R&B/Soul/Urban - August '97 [an error occurred while processing this directive]

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R&B/SOUL/URBAN MUSIC

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Title: "THE ART OF WAR"
Artist: "BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY"
Label: RIP/Ruthless Records
Release Date: 7/29/97
Available: Any Major Music Stores
Reviewed By: G. Horstman
Rating:
With the release on July 29th of their anxiously awaited new album, "The Art of War," "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony" (made up of Layzie Bone-real name Steve Howse, a.k.a. The Number 1 Assasin; Wish Bone-real name Maurice Scruggs, a.k.a. Straight Jacket Nigga; Bizzie Bone-real name Byron McCaine, a.k.a. Lil' Ripsta; Krazie Bone-real name Anthony Henderson, a.k.a. Sawed-off Leatherface; Flesh ~N~ Bone-real name Stan Howse, a.k.a. The 5th Thug), have created another coup. This Grammy winning Rap group (for "Crossroads") has released a two-CD set that's actually surprising in it's sound, considering the titles of the album and the songs on it. I expected it to be much harsher, louder and in your face, but instead these guys get the message across in a quiet way - which gives it more impact.

For a little background on the group, here is the story of the rise of five young Trues: in Bone language "brothas dedicated to what they down with, what they believe in, and what they goin' be down with." The past few years have been phenomenal for "Bones," going from being broke, hungry and homless on Cleveland's hardest corner, to a fat recording contract with the late, great Eric "Eazy-E" Wright's L.A. based Ruthless Records. "Bone's" debut single, "Thuggish Ruggish Bone," sold over 500,000 copies and the video was "The Box's" most-reqeusted of 1994. Their Ruthless/Relativity EP debut, "Creepin' On Ah Come Up," started moving in large numbers soon after it's June '94 release, then shot past triple-platinum sales, becoming a Pop, R & B and Rap chart-topping mainstay. This song dropped the listener into the heart of "Bone's" block in Cleveland, and the swirling melodies and slamming beats perfectly illustrated a teenhood riddled with glocks, keys, cops and Ouija boards.

In the summer of '93, life was becoming more threatening each day. They decided they had no other choice but to move. By November they bought one-way bus tickets to L.A., determined to hook up with their favorite Rapper, "Eazy-E." Wish Bone says, "We wanted to get with Eazy-E because we felt he was the truest muthafucka on the street." After months living on the street, they finally got a call-back from Eazy. They rapped for him on the phone, and he said he'd get back with them. When they found out Eazy was doing a show in their home town, they hustled up money for bus tickets and headed back. "Bones" found him backstage, and after their second audition, Eazy took them under his wing.

Eazy delayed release of his own record to put his efforts behind launching Bone. He wanted to make sure they came out the right way, so that they could eventually take over their careers. "Basically when he first got us out there, he came to us and said, 'Now I gave you all your walking shoes so you got to run with them, ' " says Krayzie. "He taught us everything about this business. We learned to do it the way he would do it. That's what he showed us-take no shrts and no losses." With Eazy's death in March, '95 "It really fucked us up," confesses Krayzie, "because we realized we got with him when it was close to the end of his time. We all miss that nigga a whole lot. We gonna always stay ruthless because that's what he was. After "Eazy-E's" death, hip hop entered a new phase, and as Layzie talks about his legacy, he says "We're like little Eazy-E's. We follow in his footsteps."

The first single from "The Art Of War," is "Look Into My Eyes" from the "Batman and Robin" soundrack, and has been out for a while now. With thirteen songs on the first CD, and fifteen on the second, this is a "Bones" fan's dream album. The Cd opens with a with a Large Voice announcing "Guess Who's Back!" with an evil laugh, crashing sounds and a woman screaming, leading into "Retaliation" with some loud rap over some really smooth vocals. All the songs on the album have a good mix of rap with vocals, and as I said earlier, the music isn't really harsh. The Rap is FAST and hard to understand, and there are no lyrics in the liner notes, so I can't say much about the individual songs. Right now I'm talking about the first CD in the set. Some of the other tracks include "Handle The Vibe," "Body Rott" (mentioning Eazy-E), "It's All Mo' Thug," "Ready - War" (featuring "Majesty"), "Ain't Nothin Changed," "Clos Up Yo Mind," "It's All Real," "Hardtimes," "Mind Of A Souljak," "If I Could Teach The World" and "Family Tree" on "Worl 2 War 1." The songs do have kind of a sameness to them, and every now and then you hear some crash and burn noise in the background throughout Disc One. These guys are REALLY talented Rappers, and they can sing a hell of a song too, but it has a tendancy to get monotonous after a while.

