The Dark Side was one of MC Overlord’s best selling albums to date. The album sold 35,000 units thanks to distribution from Select-O-Hits. It was thanks to distribution that the album was a commercial hit in Austin, Texas and St. Louis, Missouri. The album has a much darker sound than his 1995 album A Better Funk did. This album leans more towards funk and hardcore hip hop than old school hip hop/rap. This album also uses live instrumentation which is backed by a live band.
The album focuses on bison towards strength, unity, and positivity. Unity and positivity are the common themes for this album. We must face our struggles and get to our destiny that lies ahead of us. That is not to say there will never be dark times.
The Dark Side is one of Overlord’s darker songs from a time when he was young and hungry. His mind and priorities were focusing on music. The Dark Side is backed by heavy bass and live instrumentation performed by a live band. Now this song was based on classic horror film Tales From The Dark Side. All of the lyrics were written by MC Overlord.
Now what’s different about this song is the way MC Overlord used Jamaican Patois accent. He almost sounded very much to a reggae dancehall artist or a gangsta rapper. You can hear such rawness and versatility in his vocals and lyrics. Overlord is your guide that will introduce you to the dark side.
Prepare for the rebirth as he rehearses for his comeback. Practice is perfect. These lyrics show how Overlord maintains his status in the rap game. “Watch as I work this/Maintainin’ status/And refuse to reverse it/Heavy like thunder/No drag me under/Not to be dumb and dumber/Fate of a black man/Offer my black hand”
These lyrics explain the stance Overlord has against selling out and becoming a gangster rapper.
Here to stay true to the next level
Remain positive instead of playin’ Dr. Jeckyl
Cause gangsters are popular
Why would I copy ya just to sell a record?
And pretend I’m the Mafia/That’s where you sell out
How you gonna get out when they bring drama?
He calls out fakers and posers in these lyrics. So try to pay attention and understand where he is coming from. “Now you a bust/How can they trust ya?/A studio phony/With crony out to get ya/Should have stayed real/Here lies a wanna be fronting’ on his own click”
Ter’ell Shahid and MC Overlord bring the mad flava to the funky flavor of this with the song Down Low. Funk meets rap on Down Low. The guitars and bass help bring out the funky flavor on this song.
The premise of the song is MC Overlord and Ter’ell Shahid just hanging out. There’s no need to hang out on the down low when you’re with them. Save that clout for someone else or something else. So come on and get up off the down low.
Get Used To It is another one of the more darker songs off the album. The sound is similar to The Dark Side due to the thick bass and heavy guitar notes. Thick bass is what really stands out in retrospect and style. That is not a coincidence as both The Dark Side and Get Used To It were written and recorded during the same studio session.
Overlord is tired of the same rhetoric cheap talk. Talk is cheap. These lyrics explain so otherwise. “Cause I’m tired of all that rhetoric cheap talk”
Chains and shackles could never hold Overlord down. His efforts are catching up to/with him. Overlord flipped the script for the 90s. He sure did. We need solutions in life as we are loosing ground here. There needs to be a plan. We need to take a risk so we can get used to this plan.
4/5****!
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Mad Wisdom - Mad Wisdom album review
Mad Wisdom - Mad Wisdom is a socially conscious Afrocentric rap album filled with gangsta braggadocio and unfiltered funk. You can find everything from gangsta rap to politically conscious rap on this album. Think XClan meets gangsta rap. Highlights for this album are the songs Million Me's The End, and Illegal Business. Mythology, Prophecy, and Oct 31 are the darker songs on the album.
Guest artists on this album are Bilal Shabazz, Ladicius MC, Pee Wee Warner, 55x1 Soul, and J. Baby. The album was produced by legendary Dallas beat producer DJ Snake. Bumble Bhe and DJ Snake handle a majority of the production.
Yellow text appears in his sunglasses under the caption, “this is one crazy muthafucka”. The color scheme for this album is yellow, black, white, and gray. Although the color scheme for this album relies heavily on the black & white color scheme.
Execution Of Trust serves as the opener where Nation of Islam brother Bilal Shabazz acts as the opening MC for the song. This song is one of the more Afrocentric politically conscious songs which also shows social awareness.
Tyrone Samples (Tye) and Bumble Bhe of Nemesis grace the track by adding several layers of sampled instrumentation from other songs on The End. Tye did most of the sampling while Bumble Bhe produced and did the vocal arrangements. Bumble Bhe and Tye are on the vocals. Mad Wisdom laces the track with his versatility.
