A Reader's Gut Reaction/For Promotional Use Only: Tom Carauna Presents Wu-Tang Clan and Jimi Hendrix - Black Gold (2011)

(Today's Reader Review is a sequel of sorts from Jason, who follows up his review for Tom Caruana's Wu-Tang Clan/Beatles mash-up project Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers with his thoughts on the free follow-up, Black Gold, which combines Wu-Tang lyrics with Jimi Hendrix's catalog. Leave your notes for Jason below.)

One million years ago, I reviewed a Tom Caruana mashup that combined Beatles instrumentals and covers with Wu-Tang lyrics. Simply put, I liked it. I liked it enough to immediately download Caruana’s latest project, the Wu-Tang and Jimi Hendrix mash-up Black Gold, once it became available.

This project differs from its predecessors in some keys ways. On the previous one, Caruana sometimes used Beatles songs covered by other artists in order to craft new instrumentals for the Wu-Tang vocals on Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers. That allowed him to vary his soundscapes and demonstrate the malleability of Beatles songs. Not every artist can have their work re-imagined as soca workouts and acoustic jams with similar success.

However, Caruana says that he barely used any covers this time, instead relying heavily on the work that Hendrix did himself. He combed through bootlegs and live performances, as well as Hendrix’s more familiar studio cuts, to create the beats for Black Gold.

Unfortunately, Caruana did not include a list of samples as he did for Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers, which means an insightful review of this album requires significantly more crate digging than its predecessor. But sometimes, we as critics must suffer for our art; and if “suffering” means combing through the catalogue of Hendrix and the Wu, then it’s not truly suffering at all.

No backstory is necessary for either the Wu or Jimi Hendrix: you know them both. Let’s just get to the music.

1. INTRO

The first words you hear are the spoken lyrics to Jimi Hendrix’s “Black Gold,” which offer an ethos that both Hendrix and the Wu would support: “Black is gold is pure / And true kings of this Earth / So I say it’s up to us to straighten out this mess / We got to go through hell / And then that’s the last of this miserable test / Black must be bold / Because it’s gold and true…” The poetic self-affirmation fades into a Wu-Tang Clan roll call. In general, this intro sets the tone for what is to come. But I doubt many, save the completists, will bother to listen to it more than the once.

2. HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS

The original “House of Flying Daggers” was adrenaline music. The late J Dilla absorbed RZA’s lessons from “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothin’ to F' Wit” and created an instrumental that makes you want to stab something. Caruana doesn’t try to match Dilla’s energy levels, and instead pairs the Clansmen’s verses with a slinky bass line and bracing snare. Surprisingly, the verses still fit over the more subdued production” instead of sounding like a call to riot, the song becomes a whispered threat – equally as menacing, but perhaps not as incendiary. An interesting way to open the album.

3. WHEN THE FAT LADY SINGS

“If 6 Was 9” was one of Hendrix’s finest hours: it was simultaneously a psychedelic call to arms and a laid-back, blues-infused lark. Caruana trims and snips the opening drums, Hendrix’s guitar stabs and an occasional wandering lyric to provide the background for one of GZA’s earlier collaborations with DJ Muggs. As many times as I listened to “If 6 Was 9” before, I never recognized the drum pattern’s breakbeat potential. This knocks. However, GZA’s verses don’t necessarily improve within this new context. His calm, measured delivery was better matched with Muggs’ orchestral thump.

4. COLLECTOR'S MATERIAL

An interlude. Not a particularly long or indulgent one, but it doesn’t merit repeated listens either. The most clever part: Tom Caruana edits the “W” out of Ghostface’s “WTC!” shout as a way to refer to himself. Get it? Because his initials are…never mind.

5. SPECIAL DELIVERY

The Wu-Tang Clan and Jimi Hendrix have a lot in common sonically. For example, they both tend to layer several rhythmic and harmonic counterpoints over each other. Consequently, they both tend to unleash these waves of sound that overwhelm you at first and only become clear on repeated listens. Caruana takes the opposite tactic for Ghostface’s one-verse wonder, which comes courtesy of a G-Dep remix. He only uses the drum pattern and a single guitar trill for the beat. While that instrumental could sound sparse or insubstantial with another artist, Ghostface’s delivery is emphatic and varied enough to engage the listener. So instead of overshadowing or competing with Ghostface’s bars, the music complements him. It also helps that the whole track is only ninety seconds long so it doesn’t become repetitive. This works. Not even Puff Daddy’s shouting (remember, again, G-Dep remix) can derail it.

6. LAST CALL

Ol Dirty Bastard recycled his lyrics a lot. So you might recognize his verses here from a lot of different sources: “Last Call” from the Bully soundtrack, “Recognize” from N---a Please, or even “Dirty & Stinkin’,” the (shudder) ODB-Insane Clown Posse collaboration from The Trials And Tribulations Of Russell Jones. However, they never sounded better than they do on here. (And that’s saying a lot, considering “Recognize” was produced by The Neptunes before they became ubiquitous.) Caruana uses some bombastic drums that I think are from a live performance of “We Gotta Live Together,” but I’m not positive. What matters is they give the music the energy of a live performance. I’d believe it if you told me this was from some ODB Unplugged bootleg, it’s that raw and it’s that good.

7. PLO STYLE

Now, I’m positive the beat for this one came from Jimi Hendrix's “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright Jam”, performed with fellow guitar wunderkind John McLaughlin. (Caruana was kind enough to put a hint in the song’s intro.) The jam meshes well with a Tical-era Method Man and Carlton Fisk. However, I find myself missing the darkness of the original track.

8. THE WIND CRIES MARY

Caruana breaks out a new trick here. Instead of providing new production for an existing Wu song, he cobbles together verses from two different songs to create something entirely new. He pieces together one of GZA’s verses from “Third World” (another Muggs collaboration) and U-God’s first verse from “Bizarre” (which must be a Caruana favorite, because he also used it on Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers). He puts it over a loop culled from “The Wind Cries Mary.” It’s surprising how well the GZA and U-God verses mesh and, while the beat doesn’t wow me, it does complement both emcees. (Finally, if you’re a Hendrix fan, you’ll appreciate the Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell shoutouts.)

9. THE EXPERIENCE

An interlude that’s all Jimi. It combines elements of “51st Anniversary,” “Love Or Confusion,” “I Don’t Live Today” and maybe a few others I’m missing. It’s a segue into the next track: no more, no less.