Moving on to Disc Two, again I'll list out the songs and make a comment at the end. This album is just too difficult to get into every song individually. Worl 2 War 2 starts off with another unusual intro that leads into "Mo' Thug," followed by "Thug Luv" (featuring "2Pac" and the sound of gun shots in time with the beat), "Hatin Nation," "7 Sign" (featuring "Majesty"), "Wasteland Warriors" (featuring "Souljah Boy"), "Neighborhood Slang," "U Ain't Bone," "Get Cha Thug On," "All Original," "Blaze It", "Let The Law End," "Whom Die They Lie," "Friends," "Evil Paradise" and "Mo' Thug Family Tree."

The second CD is harsher and louder than the first one - more in keeping with the theme of the title. The effects used to accompany the Rap and vocals absolutely fit, and after a few listens when the words start to sink in, it's pretty scary. Overall, this is a great set, although it's really more for Rap fans. Still, a lot of the lyrics really make you stop and think. Also, the mix of a harsh, loud, heavy Rap number with softer songs that are mostly vocals works well. It's a little tough to make a double CD of almost pure Rap music and have it sound this good. This set is definitely worth checking out!

Title: "WATERBED HEV"
Artist: "HEAVY D"
Label: Universal
Available: Any Major Music Stores
Reviewed By: G. Horstman
Rating:
Representing Mr. Vernon, NY, "Heavy D & The Boyz" (DJ Eddie F and G Wiz) took their stab at the big time in 1986 with "Livin' Large." In total, "Heavy D & The Boyz" have sold upwards of four million albums, and have worked with "Michael Jackson," "Janet Jackson," "Supercat," "Naughty By Nature" and several others. They're famous for ther energetic stage shows, and have toured with "Keith Sweat," "Public Enemy," "Hammer," "Boogie Down Productions," "The O'Jays," "Digital Underground" and "Big Daddy Kane," among others. "With our show, " says Heavy, "we can tour with anyone."

The Rolling Stone Album Guide calls Heav D "friendly but fierce." "Heavy D" had always been a very "Fun" oriented rapper, one who has believed in the euphoria that can come from a good party, a good date and a good time, while still taking on the occasional serious issue. His current album "Waterbed Hev," is a sexy, laid back journey into some sweet sounding mellow music. Starting off is "Big Daddy," a sensual song with some great female backup singers to offset "Hev's" softcore Rap. Other songs include "Keep It Comin," with its use of a special reverb mic, "You Can Get It," a bit heavier guy song, "Waterbed Hev," a sort of shy guy wanting to meet a girl he's been watching, and getting up the nerve, "Shake It," with a robotic intro inviting you to the dance floor.

"I'll Do Anything," picks the pace up compared to the other songs, including the Rap and the backup vocals. "Don't Be Afraid" is another sexy song, this time with male backup vocals, and is smooth as silk. The album also includes"Justa' Interlude," "Can You Handle It," "Wanna Be A Player," "Get Fresh Hev" and "Big Daddy (Remix)." These last few songs are all much more Rap oriented than the earlier tracks, but they're still pretty interesting.

If you like your Rap more on the light and love side, this is the album to get. The Rap is slow enough you can understand the words, the backup vocals have some great melody lines going for them, and the few special effects added in sound cool, not forced. Overall I thought this was a really good album and worth a listen.


Title: "THE GREAT MILENKO"
Artist: "INSANE CLOWN POSSE
Label: Island Records
Release Date: 8/12/97
Available: Most Major Music Stores
Reviewed By: G. Horstman
Rating:

After all the recent publicity about "Insane Clown Posse," and the fact that Disney re-called their new release, "The Great Milenko," this particular album will probably generate more interest than it ever would have if things had gone as they were supposed to with a June 24th release from Hollywood Records. As it stands now, Island Records has bought out "ICP's" contract and plans to re-release "The Great Milenko" on August 12th. This will be the group's first release on a major record label, although three previous albums and an EP they self-released did very well, considering there was no publicity, and their following was restricted to the Midwest.

"ICP" are VIOLENT J and SHAGGY 2 DOPE. Their "former" names are never mentioned. Both grew up in the mean streets of Detroit, and repulsed by the apathy around them, they turned to rap, taking a stand against stereotypes and prejudices with their racous wordplay. "The music we do is horror rap," explains Violent J. "We use four-letter words and we get hate mail. But some people just like us because we rap about the anger you feel in your everydy life. It's not a pretty thing."