Dance Hall Destruction is a reggae styled dancehall track laced with fury and rap music. Reggae meets rap on Dance Hall Destruction. Pee Wee Warner has a guest spot on the song.
Million Me's is one of the more harsh yet darker songs on the album. The song has such enigmatic versatility.The song has storytelling rap similar to Slick Rick, Biz Markie, and Lil Sin. Mad Wisdom tells us the story of how he divided himself into a million copies of himself.
The song was produced by the legendary DJ Snake. So you already know this is going to be pure G-Funk. He produced those beats and synths you hear on this song.
The original version of Million Me's used a lopped guitar sample and not distorted bass notes as on the remix. The remix of Million Me's uses distorted bass notes and synths. The remix version uses a much different sound that has slightly more bass than the original version. DJ Snake produced the beats and synths on the original and remix versions of Million Me’s.
The original version of Million Me's was used on the Youngsta Records compilation VA - Poets & Gangstas in 1995. The remix version does not appear on the Poets & Gangstas compilation.
Mad Wisdom lost himself up in hell. His brain swelled. Is he going crazy? “Am I going crazy?” is the question Mad Wisdom asks himself as he has gone psycho. Can the world tell? Smell the smoke that he sends. He is gone in with the wind. He finds himself on the other side looking. He does not like the future that he is seeing. Everything is gory in the future he is seeing. This future involves violence and bloodshed.
It may be a trick. African American people have been tricked before in the past many times. America ain’t no candy store. The devil offered Mad Wisdom an apple. Mad Wisdom preferred Snapple. So the got capped as Mad Wisdom shot the devil with a gun. One minute the devil was a snake and the next minute the devil turned into Uncle Sam. Then the devil transformed into death in the palm of Mad Wisdom’s hand with 7 hoes bleeding as he dies. This is all a dream though. He is dreaming in Dallas, Texas hence the reference to the area code 214. He wakes up screaming.
Watch Mad Wisdom as he divides himself into a million copies of himself and be the only dope emcee (MC).
Hell is the street that he stands on in Dallas, Texas. He doesn’t give a fuck about you marks. Misery loves company. So he invites misery right on in. He is awake in the night. The streets are a place of suffering, destruction, and misery of course. Which way is Mad Wisdom turning?
People rise from a cemetery as they are burning. Walls are burning. The devil is their god. Now this cemetery is an everlasting cemetery. Everybody is lost.
He asks for money to save. He asks, “Who is God? Who am I? Who is it who played me?” Mad Wisdom is living with no hope so he is going to take your life away. You’re gonna disappear from this earth.
The blunt burns slowly as he continues his flow. Notice the smells. He was raised in hell (Dallas, Texas). His freestyles are furious and at the same are wicked. He kicks wicked wisdom as he’s about to hang these tracks. There ain’t no coming back from the sinful side of life. Life after death because after death comes life. Mad Wisdom is mentally sick inside. Mad Wisdom called out the media and America for portraying a negative light on African American people. Flames stay lit in the midst of civil unrest. The god screams, “American is in trouble!”
Death Rims uses a mixture of reggae, funk, and gangsta rap. Death Rims deals with how things are in the ghetto and the dangerous living conditions of living in the ghetto. It’s a perils of the ghetto type of song. The song was recorded in 1993 and produced by Bhumble Bhe.
Flashing lights pass by the sirens. Every day Mad Wisdom is trapped in the ghetto. Violence often lurks around. Everyone is in survival mode. Everyone is kept on grind mode. Mad Wisdom goes on to discuss the dangerous living conditions of living in the ghetto. He stays strapped. His advice to those living in the ghetto and anyone else is never roll alone. Loose your life or drive away on a set of death rims.
Mad Wisdom wants some triple gold Daytons to match the paint on his rims. Minimum wage won’t get him paid and he needs some crown in his drop top 6 tray convertible. Life is getting harder in this new age. These young fools are strapped. This society can do you in.
He hits the switches on his 6 tray convertible. He left the parking lot late. What music he music was playing was D-Crew, Doobie, and Mac Vo (fka Devo X). He was playing Mac Vo’s yellow cassette tape. These young fools were honking at him. Mad Wisdom guessed that they wanted to test his faith. A Cutlass Supreme pulls up on the right side. There is a full moon in the sky and Mad Wisdom thinks he might die. Those who are inside the Cutlass Supreme have masks on their faces. This is believed to be a robbery. The traffic light turns green and Mad Wisdom goes about 90 MPH. He finds himself on I 635. He says, “Fuck the venue!”
