The Roots - Illadelph Halflife

DGC: 1996

Getting a few Roots records was inevitable for yours truly, but it was nice to get the full smorgasbord of their catalogue before committing dollars to disc. And while it may seem obvious getting this one to start, I'm sure few would disagree with it either. Having gotten it and enjoyed Illadelph Halflife on its own now, however, I'm strangely at a loss for words of what I want to say about it.

There isn't much else I can touch upon the band itself that everyone in North America (and beyond!) doesn't already know (live hip-hop band, etc.), and I haven't given myself ample time to digest this particular release further. It's like, sure, this was the tastiest item in that smorgasbord, but to truly appreciate it, I need more than just a couple servings of it; really let it marinate on my taste buds. Or I just feel 'ill'-equipped to talk this album up as it deserves at this point. See, there I go, already falling back on bad puns.

I guess an adequate start is why Illadelph Halflife, what makes this album the one I wanted to nab first above all others. Beyond having that irresistible mid-'90s Eastcoast hip-hop aesthetic, I mean. Okay, that's a big reason, hands down. Whether it was getting in the grime of it was the Wu or ample raiding of funk, jazz, and soul records from the likes of DJ Premier and Tribe Called Quest (among many others), it's a sound I really vibe on, and kinda' wish I'd jumped on it a lot sooner than just these past few years. Sure, I had a few obligatory records here and there (Gang Starr, Big L, that one Nas everyone must have), but was missing so many more. Just... so many more.

Still, The Roots are Philly, not New York, which may account for how much soulful their style is. Or maybe it is just that live-band approach to their craft. Which is cool and all, but if I wanted to hear strictly that, I could have nabbed their first two albums (or the live one). Naw, what properly got me hooked in was hearing more of their studio production, which I feel really came into its own with Illadelph Halflife. They'd get more polished and bolder in later records, but here everything's given ample oomph over all their funky, jazzy rhythms and, where warranted, soulful backings (What They Do, No Alibi, No Greater Protector).

Lyrical content, then. After all, this is a hip-hop group, where lyrics are paramount. And honestly, I think that's why I like this record so much, Black Thought, Malik B, and all their guests given plenty of prominence. If anything, the 'musicians' part of Roots is put on a back-burner, far less jam sessions and solos indulged than before. I imagine this was done to help sell them to a wider rap audience not so keen on musical ability beyond what a dope, looping sample provides. I'd say the trick worked.

Cypress Hill - III - Temples Of Boom

Columbia: 1995

You're one of the biggest names in hip-hop, but it's almost entirely because of a mega-hit single that's something of a novelty track. Of course, Cypress Hill never intended Insane In The Brain to reach such market penetration that even white-bread suburbia was singing it. Indeed, if anyone actually paid attention to the lyrical content, it's not a terribly positive spin on psychedelic abuse. Have it wrapped in an upbeat rhythm and irresistible earworm of a chorus, however, and no one will know. Or care.

Perhaps Cypress Hill did care though, which would explain why their follow-up to the multi-platinum Black Sunday - III: Temples Of Boom - went in such a drastic, darker turn compared to their prior work. Yeah, there always was an edge to the music DJ Muggs produced, the sort of street-level grit that came with the sampledelic nature to his tunes. Rare would it get outright Gothic and bleak. It's like he took the moody atmosphere of Cock The Hammer and thought: “Yeah, a whole album of that!”

So Temples Of Boom comes with an extra layer of grime and grit, as if south California has never seen a ray of light, everything blanketed with paranoia and... Well, not quite despair, moments for a casual blaze still releasing some of the pressure cooker of existence. Still, better watch your back, because these streets are just as savage as ever, 'hoods getting ever deeper into their primal psychosis. I mean, if the lead singles of Throw Your Set In The Air and Illusions don't portray an existence just barely hanging on by a thread, I don't know what will.

The only comparison I can make of Temples Of Boom - at least in this era of hip-hop - are the harrowing moments as heard in Liquid Swords. Which makes sense, as RZA drops in for some beats and bars on Killa Hill Niggas. I just have to imagine Muggs taking notes down from Bobby Digital, like a young monk studiously listening to the words his master is speechifying.

“But wait,” you say, “aren't Cypress Hill megastars now? How do they get off rapping about gangsta' shit?” Ah, therein lies the secret genius of Temples Of Boom: they're not literally rapping about lived experiences here (though they had), but as more a concept, an urban horror story, focused on mood and atmosphere rather than explicit realism. In fact, the few times they do touch upon Real World things (scene posers in Strictly Hip Hop; outright dissing former friend Ice Cube in No Rest For The Wicked), you're taken out of their grim world. Well, lyrically anyway, Muggs' beats still on point throughout.

I'll just go ahead and say Temples Of Boom is easily Cypress Hill's most underappreciated record. Yes, it was a stark turn at the height of their fame, but having gone through the entirety of their discography, almost nothing comes close to how creatively atmospheric they went here – easily until Elephants On Acid.

Nas - God's Son

Columbia: 2002

I will never claim being an expert in all things Nasir Jones. For the longest time, all I really engaged with him was the obligatory purchase of Illmatic every fan of hip-hop must. For sure there were parts of his career that intrigued me, but little I was compelled to dig into.

So take this with as much sodium carbonate as you can handle without causing kidney stones, but having actually listened to most of Nas' discography now, I'm claiming God's Son the best of his '00s output. Yes, better than the comeback Stillmatic, better than the critical darlings of Hip Hop Is Dead and untitled, and most definitely better than the double-LP Street's Disciple (think everyone agrees that's the worst of the decade).

This isn't me just being contrarian, saying such for hipster cred or something. Yeah, this album doesn't get brought up as much as the others, so is easily forgotten. It doesn't have any outright bangers or easy talking points going for it. No, just a solid record front to back (well, save one track), and in my mind, that's its greatest feat. The only other release under Nas' belt to that point you could say the same of was Illmatic, and though It Was Written and Stillmatic were good too, there were still a couple things holding them back from being as top tier. I'll touch on the former at a later date, but regarding Stillmatic, I felt it was as good as it needed to be, to resuscitate Nas' name in the rap world, and that's all. Was there that much doubt he could rebound though? Somehow I think not, most folks believing the ability was there, so long as the will was there.

