Freddie Gibbs and Madlib had made for some big time hip-hop plays in big time hip-hop situations. They sampled Rubba’s “Way Star” and also Walt Barr’s “Free Spirit” which turned heads and samplists into total hysterics. But this? General Lee & The Space Army Band’s cosmic-soul number “We Did It Baby”. Had you even hear the original? Wow. It’s on a whole other universe. Perhaps one of the rarest soul records ever made, produced and performed by Robert Q. Lee under his Lost Weekend imprint. Both Lee and Gibbs are from Gary, Indiana, so one wonders if Gibbs knew beforehand and had Madlib search the original out or if Madlib broke the news to him.
Not to be left out, another one of Lee’s I like is “Magic”, an amazing flashy disco-funk single that had to be, or should’ve been, a must-play in any given roller rink.
We’re still waiting for that “forthcoming” album, though.