Extras Extra

Wow. Not sure what to say. Where did I hear about it first? BBC? The paper? Or internet? Ah, I can't remember.

Last night, it was planned that I was to have a Ricky Gervais night at mine. Featuring a playlist of The Office Christmas episodes, his live 'Fame' standup and finally, on TV, Extras.

Oh, it was hilarious. The Office was because Christmas has just gone, and as host, I wanted to make it contextually fitting!
Fame well that was funny, but that's not what I'm here to talk about.

TV on, volume up, lights dimmed, doors closed, bladder emptied! BBC ident showing, intro sequence begins.

Big Brother? Wow! I let out a laugh (a quiet one, so that I don't miss a thing) because opening sequences that I don't expect (the intros to Extras always begin as a scene from a film or from the show that Andy, the programme's protagonist, for all you not knowers, is in).

From thence forth, I didn't know what to expect. I knew from watching the Office Christmas episodes that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant could pen good series conclusions. But not the way last night.

As each episode in each series progressed, we see Andy climbing the slippery ladder to fame, and each time, Maggie sees him becoming a worse friend than before. So that had to go somewhere. Part of me was hoping there would be a romance. I've never seen Gervais do that. Oh, apart from in the Office. But you can see that sort of bond there between them, can't you?

I expected to laugh a bit more. But you're tipping the scales there between the midlife crisis Andy (and Maggie for that matter) is in with humour. Still, being Gervais, he never fails to make a cringeworthy fool out of himself anyway (stomach girdle snapping - LOL!).

Yet at the same time, and I respect Gervais for doing this as anything he puts his name on is a cash cow, manages to put every critical thing I have to say about fame and celebrity into the storyline/dialogue. Wow. I mean, is he doing that deliberately to let his fans know that being famous isn't everything, even though Extras could loosely be based around his climb to fame? Where did he learn to act for example? Because a long, emotional monologue (with real tears?) to the camera to Maggie watching at home was like "Whoah, that's powerful stuff from the man I seen on the extras of his DVDs, who clearly acts like a prat most of the time!"

"I'm sick of these celebrities living their life out in the open. Why would you do that? Fuck the makers of this show! The Victorian freak show never went away. Now it's called Big Brother or The X-Factor. We wheel out the bewildered to be sniggered at by multi-millionaires. Fuck you for watching this at home! Shame on you and shame on me!"

*applause from my settee*

Nancy Banks-Smith gave it an okay review in the Guardian. That's all well and dandy, but I would have preferred that Sam Wollaston fella myself. She said that the celebrity appearances were "etched in acid" and most of them were "good sports or... glad to be asked." I agree. George Michael turning up on the 'queer bench' as that Scottish character (the name escapes me) from the first series is talking to Andy - loud laughs among all! I, like her, thought that Hale and Pace were Chas and Dave...

Anyway, for me, it would be biased to try and review last night's episode like a TV reviewer as I'm a Gervais fan, it wouldn't be fair. Rather, I'll rate it on its 'wow' factor for fans, and I have to say, he did a great job with it. There was some different soundtrack throughout, which I'm not too sure fitted well with transitions. It ended negatively, highlighting the mid-life crises they were both facing, Andy, Maggie, Andy's agent and 'Barry' all lost their jobs, and in the end, Andy deceives his agent and quits fame forever. Sure, it was long, but fans such as myself stuck with it through all one hour and twenty-five minutes of it, and every up and down kept me hooked to see how Gervais was going to end it. As I said before, I don't know where he learned to write his scripts, or do emotional monologues (it was a good thing, as you never expect his characters to have the depth of emotion), but he did a good job.

So, "Wow."

And the figures are in: it scored 5m viewers!

Book Review: Salam Pax

I never thought reading a book of someone's personal blog could be quite so interesting (I say interesting rather than fascinating because really its just opinionated musings of daily life, only during the recent war in Iraq). These are really just letters published on the Internet so Pax's friend Raed in Jordan can read them.

