Slum Village - Fantastic, Vol. 2

Released: August 8, 2000

James "J Dilla" Yancey [RIP] remains one of the best producers, dead or alive. From his wonderful production on The Pharcyde's Labcabincalifornia to making Donuts, his most powerful work yet; we could always remember him as a legend, with hip-hop heads like me, calling him a GOD! But other than that, the Detroit producer did also have a group that went through a lot of phases: Slum Village.

Unlike many legendary rap groups who'd only last a few years, Slum Village is still here today, it's just been... changed around for the past 15 years. The original SV consisted of Baatin, T3 and Dilla, who was known as Jay Dee at the time [2/3 of the original had both left the group and later passed away, T3 is actually the only original member who hasn't left or died]. The group resided from Conant Gardens, Detroit, growing up together and going to the same high school. When the group was formed, they began to be popular in the underground hip-hop scene of Detroit (just like Eminem). SV were supposed to release their album, Fan-Tas-Tic, Vol. 1 in 1997, but ended up being delayed because of label issues and leaked (the original Vol. 1 would be officially released in 2005, featuring their demo material). However, that did cause a stir and the group gained a lot of popularity, especially when the public were focusing more on Dilla (unlike before when he contributed on A Tribe Called Quest's last two albums). The album later turned into Vol. 2 with a mastered and mixed approach, although already finished in 1998, finally released in 2000.

Fantastic, Vol. 2 was released on August 8, 2000 (although some say June 13) on GoodVibe/Barak, as their original label, A&M, was to be inactive around the time their album was originally about to drop. As anyone should know, the album was almost entirely produced by J Dilla (apart from 2 songs), and although criticized for its "lack of lyrical content", it is mostly remembered for Dilla's production. The album features 21 tracks (including 2 bonus tracks), and was promoted with 4 singles including "Climax (Girl Shit)" and "Raise It Up". The album managed to get special guests, especially from Common (on a song which was previously on his album, Like Water for Chocolate), Busta Rhymes, D'Angelo, Pete Rock, Kurupt & Q-Tip. Here, Slum Village revolve around the positive vibes and the funky rhythms from Dilla, and like the leaked Fan-Tas-Tic, Vol. 1, the group gained more notoriety with it.

Vol. 2's sales was slow, due to the heavy bootlegging of Vol. 1, but with the album having newer and remastered songs from the demos, the album had a heavy impact, notably on the underground hip-hop scene, and people focused a lot on Dilla (as I said before), especially putting this as some of his best production. And speaking on the album, I nearly thought it celebrated its 15th anniversary just last week (June 13), which this year, fell on a Saturday [I could've chose to do this on that day, but I wanted to keep true to the fortnight schedule], but then I realised it was August. And as said in the beginning, Slum Village would later go through a lot of phases: Dilla would leave, after this album, to pursue a solo career (which was actually so successful) and would be replaced by Elzhi (who'd prove himself to be worthy). Baatin would also leave after the second album due to health problems (he'd later pass away, but the cause of the death still remains unknown), turning the group from a trio to a duo. After nearly everybody ended up departing from the group, right now, Young RJ & Dilla's younger brother, Illa J are the latest members there (with T3 still part of the group).

But anyway, as we go through this 21-track offering, is the "word of mouth" true? Did Slum Village actually lack a lot of lyrical content? What about Dilla's production, and the features? How many songs will be on my recommended list? Well, let's find out...

1. Intro
Meh, just your normal rap album int... hol' up, hol' up, wait a minute?.Am I hearing something so sweet?! This intro isn't that bad, it just has the group chanting something (that same "something" was in a certain interlude on Vol. 1), with the beat being really nice and the vocal sample loop of Phife Dawg saying "Slum Village" on Butter (from The Low End Theory) was suiting. If only they had an actual whole verse to start the album...

