Beastie Boys - "Paul's Boutique"

Nearly three years after the release of their wildly successful debut, “Licensed to Ill”, the Beastie Boys released “Paul’s Boutique” on July 25, 1989. After parting from Def Jam due to royalty disputes, the Beastie Boys joined Capitol Records, where they spent the rest of their career. Parting from Def Jam, also meant parting from legendary producer Rick Rubin but lucky for all of us, the Beastie Boys linked up with the Dust Brothers for the production on “Paul’s Boutique.” The beats on “Paul’s Boutique” are mosaics. The Dust Brothers sampled over 105 records on the album, 24 on “B-Boy Bouillabaisse” alone. The lyrical content is similar to that of “Licensed of Ill” and the Beastie Boys employ the same synchronous and sentence-finishing style they used on tracks like “Brass Monkey” throughout the entire album. “Paul’s Boutique” didn’t have the commercial success that their debut did but it was well received by critics and fellow musicians. In fact, Miles Davis even said that he never got tired of listening to it. 

Guest reviewer Mario (@majtheraj)'s first appearance on the blog

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Chris: Mario! Welcome to the blog, man! I’ve been wanting to review “Paul’s Boutique” for a while now and I couldn’t think of a person who would appreciate re-listening to and reviewing “Paul’s Boutique” more than you. To be transparent, “Paul’s Boutique” wasn’t an album I was very familiar with going into this review. I had heard tracks from the album here and there but I wasn’t well acquainted with the entire album. I was much more familiar with “Licensed to Ill”, “Check Your Head” and “Ill Communication.” What compelled me to want to listen to “Paul’s Boutique” was an interview with E.Z. Mike (from the Dust Brothers) that I recently read in an old issue of Wax Poetics. How familiar are you “Paul’s Boutique” and do you have any memories attached to listening to the album? 

Mario: Chris! Thanks so much for the invitation. I actually have a vivid memory attached to “Paul’s Boutique.” I considered myself to be somewhat of a Beastie Boys super-fan when I was younger. Like a lot of people I was simultaneously fascinated & confused by their ability to switch between punk, hip hop, and instrumental styles. I think most of us were familiar with the more mainstream albums that you mentioned, but for some reason I compartmentalized “Paul’s Boutique” as some sort of cult outlier album. The cover art even seemed a little different from the rest. I kind of realized I wasn’t hardcore if I didn’t do the proper full discography immersion. So, I gave it a listen and was completely blown away. It’s such a treat to make your way through that album on first listen. You keep discovering all these great little moments .. the lyrical references, the layered beats, the interludes .. I would rewind them over and over again just trying to understand what I was listening to. It seemed like there were somehow more and more of these moments as the album went on. The way it all builds up to “B-Boy Bouillabaisse” is so perfect. The album completely changed my whole idea of who the Beastie Boys were and what they were capable of. 

Chris: So the story goes, the Beastie Boys met the Dust Brothers at party out in LA. The Dust Brothers played them tape that they were intending to release as an instrumental album. The Beastie Boys loved what they heard and wanted to use it for their new album. The Dust Brothers used a four-track to layer their loops, which gave them multi-textured tracks you hear on “Paul’s Boutique”. The Dust Brothers offered to strip down the beats and make a little more basic like the songs they produced for Tone-Loc and Young MC but the Beastie Boys insisted on leaving them the way they were. What do you think of the production on “Paul’s Boutique” and where do you rank “Paul’s Boutique” in the Dust Brothers’ discography? 

Mario: It’s legendary. It’s easier to think of the Dust Brothers as collage artists rather than music producers. I would kill to learn how they chopped up all those samples and came up with the general structuring of the album. Considering that they drew from a hundred plus source tracks, it’s obvious they have this ridiculous ability to pull that special sauce out of most anything that they sample. One of the coolest things about the album is how perfectly the eclectic production style compliments the Beastie Boys woven rhyming style. The Beastie Boys also had this really great character rapping ability that they really took to another level on this album. Without “Paul’s Boutique” it makes you wonder how different the other albums could have sounded. Tangentially, it’s also crazy to think about how the album couldn’t have been made today. Aside from the staggering cost of the licensing fees, I think the album highlights this Wild West moment when artist’s weren’t as restricted by the copyright laws. For me personally, I think it’s easily the Dust Brothers’ best. 

Chris: I read in several places where Chuck D (from Public Enemy) said “the dirty secret among the Black hip hop community at the time of the release was that ‘Paul’s Boutique’ had the best beats.” I can’t think of a better endorsement than that. I, too, would have loved to be a fly on the wall during those sessions with the Dust Brothers. The marriage between the Dust Brothers’ production and the Beastie Boys rhymes is a match made in Hip Hop heaven. 

Chris: One track in particular that I wanted to get your opinion on was “Shadrach”. It’s a great example of the creative genius of the Dust Brothers, as there is a plethora of really funky elements (drums, horns, vocals and more drums) all pieced together from different sources. The lyrics on the songs are what interested me most though. The song references a story in the Book of Daniel in which three young men (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) are ordered to be thrown into a furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar for refusing to worship a golden idol. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire unharmed. Stunned by what he saw, Nebuchadnezzar promoted the three to high positions within his office. I bring this story up because I see a parallel between Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the Beastie Boys. The Beastie Boys refused to “worship the golden idol” which would have been making another “Licensed to Ill” type album with Def Jam and instead deciding bet on themselves and their creative abilities. The outcome probably looked pretty bleak at first but I would say that leaving Def Jam for Capitol is probably the best decision the group ever made. What are your thoughts on the song “Shadrach” and what kind of career do you think the Beastie Boys would have had, had they stayed with Def Jam? 