All the information that arrived in the Press kit with the advance of the album is some pretty strange stuff. They call their music "horror rap," and how "Inner City Posse" (Their original group that was part of a gang doing gangsta Rap) became "Insane Clown Posse," and the philosophy behind it is pretty weird. Interesting, but it makes you wonder if it's all a gimmick or if these two rappers, called a cross between Hip-Hop and "Kiss," really believe what they're saying.

Dark, twisted, witty and angry, "The Great Milenko" is a collection of vivid imagery-brutality, frank, sexually explicit, often offensive lyrics crossed with eerie carnival sounds, demented clown voices and chilling demonic laughter. "The Great Milenko" is supposed to represent the fourth Joker Card in a series of six, and "ICP" believes that by the release of the sixth Joker Card, the world will be finished. The album follows the dark theme of their previous albums, "Carnival of Carnage," "Ringmaster," "Terror Wheel" and their EP "Beverly Kills 50187."

The album opens with a spoken word intro featuring "Alice Cooper" and continues through twelve original tracks including, "Hokus Pocus," "Piggy Pie" (featuring Steve Jones of the "Sex Pistols" on guitar), "Southwest Voodoo," "Halls Of Illusion," (featuring Slash of "Guns 'n Roses" on guitar), "Down With The Clown," "Just Like that," "Pass Me By," "House of Horrors," "How Many Times," "Hellalujah," "What Is A Juggler?" and "The Great Milenko." The CD covers themes ranging from religion, incest, bigotry, corruption, intolerance, greed and domestic abuse, to the legal system among others. You can't say these two rappers avoid the underbelly of life! This album definitely deserves a Parental Advisory, both for language and content, but the sad thing is that most of what they cover is very true. "ICP" believes in "clown luv" - respecting all brothers and sisters no matter what sect or gang they hail from. The make-up? "We put on the make-up because people in the suburbs view gang kids in the city as clowns," says Violent J. "It's like they're sittin' there and pointing and looking like they were at the freak show at the circus."

Now "ICP" is ready to infect the rest of the country with their dark vision on "The Great Milenko." They attack the business of evangelism in "Hellalujah" - "Life is going to expire/And your soul will burn in fire/You will perish in the thunder/Unless you call my hotline number," then they're putting an "ICP" twist on the theme of "It's A Wonderful Life." "Hall Of Illusions" shows an evil-doer how much better the world would be if he wasn't in it. No matter what the theme of a particular song is, "Insane Clown Posse" pulls the listener into their perverted world - where reality is not always what it seems and the assholes always get it in the end.

At "ICP's" live shows, there is no such thing as just a concert. Instead, it's an event - with kids lining up for hours before, many in clown make-up. "ICP" also has their traditional "Faygo" (poor man's pop as they call it), hundreds of liters, which they spray the audience with throughout their performance. They also do some stage diving into the crowd using mini-trampolines. With every tour, "ICP" receives a different theme from the "Dark Carnival" (what changed their philosophy and gave them the "insight into the future" with the Six Joker Cards) that make their shows more like "The Amityville Horror" and "The Funhouse" than Popmart or the Clash of the Titans tours. Every tour has it's own elaborate set, and past themes include The Funeral, The Resurrection, The Joker's Gallery and the very messy Pie-in your F****** -Face show. Sets include insane asylums, haunted houses, people popping out of coffins, dunk tanks, fire exploding from the floor, blood on the walls, axes, knives, chains and whatever else fits the theme. They also include several extra characters on the stage like zombies, freaks, and the infamous ape boy. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope have been compared to "Pennywise the Clown" in Stephen King's book, IT.

I didn't describe particular songs, because they're basic rap with the sounds described above, and the lyrics match the song themes almost exactly. I also thought all this other stuff was MUCH more interesting! This album is not for everyone - not by a long shot. But, if you can handle the language and the themes, there are some really serious messages coming through on this album. It's also very different to listen to, both musically and lyrically. If you have even a remote interest in horror of any kind, you'll appreciate this album.

As "Insane Clown Posse" raps in "The Great Milenko":

"Brothers and sisters, on this dark and stormy night, heed my words, That is, if you want to see the glory of day again. Through a miracle of the Lord, I had a vision of this very carnival, it is a place filled with darkness, demons and infinite evil. Through it all, I could see a face. It would fill my heart with fear. It had a power that felt like it was draining away at my very sould. Brothers and Sisters, don't go inside. Stay away."

This title track is eerie and creepy and one of the most interesting tracks on the album. "The Great Milenko" is certainly an experience!

 

 

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