I Need A! I Wanna! - Q-Tip Beat Series Part IV

Monty Alexander - 'Love & Happiness'
taken from Rass! (MPS, 1974)

Lonnie Smith - 'Spinning Wheel'
taken from Drives (Blue Note, 1970)

[Note: Thanks to reader 'jaycee' it is clear that my ears did not deceive me. The drum loop in question is Little Feat's 'Fool Yourself' as made famous by 'Bonita Applebum', although it remains a possibility that the sax sample comes from 'Spinning Wheel'. If you know, I'd appreciate the info.]

Apache - 'Gangsta Bitch'
taken from Apache Ain't Shit (Tommy Boy, 1993)

Lack of inspiration and a heavy workload have kept me admirably occupied over the last week or so: apologies for the lack of activity here at FDB. I've had this post in the vault for a while, but it is the magnificent series of recent drops over at Soul-Sides that has finally lit a fire under my arse and inspired me to roll it out. If you've missed out on the 'Who Flipped It Better?' series that Oliver Wang has been churning out at a rate that puts this here blogspot to shame then make sure you check it out: O-Dub is indisputably one of the kings of the blog scene. Tuesday's installment covered the Monty Alexander break 'Love & Happiness' and contrasted the way in which it had been used by both The Beatnuts and Q-Tip, and with my ongoing analysis of The Abstract's deft production style, it feels fitting to finally get around to his work on the Apache track 'Gangsta Bitch'. Let the proceedings commence...

Originally released as a 7 inch by Tommy Boy in 1992, 'Gangsta Bitch' eventually found its place on Apache's release from '93, the humourously titled Apache Ain't Shit. To be honest with you this particular album has always left me a little cold: all the ingredients seem to be in place for something of quality (decent production roster, Flavor Unit affiliations etc.), but as a whole it lacks something that means it has not received a massive amount of airplay from me. Of course, there are still some treats here to savour, no less so than with the aforementioned cut that features Tip on the boards. I believe that Ego Trip rates this song as one of the best single tracks of the year, and although I feel this is an over-exaggeration, it is without a doubt a solid jam whose success relies on the beat as opposed to Apache's lyrical ode to the fly, street-savvy honeys of the ghetto which for me occupies the realms of the mediocre. It's not that the rhymes are bad by any means, but the chorus hook in particular grates, and the result is a tarnishing of the track in its entirety that I struggle to get over.

Tip turns to Monty Alexander's cover of 'Love & Happiness' for the main groove here, yet another example of an artist and song who I have only very recently stumbled across as a result of virtual digging and who I know very little about (oh, to be a genuine, dusty-fingered crate-digger!). The section of the song to focus on arrives at the 4.06 mark with a stripped-down two bars of percussion, electric piano and guitar tracks, although it is really only the electric piano part that survives Tip's use of filters to draw out the main groove for 'Gangsta Bitch'. The Breaks also notes the use of 'Spinning Wheel' by Lonnie Smith, a sample source that Tribe mined on two separate occasions with both 'Can I Kick It?' and 'Buggin' Out' to great effect, but I can't hear it myself: answers on a postcard folks.

There are other subtleties to the composition that fill the beat out, giving it a plush, melodic feel. The echoing horn stabs (perhaps taken from 'Spinning Wheel'?) that appear intermittently throughout the cut provide an extra layer of sound that works very well nestled in between the other samples, and scratches at the chorus add a necessary interest to what is essentially a simplistic piece of production work. What particularly interests me about this song is that although it contains many trademark Q-Tip production touches, it is by no means instantly recognisable as a piece of his work, thereby serving as yet another demonstration of his ability to modify his production style in subtle ways that really affirms his skill and versatility behind the boards during his most prolific period of beat-making.

I'm going to try and sort my priorities out this week (read: I'm going to ignore the responsibilities of the rest of my life in favour of some committed internet time), so stay tuned this week for an increased frequency of posts (just don't hold me to it). Sunday afternoon lazin' awaits: I'll catch you later.

FDB Interview Spot - Spencer Bellamy

East Flatbush Projects - 'Hush'
yet to be released (10/30 Uproar, 2007)

When I recently wrote about a handful of producers whom I would love to have heard more from, I never expected any of them to get in contact. So when Spencer Bellamy, producer of the classic 'Tried By 12' dropped me a line in appreciation of the post, I jumped at the opportunity to ask him a few questions. Here's the chat we had where we cover Spencer's early exposure to hip hop in the late '80s all the way through to his current projects with his continuing East Flatbush Projects series and an upcoming album release.

From Da Bricks: I just want to start by saying it’s a real privilege to talk to you. I’ve been a fan for a while now.

Spencer Bellamy: Thank you, thank you.

FDB: I got a bunch of questions I want to ask you, but let’s start at the beginning with Howie Tee. How did that relationship come about?

SB: Well, I knew Howie from the time I was 11 years old. I used to DJ with Howie, that is how I first got into just doing stuff. I used to DJ and Howie used to hear about me and I had this friend that lived down the street that was in this crew. After that, he took me by his house, he was watching me cut up and after that it was history: playing at block parties and stuff like that. So, after a while, Howie started getting into production and I was watching the stuff that he was doing for like Whistle, Special Ed and Chubb and other people like the stuff he was doing with Full Force. I was kinda like his apprentice.

FDB: Right, so at what stage did you make the shift from DJ to producer?

SB: Probably in ‘87/’88.

FDB: Did you find that to be an easy transition?

SB: You know what? It was funny because at first all I used to do was collect records, stuff I wanted to use, so no, the transition wasn’t hard at all. I guess when you have an idea of what you want to do and the ear to put it down, to get your idea across then it’s pretty cool. I started off with the SP-1200 and the 950.

FDB: As far as I’m aware, your first proper production credits came about on the preC.I.S.E. MC album. Is that right?

SB: Yea, that was the first major project that I was doing. I was kinda like dabbling in doing productions. That year, I decided to just start shopping beats. I already knew Special Ed and Chubb’s management, so all I had to do was slide through and give them something. Basically, they liked my stuff and wanted to get me on the project.

FDB: I know that Izzy Ice [member of Da King & I] had a hand in that album. Did you have any affiliations with him?

SB: Oh yea! Yea, I was cool with him. In fact I was more cool with his DJ, Majesty.

FDB: Cool. I’d say ‘Tried By 12’ must be your most widely known piece of work. Where did you find the ‘Sakura’ break and was it a straight loop or did you chop it up?

SB: I chopped it up a little bit.

FDB: And where did you find it?

SB: Just in some little, dusty record shop in Bedstuy where a lot of people used to dig. It’s not there anymore, but that was a place we used to go just to pick up records.

