Me Phi Me - One album review
The Me Phi Me album One is a socially conscious worldly alternative hip hop/rap album with minimal to no profanity. Everyone can listen to this album including the whole family. The album deals with real topics such as combating homelessness, politics, hopefulness, positivity, and self integrity. The album has some truth and knowledge that was sadly overlooked in the era of pop and gangsta rap. Me Phi Me was the PM Dawn of Flint, Michigan and Flint rap. To sum it all up, the Me Phi Me album One is a world music album itself.
Keep It Goin’ is a song about individuality. Individuality motivates us to keep on going. Individuality is key to a great personality. My brothas and sistas, this is a beautiful song. This song was the theme for the short lived Fox TV show Tribeca.
The first verse explains the philosophy of individuality and self-love.
[Verse 1]
Shine, like the sun at noontime
Light the path that leads to a new mind
Look into my mind and what do you see
Individuality
The ME PHI ME
Can you handle my philosophy:
Love yourself and you will never go wrong
Because self-esteem is like a real live party
It keeps me going all night long
You heard the rhythm and saw the mechanism. What a funky system. Fighting the battle for joy and euphoria is something we (can) all strive for. Show them what happens when you're proud and strong. You keep going all night long. Something about every person is great. We need more members to add to the sunshine. So come sign up if you got what it takes.
A smile for yourself it helps to bring your mind to realize you dreams. Attitude helps keep you flow and go. Never take a break from loving yourself.
Black Sunshine deals with homelessness. Me Phi Me was so far ahead of his time with his song. Me Phi Me performs Black Sunshine using an acoustic guitar. Homelessness and vagrancy are issues which still plagues societies today. The song still has relevance with today’s audience.
The first verse of this Me Phi Me song explains homelessness and vagrancy in a nutshell.
This old box is all I own
I call it home
I live life like an animal
It's not understandable
I'm just like you
But you don't live alone
Call me the lonely man
I'm trying to make a stand
On the dignity that God has given me
But it's so hard for me to follow that plan
When my favorite restaurant is a garbage can
Every morning I see Black Sunshine
It's in my mind
As the world pretends they don't see
I can't fit in no one wants me
From the dark light
The world is unkind
Black Sunshine, Black Sunshine
No matter where I look
There's no shade from
Black sunshine beaming it's dark light
On every move I make
Me Phi Me calls out the government along with society for not helping out the homeless the way in which they should. Me Phi Me criticizes society for turning the other cheek against homelessness. People wouldn’t know how it feels to be homeless unless they were once that position themselves.
Who can help the homeless don't you know
You're never gonna hide behind the sunglasses
If your brother's hands are tied
You got to wipe some asses
So men will survive the night
Let the Black Sunshine turn bright
…And I Believe is about believing in yourself. Believe that you can be what you want to be. Believe and achieve. ME PHI ME stands for individuality for every free soul.
5/5*****!!
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Me Phi Mi - Opus No. 3 in A# Minor album review
Opus No. 3 in A# Minor by Me Phi Mi is a world music album that has been highly slept on and under appreciated by music fans in general. Songs from Opus No. 3 in A# Minor are mostly performed in A# Minor. The album was released in 2012 on the internet as a digital album to soundclick.
The song howyawanna is an autobiographic tale of Me Phi Me’s life. Me Phi Me got inspiration from 2Pac I Keep Ya Head Up when he wrote this song.
Me Phi Me thought that something stronger remained because of the money, the family, and the fame. He thought it was the pain of being under the influence of using heroin that caused him pain, but it was the pain he had experienced earlier on in life. He had a hard life from day one.
Me Phi Me grew up tough in the city of Flint, Michigan running around like a thug. He knew how it was. He changed his ways and spread a little love by forming the group Me Phi Me.
The song grasshoppa teaches us that we are all one as human beings. This song will help you learn to understand we all are one under the planet. We are all equal as human beings regardless of race or nationality. We all are one under the sun.
The last part of this song on Verse 2 is where truth can be found.
Well I can make you get down
Down where the truth can be found
A reunion of the spirit
You can hear it underground
Not the material world
See you cannot touch a groove
but if you open up your soul you will feel it inside of you
Grasshopper... when you can take the pebble from my hand...
When you can learn to love your fellow man...
When you can be the water and the sand...
When you can feed the children across your land...
When you can be the very breath of man...
When you can do the very best you can...
Then you will learn to understand we all are One under the sun
The song & deals with hate, tears, pain, and sanity.
