Music City Interactive » Miscellaneous http://musiccityinteractive.com Fri, 18 May 2012 00:14:06 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Games Rednecks Play (Warner Bros., 1995) by Jeff Foxworthy http://musiccityinteractive.com/games-rednecks-play-warner-bros-1995-by-jeff-foxworthy/ http://musiccityinteractive.com/games-rednecks-play-warner-bros-1995-by-jeff-foxworthy/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 19:22:00 +0000 Shad Reed http://musiccityinteractive.com/?guid=2f514fa251a9072fe667bcc99e73af5a Foxworthy’s sophomore album is my favorite release from him.  You Might Be a Redneck If… is a classic too, but he perfected his every-man persona that he introduced on his debut with Games.  His best material is not his straight-forward jokes, but his stories.  “Clampetts Go to Maui”  is hilarious and his projection of southern stereotypes combined with the upcoming Olympics the following year [Atlanta '96] is brilliant.  I’ve seen quite a few comedians live, and to date, Jeff is the best one that I have seen.  I saw him about three years ago and he performed material from this set and that is a wonderful testament to how well this stuff has held up over the years.
]]> http://musiccityinteractive.com/games-rednecks-play-warner-bros-1995-by-jeff-foxworthy/feed/ 0 O.G. Original Gangster (Sire, 1991) by Ice-T http://musiccityinteractive.com/o-g-original-gangster-sire-1991-by-ice-t/ http://musiccityinteractive.com/o-g-original-gangster-sire-1991-by-ice-t/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 01:57:00 +0000 Shad Reed http://musiccityinteractive.com/?guid=ea46c355cb119e7a260e90c8bdde642c  

When gangsta rap is mentioned, this is one of the first albums that comes to mind and rightfully so.  My favorite thing about it is that it is a well-rounded gangsta rap album.  Lots of them are strictly graphic and profane depictions of violence and sex.  This, however, is much more.  There is Ice’s trademark story-telling, insight into shortcomings in America’s ghettos, anger, and crass humor.  Ice-T is a very smart individual whose perspective and educated opinions are highly valued by many.  Hip-hop is very lucky to have him and this album because Ice-T did not just reflect the chaos of the streets by yelling and cursing.  He told the truth about its harsh realities in hopes that a change for the better would occur.
]]> http://musiccityinteractive.com/o-g-original-gangster-sire-1991-by-ice-t/feed/ 0 Buck the World (G-Unit, 2007) by Young Buck http://musiccityinteractive.com/buck-the-world-g-unit-2007-by-young-buck/ http://musiccityinteractive.com/buck-the-world-g-unit-2007-by-young-buck/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 00:40:00 +0000 Shad Reed http://musiccityinteractive.com/?guid=942173cf175465902421153e4467bb82 Young Buck overcame the sophomore jinx better than his boss with Buck the World.  On the production end of things, it has a bit more of a southern sound than his debut.  And, lyric wise, while there is certainly plenty of aggressive content, Buck also offers a bit of introspection as well.  Album highlights include “Buck the World”, “Hold On”, “4 Kings”, and “Puff Puff Pass”.  Whereas 50′s The Massacre seemed like it was merely an extension of Get Rich or Die Tryin’ , Buck the World shows a real growth from 2004′s Straight Outta Cashville.  I had the pleasure of meeting Buck a few years ago at an after party for a southern hip-hop event, and he was a real nice guy.  I’ve followed his work since 2002′s Born to Be a Thug and have enjoyed it all for the most part.  However, as of right now,  Buck the World is still the collection of songs Young Buck has yet to top.
]]> http://musiccityinteractive.com/buck-the-world-g-unit-2007-by-young-buck/feed/ 0 8 Mile Soundtrack (Shady, 2002) by various http://musiccityinteractive.com/8-mile-soundtrack-shady-2002-by-various/ http://musiccityinteractive.com/8-mile-soundtrack-shady-2002-by-various/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 21:18:00 +0000 Shad Reed http://musiccityinteractive.com/?guid=f23b5f458c2682c6068db0ab3fd4d0f4 “Lose Yourself” is a history-making song and one of the most popular records of its time.  The title track is actually one of my favorite Eminem songs and I think 50′s “Places to Go” should have been his introductory single instead of “Wanksta”.  The other song that I go back to a lot on this album is Gang Starr’s “Battle”.  A movie about hip-hop in the mid-90s without a DJ Premier beat is blasphemous.  Not surprisingly, the music supervision for this film for material that was actually made in the mid-90s is superb.  And truth be told, as a whole, the soundtrack to 8 Mile can’t touch More Music from 8 Mile.  However, 8 Mile and its soundtrack helped establish Eminem as a hip-hop icon at the height of his popularity and continued to showcase his untouchable rap skills as well as his ability to find and develop new talent (50 Cent, Obie Trice).
