Black Moon - Enta Da Stage (October 19, 1993)

I dedicate this next run to the memory of the late great Sean Price.

The first time I've ever come across anything remotely concerning any act in the Boot Camp Clik's vast history was me confusing Buckshot, real name Kenyatta Blake, with Buckshot LeFonque, a collaboration between DJ Premier and saxophone genius Branford Marsalis. Quick Wikipedia check later, I find Buckshot's claim to prominence: His lifelong membership into legendary hip hop group Black Moon consisting of Kaseem Reid, nicknamed 5ft The Accelerator (truly inspired, good sir) and Ewart Dewgarde, nicknamed DJ Evil D. Of course, I didn't know if these guys were legendary or not.

There are quite a few reasons why I say legendary, mostly related to this very album here. We'll see if that branding is justified later in the review, but for now, let's admire the iconic album cover above, achieving such status via simplicity alone. The wonders a forgotten stain on Evil D's jacket can do.  So, these three hook up with Nervous Records through Chuck Chillout and proceed to sign one of the absolute worst contracts in the history of this rap game: They sign over the rights to their own fucking name. Which might explain why there has not been another Black Moon album for the longest. Nervous, apparently happy with the robbery, gives them the green light to make a lead single, resulting in Who Got Da Props. Obviously, it created enough buzz for them to commission the group for a full album.

During that time, Buckshot struck up a relationship with one of the few dudes from Nervous who actually cared about the musicians and put their best interests at heart. AND he was a Jewish snotty-nosed whiteboy, go figure. That person turned out to be Andrew Friedman, affectionately nicknamed Dru-Ha by the group, who is currently Buckshot's partner at the Duck Down empire. Dru-Ha's relationship with Buck would become so deep that he would appear on a song from the actual album and would be referenced in multiple BCC hits later on. Thick & thin 'n all.

When it came to album time, all the chips were set but one: Evil D was the real-life younger brother of a then-Music Factory employee named Mr. Walt. Apparently, Walt was so famous that Ed Lover bigged him up heavy when Black Moon did one of their Yo MTV Raps appearances. Walt & Evil D formed their famed production team Da Beatminerz just around that time. Da Beatminerz would form their very own sound that would continue for multiple albums starting with their very first credited production: The second single, How Many MCs. What was that sound, you asked? I'll talk about it in the review, duh.

Before that, though, let me highlight a certain aspect some might find off-putting: The entire BCC has a certain fetish for misspelling words in their artistic output. Be it their songs, albums and even their names. First example? I dunno, Enta Da Stage? I can only imagine what a collaboration between them, Onyx & the Def Squad would look like. They'd probably name it 'Def Bal Clik Prezens: Conekshun - Da Album' or some shit. This misspelling thing? You'll be seeing a lot more of that. Truss.

Speaking of BCC, Buckshot would also round up quite the bunch of his homies, who would form the members of the group, starting with Tekomin Williams, nicknamed Tek (another inspired nickname) and his partner Darrell Yates, nicknamed Steele. Both called themselves Smif-N-Wessun, which was a very stupid choice as I'll explain later on. I will explain, I promise. Now go suck on some yoghurt (Important note: Apparently Steele by himself was the crew's rhyming mentor, yet Buckshot got signed first. Don't believe me? Check the VladTV video where Sean P (RIP) mentions his favorite rappers.) Moving along with crewmembers Dashawn Yates, Steele's lil' bro aka Top Dog aka Top Dog Big Kahuna, (I know, right?) Barrett Powell aka Louieville Sluggah, Jack McNair aka Starang Wondah, Jamal Bush aka Rock & the aforementioned Sean Price aka Ruck. These 5 called themselves the Fab 5 and were due a debut album called Without The Freddy (clever) but Dru-Ha, in his infinite wisdom, decided against releasing it and split them into their original two groups: Ruck & Rock were Heltah Skeltah & the rest were OGC. Oh, you want to know what OGC stands for, huh? OK. It's, brace yourself, Originoo Gunn Clappaz. I am not bullshitting. I've gone into the Boot Camp Clik long enough. Back to the review:

POWAFUL IMPAK!
In retrospect, Buck's opening statement was an unspoken slogan for the entire BCC mission in rap. And, believe me, he earns his keep. For Kenyatta raps for delf on ten of the fourteen songs on this album. The moment the beat kicks in, you hear a Thriller U sample that was mixed so well you believe it was made for the damn song. Props to Da Beatminerz for making a killer loop from that Jean-Jacques Perrey joint. As mentioned, Buck gives us his mission statement for the album: I am superior to you in every way and I will fuck you up. It's one thing to include violent content mindlessly. But when you include punchlines that are this good, that shit's elevated to an art form. A true showcase of a proper marriage between beats and rhymes with one goal: feeling the 'impak' in your chest. Props for not including the obligatory rap album intro.

N***Z TALK SHIT
It's the small things that make a song work. This song might not be as extravagant as the previous one, but fuck me if that Miles Davis looped baseline wasn't an awesome touch. Buck gets right down to business, opening up another page of his punchline book. Although, I will state that the misogyny gets very old very fast. A nice followup.

WHO GOT DA PROPS?
Ah yes. The one that started it all. I honestly feel pissed off about these albums' structuring, because it's not like they were intricately thought-out concept records. So why in the fuck aren't Who Got Da Props & How Many MCs the first two joints on here? No disrespect to both previous songs, but my proposition just makes sense to me. What do you mean, I show signs of OCD?! In all seriousness, the rhymes here show us just how much raw talent Buckshot had as an MC: he says in an interview that his flow is very amateurish here and says so as if it was a bad thing. I disagree, though, Buck. I think the status of these rhymes is elevated more and more through every passing year because they were easy to follow. Now, it's hard for me to read about all the legendary 20-year rap groups and their accomplishments and not associate Black Moon with them, and the rhymes on this song are the genesis of why that is. By the way, Evil D, in his third solo production of the evening, (Why does it have to be an evening? Why can't it be a 'morning'? Or afternoon? Or, hell, why can't it be noon itself?) hooks us up with that Ronnie Laws loop. Simple yet genius. This earned the lead single status and is a bonafide classic that you need to hear immediately if you haven't yet done so.

ACK LIKE U WANT IT
I find it fitting that the very first Beatminerz production we hear after How Many MCs would be a duet between both MCs in the group. By now, you've already been accustomed to Buckshot's voice, but no matter how many songs you hear dude on nor how many times you hear said songs, you will never, and I mean never, get used to 5ft's brash-yet-squeaky voice. It always detracts from his rhymes, which are admittedly impressive. Anyway, here both MCs show enough chemistry to overlook that particular slight. For their part, Da Beatminerz craft a bass loop from Lee Michaels that's very fine work indeed, with a Tyrone Washington saxophone loop layed perfectly on it when the hook comes in. Speaking of the hooks on this album, the whole shouting crowd hook phenomenon? Dates way back since 1987. And it was popularized by Naughty By Nature and driven to unfathomable heights by Onyx. So, I don't get the whole "Black Moon started the shouting hook" thing. Unless I'm missing something, then leave a comment below and tell me what it is.