FDB: Were you surprised by the impact that song had? For example, there’s the remix LP put out by Ninja Tune with producers like Squarepusher and Herbaliser that seems indicative of how big it was at the time for a substantial audience.

SB: Yea. You know I never had any idea of who those people were, so I didn’t know the importance and what level it was, you what I mean? I didn’t realise the importance of having those type of producers on it.

FDB: Looking back on it now, does it surprise you how big the original ‘Tried By 12’ song was?

SB: Yea, I was definitely surprised. It was funny because, you know, when you hear a song you get a good feeling about it, but I didn’t know that it was going to get to that level where everybody knew it as a hip hop classic. People had it in magazines as one of the top hip hop beats of all time. It’s funny though, because there are people that have still never heard that song who are then like ‘yea, that’s hot’.

FDB: Moving onto the other East Flatbush releases. One of the things you’re known for is picking little known MCs to feature on those records. How do you go about choosing the people who go on those songs?

SB: Just knowing somebody that knows somebody. There are a lot of people out here who rhyme. The way I found Stress and Dox was through a producer friend of mine called Needles. He basically hooked me up with Dox, and he was rhyming with Stress, so that’s how I find those two.

FDB: All of the material on your 10/30 Uproar label was really high quality, but in some way I’m surprised that you haven’t amassed a larger number of production credits over the last 15 years or so. Is there a specific reason for that?

SB: I’m surprised too! I don’t know why that is.

FDB: But you’ve been making beats the whole time?

SB: On and off. I think a part of it is me, and another part was frustration. I think when people shop beats, if you’re not known, people are going to be more critical. A good example would be Kanye West, when he started out shopping beats he was getting turned down. Once he got his first hit it all changed. Jay Z is an artist I have always respected because he gives a chance to new producers.

FDB: Is 10/30 Uproar still functioning? Is the new track ‘Hush’ going to be released on the label?

SB: Yea, that’s actually going to be on the album.

FDB: So there’s going to be an album?

SB: Yea, and another thing. There was some stuff that you would have no idea that I was putting stuff out all this time. From ’98, there was an East Flatbush song called ‘Everything We Spit Is Hard’ and then I put out a Ruste Juxx track.

FDB: Yea, I’ve heard those tracks. Wasn’t there the stuff with a crew called Live Wire as well?

SB: Yea, that was in like ’97. After that I put out something in 2001 with Ruste and Mirage Black called ‘Head To Head’. After that I put out ‘Head To Head 05’.

FDB: What about the ‘Inhale’ track on your MySpace?

SB: ‘Inhale’ is going to be something I’m going to release. I’ve been thinking about releasing that as a single with ‘Hush’ on the b-side.

FDB: That’d be great. You mentioned the album, any other projects in the pipeline?

SB: That’s all I have right now, working on the East Flatbush album with Stress, Dox and Fallon. It might be like one more person, but they’ll be the main three.

FDB: And how close it that to completion?

SB: It should be ready for early Spring.

FDB: Just to wrap things up, how do you feel about the changes in the industry now and the dawn of the digital era. Do you think that this has been good or bad for hip hop?

SB: In one way it’s good, as far as getting your stuff heard, but on the other hand it’s messing up album sales. Yo, Kanye sold close to a million in one week and then a week later he’s selling like 200,000. That’s like a 70% drop.

FDB: It’s crazy.

SB: That is crazy! Usually it’s like a 30% or 50% drop, not 70%. The same thing happened with Jay Z’s album, he had a big first week, then it dropped by 70% and it kind of just faded out. You know, those type of numbers, big to begin with and then fading out... I then heard that this coming week they may not even sell 100,000. How do you make a livin’?!

FDB: I don’t know man. I wish you all the best with the album and future projects, let me know when they’re going to drop.

SB: I will, I appreciate it man. Thanks.

Massive props go out to Spencer for taking the time to chat with me and for shining some light on a body of work that remains heavily slept on. Check out some of the new tracks at his MySpace page, 'Inhale' is definitely my choice cut out of the two he says will be released as a 12''.

Keep locked into FDB for more interview action in the near future. Feedback would be appreciated: I realise I'm no Robbie yet, so your thoughts and suggestions will be highly valued. Thanks in advance.

A Sweet Serenade - 'Lots Of Lovin'' Beat Deconstructions

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - 'Lots Of Lovin'' & 'Lots Of Lovin' (Remix)'
taken from Lots Of Lovin' 12'' (Elektra, 1991)

Ohio Players - 'Players Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)'
taken from Pain (Westbound Records, 1971)

Ohio Players - 'What's Going On'
taken from Climax (Westbound Records, 1974)

Don Covay & the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band - 'If There's A Will There's A Way (Southside)'
taken from Different Strokes For Different Folks (Janus, 1970)

[Got to give a special shout out to my brother Tim on this post who not only loves this track, but who has also just joined the blogging game with a site devoted to his primary passion: Arsenal FC. P-Zone representin' to the fullest!]

Given that I am now precisely 49 hours and 32 minutes away from seeing Pete Rock live in London (but who's counting), it will probably come as little surprise to you that I've spent the best part of the last week revisiting his vast discography with butterflies of excitement taking up full-time residence in my belly. Hyped? The word doesn't even come close. However, in the interests of avoiding another lengthy 'I love Pete Rock' rant, let's get straight into some beat deconstruction: sticking to what you know best is always a winner.

In some ways, 'Lots Of Lovin'' was an anomaly on Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth's towering full length debut. In the midst of all the uptempo, neck-snappin' madness, Pete still found time to smooth the groove out a little, and the result was nothing short of extraordinary. A hip hop love song of the highest order, few other artists have been able to pull off a style that verges so dangerously on the corny with such class and finesse: 'Lot's Of Lovin'' is a certified banger.

One of Pete's trademark beat skits precedes the song on the album, a straight jack of about five or six bars from the Ohio Players' track 'Players Balling (Players Doin' Their Own Thing)' from their 1971 LP Pain. A funky little riff with tinkling keys and hand claps is the perfect appetiser for the beat that drops at the 0.22, which incidentally finds its main theme from the same band's cover of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'. The two bars in question can be found at the 5.42 mark, and as well as sampling the melody from this glorious four seconds, The Chocolate Boy Wonder keeps the skipping drum track in as well to form the percussive spine of 'Lots Of Lovin''. There's an exceptional glow to the break itself that translates perfectly into its newfound audio environment, generously providing a smooth, sumptuous, soul-enriched pedestal on which C.L. Smooth can deliver his proclamations of love and desire for the lady in his life. I'm not sure where the other layer of samples comes from, but the combination of keys, flute and vocals extends the scope of the song significantly, only to be masterfully stripped away during the verse sections. It's rare that you can state that a hip hop song is beautiful in such a traditional sense, but 'Lots Of Lovin'' is just that.

