Dom Liddle - @slamracket

The Tumblr of someone named Dom Liddle, who is clearly not averse to writing about things.

[domliddle]

Potentially Great Albums. Nas - I Am...The Autobiography

I Am...The Autobiography is hip-hop's ultimate "what if?", on a par with Rakim's Oh My God. What is amazing is how much would have changed had it not been bootlegged. Nas would have gone from this grandiose double album, probably to a more stripped-down, instant album, good or bad. There would potentially have been no beef between him and Jay-Z, certainly making Nas's career trajectory very different. Needless to say, Steve Stoute wouldn't have been battered. While it was a part of Nas's peak years later on, there would be no Lost Tapes.

The fact that it's been such a "What If?" has been a fantastic part of hip-hop fandom since then, with fans scouring the released and unreleased to piece together what they think the original vision might have been. What we know is that the first half was Nas's semi-fictionalised life from birth to death, with the second chronicling his ascension and rebirth.

There is no 100% consensus of the original record's tracklist. We only know the songs that leaked, and that the album as a whole was not 100% finished. There's a huge range of theoretical playlists from hip-hop fans across the board.

So: since I've made a habit of it, I'll attempt to piece together a best-case scenario. I'll make a note of where each song ended up - if it was released - as well as the producers.

I will note that I detest double albums, and for me, the shorter the better. However, since this album was going to chronicle not only Nas's entire life, but his afterlife, I will give it a pass.

Side 1

1: Fetus (Belly Button Window) Prod: Poke & Tone (Trackmasters) The Lost Tapes

Well, obviously. Everyone agrees on this one, and it's a wonderful start. A creative, strangely evocative chronicle of Nas's time in the womb, where his love for his mum and conflicted relationship with his dad already come out.

2: Project Windows (Original) Prod: Nashiem Myrick & Carlos Broady Remixed By Trackmasters For Nastradamus

A wonderful song over a peaceful piano beat, with Ron Isley's vocals throughout setting the scene. Nas talks about what he observed through the eponymous project windows as a child, painting not only the formative images he witnessed, but his thoughts as a child trying to fill in the blanks.The version released onto Nastradamus is recognisably Trackmasters, with tinny drums dominating the original pianos, and it's nowhere near as good.

3: Poppa Was A Playa Prod: Kanye West The Lost Tapes

Another beautifully evocative song about how Nas realised his famous father was not the perfect father or husband. Tales of how he noticed his father's infidelity, heard arguments, and confronted him are very poignant.Whilst Nas's performance here would be great over a handclap, the fantastic, string-laden beat has a story of its own. Whilst D-Dot is credited as the main producer, it eventually emerged that Kanye had ghost-produced much of his work, which obviously caused a falling-out between the two.

4: N.Y. State Of Mind Part 2 Prod: DJ Premier I Am...

Over a peaceful DJ Premier beat with minor references to the original, Nas observes and narrates his own experiences much like Project Windows, but this time from the view of a teenager/young man. On the final album, with this name, it simply comes across as an unnecessary, inferior sequel to the original classic, so again like Project Windows, a lot of the nuance is lost.

5: Life Is What You Make It Prod: L.E.S. I Am...

In the last 4 tracks Nas has witnessed conflict in his friends and family, inequality, violence, and friends either going to jail or dying over money. His mentality as an adult comes together on this track, that no matter what, he's going to succeed. It is a bit odd to have DMX guesting on this when you take it in this context, but he's not at odds with the narrative, and it at least makes sense on the final album.

6: Small World Prod: Nashiem Myrick & Carlos Broady I Am...

Another intense song about the lessons Nas has learned from the world around him, this time caked with observation.

7: Blaze a 50 Prod: L.E.S. & Trackmasters The Lost Tapes

A fantastic narrative song that was deservedly praised when it arrived on The Lost Tapes years later. It hints at the tropes of gangsta & mafioso rap but is much, much better than the sum of its parts in that sense. The narrative is intense, never padded out with rambles or even a hook, and it speaks to just how compelling a writer Nas was at this point in his career.

8: Money Is My Bitch Prod: Alvin West & Trackmasters I Am...

In a lot of ways, it's not a great song; that's evident from the name, and arguably, the production credits. The metaphor here is absolutely nothing new and is well-worn nowadays; but most tracklists place it here and for good reason. It hints at the crossroads between Nas's lessons learnt, and his success in life, and also the paranoia that comes with the life he's chosen.

9: Daydreaming, Stay Scheming Prod: Unknown Unreleased

The first track to fall victim to the album's bootlegging. It's a low-key, sensitive track that once again covers themes of paranoia, but in a very different way. He also interpolates Kurtis Blow's "Daydreaming", which somehow works.

10: The Hardest Thing To Do Is Stay Alive Prod: Trackmasters Unreleased

Another unreleased song, which is a huge shame; it tells an intense crime narrative that is deftly woven, and evocative much like the rest of the album, and there's little padding.

11: Sometimes I Wonder Prod: Trackmasters Unreleased

Unfortunately, this one also went unreleased, and it's an example of Trackmasters at their best, with even Nas's mate Nature dropping a verse that's good enough. It's another depiction of the life the protagonist has gotten himself into that doesn't glamourise it, and instead muses whether his friends would betray him if it suited then.

12: Drunk By Myself Prod: Al West & Trackmasters The Lost Tapes

Another great narrative song, full of guilt, depression and self-reflection. One of his most acclaimed from this era, and a good reason the Lost Tapes was such a revelation.

13: Undying Love Prod: L.E.S. I Am...

A fantastic narrative about the leadup to Nas's death, the sudden realisation that the fast life has caught up to him, and his desperate attempts to atone. Without meaning to repeat myself, it's completely lost on the eventual released album - while still a brilliant narrative, it's a fantastic end to the album.

Side 2

1: After Life (2nd Chance) Prod: Nas Unreleased

To call this a skit would belittle the work Nas obviously put into there being an actual narrative. With a mournful backdrop, Nas begs for another chance and prays desperately. Brilliant stuff and the only "skit" I can think of that is absolutely vital to an album. Apart from Wu-Tang's "Torture", obviously, which is just as poignant.

2: Amongst Kings Prod: Unknown Unreleased

Probably the best song on the entire album, and it's absolutely criminal that the album went unreleased on this evidence alone. To put it briefly, it's about Nas's rebirth into "Nastradamus", but it's a brilliant narrative that doesn't need to fall back on tired mafioso tropes, and is not only creative but compelling.

3: God Love Us Prod: Dame Grease Nastradamus

A mournful, yet positive song observing everyone with similar lives, and, whilst detailing his own death and rebirth, reminds them that God loves them. I notice that a lot of tracklists place this later on, but to me it can only make sense here.

4: Life We Chose Prod: L.E.S. Nastradamus

An underrated song, essentially an acceptance of the inherent risks of constantly seeking money through any means necessary.

5: Ghetto Prisoners Prod: Dame Grease I Am...

It's a running theme for this side, but Nas speaks to people from the ghettos and imparts his wisdom. Crucially, there's a religious theme running through it.

6: Some of Us Have Angels Prod: Dame Grease Nastradamus

Another reflective, observational song that fits perfectly on this side; the beat isn't the best but it remains a great song, almost the inverse of Project Windows.

7: Nas Is Like Prod: DJ Premier I Am...

As it's generally accepted that Side 2 wasn't completed at the time of the album's cancellation, most tracklists make as much of the narrative as they can, but generally fill it with positivity. 

While it's unlikely that this song was on the original release, no tracklist leaves this off, and neither will I. There's little to be said about this incredible song that hasn't already, but the mood of it is such that it makes sense. Plus, it's a great contender for a single.

8: We Will Survive Prod: Trackmasters I Am...

A touching, sincere tribute from Nas to Notorious B.IG. and 2Pac. Despite having issues with both in their lifetimes, it speaks on them not only as people but as rappers and huge cultural influences, just 3 years after their untimely deaths.

9: U Gotta Love It Prod: L.E.S. The Lost Tapes

More world-building than actual narrative compared to the rest of album, it's still a great song that needs to be on here. He references being an artist that's returned to the hood, and feeling the same paranoia that has been a theme.

10: Tales From Da Hood Prod: Curt Gowdy Unreleased

A great narrative song where Nas almost seems nostalgic about the more chaotic times of his life; relatively unknown for how good it is but perfectly suited here.

11: My Worst Enemy Prod: Infinite Arkatechz Unreleased

Normally placed at the end in others' tracklists, but I find it a little throwaway. It's a good song with some introspection, but it doesn't match up to...

12: Rise & Fall Prod: Trackmasters Unreleased

A wonderfully sensitive, self-reflective song that blurs the lines between the Nastradamus subject and the real-life Nas, with genuine emotion. Also a great Trackmasters beat, and any song that samples Slick Rick is 5 mics in my book.

__

I have tried to keep it as tight as a double album possibly could be; with two distinct themes originally intended, this was relatively easy. There were quite a few left on the table, however. For instance, though "A Favour For A Favour" (I Am...) and "Wanna Play Rough" (Unreleased) are often cited, I find them to be disposable mafioso rap songs that are better-suited to what I Am... eventually became.

In 2023, what was touted as the original, intended album was released on vinyl for record store day. Rather than being the final, narrative double album, it was simply a list of the songs that were leaked, most of them already released on official albums. 

What has always shocked me is that "Dr. Knockboot", one of Nas's absolute worst songs, was actually part of these leaks. It's basically "Sex According To The Prince Of Darkness", but with hideous squelchy bass, and a healthy dose of misogyny. The thought of this track being alongside "Amongst Kings" boggles the mind.

Either way; whether it would end up as Nas's second-best album is up for debate. Illmatic introduced the world to Nas's unmatched technique and metaphor-heavy style, but the arguable high points of that album were narrative-based.

If the next step from there hadn't been to tailor things to a wider audience, then it almost certainly would've been for Nas to challenge himself by stretching a narrative across 2 albums. Did it work? We'll never truly know, but the fact that many fans are still piecing together their own versions nearly 3 decades on speaks to the genius of Nas's storytelling.

[domliddle]

Nas: I Am...The Autobiography, What Could've Been, and What Became Of It

In 1994, Nas had just released the greatest hip-hop album ever. Albums had gotten 5 mics in the Source and universal acclaim before, but none had been declared to be perfect universally. It's notoriously hard to get hip-hop heads to agree, but apart from the odd 2020s contrarian, everyone knows the value of this album. Technique, insight, wit, production, structure, levity: it had everything. Nas was no longer a brilliant up-and-comer; he was the best.

Which brought the obvious problem with it: if Illmatic was really perfect, then it can only be downhill from there. Two years later came It Was Written, and it was one of the most divisive albums ever. 20 years after its release, people still dispute whether it lives up to the promise of Illmatic, and whether it was even intended to. In production terms, it arguably aimed for a wider audience. There was no sign of Large Professor on the boards; in fact, much of it was anchored by Trackmasters who, 4 years after their work with Big Daddy Kane, had developed into an instant, marketable sound. They worked on Street Dreams, which some swear by, but is for me one of the most overrated Nas songs ever. A tinny beat and Nas's appalling interpolations of the Eurythmics on the hook doesn't sound like anything off Illmatic but again, in fairness, is obviously not supposed to. The other obvious single is another interpolation - this time, Kurtis Blow's "If I Ruled The World" on, er, "If I Ruled The World". Bonus points for a Lauryn Hill feature, though.

Another theme also hinted at a lack of inspiration, but could not be put down to commercial aspirations. Nas had guested on Raekwon's classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... the year prior. Most would call it the Wu-Tang Clan's best release of all, and its influence cannot be overstated. It played into a mafioso theme throughout, immediately making it stand out. Arguably, it was not the progenitor - that would be Kool G Rap years prior - but it made the genre a hip-hop staple for the next 3 years.

The album was never less than compelling, carrying the theme for 17 consistently imaginative tracks without sounding stretched. However, the album's sheer influence made sure it was stretched as thin as possible.

