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

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - The Main Ingredient (November 8, 1994)

One year is a long-ass time. More accurately, it's been more than one year since people heard the duo of Phillips & Penn aka the PP's bka Pete Rock & CL Smooth on the song One In A Million off the Poetic Justice OST. People were absolutely salivating at the mouth to hear more out of the Mount Vernon duo. Not me, though. I didn't get exposed to our duo until the past decade, around the same time I heard most of the hip hop I love today.

Regardless though, these two really kept busy after their triumphant LP Mecca And The Soul Brother, (where their lead single T.R.O.Y. instantly became an anthem of grief still revered to this day) with guest appearances on Run-DMC's Down With The King (Pete producing three songs while rapping with Corey on the one that matters, the title track. Also the lead single.) as well as Da Youngsta's The Aftermath (Pete producing two songs while also rapping with Corey one the one that matters, Who's The Mic Wrecka?, which isn't even a single, even though it really should've been.) Add those to Pete's ever-growing list of production appearances on various then-high-profile artists' albums. To name a few: His own famous cousin Heavy D,  Doug E. Fresh, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Nas, K-Solo, Redman, and the list goes on. Do you understand why a lot of people were waiting for this album now?

Which brings me to a different issue I currently have with these two's reception in the industry: Why is it that the benefits from the duo's discography seem exclusive to Pete Rock only? Don't get me wrong, the man deserves every bit of success he's got as a producer. However, there are literally no CL Smooth features anywhere relevant until friggin' 2004, unless it's a project somehow related to Pete Rock. It's as if he's forever linked with his producer. I can't believe it's because of lack of lyrical quality on Corey's end, for if anything, the man proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's one of the most complete MCs in history on MATSB. Maybe it's that Corey lacked some business sense back then. For whatever reason, it's a crying shame no one remembers him as much aside from T.R.O.Y., because he is for damn sure more than a one-hit wonder.

Anyways, Elektra somehow missed the effects MATSB had on the industry because, fuckheads that they are, they pushed for a sappy love rap PR & CL submitted as part of the drafted album sampler called I Got A Love to be the lead single for the new project. You know, because Lots Of Lovin' was a radio smash, right? Even though Pete was clearly pushing for another song, Take You There, to lead the album. After I Got A Love was released in September, it predictably flopped. Hard. Only in October did the fuckheads release Take You There as the second single, but by then it was too late.

Furthermore, the climate in which The Main Ingredient was released was vastly different to that of its predecessor's. This was the era where if you hailed from NY and you weren't from Death Row or Bad Boy or affiliated with either in some way, chances are radio will not give you a second glance. I mean, it's not like MATSB did Thriller numbers but it still somehow stuck with people till this day. You're here to find out if The Main Ingredient did the same.

Here we go:

IN THE HOUSE
After a short Deodato prelude where Biz Markie vocals are expertly cut, Pete breaks out an exquisite Cannonball Adderley Quintet loop where Corey gets busy with a first verse that reaffirms Ghostface Killah's similarity to his style. And by association, every acclaimed stream-of-consciousness rapper in the 2000s follows suit since they all bit from Ghost himself. Up next, it's Pete with yet another ghostwriter, Robert Odindo aka Rob-O from InI. Because Pete is forever cursed when it comes to lyrics and he knows this, so I can't blame him. In turn, he can't blame me for not crediting him with the lyrical skill his verse displayed so allow me to rephrase: Up next, it's Rob-O with a smoldering verse that really establishes his penchant for punchlines! No hard feelings eh, Pete? If it's any consolation, I really think Rob-O is the D.O.C. to your Dr. Dre so at least you chose well? Anyways, Corey bats cleanup with a verse that, while stylistically similar to his prior verse, differs from it in subject matter. Because this one is all about establishing him as a threat to those who take him lightly whereas the first showed his charms in parties and to the ladies. Might I add that the way Pete samples Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest sounds as if The Abstract's right there spitting the hook effortlessly with them. Here, I give this album an edge over the previous one in the choice for the opening track. The icing on the cake is the outro sampled from Roy Ayers. Awesome.

CARMEL CITY
Props to PR for discovering this Milt Jackson/Ray Brown Big Band sample, opening the door for other great artists to make classics like Large Professor's Ijuswannachill, Heltah Skeltah's Therapy and De La Soul's Dinninit. Furthermore near the end, Pete scratches the whistle sample as if it's the lost instrument in this masterful composition. Too bad CL here decided that this would be suitable for an insipid sex rap. The most infuriating aspect of his performance, however, is that his fantastic first verse tricks you into thinking the whole song will be a tour through the fictional titular city. I don't even mind him boasting about his sexual prowess during said verse, as long as it's not the main focus. Too bad he veers off into sex rap territory from the second verse onward. This song could've been so much more, but as it stands all you'll like is the beat and the first verse, which is disappointing.

I GET PHYSICAL
The minute you hear the great Big Daddy Kane's sampled voice, you immediately know what you're in for: A healthy dose of bragging. If done right, such doses can make for timeless experiences. In this case, the lyrics dished out by Corey here stand among the very best he's ever written. No lie. This shit ranks up there with all your favorite tracks devoted solely to the art of braggadocious MCing. Of course the George Benson loop supplied by Pete Rock has been mixed to utter perfection, so there's that. This will stick in your head for days.

SUN WON'T COME OUT
From one bragging classic to another as the quotables keep coming. This is one fine one-two combo, as CL wilds out on PR's amazing second sampling of Nautilus. Only problem I have with this song is Pete Rock's crappy hook. Damn, his listing of their hits grates on my senses. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the Harvey Scales sample that gave the song its title was sampled perfectly for the hook, so all Pete had to do was shut the fuck up. Oh well, our duo still deserves crazy props for this track.

I GOT A LOVE
And here's where the momentum comes to a screeching halt. Seriously, how can one listen to this and decide it's lead single material for a group like goddamn Pete Rock & CL Smooth?! This is one song that is an affront to each and every one of your senses. The beat is definitely half-assed, with its ludicrous Ambassadors sample and Corey dumbing his lyrics way too down for my tastes, even though his flow is still something impressive. I'm sorry but this song is inexcusable.

ESCAPE
Good thing I can count on Rob-O to get me back in the proper mood for some good hip hop, right? Because he has a definite chemistry that sends crystal clear signals of classic-music potential with the Petestrumentals he writes to. (See what I did there?) Speaking of which, the Petestrumental present here is absolutely breathtaking, with the Ramsey Lewis sample somehow flipped from its original uplifting tune to an ominously daring melody. Maybe it's the echoing Biz Markie sample in the background, as the dude's early material really had a grandiose feel about it. Or maybe it's that Pete's ear for bringing the unexpected out of a sample is frighteningly good, joining the rest of the legendary producers from that era in that particular aspect. For the outro, Pete freaks a mesmerizing beat once again out of the prior Milt Jackson/ Ray Brown Big Band sample.

