Shadz Of Lingo - A View To A Kill

Atlanta’s Shadz Of Lingo first debuted on Erick Sermon’s debut solo album No Pressure on the track "Lil Crazy" back in 1993,DJ Rocco and MC’s Kolorado and Lingo first met in 1986 at a Richmond, VA, High School.

In 1991 they all moved to Atlanta and began recording, A View To A Kill, released in 1994 was their only album that had a line up of dope producers behind the boards, Erick Sermon produced and appeared on "Mad Flavaz" (also released as a single) while Diamond D laced the Shadz with four ill tracks, “Ill & Get Clowned” which featured a lovely jazz horn sample, deep bassline and the infamous Skull Snaps drums, “Different Stylez” sampled Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam” which was made famous by Large Professor for Main Source’s “Just Hanging Out”, “Think I Give A Fuck” with it’s ill Eddie Harris sample and Lou Donaldson drums and “Don’t Test Da Skillz” which sampled ESG’s “UFO” and Jack Bruce’s "Sam Enchanted Dick”,(also used by Showbiz) Diamond D was definitely the production highlight on the album but Madness 4 Real’s “View To A Kill” was dope and had a Cypress Hill vibe and his funk laced "I Step 2 U Den” was good as well.

Dallas Austin produces the hard “Wherez Da Steel?”, which is not bad but his later effort “Always Stylin” is better,
A View To A Kill is not a classic or a lost album, but it’s a great golden age Hip Hop album, that will keep the head nodding and make the listener smile.

A View To A Kill



1 Different Stylez (4:09)
2 Mad Flavaz (4:27)
3 Ill & Get Clowned (3:43)
4 Wherez Da Steel (4:25)
5 Psychopathic Interlude (2:05)
6 View To A Kill (4:07)
7 Think I Give A F--K (3:35)
8 Don't Test Da Skillz (3:45)
9 Crossfade Flow (1:05)
10 1 Step 2 U Den (4:11)
11 Alwayz Stylin' (4:18)

-- Jaz