CarUpus Echo
TfifeKDAY, October 28,1999
Arts & Entertainment
9
North Carolina Central University
chicken day
eagle’s nest
brunch
QCi sat. dinner
o cereal
St
Rejman Blacfcouf
Def Jam
ooo
I don’t know about y’all, but I have been
waiting for this
album to drop
since they
announced it
during last
year’s Hard
Knock Life tour.
It finally hit the
streets on Sept.
28 and I could
not wait to pop it
into my CD player and brace myself for the
hardcore beats and lyrics that these rap
phenomenons were going to display.
What I thought would be one of the
grpatest collaborations of all time, turned
oilt to be a flop. The album, Blackout, was
to be a partnership between Redman and
Method Man, but instead the album reeks
of the sound of a Redman album from
beginning to end. From the skits to the
majority of the beats, Redman’s style domi
nates this album.
With a few exceptions of tracks produced
byTlza (of Wu-Tang), most of the album was
produced by Erick Sermon (of EPMD and
Def Squad) Don’t get me wrong. Sermon’s
beats are knocking, but they cater to a cer
tain sound that only Redman, Keith
Murray, and EPMD can produce. It sounds
like the Ticallion Stallion felt lost inside
the tracks that Sermon produced. Out of
the 19 tracks on the album, Rza blesses us
with his presence on three. On each one of
these tracks, Meth takes over the cuts by
gracing the mic first. It is obvious that Mr.
Meth feels more at home rhyming over his
fellow Wu-Tang member’s beats.
One of the hottest tracks on the album,
“Da Rockwilder”, gives a taste as to'what
the rest of the album should really sound
like. Produced by Rockwilder, the lyrics as
well as the beat send a statement about the
rappet’s that should have been used
throughout the album.
Ja Rule and LL Cool J are featured on a
track entitled “4 Seasons.” (Is it me or is it
every time LL is featured on a song with
other hard core Hip-hop artists, his lyrics
seem to be the hottest they have ever
been?) They also did a remake of Das
EFX’s “Mic Cheka, “ renamed “Cheka.” Of
course the original will always remain a
classic, but this is one remake that lives up
to the previous success of the original.
Another good cut is “Run 4 Cover” featur
ing Ghostface (of Wu-Tang) and Street.
Straight from the Rza’s archives, the beats
on this track seem to embrace the hard
pounding lyrics from each of the artists.
The album rounds out with “Well All
Rite Cha,” “Big Dogs,” and “How High”
(the remix). These all are on previous
records that Redman and Method Man
have produced.
Overall the beats and lyrics are good, but
the album is lacking the sounds of the
other main voice that is supposed to be on
this album. Method Man! If you liked Def
Squad’s album and Redman’s albums you’ll
love this, otherwise you can wait to pick
this one up.
- Fatimah McAllister
Terror Squad
Terror Squad — the album
Atlantic
oon
When. Terror Squad-ftxaattnairB/ig Pun-oi
“Capital
Punishment”
last summer,
all hell broke
loose. All of a
sudden people
were buzzing
about the sup
posed heir to
Biggie’s
throne, and
were placing
him in the same category with Nas and
Jay-Z as one of hip-hop’s most respected
lyricists. Riding the wave of Pun’s suc
cess is Terror Squad, a group of young
upstarts (with the exception of rap veter
an Fat Joe), who attempt to make their
mark with Terror Squad- The Album.
For the most part. The Album is a
solid effort. The group’s six members.
Big Pun, Fat Joe, Cuban Link,
Armageddon, Prospect, and Triple Seis,
all possess lyrical talent and display the
grimy, “thugged-out” style that has the
East coast on lock.
This is best displayed on Pun’s solo
shot “Whatcha Gon' Do?,” which features
his trademark scatter-shot rapping over
an ill violin arrangement. The song
almost borders on mediocrity as Pun’s
delivery sounds rushed and panicky, but
it is saved by JuJu’s production and Pun’s
hilariously sung chorus. “War” featuring
Triple Seis is another winner as produc
er VI.C. blesses the track with an alter
nating pianq and violin phrase, , Adding a
twist to the album’s “teiror” theme is the
intFospective*‘Ai Thii‘'Wdrli'’fe^i5” fea-
turtng Cuban £,ihk ahd’tlrddrbdiiing of •
R&B newcomfer Tony Sunshine.
The only problem with The Album is
the lack of identity between the lesser
known acts and the muddled production.
little redundant. Also, with the
exception of “War’s” alternating drum
patterns and the bass-driven melody of
“Tell Me What U Want,” most of the songs
feature the same instrumentation: cine
matic string arrangements and murky
piano loops that sound like they were
dug by Havoc. This makes many of the
tracks, as well as the MC’s rhyming on
them, hardly distinguishable.
Surprisingly enough, the album’s show
stealer is Bronx veteran Fat Joe, who
outshines the crew with his simple, yet
commanding flow. While the Squad’s
other members sport a “how-many-
words-can-I-fit-in-one-measure” cadence,
Joe eases back and rides the groove to
perfection.
While Terror Squad- The Album isn’t
as perfectly executed as it was conceived,
it is still a solid effort that will have
heads banging along the Eastern shore.
Fans of Noreaga, DMX, and Ja Rule,
don’t sleep. Terror Squad-The Album is a
worthy addition to your street sound
track.
