MOSS/King Hood Cykoz demo album review
The MOSS/King Hood Cykoz demo was released and shopped around to handful of labels in 1995. The recording was issued and recorded on a TDK SD110 cassette with a Maxell UR case/insert. This album itself is a demo. Titan Graham pressed this up.
Side A is the MOSS - album. 14 of the 16 songs from the Erb-N-Reality album are included on this demo. All of these songs were recorded at Full Decq Productions and Blew Back Studios. This album was different from the Ghetto Tech And Gangsta Rap coming from Flint at that time. It was more like East Coast and G-Funk blended and mixed together. It's not as sample crazy as a lot of rap was in the 90s. MOSS means Ministaz Of a Sinista Society. Members are Big G, Cognac, Scurvy, Googiemac, and G Storm.
MOSS was a mixture of Method Man, Native Nuttz, Skillz, Shyiem, U-God, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kevin Brown, Nikki D, Main Force, Heather B., Monie Luv, and FOE from Black Market Records all mixed together.
Googiemac has Wu-Tang Clan sample in it. (36 Chambers is the sample!) It's dope! It really showcases MOSS's East Coast flow. The groups accents are lot different from the average Flint rapper and any rapper in Michigan.
The track Erb-N-Reality shows us how life in Flint can be hell. How people can become fiends and how people can become crack heads. But life is not all that bad in Flint since the downtown are Flint is slowly rebuilding esp. with Kettering University. Don't forget that folks. It's not all prostitution and killings.
8 MC's has that deep dark and grimey mid 90's East Coast sound to it. Particularly that grimey NYC sound. Think Stiky Fingaz of Onyx, Fredro Starr, Necro, Ill Bill, Non Phixon, Orko, U-God, Bahamadia, and The Undatakaz. It has jazz samples like as many East Coast hip hop and rap songs did at that time. Flint was a gutta and ghetto place at that time and it still is.
On Sodom and Gammorah, an unnamed voice tells us not to adjust the sound on our speakers for the next 34 minutes on the b side of the cassette. The voice tells us how city people are evil. For example calling them thieves and murderers. The voice tells that the city of Flint is like Sodom and Gammorah. People get robbed and beat out in these city streets of Flint. Flint has reached a point beyond redemption. The Jazz sample is from J. Blackfoot.
Fully Automatic was dark with the high pitch note violin squealing in the background. It had that dark and grimey NYC sound as well.
No Escape tells us there's no escape from Flint. No Escape has samples from the film called Shocker. D.I.D is a G-Funk track.The Isaac Hayes sample on Confessions is what makes Confessions great. DJ Psycho does the cuts on Verbal Murder.
Side B is the King Hood Cykoz - Da Otha Side of Hell album. These songs were recorded at the famous Boomin Studios from 1992 to 1995.
King Hood Cykoz - Da Otha Side of Hell is a long forgotten rap album from the 90s out of Flint, Michigan that has been long forgotten and overlooked. The legacy of King Hood Cykoz (Kinghood Cykoz) has been long overlooked. The album has an eerie vibe where horrorcore meets acid rap and gangsta rap. The album also has got that classic horrorcore style which is dope. Kinghood Cykoz has the dark grimey sounds you would expect to hear from the streets of Flint.
The sad reality is that hardly anyone remembers or respects the legacy of King Hood Cykoz anymore. Unfortunately people have started disrespecting the group King Hood Cykoz. There seems to a lot of hate directed towards remaining members of the group for whatever reasons may be.
Hardware is a song written by Marc Steele when he lived in California and formed a trio called Hardware. This song was recorded and produced between 1995 and 1998. The trio never really got off the ground as only 3 or 4 songs were recorded. An album was never completed. The group lasted from 1995 to 1998.
The song Hardware is a rap song that has hardcore lyrics with a rough edge. Marc Steele raps for a majority of the song as he wrote 2/3rds of this himself. The other part of the song where the other 2 members rap.
Visionz Of Insanity is the song which calms down the mood down for this album. This is the song which calms the album down. Visionz Of Insanity is surprisingly calm and tame compared to the other songs on this album. The flute ensemble is what gives this song a calm vibe. The song is about how the members of King Hood Cykoz are having immoral thoughts about visions of insanity.