Mario: That’s such a trip. I may not listen to it the same way now. They way it starts out with the hi hat and that female vocal is so catchy. The song itself has a similar quality to “Paul Revere” the way it’s loosely based on some sort of historical narrative. I think they were fond of adopting parts or narrative elements of some of these more well-known historical figures to imagine their own lyrical narrative. The track also happens to have one of my favorite references on the album .. “i’ve got more stories than J.D.’s got Salinger.” To be honest, I really hadn’t thought about how the biblical reference might be related to their music career, but now that you bring it up I think they would have been very different act had they stayed. Def Jam was going to keep doing what they did best, which was releasing hip hop albums. The Beastie Boys, while great hip-hop artists, really found their strength as more of a crossover group. I don’t get the sense that the Def Jam, even with Rick Rubin, would have gotten behind some of their albums that had some of those really amazing punk, jazz/funk, and instrumental influences. The Beastie Boys had a winning formula to make killer hip-hop albums with Def Jam, but I’m sure they wanted an outlet to explore all those different influences and styles. Their defection to Capitol makes complete sense. 

Beastie Boys – “Shadrach” 

 

Chris: I wanted to ask you a question about the Beastie Boys individually and if you thought that one of them had separated themselves from the others by this time but the more I listened to “Paul’s Boutique”, the more I realized what a ridiculous question that is. Not just because of their style but because I think this is a situation where the sum is greater than its parts. And not to turn this into a Bible study but back to the Book of Daniel for a second, Daniel 3:51 says “[t]hen the three with one voice praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace.” “The three with one voice”, that verse, to me, defines the Beastie Boys and what makes them so great. I’m interested to hear your thoughts on that… 

Mario: I feel like when MCA passed you would hear about all these touching stories about how he was the creative glue that bonded them from the beginning. He may have been willing to take them to places creatively that they might not have gotten to otherwise. As they matured he had a really huge impact on their politics and activism especially. He was the driving force behind them starting the Tibetan Freedom Concert, which was a huge music event at the time. He also cofounded the film company Oscilloscope Laboratories . But you’re right, because their voices were so intertwined, it’s hard to separate the individual from the group. They all had contributing roles within the group, but the real strength of the Beastie Boys was always the trio. 

Chris: A lot of people like to compare “Paul’s Boutique” to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Which I can see because like the Beatles, they went to another place with that album, both conceptually and musically. The comparison though that I really enjoy is “Paul’s Boutique” to De La Soul’s “Buhloone Mindstate.” When you listen to “Buhloone Mindstate” it’s just so much different than “3 Feet High and Rising” and “De La Soul is Dead”, if you were expecting more of the same on “Buhloone Mindstate” you may not have appreciated it as much at the time but I’ve heard people say, and I actually feel the same way, that if you go back and listen to it, it’s actually some of their best work. If not, THE best. I have the same feeling about “Paul’s Boutique”. It’s not “Licensed to Ill” but it is so much more. How do you feel about the comparison “Sgt. Pepper’s” and my comparison to “Buhloone Mindstate”? 

Mario: I think a lot of groups have albums that encapsulate this kind of creative transformation. I can definitely see a parallel with The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s” and De La Soul’s “Buhloone Mindstate”. “Buhloone Mindstate” also happens to also be my favorite De La Soul album. Like the Dust Brother’s on “Paul’s Boutique”, you can see Prince Paul’s stamp all over “Buhloone Mindstate”. It has this off the wall manic energy that makes it so much fun to listen to. I think you can find that throughline in all of these albums really. They all have this zaniness about them. You definitely see that with “Sgt. Pepper’s”. I think the Beatles were inspired to venture deep into the horizon to find chase something new. Maybe that’s what you have to tap into when you try and do something completely different. I think all of them were willing to take some risks as they found their voices. If I was under the pressure to make the same album over and over I might do the same. 

 

Beastie Boys – “Hey Ladies” 

 Jeanette “Lady” Day – “Come Let Me Love You” 

Chris: There are so many dope songs on that album. My favorite is probably “B-Boy Bouillabaisse” because it’s basically a compilation of several really dope songs with these funky samples all within one track. It’s kind of like the Beatles’ medley on “Abbey Road” or Paul McCartney’s “Band on the Run”. Were there any tracks that stood out for you? 

Mario: Oh man. There are so many. I think that “B-Boy Bouillabaisse” is really the masterpiece of that album. Another of my favorites is “Shake Your Rump.” What other kind of song starts out with a crazy drum fill that transitions to a really funky beat? There’s also this really cool bong rip transition halfway through the track. “Hey Ladies” has a great vibe to it. It’s kind of a skirt chaser track. Dave Weigel, Washington Post reporter, said it best … The only time I want to think about Chuck Woolery is in this, one of the top five Beastie Boys couplets: “Tom Thumb, Tom Cushman or tomfoolery I'm dating women on TV with the help of Chuck Woolery..” “High Plains Drifter” is a really great one too. The track takes it’s name from the 1973 Clint Eastwood movie. They give the track a 90’s Hip Hop bass heavy Spaghetti Western feel. “5-Piece Chicken Dinner” has to be one of my favorite craziest non sequitur interludes ever. 