Which is what makes God's Son that much better. Released a mere year after Stillmatic, whatever fire was lit under Mr. Jones continued burning hot (an artist like Nas doesn't lose inspiration just like that), now without some ungodly amount of expectation placed on him. Free to weave more 'hood tales, sexy come-ons, reflective poetry, Jay-Z disses, and the like, all refined to Eastcoast hip-hop perfection. Except Zone Out with Bravehearts. Have no idea what happened there.

Even the 'corny' tracks are fun! I Can is basically a 'work hard and honest to achieve your dreams' dressed in a uplifting-yet-rugged nursery rhyme. Book Of Rhymes has fun with the notion Nas owns pages of unused verses, presented with some self-deprecating humour. Another 'revived rhyme' from Tupac appears on the acoustic (!) Thugz Mansion (N.Y.).

To be fair, things get really metaphysical towards the end of God's Son, with more odes to the deceased and reflections on the future. I'll allow it, Nas having well earned the right to pontificate. And at less than an hour runtime, the whole record breezes right on by, leaving you wishing for more (like Illmatic!). Trust me when I say, even by 2002, the issue of rap album bloat hadn't subsided by a long-shot.

Cypress Hill - Elephants On Acid

BMG: 2018

This is an album that didn't need to exist, but oh are we ever so blessed that it does. The Cypress Hill brand could rest easy on their past achievements, and indeed that seemed to be the case as the 2010s took form. The prior decade hadn't been terrible for the group or anything, but it was clear their best days were behind them, DJ Muggs in particular seeing more critical plaudits in his solo ventures than anything he was doing with B-Real and Sen Dog anymore. And they were fine with that, Mr. Real content in establishing his own studio should he get the music bug, while he and Mr. Dog continued successful tours replaying the old hits. If Til Death Do Us Part was indeed the last of classic Cypress Hill, no one would feel shame in that, a legacy firmly enshrined in hip-hop history.

Which is what makes Elephants On Acid all the more remarkable. Yes, it's a dope-ass album of psychedelic rap music, possibly one of the greatest records of the genre in the past decade – from a highly recognizable name, at the very least. To even have the gumption to go all in with it though? That's some pachyderm-sized balls, mang'.

In fact, there was little sign it was even in their systems to go this deep into the trippy weeds. Cypress Hill music would sometimes side-glance into the realms of Gothic horror and psychedelic dreams, but almost always as flavouring while rapping about gang bangin' and marijuana consumption (and certainly less of it following their go with nu-metal). Here, it's like the script got flipped, more emphasis placed on just how twisted Muggs' music can go, with the usual street and grass references more of an afterthought, like visions of a past life while exploring LSD adventures. Which may not be far from the truth, this record apparently more the brain child of Muggs than anything B-Real or Sen Dog envisioned. The abundance of instrumental interludes, where Muggs is clearly indulging himself with whatever strikes his fancy (you're darn right Elephant Acid sounds like an elephant on acid), pretty much confirms such a theory.

Even better-better, it's a modern rap album that almost entirely eschews modern rap tropes. Some pitched vocals here, a female led chorus there, and that's about it. No cheap-ass trap beats, everything rhythm gritty, booming, and filled with rich instrumentation from across the globe. Want some choirs? Here's Jesus Was A Stoner. A little Latin swing? Here's Oh Na Na. Twitchy street vibes? Here's Pass The Knife. A sing-a-long anthem with heavy trumpets? Here's Reefer Man, though good luck keeping pitch with just how warbly B-Real and Sen Dog get with their “la la-la-la la”s. The only thing really missing from Elephants On Acid from being a true Cypress Hill classic is that one all-timer tune with Sen Dog on an ear-wormy call-and-response chorus. Granted, this isn't that kind of record, but just imagine if they somehow pulled that off this deep into their careers?

Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill

Ruffhouse Records: 1991

The only Cypress Hill album you're supposed to have, even if you're not much of a Cypress Hill fan. That's not my opinion, mind you, as I feel they have other records in their discography that surpass this one. And, as someone who has literally listened to every single LP they released, I feel somewhat qualified in making that assessment. What their self-titled debut has, however, is the gritty, street-level aesthetic that can't be recaptured after a group starts going platinum on the sales charts. The hungry spit-n-fire of young talent out to prove themselves worthy of standing in the same arena of all the established names. It's why so many debut hip-hop albums of this era are held in the highest regard - you either fire your best shot first, or get dumped to the dustbin of time.

As I said though, I think what Cypress Hill artistically accomplished on some future albums was even better than what we get here. Still, it's undeniable the group came out damn hot, and if you're strictly all about gangsta' rap sounding as raw and unpolished as can be, then I've no problem with folks proclaiming this is the one true Cypress Hill record above all.

And boy, does this record ever come in hot out the gate. Rappers had been making screeds against cops for a few years already, but none dared to open a debut on the topic, much less show no respect in titling it Pigs. Have I mentioned the Rodney King beating had happened shortly before Cypress Hill dropped?

But yes, the big tune off here is second track How I Could Just Kill A Man, where B-Real and Sen Dog go off on how life on the streets sometimes leads to committing acts you never thought capable of. More than that though, it established the vintage Cypress Hill parlay of Mr. Real chanting the chorus with Mr. Dog offering an earwormy call-and-response. Not to mention proving DJ Muggs had bigger things in mind than just producing basic hip-hop loops, throwing in squealing sirens and an organ breakdown for no other reason than he could. The original single for it though, featured The Phuncky Feel One, one of the tracks that kinda' holds this album back for me, more of a throwback '80s rap tune than featuring anything distinctly Cypress Hill. There's a couple tracks like it on here, such as The Funky Cypress Hill Shit, Real Estate, and Born To Get Busy. Production's still solid, just way more 'vintage' than what Muggs would go on to make.