The remix is a treat as well. With signature remix adlibs firmly in place, the cut has a more traditional Pete Rock vibe about it which, of course, is no bad thing. The break can be found on the song 'If There's A Will There's A Way (Southside)', performed by the equally extensively named Don Covay & the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no knowledge of the artists in question, but the song has encouraged me to dig a little deeper into Covay's back catalogue as the song is excellent. It's the first couple of bars to check for in this case, a silky blend of electric piano, guitar and drums that serves the remix well, although for me, it could never surpass the original. It's interesting to note that C.L.'s lyrics are decidedly more raunchy in the first verse here than at any point on the original: I guess the remix brought the beast out of him.

47 hours and 57 minutes. Yea, I'm still counting.

Boom Bap Circa '81 - 'UFO' & The Chocolate Boy Wonder

ESG - 'UFO'
taken from A South Bronx Story (Universal, 2000)

ESG - 'UFO' @ 33rpm

My recent journeys through sample sources have opened my ears to a wide variety of incredible music from the past that I feel excited to have discovered, but no break that I have come across has intrigued me as much as ESG's 'UFO' taken from their self-titled debut EP from 1981. Made up of three South Bronx dwelling sisters and a close personal friend, Wikipedia cites the band as an 'art-funk ensemble' that could also be considered 'post-punk' or 'post-disco'. To be honest with you, I'm not even sure what these terms are meant to mean, and I don't know enough about the band themselves or music of that period in more general terms to fully gauge where they would fit into the wide spectrum of music of that era. However, from a hip hop enthusiast's perspective there is an element to their song 'UFO' that is nothing short of mind-blowing, pre-empting a sound that would dominate hip hop during its most creatively productive and downright bangin' period. Boom bap in 1981? You betcha.

The song's allegiance with this particular sound actually came about by accident. In its original form the track is a high tempo instrumental number permeated by distorted guitars and prominent drums, but the simple act of selecting 33rpm on your 1200s instead of the intended 45rpm changes the nature of the song and heralds its transformation into a very different beast. Sampled heavily over the course of hip hop history, the whirring guitar track that opens the song becomes more like a siren with the change in the song's speed, a noise that you will find remarkably familiar through its incorporation into banger after banger over the years. At 33rpm, you could be forgiven for mistaking 'UFO' as something Buckwild put together in his heyday such is its similarity to the sparse, gritty soundscapes that define the era in which he was at his most prolific. A musical accident it may be, but it is a delightful one that will leave you aghast at the fact that something produced in 1981 could have such a close proximity in sound to a phase in hip hop that would not come about until almost a decade later.

A Taste Of NY's Finest - '914'






















Pete Rock - '914' ft. Styles P & Sheek Louch
taken from 914 12'' (Nature Sounds, 2007)

The 'UFO' break leads me conveniently on to some of Pete Rock's latest material, the only piece of vinyl I copped whilst over in NYC whose a-side uses the sample to great effect. I realise that I'm a little late on this one as the single has been out for a while, but it surprises me that it hasn't received more exposure on the blog circuit given both Pete Rock's legendary status and the quality of the 12'' as a whole. Both sides of the wax are highly enjoyable affairs that adhere closely to Pete Rock's signature production style, and if these songs are an indication of the quality that will be found on the upcoming album, NY's Finest promises to be killer.

'914' is a bouncy, hard-hitting number that relies on its simplicity and sense of momentum to succeed. The use of the 'UFO' sample is a bold statement that almost seems like a message to those less established in the game, Pete's way of affirming that he really is the finest that New York has to offer. In eschewing the tendency to avoid often used breaks Pete successfully attests that quality hip hop needn't be contrived or overly complicated and '914' is his proof: it's simple, it's clean and it's bangin'. The verses from former LOX members Styles P and Sheek Louch are nothing to write home about, but the rhymes are decent enough to ride the beat and inoffensive enough so as not to detract from the slammin' instrumental track below.

I don't think there is an official release date for NY's Finest yet, but believe me, when I know, you'll know. Although there have been some quality album releases this year, none of them have roused anywhere near the sense of excitement and anticipation that I have felt by the thought of a new Pete Rock album. Maybe it's just a case of being an over-excited fanatic, but I hold a confidence that NY's Finest could be something special: let's hope this sentiment isn't misplaced. Bring it on... I'm ready Pete!

It Could Happen To You! 'Them That's Not' Beat Deconstruction

J-Live - 'Them That's Not'
taken from The Best Part (Triple Threat, 2001)

Eddie Russ - 'All But Blind'
taken from Fresh Out (Jazz Master, 1974)

Man, the sibling rivalry must have been a bitch in the Philips' household in Mt. Vernon back in the day. Although older brother Pete is by far the more prominent and accomplished beatmaker, it would be a serious fallacy to overlook the work of his younger sibling Gregory (Grap Luva), who despite a considerably quieter and less widely acknowledged career behind the boards has at times demonstrated a proficiency in hip hop production skills that matches even the Olympic heights of his brother. Perhaps more well known for his rhymes than his beats, Grap's most high profile appearance in the annals of hip hop history must surely be on INI's Center Of Attention LP, an album that doesn't seem to me to receive the full credit that it deserves. However, he's also built a career in production, and although its contents are nowhere near as prolific as his sibling's, there are still some serious gems that establish him as an artist of serious quality who has at times been able to step out of the significant shadow cast over him by the Chocolate Boy Wonder.

When I arrived in Bristol in 2000, the hip hop scene was thriving. On an almost weekly basis I was able to catch some incredible live hip hop that sadly doesn't make its way here anymore, indicative of both a change in focus in the local scene as well as on a much wider scale. During one such occasion at a Pharcyde gig their DJ span a tune in the warm-up session that literally blew me away. Increasing in tempo over the course of the first minute, the song then took on a whole new sense of being as a slammin' drum track and bass were introduced: I was sold. After animated discussions with friends I discovered that the song was called 'Them That's Not' by an artist who I had previously not heard of called J-Live. It remains to this day one of my favourite beats of all time.

Grap turns to Eddie Russ's 'All But Blind' track from his Fresh Out LP released in 1974 for his sample fix here, ignoring the lead band member's electric piano contributions to the song in favour of Larry Nozero's sax part found at the 0.13 mark. The six descending notes that eventually rise up to settle into the groove after this initial flurry of activity form the backbone of Grap's composition on 'Them That's Not', a wonderfully constructed beat that is both original and executed with devastating effect. The rising and falling tempo throughout the song matches J-Live's cautionary tale of the pitfalls that lie in wait for the MC who allows success to go to his head too quickly, and it is this coherence of lyrical content and beat that make the song such an undeniable success.