10. I DON'T LIVE TODAY

Caruana’s uses the Experience’s “I Don’t Live Today” to reframe Ghostface Killah and RZA’s verses from the “Saian” remix they did with the Super Saian Crew. (The Super Saian Crew are a French rap collective with a Dragonball Z fixation, making them -alikes with the Voltron Crew.) But is it good? Well, it isn’t bad. On Enter The Magical Mystery Chambers, Caruana often thematically linked the contributions from the two groups. For example, he’d sample “You Don’t Give Me Your Money” to remake ODB’s “Got Your Money;” or he’d have the Beatles sing “You know my name” before Meth would reply, “M-E-T-H-O-D Man.” This sort of interplay made that album seem like more than the sum of its parts, but it’s missing on Black Gold. Having said that, even if your album is only as good as its parts, Wu-Tang and Jimi Hendrix are some pretty good parts to work with.

11. 10 BRICKS

Caruana revisits a Dilla-produced joint from Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Part II for the second time, and it connects. I don’t know where Caruana found this nasty drum loop, but it sounds exactly like something Dilla would have used. It cuts through the Hendrix guitar squeals and reinforces the words of a reinvigorated Clan. Caruana pulls outs a couple tricks that make this cut standout. First, he doubles most of Cappadonna’s verse, giving his words an emphasis they would otherwise lack. Second, he has Fidel Cutstro scratch Heltah Skeltah’s “Gunz & Onez” over the outro. (Thematically, it works, because that song originally featured Method Man.) This is good hip hop, and exactly what I hoped for when I first heard rumblings of a Wu-Tang/Jimi Hendrix project.

12. STAR SPANGLED BANNER

Caruana adds a breakbeat to Hendrix’s seminal performance of the American anthem. Like “The Experience” or “Collector’s Material,” it just seems intended as a respite between the more substantial offerings.

13. HEY JOE

Caruana’s previous mash-ups didn’t have new verses, just old verses heard in new ways. However, for Black Gold, Caruana scored some original material from a couple of Wu-Tang d-teamers. (Seriously, these are guys who couldn't have scored a verse on Legendary Weapons.) But Wu-Tang Latino signee Gab Gotcha sounds great over a beat created from (what else?) Hendrix’s “Hey Joe.” For those not familiar with Hendrix’s original (and shame on you, by the way), it tells the story of a man who plans to kill his woman for cheating. For this version, Gab takes the role of the man trying to talk his friend down. It works wonderfully, and it has a sense of cohesion previous songs on this album, even some of the better ones, lacked.

14. TOOKEN BACK

Two in a row. Caruana samples “Angel,” the perfect song to accompany Ghostface’s pleas for reconciliation. Both Hendrix and Ghost’s originals have a sensitivity that’s often missing from their respective genres. And, for those wanting technical wizardry, Caruana does a great job of splicing the two respective choruses together.

15. IT'S NOT A GAME

Here’s a word I haven’t had to use before while reviewing Caruana mash-ups: boring. This remake of the American Cream Team contribution to the Black and White Soundtrack is boring. The best part of this five-minute track is the first twenty seconds, in which Caruana replays the beginning to “Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland”).

16. THE SWITCH UP

Caruana starts mixing verses like he did on “The Wind Cries Mary.” But this time he raises the bar by occasionally changing the Hendrix song sample as well. It’s fun to trace the source material – Masta Killa’s verse from the Afu-Ra collaboration “Mortal Kombat,” Inspectah Deck and GZA’s contributions to Killah Priest's“Cross My Heart,” the intro to Icemen’s “My Girl, She’s A Fox” – but that sort of misses the point: none of this matters if the final result isn’t any good. But this is. Switch-the-beat posse cuts tend to be uneven affairs (as I said when Caruana tried something similar on his remake of “Uzi (Pinky Ring)”), but “The Switch Up” has no problem maintaining momentum. An album highlight.

17. KFF2000

“KFF2000” is an exercise in minimalism. A kick, snare and 3-note bassline are all the support Caruana gives a spare GZA verse. While discussing “Special Delivery,” I said Ghostface’s voice has an expressiveness that can overcome a Spartan beat. Well, GZA’s does not. His delivery offers an air of cold calculation. When paired with the right beat, it’s devastating: on here, it’s monotonous. It doesn’t help that GZA’s lyrics sound haphazard and unfocused. (For those who want to know, The Genius’ verse comes from a collaboration with UK recording artist Nigo. The song “K. F. F. (Kung Fu Fighting) 2000” was only released in Japan. This exercise in crate digging would be more impressive if GZA’s bars sounded better.)

18. KISS THE SKY

Two bars I immediately thought Caruana would use when I heard about the Wu-Tang/Jimi Hendrix mash-up: Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “I pull strings like Jimi Hendrix”, and Method Man’s “Excuse me while I kiss the sky”. Caruana alluded to both earlier in passing. However, he revisits Meth’s quote on this Jimi jam that weirdly does not sample “Purple Haze.” Instead, Caruana reminds us that Hendrix liked to roll that shit too, by sampling “Midnight Lightning,” where he sings, “I get stoned / I can’t go home”. Then Caruana pairs that with the lines from “Part II”, where Meth quotes himself quoting Jimi Hendrix and adds, “smoke cheeba, cheeba”, lest any uncertainty remain. This song doesn’t include any verses, just Method Man and Jimi Hendrix sharing their affection for marijuana. That is enough to make it awesome.

19. DIRTY FOX

It’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” mixed with “Foxy Lady.” If that sounds like a sure thing, it is. Unable to accept an easy win, Caruana works in some fire deejay scratches and a verse from the ODB/Rhymefest collaboration “Dirty, Dirty.” Hi's performances are surprisingly malleable. I suspect you could put his vocals over almost anything (for instance, Billy Joel, Lady Gaga, and Bach) and, as long as it’s on beat, it would work. Or maybe Caruana’s done so well with his ODB mash-ups that he just makes it sound easy.

20. HOLLA

This track can be assessed two ways: from a technical and from an artistic standpoint. The original “Holla” featured Ghostface Killah singing and rapping over the entirety of The Delfonics’ “La La La Means I Love You”, and Ghost patterned his performance and the hook's melody off of that. So Caruana’s not just mixing Ghost and Hendrix here, he’s mixing them both with The Delfonics. That’s a sticky wicket, because suddenly you have melodies and harmonies to worry about. The reason rap mash-ups are more common than, say, jazz mash-ups is because hip hop depends heavily on the rhythm and not melody. It’s much more difficult to stitch together competing melodies and harmonies than it is to fit an additional percussion pattern over an existing song. So does Caruana pull it off? Yes, but it’s a technical victory, not an artistic one. Caruana pairs Ghost with an understated Jimi sample, and it doesn’t conflict with his rapping or singing. But it wastes the passion and purpose of Ghost’s performance. On the original, Ghost gave a vocal performance that is reminiscent of Nas' work on “One Mic.” His intensity and volume increases as each verse builds to its climax and The Delfonics song builds and subsides with him. However, Caruana’s beat doesn’t build to anything. It doesn’t rise or fall. It simply is. So it wastes the subtlety in Ghostface’s delivery.

