MC Twist’s Bad Influence is what put San Jose, California on the rap map in the 1990s. MC Twist was the foundation for the rap music scene of this city. At that time, San Jose was known for being a technology hot spot rather than a musical hot spot. The album is laced with Miami bass and old school rap sounds with the usual gangsta rap. Sadly this album got highly overlooked despite being from the Bay Area. MC Twist being from San Jose didn’t help because San Jose was located in the Bay Area and was often associated with San Francisco.
Cold Chillin' In San Jo described MC Twist’s daily life. His lifestyle is planned day by day. Back in the day you could often MC Twist causing around San Jose in a red El Camino whether he was going to grab a bite to eat at Denny’s or going to scope out some fly honeys. The song also explains the death of his homeboy Quiz. For those who did not know, Quiz had died on impact from a gunshot in a scenario of random violence. He died before the song was recorded.
Cold Chillin' In San Jo samples Grover Washington, Jr. - Mister Magic and Slave - Son of Slide by Slave. Cold Chillin' In San Jo also uses the original sample of Dionne Warwick - Do You Know The Way To San Jose.
Cocaine Bizne$$ is about MC Twist’s drug selling escapades and how he manages to navigate around law enforcement. He boasts about how he is selling drugs in the game. Clearly there is no shame in his game as he is smart, slick, and is street savvy. Cocaine was the drug he sold as the song title indicates.
The song uses a looped sample of an electric guitar which plays funky diluted bass notes. The diluted bass is quite heavy. Cocaine Bizne$$ samples Boogie Down Productions - Illegal Business, Average White Band - Stop the Rain, The Turtles - I’m Chief Kamanawanalea (We're the Royal Macadamia Nuts), and Jimmy Spicer - Money (Dollar Bill Y'all).
The song Step Off deals with the violence aspect of drug dealing inside the drug business. Step Off is one of his more conscious songs off the album. Step Off was the song which relaunched MC Twist back into the national spotlight and music scene in the early 90s. However he only had minor success with song despite having a music video for the song being played on BET.
Step Off is a funky up beat dance rap song which hardcore lyrics and beats that will make you move your feet. Dance meets rap on Step Off. Step Off uses a chunk of P-Funk hence the Parliament sample. You can’t have San Jose funk without P-Funk!
BET used to air the Step Off music video on their channel back in the 90s. Sherry Carter was one of the models who licked MC Twist’s chest. The director was taken aback by this. The music video helped the song become a moderate hit with minor success.
Step Off by Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music, Parliament - This Is the Way We Funk With You, and Rufus Thomas - The Breakdown (Live).
Mary Mack II revisits the song Mary Mack from MC Twist & The Def Squad - Comin’ Thru Like A Warrior. This song acts as a Part 2 to the original Mary Mack song. The song describes his zany escapades of flirting with females on the weekend. That is why the song has a funny mood.
Mary Mack II sampled Kraftwerk - Tour De France, Instant Funk - I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl), Bill Withers - Kissing My Love.
S-M-O-K-I-N-G C-O-K-E is San Jose’s take on Boogie Down Productions - Illegal Business, NWA - Dope Man, and Too $hort's "Girl”. MC Twist explains why he dislikes cocaine addicts in this song not so politely. He is displeased with coke heads. It’s one of those anti-drug songs also.
S-M-O-K-I-N-G C-O-K-E samples Gangstarr - Knowledge, Too $hort - Girl, and NWA - Dope Man.The sampled beat is a stripped down version of Gangstarr - Knowledge.
The Jokes On U (Hometown Critics) is about MC Twist shitting on all the critics in San Jose who told him he wouldn’t be able to make in music. Well the joke is on them because MC Twist managed to gain a record deal with Uncle Luke and get some national attention.
A Step Beyond is about MC Twist wanting to come up get and out of poverty in order to better himself. He has goals he wants to pursue. He doesn’t want to resort to a life of crime. A Step Beyond samples Salt N Pepa - Shake Your Thang.
Evrythangs Gottabfunky has that San Jose funk. It even has some of Bootsy Collins work sampled as well. Funk meets rap on this song. You can tell MC Twist was inspired by 70s P-Funk when he composed this song. Evrythangs Gottabfunky samples Parliament - Mothership Connection (Starchild), Lee Dorsey - Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On), Maceo & the Macks - Soul Power 74, and Whodini - Escape (I Need a Break).
I rate this album 4/5****.
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