Gangsta rap hit its peak in the early 90's on the West Coast with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dee Oh Double Gee. Since then, it's been all downhill for the genre and it's playas. However, while some may say gangsta rap is dead, Dr. Dre and his disciples have managed to keep it alive since the foundation of Deathrow Records began to crumble. For "Phone Tap", Dre laid down yet another phat track this time for the lyrical stylings of Nas Escobar, AZ, and Nature. He even does the vocals for a mad catchy hook: "We got cho' phone tapped. Whachu gon' do? Cuz sooner or lata, we'll have your whole crew. All we need now is the right word or two... To make it all stick like glue, then you through."
from The Firm - The Album (Interscope), available on CD
The album title is a bit of a misnomer; Muddy Waters is a gin-you-wine Blues singer, and "My John the Conqueror Root" is a triumphant Blues song. Here Muddy Waters describes his "root" as a source of confidence, power, and I think mojo. Kinda makes me wonder what he means by "root"... In any case, put this song on when you need to look hard-times straight in the eye and go'n wit yo' bad self!
The Pharcyde poured a lot more into their second album "LabCabinCalifornia", a much more grown-up album, than their first. They are very talented lyricists: "Everytime I step to the microphone I put my soul on two-inch reels that I don't even own"... "You know I'll keep on rappin to tha break of dawn eventhough it is my soul that I do not even own."
13 May 02 ·PappaWheelie: I agree that this is one of the most tragically ignored albums of our time. Strangely enough, they followed this up by producing and even vocally aiding in 90210's "Brian Austin Greene's" album, 'One Stop Carnival'...which is great! You can probably find a good deal of that on AudioGalaxy under the name 'Brian Greene'. The Black Eyed Peas also debuted on that album.
