A-Wax - Savage Timez (2001)

First time I ever heard of A-Wax was when someone at the infamous cocaineblunts forum posted a mixtape he did, called Rat Poison or something like that. His music got some props from some of the frequent users, which basicly meant it was worth checking. So I did. I don't regret it. He immeditley became on of my absolute favourite artists from the bay.

His story in short, you can read more on his website http://www.a-wax.com/. Born Aaron Scott July 17, 1980. He's originally from the San Francisco suburb Pittsburg. As a teen he was sent to Seattle, WA to avoid further running ins with the law. Gang banging and such had spread from LA all the way to Pittsburg, or something. So he headed north. Bad choice, it turned out to be gangs in Seattle too. Young Aaron got involved. 16 years old he was sent to prison five years for manslaughter (according to http://www.answers.com/).

In 2001 he was finally released. Some years earlier he had started writing raps and he more or less immidetley recorded his debut album, Savage Timez. Which is, arguably, his best release so far. Since his prison release he has recorded four solo albums and has appered on over 80 albums and compilations and he has also recieved some latin rap award for a guest appearance on a Baby Bash album. He has had some buzz on the streets in the bay but is yet to have his big break commercialy, 2 gangsta 4 the motherfucking radio huh?

Anyhoo. This album is da shiet. True ghetto/prison storys. He spent five years in the penitentiary so he's got plenty of street cred, which means he can say anything gangsta and we can with good heart believe it's true and not just some sell-more-records-tactic.

A-Wax got swagger, which combined with his raspy voice, realistic gangster storys and good beats - it's a great album. Not a classic or anything, most classics you already heard or have been posted on other blogs so I'm not gonna go there. It's an underrated gangster rap album. He also raps about a couple of more or less deep topics like who's going to be the one that kills him or how do you deal with the moral issues surronding crime (money outweights morals).

As you can see on the album cover below. There's a couple of guest rappers on this record, I havn't been succesfull in finding a proper tracklist mentioning on which track which rapper is on or even who produced any of the songs. So I'll just won't bother writing about it, more then this.

Best tracks: Heaven or Hell, Journey and Krime Pays. Enjoy

A-Wax - Savage Timez (2001)

Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. Get Low

3. Rappa

4. Benificial

5. Heaven or Hell

6. Around the World

7. Journey

8. Krime Payz

9. Skit

10. Savage Timez

11. Talk Iz Cheap

12. Why Hustle?

13. P/G Style

14. Street Thugs

15. Outro

A-Wax on the web:

http://www.a-wax.com/

http://www.myspace.com/waxfase/

Love Is A Battlefield...

Finally back again with another tracklist.. I haven't spent alot of time in front of the computer for a while, hence the lack of posting. After two album posts, which I hope some of you enjoyed it's time for another tracklist. This is part three of the iAUDIO playlist. Random mix of tracks this time too. Some new some old.. As usual.

I any of you got some opinions or requests, feel free to let me know.. post a comment in the c-box or send me a e-mail... some feedback. nuff said, traklist:

Part Three:

http://www.zshare.net/download/218244208ee7db/

Tracklist:

1. Little Bruce - Thizz Wid It feat. Dubee & Lil' Italy

This is from a Little Bruce mixtape from last year (or was it this year??). I put a couple of tracks from that tape on my mp3 to give them a listen. I remember liking a couple of tracks. This one, not so much.. I would take it off the tracklist if I hadn't already made the link, yeah I'm lazy don't hate... Honestly, it's not terrible so give it a chance, some of you might like it.. Don't know those other dudes or the producer...

2. Lord Finesse - Real Talk feat. Grand Puba

This is how hip hop is supposed to sound. Nothing revolutionary, but you get what you wan't from these legends. One of my favourite tracks from last year. Topic, as usual: using metaphores to describe their own greatness...

3. Devin The Dude - What A Job feat. Snoop Dogg & Andre 3000

We work late we some vampires, gathering round the beat like a camp fire. Andre Benjamin really kills it on this one, so does Devin and even Snoop proves why he's a legend... One of the best songs from this year... J Prince production.

4. Murs - Slob My Knob

Hehe.. Yeah, this track is hilarious. One of the things I like best about Murs is the fact that I agree with him in so many subjects, mostly about women. Atleast it sounds so right when he explains his point of views...

