Funkdoobiest - Brothas Doobie (July 4, 1995)

Welcome back to the resurgence of 2020. (I promise I won't mention the pandemic anywhere in this review. Stay safe, boy/girl (pick one))

So I'm midway through my Soul Assassins run, and I'm finally at the point where, true to Soul Assassins fashion, their sound gets updated to match the burgeoning East Coast Renaissance that was giving the G-Funk era (Shoutouts to Warren G) a good run for its money over the control of the hip hop landscape. As mentioned in my review of Between A Rock And A Hard Place by the criminally underrated Artifacts, the Soul Assassin producer who initiated such foray was South Carolina native Todd Ray aka the criminally underrated T-Ray. Little did he know that his venture would be followed by a run that would be talked about for years to come.

By this time, I’m almost certain that one Lorenzo Cavassi aka Larry Muggerud aka the ageless Soul Assassins founder DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill was paying very close attention to his fellow (Former? Current?) crewmember T-Ray, along with the rest of the producers usually mentioned in such contexts like the RZAs, the Large Pros & the Pete Rocks as they respectively crafted the works that forced the entire hip hop culture to hail them as the preservers of the artform they absolutely are. This came at a time when Muggs' influence in the West already began to bear fruit, such as the rich sounds of the Hieroglyphics & Likwit collectives and the wild experimentation of the Pharcyde. Nevertheless, it was time for the Grandmaster (he seriously calls himself that. I still don't know if he was actually branded as such by the fathers of this or it was an ego trip. Oh well.) to show what production techniques he's refined during this vivid time.

And he chose to do it with the goofiest crew in their team.

Don't get it twisted, I still adore Which Doobie U B? by Latino trio Funkdoobiest, made up of Ralph Medrano bka DJ Ralph M & MCs Jason Vasquez aka the Tribal Funkster bka Son Doobie & Tyrone Pacheco bka Tomahawk Funk. They continued expanding on the party vibe Muggs resolutely established with Cypress & fellow Soul Assassins founders House of Pain but this time Muggs called on their ambitious sides. Nowhere can this be more seen than on their first single for the new album, Rock On. The content here was as far removed from the party vibe they're known for as possible and whomever was lucky enough to come across it was really in for a treat. I'm telling y'all, it remains a complete mindfuck. Released in 1994, the single signified Muggs' departure from the blunted sound that made him famous, to which he has never returned. Brooklyn's own Brett Bouldin, from Muggs early 7A3 days, should really be hailed for mentoring SD, along with his Soul Assassins crewmate B-Real, in the ways of songwriting, as the following single, Dedicated, remains one of the more heartfelt tributes in hip hop, often forgotten because it wasn't "lyrical" enough. Le sigh.

Not to say that the Doobies didn't know to have fun anymore, as they still remembered the "Funkiest" formulas that got them into the dance in the first place. (Cheeky, right? Oh, shut up!) That would be reflected with songs like You're Dummin, Who Ra Ra, Tomahawk Bang and... Oh fuck it, who am I kidding? This album also unfortunately marked the spark that led to Son Doobie being known for what he's known for now. Yep, that Eminem line. Songs like XXX Funk, Pussy Ain't Shit, Ka Sera Sera & Superhoes showcased how this guy embraced his Porno King persona that he debuted on the eponymous skit on their debut and repped what Kool Keith infamously dubs as pornocore rap to the fullest. And folks, it is exactly as advertised.

Brothas Doobie released on Independence Day of 1995 to crickets, as is unfortunately typical of every underground act. Still, those who did come across this album were caught mouth agape. First by the raunchy shit that SD was able to get away with. Second, with the fact that he & partner TF can get hella deep when they want to.

Don't believe me? Brothas Doobie, boy/girl (pick one):

THIS IS IT (INTERLUDE)
Muggs sets it off with an instrumental comprising a smorgasbord of musical styles meshed in a melodious way that's completely novel. And from the get-go, you can hear how serious he is about one-upping his competition and evolving his sound. Pity no one rhymed over this shit but still, some good music.

