J. Dubb — Game Related EP

Leo Ramsey, under the moniker Kool Rock Jay, joined the local electro group Matrix in the late 1980s together with DJ Matrix and DJ Slice. In 1990, Kool Rock Jay and DJ Slice released an album with Jive distributed by RCA, "Tales from the Dope Side", which was received lukewarmly by the public. A couple of years later, Kool Rock Jay also releases a solo effort on local label Triad Records, "Street Life" (1992). In 1995, the Oakland-raised boy returned under the new name J. Dubb and released a new EP. The music is composed by J-Dubb together with Troy White, Darnell Thomas and Terry T, while the mixing is handled by Ant Banks. The guests are Too $hort, Spice-1, Gansta P, Stacy Hogg, Father Dom and saxophonist J. Spencer.

The project starts on a high note, "Trouble", produced by J-Dubb who is joined on the mic by heavyweights Spice 1 and Too $hort, the latter focuses on past problems with Dru Down and Luniz. The production sails on soft lines of synths, partially skimmed bass and a dry and tough drum, the guys play with confidence on this laid back mobb production. Gangsta P, credited on the tape without the g, appears on the following cut "Paper Chase" over a solid beat laid out by J-Dubb and Troy White: sharp bassline, nice graceful piano loop, dry midtempo drum, good regular rapping provided by the performers, sweet hook from Stacy Hogg. Too $hort soon returns to the record appearing a second time on "I'm a Player" over solid production masterminded by Terry T: jelly bassline, dry and harsh drums, guitar plucks, short piano loop, thin strings for the hook, good rap from the guys.

Saxophonist J. Spencer opens "Where It's At" wonderfully, solid mobb beat with good bass, dry drum less harsh than the previous ten minutes but still dry and minimal enough to be heard, J-Dubb and Father Dom trade bars proving that Nas' debut album was also heard in the bay and that AZ was appreciated here too, amidst Spencer's splendid sax returning for the hook. The last two songs are the author's only solo songs and are produced by J-Dubb himself together with Troy White: the boy doesn't sound as good as when he's joined by guests, although he still has a nice regular flow and is supported by solid mobb funky productions, which swim around robust bass lines (more robust and raw than the previous fifteen minutes), dry drums and soft synths.

Released by independent Relentless Records, the project doesn't obtain particular attention from the public and J-Dubb disappears from the scene for five years, returning in 2000 with a new studio album ("Money, Trees & Real Estate"). The first fifteen minutes of this project are very good and strong, then the tape inevitably drops in the remaining minutes. In any case, it's a good album that deserves to be appreciated by fans of the Bay Area and mobb music. 7/10.