Tag: Classic

Share My World: The 20th Anniversary

“…And the most innovative female singer of our decade…. Many have describe her as the paramount, the most soulful, the most prolific…. Who else is accepted in the streets as well as by their peers?” says the man of the voice that is being played in the beginning of this classic album. Behind the masterminds of Trackmasters’ very own Tone & Poke, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have also put this magic into creating this hip hop/R&B masterpiece that we all know and love today. After the street girl persona on “What’s the 411?” and the personal, heartfelt, dark and depressing but deeply loved and appreciated “My Life”, Mary steps out on her own, away from Diddy to share her world in a totally different and new light that showed a more positive, uplifting and hopeful Mary with an attitude that was still looking forward to more positive things in life. 20 years ago on April 22nd, 1997, Mary J. Blige released her third album, “Share My World.” With an opening statement that best describes Mary’s impact and contribution to music, the intro further goes on with previous hit songs and award show appearances in which she won in her career at the time leading up to a perfect current new moment in her career that starts off with a Mobb Deep sample loop and “I Can Love You” comes in. “I Can Love You” is the second song on the album and the second single released in July 1997. The song features Lil’ Kim and it’s a song about convincing a man how she’s a better lover for him than the current woman he’s with. The music video takes place in a random woods in a abandoned little house and there’s a party going on. In the middle of the party, Mary notices the man she was with hanging out with another woman. She walks away mad in the end. The next song “Love Is All We Need” is the first single released from the album but the third track on the album. An inspirational and uplifting song about loving one another and being in peace with each other. It samples Rick James’ “Moonchild.” It goes both ways though, one as lovers and the other as a people. The song features Nas. There’s a hidden version without Nas but the music video takes place in a downtown office in NY where Mary plays as fashion designer, then as an important woman on the job or an executive and then as models ripping the runway and the video ends with her on the roof of a building rocking a fly fur coat. “Round and Round” is a top 5 joint on this album to me personally. Thanks to DJ Premier, it has the same sample loop as Jay-Z’s “D’evils” on his 1996 debut, “Reasonable Doubt.” The song definitely has that underground NYC hip hop sound with a dark like scary tone like a villain’s theme song but with a heavy bass hip hop beat and Mary’s raw and raspy vocals. It’s in true Mary style. “Share My World” starts with an interlude about appreciating Mary’s beautiful blackness. An interlude that turns into a song about appreciating Mary for who she is as a black woman. Being the man who loves and appreciates her for her natural beauty and features and not for what she’s not. Mary has stated herself that during this album, she wanted to touch on subjects that talked about appreciation for her looks because she was in a relationship with someone who complained she was “dark or light enough” and that she had hair that was either not “straight, long, or nappy enough.” “Seven Days”, the fourth single released from the album and ironically, the seventh joint on the album about a friend who turns into a lover. Guest appearance from George Benson who appears in the music video playing