ROCK ON
And straight away, you run into the first of two songs that can be argued as the crown jewel of this album. SD & TF get their metaphysical on proper on the whimsical Muggs concoction and this is ageless rap from the unlikeliest of sources. Brett Bouldin, MCing genius that he is, laid out the concept so well thought out that SD & TF were forced to elevate their respective verses to match his vision. You will not give a shit that TF suddenly started highlighting the importance of knowledge of self. you'll be too busy breaking the rewind button in playing this. Props to Buckwild from DITC's remix featured in the video. Still doesn't touch the Muggs version, IMHO, as the latter is much more layered. One of the most slept on songs in hip hop history. I'm gonna be saying this a lot on this site.

WHAT THE DEAL
Muggs returns with a soulful loop that Brettie B from 7A3 lays out a daily-life concept to. That's all the Tribal Funxta needed as he paints the rest of the picture with a vividness that really needs to net son more props as he gives you his own It Was A Good Day. Only he's describing a good night on the neighborhood with his fellow doobies. I'm somehow surprised that the end result wasn't a flat out raunchfest. Wasn't that the expectation you saddled yourself with when you listened to Funkdoobiest? No? Suuuuure. Anyway, this bangs.

LOST IN THOUGHT
The third Muggs showing as he flexes his digging qualities by crafting an instrumental that brilliantly blends Latin funk and 70s disco and somehow giving a dark spin on it that still makes the head nod uncontrollably. For his part, Jason chooses this beat to unload his tripped-out thoughts on wax, describing the mentality of someone who spent his life entrenched in many darknesses from hood life. And I must say: Third hit in a row! Son effectively and alarmingly relays the confusion, the lack of mental presence, the faulty decision making and the straight-up lack of cohesion in the thoughts he commits on this track. Nice!

DEDICATED
Ah yes. We finally come to the song I banged the most from the entire Funkdoobiest discography. Muggs lay the foundation with the most haunting soul & jazz mesh that Brett deemed worthy for a dedication to the impoverished. And folk, this is one chillingly emotional song. Son goes for dolo and doesn't even bother putting thought into his rhyme structure, because you won't be looking for such. You'll be too busy feeling the sting & conviction in your fucking chest as he monotonously delivers the grey and grim outlook on life many residents in the inner city suffer from through a hypnotically layered performance. Listen, bottom line? Fuck a review. Go listen to this song, now.

KA SERA SERA
Back, huh? Well, you'll wish you were somewhere else now, as this is the point in the album where Son Doobie chooses to embrace his pornocore tendencies to the fullest in a trilogy of sex raps. First off is a tale I'm sure nobody in hip hop has ever done before: A tale about the neighborhood floozy. Brettie? Get ya mans. To top it off, this trife is wasted on a fonky blend by DJ Ralph M in his first production for Brothas Doobie. Translation: skip this barf.

PUSSY AIN'T SHIT
Second go at this pornocore bullshit and I'm already almost regretting ever giving a fuck about Funkdoobiest as a whole. Hell, even the title ain't original at all. I'm sure a litany of people already badgered Muggs, Brett & Jason about this but let me pile on: Rap pioneer Fresh Kid Ice already had a song with the exact same title in 1992, y'all. And even then, shit was trash. Y'all should've got the memo. And I ain't even mentioning the beat this time cuz fuck this song, that's why. Skip this barf.

XXX FUNK
I don't give a fuck that this is the third single. I don't give a flying fuck that Ralph & Muggs teamed up and brought the absolute business on the boards with that grimy update of the Jeep-rattling funk pioneered by EPMD. I couldn't give less of a rat's ass that this is one of the Doobies' most well-known songs: SEX RAPS GET NO LOVE HERE.  SKIP THIS BARF!!!

IT AIN'T GOING DOWN
Muggs must've had his fill of sex raps for the following year or two as he finally relinquishes production duties to protege and fellow Soul Assassins producer DJ Lethal from House Of Pain, in his lone production for the album. Son Doobie chooses to continue where he left off on Lost In Thought and, dare I say, I think Lethal's beat, claustrophobic in the best way possible, topped Muggs when it comes to producing a song about your mind losing all function and rationale, as Jason delivers yet another standout performance. We're sorta back on track with the good stuff.