Some acclaimed albums of the time used the theme to great effect: Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt, AZ's Doe or Die and Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death. Ironically, Raekwon referred to the latter's theft of their style on "Cuban Linx...", resulting in a diss to both he and Nas on "Kick In The Door". Unfortunately Nas used it constantly on It Was Written, and damaged his reputation further by making him seem less like the influential genius of "Illmatic", and more like a follower latching onto trends. He did maturely own up to this years later on the acclaimed "Last Real N____ Alive".

The album did what it set out to do, hitting #1 on the Billboard charts. However, his credibility as an artist was damaged. After working with Dr. Dre on the album, he did so again with the next year's group album "The Firm", with Dre, AZ and Foxy Brown. It included the absolutely stellar "Phone Tap", justifying the mafioso theme on its own, and the somewhat less stellar "Firm Biz". That project was a shrug-inducing side project that did nothing to indicate any artistic growth. Therefore, Nas needed either to get some massive hits or show that the artist was still in there. In the end, he did both.

In 1999, Nas planned a grand work for his next album. It was about as far away from the mainstream audience as was possible: a visionary high concept double-album that consisted of the self-reflective, the outright autobiographical, and the narrative. Had it been released, good or not, it would have painted Nas as the artist rather than the hitmaker.

Other famous double albums had been released in the last 3 years; in fact, they were hugely famous, and 3 of the most successful hip-hop albums ever. Both 2Pac's All Eyez On Me and Notorious B.I.G.'s posthumous Life After Death went diamond, and Wu-Tang Clan's long-awaited Wu-Tang Forever also did huge numbers. But this was not only a double album - it was a concept album.

In 1998, a bootleg version of the album - seemingly the first disc - was leaked to the internet. This caused a gigantic shift. Nas scrambled to write new material, and ended up splitting the album into 2, both released the same year. The narrative aspect was dropped entirely, with some songs being left on the releases, and some songs making it onto a 2002 compilation named The Lost Tapes. The fact that this remains one of his most acclaimed works is already a glimpse of what could have been.

The 2 albums themselves were not so acclaimed. First release I Am... was a mess of interesting songs, some of his best work, and blatant grasps for a hit. The album cover is another glimpse at a classic; It was stylised in the same way as his previous albums, with a portrait of Nas growing from a child (Illmatic), to a young man (It Was Written), to an Egyptian Pharaoh - an absolutely obvious metaphor for his growth as an artist, and one that would've made much sense on the original album.

A famous story also covers what happened at the photoshoot and is both amazing and shocking in retrospect, especially with the technology available in 2026. The mask was moulded to Nas's face and made out of clay - air holes were poked in so he could breath, but with his mouth clamped shut, dried clay got into his nose. He couldn't breathe for around 2 minutes and nearly died. Of course, as an artist, when broken out of it his immediate response was, apparently, "Let's do it again!".

The album itself consisted of a lot of work reportedly planned for the original project, alongside grand Timbaland and Aaliyah collaboration "You Won't See Me Tonight" and a huge hit in the P.Diddy collaboration "Hate Me Now". The video is famous for Diddy being nailed to a cross. While it was his idea, he changed his mind and ended up battering record exec Steve Stoute half to death when it was released unchanged. In 2026, it's strange to think of him being fussed about Christian morality, but never mind.

Later in the year came Nastradamus. Whilst I Am... ran the gamut between the great and the bad, Nastradamus was middling at best. Even Nas's most fervent fans regard this as his weakest, but it is important to take in context. If it had been marketed as a load of thrown-together b-sides, bonus tracks and bootlegged songs, it might be more loved in retrospect.

However, it is known for the widely-mocked "You Owe Me" - a clumsy attempt at a pop song that Jay-Z mocked in his last diss track of their feud. Nas's critical low was generally regarded to be followed by his high points, with Jay-Z seemingly reinvigorating him. It is crucial to point out that the artistic vision was not gone - fate merely replaced the "thug poet" with the man doubling down on pop aspirations - at least for a couple of years.

[domliddle]

"I Paid The Cost To Be The Boss, Like That HIV Rumour They Tried To Toss" - (Big Daddy Kane & Hip-Hop Hypermasculinity - Part 2)

"Prince Of Darkness" was, at least on the face of it, an attempt to strike a chord with a wider female fanbase, explicit within its themes, musical influences, and iconography.

By the same token, the follow up, "Looks Like A Job For...", was an attempt to shout from the rooftops that he had, in fact, always embodied the hypermasculine ideals that many of his fans held; he had just not been performative about it until now. It was a play for his credibility and relevance in every sense. The cover is different from anything he'd released before; simply him dressed in a hoodie, with his hood up, with two separate pictures of housing projects in the background and foreground.

The album itself touched more explicitly on themes of hip-hop credibility than before. It also hinted at an aggressive side. In a typical conflict, this hypermasculine, ultra-defensive album, clearly targeted at men, included a love song as the main single.

He drew on contemporary hip-hop producers to reaffirm the raw hip-hop themes of the album. The Trackmasters had worked with Chubb Rock, and had on his old pal Kool G Rap's album produced the best tracks. Large Professor had recently released the incredible "Breaking Atoms" with Main Source, and in a year would be an important part of what most consider hip-hop's greatest album. Easy Mo Bee actually started off working with Kane, but in the interim had worked with RZA, GZA, and other Wu-Tang Clan member Miles Davis.

With this album, Kane sought to reclaim the same streets that, a couple of years earlier, had tried to end his career.

Looks Like A Job For...

"Many people tried to say I fell off/He went R&B, now his rap is all soft/But if you say that on stage, I'll prove you wrong/And wax that ass, rappin' off a love song/Cause with the street in all battles I'm still hard"

If the cover and track weren't unsubtle enough, Mister Cee scratches in bits from his most acclaimed songs, to remind everyone of Kane's credibility.

Over a bare Trackmasters beat, Big Daddy Kane raps about his prowess as a rapper, with no chorus. He bemoans rappers nowadays not knowing how to flow, whilst making a play for relevancy by using the Das-EFX tongue-twisting flow that was popular at the time. This won't be the last time he contradicts himself.

How U Get A Record Deal?

"Cause when I hit the skins, they all say, "Damn, Kane../You knock out the Bush like a presidential campaign"/But if you think that lickin' toes makes me weak/you better treat me like Freddy Krueger — don't sleep"

It's a second good, stripped-down Trackmasters beat in a row. Basically a freestyle in 3 verses (again, no chorus), Kane criticises some fictional rapper's ability to, er, rap. He often said in interviews that he kept himself to himself and didn't throw shots at anyone (except for the Rakim near-miss), so not directed at anyone in particular. Good song, though, even if it's not worthy of his prime work.

Chocolate City (Feat. Scoob Lover, Scrap Lover & Lil' Daddy Shane)

"Cuz I don't need no hoodie to be hard, shoot/I'll kill a nigga in a three-piece suit/I don't be havin' it so the rear I'll attack/A size-15 to the buttocks, a-matter-fact"

Kane's generous side comes out again, with this one breaking up the flow of the album, as did all his other dancer showcases. Kane's dancer Scoob lets the audience know that he sells more records than cocaine, and his nine kills. Poor all round. Relevant for being the first song to have his brother on, though.

Prelude

"Why should I give up for gangster contrast/When I can rap about gettin some ass/To prove that I'm a gangster only brings me trouble/But the proof that I'm a lover *zip*It's that easy, but still you insist (yeah)That I do this (what?)"

Here's the most pointed song of all - the thematic centre of the album. Kane goes over a simple hand clap to let everyone know he doesn't need an elaborate song to flow. He swears a bit, too; not completely unknown, but uncommon within his catalogue. A lot of old school MCs treated swearing as a lyrical crutch, when their flow wouldn't fit or they couldn't find the right word. He also berates rappers pretending they're gangsters, before implying that he didn't want to touch the subject up until now, but the streets forced him into it.

The Beef Is On

"So without delay we reacted/And started shootin' like it was target practice/When they saw that we wasn't messin' around/One tried to run, so I had to chase him down"

Probably the most desperate song on the album, and well-known for ringing hollow. Not a bad self-produced beat, slightly dominating the song in comparison to the more stripped-down songs before, but proof that Kane can produce as well as rap.But it's a bad song. Whether he felt forced into this or not, this is not Kane, and not indicative of the artistic risks he was known for taking before. What he missed was that yes, fans wanted something "hard". But they meant in the sense of freestyles over stripped down beats.

This simply comes off as a desperate attempt to catch up to a genre that he knows is passing him by. With the West Coast style hugely popular, bragging about gun violence was in fashion. But compare this to Eric B & Rakim's "Know The Ledge" the prior year - a similar song that decried violence, from a man who was friends with some famous gangsters, but refused to rap about it. It's even more bizarre given the next song.

Stop Shammin'

"So why you wanna be what you're not?/And claim to have things that you know you ain't got/You're just a fantasizer -- spendin all your money/On Luster's pink oil moisturizer"

Kane names a few friends from his pre-rap days, before decrying people that forgot where they were from, people that pretend to be gangsters, people that use the word "rendezvous", and people that donate to Leukemia charities instead of the Nation Of Islam.

Here, Kane comes off like a completely different rapper, taking the role of someone looking at the scene around him with despair. Not a terrible song, but sequencing it after "The Beef Is On" made Kane look a man with no self-awareness, when the reality seems to be very different.

Brother Man, Brother Man (Feat. Lil' Daddy Shane)

"I'm ready to rip it apart, I hit em with one of the rhymes/I'm rough in a flash, trash, bash, crash, smash slash mash"

Another showcase, this time platforming his brother for the first time. And...it's a nice gesture, with a beat that isn't bad. His brother unfortunately isn't charismatic or unique enough to leave an impression. But he's ok. Difficult to find anything to say about this waste of a track.

Rest In Peace

"And just because you didn't see my crew for a few/A lot of people thought the Wolfpack was through/But if you think the Kane and Scoob and Scrap'll breakup/I tell you like Marvin Gaye, "Wake up, wake up, wake up"

More freestyling, this time to a middling Easy Mo Bee track. Kane lets us know that yes, his friends are now called the Wolfpack, and no, he's not leaving them off any of his albums.

Very Special (Featuring Karen Anderson, Laree Williams & Spindarella)

"I talk the macho talk but keep my real feelings hidden/(But what about that "Pimpin' Ain't Easy" stuff?) Aw, I was just kidding"

The album Kane's street cred rested on, his desperate attempt to claw back his male, core hip-hop audience...and he has his greatest hit of all with a cover of an 80s Rn'B song. Make sense of that.

Obviously there was at least one song like this on every Kane album, but the tonal changes are palpable here. He is in love, but confident, and the duet with Salt n' Pepa's Spindarella allows for a few wisecracks. There's also room to permanently put all the bisexual rumours to bed with lyrics like "I want to kiss your father".

Here Comes Kane, Scoob and Scrap (Feat. Scoob Lover and Scrap Lover)

"That's how they flee from me, the B, the I-G/Damn man, you know my pedigree, huh/The gangsta, murdera, killa to ya/For sure endure to injure him or her/The breaker the taker money-maker never a faker/My lyrics are built like Schwarzenegger"

It's yet another showcase for his dancers. Needless to say, Kane dominates this Easy Mo Bee-produced cut.

N*ggaz Never Learn

"Things been said, plenty rumors been spread/Many many many new jacks got it in they head/That they can raise up on this and put the Kane in fright/He-he, Yeah right!"

An important song in itself for the Large Professor beat. It's a pretty good song, but nothing new on this album; freestyling about how good he is as a rapper. Also notable in that he didn't use the N-Word very often, but the linguistic, tonal and aesthetic changes evident in this album make it a predictable change.

Give It To Me

"So never fear my dear, just come on over here/I practice safe sex, with girls I lay next/In other words, the J-hat's on the head/Cause I'm too sexy for AIDS like Right Said Fred"

A song about his sexual prowess, but hugely different from previous chats about this topic. This is very much directed at men, with much bragging, and at times bordering on objectification. He has definitely gone back to "talking that macho talk" since 3 songs ago. Then again, much of the first verse marks this out as a defensive riposte to the rumours of his AIDS diagnosis. He also describes himself as "just another pervert".