5. Ghostface Killah - Sun God feat. Sun God

From his second album of 2006, More Fish. Sun God is Ghosts 18 year old son. The kid really holds it down and shows he isn't on the record just cause who's son he is... My favourite track from that cd, which was one of the better from last year..

6. Grap Luva - Trackrunners feat. J-Live & some other dude

I already posted this track, in the first post i think... It's good enough too be heard again! If anyone knows who's that other dude is post a comment and let me know. I really enjoy most of Grap Luvas work, hopefully we'll see more of him within soon....

7. Hi Tek - Josephine feat. Willie Cottrell Band, Ghostface & Pretty Ugly

Speaking about that fine girl from your block who went for the fast dollar selling her body. That will probaly not happend to any of my child friends, so I can't really relate. Dosn't matter tough, it's a great song and I enjoy it. Ghostface was on fire last year and that Pretty Ugly dude is pretty good too...

8. Juggaknots - Liar Liar feat. Wordsworth

Last year Juggaknots came back with their second album ever, 10 years after dropping the classic Clear Blue Skies. And they didn't disapoint anyone. It feels like it dropped this year because I didn't give a listen till februar or something, and if i would have dropped 2007 it would have been the best release in my book. Alright maybe not better than the Blue Scholars disc but still great...

9. Z-Ro - In The South

Don't even remember which disc this is from, and I'm having problems finding out since it poorly taged (just track 7). It's a great song, not the best quality. A typical Z-Ro song really, got that depressed blues feeling to it and the Houston sound is all over it. Some other guy, Big Pokey possibly is on this track too..

10. Sean Price - P Body

One of my favourite Sean Price tracks ever. The lead track from his 2007 album. It's really banging. 9th Wonder produced this one.

11. Papoose - Love Is A Battlefield

From some of his mixtape, there's like 50 of them and I really don't remember which this is from. Pretty sure it's from 2006 tough.. It says Kay Slay produced it. I kinda like this sample, from some possibly famous 80's song. He talks about his love to the rap game, drinking cristal and getting money. Pretty meaningless, but bangin..

12. Papoose - To The Right

A remake of that Beyonce track To The Left. I don't remember how good the real song was, don't care.. This is off the hook, for real. Too bad it's so short, only 1:57. And too bad he pretty much talks about nothing, which means you get tired of it after a couple of listens. Says some guy named Stargate produced it.

13. Brotha Lynch Hung - Walkin' 2 My Funeral feat. T.M. Shades & Mia Bruce

Someone in some blog or something said Brotha Lync Hung was a guy to check for if you wanted some hell praising gangsta tunes in your life. And why wouldn't I want that? Gave this record a couple of listens and this song really did it for me. Deep gangsta shit. I think Mia Bruce is the lady who sings the hook. From 1996 or something...

14. Thirstin Howl III - I Wanna Watch

This song is crazy. Hilarious and sick. Brooklyn native Thirstin often finds these easily forgotten topics everybody's really likes hearing rap songs about but don't know it until he makes the song.. Who dosn't wanna watch?

15. Papoose - Too Hot feat. Busta Rhymes

Oh. They both kill it. Busta really kills it. Mixtape track from last year.. I'm really looking forward to the Papoose album, whenever it will drop...

16. AZ - The Format

Primo is back. Banger. AZ been around for a while know. He came back late last year with his ablum The Format. A record in which the title track actaully is the by far best track...

17. Devin The Dude - Lil Girl Gone feat. Lil Wayne & Bun B

This is a short version I got when the song first leaked. I never got around to replacing it with the real version. It's of a Mick Boogie mixtape, this is why you hear some kid yelling in the background every once in a while.. Lil Wayne's got the best verse. Actually they all kill it.. Dope song.. When this was released Devin had me thinkin he was gonna make a more grown up, less sexist album - that turned out to be a false alarm. It was the only song of the album I had heard and it was about poor girls who gone wild, not the typical Devin song.. Still dope. J Prince production..

18. Thirstin Howl III - Playground Love

I love this song. Talks about his childhood love like no one else. And he has a killer flow. Have no idea who produced this.

that's it..

I'll do my best to post more frequently in the future.. enjoy!

