Egyptian Lover - One Track Mind album review
One Track Mind is an album that showcases the dark side of Egyptian Lover. Freak-A-Holic, One Track Mind, The Dark Side Of Egypt, Los Angeles, and Living On The Nile are the standout tracks. He was a true musical visionary in electro hop (electro hip hop). 1986 was a good solid year for Egyptian Lover somehow.
However One Track Mind did receive as much praise or accolades as its predecessor On The Nile did nor was it as essential. Yet the songs Freak-A-Holic, One Track Mind, Living On The Nile , and The Dark Side Of Egypt were all major hits that helped further expand The Egyptian Lover's audience and helped built his reputation.
The album is epic with an electro hop sound. Electronic meets hip hop music on this album. Of course West Coast rap and 80s rap had that electronic sound in its early stages during its beginning state. This album is a lost classic of 80s rap in general.
4/5****
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Egyptian Lover - On The Nile album review
On The Nile by is a groundbreaking album by Egyptian Lover. The pitch tuned songs, looped speech samples, and bitcrushed percussions are what stand out on this album. Electronic meets hip hop music on this album. Many fans of electro music and hip hop can agree that On The Nile was an album that was ahead of it's time. The album is an epic classic 80s rap album.
Girls is one of his strongest electro tracks for this album! The notes on Girls are pitch tuned at a fine level and position. The bitcrushed percussions help make the song stand out.
Computer Love (Sweet Dreams) was a robotic sounding electro song that was sure ahead of its time when this album was released in 1984. There is no doubt that Computer Love (Sweet Dreams) is a high-tech tune. The robotic sound is distorted and futuristic. The beats are not too thin or very processed.
On The Nile has a very interesting electronic soundscape over an upbeat dance sound akin to Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock from 1982. L.A.-based electro-hoppers instantly fell in love with the song after being played on KDAY Radio and being released as a single.
5/5*****!!
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2 Hard 2 Hype New/RCR - Born Leader / Let The Horns Blow single review
2 Hard 2 Hype was the first Hip Hop/Rap group out of San Antonio, Texas that predated P.K.O. (Poundz Ki'z Ozeez) by a couple of years or so. 2 Hard 2 Hype was formed in 1987 when the Texas Hip Hop/Rap scene was just getting started with the creation and formation of their own music pillars of formation with groups such as Nemesis (Somethin' Fresh aka Something Fresh), Ghetto Boys (now Geto Boys), Bad Mutha Goose, New Def'nition, and Project Crew (ATX) along with many others.
Anyway 2 Hard 2 Hype was the first Hip Hop/Rap group out of San Antonio, Texas to have singles on vinyl pressed up! Only 20 copies of their vinyl single were ever pressed up for JP Productions as the group 2 Hard 2 Hype was a local deal in SA. J.P. Moore owned JP Productions.
2 Hard 2 Hype did a song on the A side called New Born Leader. New Born Leader was a well known hit in San Antonio at the time. New Born Leader has a fresh 80s hip hop sound full of cuts and scratches. The hip hop beat is very much uptempo. The dub instrumental is just as dope as the original song.
Now RCR was another Hip Hop/Rap group from San Antonio, Texas as was 2 Hard 2 Hype. RCR predated P.K.O. as well too. They did a song on the B side called Let The Horns Blow. Now Let The Horns Blow was a selection of horn synths mixed into funk.
5/5*****!
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Nicole Wray - Advance 4 Track EP EP review
The Advance 4 Track EP was an album sampler that came out on vinyl for the Lovechild album that was supposed to be released in 2005 from Rocafella Records but that album wasn't ever released due to lack of sales, business conflicts, the Jay-Z vs. Dame Dash feud/beef, and internal business politics. Only 500 copies were pressed onto vinyl. This vinyl is very much mixed with rock, pop, soul, and Blues sounds.
Bling Bling is one of those club songs to groove your body to and dance to. Bling Bling is a fast paced pop-soul oriented song with hyphy beats that are off the hook. In fact you can hear some heavy bass notes with that edge rock sound. Other than that, Bling Bling is a very pop oriented song.
