Friday, August 28, 2009

Producer Highlight - Mel Man



The story starts with the Bulworth Soundtrack. I am trying to find some good songs in between so much bullshit, and then BLAM! I hear "Eve of Destruction" by Eve. I don't even like Eve, but I had that track on repeat for about an hour. I was like, this shit has GOT to be produced by Dre. But then I find out it was done Mel-Man. "What?". Yup, it was that dude on Dre's Chronic 2001. I had to investigate more.

After much investigation I realized that Dre was nothing more than an Andy Warhol of hiphop. He was using other producers and polishing their shit, then signing his signature on the shit. But I digress.

After very little investigation, 'cause shit, Mel Man is like that king that made gold out of anything he touched, i found the West Coast's version of Marley Marl "House of Hits".

He has Xzibit's X, Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady" and, well, the whole Chronic 2001, under his belt. I won't even include those tracks on my compilation, except The Watcher, because this track is absolutely Mel-Man, and I am willing to bet Dre didn't do even a fuckin minute of work on this track.

I know this is getting too long for all us ADD's out here... but I GOTTA mention the fact that Mel-Man's behind Nate Dogg's "I Pledge Allegiance", which just happens to have hiphop's best sample ever, only after Prince Paul's "Music For the Stetfully Insane".
Check it out and let us know what you think:


Los Angeles Times - Xzibit
Sally - Bilal
Shittin on the World - Mel-Man
7 Days (remix) ft. Nate Dogg & Mos Def - Craig David
I Pledge Allegiance ft. Pharoah Monch - Nate Dogg
Hello - Ice Cube
The Watcher - Dr. Dre
Let Me See Ya Throw It - Busta Rhymes
Benefit Of The Doubt - Truth Hurts
The Way I Be Pimpin (Original Xxplosive) - Royce Da 5'9"
Snoop Dogg Dogg named Snoop - Snoop Dogg
The Mel-Funktion - Mel-Man
The Mel-Man - Mel-Man
Bad Guys Always Die - Dr Dre & Eminem
Gangsta - Joe Beast
Year 2000 (Remix)- Xzibit
Eve Of Destruction - Eve
Tired - Truth Hurts
Untouchable - The Firm
Get Your Walk On Instrumental - Xzibit
Watch Out ft. Hitman - Knoc Turnal -


-- Cenzi Stiles
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16 comments:

  1. vincentlopezAugust 28, 2009 at 8:46 AM

    Did you ever read that article about Mel-Man (and others) breaking away from Dre for not getting paid properly? Here's some of it:

    http://www.ukmusic.com/forum/urban-music/the-truth-behind-aftermath-records-dr-dre-da-dog-27464.html

    They never really did much after leaving Dre though. Did Dre block them from working legally via an existing contractual agreement the same way Eazy E initially blocked Dre?

    ReplyDelete
  2. takabeatsAugust 28, 2009 at 1:19 PM

    i dunno if you ever peeped that shelved Hitman album, but it's got Mel Man's imprint all over it. incidentally, Hitman is said to have caught beef with Dre, which is why it's never seen the light of day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. vPAugust 28, 2009 at 2:14 PM

    Dr. Dre actually played the trumpet on The Watcher so he definitely did some work on it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Cenzi StilesAugust 28, 2009 at 3:11 PM

    from:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nhT5Gwsngw

    Even Osama says it best:
    "Everybody knows your beats are Mel-Man
    You could never do it by yourself man"

    ReplyDelete
  5. vergeAugust 28, 2009 at 3:11 PM

    Did the god Rakim foul. For some reason, I absolutely believe that and am not surprised..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cenzi StilesAugust 28, 2009 at 3:23 PM

    also from:

    http://www.astrotheme.com/portraits/k9ceQX7N2GDt.htm

    "It should be noted that although Young studies piano and musical theory, he is not necessarily an instrumentalist himself. As he joked to Time magazine in 2001, "I bought a trumpet a couple of years ago, and everybody started hiding from me". In the same article, Time described a recording process in which Dr. Dre operates is more as a conductor than a musician himself-"

    ReplyDelete
  7. spitlerAugust 28, 2009 at 7:17 PM

    old news, but you know that in every (other) genre of music, the producer is responsible for the overall sound of the finished product, not necessarily the 'beat maker' as so many people associate the name with in hip hop..

    ReplyDelete
  8. K-FunkAugust 29, 2009 at 2:41 PM

    it's sad that Mel Man quit rappin'. his tape from '91 "The Mel-Man delivers" is fire, also his single "Wreck shop" was dope.

    thanks cenzi for the producer highlights anyway! props.

    ReplyDelete
  9. TurkishAugust 30, 2009 at 10:00 AM

    I'm reminded of a Snoop Dogg interview from a couple of years ago where he said, in regards to criticism of Dre, that people need to learn the distinction between somebody being "a beat maker" and somebody being "a producer".

    ReplyDelete
  10. PoochAugust 31, 2009 at 6:30 AM

    I was almost certain that the Craig David remix was produced by Premo. It's sound screams Premo, and also Premo name is thrown in the chorus.

    Pooch

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousAugust 31, 2009 at 5:48 PM

    DJ PREMIER DEF DID THE CRAIG DAVID REMIX

    ReplyDelete
  12. killahhbdublinSeptember 1, 2009 at 11:36 AM

    Well I Only thinking of Mel Man's shit a little while ago ....there s only a handfull of tracks he has out ....

    like that he produced at least 40 percent of the second chronic album and also check hitman's work he done mad work with him ....

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousOctober 18, 2009 at 8:03 PM

    I Have That "Mel-Man Delivers" Tape. Along with The "Knock Em' Off" (EP). Both damn near impossible to find. IMO he never got the credit he deserved.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Cenzi StilesOctober 19, 2009 at 8:10 PM

    share it homie!

    ReplyDelete
  15. fleet woodNovember 17, 2009 at 4:10 PM

    Any change of reupping this?

    ReplyDelete
  16. vergeNovember 17, 2009 at 5:47 PM

    @fleet wood- Here's a re-up for you:
    http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PCE4U602

    ReplyDelete

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