Same can be said of their nods to weed smoking (Light Another, Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk) and the Latin side of street life (Hole In The Head, Latin Lingo, Tres Equis). They're gritty and unvarnished, but I've heard them make better. I guess it really does boil down to personal preference, which has enabled Cypress Hill to maintain a career for over three decades now. Something for everyone!

Sykonee's 'Sportsing' Surveys: THE ROOTS

Right, The Roots. This took a lot longer than I was planning, and not because this was some impossibly large discography. Oh, I thought there might be more out there than just their mainline records. After all, when you're billed as one of the most successful live hip-hop bands on the planet, you'd expect a tonne of live albums. Only one has seen an official release though, but that's neither here nor there. No, the reason it took me some 2.5 months to complete this survey is because, um... I didn't do much 'sportsing' for over a month there. Look, when one comes down with a heavy case of 'Mopevember', coupled with literally cracking a molar such that I had to get a crown for it, such things tend to throw one's regular physical regiment out of wack.

What's not wack, however, is The Roots. I first come into contact with them when their charming What They Do video was making the rounds, taking the piss out of all the rap music cliches that were prevelent in the '90s (hehe, 'butt cramp'...). Clearly these chaps were on a more 'conscious' level than their peers, but I was still a few years away from truly getting bit by the hip-hop bug. When it finally did, some of their eye-catching items like Phrenology and Game Theory got me more curious, but never did I pull that trigger. I really have no excuse to put them off any longer though, so time to go whole hog on their discography!













That took a few more unexpected turns than I, erm, expected. Like, they started out pretty much as I figured, but even early on, they were throwing curveballs left and right. Them getting thick into the genre daliances, however, really took me surprise, and I love they were willing to do that, especially at the height of their popularity. Or at least, the height of their initial popularity. I sense they've become an altogether different kind of popular now, the kind that even middle America is comfortable with. Seems somewhat antithetical to their original manifesto, but eh, brothers gotta' get paid.

As for what's next for surveying, think I'll be killing two birds with one stone, even if the music I'll be listening to will be only suitable for the most meditative of 'sportsing' activities.

Cypress Hill - Black Sunday

Columbia: 1993

So I started a Cypress Hill collection. I'm surprised I even got into them this late in the game, but when one decides to digest an entire discography, sometimes some albums stand out so much, you just gotta' have it for yourself, proper-like. And if there's ever one album from this posse that you're supposed to have, even if you're not a Cypress Hill fan, it's easily this one. Is it their best album though? Oh, wait, I already said it was when I did my survey. Review's over, then!

Seriously though, it's surprising just how successful this album turned out, and not just because it's the one with Insane In The Brain on it. Okay, it's almost entirely because of that, but I mean how well the rest of album holds up despite its presentation. Like, if you didn't know better, you'd think this was something other than a hip-hop record just off of cover art alone. No street hoods menacingly glaring at a camera, no pictures of urban squalor, no bikini babes or bling paraded about. Just a stark cemetery with a dead tree and a pile of bones, a picture straight out of Gothic horror. What's gangsta' about being Goth? Sure, B-Real was part of the Bloods (they vampires, right?) before getting into music, but he never made it focus of his lyrics.

Yet some tracks paint quite the picture of rain-soaked streets with frightening things creeping in the shadows. Cock The Hammer especially captures this essence, an almost savage piece of imagery with thunder storms and distantly echoing alarms backing B-Real and Sen Dog going on about a stealthy hunt (some additional dancehall rapping don't hurt either in selling the 'concrete jungle' vibe). Quite a few tracks are of similar nature, living life on the edge trying to survive in an inhospitable environment. What's remarkable is half the time, such topics are seemingly played lightly. When The Shit Goes Down, What Go Around Come Around, Kid, and Hand On The Glock are comparatively bouncy and almost happy-go-lucky given the subject matter. I guess it couldn't be helped when your biggest hit is almost a novelty track, so some light-heart vibes would seep elsewhere. Or maybe it's just all that weed they be smokin' in the studio.

Yeah, they talk about the ol' mary jay on here, though not as much as some seem to remember, only two tracks really dedicated to it (Legalize It is just an interlude). Considering I Wanna Get High kicks the album off though, complete with a sample from Black Sabbath's The Wizard, it's easy to hear how that's the impression everyone comes away with. Excessive liner notes about hemp uses doesn't hurt either.

What's funny is, given marijuana's general acceptance in modern times, these tracks hold up better than the straight-up gangsta' posturing cuts. Ironic, considering rap music about drug use was once thought of as the more controversial topic than cliché-ridden gang bangin' lyrics.

Onyx - BacDaFucUp

JMJ: 1993

Even at the height of gangsta rap's cultural dominance, I never took it that seriously as a threat to society or whatever. Granted, I lived quite far away from South Central L.A., the back alleys of New York City, or wherever tales of 'hood life was happening. Even if a lot of it was total reality and not hyper sensationalized for commercial purposes, there always was a veneer of fantasy about it. Perhaps it was the movie CB4 making fun of the scene. Or maybe it was because, for all the threatening posturing these posses presented, many of them still had novelty crossover hits on the radio. Like, I felt more 'reactionary' to Ice-T's Body Count metal band than anything off his O.G. Original Gangster album (the record that got me gettin' gangsta' rap, for the record).

Onyx was different though. Something about this group felt, for lack of a better term, real and authentic. Not so much street hoodlums angry at the society that made them, but a gang lashing out at anything and anyone in general. A brash, punk attitude sneering through violent lyrics with raspy voices grown hoarse from all the shouting they do. Whereas other rap groups said they would beat your ass if you invaded their turf or dissed their clique, at least they were for 'logical' reasons. Onyx sounded like they'd beat your ass just because they could, no reason or rhyme needed to initiate combat mode.