This song is for the ladies to get their girls to and get iced up to go to the club! This is a song to move your body body and throw your hands up to! A song to party to all night long! So toast to the good life!
Some hardcore Nicole Wray fans claim and say that Bling Bling was a leftover song from the Elektric Blue album that dropped in 2001. However Bling Bling was a song for the Lovechild album that was supposed to be released in 2005. The song Bling Bling was also a demo song for 3LW and later on was used by The Cheetah Girls as well. So Bling Bling was NOT a track for Elektric Blue at all.
Act A Fool is an upbeat soul song with a fast tempo making the pace very uptempo. The song is upbeat as a typical Nicole Wray song usually is. The song has both a Spanish flair and Latin music flair to it due to the rhythmic guitar used and Spanish flamenco beats. You will love the Spanish/Latin rhythmic guitar used on this song. Upbeat and uptempo are two words that can best describe this song.
Sound quality for the song Act A Fool is fairly low but good enough for you to enjoy at home or traveling on the road. Act A Fool has a low production sound and vibe to it.
She often fusses and fights with her lover over the way she acts. Nicole acts like a fool which still trying to be a background singer in the music industry. Still Nicole Wray manages to make it through her days. Sometimes she just does want to act like a damn fool as the song portrays.
Where I'm From is a sad heartfelt song about where Nicole Wray is from. Nicole Wray came from an area where crime and poverty was commonplace. Nicole didn’t exactly come from a middle class upbringing.
Nicole Wray is from the slums. The area Nicole Wray is from is where people ain't got no money and people look real funny. Dogs roam behind each other because they have no shelter or home. Young guys on the corner be pushin' real hard from Monday to Sunday regardless of the legality of the product or not. Whether it's legal or illegal. People ain't got no money but they all have a lot of love to share and give with each other.
Where I'm From will remind you of a sad Blues song. You will think of rock and Blues when you listen to Where I'm From. The song has a bluesy touch and feel. Nicole has a bluesy touch and feel in her vocals for this song.
The songs such as Ain't Nobody, Fire, Child Of The King, Walk Right Up, You Ain’t Shit To Me, and So Sexy should have been included on this vinyl. But definitely Ain't Nobody and Fire.
4/5****
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Renaizzance - The Rebirth of Soul album review
The Rebirth of Soul album is a renaissance and rebirth of R&B/soul music. The trio called Renaizzance gives R&B/soul music a revival of both new school neo-soul sounds and retro old school soul sounds. Renaizzance does get deep and delves into the retro soul sound. In fact the front cover has a retro artwork design of the R&B trio on stage in front of an audience. This album is one of the many lost albums of 90s R&B/soul music many music fans and listeners overlooked.
The R&B trio Renaizzance from Cincinnati, Ohio released an album called Rebirth of Soul and All Net Records on Provocative Records in 1995. R&B group Renaizzance consisted of Charles Reese Jr., Mark Scott, and Kermit Quinn II.
Friends driven by a barrage of live drums and electronically processed production. The beats are thick. The instrumentation and arrangements are laid out perfectly. Feelings get strong on this song. The song suggests let’s be friends before we’re lovers. It’s that type of song. They say the love ain’t going nowhere. The song has an overall romantic vibe. Friends is a “if we can’t be lovers, we can be friends” type of song.
Committed has an old school 80s soul sound similar to what you would expect to hear from Ready For The World, Shalamar, or Zapp. Committed is about real love and being in a real relationship. The funky guitar notes flow perfectly with the mid-tempo pace. The soulful chorus sings in an midtempo harmony similar to new school neo-soul.
Slow Jam is a cover song of Midnight Star - Slow Jam. This song is perfect for the ladies. The song was recorded at the beginning of 1996. It’s a rare soul gem.
Intimate Thoughts is an original song by Renaizzance that also serves as a cover version of Midnight Star - Slow Jam. The song is a slow tempo slow jam with a soulful touch. It’s another rare soul gem.