THE MAIN INGREDIENT
In musical terms, this song's beat is the spiritual sequel to PR's previous work on If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right. Because he resumes his contention for the crown of 'Mad Scientist' that all producers aspire to achieve. Seriously, two seconds from Tyrone Washington? One second from George Duke, expertly paired with a friggin' chanting sample from Albino Gorilla? With a deft Les McCann switch-up thrown in for good measure? Add all that to an infectious combination of KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane and a two-second Tyrone Washington sax? I gotta catch my breath. Of course, he managed to make a battle-worthy beat out of all that, so CL really didn't have any choice but to fully commit to the bait. And he does so with a braggadocious contribution that very much matches the lofty-as-all-hell standards we've seen from him on that front. This man really is on a lyrical mission, one he's pretty much succeeded in so far. Too bad the ad-libs exceptionally grate on the nerves here. Once again, though, a magnificent outro by Pete that samples The Modern Jazz Quartet this time. Really killing it with these musical interludes

WORLDWIDE (FEATURING ROB-O)
Mr. Odindo is the breakout star of this album. For real, this dude's lyrics are featured on the album almost as much as Corey's. Eight verses in total! Pity that didn't really lead to something worthwhile for him. Nevertheless, He and Pete take turns reciting his lyrics, and Pete recites the dogpiss out of them. I do suppose that it's weird when someone performs your own lyrics better than you, but Pete's voice is more authoritative than Rob-O's own. In a way, I kind of prefer it like this. sort of keeps the illusion intact. The bat finds Pete once again working wonders with the xylophone samples, as expected. This song was awesome.

ALL THE PLACES
Opening with the final seconds of a James Brown classic? Timeless. This song is a hypnotic repeat of Sun Won't Come Out that utilizes a prominent Donald Byrd loop, only with PR heavily dialing down on the ad-libs, thank the Almighty. Trust me when I tell you that this is one of those beats that evoke a strong sense of nostalgia out of you, even if said sense doesn't necessarily correlate to the beat itself. Conversely, CL decides to dial up his imagery. Thereby forcing his stream-of-consciousness writing to display true feats of lyricism. Fourth smash in a row, so far.

TELL ME
Um, what the actual motherfuck?! Aside from his by-now customary outro which samples that Oliver Sain sample, any wizardry Pete is attempting with his sampling of Stan Getz is obliterated by him braying on Corey's already-lame-as-menses hook. I know he isn't literally braying but he might as well be, truthfully. Hell, the resulting beat is one steaming pile of sow-dung. What makes the whole package even more of an abomination is the fact that Corey contributes the dreadiest of all narratives. Seriously, for a love story with a happy ending, this is one depressing story. This shit should've stayed inside Pete & Corey's respective heads.

TAKE YOU THERE (FEATURING CRYSTAL JOHNSON)
The second single, and the one PR & CL were pushing for to be the lead. Built squarely upon the same Keni Burke sample source PR used in his monster posse cut The Basement on MATSB, Pete enlists the help of one Crystal Johnson to elevate the track's status to a club banger. Goddamn, I wish all club bangers sounded like this again. The result is an epic sweeping instrumental that screams for CL to go nuts over. And go nuts he did, with a majestic serving of BNB (boasts-n-bullshit) that wouldn't sound out of place to this day. The man has transformed into a quotable machine. 'I’m living through my son so daddy see it this way/I want him in the NFL, his brother in the NBA'? Contrasts beautifully with lines like 'I’m blowing up spots for knots in the millennium years/And now I drop it on my peers, brings tears and fears'. I mean, these smacktalking combos are the stuff of myth. When this was released as a single, Pete released a remix thereto that will blow your head clean off your shoulders. It’s that good.

SEARCHING (FEATURING VINIA MOJICA)
Again with the love songs! Our duo must've gotten some crazy ass for this album to go the way it did, with four useless friggin' love songs outta sixteen. And you can't tell me that Mr. Peter Phillips' giant aping of Roy Ayers doesn't sound like the cheesiest of all cheesy R&B songs back then with a straight face. And Mr. Corey Penn sure saved the sleaziest of all his sex raps for last didn't he? Vinia Mojica would go on to do bigger and better things with her crooning. I've never wanted to call these two the PP's more than after listening to this garbage.

CHECK IT OUT
This song is going to have to be a blast if it's going to pull me out of the mood I'm currently in. Thankfully, it's just that. The Soul Brother earns his keep by looping a Young-Holt Unlimited sample at just the right measure. And the Mecca Don responds by turning in yet another flawless bragging display, albeit one that's splashed here and there with some vivid introspection and imagery, and you know how good he is at doing that.

IN THE FLESH (FEATURING ROB-O & DEDI)
This is supposed to be the sequel to The Basement, but unfortunately Grap and the Hevster are noticeable in their absence. Nevertheless, the remaining crew pull through after an above-average snippet by Dedi. The Modern Jazz Quartet-sampling beat on that intro would later serve as the backdrop of Sadat X' Escape From New York, also featuring Dedi. Here though, The George Benson loop, when finally unveiled, forces you to focus on the MCs' lyrics. Also, the addition of various Steve Miller samples further adds to the building crescendo of each verse, marked by Pete's melodic scratching of a sampled Big Daddy Kane uttering the track's title. This wouldn't count for squat, of course, if the rappers didn't deliver. Thankfully, they did, and in spades. Corey was his by-now standard arbitrary self in his bragging, with Rob-O following suit spectacularly.  Dedi did as good as one would expect of him, yet he kind of foreshadowed some pretty low lyrical moments for him here. As for Pete? Well, if Rob did well, you know Pete followed in similar fashion. Because, you know, Rob wrote his lines, see. (Fuck you if this whole ghostwriting schtick pissed you off)

IT'S ON YOU (OUTRO BY GRAP LUVA)
I'm not sure if you noticed, but there seems to be a void in the introspection side of this album so far, right? I mean, MATSB had so many reflection on the various issues facing black men. Well, imagine if all these songs were balled up and rolled into one. Impossible, you say? I give you this track: A mafioso tale encompassing the dark & soulless existence of winning in the criminal life. No tragic death found here, he wins. But the thing is, maybe the fact that he continues to live this miserable life is the real tragedy highlighted here. At least, that's what CL relayed with his best lyrical performance bar none in my humble opinion. A wicked combination of an Ahmad Jamal loop, a California Dreamers vocal sample and four Erick Sermon bars from his glory days with the immortal EPMD were all PR needed to surround CL's harrowing tale with the tunes it deserves. The icing on the was when PR looped Ahmad Jamal again on the outro for a small sampler from his younger brother Grap Luva, who does the best anyone can do with 30 seconds mic time. Why didn't you include him on In The Flesh? Why?

GET ON THE MIC
The title, given by a Biz Markie sample, can only mean that this track will be a battle track. Sure enough, Corey brings his brand of imagery, punchlines and brags to close out a brilliant partnership that has lasted for at least five years, while Pete gives him the bloodpumping backdrop that fits the occasion with a smartly-cut Jeanne & The Darlings loop. I would've closed out the album with the previous track myself and bumped this track up a few tracks. But that's me.