Of course, for any rap group to stand out from their peers, they'd have to come out fierce and hard, standard brags and boasts just not cutting it. It's a testament to Onyx's fiery approach that they not only succeeded in that regard, but continued to thrive off that energy ever after. Even Wu-Tang Clan, whom were commonly referred to in tandem with Onyx as one of NYC's most vicious hip-hop debuts in '93, mellowed out over the years. Not so with Fedro Starr, Sonny Seeza and Sticky Fingaz (Big DS only appeared on this record). You picked up an Onyx album, you knew you were in for some head-bangin', slam dancin' action.

So a strong concept, rappers hungry to prove themselves, and tutelage from Jam Master Jay in bringing their mosh pit boom-bap into fruition. Perfect for the hardcore underground heads, but wouldn't you know it, they went and had a crossover hit too! How did that happen? Well, Slam is undeniably a proper headbanger, the sort of tune that'll get even wedding reception grandmothers be-boppin' with the bridesmaids. It's somehow not as menacing as anything else that appears on BacDaFucUp, yet just as effective in hyping the pits into apocalyptic anarchy.

Ah, right, the rest of the album. Lots of call-and-response raps, some mackin' on the ladies brags, and much shouting. Just... so much shouting. It's almost too much, tiring you out after a while. Then again, isn't the whole point of slam dancing in a mosh pit as much an endurance test?

Nightmares On Wax - A Word Of Science (The 1st And Final Chapter)

Warp Records: 1991

Probably not the only Nightmares On Wax album you're supposed to have, much less start with if you're beginning a Nightmares On Wax collection. Indeed, many point to Smoker's Delight as the true beginning of the NoW legacy, what with its clear demarcation within the trip-hop pantheon. Hell, the genre technically didn't even exist yet when A Word Of Science came out, though a few tracks here definitely helped create the DNA that would form the basis of all those depressive downtempo vibes. Nay, the Nightmares debut is still very much a product of its era, and that era includes the bleep techno of the UK rave scene, of which early Warp Records were prominent champions of. Who's got time to chill the fuck out when there's illegal parties to hop about?

Still, it's that Warp lineage that's retained A Word Of Science's cultural cache to this day. It sits at a significant crossroad, lodged between the LFO debut Frequencies and the seminal series debut of Artificial Intelligence. Where even though the ravey roots of the label are still present, time is spent on tunes feeling the downswing of a night, preferably enjoyed while loungin' about with a spliff in hand. A big part of this is due to the brains behind NoW, George Evelyn, leaving no personal influence off the table. He may have felt this was his one shot at getting his vision of music out there – a 'first and final' one, if you will. So even though the Nightmares On Wax story kicked off with some techno records, here come the funk, soul, and hip-hop samplings sharing album space with the warehouse tools.

Of course, if you're coming into A Word Of Science from the future, with little historical context, you could very well assume this being more of the trip-hop groove that defined Smoker's Delight. Right from the jump, we're greeted by Nights Interlude, their classic easy-going, laidback downtempo jam of jazzy solos and soulful strings. A tune so timeless, it continues to appear on 'chill out' compilations. A vibe so sweet, George basically opened Smoker's Delight with a remix of it. That's about it for such tracks on this album though. Playtime gets a little more sultry, Back Into Time a little more Steve Miller Band-y, and E.A.S.E more playful (you can hear Gorillaz in this one), but the rest of A Word Of Science...? Yeah, not so much.

Instead, you get bass-rattling, minimalist UK techno (A Case Of Funk, Biofeedback, Aftermath, Dextrous, Sal), stabs at vintage house (Coming Down, Fun), and a little Brit-hop for good measure (Mega Donutz, How Ya Doin', the beatbox outing of B.W.T.M.). Very little of this excels beyond the year from whence it came, their dated attributes front and centre. And hey, if you're down for such 1991 sounds, then A Word Of Science will serve you fine. For many though, an adjustment of expectations is a must. Maybe borrow your older uncle's nostalgia headphones for a session.

Various - Sven Väth: What I Used To Play (CD1)

Cocoon Recordings: 2023

Hey, it's the return of the 'let famous DJs show off their neglected records' compilation! This once was a rather fruitful genre of CDs, several series springing up at the turn of the century, Back To Mine probably the most famous of the lot. However, as streaming services took over the market, it made more sense to curate sets and playlists of favourites on such sites rather than deal with the messy business of label legalities. And yet, interest in physical copies of such collections must have started up again, as I've seen a small resurgence in 'what I used to play' compilations. Heck, even Back To Mine emerged from the ashes in recent years!

I honestly have no clue what's spurred on this physical resurgence. Something to do with the boutique vinyl industry? A growing concern of just how 'everlasting' music left on the internet cloud truly is? Whatever the case, it at least gives me an excuse to fill in more blanks of my own collection.

Straight up, Mr. Väth's selection here isn't terribly adventurous if you're already well-versed in '80s club music. Granted, few of these tracks would get play on retro radio these days, and only a handful ever cracked the pop charts when they were new, especially in stodgy America. For a young German making his way in Cold War era nightlife, some of these probably were considered edgy and daring to rinse out. If you were looking for some ultra-deep digging on Sven's part though, this is clearly the wrong 3CD set to come into. He's showing off what he used to play, and that included plenty of familiar crowd pleasers for less discerning heads.

While there aren't any specific themes associated with each disc, there are some stylistic consistencies among each other, which is perfect if one intends to review Every. Single. CD. in the box-set. As I do! So let's dig into CD1 of Sven Väth's What I Used To Play.

Save a couple nods to early hip-hop from Whodini and Rockers Revenge, this is about as 'euro' as these CDs get. We got Kraftwerk! We got Yello (but not Oh Yeah, thank God)! We got Liaisons Dangereuses (such accent)! We got Clan Of Xymox (much darkwave)! Hell, even the Americans and Australians sound like they're trying to be Europeans! Lots of new wave fusions stuff (The The's Giant the most epic of the bunch), and lots of spritely Italo synths (Klein & MBO's Dirty Talk, A Split – Second's Flesh, Severed Heads' Dead Eyes Opened). Plus, a little Easter egg in closing out with 16 Bit's Where Are You?, the duo who'd go onto massive success as Snap! Oh, and team up with Sven as Off. Guess they really liked his guest vocals on this track. Come to think of it, I don't think I've heard Mr. Väth's voice outside a musical context. Just how thick of a euro accent does he actually have, I wonder...

