Bad Mutha Goose And The Brothers Grimm – Be Somebody EP review
Bad Mutha Goose And The Brothers Grimm – Be Somebody is an overlooked funk EP that came out on vinyl in 1987 on Fable Records from Austin, Texas. This EP is the most overlooked funk EP from 1987 and from Austin. Tim Kerr produced this Bad Mutha Goose EP as he did all of their records.
Be Somebody was the song that everybody played at house parties in Austin back in the 80s and 90s. Be Somebody is an educational taste of motivational philosophy. Most of the messages in this song are quotes that a motivational speaker would say. Be Somebody is about being someone and just being yourself. You don't ever hear this type of funk in music anymore in this day and time.
We all know that everyone in life has ups and downs. The only way to keep your head above water is to set your mind right. So try a little harder. When times are tough, you gotta get tougher. Set your mind right if you have envision a dream you want to achieve. You gotta keep pushing along in life. Just let yourself be original and don't be fake with the rest of the people in modern society.
To set your mind right. Just be original. Just let you be you. Be Somebody! Get out there and do something! It's better than doing nothing at all really. There is a minority of us of that have mental power to not be spineless zombies. It’s just us and laziness that holding us and each other back. We’ve come a long way but we still have a long way to go.
One Man One Vote is about getting out to vote. It’s also about fighting voter oppression. The band encourages members of the public to vote in order to fight political oppression. The song is just as relevant today as it was at the time of this EP’s release.
The band comes at us with a “question everything” mentality similar to Alex Jones, Jello Biafra, or Jesse Ventura. Bad Mutha Goose tells us to question everything as Alex Jones or Jello Biafra would. Bad Mutha Goose tells us to question everything that the system tells us. This is the bands attempt towards questioning the government. Bad Mutha Goose wastes no time about being relevant.
Jump The Funk is a song that is surely funky. Mark Wilson and Dave Crawford make up the woodwind section. This is a song that was played heavily at house parties in Austin back in the 80s. The song received heavy airplay on the radio too. Dope swing beats are included on Jump The Funk.
5/5*****!!
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Took-N-Bone EP review
Took-N-Bone is one of the earliest rap/hip hop groups from Flint, Michigan next to Connoisseurs of Groove, Mix Leather Crew, Mixed Emotionz, The Dayton Family, DFC, and Selby Hood.
Took-N-Bone originates back to 1982 when they first released their first EP called Took-N-Bone on cassette by ORN Productions and was later re-released on cassette in 1993 on their ORN Productions label. The songs were mixed and mastered at Silver Sun Studios. The cassette was self-titled and had contained 4 songs. ORN is Original Real Niggas. Isaac Meeks aka Izeek was responsible for financing the recording sessions at Silver Sun Studios.
Basically Hit was a diss song towards The Dayton Family where Took-N-Bone was hand lyrical beatdowns. The Dayton Family did not respond until they released the What's On My Mind? album on Po' Broke Records and Relativity Records in 1994. The Dayton Family dissed Took-N-Bone on the What's On My Mind? album on songs such as Smoke For Free, Watch Yo Ass, Potato Chip, I’m A G, Oxydol, and Flint Niggaz Don't Play.
Basically Hit was an old school hip hop song in which the bass line sampled Rufus Thomas - The Breakdown. The sampled bass line is what stands out in a memorable way.
Took-N-Bone gets both politically conscious and gets the general public to be aware of what’s going on in the world on the song This is 4 The Public. The trio address issues such as world hunger, poverty, drugs, criminology, economics, and politics. The trio was inspired by politics, news, and the religion of Islam to record this song. They make reference to Allah The Almighty at one point in the song.
The song samples Slave - Slide. As a matter of fact, the entire main bass line sampled Slave - Slide. This is another one of those songs where bass line stands out in a memorable way.