'Nuff Respect (Remix)

The original, Bomb Squad produced version was easily the best song Kane released in the 90s, and for me, is better than a great deal of his most acclaimed work, including the thematically similar "Wrath of Kane".

The fact that it was on the Juice soundtrack makes perfect sense. In terms of a gesture to persuade fans that he still had the skills and credibility to sustain their interest, putting that showcase on such a widely-heard hip-hop compilation, even against some classics such as Naughty By Nature's "Uptown Anthem" and Eric B. And Rakim's "Juice (Know The Ledge)", left nobody in doubt.

Its timeless quality also makes it a frustrating listen and a wasted opportunity. If the streets turned their back on Kane, then "'Nuff Respect" represents everything they asked for; a confident riposte to those questioning his dominance, with the same witty lyrics, deft flows and speed changes that fans knew him for. The slight change in his flow (incorporating tongue-twisting, without being too egregious with it) and voice also helped him seem less dated. How easy he made it seem on that one song is in stark contrast to how hard he tried to say the right things in the right way across "Looks Like A Job For...". Anyway, we're not finished yet.

This version is not as good. Hank Shocklee & Gary G-Wiz's incredibly powerful boom-bap beat, in the vein of their Public Enemy work, is replaced by a slightly slower Easy Mo Bee beat. The two are always a good match, and Kane actually re-records his vocals to better fit the remix, but it's just not as good as the original. Not much of his, or his contemporaries' work is.

Finale

Kane strangely teases a song by rapping two bars, before shouting out friends, family and other rappers over a self-produced instrumental for 3 minutes. Him taking an entire song to make it abundantly clear how many friends he has - including, incredibly, a shout out to Tim Westwood - is an apt ending to the album.

In conclusion? A fascinating album, despite the typically dull showcases for his dancers and brother.

He had a point to prove with Looks Like A Job for, and throughout the album he was desperate to convince everyone that he was hard, he was straight, he didn't have AIDS, he was a great MC, and crucially, he was still relevant. Unfortunately, the truth is in the music - contrary to what many thought, it was not his developing image and artistic risks that represented his fall-off. It was this, his desperate attempt not to.

[domliddle]

Whoever Said You Had To Be 100% Masculine In Order To Be In? (Big Daddy Kane & Hip-Hop Hypermasculinity: Part 1)

Big Daddy Kane is one of the most respected and influential rappers ever. Coming up at a time when hip-hop was still deeply rooted in competition (be it breakdancing, on the turntables, or on the microphone), he made a name through his freestyles and performances that put him in the conversation as the best rapper ever.

The fact that such a conversation existed illustrates how much credibility among the genre's audience was linked to said competition among artists, with this competition being primarily among men, with women still being the exception in the genre at this point, this bred a generous helping of fragile masculinity.

Kane's work, like most of his hip-hop contemporaries, resonated with a predominantly male crowd, and his desire to cater towards a female fanbase was nothing new. However, since the hip-hop audience was primarily male, there was an entitlement that gave birth to misogyny, and down the line, homophobia. Essentially, the measure of credibility went back to the genre's origins - who has the best technique, and the wittiest lyrics - therefore, elements such as measured song construction, singing, and subjects that related to sensitivity or women - were "selling out".

Therein lay the conflict - Kane's ability as an MC could absolutely not be denied. His multisyllabic rhymes, wit, and rhythmic dexterity meant that any time "the best" was discussed - inevitable in a genre built in battles - he had to be included. However, when he wrote songs such as "The Day You're Mine", his male audience became embarrassed to call themselves fans.

Big Daddy Kane continued to split his audience; a "Wrath of Kane" would be balanced with a "To Be Your Man", and an "It's Hard Being The Kane" would be followed by an "All Of Me". This was accepted by his audience, at least explicitly.After the release of his biggest album "It's A Big Daddy Thing", things began to change.In 1989, a rumour began to spread through New York and across America. There was an absurd amount of detail to it, and to look back on how such a rumour could have spread so widely lays bare the sheer difference easy accessibility of information has made for fan/artist relationships.

The rumour went as follows: Big Daddy Kane had gone on Oprah Winfrey's show, ostensibly to promote the album. In the course of the interview, he broke down in tears, finally revealing to the world that he was a bisexual man living with AIDS.AIDS was running rampant throughout the US, with African-American communities being particularly badly hit. The fear around the disease was a common topic in hip-hop songs of the time, and messages for men to wear protection during sex were particularly prevalent.

Unfortunately, this fear also manifested itself in misogyny and homophobia. Women were still viewed in sexual terms, but alongside a suspicion that anyone could be carrying the virus. It was also indelibly tied to gay and bisexual men; a fear also tied in with trans people deceiving heterosexual men by "pretending" to be women. This particular fear was born out, and tied to, a fear of queerness amongst an audience that prized a fantasised hypermasculinity. Big Daddy Kane compromised that idea of hypermasculinity. The male audience was intimidated by his songs about love, and his topless album covers. But they could not simply dismiss him because of his hip-hop credibility.

Therefore, when this rumour spread, it made sense. Big Daddy Kane was too sensitive to be heterosexual. Never mind that he had declared on his biggest hit, "The Big Daddy Kane is anti-faggot/that means no homo-sexuality/what's in my pants will make you see reality". He clearly recognised the effect this was having on his public image, and took action. He appeared at a Harlem drive for voters the following year, and announced to the world that he was heterosexual and HIV-Negative. Unfortunately, the damage was done.

He has often characterised the masculine side of his audience as "the streets" talking, and would always be willing to listen to their feedback.

However, at the time, he doubled down, going onto greater crossover success outside of music. In 1991, he posed nude for Playgirl, and in 1992, appeared in Madonna's book Sex. These both sparked more fear and discomfort amongst his fanbase, and saw him become more alienated from his original, male, fanbase.

His 1990 album Taste Of Chocolate covered a range of topics, including afrocentricity, class, freestyles, and, yes, women. His next release was where things came to a head - or his nadir, depending on which side you fall on.

"Prince Of Darkness" was, on the face of it, a push for crossover success, targeted primarily at a female audience - ironic since it was the first cover art he hadn't appeared topless on. The main single in particular was pilloried - "I'm Not Ashamed", with its pointed title, was an outright Barry White pastiche. The second single, "Groove With It", was a love song in New Jack Swing form. The truth is, both formulas had been seen already on his most acclaimed work, with "To Be Your Man" and "I Get The Job Done".

Listening to the actual album, it becomes clear that it's not so much an aggressive play for a wider audience, as a mediocre work from a man whose passion for hip-hop had waned. Plays for credibility such as "Raw 91" and "Come On Down" come off as desperate, with only "Death Sentence" being akin to his earlier multifaceted, acclaimed freestyle songs.

Big Daddy Kane has since claimed that the quick releases of his albums were simply an attempt to get out of his contract with a label he felt unsupported by, and he was aware that they weren't up to the quality of "It's A Big Daddy Thing".

Whether this is true, or simply a man trying to disown the less acclaimed works of his catalogue, is a debate in itself. In fact, "Taste Of Chocolate" comes off not as an album with no effort or interest behind it, but an expansion on his previous themes and an obvious attempt to broaden his horizons artistically.

After the release of "Prince Of Darkness", he was in a corner. The artistic risks taken with the album had not succeeded; "It's A Big Daddy Thing" remained his best-selling album. The crossover audience was not interested, and his original fanbase had deserted him completely.

His next move was hugely important in itself.

[domliddle]

Potentially Great Albums. Big Daddy Kane - It's A Big Daddy Thing

Big Daddy Kane is a unique entry in hip-hop's storied canon for many reasons. Part of the heralded "big 3" of the golden age, his incredible freestyles and early work with the Juice Crew gave him a credibility rivalled by very few, and sparked frequent debate over who ruled the genre, him or Rakim.

I will go over his relationship with his audience another time, as it is fascinating, sad and important enough to warrant its own post. But in 1989, Kane was on the cusp of superstardom. His debut served as a lean statement of his artistic intent; 10 songs, all produced by his Juice Crew cohort Marley Marl. Some showcased his witty bragadoccio with wordplay and a flow ahead of his time. Some discussed afrocentricity and the Nation of Islam. Some were, as he put it, "songs for the ladies". It ran the gamut while never being overlong or padded.

The next logical progression was to keep the momentum going; Kane's own wit, versatility and marketable image meant there was potential for some genuine crossover hits, without alienating the audience that he initially catered to. Did he achieve this?

1: It's A Big Daddy Thing

Kane's intent to diversify immediately comes across with a production by Prince Paul, who was highly in demand after working on De La Soul's "3 Feet High and Rising". This was just a few months after its release, so expectations are high.

Following a sample from Re-Animator, it explodes into a fast, busy beat that, while great in itself, clashes a little with Kane's style. Despite suffering with asthma, he is remarkably no stranger to a fast flow. However, since his days of freestyling over breakbeats, he thrived on beats that allowed his voice to carry things. Here, the beat is good, but it's perhaps too packed with samples, and dominates the song itself.

2: Another Victory

The album turns to the other end of the spectrum, with a more basic, soulful beat by Easy Mo Bee, whom he did a lot of his best work with. While the title screams braggadoccio, it's actually a thoughtful song about the plight of disadvantaged black people in a skewed system. It's split into 3 verses, each covering different topics, each well performed and witty.

3: Mortal Combat

A timely name, but also a great example of Kane's prowess as a producer; something that few rappers of his stature failed to master. It's simple enough to illustrate that he understands what beats are best suited to him, and one of the best lyrical displays of the album; simple in scope, covering how he's one of the best rappers, but witty, well-crafted and with his trademark unparalleled flow.

4: Children R The Future

It's another socially conscious song; however, this comes across as preachy, without the subtlety and insight of Another Victory and his others. The beat's also strange; slow and bare, perennially sounding like it's about to switch into the actual song.

5: Young, Gifted and Black

A brilliant song that harks back to his earliest work - he freestyles over a great Marley Marl beat with no hook, and it's brief enough to leave you wanting more.

6: Smooth Operator

The first single from the album is one that explains Kane to anyone that's never heard his music before. It's good enough and finds a good balance between his critical and commercial aspirations.

7: Calling Mr. Welfare (featuring DJ Red Alert)

It's an amusing enough narrative song, again split into several stories. It balances socially conscious hip-hop with a dash of humour, with Red Alert providing a shouty chorus. Great stuff.

8: Wrath of Kane (live)

Wrath of Kane is one of the rapper's most acclaimed works: a fast, stripped down breakbeat with some great work to switch flows over something of this speed. It had, however, already been released by this point, as a b-side of "I'll Take You There" from his previous album.It was Kane's own decision to put the live version on here, with this performance being a favourite of his with a brilliant crowd and constant screaming.It's divisive, but a random live version arguably breaks the flow of the album; my biggest problem is that Big Daddy Kane has serious breath control issues in the performance; this barely matters in the live performance but is more noticeable on wax.

9: I Get The Job Done

A truly divisive song, often discussed as a blatant attempt to cross over that dented his credibility as a rapper. In reality, although it's an obvious single, it's not bad at all. It is a "song for the ladies", which probably ruffled a few male feathers, but it's no ballad. New Jack Swing was briefly a huge genre (to the point where it became an entire Michael Jackson album), which arguably dates the song, but it's not worth a skip; it goes on a bit long though.

10: Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now

A very positive fast-paced song which, yes, samples the song of the same name, but is much more than that. It's a call to action for black people to take what's theirs, and not let white people dictate the past, present and future narratives. Well written, well performed and well-produced by Prince Paul.

11: Pimpin' Ain't Easy

Famously awful. Where to start? A beat that sounds like it was made on a xylophone. A complete stylistic clash with Nice & Smooth. An attitude to women that completely conflicted with everything he'd said before and since. A famous bit of homophobia thrown in there apropos of nothing. Scoob and Scrap being allowed to rap.

