Artifacts - Between A Rock And Hard Place (October 25, 1994)

This is the post where following my blog actually enhances the experience. Because when I told you to remember the name Todd Ray, I meant that shit.

Todd Ray aka T-Ray is a legendary hip hop producer from South Carolina who moved to LA in the mid-90s after a legendary stint in NY with some of hip hop's most pioneering producers and figures. T-Ray's introduction into the Soul Assassins collective, whom I'm still gonna talk about, was the moment his decade of production finally paid off. He produced one of crewmates Cypress Hill's biggest singles to date in I Ain't Goin' Out Like That off their bestselling album to date, Black Sunday. Shit was gravy until the finished album for B-Real’s protégés the Whooliganz (comprised of Mudfoot aka production juggernaut The Alchemist & Madskillz aka actor Scott Caan... I wish I’m making this up.) was shelved with the quickness. For some reason, T-Ray and Muggs had a quiet falling out. To the extent of my knowledge, though, Todd still considers himself a Soul Assassin member to this day. Reason enough for me to include this review in their run that I seem to be taking forever to complete.

Reality set in quick as T-Ray needed to find a way to showcase his wizardry to the world, and for a while it seemed like every production venture he participated in either gets left for dead or overshadowed by circumstance or tomfoolery. Little did he know that his magnum opus would be right around the corner.

For his story largely mirrored that of the duo we’re tackling today: Rahem Brown aka Tame One, cousin of one Reggie Noble aka the mighty Redman from EPMD's legendary Hit Squad crew, was already well-established as the local punchline hero of Newark and was already a member of one of the many precursors to the Wu-Tang supergroup formula consisting of a group of family members and family friends: The Revolutionary Posse of Terrorists. RPT for short. Also noted graffiti writers, Tame, Red, along with former Newark City Council candidate Doitall from the criminally-underrated Lords Of The Underground, used to follow crew leader Diesel Don to their producer DJ Gruff Rhino's house where Tame would be constantly hounded by close friend Jay Burnz Jaya, so happening to be a guest on this album, about one Elliott Williams aka El Da Sensei and how he's a dope MC from his high school who also happened to be a fellow MC and graffiti writer. Finally, after numerous mistimed appointments, the two MCs meet at Gruff's house and start recording together. A spark was born, and Jay insisted that the two would form a duo. Eventually, they would get their first name from simply their reputation of smoking opponent duos, earning them the simple-but-effective name That's Them. Later on, they'd gamble on themselves by heading up to NYC and somehow getting handpicked by Stretch and Bobbito for their legendary show.

And this is where I tie the two tales together.

T-Ray was present when our duo first wrecked shop on the Stretch and Bobbito. They impressed so much that everyone changed their name for them into the Artifacts. Just so happened that the fuckfaces at Big Beat Records (Told you I'd come back to these motherfuckers) heard Tame & El's consistently magnificent showings on the show and presented the duo with a "deal that'll make you a star". One thing they did do right was that they also offered T-Ray to produce the majority, if not the entire record. And he almost did if it wasn't for producer Buckwild from the legendary DITC offering up beats that T-Ray felt were good enough to make the debut they were all working on. Our duo pulled in a beat apiece from a respective acquaintance of each other and boom. Album done.

Four months before Between A Rock And A Hard Place dropped, the Artifacts were finally ready to unleash the debut single that hopefully would leave an impression with audiences. Wrong Side Of Da Tracks, to my limited knowledge, received a shit ton of praise from the fanbase of one of hip hop's most forgotten elements: Graffiti. Taggers were getting increasingly scarce because of the stereotypical association of graffiti with criminal activities which led to it eventually becoming a criminal activity itself. So, naturally, Wrong Side Of Da Tracks became the unofficial graffiti anthem.

Sadly, Between A Rock  And A Hard Place never received any commercial success given the fact that it was under Big Beat and the album suffered the same fate that would later befall Real Live: A commercial failure that carried over the goodwill generated by its lead single to graffiti enthusiasts, and now you're here to see if this album deserves such reverence.

Between A Rock  And A Hard Place, boy/girl (pick one):

DRAMA (MORTAL KOMBAT FATALITY)
We begin the night/day/whatever with an ominous blood-pumping beat from Drew (El Da Sensei's bud) that's perfect for playing in the background when you're beating down that pissant who bullied you in high school incessantly, complete with addictive scratches by the legendary DJ Roc Raida of the X-Ecutioners RIP. And neither of our duo rhyme on the shit. Top it all off, Roc is actually scratching two samples from a song already on the album. You know how much that shit pisses me off. Still, an awesome beat begging for someone to destroy it.

C'MON WIT DA GET DOWN
The second single and Buckwild's first production on here, this track has one doozy of a story here.
It's worth your time because it involves Busta Rhymes with his old Leaders Of The New School crew and some noname rapper by the name of Jay-Z. I don't think that last dude made anything of himself in this hip hop game, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in the comments. Back to the song, though, as Buck demonstrates once again why he's one of the most gifted producers to ever construct a beat through flipping a classic funk loop, with all the musical highs and lows expected from the genre on as full a display as you're ever gonna get. Also, do I hear Buck's fellow DITC crewmate AG on the catchy-as-all-hell hook? Anyway, Da Sensei decides it's his time to shine and sets off the album with the most appropriate MO for a new hip hop act: We are lyricists. We will bar you to death. Either get with the program or step off. The difference between El and these subpar rappers being forced down people's throats is that he comes off as a veteran from the very first bar: You know you're listening to someone who knows their shit. And if you thought El was impressive, (which he unquestionably was) Tame comes in and blows your socks off with a continuation of the message at hand. This lyrical assault should've opened the album because it's one of the hypest setoffs to a hip hop album I can ever think of. I know damn well what that encompasses.

WRONG SIDE OF DA TRACKS
The debut Artifacts single and, really, the reason why you're here reading my review about them. The definition of an anthem is 'a song that is identified with a particular group, body, or cause'. When I said that this song was a graffiti anthem, I meant that shit: Tame and El flex their respective graffiti backgrounds while still retaining their punchline venom over what could truly be considered as the beat that changed the Soul Assassins sound forever and T-Ray's coming out party. Todd concocts the most haunting jazz instrumental is something that will not leave your consciousness anytime soon. And the hook adds fuel to the grimy fire which always enhances the immersion. This track singlehandedly establishes Tame One as one of the most underrated MCs to ever grace the microphone. I know I said that in the review of the previous song, but Wrong Side was the one the people heard first, so fuck outta here.