2. Conant Gardens
The crew does a song dedicated to the Detroit neighbourhood they grew up together in: Conant Gardens. It's a really groovy song where the whole crew (yes, that means Dilla too) gets into it and spits a few bars back and forth. Baatin here has a deeper flow, instead of having it squeaky. They all kill it on the song (T3 was mostly the one that stood out on this track) and I really like the back-and-forth flow and funky vibe that Dilla put on this. This is not necessarily one of my favourites, but however, it is something to get you warmed up for the rest of the album.

3. I Don't Know
This was originally on Vol. 1 as a really short track, but for the album purposes, it ends up coming with an extended verse. It's a decent song, it's not something I'd really rock with, to be honest. I do like the fact that it's extended though.

4. Jealousy
Oooooohhhh.... this is actually not bad. They all do their thing. But I really focused on Dilla's verse, which actually got to the content a lot more than the others, and the beat is soooooooooooo good! Is it recommendable? Just a little bit... because it's actually very decent. But nothing stood out as much, to be honest though.

5. Climax (Girl Shit)
The skit at the end of the previous track leads to what can be the smoothest track on the album, that focuses on doing a threesome. I wouldn't say it's misogynistic, like how they were criticized for, but it's a good song. Dilla's beat is very easy to get you into the song so much, that you end up not caring for the lyrics as much. And speaking of the lyrics, they were actually very good and I liked the concept of the song. I managed to really get used to this song a lot, and I really loved it. Dilla started the song really smoothly, with T3 once again killing his verse, while I've gotten used to Baatin's verse a lot more than his. This is a very great song!

6. Hold Tight (Feat. Q-Tip)
Not bad, not bad. It sounds like a leftover on Q-Tip's solo album, Amplified, to be honest, and if that song was on there, I would've liked that album a lot more. But no, other than some of Dilla's beats and the songs on there, it was TERRIBLE! But anyway, on to the song, it's actually very decent and Tip does a very solid job, especially shouting out Ali Shaheed & Phife Dawg, as they still remained good friends after their Tribe disbandment. The beat was really great, and Tip suited a lot on there as if this was his song at the first place. T3 still kills it, but Baatin did a pretty good job here. I really liked this song, probably one of the best on the album!

7. Tell Me (Feat. D'Angelo)
D'Angelo is up next, and while I liked his vocals on it, the whole song's just decent. Even the verses weren't that good... well, apart from T3. But that doesn't cut it.

8. What's It All About (Feat. Busta Rhymes)
After a funny skit of some smooth ass old-school singing, Busta Rhymes comes through on a jam that actually could've been a single (cos you know Busta was the man back then), and he actually flows on it really well. As for the crew, they all do well, and other than Busta, Baatin was the best here. So yeah, it's a good song, something to vibe to.

9. Forth & Back (Feat. Kurupt)
Now, on Vol. 1, there was an original version of this, with its bracket title being "Rock Music". While that one remains a really good song, the album version is just... mediocre for me. The beat isn't that up to my standards, although it was kinda funky, and overall, I just don't really like it.

10. Untitled/Fantastic
This song isn't much of a double track like you'd really expect it to be. It just feels like a normal track with 2 names. But this is a really nice song. The crew both kill it, and with no hook, I like how they all take turns on the smooth beat. Close to the end, however, we get an interlude, which was known as "Fantastic 2" on Vol. 1, which, while not better than the actual thing, was nice to stick at the end of the track. But yeah, this is a great track overall.

11. Fall In Love
Pretty much THE best track Slum Village has ever done, Period! This song has everything: the sample, the banging drums, the smooth singing on the hook, and the verses from T3 & Baatin, which were their best on this album. It's sad how most pressings of the album omitted this song due to sample clearance issues, because this was toooooooo good to be on here. 15 years later, this song is actually something to "fall in love" with due to its lovely content and the way Dilla flips the Gap Mangione sample. Everything about it is so great, oh my, it's so... I got a lot to say about this, but I'm gonna leave it here.

12. Get Dis Money
Oooooooooohhhh... This song is awesome! One of the most upbeat tracks on the album. Unlike a lot of money-oriented songs where it's more of a dark gangsta vibe, this is something anyone could bump to a lot. I really liked how the group overall really suited the song. And while T3 is still hot on the mic, Baatin managed to step up. Being the album's first single, this could've had a video with a wavey/smooth concept to it. But yes, the overall song is such a good track to the album.

