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Subject: "I found these album reviews by ?uest that used to be posted on this site..." Previous topic | Next topic
forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:45 PM

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"I found these album reviews by ?uest that used to be posted on this site..."


  

          

I'll post them below.

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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Topic Outline
Subject Author Message Date ID
common - like water for chocolate (madam zenobia/mca-2000 )
Mar 18th 2012
1
he said Com was getting nice on the keys. LOL
Mar 18th 2012
20
q - tip - amplified (arista )
Mar 18th 2012
2
d'angelo - voodo (virgin)
Mar 18th 2012
3
I want to know who the 7 cryers are
Mar 18th 2012
13
7 cryers??
Mar 18th 2012
14
      RE: 7 cryers??
Mar 18th 2012
17
           thanks
Mar 18th 2012
19
                that was classic ?uest hyperbole... that cracked me up.
Mar 19th 2012
23
                     i've learned to take quest's excitement with a grain of salt
Mar 19th 2012
24
what I like about this review is the backstories into its creation
Mar 18th 2012
15
What happened ed to the lauryn hill song?
Mar 20th 2012
28
nas - i am (columbia )
Mar 18th 2012
4
slum village - fantastic volume vol. II (good vibe)
Mar 18th 2012
5
janet - all for you (virgin)
Mar 18th 2012
6
bilal - first born second (interscope)
Mar 18th 2012
7
michael jackson - off the wall (epic)
Mar 18th 2012
8
I remember actually reading this one
Mar 18th 2012
16
micheal jackson - thriller (epic)
Mar 18th 2012
9
michael jackson - bad (epic )
Mar 18th 2012
10
michael jackson - dangerous (epic)
Mar 18th 2012
11
ghostface killah - bulletproof wallets (rzasharp / epic)
Mar 18th 2012
12
it's a shame, it sounds like ?uest got the -real- version of that album
Mar 18th 2012
18
      i'm not familiar with this album but..
Mar 18th 2012
21
           naw...songs got yanked off
Mar 18th 2012
22
                inbox please!?
Mar 19th 2012
25
                RE: inbox please!?
Mar 20th 2012
27
                Inbox!!!
Mar 20th 2012
29
                Inbox please???
Mar 20th 2012
30
                RE: naw...songs got yanked off
Mar 20th 2012
31
i remember Quest said something bout having a mediocre album
Mar 19th 2012
26
damn, good looking out!
Mar 20th 2012
32

forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:46 PM

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1. "common - like water for chocolate (madam zenobia/mca-2000 )"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

*****

Let us now take the time out to praise good men. Look, get over it already, I walk the liner thinner than Johnny Cash so don't be askin me why the hell does he only review records he likes, or records he's involved in, or records that we ain't getting in 3 years (James River by D'angelo review up in 4 weeks...album out in... -about... 3 years). I recall the day when Com asked me to executive produce this project. I remembered all the flack that Wyclef caught for the Cannibus project and thought ''damn, if I switch his steeze imma get clobbered''... but then I thought about the most irritating part about listening to one day it'll all make sense. The sequencing of that album horrified me. Why wasn't the emotional centerpiece of the album (''retrospect for life'') not in the center? Or why wasn't Ceelo's song toward the end of side two? Did they have to use all 7 minutes of ''all night long''? Where was I when it was time to sequence? Trust me, the pacing of an album is the most important. And this time I made sure I was there for every nilk and crannie. That's why the joy of doing this record overcame my fear.

This is hands down Common's most promising 79 minutes ever committed to tape. Hard to believe that this is the same man who 8 years ago composed the composition ''Heidi Ho'' and I'm not talkin about Mr. Hanky either. Not saying that Com is the most political artist in the world. I almost felt us come to fisticuffs when I told him that I would censor Slum Village's ''Thelonius'' for its overexsesive misogyny. And y'all already know about his ''homo bashin'' and ''religious remarks'' and callin out names shenanigans. But the more I thought about it, I realized, that's why we love common. It's an honesty that comes across the music that's pure and untouched.

We started this record on my birthday January 20th 1999. Com said that it was time for a change and could I help him. He had already started insuring his longevity by expanding his live show with musicians (they give you the big bucks in Europe for that type of thing). I took notice and realized that here was a man who really cared for his career. He then searched for a new label that could take him further than Relativity. Wowsers. I didn't even go that far, and we (the roots) were the standard to how good business practice can be conducted (the move to MCA was a Segrams merger). So now I felt it was my responsibility to pull that record outta him that he always had. But what wound up happening was he pulled the record out of me that I never knew I had.

I guess in a sense, this would be the record I'd make if the roots gave me total control for an album. The funniest observation here is the art of a man dangerously walking the line of two worlds that he longs to belong to. Deep inside I think Com wants to be a soul singer. Every night at 2am com would be on the piano in the control room playin whatever song we came up with for the voodoo sessions that day (money is determined, and with 3 years he'll be straight). This album has the most usage of singing than any album I've done, but it feels so natural. Almost in an outkast type of way. Where you can't wait for the singsong chorus to kick in so that you can join in on the fun.

Fun is also on cornbreads mind. I counted at least 8 times in which Com addresses his ''bohemian'' lifestyle and his need to do the nasty. (''Because you answer the phone ''peace'' does that mean that you're not a freak?'' ''If I wanna uhh-uhh does that mean I lack respect for you''? ''Don't you want to be royalty on the streets sellin ass and oils for me?'') I could go on but then I'd ruin it. The sound of the record is the biggest change for Com. ''Time Traveling'' explores Pink Floyd's sonic bonderies while exploring Nigerian afro beat that guest vocalist femi akute. ''A film called PIMP'' brings back the spirit of Flying Start era Blackbyrds. (Uh Roy Ayers for those of you with deprived catalogues) So yeah there is the sound of live instruments throughout, but as always (braggin writes here) the boom bap is still alive and kickin.

For those concerned about the absence of No ID need not worry. Primo (who I'll admit didn't grant my wish for a ''Brownsville'' (MOP) instead of his generic ''Primoesque'' sound ) and the super team know as the Soulquarians (for the players with iq's under room tempter that's: Me, D'angelo, Jay Dee, and James Poyser) did a stellar ass job if I can say so myself.

So in the end ''Water'' represents a big small step for the good guys. We may never make it to the Promised Land, but I assure you we will keep our dignity every step of the way. ''Chocolate'' is a super bold move for a man who made his debut with Das, Naughty, LONS, Lords of the Underground, Chi Ali, and Pete Rock and CL Smooth (break out the milk cartons y'all). So the question remains will this album bring Com all the glory and fame that's due the artist who makes quality product? If history repeats itself? Nope. However, will this record insure that Com can end his career on his terms and not when the industry is ready to dispose him? Hell yeah!! LONG LIVE THE COM!!!!!!!

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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smooth va
Member since May 02nd 2005
6059 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 10:12 PM

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20. "he said Com was getting nice on the keys. LOL"
In response to Reply # 1


  

          

I wonder how good he is now.