Me'shell NdegéOcello - Plantation Lullabies (1993)

I don't really know if this record fits in to any genre, probaly not. I guess I consider it truly over the top funky hip hop, mixed together with some jazz, r'n'n and maybe a little.. And some of the tracks are catchy enough to be called pop.. So yeay, it's just that kind of record - how could a cross over record like this possibly be any good? Answear, because it wasn't made for the sole purpuss of beeing a crossover hit record for diffrent kinds of fans (like most rap'n'b, reaggae-hip hop and that kind of junk). It's deeper then that. Really.

Haha fuck you thougt I was serious? Nah actually that's probaly just some bullshit thoughts I have trying to explain to myself why I love this record. It's world music, or something, not usally my thing... Who gives a fuck really. It's good it's good right.. This dude who is more or less an expert on black music who which had several times recomended me great music mentioned this as his one of his top 10 favourite albums of all time.. I wasn't sure what to think first, because he wasn't actually talking to me when he said it. I overheard him talking at a party to this feminist left wing girl who was really hot. My guess he was trying to pick her up and he didn't wan't to name his acutal top 10 list of greatest albums since I know that's full of bitch talking and pimp glorification music like Devin The Dude, J-Zone and a couple of swedish artists who's music you don't play when your moms around... What people do to get laid... Anyways I stumbled over this album somewhere a while later and decided to give it a chance, maybe my man wasn't lying to that girl after all.. I'm glad I gave it a listen..

Nuff bullshit. Starts off with a super funky hip hop song.. She proves she's capable of good rapping and singing. Mostly she somehow just simply blowes me away. Topics: politics, feelings, woman power and such. Not what I usally listens to, but I don't mind. I really don't know what to say about this. That's why I filled this text out with some random story (true story). It's simply great. Released on some record company Madonna was involved with. I learnd today it was nominated to get three grammis, so it's not really underground. Only forgotte about. Best tracks are: "If that's your boyfriend" and "Dred Loc". Don't sleep.


Me'shell NdegéOcello - Plantation Lullabies (1993)

1. Plantation Lullabies
2. I'm Diggin' You (Like an Old Soul Record)
3. If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night)
4. Shoot'n Up And Gett'n High
5. Dred Loc
6. Untitled
7. Step Into The Projects
8. Soul On Ice
9. Call Me
10. Outside Your Door
11. Picture Show
12. Sweet Love
13. Two Lonley Hearts (On The Subway)

MC A.D.E. - How Much Can You Take (1989)

Adrian Hines a.k.a. MC A.D.E. (Adrian Does Everything) released How Much Can You Take, which was his second solo release, back in 1989. It's his second record. His mostly known for his hit record Bass Rock Express from 1985, a song I've honestly never heard. See, I'm really just starting to find out about Miami Bass. I guess I started checking for it because I've been hering more and more Drum&Bass hanging around with my friends (Pimp Masta Signelinho among them) that just came home from a six month stay in Switzerland. Overthere they hang with alot of british dope fiends and drunks which all loved Drum&Bass. I figure smoking and drinking alot with people who listen to a certain kind of music makes you feel that music too, I think that's what happend.. Anyhoo, this Drum&Bass thing reminded me of this record which I downloaded and listend to quite alot about a year ago, as you figure I'm talking about the above mentioned MC A.D.E. record (dl from travis at WYDU, see link list).

What I'm trying to say is since I don't no shit really about Miami Bass or MC A.D.E. I'm not gonna write to much about it.. If you like it and want to learn more you have a better chanse getting facts from wikipedia or google than from me. I'll just tell you a little of what I do know. Miami Bass was big sometimes from the mid eighties to the early ninties. The biggest artists was world known 2 Live Crew. Most songs are about sex, booties, party and a lil bit of crime. That's pretty much what the sound makes you focus on too. The beats are sligthly faster then most hip hop records at the time and are construced to make you dance (possibly the thought was to get the bikini and string wearing ladies down in Miami to shake their behinds in front the fellas, kinda like pre ecxtasy I figure.. Actually didn't Miami Bass start to fall off about the sametime ecxstay became popular?). I think I read somewhere MC A.D.E. is now passed away. I don't know anything about the circumstances... May he rest in peace, hopefully his music will live on to this day and many more...