guitar and singing at the end. “It’s On”, which was written, produced, and featured by R. Kelly is a love making song. “Thank You Lord (Interlude)” a lovely short ballad skit that was written by Kelly Price. So soothing and beautiful. “Missing You”, a slow ballad about missing someone’s presence but she’s not “in love” with him. “I’m not in love, it’s just some kinda thing I’m going thru, goin’ thru, goin’ thru and it’s not infatuation, ain’t nothing goin’ on between me and you, me and you, me and you but I dream about it every night baby, wanting you here with me and making love to me….” The first verse says it all. “Everything”, the third single released but the eleventh joint. One of Mary’s signature songs. Samples The Stylistic’s 1971 hit song “You Are Everything” but has a whole new twist to it. The music video takes place in Hawaii where Mary is looking beautiful in different hairstyles and looks and can’t forget to mention the very underrated So So Def Remix featuring Jermaine Dupri and Roc. The remix got inspiration from D-Nice’s “My Name Is D-Nice.” In the beginning, Mary says “I’m Mary J. Blige, I’m, I’m, I’m Mary J. Blige.” The music video was similar except she’s not in Hawaii, it’s just her, JD and Roc dancing all over and a bunch of Mary’s faces are all over the place repeatedly. The hip hop soul queen’s crown sits more comfortably on her head for that one… big time! “Keep Your Head”, another personal favorite of mine off the album. This song has a similar beat to Nas’ remix to “Street Dreams.” It also has that hip hop vibe like “Round and Round” and “I Can Love You.” Another song about staying positive and trying to stay positive. Mary almost goes into storytelling style like Slick Rick about how she tries to be a more positive individual herself. “Can’t Get You Off My Mind” is another dope hip hop song that features The LOX. Mary gave them their first taste of success when she introduced them to Diddy back then. “Get To Know You Better” is my top favorite on the album. This song gives me Neo Soul vibes. I love everything about this song. The bass, the beat, the vocals, it’s easily the best one. Mary goes into her positive spirituality mode again on this joint. “Why do we go thru things unnecessary, why can’t we understand that our love is the key….”, my favorite line in the song. The chorus puts me in a trance and I get lost in the stacking smooth vocals. I love it. “Searching” is my second favorite on the album just for the sick hip hop beat and the clever way Mary basically remade the Roy Ayers song with the same name and she even got into her 1970’s soul singing Ways by scatting the same way Roy’s song sounds. Mary’s ability to bring hip hop and soul together, this song is the perfect example of that, in fact, it’s a top 3 example of Mary’s songs with the perfect combination of hip hop and soul to me. “Our Love”, a beautiful Natalie Cole remake and the album ends with “Not Gon’ Cry”, which was originally on the “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack back in 1995. “Share My World” is my second favorite Mary J. Blige album because I loved it’s positive attitude, emotional honesty, underground NYC hip hop/Neo soul sound that to me was far more interesting to me than “My Life.” Everything about this album is absolutely perfect and the beginning of a new and improved Mary. 20 years later, Mary is still sitting very high on her throne and has a new album releasing in 6 days. This album is definitely on the list of a lot of people’s top Mary J. Blige albums. Definitely a classic right here. From start to finish. Mary, Mary, Mary…. live ya life girl!