Hate is just another hurtful feeling or emotion we all feel in life. Hate is something which is inevitable. Me Phi Me loves to embrace hatred. The following lyrics are a reference of him loving to embrace hatred.: Just another hurt I feel (though I love its embrace)
Lyrics below explain how Me Phi Me washes away his doubts and fears.:
T
Ears
Tears.
Let it wash Me away with my doubts and my fears
Pain to this existence with no resistance is what’s drivin' him insane. No, he is not sane. Sane. NO not me. No NOT me. Me Phi Me is happy with the darkness, sorrow, and stress.
It's just a game.
It's only Me.
That's all I see.
Not a deep inner key.
Not a damn victory.
I'm happy!
I'm happy!
I'm happy with the big lie that I won't die.
Life is how time sighs.
4/5****!
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The Paladins – Ticket Home single review
The Paladins – Ticket Home is a blues single many fans interested in the blues music circuit overlooked or slept on. It almost seems as if people slept on this single. If this single was released on Fat Possum, Alligator Records, or Blue Note instead of Sector 2 Records, then this album might have had a better chance of success. Being on a different label makes a huge difference sometimes.
You ever have the sinking feeling that someone has been sleeping in your house? Well, the song Who’s Been Sleepin’ is about someone sleeping in your house. To add insult to injury, that person is sleeping with your lover. It’s like an episode of Jerry Springer.
You came through the front door and you knew you heard the back door slam. There is no doubt in your mind that someone is inside your house. Your lover starts acting very suspiciously. Your lover smells like combination mixture of old spice and whiskey. That guilty look your lover has in their eyes gives away all kind of vibes. Ain’t no way you can lie about that.
The bedroom looks as if a hurricane swept through the house knocking all furnishings onto to the floor. Sheets are all over the floor, curtains are closed, and lights are dimmed very low. Notice how wrinkled the bedsheets are. Someone definitely has been sleeping in your bed during the day.
That makes your blood boil. Now you want to put your lover and the person who has been sleeping with your lover into the hospital as they are about to be together again very soon.
Ticket Home is a song about returning home to a loved one. Life is hard without your loved one or companion by your side. You know you’re coming home regardless if the weather is bad. Sometimes a little company goes a long way.
4/5****!
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FOD - The Rawest album review
The Rawest is one on the more harder to find albums of the FOD discography despite selling over 70,000 units in 1998. FOD - The Rawest was the rawest album from Flint rap in 1998. Most of the songs on this album would later reappear on their Midwest Poison album in 1999. A couple of songs are from their 1995 album called Raw.
Rawest Since 2Pac is about how the group FOD has been the rawest since 2Pac. The song features Madame Dane from Saginaw, Michigan and national selling group Top Authority. Rawest Since 2Pac later appeared on their 1999 album Midwest Poison.
Whuts Go N On is about what’s going on in the city of Flint. Both members of Top Authority make guest appearances on Whuts Go N On. This song came from their Raw album in 1995. Just because a brother is trying to come up, people start acting ill. So much pressure is on another level. Fools be fightin. People fight over nothing in a city such as this one. Step up and load your gauge up. Flint is a city plagued with crime, poverty, and violence.
If We Gon Smoke is a song to smoke a blunt to and get drunk to. If We Gon Smoke was produced by Dalo of Top Authority. This song came from their Raw album in 1995.
FOD is the realest and rawest rap group to ever come out of Flint to have come up off the streets. Back in the 90s and 2000s, FOD & their boys ran the North Side of Flint around Holmes Avenue & Pierson Road.
FOD is Faces of Death from BucTown (Beecher, Michigan which is next to Flint, Michigan). FOD is Cap, Tuck, Big Chief, and H.Point. (FOD later was reduced to a duo consisting of Cap and Tuck.) Here is what Faces of Death stands for: “We as humans have faces that are slowly dying. We are destined to be faces of death.”
Now for those who did not know, FOD was formally Mentally Dasturbed. The same Mentally Dasturbed that dropped the Life of A Criminal album in 1993 on cassette.
4/5****!
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The Paladins – Ticket Home album review
The Paladins – Ticket Home is a blues album many fans interested in the blues music circuit overlooked or slept on. It almost seems as if people slept on this album. If this album was released on Fat Possum, Alligator Records, or Blue Note instead of Sector 2 Records, then this album might have had a better chance of success. Being on a different label makes a huge difference sometimes. Half of this blues album has themes of sadness, heartbreak, and isolation.
You ever have the sinking feeling that someone has been sleeping in your house? Well, the song Who’s Been Sleepin’ is about someone sleeping in your house. To add insult to injury, that person is sleeping with your lover. It’s like an episode of Jerry Springer.