About How Much Can You Take. It starts off with two tracks that I think is pretty much all drum&bass, no verses really just fast beats.. The next couple of tracks ADE starts spitting. His flow is typical eighties early ninties sounding, I really don't hear alot of Miami accent.. As most rappers from those days his voice sounds kinda New York.

You got the every rap tape must have tracks about the rappers own greatness (A.D.E. Got It Going On) and the classic fuck a bitch track (Money Hounding Ho's). Quite suprising he has a song about safe sex, Sex, Crime Drugs. Altough pretty much all the verses are kinda boring and predictable that's one of my favourite tracks. The rest of tracks are mostly about shaking booties, partying and sex. My personal topics of choice. I'm pretty sure all tracks are produced and mixed by A.D.E. himself.

That's all I'm gonna write this time.. I'll be back in a couple of days with Part Three of the iaudio tracklists and perhaps another album post..


MC A.D.E. - How Much Can You Take (1989)

Tracklist:

1. GO A.D.E.
2. How Much Can You Take
3. To The Fan's
4. Sex, Crime, Drugs
5. Hit Harder
6. Train
7. A.D.E. Got It Going On
8. Lyric Licking
9. Money Hounding Ho's
10. Physican
11. It's Crazy
12. Control

Peace.

Time for part 2..

This is the second part of the serie including tracks I've been bumping on my iAUDIO february-april this year. It's a mix of old classic (more or less) tracks and a couple of sort of new tracks.. Hopefully some of you all will enjoy this mix..

Part II:

http://www.zshare.net/download/20684762f84d4d/

1. U.G.K. - Tell Me Something Good (original version)

This is from their first EP from called The Southern Way from 1990. I'd guess they were pretty low tech and love budget back then. But Pimp C keeps it down with this beat sampling that old "tell me someting good" song which I don't know who originaly made... Notable is that Bun B wasn't the brilliant lyricists back then as he is now, he was still the most lyrical of the two rappers but I think Pimp C's swagger and comedic lyrics does enough for me to call him the leadrapper of the group in 1990. Oh yeah, the text is hilarious and the whole song gives you a kind of laid back it's all good in the hood kinda vibe...

2. Z-Ro - In My Life

Another Texas native. This time J. Prince brings it funky. Z-Ro is soulfull and spirutal as always, talking about what's grimey. Sometimes I think there's kind of a 2pac feeling about Z-Ro's spirutality.. Altough I'm not going to write to much about that since I haven't really thougt it over, just a random thougt that pops up every now and then while I listen to him.. This from last years (or was it this year?) Power Moves.

3. Skillz - 2006 Rap Up

Skillz is a funny dude. He manage to sum up 2006 in a very informative and amusing way. This time over some beat Jay-Z originaly spit over..

4. Apathy - Baptism By Fire ft. Esoteric & Emilio Lopez

I'm not really a big fan of the kind of sound Apathy, Jedi Mind Tricks, Outerspace and those dudes represent. But every now and then I hear a track I like, this is one of them. It sounds like a 7L beat, but I could be wrong... Esoteric has the best verse, maybe I just like his flow and voice better then those other dudes.. Track is from 2007 by the way...

5. Birdman & Lil Wayne - Stuntin Like My Father

Lil Wayne really kills it nowdays. Birdman, not so much. He doesn't ruin the song, but I wouldn't listen to it Wayne wasn't on it. From the album they dropped together last year.

6. Hell Razah - Renaissance ft. Tragedy Khadafi, Timbo King & R.A. The Rugged Man

Hell Razaz is the Wu-tang weedcarrier I really never noticed before. He dropped a new album earlier this year and I cheched it out, quite good really.. This is one of the better tracks. R.A the Rugged Mans and Tragedy's verses ar off the hook. They talk about the state of hip hop and how much hip hop they are. Nice feeling.

7. Triple Six Mafia - Da Summa

This is a nice summer track. I don't know when it was first recorded but I'd guess 1992-93 sometime. I think I read this is one of their first songs which gave them some hype in their hometown Memphis. This was way before they won the award and started partying with Paris Hilton. I have no idea who all these rappers are,the lead figures DJ Paul and Juicy J is on there and probaly a whole bunch of guys that aren't in the group anymore. Can't tell if that's La Chat or Gangsta Boo screaming every now and then.. Actually I just noticed they mention Scarcrow, Lord Infamous and Crunchy Black at the end, so I guess they're on the track..