Life After Death: The 20th Anniversary

20 years ago, Brooklyn’s very own The Notorious B.I.G. passed away in Los Angeles from a drive by shooting. His passing was definitely a huge loss in hip hop history and then 16 days later, his second album “Life After Death” was released. The album was released on March 25th, 1997. A double disc album that came at the right time after his death. The album touches on topics of enjoying life, success, street crime, and paranoia, with a little bit of Biggie’s comedic touch and funny storytelling while trying to stay positive with hopes of escaping the life he once had while growing up in Brooklyn, trying to survive. It was almost like the Brooklyn MC knew his time was coming. Compared to “Ready to Die”, this album was more of Biggie trying to escape the street life and becoming more of a man whose trying to focus more on the positive things in life while still keeping an eye out for anything lurking, coming his way that made him feel paranoid. To me personally, this album only had a few cuts that I was able to skip past while “Ready to Die” was a masterpiece that was able to be played all the way through without any skips. The album starts off with a skit where Diddy is talking to Biggie and trying to make sure he stays alive. It’s a perfect way to get the album started. Biggie flatlines at the end and then as the album goes on, it seems as though he’s talking to us, telling us stories from another place in life, a life after death. Besides the classic singles released from the album, “Kick In the Door”, “Last Day”, “What’s Beef?”, “I Got a Story to Tell”, “The World Is Filled…” and “My Downfall” are all standout tracks to me. Everything about those tracks from the production, the storytelling and of course the way Biggie delivers with his voice. This isn’t just plain rapping, this is a storyteller’s life and the things that were going on in his head. After all, a tragedy that took the MC’s life and cut it short turns into a celebration because the love of his fans and family keeps his legacy alive. In the words of The LOX, we’ll always love Big Poppa.