21. I CAN'T WAIT

Two songs ago, I posited that Ol’ Dirty Bastard could sound good over anything. I was wrong. Caruana uses “Up From the Skies” to remake ODB’s “I Can’t Wait,” and the result is a train wreck. ODB sounds off beat most of the time and the song don’t mesh thematically or musically. It finally finds its groove after about forty seconds, but by then the track is almost over. There have been some tracks that haven’t clicked on this album and even a couple of boring ones; but this was the first one I’d call bad.

22. SUMMIN'S GOTZ TO GIVE

I realize Caruana was somewhat limited in his vocal choices by the Wu-Tang acapellas he could find. I also understand that it’s Caruana’s prerogative to shine a spotlight on some more obscure clansman verses. But did anybody download this album hoping to hear a remake of Royal Fam’s “Summin’ Gotz To Give”? For what it's worth, Timbo King’s passionate, anti-industry lyrics are well matched with this “Gypsy Eyes”-sampling jam. But modestly talented (yet unexceptional) emcees like Timbo are precisely what diluted the Wu-Tang brand in the late 1990s, and his appearance here tastes like too much water in the Kool-Aid.

23. STREET RAP

In his ongoing quest to bring us verses from international Wu-Tang collaborations, Caruana presents Inspectah Deck’s bars from “Street Rap,” a song he released with New Zealand MC Mareko. I wasn’t aware of this track before listening to Black Gold, so I’m grateful for Caruana’s willingness to dig in the crates. But, much like GZA’s collaboration with Niko, these aren’t lost jewels. They are merely all right, and the suboptimal verses hamper the impact of a bracing beat.

24. BURNING THE MIDNIGHT LAMP

Before listening to this, I only knew Young Dirty Bastard as the son of Ol’ Dirty Bastard and that he often tours with the Clan, performing his father’s verses and giving a pretty good impression of his late father. Of course, none of that means I’d want to hear original music from him. In fact, when an artist deliberately sets out to be derivative (and it’s clear from YDB’s stage name that he’s not trying to blaze any trails), the results tend to be forgettable. However, “Burning the Midnight Lamp” is not completely derivative. Yes, YDB sings nonsense that might sound just as his father would; but his warble is higher pitched and not without its own charms. That doesn’t mean this was an epiphany (like Gab Gotcha’s “Hey Joe”), but it does mean there’s more to YDB than imitating his father. (Stick around to the end to hear RZA and Jimi’s shared tribute to a certain cartoon mouse.)

25. WHAT'S HAPPENIN'

This is a monster, and I mean that in the best possible sense. Caruana matches the energy of the Method Man/Busta Rhymes duet with Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic”, and the results are flawless. You can’t see the stitch marks on this Frankenstein. Everything flows so perfectly, you’d swear Caruana had Meth and Busta in the studio. I hope listeners make it to the tail end of this album because “What’s Happenin’” just might be the best song on here.

26. THE HOOD

“The Hood” is the perfect candidate for a mash-up. Raekwon’s ode to his old neighborhood originally had solid lyrics but a saccharine beat. Caruana simultaneously roughs up the drums and smooths out the guitars, giving the Chef a more appropriate accompaniment. Then, Caruana revisits Hendrix’s “Black Gold” lyrics from the intro to give the evening a sense of completion. The final voice you hear is that of Ol' Dirty Bastard as he admires the stars, a fitting end.

SHOULD YOU TRACK THIS DOWN? Caruana is offering Black Gold as a free download, so all he’s asking for is your time and some space on your hard drive. And this is worth that. But it is a more inconsistent listen than Enter the Magical Mystery Chambers, partly because Caruana's pension for using lesser known (and less impressive) Wu-Tang verses. Seriously, the only verses he uses from the 1993-1997 golden era is an album cut from Tical. Timbo King, Gab Gotcha, Down Low Recka and Young Dirty Bastard receive about as much mic time as Masta Killa and U-God. I’m not saying that he needed to sample “Purple Haze” to remake “Method Man”, but his insistence on emphasizing the obscure hurts the final product. However, the best tracks on here make this more than worth your time.

-Jason

(Questions? Comments? Leave your thoughts below.)

Reader Review: Three 6 Mafia - Chapter 1: The End (December 3, 1996)

(Today's Reader Review comes from Alex, who took the time to revisit the second full-length project from the Memphis-based, Academy Award-winning crew Three 6 Mafia, Chapter 1: The End (even though the album cover only says The End, but their official site refers to it the same way Alex does, so whatever). Odds are pretty good that you two weren't expecting this particular group to pop up on the blog anytime soon. Leave your thoughts for Alex below.)

Three 6 Mafia? Please, don’t leave just yet. Today I'm talking about the Three 6 Mafia of old, not the group that released “Lolli Lolli” or that other crunk nonsense that is now associated with the act. Time changes all, especially in hip hop, where, thanks to the Internet, a song can become dated within the span of a week. So,I don’t quite blame the Prophet Posse (seriously, now that’s an alias) for adjusting their style to adapt to the tastes of the everyday mainstream fickle hip hop fan. I suppose it's possible that the group wasn't actually pressured by their label to change; maybe it was a natural progression (or regression). I imagine it could get very tiring for a rapper to reuse the same formula over and over again (unless you're DMX or something). Their recent shift in sound also may be due to the fact that the Three 6 Mafia has been reduced to only two members, whereas back in the 1990s they had more affiliates than the fucking Wu-Tang Clan. Their album Chapter 1: The End, their second full-length project, featured Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo, and Koopsta Knicca alongside the old standby Lord Infamous and the duo who retain the name, DJ Paul and Juicy J.

At age thirteen (I'm now eighteen, so don’t judge me: I listen to everything, from the Artifacts to the Geto Boys to J.Dilla), I didn’t really appreciate the music of the Three 6 Mafia. My friends were obsessed with their earlier work, I was forced to endure practically their entire discography while we drove around. I prefer my music to have actual messages and to showcase clever lyrical ability, but I enjoy some ignorant shit every now and then, so the crew's dark and cinematic beats, paired with paranoid rhymes, eventually reeled me in. Regardless of their current output, the Three 6 Mafia was once the most deranged, bugged out group in the industry.

And now I present Chapter 1: The End.

1. OUR ARRIVAL

Oh, how Max hates rap album intros. Rather pointless, but remember when I used the word “cinematic” earlier? This sets the overall tone of the album.

2. STOMP

Downbeat and minimalist, but it gets the job done. With Three 6 Mafia, you tend to get an adrenaline-fueled instrumental and excited performances, but everyone sounds quite relaxed on here. Probably not the perfect introduction to the group: for that, I would skip ahead to the third track.