The song is littered with favourite moments for me, but there are subtleties to the beat's construction that particularly stand out. The way the rumbling bassline drops at 0.57 and teases you before the introduction of the neck-snapping initial snare hit at 1.00; the high hats dropping out of the mix at 3.09 as the song begins its gradual descent in tempo only to be reintroduced six seconds later at half the pace; the steadily growing volume of J-Live's scratching as the song builds again from 4.00 until the final drop at 4.16. It is this attention to detail combined with the less-than-fussy final product that has made it a staple in my hip hop canon.

Although Grap will never fully detach himself from his position as younger brother to Pete Rock, this is due to the latter's incredible successes rather than any shortcomings on his own part. Perhaps in another lifetime and with a less high profile sibling it would have been Grap who could have become a true hip hop sensation, but as it stands, he will remain a producer who has little fame beyond the more discerning fans of the genre. Credit where it's due: 'Them That's Not' proves that Gregory Philips can make moves with the best of them.

Ladies In Full Effect - 3 Slept On K-Def Cuts

There's no disguising the fact that FDB has got a whole lotta love for one of Newark's most under-appreciated and bangin' producers: K-Def. You only have to look back to my first ever post (which seems like an age ago now) to gauge the influence that his beats have had on my hip hop tastes, so much so that it was one of his finely crafted bangers that informed the very naming of this little corner of the ever-growing internet. Whilst his work on the first two Lords Of The Underground albums is relatively widely known (anyone heard 'Chief Rocka' before?), there is a whole host of material that seems to have slipped under a lot of people's radars over a career that has spanned fifteen years and which is still thriving. In steps FDB to correct this fallacy with a trio of little known K-Def produced cuts that affirm his position as a producer of legendary status.

Where Ya Gonna Be? - Nonchalant

Nonchalant - '5 O' Clock (K-Def Remix)'
taken from 5 O'Clock CDS (MCA 1996)

Nonchalant made a few waves back in '96 with her first and only LP Until The Day, a pleasant enough brew of hip hop, R 'n' B and soul that spawned her only hit '5 O'Clock'. The song in its original incarnation isn't bad to be fair, but with K-Def's remixing abilities it becomes a smooth, summer-kissed hip hop jam that is well worthy of your attention. Lilting guitar tracks and whirring vocal loop sample combine with crispy snares and an incredibly warm organ track to create a laid back chunk of silky smooth hip hop soul that encapsulates the less hard-hitting side of K-Def's astute production style. On the vocal tip I think Nonchalant does a reasonably effective job, denouncing brothers who play themselves out and who threaten the growth of a 'strong black nation' with an accomplished flow that suits the vibe of the track well. The guest MC spots that take up the second verse are disappointing, feeling slightly forced and lacking the easy swagger that defines lyricists of a higher calibre, but this is a minor blip that can be ignored given the strength of the cut as a whole. With summer days in their decline you should take the opportunity to indulge yourself in a track whose relevance will fade somewhat as the nights come in and the mornings grow steadily later as autumn takes a hold.

Straight From The House Of Hitz - Sah-B

Sah-B - 'Summa Day' & 'Some Ol' Sah-B Shit'
taken from Summa Day 12'' (Reprise, 1994)

Bonus Cut!

Sah-B - 'Some Ol' Sah-B Shit (Instrumental)'

First things first: I gotta give a massive shout to reader 'chimpface' for hitting me with the link to this one. If you check the requests section of my sidebar at all (what do you mean you don't?!) then you'll know that this has been highly sought after here at FDB for a while now, so I'm incredibly grateful for the help in tracking it down.

Sah-B has been an integral part of my hip hop consciousness for nearly half of my life now: her guest spot on 'Flow On (New Symphony)' takes me back to walks to school when my voice was still an octave higher and my trousers hung geekily above the tops of my Clarks's footwear. She has actually appeared on all three of the Lords' albums (I'm trying to ignore their latest release) and I always enjoyed her rugged flow and hard-hitting vocal timbre which is rarely delivered as effectively by members of the fairer sex. Despite these relatively high profile verses, Sah-B released little material of her own, and in fact this 12'' represents her only solo outing on wax. 'Summa Day' constitutes the a-side, a cut which doesn't really do her raw vocal style many favours. Although I can appreciate the intention here, the overtly cheesy sung chorus hook and R 'n' B infected beat are not really to my tastes, although the song does improve once you're clear of the initial intro section. All the hallmarks of K-Def's production style are in place in terms of the arrangement, and the snares snap hard enough for the more serious heads amongst you, but the overall feel of the track feels a little soft and is a slightly too obvious attempt at crossover success.

[Note: I was a little off the mark with this one people... 'Summa Day' is a Marley Marl produced cut. If anything, it highlights the clear parallel in style between himself and K-Def. Forgive the error in information.]

'Some 'Ol Sah-B Shit' is another story. It is exceptionally rare these days that a beat has such an immediate impact on me as this and it ranks amongst the very best of K-Def's early work. Trademark horns and chirp scratches dominate the intro section, lulling you into a false sense of security before the drop into the first verse at the 0.22 mark. The delay in the introduction of the piano sample is a stroke of beatmaking genius, taking the listener by surprise and transforming the song into an altogether rawer affair which is absolutely slammin'. This is neck-snappin', mid-'90s hip hop music at its absolute finest, a testament to K-Def's ear for choice samples and exceptional production skills. It also acts as the perfect platform for Sah-B's delivery, which feels considerably more at home here than on the a-side, providing her with the opportunity to rip through some verses with the ferocity that suits her so well.

I haven't been able to keep this out of rotation for days now, and despite my enjoyment of Sah-B's verses it is the instrumental track that has had me well and truly hooked (also posted up for your listening pleasure). Prepare yourselves people: this is a serious banger which I can guarantee you'll be feelin'.

FDB Hits The Airwaves (Again)

Despite my brief flirtation with internet radio in the past, FDB is now well and truly hitting the airwaves FM style. Itch FM is a mainstay of the London hip hop scene, and I was grateful to receive an e-mail recently from Saturday night host Buccaneer Bones who wanted me to contribute to his show. I'm now an official 'internet detective', providing Buccy with a ten minute rundown of all that's good in the hip hop blog scene that transmits over London town on 105.15 FM. If you're in the London area then check it on Saturday night between the hours of 8pm and 10pm, otherwise head over to Buccy's MySpace page for a podcast that should appear the following day. FDB continues to elevate... watch out!

Represent To The Fullest - Q-Tip Beat Series Part III

Nas - 'One Love (Instrumental)'
taken from Illmatic (Columbia, 1994)

[It seems pointless posting up the song with lyrics so here's the instrumental. Can't remember where I came across it exactly, but thanks to whoever may have posted it up in the past.]

Heath Brothers - 'Smilin' Billy Suite Pt. II'
taken from Marchin' On (Strata East, 1975)

Clyde McPhatter - 'Mixed Up Cup'
originally found on Welcome Home (Decca, 1970)

Despite Tip's 'slept on' producer status, there is no denying that he placed himself amongst a elite group of beatmaking individuals when he made a contribution to Illmatic, a record whose magnitude needs little discussion here. 'One Love' is of course a standout amongst standouts and comparisons with other songs on the album are somewhat arbitrary, but it has always been one of the my personal favourites on the LP. I remember watching a 'Making Of Illmatic' video on YouTube in recent times (now deleted unfortunately) where Tip described his vision for the beat as being on some 'ghetto monk type shit', and although this isn't exactly the most eloquent description of the song imaginable, it certainly captures something about the dark, atmospheric vibe of the track that feels fitting. One of Tip's greatest beats deconstructed: here we go.

What I really dig about the Abstract's production style is that he resists the temptation to chop up samples too heavily, thereby keeping the sound fluid and warm. 'One Love' is a case in point, with Tip jacking the first 23 seconds of the Heath Brothers' 'Smilin' Billy Suite Part II' from their 1975 release Marchin' On and doing very little with it beyond the addition of drums and volume changes as the sample is introduced. This introductory section really is masterful, with Mtume Heath's percussion part from the original source gradually building into the mix before its complete introduction after the initial eight bar sequence which brings with it the unveiling of double bass and piano tracks. From here on in there really are very few changes, the different musical elements of the track creating a mystical and hypnotic platform for Nas's musings that simply doesn't require too much fiddling around with. No extra loop at the chorus, no bridge section, only a handful of breakdowns: it's a veritable lesson in measured, instinctive and thoroughly considered hip hop production techniques.

For the drum track Tip turns to Clyde McPhatter's song 'Mixed Up Cup'. Now I'm gonna revoke the ghetto pass here and admit this is a pure internet find which I know very little about and which actually comes off a compilation made of songs that have at some stage been sampled by Tribe (distinctly un-hip hop I know). As a result this is just an excerpt that features the drum break used by Tip on 'One Love'; unfortunately that's all I have to offer you. From my brief research on McPhatter I can tell you that he was a part of the original line up of The Drifters in the early '50s on Atlantic Records, but broke with the group relatively quickly to pursue solo interests. The sounds of the drink being poured during the 'Mixed Up Cup' intro may have seemed harmless enough at the time, but with the knowledge of McPhatter's demise at the age of 39 due to heart, liver and kidney disease after decades of heavy drinking it carries saddening connotations of an addiction that ultimately took him to his grave. Little did he know that two seconds of his music would resonate so heavily amongst an urban subculture called hip hop nearly 25 years after their original commitment to wax: a legacy indeed.

For me there is little doubt that 'One Love' represents one of Tip's finest moments behind the boards, and just as with his contributions to The Infamous, it demonstrates his ability to switch up his production style when the opportunities presented themselves during the most successful and prolific period in his career. If you're still sleepin' on Q-Tip's production stature then let's strip it down to the bare essentials: the man posted a beat on Illmatic. Still need convincing?

Damn! 3 Great Producers With Frustratingly Brief Discographies

First off this evening, a brief apology readers for the lack of activity around these parts over the last week. The build up to the return to work and final opportunities to revel in a lack of responsibility have kept me admirably occupied in recent times, but the return of a regular routine heralds a greater level of commitment to FDB (avoiding 'proper' work is one of my most finely honed skills).

I did actually have another installment in the Jeru series lined up, but to be honest, I've kind of lost a little enthusiasm for the project that I started up at the beginning of last week and want to move onto something else. Despite being happy with the final results of the Jeru 'rhyme deconstructions', they made me realise that my strength really lies in beat analysis (I worry that my English teacher instincts may have gone a little too far this time), so I'm sticking to what I know best with today's post. What follows is a selection of producers whose work I rate exceptionally highly, but whose output in comparison to other beatmakers is minimal. Perhaps that's why I love 'em... see what you think.

Spencer Bellamy

East Flatbush Project - 'Tried By 12'
taken from Tried By 12 12'' (10/30 Uproar Records, 1996)

PreC.I.S.E. MC - 'Slowdown (My Brother)'
taken from PreC.I.S.E.-ly Done (Luke Records, 1991)

Of the three producers listed here today, there is little doubt that Mr. Bellamy is easily the most high profile. His beginnings as a DJ with Howie Tee's crew in the late '80s gives you some idea of how long this particular veteran has been a part of the game, and yet his output has been limited to just a few album production credits and a handful of 12''s here and there. The bulk of his discography is made up of his East Flatbush Project series where he provides the beats for a selection of MCs of his choice which never fails to impress. The quality of these releases is consistently outstanding, so much so, that you can't help a pervading sense that he could have contributed significantly more to the game in a career which spanned a decade. Of course, the song that will always resonate as his finest moment is the magnificent 'Tried By 12' which remains one of the dopest underground releases in hip hop history. What always got me about this tune was its simplicity: made up of little more than an obscure Japanese sample and understated drum track, it still never failed to get your head noddin' and it deserves the considerable rep that it has achieved amongst serious hip hop aficionados. Dig a little deeper however, and there is still plenty to savour, not least in his contributions to PreC.I.S.E. MC's overlooked album from '91, PreC.I.S.E.-ly Done. 'Slowdown (My Brother)' easily ranks as my personal favourite amongst his trio of contributions, the melodic piano track and bouncy drum beat joining forces to create a tasty slice of early '90s hip hop music. There's also enough variation here to keep you interested, with plenty of subtleties to the beat that bely the fact that this is one of his first ever pieces of official production work. With his last credits dating back to 2001, it's doubtful that we'll be hearing from him again anytime soon, but for me he has left an indelible mark on the culture that deserves celebration.

Rob 'Whiteboy' Lewis

Nine ft. Demastas - 'Feel No Guilt'
taken from Feel No Guilt 12'' (London, 1999)

Nine ft. U-Neek - 'Tha Product'
taken from Cloud Nine (Profile, 1996)

Rob Lewis originally cut his production teeth with DJ Chuck Chillout and Kool Chip on 1989's Master Of The Rhythm LP, although my knowledge of his involvement in this project is incredibly limited. Although I like this album, it isn't a work that has received a massive amount of airplay from me, and from FDB's point of view he really came into his own on Nine's two highly slept on albums Nine Lives and Cloud Nine, both of which were produced in their entirety by the man in question. Lewis's production style epitomises that dark, gritty New York sound as much as any other major producer in the game, and it's a damn shame that we didn't get to hear more of his work as the genre sunk into the depths of a more commercial era. Favouring bangin' drum tracks and atmospheric samples, his production style is beautifully crafted, and although 'Whutcha Want?!' is his most well known piece of work, 'Tha Product' is an (almost) equal demonstration of his production prowess. Strings soar over the 'Ode To Billy Joe' drum track below, a perfect match for the growling delivery of Nine and his temporary rhyme partner U-Neek. If you're in any doubt as to the man's quality just check the last minute of this track which allows the beat to shine, no less so than at the 3.47 mark when Lewis introduces a previously unheard sample that is truly slammin': it represents mid-'90s hip hop production at its absolute finest.