13. Raise It Up
One thing about this song is that Dilla took a bootleg of "Extra Dry", a song by Thomas Bangalter (1/2 of Daft Punk), and sampled it. Why did I say that? The reason is mainly because Dilla flips the hell out of that song and the fact that Thomas didn't sue the group (unlike so many musicians these days, he actually appreciated it and had them to remix "Aerodynamic") was actually really nice of him. Anyway, on to the actual song, it freaking BANGS! Because of the sample from Thomas, the song has an electronic/8-bit video-game feel, and it's good to bump to. While the crew all did their thing (with Dilla rapping the opposite of what he does. and Baatin having the "Maybe it's..." flow), T3 had the best verse with his "That's Me" flow. I can listen to this any day with no problem, cos it's actually sooooooooooo good. But I liked the beat at the end though, that's something to calm you down from the amazing song we've just had.

14. CB4
I really digged the beat & content of the song. Yeah, this is probably all I can say!

15. Once Upon A Time (Feat. Pete Rock)
Pete Rock is here on the album, on a song not entirely produced by Dilla, mainly because Pete got his contributions heavily on here. While Pete is way better on the boards, through the classic tracks he has produced, he actually started the song with a very solid verse, to be honest. It seriously wasn't that bad. As for the group, they all do well, with Baatin once again taking the shine. I've managed to get used to this song a lot, and when I had the chance to listen again, this was actually a very great track on the album. Pete killed the mixing, and the beat was really freaking hot. Overall, this is probably a favourite. Oh yeah, and why the hell is there a really long skit at the end?!

16. Players
This is a really short song, but who cares, this song is so AWESOME! Dilla flips the vocal sample of "Clair" as it says "players". I do remember coming across this song when Kendrick Lamar did an early freestyle on it as a tribute to Dilla. Hearing the original was a solid and extremely comfortable listen, with Dilla's beat being so hypnotizing and mesmerizing as hell. Another one of my favourites.

17. Eyes Up
I came across this song on my 14th birthday (April 25th) when I got my PS4. I used Spotify to play "Players", as it leads to this song. And I really dig the song a lot. Now, Dilla's verse was hot, I can put that in second place on who did the best, but no one comes close to T3 on this one. This one is much more hypnotizing than the previous track, which is still awesome as hell. Great ass song!

18. 2U4U
This is smooth, it has the same vibe that I got from "Climax", and this is really awesome. It does feel short though, especially when the song doesn't necessarily have a chorus. Each member comes off very decent and they manage to impress me on the same level. Damn, there are so much good tracks on this album, that most of them may not even fit on my recommended list.

19. Go Ladies
It's smooth, and it's the beat that mostly saves the song. This is probably a minor favourite, and it's actually a very awesome song, especially to conclude the album. The chorus, to be honest, sounds like something I'd have heard from Phonte on The Listening (hol' up, wait a minute... oh yeah, he used that hook line for "The Get Up", I knew I recognized it). No one really has the best verse here (maybe Baatin), T3 starts this off nicely, with Dilla smoothing it up with a very nice verse and Baatin doing a really great to conclude the song. The group manages to impress me a little with their verses, which had more of a "get down" vibe to it, the beat is somewhat funky and something anyone can vibe to. It's one of the grooviest tracks on the album, which mostly stands out as a very decent ending.

The following are bonus tracks:

20. Thelonious (Common feat. Slum Village)
Now, probably due to the fact the group couldn't get this album on time, this ended up being stuck onto Common's Like Water For Chocolate. But this comes as a bonus track. Now, I'd rather have this on my LWFC recommended list, because that suits on there. But the overall song fits on here a lot more than on Common's album. T3 started off alright, with Common sounding like a feature (when this was actually his song), and Baatin was actually decent, compared to T3 & Com. Now here is where Dilla steps the hell up on this one (especially when T3 has been my favourite on this album), because he concludes the whole song with the longest and most outstanding verse out of all 4. With the beat feeling more aimed at SV, this is why this song is so great, especially on this album.