FINAL THOUGHTS
By the time you finish The Main Ingredient, it feels kind of bittersweet. Even though this really isn't the final time these two work together. I can't really put my finger on it, but maybe it's the fact that they dissolved this partnership that has produced many a classic. And yes, even a few on this album. Pete makes sure of that with his production that proves, if nothing, that his ear only got better with time, which allowed him to musically make The Main Ingredient one of my two favorite albums of his production career. On the lyrical front, it strikes me that CL is out to prove that he is an MC's MC on this album. Too bad, critics and fans alike didn't really give him a chance, with them too attached to his excellent choices in subject matter on the previous album. Here, he zeroed in on proving that he could lyrically do things no one else can do, no matter how hard they tried. And to that effect he succeeded gloriously. I mean, his flow still remains on of the most headnodding flows in hip hop history, and he was able to juggle that with lyrical dexterity. Sure as hell looks like a success to me. Best way to sum the lyrical content of this album in comparison to the previous one is that it's the Ironman to MATSB's Purple Tape. The Goodfellas to their Runaway Slave.

WORTH IT? You owe it to yourself to acquire this album. Everyone who has a vague interest in boom bap knows what Pete Rock could do with an SP1200 back then, and the vast majority of this album is no exception. And if by chance you claim to be a fan of these two yet you dislike the album? I'm willing to bet that you never really understood what CL Smooth was about as an MC, because he was so much more than a preacher on that mic.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
WHAT'S NEXT ON THE MENU
Off the Who's The Man? OST in 1993. The reason I added this song here rather than on the MATSB review is that I believe that the song could've fit right at home on this album, with PR's adrenaline rush of a mashup between Nautilus and Kool & The Gang. And the sax samples throughout add that extra bit of magic that make this beat absolutely timeless. CL answers his producer's challenge by displaying two verses that echo the various bragging vibes found on The Main Ingredient, except this time he chooses to amaze you with an all-new aspect of his performance: Breath control. This shit hails from the same school as the many wondrous contributions of the G Raps, the Treaches, the Big Puns of hip hop have given over the years. Oh, and this might very well be the only time that CL ever ghostwrote for Pete. To his credit, PR has always been pretty good at delivering lyrics on the mic if they’re written competently enough, and here they’re so good that Pete sounds like CL’s twin, the highest of compliments. A must-hear.

WE SPECIALIZE (FEATURING KENNY AUSTIN OF THE YG'Z)
Back with the xylophone samples is Pete Rock to take your breath away once again on this b-side to Searching. Yes, that piece of ear rape really came out as a single. Ugh. CL Smooth really did all the heavylifting on the lyrics here, since all Kenneth here contributed was a measly 10 bars. Granted his flow was impressive, only because it aped that of CL himself. Speaking of which, the man continues to amaze with his confidence shining through his choices in referencing, imagery and punchlines. Add that with Pete's smart scratches of KRS-One, the late great ODB and my favorite cut, PMD, and you've got yourself a hidden classic, my friend. And we're done.

For more of the one who isn't CL Smooth, here.

Method Man - Tical (November 15, 1994)

Finally, I get to one of the two guys who introduced me to hip hop! (exhausted groan)

You know, for a guy whose popularity was unstoppably skyrocketing at the time of this shit's release, Cliffy Clifford Smith bka Method Man from the Wu-Tang Clan sure hates the spotlight. And he hates that sex symbol status he's been stuck with even more. Whatever makes you sleep at night, Mef.

I've already went to length regarding how Mef introduced me to hip hop in general, through his stellar showing on the Monstars Anthem, a song that I still friggin' love. Him & B-Real stuck with me for the longest time during my days of hip hop aloofness, especially in their roles in the one entertainment medium I truly love more than any other, video games. Various Method Man appearances in particular came my way through his participation in the Def Jam-AKI gems and on radio stations of both GTA: Liberty City Stories for the PSP and True Crime: NYC for the PS2. Had I been more attentive to Protect Ya Neck at the time, I would've began my Wu journey much sooner than I have. But I guess it was meant to be as it happened since I already read a review of their 1998 game, Shaolin Style, that very same year and still didn't connect the dots. A fact that's still funny as shit to me. Anyways, on my various PSP rampages through Liberty City, I've always been drawn to Mef's appearances on the Liberty Jam, the hip hop station,  in which two songs he absolutely smoked were chosen: One was the forever-underrated Do What Ya Feel off of his cohort Reggie Noble bka Redman's classic Muddy Waters.

The other is much more relevant to this post, as it is the album cut of All I Need. This song is one of the select few tracks that effectively cater to hardcore hip hop heads and couples who don't know shit about hip hop simultaneously. This might be the only song your wife might enjoy with you if she's utterly disgusted with this thing you're constantly listening to and reading about online. (And somehow refusing to comment on these posts, even after 10 fucking months!) I'll talk about the song more in the proper review, but for a year and a half these two songs were all I played from Mef's entire discography. That is until YouTube and Wikipedia changed that shit forever. I was taken into the 36 Chambers, following which I properly began my twisted journey into Wu-stannery. So, after regrettably skipping the Gravediggaz classic N****mortis/6 Feet Deep for a short while, I immediately jumped into the next step: Tical.

Before that, let me take you to a time when Robert "RZA" Diggs was still concocting his plot for Wu domination. 1992, specifically. Even though he had every Wu member on board by then, he conceded that he didn't yet have a proper business plan to initiate his takeover. The other members then wisely advised him that not every business move they made needed to be original, just enough. Somehow, this made sense to ol' Rizzy so he made the choice of replicating the business moves of the most influential hip hop group up to that point, EPMD's legendary Hit Squad.

Just to put things in perspective, the Hit Squad had been the first group with all four acts under its banner experiencing both critical and commercial success. Definitely nothing to be scoffed at. EPMD recognized everyone's talents and assigned them the proper position for them. Take the aforementioned Redman for example: EPMD assigned him the position of "punchline guy", even though Das EFX were both equally proficient therein. (You don't listen to Das EFX for the punchlines, though. Right?) To this date, his solo success has eclipsed that of his fellow Squadmates because of that particular decision. Not one to miss details that important, RZA adapted the whole plan hook, line and sinker, and chose Shaquan aka Mef to be his Redman. No, really. That's how fellow DMD member Raekwon explains it on a particularly interesting Combat Jack Show interview. All Bobby needed to add to that melting pot now was the element of concept and the rest would be history, which was what happened sure enough.

So since it's now established that Method Man is the resident punchline expert (even though guys like GZA and especially Inspectah Deck have quite the repertoire of zingers themselves), Bobby needed to surround him with the right beats that fit the aesthetic he wanted Mef to go for. And since witty wordplay and clever use of flow is the most basic form of this shit we love, it was only right for RZA to use beats that were grimier than his last major showing on the boards. I'll leave it to the review to decide if he accomplished that goal. Now from Mef's point of view, it is a very huge plus that the man solely responsible for his group's entire aesthetic was now focusing on making his album sound like that of the chosen torchbearer, a position given to him not just by RZA, but the rest of the Wu members as well. Did this next step in the overall gamble pay off? Well, from a commercial standout, Tical was an undisputed success, selling a million copies in the US alone. But what do bloggers like myself think about this shit twenty two years later?