BUCK EM DOWN
A Donald Byrd sample, turned absolutely haunting by Evil D, acts as the calm to the hook's storm. One of the best hooks ever written by Black Moon, to be honest, and yet this version always sounded like they were shouting 'Bucktown!' instead. Anyway, Buckshot seems to be trying extra hard to come off as a thug here, as his subject matter here is essentially the various aspects of the 'I will fuck you up' life. If that makes any sense. Oh well, I enjoyed his flow and passionate delivery here, so this gets a pass from me. There's a remix out there with slightly altered lyrics to fit radio airplay. I would like to commend the entire BCC for finding a way to still convey their ruggedness in their clean versions, thereby silencing the fuckheads at Nervous. Bravo, fellas.

BLACK SMIF-N-WESSUN (FEATURING SMIF-N-WESSUN)
Evil D finds an exquisite Ahmad Jamal loop and turns it on its head with the patois sample at the beginning, where you know you're in for some shit. As you can read above, this is the official debut of rap duo Smif-N-Wessun, where Tek sets shit off with a rhyme that Steele may or may not have written for him. In any case, it sounds really good. Buckshot then sweeps in with a punchline rap filled with violence and sexual imagery, which left a bad taste in my mouth and almost ruined the track for me. That is until Steele closes the song with a definite contender for the best verse on the album. I will stop hiding the fact that Steele is my favorite MC outta the BCC right about...

SON GET WREC
Evil D, oh Evil D. Why did you have to slip up on this track? The Brother Jack McDuff and Season Of The Witch samples don't really mesh, even though they're technically crafted well. And there's that nagging issue of 5ft's fucking voice. It's like one of those weasels from Who Framed Roger Rabbit suddenly decided he wanted to make an East Coast rap record and in a misguided attempt to sound slimier than usual, he made the inspired decision to drink a ton of root beer just before the recording session. Alright, OK, rant over. Can't fault the rhymes nor the hook for at least trying. Next!

MAKE MUNNE
A prevalent KRS-One sample immediately grabs your ears even before your digest the rest of the beat. This is meant as a compliment to Mr. Walt's ear, in his very first production role by himself. His choice of an Alyson Williams R&B record for a sample was a stroke of genius, as the note heard in the beginning of the loop somehow validates the rest of the beat. Buckshot recognizes this, of course, as he delivers an impassioned performance about making money. Very nice.

SLAVE
This is one of the most ambitious songs on this here album, by far. Buckshot delivers an almost-song-length metaphor about an MC's role in the industry. If you only knew what was gonna happen to you later on, Buck, you'd have so much more ammo. Evil D is out for redemption, trying to one-up his older brother with a retooling of a 9th Creation sample that fits the theme like a glove. This was pretty awesome.

I GOT CHA OPIN
This cut received a fair amount of new publicity almost two years ago when a certain megastar, who almost signed to Duck Down in the late 90's, released a cover version of it. Everybody suddenly started to appreciate Black Moon's genius, and I ask: Where the fuck were all these dick-riders before Eminem released Don't Front?! I will say that Eminem wasn't the first one to cover the damn song, as Busta's Flipmode Squad released a pseudo-sequel called We Got U Opin (Part 2) with a slightly-tweaked beat that also featured Buckshot on the hook and contributing a verse. Anyways, the original here by Mr. Walt features a masterful combining of a Ten Wheel Drive loop with soundbites from Odwalla and Jimbrowski sprinkled all over the track. Buck delivers a performance that mirrors the earlier Slave in opening one of the clearest windows into the rapper's world as an MC, but this time, he's showing gratitude to his success while flipping off the naysayers, turning this into a winning number. Black Moon would release a 'remix' only a year later. Honestly, it wasn't a remix as it was a full-blown re-imagining that featured an entirely different beat and brand new rhymes, the beat this time featuring a very prominent Barry White record, which was flipped by both Beatminerz. For his part, Buck delivers very different lyrics about the exact same subject matter, which might sound easy on paper but when you actually hear it, you'll recognize Buck's effort, no question. Both this song and its remix are absolute hip hop staples.

SHIT IZ REAL
Here Evil D goes again, trying to compete with his brother, both delivering some of the best work in their respective careers, so far. Here, D opens up with a John Klemmer sax solo followed by that Faze-O sample. Which was unrecognizable, because D shortened his loop just enough for the sample to go unrecognized. Excellent work, D! Midway through the song, you hear a certain surprising guest ad-libbing for Black Moon and I'm interested in how they hooked up with, of all people, Havoc from Mobb Deep. Back to Buckshot's lyrics: Here, he takes the chance to flex his braggadocio muscles again, and the lyrics, while very technical, don't hit home and connect with the beat because of the subject matter. These lyrics deserved a hard-ass beat and Evil D made a mistake pairing up his masterful beat with these particular lyrics. I call it like I see it.

ENTA DA STAGE
Encircled by the excellent Alice Coltrane loop, Fredro Starr's voice is another surprise on this album. All of Black Moon would consider this as one of the signature songs of this album, and I am inclined to agree. Lyrically, Buckshot basically mentions all of his team's 'hit' records amidst more of his regular shit-talking, so whether that's a good thing or not is entirely up to you.

HOW MANY MCS...
This Grover Washington sample is an automatic rush for me, and this song is to blame. Buckshot delivers another braggadocio performance but what's different this time is his imagery. Dude takes a page from monotone greats like Guru and Rakim, thereby elevating this song into a downright classic. And again I ask: Why in the seven blue fucks isn't this the second song of the album, seeing as this was the second single and was released months prior?

U DA MAN (FEATURING DRU-HA, HAVOC & SMIF-N-WESSUN)
True story: Sean Price (RIP) once told a fan that Dru-Ha had a solo album in the works. But the really funny and hilarious fact is how Dru got away with saying the N word, being Jewish n'all. (My honest opinion is that this word should never be used again. By any race. However, I'm also very aware that I live on Earth, not shoe-in land.) Anyways, Havoc from Mobb Deep finally makes good on his appearance earlier, with a verse that could've fit snugly on Juvenile Hell. And I mean that as very high praise indeed. Smif-N-Wessun follow through with a blistering contribution, especially from Steele. But, I'll have to admit, Buckshot's toasting stole the song for me. On a final note, I must say that this song's awesome drums aren't enough to cover its incompatibility with the Keni Burke sample. The remix, however, suffers from no such problem, as Evil D's loop is a fucking classic.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This album was overlooked in its heyday, and in many ways, it still is. No matter how much success Duck Down experiences, this album can always get more shine, if only on the strength of how sonically groundbreaking it was. Seriously, Da Beatminerz are the true stars of the show most of the time, elevating Buckshot with their wizardry behind the boards to new lyrical heights, even if he might be painfully lacking in subject matter to some. Not taking anything away from Buck as an MC but this rarely swings the other way around. Apologies to 5ft, but I've never understood why he hasn't made more appearances on his own group's debut album. I mean, it could be worse. He could've been the Masta Killa of a three-man group, but this is basically a Buckshot album fully produced by Da Beatminerz, as is the case with the two follow-up albums.  But yeah, this album is very much a fucking classic.