You came through the front door and you knew you heard the back door slam. There is no doubt in your mind that someone is inside your house. Your lover starts acting very suspiciously. Your lover smells like combination mixture of old spice and whiskey. That guilty look your lover has in their eyes gives away all kind of vibes. Ain’t no way you can lie about that.
The bedroom looks as if a hurricane swept through the house knocking all furnishings onto to the floor. Sheets are all over the floor, curtains are closed, and lights are dimmed very low. Notice how wrinkled the bedsheets are. Someone definitely has been sleeping in your bed during the day.
That makes your blood boil. Now you want to put your lover and the person who has been sleeping with your lover into the hospital as they are about to be together again very soon.
Drink your pain and suffering away tonight with an alcoholic beverage at the bar because the song One Step is exactly about that.
You suffered a lot today were nothing went right. So you went to the bar to have a drink tonight. Luck has been bad for you. You don’t believe this. You’re longing for the happiness you once had. And already you’re one step closer to the blues.
You’ve hit an all time low with this life you are living. Even your lover says you have to go. When you were younger, you though that life would be a breeze. You read the newspaper only to see bad news. Your favorite sports team is winning until they lose. All of your friends are doing fine. They don’t know you’re about ready to lose your mind. At this point you will try anything to change your life.
One Love is about a lover breaking up with you and you yourself are experiencing the painful breakup. The song deals with pain, hurt, devastation, isolation, sadness, and heartbreak. The song is has many similarities to the song Lil Mo - Saturday. Both songs share the same themes and moods of pain, hurt, devastation, isolation, sadness, and heartbreak.
When your lover left, they took all that you had. They took a piece of you when they walked away You can’t make it alone. Now you don’t know where your lover is spending the nights. You sigh in disbelief.
Emotions are too painful to hide. Yet you cry alone. You just keep running away something. You try to look beyond the past but the hurt keeps hanging on. You keep looking back at the past. One love and one hurt is what all this love seems to be about.
Ticket Home is a song about returning home to a loved one. Life is hard without your loved one or companion by your side. You know you’re coming home regardless if the weather is bad. Sometimes a little company goes a long way.
15 Days starts off as an automobile tale. So rev your engines and get ready for this song! The song is about 15 days of making repairs under the hood of an old car. You can relate to this song if you already have an old car. From water in the oil to a leak in the pan. Fixing a car is a beautiful sight.
Lil Irene is a song about a pretty girl named Irene who drives her man crazy. She left her man at home to take care of 3-6 children at home. He wants Irene to come home. She drank up all his wine and spent up all his money. She even has his car.
4/5****!
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Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers - Jahmeyka album review
The Jahmeyka album by Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers captured the best sounds, textures, and colors of Jamaica through music. Their powerful messages blend in perfectly with their optimistic outlook on life. Members voices are resonant with Jamaican heritage. Jahmekya is the most loved album in reggae music and was a top seller in Jamaica back in 1991. Many reggae fans call Jahmekya their best album yet.
The song Raw Riddim showcases the best not only roots reggae but dancehall music as well. The raw sound of reggae can be quite energizing and breathtaking as this song follows the raw rhythm of reggae music. The song mixes dance music with political consciousness.
Come on in, the gate is wide and open. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers are having fun down in the ghetto of Jamaica. Don't be afraid. They are not as bad as people say. They want you to dance to the raw rhythm of reggae music. Do what you got to do.
Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers question when will the innocent stop being punished for their innocence in the chorus. Every sufferers suffers sometime or another. Being left alone to suffer is no fun. This is the part of the song where the band mixes dance music with political consciousness.
Kozmik is a raw cosmic reggae song which is an original. This song deals with the cosmic feeling. It’s another dance song of course.
There are many forces that we would not like to see. Our dreams become a reality. There's a war going on between right versus wrong. It’s a war you cannot see. It's a war that’s so real. It’s kozmik. Many people having problems from where it came. Intellect takes advantage of the simple man. Things such as an eagle, star, or a pyramid can be considered cosmic. Feel the cosmic vibes and forces around you.
Rainbow County is a song that has voices which are resonant with Jamaican heritage. The Rainbow Country in this song is referring to Jamaica. The Rainbow Country is the Jamaican equivalent of the United States land of milk and honey. In this song the Rainbow Country is considered to be “the promised land”.
The Rainbow Country is a peaceful country where people dance, grow food, and compose music. Everything is sunshine and butterflies. Though the roads are rocky, it sure feels good.