The song Visionz Of Insanity is similar to Geto Boys - My Mind’s Playing Trick On Me which is not a surprise because King Hood Cykoz was highly influenced by the Geto Boys and Scarface. Gangsta rap meets the sounds of horrorcore rap on Visionz Of Insanity. The song uses a bit of reality rap.
Life Is A Gamble is a song lacy fury and aggression. You can hear the anger inside their lyrics as you listen to this song. The song deals with how things go when people go for broke. Life is a gamble when you fuck with a cyko.
Life Is A Gamble is a song perfect enough to get ooted or high to due to the soulful rhythmic nature. The song uses a mid tempo soul sample. 70s soul meets 90s gangsta rap. The soul sample which was used in this King Hood Cykoz song is what made the mood seem to be not as aggressive or brash.
The song uses a multitude of samples selected by DJ Clay and King Hood Cykoz. The song uses a multitude of samples from rap, soul, and rock. The song Life Is A Gamble was inspired by gangsta rap hence the Ice Cube samples used during the hook.
The song starts with Leathaface and T-Gram sitting in a basement getting ooted. Nothing has changed since 1992. (At least in Flint.) All the same people are struggling and striving just to make it through the day and make it through life. Youngsters are steady trying to get rich. People are fighting over simple things.
Leathaface hustles on Grace Street as he never had shit. He had to go for broke. That’s why he never hesitates to hustle people for their money.
Now at the 2:20 duration mark is where things start to get interesting as that is where rapper Lunatic finishes off the song with some raps of his. He is tired of people talking shit about his group called King Hood Cykoz. The beat switches from the soul sample to Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce.
At the 2:58 duration mark is where Lunatic dissed MC Breed, Here is what he rapped:
How many MC’s do you known that can kick a fresh ass verse?
Damn. It’s kind of strange when you’re making your shit
When Eric Breed dropped his album, niggaz jumped on his dick
And for what?
To me that nigga can’t flow worth shit
There ain’t no future in your frontin’
Yeah. Fuck you bitch
At the 3:06 duration mark is where Lunatic dissed Selby Hood. Here is what he rapped:
And you niggaz down in Selby, you need to quit
How the fuck are you going to play us with that ganked out shit?
You motherfuckers piss me off with the records you’re making
Now you’re sitting here looking stupid because you didn’t get paid
That’s the best that you got
I suggest you quit
Black
If you step to me. you ass will get ransacked
You know my shit is bumping
My rhyme comes equipped like a ‘do it yourself kit’
What stands out about this song is the diss aimed at MC Breed. That stands out because no other rap groups or rappers dissed MC Breed on wax, tape, or CD in the 1980s or 1990s. That alone makes the song intriguing.
Ho Type Bitch Azz Niggaz is a duo cut with Leathaface and Marc Steele. The song is about how people were shit about King Hood Cykoz. Even back in the 90s people were talking shit about King Hood Cykoz.
Leathaface and Marc Steele are tired of people talking shit (talking badly) about the King Hood Cykoz. Leathaface starts off the song with talking about how people around Flint were talking negatively about King Hood Cykoz. Leathaface is not hesitant on calling people out for talking shit about King Hood Cykoz on this song.
Leathaface is living large in Flint as he driving a brand new Corvette while those has-been superstars are broke and bankrupt. He lyrically disses former neighborhood superstars throughout the middle of the song. Marc Steele ends the song with his legendary raps.
Down On Death Street is a prime example of gangsta rap at its finest. Reality rap over heavy beats. Not to mention explicit lyrics. J Roc appeared again on Down On Death Street.
It’s a journey on Death Street. The killer is back again creeping down Death Street with uzi’s and Mac 10s. Getting ready to start some shit. Marc Steele, Lunatic, Maniac, and J Roc are from straight from ghetto hell. Cykoz don’t play that shit down on Death Street.
Leathaface spots a vice cop whilst rolling down Martin Luther King Avenue. His pockets were full of rocks. Pook had his glock. All the windows suddenly get rolled down and a driveby ensues. Marc Steele made the getaway and turned down Death Street. Some niggaz wanted to beef. Of course Leathaface packs that heavy heat. His eyes were bloody red from all the weed he smoked. Murder was on his mind.
He went to the liquor store and copped himself a fifth (1/5) of gin. The visions inside his head made him want to commit a sin.