Somehow you feel drawn to this book because it goes against something that would never have been allowed in controlled Iraq, although all it really is is a published web log, copied-and-pasted straight off the Internet.

Somehow it grips because of all this inside information. Many times does Pax put himself at risk just to keep his blog updated. Friends and relations are reduced to first initials or pseudonyms as to not give away identities, and only a mysterious blog-friend Diana is entrusted with many of his secrets.

What gripes me about this book is that its available for viewing on the Internet completely free of charge in its original format.

What is also difficult is there are footnotes at the bottom of nearly every page! This means you have to do a lot of referencing in order to understand some of what you're reading.

Its also quite hard for people who have never 'blogged' before to understand the layout of it.

Fortunately for me I picked it up in the library though...

A good read? Yes.

Finally there's something I can read and at the same time look back on when comparing it to what I saw on the news at the time. It was a risk writing something like this, but reading it fascinates the mind as you experience the same images we saw on TV only through the eyes of someone in Iraq at the. Its humorous and well written and I recommend it to anyone interested in Iraq affairs or just those who need a better understanding of a land constantly in our headlines portrayed in a such a negative way.

Read the book, it will change some of your opinions. Although as I said, its also free to read on Pax's blogsite anyway.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest (opinion in brief)

Saw it the other night.

Continuing from where the last one finished, I had to rack my brains to remember what actually happened previously.

The sequel has tooooooo much of Orlando Bloom in it, and not enought Keira Knightly for my liking. And Orlando is as wooden as the main deck upon the Black Pearl!
While I had to remember what happened in the first, this one also had the problem that the storylines got complicated and I couldn't even work out some parts (the dice game on The Flying Dutchman... what?)

Luckily for a dumb-dumb like most of us who don't want to work out the story, the action took over and there were a lot of fantastic/hilarious scenes, particularly with Jack Sparrow frollicking about, being an arse.

In contrast, the last shot you see of Sparrow is the greatest shot I've seen in the cinema all this year.

Its an okay film, for the action and laughs, but don't pay too much attention to the storyline, please, or you'll demand a refund.

Daz Dillinger: DPGC You Know What Im Throwin Up

Artist: Daz
Title: DPGC U Know What I'm Throwin' Up
Label: Gangsta Advisory
Year: 2003

Its too bad that after ten years in the rap game that Daz manages to forget how to rap well within two years- counting from 2003 when this released dropped and from 2001's "Dillinger & Young Gotti."

The departure of Kurupt from DPG to follow a better financial deal at Death Row, the very label he left along with the DPG et al, left Daz a very embittered man, throwing disses towards his ex-homeboy and anyone associated with his label, including the notorious CEO of Death Row Records, Suge Knight. "I'll Beacho Azz" is where it begins and continues through "U Aint Sh*t" and various other skits throughout. And in brief, that's really what this 'album' is about- bigging up DPG's name above anyone, even though their grasp on fame is only thanks to Snoop selling out to the masses and being on his tongue every time he claims himself, and the interludes? There's an interlude every other track. More often than not, its Snoop making some outdated "WBALLS" radio announcement.
Thanks to these stupid and pointless interruptions, this so called 'album' becomes less of an album and more of a mixtape- slip in into your player and you'll see (depending on which track listing was printed on the back of your case) that there aren't 15 tracks but in fact 31!
The Snoop Dogg appearances also makes you question whose name should really go on the CD, after all, if Snoop's going to be all over your album, why not just sell it as his?

All that really sets it apart from being a mixtape in my opinion is the production credits from the likes of Fredwreck and Soopafly. There are some banging productions on this release, and that's what really wins over your ears above some sub par rapping.

The hot joints on the CD are as follows:

I'll Beacho Azz - (Prod. by Soopafly)
The first diss on the CD gets straight to the point. Riding', dark and hard. Daz flows well and the hook is good. 'Fly's production isn't even that bad, and normally I'm no fan of his productions.

