Showing posts with label Nemesis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nemesis. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Bumble B.H.E. - Pain

William Jackson, better known as Bumble B.H.E., was a socially active artist from the savage streets of Dallas, TX. He is often remembered for his controversial lyrics and equally provocative civil views which were the main cause of distress upon the media, politicians and even the African American community in the early nineties. Bumble B.H.E. first started off with the famed group, Nemesis but would soon leave them over creative differences. The differences being about the overall sound and the message the group as a whole was portraying. Pain is his debut solo album and it was released in 1992 on 380 Recordings while also being distributed through the larger and well established, Ichiban Records. The production in its' entirety is handled by the talented group of producers known as, The Bump Godz. The Bump Godz consists of Brother Black, DJ Zero, I.C.E., Suave-X and Bumble B.H.E., himself. Although the rhythms are all electronically derived and most are sample ridden, there are tracks where the producers incorporate live instruments such as horns and various types of guitars. The beats are of a simple nature and are generally presented in an uptempo fashion. This set up remains constant throughout the album and really does set the tone for the entire project. Lyrically, the artist is pretty blunt upon the microphone. Both his tone and persona come off as quite aggressive and he seems to get his point across with ease. His rhymes follow no dictated pattern which results in a very candid and honest approach. Guest appearances are made by Mad Wisdom and Gretta Epps. The record closes out with a total of thirteen tracks with each one being more ruthless than the next. The core content is of a harsh yet truthful nature as one can sense from the album's title and the intrusive caption printed on the cover. Overall the album does carry its' own charm but it can also get a bit redundant at times with its' brutal content. Nonetheless, the message it conveys is of an imperative nature especially when considering the turmoils and unrest which still plagues the African American communities to this very day.

Deadly Verses
Pain


If This Gets Out (It'll Cause World Wide Panic)


Sunday, November 9, 2014

Da Buddha Klan

Da Buddha Klan is a group who represents from the hard hitting streets of Dallas, TX and it is led by Big Al of the Nemesis fame. Now Nemesis was more bass oriented and since that era faded away by the mid nineties, Al quickly decided it was time to move on, although he would later return for a reunion album in 2000. After a couple of minor production stints, he formed the Da Buddha Klan in the year 1995. He recruited rappers from different neighborhoods across Dallas and ended up with the members, Uptight, 211, IKS and Mayday the female emcee. After assembling a wide array of musicians and composers, Da Buddha Klan debuted on the infamous Profile Records in 1996. The production is top quality and is provided through various producers. The crew is led by Christopher Smith and Mabuta Ellison while assisted by Floyd Bonner (Guitar), Tim Grugle (Drums), Zach Johnson (Bass) and Roger Webb (Keyboards). The beats contain intricate rhythm patterns and are blended ever so exquisitely. The musicians did an excellent job with each of their respective instrument and the producers gave them a green light when it came to creativity. Lyrically the album is also superb. Da Klan doesn't waste any time getting started on the microphone and each member contributes evenly. Their rhymes are delivered very precisely and rapidly as well. The core content is straight out of gangster territory and can be considered equally rough. All the members are commendable lyricists and the two standouts being Uptight and Big Al. Guest appearances are made by War Loc and Lisa Schmitz who provides the background vocals. Overall this record is full of great content and it shines from all angles. What started out as a side project ended up easily exceeding expectations. Although Big Al passed away in 2000 and he garnered a great deal of success through his membership in the group Nemesis, this release can easily be placed with the best highlights of his career. Rest in peace to Albert "Big Al" English, one of the best to ever represent for Dallas, Texas.

Deadly Verses

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

P.K.O. - Don't F**k W/Texas

P.K.O., which stands for pounds, keys, and ounces, is a group from San Antonio, TX. It was formed during the late eighties by Pony J, Magic Mark, and K-Sam. They ended up recruiting two more members by the names of DJ AK and Earl The Pearl. This was the original lineup that debuted in 1989 on Yo! Records with their full length album, Don't F**k W/Texas. Production is done impeccably by DJ Snake of the Nemesis fame along with the help of Magic Mark and DJ AK manning the turntables. With DJ Snake handling the bulk of the duties, he made sure the tracks contain solid yet soothing bass lines as well as some hard but edgy drums. Although the beats are somewhat sample assisted, they still somehow a carry a genuine vibe. Lyrics can only be described as harsh and are certainly controversial. Each member attacks the microphone with reckless abandon. Their rhymes are brutal and they maintain that theme throughout the record. This album not only paved the way for the group but also gave them a sense of direction. Even though they had constant changes in their membership throughout their long career, the core unit remained the same with K-Sam, Magic Mark, and Pony J, who would later change his alias to Nino. Overall it is a pretty hardcore album and one that bashes a lot of people in politics and even people in the music industry back then. The record's controversial nature did not bring any radio play or mainstream success but it did give the group a very strong and loyal fan base in the underground.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Kottonmouth - 100% Kottonmouth

Kottonmouth is a rapper from Dallas, TX. He started off with the group P.K.O. and then formed his own group in 1999 called the Rally Boys. This was his debut solo album and it was released in 1995 on Youngsta Records. Production on this album is mainly handled by the legendary DJ Snake of Nemesis while Pimp C of UGK is credited for one of the tracks as well. The beats are oozing with that down south flavor. DJ Snake has always been an excellent producer and he does not disappoint on this one. The lyrics are also very commendable. Kottonmouth can spit pretty quick and his rough tone is certainly present. Featuring guests on the record are Nino of P.K.O. and Pimp C of UGK. This album is out of print now and is considered by many to be his best work.

Deadly Verses