The prevailing narrative is that his songs directed at women in general hurt his appeal to his male audience. Well: rarely talked about is the other side of the coin. This was a hideously clumsy attempt to assure people of his masculinity. It's an awful song that was literally retconned later in his career. In positives? Smooth B's verse is fun. That's it. Appalling.

12: Big Daddy's Theme

"Some old pimp shit" according to the man himself. It's literally the instrumental of Consumer Report's "Go On With Your Bad Self" for 2 minutes. Why? Padding, I guess. Don't ask me.

13: To Be Your Man

One of the best songs of Kane's, or anyone's, career. There are few other songs that so consistently bring a smile to my face.

Ok, it's bad, but in an enjoyable way.

The "mm, mm, mm" intro teases the listener into "Ain't No Half Steppin" comparisons, before it goes into a ham-fisted ballad with loud, tinny drums, and Kane's greatest, most clever opening line ever: "my, my, my, my, my, my, my". After that, he spends the whole song talking (not rapping), while Chuck Stanley sings appallingly in the background. I refuse to believe this was intended as a "song for the ladies". But I also know that an album that consists of this and nothing else would be a classic.

14: The House That Cee Built (Featuring Mr. Cee)

Naturally, there's a DJ showcase here. It's also very similar to "Eric B Made My Day" a year prior; a hip-house creation littered with samples. It's not terrible, but it's also far too long.Also, why do all hip-house songs need to have the word "house" in? Is it a warning?

15: On The Move (Featuring Scoob Lover and Scrap Lover)

It was unusual for a rapper to have dancers, uniquely indicative of Kane's eschewing of hypermasculine hip-hop trends, and dedication to crafting his own identity. It wasn't unusual for a rapper to put his mates on, however - it's an eternal staple of the genre. Kane's generous side would later to lead to a pre-fame Sauce Money and Jay-Z making early appearances; in return for that, fans had to put up with Kane giving his two dancers guest appearances throughout his career.Him writing their verses at least made them sound like two higher-pitched Kanes. But they're not great rappers, and it's an insubstantial song based around the dynamic.

16: Warm It Up, Kane

A famous display of Kane's prowess as a freestyler, with lines picked from old freestyles, and a great stripped down beat. It's one of the best songs on the album, catering perfectly to Kane's talents as a master of wordplay and flow.

17: Rap Summary (Lean On Me) (Remix)

The song can't be as clunky as the title, but it's wholly unnecessary. The original song was on the soundtrack to Lean On Me earlier that year. There, it made sense as a curated song for the theme - here, it's tacked on the end of the album with a beat that's worse than the original. A weird ending to an absurdly sequenced album.

"It's a Big Daddy Thing" is, like practically all of Kane's albums, very divisive. Some call it a bad indicator of where his music was going; some call it an outright waste of his talents; some call it a genuine hip-hop classic. In fact, out of his own canon, Kane himself considers it his favourite.

I would say it's an overlong, heavily padded, absurdly sequenced album that is in stark contrast to the lean statement of intent that was his previous album.

Compared to Eric B and Rakim's Follow the Leader the prior year ("Slow down and let the leader lead, word to Daddy...indeed"), it's potentially great in a completely different way. While that was poorly sequenced with some strange decisions, this is far too long and padded with songs ranging from mediocre to outright bad. Therefore, I will try not to get rid of songs entirely, but there's so much crap that I will need to be creative.

So let's start with Scoob and Scrap. Kane's other mate Jay-Z was clever in where he showcased his own friends and signees. His Dynasty (Roc La Familia) album was nominally his own, but was there to introduce his fans to his signed acts. So some arguably generic music was mixed in with a couple of Jay-Z songs, including "I Just Wanna Love U".

Like many rappers of the time, Kane was prolific with his output, rarely leaving over a year before releasing his next album. This album suggests a bit more brevity would've helped. Therefore, let's imagine that, between this and "Taste Of Chocolate", he released a specific album to put his friends on, whilst including some solo material to entice fans, akin to Jay-Z.

This would leave the best for his own album, and you could argue that sequencing and theme are less important on a group record. Therefore, "On The Move" and, thank god, "Pimpin' Ain't Easy", can go on this fictional album, along with next year's "Down The Line". "The House That Cee Built" would make sense on there. There would also need to be a Kane solo track to reel fans in: this gives me a good excuse to get rid of "Children R The Future".

His next 3 albums were hugely important to his career, and not in the best way. Therefore, this crap album presents an interesting "What If?". If this had satiated fans enough, he could've gone off and done other endeavours, surveying the reaction and tailoring his subsequent release. But I'm making it a more interesting prospect than any Scoob Lover and Scrap Lover album should be.

1: Big Daddy's Theme (cut down)

Unfortunately, I can't put this on the fictional group album. But, as throwaway as it is, it makes more sense as an intro than it does dumped on the middle of the album. I don't mind Kane having a chat towards the end - it's an intro - but it still goes on far too long, and needs at least 30 seconds cut off.

2: It's A Big Daddy Thing

It's tailored such that it only really makes sense as the first song, even if it is an odd start.

3: Another Victory

The sequencing was at least perfect between these two tracks: fast, busy freestyling, followed by a soulful, socially conscious song.

4: Young, Gifted and Black

This Marley Marl banger gives us a bit more old-school Kane after the first three songs, just in case anyone's wondering if he's dropped that side completely.

5: I Get The Job Done (cut down)

You can't really stick a big single at the end, so it's at least a thematic change to put it here, and it's more energetic than the more chilled "Smooth Operator", so arguably more suitable. But it could do with at least a minute chopped off the end.

6: Smooth Operator

Since we're putting singles towards the front of the album, this is both a good shift in terms of pacing, and the single that gets a bit more leeway from his male audience. So if anyone moans about the prior track, here's something for them.

7: Mortal Combat

We've gone from the singles to one geared towards Kane's built-in fanbase. The album was definitely not as frontloaded as "Follow The Leader", but listening to the first few songs you'd definitely think it's similar to his previous output. Whether or not this was a conscious decision, it puts expectations all over the place.

8: To Be Your Man

I have to put this in, so here it is, the deserved centrepiece of the album.

9: Warm It Up, Kane

Just in case any of Kane's male fans get annoyed, here's one of his best performances as an MC.

10: Calling Mr. Welfare

Another witty performance that, this time, has a subject to it; something of a break between two of his more famous songs.

11: Wrath Of Kane

It has been released before, but never on one of his albums; a famous bugbear for hip-hop fans. Unfortunately, I can't see the merit of putting in the live version - the crowd is amazing but he comes off much better in the studio version.

12: Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now

This song was absolutely designed to be an outro. It has energy, positivity, wit, and flow, and closes the album in the best way.

I still wouldn't call this a 5-star album - for one thing, "To Be Your Man" is still on there. In addition, Kane was always a master of his craft, but never a pioneer. This album came a year after "Follow The Leader", and a year before "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em". But if this version was released it would easily better the former, and provide a great introduction to Kane at his peak.

Bonus Rubbish

- I'm not personally a fan of having live versions as bonus tracks, but if anything the "Wrath of Kane" performance would sit better as one.

- The "Rap Summary" remix can stay on the soundtrack. Failing that, it can also be chucked on the fictional group album.

[domliddle]

Gang Starr's Hard to Earn - "I know I used to act relaxed, but now I'm cuckoo"

Years after their prime in hip-hop's so-called golden age, Gang Starr remain hugely important. Their subject matter didn't often differ wildly from their peers, or indeed from album to album, but they gained a wider acclaim for their obvious appreciation for older music - whereas beats of the time often took inspiration from James Brown and his peers, Gangstarr were tagged as jazz-adjacent.

It was "Jazz Music" off their debut album that got them signed to EMI - and gained them wider acclaim when Spike Lee requested a song for his own celebration of jazz, 1991's "Mo' Better Blues". This song became "Jazz Thing", an expansion of the subject,

It was, of course, not this simple. Guru helped pick out samples for DJ Premier, which gave the latter's work for the duo a unique feel compared to the rest of his legendary catalogue. However, while neither came from New York, they called it home, and took pride in creating songs about poverty, racism, crime and violence that didn't reflect the milder, feelgood subject matter that EMI anticipated. When it wasn't that, Guru's lyrics concerned his prowess as a rapper and a ladies' man.

Still, both sides persisted, and 1992's Daily Operation was their best-seller up to that point. It also represented the culmination of their early years, with their image, sound and subject matter now fully-formed. Tracks were stripped down loops with samples creatively re-worked to make completely new songs - a legal necessity in those days post "3 Feet High and Rising" where samples needed to be cleverly hidden. This was well before the days of Puff Daddy having the wealth to throw at labels in order for his rappers to flow over an unchanged song.

Guru was never the best rapper, but his famous gruff monotone worked perfectly with Premier's stripped-down tracks, platforming his cadence rather than his flow. His lyrics on the album eschewed the slight goofiness of the previous album, and he took himself more seriously. The metaphor of "Step In The Arena" was replaced by the brash, upfront challenges of "BYS" and "Flip Tha Script". The sensitivity and vunerability of "Lovesick" was replaced by the promiscuity of "Ex Girl to Next Girl". Guru and Premier's friends and co-signs guested to keep things fresh. It was the group at their most optimistic, knowing that they were reaping the rewards of their artistry.

By 1994, that attitude had changed.

"Hard To Earn" was a bitter, angry album. Not just at rappers who they thought were overrated, but the industry itself, fellow New-Yorkers who relied on violence, liars, lemonade, and most crucial of all; each other.

Outside of this, though, the sound was not an easy expansion on Daily Operation, but a difficult listen where the beats sounded just as, if not more, angry and erratic than the lyrics themselves. This was not two happy, chilled out artists, eschewing positivity and enjoying the music of old.

Guru's alcoholism had always made him unpredictable; at times friendly and willing to party, and at times angry at violent. Here, the conflicts it caused were brought to the fore. In a way, this was the group's most vunerable. Throughout the golden era, there was no group like Gang Starr, and no album like "Hard To Earn".

1: Intro (The First Step)

Skits, including intros, are normally what drags hip-hop albums down, rappers either buggering about amusing themselves or pretending to commit violence.

This, however, is hugely important. Over a looped second of guitar, Guru rants about rappers nowadays, and people invading his space by rapping at him, hoping to earn a career out of it. This bitterness sets the tone.

2: aLONGWaYTOGO

The album proper starts off with this hugely abrasive, strangely named song. The constant high-pitched whine and minor keys already clash with the supposed "Jazz sound" people expected. Guru was also very drunk when he rapped this, making him sound strangely drawly and even deeper-voiced compared to normal. Premier's great work on the cut, scratching Q-Tip's "Um....." makes for a brilliant chorus and finish.

3: Code Of The Streets

With a brilliant track - a great drum loop conflicting with the melodic strings - Guru raps about making money outside of hip-hop, whether by robbery or drugs. Premier's strange scratching on the chorus rounds it off.

4: Brainstorm

Guru's lines aren't particularly out of the ordinary, an angry rant about how violent he is and how good he is with the ladies, but Premier's stuttering, abrasive beat makes it a perfect combination. Guru pausing to sing tunelessly, and the decision to fade out in the middle of the final verse, make it another brilliantly strange one.

5: Tonz Of Gunz

One of the best and most difficult beats from the album, which is perfect - Premier loops a simple bassline over what sounds like a scream, while Guru laments the ease of obtaining guns in the ghetto, and the stupidity of those willing to kill for money & status. It's at odds with Guru's brash statements of violence, and a genuine expression of fear.

6: The Planet

One of the more pleasant, positive songs on the album, and another sensitive performance from Guru - reminiscing about his early days in Boston, how stifled he felt, and his journey to his new home in Brooklyn. You can arguably point to this as being indicative of the duo's previous work, which is no insult; it's fantastic from both.