Gotta Get My Groove On is very much similar to Zapp due to presence of a vocoder being used. Gotta Get My Groove On is perfect to dance to or groove. The song was recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio at the beginning of 1996.
4/5****!!
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Renaizzance - Renaizzance album review
Renaizzance released a sophomore album called Renaizzance after the trio managed to gain a minor cult following with their debut album Rebirth of Soul. Soulful tunes, sultry sounds, romantic songs, and slow jams are what compromise the content for this album. Some of their previous songs from their debut album such as Slow Jam, Intimate Thoughts, and Gotta Get My Groove On among a few others appear on this album. This album is one of the many lost albums of 90s R&B/soul music many music fans and listeners overlooked.
The R&B trio Renaizzance from Cincinnati, Ohio released an album called Renaizzance on All Net Records and Provocative Records in 1996. R&B group Renaizzance consisted of Charles Reese Jr., Mark Scott, and Kermit Quinn II.
Intoxicate Me is an old school soul jam. This is the exact type of harmony in what today's R&B/soul is missing. It’s a breath of fresh air from today’s music played on the radio. The song is perfect for both genders.
Slow Jam is a cover song of Midnight Star - Slow Jam. This song is perfect for the ladies. The song was recorded at the beginning of 1996. It’s a rare soul gem. Intimate Thoughts is an original song by Renaizzance that also serves as a cover version of Midnight Star - Slow Jam. The song is a slow tempo slow jam with a soulful touch. It’s another rare soul gem.
Gotta Get My Groove On is very much similar to Zapp due to presence of a vocoder being used. Gotta Get My Groove On is perfect to dance to or groove. The song was recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio at the beginning of 1996.
4/5****!!
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LFSB - Star Bird single review
Star Bird by LFSB was the first product of San Antonio hip hop and rap to have ever been released. LFSB was the Leroy Franklin Starbird Band. Leroy Franklin created a group in 1980 called the Leroy Franklin Starbird Band. He gathered 3 or 4 member to compose the group. The group only lasted a couple of years however.
LFSB, 2 Hard 2 Hype (Too Hard Too Hype), and PKO were the first hip hop and rap acts out of San Antonio, Texas. LFSB, 2 Hard 2 Hype, PKO, RCR, Big Tim, Born Fresh Posse, Nexus Mutants, and Black Asiatic were the only ones putting down any weight in San Antonio. There was really no on else.
LFSB - Star Bird was released on 45 vinyl in 1981 from Star Records. Now the Star Bird jam is uptempo song. The tempo follows a funky guitar riff. Leroy Franklin tells us a cautionary tale about how drugs are no joke. Drugs make you do the things you do.
4/5****!
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The Dayton Family – Dope Dayton Ave. single review
This was the first track The Dayton Family had ever recorded. Dope Dayton Ave. was recorded in 1991 and released on a cassette single that was a demo with Ghetto Thang included. Dope Dayton Ave. was re-recorded in 1994 with Mark Taylor and J Robinson producing the track. The group began working with local producer Steve Pitts and formed The Dayton Family later.
Backstabba gets hardcore and aggressive. The track is known for its patterns of aggressiveness. Read his verses used in the lyrics of Dope Dayton Ave.:
nobody fucks me
especially on Dayton Avenue
because all I do is smoke weed, sell crack, and screw
brew too
Ghetto Thang is a demo of Ghetto from the FBI album that dropped in 1996. This version of Ghetto is very much different from the version of Ghetto on the FBI album. Ghetto Thang samples Art of Noise - Moments in Love while Ghetto on the FBI album samples The Floaters - Float On. The lyrics are very much different from each other but have the same concept of living in a cycle of poverty. However Ghetto Thang has some similar lyrics to Ghetto from the FBI album. K-Mill (R.I.P.) of Raw Deal speaks at the end of Ghetto Thang.
Ghetto Thang provides emotional insight showcasing the life cycle of poverty. The mood is sad and mournful. The lyrics are very much different from each other but have the same concept of living life in a cycle of poverty. It's about survival. Hustling and trying to have a normal life in an impossible environment.