Lunatic is back. He is selling crack and breaking backs. He is headed for Grace Street. Lunatic spots a vice cop. The vice cop is getting sprayed with bullets. A journey through his hood will get your ass on the front page of the newspaper. Lunatic is insane as he comes from a ghetto hell. He is a maniac on the loose.
He is headed towards the spot. Already some niggaz want to squabble. These niggaz don’t want none as Lunatic rolls with a ghetto mob. Now he rolling down MLK (Martin Luther King Avenue) and he choked on a Billy Blunt. A vice squad car rolls right behind him. What could they want? Fuck Mr. Billyclub. Cops are getting sprayed with bullets from his gun. Lunatic is back in black. Bodies are found dead rotting on Death Street.
Ghetto Hell is about how the dope game (drug game) is ran in King Hood. The song also deals with the perils and hardships of living in King Hood. Ghetto Hell is similar to Livin In Kinghood and Nightmare In Kinghood. Leathaface, T-Gram, and Marc Steele are on this track.
Bruce Moore is a gangster on a mission. He’s on a mission out to get rich like Jake The Flake. Flint cops downtown think twice before getting in his way. Bruce Moore is creeping down Dayton Street in his 64 Impala. Vice cops from F.A.N.G. (Flint Area Narcotics Group) are parked outside by the side of a tree staring at him through a window. He used to sell that cocaine but that got him a reputation in the dope game. He already has a reputation in Flint. He’s smoking Billy Blunts which got him acting silly.
A nigga wants to jack him because Bruce jacked him. Bruce packed a 12 gauge. That bum tried to run but he got sprayed with bullets. That nigga tried to play but Bruce won’t the bum play him out of his money. He’ll break your back, take your sack, and sell crack. His set is Dayton Ave and he is down with Maniac.
Bruce Moore disses Selby Hood on Ghetto Hell. Here is what exactly he had said, “but I’m not down with them hoes who said they lick booty”
Selby Hood had a lot of neighborhood rivalries in the city of Flint at that time. Much of their rivalries were gang related. Selby Hood was rivals with King Hood in the 80s and 90s. Selby Hood was Vice Lords (VLs) and King Hood was Gangsta Disciples (GDs). Gangsta Disciples and Vice Lords beef with each other as they are from different sides of the rag.
Bruce is black man who packs a gat. Now it’s time to jack. He sees a fiend with fat pockets. He took his money and bought a kilo. Now he runs a dope house with the mob working for him. It’s not about bragging rights. It’s about the gangster with the most money in their pockets. All these bitches are on his dick because he is in the rap game. He changed his ways and is getting paid on his own. He already has a reputation in Flint.
He hears the cops so he’s gotta bail. Now he is back in King Hood known as the ghetto hell.
Creeping down Dayton Street in a minivan rolling 5 deep. Bruce Moore had the 9 at hand. He has a feeling deep down that somebody’s gonna die tonight. It was over something that happened a week ago. When he sees that Shea, he’ll pop that fool. He has some beef with his boys too. Marc Steele has a 12 gauge. Huey has got Bruce’s back. Lunatic is spotted in his Cadillac. Bruce explains the situation and tells them he can handle this himself. He popped that nigga. He hears the cops so he’s gotta bail. Now he is back in King Hood known as the ghetto hell.
T-Gram grabs the keys to his ride and bails. He loaded up his gat with just a black rag attached. When those niggaz get him, they’re leaving out in a body bag. He’s ooting cocaine. T-Gram is going thru a thang. It’s all about the pleasure of the pain in the hood. He’s not going to college as he flunked too much in high school. To put things simply, he didn’t give a damn. In his minivan is where he smoked a j listening to Going Thru A Thang by The Dayton Family.
Ask his parents whatever happened to the son they had. They shouldn’t have moved him to Flint. Flint messes people up in a lot of ways.
Now T-Gram is on the run as ain’t no pigs are going to mystify him. He’ll know something is the matter if police. He’s a nigga smoking fry. Regardless he is in it to win. A spoiled person always had too much. T-Gram is not one of those people. He knows where he’s going. T-Gram is on his way to a ghetto hell. It ain’t no joke.
Marc Steele is back again and is ooted up. He kicks the shit you can’t fuck with. He went from rocks to riches as he sold dope from a dope house. His spot is hot much like Bruce’s dope house. He’s fucking bitches and leaving them in ditches. Killing niggaz over dope is what he also does. Selling cocaine out on the corner is how he pays his rent.