Each member of Took-N-Bone explains how each one of them is the dopest on the song I Be The Dopest 1. Bone (Anthony L. Reeves) raps and takes control for most of the song. Bone claims Took-N-Bone is the dopest rap group out of Flint. It’s a song about their own bragging rights. The song samples Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce.
Dopest 2 is picks up were I Be The Dopest 1 left off. In other words, Dopest 2 is I Be The Dopest 1 revisited. Bone claims Took-N-Bone is the dopest rap group out of Flint. The song samples Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce too.
Took-N-Bone was using outdated hip hop sounds and production by 90s standards at the time this EP was released which was a bit cookie cutter. The beats were outdated and played out. Yeah some of the beats were wack. Each track on this EP is sampled from songs which have been sampled countless times before. Sample usage from 70s soul songs is what everyone and their friends were doing by then. But don't let these thoughts persuade you from buying this album. That is if you have the money because this tape goes for $200 nowadays.
Honestly Took-N-Bone is wack. Took-N-Bone, Freaky Live, NFTP, and Raw Deal are the wackest rap groups from Flint, Michigan. No disrespect to them or those mentioned. From a business perspective and sales point of view, Took-N-Bone, Freaky Live, NFTP, and Raw Deal were not selling that many units and their sales were moving slow.
While DFC was the most funkiest rap group, The Dayton Family was the most hardest gangsta rap group, DOA was the most deadliest rap group, you had Ruff-N-Rugged which was the most rugged rap group in Flint, Guttt Control was the most gutsiest sexually suggestive out of all the Flint rap groups at that time, while FOD was the rawest, and Artfull Dodgers was the most artsiest, and NFTP was the most scandalas rap group, and Top Authority the most authoritative, Took-N-Bone were the dopest rap to come out of Flint.
3/5***
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903 - Guilty As Charged album review
903 - Guilty As Charged is a lost classic album from East Texas rap. In fact the album is a Longview classic. Only those from Longview, Texas know about this gangsta rap album. However most of the subjects matter is nothing new and the beats are too thin. Gangsta rap was already getting played out by the time this album was released in 1998.
The song Aggravated has deep foreboding dark bass similar to what you would hear in the movie Jaws. The signing style on Comin Up is similar to Nate Dogg. It’s a g-funk track with Young Bleed. The song is g-funk at its finest. Mackadoja is a 420 track to blaze it up to and get totally high. Whether it be weed or some other type of drug.
3/5***
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9-Duice - Money ‘N’ Power album review
This hip hop/rap album is a United States-Canada collaboration. Gangstro Records and Boomin Records came together and recorded this album in 1995. The album is filled with heavy beats over jazz music samples that carefully arranged. Much of this album has hardcore lyrics from the urban streets. The album has everything hip hop heads would enjoy. Stans and fans alike will enjoy this album. This album is a lost classic in Canadian hip hop.
Gangstro Records is from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and Boomin Records is from Flint, Michigan, United States.
It’s All Good uses a looped downtempo jazz sample over old school hip hop beats. The samples are carefully arranged. Notice the chick singing. Rapping is no joke to 9-Duice. 9-Duice takes rap very seriously.
Funk In Da Trunk is driven by a funky guitar playing throughout the whole song over electronic blips. This cut uses funk samples. Most of this cut is about how 9-Duice brings out the funk from the trunk.
Do or Die features the legendary Flint hip hop/rap duo Ruff N Rugged hence the rough and rugged sound. The songs itself contains raw hardcore lyrics hip hop heads and stans will truly enjoy.
9-Duice shows off lyrics skills and talent on Who’s Got Da Skills. Like Positive K, 9-Duice has skills that pay the bills. The beats used are dope and fit in perfectly into a hip hop song.
U Ain’t Know is an average hip hop song at best. It’s nothing too great to brag about. However most hip hop heads out there will enjoy the sound and production.
Rollin is a song laced with heavy hip hop beats that will rumble and rattle your speakers. The song has upbeat nature to it. The beats and production really stand out the most. Rollin is a song hip hop heads will enjoy.
