This is always a chill song for me. Just sorta something to kick back to, with that funk and delicate chorus. And we get another nice feature from Phife, whom we don't see enough on this LP unfortunately. You can really just kick it back to this track. Just Tip and Phife speaking of there friend, whom I assume is Ali Shaheed Muhammad. You can really feel that positivity on this track from just so many elements, from the soft beat to the chorus that just has that soothing melody.
Another track where the Tribe takes it easy, with very simple word play, nothing special on the track, lyrically. Just another good message, basically giving a shot out to Ali. Phife verse raps my favorite verse on this song.
But I don't give a damn (word), rhythm's are the thing (huh)
Rhythm's have the key (huh), rhythm's make you swing (hah)
If you don't like it (no), you can pucker up (hoo)
You listenin' Mr. Quayle (yeah), if you're hiding just give up (hoo)
I'm a rhythm monster (wild), who's out on a prowl (yeah)
Muhammad gives a hoot (hoot) like Woodsy the Owl (yeah)
Comprende my Compadre? (uh huh) kid you want some more? (word)
Muhammad push the button, sample sing the score (ooh)
"I don't give a damn, rhythm's are the thing" Yes indeed. That is just what music does for me, and man it is good! Just makes you wanna tell people to shut up and just kick it back with the music. And the Woodsy thing I always love, another tight rhyme from the Tribe with that easy fun vocabulary we love. That is the good shit!
The beat is just something that drew me in from the 1st listen, and has captured me since. From that catchy "ba de da, ba de da" or the other vocals that I still can't decipher. It is all good and the little instrumentation before the start of each verse is a nice touch. As for the samples, man more to come:
"Brazilian Rhyme" by Earth, Wind & Fire (from the 1977 album "All N All")
"Electric Frog (Part 1)" by Kool & The Gang (from the 1971 album "Music is the Message")
"Vertical Invader" by Weather Report (from the 1972 album "I Sing the Body Electric"
Recently I have been on a music overload, still am in fact. My library has doubled in 2 months, in the almost 2 years I have been getting it. Getting 11 full albums, and then 10 mixtapes. I made a list of it and it came out to be a day worth of music out of the 2.2 days I have. So not only have I been really busy with school and regular life, man music has been crazy. I was just happy to have time today to make the previous post and this little update.
The reason I got so much is really because of the albums I bought. Usually I never get that many. I got all sorts of stuff, just on the 10th I got 5 more albums. Ha usually I never do that to myself, but I don't always have an opportunity to buy music when I want it, so there I go.
The 11 Albums:
Nas's Street's Disciple
Ben Kweller's Sha Sha
Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Common's Be
The GZA's Liquid Swords
A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders
Daft Punk's Discovery
Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star
A 3 Disc Set of Nat King Cole: Unforgettable
2nd Disc: Hit that Jive
3rd Disc: Jivin' With Jarvis
I have had a good time with Street's Disciple, 36 Chambers, Be, and Midnight Marauders. All of those I have given close listens, Be and 36 Chambers probably feeling the most complete. Street's Disciple was actually a great attempt at a double-LP as it is hard to master those as just a solo rapper. Midnight Maruaders was awesome, and I gotta give that one another go sometime. Liquid Swords has been orphaned, and I hope to adopt it again once again! As I really haven't listened to it.
The latter 5 albums I have acquired just on Monday. Discovery is amazing, have listened to it fully multiple times, but never in one go, as I have fallen asleep. D'oh!
Nat's stuff still gettin' into it, and Black Star is still waiting!
The 10 Mixtapes.
Mac Miller's The Juke Box
And the High Life
Nas's Illmatic Demo Tape
Biggie's Demo Tape
A collection of Nas's Unreleased
Nas's The Lost Tapes 1.5, all remixes produced by Cookin' Soul
9th Wonder's The 144 -144 Instrumentals from 9th Wonder that are simply amazing. 5.4 hours of content on that bad boy! That is what has kept me so busy.
Aer's Water on the Moon
Mac Miller's I Love Life, Thank You
and another Nas collection, of remixes, unreleased, and collabs. Pretty sick.
Only really listened to The Juke Box, which was honestly terrible, except for the tracks I liked were quite amazing, Big's demo tape was short but decent, 9th Wonder's stuff is absolutely amazing, and The Illmatic Demo Tape is by far amazing, it is like discovering a 2nd Illmatic. Everything else still needs some attention.
So yeah quite the music kick.
I hope to do some finishing tracks to People's if I have time, and then go on with random tracks for awhile. Perhaps do a cover of 9th's material and give an overview. Doesn't mean I am back for a post every other day, but I hope to do at least 10 a month ha ha.
I figure I'd better get a post out before any more time pasts. Already a month, woo too busy. But a perfect track just to get some thoughts out. Mac Miller just recently released his mixtape "I Love Life, Thank You". Produced by 9th Wonder, I'll be making a post about that as well, as I have been on quite the kick with him! A few reasons I wanted to review this track, instead of doing another Tribe post for People's I just wanted to get something out and figured the easiest way was to do a track I just recently loved. And this track is very fascinating to me, and relates back to me every other word. Mac does what he does best on this track. He excels at tracks with a good vibe, a great beat, as he always carries that innocence of a kid feel with him. No better way to remain innocent and happy then to drop a song about heaven. And I have always wondered about heaven.
Mac drop his own little story, asking questions and telling the listener each characteristic of heaven, and if you agree, you will just love the song. Since Mac is all about chillin' he just puts alot of good into this track. I guess the reason the tracks makes me feel so good, is because he really paints a picture of heaven with each and every rhyme. He starts simple, with beautiful woman, cars, and liquor. But while of course we all like nice things, and he continues with real values that I never thought about actually. How we are all at peace, and that no everyone is cool, cause it is all free. Which is actually a great concept, that nobody is separated by wealth, and we all just look at eachother and enjoy heaven just as equal people, not taking eachother for rich or poor. Nobody complains, you can entertain, however he leaves almost nothing out, he sort of include every general feel of heaven. For example, he mentions, "See everybody you want, always keep in touch and go and chill by yourself when everything get too much". Cause that is what makes life great, when you got the choice to kick it however you want. Continuing he says, "Never a fucking rush, so therefore a million plus. You prolly got a mercedes but always could take a bus". Same idea really, you can live how you feel, which isn't always the case down here on earth.
One thing I have thought about lately is, what exactly is heaven like? But you kinda imagine heaven to be exactly what you want, while you can't narrow it down, you just sort of put everything in there, just the ultimate peace for you, were life is just great up in heaven. That is why this track really reaches out to me, if a song makes you happy you like it, so how can't you like a song like this? Sort of weird to think I couldn't figure out why I liked this song so much, but one more reason, 9th Wonder. The production on this track is so uplifting and just makes me happy, a track like this or even the instrumental gives you that heavenly feeling and man is it good. Takes you above the clouds, which is why I have been loving 9th's beat lately. So many are just relaxing, more so than a regular song. But really the beat is quite simple, the beat and the strings, ooh the strings are what take you places in this one! And that touch of elegance is added by the piano, just a little touch added so well into this track.
So there you have it, just a beautiful work, really came as a surprise from Mac. It seems it is always hit or miss with Mac, but when he comes to a beat like this and just adds a simple concept he makes magic. Even the simple hook works well on this track. As it rides nice with the music, and anyone can enjoy thinking, what exactly is heaven like?