-Phonte Coleman
Salsa sizzles at Carolina Theatre
The Organization
wins opening spot
at homecoming gig
By Angeria Lipford
ECHO STAFF WRITER
NCCU rappers Phonte Coleman, Thomas
‘Pooh Bear’ Jones, Chaundon, and vocalist
Aziz Collins—^the Organization— had the
audience coming out of their seats and
dancing in the aisles at Apollo Night on
Oct 20.
The group won the second of the two
rounds that night
Singing duo Heaven and Brandis won
the first round of the night after performing
Whitney Houston’s and Mariah Carey’s
theme song from Disney’s The Prince of
Egypt film.
Heaven and Brandis, along with The
Organization will perform Saturday, Oct 30,
in the Homecoming Show at the McLendon-
McDougal Sports Arena at 9 p.m.
The annual Apollo Night was at B. N.
Duke Auditorium and was sponsored by the
Alfonso Elder Student Union Activities
Board.
Steve Harvey was played by Cedric
Bowers,and co-hostess Taisha Isbell.
Sandman Simms, - or, in this case.
Crystal Fo^SMAn/Staff Photographer
From left: Aziz Collins, Thomas ‘Pooh’
Jones,Phonte Coleman, and Chaundon
of NCCU hip-hop crew The Organization.
“Sandwoman” - was played by Letitia ‘T’
Melvin.
The lovely Kiki Shepard was played by
Activities Board President Marquita
Shepard. Music was provided by DJ Bro-
Rabb and Earthquake Productions.
The show was divided into two rounds.
The Organization and Heaven and Brandis,
the winners from each of these rounds will
be opening acts for the Destiny’s Child
homecoming concert at NCCU.
By Rainah Simmons
ARTS EDITOR
I
E stablished in 1973 under the
leadership of pianist, Jesus
“Churcho” Valdes, Irakere is a
iS-member ensemble from Cuba. In
1978, Irakere was the first the band
to perform in the United States since
the Cuban Revolution. They per-
formed at the
Carolina the
atre on Oct.
24.
This is
Irakere’s first
U.S. tour
since the
1980’s
because of
strained
Cuban-
American
relations. When they won Grammy
Awards in the Latin Music category
in 1979 and 1980 they were not
allowed to come to the United States
to accept their awards.
This Cuban salsa jazz band sizzled
their way into the hearts of the audi-
Review
Irakere
The Carolina
Theatre
Oct. 24
ence. Irakere means “jungle” in the
dialect of Western Nigeria. They play
the jungle well. The band is animat
ed and electrifying.
The trumpets blazed into the
nights. The percussionists tapped
out illuminating beats. The saxo
phones melodically flowed into the
rhythms laid by the precise playing
of the keyboard player. The soloists
sang the spirited and upbeat music
with an earnest desire for crowd
participation.
Their music is powerful, innova
tive and unique. Irakere takes all
these words to another level.
You cannot simply listen to their
music; it jumps right off the stage.
If you want to have a party,
Irakere is the band you want to
invite. Their vigorous movements
and energetic performance rocks
the crowd in a way not seen a lot of
concerts.
‘Showtime’ for Naughty Boyz
By Cedric R. Bowers
ECHO STAFF WRITER
The dance group The Naughty
Boyz, which includes three North
Carolina Central University students,
was approached by a producer from
“Showtime at the Apollo,” after per
forming in a local talent sho v.
Impressed by their performs .ice in
the show, he gave them news that
would change the rest of their lives:
he wanted them to tryout for the show
the following weekend in New York.
The following weekend they were
on their way to Harlem, N.Y. to audi
tion for the show.
The Naughty Boyz lineup includes
NCCU sophomore Keith Allbrooks,
freshman Chris Murphy (both from
Maxton, N.C), sophomore Hulon
Mclvef. and Adonis Bridges, a fresh
man from Columbus, Ga.
Other members include Marvin
Bridges, Lee Mack and Robert
Bridges.
The Naughty Boyz were chosen as
number eight to appear on the show.
Taping began Aug. 28.
The group were to appear on
Showtime at the Apollo for three
consecutive weeks in October.
The first showing was on Oct. 16.
The group donned silver jump suits
and danced to Doo Doo Brown’s “I
Wanna Rock.”
They came in first place and
while giving their thanks, were quick
to throw up the “Eagles” sign.
The following Saturday also saw
the group’s repeat performance of
their hit dance routine where they
were once again chosen as the win
ners.
“We were nervous at first because
of all the actSy but at the same time
we were excited because we were
finally experiencing a dream we
thought we would never be able to
realize,” said NCCU sophomore and
group member, Hulon Mclver.
Those who missed these two airings
can catch them again this Saturday
at midnight on NBC.
While in New York, the Naughty
Boyz met celebrities such as Eve, Tia
and Tamara, Case, Ginuwine, The
Wiz, and the show’s host, Steve
Harvey.
“The Apollo was a once in a life
time experience,” said Allbrooks.
“It’s a dream come true that we will
never forget,” said Murphy.
“This experience is something we
had been waiting on for a long time,
one goal we had set for ourselves,”
said Adonis Bridges. “My brother
and I have been dancing for ten
years and this is finally proof that
our hard work has paid off, and we
would just like to thank God for
allowing us to experience this
dream.”
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