HEAVY AMMUNITION
The thing about crafting albums is that you have to master the art of the wind-down. You simply cannot high-octane the audience to death. Which is what I feel the Artifacts have mastered with this third track: After the previous two knockouts, they allow the energy to simmer down on the musical tip and just step up to the mic and shit-talk the fuck outta you. And even though they give in to the cliche of comparing their lyrics to gunfire, it's hard to stay mad at Tame & El when they're this good at it. Shoutouts to another bomb T-Ray beat as he chefs up a bass-heavy thumper with samples from Erick Sermon, Pete Rock & Tame's cousin Redman. And the beat still minds its own business and stays the hell outta the way of the bars! Read: This shit bangs.

ATTACK OF NEW JERUZALUM (FEATURING JAY BURNS JAYA)
Rest time is over as the Artifacts decide it's time for the energy to pick back up as they repay the favor to the dude who was responsible for them hooking together in the first place by featuring him on the album. Buckwild reenters the fray with an uptempo horn-&-bass-heavy beat that you realize is fated for utter demolishment the moment you hear Tame's opening adlibs. And best believe, all three came correct with bars that'll bury you. Props to DJ Roc Raida RIP as he scratches Tash from Tha Alkaholiks in as the song ends.

NOTTY HEADED N*****Z
T-Ray must've felt like Buck's work on that last song was a producing challenge in who can create the most energetic beat. Because son whips up the most raucous beat on the entire album! I wish I could've been a fly on the wall when both Artifacts heard this beat breathe for the first time in the studio. Naturally, Tame and El bounce off each other flawlessly as they try to outdo each other in tackling the beat. I personally feel that Tame takes this unofficial competition with his sudden display of assonance mastery. Overall, you'll love this joint.

WHAYBACK
T-Ray, fucking production master that he is, decides that it's time for another wind-down as he stitches up a beat comprising psychedelic and jazz elements that absolutely perfect for a hip hop act to convey something. Naturally, our duo knocks it outta the park with the nostalgic rhymes they kick that truly reflect how deep the love for this game can run. The icing on the cake is the song ending with samples from a few of the greats that debuted in 86-88: Just-Ice, Biz Mark, G Rap, PMD, KRS, Shan, the JBs & Kane. Once again it comes back to how great sonic art can make you feel because songs like this will definitely invoke a nostalgic feeling from you even if you've never been around back then.

FLEXI WITH DA TECH(NIQUE)
B-side to Wrong Side Of Da Tracks, people who took a liking to the Artifacts had this to dig into next. Common sense would dictate that our duo had to make their rhymes count if the hip hop community had only 2-3 jawns to whet their appetite until Between A Rock And A Hard Place dropped. Thankfully, they deliver in spades as Tame & El barrel through your brain with punchlines galore over a thumping T-Ray beat that achieves a great contrast with the rhymes with its jazzy horn & bass combo. You can play this shit in a hotel lobby and people wouldn't bat an eyelash if that hotel was The Tunnel back in the days.

CUMMIN' THRU YA F-KIN' BLOCK (FEATURING REDMAN)
Since El brought Drew in to produce that intro without either Artifact rhyming on the shit, (still pissed about that, by the by) Tame One's suggestion, the great Reggie Noble, made damn sure that both Artifacts rhymed their asses off on his spacey bass-heavy brew. Fun fact: For a hot minute, Reggie used to be pretty good at those and the one he gives our duo here is no exception. And by God, do they both oblige as they bounce back and forth, beating you down with their punchlines worse than any ass-whooping you'll ever see on any Streets Of Rage game. Shoutouts to SOR4 finally entering development a quarter of a century after the preceding trilogy ended. Read: We have a slapper, folks. A part of me can't help but stay pissed at the label fuckfaces at Def Jam for not allowing Reggie to actually demolish the beat with his kin. Their complimenting styles would interact later on in their careers, thankfully, so there's that.

LOWER DA BOOM
T-Ray's back. I must say, he's been absolutely lava on this entire album, so far. He's building up quite the case as a production force to be reckoned with and here, he pulls another rabbit outta the hat with an exquisite bass-heavy beat sprinkled with drops of horns that create a wonderful swirl of music. You know, the perfect beat to rhyme your dedication to weed to, which is exactly what our duo venture in. Tame and El have already proven numerous times that they can diversify their subject matter so this was unsurprisingly a walk in the park for them. They exerted the most lyrical effort for this, you say? Huh! Two things caught my ear when listening to Tame verses here: 1. If the dude who got the contact high from his potent batch 'even though he don't touch the stuff' was Redman, I call bullshit. 2. I wonder how he feels about actually seeing cannabis getting legalized throughout the States. Pour your heart out, Tame. It's OK. This hook by El is also something I'm addicted to. Point is, if you don't like this jam then get the fuck off my blog.

WHAT GOES ON?
Buckwild comes back from his long bathroom break to find that T-Ray wasn't messing around so he feels pressed to catch up with a strong-enough instrumental and he definitely impresses with his fusion of funk & jazz. Too bad, Tame & El shoot that shit on sight with them finally succumbing to the most unfortunate industry trend: misogyny. The sheer number of rappers who feel like they absolutely have to diss women on their albums confuses me to no end. Are y'all really that weak as to give in to the whims of your A&Rs?! It's a statistical fact that the vast majority of women in the US (fuck it, worldwide) are good people so from the bottom of my heart: FUCK THIS TOPIC.

DYNAMITE SOUL
Whew. I need to hear something that'd get me back in the groove of things here. Oh, T-Ray got me covered? Sweet! T-Ray bakes a beat that would end up nailing the maximum scope for a song called Dynamite Soul. You literally feel like you're flying around in the Grand Canyon. The Artifacts decide that maybe they should stick with punchlines from hereon out and try experimenting with subject matter on later albums. Good call, fellas. Tame & El revert to punchline mode and shit just feels natural again as they bar opposing crews to death. On the last verse, our duo join the litany of crews who paid tribute to the Run-DMC style of back-n-forth rhyming, usually a great step to take. And these two didn't slack off in the least.

WHASSUP NOW MUTHAF-KA?
T-Ray's final beat for the evening is a simple minimalistic blues loop. It's also the best beat on the album as it's the perfect Artifacts display: Dope beat and dope lyrics. El and Tame bring their best punchlines to the yard and duke it out heavy with just one verse apiece. Here is where you really find out that Tame One is Redman's cousin, maybe even his inspiration, as he blacks the fuck out. Seriously, El oughta thank God that he didn't have to follow Tame on that particular joint, real talk. With that, T-Ray solidifies his dominance over the entire album's sound. This might be the most addictive song on the album because no matter how many times you say you're gonna move to the next one, you remember how short it is and you press rewind again! My favorite song on Between A Rock And A Hard Place.

