First up, Brand Nubian's Everything Is Everything. '94 was chock full of dope releases so it's understandable how this might have either fell though the cracks or got mistreated by the competition. Fresh off one of the dopest follow-up albums without their franchise player, "In God We Trust" was an absolute masterpiece of the new two-man team. A balls to the wall album where there is no apologizing, no cheating the listener of dauntless lyrics and definitely no hiding from Lord Jamar or Sadat X ideologies.
The Nubians returned a year later with Everything Is Everything, a safer and more mature album if you will. What many people don't realize is that Lord Jamar was always responsible for the majority of the production on the Brand Nubian albums. Even though they did a few tracks here and there, many people think of Pete Rock, Stimulated Dummies, Diamond D, Lord Finesse or Buckwild as the prominent producers in the groups catalogs.
Jamar laces things on the infectious "Word Is Bond" all the way into the ridiculously underrated posse cut "Step Into Da Cipher" featuring Serge, Maestro Manny and blogosphere favorite Snagglepuss.
The group tackled germane topics and wholeheartedly ripped tracks like "Claimin I'm A Criminal," "Hold On" and "Return of The Dread." If anything, this album showcased Lord Jamars growth as a producer and an emcee. While it was difficult to outshine Puba on "One For All" and the controversial Sadat X on "In God We Trust," it's on "Everything Is Everything" that Jamar truly shines.
The album was full of head-nodding tracks like "Alladat" featuring Busta Rhymes and the remix of "Lick Dem Muthaphuckas" originally found on the Menace II Society soundtrack. While it might not be better than any previous Nuban efforts, it surely isn't an album that you could call anything less than great. This is their "Beats, Rhymes & Life." --Philaflava
Funny, I had myself a Brand Nubian day yesterday, this album of course being one of the numerous highlights.
ReplyDeleteWow that's bold man and I respect your insite, yet I remember when this album dropped and I remember paying for this and wanting my money back!! No doubt I got mad respect for the Nubians but only their projects together and a few solo joints here and there. Punks jump up to get beat down was probably the hottest post Grand Puba joint they put out!! Have to agree the lyrics on some of the cuts was okay but that production lacked for that time frame!! I just listened to the tracks you posted just to see if I could get it and mind you I'm good on the lyric scout, but nah these tracks didn't cut it then and don't serve well at all now!! Wait Wait Wait Holding on was a nice track but I still want my money back Ha!Ha!!
ReplyDeletei disagree with Olskool4real. the 12" tracks and instrumentals were the shit. Every weekend we would get faded and freestyle over the beats. Shit was just as dope to rhyme to as any of the black moon records and as far as records to rhyme over only a couple records got used more than those anywhere in the world..
ReplyDeleteSadat X is the fucking man in general.
My favorite Brand Nubian album and yeah Jamar really showed his skills as a producer on this one!! but Alladat was produced by Buckwild though!!
ReplyDeleteSoren
Just for the record I never stated Lord Jamar produced "Alladat," I was simply stating some of the hits on the album. Re-read it.
ReplyDeleteI love this album. Always did
ReplyDeleteI know people think I'm crazy when I say this but this is my favorite Brand Nubian album.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of the first albums that combined the ruggedness of New York with the smoothness of the West Coast.