WORTH IT? Um. You kinda need this in your collection if you ever want to look good in front of those fucking hipsters who are simply fans of only the obscurest of pretentious bullshit that passes for rap music these days. Or, you can pretend you've lost all sense of reason and go listen to Fetty Wap. Your choice, really.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN
REALITY (KILLING EVERY...)
In a rare twist, Evil D and Mr. Walt surrender production duties to a William Rosario, whose production sounds like he did the best Beatminerz imitation of all time, with a Quincy Jones loop meshing beautifully with the Roy Ayers sample, resulting in a beat so atmospheric you'll have no choice but absorb every rhyme that comes out of Buckshot's mouth as he launches into yet another nut-grabbing performance. I get it. Not everybody's a fan. But, weirdly enough, Buckshot's material from this period is getting even more popular right now than it was before.

MURDER MC'S
As the Donald Byrd sample subsides, Buckshot takes the rare route (for him) and injects the bookending verses with imagery that has to be heard to be fully appreciated, while pretty much going through the motions in the middle verse. Awfully nice of him, as the Evil D beat is a meticulously-chosen Lee Michaels loop that shows how focused him and his brother were at the time. Why I say at the time? Because Da Beatminerz, like every legendary production act, were never bulletproof. They have their fair share of stinker beats. Fin.

Head towards some more BCC now.

A Quick Update

I've been thinking about my situation regarding my review format.

While I still feel very strongly about sticking to certain discographies once I start reviewing them, I have come to the realization that I haven't specifically stated that once I finish with a certain selection of a movement's discography, I can't go back to another selection. Therefore, I'll rectify the matter by saying that I might divide some of my movement selections due to their sheer length. For example, if I choose to review Wu-Tang albums, I might review the albums from the 5-year plan, then review the first four Boot Camp Clik albums, then come back and review the 2nd round of Wu solos, and so forth. That way, I'm still consistent with myself and my output. Keep in mind that these runs might consist of simply three reviews apiece at times.

Thanks for reading!

Cormega - The Testament (planned release: September 1, 1998; actual release: February 22, 2005)

So, tell me if you heard this one before: This is a story about a rapper who was fucked over by the industry. Thought so.

OK, so first there was this dude called Marley Marl. He was a DJ. He was from Queensbridge. He rolled with a bunch of rappers from there. To name a few: MC Shan, Craig G, MC Poet (nka Blaq Poet) and Tragedy. That last dude influenced a lot of similar-minded QB MCs, including one who called himself Nas. That last dude would release his debut, Illmatic, in 1994. It would cause many perfectly sane people who are either fans of hip hop music or contributors to that very genre to lose their shit on a regular basis at exactly how good it was as far as albums go. On that hip hop landmark, Nas would write a song called One Love, produced by Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest, which would be imitated to the end of time, as it's basically a letter to incarcerated loved ones. Nas drops a line in One Love that goes: 'What up with Cormega? Did you see him? Are y'all together?

Naturally, back then nobody knew who this Cormega person was. So, hip hop nerds went crazy looking for any info on him. Turned out that a dude who went by the name Cory McKay did some pretty impressive spitshine-cleaning in various grocery stores as Cormega. The store owner told him not to spitshine the vegetables numerous times, but Cormega McKay absolutely insisted on doing so. 'What would I tell Mommy?' was his excuse. So, the store owner fired little Cormy and kicked him out in the street, telling him in a fit of anger to go be someone useless, like a rapper or something.

Little did he know.

Cormy took those words to heart and began writing like crazy. Thereby appearing on DJ Hot Day's debut album, then Phd's debut album. (Phd is the aforementioned Blaq Poet's group. The first of several.) By the time the masses heard the second Cormega appearance on wax, he had become a local rap superhero. Unfortunately however, Mega got himself locked up for armed robbery and did 4 years time. The Nas shoutout was during said jail time, so by the time he was released, a shitload of people knew who he was. Naturally, the two became steadfast friends after he recognized this. They would later form a supergroup with Brooklynites AZ & Foxy Brown and call it The Firm. You know. Because mafioso stereotypes weren't rampant enough back then. The Firm, including Cory, would appear on Nas' second album, It Was Written, and later sign with a certain West Coast producer named Dr. Dre and his then-fledgling label Aftermath. In the midst of all this, Mega was signed as a solo artist to the grandaddy of all labels, Def Jam. All seemed to be good in Cormy's life.

Keyword: seemed. Following Cormy's refusal to sign a bullshit contract with Steve Stoute, Steve-O would launch an extensive campaign to blackball Mega throughout the entire industry, beginning with kicking him out of The Firm and replacing him with an MC with zero prior history with the remaining Firmmates. Some dude called Nature. Cormy blew a gasket, of course. So much so that it affected his own solo deal with Def Jam in the middle of his solo debut album's crafting process. By the time he finished it and called it The Testament, his relationship with Def Jam and his then-manager, the late Chris Lighty, had soured irreparably. Def Jam then gave him his second kickout in his career and shelved his intended debut. All seemed to be over in Cormy's career life.

Keyword: seemed. Mega would gather his act together, found an independent label called Legal Hustle, release his 2nd debut The Realness and become one of the forefathers of the fledgling hip hop independent scene, and would establish a career that is still going pretty damn strong now. He would find enough success to enable him to buy his original shelved debut and release it in its unaltered form. These types of albums usually come with much fanfare, and truthfully? Not all of it's justified. You're reading this review to see if this album earns it, though. Am I right or am I right? Thought so.

I must confess: My love for Nas' artistic output so far has initially caused me to dislike Cormega. But, after listening to his numerous collabs with people such as Large Professor & the Wu, I gradually warmed up to his work. I officially became a fan of his when I heard his album Born & Raised. He has simply grown so much as an MC during his career. Add that with the fact that, while not perfect, he has a fairly good ear for beats.

What better place to start diving into this dude's material than his debut? It's readily available, so it shouldn't be a problem if you decide it's worth your time. Let's go.

INTRO

Cormy starts his tradition of opening up albums with rhymes to an instrumental with no beat here. Cory is, without question, one of the better writers of introspective rhymes. As such, this was when he still didn't have a good grip on that aspect of his lyrics, so this falls flat.

62 PICKUP

Cormy starts his career out with a beat produced by himself? Pretty risky. Unfortunately it doesn't pay off as his one-verse wonder, while sound, doesn't mesh with the whimsical beat at all. The waste of good lyrics will only annoy you. I know it did me.

ONE LOVE

RNS, a Wu-Tang affiliated producer, backs Mega's reply to Nas' shoutout with a decent instrumental. You knew Cormy was gonna write this, obviously. And honestly, it speaks volumes about the depth of Nas and Mega's on-off friendship that he still kept this on his album, even though they were beefing at the time. Plus, the rhymes on here match Nas' original extremely well. I loved this song.