C'MON WIT DA GET DOWN (REMIX)
Story time: I first heard this Buckwild beat when Celph Titled from Army Of The Pharoahs used it as part of his Nineteen Ninety More re-up for those who were left wanting more after his Nineteen Ninety Now collaboration album blew everyone the fuck away. (Oh, best believe: that album will be discussed here sooner or later) I distinctly remember my giddiness when I finally discovered the source material and how much of a classic fucking collaboration this is. For this is probably Busta's second ever feature after leaving LONS, following his famed showing on the Flava In Ya Ear remix. And boy/girl (pick one), his hunger shows as he takes the final verse and knocks it out the park. Still, I didn't say he bodied everyone else, as Tame came out the gate swinging and eviscerating the jazzy bass-&-xylophones beat. (Shoutouts to my 2-year-old's favorite instrument!) I really felt sorry for poor El, as he really was caught in the crossfire, even though his outing was dope as fuck. All in all, one of the best posse cuts in history.


FINAL THOUGHTS

I must confess that a group like the Artifacts wouldn't be nearly as lasting without consistent production like what my man T-Ray's been able to deliver. A stark update from his blunted sound just a year prior, he reflected the influence of the East Coast Renaissance pretty damn well as he truly cemented himself as one of the most underappreciated production masters in the history of this business with this album alone. Not one single beat he made for Between A Rock And A Hard Place was lacking in any way, shape or form. One thing worthy of note is that he never featured on an album so heavily again as he subsequently returned to freelance work. Nothing to be sniffed at, though, as a year later he'd produce For Da Brothaz, pretty much my favorite Kool G Rap solo display ever off his mafioso debut 4,5,6.  Also overlooked is the fact that T-Ray's work here forced his fellow Soul Assassins producers to update their game hard on their subsequent catalog (which I promise I'll get to soon). And for MCs as hungry as Tame One & El Da Sensei were, that's all they ever needed. The heat from Buckwild & Redman didn't hurt, either. Tame & El also similarly prove that whenever you think of dope MC duos, hell, dope MCs period, both Artifacts deserve to be on there. They've proved their mettle in every facet of the lyrical game: Punchlines, wit, flow, imagery, storytelling, the gamut. Wished they'd rhymed on the intro and dumped What Goes On? into the toilet as that shit subject matter simply disagrees with my very being. The problem, as always with acts this focused, is that they signed with the worst label possible. Big Beat ranks right up there with TVT Records as one of the shittiest labels to ever promote hip hop, naturally leading to casualties like Mic Geronimo, Royal Flush, Real Live, and our boys the Artifacts. Still, at least they were greenlighted for a follow-up. But that's for another time.

(Mr. Todd Ray, I know you sadly moved on from hip hop to do you. If you feel any information in here is incorrect, please feel free to put me and my reader up on game in the comments.)

WORTH IT? What part of "lasting" didn't you understand?! Go acquire this now!! Or simply gobble up whatever the fuck DJ Akademiks' untalented, clout-chasing ass shovels down your throat.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
DYNAMITE SOUL II (LIP SERVICE MIX) (FEATURING SKILLZ)
My very first review of a Skillz track!! Been a while since I reviewed EZ Elpee, too!! I feel that EZ's beat here is so reminiscent of DITC's sound that it could be mistaken for a Buckwild or Lord Finesse production. That's intended as the highest of compliments, as he freaks a mean bass loop with the hardest snares. Tame, El & guest Skillz do not waste this opportunity in the slightest as they all body the fuck outta the beat, with Skillz sounding so at home he could easily be confused as the third Artifact MC. DJ Roc Raida RIP's scratches at the end are, as always, the icing on the cake. This is one remix you don't wanna miss, especially if you loved the proper album. And we're done.

For more Soul Assassins entries, have at it. If you want to diverge into Artifacts territory, be my most welcome guest.

Almost forgot...

A big, BIG shoutout to No Knockoffs Radio, who provided me the chance for my first public recorded appearance in the US. You read correctly, I'm on the show. Have at y'all in the comments of this video, because clearly, y'all ain't interested in commenting here! LMMFAO!!

House of Pain - Same As It Ever Was (June 28, 1994)

It's another Soul Assassins post, and we still ain't scratched the surface of how beloved and respected this crew was. For example, back in their heyday, inter-regional acceptance was a pretty big accomplishment. Seeing as there wasn't no social media to speak of, only way you knew that Snoop Dogg was feeling Nas' output, for instance, was through radio or TV interviews. However, there was always a way more impactful and traceable method: Actually work with the mufucca you tryna big up! And while East Coast luminaries were always known to appear on albums from the West Coast, vice-versa there really wasn't a lot of people besides Ice Cube. But as influential as Cube was, his appeal on the East Coast didn't really last as much as his buddies/frenemies the Soul Assassins crew, consisting of Cypress Hill, Funkdoobiest & our hosts today House Of Pain. Because, let me tell y'all something: When that senseless crap between the East & West was going down, everyone from this crew still had safe passage and made a gang of records with the East. Not only that, but a figure like Mr. Lorenzo Cavassi aka Lawrence Muggerud bka the criminally-underrated DJ Muggs (originally hailing from Queens, NY) had so much sway on the East Coast that he helped other mufuccas from the West discover their musical calling on the other side. Enough about that for now: How about we get into where his Irish/Polish crewmates were up to by then, eh?

Because let there be no confusion: The trio of Erik "Everlast" Schrody, Daniel "Danny Boy" O' Connor & Leor "DJ Lethal" Dimant had one of the biggest smash hits in musical history on their hands, no joke. The Muggs-produced debut single Jump Around blew up so friggin' big that every other industry related to entertainment wanted in on the action. Hell, the Stale Cheeto In Charge grabbed it for his horseshit presidential candidacy campaign. Thank God, E turned out to be one of the good ones and shut that embarrassment down with a quick cease and desist accompanied with the healthiest of middle fingers. Enough political discourse, though.

As a direct result, the debut album Fine Malt Lyrics followed its gargantuan lead single into platinum status. Good thing, too, because it was a bar-room-brawl-anthem-chugging-machine. Soul Assassins’ in-house producers Muggs and his two protégés Lethal and DJ Ralph M from Funkdoobiest set the standard for future albums from the camp with their blunted funk sound, while Everlast shone on punchline duties while establishing an infectious chemistry with Danny Boy and providing the public with the only album to date where the 3 lead MCs from the camp appear on the same album, duetting with Son Doobie and B-Real (best verse on the album, that) separately. Suffice to say, Fine Malt Lyrics was a success.

Naturally, the assfaces at Tommy Ain't My Motherfucking Boy (Shoutouts to De La Soul. We hold y'all down over here.) wanted now more than ever to squeeze as much money as they could outta the trio. They even shoved E into that Ed Lover/Dr. Dre vehicle Who's The Man? (Shoutouts to Guru's cameo in that. RIP.) and the Judgment Night flick nobody saw, which resulted in at least two House Of Pain songs apiece for each soundtrack. We'll get to those later as one of them appears on the album we're discussing today. Safe to assume that the pressure was on House Of Pain by the abovementioned assfaces to recreate the debut's success.

