r/hiphopheads Essential Album of the Week #83: Mac Dre - Young Black Brotha: The Album - HipHop |
- r/hiphopheads Essential Album of the Week #83: Mac Dre - Young Black Brotha: The Album
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| r/hiphopheads Essential Album of the Week #83: Mac Dre - Young Black Brotha: The Album Posted: 01 Mar 2017 04:20 AM PST Welcome to the new and improved Essential Album of the Week discussion thread! Every Wednesday we will discuss an album from our Essential Albums list Last Week: Casual - Fear Itself This Week: Mac Dre - Young Black Brotha: The Album Stream/Purchase Unavailable on Google Play Songs/Singles Background/Description (courtesy of rapreviews.com) 1993 was a good year for hip-hop music. The Wu-Tang Clan dropped their classic debut that year. On the other side of the country the world was formally introduced to Snoop Doggy Dogg. The Native Tongues crew was in full force then. Some people might even point to that year as the beginning of rap's best era. Artists from both coasts were getting exposure and there was still plenty of room for acts like ATCQ and Digable Planets. Yet with all this shine going around, the hip-hop community still missed out on at least one notable event from 1993. That year also saw the release of Mac Dre's debut "Young Black Brotha: The Album." Some of you might be scratching your heads as you're reading this thinking, "Who the hell is Mac Dre and why should I care?" Others might have heard the name and dismissed him as just another gangsta rapper from the west coast. But Mac Dre is far from your local rapper who never quite made it. He is to Vallejo, CA what Lil Keke is to Texas, what Hitman Sammy Sam is to Atlanta, what Esham is to Detroit...the list could go on and on. For well over ten years Mac Dre has been quietly making a living off of this rap thing and has done so without a major label release or any other commercial exposure. If that wasn't impressive enough, he has released over 10 solo albums and numerous compilations during that time, Dre is no slacker. And even though he still isn't as well known as he could be, his debut album is no less important in the short history of hip-hop. "Young Black Brotha: The Album" not only introduced the world to Mac Dre but also to other major Bay Area players. On the rap side of things the album includes collaborations with The Mac, Ray Luv, Coolio AKA Da Unda Dog, and most notably Mac Mall. While all these rappers are well known in the bay area, Mac Mall is probably the one who has gained the most commercial success, mainly through a record deal with Relativity Records years ago. But even of greater importance than the guest rappers is the producer, Khayree, who handled almost all of the production on this CD. Why Khayree has never blown up is still a mystery to this reviewer, but I will elaborate on that later. To most people none of these names ring a bell, but to any bay area rap fan the list reads like an all-star game line-up. The actual album is divided into the "Romp" side and the "Crest" side, a reminder of how popular cassette tapes were back in 1993. The intro track, "2 Hard 4 The Fuckin' Radio," has enough old school flavor to make any rap fan happy as Mac Dre brags: "Listen up, I'm about to get dope It ain't nothin' but some shit I wrote About a young brotha deep in the game They call me Mac Dre and I'm keepin the name I sport Nikey shoes, I got a mic to use To talk bad about suckers, I don't like the fools Down and dirty bout spittin' my hits And if not, I'm gettin' my grits Playin' the game like it's supposed to be played Makin' much more than the minimum wage Not a pimp daddy, don't drive a Caddy I just mack and get all that babby Dre, you know I never slow down Smokin cesstee until I'm really towed down Walk into the party, fully perked Grab the microphone and let the mouthpiece work I got hype and the game starts flowin' The girls get freaky and it starts showin' And when the party's over at the end of the night They say: Damn, Mac Dre you ain't nothin' polite Cuz I'm the numero uno, could never be the dos A Mack named Dre and I'm poppin the most 18, makin' raps 'til I'm 80 though And too hard for the fuckin' radio" The beat by Khayree is equally old school as he sticks to hard snares and a funky bassline accented by cow bells to provide the back ground for Mac Dre's game. The hook has a sped up sample of Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good" that adds to the flavor (Yep, that's right - for all you Kanye and Heatmakerz fans, this cat was doing it over 10 years ago). On "All Damn Day" Dre keeps the mackin' alive with this message: "I'm hard but saucy bitch back on off me Steady tryin' to toss me, ho smell the coffee I gave you some ho, did not cum though Your too damn dumb ho, what you actin' sprung fo'? I'm hard to get with, pimperistic I want your lipstick on top of my dick tip I'm from the V-A double L E-J O and you know