Czarface & MF Doom - Super What?

Silver Age: 2021

I wouldn't go so far as to say this album had a lot of hype behind it, but boy were music journalists ever eager to talk about it. As the first posthumous record of the late MF Doom, how could folks not want to get their say in? Hell, even Resident Advisor reviewed this record, and they barely touch hip-hop at all! Yeah, some UK grime or avante-garde rap makes their rounds, but Czarface has been unapologetically traditionalist, purely boom-bap brags with liberal amounts of nerdcore references. Mind, I could see RA covering the mythical Madvillainy 2, because everyone wants to cover that one. If the second 'Czar Meets Metal' album is what they have to settle on, so be it.

And you may be thinking I'm a hypocrite because I'm also covering Super What? Yes, though I'm two years late to the table, but that's beside the point. I got this because I'm a Czarface fan, and while I haven't gotten every one of their records, their collaborative ones have been pretty cool – MF Doom being part of the package is just a nice bonus. I realize it's almost hearsay not putting Daniel Dumile above Inspectah Deck, Esoteric, and 7L, and I can only claim ignorance on my part for that. I simply haven't properly dove into Doom's work yet. Some day though, it shall be done. Maybe while 'sportsing'.

Besides, if you think prioritizing Czarface over MF Doom is hearsay, then you'll just love the actual reason I was hype in getting this album, as Del Tha Funkee Homosapien makes an appearance. Long-time readers of this blog know my ultimate 'dream match' rap is one where Del and Deck trade bars over some dope beats, and here it is! Right, the track it happens on, Jason And The Czargonauts, has them separated by two other verses from Eso' and Doom. Nor is there much of a big deal made about him being on said track, coming off like he just happened to be on hand to drop a verse. Still... Doom! Del! Deck! Together at last! (and Esoteric too).

As for the rest of Super What?, it's a rather brief affair, ten tracks long, twenty-six minutes in length, including an instrumental where a pile of interview clips play. The beats boom and bap as with the best of 7L's work, Deck and Doom do their thing as always, and Eso' manages to sneak in some of my favourite out-of-nowhere lines (“Yo, I heard your crew was poppin' shit; I caught 'em and I made 'em cry; Like ads for dog adoption from Sarah McLachlan”).

If you're looking/hoping for a Doom magnum opus that sends him off high, this simply isn't it, because no one involved had any idea this might be his last recordings. Super What? is what it is, another solid outing from the Czar Meets Metal team-up. One that got a lot more attention than folks could have predicted due to events outside their control.

Sykonee's 'Sportsing' Surveys: CYPRESS HILL

Like 99.5% of suburban Canadian white boys, I first learned about Cypress Hill when Insane In The Brain became a juggernaut of rap music. You could not escape this tune on your regular MuchMusic (re: Canuck MTV) rotation, and was practically guanteed a rinse out at the high school dance. Everyone loved the tune, including me, but over-exposure led to disinterest on my part, and I never gave the group much attention after.

Not so for some of my peers, the clutch of skaters and potheads I knew always blasting the Hill's weed anthems wherever they could. Even while working that little music shop at the ends of the earth, I'd still sell the odd copy of Black Sunday to a fresh batch of marijuana connoisseurs. I sometimes wondered, was there more to this team of B-Real, Sen Dog, and DJ Muggs than I gave them credit for? Some of their newer stuff I'd play didn't really catch my ear, but then I'd yet to be fully bitten by the hip-hop bug.

Fast forward many years later, and I'm playing GTA: San Andreas, hearing How I Could Just Kill A Man a whole lot while driving about Los Santos, digging it every time. Well, that's more than enough for me to want to hear if there's any more tracks in the Cypress Hill catalogue that I've overlooked. Seems like survey material to me!



















This survey certainly had its fair share of surprises. While I had a feeling I'd enjoy their first couple albums, I had no idea the Hill had some concept LPs under their belt too. Made me want to go out and get the records proper-like, so I could do a proper review of them at some point down the road! See, these aren't just mindless things to play while I'm burning calories, it's scouting for ace material too!

Who's next, then? Well, the poll I did on Mastodon ended up with a tie, Cypress Hill being co-winner. The other: Paul van Dyk! Yeah, I was shocked by the results too.

Sykonee's 'Sportsing' Surveys: NAS

Gotta' maintain those 'daily steps', yo', and while I get those on the job, I don't work every day (though I'm sure they'd love it if I did). What better way to keep the simplist of physical activity up, then, than by taking lengthy strolls about Vancouver on my off days? And since I'm doing that, may as well take the opportunity to digest some lengthy discographies of artists I've always wanted to check out, but was never compelled to committ dollars to disc. See, folks, streaming services do have some practical uses after all! Naturally, I'll have bite-sized thoughts on what I listen to, and what better way to share those than on a social media app designed for sharing bite-sized thoughts.

As for why start with one Nasir Jones, he's long intrigued me as an "MC's MC", the rapper other rappers always point to as their go-to. Definite high praise from the hip-hop community at large, but aside from Illmatic, seldom ever saw his albums reach the highest tiers of The Discourse. No, Nas' catalogue was one you were gonna' have to actually deep-dive to get the full story, and with Dead End Hip-Hop singing his praises with his recent output, saw it fit as a good jumping-on point for this listening exercise. Let's get to it, then!

Well, that was fun. Who should I tackle next? Hhmm, y'know, I've always wondered about the prog-rock years of the band Genesis...

Parental Advisory - Ghetto Street Funk

MCA Records: 1993

The notion that Atlanta hip-hop didn't break out until OutKast and Goodie Mob dropped their debut albums is so ingrained in public discourse, folks don't realize that's not quite accurate. True, Southernplayisticadillacmuzik and Soul Food put the Georgian city on the map, even rescuing The South from general assumptions it was nothing but dirty bass music. There was an act that beat them to it though, dropping an album before those two LPs, also produced by Organized Noize, all part of the same Dungeon Family conglomerate. Yet I never see any namedrops for Parental Advisory (P.A.).

It's not like they were completely unknown, having some minor chart success at the turn of the century when southern hip-hop started its national ascent. For all intents, Mello, Big Reece, and K.P. should be on the tongues of far more people than 'those in the know'. Was the shadow cast by OutKast and Goodie Mob just too large to emerge from? Perhaps, but there may be another reason for P.A.'s Ghetto Street Funk going so overlooked when talking up seminal Atlanta rap albums: it doesn't really sound like a southern record.

Which is understandable, the 808-heavy, dirty south style the dominate sound around, and still frowned upon by the Very Important markets on the East and West coasts. If you wanted to come in with something more respectable in the early '90s, you had to sound like those regions, and that's what Ghetto Street Funk does, Organized Noize coming in hard with the jazz sample-heavy, combative Eastcoast boom, almost any trace of their Georgian origin absent. As for the rappers, Big Reece sounds like a heavier, baritone Chuck D, while Mello comes off like an aggressive Slick Rick, and both bring plenty of energy to the beats, keeping you at least engaged with their flows, if not their lyrical content. (I don't think K.P. does much, if any rapping on this album, mostly sticking to DJ scratching and such – it was still an important component to early '90s hip-hop!)

Topic-wise, P.A. mostly stick to the usual gangsta rap tropes, going on about how hard they are, how hard the street life is, how hard they'll hit back at any other crews that try to step up (or something). It's hard denying a lot of this can come of cliche, and may have back when no one knew much of anything about Atlanta hip-hop. Like, I had no idea of their origin, just knowing them from their one single on the CB4 soundtrack. That it would take OutKast's more laid-back vibe (and Organized Noize stripping the aggro back for that duo) to truly establish a distinct southern style cannot be overstated.

Thus Ghetto Street Funk remains an underground gem, stuck at a crossroad of changing trends. I can't say it deserved more recognition for what it does, but it does it as well as any early gangsta rap album out of the east. Worth a listen, if you fancy the stuff.

Bob Marley - Chant Down Babylon

Island Def Jam Music Group: 1999

Posthumous albums from an artist's archives certainly were nothing new, but as Bob Marley's passing was almost two decades old by this point, I'm sure everything from his catalogue had been thoroughly unearthed. Heck, even the Remix Album had been done (thanks, Bill Laswell!), so what other avenue could be explored in further capitalizing on Marley's music? Like, it's such a shame he died so long ago, before he might have had a chance to collaborate with artists inspired by his words and works. If only we had the will, the ability, the technology, to make such a thing possible. Sadly, time travelling and necromancy remain elusive. Eh, there's another way, with studio recordings? What sorcery is this?

I can't remember if this was much of a thing yet – the 'duet' albums featuring 2Pac and Biggie certainly hadn't hit the market yet – but nor do I want to claim this was the first. I also can't recall if there was any controversy surrounding this, if cries of 'desecrating the dead' or whatever floated about. For sure those responsible for producing Chant Down Babylon did so with the Marley estate's blessing, sons Stephen and Damian on hand in the studio. While they may not have as big a profile as brother Ziggy, they still remain a prominent fixture in the reggae family's legacy. The project was in good hands, in other words, no scummy cash-grab vibes going on.

Intentions were positive then, but might the merging of classic reggae singing and (then) modern hip-hop still not work, Bob's voice merely tacked on while others got the spotlight? Considering I still have this CD, and quite often play it when I'm in the mood for some smooth Marely jams with a hip-hop edge, I'd say Chant Down Babylon pulled it off quite well indeed. Yeah, it's still mighty difficult ignoring the critical part of your brain reminding you that Bob isn't really singing in the studio with the likes of Eryakah Badu and Lauryn Hill, but boy they sure sound good together regardless.

Honestly, the only times things sound a little forced is when there's a rap involved. Marley will come in, singing a classic like Concrete Jungle or Survival with some beefier beats, then suddenly, here's Rakim or Chuck D dropping a few bars in support. It's not a deal breaker or anything, and some of these pairings are damn good (MC Lyte on Jammin'; Krayzie Bone on Rebel Music, though undoubtedly helped by his sing-rap style). Others though, don't work quite as well. Busta Rhymes in particular sounds strangely out of place, and having Aerosmith leads Steven Tyler and Joe Perry on this project is a real head-scratcher.

In the end though, Chant Down Babylon remains Bob Marley's show. Hearing him crooning along side Guru or The Roots on strong reggae-hop beats is just a tasty treat. Stick with the originals if you must, but this record is a worthy companion piece to his legacy.

Various - CB4 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

MCA: 1993

CB4 is a cutting satire of the early '90s gangsta rap scene, specifically the rise of N.W.A., peeling back the macho facade that was often presented to Johnny-Q Public. As a hopelessly white teenager from the suburbs of Vancouver, however, I had no clue of what the Chris Rock movie was revealing. I thought it was just a funny comedy about rap music, of which I had barely begun digging into beyond whatever pop radio deemed appropriate. The 'hardest' I'd gotten for myself included some tracks off Ice-T's O.G. Original Gangster, and I came ever so close to nabbing Naughty By Nature's latest, had 2 Unlimited not intervened at the eleventh minute.

Truthfully, the only reason I got this soundtrack was from a little goading by peers while browsing a music shop. Yeah, we were fans of the movie, especially all the funny, dirty language as heard in such classics like Straight Outta Locash and Sweat Of My Balls. No way that I'd get this tape though, not with a musical taste that mostly consisted of music from the likes of “Weird” Al, Wayne's World, and whatever that “techno shit” was. Well, joke's on them, as not only did I buy that CB4 tape right then and there, but even pulled a 'prank' on our science teacher in getting him to listen to it too! Haha, oh, such rebellious youth, we was.