Now, before I delve into the fact that Same As It Ever Was sold five hundred thousand units stateside within three months after its release, I must say that nobody was checking for its DJ-Lethal-helmed lead single On Point. It smelled forced, as if the label desperately wanted it to be Jump Around 2: The Jumping of Arounds. I'm not saying it's a bad song... yet. Nevertheless, half of the fanbase cultivated by Fine Malt Lyrics returned for a second helping. That's got to be a good sign.

Right?

Same As It Ever Was, boy/girl (pick one):

BACK FROM THE DEAD
DJ Muggs backs E once again with the jumpiest blues horn sample I ever heard in life, that's on GOD. I'm telling you, it's something about when these two work together that brings the extra fonky samples outta this dude Muggs' beats. I believe the industry term for that is chemistry. A concept so abundantly cared for these days in mainstream hip hop. What you mean, I'm delusional?! Oh, y'all wanted to hear about E's performance? (Yes, E's back for dolo. He's been doing that since the prior album, get over it.) I'm glad to report that this display y'all listening to is a damn fine punchline reinvention on wax: Dude stepped his bars and delivery up noticeably, signaling how much he was a student of dudes like Grand Puba & Lord Finesse. No lie, I replayed this around 583 times in a row once. It’s that infectious.

I'M A SWING IT
Lethal is back on the boards, successfully winding down from the previous offering while still continuing the festive mood with a relentlessly dope bass loop, while E&D tag team the beat and give it a punchline fatality. D, far from being E’s lyrical equal, does amp up the overall energy present. I also found the fact that he's introduced way earlier on this album than on Fine Malt Lyrics very welcome indeed. So far this album is 2/2.

ALL THAT (INTERLUDE)
Lethal lets his Juice Crew-themed instrumental go uninterrupted as the jazz sax sampled throughout is begging for E to jump on and cripple. Because you always gets what you want, that never happens as the beat simply fades away.

ON POINT
The lead single. As I said earlier, this was incorrectly marketed as the successor to Jump Around, even though the trio managed to build a song that's straight up fun. On top of providing the grimy jazz-infused beat, Lethal actually drops a short 8-bar verse (his lone lyrical foray to date) mashed with D's own contribution while E bookends the song with bars that are emphasized that much more by his psychotic delivery. Side note: Lethal's brief entry contains yet another 'the Biter' shot at producer & Ruffhouse CEO Joe 'the Butcher' Nicolo, whom E previously dissed at the end of Jump Around, establishing that the bad blood between them wasn't close to being over. Then again, this was a quarter of a century ago, so who knows how these people feel about each other now. Like I said, though: This remains an enjoyable song when one removes the forced Jump Around association.

RUNNIN' UP ON YA
Muggs reenters the fray, armed with a mean bassline loop complimented with a left-field horn byte that actually completes the beat instead of derailing it, something Muggs has mastered around this time. E brings you yet another healthy lyrical dose of fight mode and, trust me, he stepped up his flow game something lovely for this one. Icing on the cake is when he ends his third verse with a Nirvana interpolation that, no joke, made me laugh my ass off because of how random it was. All in all, go ahead and beat somebody up after hearing this. Preferably your asshole of a boss. You'll feel truly alive. (I'm OBVIOUSLY joking, and I'm stating this fact explicitly because you never know with the internet. Not that I have that big of a pull but just in case.)

OVER THERE SHIT
The grimy blues funk is strong with this Muggs composition, which propels E further into his zany rhymes with one hell of an infectious performance. Props to E actually shouting out Milk Dee prior to the popular Audio Two sample. On paper, this might sound like a repeat of the previous song, but the drum break somehow finds E continuing to upgrade his flow, which is a rare thing to see in a hip hop album. Matter of fact, he's actually been impressively consistent throughout the album so far!

WORD IS BOND (FEATURING DIAMOND D)
Remember how I pointed out that the Soul Assassins had a enduring following in the East? Songs like this are a big reason why. Y'know, when one overlooks the production school that Muggs introduced. Anyways, how is this place still called Boombapreviews if I've only just gotten to mentioning the legendary Diggin' In The Crates Crew again after four goddamn years?! Top it off, I've only talked about Diamond D three times in four years. I'm really disappointed in myself. Time for some reparations: Joseph Kirkland bka DITC co-founder Diamond D is your favorite producer to the tenth power. Please believe that if it wasn't for producers like him, our genre would not sonically be what it is today. Also, please believe that he'll stomp that ass on the mic, as he's right up there with the best punchline rappers to ever collide into the game. This is actually the song that put me on to Diam and his innovative usage of sound period, as he turns the sampled Pete Rock & CL Smooth record into an effing instrument atop a soothing blues mesh, including one of the most inventive utilizations of a vocal sample I've ever heard in our beloved genre. And even though the beat is one effective calmer when compared with the rest of the album so far, you can just hear E's excitement at working with a revered figure in his verses. And credit to Diam as well for returning his host's enthusiasm, resulting in a hella fine collaboration. I'm saying, Word Is Bond is so dope it could've fit snugly on Diam's debut Stunts, Blunts & Hip Hop. Not saying this album is inferior but... You know what I mean, bruh.

KEEP IT COMIN'
Muggs really just sat there and watched as E called himself the N word... Aside from that,  the first two verses were a rare change of pace as E gets personal with his rhymes, airing out his insecurities over Muggs dingy blues bass loop. Then, E mutter's that he thinks he's having a breakdown to which Muggs inserts a drum break that intentionally disrupts the fuck outta the experience. Then, as if his brain is damaged beyond repair, E spends the 3rd verse spitting empty threats and boasts the way he's been doing all album, but not before shouting: "Free John Gotti!" outta goddamn nowhere. This was awesome!

INTERLUDE
So, DJ Lethal finally reappears on his own group's album! Too bad, it's an interlude. Shame nobody rhymes on this one, neither, because this jazz sample clearly gives the horns on Back From The Dead a run for their money in terms of jumpiness. Oh well...

SAME AS IT EVER WAS
Danny Boy decides to jump back in the game, as well. And this time he's opening up the track as E hypes him up?! Someone's feeling their nuts! Anyway, the energy on the album returns to group's comfort zone of bar-room-brawl levels as Muggs composes this beat from an energetic mesh of funk & rock. By this point, I'm surprised you're surprised that he can pull this off so effortlessly. Songs like this have effectively highlighted the House Of Pain signature sound, as D and E always sound like they're having the time of their lives getting wooden chairs smashed on their heads and returning the favor in their pub of choice. And E's hook is a tribute to the Beastie Boys. What more can you want? I love this song!