Mef's debut, people:

TICAL
Leave it to RZA to start off a punchline hip hop album with the opening notes from the classical piece Pictures at an Exhibition. Anyways, a very competent beat dissolves into the distance after a quick display, making room for an equally crafted beat with extra doses of I'ma fuck you up. Mef makes his mission statement very clear: to blow your socks off with his punchlines. And blow my socks off, he did. This album's off to a rocketing start, with this monster of a song segwaying directly into...

BISCUITS
Where RZA steals Mef's thunder big time. The crafting of the instrumental is absolutely genius and the punchlines are beyond inspired, and yet I still have a major problem: I can't hear what the fuck Mef is spitting. Bobby takes full blame for this, as Mef's lyrics are actually really fucking good. Shame, that.

BRING THE PAIN (FEATURING BOOSTER)
The lead single, and a good choice at that. Dear God RZA's digging deep with these samples, looping an unrecognizable Jerry Butler voice bit that lasts less than a second and milking said loop for all its worth. The result is winter sewage levels of grimy boom bap, which is apparently the type of beat the star attraction's most comfortable performing over. And you bet your fucking butthole, he lets you know what time it is. Mef brings it all, baby: Wordplay, punchlines, flow, you name it. Dancehall aficionado Booster quotes some patois from troubled reggae artist Ninjaman after Mef finishes his lines, an act which neither added nor detracted from the overall end product so, yay? This song is a home run, no doubt.

ALL I NEED
May I present to you a main factor in Cliffy Clifford Smith's sex symbol status enduring to this very day, and the very first solo Mef song I've ever heard. Apparently, Mef never wanted this song on any type of album. However during their promotion of their group's classic debut, RZA noticed that Mef was getting a little extra attention from the ladies. Because he had eyes, you see. What he also had was a brain. So, as soon as he caught wind of these lyrics, he aggressively begged Mef to record them on wax. RZA plays the notes from a Marvin Gaye 60s classic and couples them with, once again, some Synthetic Substitution. Upon hearing the result, Mef flies into his dedication to his significant other in a manner he typically reserves for some hardcore shittalking. And therein, my fellow lonely soul, lies the importance of delivery in our chosen genre. Because otherwise, the lyrics to this shit would've completely derailed the track. Instead, we have arguably the greatest love song in hip hop history. Further begging was needed when RZA suggested to Mef that this shit be his third single. And that's how Method Man ended up with a Grammy, folks. Another common mistake is that Sean John Combs, known on this site as the revolting Comby, produced the Mary J. Blige-assisted remix of this song that won the Grammy while in truth: The highly-superior-to-both-cuts Razor Sharp Remix, of RZA's making, is the real culprit. I liked where he hilariously placed some opening notes from a corny Earl Klugh song as a prelude to that particular beat, as if to say: "That's not how we do love songs over here." The shit also featured Blige, of course. Furthermore, the Comby remix wasn't even Comby's own work. It was done by the Trackmasters (According to Trackmaster Poke, anyway), who admittedly did an interesting job, even though they looped the Marvin Gaye trademark sample wholesale (which was per the status quo at Bad Boy HQ). And the vocals for the Trackmasters version were redone by Mef, losing the earnestness of his original performance along the way. A problem the RZA remix never had because he smartly used the original take. I vastly prefer the RZA remix, as you can tell, but the album cut's fine by itself.

WHAT THE BLOOD CLOT
Mef switches up the lyrics this time by mixing a dash of thuggery with his usual dose of punchlines, which works better than you'd think. Apparently, Mef was royally pissed at his fellow Clansmen after an argument on some plane, after which he fired up All In The Mind by Erick Sermon on his Walkman and wrote the bars you hear here dissing the hell outta them! All set to another RZA recipe from the leftest of left fields. I guess I ended up feeling a bit disappointed that this track is merely a one-verse wonder followed by Mef contracting RZA's shoutout virus. Impressed that he snapped out of shoutout zone quicker than his Wu brother, though. I'm also particularly cracked up that RZA still found a way to throw in some shoutouts of his own. Anyways, this song remains infinitely more significant than that new 2 chainz/lil wayne collabo album you're waiting for, which is the least amount of praise I can give it.

METH VS. CHEF (FEATURING RAEKWON)
There's that beat from the intro again! Bobby, what're you doing? Let Mef tear that beat a new digestive system, already! Of course the beat is cut off, never to be heard on this album again, and we get a spacey beat from RZA set to a famous Joe Tex drumline. RZA chooses this moment to include a battle he recorded in the studio between Mef & Chef. (Kudos to that title, seriously.) Rumor has it that this track is why Mef was the one who received his eponymous solo outing on the group's debut, the only one besides GZA's Clan In Da Front, and not the others but I don't believe that for a second. Mef & Rae impressed, but Rae's fuckup slightly detracts from the experience. Still a very good song, though. Side note: Rae. When it comes to punchlines, never fuck with Mef again.

SUB CRAZY
RZA presents his weirdest production up to that point, assisted by a certain Selwyn Bougard bka 4th Disciple. He's really attempting to surprise everyone listening to these records with his choices as much as he possibly can. Most surprising of all, the beat still works! Mef responds by playing his imagery card this time, while still giving you his regular serving of punchlines. He also experiments with wordplay for three bars in the second verse and succeeds ingeniously. I friggin love this song!

RELEASE YO' DELF (FEATURING BLUE RASPBERRY)
The second single. I never cared for Blue Raspberry's interpolation of I Will Survive, especially in the intro to the track. Everything else on here elevates this song to being my absolute favorite Method Man solo performance on this album, bar none. The Herb Alpert trumpet loop with the sped up Make It Funky drum sample, previously used on the Wu's classic 7th Chamber, combine beautifully act as the perfect punching bag to Mef's lyrics, which he gifts to you via his loudest delivery to date. This shit tops his performance on the aforementioned 7th Chamber, trust me. Mef presents the listener with two beautifully venomous verses filled to the brim with everything a Wu stan likes from him. The reasons why I cherish this track are uniquely similar to Bring The Pain's, yet I edge this song out as the superior one because I enjoyed Mef's delivery and RZA's beat here much more than their work on the preceding single, even though Booster's choice for interpolation far exceeds Blue Raspberry's. I am of the opinion that this song as the lead single would've made that much more sense, even though Bring The Pain is perfectly fine. Moving on.

P.L.O. STYLE (FEATURING CARLTON FISK)
The lone remaining co-production on this album, and it's RZA and Mef in a repeat of their efforts on Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta Fuck Wit. I've always dug how the slowed Al Green sample (with, again, the Joe Tex drumline) now sounds straight out of a kung fu flick. Mef introduces George Cooney who goes by the rap name of Carlton Fisk from Inspectah Deck's weed carrier group Housegang (Note that they were called that before every rapper in Slaughterhouse began their fucking careers. Shoutout to Slaughterhouse, though) In fans' minds, Fisky here would forever be associated with Mef instead because of his showings on this album. Translation: He sounds fulfillingly good, with his thuggery complimenting Mef's braggadocio. Next up...