Beastie Boys – “B-Boy Bouillabaisse” 

Chris: So has “Paul’s Boutique” stood the test of time for you? 

Mario: Absolutely, the album was completely ahead of its time. When I listen to music now it all sounds so digital. Albums like “Paul’s Boutique” make me crave that organic analogue sound. There are some albums that are just so cool you wish you had made them yourself if you had the ability. I count “Paul’s Boutique” among those albums. 

Chris: I couldn’t agree more. Since I started listening to the album again, I haven’t been able to stop. In my mind, it’s perfect. One of the best compliments that you can pay an album is that you don’t feel the need to skip a track and that is definitely true of “Paul’s Boutique.” After listening to it again, several times at the point, I would have to say that it is one of my favorite albums of all-time.

Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock - "It Takes Two"

Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock released their studio debut “It Takes Two” on August 9, 1988 on Profile Records. Friends since the 5^th grade, the duo would go to sell over a million copies of “It Takes Two” both as an album and as a single. The album, as well as the single were pivotal in crossing Hip Hop music over into mainstream popular culture. Production was handled by Rob Base, DJ E-Z Rock, William Hamilton, Donald Dee Bowden, Thomas Dean and Teddy Riley. Rob Base, the only one to rap on the album, is a traditional emcee in the sense that the majority of his lyrical content consists of efforts to get the crowd hype and of course, the braggadocios rhymes which are a Hip Hop staple. After a short break up, the pair reunited in 1994 for another studio album (“Break of Dawn”) but it didn’t receive nearly as much fanfare as “It Takes Two” did. Most recently, Rob Base has still been touring as part of a 90s review and sadly, DJ E-Z Rock passed away in 2014 at age 46. Although their legacy only maybe tied to a couple of songs, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock had their impact on Popular music and how we hear it today.

Guest choice: Gary’s (@gardog66) first appearance on the blog

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Chris: “It Takes Two” was an important album for me growing up because listening to it was kind of my introduction into becoming a fan of Hip Hop music. The songs that really stick out from my childhood are “In the House” by the L.A. Dream Team, “Cinderfella” by Dana Dane, “I Can’t Wait” by Spyder-D, “Buffalo Gals” by Malcolm McLaren and of course “It Takes Two” by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock.  These are all songs/albums that my Aunt owned and played frequently when I was very young. These are the foundation of my Hip Hop fandom. Can you remember when you first heard “It Takes Two”? Why did you want to review the album “It Takes Two”?

Gary: For me it started with the Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight”, which came out in 1979. I was just about to start High School when began. The 80’s was the best decade for Hip Hop by far. There were so many great songs and rappers. After “Rapper’s Delight” started the craze. You had groups and rappers like Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five with “The Message.” Run DMC, LL Cool J, Whodini, Slick Rick and so many more. Back to the question, the song was so iconic, that I can’t remember any other songs besides “It Takes Two” and “Joy and Pain.” I wanted to go back and give it a listen.

Chris: One thing I remember is that for at least 15 years until I finally saw the music video for “It Takes Two” on VH1 Soul, I thought Rob Base was DJ E-Z Rock and DJ E-Z Rock was Rob Base. “It Takes Two” is such an iconic song. In your opinion, what makes it so great?

Gary: MTV started in the early 80’s, after school we would go home and watch music videos. There were so many great songs dropping in the decade and music videos to go with the songs which made it even better.  By the time the late 80’s came around I was going to the clubs around the city and then the after parties, so many great memories. One thing that would happen every weekend is the DJ would play this song and the floor would get packed and people would get so hyped and happy and just dance. The song is so timeless, with such a great beat. If you were to play this song in your house today everyone regardless of age would smile and move to the beat. This song will change your mood to happiness instantly. 

Chris: I have the same memories from “It Takes Two” being played at house parties when I was a kid. There is just such a bolt of energy whenever that record comes on, you can’t fight it. Rob Base’s lyrics, EZ Rock’s beat, it was all on point. All the stars aligned for them on that track.

Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock – “It Takes Two”

Chris: There were rumors for a long time that Teddy Riley was behind the boards for the making of “It Takes Two” but those rumors were dispelled by Rob Base. Teddy Riley was involved with the album though. He’s responsible for the song “Crush”, which in my opinion, was their attempt to capitalize off the success of LL Cool J’s “I Need Love”. What did you think of the song “Crush”?

Gary: This one is easy. “I Need Love” could never be duplicated. Many have tried and many have failed. The song was so bad, it took me three tries to get thru it. I kept skipping ahead to the next song, it was so bad. SO BAD.

Chris: Hahaha it is really bad, isn’t it? And there is no question in my mind that they were trying to copy LL or even Slick Rick’s “Teenage Love.” What really makes me laugh is intro where he’s talking to who I’m assuming is DJ EZ Rock.

Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock – “Crush” (Produced by Teddy Riley)

LL Cool J – “I Need Love”

Chris: As a record collector, I really appreciated the samples that were used on this album. There were more than a few famous breaks (Jimmy Castor – “It’s Just Begun”, The Commodores – “Assembly Line”, ESG – “UFO”, Thin Lizzy - “Johnny The Fox”, and Lyn Collins – “Think About It” that were used on this album. What did you think of the production as whole on this album and did you have any favorite tracks outside of “It Takes Two”?

Gary: I think when “It Takes Two” came out and became such a big hit. They rushed the rest of the album while the song was still hot. My favorite songs are “It Takes Two” and “Joy and Pain”. The only other song I would listen to is “Times are Getting Ill” I found it to be in the same manner as Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” and Dana Dane’s “Cinderfella” and “Nightmares”. Something I found interesting is “It Takes Two” was sampled over 180 times.

Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock – “Times are Getting Ill”

Chris: When you have such an impactful song like “It Takes Two” I think you’re bound to hear references from it in other places. Just that line “I wanna rock right now, I’m Rob Base and I came to get down, I’m not internationally known but I’m known to rock the microphone”, how many times have you heard some assemblance of that phrasing on a Hip Hop song. I can think a few right now, just off the top of my head.

What was interesting to me is that the popularity of “It Takes Two” actually brought a lot of renewed interest to Lyn Collins, who’s “Think (About It)” is the main sample in “It Takes Two.” She started out as a dancer for James Brown and then later sang and was produced by James Brown. “It Takes Two” is an exampling of the benefits of sampling and how it can benefit the originator. Another example, how many records do you think Etta James sold after FloRida released “Good Feeling”? I imagine it was quite a bit.

Lyn Collins – “Think (About It)”

Chris: “It Takes Two” went certified platinum (sold a million copies) as both an album and as a single, so it’s hard to argue with that but did you think that they made a mistake by putting “It Takes Two” as the first song on the album?

Gary: In most cases yes. But this album is so bad, after listening to the first 2 songs there is no reason to continue. If they were smart, they would have put “Times are Getting Ill” as the third song. That way I would not have to punish my ears thru the rest of the album. When you would purchase an album for a particular song. You would go thru the whole thing and always find a song that you liked better than the one you bought it for. Now I know why I did not remember this album; it is was SO BAD.

Chris: It’s not a very good album. If it were me, I would have put “Joy and Pain” and “It Takes Two” as the last two songs on the album. Imagine if you had the cassette though? Hahaha.

What is your impression of “It Takes Two” now after re-listening to it? Has it stood the test of time for you?

Gary: It is everything I remembered and more. First time I played it after we decided to review it. I was driving with the wife to Northern New Mexico. As soon as it started playing the wife says I remember this song and starts dancing. Such a great song you can listen to it alone at a BBQ, wedding dance or a sporting event. Just an iconic song. It certainly has stood the test of time. My question to you is will they be remembered as a one hit wonder?

Chris: The song “It Takes Two” certainly has stood the test of time. The really caught lightening in a bottle with that song. Will they be remembered as a one hit wonder? I mean, if you’re from my generation or your generation, I feel like you also know “Joy and Pain” but if they’d only be remembered for “It Takes Two”, what a song to be remember for?

Gary: Thanks for having me do this, I went to YouTube and started to listening and watching all the great songs from that decade. Brings back so many great memories.

Chris: Thank you for coming on and for picking “It Takes Two”, it brought back a lot of great memories for me as well.

Kurupt - "Tha Streetz iz a Mutha"

Kurupt, the Philadelphia-born and L.A. based rapper, released his 2^nd studio album, “Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha”, on November 16, 1999 on Antra Records. Following Dr. Dre’s formula of getting a lot of great talent together to make great music worked beautiful. The album features Daz Dillinger, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, KRS-One, Roscoe, and Tray Dee amongst others. Production on the album was handled by Daz Dillinger, Blaqtohoven, Soopafly, Fredwreck, Organized Noize and Dr. Dre. “Streetz iz a Mutha” is a continuation of the work the Dogg Pound did while under Death Row but you can also hear how much they evolved musically.In most cases, an artist’s Sophomore effort doesn’t live up to their debut but that is not the case with “Streetz iz a Mutha.” Although it didn’t receive the fanfare it deserved, which was likely because it was released on the same exact day as Dr. Dre’s “2001”, “Streetz iz a Mutha” is Kurupt’s best solo effort.

Review with Sean (@bort_sampson_ )

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Chris: “The Streetz iz a Mutha” is album we listened to quite a bit back in the day, specifically during the Summer between our Junior and Senior years of High School. I can’t remember where I bought it. Honestly it was probably Target. If you remember, Target was an underrated spot for music back in the day. Anyway, I remember that I burnt you a copy and I famously wrote “Kurpt” on the disc (HAHA!). For that reason alone, I wanted to re-listen to and review “Streetz iz a Mutha” with you. Do you have any memories of listening “Streetz iz a Mutha” and can you remember how you felt about it back then?

Sean: Hahahah the infamous “Kurpt” CD lol. I mostly remember hanging out up in your room, listening to it. “Calling Out Names” I think was the song that first stuck out to me. Kurupt just goes bezerk on that track, at a time when I think rap beefs were at an all-time high, just straight calling people out. No between the lines nonsense. Anyway, I thought it was a dope track and that was the hook that got me into the album.