Enough anecdotes about buying my first rap album. What's even on this thing, and does it hold up nearly three decades on now? As a collection of hip-hop from the latter years of the Golden Era, it certainly does, but also kinda' ...doesn't? If we're being totally honest, there isn't anything on here considered an essential classic. And although some bonafide legends of rap in Public Enemy, KRS-One, and MC Ren show up, they were kinda' on the downswing of their careers at this point. Meanwhile, shining the spotlight on up-and-comers like Fu-Schnickens and Parental Advisory may have seemed beneficial at the time, but sputtered into nothing after. Still, keep an ear on that Blackstreet group, if they can shake the dated New Jack production from Teddy Riley for someone fresher.

Despite those criticism, there's still dope jams on here. Public Enemy may have seen better days, but Livin' In A Zoo (plus a Very Important sermon from Chuck D prior) kicks all kinds of ass. MC Ren's Mayday On The Frontline brings the proper gangsta menace to the show, while the Fu's Sneaking Up On Ya offers the lighter side of fancy world-play. Elsewhere, the Beastie Boys make a cameo in the DJ Hurricane led Stick 'Em Up, a tune about robbing people, and rather strange considering they were trying to shake off their younger, bratty attitudes. And for the “WTF?” records, here's P.M. Dawn's Nocturnal Is In The House, the spiritual group's own foray into hardcore. It's... not bad? The fact it also appears on a compilation that includes KRS-One makes it even more ironic.

Casual - Fear Itself

Jive: 1994

You'd think every dope album from the Golden Age Of Hip-Hop would shine bright upon some wall of fame for all to see, but to this day, some records still get passed. True, my perspective is quite skewed from rap consumption habits that are, at best, lackadaisical. And yet I come across CDs that leave me stupefied over their lack of discourse, even among those who consider themselves 'true, proper, underground hip-hop heads'.

I can never claim to be one, but I'd like to think myself somewhat favouring sounds off the commercial path (chart-topping classics notwithstanding). Still, it took me a stupid amount of time to check out anything from Casual. I like Hieroglyphics, and all their associative output with Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Souls Of Mischief. Why so long, then, in scoping out solo material from a member with just as much presence within the group as all these other MCs? In all honesty, I simply didn't know he had solo material of any significance. Maybe a mixtape or item released through the Hiero Imperium, but for whatever reason, it never clicked for me that he was a separate artist from Souls and Del.

Release albums he has though, quite a few of them, even making his debut on Jive back when that label pretended to give a damn about the Hieroglyphics crew. Fear Itself came off the heels of '93 To Infinity and No Need For Alarm, and features all the soul 'n' funk samples and trunk rattling beats you can expect of this era of Hiero. You'd think this would make Casual's premier a shoe-in for legendary status along those two, but I've seldom seen in name-dropped. Was it a commercial flop? Well, no more than the others, but sales never stopped records from becoming 'backpacker classics'. Was it simply lost in the shuffle of all things G-funk out on the West Coast back then? Perhaps a little, but No Need For Alarm dropped the same day as Doggystyle (!!), and folks in the know will always point to Del's album as essential.

The only thing I can think of is that Casual doesn't come off as flamboyant as his Hiero brethren here. Absolutely he holds his own for the duration of the album, and his sinewy, husky flow is easily identifiable. For all his sharp battle-raps though, I can't deny there's just a little something missing from Fear Itself.

Menace, that's it. Hieroglyphics were never 'thug' rappers, but Souls didn't mince words about getting up in your grill. And when Del sounded pissed, you believed he'd “chop your muther-fuckin' head off”. I don't get that same sense with Casual, coming off fun lovin' and, at heaviest, rough n' tumble. Like, Smilin' Mark Henry, rather than Hall Of Pain Mark Henry. He'd definitely get there, subsequent years in the de-e-e-eep underground battle-rapping sharpening his edge. This first outing remains solid though, a worthy companion piece to the early Hiero saga. Can't knock them vintage Domino beats.

Czarface & Ghostface - Czarface Meets Ghostface

Silver Age: 2019

If any of the Wu needed an official full-length, super-sized cross-over event with Czarface, it'd be Ghostface. Similarity in names aside, Dennis Coles' alias has seen many iterations over the years, including multiple outlandish tales of origin. I don't know if the Ghostface we get is a whole new version or a returning one, though I could see the ghetto vigilante of 36 Seasons working here, as that one had a rather comic book origin story itself (lab experiments gone wrong, never gets old). Does make me wonder who else from the Wu might show up for a Czarface cross-over such as this, with a comic-ready backstory. Bobby Digital? Golden Arms? The Genius as one of those big-headed ultra-beings? Method Man as... Bluntman?

That isn't to say Czar Meets Ghost is some epic narrative of the two combining forces to take on injustices inflicted upon the streets and beyond. I mean, that would be dope as all Hell, but the group helmed by Inspectah Deck, Esoteric, and 7L still have yet to fully capitalize on the concept, so why would they here? Or maybe they have, and I just haven't heard it yet. There's been two more Czarface records since the MF Doom cross-over that I've yet to check out, some even coming with an included comic book. Ooh, The Odd Czar Against Us has a Days Of Future Past homage on the cover. 'Tis tempting...

For a supposed cross-over event though, Face n' Face doesn't feature as much Ghost' as you'd expect. Heck, the Killah is totally absent in a number of tracks, which I guess makes this more of a Czarface album, with Ghostface appearing on about two-thirds of it. Like, he's an apparition, or something (especially at the end of Masked Superstars, almost invoking 12 Reasons To Die). It's great hearing him when he does, his presence dragging this project deep into the slums of Shaolin.