Eddie James

AK Skillz - 'One Life Ta Live (Instrumental)'
taken from One Life Ta Live 12'' (Tru Criminal, 1996)

Street Smartz - 'Metal Thangz (Remix)'
taken from Tru Criminal Records EP (Tru Criminal, 1997)

With only five individual beats listed on Discogs, Eddie James is the least prolific in this trio of beatmakers. But don't let that fool you: there's some serious quality here. James first came to my attention on the fantastic AK Skillz's 'One Life Ta Live' 12'' which deserves classic status despite enduring as the reserve of aforementioned aficionados. I've already waxed lyrical about the a-side's quality here, but such is my enthusiasm for the song that I'm throwing it up again just in case you missed it the first time around. This was so close to making my Top 25 beats post over at When They Reminisce... it's untrue, and it only failed to make the cut because of its relative newness to me. Very few beats combine grit and warmth so perfectly: if you've been sleepin' on this then you need to rectify the situation immediately. James's only other credits appear on a Tru Criminal Records EP, and it is the 'Metal Thangz (Remix)' that particularly grabs me, another fine example of his talents featuring a harmonious string sample and clean rim hits. I'm yet to hear his work on Born Suspicious' 'These Days' 12'', but if these couple of songs are anything to go by, it's going to be a banger.

Why these producers output is so limited is beyond me, but all three have produced work of the highest calibre in their irritatingly brief careers in hip hop. Perhaps it is the very exclusivity of their work that makes them so appealing: with very little to tarnish their profound ability behind the boards, the fan in me is simply left wondering what could have been. Do yourself a favour and track down their work if you can: although the term gets bandied about a little too easily, these guys are pretty much as close as you can get to the definition of slept on.

The Praise Rolls Off My Lips - 'Jungle Music' Beat Deconstruction

Isaac Hayes - 'Monologue: Ike's Mood I / You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'
taken from ...To Be Continued (Stax, 1970)

Jeru Tha Damaja - 'Jungle Music'
taken from The Sun Rises In The East (Payday/ffrr, 1994)

It doesn't take me to tell you that not only is Brooklyn's Jeru Tha Damaja the clear mic champion of the Gangstarr Foundation (that is until he fell out with Guru and DJ Premier), but also one of the most gifted and accomplished wordsmiths to ever grace this here culture called hip hop. Combining content and flow is the Achilles' heel of the majority of MCs, but Jeru glides through this conundrum with such ease that he puts the majority of other lyricists to shame. At his pinnacle, Kendrick Jeru Davis was able to effortlessly combine a top level delivery and distinctive vocal timbre with a wide variety of subject matter, from straight up braggin' rhymes to highly sophisticated urban narratives that dealt with the issues of the world in which he dwelled with such style that he remains for me one of hip hop's most talented and enduring figureheads. As a result I'm putting together a series of posts over the following week that will focus on his work taking in beats, rhymes and a couple of overlooked joints that have always found a place in my listening habits and increased the ferocity of the crick in my neck.

Although Livin' Proof is often held up as the seminal piece of production work from the mighty DJ Premier, I would have to say that beat for beat there really is little distinction to be made between it and The Sun Rises In The East, with the latter boasting a greater number of standouts, most notably 'Come Clean' and 'You Can't Stop The Prophet' (for the sake of this discussion let's not concern ourselves with a redundant comparison of the lyrical prowess, or lack thereof, displayed on each of these albums). One cut that has always seemed criminally underrated to me is 'Jungle Music', a slammin' piece of production work that finds itself nestled into the penultimate spot on the album after 'Come Clean' and before the considerably less aggressive closer 'Statik'.

Preem draws his inspiration from none other than Isaac Hayes in this instance, jacking piano and vibraphone from the somewhat ridiculously titled 'Monologue: Ike's Mood I / You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'' from 1970's ...To Be Continued. Clocking in at just over fifteen minutes, this mini-symphony has been sampled on numerous occasions, but none so artfully as by Premier with 'Jungle Music'. The section of the composition to focus on comes right at the end of the song (just after the fourteen minute mark), where Hayes strips the groove down to piano, vibes and lightly skipping cymbal hits. As with his work on Group Home's 'Suspended In Time', this song really demonstrates Premier's keen ear for samples and masterful chopping ability, his reinterpretation moving far enough away from the original so as to make it barely recognisable.

There are certain touches to 'Jungle Music' itself that make it even more special. I love the opening of the track: the sounds of the jungle set the mood only to be broken by offbeat piano chords, the arrangement of which mean the initial snare hit takes the listener by surprise before the drop into the main groove. No Premier track would be complete without the much revered scratch chorus, and this is another fine example, featuring a line from the Jungle Brothers' classic 'Straight Out The Jungle' that slips into the mix perfectly. To top it all off Jeru comes at you with some of the most eloquent verses to be found anywhere on the album, detailing the transportation of his 'ancestors' drums...from pyramids to the ghetto' and the intrinsic power that they hold. The words 'drop' and 'science' feel particularly relevant here.

'Jungle Music' represents all that is great about The Sun Rises In The East, with a sensational beat and some dope rhymes that complement each other perfectly to create a little nugget of hip hop gold. Hold tight for more in the Jeru series over the coming week where in the next installment I'll be analysing/losing myself in one of the greatest narratives in the history of hip hop... can you guess what it is yet?

FDB/FWM Unite! Top 5 Pete Rock Remixes

Given that I am just coming off the back of a nineteen hour door to door trip from NYC, there is a serious risk of me descending into incoherent rambling if I don't keep myself in check. Needless to say I had a great time hanging out in the Big Apple and will be putting together a post over the weekend detailing some of the experiences that may interest you (read: I'll be focusing on music, not what I had for breakfast). My jet-lagged hazy state will hopefully have cleared by then...

Fortunately, I have something a little special up my sleeve to mark my return in the shape of a collaboration with Flood of the mighty floodwatchmusic.com. I've long considered Flood to be a key member of my internet-based crew, and have always admired his blog for its eclecticism, deep musical understanding and downright dope write-ups, so it's a real pleasure for me to be collaborating with him on what we hope will be a series of posts that celebrate a producer who we both have a lot of love for: Pete Rock. What began as a jokey aside about a 'Pete Rock Appreciation Society' has now come into fruition, and we hope that you'll get as much out of these posts as we have collaborating on this one. The format is simple: taking turns to nominate Pete Rock related points of discussion we will then work collaboratively to combine our opinions about the matter at hand in the hope that the result will have a greater depth of analysis than if we were running our usual one-man shows. I was first up and chose to nominate my top five Pete Rock remixes of all time: here's the fruits of our labour...