Chris: Granted “Streetz iz a Mutha” wasn’t released on Death Row but he’ll always be associated with that label and its roster. I think that if you look at all the Death Row talent, you could make a case that Kurupt was one of the better, probably two, lyricist in that camp. What are your thoughts on Kurupt as a lyricist and are there any tracks on “Streez iz a Mutha” where Kurupt’s lyricism stands out to you?

Sean: I think Kurupt is a pretty good lyricist, and agree he was one of the better Death Row artists. Having said that, I don't feel he's great, especially upon re-listening. Solid, definitely. But, I feel like he's one of those guys that tries to fit too many syllables into a line, but doesn't have the flow to truly pull it off. I think Kweli is someone else who does this as well. Plus, Kurupt's voice, while distinctive, is on the more abrasive side which for me, just serves to highlight the syllables issue.

Chris: I feel like he’s pretty underrated. I think that when you’re thinking about Kurupt, you, the general you, don’t immediately think of his more lyrical offerings. Shoot man, the guy was on a Pete Rock track with Inspectah Deck! The song that stands out for me is “Loose Cannons”.

Kurupt feat. Daz Dillinger and Xzibit – “Loose Cannons”

Chris: While re-listening to the album, one thing that really stood out to me this time around was the quality of the production. It is very good and to me it has the definitive West Coast vibe that I really miss. While reading through the liner notes, I noticed that some of my favorite tracks on the album where produced by Fredwreck, who I embarrassingly admit that I wasn’t really familiar with, so I did some research. Fredwreck is a producer of Palestinian descent who has worked with everyone from The Bomb Squad to Snoop Dogg. His work on “Tha Street iz a Mutha” is actually some of first of many with the Dogg Pound. Fredwreck produced “Who Ride wit Us”, “Represent Dat G.C.”, and “Calling Out Names.” What did you think of Fredwreck’s work on the album?

Sean: I can't really speak to his production specifically as you're far more knowledgeable about the people on the other side of the glass than I am. What I will say is that I think the beats on the album are more consistent than the lyrics. They definitely have that G-Funk sound which makes this a clear descendant branch of the Dre production tree and I enjoyed more beats than not. They lyrics, on the other hand - not so much. I just felt they got incredibly repetitive in terms of subject material. I get it, Kurupt - you're a G out there doing G things. I don't feel like things ever really dipped below the surface into any sort of true self reflection or story telling.  But, the songs that I like, I REALLY like. “Who Ride Wit Us”, “Tequila”, “Welcome Home”, “Girls All Pause”, “Calling Out Names”, I could make my own EP out of those songs and never get tired of it.

Chris: Well two of those are Fredwreck beats! I hear what you’re saying about the lyrics but I guess if you’re going to listen to a Kurupt album, you kind of know what you’re in for but I agree, it would have been nice to hear Kurupt show off alittle more of his range.

Kurupt feat. Tray Dee, Daz Dillinger, Snoop Dogg, Jay-O and Soopa Fly – “Represent Dat G.C.” (produced by Fredwreck)

Fatback Band – “Kool Whip”

Chris: To me, Kurupt and Daz Dillinger should be considered as one of the best duos in Hip Hop. What are some of your favorite duos Hip Hop and where do you rank Kurupt and Daz among them?

Sean: The big dog in this question is for me Blackstar. Mos and Kweli are my favorite duo in hip hop history. The peak of the mountain. A close second, even though they're not technically a duo are Snoop and Dre. You also have more all time greats in OutKast, GangStarr, Eric B & Rakim. Then that next level of guys like 8Ball and MJG and UGK. I don't think Kurupt and Daz are one of my favorites but I do think they're criminally underrated. I think they belong in that second tier even though many people don't usually think of them.

Chris: I think if you consider Daz’s beat making ability, it pushes Kurupt and Daz up near the top. What was your favorite track on the album?

Sean: Probably “Welcome Home”. It stands out to me because it's a little softer than the rest of the album. A little slower, and probably the most reflective song on an album that doesn't really have many. When I relisten to this album, which I do every now and then outside of this review, that the song I find myself listening to the most. I had never heard of the producer, Soopafly, until I read about the album for the review.

Chris: “Welcome Home” is a phenomenal song and one of my favorites on the album as well!

Kurupt feat. Latoya Wiliams and Daz Dillinger – “Welcome Home” (Produced by Soopafly)

Chris: One of the lesser publicized Rap beefs was between Kurupt and DMX.  Apparently the two were beefing over an alleged infidelity between DMX and Foxy Brown, Kurupt’s fiancé at the time. Kurupt’s “Calling Out Names” is obviously a shot at DMX but did you know what DMX’s “Party Up (In Here)” is DMX’s retort? The two have since squashed their beef but who do you think go the better of the exchange?

Kurupt feat. Xzibit – “Calling Out Names”

DMX – “Party Up (In Here)

Chris: So, did “Streetz iz a Mutha” stand the test of time for you?

Sean: Yes and no. As I mentioned earlier, I started skipping a lot of tracks but really like the ones I like. At the end of the day, those tracks are seeing enough to keep this one from ever falling off.

Chris: I actually enjoyed it even more this time around. Just a solid all around production, in my opinion.