U Ain't Shit - (Prod. by Soopafly)
This is a phatted up bassline, again from Soopafly. The rest of the content is putting down Daz's enemies. Kurupt, Suge Knight, Ja Rule, and so forth.

Skirt Out - (Prod. by Fredwreck)
Good beats here, something a little more 'classic' to the DPG's Westcoast taste, on the riding or "skirting" around on the streets.

Don't Stop (Prod. by Soopafly)
Sounds like this was written by Soopafly (including Daz's verse). BANG BANG! Its a thumper and has some tight sounding electric sound in the background too.

Can't Stop That Gangsta Shit
Not sure who produced this one, it isn't in my sleeve notes, but DAMN this is a hot track. This isn't the slurry D-A-Z we're used to hearing nowadays; this is all out Westcoast vibes through your speakers. Easily an anthem for the album. Damn!

Introduction 2 Mayhem
Soopafly and Daz together on a tight joint. Probably produced by 'Fly.

Round n Round We Go (Prod. by Soopafly)
This would be a good radio track. Soopafly has really amazed me with his productions this far into the album. And electric guitar riff over Westcoast synths. Little bits of old DP with a speedy flow, isn't bad at all.

I Got Dat Fire (Prod. by Meech Wells)
Back to the dealing drugs side of things. Something calm, chilled, 'dope' if you can excuse a pun like that. The productions on this are right on point and the appearances are good too; in fact, Snoop has some good rhyming too! One of the top tracks.

Let's Roll (Prod. by Shon Don)
Crystal's appearance kicks it Westcoast old school.

There's also tight productions on Dogg Catcha (Prod. by Soopafly), Ain't Nothin' But a Gangsta Party, Pt. 2 (Prod. by Fredwreck) which has some real dope vibes to it and even sparks a little excitement hearing the "2 Of America's Most Wanted" hook but just doesn't live up to being on its level.

The rest of the material, including all these interludes is in sad honesty, skippers. So really, 9 out of these 31 tracks (14 of which I wouldn't even classify as 'tracks' as their either skits or interludes) Daz could have made a sustainable album. Sadly we have to put up with a whole load of bullshit filler, which really just leads us to hate Snoop, even more than most probably do!

Sometimes I think Daz actually tries too hard with his rapping. There's the squeaky-singy voices I associate with DPG rapping styles, the chanting and even the odd fast spitting from him too, but most of this is same old same old.

Sadly it doesn't entertain in any way as well as it would had Kurupt stayed down. Some of Daz's features even outdo him in most cases! Something else is, aside from the named tracks, you'll probably like the beat but not like the song. Disappointingly the title track doesn't live up to its hype either.

Similar recommendations:
DPG: Dillinger and Young Gotti (Buy this over the others and this Daz album)
Daz Dillinger: This Is The Life I Lead (Daz's previous album, better tracks, less crap)
Roscoe: Philaphornia (DP's Kurupt's little brother, tight Soopafly joint on here and similar West-West sounds.)

1. Bigg Snoop Dogg Intro
2. I'll Beacho Azz
3. Public Service Announcement
4. U Ain't Shit - Badazz
5. WBALLZ (Interlude)
6. Dogg Catcha
7. Snoopy Collins (Interlude)
8. All Night Long
9. It's Dat Gangsta Shit
10. Skirt Out
11. Snoop (Interlude): Suck Me
12. Don't Stop
13. Snoop (Interlude): Quit Playin'
14. Can't Stop That Gangsta Shit
15. Snoop (Interlude): Kick Some Gangsta Shit
16. Deez Niggaz Trippin'
17. Introduction 2 Mayhem
18. WBALLZ (Interlude)
19. Round n Round We Go
20. DPGC: U Know What I'm Throwin' Up
21. Pimpin' Olympics (Interlude)
22. Ain't Nothin' But a Gangsta Party, Pt. 2
23. I Got Dat Fire (Interlude)
24. I Got Dat Fire
25. Snoop (Interlude): Reminisce
26. World So Cold [I'll Beacho Azz Remix]
27. Message to Ricardo Brown
28. Church (Interlude)
29. Who Dem Niggaz
30. Let's Roll
31. Message from Delmar Arnaud

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STREET NIGHTS!!

