Rap Thread 2: Like Water For Chocolate Revisited

faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
edited August 2010 in Strut Central
Without having actually listened to this album in 9+ years, I had it in my head that it was a good record. So much so that I included it on my top 50 rap albums of the decade list about a year ago (although if I hadn't limited each artist represented to one entry, I don't think there would have been room for it).

I revisited it earlier today, and guess what? It's really, really not what's good. In fact I felt kind of embarrassed playing it in my wife's presence. As with TLM I like the single--both sides, actually: "Dooinit" and the Primo joint--but can't find much else on the album to like.

The production makes me think of some cheesy early nineties live hip-hop band schitt. And, in hindsight, Common had already fallen off pretty hard as a rapper--not sure why I thought he still had it at the time.
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  Comments


  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Nope. Wrong. Great album.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Buggin'

    b/w

    "Honey, I'm gonna go shopping w/ Shamika and them.Toodles......"


  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Cosmo said:
    Nope. Wrong. Great album.

    I really can't hear it

  • ReynaldoReynaldo 6,054 Posts
    7/10

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Reynaldo said:
    7/10

    which seven?

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Never even bothered to pick up a copy.

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Never even bothered to pick up a copy.

  • ReynaldoReynaldo 6,054 Posts
    faux_rillz said:
    Reynaldo said:
    7/10

    which seven?
    11 of 16 actually:
    "The Light"
    "Funky For You"
    "Afrodesiac For The World"
    "Dooinit"
    "Time Traveling"
    "Thelonius"
    "Ghetto Heaven"
    "Heat"
    "A Song For Assata"
    "Cold Blooded"
    "The Sixth Sense"

  • edpowersedpowers 4,437 Posts
    I'm sure "Thelonious" and "Nag Champa" have aged well........if i remember correct, the rest of the album was on some Soulquarian shit....good then...maybe not so much now............i don't have much desire to dust this one off

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Reynaldo said:
    faux_rillz said:
    Reynaldo said:
    7/10

    which seven?
    "The Light"

    I never knew a luh, luh-luh, a love like this
    Gotta be somethin' for me to write this
    Queen, I ain't seen you in a minute
    Wrote this letter, and finally decide to send it
    Signed sealed delivered for us to grow together
    Love has no limit, let's spend it slow forever
    I know your heart is weathered by what studs did to you
    I ain't gon' assault 'em cause I probably did it too
    Because of you, feelings I handle with care
    Some n****z recognize the light but they can't handle the glare
    You know I ain't the type to walk around with matchin' shirts
    If relationship is effort I will match your work
    I wanna be the one to make you happiest, and hurt you the most
    They say the end is near, it's important that we close...
    ... to the most, high
    Regardless of what happen, on him let's rely


    WACK

  • ReynaldoReynaldo 6,054 Posts
    I like the hook/beat. Can't cosign the lyrics.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Reynaldo said:
    I like the hook/beat. Can't cosign the lyrics.

    We are talking about a rapper here, Caitlyn.

  • faux_rillz said:
    Reynaldo said:
    I like the hook/beat. Can't cosign the lyrics.

    We are talking about a rapper here, Caitlyn.

    That beat is hard though, considering how soft that song is. It's mixed really well.

  • JimsterJimster Cruffiton.etsy.com 6,885 Posts
    "Payback is a Grandmother"
    "A Song for Assata"
    "A Film Called (Pimp)"
    "The Light"
    "Ghetto Heaven"

    The rest not really working for me. But 5 decent tracks is raer on any album for me, so I ride.

    As far as him jumping the shark...

    ...I AWAIT THE SERENA TRIBUTE.

  • deejdeej 5,125 Posts
    J i m s t e r said:
    "Payback is a Grandmother"
    "A Song for Assata"
    "A Film Called (Pimp)"
    "The Light"
    "Ghetto Heaven"

    The rest not really working for me. But 5 decent tracks is raer on any album for me, so I ride.

    As far as him jumping the shark...

    ...I AWAIT THE SERENA TRIBUTE.
    not including 'dooinit' is nagl

    i love this record. dont give a fuck, this is my favorite dilla-with-rapper record. i always thought 'the light' was a bit overrated relative to the rest of it (esp dooinit) but yeah, 'heat,' 'ghetto heaven,' 'thelonius,' the beat on 'funky for you' is n3xt l3v3l. great album imo

  • GoblahGoblah 35 Posts
    This album is so mixed in terms of quality. There's stuff I REALLY like on it, and stuff that makes me want to hurl.

