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Subject: "Did the beats on Soul on Ice suck?" Previous topic | Next topic
imcvspl
Member since Mar 07th 2005
42239 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 08:18 PM

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"Poll question: Did the beats on Soul on Ice suck?"


  

          

I honestly never got this critique, and honestly think it fucked up Ras' whole career. Like what kind of beats did people expect? Shit was the exact type of beats for the lane of spitter he was. I mean "Jack Frost" which sampled Nat King Cole was his set-up song (the one that got him noticed). People were looking for club bangers? Did folk really want Ras Kass over Dr. Dre beats. And you see how that worked out.

Kinda raises another point, on the subtle way in which a trend which had nothing to do with the artist in question radically changed who they were. I mean yeah Coolio did exec the album (still blows my mind) but is that what fools expected? Ras Kass over Fantastic Voyage?

Poll result (20 votes)
yes (8 votes)Vote
no (12 votes)Vote

  

  

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Topic Outline
Subject Author Message Date ID
yea they did suck pre say nature of the threat ain't even a beat really ...
Apr 10th 2012
1
"Evil That Men Do" is one of my favorite beats ever
Apr 10th 2012
2
Same here
Apr 10th 2012
7
Not at all, "Miami" beat stays stuck in my head daily.
Apr 10th 2012
3
Thanks for reminding me...
Apr 10th 2012
4
NO!
Apr 10th 2012
5
1/3 Dope 1/3 Decent 1/3 Why is he rhyming over this?
Apr 10th 2012
6
Ppl always says that on here but I loved "On Earth As It Is On..."
Apr 10th 2012
8
i rememebr i was in a dark slightly depressed state when i heard this
Apr 10th 2012
9
Definitely an album made for isolation
Apr 10th 2012
10
^^^^^
Apr 10th 2012
11
Yeah, they were all dour and unpleasant to listen to
Apr 10th 2012
12
The production is perfect
Apr 10th 2012
13
RE: No, it isn't perfect.
Apr 10th 2012
14
      To me it perfect in the direction he was taking
Apr 10th 2012
17
hell no...that was just some east coast bias BS
Apr 10th 2012
15
i always got the impression that critique came from the west
Apr 10th 2012
16
yes, completely unlistenable
Apr 10th 2012
18
RE: This is just overstatement, plain and simple.
Apr 11th 2012
19
      no, its not.
Apr 11th 2012
24
hell no those beats are cold
Apr 11th 2012
20
They were more 'murky' and unfocused than they should have been
Apr 11th 2012
21
I liked the beats
Apr 11th 2012
22
they should have consulted Diamond D BEFORE recording...
Apr 11th 2012
23
You actually sorta hit the nail on the head
Apr 11th 2012
25

Menphyel7
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Tue Apr-10-12 08:27 PM

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1. "yea they did suck pre say nature of the threat ain't even a beat really ..."
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

I think its casue the beats on his demo was better cause of the samples that had people upset.

They did work for what he was doing most lyrical rappers have minimal type back drops cause they want you to hear what they saying and not be overshadowed by the beat.

I think cause the quality drop off from the demo is what upset people but I love the album casue they did make you pay attention to his words.

that song with coolio did need a way better beat tho.

http://twitter.com/Menphyel7


"F you Im better in tune with the Infinite"

  

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amplifya7
Member since Feb 07th 2010
2989 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 08:29 PM

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2. ""Evil That Men Do" is one of my favorite beats ever"
In response to Reply # 0


          

Bandcamp/IG/FB/Twitter: @hecticzeniths

  

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Nick Has a Problem...Seriously
Member since Dec 25th 2010
16576 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 09:29 PM

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7. "Same here"
In response to Reply # 2


  

          

That song still gets play on the reg

******************************************
Falcons, Braves, Bulldogs and Hawks

OutKast, Gang Starr, UGK, Mobb Deep and Eightball & MJG

  

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Brotha Sun
Member since Dec 31st 2009
6778 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 08:30 PM

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3. "Not at all, "Miami" beat stays stuck in my head daily."
In response to Reply # 0


          

  

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Brew
Member since Nov 23rd 2002
24375 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 08:34 PM

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4. "Thanks for reminding me..."
In response to Reply # 0


          

...that I really need to find this album and listen. It's been way too long since I heard this shit.

I don't remember hating the beats and I agree with those saying that the style of beats being "minimized" to allow the listener to focus on the lyricism was probly done on purpose and was definitely the way to go.