Yeess yess, after the second night of Street Nights, the show gracefully came to an end!

A tux-ed up Matt and JP entered the stage as the show came to a close. And a great night it was.

So that's the two nights summed up in several words!

In greater detail though.

The first night went smoothly. Decent turnout, terrible crowd, minus me . NA I'm joshing... the crowd the first night wasn't as excitable as me on the first night, sadly, coz I was riotous!

Obviously, the girlies with me know that LMAO. And even funnier, the people in the row in front of me had the negative impact of my foolishness to LOL .

Some dancers up on that stage were a little nervous, to my perceptions. Matt and J, ie, the main choreographers though, were on point.

Second night (tonight) I arrived a little late after a rushed dinner and a late bus, so I missed the first two dances.

The crowd on the other hand were more feisty than I!! Not being surrounded by wonderful women this time, for the first half of the show I was alone.

Second half was better. Sitting with Mr Slark, Jon Q and Matt's grandparents, we had a better time!

Overall, tonight the dancers knew their routines a lot better than Monday and as a result, performances from them were better. The show from start to finish was as smoothe as one could wish.

SHOUTS TO:

Dancers:

Matt, JP, Michaela for choreographing/teaching those dances. Sarah. Courtney - my mum loved your dancing. The rest of the dancers, the boyyss, but particularly the first five because those are the ones I been with the most recently.

Behind the scenes

Jo on the lights. G-man for the tickets even when I was late. The Magna Carta doorgirls, bitches.

The audience

Thanks for coming. Mum, sis. Matt's familia & friends. Jon Q. Ed. Lisa, Teresa, (Lady) Sapphira. MR SLARK.

IF you want more shouts consult your programme coz I can't know everyone

That's all I can write. Its almost midnight.

Thanks for the great night lads!

Blep blep blep!

Big Pun- YEEEAH BABY!!

Ya man... here's something to read while I've nothing to blog about... sometimes i could do these things all day, buy HEY, just filling a gap in the Innanet somewhere...

This one's going out to Dipset Stefan, if you read this then HOLLA !!

1. Creation (Intro)

Along the lines of Frankenstein's creation, where Pun is created from parts of other artists. Eddie Murpy being part of him gotta be the funniest part though!

2. Watch Those Prod. by Knobody

Good first track. Uses the Starsky and Hutch theme tune. To good effect as well. About those who act shady and to be aware of them. Good use of electric guitar loops.

3. Off Wit His Head ft Prospect Prod. by Just Blaze

Would i expect any less from a Just Blaze production? Dueting with Prospect, this makes a tight combination. The only down side is each verse is only four bars long and you hear the chorus many many times throughout. It's still tight though, just a little repetetive.

4. It's So Hard ft Donell Jones Prod. by Younglord

Piano driven beat. Simple, but i love it. Jumpy feel to it. Pun flows over it perfectly. Pun is talking about his fame and recognition. Donell Jones also supplies a nice hook too

5. We Don't Care ft Cuban Link Prod. by Younglord

Its such a shame this track is only 2 verses long. Pun really goes off on this one with his lyrical flow. Pun's best flow performance on the CD is on this track. Its a dark and traumatic beat. Going out to tell others about the Terror Squad.

6. New York Giants ft M.O.P. Minnesota

I'm not too big a fan of M.O.P. coz i feel they shout too much! However they're relegated to only one verse between them and the hook! The beat is horn driven, it reminds me of a background beat Tim Westwood would use on his radio shows! Tight beat. Bad choice of guest appearance.

