The West Coast Rap All-Stars - We're All In The Same Gang (1990) sampled James Brown - Untitled Instrumental (1988)

Artist:  The West Coast Rap All-Stars
Song:  We're All In The Same Gang
Year:  1990
Album:  We're All In The Same Gang

One of my requests to the Hip Hop Gods is a sequel to "We're All In The Same Gang" by a second wave of West Coast Rap All-Stars.

 

Here is my requested lineup for the new song:

Ice Cube - the biggest snub from the original song should lead it off.
Ras Kass - best lyricist in the West.
Evidence - some slow flow for unity.
Tyler the Creator - you would never think that face is attached to that voice.
The Pharcyde - some people don't believe these guys are from South Central.
Nate Dogg - "Don't ya know we got to put our heads together", I hope he sang that on an unreleased track.
Tha Alkaholiks - King Tee passes the torch to Tha Liks.

Madlib and Quasimoto - Tha Liks pass the torch to Madlib and Lord Quas.

The Lady of Rage - maybe the best female lyricist, period.
Planet Asia - the voice, the flow, needed on this track.
Kendrick Lamar - rookie of the year a must make an appearance.

Snoop Doggy Dogg - can't forget about the Doggfather.
E40 - a little levity.
Del, Casual and Opio - my top three from Hieroglyphics.
Kurupt - more lyricism.
Too Short - another snub from the original song gets his chance to drop veteran flows.

Game - some peace talk from the red side.

DJ Quik - not on the track for his lyrics but for his all-star status.

MC Eiht - more veteran flow.

2Pac - speaks on the need for peace from beyond the grave in unreleased verse.
 

Obviously, my requested sequel is produced by The Alchemist.

Artist:  James Brown
Song:  Untitled Instrumental
Year:  1988
Album:  Motherlode

Not too many Hip Hop songs sample a song from two years prior.  This is a track from James Brown that was recorded long before 1988 but was released on this compilation album.  It sounds like the J.B.'s recording an instrumental for James Brown to sing over.  The original "We're All In The Same Gang" used the 2-bar loop starting at 0:36.

Phife Dawg - Ben Dova (2000) sampled Dorothy Ashby - Canto De Ossanha (1969)

Artist:  Phife Dawg
Song:  Ben Dova
Year:  2000
Album:  Ventilation: Da LP

The lyrics to this song can only be described as brilliant ignorance.  I still recite these rhymes in my head 13 years later.

Artist:  Dorothy Ashby
Song:  Canto De Ossanha
Year:  1969
Album:  Dorothy's Harp

The harp never sounds better than when it's in the hands of this lady.  This is a great album, full of classic samples such as "Fakin Jax" by InI.  The Phife sample is located at 0:12.

M.O.P. - Rugged Neva Smoove (Premier Remix - Street) (1994) sampled Joe Zawinul - In A Silent Way (1971)

Artist:  M.O.P.
Song:  Rugged Neva Smoove (Premier Remix - Street)
Year:  1994
Album:  Rugged Neva Smoove 12-Inch Maxi Single

This is another world premier from Representative Sample.  The sample is the electric piano noise heard during the verses.

Artist:  Joe Zawinul
Song:  In A Silent Way
Year:  1971
Album:  Zawinul

I saw Joe Zawinul at the Toronto Jazz Festival back in 2003, he was nice on the keys.  When the show ended, the audience started rushing the stage to shake his hand, but since it was the height of the SARS epidemic, he got up from the piano and abrupty left.  Can't blame him.  Listen carefully, the sample is located at 1:34.

2Pac & Notorious B.I.G. - Runnin' (Street Version) (1995) sampled Booty's Rubber Band - Munchies For Your Love (1977)

Artist:  2Pac & Notorious B.I.G.
Song:  Runnin' (Street Version)
Year:  1995
Album:  One Million Strong

This is a rare song because it features 2Pac and Biggie on the same track.  It is taken from the compilation album "One Million Strong".

Artist:  Ill Al Skratch
Song:  This Is For My Homiez
Year:  1994
Album:  Creep Wit' Me

Remember these guys?  Their songs got abundant airplay in 1994.  I want to mention the sample was also used by Scarface "Now I Feel Ya" and Fat Joe "Say Word".

Artist:  Bootsy's Rubber Band
Song:  Munchies For Your Love
Year:  1977
Album:  Ahh...The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!

2Pac and Biggie used the guitar note at 0:15 for the introduction and then the 4-bar loop starting at 0:19 for the rest of the song.