7: aiight Chill

It's an inconsequential skit, defined by messages on DJ Premier's voicemail from some of the rappers he's worked with, but a nice break.

8: Speak Ya Clout (Feat. Lil Dap & Jeru The Damaja)

This is an unashamed sequel to "I'm The Man". The circumstances are different, with "The Sun Rises In The East" released and "Livin' Proof" on the horizon, but it's three separate beats and three separate verses on the subject of being great. Nothing new, but a good song.

9: DWYCK (Feat. Nice & Smooth)

One of their best, and one of the greatest party songs of any era. The breakbeat has no melody whatsoever, placing the emphasis on the MCs talking nonsense for 3 minutes. Greg Nice shouts, Guru drunkenly freestyles about lemonade being popular, and Smooth B's unique cadence rounds things out. In a way it's incredible that this was originally relegated to the b-side of "Take It Personal", but it's perfectly placed in such an unpredictable album.

10: Words From The Nutcracker (Feat. Melachi The Nutcracker)

Neither of the Group Home MCs are great, and this beat is just okay by Premier's lofty standards. Think of it as a skit in between songs and it makes a bit more sense, but the album would've been better off without it.

11: Mass appeal

Probably the most famous song off the album. The theme is in the name: Premier cooks up a beat intended to sound like elevator music, and Guru rants about insincere rappers with no credibility doing and saying whatever will get them a record deal. It's a bitter song that echoes the duo's bafflement at the state of hip-hop around the time.

12: Blowin' Up The Spot

Another easy-going funk guitar loop from Premier, with Guru going through familiar territory. The scratched chorus sounds strangely tuneless in comparison, making for another great contrast of styles.

13: Suckas Need Bodyguards

There was always one song on Gang Starr's albums that switched the roles; Guru as producer with Premier on back-up. as the latter put it, these were normally "chick songs", and while different, were usually the weakest. Not this one.

Guru's angry shouting represents one of the few songs where he raised his voice, and for good reason; this song was, according to Premier, recorded after the two had a fight, with Guru still seething. Despite the odd bit of scratching, the chorus is one line shouted over and over. If there's a song to perfectly sum up the album, it's this one.

14: Now You're Mine

If the song-wide metaphor about rapping as basketball didn't give an indication, this was originally on the soundtrack to 1992's "White Men Can't Jump". It's also, obviously, the one that sounds most like a Daily Operation song, with a jazz-based loop.

15: Mostly Tha Voice

Most rhetoric about Gang Starr did, and does, attempt to make sense of the duo's dynamic. DJ Premier is arguably the greatest hip-hop producer of all time. Guru is a solid rapper without much in the way of rhythm or flow, and a tendency to be one-note in his subject matter. 9 times out of 10, articles about the two will surmise that Guru's deep voice is what makes his raps sound so perfect for the duo's beats. He finally leans into it here.

16: F.a.L.a. (Feat. Big Shug)

Another ode to Brooklyn, with a pre-"Militia" Big Shug guesting. It's notable only for the looped piano notes that make it sound strange yet chilled.

17: Comin' For Datazz

Over a faster-than-normal beat, Guru kicks the usual rhymes. The beat is another stuttery & tuneless one that makes it a good listen.

BONUS: Doe In advance

Unfortunately, this great song fell foul of sample issues. Shame, as it's an incredible listen, one of the duo's best beats, with Guru on angry, energetic form. It was released in Japan, but elsewhere, was replaced by "Suckas Need Bodyguards".

On first glance, "Hard To Earn" is typical fare for Gang Starr. But even if it's not their best, it's definitely their most interesting, and is worth a look for anyone with a passing interest in golden age hip-hop. The duo's work after this would be their crowning moment, "Moment Of Truth" - with more fleshed out beats, guests who add to the album, and some of Guru's best, and most poignant, lyrics. "Full Clip" followed, a fantastic compilation with 3 new songs that gave little indication of what was to happen going forward. They bowed out in 2003 with "The Ownerz", which I will probably go on about some other time.

In terms of a good introduction to the group, "Full Clip" may be the best - but you won't ever get another album like "Hard To Earn", and it merits a listen from start to end. You will get both a sense of the group and confusion at what their sound or point is supposed to be; in both Premier & Guru's work, it's essential listening.

[domliddle]

Depeche Mode - Construction Time again

At time of writing, Depeche Mode have been going for 4 decades. To my mind, there are 3 clear narrative points in their catalogue - their three most important albums, all huge points of transition for the band. These are far from their best; in fact, two are hugely divisive. I'll now go on about these albums.

It's difficult to imagine what they would have been like if every subsequent album had been like "Speak & Spell", perhaps if Vince Clarke had stuck around. But their longevity is tied to their constant need to adapt; even the band's harshest critics would concur that no album of theirs rings hollow.

So when Vince did leave, those few journalists that hadn't rejected the band outright suspected that his departure, as chief songwriter, essentially finished them off. With "a Broken Frame", their one album between Vince Clarke and alan Wilder, they attempted to adapt. It was a confused album; it was an attempt to replicate the sound of the previous album, with some indication of Martin Gore's style that differentiated it. The lyrics were not peripheral or wilfully inscrutable; they represented a shift in tone that veered towards melancholy, with singles "Leave In Silence" and "See You" great microcosms of this. Unfortunately, there wasn't much else on the album. It was, and remains, a picture of a band in transition.

If the band had continued in this vein, history would've written that they were a moment in time; insubstantial 80s one-hit-wonders trying to recapture their former glory with diminishing returns. Instead, out of necessity, they built on a Broken Frame, shifting away from their past.

With Alan wilder coming on board full-time, the group experimented with their sound, and focused on lyrics that deviated from the matters of love, heartbreak, and having a good time. It's a widely heralded moment for them, and for good reason (although critics were divided at the time, with many reviews mocking the band for their change in tone). However: there is no subtlety about this album, whatsoever. They are at pains to inform you, the listener, that this album is not another Speak and Spell.

The album was preceded by single "Get The Balance Right!", an irritatingly exclamation-marked concession to the need for an obvious single. It's a strange one that has the "Broken Frame" attitude of trying to replicate their past musically, but with lyrics that are too upbeat for that album. It's as throwaway as it was designed to be, with the band awkwardly giving advice for a child over some lovely happy synths. Not good, but it does have a video of the band pissing about in an arcade, so there's something memorable. On the B-Side is the even more irritatingly exclamation-marked "The Great Outdoors!", the first song Wilder himself worked on. It's a shrug-inducing instrumental that sounds nice enough but goes on for 4 minutes too long.

The album begins with Love, In Itself; a brilliant song with Kraftwerk-like synth loops mixed with moments of improvisation. It's a very, very unsubtle statement of intent; the first chorus of the album informs us that "Love's not enough, in itself". More Than a Party is also on the nose, with the titular party used as a metaphor for corruption and inequality. It's also an innovative, harsh-sounding song, with its train samples and changes of speed showing a glimpse of the album's wild experimentation.

Pipeline is one of the most memorable songs on the album, and the most "out there" yet. a slow, droning dirge, filled with samples of random bits from an abandoned building site. On the surface, it's a world away from the joy of their first album. But it's the sound of a band truly having fun; playing with sounds and themes just to see what works.

The first single and most famous song from this album is Everything Counts. There's little to say about this that hasn't been said - it's a fantastic single that also serves as a good introduction to the album, with its innocent lyrics about how capitalism handcuffs those on the lower links of the chain. It's, unfortunately, above and beyond everything else here by far, but it was an important validation that their new direction could introduce depth whilst they could still churn out singles - even if they hadn't really cracked the american market yet.

Next is Two-Minute Warning - it's a marked step down from the previous song but isn't bad in itself. It's also important for being Wilder's first lyrical contribution to the album. Wilder's lyrics are pointed, in an innocently unsubtle way, but also jarring with the rest of the song. The band talk about nuclear war, and the ever-impending possibility of the death of scores of innocent people, being a bad thing. The music is strangely upbeat sounding, but there aren't the layers to it that leaves Everything Counts sounding balanced, rather than odd. Some nice little ideas but not really a complete song.

Shame also follows this pattern. The music is experimental and manages not to sound overjoyed at the prospect of violence or war, but it hasn't much of a structure, never building to anything. In retrospect, it doesn't stand on its own merit - it sounds thematically like a proto-"People are People". Yes, that song isn't well-known for its subtlety either, but it has so many things going for it that it works.

The Landscape is Changing is Wilder's second contribution, and you know what you're getting from that title. It's another warning to humanity, this time regarding our continued disregard for the preservation of Planet Earth. You could make a double album off that concept, and this goes out of its way not to scratch the surface. There's not even a complete hook to it, so it's the definition of okay.

Told You So is pacy yet foreboding, littered with minor key synths, creepy whispers, with banging and creaky synths throughout. It's the grimmest one yet, another warning to humanity about war, violence and divine judgment. There is again the same jarring, unsubtle innocence in its pleas. "Here's one more dead with a hole in his head, he shouldn't have said all the things he said" pretty much sums the song up. It's one of the better songs, overall.

And then... ends on a reservedly positive note, and its probably the best outside of the first 4 songs. After so many warnings, its a sliver of optimism, a plea for humanity to come together. It is another one without a great hook, but it works; the band's always been good with album closers. To cap things off there's a reprise of Everything Counts, the album's best song. I love a good reprise.

Just to touch on the remaining b-sides - they're more of the same. Work Hard is basically Nodisco, but with clanging and terrible lyrics about...working hard. Fools is another bad one, with a little bit of experimentation in the music but nothing else to offer. It's also personal in the vein of a Broken Frame, so would jar a little anyway.

So overall, it's not a great package. It's a collection of new ideas, but also a window of a band in transition. There was a ton of experimentation musically, and an effort to move away from songs based on relationships. It was both a statement of intent in terms of their future plans, but also one that showed they hadn't quite tied up how they were getting there.

On its own merit, it doesn't hold up; in fact, I'd say it's one of their worst offerings. But it's a hugely important album. In it, you can see the dying embers of "a Broken Frame", and small hints of "Some Great Reward". Yes, it is a work in progress, but without it, Depeche Mode could not have gone on for four more decades.

[domliddle]

WWF Aggression - Wrestling and Hip-Hop Collide

For those who have little to no interest in wrestling (who are reading a blog post with "wrestling" in the title), WWF's Attitude Era can be summed up broadly as follows: the company tried to appeal to kids and nearly went under, so they tried to appeal to teenagers and reaped the benefits.

Run by a load of middle-aged white men, the company never seemed to 100% know what exactly its new audience was. The demographics in the huge ratings skewed more towards teenagers, so the watchword was "edgy". What that entailed was blurring the lines between heroes and villains, as well as drinking, swearing, and lots of other things that weren't around during the time of Hulk Hogan. Not on camera, anyway.

But the company was not as savvy as today when it came to understanding its audience. Anything beyond the core content was highly revealing of this clumsiness. It ranged from D-Generation X hawking spot pads to the Wrestlemania Rage Party, with the bizarre sight of a drunk Shane McMahon rocking out to legendary rapper Big Pun.

In terms of music, the general trend for that white teenage male demographic was nu metal. This manifested itself in Fred Durst appearing in the video games, and the D-Generation X band's incredible rendition of "America the Beautiful". Needless to say, there was an indelible link between the genre and hip-hop music. There was also an edgy quality to hip-hop after gangsta rap's peak, and an increasing white audience from Eminem's peak run.

Hence, WWF Aggression.

Released at the height of the attitude era, the album is a fascinating blend of rappers seemingly picked at random, with the most tenuous links to the brand possible. It is very much a product of its time; personally, it reminds me a great deal of "Chef Aid", the South Park album from the same time. In both the album was comprised of a mish-mash of artists that would otherwise have never been on the same compilations, with the branding rather than the content being the sole hook for consumers.

Each track was allegedly themed around a particular wrestler or team. There were no name producers, save for one track. The rappers varied greatly, from West, South, East and everywhere else, from those lesser-known to household names. For maximum crossover, some wrestlers used these as theme music once or twice. Was it any good, though?