7. My Dick ft Tony Sunshine Prod. by KNS and Guy Boogie

Love the hook! Just have to mention the hook! Something to sing to yourself when people keep getting at you Tony Sunshine has a good one-and-a-half long verse, but that's no bad thing coz he's a nice singer, although i think this is more of a Sunshine than a Pun one. Nice and laid back though despite the song content, and its good to chill to.

8. Leatherface Prod. by Mike Trauma D and Jugrnaut

Another electric guitar driven track. It seems by now that Pun is a fan of decapitating people! It's not really that good i don't think, i think its just average to me compared to "Off With His Head" (same concept, right?) although the distress samples do at to the buildup in the bridge. Average, i say.

9. Air Pun (Skit)

LOL. Only the lead into the next song so it's a bit pointless. Pun is asleep on an aeroplane. I find that a strange scenario, coz Fat Joe isnt allowed to fly because of his weight, so how is Pun on a plane?! Hell, its just a skit! Funny when Pun farts though... always gets me!

10. 100% ft Tony Sunshine Prod. by Sean Cane

The hook is all in Latino so i don't understand it. While i mention the hook, the sound sample appears to be quite muffled when it plays. I don't think it was equalised very well. That doesn't mean i don't like the song. Got a real Latino vibe to it and makes you want to jump to it. Pun is talking about putting his all into the rapping effort and doing it all to be the number one.

11. Wrong Ones ft Sunkiss Prod. by Just Blaze

Not a 5/5 Blaze beat (nice bass throb with drums) but Pun manages to tear it up. His performance is on the level of what he spits on "We Don't Care" Sunkiss also delivers a slick verse on his behalf, but is outdone by Pun.

12. Laughing at You ft Tony Sunshine Prod. by Ogee

You can't knock the mocking tone of this song. Has a real holler at those who denied Pun anything as he was growing up and how he's completely overcome those who thought they were bigger than him yet look what he got now?! Those with a wide music interest will recognise the "Don't You (Forget About Me)" interpolated hook too. HA HA HA! Adds to how you may relate to the song. Deep. And i like it, although it isn't too special if you don't feel you've never been in Pun's place.

13. N*gga Shit Prod. by Buckwild

Poetry on wax really. Boring if you ask me, just repetition of the first line over and over about the stereotypical black culture set to a piano loop. You'll skip it after you heard it a few too many times.

14. Ms. Martin ft Remi Martin Prod. by DJ Shok

I'm not too big a fan of the Ruff Riderz productions or rappers. Too much emcee-based rapping but leaving them with boring beats (not particularly the RAW type either) Pun's hook is dire. The most annoying you'd ever hear Pun at I'm afraid. Skip it coz Remi gets the whole song and gets boring.

15. My Turn Prod. by L.E.S.

Dark feel to a piano-tinkling and cymbol beat. It's a bit boring however. Feels too slow and very depressing and lonely. Below average. Also note that Pun said it features Tony Sunshine but he doesn't appear on the track. Its a posthumous mix and a badly done job too

16. You Was Wrong ft Drag On, Fat Joe and Remi Martin Prod. by DJ Shok

Another below-par DJ Shok production. Too boring with the beat making. All the verses feel average too. Pity.

My copy of the CD came witha Sony "Urban Classics" sticker attached to it, which is a shame because it shows that it shifted a good few and Pun wasn't even around to witness it blowing up.
I had to listen to this twice before writing the review because i wanted to get into the mood of the CD then compare it to Capital Punishment.



I like this CD. Its no Capital Punishment so it doesn't mean i'll be running out to tell all my friends about it like i did with his first but it's still dope and does sort of grow on you.
Lyrically Pun is a Latino rhyme-god and the majority of the beats are on point too, just why Pun felt he had to link up with the likes of Remi Martin and DJ Shok productions i wont know why because at about the point you hear the first Ruff Rider track the CD becomes a turn off. I guess this is the trouble with posthumous releases.


