Nicole Wray - Make It Hot (Sampler) album review
The Make It Hot (Sampler) was released on cassette to promote the debut album of Nicole Wray - Make It Hot which was sent to radio stations across the United States in early 1998. This sampler was an album sampler for Nicole Wray - Make It Hot.
Timbaland produced 25% of Make It Hot. Suga Mike produced 10%. Dent produced a chunck of songs for Make It Hot too. Playa (Smokey & Static Major) produced a significant portion of Make It Hot even though the Timbaland sound is more present and prevalent. Missy did the rest herself of course. She was responsible for promoting Nicole Wray during her career at Goldmind and Elektra. Most of Make It Hot was filled with love ballads and love songs. The album is filled with sultry love songs written by a handful of songwriters.
For those who don't know who Nicole Wray is, she was the first artist to sign to Missy Elliott's Goldmind Inc. in 1996 other than Missy herself and Timbaland's production team/duo Timbaland and Magoo. She had a record deal with Goldmind Inc., EastWest, and Elektra Records from 1996 to 2001 where she released her two albums Make It Hot and Elektric Blue. She and Missy were from Portsmouth, Virginia.
The Time Is Now (Intro) is Missy Elliott explaining why this album is hot and off the chain. Missy herself explains the album is “blazing hot”. She performs her usual ad-lib raps and funky noises with her mouth. Nicole sings riffs in the background chorus. Nicole’s presence is not as huge as Missy’s despite this intro being on her debut album. Missy takes most of the spotlight as she herself is all over the intro for this album sampler
The Time Is Now (Intro) was produced by Dent in California in 1998. Although Dent, a producer from California, is credited as the producer for The Time Is Now (Intro) in the liner notes, Missy Elliott takes most of the spotlight as she herself is all over the intro for this album sampler.
Seventeen was written and produced by Missy Elliott as she herself is all over the song. Nicole sings and raps on Seventeen. The song called Seventeen samples Call Me by Skyy. Yes the band Skyy. Nicole and Missy often take credit for Seventeen.
Seventeen should have had a music video to accompany the song. Seventeen should have been chosen as a single instead of Eyes Better Not Wander because the song was more upbeat and Missy Elliott was all over it. With Missy Elliott being all over the song, it would have been a smart business move to further both her career and Nicole's. Missy Elliott was the Ariana Grande of her day. Make It Hot would been a further overnight success if Elektra chose Seventeen to be chosen as a buzz single for her debut album. Seventeen would have been a guaranteed success if Timbaland produced it.
The song I Can’t See was produced by Timbaland and of course Missy Elliott. I Can’t See hit #7 on the BillBoard for a hot minute there in 1999! The song of course is another love song written by a handful of skilled songwriters. Missy, rapper Mocha, and Nicole Wray are all over I Can’t See. This song is sultry in nature. Mocha with her wack raps don’t really help make the song stand out and prosper the most, but Missy and Nicole do.
The prelude to I Can't See should have been incorporated into the regular song instead being separated from the original I Can't See song as a separate track. Without You from the Why Do Fools Fall In Love soundtrack should have replaced the prelude to I Can't See.
Interestingly enough, Timbaland was not all over I Can’t See as he was on the song Make It Hot. His vocal presence is missing on I Can’t See. His voice should have been included as the male background chorus and background vocals as well.
Her song Eyes Better Not Wander was a memorable favorite among Nicole Wray fans. Despite that, Eyes Better Not Wander did not do as well because it was a slow jam with no fast paced beats by Timbaland. That song was produced by Smokey of Playa. Smokey produced hot steamy love songs such as this one, Raise Your Frown, and Testing Our Love (Suga).
Eyes Better Not Wander is a mellow, loopy, and sultry slow jam notable for its slow vibe. The slow vibe follow the beats perfectly. The beats alone are consistent in terms of following the song. Echoes gives this song a slow feel.
Eyes Better Not Wander did not Nicole justice in terms of charting. Eyes Better Not Wander charted at #69 which eventually fell of the charts quickly. By 1999, the general public was tired of sultry slow jams and wanted more glamorous upbeat pop songs and raunchy R&B songs. That can be attributed to why Eyes Better Not Wander fell off the charts quickly. Eyes Better Not Wander should have been saved for Elektric Blue instead of Make It Hot.
Pressure was an interesting interlude/skit that producer Dent and Nicole were all over. The song is 1 minute and 11 seconds long with the duration time being 1:11. Slow and sultry are words to describe. Pressure should have been made into a full song. There is no reason why should not have been a short song instead.
In fact, Pressure sounds like an unreleased Nicole Wray song even if it is a minute an 11 seconds long. Nicole Wray fans can vouch for me here on this one.
Listen to the lyrics in the background.:
Tonight
In da street
Baby
Don't worry
I'll be there
Tonight
In da street
Baby
Cause that ain't fair
Tonight
In da street
Baby
Don't worry
I'll be there
Tonight
In da street
Don't worry
I'll be there
Baby
Tonight
In da street
Don't worry
I'll be there
Make It Hot was the jam that had everyone dancing bobbing their heads to back in 1998! Make It Hot was the jam back in 1998! Nicole had a blazing hot song called Make It Hot which hit #7 on the BillBoard in 1998 for a hot minute there.
