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#rewindreview: Showbiz & A.G. ‘Runaway Slave’ 1992

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  Growing up my interest in HOP music came from the benefit of cable television. This didn’t mean that I grew up in a rich home by any means but that cable was cheap enough to have during certain times in those years. A period that was missed for me was late 1992 thru about 1994, so I missed a lot of singles that might have only been shown on Rap City or Yo! MTV Raps. One single that I caught before that cable bill was overdue and it was gone again was ‘Soul Clap’ from Showbiz & A.G. For those alive or paying attention at that time, know that the single was heavy and stayed in rotation. It was the introduction to the duo and left a lasting impression on ears for years to come. This single was also one of my first CD purchases as the ‘Soul Clap/Party Groove’ maxi single I bought used at the original Soundwaves records store here in #HUEston, after returning a ‘Boys II Men’ album I got for Christmas one year. ‘Soul Clap’ and ‘Fat Pockets (remix)’ was the only songs I was familiar with from ‘Runaway Slave’ at the time. It wasn’t until about 2002 when I finally got around to this album and from then it grew on me. 1992 is not one I put in my “favorite years” of HOP music list so when I initially heard this album it sounded “suspended in time” but Showbiz’s beats were crazy and stick to one’s auditory canal like barnacle on boats. A.G.’s rough rhymes mixed with these beats just gave an energy that can’t be denied. ‘Silence The Lambs,’ ’40 Acres And My Props’ and ‘He Say, She Say’ all have this jazzy but dangerous feel to the songs. ‘Runaway Slave’ also provides interludes to each song with members of D.I.T.C. (Diggin’ In The Crates) while also introducing the world to Big L. The album is a time capsule to a world where rap music was more genuine in why it was being created which can be theorized as to why the music holds up after thirty years. Equipment had to be bought, music had to be listened to, time and money had to be scheduled for recording, and M.C.’s had to be ready when these other stars were aligned to make a mark. All this was not done with a click of a button but instead digging in crates to create a unique soul in HOP music. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Soul Clap,’ ‘Fat Pockets’ & ‘Bounce Ta This’ 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 @

#rewindreview: Run The Jewels (Killer Mike & El-P) ‘Run The Jewels’ 2013

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  I could never imagine in 1998 that while listening to Company Flow’s ‘Funcrusher Plus’ and Outkast ‘Aquemini,’ that I would ever hear El-P and Big Boi rapping on the same track. This has been the legacy of Run The Jewels, which is providing the most amalgamated circumstances to all of us who were listening to HOP music prior to the 2000s. For those younger ears or one’s simply not in the know, this collaboration between El-P, Killer Mike and the features they have had is standard practice in a rap music world where that proverbial “line in the sand” is no longer existent. ‘Run The Jewels’ is the second collaboration with El-P and Killer Mike, but the first of what would make them a cultural favorite among younger ears. Unlike Killer Mike’s ‘R.A.P. Music’ album from 2012, El-P was strongly motivated to rap again by Killer Mike, thus creating this rapping duo. This album is to the point and really displays the chemistry “El & Mike” have. The content was a lot more abstract and fun, to which those aspects were really sold by the visual components of the record. The first single ’36’ Chain’ has one of the most laugh out loud moments as “RTJ” re-envision L.L. Cool J’s intro to the ‘I’m Bad’ single. More “inside joke” hilarity is found on the Prince Paul featured ‘Twin Hype Back’ where he reprises his role as “Chess Rockwell” of Handsome Boy Modeling School. ‘Run The Jewels’ for me is the easiest album to digest next to ‘RTJ4′ in the Run The Jewels catalog. El-P handles the majority of the production and keeps that “futuristic b-boy” feel which keeps this album strange in 2013 but over the years it has marinated to feel a little ahead of it’s time. If the run (no pun intended) of the duo is done, within a decade they have stamped their ticket as a solid rap group and boosted the value of Killer Mike, so run these jewels back one more time *no Diddy*. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ’36’ Chain’ & ‘A Christmas F***king Miracle,’ ‘Banana Clipper,’ ‘Run The Jewels’ & ‘Get It’ 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 @