5/5*****!!
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The Dayton Family – Dope Dayton Ave. EP review
Dope Dayton Ave. was a demo pressed on cassette released on GrayT Records (GreyT Records) in 1994. The Dayton Family had this tape circulating around Flint, Michigan. Only 500 copies were ever made and released. This demo tape is extremely and hard to come by or even find in retail stores. This album was released only in Flint. This demo cassette became a cult classic and a fan favorite in the underground scene of Flint rap amongst TDF fans. This tape was sold at Wyatt Earp’s Store in Flint also.
Some tracks from their demo cassette were from the albums FBI and What’s On My Mind. Most of these tracks are the demo versions which are different from the studio versions seen or heard from the albums FBI and What’s On My Mind. This demo is realistically more of an EP than an actual full length album due to its short duration.
This version of Dope Dayton Ave. is quite similar to the 1995 version of Dope Dayton Ave. heard on the What’s On My Mind album. Only the sound is a lot less polished and unmastered in terms of production and sound quality. This version of Dope Dayton Ave. has a more ghetto underground sound. The beats are raw. This is where The Dayton Family gets real raw. They are constantly aggressive on the track.
Dope Dayton Ave. is named after the infamous Dayton Avenue, is known as one of the most crime-ridden streets in Flint, Michigan. Bootleg, Shoestring, and Backstabba rap about coming up from their own upbringings living in the hardest conditions of the United States of America. The trio’s name is derived from Dayton Avenue in Flint.
This was the first track The Dayton Family had ever recorded. Dope Dayton Ave. was recorded in 1991 and released on a cassette single that was a demo with Ghetto Thang included. Dope Dayton Ave. was re-recorded in 1994 with Mark Taylor and J Robinson producing the track. The group began working with local producer Steve Pitts and formed The Dayton Family later.
Backstabba gets hardcore and aggressive. The track is known for its patterns of aggressiveness. Read his verses used in the lyrics of Dope Dayton Ave.:
nobody fucks me
especially on Dayton Avenue
because all I do is smoke weed, sell crack, and screw
brew too
Ghetto Thang is a demo of Ghetto from the FBI album that dropped in 1996. This version of Ghetto is very much different from the version of Ghetto on the FBI album. Ghetto Thang samples Art of Noise - Moments in Love while Ghetto on the FBI album samples The Floaters - Float On.
The lyrics are very much different from each other but have the same concept of living in a cycle of poverty. However Ghetto Thang has some similar lyrics to Ghetto from the FBI album. K-Mill (R.I.P.) of Raw Deal speaks at the end of Ghetto Thang.
Ghetto Thang provides emotional insight showcasing the life cycle of poverty. The mood is sad and mournful. The lyrics are very much different from each other but have the same concept of living life in a cycle of poverty. It's about survival. Hustling and trying to have a normal life in an impossible environment.
This version of FBI is much different from the version found on the 1996 FBI album. This version uses samples while the 1996 version does not. This version of FBI was produced by Mark Taylor instead of Steve Pitts FBI samples The Isley Brothers - For The Love Of You and Ludwig van Beethoven - Für Elise. The beats have different arrangements, persuasion selection, samples, filters, rhythm, and sound from the 1996 version of FBI. Mark Taylor used equal temperament while producing the track. Its enharmonic sound is quite notable. J Robinson laid down the arrangements.
Ludwig van Beethoven - Für Elise is the most the notable sample that used throughout the track being that the sample is looped itself over as the background music. Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (WoO 59, Bia 515) for solo piano, commonly known as Für Elise, is the highlight sample for this track.
The piece is in A minor and is set in at 3|8 time. The song does not lack atonality (lacks a tonal center or key). Left-hand arpeggios are delayed by a 16th note with extra bars in the B section and finally last is the rising A minor arpeggio figure. It begins with an A minor theme marked Poco moto (little movement), with the left hand playing arpeggios alternating between A minor and E major. Then the pitch shifts to the C note (C major) descending into the A note (A minor).