Resurrection is another example of this, though I think the beats were a lot better on Res from what I remember of Soul on Ice. But NoID and YNot kept the soul samples subtle and groovy to allow Common to flex his lyrical muscles. I think Soul on Ice was similar.

I'm now excited to dig thru my crates to find this album and listen again.

----------------------------------------

"Fuck aliens." © WarriorPoet415

  

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cjr2221
Member since Sep 04th 2011
1790 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 08:35 PM

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5. "NO!"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

Soul On Ice is literally my favorite Hip-Hop album ever.

I like Soul On Ice more than Illmatic.

It's a personal classic, everything about that LP was perfect to me when I first heard/that moment in time.

so.... I disagree wholeheartedly

The Evil that Men Do is a top 5 hip-hop song for me.

I love that album

Don't slander it.

or else

I'll e-rage.

Soul On Ice is >that< album for me.

  

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micMajestic
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22938 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 09:23 PM

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6. "1/3 Dope 1/3 Decent 1/3 Why is he rhyming over this?"
In response to Reply # 0


          

Most of his demo and white label songs had better beats than half the joints on the official album. Check the beats on the following songs for proof

Remain Anonymous
Won't Catch Me Runnin'
Jack Frost
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Oral Sex
High IQ
Core Audience

The "Soul On Ice" remix really cemented the fact that Ras should be rhyming over production that can actually stand on it's own.

_________________________________________
The Combat Jack Show is THE best hip-hop related internet radio show
Catch up http://pncradio.tumblr.com/

  

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zuma1986
Member since Dec 18th 2006
9085 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 09:38 PM

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8. "Ppl always says that on here but I loved "On Earth As It Is On...""
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

"Etc.", "Marinatin'", "Sonset" and especially "Ordo Abchao (Order Out of Chaos)".

Unlike Nas where I can tolerate his mediocre or bad beats I generally think that the beats on here are good to great. They were dark and kinda trippy.

  

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DolphinTeef
Member since Oct 25th 2009
7027 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 09:42 PM

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9. "i rememebr i was in a dark slightly depressed state when i heard this"
In response to Reply # 0
Tue Apr-10-12 09:43 PM by DolphinTeef

  

          

shit spoke to my soul in a good way

  

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zuma1986
Member since Dec 18th 2006
9085 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 09:46 PM

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10. "Definitely an album made for isolation"
In response to Reply # 9


  

          

Maybe that was the point of the album, to kinda give the feeling of being alone in prison and thinking.

  

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cjr2221
Member since Sep 04th 2011
1790 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 10:00 PM

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11. "^^^^^"
In response to Reply # 9


  

          

+1

  

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Frobert
Member since Nov 03rd 2003
1547 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 10:34 PM

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12. "Yeah, they were all dour and unpleasant to listen to"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

  

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Swol_Belly
Member since Jun 05th 2002
2662 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 10:43 PM

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13. "The production is perfect"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

The production captured the mind set of the album cold, dark and isolated. When people tell me the production suck I always ask how should the production have sounded?

Check out my mixtape "Show and Tell" http://soundcloud.com/ace-drew

  

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Austin
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Tue Apr-10-12 10:47 PM

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14. "RE: No, it isn't perfect."
In response to Reply # 13


  

          

But it doesn't suck either.

That's why it's still so debated. Because it's so middle of the road that nobody can decide.

~Austin

"Where in the world is your inspiration to say the things you're aching to say?"

http://austintayeshus.blogspot.com

http://www.last.fm/user/Austintayeshus

http://twitter.com/Austintayeshus

  

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Swol_Belly
Member since Jun 05th 2002
2662 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 10:57 PM

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17. "To me it perfect in the direction he was taking"
In response to Reply # 14


  

          

Cold dark isolated. Drama and marinate was the only two songs that was not dark but they're still dope to me.

Check out my mixtape "Show and Tell" http://soundcloud.com/ace-drew

  

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kayru99
Member since Jan 26th 2004
16105 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 10:49 PM

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15. "hell no...that was just some east coast bias BS"
In response to Reply # 0


          

  

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imcvspl
Member since Mar 07th 2005
42239 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 10:51 PM

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16. "i always got the impression that critique came from the west"
In response to Reply # 15


  

          

most of the east coast didn't care, and those that did kind of expected what they got.

i have other thoughts on this in general but i'll wait til someone start's speaking on the other issues raised in the OP.
________
Big PEMFin H & z's
█▆▇▅▇█▇▆▄▁▃
"I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am one thing, a musician." © Miles Davis

"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."