Drastic is a politically and socially conscious song which raises political awareness. This song is similar to Get Up, Stand Up by Bob Marley in a socio-political sense.
To the will of the people in the nation altogether how to bow for a drastic solution to fight oppression. We don't want to fight, but if you push us we have to. We don't give up our rights and we will not stand still. All this oppression make things rough. Do you want it to be drastic? Do you want it?
Oppressors all over the world would like it drastic. The will of the people have to band together to come up with a drastic solution to fight all kinds of oppression all nations have to bow to all kinds of oppression unfortunately. It is up to the will of the people.
When you push us down, we still get up. You turn your back on us and we are still here. You put people into economic slavery and this is what you do. You put us in a social jail for isolation whether it be the upper class, middle class, or lower class. Third World people look. Poor people suffer all over the world. Middle class people suffer all over the world. Even upper class suffer all over the world.
We know the power that we have. You make the world so hard. How is a woman to live? How is a man to think? Make up your mind. A drastic a drastic revolution can happen if people are willing and able.
Wrong Right Wrong is a song which describes how some people got the wrong right and some people got the right wrong. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers put darkness for light on this song by exposing how politicians and/or those in political power are teaching their doctrine by indoctrinating children and the populous. They tell us where to see the truth.
Politicians are teaching their doctrine to the children of today. Those in position of political power are teaching their doctrine by indoctrinating children. Don't be fooled by the fool or the tricks that they play. They're trying to prove instead of to find. The truth don't hide in no valley or brook. The truth hides in your heart.
For instance, behind the scenes is what governments hide. C.I.A should D.O.A. and K.G.B. should R.I.P or go away. The bible was changed to suit King James. Many empty lies are just hear say. The public wants to know the truth today. The people have every right to know the truth. We're in a slummy economic mess. Some people don't know that. Because they refuse to see it. And that is exactly the world became this way.
Revolutionary charge takes place on Herbs An' Spices. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers get politically conscious by getting on the revolutionary tip.
Everywhere we go in life there will be a change which is what the lyrics “Everywhere we go there will be a change” means. Why do we think like this? Because revolution is just a flow and everyone knows. Some might not agree with this philosophy or might not understand. It’s time to take a stand.
Life is like herbs and spices. Not everything is the same. The world can be wicked. Live while you can.
Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers gives the minority population a voice on Small People even if the band itself is part of the vocal minority population/group.
Those who they call minority are most of the people that you see. Don't you ever abuse your fellow humble man. Small people one day will get big. Most of the minority population just can't agree with their environment. Small people make the world go round.
Don't be afraid to wake up. Don't be afraid of another day. Speak up for your right. Better a free man than a slave. Give it your best shot, lick it while it hot.
Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers lets the public know what conquers defeat on the song What Conquers Defeat.
You don't know what you're winning unless you know the score. You can't tell when you're losing unless you feel the agony. Then you know what conquers defeat.
You don't know you're winning unless you know the score. You can't win them all and you won't lose them all. It's like you win some and then you lose some. But you know what conquers defeat? Knowing whether you’re winning or losing is what conquers defeat. That is the message Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers is trying to convey in this song of theirs.
New Time & Age is song about moving forward and changing with time. The band liberates the people for a new time and age on this song of theirs.
People put yourself together now. It’s a new time and age. It’s a new time and day. So put away all your mistakes of yesterday. We're going forward! You never stop going forward. Get your mind together. It's not the end. Tell you people got to do a lot of other things.
The 60s were rough, the 70s were tough, and the 80s were corrupt. The 90s were the time of change. The struggle still goes on in this new time and age today. The struggle for independence and freedom continues on. Today everything is so copacetic.
Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers wants the listener(s) (the public) to live it up while they can. That want to fulfill the prophecy of life our what have you. Well it's a new time and age.
5/5*****!
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Bobby Brown - Remixes n the Key of B album review
Bobby Brown - Remixes n the Key of B is a remix album that was released when remix albums were considered a must have. Remix albums were the shit back in the 1990s. Anyway, this Bobby Brown album has classic songs such as Two Can Play That Game, Humpin’ Around, She’s My Lady, One More Night, Good Enough, Storm Away, and the famous duet with Whitney Houston called Something In Common.
Half of this remix album has that Teddy Riley sound and production all over it with the New Jack Swing sound filtered with smooth R&B considered soothing suited to your ears. Not too crooning though. That is not surprising considering Teddy Riley produced half the songs on this album.
Two Can Play That Game is a love about a woman who exhibits a mighty strange attitude towards Bobby. Bobby persuades this woman to stay with him throughout the song. Bobby’s got a brand new swing on this song of his. So listen to this.
