MO' BETTER BEATS

Rip It Up, Issue 181, 1 August 1992, Page 29

MO' BETTER BEATS

**** Slamin' • • , *** Hella • , . ■ ** Mo'kay ' ■ , , ■ * Giggidy Giggidy DAS EFX Dead Serious (East West Records/Warner Music) This is a very laidback and funky debut from rappers Dray and Skoob,-a.k.a. DAS EFX. The two rap in a relaxed and lazy manner which well suits the multi-layered grooves put down by producers EPMD. The beats are so slow funky you sorta wish they’d kick it at least once, and it's a shame the whole album has been cleaned for radio. Radio edits are fine (you know - when everyone says: ''rekcufrehtom"'), but on an album? Nick D'Angelo

DEL-THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN I Wish My Brother George Was Here (Warner Music) He most certainly does, assuming ’George’ stands for the George Clinton - the Godfather of P-Funk. Del is on a similar tip - he carries no solutions to the world’s problems in his lyrics, and thank god he doesn’t pretend to. He’s at his best when he just let’s loose with the P-Funksamples(/7/ Bet Youand P-Funk Wants To Get Funked Up) and goes over the top lyrically. Easy going with mass samples and cuts and beats to match, it will be interesting to see if the voice which made Mr Dobalina an everyday word in teen culture is here to stay. I hope for Del’s sake George comes quickly, and stays. Rene Naufahu

BROTHERHOOD CREED Brotherhood Creed (Liberation/BMG) . - Innocuos dance grooves in a mellow rap style with doo-wop harmonies from BHC. Very much in the vein of their radio hit Helluva. What more do you expect from a crew who ..watched Jeopardy to refine my mind”. All samples are studiously credited on the inner sleeve although I would suggest Shoop Shoop Doo Doo more than just "contains elements of” the O’Jays Used To Be My Girl **ND'A PETE ROCK &CL SMOOTH Mecca and The Soul Brother(Elektra/Warner) - : From the guys responsible for the definitive remix of the PE anthem Shut ‘Em Down comes an album featuring guest appearances from friends Heavy D, Grand Puba, and Eddie F. With a sound made popular by the likes of Rakim & Tone Loc the beats are very prominent, the message politically correct, and the jazz smooth. Yet with this formula spread over 18 songs (the album is a massive 77 minutes) one could be forgiven for feeling a “sameness” to the songs. The monotony is however broken by the delicious, haunting, horn samples -as featured in the album highlight They Reminisce. ***RN VARIOUS ARTISTS Burn Hollywood Burn (Hollywood Records/Festival) A compilation sampler from Hollywood Records, named after the PE song, and released in LA well before the riot. A variety of styles and samples with the album progressing from a PG start to a XXX finish. Rather cute I thought. My fav is Organised Konfusion's Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken? with it’s Richard Pryor sample. Other artist on this album include Hi-C (ex NWA), Lifers Group, and Prince Akeem (Minister of Information for Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam group). ****ND'A ■ MILES DAVIS Doo Bop

Compiled from studio work with Def Jam protege producer Easy Mo’ Bee only months before the Big M died, this album fittingly strives (and succeeds) to capture the essential relationship between the Horn, the Hip, the Feet, and the Street. The radio friendly Doo Bop Songwill bring a smile to the hardest of homeboys, the hairdressers will die for Mystery, and the steppers will find heaven in Fantasy. This album is bound to played in nightclubs, bedrooms, and espresso bars everywhere. Rest in peace Miles Davis? Not possible!..?»•? RN - FU SCHNICKENS F.U. - Don't Take it Personal (Jive/BMG) ■ •: -'. /' ./

The FU Schnickens have watched too many Kung Fu movies - anyonw who has seen The Last dragon will know what I mean. The FU Schnickens are 3 urban blacks decked out like Bruce Lee and sounding like a hardcore verion of Kriss Kross: rapid fire raps with ragga breaks. Production credits are shared by the Fu Schnickens with A Tribe Called Quest and the album successfully (karate?) chops thru BPM’s in amanner DAS EFX shoul’ve considered. The beats are wild and the FU Schnickens are weird. ***ND’A SUPERGROOVE Here Comes the Supergroove/Soultime Strikes Back (BMG) From the creators of what must surely be the funkiest ad in the world for a snack food comes this hybrid of metal, hip hop, and 70’s disco. Neither of these tracks follow a tried and true formula - they create their own. The groove flows easily within each song with the help of some intense infectious energy. ***RN BOBBY BROWN Humpin'Around (MCA)

Mr Whitney Huston is back with a new single (after a 2 year absence) to claim, what Hammer stole (and bastardised): the Rap Crossover Crown. Slick production from LA Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons (with rap assistance from Stylz)give Bobby another infectious radio/dancefloor hit. Good to see him back, when’s the album out? **ND'A