JUICE: The 25th Anniversary

January 17th, 1992, the classic hip hop movie “JUICE” was released. 25 years later and the movie is still a timeless favorite from hip hop fans all over. The movie has plenty of hip hop cameos too. EPMD, Kool DJ Red Alert, Treach from Naughty By Nature, him and Tupac were really close friends and Fab 5 Freddy. The movie mostly takes place in Harlem and it’s about 4 friends who do what it takes to get respect or in other words get the “juice.” They skip school just to hang out in Steel’s house while his parents are at work all day. Bishop and Q have a fight about what it takes to get respect in their own neighborhood and why they gotta stop taking harassment from the cops everyday but in order to escape everyday harassment by the cops in their neighborhood, they all come up with an idea to rob the corner store in order to get the “juice.” Things start to change when Bishop gets control of the gun and decides to shoot Quiles dead in his store. He then gets a little too pistol happy and ends up killing Raheem in a fight because he refuses to let the gun go. Now only Q, Bishop and Steel left, Q tells Bishop that he is “crazy” and Bishop didn’t like that. Eventually, throughout the rest of the movie, Q and Steel team up together to avoid Bishop but he pops up everywhere trying to lure them into his schemes and so he can get back at them. Bishop catches Steel in the hallway of his building and ends up shooting him. Q finds out and decides that he’ll go buy a gun just in case Bishop comes for him and they end up fighting until the end of the movie when Q accidentally let’s Bishop fall to his death off the roof of the building. Everyone that was from the party inside the building saw the whole thing happened and then someone reminds Q that he’s got the “juice” but he shakes his head no and the movie ends. The movie stars Omar Epps, Khalil Kain, Jermaine Hopkins and the late great Tupac. Quincy aka Q or GQ (played by Omar Epps), is the good guy in the crew, aka The Wreckin’ Crew, who doesn’t really want to get involved in their stick up plans lead by Bishop (played by Tupac) and Raheem (played by Khalil Kain). Q is mostly focused on being a popular local DJ and winning contests at the DJ battles that are hosted by Ruffhouse MC (played by Queen Latifah). Raheem is Q’s closest friend of the crew. Raheem denies his responsibilities of being a father to his son by his ex girlfriend. He’s also the leader of the Wreckin’ Crew and it was also his idea along with Bishop to rob Quiles’ store. Steel is the guy in the crew whose always being laughed at by the crew and the one whose always late when they wanna go hang out and skip school. They go back to his place to hang out while his parents aren’t home and Bishop is the one in the crew that’s always ready for something. Always prepared to “throw down” when something happens. He gets harassed by the neighborhood bully Radames everyday and every time Radames gets a chance to. Radames always threatens to beat up or kill Bishop which adds fuel to why he eventually gone crazy throughout the movie but then Bishop comes back for Radames and kills him. The soundtrack to the movie is even just as dope. “Is It Good to You” by Tammy Lucas and “Don’t Be Afraid” by Aaron Hall are my top favorites on the soundtrack. Also can’t forget by Naughty By Nature’s “Uptown Anthem.” This movie will still be a hip hop favorite in another 10 years or more.

Hot, Cool, & Vicious: The 30th Anniversary

30 years ago on December 8th, 1986, two young, fly, around-the-way girls from Queens, New York who were good friends released their first album called “Hot, Cool & Vicious.” The two good friends were named Salt-N-Pepa. Originally called “Super Nature” on their first single back in 1985 named “The Showstopper”, these two kicked the door down and were proving to the world that they can do it just like the guys can. People recognized them as the “salt and pepper” MC’s, a line that was said in “The Showstopper” and that was the birth of Salt-N-Pepa. The original DJ Spinderella was another girl from Queens named Latoya Henson. Due to several issues behind closed doors with the group and manager Herby “Luv Bug” Azor, she was later replaced with Deidra Roper as she appeared in the video to “Push It.” Now usually, I like to do a track by track analysis when it comes to these album anniversaries but with this one, I’m not. I’m not gonna do that for this one just for the simple fact that the album to me had the same dope vibe the whole way through. It’s a 9-track LP with singles like “Push It” and “Tramp.” “My Mic Sounds Nice” is my personal favorite on the album and I think the title was perfect too. It perfectly describes the ladies’ personalities and the tracks reflect it as well. The entire album gives me attitude with a party vibe that’s not too over the top. I imagine a group of friends walking down the street listening to this album on a boombox and just dancing in the street, hanging out in the front of the building and rapping along to the lyrics with a pair of Pro Keds or Adidas or Pumas, some ripped Levi jeans at the knees for a dope design but also at the back of the heels because they’re worn a lot and a bubble coat with the fur on the hood cause remember it’s December 1986. Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella left an impact in hip hop that was empowering to women. They had topics about sex and what they thought about men, in a honest way too, not male bashing, there’s a difference. 30 years later, it’s still something that’s timeless and fun, dope and classic. As they said, “Salt-N-Pepa’s here and where in effect….!”