INTERLUDE

Cormy also starts his tradition of acapella verses here. Unlike some of his later iterations, this was pretentious as all fuck.

ANGEL DUST (FEATURING HAVOC)

Featuring Havoc as a rapper on a song he didn't produce completely mystifies me. Especially when he's relegated to hook duties. Furthermore, having Prodigy shout Mega out uncredited adds only to the frustration, which should be settling in quite nicely as you're reading this. However, Sha Money XL (whom I never knew was a producer, in all honesty) brings our host a cinematic beat that would've fit on The Infamous & Hell On Earth, and Cory definitely adds to the comparison by spitting thuggery that would've fit perfectly on said albums, as well. This wasn't bad. I honestly feel like he's pushing the limits to what he can do with mafioso imagery, though. He needs a concept, fast.

DEAD MAN WALKING

Right on cue! This was one of Mega's best-known songs, simply for the fact that he actually performed it regularly live back in 1998 on the Survival Of The Illest tour with DMX, Onyx & Def Squad. This song is a classic hip hop revenge tale with the details interwoven by Mega making this song a must-hear. It doesn't hurt that the instrumental by DJ Hot Day & Jae Supreme fits the rhymes like a glove. This was intense.

MONTANA DIARY

A continuation of Angel Dust. And this time, the hook ruins the entire song. I told you Mega was running out of gas.

TESTAMENT

Or is he? This Dave Atkinson production bangs appropriately in a way we haven't heard yet on this album so far, and it influences Cormy to step up his imagery & flow schemes to admirable heights. Nicely done, indeed. By the way, this version of the song does not contain any type of diss towards Nas. It's pretty damn annoying to see people interpret lyrics that were never intended to mean anything because of simple personal agendas.

TESTAMENT (ORIGINAL)
This is the version Nas haters should be looking for, as it contains a brief-yet-clear dig at Mega's former friend. The beat and many of the rhymes are the same, though.

EVERY HOOD (FEATURING HUSSEIN FATAL)

Even though Cory's first verse is scorching hot, everything else about this song's execution is absolutely repulsive. No matter how much you try, Cormy. If you don't have chemistry with another rapper, you just don't. Stop trying to force that shit down my fucking throat. All joking aside, RIP Hussein Fatal. My deepest condolences go out to his family & friends.

COCO BUTTER

An even worse song where Cormy's feeble attempt at love-rapping falls flat on its hideous, Deadpool-ugly-ass face once he decides to compare his infatuation with a certain boo to various drug-dealing imagery. Fuck this song.

KILLAZ THEME (FEATURING MOBB DEEP)

Many Mobb Deep & Cormega fans are already familiar with this song. Doesn't change the fact that this song is trademark Mobb Deep in its awesomeness. Many fans also know that the Mobb & Cormy were confused between this song and Mobb Deep's What's Ya Poison as to who would take which song. I wish the Mobb would've taken this song, because I feel it's a better showcase for Prodigy, while What's Ya Poison showcases Mega better.

LOVE IS LOVE

This composition by Nashiem Myrick, sampling the same exquisite Ohio Players song as Killah Priest's overrated B.I.B.L.E., brings out a side in Cormega that would be very thoroughly and beautifully fleshed out later in his career: Introspection regarding hood life. Whether it be the innocent, the dealers and people who share his current position in life, Cormega drops jewels in a way that has since made fans out of absolute legends such as the late Guru, Chuck D & PMD of EPMD, among many more. And with good reason, too, as his rhymes here are brilliant. This was a highlight, no fucking doubt.

DEAD MAN WALKING (REMIX)

Utilizing a slightly different take on the same beat as the original, Cormega presents to the listener the sequel to this story. He describes going to his victim's funeral and the thoughts going through his head while doing so. The attention to detail matches, if not eclipses, the original, which is pretty awesome. And we're done.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Obviously, Mega shows without question that he's an MC of talent. However, it's my belief that had this album been released on its intended 1998 date, Cormy's career would still be the exact same as it is now. The album as it stands is pretty hit or miss, as would be the case for most of Cory's subsequent releases. The highs, however, are definitely must-hears. Mega reaches heights that can only be reached by MCs who deserve to be called such. Even some of the bad songs that aren't worth your time aren't horrendously bad. That classification only fits two songs here.

WORTH IT? Pretty much. You are guaranteed more than a few songs of sheer enjoyment, and most of the rest won't truly piss you off. The album is worthy of being in your collection. You still don't want it? Then why in the fuck did you read the whole goddamn review?! Go spread your negative energy somewhere else, it's not welcome here. What do you mean, I'm being negative too? Are you crazy?

For more Cormega, check here.

Capone-N-Noreaga - The War Report (June 17, 1997)

I am going through a shit time in my life, man. Give me a break.

In the hip-hop world, though, some different type of shit went down. Sean Price, member of legendary Brooklyn collective Boot Camp Clik as one-half of punchline duo Heltah Skeltah, and one-third of Random Axe, passed away in his sleep. If you're not familiar with his music, leave this page now and check out his Heltah Skeltah material and work your way up to his solo shit. I guarantee that you'll be blown away. Sean Price was an example of true dedication to the craft of MCing while staying true to himself, and I'm so sad I didn't get to sit down and have a deep conversation with him in his lifetime. RIP Ruck. Your punchlines and hilarious video skits will be missed. My deepest condolences go out to your family and friends.

Sean's always admirable approach to his profession always reminded me of another OG in the game: Tragedy, coincidentally one of our subjects for this evening. Now I don't want to run the risk of disrespecting a legend like Sean P by merely mentioning him in another group's review but it is my honest belief that if I focus on spreading good hip hop out there, I'm actually paying tribute to what Ruck stood for in his art: good hip hop. After releasing his sophomore effort Saga Of A Hoodlum in 1993, Percival Chapman the Fourth of Queensbridge, known in bowling alleys nationwide as the Intelligent Hoodlum yet secretly competed in juggling festivals under the aforementioned name Tragedy, found the critical and commercial reception lacking (despite the undisputed fact that it was a work of art) and decided, albeit for a minuscule period of time, that he didn't have what it takes to continue his chosen career path as an MC in the treacherous world of the music industry. Which so happened to coincide with the sudden dominance of a few fellow QB artists who were heralded as spiritual successors of his, some whom he even trained personally. You might know of them. Nas? Mobb Deep? Thought so.