3. MONEY FLOW (FEAT. K-ROCK)

Be aware that many of the choruses on Chapter 1: The End consist of screwed samples that are hard to decipher. A very hypnotic beat takes you into a fast paced K-Rock guest verse, followed by a standout from DJ Paul. Everyone comes correct on here, making “Money Flow” one of the highlights of the album.

4. LATE NITE TIP

Even after I became a full-fledged fan of Chapter 1: The End, I remained wary of this track. Though this is a clear shot toward a more mainstream audience, the beat and, surprisingly, some of the subject matter don’t stray too far from the rest of the project. DJ Paul’s interaction with Gangsta Boo always made me laugh: “ I need a Coach bag” / “I can’t even be doin it” / “I need my hair done” / “Me too, I ain't got nothing to do with it”. Please note that the song is fucking censored .

5. GOTCHA SHAKIN’

This songs knocks: although it contains a lighter beat , it still has a strong sound to it. This song is a dis to onetime Three 6 affiliate Playa Fly over his own song, which DJ Paul & Juicy J had originally produced. Juicy J quickly gets to the point with his first few bars, as does the rest of the Triple 6. This is nothing more than threats and insults volleyed at the enemy, but this was a great song nonetheless.

6. I AIN’T GOIN’

The creepiest song on here thus far. A pretty broad song subject-wise, but it gets the job done. Infamous & Juicy J fit the track especially well.

7. GOOD STUFF

This is a tribute to all of the substances we abuse to feel better about ourselves. The first verse is especially amusing, with DJ Paul not being ashamed of his addiction to cocaine, going so far as to have people refer to him as a dope head instead of rich bum. Lord Infamous also lends a noteworthy verse discussing giving away that fire bud on Halloween to trick-or-treaters. I wish I lived in the Memphis projects on Halloween when I was younger.

8. WALK UP 2 YO HOUSE

This is a remake of an old, unreleased song from their catalog, and yet it is completely different. While the original was ominous & slower, this version keeps the dark tone but amps up the pace. The intro, with Three 6 knocking on a door to inform someone of their “health test” results, is still hilarious to me. Each member tells their own story of paranoia and murder.

9. IN 2 DEEP

Obviously, this is a song about being “In 2 Deep” in the drug game. Three 6’s brand of thug cockiness has always registered well with me because they don’t exactly glorify the lifestyle: they often speak of the perils and mindstate that it can put you in.

10. LAST MAN STANDING (FEAT. GANGSTA BLAC & M-CHILD)

Lord Infamous weaves one menacing story during the first verse over mellow keys and a screwed sampled hook. This was originally a clear Bone Thugs diss but was slightly changed and seems more subliminal now.

11. DESTRUCTION TERROR

This beat is what the ice cream truck guy in your neighborhood would play if he doubled as a sadistic serial killer. It uses the same sample as from Dru Down’s “Ice Cream Man” (coincidence?). Three 6 continue with their menacing threats and boasts, but come off just as fresh as they do on the rest of the album. Although many of the songs on Chapter 1: The End sound quite similar, the album surprisingly doesn’t wear out its welcome.

12. BODY PARTS (FEAT. K-ROCK, MC-MACK, M-CHILD, INDO G, & GANGSTA BLAC)

This song is cool and all, but after the superb sequencing leading up to this, the momentum kind of drops off unexpectedly.

13. WHERE’S DA BUD?

Another remake of an older track, this time with a completely different twist. The piano loop will definitely have you hooked, as will the fact that this is a Lord Infamous solo (yes!). His monotone, haunting voice fits the track quite well. You should definitely check out his second verse.

14. GET ‘EM CRUNK

This and “Body Parts” are the only songs on the Chapter 1: The End that even slightly resemble filler. I don't consider this to be a bad song, but the level of quality isn't even close to that of the rest of the project.

15. WHERE DA KILLAZ HANG (FEAT. PROJEC T PAT)

Everyone comes correct on this one, including guest star Project Pat. One of the best tracks on this album, and that’s a big feat in itself. I don't have much more to say.

16. THE END

An instrumental, which leads into…

17. LIFE OR DEATH (FEAT. MC-MACK & K-ROCK)

DJ Paul & Juicy J sample 2Pac’s opening monologue from Makaveli's “Bomb First (My Second Reply)” and make it into a fitting hook. Slow and downright creepy. A great way to end the album.

FINAL THOUGHTS: If you’re not used to Three 6 Mafia or sadistic, Southern gangster rap in general, then Chapter 1: The End will take some time for you to digest. Sometimes it takes ten listens or more to understand even one verse from one of the many members, but when it comes down to it, it barely matters, as DJ Paul & Juicy J’s production lay down a gangster/horror flick soundtrack to some appalling (and appealing) rhyme schemes from every member of group.

BUY OR BURN? Buy this shit. You should download it first to see if it might be for you, but do the right thing by the group after you become enthralled and you have diverted funds away from your newly formed cocaine habit that the Three 6 Mafia has led you to.

BEST TRACKS: “Money Flow”; “Late Nite Tip”; “Gotcha Shakin’”; “Good Stuff”; “Walk Up 2 Yo House”; “Last Man Standin’”; “Where Da Killaz Hang”

-Alex

(Questions? Comments? Leave your notes below.)

Reader Review: RJD2 - Deadringer (July 23, 2002)

(Today's Reader Review is one that went missing in my inbox for whatever reason, resulting in a lag time that was much longer than usual. Apologies to John, who took the time to submit a write-up for RJD2's debut, Deadringer, and may now possibly be turned off from the entire submission process at this point. Regardless, here's John's short-and-sweet review; leave some comments for him below.)

Commonly considered the best work of Ohio raised producer/singer/musician RJD2, Deadringer is a sample-heavy tour de force comparable in both scope and quality to DJ Shadow's groundbreaking 1996 debut Endtroducing…, but with a bit more of that old jazz/funk party sound. (Before everyone starts complaining, let me stress that I said comparable, not equivalent.) It combines both superior sampling and mixing skills with a level of musicianship rarely seen in this post-millennial hip hop void.

RJD2 himself offers a short narrative on the second track, “Salud”: “This is the first record...I’ve made under my control entirely…some of the stuff I like very much, some of the stuff I quite like, and I don’t hate any of it.” Now I’m not inclined to argue with these words, delivered with an unexplained British accent (does everyone speak like this in Ohio?), but I’ve listened to my fair share of boring-as-fuck instrumental albums, so let’s hold off judgment, hit play, and see how it holds up today.

1. THE HORROR

Deadringer kicks off with some rumbling bass that quickly leads us right into music that sounds like it was taken from a 1930’s-era thriller (but is, in reality, from the 1970’s electronic pop group First Moog’s Quartet). A somewhat bizarre way to start things out, sure, but RJD2 tweaks the samples just right, throwing in a little Scooby-Doo, and we’re left with a cinematic track that’ll get stuck in your head for weeks.