Ill Na Na: The 20th Anniversary Edition!

On November 19th, 1996, a young, hardcore chick from Brooklyn, who is my all time favorite female MC, released her debut album. 20 years later, the album is still a masterpiece from beginning to end. Banger after banger, hit after hit, there are no misses on this joint right here. Yo, I hate saying “female MC” because their sex shouldn’t be the focus, it’s the skills that matters and this chick right here definitely got the skills on the mic and that’s why she’s my top favorite. When I listen to her, she’s raw, she’s hard, she’s hood wit it, she’s got the balls, the attitude, the style, and sexy all at the same time. Very hard but feminine at the same time. Skin dark like dark chocolate and has a in-your-face style too. The 18 year old was Brooklyn’s own Foxy Brown. 1996 may be the year she released her debut album but it was the year before that when she appeared as a guest on LL Cool J’s remix to the joint “I Shot Ya” and to me she had the best verse. Foxy from the beginning was a beast. She gives me goosebumps when I listen to her. People pin her and Lil’ Kim against each other from the beginning since they both came out probably a week from each other. They may be similar in some ways but Foxy does something to me that Kim doesn’t. Now, “Ill Na Na”, straight banger and I’m not exaggerating. There are absolutely no skips when this joint is on. The album starts off with the “Chicken Coop” intro that’s in true, legendary Trackmasters style. That deep voice that lures you into what’s about to come through your speakers and gives you an introduction of what you’re about to witness, a little history of the team that’s behind Foxy, the label, the year, everything and then finally it’s “Foxy Brownnnnn, the Albummm.” Isaac Hayes makes an appearance at the end of the intro and then there’s the cross fade transition into “(Holy Matrimony) Letter to the Firm.” How ironic because the song samples Isaac Hayes’ “Ike’s Mood, Part 1.” Foxy spits an entire joint dedicated to her The Firm peers, Nas and AZ. Next, it’s “Foxy’s Bells.” Foxy gives you a LL Cool J “Rock the Bells” but on her own twist. She pulled it off in a great way too. Then, we hear the soft sounds of Teddy Riley’s group BLACKstreet on the joint “Get Me Home.” Now I have to clear this up right now. I notice sometimes, here and there, people say it’s “Gotta Get Me Home” when it’s just simply named “Get Me Home”, okay people? A’ight, let’s keep going. This joint was one of the singles off the album. It’s a certified banger and a automatic classic for both Foxy and BLACKstreet. It’s a song to me that never gets old. It’s timeless shit. Chauncey Black was no joke on the vocals and this was around the time when they had new members in the group. Next, “The Promise”, Havoc of Mobb Deep is on this one. This is the Foxy that I love. She brings you that street shit, her stories of being around men who hustle and do street shit and the guy promises her that everything will be straight but in the long run, things will eventually get ugly and of course they do. This part of the album is like a story of a woman whose trapped in a bind. She’s surrounded by these hustlers and she wants to get away. The short interlude “The Set Up”, she wants to leave her man because she believes the relationship isn’t working out but he’s not taking her seriously and then these dudes run up on him who represent for her and protect her by killing him right there on sight. “If I” comes on. It’s a joint that’s the answer to the interlude. She talks about what would happen if she could rewind time back to when life was good. Her life and relationship changes when she starts to blow up and become an artist. Great storytelling. An original purpose in hip hop that I love. “The Chase” is another hard joint about the street life. Running around just trying to survive. “Ill Na Na”, the album title joint, my dude Mef appears on this one. What I love about Mef is that he has a special way of collaborating with people. It’s not just a normal joint featuring Method Man, he actually blends well with other artists by feeling out their vibe and feeding the listeners who he’s vibing with on the track. He’s the perfect collaborator to me. This joint shows love to Foxy about her style and who she is. She almost gives the men a taste of what she likes and what she’s about at the same time giving the ladies some inspiration to be proud of the women they are if they relate to her style and ways. “No One’s” a smooth joint with the smooth sounds of Khadijah Bass. The joint comes from The S.O.S. Band’s “No One’s Gonna Love You.” It works very well over a hip hop track. I honestly don’t think this joint would work with anybody else on the hook and chorus. “Fox Boogie” is hands down my favorite joint on the album just because Kid Capri is on the track. He provides all the flavor and party vibe on the track. This is the joint you put on at parties when everybody come together and have their red cups and everybody is singing along to “Uggggghhhh, na na na naaaaa!” Foxy keeps it strictly Foxy style still. Giving the people who the fuck she is. That cocky rapper joint. Everybody has their cocky tracks and that’s okay. That’s the best part about hip hop: the boldness and rebelliousness. It’s a beautiful thing. The joint transitions into “I’ll Be”, another single released from the album and my boy Jay-Z appears on this one. This is the joint everybody knows when it comes to Foxy Brown. That Rene & Angela sample was genius too. Foxy and Jay have that 90’s Bonnie & Clyde thing going on before he had Beyoncé. The album ends on a continuation of the intro and Isaac Hayes says the last things that he wanted to say before the beat stops. Hands down, this album is my all time favorite when it comes to women in hip hop. Truly a masterpiece. I enjoy it every single time I listen to it. I get this movie in my head of almost a hood version of Romeo & Juliet. I remember posting about this album on it’s 18th and 19th anniversaries too and Foxy showed me love with kisses and heart emojis. She’s truly my heart when it comes to women MC’s. See how I switched it up? But still. I hate the label regardless. It’s safe to end this on a good note. I can finish the movie in my head I have while listening to this album with her video of “Big Bad Mamma” featuring Dru Hill. Stephon Marbury pops up on the sofa across the room from her and goes “Ayo Fox! Why you ain’t at the ball yo!?” It’s the Cinderella story of a hood girl who made it through the shit she been through during “Ill Na Na” and now she’s a survivor. Fox Boogie Brown is definitely bad as hell. Salute to a legend, one of hip hop’s ILLEST women on the M-I-C. Love you Fox! Word, one love.