I GET MY THANG IN ACTION
RZA brings the listener back to the grimy side of his nature behind the boards, and Mef is all too excited to unload a year's worth of punchlines on the resulting beat, incinerating it to kingdom fucking come. Adding insult to injury, Mef simplifies his flow enough to make his bars catchy as shit. The Bo Diddley drums sampled here really elevate the adrenaline pumping through you during this experience. Tied with the title track as my second-favorite solo track.

MR. SANDMAN (FEATURING RZA, INSPECTAH DECK, STREETLIFE, CARLTON FISK & BLUE RASPBERRY)
A rendition of the Chordettes' famed classic as a hardcore hip hop posse cut? Genius! Why do I keep distinguishing solo tracks from posse cuts, you ask? Because the Wu have forever made me a posse cut fiend, that's why. Thanks to them, I will always favor good posse cuts to good solo joints, no matter how varying the quality of the beat is. Just so happens that the beat for this track here is my absolute favorite on the entire album.  When a sampler alters one second of a Lyn Collins classic interpretation to sound like theme music to a swarm of bees, you know you're dealing with someone gifted. RZA certainly proves he's precisely that, yet he doesn't stop there. He also sets shit off with his verse brimming with imagery that'll leave marks on your psyche for days. That is, until Deck swoops in with a blistering verse that ruins any chance the remaining MCs have in stealing his thunder.  You have to appreciate the frequency in which the Rebel was accomplishing this feat, especially during the 5-year plan. Not to say Mef and the remaining weed carriers don't leave their mark, hell no. Mef reverts to punchline mode, which is always welcome and Carlton Fisk and a debuting Streetlife impress you enough to give a shit about them when they turn up on future Wu albums. Although in Fisk's case, you had to wait a long-ass fucking time. Fisk would get locked up for at least 10 years shortly after dropping a dope-as-shit freestyle which went by the name Common Denominator with two of his co-stars on Mr. Sandman: Streetlife & the Rebel INS, with Mef conducting the shit. Yes, the one where INS drops the deleted verse he adlibbed bits from on 2Pac's Got My Mind Made Up. May I add how fucking awesome Blue Raspberry is here with her creepy falsetto rendition of the Chordettes' household chorus. By far my favorite track on this album. Scratch that, by far my favorite track of Mef's entire solo career. This shit's that friggin' good.

STIMULATION (FEATURING BLUE RASPBERRY)
You absolutely can NOT top the previous track. No matter what you do, the following tracks will come up short, which is why I'm pissed at Bobby for not ending the album with Mr. Sandman. I will admit though, the speeding up of the opening violins of the Sarah Vaughan record throughout is nifty and very nicely done. Mef's lyrics make this song pitch perfect for a live audience, which is why the fact that he never performs this song live in recent years puzzles me to no end. Maybe it's because of Blue Raspberry's smelly-ass performance of Stimulation's horrid hook. How can you top possibly your best career performance immediately with one of your absolute worst?! Shit's not computing, boo. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine with this song.

METHOD MAN (SKUNK MIX)
My opinion of this song has not changed since I reviewed it here. I will say that RZA completely blew the tracklisting of the last two songs. Everything prior was copacetic.

FINAL THOUGHTS
This album's status as the first solo album from the Wu camp was a master move. It accomplished every goal it was intended to make. Allowing Mef's talent to be noticeable by mainstream entertainment in general by selling a shitload of copies? Check. Exposing everyone debuting on this album to a much wider audience? Check. Cementing RZA's growing reputation as a producer? Check. Most impressive of all, these two did it on their own terms. That's right, I said the two of them. For I think it's essential that this album be identified as a collaboration (Y'know, just like the rest of the Wu solos during RZA's five-year-plan.) more than a true solo album, where all final decisions are the artist's to make. I love the fact, though, that this album is a strong candidate for most consistent Wu solo ever. Ingenious, unorthodox production choices came in droves, the punchlines struck the right balance of quantity vs. quality and there was not a single radio-friendly track in sight. Even the "ladies song" had to be remixed while adding Mary J. friggin' Blige to the proceedings for it to win the dreaded Grammy. And it was the grimy-ass RZA remix that did it, not the polished Trackmasters version. Oh. you thought I was gonna credit Comby? Yeah, and I eat raw camel liver for my daily source of protein.

WORTH IT? Go get this shit, and if you see RZA these days: Shove this album in his face, tell him to stop fucking around with Kanye's diva finger-free ass and let him know that this is what we need to hear from him in the present.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
THE RIDDLER
I'm a Jim Carrey stan, I admit it. There's something about his 93-04 slapstick movie performances, even when stealing the scenes in movies as shitty as Batman Forever, that resonates with me on a corporeal level. Naturally, I never bought the movie's soundtrack because I was too busy reciting his lines from the movie word for word or staring at Nicole Kidman's then-fine ass through my teenage-hormonial-raging-hardon-influenced eyes. As I got into the Wu much later I discovered that the flick's OST contained a theme for Jim Carrey's Riddler by Mef that was not included in the movie, so I had to hear the shit. I was blown away by the beat, in which RZA interpolates the corny '66 Batman cartoon theme into a demented hymn fitting Jim Carrey's performance like a glove. Delighting in the resulting music, Mef immerses himself completely into the mythos portrayed in the movie by filling his first two verses with imagery befitting of the subject then dedicating the final verse to a story depicting him as the Riddler during a crime-filled night in his life. The verse ends with the Batman hot on his heels. I find this shit worthy of my time and definitely of yours.

NO HOOK (SHAQUILLE O'NEAL FEATURING RZA AND METHOD MAN)
Since I'm not likely to review any Shaq album anytime soon, I'll highlight this track of his that he did with Mef and RZA. I may do this with other artists in the future, depending on the significance of the song to the review. In this case, this song was surely recorded during the Tical sessions so it fits the bill. RZA crafts another grimy self-made beat around a famous Labi Siffre drum sample, then starts off the song by spitting a verse that is damn underwhelming. Fortunately though, Shaq and Mef pick up the remains admirably with Mef predictably coming out on top as the best of the three. I really did not expect to write the following words: Shaq lyrically trumped RZA on a track. Still a fine song, though. And we're done.

The Wu saga continues here, and the rest of Mef's solo shit is here.

Gravediggaz - N****mortis/6 Feet Deep (August 9, 1994)

Check out the future director's fangs and tufts of 'fro. I have to say, people: This picture is not even remotely frightening. It really looks like a lame comedy based on an SNL sketch gone horribly wrong.

But, I digress. I really don't know when I got into the Gravediggaz, but I definitely heard this album of theirs quite some time after hearing the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan's main 93-97 catalog. I also remember shrugging away from this album due to me perceiving that it was a horrorcore album, a genre I absolutely abhor. But before I get into that...