FDB Top 5 Pete Rock Remixes

FDB: Whittling down my favourite Pete Rock remix productions to a mere five is a near impossible task that has caused me much turmoil over the last couple of weeks, but as I wipe the final drop of sweat from my brow, these are the constant flames that have risen from the ashes of my fortnight’s procrastination. Time for some analysis…

The first thing to note is that all five of my selections fall into a two-year time frame, rather expectedly in between the two Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth albums. Of course, this wasn’t just a great era for our boy Pete Rock, but for hip hop music in general, so there are few surprises here, but it is indicative of the fact that this period would probably be generally regarded as the vintage years for Mount Vernon’s finest (something that Flood has already drawn attention to with his Pete Rock instrumental mix). I could roll out a list of superlatives as long as my arm here, but these are all perfect examples of his characteristic production style of the era: uptempo vibe, boomin’ drums, screeching horn tracks and a big slab of soul all working together to create warm, sumptuous and, somewhat paradoxically, gritty packages that all fans of the genre have come to worship over the last decade and a half.

FWM: I’d say the genesis of Pete Rock’s entire style occurred sometime around ’91 or ‘92, which rapidly came to fruition on the All Souled Out EP (1991) and the Mecca and The Soul Brother (1992) record. Soon everyone from PM Dawn to Biggie was requesting the remix treatment from him. What amazes me now, in retrospect, is how intact and advanced his production style was when he entered the game; there is a level of inherent musicality in each of his tracks that would seem to come from years of crate digging and woodshedding with the SP-1200. Rarely does one hear a Pete Rock production or remix from this era that could classify as 'transitional', or even 'experimental'. There is a confident intent of purpose to his early work that is is often lacking in the output of most young producers, to say nothing of his originality and innovations.

FDB: The second thing that strikes me about these selections is that in all five cases, the songs in their original incarnations are all slammin’, and this should lead us to a fuller appreciation of Pete Rock’s remixing abilities. It is significantly simpler to take a wack song and make it better than to take an already great song and make it greater, so the fact that these are all bangin’ in the first place simply serves to highlight his production prowess. These are anthems made into even bigger anthems, and I think you would be hard pressed to find another beatmaker in the game who has managed that feat with such consistent finesse.

Das EFX - 'Jussumen' (EastWest, 1992)

FWM: I find it hard to consider any Das EFX platter a ‘classic,’ even their debut. While Dre and Skoob revolutionized hip hop lyricism in terms of delivery and wordplay, more often than not they lacked a distinctive musical counterpart to complement their unique approaches to the mic. My chief complaint with Dead Serious (1992) is the uninspiring but serviceable production, a stock assembly of James Brown loops and Skull Snaps drums that lacks any sort of personality. Enter Pete Rock, whose remix of 'Jussumen' (originally appearing as a B-side on the 'Mic Checka' 12”) should’ve been the blueprint for the remainder of the album’s tracks. Pete was going apeshit with those Mountain drums back then, and one can detect their presence here, buried into the fabric of the track. It’s noisier and a lot more textural than I would expect from him at the time, but it works beautifully for the duo. Favorite moment: at 0:58, when the music drops out as Dre begins his verse with a “yiggidy yes.”

House Of Pain - 'Jump Around' (XL, 1992)

FDB: This remix falls much in the same vein as the “Hip Hop Hooray” remix, in that in both cases Pete Rock takes a crossover smash and makes it better. However, it shares more sonically with his work on 'Shut ‘Em Down', released in the same year and featuring similar musical elements in its composition. The opening eight bars are crafted beautifully, the warm and playful bassline providing a backdrop for the gradually building drum track that drops hard into the first verse. The upbeat tempo of the song and horns that echo in and out of the mix propel the groove forwards throughout the verse sections and the additional horns at the chorus make this song feel glorious. Whereas the ‘Shut ‘Em Down’ remix has a slightly darker quality, the ‘Jump Around’ remix is a straight up party banger whose sole purpose seems to be to get you on your feet with your hands raised skywards. It works.

Public Enemy - 'Shut 'Em Down' (Def Jam, 1992)

FWM: This remix gives me chills to this day. Not to slight the Bomb Squad (who executive produced), but this reinterpretation is so much better than the original that it eclipses it entirely. What I love most about the production here is its dense, circular claustrophobia, a nebulous mass of sound that’s almost suffocating. Again, Pete uses those crushing Mountain drums as a foundation for a continuous sax line that weaves in and out of this mix, a filtered ascending bassline, and a strange vocal sample that makes an occasional appearance on the downbeat. The sheer power of this track, combined with Chuck D’s booming vocal, could move an army at full volume. And to top it off, the Soul Brother #1 spits a playful eight bars in the middle of the chaos – just because he can.




Naughty By Nature - 'Hip Hop Hooray' (Tommy Boy, 1993)

FDB: To my mind, Naughty By Nature should be considered the blueprint for the perfect hip hop crossover group, as they managed to successfully craft cuts that had a broad appeal whilst maintaining the gritty aesthetic favoured by true hip hop enthusiasts. 'Hip Hop Hooray' could perhaps be considered the pinnacle of their achievement, its uplifting, anthemic nature certifying it as classic material. In light of this, The Chocolate Boy Wonder’s accomplishment with his reinterpretation of the song is nothing short of astonishing, as I feel it trumps even the original’s bounce and sense of grandeur. The delayed horns are of course an essential feature to this particular beat, but perhaps of greater interest for me when considering Rock’s wider discography is the use of a piano sample in this instance, an instrument that he pretty much left alone on Mecca & The Soul Brother and which only featured spasmodically on The Main Ingredient. The incorporation of Rakim’s line from 'Microphone Fiend' rounds the cut off perfectly, as do Pete Rock’s signature remix adlibs that let you know who’s in charge of the boards just in case you hadn’t guessed it already.

Jeru the Damaja - 'Can't Stop The Prophet' (Payday/ffrr, 1994)

FWM: I hadn’t come across this remix until recently, and after years of internalizing Premier’s original, it admittedly took some warming up to. What eventually sold me was, of all things, the snare that Pete uses here, and the way he decorates the drum track with additional hits to increase the boom-bap factor. A strong jazz flavor (which always complemented Jeru’s delivery well) is prominent as well, as Pete utilizes a descending vibraphone progression for melodic content, and in two octaves for additional variety. The minute and a half of scratching and cutting that closes the track is the sweetest kind of aural candy to these ears.