#rewindreview: Run The Jewels (Killer Mike & El-P) ‘Run The Jewels 3’ 2016

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  As a Christmas gift for a world who would now see a clown as the leader of the “free world,” Run The Jewels activated one more release before the end of the 2010’s. ‘Run The Jewels 3’ felt like a much darker album from the previous releases, if one could differentiate the music with expert ears. As collaboration albums go “RTJ” by this point felt more like an actual group than two separate entities getting together for another run. For me it was starting to feel like a burn out as by the time of this release I was still getting familiar with the first two. ‘Run The Jewels 3’ has more of an alternative rock influence which sonically is why I probably don’t find it as my favorite. The message and mission of the group remains which is providing a cynical outlook on society and more important how critical things seem to be in the election year of 2016. El-P and Killer Mike perform effortlessly through rhymes and ideas and are once again joined by Zack De La Rocha while adding a couple of more unexpected guest like Trina and Danny Brown. ‘Run The Jewels 3’ isn’t a bad record but it lacks the ability to convert “hip-hop heads” to the movement of RTJ with it’s overtly left of center/Trap music feel. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Legend Has It’ & ‘Call Ticketron’ Listen to @QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 3-5a.m. CST @90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen (under “kpft in HD2”) Catch past episodes by searching and following @fanlink.tv/QuantumLeapRadio

#rewindreview: Run The Jewels (Killer Mike & El-P) ‘Run The Jewels 2’ 2014

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  In the third collaboration for El-P and Killer Mike the duo find themselves caught in an unexpected cultural phenomenon. With the success of the first ‘Run The Jewels’ album the critical response among new fans and a younger generation looking for more than the average top 40 radio sounds, “RTJ” become the new anti-establishment group of choice. After the Mike Brown killing in St. Louis, there was a sense of reality among “twenty-something year old’s” who grew up thinking racism was in the past and the world was as “black and white” as the villains and heroes in their favorite anime. ‘Run The Jewels 2’ serves as a “truth serum” that does not come off as preachy or mild musically with a rebellious energy. El-P embraces the southern bounce that seemed to connect with more ears from the first “RTJ” record and with the help of Wilder Zoby and Shalimar, intertwine a futuristic rock element that doesn’t allow the listener to fall asleep. ‘Run The Jewels 2’ really focuses in on the dangers of corrupt governing and questioning the leaders put in place to uphold law. Although there are a couple of different moments like the raunchy ‘Love Again (Akinyele back)’ which features Gangsta Boo as all three express the dirty side of wanting that “good ol’ thing back.” Where this album fails or in some ears succeeds is it all sounds like one long song. It can be hard to really distinguish the majority of songs but then again to the “RTJ” fan this is probably the best thing about the album. ‘Run The Jewels 2’ is made for the festivals, where suburban kids can live out their dreams of going wild and crazy while thinking this is “sticking to the man.” What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Blockbuster Night Part.1,’ ‘Oh My Darling Don’t Cry,’ ‘Lie, Cheat, Steal,’ ‘Close Your Eyes (And Count To F**k),’ ‘Early,’ ‘Angel Duster’ 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 episode by searching and following @