IT AIN'T A CRIME
Muggs bows out of the album as he and Lethal combine forces to hand E, back for dolo, a rambunctious instrumental so he can wreck with some BNB. He does a 180 and provides my favorite rhymes on this here album: A tale of a juvenile gone wild. Honestly, the tale is fairly tall but you won't care if the shit's fun. Songs like this are where you point any stuck up douche who comes at you with the old 'Everlast doesn't know how to rhyme about anything besides fighting in bars'. This here bangs.

WHERE I'M FROM
Lethal takes the helm from here as he provides E with a jazzy tune, to which E spits a heartfelt dedication to his friends. A lotta names get mentioned here: His HOP crewmates, underground Brooklyn legend Divine Styler, ragga legend Cokni O'Dire among others. The 3rd verse interests me, though, because he bemoans the lack of communication between them and even disses one at the end. That went south quick. This is an enjoyable song, though.

STILL GOT A LOTTA LOVE
The sequel to the closing track on the debut. Over a smooth DJ Lethal bass loop, E simply spits one verse where he shouts out a bunch of people, some whom you might've heard of and some not. My favorite shoutout was the last one, because it's true: Ultramagnetic MCs never really got enough credit.

WHO'S THE MAN
Told you I was coming back to this. The song that opens up the abovementioned flick, DJ Lethal really steps up with the beat provided here as he swirls an evil drum break around around a nasty bass sample and lets it breathe, even taking a page from DJ Muggs' book by inserting an interlude mid-beat, while E & D kick stories of being lowlifes in the hood. Both rappers sound like this was recorded shortly after Fine Malt Lyrics was released. Side note: My first inclination was to disbelieve every single word being spit on here, until I found out that E & D actually had a little rep before they got put on. I remain unconvinced E would shank someone in prison, though. All in all, I fux with this.

ON POINT (LETHAL DOSE REMIX)
Basically the exact same rhymes as the original, but Lethal switches up the mood with a far more darker & spacey instrumental. Some might prefer the original, saying its chaotic nature is a better fit for the lyrics, and some might edge out the remix saying it gives the lyrics more space to breathe. It's on you to decide which camp you wanna follow.

FINAL THOUGHTS
First off, lemme just point out the fact that for all the bullshit labels like Tommy Ain't My Motherfucking Boy give artists to produce albums quickly, they sure took their time releasing our trio's sophomore into the public. Because Same As It Ever Was would've surely made much more noise had they done their fucking jobs and released it a year prior. However, we are still talking about Tom Silverman's vanity front and from all the bad press currently circulating about him, it's apparent & clear that the conniving bastard NEVER cared about the culture, let alone its purveyors. Anywhat, the focus should remain Everlast, Danny Boy, DJ Lethal and their collaborators on this album: I am very pleased to report that this is a vastly superior album to their debut, even if no song on here is bigger than Jump Around. DJ Muggs brought the vast growth he experienced to the table, and Lethal met him blow for blow every step of the way, while E clearly elevated his bar game. Danny was never that type of rapper but his energy was always palpable, which is perfect for projects like this. Bringing in Diamond D was a masterstroke, as well, because it exposed House Of Pain to a crowd that might've never heard of them prior. Well done, you Irish hoodlums and you Polish asshole. This will bump proper in your system.

WORTH IT?
Get to this yesterday or go shovel Post Malone into your brain somewhere else.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN

LEGEND
It's baffling to me that Tommy Boy would release an EP prior to Same As It Ever Was that house songs made after the shit. Kinda defeats the purpose of hyping the album, don'tchathink? This is the EP's title track, released as a single and given the video treatment nonetheless. Utterly baffling. Never mind these details as Lethal commissions a somber mesh of piano and electric key samples that drag you to the bowels of E's mind as he mixes some BNB with chilling observations about the age-old dilemma of fame-seeking. Had this been on the proper album, it would've dethroned It Ain't A Crime as my favorite song thereon, but here we are.

WORD IS BOND (REMIX)
Also off the Legend EP. At this point, I’m like: You know what, Tommy Boy? I'm so glad Treach did what he did to y’all asshats. Diamond D must've caught on to how good Pete Rock was with them xylophone samples, so I guess felt he had to prove he was just as good. Hey, 'tis the rules of the trade. You shouldn't trip, though, because a motivated Diamond D is a genius Diamond D. Not only does he freak a vastly superior remix to his original production, he also obliterates E on his own shit. To be fair, E never stood a chance with the verse he gave. It is what it is.

JUST ANOTHER VICTIM
Off the Judgment Night OST is yet another metal/rap mashup where our trio collaborate with alternative metal band Helmet. More like it’s two minutes of Helmet thrashing away until the last two minutes where Lethal takes control of the beat and directs the band and crewmate Everlast into performing a much more effective metal hip hop mashup. And we all know by now how comfortable E is at delivering threats and highlighting insecurities. Shit is wild.

Wanna go back to the House Of Pain? Be my guest. Or explore some more Soul Assassins. It's good for the soul

Cypress Hill - Black Sunday (July 16, 1993)

Half a year later...

If anything, I am one relentless motherfucker. I refuse to back down from a challenge. That's because trying to come up with shit to put in these writeups has begun to cause me actual physical pain again. Not because I stopped loving this material I'm writing about, far from it. But because the last review I wrote was before the infamous Soulja Boy Breakfast Club interview dropped. I hate even talking about that piece of shit but trust me, that interview served as a wakeup call: the mainstream hip hop scene has been flooded with trash music for over a decade now. Not knocking guys who really appreciate the craft like J. Cole or Big KRIT, but even they were forced to compromise with songs that really serve no purpose when it comes to elevating the art form.

Which begs the following questions: When the fuck was it OK for the limits of this art form to not be pushed? When the fuck was it OK for mainstream hip hop acts to settle with the mediocre? I'll let y'all hang with these shits for a moment.

Back to our syndicated program with another look at what many people in the industry call the "Golden Era". Now, pay attention to the fact that each and every attempt to pinpoint the exact timeframe of said era failed so far, simply because of the astronomical number of answers one would get for even asking such a thing. Nevertheless, a common understanding has taken shape in the ether implicating that such era may be traced back to 1986, a mere two years after Run-DMC & LL Cool J transformed the industry from a singles game into an albums game. It was then that the world of hip hop caught the first glimpse of its most influential generation to date. I'm not even gonna list the acts who released material during that time but trust me: You're gonna find that the vast majority of your favorite rappers were, in one way or another, influenced by these mufuccas. That's is exactly the case for one of mines: The legendary B-Real, lead MC and writer for the immortal Cypress Hill. B, along with comrades Sen Dog, hype-man and lowkey-leader of the group, and DJ Muggs, founder of the Soul Assassins and chief architect of its sound, hit the scene with one hell of a bang. Their eponymous debut, released in 1991, was a true testament to how much they were students of the aforementioned pioneers, showcasing distinct influences of Public Enemy and EPMD while retaining their identity and thereby creating a sound all their own. The critical hit was a commercial one, as well, quietly reaching five hundred thousand units sold in early 92. During that time, ol' Muggsy was busy cranking out hits for fellow Soul Assassins alumni House of Pain & Funkdoobiest, with the former's debut album actually achieving platinum status on the strength of the be-all-end-all party jam Jump Around, itself a chart-topping smash. As expected, this did wonders for Muggs' name, as people started researching the guy and found out he had released a full album with Cypress Hill prior. Hence the eponymous debut reaching platinum status in January of 93, as well.