So, our protagonist began entertaining the familiar 'Hey, I might actually be worth something after all in this game.' dialogues normally associated with such situations, leading into him beginning a different campaign in pursuit of hip hop glory and riches. Mostly riches, but glory's kinda nice. He went through his bowling buddies notebook (because nobody had cellular phones that could save more than a gajillion contacts with the easiest of ease back then. I think.) and found a certain Kiam Holley, who called himself Capone, truthfully one of the most unimaginative rap names imaginable in a mafioso-rap-saturated market. Numerous attempts as a duo yielded failure after failure, pushing Tragedy to look for another person to fill in as hype-man and add a little something more to the group. This time he went to fellow looking glass enthusiast Victor Santiago, who for some reason kept yelling Noreaga in his sleep so much that his folks started calling him that very name. It is of note that Noreaga was NOT from QB last I checked, thank you. Conveniently enough, both he and Capone choose this most opportune time to get themselves locked up. I'm guessing Tragedy might've been a tad miffed, but somehow they turned this into the best thing to happen to them at that time. See, the two snots didn't really click with each other until the shared jail time and by the time they got out, the two were inseparable. Corny enough to be a movie, really.

By this stage, Capone had already heeded Tragedy's tutelage and became a full-fledged MC. Unlike Noreaga, who was still struggling to lose an idiotic trait of his that would plague him fairly consistently throughout his own career: Many a time comes when the motherfucker simply refuses to flow. Inspectah Deck, Victor Santiago was not. However by then, Tragedy seemingly had enough of his bullshit. He most likely slapped him upside his fucking head a good one and knocked some sense into him. Hey, at least it kept him in check for this album, right? Or maybe it was Mr. Holley inexplicably getting himself locked up again, thereby forcing Mr. Santiago to step up and take his profession seriously, to the utter relief of Mr. Chapman the Fourth. The incarceration of Capone also led to the The War Report getting pushed back a full two years, which was a big deal back then as the hip hop climate was rife with change. Some was good, some was Diddy & Big Willie.

So now that Trag mobilized his forces, (You know. Aside from Pone thrown in the slammer again, of course.) Only two things remained on the agenda: 1. Acquiring some production suitable for his grand vision. 2. Forming a distinctive identity for this group.

I'll let the review talk about the first one while I address the second, for it is much more important to me seeing as I am a resident of the Arab World, and have been so for quite some time now: I personally find it incredibly ignorant, maybe even downright insulting at times, to imploy numerous Arab countries, phrases & ideals in a context of turmoil & thuggery as a metaphor for something as trivial as survival in the music industry or as a measurement of skill in the art form. Number one reason as to why is that I adamantly disagree with the stereotype that the entirety of this part of the world is in constant conflict is because read a book about these people, motherfucker. A book that serves no agenda whatsoever. Trust me, you'll quickly find one. Magic of Google 'n'all. Two: That fucking Arab terrorist image. Aren't you just SICK of going down this particular road? I know hundreds of Arabs here who, quite literally, only know of guns through the movies they watch or the video games they play. Also, statistics say that those terrorists rightly vilified in some media outlets are mostly of non-Arab origin, yet the media only focus on the Arabs in those situations. We all know that terrorism is inhumane but the focus should be on disassociating these criminals from ALL of humanity. Tragedy, you lost a lot of points in my book for that one. I get the 5% Nation babble & shit, but keep those thoughts about this place to yourself, thank you. And by the way: I know that's why you chose the name Khadafi and all but, seriously, the man was not the rebel the West perceived him to be. And, given the way he died, maybe it's time you took the path of your disciple Noreaga and change your name to Afi or some crap. Tragedy Afi, huh? Could work. You know what? Just stick to Tragedy, man.

I've digressed this album into the fucking concrete, apparently.

INTRO

...

BLOODY MONEY

EZ Elpee struck up an often fruitful partnership with Tragedy and his cronies (Well, namely one crony: Nore.) in 1997, starting with this very record. Nore sets the tone forthe rest of the album admirably, meshing well with EZ Elpee's now-signature piano looping, this time sampling from Philadelphia Morning, an instrumental from the classic Rocky OST composed by the legendary Bill Conti. This was proper in all the right ways as Nore sounds pretty convincing throughout.

DRIVER'S SEAT (FEATURING IMAM T.H.U.G. & BUSTA RHYMES)

Nashiem Myrick from Diddy's merry band of Hitmen scores a duet between Nore and Imam THUG, a nickname that does NOT compute in my part of the world, believe me. Imam was briefly one half of the Iron Sheiks along with this project's mastermind Tragedy, one which produced an absolute must-have in Trag's catalogue, Illuminati. Simply because Tragedy sounds like he's rediscovering his hunger for rhyming mid-fucking-song, which is awesome. This song? It moves things along, I guess. And Busta's cameo at the end infuriates me, because Busta: You’re supposed to rhyme on this shit, motherfucker!

STICK YOU

Capone & Tragedy's very first outing on this album is truly marked by an addictive song. Immediately, you're jarred by Capone's very different vocal tone. Dude sounds like he just drank sulfuric acid, and he sounds like that all the time. I don't mind it so much, though. Just thought I'd give you the heads up. The instrumental, by Naughty Shorts, (don't ask) strikes just the right balance between minimalism and melody. The skit at the beginning was entirely unnecessary, though. Other than that, this was awesome.

PAROLE VIOLATORS (FEATURING HAVOC)

Havoc's hook is standard issue. This duet between Nore & Trag is curious because the beat sounds so much like a Havoc beat, yet it’s actually credited to Tragedy as well. Perhaps Trag is a talented shaman when it comes to channeling other people. You know what I believe? I believe Havoc produced this beat for dolo, fuck the bullshit. He simply wanted to give a co-production credit to his lyrical mentor who might've been in a pinch when paying for the crew's dinner that night and Hav, super-producer that he was back then, just gave him that beat for free. Lyrically, Tragedy improves Nore's focus to impressive levels. This was a good follow-up.

IRAQ (SEE THE WORLD) (FEATURING CASTRO, MUSALINY, MENDOSA & TROY OUTLAW)

Nore, no matter how much love you're getting by this point, let me make one thing perfectly clear: You are not fit to lead a posse cut of weed carriers. This shit might fly on your own solos, but not on a goddamn Capone-N-Noreaga album. EZ Elpee does his job proper on the beat, but many people on here never should pick a mic up again. My opinion.

LIVE ON, LIVE LONG

Nore's tribute to his chum comes off as a bit cheesy, but somehow he pulls it off alright. At least, dude has some passion in him. Unlike the songs I hear today, which absolutely do not have soul whatsoever. Such as when whichever Fetty of the Wap tribe of the day blesses us with another of his "hits". It somehow helps that the beat, by something called a G-Money, is pretty fitting for this type of song.

NEVA DIE ALONE

Buckwild of the legendary DITC blesses the duo, or trio on this particular song as Tragedy comes out to play again, an eerie beat that loops a Herbie Hancock sample which inspires all three to rip the beat to shreds, especially Tragedy. He even states later on in his career that working on this album reignited his love for MCing. This was a definite highlight.

T.O.N.Y. (TOP OF NEW YORK)

Another song where all three get down, and this one's the second single. This jam is considered as CNN's signature song, and for an excellent reason. the 3 MCs' chemistry reaches one of its peaks on this album with every verse here complimenting the other well. Built around an exquisite Walter Jackson loop, the Nashiem Myrick beat is one that won't be leaving your subconscious anytime soon. More of this, please.