Timbaland produced Make It Hot. The beats were both upbeat and crazy as Timbaland's beats had everyone going nuts back in the day. Missy Elliott made it both spicy and sassy with her ad lib raps as she was all over the place at the very end even though former female rapper Mocha took most of the spotlight at the very beginning of Make It Hot. Kelly Price harmonized the vocals with her angelic singing.
5/5*****!!
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Mad One - Ghetto Gladiator album review
Mad One - Ghetto Gladiator is a Latin rap album filled with detailed experiences of living in poverty, going through the struggle, hype party jams, and Latin music with a Spanish flavor. Ghetto Gladiator is another overlooked golden classic SD rap album and Latin album from San Diego, California from the 2000s era. The Ghetto Gladiator album came from the 2nd wave of San Diego rap during the 2000s.
The album was released on the Canadian label Skyline Records in 2000 through a joint venture with Filtered Souls Records (aka Filtered Souls Entertainment). This album was produced by Mad One, E-Low, and Big Chuy. Lou Michaels mixed the album.
The song Psycho was the highlight and biggest hit for Mad One’s debut album. Time Warner had acquired the music rights for the song “Psycho” to be used on WCW, the highly popular wrestling television show and WCW series. WCW was Time Warner's subsidiary. His song Psycho premiered on TBS in October 19, 1998, and on TNT in October 22, 1998. His song Psycho premiered on a special Pay-Per-View event called “Live from Las Vegas'' in for October 25, 1998.
There was even a music video for Psycho completed by Skyline Records. The production contract for the new music video was awarded by WCW to Fortress Entertainment Group Inc. The music video for Psycho was directed by Devin DeHaven. Devin DeHaven directed other music videos for Filtered Souls artists Johnny Rourke and Black Mikey.
Psycho was the theme song for “Konnan'' on WCW at one point. Pscyho made noise in the world of professional wrestling back in 2000 as Mad One and Konnan were pictured together in WCW Magazine.
The Reason is an alternative version of the entrance music used by the Filthy Animals in WCW. The Reason became the theme song for the Filthy Animals in WCW from 2000 to 2001. The alternative version of The Reason is more commonly known than the original version.
Filtered Souls and Big Chuy produced The Reason. The Reason made noise in the world of professional wrestling on television as The Reason was used as the entrance music for Filthy Animals in WCW.
Que Bonita is Latin rap with a touch of Spanish flavor.
4/5****!
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Jaime - Booty in ya neighborhood single review
Jaime - Booty in ya neighborhood released in 1993 with a total of 5 songs. A music video that accompanied this song was broadcasted on local cable television stations in Dallas, Texas. The Deep Dallas Mix of Booty in ya neighborhood has that well known Dallas Bass. The Tropical Storm mix is more Electronic Latin freestyle. The radio edit was a okay!
5/5*****
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Gorillaz - Humanz album review
After a 6 to 7 year long hiatus, the virtual band Gorillaz is back with a new funky quirky futuristic sounding album ahead of the times. However the Gorillaz band seems to have strayed away from their original rock roots and electronic rock by having dabbled into experimenting with electronic music altogether. This Gorillaz album has more of an electronic music sound than any of their other albums as it seems the band has strayed away from their rock roots. The album suits the digital era in a witty way. The album does have its unusual wild odd moments. But nevertheless, this Gorillaz album undoubtedly is going to become a bestseller online and offline.
Those who are longtime hardcore Gorillaz fans are going to be disappointed with thee band as they strayed far away from their rock roots. Most of the songs on this Gorillaz album is inaudible. Their vocabulary is rather lagging. For some reason the band has chosen usage of small simple words. Several songs here turns into directionless muttering inaudible to the ears. For example the Saturn Barz song. Sleeping Power, We Got The Power, and Andromeda are the only good songs of this album. To sum it all up, the Gorillaz are not the same band they once were from decades ago. Their ideas and album concepts have changed over the years. The album is lackluster at best.
Saturn Barz has an industrial techno sound. Lyrics in this Gorillaz song are inaudible. The only understandable verse is "all my life". Their vocabulary used here is terrible. In all honesty, the auto tune is way too much. It seems that this albums budget had gone to the Saturn Barz music video and song. Gorillaz and their record company promoted Saturn Barz more so than any other song off the Humanz album.
Sleeping Powder is Rehash revisited as Sleeping Powder has the same hazy offbeat humor as Rehash from their debut album. Sleeping Powder is 2D's solo song. The electric harpsichord at the beginning fits in perfectly smooth with this song. Acoustic arrangements are perfect. An electric swing is added to the mix. Overall Sleeping Powder is a good song.
Andromeda seems to have incorporated the sound of dance music. The dance song is rather upbeat. The song itself seems to be a Gorillaz posse cut for this album. Nevertheless Andromeda has a positive vibe to it.
Carnival is an Anthony Hamilton inspired track. His work and sound are all over it. The sound is so esoteric and upbeat compared to some of the other tracks on the Humanz album.
We Got The Power is an upbeat song that seems to be revisiting 19/2000 from their debut album. We Got The Power seems to revisit the songs Re-Hash, 19/2000, and 5/4 in particular. The song has the same hazy goofy humor as the songs Re-Hash and 19/2000.
2/5**
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