1: Run-DMC: The Kings (D-Generation X)

"My catalog got a long list of hits in the stores/And for you sample-happy suckers out there breaking the laws/Rather hit you where it gets you, bring you up on a charge/You'd be better just to let a lawyer know from the start"

The start is arguably the centrepiece; the only one that the wrestlers consistently used as theme music, and attached to DX's Mcmahon-Hemsley heel run.

At this point, despite being genuine stars in their prime, Run-DMC were no longer culturally relevant. As the 90s arrived, they were lost in the shuffle, and compared to the more sample-leaning hip-hop that was becoming popular, their stripped down approach with the occasional foray into rap-rock was dated.

Their attempts to integrate with 1993's "Down With The King" rang hollow; the title track was a big hit more for the creative hands of Pete Rock & CL Smooth than anything else. The abundance of guest rappers and producers from the time, coupled with the complete change of look, made it obvious that they were desperately trying to gain a foothold. But, the lows of "Crown Royal" were yet to come, and as the most obvious purveyors of rap-rock from the hip-hop side of things, the union made sense.

It's not a bad song, although it is just the two rapping over a slightly edited version of the DX theme (which will be an, er, theme).

But the bloody hypocrisy of that line, considering their most well known song was them rapping over someone else's song. It also looks bitter considering their own failure to adapt to sample-based hip-hop.

Anyway. A strong start.

2: Kool Keith & Old Dirty Bastard - Wreck (Mankind)

"Nobody seen the girls pee on the mattress/Who was the actress when we had to take a leak?"

A bizarre union of two of the most genuinely unpredictable rappers ever, with ODB ranting in between Kool Keith's mental raps. Absolutely zero to do with wrestling, never mind Mankind, unless you count ODB screaming the word "Fight". But a genuine hip-hop curio and a compelling song in its own way; no song with these two is going to be boring.

3: Method Man - Know Your Role (The Rock)

"So you want a piece of The Rock? Make you crumble/In these Wrestlemanias, kid, we Royal Rumble"

I will stand by this song as brilliant in its own right. Method Man is one of the most underrated rappers ever, and his own wit and lyrical dexterity shines over an incredible track by actual big name producer Rockwilder (he of Christina Aguilera's "Dirty", among many others).

Method Man is also a genuine wrestling fan, and it shows. His own desperate need to crowbar a WWF reference into every bar powers this song, and makes me wish the rest of the album had the same energy. This was also released as a single, with a video of The Rock driving around while some women stand in a run-down apartment block and gyrate.

Unfortunately, The Rock himself was not a fan. He did use it as a theme the once for a throwaway TV match, but it would never usurp his own perfectly-suited theme.

4: Snoop Dogg & WC - Hell Yeah (Steve Austin)

"When I say, "Hell" - you say, "Yeah"(c'mon) Hell - yeah (c'mon) hell - YEAH"

Snoop Dogg is the only actual wrestler on this album, so you know things will be good. It's not, but never mind. The biggest name on the album simply provides a hook (to put it generously) for his cousin to do his typical double-time flow about fighting people. This is basically Austin's own theme with rappers on, but still manages to have nothing to do with wrestling.

5: Redman & Rock - No Chance In Hell (Vince McMahon)

"You don't want what we got in store/Keep your mother-in-law indoor when we walk outdoor"

It stands to reason that Method Man's mate/awful film co-star and big name in his own right, Redman, would turn up. Along with (not The) Rock from the Boot Camp Clik, a weird pairing.

It's a dull song, unfortunately, with a bad track and the rappers going through the motions. They do say "No Chance In Hell" a bit, though, so it counts.

6: C-Murder & Magic - I Won't Stop (Gangrel)

"Call me the reaper, you won't live to tell/Call me Gangrel, I'm straight out of hell/I need blood, I'm lookin for a victim/The Brood, I'm with 'em"

Master P's cousin and his mate rock up, and do a good job considering. They're not the greatest rappers but for their own work it's alright; being used to hear them over tinnier No Limit tracks, it's at least a departure from the norm. Plus, there's at least a couple of tenuous references to the subject.

7: Tha Eastsidaz - Big Red Machine (Kane)

"The way I DDT these fools, I'm bound to catch a case/Seven foot three with a tombstone that sit about ten feet/Undertake'm to another street"

I've never rated Goldie Loc or Tray Dee, who seem to turn up on random songs by other west coast rappers on account of being Snoop Dogg's mates. It's a good effort though, and it's memorable to hear Goldie Loc "Tombstone Pile-Drop" foes over what is essentially Kane's unchanged theme music.

8: R.A. The Rugged Man - Break Down The Walls (Chris Jericho)

"Crazy, crusty, ugly, my mother doesn't trust me"

Just not a good song, unfortunately from another pick for the most underrated rapper ever. The man whose legendary verse on Jedi Mind Tricks's "Uncommon Valor" will legitimately go down in hip-hop history simply rants about being a bit violent, and there's not much to say.

9: Bad Azz & Techniec - You Ain't Hard (New Age Outlaws)

"New Age Outlaw, opposite Southpaw/Big water balloon balls and barroom brawls"

The beat is based on the first riff from the Outlaws' actual theme. Bad Azz & Techniec don't seem to have realised there even is one, rapping off-beat for the whole thing. Not one to live long in the memory.

10: Ice-T - Pimpin' Ain't Easy (Godfather)

"Godfather's in the house..Grab yo' bitches"

Very on-brand. So much so that the Godfather used this as his theme for a bit, with Ice-T turning up to perform in person at Wrestlemania 2000. It's simply Ice-T rapping about pimping over a slightly edited version of Godfather's theme. Unique in that it actually sounds like an updated wrestling theme, rather than somebody rapping about killing people over an edited version of the original song. I am dying to know what the Godfather and Ice-T's mysterious "beef" was, though. Probably that Ice-T had to come and watch Head Cheese.

11: Mystikal & Ras Kass - Game (Triple H)

"I got mo' anger than you got in yo' whole body in one arm/And that's a threat to Triple H, three times the harm"

An absolutely bizarre pairing picked seemingly at random, they go off in their own styles over a hilariously muzak-sounding version of "My Time". Good to hear he of "Shake Yo Ass" fame threaten Triple H on his own theme. Ras Kass is always good, but it is at its core another song where people rap about murder over an edited wrestling theme.

12: Mack 10, K-Mac, Boo Kapone & MC Eiht - Big (Big Show)

"And to the female fanbase that consume/You gotta be, willin to give up the womb to see my room/So if you're bout that and in your mouth I can burst/Then meet me backstage and have some rubbers in your purse"

In an era of hip-hop where misogyny was not only rife but a popular staple, it's not surprising that a lyric as stomach-churning as that would end up on a wrestling album. A slight change from Method Man rapping about the Rock doing a People's Elbow for his adoring fans.

That pretty much sets the tone. If that lyric wasn't "of its time" (always a go-to excuse for rampant misogyny) enough, you can hear Boo Kapone rapping about leaving people Limp like Bizkit, or kids going crazy for him like Pokémon.

The Big Show actually used this theme a couple of times pre-Wrestlemania 2000. It is at least hilarious to picture him walking out stony-faced as Mack 10 raps about bursting in people's mouths.

13: Meeno - Ministry (Undertaker)

"I'm known as the King, dead man walking/Fear no man, and I live in a coffin"

Despite not being sure if he's alive or dead, Meeno, or to use his full name, Dame Grease Presents Meeno, gives this one a good go. It's still a man rapping about killing people over a wrestling theme, so there you go. A fitting end.

_____________

It's a bag of shite that will go in one ear and out the other, but the actual content is appropriately moot. It's a strange crossover that didn't sell as well as planned, arguably because it didn't appeal to its core audience. It's not for hip-hop fans either, as it's essentially an album of bad novelty songs, with some interesting pairings at least.

WWE would go on to do this far better with "Forceable Entry", a mix of Nu Metal and Metal Metal that included some genuine wrestler themes - Steve Austin's "Glass Shatters", for example.

Wrestling fan demographics have changed dramatically in the intervening 25 years, and WWE have gotten much better at catering theme music to current trends. Streaming being standard also means that songs will be generally released as soon as they're used by the wrestler.

Unfortunately, this means no more albums with a couple of wrestlers' themes bundled in with a load of bad hip-hop (to use the term generously) songs. Still, at least the Method Man one's good.

[domliddle]

"Don't Sweat The Technique" is Eric B and Rakim's "Techno Pop". One of the most influential groups of any genre looking for ideas as their time comes to an end, with the genre having finally passed them by.

Rakim was itching to branch out on his own, with Eric needing his meal ticket to stick around. Eric's involvement in this album's production, as with their previous ones, was subject to controversy; this time it was Large Professor whose work was credited to Eric B, echoing what happened on Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's "Wanted Dead Or Alive".

The production itself is indicative of this, built on a range of jazz samples, and sounding more fleshed-out musically than "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em". In fact, it sounds a lot like Large Professor's work on "Breaking Atoms".

It was this album that best indicates the passing of time since "Paid in Full". Arguably the most famous track off "Breaking Atoms" is "Live At The Barbecue"; well-known for an incredible debut verse from ("Nasty") Nas. His style was concise while also evocative, and was hugely influenced by Rakim's work. He was not the only big name of the so-called "Golden Age" who was, but in releasing what is still hip-hop's most heralded album, he ushered in a new age for the genre.

"Don't Sweat The Technique" is a great album, but also an indicator that the point had been made over the last 3 albums. Rakim wanted to go solo in order to expand his scope creatively, but Eric B was more reluctant. Thus, the album consists of a couple of songs already heard from film soundtracks, some different takes on subjects of varying quality, and some simple breakbeat tracks reminiscent of previous work.

The album begins with "What's On Your Mind" from the House Party 2 soundtrack; a soulful pop song about love that screams "airplay", and works well enough at that. It's at least better than their turn on "Friends" by Jody Watley. "Teach The Children" is a vague attempt at a socially-conscious track, with a middling beat and bad chorus. Forgettable stuff; the next track, "Pass The Hand Grenade", is much better; a song reminiscent of "Lyrics of Fury" or "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em". It's a breakbeat with Rakim excelling in his comfort zone, creatively telling everyone what a great rapper he is.

"Casualties of War" is a complete change from this; Rakim speaks from the POV of an American soldier in the Gulf War, experiencing the death of his comrades, feeling conflicted about his role in the war, and suffering with PTSD afterwards. He never sounds like he's stretching himself, and it's a hard-hitting song that ranks as one of the group's best. "Rest Assured" is back to normality; musically it's another track that's fleshed out, with crashing drums and soul samples, but it's business as usual for Rakim.

"The Punisher" is one of the duo's most bizarre. A good beat, filled with cowbells and jazz samples, is complemented by Rakim's unique rap. His screaming delivery is unlike anything he's done before or since, and goes completely against the carefully-crafted persona of the perpetually unmoveable, chilled-out deep thinker. It's difficult to justify lyrics like, "KILL 'EM AGAIN! AGAIN AND AGAIN! AGAIN AND AGAIN!" but even if the album feels like the duo coasting, this will live long in the memory. It's also an early entry in the horrorcore subgenre that a certain white Rakim devotee would repeat to great acclaim later on (not Cage; the other one).

Whoever sequenced the album deserves a raise, as that display is followed by "Relax With Pep", a song about him being relaxed. This and "Keep The Beat" are another couple of songs that follow the formula: okay beats, great raps by Rakim about the same topic. After that, Rakim comments on the experience of disadvantaged black men living in the US projects. Calling such a song "What's Going On?" is always going to create unreachable expectations, and as things stand, it's...okay. The rap's good enough, the beat isn't.

Next is another already-released song, "Know The Ledge" - previously "Juice (Know The Ledge") off of the Juice soundtrack. This is the high point of the album, and one of the duo's best in any book. A simple, pacy but jazzy beat has Rakim rapping from the POV of a schoolboy that turns to dealing drugs. It's a cautionary tale in the vein of "Children's Story" - the boy gets caught up in the glamour of crime, before being murdered at the end. Rakim never sounds preachy in what is an interesting take on a familiar theme. One would think that Dr. Dre heard this and missed the intended irony, demanding that Rakim rap about these same themes later on.