4/5****!
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Peter Nic - Late Night Transmitter (digital download version) album review
The album Late Night Transmitter has an R&B/pop vibe to it with a fairly deep level of production. The production and sound are very high definition. Australian artist Peter Nic is going on a different musical route for this album.
The Room Starts To Move is an acoustic song with an R&B vibe over high definition sound. Room Starts To Move is about being yourself and never changing who you are.
You follow Peter inside as he is trying to get away from you. Peter moves into apathy this time. Peter does not want you to talk about how you changed. 40 seconds into the song is where the sound changes in terms of high definition. You can feel the room slowly turning over along with the mood. Then it gets dark. However the mood is not dark.
Ain’t It Crazy greets us with a distorted electronic keyboard playing. 6 seconds into the song a funky acoustic guitar is played with an R&B sounding vibe. The guitar is played in a subtle manner. The whole song is smooth and subtle. Overall the song Ain’t It Crazy has an R&B vibe to it with a thick R&B sound.
Peter Nic explains at the beginning how there is something messing with his head. He can’t see why this has to end. He’d rather run instead. There is no voice to tell him “no”. Who are you to stop him now? Even your good intent doesn’t make him content. Peter explains he is not accepting of your intent.
Twinkle is a trance song with an R&B with backing from a single acoustic guitar. A single acoustic guitar plays a single note at 3|4 time at the beginning. The electronic array keyboards used in this song help get the song into a trance. The song itself perfect enough to be an instrumental track for an instrumental album.
In this song, Peter wonders if he is getting anywhere in his relationship. He questions the authenticity of their trust inside the relationship. He could stay in the relationship in order to get to know you more based on trust. Just a little bit. It’s so good even though you’re still hurting inside emotionally. Peter questions if he is getting anywhere in the relationship of his.
The song Not Yet gets us with the subtle sounds of birds chirping. The song has a lonely desolate feel. A single rhythmic guitar plays a single note at 2|4 time. The rhythmic guitar is the selection for the acoustics on this song.
Peter keeps giving you what you need. He’s kept this feeling low and invisible to the public. Peter has this feeling he’s not going to make it home. Peter has an empty house and an empty head. He is at his location being on the ground realizing he is lonely. Times goes so slow for him. He feels he is not ready to commit to a relationship.
5/5*****!!
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Ashley Ballard - Get in the Booth album review
Dance With Me made an impact in the dance music scene by charting at #5 on the Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart in 2001. In timespan range of one week, Dance With Me charted onto the Billboard Pop Hot 100 Singles chart. Pop meets dance music on Dance With Me. Ashley Ballard is a true natural when performing Dance With Me. Her natural talent shines on this song.
The instrumentation arrangements for this album are laid out in a manner of perfection. The beats follow the rhythm and the high powered synths accompany the processed beats. There are no fillers. Ashley Ballard - Get in the Booth is a wonderful album for all to enjoy. Fans of pop music will appreciate listening to this album. She has that Southern California vibe in her.
It’s a shame Get in the Booth wasn't released publicly as a retail album. Atlantic Records was supposed to release her debut album in 2001 on CD but never did. It's unfortunate that this album got shelved by Atlantic Records in the same year. Atlantic Records really dropped the ball when they failed to promote her career properly. They had lost a star with true talent. However most of her singles didn’t chart very high on the BillBoard.
I’ll Be Waiting is a smooth mellow pop song that is accompanied with an acoustic guitar playing in the background while following the beat. The acoustic guitar follows the beat a slow steady pace. I'll Be Waiting is a “hold you in my heart” type of song.
Back in the early 2000’s, the song Forever was #1 on the Soundclick Charts. Yes you read that right! Soundclick! Ashley shows off her light vocals on the song Forever. Of course Forever is a love song with its catchy and sweet vocals. The catchiness is what drew fans toward the song which of course obviously worked for Ashley.