"This is dedicated to whom it may concern."-Donny Hathaway

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:47 PM

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2. "q - tip - amplified (arista )"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

****

(oops...I think someone's spellcheck was on the fritz when this review was written.) HOW TO REALLY GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS RECORD.....AKA HOW TO ENJOY THIS RECORD..... AKA HOW NOT TO FEEL LIKE YOU DID WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD BR&L, AND THE LOVE MOVEMENT (THAT'S IF YOU DIDN'T ENJOY 'EM)......AKA REASONS NOT TO HAVE UNREAL STANDARDS WHEN LISTENING TO THIS JOINT...........AKA WHEN WILL HE JUST START THIS REVEIW?!?!?!??!!?!?................

dear tip,
hey this is ahmir, remember me? i have to say that i'm really impressed with the new record. well, isn't that always the case? remember when i was all over the top when you rocked beats, rhymes, and life for me in the whip.......if my initial reaction was mirrored by the public then perhaps BR&L would've been your best work (then again when you rocked the rough of the love movement's ''let's start'', and ali's instrumental of ''common ground'' i almost threw up in disgust (at myself of course) in the passenger's seat.......ok it's 4am and i'm talking nonsense.

the night my father was rushed to the hospital you called to see if i was ok, and i do recall saying that i'd be ok........but inside i really wanted to ask you what talent am i lacking that you don't feel the need to include me on this record. seriously. i remember telling you that i'd cut you off if i found myself on the customer end of this record. something: skits, handclaps, one snare.......something. i understand that i'm no jay dee, or d'angelo when it comes to songwriting but i think i can hold some shit down.....ok, i'm getting ahead of myself. this is supposed to be a congratulatory letter in proving my theory all along. that you are better off on your own than in a crew.

after careful observation i recommend that people who are really hell-bent on casting you aside should start with the hidden track ''do it, be it, see it'' (fast forward track 12, and release when you hear silence) it's here that you tell your rollercoster history with hip-hop from beginning to end (however i'm shocked that you mentioned tommy mattola gettin' that hitman to off you for that mariah bullshucks.....).......but i thought it was a peculiar/perfect/vulnerable way to explain your position.

i mean for most of us tribe was the soundtrack of our lives (i was 19 when i copped ''people's instintictive....'') and those w---hang on didn't i already say this in the source?............ ''acting like grown ups''.....such a strange line to pull from an even unlikely source. but this one line really describes the situation that most of us are having a hard time to deal with. tip. you have grown up. paul says in the new testament that when he was a child he acted like a child, spoke like one, and was one.......but now that he's a man he's put away childish things. come april you will turn 30. should we still expect you to have crazy provolactics? in light of most artist's dealing with growing pains (jimi in '70, james in '76, stevie in '84, michael in '95 (however i hear the new shit is bangin?), pe in '94, prince in '93.....)i could go on. i still stand by my word that your ''so called decline'' in music is better than most cat's best moments in radio 1999. i mean what's left? i like this better than forever, and i like it better than on the 6, and will is my negro but this has got more spins than willenium........so what's the word on the street on who your real comp is? mos? tribe? us? nope. most will agree that you are your worst competition. i say you are your worst critic. i know you ''handled'' the disappointment of the public's disdain for the gold lov e movement well. but deep inside you and i are the same and i can't stand criticism specially for something you bled over. so i know in your head you figured that your shit would be better off if you had no one to answer to. i didn't want to hear it. i needed ''footprints 99''......or so i thought. once i saw the ''incident'' backstage between you and phife at the beastie show last year (don't sweat that, riq and i argue worse than that) i knew it was coming to an end. however i never knew you was gonna loop barry white up to be the biggest hit of your career.

so i guess you are aware that most cats 'round here are just waiting to blast this record to smithereens, and i suspect there will be some who don't understand that this record here is the best possible retort to all those spirit's who try to stop you from doing your thing (watch me start to accuse these okayhater's of not gettin no bush for their frustrations).

truth be told (it's an hour later since i started writing) this record is everything i wanted it to be. for starters not a tribe album. for if it was then that would be foul for you to ''john paul jones'' phife off the record. (translation: jimmy and robert plant said that the page/plant project was not a zep reunion, even though they did zep shit, thus frustrating jpj cause they wouldn't let him get in on all that ca$h action) are the beats innovative? hey my opinions of jaydee are borderline suspect round these parts. he's flipped nuff breaks on this record to give primo a run for his loot(p), peep how he flips ''giant steps'' on ''let's ride''.......or him freaking the shit outta kool and the gang's ''nt'' on ''breath and stop''. the rhymes? cats are all goin crazy over ''vivrant's'' lyrics like you were biggie or somethin. ''the rhymes are too simple'' ''it's whack!!!''---whatever, i mean you are the same cat who once rhymed ''if i was working at the club you would not pay....'' again, you are a dope mc. voice and all. that's why i wasn't (and never) expected biggie like miricles for any rhyme that came out of your mouth. (''i learned how to build mics in my workshop class'' vs. ''birthday's was the worst days....now we sip champagne when we thirs---stay!!!! who wins?) i mean your shit is more like an instrument to the bigger picture, than the sole focus.........anyway i'm tryin to figure did i mention something.....oh yeah ignore all naysayers....they're comin ''thought he was a devout muslim and shit'' why is he singin about sex and shit?!?!!?? i dunno this ain't no surprise to me. you been singin about gettin the ass for almost 10 years now, and quite honestly, i dig this stuff. sure some will say you all jiggified, but i'll be damn if puff gonna stat rockin over a track like ''all in'' (probably the funkiest shit you've ever done in eons). so as i close i just wanna say that even without my involvement this record is a great introduction from Q-tip to the world. congrats.......still cuttin you off though....

fuck you man
terminator ?uest

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:48 PM

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3. "d'angelo - voodo (virgin)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

*****

( ok. i know that it's really a conflict of interest for me to review this record cause this ain't a record where i'm a guest. sure to d, this is ''voodoo''. to me? this is called ''vicarious fantasy'', because if i was a singer this would be the record i'd make. hands down

. but that doesn't mean this is for everybody. music lovers come under 2 umbrellas. number one: those who use it for growth and spiritual fulfillment and number two: those who use it for mere background music. the thing is, this record is too extreme to play the middle of the fence. this record is the litmus test that will reveal the most for your personality. cats who live for music and all the new directions it can show you have cried when i played this record (i don't wanna embarrass no one but i assure you at least 7 of your favorite artists were on their knees BAWLING because of this astounding document of music. this is what we need today...this is no miseducation ....this is the blueprint right here!) for them.

i know for a fact that tribe inspired slum, slum inspired d, and d inspired ''things fall apart''. i assure you, the only reason that ''things...'' was the way it was is because of the endless education i got from moonlighting on this record. the intro? and all that dialogue floating around? (came from russ' (elevado, engineer)3-d like mixing). the volume floating up and down on ''the realm''? that from all the endless info that chief hendrix engineer eddie kramer bestowed on us when talking of jimi's endless ideas when recording at the studio jimi built for us. ''double trouble''? inspired by ''great day in the morning'' i was not gonna let no r and b cat out dirty the drums i created. and ''love of my life''? d and i always talked about having an ''electric relaxation''. meaning that smoove ass song that starts side two that's so lush and beautiful that you wanna just.......die!!! slum's ''electric'' was ''fall in love''. d called me 4am screaming that he finally had a ''relaxation''. (''the root'') shieeeet, if i didn't feel left out in the cold, side two of ''tfa'' would've started with ''100% dundee''.

just being around these cats made me want to better my shit. i can't recall the times we would have listening sessions and primo would come down and play us shit from the unreleased ''moment of truth'', or pete rock would play his ''treats of the week'' (pete makes 20 tracks a week, rides around nyc and gets feedback from cats) and i don't even gotta talk about slum village. i was the only cat not pulling my weight. i just wanted to pop a tape in and watch niggas scream as they jumped with envy while listening to my shit. they all got inspired by each other and dagnabbit i wasn't going down without a fight. so just know the next time you listen to ''tfa'' know that's a record with a man who was trying to excel from just being a ''great drummer'' to an artist that inspires his fellow artists. and sure enough in time ''tfa'' got revamped to fit my tastes to the point that cats was happy to hear my shit and i wasn't embarrassed to play em shit, cause i guarantee you, if d doesn't jump 6 feet in the air, and tip don't shake his head like he don't believe it, and jay don't do his patented ''whoooohoooo!'' it ain't bangin. so in short this record made ''tfa'' and fantastic vol 2 possible. this is a track by track guide to how ''voodoo'' got made. ''player player''

we started this in august '96. d's manager dominique treneir was one the executive producers of space jam and d was making a contribution. before this our history was limited to illadelph's ''hypnotic'' and a song that didn't make the ''set it off'' soundtrack (''bitch''). so already ''bitch'' with it's drunk ass meter, and the new kid on tribe's block, jay dee, were steering us in this new direction, of soul for 2000.