YOU'RE DUMMIN'
You've come to the song most in common with Funkdoobiest's output on Which Doobie U B? as Ralph retakes the helm aboard the boards and delivers a beat that can only be considered an ode to the blunted funk Muggs pioneered on the Cypress Hill debut. This is intended as a compliment. For his part, Son is instantly comfortable on familiar ground as he launches into the braggadocious style that put him on the map in the first place. Nicely done!

TOMAHAWK BANG (FEATURING BASHTON)
The prerequisite TF solo joint, except TF chose to share the spotlight with one Sebastian Rosset aka Bashton the Invisible Man aka Invizabul Mang aka True Bash aka MF Bash aka S. Rossiter. Lotta nicknames for someone I've only heard of once, no disrespect. Anyways, TF & MF here deliver, to my knowledge, one of the very few odes to the peoples indigenous to Turtle Island (Google that) in the form of a tale of revenge against colonialists. Read: They tear up a bunch of them motherfuckers. Anyway, TF & MF bring the biz over another infectious Ralph M beat looping a classic William Tell excerpt from a TV show. Props to the hollering amidst the hook.

SUPERHOES
Because fuck shoe-in, that's why. Here, Jason chooses to weave an explicit tale of various childhood staples. All you need to know is that he describes an instance where He-Man fucks Smurfette. Fuck pornocore.

WHO RA RA (FEATURING BRETT BOULDIN)
The final track on Brothas Doobie provides the listener with the chance to finally hear DJ Muggs produce a track for his original 7A3 crewmate Brettie B, albeit sharing production duties with his protege DJ Ralph M again. For his part, Son is giddy about the opportunity to rhyme with his mentor so he lets Brett set the song off. And it's here that I confess that I'm still pretty damn pissed at myself for not being mature enough to check out 7A3's lone 1988 album Coolin' In Cali until long after I became a Soul Assassins stan. Because folk: Brett Bouldin is nice! And even though SD puts up a pretty good fight with his following braggadocio offering, Brett definitely cleaned house with a masterful verse. And we're done.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Yeah, sure: Brothas Doobie is the album where Son Doobie embraces this bullshit alter-ego of his. On at least four songs, no less. But the rest? Yeah, this is the album where Funkdoobiest transcended from their tried and true party rap ways into something... more. No bullshit, Son Doobie & at times Tomahawk Funk lay down some pretty thought-provoking shit on wax here. I was especially drawn to what TF & Bash tackled with their ode to the Natives. For his part, Son also proved that he was pretty damn adept at carrying multiple tracks on his own. I just wish nobody ever introduced him to porn, because now that's what everyone remembers him by. None of the brilliant songs, you damn sure read correctly, here would be possible had it not been for DJ Muggs' competitive streak. This was the album where he chose to take the plunge into experimentation as every producer worth his mettle back then had done. This need to distinguish his sounds brought you songs like Rock On & Dedicated, two songs that you should absolutely burn into your fucking brain. NOW. And the rest of the non-porno music is right up there in quality. Muggs' focus was so potent it rubbed off on both his proteges, groupmember DJ Ralph M & DJ Lethal as they too stepped their game the fuck up. This was hella satisfying.

WORTH IT? Despite the four disturbingly trash songs I've highlighted, I still think Brothas Doobie is worth your time. SD & TF aren't the most lyrical of MCs but they never needed to be, because they give you plenty to sink your teeth into. Each MC fleshes their background and subject matter something lovely, under the guidance of mentor Brett Bouldin's veteran instincts. And they present said material in the most fitting of packages. And Ralph, Muggs & co. couldn't've produced better music outta these two if they tried. Imagine (Yes, I'm going there.) DJ Premier giving those Group Home beats to an MC way more competent than Melachi The useless Nutcracker. That's what this project feels like. If that doesn't push you to go listen to this album now, then I don't know what would. Now, git.

For more Funkdoobiest, here. If you want more diversions into the Soul Assassins canon, do so at your own risk here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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