Allow me to take this time to mourn one of the greatest MCs to ever grab a microphone: The late Anthony Ian Berkeley from Wyandanch Long Island (home of hip hop royalty Rakim), aka Too Poetic aka The Grym Reaper. A true MC for over 20 years before his death, he never got recognized aside from family and friends until the later years of his career. Trust me when I tell you: The majority years of his career were not the most stable of times. After Tommy Boy released his promising 12" single called Poetical Terror/God Made Me Funky in 1989, they scrapped the deal because of course. For revenge, he got with his younger sibling, MC Brainstorm, and made a demo as the Bruthas Grym that turned a lot of heads and was very promising. Now, because life runs exactly like you want it to, Brainstorm decided it was high time for spiritual enlightenment, leaving that particular venture with nothing to live under. Ironic, that.

Because the Grym Reaper would actually spend some of 1992 homeless. I mean, I know some people go to dangerous extremes to sustain their careers but goddamn, homeless?! On the fucking street?! Furthermore, if one reads or watches some of this guy's interviews he would immediately recognize the man was extremely intelligent, therefore he would definitely not be some doofus who would lose a home because of stupid, irresponsible moves on his part. Considering that, I shudder to imagine what this person must've suffered through. Most tragic of all, he only spent 7 years among us after he finally got on before succumbing to colon cancer. My consolation is that this dude got a chance to explore his passions among a close family environment, mostly with MC Brainstorm and their younger brother DJ E-Sharp bka producer Goalfingaz, and that he died among loved ones.

I think about the following quite often, though: This man sacrificed so much for his art, yet the number of people who enjoy his rhymes is too limited. Obviously, the masses truly enjoy the horseshit shoveled down their throats by the major corporations. I guess I should be more positive about this situation: For the people who do take a liking to Grym Reap's work usually find it unforgettably awesome. And you'd better count me in as one of them. RIP Grym Reaper. My thoughts are with your loved ones.

So, one obviously cannot mention the Diggaz without their chief architect: Legendary DJ Paul Huston bka Prince Paul of Stetsasonic and De La Soul fame. Paulie, a 30-year music veteran, is one of the most consistently prolific and creative figures the industry has ever seen. So, for him to say that N****mortis/6 Feet Deep remains his favorite work out of his entire catalog is quite telling. How about I delve into how he came around making it, eh? I wasn't asking.

Back in 1990, Prince was riding very high off of his success with De La Soul on their debut, 3 Feet High and Rising. The album sold like hot cakes, which means those pesky record execs are right around the corner for another 'idea to boost marketability'. Sure enough, Paul was contacted by Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen to persuade him to manage a label of his own under Rush Associated Labels. Vehemently rejecting at first, Paul's lawyer was the final straw that made him cave in to the bloodsuckers' demands. Now, you see the issue with these guys: They talk a lot of game but they rarely back it up if someone's out for his own interests. So, he lays the groundwork for his very own Dew Doo Man Records and whaddyaknow?! Corporate reneges on his ass. Understandably, that might tick someone off just a little bit. Well, a little more than that if the fucker actually invested a lot of money out of his own pocket. Which, incredulously, really happened. Paulie: You might say that you don't blame Russell for what went down, but I see through you. You hate the fucker's guts. Admit it.

Seeing as he wasn't alone in that situation, (check this and the paragraph above on the late Mr. Grym Reap for further from my take on this.) he rounded up three other figures that went through similar situations, called the collective the Gravediggaz and dubbed himself the Undertaker. Although, I must be honest: I've never figured out why Paul specifically went to his Stetsasonic homie Arnold Hamilton, bka Frukwan aka The Gatekeeper, of all his previous acquaintances in this industry.

Not to say that Mr. Gatekeep isn't a competent MC. Far from it. Actually, this is one of the few hip hop collectives where each and every MC in the group is a legitimate lyrical threat. In the Gatekeeper's case, his lyrics were already a part of hip hop history. His claim to fame as a member of the aforementioned Stetsasonic saw him debut a classic hip hop verse in 1986 as the final verse in a classic of theirs, Go Stetsa I. Listen to that song and you'll know just how much you heard that shit without knowing it was lil ol Arny here. Of course, he up and split from the group after their classic sophomore In Full Gear in 1988 and it's not really known what he's done during that transitioning period.

Speaking of transition, Bobby 'His Rakeemness' Diggs aka The RZA-recta was coincidentally added to this wonderful freakshow just before he set his Wu plans into motion. There are some sources that claim that Undertaker was ultimately the one who introduced him to the samplers used at that oh-so-golden time, while others say it's one of his Stapleton gang of jolly individuals named Arby Quinn bka RNS, Shyheim's main producer. Nevertheless, anyone thinking that this entire group's goal was to further his plans involving said Wu is better off not thinking. At all.

Actually, Bobby was the youngest and, relatively speaking, most inexperienced member in this damn group. I mean, Paulie was two years older than him, Arny is GZA's age and Tony was 30 when N****mortis/6 Feet Deep dropped. Which made it all the more surprising that Bobby did most of the lyrical heavylifting on said album, as if this was his proving ground within the Gravediggaz. I mean, he's on Every. Single. Song. Not that they needed to prove anything to one another, but Bobby definitely needed to do so, especially since his Wu venture (which, may I remind you, he embarked on after joining the Gravediggaz.) hadn't yet bore fruit.

If that proved anything, it was how much these four were blacklisted in the industry in 92. Which is why the East Coast Renaissance's power in twisting the industry's hand was so great back then. After those quintessential albums dropped though, it was expected for hip hop acts to come out of left field with deep, metaphor-filled concepts or grimy and edgy punchline rhymes.

Enter Diary Of A Madman, the group's debut single with its video incorrectly propelling it into horrorcore infamy, even though that couldn't be further from the truth: There's a definite ghoulish-yet-conscious message behind what these guys were pushing, very similar to the vibes displayed on the later All We Got Iz Us album by Onyx although the Diggaz were a bit more direct in their approach.

Anyways. Given the single's June 94 release, people ironically thought it was an extension of the Wu brand and gobbled it up with praise, which was ultimately good for the actual brand. So when album time came, everybody involved was filled with confidence. With the Undertaker's expertise in said unknown waters, along with RZA's growing influence, this had to be a slam dunk.

Right?

As usual, I'll be reviewing the international version, as it contains the full album as envisioned by the Undertaker:

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS OVER (INTRO)
The Undertaker's mastery of the ways of the skit are on full display here, with a simple titular proclamation, an announcement of the group's arrival and the opening licks of a Leroy and the Drivers sample. Simple but effective.

CONSTANT ELEVATION
An expertly-cut sample of some Allen Toussaint piano combined with sickass drums and presto! Musical backing provided. Both the Reaper and the Keeper really lay into this beat for two excellent verses each back and forth, with Tony coming out on top and Arny sounding like he simply imitated him. Yet his shit is still great! RZA-recta finishes off the song with a gutsy performance but Tony was not to be denied. Best way to describe him would be as a sober & consistent ODB (who would've fit the Gravedigga aesthetic like a glove, by the way.) Impressive start.