Wu-Tang Clan - "Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers"

“Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers” was released on November 9, 1993 on Loud Records. An important date for Hip Hop heads as A Tribe Called Quest also released their classic “Midnight Marauders” on the same day. The title of the album pays homage to two martial arts films (“Enter the Dragon” and “The 36^th Chamber of Shaolin”) that inspired the group.  “36 Chambers” was the Wu-Tang’s group debut and the catalyst for a style, a culture and several successful careers. The production was handled by the RZA, who manipulated samples from old Soul records transforming them into a rugged landscape for their lyrics. The album features vocals from the RZA, the GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Masta Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah. All having their own unique style but also maintaining a rough, raw and aggressive tone throughout. “Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers” is probably one of the most important albums to come out due to its impact not only on Hip Hop but on popular culture.

Guest choice: Mike T's (@mike_t_bvnm) second appearance on the blog

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Chris: Mike, what did you know of the Wu-Tang Clan before this review and why did you want to review "Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers"?

Mike: To be honest I didn’t know really anything about Wu-Tang. Just that they were a Hip Hop group from the early 90’s, and that they had a member Ol’ Dirty Bastard. I wanted to review this because I know a few diehard fans, and in the past year Bearded Villains have been doing Wu-Tang Wednesdays, so I wanted to get a better understanding why Wu-Tang. What set them apart from other rap groups from around the time? One thing I noticed with these fans, it wasn’t just “I’m a fan” it was a lifestyle for them. Wu-Tang fans really take on that “live by the sword, die by the sword” mentality, so I felt “Enter the Wu-Tang: The 36^th Chamber” was a good place to start because this was their first album. This was a great place to start because its where the group started.

Chris: That’s true. I do know a lot of very loyal Wu-Tang fans. Some of them have even put ink to their skin to show their allegiance. I definitely consider myself to be a fan of their music and probably a little more so when I was younger. I remember kind of around the time that their second album “Wu-Tang Forever” dropped, I had drawn a white Wu-Tang symbol in whiteout on to the back of my backpack. I also had a “Enter the Wu-Tang” poster hanging up in my bedroom.

So "Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers" was recorded with an extremely low budget. The recording space was small and the equipment they used wasn't the most expensive. What did you think of the overall quality of the production? Does it detract from its overall quality or does it enhance it?

Mike: This album had a very unique sound right off the get go. It was one of the very first things I noticed about the aesthetic of the album. It’s a very raw sounding album. The sound reminded me of being at a small little hole in the wall concert venue. Like they recorded this album in front of like 15 people at a show. I think this sound gave the album its own identity in a sense. It lets the listener appreciate the talent of the artists. They didn’t need high production equipment to put out their material. If the album was over produced like a lot of albums nowadays I feel it would have lost its authenticity. I personally don’t think it detracts from the quality. These artists were raw, so it fits who they were I feel. If anything I think it enhances the experience for the listener.

Chris: I agree. I, to this day, prefer the gritty of this recording. A lot of music being made today is a little too clean for my palate.

So I read that to decide who was going to be on each track, the RZA would have the guys battle to see who would earn the right to be on the song. Which rapper or rappers stand out for you on this album?

Mike: This is a hard question to answer. Strictly because the only MC’s I can distinctly make out is Method Man, and ODB. ODB for me is easily the easiest one to point out. This was just because of how unique his voice, and style was. Method Man is probably the second one I can make out. The rest because I can’t put a face to name makes it hard. This I think was just due to I didn’t look up interviews or anything going into this review. I wanted to experience the Wu for what the album was. I didn’t want anything to take away from the listening experience for this. But I think you can hear how they took that rap battle feel, and put it towards this album. It really did just feel like a cypher every time a track came on. Just one after another.

Chris: That’s fair. Remembering back to when I was first listening to this album ODB and Method Man stood out to me as well. For me now though, this album really showcases Raekwon and Inspectah Deck. I think lyrically they were so far ahead at this point and that shows just be the shear fact of how many songs they were on. I’m glad that ODB stood out to you, like Method Man said, he’s the Ol’ Dirty Bastard because there is no father to his style. A lot of people don’t really appreciate how hard that style is. ODB is a treasure.

Wu-Tang Clan – “Shame on N***a”

Chris: The Wu-Tang Clan employed a nontraditional style. Nontraditional in the sense of their song structure, their free-associative lyricism, and their utilization of primarily Soul samples. What did you think of the Wu-Tang style and do you think that it had an effect on future generations of rappers?

Mike:  Their style is what set this apart from any other Hip Hop album I’ve listened to. They brought that “fighting style” from the movies they loved and applied it to their music. Everyone might have their small quirk to distinguish them, but as a whole they brought a new force to the hip hop scene. It was different listening to Hip Hop with very little hooks/choruses, but like I had said previously they brought that battle rap feel to the album. I’m sure they had a huge impact on future generations. Especially the underground Hip Hop scene. This might not be a rap style you’ll hear or see on the current mainstream Hip Hop scene, but real lyricists, and MC’s you can probably find someone that resembles a Wu-Tang feel.

Chris: Yeah, you’re right. The way they rhyme, they do kind of remind you of a pack of ninjas, each with their different style or different weaponry, but you also have songs like “Can It Be All So Simple”, “Tearz” or “C.R.E.A.M.” which are a little more introspective. I’ve always appreciated that about the WU. Also, I’ve always really dug the RZA’s use of soul samples, I think it serves as a cool juxtaposition.