Bilal Shabazz, Ladicius MC, and Mad Wisdom are in deep concentration as they are blowing up the nation with their storytelling myths and raps on the song Mythology. Think storytelling rap. So come and get deep with them. Get your knowledge right. The song is laced with deep bass and guitar rhythms. This song gets deep with lyrics such as “Religion got us trapped in the skull of a triple 6”.
4/5****!!
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James Ethington III - Rheacycle EP review
James Ethington III's debut EP Rheacycle can be described as Van Morrison mixed with Prince and a dash of Dave Matthews. Alternative rock meets for music on this EP. Becca serves as the lead single for this EP while Sexy, Juicy, Bouncy is one of the standout tracks. This EP is an eclectic five song mix reminiscing of the glory days of alternative acoustic music.
James Ethington III's debut EP Rheacycle was officially released online in June 3, 2020. Production work and engineering was handled by Eric Gubala and Orlando Gomez. Becca was the lead single for this EP.
The intro starts off with an acoustic guitar followed by a set of modern. Now this intro has a dash of Dave Matthews. The message of the intro is the 3 R’s which are “Reduce, Reuse, and Rheacyle!”. So always remember to reduce, reuse, and rheacyle!.
The guitar notes you hear on Art of My Life are similar to the guitar notes from Avril Lavigne - Wish You Were Here. Both songs are almost similar to each other in comparison to tone and vibe. Not so much the setting. James describes how he can learn to love his girlfriend better.
Becca served as the lead single for this EP. The acoustic sound is simply amazing. Sometimes alternative rock with a dash of Dave Matthews is what we need. The song deals the pain of your loved one being a far distance away from you. But it’s just distance between the one you love.
James is in Becca’s city in and out of bars trying to keep his mind still. She’s gonna call him on the phone.
You know how she gets when she’s alone. She's going to bite his head off! Becca and James are in a New York state of mind. He tells her his love is always behind her whether she knows that or not.
Lyrics to the first verse explain this.
[First Verse]
Becca I'm in your city
In and out of bars trying to
Keep my mind still
She gonna call me
On the phone
You know she gets
When she’s alone
She's going to bite my head off!
New York state of mind
My hearts a map and I'm
Sure that I could seek and
Find you, my loves always
Behind you
The second verse reminisces on memories from their junior year. Funny how memories don’t age like they do. James thinks about the memories of old when he’s feeling low. They both dance so slow but he doesn't want to be alone. James is in her city. He heard Becca got a brand new skillset. Oh how some men get off.
Sexy, Juicy, Bouncy is one of the stand out tracks for this EP of his. James know who he’s going to spend his time with. His girlfriend is his treat and won't play no tricks on him. He can't leave for the weekend all your love. They link up like lego's. He tells her not to let go as they will fall apart like Jenga. Topanga, stole their hearts back in the 90’s.
Words to the lyrics of this song make references to board games such as Jenga and products from 90s culture. Read the lyrics to get a better understanding.
We link up like lego's, Don't let go
Cause you how we'll fall apart like Jenga
Oh, Oh Topanga, stole our hearts in the 90's
I know where I'm at, I don’t need you to remind me
We link up like keychains, Tamagotchi
But you hold me so tight like
I'm you property, Hey!
Winnie Cooper, I used to see you
After school, I'm your pet, Now I'm her fool
5/5*****!
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Lil Willie Johnson - Leave My Keys album review
Lil Willie Johnson - Leave My Keys is a super rare deep soul album by gospel singer Li'l Willie Johnson that has been lost and forgotten with time. Not too many people know about this album. The album has that 70s soul sound mixed with 2000s deep soul as well. Southern soul and deep soul can’t get any better than this. So now this album is certainly something you would expect to hear from a powerful modern deep soul singer. His sound is similar to Bobby Bland, Lil Ed Williams, Blind Willie Johnson, and Z. Z. Hill. Leave My Keys was his first debut album as a soul singer and solo artist released in the year 2000. This album was issued on cassette and CD-r. Most of these songs are vintage recordings dating back to the 70s and 80s.