NOWHERE TO RUN, NOWHERE TO HIDE
Now, this song is where Bobby really hits his stride. He opens the song with a triumphant verse delivered impeccably. The first of many testaments that (spoiler alert!!!) this guy is just as good with his rhymes as he is behind the boards. Reaper and Keeper follow up with equally strong verses and yet RZA-recta comes back for more. During his verse, you hear the opening kung-fu sample of Protect Ya Neck before he exclaims 'Psyched!' and gallops ahead with an even better verse than his first. Now, while you'd think this is another RZA stroke of genius, it's actually Undertaker saving his ass from a fuckup. Originally a blank space, the idea of including the sample came to him after Protect Ya Neck's roaring success and he integrated the whole thing late in the album's crafting process. Props to the Grym Reaper's outro of repeating the song's title, which made the entire beat more relentless on repeated listenings. My favorite Undertaker production on this album, and one of the best songs you'll ever hear in your life. Period.

DEFECTIVE TRIP (TRIPPIN')
A short interlude depicting Tony hilariously taking some drugs from Arny followed by him entering a state that apparently explains the song's mood. This whole image is obviously a metaphor of their music being addictively good which perfectly ties in with the overall theme of the entire album itself being one big 'fuck you' to the pitfalls of the business. All three MCs here deliver equally strong contributions, to the benefit of the listener. This shit thumps.

2 CUPS OF BLOOD
A RZA-recta & Grym Reaper duet over a short Larry Willis/Hihache concoction. Definitely not an orthodox musical pick for the Undertaker, a fact he readily admits. He basically hated this beat until Bobby convinced him to keep it. Speaking of whom, I must say that it's always a delight when two MCs of this caliber are locking horns in a song and try to outdo each other at every turn. This song is quite the representation of everything that makes this group so timeless.

BLOOD BROTHERS
Undertaker yields his role behind the boards for the first time to the Gatekeeper, who does a surprisingly amazing job. He provides a beat from some deft jazz samples that is just the right amounts of haunting and relentless, thereby allowing all three Diggaz to rain death and destruction on it as only they can. I love the way that the Grym Reaper somehow found a way to steal the show with him having only one verse and all, as if the others were overcompensating for their inability to match his shit with their two-verses-apiece approach.

360 QUESTIONS
Another entertaining product of the skitmaster's mind. Although that last question is kind of outdated in 2016, now that Tommy Boy is up and running again. Hell, it published Ghostface's 36 Seasons and Method Man's latest outing. Think about what that means, considering its history with the Wu.

1-800 SUICIDE
Undertaker arms himself with a Booker T (the jazz musician, duh.) sample and really goes to town in crafting his most minimalistic beat on the album, which the MCs use to gruesomely describe a suicide hotline of sorts. Except those are usually sympathetic with you. Aside from the fact that, you know, they're helping you kill yourself. Our trio, however, are three of the most spiteful call center employees you'll ever come across in your life. Once again, I am compelled to edge out the Reaper's contribution as the better of the three, even though the other two display some pretty impressive imagery, strictly for the amount of facets he aces in the various ways of the MC. Props to the KRS-One hook. Paulie acquired a special sample with that and he knows it.

PASS THE SHOVEL
A myriad of samples attacks your ears immediately as the beat introduces our trio, out for blood, as they try desperately to outdo each other. Quite similar to the earlier 2 Cups Of Blood, only the Keeper's in on this one, as well. I'm a little annoyed that Bobby has two verses again, but he makes them mesh well with the others' performances. Even though he does drop the ball throughout his verses multiple times, only to pick it up immediately with a sick-ass punchline. All three sound equally amazing here, as I found out they usually do on high energy tracks. This shit bangs.

DIARY OF A MADMAN (FEATURING SHABAZZ THE DISCIPLE & KILLAH PRIEST)
Ah yes. You remember me mentioning this song here, right? Sure you do. So, basically it's the same two Johnny Mathis samples molded by the RZA-recta. What you don't know is that those two samples were originally discovered by RNS, the dude mentioned in the intro to this review. Undertaker and RZA-recta liked those two discoveries so much they credited him as a co-producer. That's right, I said Undertaker. For Paulie also has his hands in this song through fleshing it out into a concept record, where all four MCs appearing here are portrayed to be accused of murdering a child (Please refer to 360 Questions to know the exact identity of said child), someone's uncle and a Spaniard's friend. Paulie acts as various characters during the interludes expertly woven into the track, although I particularly loved his take on the wailing Spaniard. This song also serves double-purpose debuting the very first Wu-Affiliate group, Sunz Of Man. Here, they are represented by founding members David Collins bka Shabazz the Disciple and Walter Reed bka Killah Priest. Yes, the guy who Masta Killa beat to being an official Wu general. Kind of cranking up on the Wu nerdiness, right? Loving it. Shabazz aka Shabby debuts his rap career with one hell of an opening verse, setting the standard for the rest of the song and forcing the RZA-recta, Priest and Gatekeeper to play catch up, which they do in stellar fashion. Shabby would only release three songs with Sunz Of Man before leaving the group in 1997, where his following solo releases wouldn't really take off with fans. Truly a shame, as dude really had talent behind the mic. I mean, anyone who influenced a guy like the late great Big friggin Pun would definitely be a lyrical threat. Listen to Shabby's 95 single Crime Saga (a song that Punny allegedly congratulated Shabby on and told him it influenced him big time. Well, all according to Shabby himself, anyway.) and tell me I'm wrong. Anyways, the only criticism I have for Diary Of A Madman is that the Reaper sat this one out. He could've been perfect for it. Oh well, what you get is still a hip hop classic hands fucking down.

MOMMY, WHAT'S A GRAVEDIGGA?
Not quite a skit, but not quite a full-blown rap ballad either. The Undertaker utilizes a fairly prominent Patrice Rushen sample seasoned with those Skull Snaps drums. Our trio give impressive reasons why the full version should've been inserted here. I know I said Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide is my favorite Undertaker beat, but I'll be damned if this one didn't grab me more during my first listen of this album.

BANG YOUR HEAD
Little thought to marinate on: This song's hook came from RZA-recta's inability to forget a single U-God line from said Wu general's lone true contribution to the timeless 36 Chambers album. How do you like them lemons? So, quite a few fans find this song to be gimmicky. I fail to see such point of view, as this is right up the Gravediggaz' vile-ass alley. Undertaker keeps things simple by playing some makeshift bass off his keyboard, while allowing the endlessly-sampled Synthetic Substitution drum line do the rest. The effect is instantaneous, as the resulting beat will make you lose your shit by the time you reach your 100th listen. Which won't take as long as you think. Trust me, you'll be so hooked you'll do it subconsciously. So, Bobby starts shit off with a typical high-octane performance from him, his lyrics filled with grim imagery perfectly suitable for these situations. Tony follows up with further proof that he is impressively consistent throughout this entire record. But it's Arny who steals the show on this song. Maybe it's because he went on last, but the man seriously goes off. His imagery, flow and punchlines surpass both of his cohorts through his delivery alone. This song really brought something beautiful out of the Gatekeeper.

HERE COMES THE GRAVEDIGGAZ
Tony brings in an old affiliate of his, Mr. Sime, to handle the production of this gem. Meshing an Emotions sample with a haunting Dead Can Dance excerpt, the canvas is laid for the Diggaz to delve into yet another dark place to compete for lyrical supremacy. This beat truly surpasses 1-800 Suicide as THE most minimalistic beat on the entire album, and that is most definitely a compliment in this case. The shit really sounds crazy good. On the lyrical tip, all three keep up with each other just enough for this to become a classic album cut. One of those you can only find by listening through the entire damn thing. Lots of people do that, nowadays.