CHANNEL 10

Lord motherfucking Finesse brings CNN one of his best beats, a perfect atmospheric composition that was begging for Trag & co. to demolish. So of course Percival sticks with hook duties, although his hook is effective. But that's OK, believe me, for in his steed Capone unleashes an awesome contribution that made me seriously rethink my view of his abilities as an MC. Nore sounds more amped than usual, which is supposed to be a compliment. Side thought: I really miss Lord Finesse on the mic. Not saying he'd fit on this type of thuggery, though. I just miss his punchlines.

CAPONE PHONE HOME (INTERLUDE)

I get the sentiment, but it has no place on an album such as this.

THUG PARADISE

Tragedy & co. rip a freestyle to shreds. Sorry, but that's all I got on this one.

CAPONE BONE

Whoops. I may have spoken too soon regarding Poney here. For he wastes a perfectly banging Marley Marl instrumental on truly one of the worst sex raps I've ever heard. I mean, sex raps are by default repulsive, but damn, Poney, what the motherfuck?

HALFWAY THUGS

Another Nore solo. This one backed by a Charlemagne beat. (This Charlemagne is not that waste of human tissue you're probably thinking about from that radio show. I don't care how hard he's worked, that fuck wouldn't have the balls to contribute something meaningful to hip hop culture.) No lie, first time I heard this, I thought this was another EZ Elpee composition. So the fact that it isn't is a nice surprise. Nore takes the imaginary competition to heart with his grimy threats. Had he continued this approach, his solo career could've still interested me for a few more years. Instead, he chose to hook up with the fucking Neptunes. Nuff said. Anyways, this was pretty decent.

L.A., L.A. (KUWAIT MIX) (FEATURING MOBB DEEP)

The lead single, which began its life as a Tragedy single featuring CNN & Mobb Deep. Story time: Work on this album just so happened to coincide with the exact moment the East-West beef escalated: Some truly enlightened people decided in a moment of pure enlightenment (read: they were coked out of their minds) that it was a great idea to roll up and fire live gunshots at Snoop Dogg and the Dogg Pound while they were shooting a video for their East Coast hip hop tribute New York, New York. Yes, it was originally a fucking tribute, NOT a diss. Evidenced by DJ Pooh & Kurupt's approach to their product: Minimalist beat plus rhyming your ass off. Sounds East Coast to me. Anyway, Death Row, under the leadership of crazy person Suge Knight, decided it was an even better idea to insult the entire city in the song's video in retaliation by depicting Snoop & the DPG as giants wreaking havoc in NY. Needless to say, the NY hip hop scene didn't take too kindly to that. However, nobody replied from the big dogs. So, Tragedy took it upon himself & his CNN to record a "response" using the same DJ Pooh beat, while switching the hook to LA, LA. This response tackles the exact same formula as NY, NY, with no specific disses found on the track whatsoever. Later on, hip hop legend Marley Marl was brought on to commission an exclusive beat for said response, rechristened 'LA, LA'. This beat, complied of a ingenious mix of Al Green & the Magic Disco Machine among other elements, is by far the best Marley Marl beat I've ever heard. I don't care what I come off as when I write this, I consider this beat to be Marley's best work in hip hop to date. Of course the rhymes should be up to par, and thankfully, everybody brings their A-game & reach their absolute peak in their chemistry together. Especially Tragedy, as he spits as if this is the very last time he'll be allowed to rhyme. Ever. My only gripe with this classic is that despite the title stating that Mobb Deep will show up, only Havoc rhymes on the song, because Prodigy felt that his verse for this song fit Nas' Live N**** Rap better, thereby sticking to hook duties here. That might've made them more money, (because, come on, It Was Written sold a shit ton more than the The War Report) but he missed out on a critically acclaimed song that would remain in rotation till the end of time within my personal collection. Short answer: this shit is essential. Best song on the album, and my favorite CNN song by far.

CAPONE-N-NOREAGA LIVE (INTERLUDE)

Goddamnit.

ILLEGAL LIFE (FEATURING HAVOC)

Credited as a Havoc beat co-produced with Tragedy again, which I believe to be absolute bullshit by now. Trag probably wasn’t even around the studio when Hav cheffed this beat up. The song is a simple-yet-effective duet between the CNN parties, with Capone's lone verse eclipsing both of Noreaga's bookend contributions. Moving on.

BLACK GANGSTAS

Buckwild returns with one of his textbook magical atmospheric beats, comprised of a haunting xylophone loop taken from Gary Burton, which repeats my sentiments from Channel 10, for Tragedy is on hook duties once again. His hook, however, is better than the hook he provided on said song. As is Capone's verse which leaves Nore's in the fucking Sahara Desert as it soars straight into the moon. Seriously, Capone really showed a hunger that could've made him one of the greats. If it wasn't for his constant need to prove he's from 'tha streetz'. This was bittersweet in its awesomeness.

CLOSER

Ending an album like The War Report with a song from motherfucking Clark Kent?! I consider this to be one of the very worst decisions Tragedy has ever made in this hip hop game. Despite being a very credible producer, Clark Kent always has a nasty habit of looking for radio airplay in his beats and you know this for a goddamn fact, Trag. How could you allow this fuck within 10 feet of the studio at that time, man? And you're nowhere near the damn song! This bullshit attempt at positivity came off as all sorts of insincere. The Sam Sneed remix rectified some of the damage for me.

CAPONE PHONE HOME (OUTRO)

Enough with the Capone phone calls already!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The War Report definitely qualifies as a headscratcher. One one hand, we have some truly abhorrent attempts at radio whoring, mixed with a lack of focus and too many goddamn skits. On the other, some bonafide classics that will stand the test of time. Most of the latter category has Tragedy's lyrical input, might I add. Tragedy's strange plan to re-enter the rap game apparently paid off though, as I always remember this album for containing a chunk of brilliant hip hop. The lyrical and musical high points on the joint are as high as any classic rap album I know out there, past or present. This thug rap example has truly enough goodness in it to forget that repulsive Closer abomination. What can I say? I love the word 'truly'.

WORTH IT? I'd say yes. If only for the thrill of hearing Tragedy rhyme his ass off again. The awesome beats on here might help sweeten the deal.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:

CALM DOWN (FEATURING NAS)

This gem right here was to feature Trag, Nas & both CNN members. Another missed opportunity resulting from Pone's stupid situation. EZ Elpee brings us a textbook piano sample of his (from a Bette Midler record, of all sources) that allows Tragedy, fellow QB native Nas & Lefrak outtatowner Noreaga to wreck shop. I honestly don't even mind Nas' appalling-as-always singing on the hook as these 3 really have a definite chemistry on here that still endures brilliantly. I still don't know why this was left off the album, as it fits perfectly within its context. Anyhow, it's incredibly easy to find, so git.

Believe it or not, there's more Tragedy stuff! I can smell your curiosity building from here...