bad boy was just about to eclipse and rule the sound that was then ''death row''. the drums on ''dreamin eyes of mine'' (from brown sugar) were always my favorite and showed me endless possibilities of funk. i just combined all those influences and gave d some nasty ass funk. i was rim shottin the snare hard as hell, and making my meter sloppy as hell. but not so sloppy that you couldn't feel it. as for the icing on the cake. i showed d some tricks on how to make his shit sound spacey. so we reversed the 2 inch tape, and i did my patented trick with the rhodes that i've done with countless roots songs. soon after we just had fun.

you can still hear us laughin our ass off while applying hand claps and snaps to the track. pretty soon this would become a recording highlight to the point on all our songs we would have clapping sessions. that was our bonding moments. (''hello?'' what's up nigga? yo where you at? ''in philly'' yo, can you get here in 3 hours? ''yeah why?'' we doin claps ''oh cool lemme get dressed''...)no matter how late, or how inconvenient, clapping session were the equivalent of sunday dinner on ''soul food'' and soon we initiated other cats into the family (common, james poyseur, roy hardgrove, raphael saadiq, q-tip, pete rock, and even erykah). that's where we would get crazy, crack jokes, fart, play the dozens and gave each track the good time feel it deserved) the folks at warner brothers got freaked when they heard the final product and instead took a brown sugar reject. (''i found my smile again''). this was just a peek of what was to come. soon 3 years would follow of funk, unhappy record execs, bonding, rumors of drug abuse, education from the masters (playing with prince), uneasiness with the state of black music, divorce, child birth, and the one element that glued this whole shit together.....love.

it was a love for the dead state of black music, a love to show our idols how much they taught us. this was the love movement. and this was the beginning.

''l and r''
by 1998, the ridiculously long delay in this record began to even irk me, vowing that i wouldn't listen to another lick of this record until i picked it up in the stores, i trashed my instrumental tapes (well......not really).i stopped coming by the studio in order to concentrate on my fourth record. this was a concoction between q-tip and d. yes i'm drumming. but i'm not drumming (he looped 4 bars of me playing).

d sorely wanted a party song that didn't compromise his future funk vision. he wanted something sexy for the ladies, but he wanted heads to feel him as well. the latter wish was too important to him. i remember being in richmond (his crib) the week ''life after death'' came out (biggie). he said he never seen anything like this since ll's sophomore effort ''bigger and deffer''. he was right. after our show, the parking lot was a virtual biggie heaven. this car rocked ''player hater'', this car had ''i've got a story to tell'', this jeep kept ''what's beef'' on repeat.....and our ride played ''10 crack commandments'' til the cops told us to turn it down. the last conflict was which hip-hop artist would carry d into the jeeps and backpacks of the heads. to go commercial would ruin the premise of this whole record. of course tariq and com wouldn't pass the corporate test (and yes folks we tried). and he didn't want the flavor of the minute mc. it had to be someone who rode the thin line with ease. so in this corner.....(love movement era) q-tip. and in that corner the blunt brothers (meth and red).

general opinion was that the song was cool but nobody was feeling tip's verse. often times we would try to brainstorm and see if we could come up with a better song to save us the embarrassment of telling tip we didn't like his performance. meanwhile manager dom felt that we needed a ''hard nigga'' to get the streets to feel this. so we got double the package. meth and d had been cool since d sang on ''break up to make up'' for meth. and of course redman rocked the shit outta ''dreamin eyes of mine's remix. so when the hard knock life came to denver, d packed his bags and headed west. the results? mixed at best. no one will ever contest that meth and red are stellar artists, it's just that they didn't fit here. i mean the appeal to d is partly based on this rebel danger thing......but the misogynistic verses cut like a knife. d felt it too. after talking to lauryn for an extended period i'm happy to say that q-tip was reinstated.

''the line''
we did the line in early 98. the working title back then was called ''bullet''. sorta like the way way wu tang calls their lyrics ''darts''. it's a curious song. it tells me that no matter how confident we seem, to be there's always a tinge of doubt lurking in the background. it's here that d addresses the controversy. ''i know the pressure is on, from every angle it's coming, will i hang? or get left hangin? will i fall off? or is it bangin?......

one of our main gripes was...well his, was that he wanted the soul/loverman marvin/ al green shit to stop here. but that doesn't mean that he can't show influence while building his own personality. at close listen one can hear his voice morph into every style of black music from 20's gospel quartet to prince. this is also a debut of a style that i started using called ''mother's son'' style. i jacked it from curtis mayfeild's drummer. he used this ill style in which he would hit the edge of the snare and rim shot at the same time on a song called ''mother's son'' (well what do you know?!!) only bobby z. from prince and the revolution used this style on ''under the cherry moon''. since this song d makes me use this style on all his jams. matter of fact, i think i play the snare all of 3 times on this record. the rest is rim shot funk

''send it on''
here we took a classic melody (from kool and the gang) and turned it into a classic love song. this is a departure from today's slow jams. but this is not the typical retro-time machine travel fodder. this is some love shit for 2000. very polite and sweet. not at all like the monster ''untitled'' will be.

''chicken grease''
by mid 99 the soulquarians were in full swing (d, me, jaydee, james poyser) and we were working on common's ''like water for chocolate'' when we came up with this lethal jam. it was so good that d pulled me to the side and said ''i ain't no indian giver....but i ain't lettin Com walk off with this song..''

he called me 3 times that morning begging to ask com for that track. com agreed, and we named it ''chicken grease'' after a phrase that prince uses when he wants his guitarist to play a 9th minor chord while playing 16th notes. feelwise we were paying tribute to george clinton. there's the greek chorus thing going on. very loose. reminiscent of ''flashlight''.

''one mo gin''
this is the song of catching up with lost loves and such. real mello. and smooth.

''the root'' ''spanish joint'', and ''great day inna morning''
ok this is the virtuoso part of the record. so intricate that i can't even describe all the technical stuff to you. this features guitar god charlie hunter. charles' gift is a unique one. this mofo plays the guitar and bass at the same time!! no joke!!!! ok well he made the last 2 strings on his guitar bass strings. but know that this song contained no overdubbing. so when you hear the solo's and the bass playing at the same time know that this happened at the same time!!!!!!!!! -

''untitled''
called by most as the best song on the album ''untitled'' (aka ''how does it feel'') is our homage to (the ''controversy'' era) prince. (not the artist). this is done quite tactfully. always finding the line between parody and honesty. plus in an era of ''the cover song'' redoing a prince song was taboo. this is the second best thing. -

''africa''
ok. now you're gonna know where i jacked that bell sound from ''return to innocence lost''. matter of fact i also jacked my favorite prince jam (''i wonder u'') for the drumming. i also have to say that this is my favorite song on the record. i had to beg d to do this joint. he didn't see this at first because we had already did a song about his son. but i told him the music here fit the mood better.

it's like a bunch of toy boxes playing at once (we took the cover off the rhodes and mic'd 'em) it gives you that sad feeling that ''higher'' gave you on brown sugar a dope song that you don't want to hear because you know that this is the last song you're gonna hear (never fear folks, we got about 30 songs that didn't come out yet) in some time. i know d wanted to do a song that spoke of history. not just to his son. but to god, to africa and the world.

i could go on but you have to hear this to believe it. in closing i just have to say that i'd like to thank d for making this opportunity available to me. by the way ''devil's pie'' just got added. and the lauryn song isn't quite done yet. primo did ''devil's pie'' a song about the money hungry jiggafied state of the world we're in. which you can't eat without ''dough'' ''cream'' ''ice'' ''cheddar'' and ''bread'' (the key ingredients) and how the devil will destroy those who will sell their souls to him.

jaydee did the lauryn track. and it has an al green feel to it mixed with a little ''got til it's gone'' (jaydee did that too...). there's also some interludes from our endless jam sessions as well, most notably the ahmad jamal/ pete rock jam we recreated from the last interlude from pete's main ingredient. we used those interludes to help the masters speak. on one marvin gaye talks about the songwriting process, and the intro is jimi hendrix begging his audience to just ''forget everything that happened yesterday, or today.....we are just making our own little place just give us that..'' we have others but i don't know if they'll get used or not. anyway. this is the in depth ''voodoo'' report from the inside. i hope you enjoy it. just have an open mind to new shit. just give us that...........

