Sat N Smooth is a group that represents from the northside of Houston, TX. The group consists of Brad-D and D-Bone. The two were discovered by Doug King of NewStyle Records and were quickly signed to the label. After impressing the executive producer Mark Lerch, the group was given a green light for a full length record. The Awakening is their debut album and it was released in 1993 on NewStyle Records and Flashpoint International, while it was distributed through Priority Records. The production is done by the impeccable DJ Storm also known as "Tha Funky Aztec." One might remember DJ Storm for remixing the track "Eyez Open" by Bam of the legendary Killa Klan. The beats are a classic example of southern funk. They are laced with heavy drums, scintillating horns, deep bass lines and not to mention some very fine keyboarding. All of this is presented through the signature style of DJ Storm which mainly consists of a deadly hook that is looped and superbly sampled. The lyrics is where this record really excels. Both Brad-D and D-Bone are more than capable on the microphone. Their rhymes are filled with brilliant word play and are the cornerstone for this project. Their chemistry together is unmatched and they seem to feed off of each other very easily. Guest features are made by C-Major of the Gang Society, The Mad Man, Lonnie.B.Rankin and Alisha who basically provides the backup vocals. Even though the group had quite a few singles, the tracks pretty much failed to crack any kind of meaningful rotation. Some said it was their harsh subject matter that was directed towards society while others believed that the group was ahead of its time. Whatever the reason maybe, it is quite plain to see that this gem of an album deserves a spot in any collection.
Deadly Verses
Deadly Verses