I feel they did a good job with it but messed up some appearances and productions and even just put a few boring Pun cuts in from left over material



3/5

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A Touch of Jazz

Wow. Its hard to believe that someone with such deep roots in hip hop would choose to do a live set at somewhere as humble as Oceana…

At first I was unsure if he was even going to turn up as I kept hearing rumours from other people that they were only playing his new song (new song??) but surely enough, just after midnight he turned up and took his place on the stage with the turntables.

Prior to that I made sure, ten minutes before that I was as close as I possibly was to the action and I had enough freedom so I could take photos. Forget everyone else! I was virtually on the stage, or at least midway up the stairs up to it. I was metres away from a record-spinning legend!

When he got up, donned in a green “Illadelphia” t-shirt, baggy jeans and baseball cap, not to mention trademark glasses, his small entourage stood to the sides and his host grabbed the microphone to introduced himself and Jazzy Jeff to everyone. I’d say only those who actually cared passionately about his music were those, like myself, that pushed their way right up to the front. Like the dude I saw sporting a Fresh Prince t-shirt. And it was only those around me that screamed the loudest for him.

And that was it. A brief introduction and he was off!

From midnight until almost 3am he spun records- that was overtime too! Unlike a lot of other people who come in to do their sets and then leave 20 minutes later, Jazz took over the regular DJ’s spot and kept going.

I think on the turntables there was absolutely no bettering him as he showed off some downright amazing skills and even played on the audience, as he played “The Next Episode” on both decks bringing it back and playing it over, the crowds thinking they were going to sing the intro (“Da di da di da…”) for over a minute!

Prettymuch everything was mixed up. I think each part was divided into different ‘categories’ as it went from new stuff like “Lean Back” and “Get Low” and Aftermath records onto Death Row hits like “Dre Day” and “California Love” onto oldschool classics like “Ice, Ice, Baby” and “Push It.”

Scarily enough though, during the oldschool part they also played Eurythmics! “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These” while some fella on the podium did the Robot (Jazz’s MC pointed him out).

And “Summertime” got played. Oh, they loved “Summertime!” It was something I’d been waiting to hear all night in fact. And he didn’t miss out on raga either.

Two people at the front started pulling and once again, the MC pointed it out to Jazz who switched the record to “Breath and Stop,” through which they continued to keep pulling (hey, at least he hasn’t lost his humour since Fresh Prince!”). After they even stopped the music and put the spotlight on them for a minute but even still they wouldn’t stop!!

I’d say Jazz put on a good show. Some of the music wasn’t the best choice, although this was a student night, but the mixing, cutting and scratching was amazing. If a majority of the audience actually knew who Jazzy Jeff was they’d have truly appreciated his talents, although after a certain amount of record spins many lost interest in his DJing because to them he was just another DJ.

The MC was cool as well, he did his best to keep the crowd buzzing and even slapped hands with the odd person with outstretched palms (including myself)

His sideman on stage also came over when I kept signalling him, he took my phone to take some closer photos, as well as a few other lucky people, and when he came back I grabbed him and pulled him close and shouted “PLAY THE FRESH PRINCE THEME SONG!” At the end of the night he never actually did play it, which was a great disappointment coz the crowd would have gone wild, although I wouldn’t assume that it had been packed anyway.

Me, I stayed at the front for the whole night, taking the entire thing, and going a tad deaf in the process! Some prats on the stairs next to me tried starting a bit of a ruck too but were escorted out by security before it could even begin. LoLz to them.

After the set was over the floor emptied quickly and the ropes surrounding the stage were taken down, so I stepped up onto it for and extra few close up photos, although the security kept blocking me and telling me to “go home.”

“Suck your mum!” I thought. “I came to see Jazz and that’s exactly what I’m going to do!”

I walked round the side stairs and asked Jazz’s MC if I could get Jazz to sign something for me, although I cant remember his reply.

I had enough and went where the security weren’t and called down from the balcony above “Jazz! Hey Jazz!” He turned round and looked up. I pulled my college lunch card out and asked him to sign it. Obviously he looked a little confused coz at first it would have looked like I was giving him my bank card (other people were getting their money signed, I thought forget that, that’s my fare home!). And that’s it. “Thank you!” and I was out. I witness him and now I had a memento of it. And the college will never see me returning my lunch card either!