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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makaveli
Charter member
16294 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 07:28 PM

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13. "I want to know who the 7 cryers are"
In response to Reply # 3


  

          

“So back we go to these questions — friendship, character… ethics.â€

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 07:35 PM

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14. "7 cryers??"
In response to Reply # 13


  

          

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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Dstl1
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Sun Mar-18-12 09:27 PM

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17. "RE: 7 cryers??"
In response to Reply # 14


          

but that doesn't mean this is for everybody. music lovers come under 2 umbrellas. number one: those who use it for growth and spiritual fulfillment and number two: those who use it for mere background music. the thing is, this record is too extreme to play the middle of the fence. this record is the litmus test that will reveal the most for your personality. cats who live for music and all the new directions it can show you have cried when i played this record (i don't wanna embarrass no one but i assure you at least 7 of your favorite artists were on their knees BAWLING because of this astounding document of music. this is what we need today...this is no miseducation ....this is the blueprint right here!) for them.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 10:12 PM

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19. "thanks"
In response to Reply # 17


  

          

i read that paragraph but kinda tunes out on the part where ?uest talks about 7 musicians 'bawling' part.

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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Dr Claw
Member since Jun 25th 2003
132212 posts
Mon Mar-19-12 09:42 AM

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23. "that was classic ?uest hyperbole... that cracked me up."
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he loved that record, but with good reason.

  

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makaveli
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Mon Mar-19-12 11:06 AM

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24. "i've learned to take quest's excitement with a grain of salt"
In response to Reply # 23


  

          

still, it's pretty cool that he gets so excited about things, but i've learned to be cautious.

“So back we go to these questions — friendship, character… ethics.â€

  

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Dr Claw
Member since Jun 25th 2003
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Sun Mar-18-12 09:06 PM

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15. "what I like about this review is the backstories into its creation"
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as the whole absorption of this album is still "new" to me to say the least I kind of find it funny that he wasn't so high on "Left and Right".

  

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Birdzeye
Member since Feb 29th 2008
433 posts
Tue Mar-20-12 05:24 AM

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28. "What happened ed to the lauryn hill song?"
In response to Reply # 3


          

Also ?uest is saying there the qtip verse would be used but we still ended up with red & meth which I've always felt was out of place on the album..

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:49 PM

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4. "nas - i am (columbia )"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

****

Okay, don’t think that this is revenge for this album receiving a half a mic more than my album in ''the hip-hop bible'' The Source. I’m fully aware that stating my opinion of my peer’s work in public view could very much well put me in a Prince Bee/KRS-ONE situation, but y’all wouldn’t respect me as much if I played the P.C. card. So, if I happened to get rushed in a club or meet some untimely demise for my opinions then know that I did this for you (okay, this is the part in which y’all say ''Awwwwwww''…..)

A lot of people want to pinpoint the exact moment of hip-hop’s sudden ''demise''. I’m not referring to hip-hop’s overexposure in the media and the like, I’m referring to the creative slags that it’s been taking on as of late (I sound like a politician, don’t I?).

Some ''purists'' say that the beginning of the ''end'' was Hammer’s brief rise to the top. Some say Vanilla Ice; some people quote MTV’s exploitation of The Chronic period; others think it was when Puff and Company took over the reigns with Ready to Die. Nope, these are all wrong answers.

The correct answer sadly lies in a certain record release in July of 1996. Let me state for the record that I am not against any certain type of hip-hop, there’s room for all of us. However, I think people get upset when ''the powers that be'' only allow a certain type of hip-hop to get exposed to the public. Of course, we know this type of hip-hop as ''pop-rap''. Pop-rap comes in various forms. Yeah, it’s definitely the sugary, easy to swallow pop rap that comes to mind whenever you hear the name of Will Smith, Tone Loc., or Salt n Pepa. Pop rap also comes in other forms: ''Money Cash Hoes'' is a hardcore song, but there are elements of that song that make it pop-rap, such as a chorus that is said as much as any of the verses, also the patches (the sound choices on keyboards and drum machines) that are chosen to make ''daytime radio hits''. In other words, the ''Distortion to Static'' drums are too abrasive and loud for daytime radio, but ''4,3,2,1'' by LL has drums and instruments that are syncopated and rhythmic, yet compressed and secondary. So thus, once given a listen-to by the program director of a radio station, you can talk ‘bout murdering your mom with a switchblade army knife, as long as the music that’s accompanying your song fits a certain sonic structure. Lost? Thought so.

Let’s go back to July of '97. (he meant ''96'' - 'stress)

There are several reasons why It WasWritten is my choice for the pinpoint moment of hip-hop’s turnaround. For starters, it was the natural anticipation for a follow-up to a record that was larger than life (if you doubt me, try and enjoy Star Wars this month without thinking of the first three films….see?). Secondly, and most importantly, the one key ingredient that made Illmatic a distinctive album was missing. That was one of the rare albums in which production and performance were at their creative zenith. If you look throughout the history of most classic records, sometimes one will outdo the other (there were definitely some filler cuts on Eric B and Rakim products as there were some beats that overexceeded the rhymes on various Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth records. Illmatic is an album that balanced both perfectly.)


I can’t fault Nas for making the change that he did: I actually think I personally eye witnessed the change from Nasty to Escobar. I sat two rows behind Nas at the dreaded Second Annual Source Awards (a day that most will note was probably the most pivotal in hip-hop history…more on that in December when I give you hip-hop’s ten most crucial moments of the past twenty years…plug plug plug.) I actually watched his sad body cringe in embarrassment as Brooklyn’s finest took all of the awards for Ready to Die. Most notably, when the nominations were read for best lyricist, I could see happy anticipation from the gesture of his shoulders and the many backpats that he received from Mobb Deep and Wu-Tangers who were surrounding him and letting him know that this award had Nasty’s name stamped all over it. I knew better, as Biggie, just moments before, had miraculously taken the award for Best Live Performance from us and KRS-ONE!!! (imagine that).

Anyway, I don’t wanna blame a pivotal moment in Nas’ career on someone who is not here right now but, when they read Big’s name as the winner, it had to have been the moment that Clark Nasty was fiending for a phone booth to transform into Super Escobar. In other words, right now the objective was to now beat ‘em at their own game as ''they'' eloquently did to the Chronic (as many will acknowledge that Ready to Die is the East Coast Chronic). So, this is where the problem lies. A man is now faced with a major dilemma: Either bask in the embarrassment of watchin’ someone pull a coup on your hard work or forever suffer the wrath of die-hard followers. That’s where the crossroads comes in.

I also had to face this crossroads when watching the Fugees run to the finish line unscathed and in good health as The Roots somehow couldn’t figure out who the hell put crazy glue on their brand new Nike trainers. And yeah, trust me, out of these 160 songs that I talk about in interviews, that at least 50 of them motherfuckers are songs that are totally out of our element. We’ve done cover songs, we’ve done jiggafied dance floor songs, we’ve done it all. But, at the end of the day, I ask myself what’s gonna make me more proud fifty years from now when they are writing the history books. I know that’s a long road to take, but when I’m dead and gone I want every last thing that I was involved in to shine. Others opt for the shine of the moment. I believe this was the thought process that was behind the making of It WasWritten (and for what it’s worth, I Am).

