Published by Wild Pitch, it's the debut album of the Main Source group, made up of Queens rapper and producer William Paul "Large Professor" Mitchell and Toronto DJ/producer brothers Kevin "K-Cut" and Shawn "Sir Scratch" McKenzie. This duo provides some scattered scratches, so it's practically a solo work of Large Pro, artist from Queens which provides both rapping both production: his rapping style is solid, tight, with dope flowing and fresh delivery, and simple and fun lyrics, mainly based on braggadocio with some socio-conscious and political bar against police violence and racism.
The production is vibrant and energetic, basically excellent, the artist creates excellent simple and coherent boom bap jazzy rhythms, with a few funk touches, using classic samples, a hard drum machine, and elements such as guitars, saxes and dark pianos (Pete Rock helps in "Vamos a rapiar", dope jazzy beat). It's a fresh and solid album, an influential and important gem in the nineties scene, full of classics and essential for East Coast fans: one of the best cuts of the project, "Live at the Barbeque", presents the debut in hip-hop both by Nas and Akinyele.
"Snake Eyes" is among the greatest track of this debut LP. Beautiful vibrating piano, then the rhythm becomes confused and goes out, a second vibrating rhythm comes out, rockin', fresh, with simple skinny regular syncopated tight drum machine, good smoothness delivery of Large Pro, with a simplistic technique. Uninterpreted hook that presents a bridge with flute.
"Just Hangin Out" boasts an amazing jazzy rhythm with tight looped ethereal dope strings, skinny drum and minimal syncopated in the background, it's perfect, good syncopated silky delivery by the rapper. Sparkling little bells open "Peace Is Not the Word to Play", then jazzy production with sample chopped and looped tight in the background, supplanted by another musical sample, [the] rapper [goes with a] velvet and syncopated delivery over frenetic rhythm and skinny tight minimal syncopated drum machine, a bit dark beat towards the scratched chorus.
The Queens cut "Live at the Barbeque" is one of the brightest tune of the whole tape, thanks to Joe Fatal who manages to bring Nas (17 years old) and Akinyele (18) to the studio with Large Professor (18): it's the debut for both young guest rappers, on a splendid jazzy rhythm, festive intro, skinny drum and perfect syncopation, tight rhythm, Nas starts immediately with a good attack and a shiny and flowing delivery, technically rough, powerful and pure braggadocio verse, fantastic, follows Joe Fatal, then Akinyele, smooth, quick and rough before the last verse of Large Professor. Fantastic joint, one of the best in the project and in the whole year in hip-hop, Nasir Jones will change the game forever with the best album in hip-hop history a few years later and Akinyele will be a footnote in dirty rap (however, here Akinyele renounces sexual references, unlike Nas himself, who kills the cut).
Rating: 9/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment