Feels Like '99 Again

So...

I was riding around with a friend the other day and they was playing a song I never heard before. It had Badu on the hook, and she was sounding great as usual. But then, a rapper came on. It took me a minute to recognize his voice. I knew it was one that knew and respected, but one that I either hadn't heard in a while or hadn't heard alot from over the last few months to be like OH OKAY! THIS MUST BE THAT NEW WASSHISNAME...

After making the wrong guesstimation, my friend informed me that it was Pharoahe Monch. Cool. Then the next song came on and just like its title, it sounded "So Good." Then, the next track was a three part song about Monch killing his best friend after asking him "why did you fuck my wife, man?" The songs that followed were nothing short of brilliant. Listening to it reminded me of how much I dug his Internal Affairs album (DAMN! Rawkus had a fucking squad back then!). I started having flashbacks of my sophomore year in college, smoking weed and drinking E&J in my homeboys' trailer off campus before heading off to the Student Center party.

Ahhhh...

The Student Center parties! That got me the thinking about another CD I came across not to long ago. I was assigned to write a review on Pastor Troy's new album Tool Muzik. Honestly, I didn't really know what to expect, because, I didn't really feel what Troy had been making over the last few years. I'm not saying that he fell off or anything like that, but, the albums just didn't pump my adrenaline like the plethora of music he was dropping at the turn of the century. But man, when I popped the CD in, shiiiiieed, I wounded up enjoying every minute of it. Well, not every minute, about 7:46 of it I could have done without. But overall, it was tight. Its got that real Troy spirit all over it. You know, the "holy bible/assault rifle" Troy. It made me go dig up my We Ready: I Declare War CD and jump around the crib like I was 19 all over again. Now, if I could only find my "I Am DSGB" CD, I've been feenin' to hear the joint when he was spitting over the Goldberg beat (my wrestling fans know what I'm talking about).

I don't know how old you were in 1999, and I don't know how old you are now. But, if you want to be reminded about why you like and accept Hip Hop music in all of its complex forms, I suggest that you GET THE FUCK UP!! and make the ETERNAL YARD DASH to go pick up Pharoahe's new album Desire, and Troy's new album Tool Muziq. Both albums will provide you with a wide spectrum of thoughts from brain food to headbussin' and VICE VERSA.

btw: isn't it dope to see how these two artists (and a few others) still put thought into their album titles and artwork?