DJ Quik - Under the Influence (15 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

Quik Has Done it Again!

S. Dorsey | Boston, MA | 06/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well...I'm only a fan of Quik's last three albums since he as toned down the gangsta and has become more humorous and musical. I don't knock the gangsta topics, but his music seemed to get that much better when Rhythmalism came out. It was hard to decide which of his last two albums was the best between Rhythmalism and Balance & Options, but I'll probably have to say Rhythmalism was the best. Yet, Quik has done it again with Under tha Influence. There is NOT ONE WEAK TRACK on the whole album, the one I like the least is the only one produced by Dr. Dre. I like Dre, but Quik put him to shame on this one. DJ Quik has outdone himself and has topped his previous efforts. I wondered if what I read in the magazines was true, that he was saving his best stuff for when he started his own label...it was indeed true. My favorite cuts include, Trouble, Come 2Nyte and the one with the reggae twist, Gina Statuatorre where he talks about a female he met who is too young for him. My favorite of all though is the slow, mellow, track about him sexing a chick called "One on One" featuring El Debarge, it's classic Quik and has a lot of soul and emotion. He uses the Roger Troutman-like talk box on that cut. Overall, Quik and friends, AMG, HI-C and the Debarges as well as other guests keep you laughing and thinking throughout the album and Quik's production is top notch. He is not only the best producer on the left coast, but arguably the best PERIOD. Quik is unique and talented and no one makes the basslines he does. I would give this album a 9 out of 10 cause nothing is perfect, but for the purposes of this...it gets five stars all the way, I'll let it bump in my headphones for some time. Much love to Quik! This album is sure to please."

The Best of Our Time

donpimpin2000 | Bullard, Tx. USA | 03/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a Quik fan every since Quik is The Name. Under Tha Influence, it's one of his best albums yet. Quik has proven himself again, that he deserves to be one of the best producers in the music industry. One of my favorite tracks is One on 1. It's a smooth and laid-back song, he uses the talk-box and he has EL Debarge on the vocals. Honestly, the whole cd is on point. You gotta love how he rapped on Put it on me, Dr.Dre could not hang with Quik on that song. Don't get me wrong I respect Dre for his music, he has made a lot of hits. But Quik has him beat this time. Quik changed his style a little bit on this one, and he came back strong. For anybody who doesn't have this cd, I highly recommend that you should buy it. His other albums were good too like: rhythm-al-ism, Quik is the name, Safe + Sound, and Balance & Options. I liked Way 2 Fonky too, but on that one I think he came out too fast. I just think he could've did better on it. Like the rest of his albums, he really showed his producing skills. He has been making the best beats for a long time now. I'm glad that he hasn't stop making music. I can't wait to hear his next cd. Overall, Under Tha Influence cd is [great]. Just about every song on there is jammin'. So again, if you don't have it, go get it. Because the cd is hot!"

HOW DOES HE DO IT?

Philip Y. | Israel | 03/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's almost unfair that someone can be that talented... It seems that every time you get used to DJ Quik's unique and creative style, he does it again!! He re-invents himself all over again! In fact he does it after every album or two. And yes, he did it on that one too! He changed the game once again, he came out with a different sound, something we've never heard before. That's why he's head and shoulders above EVERY producer in the rap industry, and I mean everyone, including those that sell millions of albums (Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Timmbaland etc.). Nobody else can come up with a whole new original sound every album. It seems Quik is on a whole new level, his music is different, BETTER, and more sophisticated than anyone else's. I just can't compare him to anyone else. He does not make beats, like everyone else, he makes music. Even if I tried I wouldn't be able to describe the production on that one. But you know you'll always get live instruments (all played by Quik). It seems the sound is a little bit less "crystal-clean" than on the previous two or three albums, but it's as smooth as them. I think it's also a bit harder than "Rhytmalizm" and "Balance & Options". It's just an album that'll make your mood better, make you feel good and will make you fiendin' to hear the songs once again. So, as I said, Quik did it once again. And unlike many of the producers who couldn't spit a decent rhyme even if their life depended on it, he's also a great rapper. Featured rappers is the usual crew you've heard on his previous records (AMG, Suga Free, 2nd II None, Dr. Dre and others), and they all do a great job too. Get this album, if you want to hear something different and much better than anything else that has come in the last few years. Once again Quik has come up with his own new unique style, something noone's ever done.Dj Quik is not only a rapper/producer. He's an ARTIST. And he is just the best. Period."