Drivin' Me Mad Inside - Q-Tip Beat Series Part II

Cypress Hill - Illusions (Q-Tip Remix)
taken from Unreleased & Revamped (Sony, 1996)

Having waxed lyrical about Q-Tip's proficiency behind the boards in the first installment of this series, his work with Cypress Hill on the 'Illusions' remix actually comes as a slight disappointment. Trav of WYDU fame recently noted that if you're going to remix a track then it better be as good, if not better, than the original, and in this case I am sad to say that The Abstract's reinterpretation of Hill's dark and moody classic falls short of the mark. Don't fret though, there's still a quality to this particular work that demands discussion, and despite its shortcomings, it displays another angle to Tip's production style that is relatively unique amongst his wider body of work.

Let's start with the good stuff. What I like about Tip's production here is his incorporation of dub reggae influences that work well when teamed up with the heavy drum track, and in particular, the crunching snare hits that punctuate the groove. The main loop and its dose of reverb clearly nod to a dub aesthetic, as does the percussive track that replaces the traditional high hat. The last 30 seconds of the song are the most extreme point at which these influences come into fruition, with big slabs of reverb applied to some of the key elements of the cut, creating a whirlwind of sound that would perhaps be better suited to your local bredrens' soundclash than a regular hip hop jam. The bouncy, open nature of the beat is enjoyable and original, and it clearly demonstrates Tip's wide spectrum of musical influences as well as his ability to translate these into a different context.

However, the reason why I am not totally won over by this song is that the production seems to bear little regard for the vocal performance of B-Real, whose distinctive nasal delivery seems uncomfortable here. When paired up with the original beat, the rhymes feel dark and sinister, but Tip's remix detracts from this quality and the impact of these verses is somewhat lost. A truly great remix avoids this fallacy, putting a different spin on existing rhymes and providing them with a new and complementary platform, but in this case, the beat and lyrics jar rather than mesh.

So it's a thumbs up for the beat, but a thumbs down for the remix as a whole. If you're in any doubt as to what I'm getting at, peep the video of 'Illusions' in its original incarnation: to my mind, there's no contest between this and Tip's version:



(As a brief aside, I love the Apocalypse Now reference in this video as it works incredibly well with the vibe of the song: it's seriously dope.)

More Q-Tip beat-based goodness to come in the future: enjoy your Friday night folks.

Electrifying? Pete Rock Ear Drum Contributions

Talib Kweli - Holy Moly & Electrify
taken from Ear Drum (Blacksmith, 2007)

From the highs of his early work with Blackstar and Reflection Eternal, to the lows of Quality and The Beautiful Struggle, I feel that it has been hard to maintain belief in Talib Kweli for the last five years or so (I remain unconvinced by Liberation, despite the ripple of hype that it caused at the turn of the year). Consequences inevitably follow: unfortunately for Kweli, the erratic nature of his output in more recent years has somewhat tainted my opinion of his earlier works, and although I still love the beats on the Blackstar and Reflection Eternal joints, I have become increasingly despondent about Kweli’s mic skills as time has gone by. At his best he is capable of intelligent and engaging lyricism with regards to content, but his flow often feels contrived and he lacks the swagger and style of more naturally accomplished MCs. It is in light of these feelings that Ear Drum has sat on my desktop for the last few weeks dormant, and it was only yesterday that it made it out of the confines of its zip file and into rotation. I’ve been sleepin’: Kweli’s back on form.

Now I was going to roll out the full album treatment here, but after surfing on the net for a little while and reading The Smoking Section review of Ear Drum, it feels a little pointless, as they’ve summarised many of my sentiments so succinctly that I think I’ll struggle to put it into my own words without mirroring many of theirs. Instead, I thought I would indulge myself in a little more Pete Rock geekery and take a more detailed look at his two contributions to Ear Drum, ‘Holy Moly’ and ‘Electrify’. With one beat placed on a big release already this year (the decent but somewhat uninspiring ‘Gimmie One’ from Redman’s latest album), could the Chocolate Boy Wonder still be rockin’ it for the masses in ‘07? Let’s find out…

I'm going to start with 'Holy Moly' because (wait for it) I don't like it. Apart from anything else, it doesn't really sound like Pete Rock, and I think you would be hard pushed to identify it as the work of the Chocolate Boy Wonder given the shift away from his trademark style that it represents. In some ways, I can see what he was trying to do with this one, further updating his 'brighter' production style that emerged with Soul Survivor II and Ed O.G.'s My Own Worst Enemy, and it does fall in line with current trends in mainstream hip hop production. The sped up soul vocal samples and off beat percussion could perhaps be more easily associated with one of today's big hitters like Kanye, but it doesn't work for me, so much so in fact, that I have struggled to make it through the cut in its entirety. I'm gonna chalk this one off as an experiment and forget about it: I suggest you do the same.

With that behind us we can move to greener pastures in the shape of 'Electrify', which is an entirely different kettle of fish and currently ranks amongst my favourite beats of the year so far. Built around a jangling acoustic guitar riff and some well chosen soul samples, this is a richly textured song that screams quality, with multiple layers combining to create a truly beautiful beat. In addition to this, the song is aided by one of Kweli's finest lyrical moments of the album in which he breaks down the echoes of criticism that must have plagued him for the last half decade, answering them with eloquence and style whilst simmering over the beat below.

Here's the best bit. I always love to ride a song out on a beat, but with 'Electrify' Pete Rock accomplishes something truly special. Just after the final chorus hook he lets the grrove roll for another eighteen bars with few changes, but at the 4.03 mark, his genius truly shines. Ascending bass notes carry you into the final instrumental section of the song, and with the soul vocal tracks and strings now gone, the beat opens up for its final half minute or so. Various musical components that have featured at other points in the composition are brought back in, perhaps most notably the two extra guitar tracks which provide the composition with an increased sense of space, and the result is... electrifying. This has had the hairs on the back of my neck standing at attention all day, and I doubt I'll be able to release myself from its infectious quality for some time to come.

Granted, one out of two isn't the sensation that I was hoping for when I realised PR had placed a couple of contributions on Kweli's Ear Drum, but such is the quality of 'Electrify' that I walk away from this analysis with a feeling of contentment (I mean, I can't like everything that he produces). To be fair, my enthusiasm for this particular song is probably boosted by the news I received the other day: Pete Rock is playing at London's Jazz Cafe on September 28th and 29th. In a pant-wetting fit of excitement I managed to book my ticket yesterday; if you're going to be in town then I'll assume that you'll do the same (pant-wetting remains optional). On a more general note, do make sure that you give Ear Drum a go in its entirety, but needless to say my fingers will be firmly fixed on the repeat button for a little while yet: Mount Vernon's finest has still got it.