2. SALUD

Wouldn’t be a proper hip hop album without an intro. Albeit an intro which denies that this album has an intro.

3. SMOKE AND MIRRORS

RJD2 gets his straight-outta-Ohio soul on, mixing a deep, resonating vocal sample over some groovin’ drums which refuse to let you not feel the beat.

4. GOOD TIMES ROLL PT. 2

Another jam. This one tries its best to pick up the pace and get the audience moving. The beat hits you immediately, but then loses its focus and, in turn, your attention. Next track, please.

5. FINAL FRONTIER (FEAT. BLUEPRINT)

“My lifeline swerves kinda like a sine curve”. Well, at least the math majors among us will like this track (the first one on Deadringer to feature actual rhymes, courtesy of guest star Blueprint, also RJ's partner in the duo Soul Position), even if the rest use the four-and-a-half minute run time to take a nap.

6. GHOSTWRITER

For anyone who fell asleep during “Final Frontier”, the horns that smash into your eardrums during the chorus on “Ghostwriter” will wake you the fuck up. This song is fucking great. If you don’t listen to a single other track on the album, you need to hit this one up for sure. The smooth beat, crisp snares and whispering samples lead you into a montage of horn hits that could be the theme song to every good day you have from this point forward.

7. CUT OUT TO FL

Some more cinematic shit reminiscent of “The Horror”, but instead of a thriller, RJ hits us with some kind of circus scene, I guess?

8. F.H.H. (FEAT. JAKKI DA MOTAMOUTH)

Word.

9. SHOT IN THE DARK

This is a skit. It has a beat, but it's still a skit.

10. CHICKEN-BONE CIRCUIT

RJ immediately hits you in the face again, this time with some heavy-ass drums, which are all I really ever need. But this song just jams all around: smooth synth riffs in the back, mixed with subtle vocal samples and those damn thrashing drums allow for some raw insight into RJ’s true productions skills. Pretty nice.

11. THE PROXY

A short and interesting-enough groove, but one that leaves something to be desired.

12. 2 MORE DEAD

A little blues, a little funk, a little soul, a lot of entertainment. This is another track that shines, reminding us that instrumental hip hop does not need to be boring when done right.

13. TAKE THE PICTURE OFF

Short and sweet. I liked it alright, but I imagine it will grow old very quickly.

14. SILVER FOX

Not the most upbeat part of the album, but this fox did have some nice curves on her.

15. JUNE (FEAT. COPYWRITE)

For most of this album we’ve seen either a beat that kicks us in the face, making our head bob with pure musical enjoyment, or we’ve seen a track that just sort-of drifts around until eventually fading out. But here we get something completely fresh: it’s like DJ Shadow’s “Midnight in a Perfect World”, but with even more emotion and two heartfelt verses laid down by guest star Copywrite (a little known MC who also hails from Ohio). This song is just always on point.

16. WORK

A pretty decent groove, although after the high that was “June”, this can't help but be a bit of a letdown.

After “Work”, Deadringer segues into the following hidden track (on first pressings, anyway: I learned that Definitive Jux, RJD2's record label at the time, was forced to scrap the following track on later reissues due to sample clearance problems).

HERE'S WHAT'S LEFT

Just when we think RJ’s going to leave us hanging, the hidden “Here’s What’s Left” track pops up, and we are again reminded of why we bothered to listen to Deadringer in the first place. A beautiful riff combined with those D2 drums leaves us relaxed and satisfied on our way out.

FINAL THOUGHTS: If you dig instrumentals and loved the thumping beats of DJ Shadow, then you’ll probably like RJD2's Deadringer too, even if it may be preferable to think of this as a great supplement to your collection rather than as another crowning jewel. RJD2 provides us with more than enough proof that he is one of best out there in terms of both sampling and production skills, as well as pure musicianship. There are some slow parts on Deadringer, but since they are interwoven among shit as hot as “Ghostwriter” and “June”, I would still push aside all of that other shit on the radio these days in favor of this.

BUY OR BURN? Definitely a buy.

BEST TRACKS: “Ghostwriter”; “Chicken-Bone Circuit”; “June”; “Here's What's Left”; “2 More Dead”

-John

(Questions? Comments? I have no answers, but you can leave your thoughts below anyway.  Also, I'm aware that the link below is for the "deluxe" edition of Deadringer, released through RJ's own record label after he left Definitive Jux.  I just couldn't ignore that price.)

Reader Review: Nappy Roots - Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz (February 26, 2002)

(Today's Reader Review finds Justin listening to the debut album from the Kentucky-based crew Nappy Roots, Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz. Leave your notes for him below.)

2002 was the year that saw these “country boyz” by the name of Nappy Roots bubble up into the mainstream. The sextet, consisting of members Fish Scales, Skinny Deville, B.Stille, Ron Clutch, Big V, and Ron Prophet, garnered both critical and commercial acclaim during what I consider to be the beginning of the end of the music video era. My own curiosity with the group was sparked when multiple music magazines (remember, this was before the era of hip hop blogs) began referring to the group as the “Wu-Tang of the South” (which is a rather unfair categorization; I really get irked when a music journalist says that artist so-and-so sounds like artist such-and-such). Since I had recently become enamored with the Wu-Tang Clan, I wanted to hear exactly what that combination would sound like, and I was always up for some good Southern hip hop anyway.

After being beat over the head with their first single, “Awnaw”, for a few months straight, their debut album, Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz, was finally released in early 2002. At around this time, major big-box retail stores, such as Best Buy, Target, and Circuit City (remember them?), who sold music decided that releases from newer artists would be a great way to lure more customers in through the doors, and as a result, lowered their prices fairly significantly. As such, I picked up this album for only $6.99 (which is much cheaper than anything on iTunes, where you don't even get any physical disc or liner notes). For a kid in college with an addiction to rap music, this was pure gold.

I remember bumping this album around friends, and their reactions were mixed. They either liked it and ran out to purchase their own copy; claimed that they liked it but then asked to burn a copy of it for themselves; flat-out didn't like it (usually because of their voices); or none of the above. Personally, I liked it at first, before I became witness to what I like to call “The Score effect”*. Basically, I saw some suburban girls (we can't just say “white” at this point?) at a music store singing “Po’ Folks”, asking the clerk for something called “Nappy Roots”. This was unsettling for me: even though hip hop has been mainstream for quite some time now, it still seems out of place when certain aspects of the culture cross over. So I put Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz on the shelf and never bumped it from beginning to end again.

That is, until I heard their newest single, “Congratulations”. It was leaked to the Internet to help promote the upcoming collaborative project between the Nappy Roots and production legends Organized Noize. That single has inspired me to go back and review their entire catalog, starting with Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz, their major label debut. (Depending on how the comment section looks, the rest of Justin's reviews may run sooner rather than later. You know what to do.)