I actually debated Steve Stoute (Nas’ manager) on the whole matter while we were recording ''The Spark'' at The Hit Factory. I think I got him to admit that indeed Illmatic was the better work, but, he said that most importantly, It Was Written, was the more accessible. True, but does that make it right? I don’t know. I don’t have children, so I don’t have the need or the urgency to get a hit (by the way, ''You Got Me'' is a pop song), so that’s why I’m not as judgmental as most heads are when it comes to criticizing this new brand of hip-hop on our shoulders.

My manager told me that it’s one thing for a non-credible mc to make certain adjustments to fit the taste of the masses whose knowledge of music is severely limited (when not on the record, I call these people ''the idiot factor'' – but this is my column and I can do what I want)…..but, it’s a whole ‘nother thing when a credible m.c. makes an adjustment for the same audience and the blow is twice as hard when said m.c. has already demonstrated pristine, limitless talent. So, where does the 3.5 fit in? Nas is without question, God. Period. As demonstrated on ''Undying Love'' in which he effortlessly tells a story of Ben Huresque proportions in under four minutes. Do you know how hard it is to give narrative and detail (in painstaking form, mind you) in such a quick manner (hell, I can’t even state my opinion in one paragraph. Robert Christue of The Village Voice could take all these paragraphs and sum up my feelings to the ''tee'' in a hundred words or less. Damn, I envy that.) Here, Nas gives details on everything from the beer bottles to the class diamond that he was going to propose to his cheating fiancŽe with. It’s moments like this that frustrate me cause often when I buy a record in which the emcee is lacking, I can channel him out and listen to the beats, but with this album, I often find myself trying to do the opposite and I always say ''Whew, damn, what if Primo did this one?'' or ''Organized Noise woulda tore this one up.'' No Dice. Also, it’s kinda hard to ignore the premises of ''We Will Survive'' after listening to Makaveli, and knowing what happened at the MTV Awards in the fall of 96. And, from what I know, I don’t think shit was all that cool with him and Big either (''got a copy of Ready To Die/Niggas studied shit…'' and I don’t think ''The Message''’s ''one life, one love so there can only be one king'' was directed to Guiliani. Go figure. Read between the lines.) So, either this is the most mature, vulnerable moment in hip-hop history or this was a result of a brainstorm on how to quiet us pesky heads that keep screaming Illmatic’s name in our sleep (''Yo, why don’t you do, like, a ‘One Love’ jawn?''). Now, before Tone and Poke kill me, let me also say that their usage of my favorite song from the fourth grade (Kenny Loggin’s ''This is It'' – not Michael McDonald, he just happened to be singing background) got me wide open. But, for every ''NY State of Mind Part II'' there’s a ''Money’s My Bitch'' which drags the obvious metaphor rhyme style in the ground (in case you’re wondering why he didn’t score a four, his singing the hooks plain and simple, sucks. I now advocate the usage of R&B cats in the chorus. Long live Montell and R. Kelly! Because if not? Imagine me singing our joints next).

I doubt if I get a beatdown for this one cause I doubt that any of you will get this far. I think I’ve said enough for it is practically 2 hours later than when I started this piece and all some poor kid wanted to know is do I like the new Nas album. The answer is...................

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:50 PM

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5. "slum village - fantastic volume vol. II (good vibe)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

*****

I beg all of you who own our records to go out and buy Fantastic Volume II (Interscope / Universal) by Slum Village.


I’m very chagrined and devastated that our so-called ''hip-hop'' periodicals have overlooked this classic. Simply stated, if it weren’t for Slum Village, I’d quit the business and go back to college. Their perspective and interpretation of hip-hop is, by far, the most original and ground breaking material I’ve heard in eons. If you are not familiar with the trio, they reside in Detroit, and before you get thrown off and think that they are some computer graphic-using, money hungry thug niggas, then I have to say… you’re exactly right. BUT, you’ve never heard anyone from the Midwest (okay, Mideast, if there is such a thing) outdo anybody from the East Coast. It’s key member, Jay-Dee, is one third of the UMMAH, the production company that consists of Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed. Together, they’ve done ''Runnin’'' by The Pharcyde, ''Stakes is High'' by De La Soul, and ''Got Till It’s Gone'' by Janet Jackson (not to mention our own ''Dynamite''). His approach to production is envied, copied, and respected by hip-hop’s most elite producers. The lyrical approach of Jay and his two cronies, T-3 and Baatin, speak volumes as well. They have this patented whisper-like syncopated background vocal style that will catch on similar to how their Midwestern brethren, Bone Thugs’ ''miggedy miggedy'' flow has.

I personally feel that the tongue-lashing from Vibe’s Craig Seymoure was unfounded and not based on fact. I doubt seriously that he’s even listened to this record uninterrupted more than three times. And, as for The Source, I guess I shouldn’t expect much from a publication that gives BDP’s Sex and Violence (four and a half mics) a higher rating than Return of the Boom Bap (a mere four mics). But, the three and a half mic rating Slum Village received is unjust and unfair. I can name at least twenty innovative occurrences that appear on this record that haven’t appeared on any hip-hop record. No lie. I expect that most of you that come to this website have purchased our album. It would behoove you to resurrect hip-hop and buy this record. If you love Gang Starr, Tribe, De La, and Common, you will thank me two times for making you buy this record. This is a state of emergency. We are at war.

One love,

?uest-diggidey.

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:51 PM

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6. "janet - all for you (virgin)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

****

So here I am. 3:16am in new york city in my hotel room. listening to jam and lewis laugh in the cans (headphones) of an orgasmic janet. I have an early day tomorow. so why am I watching the dreaded late 80's over-moused snl rerun on comedy central, writing about of all things: janet?

The same janet I cried for when chip fields backed her in a corner with that grandma iron in her right hand......

The same janet that friggin grinded with willis jackson to shalamar on nbc wednesdays (not to mention crooning to ''ebony an ivory'' some weeks later with dana plato making it a trio)

Before you start this, realize that I'm not one of those cats who are gonna go on reminiscing about how the jacksons were the shit back in the day and get all self righteous wit my bad sef.

Nope. This woman staring at me with those ross-ass white teeth (not Diana, but in reference to my favorite ''friends'' episode involving a jealous dentist ex-boyfriend and an overdose of fluoride) smiling on the cover for the first time since....

Since...janet Jackson and dream street. The two albums of hers that they all but had a memorial for in remembrance. Imagine if I tried to wipe ''organix'' out of existence like it never came out -hey wait a minute wasn't ''from the ground up'' my sophomore release? oops.

Okay... 'nuff rambling. What about the friggin album?!?!?

I admit I knew all eyes were on me as I wandered into virgin megastore at times square. And there at the display were about 8 trlites hogging the janet display. how did purchasing this record equate buying a black tail in front of ma dukes or condoms from a drug store you used to frequent as a kid? because of my nervousness of losing what credibility I have with music lovers I actually upped krs-one's record sales (whose display was right next to hers) because I needed a valid excuse to purchase this ''all for you'' cd. perhaps it was a convo I had with a few music snobs who scoffed when I slyly suggested that I wanted to know if virgin was having a midnight sale of janet's album. The silence was deafening. Was I muttering ''siiiiiiike!!!!!'' a mere 2 seconds later? true to adult video rental form I ran straight to the jazz section and got 3 hank mobley records and some freddy hubbard cd's and casually slipped my krs and janet (2 artists who released their most ground breaking work in 86/87) discs in the basket. hoping to go unnoticed. once in the safety of the cab I opened the plastic faster than the speed of sound. ahhhh...together again. for the eighth time. The only pop artist I listen to like an ''artist's artist'' ('93's ''the body that loves you'' is still a masterpiece) and as I was conducting my 30 second scan I was shocked as fuck that my main man mike made an unbilled cameo on ''son of a gun'' god damn!!!!