The title track Leave My Keys uses several layers of instrumentation with a powerful horn selection, loud drum kit, and rhythmic bass guitars. What stands out about this particular song is the loud powerful horn selection. Basically loudness is what sets the tone for this song of his.
She said she was leaving Lil Willie Johnson. She’s going away real soon. Willie stayed up all night long wondering what she meant be she was leaving him. He tells her, “Go on. Walk out the door. Leave my keys, baby. ” He also tells her, “Leave my keys to the car.”
All this midnight roaming and wondering around has got Willie wondering what’s going on. She said she was leaving him so many times before. But Willie thought she would never leave him this time for good. After he gave her everything after marrying her. He explicitly tells her to go on and leave him be. He explicitly tells her, “Go on. Leave me, baby. Walk out the door. Leave my keys.”
Lil Willie Johnson covers James Brown and The Famous Flames - Try Me with the song Try Me. Here on this particular cover song, Lil Willie Johnson sounds like Lil Ed Williams and Z. Z. Hill when he talks. This song is perfect for a very special night or a break up. Try Me is definitely perfect for the bedroom as things get sexual and sexy here.
Lil Willie Johnson is the “go-to” man when a lady is searching for good love, action, and satisfaction. He wants any to try being with him. He tells any lady, “When the hurt is strong and everything you do is wrong. You need someone to comfort you. Well, listen baby. I'll come first to you. So try me.” He explains why he is the “go-to man” in the lyrics to this song.
If you need satisfaction
Listen baby, I've got the action
Where I am, that's where it's at
So, listen baby, it's tit for tat, so
Try me, try me, try me
When the hurt is strong
And everything you do is wrong
You need someone to comfort you
Well, listen baby, I'll come first to you, so
Try me, try me, try me
Need good lovin'
I'm black, try me coming
Yes I'm black, try me and I'm coming
Try me, try me
Tears on My Pillow is cover song of Little Anthony & The Imperials - Tears On My Pillow. Willie explains in song form that love is not to be played around with. Love is not be fooled around with.
She doesn't remember Willie, but he remembers her well enough. It was not very long ago that the lady Willie loved so much broke his heart in two. There was pain in his heart and tears on his pillow caused by her. He wouldn’t hesitate to start all over again with their relationship. He would gladly take her back and tempt the hand of fate.
Willie explains to his listeners that love is not to be played around with in these lyrics.: “Love is not a gadget, love is not a toy” When you find the one you love, she'll fill your heart with joy.
Lil Willie Johnson does a beautiful job covering Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions - I Need You with his enigmatic deep soul styled singing.
Lil Willie Johnson doesn't want to be happy with somebody else. He knows this. He found a particular lady he knows he would be happy with. No need of fooling himself. Why be concerned if she doesn’t love him? He’d be wasting her time and his as well. But it’s clear that he desperately needs her. He wants her.
He doesn’t need "someone else”. He needs her. I guess he’s just a stubborn fool. Kind of hard headed like a mule. But how does Willie love someone else when he needs her? Well I guess these things just don't matter. “But how do I love someone else when I need you?” is the question he asking himself.
He apologizes as there is no love between them. He can tell from the look in her eyes that she is now with another man. Willie explain how she is with another man with these lyrics here: “And I apologize/There's no kind of love between us/I can see from the looks of your eyes/And now you're with another”
Where You Left Your Drawers is mixture of blues and deep soul. However this song is a blues song for the most part. He want to know what’s wrong with his woman as she has lost her mind. She left her drawers (underwear) in an unusual spot.
Don’t Cry is the chorus driven deep soul song which is backed by a lively xylophone and a marimba. A xylophone and marimba are what give this song a live feeling. The loud powerful energetic chorus is what stands out about Don’t Cry. You can feel the energy coming from the chorus as you listen to this song. This song is perfect for anyone who is going to a breakup in their relationship with a loved one.
5/5*****!!
*Lil Willie Johnson also has his name stylized as Li'l Willie Johnson.
*Li'l Willie Johnson was a gospel singer before he transitioned into being a soul singer.
Lil Willie Johnson - Leave My Keys is a super rare deep soul album by gospel singer Li'l Willie Johnson that has been lost and forgotten with time. Not too many people know about this album. The album has that 70s soul sound mixed with 2000s deep soul as well. Southern soul and deep soul can’t get any better than this. So now this album is certainly something you would expect to hear from a powerful modern deep soul singer. His sound is similar to Bobby Bland, Lil Ed Williams, Blind Willie Johnson, and Z. Z. Hill. Leave My Keys was his first debut album as a soul singer and solo artist released in the year 2000. This album was issued on cassette and CD-r. Most of these songs are vintage recordings dating back to the 70s and 80s.