21. Who Are We
This would be found on later pressings on the album. I didn't like it as much to be honest, but it's decent. The ending switch-up was sick though!

For an album that was highly anticipated for 3 years, Fantastic, Vol. 2 ends up being boring. The beats were the only one that saved the album. Slum Village didn't have much to talk about and the album ended up coming out as a mediocre... Hold up, excuse me, that was the wrong thing to say. Fantastic, Vol. 2 is pretty much the first word of the title: Fantastic! The album was a really comfortable listen, and it really shook me from the start. It was sooooooooooo good, that I even had to add an "additional recommends" list down below (and that went through a lot of changes). Everyone were saying that this album had a lack of lyrical content, but I can't see the lack, especially when the group nearly killed every freaking track they were on. Every track has their own place and it doesn't come out as filler material, like most albums do. Dilla's beats were so great on the album, most of the time; they were the ones that saved even the weakest songs. If T3, Baatin and Dilla didn't break up or left, who knows what discography would've been made? It's unfortunate that this was their only album (if you don't count Vol. 1) where Dilla was present most of the time, because this was where they were at their finest. As said before, the group nearly killed the whole album, with their dope rhymes and lyrical content. Baatin was decent with his squeaky and hardcore flow. T3 was my favourite with his flows and his verses were nearly always great to listen to. And as for Dilla, we always see him mostly as a producer, especially with his wonderful work on Donuts, but you can't deny the man could actually spit some hot fire, mostly when he had the best verse on Common's "Thelonious". All the songs on the album either had 1 of the three vibes I got from the album: smooth, dark, and laidback. 15 years later, they're still rocking even without the help of Baatin & Dilla (RIP), with T3, Illa J & Young RJ still continuing the legacy (heck, they just released an album on Tuesday). So buy this, bUy ThIs, BUY THIS! This album still stands out, with Dilla's beats being the standout on there. I had so many favourites, and if you're reading this, I bet you will too. This was so good to listen to, and if anyone is new to J Dilla, it's good to start off with this "fantastic" album.

The Furious 5ive
Fall In Love
Raise It Up
Get Dis Money
Eyes Up
Players

Additional Recommends
Hold Tight
2U4U
Go Ladies
Once Upon A Time
Climax (Girl Shit)

But yeah, all of the tracks are recommendable, even the weakest ones!

But wait, there's more!

Released: July 31, 2000

A month later, Slum Village would released Best Kept Secret, an album full of 7 Fantastic leftovers and 3 remixes. Some of these songs were previously on the leaked Vol. 1, but either have been extended or separated a little. However, they used a different alias when releasing it called J-88, and instead of releasing it on Barak, they did it on a different label called Groove Attack. But that's all I have to say about this project before we get started, I could've did a brief paragraph on this, but I'm just gonna get into it: TBT style!

1. From Detroit With Love (Intro)

Just an intro that pretty much leads to the next track.

2. The Look Of Love
While everyone's Slum Village favourite (including myself) is "Fall In Love", this one is just up there with that song. With Dilla's laidback beat and T3 & Baatin's verses, While I really liked T3's verse, Baatin was up there as well, especially having a really decent starter verse. The overall song is really good to vibe to, with the sombre guitar sample and everything I really loved about it. Why is it so hard to describe such a wonderful song?!

3. Get It Together
This was alright. It was funky and all, but nothing stood out as much.

4. Stupid Lies
Now, this one is better. I can bump to this one, and it's actually a very decent song. It can be forgettable at times though.

5. The Things You Do
Now, the remix was on Vol. 1, with no sign of the original (unless this was the remix, who knows), but there's a different one that managed to get on this. I could actually imagine A Tribe Called Quest on this, especially during the Beats, Rhymes and Life era in 1996. I do like this one better than the Vol. 1 remix, because I can feel something way funky on this one. Great song!