Oh no

That's not michael Jackson. That's friggin carly simon!!!!!! Why does she sound like him? Or vice versa? Why is this janet's ''money'' (mike's seethin diatribe from 95's his-story to the greedy bastards who set him up in 93). And one look at the lyric sheet and I know exactly who this song is about. Just scan the lyrics:

-thought you'd get the money
-eat it
-gigolo
-sleezy
-stupid motherfucker
-victim
-throw you out
-stupid bitch in my beachouse
-make you suffer

Hmmmm wonder who she could be talking bout?

Much to my chagrin once I gave it a full listen I was....

Hmmmm what was I?

I dunno. My confusion in writing a comprehensive review is sorta like listening to this record. I applaud her growth as an artist. But-what's this prose shit? These ''hey baby'' remakes that open and close each song (y'all remember ''hey baaaaabe ya'll aint recording this are you?'')-where are my sure fire hooks? Verses with actual melody? For all the bitchin about ''voodoo'' I can't find one song with the melodic seduction of ''when I think of you''. sheeeeit or even ''he doesn't even know that I'm alive'' (classic 80's funk)----hell even 82's ''come give your love to me''. What I mean is pre s&m Janet's music was music in which you could actually program on your two way pager (and yes Janet beat all hip hoppers to the the punch by making ''all for you'' via her 2 way alert an actual song selection)

Not that these songs are bad or anything. But songs that wear like a tattoo are what made janet a relevant figure over all these broads. And now here we have a situation in which... well I think she can't afford to play ''artiste'' while young starlets of trl are throwing spears and rocks at her history. Pop is not bad. Hell even mindless pop is not bad. But while janet retreads old ground, brittiney is planning jan's coup de tat (she lost her post ''let's wait awhile'' virginity 4 albums ago on ''someday is tonight'') I swear if she has one more orgasm on wax, she will grow hair on her palms. Truth be told the most honest moment is on ''truth''. A song whose subject matters leads me to believe that the poor soul (let's just call him ''Rambo''-where's carly been hiding? Do any of you post thriller kids even know who that name belongs to?) who got beat down a song before on ''son of a gun'' gets an earnest talking to. Sorta like a moment of rest after a kickboxing match. Early press releases suggested that this was a light hearted pop ditty (based on ''doesn't really matter'' from nutty professor 2 and the hornyliscious Luther inspired title cut) but this reads more like the female half of Fleetwood Mac's rumors. And it ain't a pretty sight. (a scorned woman of course).

At 35 I hope she finds what she's looking for. Hell that's some ballsy shit for me to say. How do I know that she's not found what she's looking for? According to prince freedom is a beautiful thang. And the results of such freedom?: ''emancipation'' ''new power soul'' and ''rave n2 the joy fantastic.''

Ahem.

So if I'm to believe that this new work is the new sound of freedom ringing. Then janet...

GO TO JAIL. DO NOT PASS GO. DO NOT COLLECT $200,000,000 DOLLARS...

I'm sorry miss Jackson. I am for real......

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:52 PM

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7. "bilal - first born second (interscope)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

****

I have sky-high expectations for bilal oliver. always have since q-tip had me thinking that he somehow copped little jimmy scott’s a capella reels and placed breakbeats over ‘em. ever since I just missed him and a young roc-a-fella upstart beanie sigel in my own pre lily jam sessions by damn minutes! (friggin amtrack!!!!!) ever since that night a few days short of the millennium where he had the impossible task of covering "international lover" for a legion of jealous paiselyites (go to prince.org if you wanna know how deep their loyalty runs against anyone in prince’s path, including a certain okayartist whom this poor soul has been unfairly compared too.)
Oh yeah. And while I’m at it, kill that d clone shit too. Only surface listeners will utter such foolishness. Call em the status quo; call em the demographic that will buy the album. Personally I call them idiots. cause anyone who knows better that bilal’s ass don’t even belong on this rnb (rap and bullshit!) side of the fence. I mean, hearing him sing modern soul/whatever you call it is like a cat with a masters degree attending joe clark’s east side high circa 1986.

Too easy.

Which is a good thing, or bad depending on how you look at it. bilal is a jazz vocalise’ (ghetto French y’all) with a vocabulary and diction light years ahead the 106 and park pack. The thing that I admire the most about his talent is that he possesses the one true gift that I have to say none of his contemporaries has….fearlessness.

Fearlessness that allows him to show his ass in such a way that even if he looks like a fool (and yes us bilal loyalists can attest to a few moments when he walked the thin line of pure genius and absoulute self parody many a black lily or common show) he still comes off. A fearlessness that lets him give himself a "who’s balls are bigger, me or your man’s?" pat on the back in the album intro. A fearlessness that urges him to break free of verse chorus melodic chains that jimmy iovine so desperately wants him to stay within in this age of iresoulchildishness on the unnecessarily titled "slyde" (as in fam is stoned) and the obligatory placed dre---ur…um storch produced "fast lane" (you still gotta love his "it’s too late for him now/nothing much to live up to" drunk ass-on the money harmony vocals). Bilal’s "look ma no hands" approach to singing and songwriting can be a tad intense (leave it to him to denounce narcotics, commit domestic violence, ponder making it before his 30th, and wish you well all in 4 octaves and in 2 minutes on the ---ahem—cough cough—soulquarian produced (whoever that is!) "sometimes"…only to come back to his "got til it’s gone" –rip off "love it" so that his bills can be paid. (we’ve been here before).

So this is sorta what I’ve been expecting from him. Signs of genius here and there (phrasing is bar none. -hey I was hooked after hearing him turn the word "say" into a 10 syllable plus drunken rage of jazzology on "queen of sanity’s" first chorus. Signs of surprise (what you think is yet another blues romp at the beginning of "when will you call" becomes a vulnerable ode to post relationship breakup. "CALL ME-LA-DY-CALL ME!!! WHEN YOU GET ho—a chaaaaaaaaance? it should also be noted that both these songs appear in their original 5 year old demo glory…yes bilal is 22, do the godamn math! This is some twisted shit when a 17 year old has the nueve to turn his back to just merely gospel riffing over breakbeats and recall Bird solo’s in an instant (yes his true gift is reciting jazz solos. Over 800 committed to memory) signs of missteps (i’m sure dre---ur scott’s "fast lane" and "sally" were mere inclusions to net some of musiq’s radio/106 and park crowd. Bangers indeed…could be singles…. but slightly out of step here in album context.) signs of frustration (neither jay, james, nor I was in town to mix "queen of sanity" or "reminisce" here they sound rather tame compared to the demo versions I mixed) signs of balls ("second child" and "home" a ditty that recalls marley and cliff. Closer to jah than any fugees have came to. And that’s saying something)

So that the end of the day, did we all suspect that bilal was going to save the world with this record? Perhaps. Will he pull a jill to erykah’s dangelo? Whatever that means. This will without a doubt finally establish that the two are incredibly talented individuals. And as far as debuts are concerned, it stands out amongst first timers who later became lions in their career (music of my mind, off the wall, for you, brown sugar) a little shabby here and there (perils of multiproduced albums) but in the end it serves as a nice template for a career that I suspect will improve with each album release. I have high hopes.