Mobb Deep - Hell On Earth (November 19, 1996)

1994. Two teen rappers from Queensbridge, New York were tossed to the wolves the previous year after their debut's sales went straight to the gutter. They somehow still wanted to pursue this path in the fickle industry of music. So, they regroup and do the impossible: The name Mobb Deep became one of the most revered hip hop music acts in the artform's history. All within the span of a single release. The Infamous, their sophomore album introduced a formula the duo came across out of necessity, for Kejuan Muchita, nicknamed Havoc by his boo-boo, had discovered he was quite apt at production. While his partner in rhyme Albert Johnson, nicknamed Prodigy by his baby son who couldn't speak at the time so it was a complete mystery as to how he managed that particular feat, (Don't ask me why. Do I look like a goddamn pediatrician to you?) found out that he had vast amounts of untapped potential as a hip hop poet. The two snots used their newfound strengths to spectacular effect, earning the respect of hip hop pundits worldwide. A respect that continues to be given to them to this very day, all of it very well deserved. So, now our protagonists face an entirely different challenge: How the fuck do you follow up such a success?

By learning from other people's mistakes, of course. The Mobb is frequently compared to a fellow QB hip hop act, one Nasir Jones. Something which Prodigy actually acknowledges as he mentions being inspired and stepping up his lyrical game after Nasir, or Nas, dropped his debut album. You might've heard of that album. A little piece of work called Illmatic? Constantly brought up in fucking useless if not detrimental debates regarding the "best hip hop album of all time"? Anyways, Nas faced a similar challenge when it was follow-up-album time and he opted to go the experimental route while channeling the mafioso rap subgenre, newly revamped and overhauled by the Wu-Tang Clan for team-member Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...  in his sophomore effort It Was Written, an album that many Illmatic fans absolutely loathe. Which is absolute bullshit, because It Was Written, while considered by some to be slightly inferior to Illmatic, remains a quality piece of mafioso rap. Furthermore, it sold a fuckload of copies, launching Nas into the mainstream as a legitimate commercial force in hip hop music and gaining him all-new fans to recompensate for the very few fans he lost at the time, seeing as Illmatic had just went gold prior to It Was Written's gargantuan release.

Mobb Deep, however, felt that they were more dependent on their now-core fanbase, since The Infamous did a hell of a lot better than Illmatic at both's beginning stages. So, they decided to choose the other path: Sticking to your guns. Which worked even better than they'd imagined. For around that time, the Mobb's head weed carrier Tajuan Perry aka Big Noyd aka Noydy aka his Noydness aka Pizza Dude, who was an instant hit following his scene-stealing verse on Mobb Deep classic Give Up The Goods (Just Step), released an awesome EP, Episodes Of A Hustla, 95% of which was produced by Havoc. It would've helped even more had the EP not been released to the sound of crickets. But the few Mobb fans who did hear it were craving more of the Mobb sound, which was apparently relayed to said Mobb. So, galloping into familiar artistic territory they went. That's not to say they didn't tweak the formula a bit.

See, even Mobb Deep couldn't ignore the powerful surge of the mafioso rap subgenre spreading like an epidemic throughout the East Coast. The aforementioned Cuban Linx and It Was Written, alongside albums like Reasonable Doubt, Conspiracy and Doe Or Die, were making a lot of headlines during that particular period, which definitely had some sort of influence on Mobb Deep's sound. So, Havoc, who was strengthened by his production experiences on The Infamous enough to produce the entirety of this entry, decided to dig into the Mobb's vast collection of classic gangster films to put himself into the right musical mindset, while Prodigy went to work on improving his rhymes even further than the massive overhaul he gave them on The Infamous, thereby fortifying his ability to write metaphorical street tales that much more.

This album repeated the feat of its predecessor of selling five hundred thousand copies, which is even rarer than The Infamous's feat for two releases on an independent record label. Let's see how the end product lives up:

ANIMAL INSTINCT (FEATURING TWIN GAMBINO AND TY NITTY)

Havoc's opening statement sets some pretty high expectations already. But, the Mobb seem ready to make good on his promise if this song is any indication. Short version: This shit rocks. This was the perfect introduction to Infamous Mobb's Twin Gambino, the collective's most skilled rapper, and Ty Nitty, its least skilled member. That is, if you were one of the hundreds of thousands who were completely unaware of Episodes Of A Hustla. Havoc's beat samples The Trammps to brilliant effect. Note: Get used to Prodigy outshining each and every rapper who shares the mic with him on this album. Just saying.

DROP A GEM ON 'EM

Ah yes, the infamous 2Pac diss (pun very much intended). Mobb Deep still have many a 2Pac fan (Quite a few of these people are some of the absolute worst fans in this genre's history, let me tell you) at their throats blaming them for this song remaining on the retail release of this album even after Lesane's murder. You should be directing your hate at Loud CEO Steve Rifkind, people. He's the one who should've handled these matters back then. I'll bet he OK'd this whoring for more sales and shit. As for the song, though? For what it was, it's a fucking smash. Havoc digs as much as his limited MC skills can into 2Pac, before Prodigy dishes out a verbal beating the likes of which is last seen on his duet with Cormega on the latter's Thun & Kicko, where he aims a venomous verse straight for a certain Shawn Carter. The beat by Havoc is a masterpiece of a Whispers loop, punctuated by a perfectly chosen audio byte from R&B legend Aretha Franklin. Yeah, this song is awesome.

BLOODSPORT

I loathed this track when I first heard it, because of the loud-as-fuck drum breaks and the accompanying violins sampled in the beat in a manner that literally shows you how worms digest dead people. Now, those very factors are my favorite aspects about the beat, which I love for how it gets under my skin. Remember that note I wrote earlier on the first song? Exactly. Prodigy violates Havoc's beat, while Hav himself doesn't sound too bad. Score.

EXTORTION (FEATURING METHOD MAN)

The Mobb scores a cameo from reluctant critical darling Method Man, who sounds really mad on here, as if he's pissed he won a Grammy. It's almost as if he regards it as a seal of wackness of sorts. Anyways, leave it to Havoc to turn a Jackson 5 sample into utter dread music. Prodigy spits with that soulless conviction that he's perfected on the previous album. This song is my shit.

MORE TRIFE LIFE

Havoc felt insecure about Prodigy lyrically tearing through shit for the past four tracks and decided this pseudo-sequel was not going to feature his partner-in-rhyme, out of fear that people may completely disregard his MCing abilities. Just you wait till 2008, 96-era Havoc. You'll get all the features that were meant for your partner because he was too much of a bonehead to manage his firearms business right. Anyways, the beat is trademark Havoc. I guess I have to relent in saying that Hav also delivered with the rhymes. I mean, he ain’t no Melachi The Nutcracker, right? Moving along.

MAN DOWN (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
Pizza Dude! Happy Release From Jail Day, and many happy returns! Havoc's beat is more of a sequel to Party Over than it is to Give Up The Goods (Just Step), which works perfectly fine as the three MCs rip shit, though I have to say that Noydy pulls ahead of his hosts by a not-so-small margin. Havoc's hook is a fucking earsore, though.

