http://www.last.fm/user/LucidChicanery (BISON CLASS of 97)

Snoop Dogg – Drop It Like It's Hot (instrumental)
OK, I didn't want anyone crying foul, blaming last.fm for not picking the vocal version of this song, so I checked his library, and he's played "Drop It Like It's Hot (instrumental)" from the compilation Beats XII 6 times. So there! Anyway, I've always loved this beat and thought it would've been a blast if Snoop, N*E*R*D, and Bjork did a medley of this and some Medulla songs at the Grammy's, but with this beat being as minimal as it is already, it sounds really bare bones without any vocals. It's still cool though, and a dope beat is a dope beat. The alternating lower bass part, undistracted by Snoop, has a sort of early Rakim flavor to it, I think. Anyway, the full song would be higher, but I can still give a 6/10.

DeBarge – Love Me In A Special Way
There are DeBarge songs I would score higher. Although this song obviously doesn't benefit by this sort of competition, and I just woke up 2 hours ago and am at work, the completely wrong setting, I can still appreciate the musical craft and sincerity. 7/10

Avg. 6.5/10


http://www.last.fm/user/Doc_Hardware (hardware)

Barry White – Your Sweetness Is My Weakness
I really don't need any special circumstances to enjoy Barry. Any time is cool. His loverman persona may not always be the most serious thing to take depending on what I'm doing, but the music is so lush and well put together. I love strings in general, and I can always count on hearing a dope string arrangement on a BW song. He's sung better and more passionately on other songs, and there are some with mo' epic music, so I can't give this any higher than a still good score of 7/10.

Johnnie Taylor – Slide On
I have to be honest and completely subjective, the local community radio station I listen to sometimes plays songs like this, and they're so cheesy. I feel like I'm about 30 years too young and 30 pounds too thin to groove to this song, but maybe I'm fooling myself. Allow my delusion, 4/10.

Avg. 5.5/10


hardware made it far, but it's BISON CLASS of 97 who's made it to the finals.