So now that Muggs was done with masterminding the side projects, it was time for him to refocus on the main show. His grimy funk production being somewhat of a hot commodity, Muggs decided that he was going to continue pushing it for a while despite him recognizing that now was a suitable time to elevate his sound. Thus, the world was treated to the biggest Cypress Hill record to date: Insane In The Brain.

Storytime: Insane In The Brain was actually a diss aimed squarely at Chubb Rock and dear friend-turned-bitter enemy Kid Frost. Keyword: WAS. Kid Frost has long since reunited with the Hill and Chubb Rock is on pretty amicable terms with them. Anyways, the song blew up within the rock and metal markets simply because the Hill had an immense appeal with their pothead fanbases. It actually became such a hit that the original objective of the song was completely lost. Hell, even Cypress themselves barely recognize it as the diss it was meant to be. Nevertheless, Insane In The Brain remains the Hill's biggest single stateside, selling five hundred thousand units alone and is forever solidified within the Hill's live show sets. The fuckheads at Sony felt said success was enough groundwork for the accompanying album, Black Sunday, to be unleashed on the starving masses.

To date, Black Sunday is the most successful Soul Assassins project out, selling at least three million units in the US alone. Critics also flocked at hailing this record as gigantic triumph for the group. Time to check if they're onto something.

Boy/girl (pick one), this is Black Sunday

I WANNA GET HIGH
What kind of Cypress Hill album would this be if it didn't house a song or two professing their love for cannabis? Muggs sets the mood off right with some off-kilter horn bytes preceding a soothing funk instrumental looped to enhance the experience of getting baked out your shoes. B responds appropriately with a Rita Marley interpolation, followed by a one-verse ode to the sticky icky. I know y'all know by now that never have and never will come near the stuff, but as far as weed songs go, this one's par the standard our trio set for themselves.

I AIN'T GOIN' OUT LIKE THAT
Remember Todd Ray bka T-Ray from the previous post? I told y'all I was coming back to him, right? Well, his status as Soul Assassins beatsmith is very much intact here as he rises up to Muggs' lofty bar with one hell of a concoction for the third single: A mashup of saxophone excerpts and harmonica interludes set to a looped guitar riff with some bass menacingly dragging the instrumental's body by its cold dead limbs until the drum break resurrects the whole shit as it hits you and shatters your ribcage. This is one beat that will stay wormed into your brain as B and Sen, in his first appearance on the album providing the B-written middle stanza, brutalize T-Ray's production with yet another thuggery display that'll incite a riot at your local high school reunion if played. Naturally, this song's my shit!

INSANE IN THE BRAIN
There's the lead single! Fun fact: this song and the previous one were the set Cypress Hill played the night they got banned from SNL. Speaking of which, fuck Lorne Michaels. Now that I got that outta the way, holy hell did this song ever cross over! TBH, I never understood why metalheads took to this song in particular. I mean, I highly doubt that they understood the disses towards Chubb Rock & Kid Frost. Hell, I'm even positive that there are other songs on the album that were much more infused with metal influence than this one, yet here we are. This is still an iconic entry in their discography, though: Muggs utilized the same formula that made How I Could Just Kill A Man so big and dialed it up to eleven with even quirkier sample material, harder drums and better arrangement of verses for B and Sen. I notice that it's actually Sen who's dishing out all the subliminal insults on the song. Never let it be said that he was a punk who hid behind B, even when B wrote the actual verses themselves. All in all, this deserves its place as one of hip hop's true anthems

WHEN THE SHIT GOES DOWN
Time for B to prove to mufuccas that he's an MC again. Over a bouncy ass composition issued as the second single where Muggs speeds an out-of-left-field blues classic, B, by his lonesome, describes a tale where his home, spot, gate, whatever gets ambushed and he finally gets shot in the chest while intending to go out in a blaze of glory. While the beat is very addictive and melodic, I wouldn't have pegged it to be a perfect backdrop to a shootout song. Then again, that's why Muggs is the producer with legendary 3-decade career and I'm not. Let me be clear, though: I have always loved this song!

LICK A SHOT
Here's what's interesting: The bass sample Muggs utilizes here is actually slowed down. Nevertheless, this is one high-octane number, as B ingeniously switches up his delivery, sounding like an absolute madman as a result. What's curious is that this song sounds like a continuation of the events that transpired in the previous one. B is once again in storytelling mode, but this time the matchup between beat and lyrical performance is much more effective as B relays the desperate situation his character's in with surprisingly vivid detail. What's even doper is that he unveils a twist where the whole sequence was just a dream, upon which he wakes up right at the moment where he still gets ambushed, without his firearms this time, and another worse scenario immediately plays out. Nice display of continuity, Cypress Hill!

COCK THE HAMMER
Hands down, the darkest, grimiest and best song on the entire album. If you ever thought that DJ Muggs was a one-trick pony, here's where he first proved you wrong. Dude really knows how to pull shit from left field: This time a bass loop from Brazilian jazz fusion infused with a soulful drum break warped to result in the most soulless of backdrops he has ever come up with up to this point. This is where B-Real flexes his writing muscles, as he provides a verse for Sen that is so potent fools are still quoting it decades later! Sen’s delivery of said verse was so powerful it whipped B into a one-verse thuggery frenzy mixed with some buccaneering imagery. Appropriate, that, as B looked like a reincarnated Blackbeard back then. If you were still wondering, B stomped out the beat something feral with his offering. One of the greatest hip hop songs I've ever heard.

LOCK DOWN
A short instrumental break. I will say that these beats are where Muggs first started experimenting with sounds that don't really need lyrics to paint full pictures. This is one where he puts to use a legendary blues byte and effectively captures the feel of living that ever-so-excruciating prison life. The beat literally sounds like when the prison bars are closing down during nighttime. Brilliant. Still an interlude, though.

3 LIL' PUTOS
If any one song off this album replicates the cartoonish formula of the first album, this is it. A pseudo-sequel to Psycobetabuckdown, this time with Sen joining on the fun with yet another Spanglish display provided for him by his writing partner. People forget that he, not his younger brother Mellow Man Ace, was the first to utilize said concept, though. Anyways, the sound of B and Sen goofing off on an equally goofy blues loop cheffed up by Muggs is always welcome in my ride. So far, this album has no hitch!