The title track Leave My Keys uses several layers of instrumentation with a powerful horn selection, loud drum kit, and rhythmic bass guitars. What stands out about this particular song is the loud powerful horn selection. Basically loudness is what sets the tone for this song of his.
She said she was leaving Lil Willie Johnson. She’s going away real soon. Willie stayed up all night long wondering what she meant be she was leaving him. He tells her, “Go on. Walk out the door. Leave my keys, baby. ” He also tells her, “Leave my keys to the car.”
All this midnight roaming and wondering around has got Willie wondering what’s going on. She said she was leaving him so many times before. But Willie thought she would never leave him this time for good. After he gave her everything after marrying her. He explicitly tells her to go on and leave him be. He explicitly tells her, “Go on. Leave me, baby. Walk out the door. Leave my keys.”
Lil Willie Johnson covers James Brown and The Famous Flames - Try Me with the song Try Me. Here on this particular cover song, Lil Willie Johnson sounds like Lil Ed Williams and Z. Z. Hill when he talks. This song is perfect for a very special night or a break up. Try Me is definitely perfect for the bedroom as things get sexual and sexy here.
Lil Willie Johnson is the “go-to” man when a lady is searching for good love, action, and satisfaction. He wants any to try being with him. He tells any lady, “When the hurt is strong and everything you do is wrong. You need someone to comfort you. Well, listen baby. I'll come first to you. So try me.” He explains why he is the “go-to man” in the lyrics to this song.
If you need satisfaction
Listen baby, I've got the action
Where I am, that's where it's at
So, listen baby, it's tit for tat, so
Try me, try me, try me
When the hurt is strong
And everything you do is wrong
You need someone to comfort you
Well, listen baby, I'll come first to you, so
Try me, try me, try me
Need good lovin'
I'm black, try me coming
Yes I'm black, try me and I'm coming
Try me, try me
Tears on My Pillow is cover song of Little Anthony & The Imperials - Tears On My Pillow. Willie explains in song form that love is not to be played around with. Love is not be fooled around with.
She doesn't remember Willie, but he remembers her well enough. It was not very long ago that the lady Willie loved so much broke his heart in two. There was pain in his heart and tears on his pillow caused by her. He wouldn’t hesitate to start all over again with their relationship. He would gladly take her back and tempt the hand of fate.
Willie explains to his listeners that love is not to be played around with in these lyrics.: “Love is not a gadget, love is not a toy” When you find the one you love, she'll fill your heart with joy.
Lil Willie Johnson does a beautiful job covering Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions - I Need You with his enigmatic deep soul styled singing.
Lil Willie Johnson doesn't want to be happy with somebody else. He knows this. He found a particular lady he knows he would be happy with. No need of fooling himself. Why be concerned if she doesn’t love him? He’d be wasting her time and his as well. But it’s clear that he desperately needs her. He wants her.
He doesn’t need "someone else”. He needs her. I guess he’s just a stubborn fool. Kind of hard headed like a mule. But how does Willie love someone else when he needs her? Well I guess these things just don't matter. “But how do I love someone else when I need you?” is the question he asking himself.
He apologizes as there is no love between them. He can tell from the look in her eyes that she is now with another man. Willie explain how she is with another man with these lyrics here: “And I apologize/There's no kind of love between us/I can see from the looks of your eyes/And now you're with another”
Where You Left Your Drawers is mixture of blues and deep soul. However this song is a blues song for the most part. He want to know what’s wrong with his woman as she has lost her mind. She left her drawers (underwear) in an unusual spot.
Don’t Cry is the chorus driven deep soul song which is backed by a lively xylophone and a marimba. A xylophone and marimba are what give this song a live feeling. The loud powerful energetic chorus is what stands out about Don’t Cry. You can feel the energy coming from the chorus as you listen to this song. This song is perfect for anyone who is going to a breakup in their relationship with a loved one.
5/5*****!!
*Lil Willie Johnson also has his name stylized as Li'l Willie Johnson.
*Li'l Willie Johnson was a gospel singer before he transitioned into being a soul singer.
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