The Low End Theory: The 25th Anniversary

2 months ago, “Beats, Rhymes & Life” turned 20, now here we are on September 24th, 2016, and another classic Tribe album has an anniversary. “The Low End Theory”, my favorite ATCQ album turns 25. Before I get into this album track by track, I spent some time on Phife’s Instagram account and it still hurts that he’s not here. It’s surreal, I think about this man everyday. I just wish he was here to see “Beats, Rhymes & Life” turning 20, 2 months ago and now “The Low End Theory”, turning 25. This album is known for it’s jazzy sounds that influenced a lot of other hip hop artists and albums. “Excursions”, the opening track on the album is a head nodder and Q-Tip rips this joint. The next joint “Buggin’ Out”, is the joint you hear at the end of the “Scenario” music video and this time Phife is who we hear first and then Tip comes in afterwards. It’s the classic yin and yang thing that the fellas do in their music. “Rap Promoter” has a beat that knocks a little bit more harder than the first two joints on the album and bit more bass too. The next joint “Butter” is one of my all time favorite Tribe joints. This song always plays in my head out of all the Tribe joints there are and it’s my favorite song to listen to when I’m on the train just cruising on my way downtown doing what I usually do, shopping or going to visit family in Queens. Haha, how ironic, Queens is the hometown of Tribe, except Ali Shaheed, he’s from Bed-Stuy. Just like hook goes the joint is strictly BUTTER. “Not no Parkay, not no margarine but strictly butter baby!” The next joint “Verses From the Abstract” is a smooth joint from the Abstract himself. It has a cypher kinda style where a couple of guys come together randomly on the sidewalks and just nod their heads to a dope beat like this joint and do their thing. “Show Business” is another favorite joint of mine on this album. It’s a catchy joint about having the guts and courage to deal with dealing with the rap industry, questioning those who are willing and dedicated to do this. “Vibes and Stuff” has the perfect title. It’s just vibes and stuff. Dope smooth beat and a head nod. “The Infamous Date Rape”, a song that touches on the subject of date rape. An important topic should be discussed more so that people understand what does it mean when someone says NO! The next joint “Check the Rhime”, the first single released from this album and of course a classic. I loved how the video had everyone from the neighborhood Kickin’ it with Tribe. By the way, the ATCQ mural on Linden Boulevard is the exact same place where the video for this joint took place 25 years ago. I’m just glad I was there. Word. “Everything Is Fair” is one of those Tribe joints where they obviously use a sample that takes over the entire the song. This joint coulda been an instrumental and it would still work. “Jazz (We’ve Got)”, awwww maannnn! This is my all time favorite Tribe joint. I am obsessed with this joint all the way yo! Everything was perfect about this joint. The beat, the jazzy horns sounds, Tip, Phife, the simple rhythmic hook “We’ve got the jazz, we’ve got the jazz.” My favorite part on this joint is the beginning of Phife’s part when he uses his Trinidadian accent and goes “Competition dem Phifer come sideway, but competition dey mus me come straightway.” I lose it at that part all the time. “Skypager” was cool. The beat is dope but that’s pretty much it. It was more like an interlude or a short skit to me. “What?”…… The perfect title for it. Didn’t like this joint and of course the album ends with “Scenario.” Another classic Tribe joint with the help from Leaders of the New School, Busta Rhymes original rap group. It was Busta, Charlie Brown, Cut Monitor Milo and Dinco D. The video was perfect for the song too. It was just as hype as the song. Another hip hop classic right here, from beginning to end. This album is always up for debate with “Midnight Marauders” amongst hip hop and Tribe fans about which is Tribe’s better album and whose is what favorite. Once again, much love and peace to my man Phife Dawg. Rest in peace King.