Love is Real is a simple uptempo love song. The odd sound effects are strangely great on this simple song. RnB meets pop on the song Love is Real. Very well done with great vocals and chorus.
Hi Low is similar to the likes of the song 5 x 5. However Hi Low is mid-tempo compared to the rest of the album. Clearly it’s another catchy pop song. Atlantic Records should have chosen Hi Low to be a single and not just the promoting song Hottie as a single for which it was.
I’ll Be Waiting is a smooth mellow pop song that is accompanied with an acoustic guitar playing in the background while following the beat. The acoustic guitar follows the beat a slow steady pace. I'll Be Waiting is a “hold you in my heart” type of song.
In this song Ashley is waiting for her lover to arrive. She will be waiting for him on the other side. And this is regardless of location depending on how the listener may perceive the song while listening.
Hypnotized has a pop flair and pop feel. High powered synths accompany the processed beats of this upbeat pop song. You can’t help but follow the direction the beats go in as the beats seem to all go in different directions. Hypnotized is both high powered and high spirited due to the pop flair.
Ashley Ballard hypnotizes us as the listeners to her commands on the first verse.:
Look into my eyes
You're feeling sleepy
When I click my fingers
You'll wake up and not remember a thing
You're hypnotized
O-oh
Everything feels like a dream to her, but it’s reality on the song All I Ever. Fantasy and reality meet each other on the pop song All I Ever. Ashley Ballard wrote this song herself in 2000 and recorded it in 2001. This song is an original.
The first verse is a prime example to back that sentence up. It's like a dream to her but it’s reality.
Read below.:
The way you make me feel
It's like a dream to me
Almost a fantasy
But it's reality
It is clear to thus as the listeners that Ashley is in high spirits during the bridge of this song. She is feeling so alive and high in spirit. Ashley can't deny how she feels inside.
Read the lyrics of the bridge to this song below.:
You got me high
Feeling so alive
Everything about you
You know I like
5/5*****!
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Homicidal Maniacs - Homicidal Maniacs single review
DBC (Dead Brain Cells) AKA the Homicidal Maniacs were a rap group from Flint, Michigan in the 90s. DBC (Dead Brain Cells) AKA the Homicidal Maniacs had cuts produced by Steve Pitts. The single is laced heavily with a G-Funk sound. The Homicidal Maniacs cassette tape was crazy and swept through Flint's underground. Their music even made its way to California. These dudes were the truth as they were the real thing!
One track produced by Steve Pitts for the Homicidal Maniacs was called "Homicidal Maniacs”. The song was basically murder rap. Funky was a funky funk rap cut that was raw and funky.
The other cut was called “Raw”. Raw was nothing but raw and funky. The cut Raw can be noted for its hardcore lyricism. It’s too gangsta for the radio. No radio stations would play the song at the time due to its subject matter.
5/5*****!
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Homicidal Maniacs - Raw single review
DBC (Dead Brain Cells) AKA the Homicidal Maniacs were a rap group from Flint, Michigan in the 90s. DBC (Dead Brain Cells) AKA the Homicidal Maniacs had cuts produced by Steve Pitts. The Homicidal Maniacs cassette tape was crazy and swept through Flint's underground. Their music even made its way to California. These dudes were the truth as they were the real thing!
One track produced by Steve Pitts for the Homicidal Maniacs was called "Homicidal Maniacs”. The song was basically murder rap. Funky was a funky funk rap cut that was raw and funky.
The other cut was called “Raw”. Raw was nothing but raw and funky. The cut Raw can be noted for its hardcore lyricism. It’s too gangsta for the radio. No radio stations would play the song at the time due to its subject matter.
5/5*****!
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Abstract Tribe Unique - Mood Pieces album review
Mood Pieces is a blend of soul and jazz with lyrical hip hop. Tales of urban storytelling are told. This album is their most lyrical album next to Thynk Tank. The album Mood Pieces by Los Angeles' trio Abstract Tribe Unique is a classic hip hop album that has been overlooked by music fans for many years.