Head-nodding goodness from one of the best in the biz

sooblime | California | 09/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In case you ain't heard by now, DJ Quik is one of the foremost producers in the rap game ..., and his new album showcases exactly why he deserves to be at the head of that list. Along with fellow guru Dr. Dre, Quik has been pioneering the West coast vibe for damn near a decade now and Under tha Influence proves, more than anything else, that there truly is a place in hip-hop for the rap veteran.As a collection of pure beats, this album is probably the best to be released this year, with an incredible array of styles essentially grounded by the West coast theme: the synth pulse of "Trouble" bubbles the same way the chorus lyrics do; the stripped-down snare beat with acoustic guitar layerings perfectly accents the somber theme of "50 Ways"; "Murda 1 Case" displays a sinister piano riff with the slightest hint of reggae; and "Gina Statuatorre" takes that reggae vibe and expands it to include Rastafarian vocals and synthesized chords highlighting the upbeats. As these and the rest of the tracks prove, Quik is still very much in his prime. Still, Quik's ability to lay down a fat track are rarely, if ever, questioned. What has come under some scrutiny, however, is his lyrical prowess. While far from shabby, his lyrics have not always been perceived as living up to the benchmark set by his production value. This is the area where Quik's veteran status really pays off, not only because of his improved rhyme-writing, but also due to the talented help it has allowed him to enlist. How many producers would be able to pull strings to get as great and varied rappers as Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, and Dr. Dre to appear on their albums? Not many, that's for sure. Despite all that talent backing him, DJ Quik is not upstaged here; this is his album and his time to shine. And shine he does on tracks like the heart-wrenchingly introspective "50 Ways", where he shows the soft side of a hardened rap veteran in much the same way as 2Pac so masterfully did in his prime. In the end, that softer side coupled with the hardcore feel of the rest of the album is a winning one-two punch that is put way over the top by the incredible production value. If you're a fan of Quik, you won't be disappointed by this one; and if you're not, this album is a reason why you should be."

Not quite a classic, but how many are

Hush | Queens, NY | 06/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am in absolute awe of this album. David Blake is not Christopher Wallace, Tupac Shakur, Nasir Jones or William Griffin. (B.I.G., 2Pac, Nas, Rakim if you were ignorant to that.) However, Quik is more than capable of banging out a track that you could dog or rip ride to, whatever your color rag. The most satisfying element of this album is its beats.
Hopefully, we have all heard "Addictive" by Truth Hurts f/ Rakim. If you've heard this, then you know what Quik (wit no C, not the gangbang....) is capable of doing: Creating a hypnotic groove that you can't help but dance, or at the very least nod your head to. Quik fails to disappoint. There is not one beat on this album that would not get the most thuggish of gangstas "Harlem Shaking" or C- or B-walking.
The first standout on this album is the immensely soulful Quik's Groove. The saxophone improv is so inundating, that it is too easy to get lost in the moment. Listening to the horn sing is the most amazing thing i've heard an instrument do in a while. The other stand out is his cry written in blood. "50 Ways" the song deadicated to the fallen Mausberg is one of the most heartfelt odes to a fallen soldier since "Tha Crossroads."
If you're a music fan, you'll appreciate what Quik is doing. That's just about the bottom line."

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	DJ Quik Under the Influence Genres: Pop, Rap & Hip-Hop Track Listings (15) - Disc #1 Tha Proem Trouble Come 2Nyte Put It on Me Murda 1 Case Ev'ryday Get Loaded Gina Statuatorr? 50 Ways Quik's Groove 6 Get tha Money One on 1 Sex Crymee Birdz & da Beez Oh Well - DJ Quik,
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