Naughty 25

Coming from East Orange, New Jersey, Treach, Vinnie and DJ Kay Gee aka Naughty By Nature, are one of the DOPEST hip hop groups of all time. Treach is the frontman of the group and he’s one of my favorite voices in hip hop. He has that kinda voice that perfectly matches the sounds that you hear when you listen to a Naughty joint. His delivery on the mic is incredible too, very swift and powerful, it’s like watching a Muhammad Ali fight. Without his voice, Naughty records wouldn’t be the same. Then there’s Vinnie or Vin Rock. His energy in the group reminds me of what Phife Dawg has with Q-Tip, what Spliff Star has with Busta Rhymes and what DMC has with Run, it’s that perfect yin and yang thing that works in hip hop and then there’s DJ Kay Gee. Kay Gee is the DJ and producer of the group. His production skills is the perfect sound for the East Orange natives, the sound that reflects who they are and where they come from. That sound you hear that’s hard with DJ scratches and those hard to figure out samples that you don’t know if you’re not familiar with them. Also, he’s very cool, quiet and laid back, he reminds me of Ali Shaheed Muhammad. They’re mostly recognized for their hit “O.P.P.” which comes from their self titled album released on this day 25 years ago. I remember hearing this album all the way through for the first time ever and never skipped a track on this album. The entire album is a banger from beginning to end. The album starts off with a joint called “Yoke the Joker.” A hard but kinda smooth joint with the Queen Latifah loop, the next joint “Wickedest Man Alive” features Queen Latifah, whose another New Jersey native and a legendary female MC. I like the hook on this joint, it was catchy and almost sounds like a reggae joint. The next joint “O.P.P.”, is the first single released from this album and the third joint on the album. They say there’s a charm and this song is definitely one of their best and what makes people remember who they are the most. This song to me has one of the catchiest hooks ever in hip hop history and it’s even better with that ABC, 123 Jackson 5 sample and the music video had a party vibe where everyone came out to have a good time. The next joint “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” is the fourth joint on the album but the second single released from this album but if you have the uncensored version on the album, the CD says “Ghetto Bastard.” Makes me happy and feel like a true hip hop fan to have the uncensored version. LOL! I like this joint mostly because of the beat, it’s hard to not wanna nod your head or get up and do the wop real quick. The next joint “Let the Ho’s Go” is my favorite on the album because of the Run-D.M.C. “Peter Piper” sample loop and the beat is something I never heard before. “Everyday All Day” is a more laid back joint, it’s a joint you play in the car when you’re cruising on a beautiful afternoon during the spring and summer but Treach is still killing with the delivery. “Guard Your Grill” has a very funny intermission in the beginning with a random dude with a British accent and then when the beat drops, it’s another hardcore joint. Damn, I really wish I knew how to rap though, I would learn from Treach. “Pin the Tail On the Donkey” is my second favorite joint on the album and to me it almost sounds like a song for Young MC or Tone Lōc too. The beat is also something different to me too and the “Go!” chants make you wanna busta move on the dance floor, shit I definitely would. LMAO!! The ninth joint “1, 2, 3” is also another laid back joint and the Eazy E and Dr. Dre loop on the hook is dope. Honorable mentions to both Apache and Lakim Shabazz who appear on this joint. “Strike a Nerve” is a joint that starts with an intermission where they get harassed by cops for playing music but then of course, in classic Naughty fashion, the beat drops and it’s in your face. It’s an in-your-face joint about frustration spending a day in the hood and Vinnie finally spits on this joint. He did his thing on that one. “Rhyme’ll Shine On” had those piano sounds over that Rakim “I Know You Got Soul” beat but a little slowed down and sing along hook where you “clap your hands, just feel it” and say it’s alright! “Thankx for Sleepwalking” starts off with Treach calling Vinnie out for not being dressed, it’s kinda funny and then another laid back joint drops. The piano sounds on the beat almost reminds me of Christmas time, I don’t know why. LOL! And finally the album ends the same way the classic movie “Juice” ends, with “Uptown Anthem.” This joint is the final single released from this album and it’s another one of my favorite Naughty joints. I wasn’t alive when this joint dropped 25 years ago because I was born three years later but when I listen to this album and watch the music videos it still feels like the 90’s, a time when hip hop was so dope. If you’re a true hip hop fan, you’ll definitely enjoy this classic and of course if you’re from New Jersey you should definitely know about this. Classic material like this never gets old, it’s a timeless classic.

Just Plain Ol’ MARY!

On this day in 1999, Mary J. Blige aka The Queen of Hip Hop Soul, released her fourth self titled album called “Mary.” I remember vividly that summer when the album came out like it was yesterday. I was 5 years old and I spent that entire summer at my auntie’s house in Virginia with my sister and cousins. Whenever we watched TV, my older cousin used to watch music videos all day from MTV Jams. I remember seeing Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)”, Ginuwine’s “So Anxious” and Mary J. Blige’s “All That I Can Say” music videos the most. I am a huge Mary J. Blige fan, the same way I’m a ATCQ fan. I have every Mary J. Blige album, music videos downloaded and saved on my flash drive, magazines, books, posters and a VHS tape from back in 2008. I’ve been a fan of Mary since I was 2 years old and even my family can tell the stories about me being a Mary fan as a kid. Those stories amaze me still to this day but anyways, back to this album. “All That I Can Say”, the very first joint on the album and the first single released from this album was a great way to start the album off right. Compared to Mary’s first three albums, this album was more R&B/soul with that Gap Band, Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder vibe than the usual hip hop vibe Mary is known for in her sound. To me it’s like her “Share My World” album only more R&B so the evolution in Mary’s career was a perfect one. “All That I Can Say” was written and produced by Lauryn Hill and she even sings background on it too. It’s a very dope song with a “I’m gonna have a good day” kinda vibe and the music video was something different from Mary too. She presents a whole new femininity side of her that wasn’t seen before. The whole time in the video, she’s dreaming of searching for her man by walking down the street vibing in her usual Mary vibe, singing and doing her little nods and rocking, then she’s all over billboards and street lights with these red balls flying around everywhere on Times Square-42nd Street, then she’s in a dress on an escalator going to the sky and then there’s skyscrapers, the sky and she’s walking on cloud 9 literally towards a man whose just standing there and then she wakes up bugged out about the dream and it ends. This video was in heavy rotation on MTV Jams back in 1999. “Sexy” is the second joint on the album featuring The Lox’s very own Jadakiss. This is the only song on the album with a hip hop vibe and the song takes inspiration from Michael Jackson’s 1979 joint “I Can’t Help It”, which is my all time favorite Michael Jackson song from his album “Off the Wall.” The song talks about making love. The third song “Deep Inside” and the second single released from this album, is a joint about Mary wanting acceptance for who she is and not the superstar. It was only right that Elton John appears playing piano on the song because the song samples from his song “Bennie and the Jets.” The music video was dope too. She’s on tour, she walks backstage and sees these “demons” everywhere. Then she’s walking down the street, drops her jacket and appears in an all white outfit with a fur vest. Then the best part is when she busts out into a dance sequence in all red with backup dancers to her underground hit “Sincerity” featuring Nas and DMX. That song can be found on the limited edition of this album. Then she sings the rest of “Deep Inside” and the video ends with “M-J-B” and a walk off. “Beautiful Ones” the fourth song on the album. I absolutely love the vibe of this song. Everything about it to the beat, the chorus and harmonies, that song I can say low key had a hip hop vibe too cause the beat has this bass in it that’s strong if you have the right speakers to listen to that joint. “I’m In Love”, the fifth song on the album and a remake that was originally done by The Gap Band. Mary puts her own raspy and rawness twist to it. If you have the original “Mary” album release, “Time” is the sixth joint but if you have the limited edition, it’s “As” a classic remake with George Michael and originally done by Stevie Wonder. The video is just George and Mary with their thousands of doppelgängers all over the club. “Time” is hands down my favorite joint on the album. To me this is Mary’s most conscious record. She talks about drugs and crime in the black communities all over America and preaches that people should stop the violence and come together but I can’t forget to mention how sick and wicked the beat is. It reminds of me bugs crawling, when you watch a beetle crawl just like in the cartoons, it has this sound effect and that’s what the beat reminds me of. “Memories”, the seventh joint, this is my second favorite on the album. The harmonies match the beat so well. Mary took her vocal stacking to the next level on this album to me and I get goosebumps. “Don’t Waste My Time”, the eighth joint featuring the Queen of Soul. Aretha Franklin. Both Mary and Aretha battle it out on this song about a man whose wasting his woman’s time by being with her knowing that he still has feelings for another woman. “Not Lookin'”, the ninth joint featuring K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci. This is an awkward song because both Mary and K-Ci were together back in the early 90’s during her “What’s the 411?” and “My Life” days. Mary is basically telling him off about his “mack daddy” ways and avoids him trying to woo her and get back with her but she wasn’t having it. LOL! “Your Child”, the tenth joint and the third single. Mary tells a story about a man’s infidelity and having a baby by another woman and the music video was spot on perfect for the song. “No Happy Holidays”, the eleventh joint, Mary talks about being with a man who never spends his holidays with her. She spends the holidays alone while he’s out maybe with family. The twelfth joint, “The Love I Never Had”, Mary talks about having feelings for a man she can’t have. “Give Me You”, the thirteenth joint and final single. This was my favorite when I was younger but “Time” replaced it instead. This song is about Mary wanting her man to give her his all, meaning love and affection and not materialistic things. Michael Jordan appears in the music video and last but not least Mary’s remake of the classic “Let No Man Put Asunder.” What a great way to end the album with a classic 70’s dance track that was originally done by First Choice. To me, this album reflected a more sensitive side of Mary. She got rid of the “homegirl” attitude and hip hop sounds for the big ballads. I would rank this album maybe fifth or sixth on my first to last list of Mary J. Blige albums.

Street LineWritten by Jay-Doggz