#rewindreview: T-Love ‘Return Of The B-Girl’ EP (1998)

  The West Coast B-Girl, T-Love touched down with a quick but heavy debut in ‘Return Of The B-Girl.’ My introduction to her was on D.J. Rhettmatic’s (Beat Junkies) ‘World Famous Beat Junkies Vol.2’ mixtape. The track ‘I’m Comin’ was this sort of spooky mix of raw HOP music with a ladies voice that was mixed and cut to perfection in which D.J. Rhettmatic is a professional at. Still it wasn’t until about a year later that I would hear a couple of other songs from T-Love during the beginning of internet streaming radio in 1999. Those cuts were ‘L.A. To Brooklyn’ featuring Siah & Yeshua Da PoED and the title track of this EP featuring Kool Keith, who at that time I was becoming a huge fan of due to his left of center rhyming and content. T-Love uses this twenty minutes of HOP music to showcase a “no fear” style of rhyming with a voice that commanded respect. Rapping alongside the aforementioned M.C.’s is a task and on ‘Wanna-Beez’ featuring Chali 2na (Jurassic 5) the two’s back and forth on the track makes one realize how as listeners we took for granted the effect of collaborations in a studio verses being emailed in. The record is produced by This Kid Name Miles (yes that’s his name) who provided T-Love with some awesome beats that although are well within the lines of “truskool” HOP music, do not sound the same or get stagnant. My biggest issue with this release as that it was only an EP. This is appreciated these days as so many releases leave listeners fatigued while a record like ‘Return Of The B-Girl’ made you wait with bated breath, only adding value to the project and one’s listening experience. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘I’m Comin’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen/ & TuneIn app (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.to/QuantumLeapRadio

#REWINDREVIEW: Big K.R.I.T. ‘Return Of 4eva’ (2011)

  For me Big K.R.I.T. was apart of that list or upcoming rappers that wiggled their way out of the internet in the latter part of the 2000’s. At this time that scenario turned me off to many acts because it was yet another wave of oversaturation that obviously got much worse since then. It might have been the video single for ‘Dreamin’ that made me finally give K.R.I.T. a listen. This track was not what I expected from younger acts at the time and definitely not what I expected to hear from someone from the state I was born in. What I got with ‘Return Of 4eva’ was not only a treat but glimpse into what the future could behold. At this time I am recognizing the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Joey Bada$$ and finally feeling like I can support younger acts. The common denominator with those three was that around this time they were putting out undeniable material. ‘Return Of 4eva’ is a sonic BOOM and Big K.R.I.T.’s influences are all over this album but only he mixes those influences to create his own original meal. It did not take the Meridian, M.S. rapper to get to his 40’s to talk about real life situations that the common man can relate to. From the ‘Highs & Lows’ of life, the feeling of soundbombing while riding in your car in The South to releasing stress brought on by reality. Big K.R.I.T. planted his flag with this album and although it is a full record with twenty-one songs you often forget the length when heat after heat is constantly playing. One of the most amazing attributes of this album is it’s completely produced by Big K.R.I.T. and is not feature heavy. Fellow Mississippian David Banner makes an appearance while Chamillionaire takes time from tech investments and Joi lends her Atlantic vocals adding to the southern feel of this record. Big K.R.I.T.’s longtime collaborator Big Sant joins him on ‘Made Alot’ which channels U.G.K. but the D.N.A. of Goodie M.O.B. is present and welcome on the most enlightening track ‘Another Naive Individual Glorifying Greed & Encouraging Racism.’ One can understand the acronym this song represents and for me only stamped my approval of K.R.I.T. much like when Cee-Lo broke down the meaning of Goodie M.O.B. on ‘Fighting.’ This album deserves more praise when talking about those early 2010 releases that were more than just place holders on peoples minds and ears for about a week. Big K.R.I.T. is a case study on how knowing what came before you can birth the best of what you have coming. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Dreamin’ & ‘The Vent’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen/ & TuneIn app (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.to/QuantumLeapRadio

#RewindReview: Skyzoo & Pete Rock ‘Retropolitan’ (2019)

  The year of 2019 saw a number of incredible album releases in the HOP. One of those that is often underrated is the Skyzoo and Pete Rock ‘Retropolitan,’ whose music fit the album title completely. Skyzoo has been hustling his way through the backstage of this music industry with rhymes, for just about twenty years while Pete Rock… Well what is even left to be said about his legacy within HOP music. ‘Retropolitan’ works by not leaning on the tired “lyrics” narrative of “back in the day” but instead tries to put the listener in the experience of a past gon era, not only in the HOP but New York specifically. Skyzoo provides clever tales of fashion, street politics and pride of this fictional “Retropolitan” city. Pete Rock is more in his dusty sample bag, similar to Watch The Throne’s ‘Otis’ but with way more energy in the production. Features are limited to only a few tracks that include Raheem DeVaughn, Styles P. and a rare posse cut with the Griselda camp and Elzhi. ‘Retropolitan’ achieves it’s mission of respecting and continuing the essence of “East Coast rap” with no apologies. Something that is often needed as those characteristics seem to be shamed into oblivion these days. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘It’s All Good’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen/ & TuneIn app (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.to/QuantumLeapRadio

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