#rewindreview: Jay Dee a.k.a. J-Dilla ‘Ruff Draft’ EP 2003

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  During the days of Jay Dee’s life, when he was still under utilized by the music industry and the “Dilla changed my life” audience thought “Jay Dee” was a misspelling of Jermaine Dupri, the Detroit native was dropping solo music that barely saw the light of day. ‘Ruff Draft’ was an EP that was originally only released on vinyl after “J-Dilla’s” solo debut ‘Welcome 2 Detroit’ and the shelved MCA Records debut album ‘Pay Jay.’ ‘Ruff Draft’ like it’s namesake was a collection of tracks which sounded like Jay Dee was in practice and still better than most beat makers at the time. “Dilla” has this genius way of making the most calm and vibing tracks feel like a build up of energy that keeps one’s neck and constant motion. ‘Let’s Take It Back’ is a grand example of this as it starts off the release. ‘Make’em NV’ is another banger where Jay Dee utilizes Fame of M.O.P.’s voice to bring this track’s energy over a “ruff” drum loop. It’s been said by Jay Dee’s family members and close friends that he liked to sing and on this release the audience gets to hear a bit of that on the hypnotic track ‘Nothing Like This.’ With ‘Ruff Draft’ falling under the radar in 2003 it was only right that it was re-released in 2007 after the passing of James Dewitt Yancy in 2006. ‘Ruff Draft’ further shows the world what they took for granted as while Jay Dee was alive, his modus oparandi was to constantly create and elevate his music no matter who was listening. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Nothing Like This’ 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 @

#rewindreview: Run The Jewels (Killer Mike & El-P) ‘RTJ4’ 2020

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  Since 2012’s ‘R.A.P. Music’ from Killer Mike, his collaboration with El-P has always been a prime example of the “odd couple” in HOP music. ‘RTJ4’ marks the fifth collaboration album the two have done and for me personally is a favorite out of their Run The Jewels series. What makes this album stand out for me is how it’s a lot easier to separate from the previous Run the Jewels records. ‘RTJ4’ sounds more like a return to Killer Mike’s ‘R.A.P. Music’ where songs within the album sounded more discernible. The album feels more like the HOP music production one will hear from an El-P produced record, with a sort of futuristic “boom bap” sound he has been known for since 2001’s ‘Fantastic Damage.’ El-P had help on the production side with Wilder Zoby and Little Shalimar who provide more live music to the already left of center “trap sound” often displayed by Run The Jewels records. In theme with the odd and unlikely pairing of Killer Mike and El-P, the album features just as unlikely guest that include Pharrell Williams, Gangsta Boo, Zach De La Rocha and Greg Nice. Run The Jewels turn a concoction of musicians into a solid piece of an audible meal, complete with challenges to capitalism, revolutionary lyrics and fighting the system while under the guise of upbeat production in a “hipster” atmosphere. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Ooh LA LA,’ ‘Out Of Sight’ & ‘Walking In The Snow’ 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 @

#rewindreview: Big Pooh ‘RPM’ 2018

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Since Little Brother’s ‘The Listening’ from 2002, it was always a narrative that Big Pooh was the weaker M.C. out of the group and some that believed he never should have been behind a microphone. These narratives tend to shut people down while others, it only provides fuel to prove those narratives wrong. Over the years “Pooh’s” skill have not only gotten better but if one is really paying attention can hear more confidence in his delivery. On ‘RPM’ Big Pooh delivers a consistent set of HOP tracks that showcase just how comfortable the rapper is in his abilities. Produced entirely by Focus and featuring a few guest like Chaundon, Akilz Amari, C.S. Armstrong, Blakk Soul and Ab Liva. Focus manages not to over produce the record while Big Pooh experiments with some different cadences like on ‘Follow The Leader’ featuring Thurz and ‘Prey/Pray’ featuring Cocoa Sarai. Big Pooh and Focus do an excellent job of making sure songs go in many directions while also keeping the tracks and album shorter as to not lose ears in a drowning of “filler” tracks. ‘RPM’ doesn’t sound like an album where Big Pooh is trying to say to the public “I told you so” but rather “this is just what I do.” What did you think of the album? 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 @