BoyzIIMen "Legacy"

BoyzIIMen "Legacy"

Time for some smooth sounds of Boyz II Men...

1. Motownphilly
An upbeat introduction song with an early 90s vibe to it. The story of how B2M came up and representing their city and style, mixing hip hop and harmony styles together. Nice choice for an intro to a greatest hits album

2. It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday
No beat, complete harmonising, very gospel orientated. This is quite downbeat in tone and suited much to a sad situation. Even turning this right up will leave with very little bass...

3. End Of The Road
The song of all goodbye songs! End Of The Road is a storm with the ladies and an excellent slow jam to throw your lighters up and sway to! Just one of many songs to make your moves to!

4. In The Still Of The Nite (I'll Remember)
Another barbershop-style melody, milking the music B2M make. Shoo-wap-doo-waa. A sweet chilling tune

5. Hey Lover - Boyz II Men & LL Cool J
From LL's "Mr Smith" album, Hey Lover makes an appearance on Legacy as one of B2M's best collabos. With rap I can comment a little more, as my usual reviews are more towards rap- a typical LL love song, B2M take the hook. LL raps about a girl he sees at a phone box which he later fantasises about, which is the general gist of the rapping. It compliments well, and given LL's past soppy-raps, pulls it off

6. I'll Make Love To You
DEFINITELY a track to get busy to, I'll Make Love To You is another track the girls will all know (all too well, depending on your company!) Left to the bedroom, you can invent your own choreography to such a song. The vocalists really give it their all to put the message across.

7. On Bended Knee
Begging for a girl's heart to come back? This is the begging song for you. A ponderous song, and a wish for a lover to come back

8. Water Runs Dry
A song about taking chances when they come to you, lest the opportunity be missed. Set to a strummed guitar, light strings and light drums.

9. One Sweet Day - Boyz II Men & Mariah Carey
A vocal jump off! A song about heaven and seeing those missed when they get there- one sweet day!
Mariah and B2M have a very similar style of music where their two boundaries blur together. Mariah has always been known to collaborate with different genres of music and each of B2M's vocalists sing back and forth with her.

10. Doin' Just Fine
A post-relationship song about meeting your ex again at the point when you're completely over them.

11. 4 Seasons Of Loneliness
It sings exactly what it says on the tin. A description of a full four seasons (a year, in other words). Its another song about missing a lover for a long time. I'm somewhat reminded of a Mariah Carey appearance when the female backers come in, but its all good.

12. Song For Mama
One for Mother's Day. A Song For Mama is a song for the most special woman in anyone's life, their mum. If you find difficulty in telling you mum you love her, its best you just play this song for her. It praises a mum in every possible way
Something about this song makes it feel like a song you'd play when your mother died though!
It also makes you think... a group of grown men singing a song about mums... did they all share one great big mum??!

13. Pass You By
Has to be one of my phrases. "Don't let real love pass you by." Say it with the right attitude amd it should work!
Another guitar bassed song, it works really well and stands out above the rest for me. The fact that love can be completely overridden by being in an unhappy relationship is the message, and the song carries on well until it fades out.

14. Rose And A Honeycomb
An atmospheric, mysterious Latin style song with use of personification.

15. Thank You
If I'm right, this track uses absolutely NO instruments. Bar a sample on a loop, the entire song is hummed, harmonised and beatboxed by B2M and it sounds quite fantastic! This really makes it stand out and is an ideal outro song.

OVERALL

What I love about R'n'B is it can address feelings and emotions that other types of music find hard to grasp. B2M's Legacy is really a collection of songs that can help you express those feelings and is an ideal gift for a girl. After all, it is a female audience the lyrical content is aimed at, and a B2M song on the dancefloor is the very mark of the moment to go for a girl.