6. Keep It On (This Beat)
Like "The Look of Love", this was originally on Vol. 1, and managed to be stuck on here too. You can notice the difference that it had been cut off at the end, to prevent it from switching to a James Brown sample. But anyway, this song is a really decent song on the album. I can rock to it a lot, and it's probably the best on the album, other than "The Look of Love". Seriously, this was a really great song, which actually amazed me from the first time I actually listened to it.

7. The Look of Love (Part 2)
Now, there are 4 versions of "The Look of Love": the original and 3 remixes from Dilla. While they could've added "What's Love Got To Do With It?" or the one with a "Lyrics to Go" sample, they added this one, which was lackluster, compared to the other remixes. So... meh!

The following are remixes from Madlib & IG Culture:

8. Get It Together (Madlib Remix)
This one is a lot better than the original, which I found a little boring. This one is more funky, and the group actually suited the beat a lot more than the original. Decent effort from the Slum.

9. The Things You Do (Madlib Remix)
This was just... alright. Doesn't beat the original as much!

10. Get It Together (IG Culture Basement Jerks Mix)
Nah nah, this one is just awful for my standards.

Sigh... damn! I always look forward to listening to a compilation full of album throwaways, just to see if they could've been on that album or not. A prime example could be Drake with his platinum mixtape, If You're Reading This It's Too Late, where most songs (although supposed to be throwaways from Views From The 6ix) were better on that tape, especially feeling like he created that specifically for that project. Best Kept Secret doesn't do that for me at all. While maybe 3/10 tracks could've been on Vol. 2, the rest were just mediocre to bad. Some of the beats felt lackluster and it wasn't something special, like Fantastic Vol. 2 was. If Dilla sorted out his production a little on there, then I would've appreciated it a lot. Part 2 of "The Look of Love" was horrible where Dilla gave a mediocre beat, instead of putting on a different version. Overall, it was alright to check the leftovers, but they aren't really worth purchasing at all. Just look at the recommended list, and you can just take a listen at those ones down below!

Recommended Tracks
The Look of Love
Keep It On (This Beat)
The Things You Do

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

Released: September 24, 1991

Coming from the Streets of New York came something called Native Tongues, which was a super collective consisted of mostly groups and solo rappers. The original people were Jungle Brothers, who released their albums in 1988 and 1989, along with De La Soul having their debut in 1989 (3 Feet High & Rising). But am I here to talk about these people? Well not really. After those 2 had their shine, A Tribe Called Quest was up next...

A Tribe Called Quest consisted of Q-Tip (the lead), Phife Dawg (the secondary), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (the DJ) and Jarobi White (who was mostly an occasional member). Q-Tip already had his early guest appearances on both Jungle Brothers and De La Soul's albums, while Phife Dawg would later appear on De La Soul's "Buddy (Native Tongues Decision)" Later on, the group would release their debut People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm in 1990, known for some of their best songs, but ended up being an underrated piece of work (even to this day), with positive reviews noticing their immaturity and unfocused content. Tip was the one that actually lead the group, doing most of the songs, with Phife having minor contributions. But later on, occasional member Jarobi would leave the group, turning the group into Phife, Tip & Ali. Phife, finding out that he was diabetic, managed to have a discussion with Tip after the album's release, and they decided to have him participate more in the group. So with that, the group started working on what would be a certified classic: The Low End Theory.

The Low End Theory was their sophomore effort released on Jive (back when it was a credible hip-hop label and didn't sign any pop acts yet) at the start of Fall 1991. It consists of 14 tracks and features fellow peripheral Native Tongues groups including Brand Nubian and Leaders of the New School along with Vinia Mojica and Diamond D. The album was preceded by the first single "Check The Rhime" released in the Summer of 1991, and was released at the time where Tribe were gaining a loyal fan base. While not their darkest album yet (Beats, Rhymes and Life would feature darker content than this), Tribe showed their dark side as they touch on social issues and problems with Jive throughout the album.

