Search - People Under the Stairs :: O.S.T.

Backpack Beats at its Best

Open Mike | Montreal | 03/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The westcoast underground will always thrive and live in my CD collection because it is traditionally down to earth, humanistic and uplifting hip hop. People Under the Stairs are no exception to the rule. Unless you live in the Bay Area, which I don't, you won't know much about these guys. It was a complete fluke (in an obscure record store while looking for old Gregory Isaacs albums) that I stumbled upon these guys and boy am I thankful. Homeboy was pumping "Montego Slay" at the cash and the rest is history.



I look at People Under the Stairs like Digable Planets meets the Pharcyde. While they lack the lyricism of Digable Planets they nonetheless boast some of the hottest most listenable beats you've never heard of. And the beauty is that, for the lack of a better term, these guys have a completely "old school" approach to the mixing boards. Beatsmith Double K brings it with jazz-heavy samples courtesy of SP1200s and Rolling 500s similarly adopted by true schoolers Pete Rock and Erick Sermon. Put it this way: if you love Madlib you are going to want to have Double K's children. Joints like "Montego Slay", one of my favorite songs of all time, is a island-flavored summer jam that can brighten anyone's day; "Tales of Kidd Drunkadelic" is a hilarious jam laced with an early 1970s game-show sample; "Jappy Jap" is a bass-heavy head bobber; "Outrage" is a cross between a 70s blaxploitation film and an old jazz standard and "Acid Raindrops" not only features Mr. Rogers but also lays down a groove that will bring you that much closer to your earphones.



That being said, while the beats are hot to def the lyrics aren't anything special. Sure, they're pretty funny and laced with a lot of witty references to ladies, microphones and blunts, but if you judge albums exclusively by lyrical content you may not be feeling this. I love an MC who can rhyme like a nut, and I have lost love for an MC if his or her rhymes fall off, but in my opinion the production is so unbelievable up in here that I have no beef with the flow.



In other words you have quintessential backpacking beats. The rhymes are simple but as they're from the same school as Pharcyde and Blackalicious you're going to get really down to earth rhymes about Saturday nights, zig zags and Colt 45s. If you're a beat nut that you MUST buy this album along with all their other albums. These guys, as beatsmiths, are true schoolers in the truest sense of the term. You can forget Fruity Loops, forget Pro Tools: I bet you they don't even own a computer."

People Over The Top...Purely Authentic Album

The Homey | Philadelphia | 10/31/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I was out in Maryland doing my computer graphics training, this CD helped pass the time while I was busy doing technically time-consuming projects. From beginning to end, this is a VERY GOOD album. I owe this to a friend of mine who just happened to be playing the vinyl version. I asked him who the group was, and I decided to buy the CD after hearing a good cut or two. Just as you think hip-hop is dead, People Under the Stairs stay focused on true hip-hop flavor for anybody looking for good beats, rhymes and themes. "Intro" - I love this album's lead into the first song. After I played this album so much, I wound up getting my roommate to say "musical dope". The coolest verse has got to be the "download" story...."Jappy Jap" - Very nice beat, cool whistle in the background...."The Suite For Beaver Part I and II" - This has to be the best theme ever on a hip-hop record. Double K and Thes One debate about going to Roscoe's party, and do show up only to party down. You'll be sucked in by the story, the lyrics, the rhythm and Roscoe's tables...."O.S.T." - A curve for a bit of reggae flavour. It's fine with me, no disrespect..."Empty Bottles of Water" - Deep in a old school trance, PUtS continue doing their thing. The whispering in the background is different but works...."Jim Sr." - A little tale of people asking for money..."The Outrage" - I love this beat. It reminds me of music that would play on "The Flintstones" while Fred Flintstone and Barney are dancing around. The cartoonish rhythm won't have you sitting still..."The Hang Loose" - Reminiscence of RUN DMC, Rerun and the '70's come to mind..."The Double K Show" - Limited on overloaded samples, it's got bass, scratching and cool lyrics..."Tales of Kidd Drunkadelic" - This is a classic old school beat. Double K describes his drunkeness with pizazz, and cool flutes..."Keepin' It Live" - Hey, how many musicians are faced with conversations about trying to make it in the music world? Thes One breaks it down..."The Dig" - The start of this song ends up goes a different direction. Hey, good beats all start with digging in them crates..."The Heat" - I guess this is a skit for humor. Even the rapper sounds a bit flawed..."Montego Slay" - The 2nd reggae-influenced beat of the album. Cool and relaxed, with the pitter-patter of a cat...."The L.A. Song" - Tribune to their hood. Home of the bodybags...."8 Is Enuff" - Full of bass, guitar riffs and drums. Classic material..."Acid Raindrops" - Ahhh, the laid-back track. The intro to this song has a "Mr. Rodgers" feel to it, but then the song kicks in while Thes One and Double K stay on a positive vibe..."The Joyride" - Hey, why not one last phat beat? Hints of A Tribe Called Quest and Digable Planets hunt this track. A cool track for joyriding, no doubt...."The Breakdown" - The ultimate finish. It's back to relaxation. Thes One and Double K "break it down" on different levels.....With a total of 20 tracks, the music is so good you'll forget how many tracks there are and get lost in the vibes before realizing the album is over. It's a nice alternative to my favorite rap group, Camp Lo. People Under the Stairs, stay doing it the old school way, when everything simple in life could be talked about and music actually meant making music.And that's the way PUtS makes sense."

THES ONE AND DOUBLE K HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!!!!!

HIEROCREW | SACRAMENTO , CALIFORNIA | 07/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As I've come to realize over my years of listening to hip hop (and by hip hop I mean, artists such as: Hieroglyphics,A Tribe called Quest, Gangstarr, Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, Pharcyde, living legends, De la soul etc...)that nobody does this art better than the people under the stairs, they have impressed me with every effort (the next step and question in the form of answer) they are not reinventing the hip hop wheel, but simply they are making ish that deserves to be classified as classic hip hop. Thes and KK just bring boom bap drums, funky break beats and loops (original at that, not recycled ish out of dj premiers crate of vinyl, as thes one mentions). the rhyming is complimentary to the beats, its just simple b-boy braggadocio, thats witty and insightful. Dag, i can't prove to you how dope this album is (and for that matter their previous two) you just have to straight buy the ish. ( and don't go out ... and download mp3's, please buy the album, because its independent artists and record labels that feel the brundt of this whole filesharing ish,so support your independent and underground acts!!!!)"