While a male audience may not find it a neccessary CD for their collection, its always useful to keep this CD about, especially when you want to get a little... intimite. The rest is up to you what you do along to the music... this is good chillout material.


Many of the songs are anthems to slow jammers worldwide, and immediate recognition from female ears guarantees you will have a good time with this CD. The songs are all good, their general structure being to sing the verses then the energetic choruses with a big buildup at the end. Aside from whereelse stated, they all conform to the same style of R'n'B.


This is a cool greatest hits CD and the impression it leaves would influence me to peep out other B2M albums. A job well done.

Review- Shock-G "Fear Of A Mixed Planet"

As endorsed by Shock-G himself y'all!!

Artist: Shock-G

Album: "Fear Of A Mixed Planet"

Artist website: www.shockg.com

Miraculously, yet pleasantly surprisingly, after over 15years of the introduction of Digital Underground, their frontman-slash-split personality manages to create a modern masterpiece.

As opposed to pulling the DU posse back together, Shock takes up the majority of the album and instead features cameos, such as collaborating with Money-B on Weesom Hustlas and giving Clev MC (who featured on the Humpty Hump single "No Nose Job" as a kid) several appearances.

Like the past DU albums, FoaMP's topic matter is included in the album title. Cheekily borrowing and changing Public Enemy's "Fear of a Black Planet," although the only person who would be able to clarify that theory would be Shock-G himself, the preaching subject is about how society has become a muddle of cultures and ignorance. This is a humorous look at the world today. Shock never seems to fail in entertaining us throughout, yet returning to the subject. The tracks all reflect Shock's philosophical outlook of things is prominent throughout. Reflections like "What I wanna know is what year Jesus think it was?" will have listeners laughing over and over as you stick the CD on repeat.

The key subject is still always touched upon though despite the humorous disguise. "Gotchoo," "Who's Clean" and the odd title track itself deal with the dilution of black and white communities coming together. Compared to the time of "Fear of a BLACK Planet," Shock gives the retrospect we are all equal.

Saying all this, you'd think from what I've written the entire album to be only on that subject, but far from it. Its been over 7 years since the last DU album, giving the odd appearance here and there, but the CD fills in the void of between that time. Songs like "Cinnamon Waves" and "Baby You Okay?" relate to Shock's past drug addiction. "Holdmedown Up" featuring an appearance from Yukmouth deal with friendships in the 'hood. Numskull, Yuk's old co-rapper also makes an appearance on "My Opinion," its only too bad they never hooked up on the Same Song (no DU pun intended there!). If you managed to catch that subliminal then you'll dig the last track "Your Sun Iza Pimp," which despite its misspelt its title really is about the sun in the sky! The way Shock makes his music is pure genius!
The fun doesn't even stop there- "The Rime In The Mochanut" is a hilarious oddity of Shock ending each of his lines with a curse word but changing it to something else before saying it- hard to describe but hugely funny to hear!

Its good to hear Shock switching between himself and Humpty Hump throughout as it wouldn't be a DU release if it wasn't blessed with his nasal talents! The production is also very solid, mostly by Shock himself, Metaphysical and DJs Q-Bert and D-Sharp on the turntables. Each song is like a wonderful soundscape and very well mastered. The playback is thumping! As if that wasn't enough, Shock, under his pseudonym of Rackadelic painted the entire design of the psychadelic CD case and sleeve! There is nothing this man will not do!

Shock will always be as dedicated to his music as I will be as a fan. Over a decade since when Digital Underground hit the scene Shock has never shown signs of selling out. The album is packed with too many great songs and most double up as party tracks too. One of 2004's best CD's most of you would never have heard of, "Fear Of A Mixed Planet" is essential listening, over and over and over!

5/5

BUY IT:

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Amazon.co.uk

Affiliating myself with the stars...

>>http://www.shockg.com/newsite/foamp.html<<

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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHhh sha-BANG!!!

Shouts to the webmaster FunkyCyco @ www.shockg.com for giving me that exposure

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