#rewindreview: EarthGang ‘Royalty’ EP 2018

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    This was my first time giving the Atlanta G.A. duo a chance as their name had been buzzing for a few years leading up to this release. With co-signs from a few respectable veterans in HOP music as well as being apart of J. Cole’s Dreamville crew, the red carpet was laid for EarthGang. ‘Royalty’ is a twenty-five minute sample taste of the duo’s talent’s as rappers but even more importantly showing that even though they are from the land of “trap,” they provide more music than just the same drumkit and basic 808’s. The comparison was made early on that this was the closest to Outkast for a new generation. A description that I can easily understand people would make as a track like ‘Off The Lot’ featuring Mereba, feels like something birthed from Outkast’s third album ‘Aquemini.’ I believe the comparison’s do EarthGang more a disservice due to such big shoes to fill. Most acts post Outkast, that meant for their art to last have always instituted more live music and vibrant sounds. This is where this release truly shines as the music created by EarthGang along with, Like, Childish Major and Jones T provide a sonic atmosphere that leave listeners wanting more but indulging in a bit of nostalgia due to so much “basic” music associated with younger acts. EarthGang is different and I believe once their actual rapping voices are found and strengthened, they can truly create a lasting legacy. What did you think of the album? 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 @

#rewindreview: Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs ‘Roxbury 02119’ 1993

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You might often wonder to yourself, who was the rapper that introduced a city to you. Some might say Common for Chicago, The Geto Boys for Houston or Too $hort for Oakland. For me the city of Boston was introduced by Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs after their smash hit ‘I Gots Ta Have It’ off the debut ‘Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto’ from 1991. A solid album that introduced the crew with some real themes and light hearted tracks. The sophomore release ‘Roxbury 02119’ is a lot more rougher and musically a lot more consistent. Unlike their debut, it’s not a smash hit on ‘Roxbury…’ but as a whole album it jams with limited songs that could be considered “filler.” From the opening track ‘Streets Of The Ghetto,’ Ed O.G. sets the tone of this release for the 1993 ears. ‘Bug-A-Boo’ is in the past and it’s time to feel the streets of Roxbury. This is not to be seen as a complete 180 degree turn from the lessons ‘Life Of A Kid…’ provided as tracks like ‘Love Comes And Goes’ remember those lives taken unexpectedly and ‘Less Than Zero’ touches on the mistrust of Police within inner-ctiy boundaries. Ed O.G. was always a good storyteller when it was time although on this album there is more “streams of thought” lyrics which could possibly be the reason it is often slept on over the years. Beats were provided by Joe Mansfield and Diamond D. to which both producers made such a cohesive record. This was at a time when Diamond D. was in a zone so much so that the beat for ‘Busted’ ended up being the same beat with a slight change in music for Tha Alkaholiks’ track ‘Next Level,’ off their ‘Coast II Coast’ album a couple of years later. Even “The Great Diamond” himself didn’t realize this when QUANTUM LEAP RADIO interviewed him a couple of years ago (https://fanlink.to/QLLEAP311/) This goes back to the mystery of why is ‘Roxbury 02119’ often forgotten and was it just an album that was caught in such a good year of HOP music releases or did the record label simply neglect a hidden gem? What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘Skinny Dip (got it goin’ on)’ & ‘Love Comes And Goes’ 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: Statik Selektah ‘Round Trip’ 2023

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This was an album that fell a bit under the radar in 2023. Statik Selektah’s ‘Round Trip’ is an assembly of some of the most “truskool” rappers who have earned a name for ACTUAL rapping in the last ten to twelve years. From Joey Bada$$, Rome Street, The Griselda crew, Ab-Soul and Ransom to name a few, “Statik” provides his signature sound to coalesce with these voices meant to carry the torch of HOP music. Although the track listing can look intimidating with twenty songs, this record is only an hour long. Statik Selektah works hard to make sure the album is not monotonous to the listener’s ears by having such a wide variety of rappers involved but also making sure his production provides a wide range of feeling while keeping the overall frequency consistent. ‘Round Trip’ not only provides the more recent collective of wordsmiths but notable veterans as well. Expect to hear the likes of A.Z., members of the Wu-Tang Clan, Bun B., Cormega, M.O.P. and Elzhi. One of the most important veterans on ‘Round Trip’ is Posdnous of De La Soul, as this would mark the first song and feature of the legend after the passing of group member Dave a.k.a. Plug 2. It was only right and with respect that Statik Selektah starts this ‘Round Trip’ off with a dedication to one of HOP music’s most important figures, who we all lost in the year 2023. What did you think of the album? 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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