Ill Al Skratch used only 2 bars starting at 0:19 but occasionally played the keyboard part of the sample to make it sound like the 4-bar loop.

Mathematik - Formation (1999) sampled The Blackbyrds - All I Ask (1975)

Artist:  Mathematik
Song:  Formation
Year:  1999
Album:  Ecology

Canadian content!  Mathematik is the point guard of my Toronto Hip Hop All-Star team.  Wio-K is the shooting guard.  Tona is the small forward.  Kardinal Offishall is the power forward.  Of course, Maestro Fresh-Wes is the Center.  Saukrates is the sixth man.  If you have a better team, please share in the comments.

Artist:  2Pac
Song:  Lord Knows
Year:  1995
Album:  Me Against The World

Tupac Shakur is an Emcee I appreciate more as I get older.  If you put 2Pac and Biggie in the "Top 5 Dead or Alive", a lot of people won't argue.  If you put Nas and Jay-Z in the top 5, a lot of people won't argue.  Who gets the last spot?  Rakim is always mentioned as deserving of a top 5 spot.  That list would clog the top 5 and prevent anyone entry for a long time.  Jadakiss is supposed to be putting an album out soon called "Top 5, Dead Or Alive" - so who is he going to push off this list?

 

Artist:  K.M.D.
Song:  Sorcerers
Year:  2009
Album:  Metal Fingerz Doom Presents Unexpected Guests

This sounds nothing like the group who gave us"Peachfuzz" and "Sweet Premium Wine", but Zev Love X is on there.

Artist:  The Blackbyrds
Song:  All I Ask
Year:  1975
Album:  City Life

Rest in Peace to Donald Byrd who passed away last month.  The Blackbyrds were his group of Howard University students who went on to become successful.

 

Mathmatik used the 2-bar loop starting at 1:41.  2Pac used the same 2-bar loop.

 

K.M.D. made the best use of the sample.  They start the song with the sample from 1:40.  The rest of the song used 4 bars starting from 1:41.  They play the first bar, then loop the second and third together repeatedly and occasionally end it with the fourth bar.

A Tribe Called Quest - Jazz (We've Got) (Re-recording) (1991) sampled Freddie Hubbard - Suite Sioux (1970)

Artist:  A Tribe Called Quest
Song:  Jazz (We've Got) (Re-recording)
Year:  1991
Album:  Jazz (We've Got) 12-inch Single

Along with Scenario, The Low End Theory had the greatest remixes because these songs had new lyrics and a new beat.

Artist:  Deda
Song:  Nothing More
Year:  1996
Album:  The Original Baby Pa

Even though this album was released in the next century, it should have come out in 1996, I remember the promotion in 1995.  Pete Rock production and this Emcee from Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth's "The Basement" make a good combination.

Artist:  Rumpletilskinz
Song:  Is It Alright?
Year:  1993
Album:  What Is A Rumpletilskin?

These guys ask a lot of questions.  This is the best kept secret from 1993 Hip Hop.  Even back then is was under the radar.

Artist:  Freddie Hubbard
Song:  Suite Sioux
Year:  1970
Album:  Red Clay

The month of the "Suite" continues with this song.  However, I don't believe it is a genuine suite.  I think the song is just a funny way of spelling Sweet Sue.

A Tribe Called Quest used the one bar starting at 0:03.  Deda rhymes over a 2-bar construction where the first bar is the same as A Tribe Called Quest and the second bar is the sample from 0:09.  Rumpletilskinz uses the one bar starting at 0:00.

Pëänût Bûttër Wö1f with P1änët Asïä and Mäd1ïb - Dëfïnïtïon Of I11 (Rëmïx) (1999) sampled Hërbïë Häncöck - Sûïtë Rëvëngë (1974)

Artist:  Pëänût Bûttër Wö1f with P1änët Asïä and Mäd1ïb
Song:  Dëfïnïtïon Of I11 (Rëmïx)
Year:  1999
Album:  Dëfïnïtïon Of I11 12-inch Single

This month's theme is the "suite".  A suite is a set of musical pieces considered as one composition.  This featured song sampled a suite from the Death Wish soundtrack, and is a suite itself as the beat changes.  Money Boss Players "Games" also sampled from the suite.

Artist:  Hërbïë Häncöck
Song:  Sûïtë Rëvëngë
Year:  1974
Album:  Dëäth Wïsh (Original Soundtrack)

The Hip Hop song starts with a chop of the 2 notes from 9:11 and the sample from 9:12.  The beat then changes to another 2 notes from a different song on the Death Wish Soundtrack ("Do A Thing") and the noise from 5:19.