So without further ado, let’s get into the review.

*”The Score Effect”- When The Fugees dropped their breakthrough album The Score I was very interested in checking it out. That is, until I heard some suburban white girls a little bit older than me ask the record store staff in the most Valley Girl voice ever, “I want “Fugee-la”. After which I didn’t purchase, nor listen to that album for another 8 years.

1. INTRO

Well, I just wasted twenty-five seconds of life.

2. HUSTLA

Okay, after that worthless intro we finally get to hear the group actually rhyme. The beat is okay enough: it sounds like something a lot of today's mixtape “rappers” would get from an unknown local producer who claims that he can do any type of style. The voices of the group are very distinct from each other, though, and in that respect I can understand why their public relations people sent that Wu-Tang comparison out in the press kit.

3. SET IT OUT

I kind of like this one. It has that Southern house party-type of flair (though I have yet to really party in the Dirty South, I've seen enough movies set there with songs such as this one playing during a party scene). The simple hook demands that the listener, “Smoke sumthin', cut sumthin', drank sumthin', what?” I almost want to repeat it out loud myself; it's kind of catchy.

4. COUNTRY BOYZ

Features the first instrumental that I'm actually excited about. In today's version of hip hop, “Country Boyz” would have been selected as the street single. The combination of the mafioso-like strings and the 808 drum kit is crazy. This is the first track I would show off to alleged hip hop fans who perpetually hate on the South for no real reason aside from personal bias, because there is no way that a Jadakiss, a Jay-Z, or even a Ghostface Killah could ever hop on a beat like this and come correct with their respective style. Definitely proves how unique the style of the Nappy Roots can be.

5. BALLIN' ON A BUDGET

When I first bought Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz, I liked this track, but today, not so much. The beat sounds like some filler that the post-death 2Pac would use, which means that The Outlawz should immediately call producer James “Groove” Chambers (who produced the majority of this project) and try to purchase something similar. The concept was cool enough, but it's hard to listen to a song such as this when the musical backdrop is so boring.

6. AWNAW (FEAT. JAZZE PHA)

When I was deejaying at a New Year's Eve party two years ago, I wanted to play this song a few minutes after the ball dropped, as I hadn't heard to it in a while. I like this song more today than I did when it first made its debut, and when I say “made its debut” I mean when it was force-fed onto the masses (this was all over television, radio airwaves, and even in one of the Madden games). The Nappy Roots are somehow able to embed more soul in their hip hop than most artists; it's almost like listening to some Sam Cooke or Al Green when our hosts approach this level of entertainment. This would be my song of the week anytime.

7. HEADZ UP

Another Southern club song, but one not as good as “Set It Out”. It sounds really dated today, and the hook is by far the worst I've heard on Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz so far. Rapping-wise, the guys sound pretty good, though. Let's move on.

8. SLUMS

The beat's cool on this one, but the chorus was kind of annoying: it features a vocal sample that sounds like someone having an asthma attack, which isn't pleasant to the ears. Big V provides a rather inspired verse, one where you can feel the hunger in his voice, helping this song sound slightly above average overall.

9. PO' FOLKS (FEAT. ANTHONY HAMILTON)

You two remember this one, right? R&B crooner Anthony Hamilton was on the hook. I liked this song initially, and still like it today; if it wasn't for the above-mentioned incident, we would probably still be very close friends. Skinny Deville makes his return on the track, which is a plus for me, as he has one of my favorite voices in the crew. (I should probably look up if he's released any solo material after I'm done writing up this catalog.) “Po' Folks” is another one of those soulful songs that the Nappy Roots just sound great over. You'll either love this song or hate it; there isn't really any middle ground. Obviously, I lean more toward the “love” side of that scale.

10. START IT OVER

Wow, a Drunken Master “50 N----z Deep” (off of the FUBU compilation The Good Life) reference to start off the track? I hated that shit, so I don't know how I feel about this. The beat is less South-ish this time: this sounds more like an Erick Sermon production than anything. Our hosts come off as pretty good over it, though. My only problem with Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz so far is that I am now halfway through the project and the subject matter has rarely strayed from smokin', drankin', cuttin', and being “po'”. This may prove to be fatal for this review, but let's see where this goes.

11. BLOWIN' TREES

It makes sense that the Nappy Roots would throw me a curveball right when I was starting to get scared that their subject matter would never change. “Blowin' Trees” is about accepting the fact that you are “country”. Yeah, I was scared that it was going to be another weed song, too. This turned out to be another soulful track, and an entertaining one at that. There is a pointless skit at the very end, though.

12. SHOLIZ

This track was wack as fuck. This sounds like something a retarded Timbaland would come up with. Skip.

13. LIFE'S A BITCH

The first twenty-five seconds of this track consists of a dialogue discussing what happens when you leave this Earth. I would hope that you would find better beats than this in the next life: this is another one of those 2Pac posthumous release-type instrumentals that sounds too generic for you to give that question any serious consideration. What makes things worse is that this beat was provided by Carlos “Six July” Broady, one of Puff Daddy's original Hitmen (who is also known for his work for Royce da 5'9” and La The Darkman); he seems to have gone from working with The Notorious B.I.G. To being notorious for submitting terrible beats to artists. My, how the mighty have fallen. The yelling on the hook by Big V was a bit much, as well. Next!

14. MY RIDE

The production values on Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz have gone downhill dramatically, which is a huge problem for me. This James “Groove” Chambers fellow is the definition of “hit and miss”.

15. ONE FORTY

Leaning mostly towards “miss” now. Shit, this is one of the worst beats on the entire album. My God, this sounds like it crawled out from an early 2000’s Bad Boy beat submission tape that Puffy tossed in the garbage.

16. DIME, QUARTER, NICKEL, PENNY

Okay, maybe we're back on track again, as this is actually a good song. This is a fun track about money, one that would have been perfect for a cameo from the Field Mob. (That's not a dis, either: I'm actually a big fan.)

17. KENTUCKY MUD

And now the poor production returns. This wasn't as bad as some of the other tracks on this album, but it still manages to sound too dated for something coming from 2002.

(Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz ends with a series of songs labeled as bonus tracks.)

18. THE LOUNGE

Skit...

19. HO DOWN (FEAT. THE BARKAYS)

A smoothed-out Southern-type track about hos (surprise, surprise). Not a bad track, just not a great one, either.

20. HEADZ UP (REFRIED)

A remix of a okay-at-best album cut that was featured earlier in the album. Plays exactly as it reads.