GRAVEYARD CHAMBER (FEATURING DREDDY KRUGER, SHABAZZ THE DISCIPLE & KILLAH PRIEST)
RZA-recta comes in and effectively commandeers production duties back into the Gravedigga fold and blesses us with a true Wu posse cut, only with him being the lone Wu general present. Don't think for a second that this hurts the song's quality. Far from it. It's a testament to how good Bobby became in applying the posse cut formula to any crew surrounding him at the time. A certain James Dockery bka Dreddy Kruger takes full advantage of said fact, as he debuts a menacing and timeless braggadocio contribution. Shame that he hasn't really followed this shit with more performances, especially considering he was a full fledged member of Royal Fam, currently fronted only by its co-founder Timbo King. It's the game's loss, anyways. Fellow Wu-Affiliates Shabby and Priesty come correct, even though Priest's voice annoyed me to no end. As for the star attraction? They knocked it out the park, as usual. My favorite song on the album. Hated the hook, though.

DEATHTRAP
Paulie! Welcome back! We've missed you. In his skit-tastic way, Undertaker commissions Masta Ace, one of the most positive figures in the rap game, to deliver a short-but-visceral intro to this song, all over Seven Minutes of fucking Funk, a sample made famous by the legendary EPMD. Said sample then proceeds to flesh out the rest of the beat as only Undertaker's beats can. Our trio proceed to deliver a storytelling rap depicting themselves as harbingers of death, where the Keeper comes out on top once again. Don't get me mistaken: Everybody came correct with their respective stories: Imagery, punchlines galore as well as some sly social commentary. But Arny upped the ante by weaving three tales instead of one into his verse. Props to a decent hook as well. This banged hard.

6 FEET DEEP
Of course RZA-recta was coming out of this album with the most unconventional beat of the bunch. I mean, this is still 1994 we're talking about, so he hasn't toned it down just yet. Our trio of Diggaz end their lyrical contributions to the album in damn style, displaying grandiose imagery and a unique flow exclusive only to this song. This will hit your sweet spot, guaranteed.

REST IN PEACE (OUTRO)
Undertaker rounds out the album with a delicious Albert King sampling instrumental, the one you heard on the 360 Questions skit while letting RZA-recta off his goddamn leash in full shoutout mode. Hell, he shouts out most of the tracklist, as if his friends weren't enough. That's 2 minutes of my life I've just thrown in the shitter. At least the beat was dope?

FINAL THOUGHTS: Right off the bat, this is one of those albums that grabs you by the balls. Right from the Undertaker's opening skit all the way to the final track. Not many 16-track albums you can say this about, even back then. Sure there's a lot of albums very fondly remembered from the era I'm focusing on here, but many of them lack the consistency frequently on display in this album. Consistency brought forth by a dedication to the real nature of this album: a conscious hip hop record. The whole album is a metaphoric attack on the bullshit of the pop culture industry as well as the stereotypes we let ourselves fall victim to, and it is executed marvelously. Consistency is definitely a very persuasive turning point in me considering a product like this a classic or not, and what Paul Huston did behind the boards, along with the lyrical efforts of Arnold Hamilton (who's living proof that the old ways of MCing can give you so much lyrical space. Furthermore, that Blood Brothers beat was friggin' awesome!), Robert Diggs (who, by appearing on every single goddamn song here, effectively became the workhorse of the group, and a splendid one at that. This venture truly is his best output outside of the Wu group albums. It even trumps his future solo shit. Let's not forget the sick beats he gave us here, as well.), and, most of all, Anthony Berkeley (who was, by far, the shining star of this album. This Gravediggaz gig he nailed will surely stand the test of time because of his devotion and passion. The world of hip hop truly lost a great person and a hall-of-fame shoe-in. Again, RIP Anthony Berkeley.) lands N****mortis/6 Feet Deep smack dab in the middle of timeless music. I can see why Paul considers this his best work. Pity he never commits to fully helming another Gravediggaz project again.

WORTH IT? I have it on good authority that the Gravediggaz will show up at your spa-of-choice for the weekend, buy out the place and turn it into a graveyard that friggin Beetlejuice would be proud of if you do not go out of your fucking way to include this album in your collection. If I were you, I'd listen to that authority.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:

THE HOUSE THAT HATRED BUILT
The very first Gravediggaz recording. These guys were at the scope-the-others-out stage when this was recorded, and boy does it show. Even the Undertaker didn't have a fresh idea of what the group's sound was to be like. Still didn't stop the shit from attaining headbanga-status. As all three came equally correct here, you should be pretty happy with what you got. Props to Tony's line: I'm Grym Reaper of course I drip red rum/Dead rose, I colour the stage like red rum. Nice!

ASHES TO ASHES
A later recording that clearly showcases better chemistry between our trio as they rip shop over Paulie's work. Surprised that Grym Reaper's first verse was not that inspiring. Instead, RZA-recta ws the one with the witty rhymes throughout, until Reaper comes back with a vastly-superior second verse compared to his first. The audio quality here unfortunately equals to jack followed by a small smidgeon of shit, which will be problematic if you're using speakers, but that won't stop you from enjoying this damn song on earphones. Both this song and the previous one were sampled by Mr. Sime for his lone contribution on the album, Here Comes The Gravediggaz.

MOMMY, WHAT'S A GRAVEDIGGA? (FULL VERSION)
I don't know why this version say it's the RZA Mix, and yet it mentions The Undertaker as the producer for said mix in the credits. Remember my abovementioned grievances with the original track? Well, here we find them completely rectifying said grievances over the exact same beat that I loved the first time. Count me compensated.

1-800 SUICIDE (POISONOUS MIX) (FEATURING BLUE RASPBERRY)
Now this remix is rightfully RZA-recta's. Before I go further, though, allow me to point out a relevant note: On more than one production of his, Bobby starts you off with one mood then transitions to another opposing it completely in a contrast that paints beautiful colors on your emotions. Here, he chooses to start with an uplifting sample which I admit to not having the faintest clue of its origin, then dip the remaining entirety of the beat into a macabre sample that complements its predecessor in the best way possible. And with New Jersey native Candi Lindsey bka Blue Raspberry bawling her ass off, this song's Wu lineage was solidified in the most morbid of ways. Our MC trio, amazing artists that they all are, recognize this and play along fittingly. Both the Gatekeeper and our producer inject their contributions with a pretty ghastly dose of spirituality, the imagery present taken directly from their Five Percenter beliefs, while the Grym Reaper injects a larger dose of straight-up ill intent. With his contribution no longer superior to his cohorts, Tony joins Arny and Bobby in bringing the hip hop apocalypse on the mentally dead while we visualize the flaming wreckage that is the remains of their fake world from afar with our ears. And we're done.


Scratch your Wu itch here. Or watch RZA scratch his own itches with those weird-ass golden nails of his here. Finally, delve more into the Gravediggaz here.