addition to his solid solo career, Sean P is best known as one-half of the duo Heltah Skeltah (originally going by the name Ruck) and also as a prominent member of the supergroup known as the Boot Camp Clik and the Duck Down Music family at large. Sean P’s raw lyrical abilities first gained exposure in 1995, when he and rhyme partner Rock (a/k/a the Rockness Monsta), appeared on fellow Brooklynites and BCC members Smif-N-Wessun’s classic debut album, Dah Shinin’. After gaining even more buzz with the surprise single “Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka” (a posse cut with yet another group from the BCC collective, O.G.C.; altogether known as The Fab 5, a supergroup within a supergroup!), Heltah Skeltah released their seminal 1996 debut album, Nocturnal, which went on to sell over 250,000 copies.

Hailed as an underground classic, the project is known for its murky boom bap basement beats and all-too-perfect chemistry between Ruck and Rock; P’s relentless lyrical slaughter and wordplay is complimented beautifully by Rock’s own capable rhyme skills and trademark raspy voice. Production-wise, the album fits in perfectly with all other BCC-related material put out up until that point, courtesy of the dusty, grimy basement flavor of Da Beatminerz, with additional tracks laced by E-Swift (of Tha Alkaholiks fame), Shawn J. Period and Duck Down co-founder/CEO and Black Moon frontman Buckshot. “Leflaur…” is thankfully included on here, as well as the singles “Operation Lock Down” and “Therapy”; the latter features a hook from longtime hip hop guest vocalist Vinia Mojica and is probably the most commercially viable song on the album.

Other tracks on Nocturnal that best exemplify the duo’s chemistry include the bangers “Letha Brainz Blo”, “Undastand” and “Clan’s, Posse’s, Crew’s & Clik’s”, and Ruck and Rock also trade verses with another Duck Down duo (the Representativz) on “The Square (Triple R)” before linking up with O.G.C. member Louieville Sluggah on the appropriately dark nightlife-themed “Prowl”. Sean is additionally given the opportunity to shine solo (but with one guest verse from lesser-known affiliate Illa Noyz) on the self-referential “Sean Price”. Sean’s famously candid sense of humor is further exposed on the amusing booty call-themed skit “Gettin Ass Gettin Ass”; the latter features Vinia Mojica returning as the, uh…”love interest”.

Following the release of Nocturnal, the Boot Camp Clik’s presence and influence in hip hop (particularly on the East Coast) would only continue to grow, and Sean P in particular would come to be recognized as one of the collective’s most lyrically gifted members and a cult hero of sorts for the NYC underground. Heltah Skeltah would put out two other studio albums together (in 1998 and 2008, respectively), and while they were dope, neither one would match the intensity of their debut, in my opinion. If you’re a newbie to Sean P’s music and talent, the beginning is a fine place to start.

On a side note, be sure to support Sean’s posthumous fourth solo album, Imperius Rex, available everywhere today!

R.I.P. Sean Price a/k/a Ruck (1972-2015)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3XSoWOU5xE?ecver=1]

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – The Art Of War (Ruthless, 1997) //THROWBACK REVIEW

07.30.2017 by StretchCorleone // Leave a Comment

What makes a n**** think he can bite my shit and call his shit original?
What’s worse, tellin’ people you made the style we put down three fuckin’ years ago
And that’s just like a n**** wanna take all the credit, I bet it
Didn’t even occur that we would eventually meet with ya, kid
Don’t crash, collide, lock up with the enemy
And I don’t wanna say a n****’s name and all that
But uh, y’all finna get stomped, let ’em loose
And they heard the news, ya run up, ya could get dead, oh….