This version of Two Can Play That Game is a remix which has Teddy Riley’s work all over it. His production has a smooth R&B sound filtered with New Jack Swing which he is internationally known for. In fact, this version of Two Can Play That Game has a New Jack Swing flavor. The song was remixed by Tony Masarati and Hakim Abdulsamad.
The remix of Humpin’ Around has that Wreckx In Effect sound to it on top of Jermaine Dupri and Teddy Riley’s production sound. Humpin’ Around sounds very similar to Wreckx In Effect - Rump Shaker. Both Jermaine Dupri and Teddy Riley’s work can be heard all over this song. The remix of Humpin’ Around samples Mandrill - Lord of the Golden Baboons.
The famous duet with Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston called Something In Common is included on this remix album. However this version is the remix and not the original version. This version has a New Jack Swing sound filtered with smooth soothing R&B.
Bobby Brown and Teddy Riley produced the remix version of She’s My Lady. This version features Chauncey Hannibal of Blackstreet, Omar Chandler, and Bernard Belle.
4/5****!
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Brother’s Disco - Thumpin single review
Brother’s Disco - Thumpin is possibly the first record of both Houston rap and Houston hip hop. The record was released as a 7 inch vinyl on Clay James’ label Jus-Fresh Records in 1981 which is predates Rap A Lot and is the first rap label from Houston, Texas. Brother’s Disco - Thumpin is a pretty rare 45 to own and can be considered as a gem. Thumpin is a funky hip hop/rap song which uses a bass guitar to blend in the flavor of the funkiness. The bass line is funky as well. The song is about dancing and having a good time. Pin Thumpin is a remix of the song Thumpin.
5/5*****!!
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Various Artists - Swisher Suite album review
The Swisher Suite compilation that was released in 1994 was one of the best rap compilations from Houston for that year. The compilation has smooth laid back G-Funk sound rap fans will surely enjoy. Klass C got a bunch of local Houston artists together with help from Lot A Rap Records to create this dope ass compilation on Explicit Lyric Records (Explicit Lyrics Records). Bruce Latin and Preston Middleton produced this compilation. The whole album is about Swisher Sweets.
What is unique and interesting about this compilation is the Swisher Suite compilation cassette came packaged with a Swisher Sweet cigar. This promotion tactic is what set this compilation apart from all other compilations coming from Houston at that time. The Swisher Suite cigar was a nice marketing gig.
Zig Zag - Hittin Switches is rough and funky with good samples. Raw G's Dat Fry is a bass driven with catchy vocal hooks. On The Cut Makin Licks is more harsh and brash compared to the other songs on the album. The Gulf Coast Gangsters song Ride With Us is comparatively lax compared to all the other songs on this album.
5/5*****!!
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Variety Of Sinz – Wicked AZ Kimistry album review
Variety Of Sinz – Wicked AZ Kimistry is another wicked album that was released on cassette in 1993 from Flint, Michigan that was overlooked and highly slept on. Not that many units were sold. As a matter of fact, Wicked AZ Kimistry is another wicked Variety Of Sinz album. Variety Of Sinz is the most sinful rap group to have come out of Flint, Michigan. The cassette itself was manufactured and printed at the nationally famous Disc Makers. Notice the famous Dolby™double D’s and Aerial font?
However Wicked AZ Kimistry is not a full album as only 7 songs are included on the cassette. If you are solely looking for longevity, you will be highly disappointed. Duration time for this album is definitely less than an hour.
The lyrics are way wicked on the song Wicked AZ Kimistry. Some might consider the lyrics to be too wicked. The song is quite similar to something you would hear from either Esham or acid rap. Horrorcore rap meets the sounds of acid rap on Wicked AZ Kimistry. Wicked AZ Kimistry is spelt as “Wicked AZ Kimistry” instead of “Wicked AZZ Kimistry” as a marketing tactic to have store owners sell the album and avoid it being pulled off the shelves for being too explicit. That is why the album title and song are specifically named that way.
Murder 1 is quite similar to Murder One On A Punk Muthafucka by Tweedy Bird Loc. Murder 1 is a murder rap. 40 Fiend produced the track himself.
Something's Really Wrong has a dark brooding feel to it hence the appropriate song title. You know when something’s wrong especially if you’re slipping into darkness. The song uses G-Funk synths and bells which give it an eerie vibe.
The song Believe My Body's Numb has a similar vibe to Mack The Jacka - Feelin’ 4 A Killin’ and Tweedy Bird Loc - Murder One On A Punk Muthafucka.
4/5****!
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