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:53 PM

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8. "michael jackson - off the wall (epic)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

*****

well i guess i'm the only man in the universe to cop the 4 reissues released for off the wall, thriller, bad, and dangerous. ahhhh big bad mike. a man whose every move makes it harder for me to defend. but i can occasionally seperate the art from the artist. since many of us are familiar with the albums themselves, i will focus on the extras included. mind you this isn't for everyone. some might feel gipped because of the price for what is basically some demos and quincy jones rattle on and on about obscure thangs talking inside speak with the quickness.....(reminds me of someone...can't quite call it....)--but for the curious and die hards, cop these classics sho nuff.


off the wall
for starters it's dope for the remastering. and hilarious for ceephus and ressee like demo's of ''don't stop'' and ''working day and night''. nice to see mike ain't in total denial about photos (although he is still acting like the back cover (feet) is the front cover.) so he included some photos of what seems like 1981 era photos instead of 1979 (back cover is of him behind the same wall in a tux and loafers (he aint rock loafers on orignal off the wall cover, he rocked patent leather shoes) with a heavier ''rock with you'' era shag/jheri curl (off the wall cover was last days of afro). still nice to see mike give some photo's up from that era. although i'm wondering why he included a photo of him and paul mccartney doing dishes from 1982?---okay i'm anal.

even more priceless are siblings' randy and janet arguing on the ''working day and night'' demos. i guess janet got fired from her duties cause she's not on the final product. i must say that it is educational for producers to understand how they made records back in the day. james poyser and i were amazed at how quincy jones and rod temperton (author of "rock with you" and "off the wall" and former member of "boogie nights" outfit heatwave) were documenting facts such as writing the song on one day. doing demos the next. playing with musicians on another day. background vocals after that. then take a day to do lead vocals. and then hiring cats to write bridges, and bringing cats in to do rhythm arrangements??!?!?! then mix!!!!

sheeeeeesh!

james and i rolled! we go in studio. write the song, record it, do leads first, eat, then backgrounds, and mix in the same day. we are so far from that. and we have no patience whatsoever. demo a song? sheeeeesh!!!!!!!!! i will almost rethink the whole process of how to record. i recall bob power and erykah doing this for baduism. and d and bob doing the same for brown sugar. so i do have an incredible respect for quincy jones as a producer. cause them demos were sketchy and funny as hell. ''working day and night'' didn't even have no drums. so he taught me about how to trim the fat from a song (he says songwriter's are married to their songs and it's up to the producer to realize what should be cut and not) nowhere is this more evident than on their next opus..............

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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Dr Claw
Member since Jun 25th 2003
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Sun Mar-18-12 09:16 PM

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16. "I remember actually reading this one"
In response to Reply # 8


  

          

>nice to see mike ain't in total denial about
>photos (although he is still acting like the back cover (feet)
>is the front cover.) so he included some photos of what seems
>like 1981 era photos instead of 1979 (back cover is of him
>behind the same wall in a tux and loafers (he aint rock
>loafers on orignal off the wall cover, he rocked patent
>leather shoes) with a heavier ''rock with you'' era shag/jheri
>curl (off the wall cover was last days of afro). still nice to
>see mike give some photo's up from that era.

and this part sticking out the most.

For reference, ?uest is talking about this: http://images.coveralia.com/audio/m/Michael_Jackson-Off_The_Wall_%28Special_Edition%29-Trasera.jpg

definitely not what was on the cover. for a kid who grew up remembering what Mike looked like mostly from the tail end of this era ("She's Out Of My Life" video) and old foorage from the '70s, seeing that cover sometime in the '90s was a bit of a shock; it was disappointing that the cover I remember being shocked by was not what I saw when I finally got my own CD copy back in '97.

it wasn't until the Internet really started branching out some years later that I saw "The Cover" again. It's what's on my iPod:

http://www.soulstrut.com/images/uploads/reviews/michael-jackson-off-the-wall-original-cover.jpg

I'm glad that there are a lot of *real* Mike fans on the Internet that kept it alive after all these years.

there's one picture that Jet magazine ran with Mike and Latoya that when I saw it, really looked the least like "him" I've ever seen -- even including "The Last Days of East Asian Mike". I wonder if I can find it... *goes to Google*

http://love4mj.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/1980.jpg

Seeing it again, Mike does look more like himself here. Copied in B&W as Jet tended to do inside the magazine, it looked way off.

More than Mike, I can't believe Latoya went under the knife like that, she favored Jayne Kennedy back then.

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 06:54 PM

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9. "micheal jackson - thriller (epic)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

*****

thriller

the legend of thriller was that it can't beat off the wall. now at 10 million worldwide. it would be impossible to top it. and the great thing about it is that they didn't try to top it. they just went for it. once again, quincy's genius is at the helm, because what was once six flags demos (''billie jean'' demo for starters) is now a lifelong staple. a cat like me woulda included everything that vincent price muttered on the title cut. quincy had the wisdom to trim some of the fat to make it more effective (second verse, and the ''can you dig it?'' refrain right before the cackle comes in). not to mention the stories behind the madness (rod temperton writing ''vincent's'' verse in a cab, eddie van halen cursing out quincy thinking it was a prank, ''human nature'' winding on toto's demo reject tape, the e.t. storybook distracting them from completion....i am a little disappointed that they didn't go into how crappy the album sounded when they first turned it in (they stole masters from epic at watergun point and took 3 weeks to mix each song again until they were satisfied). the extra's here include a diddy called ''carousel'' written by michael sembello (''maniac''/flashdance guy...i know he's kicking himself for not getting royalties on this baby) not bad, but not effective either. (although i did like all the chord changes every 4 seconds) i also wonder why they kept ''can't get outta the rain'' off here (b side to ''the girl is mine'' and ''billie jean'')--a brother's johnsonesque jam which sounds like a funkier ''you can't win''/ai no corida'' from the off the wall era. once again, answering machines across america will be occupied with some more fat that quincy trimmed. for they included for our delight the edited promo tag for the title cut that both vincent (as barry white) and michael (in his most ''gentle'' banter yet) attempt. poor mike can't even attempt to sound ''hard!'' or ''scary''. which i don't--or won't get into--- i really think he is a creation of jm barrie, but i do know that it is the most hilarious shit i've heard in a sec.

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
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10. "michael jackson - bad (epic )"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

****

bad
i gave this album a real good listen and i realized that indeed longtime engineer, bruce swedien did deserve his grammy for mixing this album (mike got snubbed for 4). there are things that i hear on this version that i didn't hear on the previous version (the cars in "speed demon" mike's swirling 3-d "no's" on dirty diana, the heartbeats on "smooth criminal". quincy reflects on the botched prince/michael meeting to make ''bad'' a duet. epic maybe, but i can't even imagine prince singing in thiskey.....let alone to this music. he also recalls how ''another part of me'' barely edged out a (better?) ''streetwalker'' to make the final cut thanks to ''fat ass'' dancin' manager frank deleo. ''fly away'' woulda also been a nice addition to this cold collection. yes cold. ''bad'' is cold. ''speed demon'' is cold. ''dirty diana'' is as misogynistic as mike has ever got. ''another'', ''just good friends'', and ''i just can't stop....'' are too non descript for me. rod temperton is sorely missed this time around. now that i know where the magic lies (quincy pulls major weight as shown on the first two records) i feel as though (especially evidenced on present michael decisions) mike took more of the weighty decisions probably cause of the pressure to follow up the monster that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.......solid record? yes. my favorite? nope.