Fuck ’em all if I can’t get my respect
Come on now, put them to rest rest
What a bloody, bloody mess, but nevertheless, we won’t stress
I figured this platinum got you actin’ like you got to be me
It’s all in your mind, but in time you’ll find we as real as we speak
(Krayzie Bone; “Look Into My Eyes”)

Today is the landmark 20th anniversary of The Art Of War, the incredible second full-length major label effort from Cleveland, OH-bred tongue-twisting talents Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, which hit #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and was certified quadruple platinum. This epic double-disc release served as the long-awaited follow-up to Bone’s previous album, 1995’s universally lauded E.1999 Eternal, which also went quadruple platinum in addition to topping the Billboard 200; that joint celebrated an anniversary of its own earlier this week. I am pleased to say that Bone and underrated producer DJ U-Neek truly outdid themselves on this one; E. 1999 is about as perfect and original as an album can get, and yet this joint manages to not only meet its expectations as a follow-up, but exceed them to a degree as well. To this day, I still can’t completely decide which album I like more.

Bone’s four core members (Bizzy, Krayzie, Layzie and Wish) keep their unique style of rapping and singing/chanting intact, effectively catering to both the hard and smooth sides of the coin with U-Neek supporting them every step of the way with his trademark dark, sinister and multilayered soundscapes (which, generally speaking, rely impressively little on sampling). Also impressive about The Art Of War is its remarkable consistency and virtual absence of filler, which is rarely seen with double-disc albums. Included on here are the popular singles “Look Into My Eyes” (which also appears on the soundtrack to Joel Schumacher’s embarrassingly bad 1997 superhero sequel Batman & Robin), “If I Could Teach The World” and “Thug Luv” (a collaboration with the late, great Tupac Shakur; Bone had previously recorded “Notorious Thugs” with Pac’s late friend-turned-rival, The Notorious B.I.G., shortly before the latter’s death the same year).

The bulk of the remaining guest features on The Art Of War can be found on the buttery and heartfelt album closer “Mo’ Thug Family Tree”, which contains a wealth of rapping and singing vocals from various members of the extended Mo Thugs Family (including II Tru, Ken Dawg, Souljah Boy (not to be confused with Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em), the Graveyard Shift and Tré); the original version of the song, “Family Tree”, features only Bone over the same lush and soulful beat and appears at the end of the first disc. In addition, each of the four core Bone members gets his time to shine on a hot solo track; though Bizzy’s joint (“7 Sign”) contains a guest verse from affiliate Maje$ty. Thankfully, part-time fifth group member (and Layzie’s older brother) Flesh-N-Bone also makes his presence known on a handful of cuts; most notably on the opening verse of “It’s All Mo’ Thug” and on the second verse of “All Original”, respectively.

Choosing my other favorite songs from this 28-track album is no easy task, but I am especially fond of bangers “Handle The Vibe” (which borrows a sample from the Boogie Down Productions classic “Love’s Gonna Get’cha (Material Love)” as its foundation, “Body Rott” (which was released as the B-side of “If I Could Teach The World”), “Ready 4 War” (which contains disses aimed at Chicago tongue-twisting rivals Crucial Conflict, courtesy of Maje$ty), “Clog Up Yo Mind”, “U Ain’t Bone” (which contains additional subliminal disses aimed at Crucial Conflict as well as other tongue-twisters Bone has had beef with and accused of biting their style, including other Chicago-based acts Do Or Die and Twista as well as Memphis’ own Three 6 Mafia) and the always relevant anti-police number “Let The Law End” (featuring another fine Flesh performance); Bone’s beef with other artists is additionally referenced on “Look Into My Eyes” (see above). I also rather enjoy the softer numbers like “Hatin’ Nation”, the aforementioned “It’s All Mo’ Thug” and the customary weed interlude “Blaze It” (in which U-Neek flips a sample of the Cameo slow jam “Why Have I Lost You” to perfection).

Growing up with semi-strict parents that wouldn’t allow me to buy albums that carried the iconic Parental Advisory label, I am ashamed to admit that it would be a couple years after the fact that I would finally be able to secretly buy my own copy of this joint and digest it in full, having previously concealed a cassette tape of E. 1999 Eternal that endured heavy rotation in my stereo (with headphones, of course!) for a couple years straight. Understandably, the latter will always be a classic in my book; with that said, I’ve come to love The Art Of War just as much and I firmly believe that it deserves the same amount of recognition and possibly even more.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iuFjnW9-fs?ecver=1]