Credit also given to 7L for coming up beats that suit the street-soul Ghost is well known for. Like, holy cow, that Mongolian Beef cut at the end, already a remarkably grimey bit of business, but the ganky soul-funk that bridges everyone's verses is permanently seared into my grey matter. Elsewhere, Morning Ritual features a rhythm and gnarly bassline that sounds like its constantly tripping over itself, suitable for a tune about sunrise regrets. The King Heard Voices brings even more great bass-stomp, while Listen To The Color has plenty of room to switch things up from gritty funk to slummy soul (no Ghost on that one tho'). This strong run of final tracks more than makes up for the album's somewhat sluggish start. Not that it takes long to get there, Czarface Meets Ghostface a rather short LP.

Still, 'tis better to get in with the dope cuts and out leaving them wanting more, than linger far beyond the concept needs. Even if that concept is nothing more than Deck and Eso' hanging out with GFK down in the slums for a late-night indulgence of hot noodle soup.

Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary

Jive: 1988

It really is bonkers just how much of a game-changer the year 1988 was in the world of hip-hop. Even the lamest of laymen know the classics dropped: It Takes A Nation..., Straight Outta Compton, Strictly Business, Follow The Leader, Eazy-Duz-It, He's The DJ, I'm The Rapper... So many more I could name, such that it's not surprising that something like By All Means Necessary could so easily get overlooked. Yet the second album from Boogie Down Productions was a game changer all in its own right, one of the earliest examples of conscious rap. There were examples of street commentary and lyrical prowess before, but not to such an extent KRS-One brought here. The murder of your friend and producing partner would have that effect.

Not that BDP was glorifying violence on Criminal Minded, but right from the jump in My Philosophy, you can hear a change of tone in Mr. Parker's lyrics, presenting himself as The Teacha. Whereas before he'd show off his lyrical ability as street poetry, here he's using his verbal dexterity for higher thoughts, opening the minds of those who'd listen. These aren't the words of some street hood, but an individual who's studied why the streets are the way they are, and taking those to task who'd rather wallow in the bliss of ignorance. Small wonder he's posing as Malcom X on the cover art.

That's not to say he doesn't have things to say about the systemic issues in late '80s America that lead to such troubles. Stop The Violence rants on about the double-standards living in The World's Greatest Nation entails, while Illegal Business gets into complicity of police forces in the drug trade, taking bribes from peddlers to keep selling that crack to junkies. He even gets into some safe sex shenanigans with Jimmy, though in more a playful manner than the other tracks. Hehe, heh... “ding dong”...

It's not all soap-boxing though, KRS-One devoting just as much time to battle-rapping throughout the album. Whether still calling out wack MCs (Ya Slippin'), getting his braggadocios on (I'm Still #1), or railing against commercial sell-outs (Part Time Suckers), he's got plenty of shooting barbs. And while he's at it, may as well continue alternating between Bronx boom-bap and dancehall toasting, further proving one need not be limited in rapping delivery. Heck, the final track is basically a beatnik poetry outing.

Speaking of beats, in honour of the fallen La Rock, most of them retain the simple DJ cut-n-scratch or reggae bounce as he produced in Criminal Minded. While the extended BDP crew gets the credit, DJ Scott does get an 'Overseen' credit too. Aww, ain't that nice. Wish I could get as hype for the beats though, their dated attributes quite apparent when stacked against what The Bomb Squad was doing with Public Enemy at the same time. Not that it matters. By All Means Necessary is mostly about KRS-One's rhymes, and rhymes he delivers, yo'.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - BTNHResurrection

Sony Music Entertainment: 2000

Feels like I've come full circle with- Ah, nope, not doing that bit again! Still, strange bit of circumstance that as we near this project's inevitable endpoint, I'm reviewing another act that kicked things off so long ago. Pretty sure it's the last of these – I don't have Yes' Captured Live lurking in the wings.

Anyhow, this was the CD that got me hooked on Bone Thugs, almost entirely due to one track. I'd heard their stuff before, thought it interesting for being so different with the double-time raps and harmonized choruses. BTNHResurrection convinced me these Cleveland chaps were operating on a totally different wavelength from contemporary gangstas though. All them others be rapping about getting drunk or stoned or crunk off PCP, but were any of them rapping about getting high off ecstasy? Not as heard on the track Ecstasy, and to a young raver such as I, it blew my mind. I don't know if these Thugs actually indulged in the ol' MDMA, but they sure captured the floaty, loved-up feeling of a good gurn in it, even if some of the lyrics turn weirdly violent at times. Ah, good ol' paranoia from a different kind of trip.

Still, one dope track isn't enough to make a fan of me (most of the time), but BTNHResurrection had plenty more going for it that convinced me these Bone brothers were worth scoping out further. Right from the drop in Show 'Em, they go into the swinging thug-hop, dropping verses as only Bone Thugs can. And hey, Flesh-N-Bone is here! Due to label nonsense, the fifth member of the group only sporadically appeared on prior albums. He gets plenty of space to show his verbal skills here, spitting on nearly every track. Remarkably, he kinda' sounds like Eazy-E, which is only fitting where Bone Thugs are concerned. Shame he'd be incarcerated shortly after this album's release, once again becoming just a mythical fifth member.

So you have your crime-riddin', gun toting street raps (2 Glocks, Murder One, Battlezone), the gettin' money raps (Resurrection (Paper, Paper), Can't Give It Up, Mind On Our Money), and the obligatory weed song (The Weed Song). There's also surprising reflection and future optimism here, as on tracks like, Change The World and Don't Worry, which would have been perfect cuts to end the album on. Unfortunately, three more tunes follow, none of which are bad but hobbles BTNHResurrection's play-through. Ending on a bonus cut of Bizzie Bone getting his mack on with One Night Stand just doesn't leave as lasting impression when compared to the double-shot of Mo' Murda and Shotz To Tha Double Glock on E. 1999 Eternal leaving you cold chillin'.

Re-arrange a few tracks, maybe cut a couple (Souljahs Marching feels redundant no matter what), and you'd have a record talked up just as fondly as any of Bone Thugs' '90s output. Sadly, bad management hobbled Bone Thugs' career in the following decade, and the group's been but a footnote since.