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
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11. "michael jackson - dangerous (epic)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

****

dangerous
as an album i always liked dangerous. but i don't know why they ever re-released this album at all? the only revelation here is the back photo reveals a make-up less michael in the --gasp!!!!--- same skin tone as his other records. so do tell!!!!!! (okay i know for a fact thru industry connects) so again his bad judgment to cover a blotch of vertiligo on his neck with pancake makeup all over his face, is just as bad as his judgment to go it alone without his partner in crime, quincy jones. i think quincy's expertise coulda been used to give objectionable decisions on minor things like ''why does each song have a concert intro''? or his diction (which got out of control by HIStory) or why actual chords and arrangements don't show up until the third song (''in the closet''). nevertheless, dangerous is the last great new jack swing masterpiece of the early 90s.

i somehow sense that mike feels as though his past will make his fickle public forgive him for his ''sins''. remember HIStory? this is that all over again. just a reminder of mike's glory days. on the real? i'd do a behind the music. a honest one. it worked for madonna. it worked for lenny. it even worked for puffy. then i would release an excellent album full of great songs. no hype--just songs. time will tell how easy we ease back into mike's life. i'm one of few that can separate the art from the artist. but this is a new time and era. if there is a time for michael to strike, it is now (with 80's fever in full swing) but i hope for his sake (and that $200 million dollar loan against his beatles pub) that he gets what he is looking for. i will assume at least in the race for the recordbooks that these records will insure his place in history way past the eagles greatest hits vol 2, and the beatles' one. for i'm sure that at least %25 percent of his fans will re purchase these classic and moonwalk down memory lane. thus pushing his sales up a million past his comp. but on the real? i think he needs to stop focusing on sales, and just get to the heart of the matter, which is the music. and i'm sure that he will indeed be content and actually realize that sales and acheivment won't make him happy........what will?

''all you need is love....all you need is love...all you need is love...love....love is all you need''

-the beatles, ''all you need is love''

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
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12. "ghostface killah - bulletproof wallets (rzasharp / epic)"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

*****

questlove's top 10 list why ghostface's bulletproof wallets is 2001's best hip hop album.

1. the nerve of him rhyming to unquatized loops. sounds like when chuck d would tell me that they would load samples into the machine, and just loop em by hand cause they aint feel like sequencing them. just loops, no 808.....no drum machine to beef up the sound. just the loop.

2. the nerve of him straight up rhyming to a record. just putting the motherfucker on and rhyming over the whole joint. over the lyrics the bridge, and the classic morphing the lyrics of what the singer sings into what he wants to say. classic

3. leave it to ghost to go into character of every character he throws into his story. but not just go into character. BUT GO INTO CHARACTER. i'm now convinced that ghost is porky pig, the big bad wolf, maxine the crackhead, the sun, his boy who got shot, and the bullet who shot his boy, and the 6th member of the dramitics.

4. good times chopped in the 1200. not the disco classic. THE TV THEME. nuff said.

5. the genius of him pulling a coup by making his 106th and park entry a song good enough to make the wall st. buppy cop his shit only to wonder later what the fuck did i just purchase?

6. highly effective use of a live drummer who is not me.

7. the disco call (whoop! whooop!). as a chorus.

8. a love song to of all friggin things....the solar system?

9. the insight to use the alchemist to fine ass effect. perhaps there is room for an eleventh spot in my all time holy tenity (pete, prim, jay, beatnuts, sermon, dre, timb, tunes, madlib, rza) if he keeps this up.

10. the starks metaphores. need i say more crab soup apron stain?


really in all seriousness. this is what kool keith wishes to give to the hip hop nation. just like ghost's labelmate mike's first challenge was topping off the wall when making thriller, ghost easily outdoes supreame clientel. if he tops this shit. then i will have to resort to doing weed and ex so that i too may soar high with my creative powers. this is tied with "cuban" as the best wu solo effort simply because "cuban" was a HARDER album. wheras this album is as vulnerable as any wu member has ever gotten. if 36 is the karate album; cuban is the retired dealer album; return to 36 the alcohol album; nigga please the crack album; liquid swords, the marvel comics album; and forever the "into the great wide open" album, then bulletproof is the ecstasy album. not saying that they partook in the popular activity with hip hop's newest flintstone chewable. but the vulnerable evidence is writen all over the place: first the maturity and restraint of him not being the "bigger dick" in "never be the same again" really challenges me to think that this is not the author of ironman's "wildflower". and to hear him as a 30 year old go back to his 8 year old black and white tv experiences, recalling every kiddy show character in such a breathless pace that you might miss my man droopy taking his shahada on "in the forrest". not to mention the "fuck what my nigga's think" disco jam "walking through the darkness" as he does the radj and tom willis hustle. (i had same thoughts on "geto heaven 2", so i guess that means he too will get roasted round here....and if not? i will be the first to yell and post DICKRIDER to all y'all "hip"o crits . broadway crooning, satchamo singing...all the works. this album is like a kid who plays in his food while rocking his sunday best when ma is looking the other way. i think if dirty was on e instead of what he was on, this woulda made nigga a less depressing listen despite critics praising it for it's "freedom".

back in the day, albums like this were dropping out the sky like manna from heaven. nowadays it is far and few between. but once in a while some shit drops and it takes my back to my teenhood. damn

there's no place like home.

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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Dr Claw
Member since Jun 25th 2003
132212 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 09:27 PM

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18. "it's a shame, it sounds like ?uest got the -real- version of that album"
In response to Reply # 12


  

          

just by the descriptions of what he has there.

  

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forgivenphoenix
Member since Dec 08th 2007
2514 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 10:14 PM

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21. "i'm not familiar with this album but.."
In response to Reply # 18


  

          

did this album get its tracks shuffled based on reaction from a leak?

__________________________________________

http://www.twitter.com/chriscjamison/

People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.

Peter Drucker

  

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Boximus Crime
Member since Jun 27th 2007
457 posts
Sun Mar-18-12 11:16 PM

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22. "naw...songs got yanked off"
In response to Reply # 21


  

          

Good Times
The Watch
a portion of The Forrest
The Sun


That album got butchered. I got the real version of the album. Gave it to quite a few folks on here.

  

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The Mac
Member since Feb 11th 2008
1493 posts
Mon Mar-19-12 01:58 PM

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25. "inbox please!?"
In response to Reply # 22


          

i've never eve gotten the opportunity to fully peep any of that album...

Cause I'm doing better now, don't mean I never lost shit/ I was married to a state of mind and I divorced it -- Black Thought

  

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MikeDinosaur
Member since Dec 26th 2011
66 posts
Tue Mar-20-12 12:56 AM

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27. "RE: inbox please!?"
In response to Reply # 25


          

Also love to get it in the inbox if possible.

  

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cap_tilt
Member since Mar 24th 2003
903 posts
Tue Mar-20-12 06:18 AM

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29. "Inbox!!!"
In response to Reply # 22


  

          

Thanks!

<----------- Zo got his. The Truth got next.

  

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Birdzeye
Member since Feb 29th 2008
433 posts
Tue Mar-20-12 07:55 AM

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30. "Inbox please???"
In response to Reply # 22


          

I've always wanted to hear the original non butchered version.

Much appreciated if you can.

  

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jaestat
Member since Dec 30th 2003
198 posts
Tue Mar-20-12 11:56 AM

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31. "RE: naw...songs got yanked off"
In response to Reply # 22


  

          

>Good Times
>The Watch
>a portion of The Forrest
>The Sun
>
>
>That album got butchered. I got the real version of the album.
>Gave it to quite a few folks on here.


Out of curiosity... Do you have the actual advance or did you just piece together the album from various sources? Either way, I hate to be that guy, but if you do end up spreading a link around, PLEASE good sir, hit my inbox.

  

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Calico
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24604 posts
Mon Mar-19-12 09:20 PM

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26. "i remember Quest said something bout having a mediocre album"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

in a review....and how he'd rather have the album be bad or good cause mediocre just meant that it was lukewarm and that was worse than the other two options, or something like that, and it always stuck with me as i listen to music....

"yes, sometimes my rhymes are sexist, but you lovely bitches and hos should know i'm tryin to correct it"- hiphopopotamus

  

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My_SP1200_Broken_Again
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Tue Mar-20-12 12:04 PM

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32. "damn, good looking out!"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

...im enjoying reading these, i remember some of them

  

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