Wendy Rene – “After Your Laughter”

Chris: What were some of your favorite tracks?

Mike: Favorite tracks from this album. This is a good one. “Bring Da Ruckus” is one for sure. It was a great track to open the album up to. For a record to have very little to no real hooks or choruses I liked this track a lot cause it instantly made your head bob. Plus, it got you saying “Bring da motha F@%$^*g Ruckus!”. “ “Wu-Tang: 7^th chamber” is a great example of just how they all can just jump on the track, and just go. Because what I really liked about this album, and these tracks was the samples of the Kung-Fu movies they incorporated. It gave me this mental image of someone with a mic, and tape recorder just sitting in front of the tv. Splicing the tapes together. This was a hard album to pick a favorite track for me. This was just because you can start this album, and just let it play. “C.R.E.A.M.” Is going to be up there. I felt I couldn’t narrow down favorites because the whole album felt like a movie. There’s always favorite parts of a movie, but as a whole it’s just good because of how different their sound was.

Chris: That’s funny. I remember the first time I put on this album and “Bring da motha…” comes on, I had to turn that shit down immediately! See, my parents used to censor us as kids so our way around that was to get our music from Colombia House and you’d just have to make sure that you got to the mail before one of them did. It was through Colombia House that I came up on “36 Chambers”.

Wu-Tang Clan – “Bring Da Ruckus”

There could be some other acts that tried to incorporate dialogue from Kung Fu movies before but none that I know of. Another example of the RZA’s genius!

Wu-Tang Clan Kung Fu movie samples

Chris: You watched "Wu-Tang: An American Safe." I haven't seen it yet. What did you think? and did it make you change how you felt about the album?

Mike: The show was good. As far as a Wu-Tang show I felt it was more of a back story show for each member of the Wu-Tang. It heavily focuses on Bobby Diggs Aka The RZA. I felt it was more of a show about each member, and them living in the projects of Staten Island. I would definitely recommend watching it if you haven’t seen it. I don’t really think it changed the way I felt about this album in particular, but more it gave me an appreciation for RZA. His work ethic to want to do music, and get away from the drug scene. I really liked how it showed the audience that RZA really wanted to bring the best rappers he knew around together, and succeed together. It was a very “everybody eats” mentality.

Chris: I’m sold. I definitely want to watch it.

Wu-Tang: An American Saga Official Trailer

Mike: I have a question, what was up with skits? So I have a love/hate relationship with skits, especially on this album. Sometimes they were a little long winded, I felt. Like the torture skit before “Method Man” it was funny but it was too long. I think that it would have helped if the skits were separate tracks instead an additional 2 minutes to the song.

Chris: Yeah, I hear you and that skit in particular was a little…

Mike: Haha yeah, it reminded of the “you know how I know you’re gay…” scene from “The 40-Year Old Virgin”

Wu-Tang Clan - "Torture Skit"

“You know how I know you’re gay”

Chris: Would you consider yourself to be a Wu-Tang Clan fan at this point? Has listening to "Enter the Wu-Tang" inspired you to check out any other Wu-Tang projects?

Mike: Would I consider myself a fan now? I would say yeah this turned me into a fan. I’ll be checking out more of their music. I’ve already checked out GZA’s solo album. I will be listening to more of the Wu-Tang as time goes. But I won’t say I’m a diehard fan just from this listen. It wasn’t something I grew up listening to. Granted they came out when I was 3 lol. But I’ll definitely be listening to more. I also want to check out each person’s solo project to really get a feel of how each member had their own style.

Chris: If you include the solo projects, the Wu-affiliates and their group projects you can definitely understand the Wu diehards. There is just an abundance of dope shit to listen to. It’s kind of cool that you can listen to their entire catalog now but man, I remember how the anticipation for the next Wu release felt and it hardly ever disappointed. Listening to it now, I think I might actually like it even more. Honestly, it was kind of refreshing to hear it again.

So in closing, did you know that Childish Gambino got his name from the Wu-Tang name generator?

Mike: Shut up! I didn’t know that.

Chris: Yup! Look up your’s! Mine is “Occultist Unlucky”

Mike: Mine is “Romanticist Quick”

https://wutangclan.net/name-generator/

Ghostface Killah - "Supreme Clientele"

“Supreme Clientele” is the second studio album by Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. Released in February of 2000 on Epic Records, “Supreme Clientele” was well received by the Hip Hop listening community and has even been regarded as one of the best Wu-Tang Clan solo projects. Most of the lyrics for the album were written while Ghost was in Africa convalescing and seeking alternative treatments for diabetes, which he had recently been diagnosed with. Some of the production was handled by an assortment of producers (Mathematics, JuJu (of the Beatnuts), The Blaquesmiths, Carlos Bees, etc.) and a barber (Black Moes-art) but the bulk of it was handled by the RZA. During the middle of the time they were recording, Ghostface was sentenced and served six-months for attempted armed robbery, which push back the albums targeted release dated.  Despite health concerns and prison time, Ghostface was still able to put out another classic and prove that his debut (“Ironman”) was no fluke.

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Chris: Mike, do you have any memories from when you first heard “Supreme Clientele”?