    And I think this album is quite typical of Soulquarians and post-Soulquarians stuff (e.g. Voodoo, Phrenology, Electric Circus) in that it's ambitious and looks good on paper, but many of the experiments fail.

    It's worth keeping, though, just for Dooinit, 6th Sense, Heat, Thelonius, and The Light (for the Bobby Caldwell sample, rather than the rhymes).

    PEACE
    G'

    Add on: I think this album is better than One Day It'll All Make Sense, which had much worse attempts at "sensitive male rap" and was all over the place in terms of sequencing and styles.

  • ScottScott 420 Posts
    deej said:
    i love this record.

    Is there a rapp thread where you don't post something like this?

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    faux_rillz said:
    Without having actually listened to this album in 9+ years, I had it in my head that it was a good record. So much so that I included it on my top 50 rap albums of the decade list about a year ago (although if I hadn't limited each artist represented to one entry, I don't think there would have been room for it).

    I revisited it earlier today, and guess what? It's really, really not what's good. In fact I felt kind of embarrassed playing it in my wife's presence. As with TLM I like the single--both sides, actually: "Dooinit" and the Primo joint--but can't find much else on the album to like.

    The production makes me think of some cheesy early nineties live hip-hop band schitt. And, in hindsight, Common had already fallen off pretty hard as a rapper--not sure why I thought he still had it at the time.

    I noticed it on your list when you recently reposted it - I thought it was a strange addition to be honest.

    I am telling you, I can't even think about the word Soulquarians without cringing.

    After Some Day, the relationship was over.
    HarveyCanal said:
    Never even bothered to pick up a copy.

  • This album sucks just like the tribe album but to a lesser extent. Same theory applies dilla and friends ruin a good thing. MC wants to be an artist. etc..

    I'm on a hating streak.

  • can't reconsider its place in the canon with any degree of detachment - too nostalgic, too many great memories associated with it, exactly "of its time", for better for worse. the height of soulquarians at their most polished, it's all shiny.

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
    bassie said:
    I can't even think about the word Soulquarians without cringing.



    The "Doinit"/"6th Sense" 12 was solid...this album, though? Not so much.

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Ulysses31nicholas said:
    can't reconsider its place in the canon with any degree of detachment - too nostalgic, too many great memories associated with it, exactly "of its time", for better for worse.

    No, its time was/is much better represented by Cash Money, No Limit, Organized Noize, Wreckshop, and Hypnotized Minds.

    Y'all weren't even supposed to be still paying attention to such forced hip-hoppish nonsense.

  • disco_chedisco_che 1,115 Posts
    Rap taste on Soulstrut remains an everlasting mystery to me.

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    disco_che said:
    Rap taste on Soulstrut remains an everlasting mystery to me.

    How so?

  • It definitely hasn't aged well; with hindsight I'd rather listen to Frank N Dank over Jay Dee beats than Common.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    J i m s t e r said:
    "Payback is a Grandmother"
    "A Song for Assata"
    "A Film Called (Pimp)"
    "The Light"

    The rest not really working for me. But 5 decent tracks is raer on any album for me, so I ride.

    Really? Your five includes what I view as the four most cringe-worthy tracks.

  • This thread reminded me that "One Day It'll All Make Sense..." even existed. I'd just forgotten that one over the years.

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    gareth said:
    This thread reminded me that "One Day It'll All Make Sense..." even existed. I'd just forgotten that one over the years.

    I really like that record. There are some cringe-worthy moments on it, too, but the good tracks are really, really good--maybe even better than the best moments on Resurrection.

  • I'm listening to it right now, and don't disagree. Some good stuff on "One Day..." "Real Nigga Quotes," was in heavy rotation for a minute there back in college.

    You could definitely see the direction that he was going to commit to, though- "Retrospect for Life," just came on, and it is definitely a PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS....

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    gareth said:
    I'm listening to it right now, and don't disagree. Some good stuff on "One Day..." "Real Nigga Quotes," was in heavy rotation for a minute there back in college.

    You could definitely see the direction that he was going to commit to, though- "Retrospect for Life," just came on, and it is definitely a PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS....

    Uggh... that track and the one about spirituality with Cee-Lo are probably the lowpoints. I also recall the sequencing being really choppy on that record.
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