I've talking about nothing but Onyx on this blog for exactly three weeks. Damn.
This album is probably my favorite Onyx discovery, as nobody I know has even heard of this shit. I remember traversing YouTube one sunny evening when I came across a series of videos featuring Onyx' Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz commentating on each and every one of their group's 90s videos. And Slam Harder. You know. Because they haven't forced that despicable song down our throats enough. Anyways, all the other videos were rather insightful. I guess now we can blame Onyx for the disaster that is Brett Ratner. The videos were clearly made in 2005, as Fredro states in the Last Dayz commentary.
Their dated nature was also made obvious by the fact that they were talking about the late Bruce "X1" Sandlin's "new shit sounding crazy". Of course the circumstances surrounding X1's death remain mysterious to this day, other than him being found dead in Las Vegas. Some said it was suicide. Some aren't quite so sure. In any case, this was a terrible tragedy and my condolences go out to his family and friends. RIP X1.
At the end of each video was an advertisement of the abovementioned picture and how to cop the accompanying album. Which was a journey in all of itself. See, the album was Onyx's first, and so far only, foray into self-distribution. Now, this can really be a double-edged sword, if you think about it: On one hand, you guarantee that all the revenue of every fucking buy goes in your pocket. On another, you open yourself up to piracy even more than standard distribution. Unless you got some impenetrable method unknown to hackers worldwide, which I'm pretty sure no rapper has neither the financial nor the technical means to yet.
So, Onyx had to settle for a "pay what you feel, including free" model on Onyx's Bandcamp page or an iTunes buy. Now, them letting their fans pick the price is a fucking ballsy move that proves their confidence in their fanbase, which is an awesome approach when looking for ways to repay your fans' years of support. Kudos to you, Onyx. Even though Diddy would cry salty tears into his 50-million-dollar pillow at the lost marketing opportunity but whatever.
The important thing is that Onyx actually took the bold step and we're here now with yet another Onyx collection that appealed. So, is it any good?
1. SET IT STR8 (FEATURING DEZ)
Onyx starts us off with a Shut 'Em Down outtake that should've made the fucking album. Sonsee sets shit off with a few lines from his impressive verse on Face Down, a song that I've already voiced my intense disdain for due to Self's horrendous beat. X1 follows up with his usual standard, which is pretty goddamn good. Dez from Gang Green sounds right at home filling in for Fredro, while Sticky bats cleanup. I'm surprised to say this, but I thought I'd favor Sonsee's verse but after close inspection, everybody came correct, each verse complimenting the other nicely. This was as good a start as any. Hey, at least it wasn't another intro.
2. KIDZ FROM QUEENS (FEATURING STILL LIVIN')
Damn, the Gang Green love is running strong so far, huh? Fredro is absent from the proceedings again with his spot filled by Gang Green's Still Livin' this time, who delivers the standout verse on this track, also a Shut 'Em Down outtake. That doesn't mean that Sonsee and Sticky were dozing off, however, as both turn in solid verses. This song and the previous one were obviously Face Down prototypes, with Sticky lowering his voice forcing you to pay attention a la said song, which incenses me even further at it. Anyway, this song was awesome. Good one-two.
3. BRING IT
This was another Shut 'Em Down outtake that was a poor attempt at paying tribute to hip hop's pioneers, including Rakim and Audio Two among others. The beat will bring you to sleep. And he lyrics fail to add anything worth substance. And yet, I'd rather listen to this than Onyx's entire new material in the 2000s, sans Black Trash. Very sad, that.
4. HI HOE
As misogynistic as this song is, the group sounds like they're having fun with the admittedly nice beat. However, you know my stance on this shit.
5. CRIME STORIES
One of Sticky's solo ventures in storytelling. We know he's good at this and all he needs is a good beat, which he kind of gets here. His attention to detail is pretty impressive as the story goes on. Not bad.
6. PUNKMOTHERFUKAZ
This is the full version to the half-thought song we got on All We Got Iz Us, complete with lyrics on the group's website that, I'm pleased to say, have been uploaded to Rap Genius successfully. This full version would've fit nicely on the album, as Agallah's beat fucking bangs and Onyx tear it to pieces, accordingly. Despite the somewhat bad quality, this was awesome.
7. TO ALL Y'ALL CREWS, WHATEVER
This song alone was what pushed me to listen to this album, as it was a song never heard before by anybody prior to release. See, even with its bad quality (quite recurring throughout the album), this song lives up to its rare stature. One of those Agallah beats that I've been vocal about my fondness of before, this was a perfect fit for that growling type of shit-talking prevalent in everybody's favorite Onyx album, All We Got Iz Us. This was quite the find for me that I still regularly listen to.