Mike: I remember that I purchased it at Zia Records on University. Me and a friend had gone to Zia and he was pressuring me to buy the CD, so he could burn a copy for himself. It was a used copy and I had a coupon too! I remember I took the free neighborhood bus home and the second I got in my room, I threw it on and was taken back by its dopeness. It quickly became one of my all-time favorite albums.

Chris: I remember seeing the music video for “Cherchez La Ghost” for the first time and recognizing that the sample they used was the same song from Boyz N The Hood when Dough Boy was brushing his hair and his Mom was telling him he was going to be shit. I picked up the album at Circuit City not too long after that.

Boyz N The Hood “You Ain’t Shit” scene

Ghostface Killah feat. U-God – Cherchez LaGhost

Chris: What tracks stood out to you back then?

Mike: The first tracks that stood out to be me were “One” and “Child’s Play”. “One” because of the classic Ghostface Killah flow and I’m a sucker for beats that utilize a vocal for the sample. And since “Child’s Play” has a cohesive schoolyard nostalgia them, I feel like it was more palatable to the younger me. It was the only track I understood in that way.

Chris: Hahaha! “Child’s Play” was a favorite of mine as well. RZA’s flip of George Jackson’s “Aretha, Sing One for Me” is so dope.

Ghostface Killah – “Child’s Play”

George Jackson – “Aretha, Sing One For Me”

Chris: One thing that I’ve always found so dope about Ghost is willingness to sing on tracks. He doesn’t sing well, of course, but when he does, it adds this layer of ruggedness to the song that I find really enjoyable.

Mike:  Most definitely. It adds a unique depth to his overall sound. Very few other rappers have managed to pull it off.

Chris: Another thing I’ve been thinking about while listening to “Supreme Clientele” again, is the parallels between Ghostface and Tony Starks. They both are geniuses of their craft, they both have significant health issues, they’re both really vulnerable despite their huge personas.

Mike: Wow, that’s a great observation that’s never crossed my mind. It totally makes sense.

Chris:  Let’s talk about the song “Apollo Kids”. I read that Ghost had an issue with BET because they wouldn’t play the video on RapCity and to be honest, I had never seen the video for it until I started researching for this review. As far as the song itself, I’m not really a fan of it and I think it’s because of the beat. I actually prefer some of the remixes over the OG. Even with Ghost and Rae killing, I still can’t get with that beat.

Mike: I think the beat has less of a commercial appeal and that’s possibly why BET chose not to air the video.

Ghostface Killah feat. Raekwon – “Apollo Kids”

Chris: It must be so much fun for Ghost and Rae to be in the studio together. It’s like the only person who can legitimately go on after Ghost is Rae and vice versa. Those two guys are just on another level as far as the way their minds work and the lyrics they craft. It’s got to be an entertaining process for them when they’re recording but it’s also got to be ultra-competitive at the same time. It really seems like they bring out the best in one another.

Mike: I completely agree. Two of the best MCs ever, that could nearly be considered their own group.

Chris: So I take then that you’re a fan of the “stream of consciousness” rap style?

Mike: Very much so. It adds a level of relatability that makes it feel like you are in their shoes.

Chris: I hear that. The criticism that you always hear about “stream of consciousness” style is that it’s just a bunch of meaningless phrases thrown together and that it doesn’t really mean anything. I see where that is coming from but I feel like it’s shortsighted. If you think of Ghost’s voice as an instrument and his lyrics as the notes, when he’s rapping it’s almost like avant-garde jazz and he’s just going for it.

Mike: That’s why Picasso is much more esteemed than some other artists. Abstract, when done correctly evokes more feeling in my opinion.

Chris: Definitely! It’s funny, it’s emotional, it’s slick, it’s thought provoking and it’s not a style that just anyone can master like Ghost has. There are quite a few people out there who consider “Supreme Clientele” to be the best of the Wu solo releases. What do you think? I don’t know if I’d go that far but I will say this though, it’s the best Wu project to come out in the 2000s and it’s the best 2^nd album by any Wu member.

Mike: It’s my favorite, but not the “best” per se, because the debuts all really solidified the Wu-Tang sound. Musically it is more diverse than the debuts, due to the out of house production offerings, so there’s that aspect to look at. So while it’s my favorite, it’s not influential, iconic, or definitively “Wu” as the debut solo joints were. I own very few albums and “Supreme Clientele”, Ironman” and “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx” are in that stack. That speaks for itself.

Chris: Yeah, that’s true. I guess the plan was to have different Wu affiliated producers to handle the production on the albums that were released during that time but after a quick look at the liner notes of “Supreme Clientele” it appears that RZA did the bulk of producing. What was your favorite track?

Mike: Too many to pick just one! “One” which was produced by JuJu from the Beatnuts is probably my favorite. I also love “Wu Banga” which was produced by Mathematics. I feel like that was the official Wu-Tang track of the new millennium, something we hadn’t heard since “Triumph”.

Chris: Some of my favorites are “Ghost Deini”, “Mighty Healthy” and “Child’s Play”

Ghostface Killah – “Mighty Healthy” (Metal Fingerz Blend)

Chris: Mike, is there anything that you wanted to add?

Mike: Just that this is probably the first album I didn’t have to “revisit” for the review because it has never left my rotation, it’s just that dope.