Swap a CD: 15 Recently Posted CDs

Mack Daddy - Sir Mix-A-Lot

Sir Mix-A-Lot — 2009-11-22T14:02:34-05:00

The massive success of "Baby Got Back" may have earned Sir Mix-a-Lot the dreaded "one-hit wonder" label, as well as an appearance on VH1's "Where Are They Now?," but the Seattle native has always been a much more interesting and important figure than his reputation would suggest. One of the first rappers outside of New York and L.A. to score significant chart success, Mix-a-Lot's music is generally a lot more irreverent and tongue-in-cheek than people give him credit for, the work of a chubby studio geek living out his most ridiculous playboy fantasies on wax. "Baby Got Back" may be the song that put Sir Mix-a-Lot on the map, but it's actually one of the album's weaker tracks. Far better is Mack Daddy's first single, "One Time's Got No Case," a song that finds Mix-a-Lot addressing standard hip-hop subject matter in a novel fashion, striking out against racist police officers not through gunplay or violence but by handing the guilty parties a righteous legal smackdown in a court of law. The rest of Mack Daddy charts a similarly cheeky cruise through the not-so-mean streets of Seattle, with Mix-a-Lot addressing such vital subject matters as the nefarious proprietors of fake designer merchandise at swap meets ("Swap Meet Louie") and the importance of not getting whipped by opportunistic females ("Sprung on the Cat"). It's all extremely silly stuff, made even more so by Mix-a-Lot's nasal flow and knack for ridiculous double entendres: "Yo baby, I got a big snake, all you gotta do is make it dance" is a typically subtle Mix-a-Lot come-on. But damn if isn't infectious, funky, and downright fun, making Mack Daddy one of the premiere hip-hop guilty pleasures of the '90s. ~ Nathan Rabin, All Music Guide

Many Faces of Death Vol 3 - Detroit's Most Wanted

Detroit's Most Wanted — 2009-11-22T13:28:23-05:00

With "gangsta" rap a dominant trend in 1990s hip-hop, acts that break from the pack are those able to tell their stories with conviction and flair. Detroit's Most Wanted didn't on this occasion, and the litany of violent incidents, coupled with an assortment of come-ons, sexist putdowns, and so on, reduced this to just another day at the rap office. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

Life After Death Row Crooked I Live from the LBC - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-22T13:23:01-05:00

Return of the BIzer - J.T. Money

J.T. Money — 2009-11-22T13:22:23-05:00

One Million Strong Sound of America - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-22T13:20:48-05:00

Originally released on the Sound of Los Angeles record label in early 1995, just before 2Pac became a genuine superstar, One Million Strong is a solid collection of gangsta rap from a diverse selection of artists. 2Pac takes center stage with the title track, but Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre and the Wu-Tang Clan also make appearences -- just a few short months later, such team-ups would only seem possible in a fantasy world. It's a little brief and a couple cuts fall flat, but One Million Strong remains a good snapshot of the state of gangsta rap circa 1995. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Ghetto Platinum - Fifth Ward Weebie

Fifth Ward Weebie — 2009-11-22T13:04:21-05:00

Hello Nasty - Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys — 2009-11-22T12:39:37-05:00

Hello Nasty, the Beastie Boys' fifth album, is a head-spinning listen loaded with analog synthesizers, old drum machines, call-and-response vocals, freestyle rhyming, futuristic sound effects, and virtuoso turntable scratching. The Beasties have long been notorious for their dense, multi-layered explosions, but Hello Nasty is their first record to build on the multi-ethnic junk culture breakthrough of Check Your Head, instead of merely replicating it. Moving from electro-funk breakdowns to Latin-soul jams to spacy pop, Hello Nasty covers as much ground as Check Your Head or Ill Communication, but the flow is natural, like Paul's Boutique, even if the finish is retro-stylized. Hiring DJ Mixmaster Mike (one of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz) turned out to be a masterstroke; he and the Beasties created a sound that strongly recalls the spare electronic funk of the early '80s, but spiked with the samples and post-modern absurdist wit that have become their trademarks. On the surface, the sonic collages of Hello Nasty don't appear as dense as Paul's Boutique, nor is there a single as grabbing as "Sabotage," but given time, little details emerge, and each song forms its own identity. A few stray from the course, and the ending is a little anticlimactic, but that doesn't erase the riches of Hello Nasty -- the old-school kick of "Super Disco Breakin'" and "The Move"; Adam Yauch's crooning on "I Don't Know"; Lee "Scratch" Perry's cameo; and the recurring video game samples, to name just a few. The sonic adventures alone make the album noteworthy, but what makes it remarkable is how it looks to the future by looking to the past. There's no question that Hello Nasty is saturated in old-school sounds and styles, but by reviving the future-shock rock of the early '80s, the Beasties have shrewdly set themselves up for the new millennium. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Willennium - Will Smith