21. AWNAW (ROCK REMIX) (FEAT. MARCOS OF P.O.D.)

Not bad. I remember 2002 as being the time when there were a lot more rap/rock collaborations (Limp Bizkit, anyone?). This is one of the few instances where the concept panned out fairly well (although nobody remembers who P.O.D. Is anymore).

FINAL THOUGHTS: Plain and simple, Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz has too many tracks. Had the Nappy Roots made this a thirteen-track debut, they would have had something that would have stood the test of time much more successfully, without a doubt. Instead, by adopting the No Limit Records business strategy (quantity over quality), the project seriously suffers. Nevertheless, these guys still manage to show off their talent, and they all work well as a group; when they are complemented with above-average production, they are able to shine. Which brings me to the second major flaw of Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz: the production. For being Da Dirty South’s answer to the Wu-Tang Clan, the Nappy Roots are desperately lacking a RZA. James “Groove” Chambers provides the occasional high point, but leaving the bulk of the musical responsibilities in his hands wasn’t the best idea. Still, this was a decent debut for a group on a major label (Atlantic), who, from what I understand from reading Wikipedia, had to fight with their corporate bosses in order to keep the music sounding the way that they wanted (although I'm sure some compromises were still made). (Probably the rock remix.)

BUY OR BURN? Overall, I wouldn't recommend buying this album (unless you get a deal like I did,: I know that Amazon sometimes has some pretty sweet sales). You should listen to the tracks listed below instead, so that you can hear some of the best work from the Nappy Roots.

BEST TRACKS: “Po' Folks”; “Awnaw”; “Dime, Quarter, Nickel, Penny”; “Country Boyz”

-Justin

(Questions? Comments? Whatever? Leave your thoughts below.)

Reader Review: Mr. Lif - I Phantom (September 17, 2002)

(Today's Reader Review is brought to you by Don Martin, who was nice enough to provide his take on Mr. Lif's first full-length project, I Phantom. Leave some comments for him below.)

I remember first hearing Boston-based Mr. Lif on two guest appearances (“Speech Cobras”, from the Jedi Mind Tricks album Violent by Design, and the much better “Operating Correctly”, off of 7L & Esoteric's The Soul Purpose) and thinking to myself, "Now that's an interesting flow." He offers a commanding voice (read: sometimes monotone) with some very impressive alliteration and overall style. After discovering his Sleepyheads compilation (made up of previously released material), followed by his EPs Enters the Colossus and Emergency Rations, I couldn't help but admire his socially conscious and political subject matter, since his voice just seemed to fit.

After discovering he was a Def Jukie (a loving moniker given to the artists who were signed to EL-P's underground Definitive Jux label), I got a tingle: the same Definitive Jux that spawned Cannibal Ox's only album, The Cold Vein, the greatest underground record ever recorded? Sign me up!  At first, trying to imagine what Lif's flow would be like over El-Producto's mile-a-minute percussion didn't seem promising: not to take anything from Insight or DJ Fakts One (Lif's close friends and previous producers), but Lif seemed more suited on a slower beat with touches of funk thrown in. Emergency Rations, Lif's second EP, was very politically driven, save for the last track, “Phantom” (produced by, you guessed it, El-P.) I must have listened to that track for two days straight on repeat. A fucking gorgeous and absolutely epic backdrop from El-P built the house for Lif's natural narrative voice to lay down a dark, stunning track that left you with questions.

On September 17, 2002, we received the answers. I Phantom, Lif's third release on Definitive Jux (and his first full-length) is not your typical record. Hell, it's not even your typical underground or Def Jux record for that matter. What it ended up being was a twisted painting of humanity, a concept album that would redefine storytelling in hip hop. I honestly don't want to ruin the story of the album (although I'm sure I will in the track breakdown), but rest assured: from top to bottom, front to back, there is no track that is not part of the overall story or concept. Fair warning, this masterpiece can not be cherry picked: you can't really choose a single track from I Phantom to bump in your ride on a Tuesday afternoon. As a concept and story driven record, it demands to be heard from start to finish.

Check out the way the story goes.

1. BAD CARD (FEAT. VAST AIRE)

Every track on I Phantom holds weight, including this two-minute long eerie intro. We're treated to some scary synths tuned with the sounds of our host snoring. Eventually, we begin to hear a conversation between Lif and Cannibal Ox's big man, Vast Aire. Long story short, Lif requests Vast's gun, and after some light arguing, he gives in. Is this a useless intro? Not really: I give Lif a pass, as this is the start of a great story to come, and what happens next doesn't disappoint. (Bonus points if you heard the phantom from Emergency Rations in the background.)

2. A GLIMPSE AT THE STRUGGLE

The first of El-P's eight instrumentals on I Phantom immediately kicks off with a nasty percussion drop and a surprisingly funky undertone. Not exactly the sci-fi odyssey that was The Cold Vein, but then again, this is only the second song on the album, people. Mr. Lif starts it off with a "How the hell did it get to this..." under his breath, and then proceeds to lay down the grid for a robbery track. Lif's flow and El-P's production go together like peanut butter and motherfucking jelly. This one-verse narrative finds Lif eventually getting killed at the end of the verse (SPOILER ALERT!), and the rest of the song rides out on this smooth-ass beat, accompanied by commentary from bystanders who witnessed the failed heist and a Vordul Mega vocal sample from Cannibal Ox's “Iron Galaxy”.

3. RETURN OF THE B-BOY (FEAT. J HAYNES)

Pretty much a fucking certified underground classic. Working with a whopping seven minutes and thirty-six seconds, El-P yet again kicks off with a beat made of gasoline, and Lif acts as the match. Lif continues the narrative of I Phantom, starting his verse in the "seconds after I had been swept off my feet / open flew the door and in steps the beat / complete with medical packs”. Our host, who failed in his robbery attempt on the previous track, has now been resurrected by hip hop. With a simple yet effective chorus (sampling some Guru vocals), you can't help but nod your head and listen to the master tell his tale. Right around the halfway mark, “Return of the B-Boy” pulls a complete 180, and for the rest of the runtime Lif lays down some beautiful hip hop history and battles a version of himself on top of some heavy boom bap. Yeah, you read that right. The last half of this track is probably the best verse of the entire album.

4. LIVE FROM THE PLANTATION

So the last three tracks were a dream, huh? Got it. Mr. Lif wakes up to another mundane workday over an Edan beat, one which will have you believing that he had been working with our host for decades before I Phantom ever came into fruition. This is the anthem for everyone who works a nine-to-five: Lif's attention to detail and humorous second verse reel you in and will have you agreeing, "Yeah, fuck my boss too!" Lif's history of political and social commentary shine brightest on here, and if you can't relate to the lyrics on this gem, well, then, you should get a job.