Leathaface is a psychopath who does not have it all. He is killing bitches. Niggaz in King Hood were born homicidal. Leathaface packs heat on the corner. It’s been a year and he is rolling in a fresh Jaguar. He is putting fiends in a bodybag.
Leathaface openly dissed Selby Hood on Livin In Kinghood. Here are the lyrics to what exactly he said, “don’t let me get a hold of a blade/Selby Hood motherfuckin’ niggas getting sprayed” and “I’m puttin Selby in a fuckin hearse” Marc Steele openly dissed Selby Hood too.
Selby Hood had a lot of neighborhood rivalries in the city of Flint at that time. Much of their rivalries were gang related. Selby Hood was rivals with King Hood in the 80s and 90s. Selby Hood was Vice Lords (VLs) and King Hood was Gangsta Disciples (GDs). Gangsta Disciples and Vice Lords beef with each other as they are from different sides of the rag.
For those wondering what happened to Quomon, White Lee of Criminal Background (Lee Baker) laced his drugs and his mind hasn’t been the same ever since. White Lee must have fucked him up pretty bad. Quomon's minds gone like somebody who took a bad trip on acid. He was in a mental institution for a minute.
Everyday Life Of A Cyko is about daily the life of a “cyko” and what type of lifestyle a “cyko” lives. The song was written from the perspective of a “cyko”. This song is based on the viewpoints of a psychotic person from King Hood in Flint, Michigan. Everyday Life Of A Cyko is nearly similar to Mind Of A Cyko.
5/5*****!!
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Mood II Swing – Free To Live EP EP review
Mood II Swing’s – Free To Live EP is one of Nite Grooves best releases that was heavily slept on as a whole by house music fans. Not too many house music fans appreciated this EP for what it was. Heavy bass ridden electronic instrumental songs perfect for the club or the lounge. Nite Grooves issued the Mood II Swing – Free To Live EP on vinyl in 1995.
The version of Inhale is the original version. The off-key synths give off a vibe of weirdness. Add that with the pultruding bass lines. A lot of harmonics seem to have been used. The song itself was a minor hit with the underground rave scene and club scene in the mid-90s.
Got To Have It only uses a few layers of instruments such as synthesizer keyboard, kick drum, and bass. That is what makes this Mood II Swing song unique. A lot of harmonics seem to have been used to accompany the hi-fi electronic sound. Got To Have It contains a vocal sample of Sinnamon - I Need You Now. Mood II Swing fans call Got To Have It one of their best tracks next to Inhale.
4/5****!
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Lil CS - Mission Possible EP review
Mission Possible was a cassette tape Lil CS put out in 1988 which was a 5 song EP. It was only available in the hood. The tracks were Mission Possible, The Young Gangsta, Bow Down Fool, Think First, and You Ain't Rollin'. 3 of the tracks sampled over Too Short - Freaky Tales beat and the other 2 tracks sampled over the Young MC - I Let em' Know beat.
Doc Dev from EDM Records produced Mission Possible for Lil CS back then. He produced 2 to 3 tracks. Doc Dev is a musical genius. That dude Doc Dev was self taught on that keyboard. He was one of those all around sick ass producers in San Diego rap.
Doc Dev produced the song Mission Possible which was dubbed over Too Short - Freaky Tales. The bass was real phat leaving a long lasting memory. Doc Dev is a musical genius.
You Ain't Rollin' sampled the beat from Young MC - I Let em' Know. Lil CS went into full gangbang mode on this song thus turning it into a gangsta rap song. Doc Dev and Hen Favre produced the song along with 3 others on this cassette.
Lil CS went under the name of DJL at the time. DJL was his gangbanging and rap name. Lil CS was in full bang mode when he made that tape. He was rapping about the actual shit he did at the time unlike the rappers of today. People had contracts hits on him because of who he was and for what he did represent. He was disrespecting gang sets, naming streets, giving out locations, calling people out, and all that shit.
If Lil CS didn't go do that bid in federal penitentiary from 1989 to 1999, he would've been on the map with Jayo Felony, Big June, Lil Rob, Knightowl, Cricet, Mitchy Slick, The Green Eyes, and Black Mikey. He could've blew up by now. But what's done is done. Today the album is considered to be a lost album that is extremely rare. It was never for sale and was only available in the hood.
4/5****!
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