"Don't Sweat The Technique" is a great, jazz-infused beat with Rakim telling people what a chilled-out great rapper he is. "Kick Along" closes the album with a stylistic (if not lyrical) shift, with Rakim rapping over a fast beat and not sounding stretched at all.

The album as a whole is competent; but it's dull in a way that makes one think it was lucky that things ended here. A year afterwards, Rakim worked with the Bomb Squad's Gary G-Wiz on "Heat It Up". Eric B's next work was the amusing "Still Paid"; basically an attempt to carry on regardless. Not to defend it, but there have been many worse producer-rappers. A year after that, Rakim re-established his reputation with "The 18th Letter", proving that while he still had it, the group couldn't have continued after this logical end.

[domliddle]

Potentially Great Albums. Eric B & Rakim - Follow the Leader

"Follow The Leader", Eric B & Rakim's 1988 second coming, is not a good album.

The duo had four albums before they went their separate ways - while most agree that "Paid in Full" was their magnum opus, from there it gets a bit more difficult. The other three have their own great parts, and their own flaws. Both "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em" (1990) and "Don't Sweat The Technique" (1992) had broad underlying themes both musically and lyrically. They were demonstrably different from the duo's other works, and polar opposites of each other; there was a sense of artistic development in both cases without sacrificing their own consistency.

Therefore, Follow The Leader is recognisable as somewhat of a transitional album, sitting comfortably between the duo's debut and the more mysterious yet aggressive "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em".

So why is it still loved, even quoted by some as an improvement on Paid in Full?

As it starts with the title track (Follow the Leader, obviously), it's plain to see that they are both in their prime; the beat is magnificent and perfectly fits Rakim's umpteen brilliant lines. This is where any doubts were dispelled. From there, we go straight into "Microphone Fiend"; a brilliant song that caters perfectly to Rakim's lyrical strengths. It employs a broad theme that allows him to deviate from braggadocio and metaphor into something more, without seeming forced. The beat is also perfect, different to the opener and employing a rhythm that allows Rakim to twist his words around it in different ways. "Lyrics of Fury" is the third track in a row to be one of their most praised; a raw, simple breakbeat that Rakim destroys.

So what's the problem? Well, from here, it falls off a cliff.

"Eric B. Never Scared" is nothing out of the ordinary. A good DJ interlude over a good beat. The problem is that it's over 5 minutes long - aside from the title track, the longest of the lot. Eric B's showcases are, at first, an important part of he and Rakim's albums. However, the track becomes repetitive at, if I'm being generous, 3 minutes in.

It gets worse though. I would contend that "Just a Beat" is the absolute worst song across the duo's entire work. It is simply Eric B, warped voice and all for some reason, talking nonsense before a nice beat comes in. His warped voice then reminds you that it's "a beat", in case you hadn't worked that out, and continues to do so throughout the whole thing. Thankfully, it's a bit shorter than the previous one.

"Put Your Hands Together" is strange. It begins with a minute-long piano piece - one that is actually great, but at odds with the rest of the album, and serves to needlessly drag the song out. When the actual thing starts, it's good - nothing surprising, simply Rakim rhyming over a good, stripped-down funky beat about how great he is in front of a crowd.

"To The Listeners" begins with a pretty awful beat, and someone whispering repeatedly about how it's "To The Listeners" and not the people smelling or tasting the album. Rakim's alright on this, but nothing more. In fact, he sometimes sounds off-beat, and raps too slowly to mesh with it.

"No Competition" is a good song. Not bad at all, and more braggadocio over a faster beat that sounds like Follow the Leader's little brother. "The R" is a song that I've never got - apparently ghost-produced by Mark the 45 King, so expectations are high. It's not bad, but clashes musically with the rest of the album, and Rakim himself. Compared to how raw the rest of the beats sound, it almost dominates the song - not catering to Rakim's strengths.

"Musical Massacre" is also great - probably the best of the lot aside from the opening 3 tracks. There's no unique theme lyrically, and the beat is fast and raw - fitting with much of the album's high points.

The ending is what saves the album. Actually, no it's not - it's the instrumental version of the worst beat on the album, appropriately titled "Beats for the Listeners". I wouldn't even have this as a bonus track.

So, judging from the above, not a great album. But I believe something great could have been made from what's there. So let's rearrange things.

Other opinions are available.

1: To The Listeners - cut down

I have to include this song. Therefore, let's begin by cutting the opening loop (and whispering) down - it's not really a song that needs to showcase the beat. Have one 4-bar loop, before Rakim comes in, and one verse - perhaps the actual opening one, or picking at lines that suit a broad, introductory song. Either way, as a stripped-down, slow interlude of a song, it's better placed to open the album.

2: The R - Extended Remix - cut down

Like I said, "The R" wasn't my favourite song on the album. However, I believe the 45 King's extended remix is a perfect opener after the intro. Strip down the opening part a bit, and cut straight after the "what happened to peace?" sample, and you have a good song. The rest of it can come later...

3: Musical Massacre

My main problem with "Follow the Leader" is that it promises so much - I don't think I've ever seen an album of any genre quite so frontloaded. Therefore, "Musical Massacre" is the perfect follow-up; different to the previous vibes, switching it up without giving away the absolute best. A fast, frenetic display that shows the variety on board. I imagine this as best with "The R"'s ending sample cutting straight into this without a beat.

4: No Competition

Same principle as the previous one - great without being the best.

5: Microphone Fiend

It's now necessary to deviate from the two similarly-minded songs, and at the same time throw one of the duo's best moments in. So here it is. Perfectly placed to break up the album.

6: Put Your Hands Together - cut down

The piano bit needs to go, unfortunately. But it's a smooth song that follows "Microphone Fiend" relatively well, not being too jarring.

7: Eric B. Never Scared - cut down

Well, obviously. Cut it down to 1:30 at the absolute max, and you have an interlude to break up the album. Take it simply as that, and instead of a bad song, you have a good buffer between the previous two relatively smooth tracks and...

8: Lyrics of Fury

One of the album's three great openers. Placed perfectly to remind any of the listeners how great the duo really is, in case they'd forgotten.

9: The R - Extended Remix

Another musical interlude. I love musical interludes. "Paid in Full" was helped a great deal by how Eric B's showcases broke up Rakim's - I would argue that one isn't enough on here. Technically there are 3 musical interludes on the album, but let's forget those exist. Cut in after the first half of the song cuts - starting with "Peace!", and it serves the purpose of giving the album a start-to-end correlation. It would also need to be cut down towards the end.

10: Just a Beat - with a rapper

Picture that. Who'd put Rakim on an Eric B. beat? Ridiculous. I think the levity of the song would at least allow for a grand verse or two from Rakim, broken up with scratching on the start and end.

11: Follow the Leader

To me, this is the perfect end to the album. It's a fantastic song, but one which is best suited to a roaring conclusion. In the end, the listener's last impression becomes that of the duo at their peak. Somewhat different to the quiet fart that is "Beats for the Listeners".

Ok, I understand - creative decisions are a small part of an album's tracklist. Record companies will obviously prefer an album frontloaded with the album's prime cuts. For me to argue that the above would make a better album is not only a matter of opinion, but also entirely moot. Granted, telling the reader that the article is moot at the end is the written "Beats for the Listeners (For the Readers - lolz)". But the great album was in there - with this minor shuffle, I feel that the album stands up as well as Eric B. & Rakim's others.

Disagree? Let me know in the comments below. Oh hang on, nobody's reading this. Don't let me know, then. Keep it all bottled up until years later you go on a blind date and vent to them about how "Beats for the Listeners" is actually a masterpiece.

Bonus Rubbish

- The Piano part of "Put Your Hands Together" could potentially serve as the backbone of a great song in its own right. As long as the mixing was right (as in, not Rakim being drowned out), and the rest of the song was similarly grand, it could serve as a great centrepiece for the album.

- Another thing that "Follow the Leader" would've benefitted from is a thematic song. The duo's other albums always have at least one track that steps out of braggadocio, keeping things relatively fresh. "Paid in Full" had the title track, "Let the Rhythm Hit Em" had a few, and "Don't Sweat the Technique" had a couple. The closest one is "Microphone Fiend" - a brilliant track, obviously, but one that doesn't deviate from Rakim being a good rapper. Said theme would only need to be broad, but it would help make the album seem less dry and repetitive.

- There's a great history of labels forcing changes and cuts to a song in order to make it suitable for single release. So here's where the original version of "The R" comes in - quite mainstream, grander-sounding than the other tracks, and a good introduction to the group. If you buy it and are interested, the real version's on the album.

[pxlbyte]

[it8bit]

Video Game Latte Art

Created by Kazuki Yamamoto

(via:pxlbyte)

[andtheshadowexploded]

Liquorice River claim to take you ‘on an aural journey fuelled by bitter nostalgia and sardonic sentimentality, stopping off along the way at junctions of 60’s psychedelia, glam, dub, folk, indiepop, krautrock and interludes of both a cinematic and electronic nature’ and tonight, their debut...

[domliddle]

Trapped in the '90s Part One: Re-assessing Crunk & Snap

You will hear many fans of hip-hop's golden-age (or those 'trapped in the '90s, if you believe Nas) moan about the state of the genre today. While today's Pitbull-induced hip-house revival is shrug-inducing in the extreme, it could be far worse. Snap music's dominance, for instance - a truly mind-boggling success story.

While snap's southern predecessor, crunk, had precisely zero emphasis on lyrical content, that was the point - it harked back to hip-hop's genesis in that rocking a party was of prime importance. It was also individual and had an identifiable 'sound' to it - mainly due to Lil' Jon and few others being at the helm of the movement. 

Many bought into it - the strange fit that was Snoop's 'Step Ya Game Up', for example - but the sound was rarely watered-down or compromised for the sake of a few extra spins, because the unusual and divisive nature of the music was news in itself.

Snap, however, had no such excuses.

It would be remiss of me to dismiss Snap music entirely, as it too had a point to it, in a sense. When people were bored of crunk, and it had become over-saturated to a point, the music was in a sense, the opposite of its predecessor. While the basic, and sometimes offensive, lyricism remained, the music was minimalist and simple as well. 

The genre never achieved the worldwide fame that crunk did, with a smattering of exceptions. While anyone could (and did) point to crunk as a low for hip-hop without being interested in the genre as a whole, snap took a little bit more thought.

The misogyny, violence and homophobia generally remained - but those songs that fought their way to the front were not based on shock value, but repetition. Boy, was there a lot of that. Many described Crunk as lowest-common-denominator music mainly due to the widespread anger at the often offensive lyrics - but Snap was the dictionary definition. The songs were of no importance whatsoever - the point was for the song to catch on.

Songs were stripped down to be as basic as possible, usually with the aforementioned 'snap' percussion, little in the way of tune and the same tempo for any song. All were usually based around a repetitive chorus, sometimes attempting to start a trend or dance move (see: any moderately successful snap act, ever). Some caught on, and some didn't.

Soulja Boy is, in 2013, snap's lasting legacy, and easily the most successful proponent of the music. His 2007 hit 'Crank That' did catch on, and crossed over into the mainstream. It ticked every box sonically, incorporating a simplistic beat, repetitive lyrics and an associated dance. He's still going, and is an indicator of the genre's polarizing simplicity.

While some got down with crunk, most rejected snap music - the fact that hip-hop fans generally rejected it meant that there was no credibility in a snap collaboration. Nas's much-talked about lyrical references summed up attitudes generally. 

In terms of the south's dominance of the late 2000's generally, Lil' Jon helped introduce Pitbull to the mainstream - the man who spearheaded hip-hop's jumping on the dance bandwagon, and who went from bass, to crunk, and onto dance. As many will attest, there's lasting success for a rapper that continues to evolve and adapt. Maybe we should be grateful that snap didn't.