ho, the things that we say Are simple and plain, nothing but game And if you aint up on it Mac Dre is the name I want a fat ass joint of that potent zesty And a thick chocolate bitch whose name is Nestle From the C-R-E-S-T, 'cause thats where the best be Suckas get jealous and they try to test me So I carry a nine all the time Dope raps I rhyme, this is how I grind Making stacks of cash, down to wax that ass A nigga ready to blast a muthafucka real fast Dickin' the ho's, never lickin' the ho's Big black dick is what I stick in the ho's shake 'em, I break 'em, but never will I take 'em To eat hamburgers let alone some steak and Lobster, 'cause baby I'm a mobster you tell your friends how I robbed ya" Khayree comes through yet again with another dope beat and a hook that would make DJ Premier and Stoupe jealous. The beat is a bit more laid back that usual, but includes an fat bass line and piano and guitar loops that fit to perfection. The hook is a medley of Mac Dre samples, a technique that is still in heavy use nowadays, and to top that all off Khayree manages to include scratching throughout the track to satisfy all the hip-hop purists out there. It should be pretty obvious by now that Mac Dre's main concern is mackin', and though some people might scoff at this, just like Too $hort, it's not what you say, it's how you say it. Mac Dre has flow, no question about it. That intangible ability to say things right, on time, create new cadences, accentuate the right syllable, etc... are all qualities possessed by Dre. Even on tracks like "Young Black Brotha," where he speaks about a serious topic (the plight of young Black men in this case), you are still drawn to Dre's flow. Especially for a debut album, Dre's performance on the mic is impressive. Dre seems very aware of his ability as he professes "Cause I'm a fly young brotha with a gift of gab And bitch dont let it get ya mad" on "Young Playah." The fact that part of the album was recorded over the phone when Dre was locked up for conspiracy to commit robbery only emphasizes Dre's commitment to his rap career. Mac Dre is the type of rapper who could rap about nothing and still maintain your attention. Khayree's performance throughout this album is also impressive. His production is based on the fundamentals of most bay area rap, tight drum tracks complemented with deep bass lines. Just like the music found in L.A. and the rest of California, it's all about the funk and soul and Khayree's music reflects this. But instead of spitting out cookie cutter tracks, Khayree's beats incorporate many different instruments and samples to keep things fresh. On "Young Black Brotha" Khayree's production is straight up jazzy, with a trumpet sample that sounds like something you would expect from East Coast hip-hop at the time. "I'm N Motion" features a straight up sinister beat that drives the track with a smooth flowing bass line and a few samples that fit the track like a glove. From trumpets, flutes, pianos to ill vocal samples and scratches, Khayree really crafts great music through out this album. Khayree's production was tight when it came out, and the amazing thing is that it's still tight today. His production from 11 years ago is better than a lot of the stuff coming out today. So what happens when you put a tight rapper and a an equally tight producer together? In this case you get a great album that really captures a moment in time and space for hip-hop. The chemistry that Mac Dre and Khayree show is like none other. This CD should have done for Vallejo and the whole bay area what "Doggystyle" did for Long Beach. It contains all the elements of a classic hip-hop album: a rapper/producer duo that fit each other perfectly, a crew that includes of lot of up and coming and talented rappers, and a healthy dose of repping your side of town. While it didn't put Vallejo and Mac Dre on the map as it should have, "Young Black Brotha: The Album" is still classic in it's own respect. It spawned the career of one of the game's most prolific, though lesser known, rappers and it introduced the world to other noteworthy artists such as Mac Mall, Ray Luv, and Khayree. Most importantly, this album truly captures the essence of what the bay area rap scene has always been about with its funky beats and mackin'/rappin'. It's also a reflection of bay area living thanks to Dre's vivid narratives. If you ever wondered what all the hype behind the bay area is about, this is the perfect place to start, that is if you can get your hands on a copy of this classic CD (or cassette). Good Luck. Guidelines This is an open thread for you to share your thoughts on the album. Avoid vague statements of praise or criticism. This is your chance to practice being a critic. It's fine for you to drop by just to say you love the album, but let's try and step it up a bit!!! How has this album affected hip-hop? WHY do you like this tape? What are the best tracks? Do you think it deserves the praise it gets? Is it the first time you've listened to it? What's your first impression? Have you listened to the artist before? Explain why you like it or why you don't. DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT BEING LATE !!!! Discussion throughout the week is encouraged. Next week's EAOTW will be Warren G - Regulate... G Funk Era [link] [comments]  |