]]> http://musiccityinteractive.com/8-mile-soundtrack-shady-2002-by-various/feed/ 0 Breaking Atoms (Wild Pitch, 1991) by Main Source http://musiccityinteractive.com/breaking-atoms-wild-pitch-1991-by-main-source/ http://musiccityinteractive.com/breaking-atoms-wild-pitch-1991-by-main-source/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 04:58:00 +0000 Shad Reed http://musiccityinteractive.com/?guid=8675117abbd1dc0b5779745489ee281d “Street’s disciple, my raps are trifle/I shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle/Stampede the stage, I leave the microphone split/Play Mr. Tuffy while I’m on some Pretty Tone shit/Verbal assassin, my architect pleases/When I was twelve, I went to hell for snuffin’ Jesus/Nasty Nas is a rebel to America/Police murderer, I’m causin’ hysteria/My troops roll up with a strange force/I was trapped in a cage and let out by the Main Source/Swimmin’ in women like a lifeguard/Put on a bulletproof nigga I strike hard/Kidnap the President’s wife without a plan/And hangin’ niggas like the Ku Klux Klan/I melt mics till the sound waves over/Before steppin’ to me you’d rather step to Jehovah/Slammin MC’s on cement/Cause verbally, I’m iller than a AIDS patient/I move swift and uplift/your mind shoot the gift when I riff in rhyme/Rappin’ sniper, speakin’ real words/My thoughts react, like Steven Spielberg’s/Poetry attacks, paragraphs punch hard/My brain is insane, I’m out to lunch God/Science is dropped, my raps are toxic/My voicebox locks and excels like a rocket”
-Nas, “Live at the Barbecue”
]]> http://musiccityinteractive.com/breaking-atoms-wild-pitch-1991-by-main-source/feed/ 0 Extinction Level Event : The Final World Front (Elektra, 1998) by Busta Rhymes http://musiccityinteractive.com/extinction-level-event-the-final-world-front-elektra-1998-by-busta-rhymes/ http://musiccityinteractive.com/extinction-level-event-the-final-world-front-elektra-1998-by-busta-rhymes/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 13:36:00 +0000 Shad Reed http://musiccityinteractive.com/?guid=68ebe558d5e9bedcf2dcf599ead1d301 Busta Rhymes is one of the best emcees ever and this album was released at the height of his popularity.  His rapid-fire flow was, and still is, one of a kind.  Because unlike other fast rappers, he is still understandable and the energy in his delivery is magnificent.  E.L.E.’s lead single, “Gimme Some More”, clocks in at only a little over 2 and a half minutes but it is one of my favorite Busta songs.  The other great thing about this album, taken as a whole, is that is a little more upbeat production-wise and serves as a great soundtrack to the end of one millennium and the beginning of another.  The apocalyptic theme is still there, but the tracks and image of the project isn’t quite as doom and Busta’s first two solo releases.  Oh, and the music video for the Janet Jackson-assisted “What’s It Gonna Be?!” was awesome too.
]]> http://musiccityinteractive.com/extinction-level-event-the-final-world-front-elektra-1998-by-busta-rhymes/feed/ 0 All Eyez on Me (Death Row, 1996) by 2Pac http://musiccityinteractive.com/all-eyez-on-me-death-row-1996-by-2pac/ http://musiccityinteractive.com/all-eyez-on-me-death-row-1996-by-2pac/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 23:04:00 +0000 Shad Reed http://musiccityinteractive.com/?guid=fb72653b3f9e3032bfba27dd8e6732c6 The amazing thing about this album is how quickly it was recorded (just over two weeks).  I believe this 2-disc set is a wonderful testament to Pac’s amazing work ethic and his ability to rapidly put together quality material.  Although, there is some filler.  From a production perspective, it is some of the best music Pac has ever rhymed over.  Me Against the World was the first time that 2Pac had tracks intense enough to compete with his subject matter, but All Eyez on Me was able to match his attitude at the time as well.  “Ambitionz Az a Ridah”, “Can’t C Me”, and “How Do U Want It” are all incredible.  “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted” was masterful timing and I think it’s great that Snoop still performs that song so many years later (that hologram was cool at Coachella too).  My favorite song, however, is “Life Goes On”.  It is, in my opinion, one of Tupac’s most emotional songs (props to “Unconditional Love” as well) and one of my all-time favorite records.
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