5. NEW MAN THEME

We're once again treated to a very funkadelic beat, this time provided by Lif's deejay, Fakts One. Lif continues his story on this track, with his visions of grandeur assuring that the situation he finds himself in won't hold him back from his dreams. The track is truly sad in my opinion, as you find out in the second verse Lif has lost his job described on “Live from the Plantation”. Of all the tracks on the album, this production probably impressed me the least (although our host still sounds great: to be completely honest, I'm not sure if there is a beat that Lif couldn't rock the shit out of). Not too say that it's bad, but up against the absolute monsters El-P and Insight have in store on I Phantom that we haven't gotten to yet, I just don't think Fakts One can keep up.

6. HANDOUTS

This is just a skit, one which features Mr. Lif begging Insight for a beat after losing his day job. Without the funds to pay for one, however, Lif is left with the words, "You get what you pay for”. Probably could have been tacked onto the end of “New Man Theme”. Next!

7. STATUS (FEAT. INSIGHT)

I love this fucking track. Refusing to be brought down by his misfortune on the previous two songs, Lif's character is ready for the club: "I've got the hottest dance steps / Running Man, Cabbage Patch / Plus the Robocop, then I'll bring back the Wop.” This is a classic take on someone ignoring their current situation and trying to maintain a certain "Status". (Have you noticed the dark undertones of I Phantom shining through even the funny parts of the story yet?) The beat is surprisingly simple on the percussion side, but the funky jazz synth won't allow my head to stay still. Insight, a longtime collaborator of Mr. Lif's, spits a low key verse that isn't anything great, but he serves his function well, adding to the importance of status in today's world and making sure that Lif's character knows he can't even get into the fucking club. Again, a conversation at the end of the track lends humor to the situation, but still adds to the overall depressing theme.

8. SUCCESS (FEAT. AESOP ROCK)

Welcome back, El-P. Just wait for the piano melody to kick in; it's hiding in the back somewhere. This is a fucking reversal from the previous track, one which pretty much sets the tone for the rest of I Phantom and the downward spiral of Lif's character. Our host paints a vivid picture of a typical man's idea of "Success”, one which is truly heartbreaking as he breaks down the family structure in America. Labelmate Aesop Rock provides the hook: "Daddy wore a nametag that said busy working / Mommy had a milk carton that said missing person / Johnny had a new baseball glove but nobody to learn with / That's oil and water trying to mix on the same surface." It's creepy the way El-P perfectly accentuates Lif's storytelling on here.

9. DADDY DEAREST

Another skit. But you know what? I give Mr. Lif a pass for all of the skits on I Phantom, the reason being that they further the story along without taking anything away from it. This shit is fucking sad and will definitely hook you for the rest of this album, if you weren't already.

10. THE NOW

So Lif lost his job and couldn't afford a fucking sandwich, let alone a beat to rhyme over. Luckily for him, things have changed, and he was able to work his way into mundane Corporate America, building a family that he never got a chance to see, one which eventually left him. Producer El-P won't let him stay in the dumps for too long, though, as this beat, in my opinion, tells the ongoing story just as much as our host's own words. It's all about “The Now”, meaning a new family and a new life. That's a good thing, right? At this point, you should feel uneasy with what Lif is actually saying. I know I haven't mentioned this hardly at all, but Mr. Lif's flow (although unchanging) is flawless. I can see why El-P went with this sort of instrumental, as it does fit the concept perfectly, but I would have to say this is probably his weakest effort, production-wise, on I Phantom. Oh yeah, if you didn't catch it, Lif's daughter from his second marriage kills herself at the end of this track. (All rainbows and puppies, this one.)

11. FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS

I like this Fakts One beat, and Lif speeds up his flow a bit to match it. We kind of have a bird's eye view of the story as it is taking place, as our host attempts to recap before we are hit with the ending...and it is fucking crazy. This wasn't a standout to me, unlike “Success” or “Return Of The B-Boy”, but it ties the story together, so it serves its purpose. (Side note: for this track and the following two, we are treated to a third person point of view.)

12. IRON HELIX (FEAT. INSIGHT)

Insight treats us to a fucking banger here. Mr. Lif and Insight trade rhymes, with Lif trying to persuade his guest that he requires weapons and needs to wipe out humanity in order to better the species. I can't help but think of Lif and Insight as two gods overlooking Planet Earth, trying to decide its fate. This is just fire, really picking up the pace and epic-ness of what is already a masterpiece.

13. EARTHCRUSHER

The pinnacle. Everything's fucked and chaotic. We're no longer focused on the struggle of Lif's character: we are now witnessing the end of humanity, the end to all of the bullshit. Our host's words (over a insane Insight beat) paint a horrific picture of the End of Days. Lif describes specific targets of nuclear attacks, and how the "Earthcrusher" will wipe the slate clean. I really dug Insight's vocal contribution, acting as a newscaster in between the verses, reporting on the chaos taking place. My mind was pretty much blown at this point. What the fuck could Mr. Lif have left in him after this?

14. POST-MORTEM (FEAT. EL-P, JEAN GRAE, & AKROBATIK)

Lif leads off this collaborative effort, with each artist giving their take on the last seconds on Earth before everything ended at the hands of the Earthcrusher. Jean Grae spits hard, but I feel that Lif really puts it down (as well he should) to close out his story. El-P finishes off the album perfectly, production-wise, with a composition that is both spooky and epic, one which truly delivers a feeling of finality, a fitting end to this monster of a record.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It's probably easy to tell by my review, but I'm a Def Jux stan. Knowing that, I tried to find the flaws on Mr. Lif's I Phantom, I truly did. It should automatically lose some points for having the balls to be a concept album, as the probability of failure for a hip hop concept record is pretty fucking high. Mr. Lif isn't the greatest emcee, nor is he the preeminent storyteller in rap, but I haven't yet come across anyone on the mic who can weave their story through multiple tracks like he just did. El-P's production lines up perfectly with the overall theme, fitting each situation and Mr. Lif's vocals like a bloody glove. Fakts One and Insight also bring the fire, but neither can really compare to the way El Producto laces Lif and brings out the emotional impact of the tale. Sure, the story may not be the most original, but fuck me if it's not told in a haunting and paranoid way, one that that really grabs you, the listener, and brings you along on a tale of social wrongdoing, the broken family unit, and the fear of loss. I can't say that I Phantom is my favorite album of all time: as a concept album, it's automatically kept separate from most other rap records (and besides, that particular title is held by Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein anyway). But it is most definitely my number two. I have yet too hear another album even attempt what I Phantom did, and succeed at that. Truly a masterpiece.

BUY OR BURN?: If you haven't bought this by now, I hope the Earthcrusher pays you a visit.

BEST TRACKS: “Return of the B-Boy”; “Success”; “Iron Helix”; “Earthcrusher”

-Don Martin

(Questions? Comments? Concerns? Leave your thoughts below.)