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT (FEATURING ILLA GHEE)

This song is one where Havoc becomes the second master producer in hip-hop to flip a straight classic out of the opening notes of Gary Burton's Las Vegas Tango, the first being Cypress Hill's very own DJ Muggs. (who never seems to get the credit he deserves. Let's see if we can change that later.) I swear, those notes bring out a side of me that should be locked away in some zoo in South Africa. K bookends the song with two average 16's, while Illa Ghee & Prodigy provide the cream filling. Especially Prodigy, who sounds like he's having the time of his fucking life spitting his quite-long verse in a monotone that sounds hype as hell. May I also add that the hook might have something to do with P's elation, as it's friggin' awesome.

NIGHTTIME VULTURES (FEATURING RAEKWON)

The Chef's second showing on a Mobb outing, where he's brought in to provide that extra lyrical oomph to the project and to add more flame to the fire of comparison between this album's mafioso material and the Purple Tape's. What Cheffy here wasn't counting on was that he was going up against a Prodigy who's form was simply unstoppable. Don't be too hard on yourself, Corey: You never really stood a chance. Hav relents by sticking to the chorus, apparently giving up on lyrically competing with P at this point. His beat is where he truly shines, however, as he brings us a haunted loop that will stick in your head long after you finish the damn song.

G.O.D. PT. III

Mobb Deep's obsession with Scarface samples officially started on this song, their second single. The infernal looping of the sample by Hav brings out something in both Mobb halves that facilitates the direct transplant of their contributions into the back of your brain. Prodigy sets this off like a man possessed, taking his well-known threat game to an unheard level with imagery that forces you to view him as the monolithic MC he is. Said performance rubs off on Havoc, who cannot help but follow suit with a spirited performance by him as well. By now, this album is steamrolling its way into your favorite albums list. Trust me.

GET DEALT WITH
When will the onslaught of awesomeness end? This is the fifth song in a row that is seared into my subconsciousness, no lie. Leave it to Kejuan to bring us a simple piano loop and make it into an east coast classic. Albert's delivery of his thuggery here will sound as if he's really "standin' all up in ya cornea" with immediacy that will send a chill down your spine. Havoc rambles off for a bit at the beginning of his verse, then gets it together with a solid performance. The assault continues.

HELL ON EARTH (FRONT LINES)
Another ominous piano loop, this time for the lead single. First time I heard this, I confess I didn't like it. After listening the entire album again and again an infinite number of times, it gradually climbed into my favorite cuts from said album. This song most definitely contains a standout Prodigy verse. Not the first one, but the second one, as P bookends this song with Hav filling in the singular middle verse. Back to Prodigy: He unleashes a long-ass verse that ought to be etched in gold in my hip hop fall of fame, similar to Sticky Fingaz' verse on Purse Snatchaz, Cappadonna's verse on Winter Warz, etc. Just you wait. I'll build one, I tell ya.

GIVE IT UP FAST (FEATURING NAS AND BIG NOYD)
The mob movie sample onslaught continues with the heavily underrated Christopher Walken vehicle King Of New York (A much better movie than Scarface, in my humble opinion) now on the sample-chopping board. Nas continues his successful chemistry with the Mobb, backed by His Noydness, who frustratingly shares a verse with Havoc. I can only imagine how this would be as a Nas/Prodigy duet. It probably would be similar to the awesome Self Conscience on Nas' abysmal QB Finest. But this one's hella good, too.

STILL SHININ'
Havoc's at it again with a magnificent Willie Hutch sample, again bookended by P with Hav filling the middle. It’s really difficult finding an album cut that truly sticks out from the others on Hell On Earth, mostly because the quality exhibited is exceptional. Still Shinin’ is no different, as P torches his warpath of a verse for the jillionth time and Hav delivers a performance that just doesn’t measure up to his partner. Phenomenal song!

APOSTLE'S WARNING
Well, Havoc hasn't run out of good production ideas by the time he made this, obviously. That would unfortunately start the next year with the embarrassing beat he gave Mic Geronimo on Vendetta. Shame, that. Anyway, Michael Jackson's People Make The World Go Round was a good choice to look, although producer Minnesota flipped a much better sample from this song on Naughty By Nature's World Go Round. Havoc gets his adept sixteen in and gets the fuck outta the way of a rampaging Prodigy who rhymes his ass off until the end of the damn song, providing the second display of the night worthy of being etched in gold in my imaginary hall of fame. This was the only way the album should've ended. Alas, there's one more.

Some versions of Hell On Earth came with Shook Ones Part 1, which I already reviewed here, and one more:

IN THE LONG RUN (FEATURING TY NITTY)
This was even more of a dis track towards the Mobb's enemies at the time. More precisely, Prodigy's two enemies 2Pac and Keith Murray (who made amends with P as of this article's writing), as he's the only one doing the dissing, while Hav and Ty Nitty (who's ironically beefing with Prodigy now) provide miniscule contributions again. P’s brilliance is the only attraction here.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Talk about proving doubters wrong. Mobb Deep cement their status as hip hop icons with this album. Although a minor quibble by me is that I wish Havoc kept his pen game as sharp as it was on The Infamous, even though he delivered on a few tracks here, most notably More Trife Life. Not the case for Prodigy, obviously, as the man transforms into a lyrical monster on this record. Every verse he delivers connects. Every fucking verse. I will say something for Hav, though: His wall-to-wall production on here is his finest hour behind the boards. For some reason, nobody remembers these Hell On Earth songs, which mystifies me, as the same ingredients that were on The Infamous are present here. Not only that, but they produce even better results here most of the time, effectively landing this album alongside the OB4CLs, the Reasonable Doubts and the It Was Writtens of that time period. Hell, I haven't skipped a single song on here! This would be the last Mobb Deep album that would be released before the advent of the Internet bootleggers, who would massacre the next Mobb Deep album, for better or worse.

WORTH IT?
Mobb Deep should celebrate this work just as much as The Infamous, if not even more so. But that doesn't mean you can't. Own and enjoy this mafioso classic for what it is.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
BACK AT YOU
Off the Sunset Park OST that came out before the start of this album's promotion. This song most definitely did not belong on a soundtrack of a film featuring another legendary rap group (Onyx) and yet this OST also contains Ghostface Killah's Motherless Child, Dogg Pound's Just Doggin' among others. Had this been on Hell On Earth, we would've had another Survival Of The Fittest on our hands, as this song feels like the mafioso sequel to the more popular single's gritty hoodlum roots. Anyways, Havoc pulls another proverbial rabbit outta his hat with his sped-up loop of Isaac Hayes' Bumpy's Lament's first few seconds, transforming the notes into those of a high-energy mafioso theme, properly handled by both Havoc and Prodigy. I was amazed that Havoc represented himself well here, as he's still going for his. Prodigy, predictably, outclasses him by fucking light years, but hearing Hav actively trying to catch up with P on the same record, similar to how he did on GOD Pt. 3, brings me a warm and fuzzy feeling. And the hook's perfect. This song fucking bangs. And we're done.

Plenty of more Mobb Deep to read here...