Will Smith — 2009-11-22T09:50:47-05:00

By the time Will Smith released Willennium in November 1999, it was fashionable to put him down, especially since he was recovering from his first major stumble, the overblown Wild Wild West. Probably just the fact that he was everywhere made certain spoilsports long to take him down a notch, but Wild Wild West wasn't a mess because of him; in fact, he provided the only glimmers of fun in the whole misguided mess, through sheer star power. And that star power drives Willennium, turning it into a bold, brassy delight. Smith just doesn't care what anyone thinks; he knows he's a superstar, and he revels in his status. He likes to make fun music, and he likes to make it on a grand scale. Furthermore, he has no shame about entertaining. Consequently, Willennium is a gonzo pleasure in the way only a handful of big-budget pop albums can be: gaudy, giddy, infectiously silly, and proudly over-the-top. Case in point, its de facto title track, "Will 2K." Smith and his producers picked the Clash's "Rock the Casbah" as the foundation for an end-of-the-century party jam, a move so mind-bogglingly unpredictable that it's hard not to smile. And that spirit carries throughout the album, as Smith drops lyrical and musical allusions that are at once well-known and totally out of left field. All of this is done to bright, joyful party music that celebrates its big beats and big hooks. Smith isn't quite as convincing when it comes to slow jams, but still his charm shines through. But the heart of the album lies in the up-tempo dance numbers, since they're what make Willennium irresistible. And this is one of the rare times that an abundance of cameos enhances the spirit of an album, making Willennium feel like a Y2K blowout where everyone is invited. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Hello Nasty - Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys — 2009-11-22T09:50:47-05:00

B Brown Posse - Various Artists

Various Artists — 2009-11-22T01:44:31-05:00

The Underground Railroad - Masterminds

Masterminds — 2009-11-22T01:13:03-05:00

The Masterminds' debut album, The Underground Railroad, isn't as good as some of their previous singles, but it suffices as an indie release. The reason the album falls short due to the fact that The Masterminds tried to please everyone with this album. In other words, they tried to remain true to their underground roots, however some of the production on The Underground Railroad is extremely "jiggy" or pop sounding. One particular area The Masterminds excel in, pertains to production; their producers have an aptitude for being able to incorporate samples from other emcee's into their tracks (see "Hot Shit#12" and "Bring it Back"). All in all I would have expected better from The Masterminds, but I have a feeling that this young group will come to maturity at some point. ~ Nick Pfeiffer, All Music Guide

A Lil Light - Dudley Perkins

Dudley Perkins — 2009-11-22T01:11:17-05:00

The Roots Come Alive - The Roots

The Roots — 2009-11-22T00:55:47-05:00

Releasing an album recorded live in concert makes more sense for The Roots than any other hip-hop artist, considering they've always concentrated on live prowess over their skills on the mic or in the production booth. The standard guitar/drums/bass/keyboards lineup of most rock bands is a reality for this group, and after years of requests from rabid fans, The Roots acquiesced with a document of their live experience, titled The Roots Come Alive. Recorded at two venues in New York and one in Paris, the album distills exactly what The Roots bring to the hip-hop world -- a live experience built on call-and-response vocals that bring the show to the audience like few other artists. The sound is fantastic, especially on early keyboard-driven tracks like "Proceed," "Essaywhuman?!???!!!," and "Mellow My Man." Though the raps themselves often suffer from the live setting, the rhythms are crisper than in the studio, and the bass-driven grooves are much beefier. The Roots' resident turntablist, Scratch, takes a large role as well, as does human beatbox Rahzel the Godfather of Noyze (though the latter only appears on about half of the album). This is a live album that not only satisfies fans, but offers neophytes more entertainment than any of The Roots' studio efforts. It's difficult to make any live album a first pick, but Come Alive displays the group doing exactly what it does best. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Funke Funke Wisdom - Kool Moe Dee

Kool Moe Dee — 2009-11-22T00:55:18-05:00

The single "Rise and Shine" was a summit meeting of rap theorists, with Dee joined by Chuck D from Public Enemy and KRS-One. Unfortunately, an overreliance on sexual posturing and macho imagery have begun to set in, weighing down an otherwise notable effort. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

Knowledge Is King - Kool Moe Dee

Kool Moe Dee — 2009-11-22T00:54:45-05:00

What was true of How Ya Like Me Now is certainly true of Kool Moe Dee's third solo album, Knowledge Is King -- the hardcore rapper spends too much time boasting and doesn't devote enough time to his real strength: meaningful storytelling. Nonetheless, his soulful spirit and considerable technique make this effort worthwhile -- not remarkable, but certainly engaging. The CD's strongest offerings include "Pump Your Fist," an angry denunciation of social injustice; "The Avenue," a description of a day in the hood; and the controversial attack on materialistic women "They Want Money." The latter was accused of being sexist, but Dee rightly countered that criticizing women who judge men by the size of their wallets rather than the size of their hearts or their brains isn't sexist -- it's honest. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide