T.R.O.Y.

Kwame - A Day In The Life (A Pokadelick Adventure) 1990

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 02:00 PM PDT

Here is Kwame's second album titled A Day in the Life: A Pokadelick Aventure from 1990. A strong follow-up to his '89 debut album "Kwame The Boy Genius".

Below is a legitimate review of the album written by Steve Huey of allmusic.com,

"A Day in the Life: A Pokadelick Adventure is the definitive Kwamé album, a concept record about his life as a high schooler, and also the one where he created his signature visual style with a wardrobe full of polka dots. A self-described "quiet nerd type" who even brags about his excellent grammar on one cut, Kwamé navigates a world of bullies, crushes, immature girls, gossip-mongers, parties, bad report cards, and -- of course -- sucker MCs. A few songs don't seem to have much to do with the concept, but it hangs together pretty well musically, with buoyant, Daisy Age-flavored production (partly by Kwamé himself). "Ownlee Eue" and "Oneovdabigboiz" are underrated singles, and Kwamé shows off his storytelling talents on album cuts like "Da Man," "Therez a Partee Goinz On," and "Whoz Dat Guy." A Day in the Life is filled with cartoonish, electronically altered voices commenting on the action and interacting with the bemused hero. It's all good-humored and colorful, if completely non-threatening, and it's too bad that Kwamé seems best-remembered today through disses by hardcore rappers like Tim Dog and the Notorious B.I.G. Sure, the polka dots are goofy, but in light of everything that's happened since then in hip-hop, they also hark back to a simpler, more innocent era, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that."

1		Da' Man (4:15)
2		Skinee Muva (4:44)
3		Yes Yes Yall (4:27)
4		A Day In The Life (4:12)
5		Itz Oh Kay (4:04)
6		Therez A Partee Goinz On (4:53)
7		Oneovdabigboiz (4:45)
8		Hai (Heart Symbol) (4:02)
9		Whoz Dat Guy (4:18)
10		Doin' Ma Thang (3:42)
11		Ownlee Eue (5:20)
12		Ownlee Eue (Reprise) (2:19)

Download

-- Thomas V

Guru Behind The Boards

Posted: 21 Apr 2009 03:00 AM PDT

We hope our readers have dug our spotlight this month on Gangstarr. As part of that effort I assembled a collection of underground hip hop produced by the legendary mc Guru. Originally from Boston, Guru moved to New York and went to work with Dj Premier. The rest is history. This compilation however, is a "somewhat" unknown part of that history. Largely known for his vocal skills, Guru collaborated with Dj Premier for Jeru The Damaja's 1st album 'The Sun Rises In The East', as well as the Gangstarr albums. The sound here is that dark moody boom bap which is so timeless and still celebrated with reverence all these years later.

Most of the artists featured were affiliated with the Gangstarr Foundation/Ill Kid Records. Exceptions might be Deams, Cutthroats and Poverty. If anyone out there has background info about them let us know. Some of the obscure surprises on this compilation include tracks 2, 6 (co-produced by Guru), 7, 16, and 19. I have to say, the Deams track is off the hook. Holy shit that one is dope! This compilation is a tasty slice of Guru's early/mid 90's work behind the boards. I am sure however, that there are cuts out there I haven't heard. The man is a legend and it's certainly possible that in his huge volume of studio time he produced other artists who never made it onto legit releases. I salivate at the possibility of hearing these sorts of unreleased archives.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2ALVV52X

01 (4:20) Operation Radification - Tray Pound 1993
02 (3:25) Deams - Mad Game 1996
03 (4:46) Stikken Moov - Beware 1993
04 (4:15) Group Home - Serious Rap Shit 1995
05 (4:09) Hl Rock (the Sly Fox) - Put You 1993
06 (3:52) Chapter 3 - Sounds Of Claps 1993
07 (3:59) Cutthroats - Stop Lookin' At Me 1993
08 (3:27) Bahamadia - Total Wreck 1993
09 (3:58) Guru - Feel the Music 1995
10 (3:00) Bahamadia - Wordplay 1995
11 (2:59) Big Shug - P.D.S. 1995
12 (5:23) M.O.P., Guru & Stikken Moov - Life 1995
13 (5:26) Stikken Moov, Guru, & Mash Out Posse - Life 1995
14 (3:48) Fabidden Frut - From Within Out 1995
15 (2:59) Guru & Big Shug - Momentum
16 (2:57) Poverty - Comin' Up 1993
17 (2:55) Group Home - So Called Friends 1993
18 (4:17) Gangstarr - Lovesick Upbeat Mix 1991
19 (3:05) Poverty - Peace With A Piece 1993
20 (3:40) Gangstarr - Form Of Intellect 1991
21 (3:01) Fabidden Fruit ft. Bu & Mic Rone - Cup Of Life 1995
22 (4:48) Operation Ratification - Rotten Apple 1995

I really hope our readers like this collection! Let me know what you think.

--Schenectadyfan