Rolling In My Car deals with the drama when going through the renewal of your car tags and your driver's license in the DMV. Especially in California where it is ridiculous. No matter time of day. It's also about the drama of going through all of that paperwork.
Abstract Rude introduces himself in Verse 1. He has had the degrading opportunity to witness the sickness of getting pulled over by a police officer. This leads to inevitably face the “DMV drama” that lies ahead.
He was minding his own business. Suddenly Abstract Rude gets pulled over by a police officer. This police officer said Abstract Rude fit the description of some other guy who had dreads. The guy was wanted for alive or dead. Abstract Rude knew he wouldn't get far with them expired tags as it was only a matter of time before he could get pulled over by a police officer.
The police officer explains, “We pulled you over because you're driving a suspicious vehicle with expired tags. You crossed into the other lane of traffic.”.
Abstract Rude lets the police officer know that he certainly does not fear police. Abstract Rude asks “Tell me mon, how can you afford to just pull me over and waste time? Ain't you supposed to be fightin' crime?”.
He questions in the chorus that “Should one have to pay cash for not havin' cash to get car tags?”. Abstract Rude explains the legal process of going to court after receiving a traffic in Verse 2 and in Verse 3.
Abstract Rude smells trouble on the road during Verse 3. And that trouble is California Highway Patrol. Two of his biggest worries is getting shot or being harassed by the cops. Think about where you going because you are subject to get stopped.
Torn is a hip hop song about being torn between the new ways of the present and between the old ways of the past.
The industry tells you how to feel when it comes to the mood within music. Abstract Rude is trying make music that is relatable to everyone and fits your mood. He asks what will the new change be. The public is so innocent to the industry. Abstract Rude is not a part of that falsehood. The industry of riches aren’t relatable to the common man.
He is mocking industry emcees, because they sign a contract and act really cocky by not being themselves. Plus, excess get screwed over out of their own money by record companies as history shows.
But things are better than they were, right? The industry is flooded with rappers that were (once) tight. But which is whose and whose is which? It becomes harder to stay hungry when working for the same record company.
Human spirit has no boundaries whether we depart into infinity or an eternity upon death on Blast Off Into Infinity. The song is notable for its unique style of lyrics and being vivid.
Abstract Rude stays true to his real and vivid unique style of lyrics. He can even changed up his style and flow from the first ATU album Underground Fossils. Abstract Rude doesn’t care about people who are illiterate to his music. Picture the imagery of his rhymes in your head. The images are relaxing and go well with the jazzy and soulful beat in the background. He’ll stay vivid and you love it
People need to open their eyes to the lies of the world. However that is a very difficult thing to do. This world is a fucked up place.
Left Hand Side is an ATU posse that is considered to be a universal cypher. Abstract Rude stays steady sharpening the skill on this song. The song is notable for its unique style of lyrics and being vivid. Heavily weighted LA, Underground!
[Intro: Abstract Rude]
Straight from the Mood Pieces by ATU
To all my brother and sisters out there
City to City
State to State
Country to Country
Having a universal cypher, yanamsayin
And you all welcome
(you all invited)
[Verse 1: Abstract Rude]
You all invited to the united headquarters
Where people in LA stop through bringing the chaos to order
We're searching for the clues in this scavenger hunt
Go by the rules, after what you want
(We want your mind)
And what we do to pass the time
Is read, study, build, steady sharpening the skill
We are the men of steel
Of real intuition and know how
Any tempo, any style
Tracks by X-factor to contemplate the next chapter
Etched in stone, rare rhythms I condone
(Who is the strongest of them all?!)
Someone who tell himself that he won't fall
We got brothers in the back slappin' bones on the glass table
And others, watching the rap videos on cable
Producers in studios is how it goes
Dancers outside sparrin
We getting far in the way
Heavily weighted LA, Underground
4/5****!!
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