[domliddle]

The Slow Death of Rap Battles

Rappers often get justifiable criticism for making entire songs based around out-rapping or beating up imaginary foes. It's been done to death, and it's incredibly safe for a genre that used to be based around the worst being called out for their laziness and lack of skills.

Sadly, rap battles and battling have gone from the center of the art to being somewhat of a curio; they're bad for business, which is what the Jay-Z centred hip-hop in 2013 is all about. Networking, expanding your user base and attempting to rile as few as possible by sticking to the script. 'Pop' is often a term thrown at non-credible, unskilled hip-hop, but the genre gaining the same financial aspirations as pop music has done no good at all.

Take Jay-Z again, for instance. A businessman far before a musician, he gained plaudits for attacking MC Hammer, of all people. Why? Hammer is not only symbolic of a popular hip-hop that exists far outside the sphere of real credibility, he is the king of easy targets. The days of rap battles between prominent rappers, based on technical ability, are long gone. It's just not profitable, although the main reason is Biggie and Tupac's continuing influence, long after their death.

Battling made a comfortable transition onto wax, with KRS-One's "South Bronx" and "Still #1" being prime examples of feuds being settled in an entertaining way. In the 90s, however, it was seen differently; the lasting legacy of Tupac and Biggie's feud was that it had escalated beyond wax. In truth, there was big business behind both rappers, and the dodgy dealings of Death Row and Bad Boy could fill encyclopedias. Jay-Z and Nas have had the only really notable war on wax since, and that was deaded long ago for the greater good (the financial one).

So what's with Kendrick Lamar? Actually, though it's changed somewhat, beef has come back into fashion, with Tyler The Creator's Eminem/Cage routine doing big business, and people finally starting to get bored of commercial hip-hop's uttterly safe excesses. It is obvious that in a stagnating genre, controversy creates cash; but Lamar's lines on "Control" were as safe as can be. He dissed a number of prominent rappers and explained that "I got love for all of you". Bearing in mind the fact that his collaborators in the song were included in the jabs, there is nothing to it. 

It has created some freestyles of varying quality, but all with the startling lack of logic demonstrated by Jay-Z's one-man war on all things Hammer. More of an advertisement for a rapper already in high standing than a comeback for battling, unfortunately. 

[domliddle]

Rakim's Aftermath venture was mostly a waste - but not entirely

Rakim's brief stint at Aftermath was indicative of the disappointment that many would come to feel with the label for years afterwards. Come the approach of the millenium, Dr. Dre (and Aftermath) was top of the genre. The label's initial work, "Dr. Dre Presents...The Aftermath", was uneven to say the least, and left many skeptical that there was a future to speak of for this risky venture. Certainly, "Been There, Done That" and "East Coast/West Coast Killas" are as important as curios can be, though the rest of it was pretty awful. Mel Man's "Shitting On The World", for instance.

The anticipation for Dre's second solo work, however, built up until the release day. The good doctor stayed relevant not only through his proteges, but also by re-tweaking his sound a little. Piano-led beats returned to the forefront, and his work started to sound less and less like the man behind "The Chronic". The squealy synths and general love of weed remained, despite the mix generally being a lot cleaner and sober. With the momentum in terms of critical and commercial acclaim, and quality rappers young and old on the label, Aftermath could do no wrong.

There was skepticism, or at least reservation, from the start. Rakim was a decidedly East-Coast rapper, more lyrical than the rappers Dre had been used to. Aside from that, there was obvious reason for anticipation; the acclaimed Pete Rock and DJ Premier had worked with him to great effect in the 90s, and there was no reason to think that the versatile Dre couldn't tweak his sound to fit "The God".

The entirely Dre-produced album, "Oh My God", was talked up repeatedly until it fizzled out in the manner of, well, Detox, before Rakim quit the label in 2003. None of the work was officially released, and it now exists only in pieces on youtube. The idea that there were "creative differences" was recently confirmed by Rakim - the idea that Dre wanted him to talk about killing people is more surprising than it sounds. 

Rakim already tried this, on 1992's "Don't Sweat the Technique", and it was an uncomfortable attempt at updating his themes. In the same way that changing Eminem's style wouldn't have worked, this was a bad idea. 

However, Rakim's time at Aftermath yielded some great stuff, even, for me, some of his best work. I won't bother to link to any of these, anyone reading this can look it up.

  Welcome 2 The Hood

An unreleased Dr. Dre production, this is only of any value if you've never heard Rakim before. You can already guess the theme from the title; Rakim sounds like any other rapper circa-2000. Rakim's familliar steady flow is a plus, but Dre's beat is dire as well. Makes me thankful 'Oh My God' wasn't released.

After U Die

This, on the other hand, is one of my favourite songs from the R. A great theme, often discussed in hip-hop but never as well as this, and technically excellent. Dre's beat is also worthy of praise, although the same sample was reused on 'Legend of the Fall-Offs' on Busta Rhymes's dire Dre-produced album. Skip that, get a listen to "After U Die".

Addictive

Rakim on a DJ Quik beat is something few would've expected; even fewer would've anticipated it being worth listening to. This is invisible "Truth Hurts"'s song though, and it amounts to an okay song with a great sample until Rakim turns up.

The Watcher 2

Jay-Z is one of those rappers who, when confronted with the need for new concepts, will just say "sod it, let's redo another one, people'll buy it". Thus, Blueprint 2, Blueprint 3, etc. This is one of those curios that turned out reasonably well - over a re-jig of the original's beat, Dre, Rakim and Jay-Z spin a song that isn't bad at all. Dre's multi-syllabic rhymes mark his verse out as Rakim-written, while the man himself goes with one of his best verses yet. A bit of a mess, but still fun.

RAKIM

His contribution to the 8 Mile soundtrack was a sign of things to come. Great lyrics and brilliant flow, over a Denaun Porter beat that's pretty crap, to be honest. The focal point of Rakim's songs has never been the beat, but the lyrics and his versatility in terms of flow; this sums that up. Ignore the beat, and you'll get a great song from the legend.

  They're all worth a listen, especially After U Die. Alicia Keys's odd sequel to "NY State of Mind", named "Streets of New York" is also worth a listen. Produced by DJ Premier and featuring Rakim alongside Nas, it's a throwback to '90s New York hip-hop with Alicia Keys thrown in for good measure.

[domliddle]

WWE Which Championship Again?

The World Championship. The (insert promotional name) Championship. The Heavyweight Championship. Whatever the tag, the top title should be what everyone aspires to, regardless of the promotion involved. Championships are what give wrestling meaning – the idea that grown men and women rolling in pants can amount to credible, even exciting competition, is entirely down to the top title. Without this, there is no explicit hierarchy, giving way to the kind of start-stop booking WWE has become infamous for recently.

The greater the value of the title, the better. Over the years, as WWE has swallowed up the competition, more and more titles with different lineages have been created. TNA has, to a degree, followed suit, but the genesis of WWE’s current title spread can be traced back to the brand split.

I was never a fan of this, and I’ll go on about that another time. But after WCW’s demise, WWE felt it necessary to retain the titles whilst ditching others, leading into the split. The Hardcore title, for instance, was dumped in favour of having titles on the two brands that, essentially, represented two parallel divisions of equal lustre. The idea was eventually expanded into ECW standalone run.

The Intercontinental title was parallel to the United States title. The two couldn’t really work on the same brand, but as second-string championships, they worked well as litmus tests for star quality, whilst helping to give a wrestler the extra ‘push’ in the same vein as the defunct ‘King’ title. The majority of WWE and WCW’s big stars have held these titles before their elevation to the bigger stages, as well as a few who didn’t make the grade.

Two titles remove this function entirely, and simply serve to make the champion another face in the crowd. Take, for example, Wade Barrett’s recent Intercontinental Title reign; he rarely appeared on TV. A big fish in a small pond, he appeared on WWE’s supplemental shows wasting time rather than mixing with the stars. Cesaro’s US Title reign was forgettable; a great performer who deserved the reign, he was nevertheless underused and poorly booked whilst he held the belt.

 The promotion’s main prize has suffered the same problems, in that the idea has remained split in two. The World Championship, with its lineage in WCW, simply runs alongside the WWE Championship. This serves to create two separate divisions from the top to the bottom, and two top grapplers who can’t acknowledge the existence of the other.

Or not. Take Raw the other week. A great show in general, and another star was created in Daniel Bryan. A segment that initially seemed odd, where WWE Champ John Cena was permitted to pick anyone he chose to oppose him at Summerslam, was beneficial in the end. It certainly served as a better feud-creating angle than some of the other stuff on the show.

The roster was required to stand on the stage, all eagerly awaiting Cena’s pick. From the Great Khali to 3MB, all hoped for Good Guy Cena to give them their chance. Oddly enough though, World Champion Alberto Del Rio was there at the very front. Now clearly, though Del Rio and Ziggler are over, and are often the focal point of things, they’re not on the level of Cena, or Punk.

Which begs the question; in a promotion where there are two second-string titles, what is the purpose of the World Title? The WWE title is evidently more prestigious, and it is currently what passes for the star-making titles of old. But what of the US and IC titles? The US title, like the useless Tag Titles, is essentially decoration, added credibility for the brilliant Shield. The IC title is passed from mid-carder to mid-carder, like a latter-day European Championship. Look to the Divas title; fought over as if it’s the only reason the eponymous Divas compete in WWE, it has the sort of prominence that the male titles ought to.  

 My point is this: titles need to be dropped in order to allow people to care about the action in the ring; to return some sense of consequence to proceedings, and perhaps alleviate the ever-looming problem of start-stop booking. One main title, one star-creating mid-card title. Even the tag titles can be dropped, in a promotion with two or three meaningful challengers. Where’s 1998 when you need it?

(I’m not advocating the return of the Disciples of Apocalypse to challenge the Shield, but in a world where the Ultimate Warrior appears to be on the verge of a return, why not?)

[domliddle]

Hip-Hop Snobbery & Glastonbury

Hip-hop snobbery is a general, and at times understandable phenomenon. In the popular conscience, it's still associated with violence and a number of negative stereotypes. It doesn't help that the most popular rap music is still that that continually perpetuates these stereotypes, thus forming a strange cycle.

Lack of meaningful content, rapping unfavourably comparing to singing - there are many reasons cited for hip-hop's percieved irrelevance when good music gathers. But like any established musical genre, there is great, good and then bad. 

The snobbery about hip-hop at Glastonbury, and whether it's allowed there or not, is well-documented. Liam Gallagher(I'm guessing it was him. One of them)'s strop was not out of attention-seeking character, but was still a surprise. The rhetoric of hip-hop not belonging at an established music festival that crosses genres anyway was not only harmful, but laughable in its complete absence of reason. 

What amazed more is that people sided with the berk. In the end, Jay-Z's singing 'Wonderwall' was a laugh, despite masking a performance that wasn't great. So what this year?

Public Enemy were flying the flag for hip-hop this year, though some of that snobbery still pervades. Danny Baker - normally someone of reasonable logic - incredibly tweeted that "bloke BBC have put on now rapping at audience and pointing his finger is plainly not another Mick Jagger."  This is in reference to Nas, admittedly long past-it but recognised as one of the genre's greats, and one of the few purveyors of a classic rap album in 1994's Illmatic.  So why did he compare unfavourably to the rapidly ageing Stones, who trotted out a familliar act with little of it permitted to be televised?

Logic states that Public Enemy, media fanfare aside, stole the show. Without the crutch of Flavor Flav for comedy balance, Chuck D needed to put on a hell of a show as frontman. He made it look easy, riling up a crowd that didn't seem interested at times, and in doing so showed the energy of 10 Jay-Zs. 'J-Hova's endless backing rappers that, incredibly, drowned him out and made you forget whose performance you were watching, were unnecessary here. Chuck easily carried things along, and the group (including the legendary Davy DMX on bass) were masterful. 

More of the same next time, please. Less snobbery, though.