The Low End Theory was one of the first records to mix hip-hop with a laidback jazzy atmosphere, and can be seen as their finest piece of work, either behind or in front of their next album, Midnight Marauders. Since the album is overall an alternative hip-hop album, it managed to change the shape of alternative hip-hop, having positive reviews with 5 stars by so many music magazines. Actually, member Jarobi White recorded vocals for the album, but when he left the group while the album was still in the works, they omitted it and made it just Tip & Phife. Do I know how much it sold? Well, no. But it did reach the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at #13, and peaked down at other charts. "Scenario", the album's final track, would be also seen as hip-hop's greatest posse cut, as Leaders of the New School squeezed into the song, having a big influence, especially when Nicki Minaj interpolated one of Busta Rhymes' lines in "Roman's Revenge" (yeah, I just thought I should add that in). Unlike people nowadays, Tribe didn't sell many records like others, especially with this album, but The Low End Theory has proven to be a classic so much, that you would probably maintain a big friendship with someone if they have it on their record collection or on their phone.

But yeah, on to The Low End Theory...

1. Excursions
This was a very interesting opening to the album. The Abstract takes the song on his own, instead of adding Phife at least to the middle or something. The positive vibes found in this song were alright, but at the same time, you can hear some dark atmosphere here, even if they want you to vibe to it. Anyway, on to the next one.

2. Buggin' Out
Now this is where it goes down. Phife is here and outstandingly outshines his partner. I always love it when that happens, and Phife still comes with that heat, especially when he starts out so flawless. What had managed to be a highlight for me was the second verse where it had so much great lines from Phife. I thought he did... oh yeah, we're talking about A Tribe Called Quest here, not just Phife. Tip was decent on it, and I liked how he got into the song nicely, while on a funky beat provided here, making everything combined together here a standout on the album.

3. Rap Promoter
A little nice song from Tip, with a span of 2 minutes, which I don't mind, to be honest. I still don't know why Tip had to call this a "fly love song".

4. Butter
An impressive solo from Phife, which I'm glad he managed to get on the album, because here and there, I had got sick and tired of Tip just leading the album on his own especially on People's Instinctive Travels previously, he could've gave the mic to Phife then, but why now? Anyway, this song was a really great song. I didn't really like the first verse, although Phife delivered it well. He did go back into his raw flow in the 2nd verse, which I liked the most. Tip only contributes on the hook, which was alright, to be honest. Oh yeah, and the beat was "smooth like butter".

5. Verses From The Abstract
A few people have found this boring but actually, this is a very good song. As the song suggests, this is a big solo song from Tip aka The Abstract, whose verses actually flows well on here. Vinia Mojica's singing during the hooks was smooth and I really digged it. Ron Carter took part on the double bass in the track, and he was outstanding on it. This has managed to be my favourite solo from Tip out of all the Tribe albums, mainly because of the smooth vibes that were portrayed a lot more than in the other albums. An outstanding effort.

6. Show Business (Feat. Diamond D, Lord Jamar & Sadat X)
This is funky as hell, and Tribe along with 2/4 of Brand Nubian and Diamond D rap about Industry Rule #4080 (which is "record labels are shady", see Check The Rhime). All rappers flow well on this song, and they don't really sound like guest appearances, to be honest. Diamond D managed to standout very much on this track, with the content being a lot more clearer and lyrical than everyone else, and his last line having some good wordplay on "Wild Pitch". One thing is that this song was supposed to be called "Georgie Porgie", but due to it being very homophobic to the eye (check it out on YouTube, there are so much dislikes). it ended up luckily not being properly released and turned into this one hell of a great song. If released today, it'd probably take a jab at the "new generation" and people like Young Thug. Thank God "Georgie Porgie" was rejected.

7. Vibes and Stuff
It actually feels like Tribe didn't really have a name for this, so they just slapped this title there, but this is a very decent song. They both do their thing on here. Yeah, I actually got nothing else to say.