LEGALIZE IT
Alas, I hastily spoke. Another interlude so soon, Muggs? Here, he slows down a funky guitar riff while sprinkling various bits of weed PSAs. Creative, but unnecessary.

HITS FROM THE BONG
Over Muggs' classic blues loop, B-Real launches into yet another two-verse ode to his recreational drug of choice. I gotta give props to him for coming up with new ways to express his adulation for this subject. moving on.

WHAT GO AROUND COME AROUND, KID
Another goofy blues-infused Muggs beat, another B-written cartoonish display of violence performed by B and Sen in what's essentially a retread of 3 Lil' Putos. Like I said in the prologue, Muggs clearly felt that such goofiness still had a crowd by the time they eased into different sonic domains, so I give him props for sticking to it. And it ain't like the song isn't entertaining, especially when B hilariously decides to act out his kung fu fantasies. Fun note: By sampling Hand On The Glock, which appears later on the album, this track presents another example of an annoying recurrence in hip hop albums: How hard is it to just bump the earlier-recorded songs up a few slots?!

A TO THE K
Prior to appearing on this album, this song showed up on the White Men Can't Jump OST, cheekily titled White Men Can't Rap. Funny, since fellow Soul Assassins alumni House Of Pain were one of the biggest hip hop, scratch that, musical acts of that particular summer with that infectious Jump Around classic. Anyway back to this, it's my resolute opinion that this album's sequencing is absolutely terrible. If it were up to me, I'd sequence that shit into medleys: the haunting medley, the weed medley, the cartoonish medley, etc. As such, people might be understandably turned off the album by this point. And even though the traditional formula is here and it kept me entertained, I completely get why.

HAND ON THE GLOCK
Second song to show up on the album outta context, as this is a remix to the Hill's intended debut single Hand On The Pump. Like I said, these should've opened the album along with the singles. Especially since there's no overarching narrative to speak of. Oh well, at least it's a good and faithful remix.

BREAK 'EM OFF SOME
Hey! The Hill decided to end Black Sunday with a bang! Muggs transforms a smooth jazz loop into a high-octane thumper tailor made for B-Real to kick three verses describing him escaping the pigs. And here's where his delivery and lyrical choices steal the show once again as they relay the tension such situations produce effectively. Told y'all he's brilliant! Shame that some people can't get past his nasalities to appreciate these details. Oh, well. Their loss.

FINAL THOUGHTS
The Hill's at it again! Black Sunday is most definitely a successful second helping of the winning formula used so brilliantly on its predecessor, while not without its moments of attempting to naturally evolve and expand their domain, which is inherently a tough thing to do without polarizing your core audience. To that end I also feel like they succeeded, as songs like Cock The Hammer and I Ain't Goin' Out Like That have since become Cypress Hill staples for a good goddamned reason. All thanks to Muggs' constant efforts behind the boards to push himself beyond his achievements. B-Real also stepped his pen game up, writing material for both him and Sen that enhanced their vocal chemistry together, with Sen really stepping up and sometimes even overshadowing B with his delivery and tone. All in all, these dudes have notched another classic in their catalog, despite some later inconsistencies.

WORTH IT?
Ayo, if you wanna stubbornly stick with the whole "oldhead" debates currently plaguing hip hop media, get the fuck off my shit and take your ass up the Old Town Road with Lil Nas X' deluded ass. If you wanna grow the fuck up and appreciate good music for what it is, have yourself a piece of this gem now.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
I LOVE YOU, MARY JANE
The first of two Cypress Hill metal collaborations off the Judgment Night OST which featured various other dope ass metal/hip hop collaborations, to be frank. In this case, the Hill collaborate with Sonic Youth in tribute to guess what? I will say that Muggs really succeeded in reigning in Sonic Youth to fit in their warped weed-hazed sound for these odes. As far as the lyrical front, B is on his own, which never posed a problem for him in such circumstances and continues not to.

REAL THING
The second metal collaboration off the abovementioned OST, and this one sounds much more metal-influenced. In this case, this is a good thing, because the MO here is another all-out war with the police. B-Real sounds appropriately demented, while providing Sen with more deliberate threats. Muggs adapts to the foreign environment, setting the stage for future forays into this medium. I love this song!

SCOOBY DOO
This track's interesting: It's been featured on every single released after the album dropped. That lets me know that the Hill really wanted people to hear this track. Here, B goes for delf with two verses that describe a story where he survives an ambush after getting shot, all over another warped concoction by Muggs. A foreshadowing of things to come. Definitely seek this one out. And we’re finally done with the hiatus

Need another hit of that Soul Assassins icky? Knock yourself out. If you want to just maintain with Cypress Hill, gahead.

Funkdoobiest - Which Doobie U B? (May 4, 1993)

And we're back with the Eminem thing. Trust me, I know I'm talking about him a lot but there's a time and a place for these pulls, and this is one of them.

So it's 2003, right? I'm just beginning to cool off my Eminem phase when I watch the music video for Guilty Conscience for the first time. I distinctly remember laughing my ass off at Em's antics in said video, which was probably the point. Anyway, even though I wasn't necessarily paying attention to lyrics back then, for some reason Em's reference to one of our three hosts today stuck for the longest...

Yes, people: Apparently Jason Vasquez aka the Tribal Funkster bka Son Doobie moonlighted as an actual pornstar just before the noughties hit. And thus I concluded the segment where I address the elephant in the room.

Because, believe it or not, I actually think there's more to the legacy of Son Doobie and his two cohorts Ralph Medrano bka DJ Ralph M & Tyrone Pacheco bka Tomahawk Funk than just porn. I'm actually pretty adamant that the trio, collectively known as Funkdoobiest, are fully capable of producing classic hip hop moments that bang with the best of them, due to Ralph M being yet another protege of the legendary DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. However, let this not be taken as our trio somehow being youngins back when they formed. Far from it, as Tomahawk Funk was an original member of Cypress Hill’s previous iteration by the name of DVX way back when, and Ralph M DJed for Kid Frost way before he met Muggs. These dudes had pedigree.

Nevertheless, the pieces were set in the early 90s, as Muggs was slowly but surely forming a new empire of sound that proved itself with hits like How I Could Just Kill A Man and the unfathomable Jump Around. All setting the bar for what to expect from a Soul Assassins record.

Another important note: It was around this time that Muggs became acquainted with a white dude from South Carolina named Todd Ray aka T-Ray who was heavily entrenched in the NY hip hop production scene. So much so that he became renowned as a 'beat king' of sorts. Afterwards, T-Ray got down with the Soul Assassins crew and was yet another asset to their sound. I tell you: The more I search into this guy's background, the more he becomes a mystery. But remember the name T-Ray, fellow lonely soul. He has quite the part to play later.