  

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AlBundy
Member since May 27th 2002
9621 posts
Tue Apr-10-12 11:54 PM

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18. "yes, completely unlistenable"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

one of the worst collection of beats ive ever heard, especially when contrasted
to ras kass' lyrical prowess

-------------------------
“The other dude after me didn’t help my case. It was just like…crazy nigga factory going on.”
Dre makes no apologies for his own eccentricities. “I was young, and searching, trying to find myself,” he says. “Never did.”-- Andre B

  

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Austin
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9418 posts
Wed Apr-11-12 12:46 AM

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19. "RE: This is just overstatement, plain and simple."
In response to Reply # 18


  

          

>one of the worst collection of beats

I've heard so much worse.

And I've heard so much better.

God, can no one in here admit when something is just average?

~Austin

"Where in the world is your inspiration to say the things you're aching to say?"

http://austintayeshus.blogspot.com

http://www.last.fm/user/Austintayeshus

http://twitter.com/Austintayeshus

  

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AlBundy
Member since May 27th 2002
9621 posts
Wed Apr-11-12 09:14 PM

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24. "no, its not."
In response to Reply # 19


  

          

  

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Nodima
Member since Jul 30th 2008
15294 posts
Wed Apr-11-12 02:42 AM

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20. "hell no those beats are cold"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

maybe he could have had DJ Muggs or something but otherwise, yea, what do you expect? that was a dark album. those were really good beats. This critique is filed away with Stakes Is High/Beats Rhymes & Life critiques as coming from folks too set into some kind of way.


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." © Jay Bilas

http://www.last.fm/user/NodimaChee
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/Nodima/run_that_shit__nodimas_hip_hop_handbook

  

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Errol Walton Barrow
Member since Jul 02nd 2002
6186 posts
Wed Apr-11-12 08:29 AM

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21. "They were more 'murky' and unfocused than they should have been"
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

Some beats had good ideas, but were presented improperly, like "Anything Goes," with the background women's vocals mixed low, and the main loop mixed low too. As a single it should've been brighter. "Realism" sounds rushed with a murky bassline as well. As much as people shit on "Drama," everything on it is crisp and pops and clearly should have been a single. The murkines only helps "Evil that Men Do," which has a great mood throughout it.

The thing is that beat-wise the album begins and ends on high notes, its just the second half that has lackluster beats like "If/Then" and kinda "Soul on Ice" (especially in comparison with the remix, which I'm sure everyone wishes was on the album instead).

I think ultimately hype from preceding tracks and the complexity of the lyrics made people expect a really focused album. Think of GZA's Liquid Swords production. I think some of those samples should have been replayed, and only a handful of beats should have been replaced. Its just the focus of the beats didn't match the focus and drama of the rhymes (me and all my friends thought every single thing on that album was true when we first heard it). Could be possible not even the producers or Coolio knew what they had with this album, certainly Priority didn't.

-------
http://adevotedappraisal.tumblr.com - Essays, reviews, short stories and free writes on music, film and life around us.

  

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Thanes1975
Member since Aug 03rd 2011
1618 posts
Wed Apr-11-12 08:35 AM

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22. "I liked the beats"
In response to Reply # 21


  

          

I liked the beats and LP overall. Miami life was my shit.

peace

oh...Soul on Ice Remix was CRAZY

"Highly developed spirits often encounter resistance from mediocre minds."-Albert Einstein

http://twitter.com/#!/TonyHanesPoetry

  

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My_SP1200_Broken_Again
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Wed Apr-11-12 08:36 AM

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23. "they should have consulted Diamond D BEFORE recording..."
In response to Reply # 0


  

          

...the album ....because the Remix is by FAR the high point of Ras Kaas entire career

  

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Orbit_Established
Member since Oct 27th 2002
52934 posts
Wed Apr-11-12 09:27 PM

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25. "You actually sorta hit the nail on the head"
In response to Reply # 23


  

          

>...the album ....because the Remix is by FAR the high point
>of Ras Kaas entire career

Its not that the beats are bad, because they
aren't....in fact, quite a few of them are
good

But that Diamond D remix....jesus christ...that
beat just works PERFECTLY with Ras Kass...it
sorta makes you look at the rest of the album
sideways


----------------------------

Young Broadway Star Urgently Needs a Bone Marrow Donor. Is it you? http://MatchShannon.com/







O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

  

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