| Travis Scott announces "Birds Eye View" Posted: 05 Mar 2017 01:05 PM PST |
| Future Makes History With Back-to-Back No. 1 Debuts on Billboard 200 Albums Chart Posted: 05 Mar 2017 12:49 PM PST |
| YG Breaks $60K Contract to Play "Fuck Donald Trump" at College Concert Posted: 05 Mar 2017 02:05 AM PST |
| Posted: 05 Mar 2017 04:47 PM PST Just saw on @esgn_diego's Instagram that Big Time Watts, Freddie Gibbs' uncle featured on almost all of his projects has passed away. Pour some out and burn one down for the biggest shit talker in the rap game. [link] [comments]  |
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| SUNDAY GENERAL DISCUSSION THREAD - MARCH 3RD 2017 Posted: 05 Mar 2017 04:50 PM PST What are you looking forward to this month HHH? How has your life been? Discuss some stuff. [link] [comments]  |
| Kanye West "Never Let Me Down" Studio Session Posted: 05 Mar 2017 01:07 PM PST |
| Nas, Illmatic - Survivor Round 5 Posted: 05 Mar 2017 10:54 AM PST Almost halfway through and people are already at eachothers throats smh Vote here. Songs Remaining:
Songs Voted Out Round 4: Halftime (31%, 855 Votes) Round 3: One Love (21%, 916 Votes) Round 2: One Time 4 Your Mind (48.7%, 516 Votes) Round 1: The Genesis (51.3%, 1,160 Votes) [link] [comments]  |
| Posted: 05 Mar 2017 02:49 PM PST |
| Posted: 05 Mar 2017 08:03 PM PST Let me see some albums with two distinctive halves, for me I immediately think of: Frank Ocean - Blonde Death Grips - The Powers That B Denzel Curry - 32 Zel / Planet Shrooms The Underachievers - Evermore: The Art of Duality Gimme all the examples you got, really feeling this album layout for some reason, it reminds me of old vinyl albums with B, C, and D sides. [link] [comments]  |
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| Best Verse, Week 101 - Vic Mensa Posted: 05 Mar 2017 12:33 PM PST Chicago's very own Vic Mensa is this week's best verse! Background: Vic Mensa, is a Grammy-nominated American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He is currently signed to Roc Nation and was a member of the group Kids These Days, which broke up in May 2013. He released his first solo mixtape Innanetape. Mensa is also founder of the hip-hop collective Savemoney which includes frequent collaborator Chance the Rapper. His debut single "Down on My Luck" was released in June 2014 by Virgin EMI. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Mensa Past 20 Week Results: ..... Please provide links with your votes! Post your favorite verses here! remember just because a verse may be iconic that does necessarily mean it's their best verse. And as usual taking suggestions for next week Spotify playlist for /r/HHH's Best Verse of 2015 Spotify Playlist for /r/HHH'S Best Verse of 2016 [link] [comments]  |
| [ORIGINAL] mUsa - Where I'm From, autotune drenched banger about Pakistan/Jersey Posted: 05 Mar 2017 03:17 PM PST |
| Best Beast 2.0, Week 32 - KAYTRANADA Posted: 05 Mar 2017 12:28 PM PST The Canadian DJ is this week's best beats! Background: Celestin began his career under the name Kaytradamus in 2010. He released two projects as Kaytradamus before changing his name to 'Kaytranada' in 2012. Kaytranada has released a total of thirteen projects and forty-one remixes. Kaytranada has toured more than 50 Canadian, American, European and Australian cities. During 2015, Kaytranada opened for two nights of Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour, one in Canada and one in the United States. In December 2014 he signed an exclusive recording agreement with XL Recordings. His debut album, 99.9%, was released on May 6, 2016. The album includes features from GoldLink, AlunaGeorge, Syd tha Kyd, Anderson Paak, and Vic Mensa among others. He also did a collaboration with Craig David, on the song "Got It Good", which is also included in David's sixth studio album, Following My Intuition. Speculation arose that Kaytranada and producer Rick Rubin had started working together when a photo of them surfaced online around February 2015. It was later confirmed that they did in fact enter in a partnership for his publishing, that is backed by Pulse Recordings based in Los Angeles. He won the 2016 Polaris Music Prize for his album 99.9%. IMPORTANT TIPS BEFORE VOTING:
Past 20 Week Results: Week 11 - The Alchemist - "Mac Miller - Red Dot Music" Post your favorite beats (with links) here! remember just because a beat may be iconic that does necessarily mean it's their best beat. taking suggestions for next week [link] [comments]  |
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