8. Yukmouth & Messy Marv - On The Bliock ft. Damuaire

Messy Marv is from Frisco and I think Yukmouth is from East Oakland (it's mentioned in the song). Yukmouth used to be in They don't really talk about much important. Just tells a little bit of info of their lifes, who they hustle to get paid in Oakland. The beat is really nice.

9. Pumpkinhead - Trifactor ft. Wordsworth & Supastition

I've been bumping a lot of Pumpkinhead the latest couple of months, before that I had never even heard him rap so I guess I've been catching up. This is from his album "Orange Moon Over Brooklyn" from 2005. Marco Polo produced the entire album, including this track... Just remembered I've already included this track in a playlist I've posted here. Fuck it, it's good enough to be posted again, besides I already uploaded the .rar file... Words has the best verse..

10. Prodigy - Mac 10 Handle

From his new album. The hook is based on classic Geto Boyz track "My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me". Prodigy really got his swagger back, talking about his dope fiend paranoia and all his guns. The Alchemist produced this.

11. Little Brotther - Life ft. Skillz

This is from their latest mixtape which they did with Mick Boogie. That mixtape was better then most albums dropped this year so if you haven't heard it, check it out. Life is the best song no doubt. "Girl what do you mean you don't recognize me, I'm only the biggest rap star in your apartment complex" - Phonte. That's fucking hilarious. Okay maybe not hilarious but it's damn funny, it starts the song off perfect. Rapping about beeing a dope rapper being underrated.. This is twice Skillz is on this tracklist, that's a suprise..

12. Ali Vegas - Forgive But Not Forget

He really came out strong with this mixtape he dropped earlier this year.. If you like this, I posted the entire mixtape in the c-box for a friend... Tells a couple of storys around the subject "forgive but not forget". Beat could have been better, but that's not too much of a problem if you're in the right mood...

13. Jigmastas - Elevate ft. Angela Johnson

I was looking for a EP I've heard rumors about called Lyrical Fluctuation or something like that. I'm not familiar with the word fluctuation so I have no idea how to spell it which kinda made my search a problem.. This kid played the song with the same name to me way back and that was a fucking banger - I really wish I could find it again.. Instead I found their LP and I got to say I'm not disapointed. I really haven't seen much talk about these guys so I think it's fair to say their really really slept on. A little bit of bom bap jazz with a soul singer singing the hook. What more could anyone ask for? I think it's from 2000 or 2001. Group member DJ Spinna probaly produced it, the rapper is named MC Kriminul (kinda dorky name I'd say, he took that misspelling thing popular in hip hop a bit to far). It's them to one the picture, atleast that's what google gave me...

14. YZ - (So Far) The Ghetto's Been Good To Me

This guy and Jigmastas is probaly equally slept on. I think I downloaded his record from http://www.wakeyourdaughterup.blogspot.com/ or http://www.rapdungeon.blogspot.com/ , props dudes whoever it was.. Rap this postitive and this dope is really seldom these days. At least there's a positive feeling, he talks about how he will violate someone at some point in the song. Actually he title pretty much sums up what's the songs about. He really kills it every verse over this amazing blowing instrument beat thing.... From '93 ish something don't now producer...

15. Intelligent Hoodlum - Grand Groove

Could be my favourite beat of all time. This piano tune has been used a couple of more times but this is my favourite among the tracks I've heard. I think I've read somewhere Biz Markie or some other guy from the Juice Crew spit over it first, haven't heard that song tough. I know Foxy Brown spit over it on the Jackie Brown soundtrack and Cormega spit over it a couple of years ago. All those songs ar amazing.. He really came off as intelligent back then. He talks the truth about hoodlife and peoples past away. Marley Marl and K-Def has the credit for this beat. I think I've read K-Def claiming he did most of the work tough... Who knows..

All done.. This is a great day, friday off. I'm chilling at home, in a couple of minutes I got my littles sister coming over to make me a meal. To night there's some pop concert and it's the opening night for my favourite outside bar. I fucking love summertime. It's all good.