Back to our trio for a bit: Immediately after forming, they decided to throw their hat in Muggs' ring of hits. The result was a demo housing many of the joints that would end up on the album, including a street single called The Funkiest that had LA rocking, if Muggs is to be believed. When the sales pitch to Epic was made, the label once again opted not to go with the proposed single, instead choosing another song called Bow Wow Wow. That colossal mistake on Epic’s part is the first and major reason why Funkdoobiest never could reach the highs of their Soul Assassins brethren. Amid countless others, naturally. Nevertheless, there was still a ready-made album that our trio completed with Muggs, T-Ray, DJ Lethal from House of Pain and DJ Ralph M himself, making for the most complete sonic representation of the Soul Assassins collective to date, production-wise. And Epic took the bait.

This is Which Doobie U B?, boy/girl (pick one):

THE FUNKIEST
DJ Muggs helms the second single and it's painfully obvious why this had a towering street buzz: He KNOWS how to extract the most out of the mesh of samples to create a bombastic sound reminiscent of both the Hit Squad & the Bomb Squad. This, as is the case for the majority of the album, is a Son Doobie showcase, and you'll quickly find that he fits the B-Real archetype quite nicely: Even if he ain't necessarily as lyrical as B here, he has an abundance of personality that will sell you on the song. I love this shit.

BOW WOW WOW
The first single. I've already delved enough into the backstory behind this song so I'll just mention that this DJ Muggs production is a bit more fast-paced, even though it retains the same elements that made the previous beat so enjoyable: An emphasis on dusty drums and funky talkbox bits. Son Doobie here shows that he can liven up a party pretty well. 2 for 2.

FREAK MODE
DJ Ralph M debuts on his act's album with a clear example that he learned from Muggs pretty damn well: An earwormy mix of piano keys and brief guitar stabs will have your head nodding like crazy in no time. This also marks the first time Tomahawk Funk shows up on the record and I must say, his tag team with SD is the right amount of infectious. This might be one of the better party jams I've heard from the Soul Assassins collective, and that's definitely saying something.

I'M SHITTIN' ON 'EM
Ah yes, the advent of Todd Ray. T over here proves that he adapts to his environments well as he crafts a beat that slides comfortably into the album's overall turn-up mood. SD presents us with yet another enjoyable showing from him that houses a clear example of how to keep consistent with your subject matter without sounding boring. The 4th home run in a row!

WHO'S THE DOOBIEST
I must say: SD and T-Ray are creating quite the winning tandem here. And they brought TF along for the ride this time as both MCs wreck yet another infectious, claustrophobic and minimalist T-Ray dedication to the ways of rocking out. You'll love this album, so far!

DOOBIE TO THE HEAD
DJ Ralph M brings us his second beat for the evening along with an impressive low-key scratching display and it's a much-needed slow down from lit mode, with that jeep-rattling funk that perfect for cannabis sessions. Our duo rise to the occasion with yet another set of battle rhymes that may seem inconsequential at first, until you realize that the real achievement is the pair's flow: It matches the beats presented to them perfectly, thereby enhancing the overall product immensely. I also must note that Son Doobie has his partner clearly beat in this regard.

WHERE'S IT AT
The thing that immediately jumps out at you when you first hear this T-Ray concoction is the dominant voice of Pete Rock's sampled ad-lib, towering above the abyss of samples meshed together in a return to the album-length ode to having fun. And it's here that Mr. Tyrone chooses to unload an exhibition of flow that completely stumps Son Doobie and stops him from even attempting to compete with his elder fellow. Still some good shit from the Tribal Funkster.

WOPBABALUBOP (FEATURING B-REAL)
T-Ray now gets to produce a beat rendered raucous due to the prevalent sampled vocals for the lead MCs of Funkdoobiest and Cypress Hill to demolish. And oh dear God, do they ever: B-Real came cocked and loaded with a flurry of cartoonishly-delivered BNB that'll knock your head clean off, while the Doobies bat clean up. Oddly, T-Funk's closing sex raps fumble the ball for his end while Son Doobie stays the braggadocio course in the closing verse. Overall, another successful Soul Assassins posse cut.

THE PORNO KING
Here's the skit that officially solidified Son Doobie's reputation for being a porn-crazed pothead. Fuck this shit.

UH C'MON YEAH!
Contrary to what you may presume after the previous skit, this is yet another infectious display of party braggadocio for dolo by Son Doobie, effectively curated by DJ Ralph M with an organ-heavy thumper. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how the cohesiveness of these tracks ultimately lifts the quality of the overall package. Once again, this is a song you have to listen to in order to appreciate.

HERE I AM
Tyrone has apparently had enough of Son Doobie hogging all the spotlight, so he gives him and his significant other a powerful batch of weed and shoves both of them into the nearest closet, fulfilling his master plan of finally getting them to lose their virginity to each other, while he relishes in the opportunity to have a solo track all to himself. DJ Ralph M provides a funk-heavy instrumental, successfully relaying the sound one thinks of when hearing the name Tomahawk Funk for the first time. And I must say, TF doesn't squander the alley-oop at all. Good shit.

FUNK'S ON ME
And for the final track of the album, DJ Ralph M really earns his Funky Mexican moniker as he chefs up a grimy goofy beat that prompts SD (fresh from a breakup that breaks the heart of every sex-crazed teen I'm messing with using this corny ass analogy) to unleash his parting party BNBs for the evening. Here's where I tell you that this post has been absolute hell to write and boy am I glad to be done with it.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Funkdoobiest should've been the third home run for the Soul Assassins crew, since they effctively employ everything that made fellow SA alumni Cypress Hill & House of Pain so damn addictive. Alas, it wasn't meant to be, as the fuckwads at Epic made quite the crucial series of mistakes that stumped the Doobies' momentum dead in its tracks. Nevertheless, this debut of theirs sold strongly enough to warrant a sequel two years later. Which is a good thing, because Ralph, Jason & Tyrone can be quite the force when clicking, which they satisfyingly do for the most part: Son Doobie handles lead MC duties with the required confidence and consistency, while Tomahawk Funk is as competent in the backing MC role as Sen Dog, in my humble opinion. I am perfectly aware of the magnitude of that last statement. However, the most important and crucial member to the equation remains DJ Ralph M, who held the product altogether extremely well. You know, such is the forgotten role of the DJ/producer.

WORTH IT? Oh, don't you dare hesitate for a second. Especially if you are in the market for some chunky party boom bap. If you're here looking for me to talk about Soulja Boy's rants on the Breakfast Club, then who the fuck brought you here?

For more Soul Assassins goodness, git. Funkdoobiest cult-members are to come hither.