8. ANYTHING GOES
A Shut 'Em Down throwaway that's exactly that for a good goddamn reason. Here, Onyx are pimping their live shows (which were pretty fucking awesome back then) to the meh-est beat you can think of. That's about it. Even Sticky's punchlines can't save this one.
9. GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT (FEATURING GREG VALENTINE)
Here, Fredro and Sticky prove to hip hop that a good sample doesn't mean a good song. The sample in question being Keni Burke's immortal 1982 hit Risin' to the Top. Which Onyx completely waste performing their bread and butter violent raps. I think the contrast is crystal clear to everyone who heard this misfire.
10. FLIP DAT SHIT (FEATURING NAUGHTY BY NATURE, THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. & 3RD EYE)
Hey, ChySkillz! Long time since you last popped up on BBR! This collaboration might be the sole reason most people cop this compilation, as it features a pre-fame Biggie Smalls spitting for his life, alongside a very in-form Treach, both spitting and ghostwriting for Vin Rock, (Yeah. I'm saying it. Vin never wrote his rhymes. Vin, if you don't like what you read, sound off in the comment section below.) and 3rd Eye, whom I swear had an identity crisis back then, as he apparently chose to deliver his verse as two separate voices. Not the first time I've heard that from him, as he did the same thing on PMD's solo debut in 1994. Oh, and Onyx use their final verse on Judgment Night. Their end product is slightly inferior than the song they ended up using it on but nice, nonetheless.
11. PUSSY ON THE REGULAR
Fredro's disgusting interpolation of his verse on Last Dayz that appeared on Bacdafucup Part II started here. Other than that, refer to track #4.
12. TAKE THAT
Remember my Shut 'Em Down review? When I said that there was a full version to Sticky's one-verse wonder on Take That? Here. And might I add that this song is every bit as awesome as you'd expect it to be. The beat by Keith Horne aka K-Love is the same one used on the released version, and Fredro and Sonsee match Sticky's intensity step by step. The result is glorious, I tell you.
13. RAZE IT UP (ORIGINAL)
Exactly as it reads. The group rock over K-Love's same brilliant instrumental but this time, it's Fredro on the hook. And to be honest, Fredro's always been Onyx' workman so I prefer his performance over Sticky's on the released version of this song. Speaking of Sticky, he obviously worked hard to improve his verse, as the one we hear here pales in comparison to what we ended up hearing, but this one's still good.
14. LOVE OF MONEY '96 (FEATURING CHOCOLATE)/HIDDEN TRACK
Lady and/or dude, the original Rob & Vic. Once again, I really wish they stuck with this version, because Chocolate's hook sounds infinitely more on-key here than the final product. Also, X1's delivery here sounds crazier, which fits the desperate theme as I've said before. Excellent song. Unlike the hidden track, which is X1 talking about his perfect woman, a concept so goddamn redundant it physically makes me sick. I would enjoy this if there was actual effort put into the lyrics, but I should've known better.
15. WE COMIN' THRU Y'ALL
Hey! It's K-Love's Broke Willies beat! So fun! Seriously, though, this wasn't as good as the parody that ended up on the album, as this song is the regular "crowd participation" hook, punctuated by violent verses by our hosts. It's not technically bad, but Broke Willies is just so much better. Side note: This compilation sure has a lot of Shut 'Em Down throwaways, huh?
16. WALK IN NEW YORK (DEMO)
Interesting. This sounds exactly as advertised. However, the beat doesn't sound like an Aga beat. Instead, I'm willing to bet my dad's 30-year old FC Barcelona shirt that this is a ChySkillz beat, before he was snatched up by Shaq then ditched to the curb after his album. Hear it and you'll get my point. Most of the rhymes ended up on the released song, though Fredro's line: 'To all my future criminals/We maximize the minimal/I know what we've been through/The knot-ups is offending you" should've made the cut, in my opinion. Interesting song, to say the least.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Peace, Onyx. It's been fun. Seriously, though, the very nature of this project should be a godsend to Onyx fans. Plus, for the assholes out there, they're simply telling you to buy it for free. And besides, 6 crap songs out of 16 is still a bargain, right? Right?!
WORTH IT?
Did you not read the paragraph above? YOU CAN GET THIS FOR FREE. What're you waiting for?
The comment section's below. If you think I'm crazy, tell me.
My previous Onyx work is but a name click away. You know you want to.
This album is probably my favorite Onyx discovery, as nobody I know has even heard of this shit. I remember traversing YouTube one sunny evening when I came across a series of videos featuring Onyx' Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz commentating on each and every one of their group's 90s videos. And Slam Harder. You know. Because they haven't forced that despicable song down our throats enough. Anyways, all the other videos were rather insightful. I guess now we can blame Onyx for the disaster that is Brett Ratner. The videos were clearly made in 2005, as Fredro states in the Last Dayz commentary.
Their dated nature was also made obvious by the fact that they were talking about the late Bruce "X1" Sandlin's "new shit sounding crazy". Of course the circumstances surrounding X1's death remain mysterious to this day, other than him being found dead in Las Vegas. Some said it was suicide. Some aren't quite so sure. In any case, this was a terrible tragedy and my condolences go out to his family and friends. RIP X1.
At the end of each video was an advertisement of the abovementioned picture and how to cop the accompanying album. Which was a journey in all of itself. See, the album was Onyx's first, and so far only, foray into self-distribution. Now, this can really be a double-edged sword, if you think about it: On one hand, you guarantee that all the revenue of every fucking buy goes in your pocket. On another, you open yourself up to piracy even more than standard distribution. Unless you got some impenetrable method unknown to hackers worldwide, which I'm pretty sure no rapper has neither the financial nor the technical means to yet.
So, Onyx had to settle for a "pay what you feel, including free" model on Onyx's Bandcamp page or an iTunes buy. Now, them letting their fans pick the price is a fucking ballsy move that proves their confidence in their fanbase, which is an awesome approach when looking for ways to repay your fans' years of support. Kudos to you, Onyx. Even though Diddy would cry salty tears into his 50-million-dollar pillow at the lost marketing opportunity but whatever.
The important thing is that Onyx actually took the bold step and we're here now with yet another Onyx collection that appealed. So, is it any good?
1. SET IT STR8 (FEATURING DEZ)
Onyx starts us off with a Shut 'Em Down outtake that should've made the fucking album. Sonsee sets shit off with a few lines from his impressive verse on Face Down, a song that I've already voiced my intense disdain for due to Self's horrendous beat. X1 follows up with his usual standard, which is pretty goddamn good. Dez from Gang Green sounds right at home filling in for Fredro, while Sticky bats cleanup. I'm surprised to say this, but I thought I'd favor Sonsee's verse but after close inspection, everybody came correct, each verse complimenting the other nicely. This was as good a start as any. Hey, at least it wasn't another intro.
2. KIDZ FROM QUEENS (FEATURING STILL LIVIN')
Damn, the Gang Green love is running strong so far, huh? Fredro is absent from the proceedings again with his spot filled by Gang Green's Still Livin' this time, who delivers the standout verse on this track, also a Shut 'Em Down outtake. That doesn't mean that Sonsee and Sticky were dozing off, however, as both turn in solid verses. This song and the previous one were obviously Face Down prototypes, with Sticky lowering his voice forcing you to pay attention a la said song, which incenses me even further at it. Anyway, this song was awesome. Good one-two.
3. BRING IT
This was another Shut 'Em Down outtake that was a poor attempt at paying tribute to hip hop's pioneers, including Rakim and Audio Two among others. The beat will bring you to sleep. And he lyrics fail to add anything worth substance. And yet, I'd rather listen to this than Onyx's entire new material in the 2000s, sans Black Trash. Very sad, that.
4. HI HOE
As misogynistic as this song is, the group sounds like they're having fun with the admittedly nice beat. However, you know my stance on this shit.
5. CRIME STORIES
One of Sticky's solo ventures in storytelling. We know he's good at this and all he needs is a good beat, which he kind of gets here. His attention to detail is pretty impressive as the story goes on. Not bad.
6. PUNKMOTHERFUKAZ
This is the full version to the half-thought song we got on All We Got Iz Us, complete with lyrics on the group's website that, I'm pleased to say, have been uploaded to Rap Genius successfully. This full version would've fit nicely on the album, as Agallah's beat fucking bangs and Onyx tear it to pieces, accordingly. Despite the somewhat bad quality, this was awesome.
7. TO ALL Y'ALL CREWS, WHATEVER
This song alone was what pushed me to listen to this album, as it was a song never heard before by anybody prior to release. See, even with its bad quality (quite recurring throughout the album), this song lives up to its rare stature. One of those Agallah beats that I've been vocal about my fondness of before, this was a perfect fit for that growling type of shit-talking prevalent in everybody's favorite Onyx album, All We Got Iz Us. This was quite the find for me that I still regularly listen to.
8. ANYTHING GOES
A Shut 'Em Down throwaway that's exactly that for a good goddamn reason. Here, Onyx are pimping their live shows (which were pretty fucking awesome back then) to the meh-est beat you can think of. That's about it. Even Sticky's punchlines can't save this one.
9. GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT (FEATURING GREG VALENTINE)
Here, Fredro and Sticky prove to hip hop that a good sample doesn't mean a good song. The sample in question being Keni Burke's immortal 1982 hit Risin' to the Top. Which Onyx completely waste performing their bread and butter violent raps. I think the contrast is crystal clear to everyone who heard this misfire.
10. FLIP DAT SHIT (FEATURING NAUGHTY BY NATURE, THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. & 3RD EYE)
Hey, ChySkillz! Long time since you last popped up on BBR! This collaboration might be the sole reason most people cop this compilation, as it features a pre-fame Biggie Smalls spitting for his life, alongside a very in-form Treach, both spitting and ghostwriting for Vin Rock, (Yeah. I'm saying it. Vin never wrote his rhymes. Vin, if you don't like what you read, sound off in the comment section below.) and 3rd Eye, whom I swear had an identity crisis back then, as he apparently chose to deliver his verse as two separate voices. Not the first time I've heard that from him, as he did the same thing on PMD's solo debut in 1994. Oh, and Onyx use their final verse on Judgment Night. Their end product is slightly inferior than the song they ended up using it on but nice, nonetheless.
11. PUSSY ON THE REGULAR
Fredro's disgusting interpolation of his verse on Last Dayz that appeared on Bacdafucup Part II started here. Other than that, refer to track #4.
12. TAKE THAT
Remember my Shut 'Em Down review? When I said that there was a full version to Sticky's one-verse wonder on Take That? Here. And might I add that this song is every bit as awesome as you'd expect it to be. The beat by Keith Horne aka K-Love is the same one used on the released version, and Fredro and Sonsee match Sticky's intensity step by step. The result is glorious, I tell you.
13. RAZE IT UP (ORIGINAL)
Exactly as it reads. The group rock over K-Love's same brilliant instrumental but this time, it's Fredro on the hook. And to be honest, Fredro's always been Onyx' workman so I prefer his performance over Sticky's on the released version of this song. Speaking of Sticky, he obviously worked hard to improve his verse, as the one we hear here pales in comparison to what we ended up hearing, but this one's still good.
14. LOVE OF MONEY '96 (FEATURING CHOCOLATE)/HIDDEN TRACK
Lady and/or dude, the original Rob & Vic. Once again, I really wish they stuck with this version, because Chocolate's hook sounds infinitely more on-key here than the final product. Also, X1's delivery here sounds crazier, which fits the desperate theme as I've said before. Excellent song. Unlike the hidden track, which is X1 talking about his perfect woman, a concept so goddamn redundant it physically makes me sick. I would enjoy this if there was actual effort put into the lyrics, but I should've known better.
15. WE COMIN' THRU Y'ALL
Hey! It's K-Love's Broke Willies beat! So fun! Seriously, though, this wasn't as good as the parody that ended up on the album, as this song is the regular "crowd participation" hook, punctuated by violent verses by our hosts. It's not technically bad, but Broke Willies is just so much better. Side note: This compilation sure has a lot of Shut 'Em Down throwaways, huh?
16. WALK IN NEW YORK (DEMO)
Interesting. This sounds exactly as advertised. However, the beat doesn't sound like an Aga beat. Instead, I'm willing to bet my dad's 30-year old FC Barcelona shirt that this is a ChySkillz beat, before he was snatched up by Shaq then ditched to the curb after his album. Hear it and you'll get my point. Most of the rhymes ended up on the released song, though Fredro's line: 'To all my future criminals/We maximize the minimal/I know what we've been through/The knot-ups is offending you" should've made the cut, in my opinion. Interesting song, to say the least.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Peace, Onyx. It's been fun. Seriously, though, the very nature of this project should be a godsend to Onyx fans. Plus, for the assholes out there, they're simply telling you to buy it for free. And besides, 6 crap songs out of 16 is still a bargain, right? Right?!
WORTH IT?
Did you not read the paragraph above? YOU CAN GET THIS FOR FREE. What're you waiting for?
The comment section's below. If you think I'm crazy, tell me.
My previous Onyx work is but a name click away. You know you want to.
"Kidz From Queens" (feat. Still Livin' & X1) was recorded in 1999 (!) and "Walk In New York" (Jam Master Jay Version with different beat and some different lyrics) recorded in 1995 (Chyskillz left ONYX in '93)
ReplyDeleteAll I've come across in my research for the Onyx posts showed me that Chyskillz stayed in contact till at least early 95.
ReplyDelete