8. The Infamous Date Rape
This was alright. I liked the content, where it can go in a 2nd person situation, and Tip & Phife both flowed well here. Not a standout, but it's a really decent track

9. Check The Rhime
This song right here is a freakin' CLASSIC! Almost 25 years later, this proves to be something so epic and it shows Tip & Phife at their goddamn finest. And out of all the songs on albums I've listened to from People's Instinctive Travels to The Love Movement, this song is probably their best they've ever done behind "Electric Relaxation", and maybe "Jazz (We've Got)". Hold on, excuse me for my hyper mood, I'm just saying that this song is very great. I really liked how the song came on, and it was funky as hell, as Tip & Phife share the mic on the track with no problems. The positive vibes manages to be portrayed the most on here, and doesn't revolve around dark content, and while the previous tracks were either chill, laidback or dark in content, this just breaks the ice. I don't see why anyone wouldn't like this song.

10. Everything is Fair
I really liked the beat and Tip's lyrical content, but that vocal sample that makes the hook is just so disturbing!

11. Jazz (We've Got)
This song remains one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time, and it actually does deserve that. This is something I can "boom in my Jeep", but I'm young, so I don't have a Jeep. I wish I did. But I digress, this is so great, and the jazz elements are so excellent and portrayed way better than most of the 90s songs that had jazz in it. The bass & jazz was just... too freaking much, god damn! But let's talk about how the two did: while Tip did an excellent job starting it off, I really liked Phife's verse, where the content was actually great, and was better to put in my head, I did like how Tip came back though, with a better verse and ended the song with the "...and you don't stop" adlibs. Overall, this is my favourite Tribe song, not only on this album, but actually as a whole (I didn't forget about you, "Electric Relaxation").

12. Skypager
A short song from Tip & Phife, which I didn't care about back then. Has my thoughts changed? Er...*does moonwalk*...nah!

13. What?
Tip does a solo, which is actually very decent. He does "question rhymes", as he asks questions which are really interesting. The beat sounds like something on a movie, to be honest. But the questions that managed to hit me were "what is a child who doesn't know puberty" and "What are laws if they ain't fair and equal", which were really interesting lyrics on the song. Anyway, on to the next one!

14. Scenario (Feat. Leaders of the New School)
Now this song deserves to be hip-hop's greatest posse cut, because it is such a great song that freakin rocks. Here, no-one steals the shine other than Busta Rhymes who does an excellent job as he goes through his crazy wild flow (which people had compared to ODB a lot), and murks this track the most dangerous way possible. And while Phife, Q-Tip, Dinco D & Charlie Brown did decent on the track, no one did it better than Busta, who'd have such an adequate career, making hits and having a few ups and downs (yeah, he just recently left Cash Money, I swear that label is just something else, damn!). This is a classic, need I say more?

At 14 tracks and 48 minutes, The Low End Theory manages to be a very overwhelming classic. People's Instinctive Travels was a decent effort for a debut, but the focus on the album was silly, immature and around the place, with some boring songs here and there. However, Low End happens to be much improved, and Tip, Phife & Ali began to be very mature. The album finally features better and refreshed instrumentals instead of some good and some mediocre, with the album's focus being much better, and actually revolving around a certain thing. The group's content feels better and nice and Tip & Phife brought up very interesting topics, including the industry, show promoting and social issues like date rapes and girls etc. The basslines on the tracks are just on point and so wonderful. Heck, Ron Carter did his thing on his double bass on "Verses From The Abstract", and the others, including Diamond D and Phife on "Show Business". Although Tip remains my favourite off Tribe, his solos can annoy me, and isn't always necessary. I didn't like "Excursions" much although it was a good starter, and "Rap Promoter", although funky, was kinda boring. I always wondered why Phife didn't get enough solos on the album, it was always 1 per album, while Tip gets 4 or 5. Oh well, then again, everything here is what made The Low End Theory a freakin classic. So is it even worth buying? HELL YEAH!!! Phife comes through with the heat, and he finally contributes a lot more, and Tip stepped up a little instead of sounding bland like he did with People's Instinctive Travels (he did alright on that album though, and although he kept that positiveness in this one, the focus on the previous album was a little unpleasant). It's a classic, a masterpiece, a piece of art, so much words to describe. And God help you if you don't like it...

The Furious 5ive
Jazz (We've Got)
Check The Rhime
Scenario
Verses From The Abstract
Buggin' Out

Honourable Mentions
Butter
What?