The sample is played in A minor with pitch shifting to B using the ABA scale such as follows.: A-B-A
The ABA scale is the most noticeable music scale used on FBI. A brief section is based around C major and A minor. C major descends into A minor. The structure is A–B–A–C–A in rondo form.The structure is A–B–A–C–A in rondo form much of which is looped throughout the track.
FBI takes ride through one of the worst ghettos of in the United States of America with such gruesome imagery and powerful narratives. FBI is a classic without a doubt. The track itself is a cult classic for Dayton Family fans.
Musical arrangements and beats for the demo version of Flint Town are much different from the version of Flint Town that appeared on the What’s On My Mind album. The lyrics are slightly different with alternative verses not heard of the What’s On My Mind album. Treble is reduced on the demo version of this track as well. Mark Taylor produced the demo version while Steve Pitts produced the 1994 version. Flint Town samples the beat of Run DMC - Rock Box.
Flint Town is the track that made The Dayton Family a legendary rap ground in the streets of Flint, the state of Michigan, and throughout the Midwest US. This is the absolute highlight track for this demo!
The Dayton Family refutes the notion that race does not matter in American society. Flint is not a prosperous scenic town inhabited by celebrities. Michael Jackson says “Black or white, it shouldn’t matter.”. This is a reference to Michael Jackson - Black Or White where Michael Jackson says race shouldn’t matter. Clearly Michael Jackson was living in an idealistic, magical place like Hollywood, California. Flint is a place where things are very rough and race matters. The Dayton Family feels there isn’t any way out of a bleak environment.
The movie industry pays no attention to the plight of Flint. Although, however, Michael Moore’s 1989 documentary Roger and Me shed light on the deindustrialization situation that hurt Flint severely.
Bootleg tried to go to college but didn’t feel he could fit in anyway due to his social, economic, and racial background. This indicates life in Flint is difficult and there is limited opportunity to receive higher education. There are several colleges in the area such as the University of Michigan – Flint, and Kettering University Bootleg makes commentary on discrimination in the college admissions process. University of Michigan’s Affirmative Action policies are often racist. This has been a big issue and still is.
Flint keeps people trapped in an impoverished environment. It is so hard to escape the drugs and violence that plague Flint. He refuses to work hard at a fast food franchise and still be poor. He can’t live in a nice condo as he would still be in the hood.
What’s On My Mind is another track that made The Dayton Family a legendary rap ground in the streets of Flint, the state of Michigan, and throughout the Midwest US. The Dayton Family discusses to the listeners what’s on their mind while not holding back of course. The Dayton Family comes with a “no holds barred attitude” in aggressive form on this track and several other tracks of theirs. Any fan of hardcore gangsta rap will enjoy this track!
The Dayton Family does not hold back for anything! For example, read these verses to the lyrics of What’s On My Mind.:
What's on my mind is a rape in progress
I got my dick in between some bitch’s breasts
What's on my mind is a knife at a hoe’s throat
I took her gold, her pussy, and her mink coat
Fantasies is a track that was recorded by The Dayton Family in 1991. The demo version of Fantasies samples The Isley Brothers - For The Love Of You. The demo version of Fantasies has more added flavor than the studio version. The demo version of Fantasies is a totally different version than the studio version of Fantasies.
Fantasies is a track perfect for a vacation on a tropical island or a long cruise down the road while traveling. But most definitely Fantasies is song perfect for a vacation on a tropical island for sunny weather or the summer season.
Jake The Flake is a hidden bonus track included on the Dope Dayton Ave. demo. The track is a Jake The Flake solo. The track Jake The Flake is both an underground classic and a Flint rap classic amongst Jake The Flake. Good hardcore shit right here. The track Jake The Flake was recorded in 1992 around the time his debut Time To Go Legit EP dropped. The bass is quite heavy with pultruding bass lines with different musical notes. Mark Taylor arranged the heavy bass lines.
5/5*****!!
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