Beatmaster Clay D. and Prince Rahiem - "Pullit All The Way Down" (1990)

22 years ago, Miami Bass stars Beatmaster Clay D. and Prince Rahiem (of Beatmaster Clay D. and The Get Funky Crew) released this great album on Vision Records. I picked this up for a pittance at Mr. Peabody's in Chicago mostly based on the playful album art - at the time, I was not really familiar with Clay D's masterful production skills, and had only heard Prince Rahiem's excellent solo track "Loose My Money" once or twice - it didn't even occur to me that this was the same artist. I was more than pleasantly surprised to hear an album full of innovative, funky, trunk rattling beats and above-average (especially for Miami in the 90's) double-time flows just bubbling with youthful tongue-twisting energy.

First, I'll share the title track, "Pullit All The Way Down," which is a bit more typical of what I would expect from a Miami Bass group in 1990, but still lends the feeling that it is somehow a cut above the rest. Prince Rahiem wastes no breath bouncing his words all over the track, and Clay D's funky bass line and complex drum fills make this one a hit:

Next is a track that really took me by surprise with the use of a soulful sample that is chopped up with a smacking drum in a way that I had almost never heard from this era or region. The lyrics are a bit more introspective as well, focusing on the pains of dealing with fake friends - a common struggle in Hip-Hop. Here's "So Called Friends":

Finally, here's "Ding-A-Ling," which not only uses a sample from Chuck Berry's song "My Ding-A-Ling," but reinterprets the lyrics of the original as well. As simple as it is, this song is a lot of fun, and once again, Clay D's drum fills are mind-numbingly awesome and I believe way ahead of their time:

Overall, this is an album with a lot of highlights (even more than I chose to share), and very few misses (There is one song where they try to pull off an uncanny Public Enemy impression in honor of Nelson Mandela which is interesting for a group from Miami, but seems like too much of a rip-off of their sound even if it is intentional). Although Beatmaster Clay D. and Prince Rahiem definitely had their impact in their own time and place, I have a feeling that their influence should have been much greater. Their production seems unique and inventive - even sounding modern and relevant 22 years later - and Prince Rahiem is an incredibly competent emcee. Enjoy this gem!

Dollar Bin Video #3 - "Black People in Death Warrant"

Here is the latest addition of my Dollar Bin Video segment, edited from my VHS copy of Death Warrant (1990). I made this video to demonstrate the somewhat humorous social divide in this film, and Van Damme's persistent efforts to prove he is "down." At the same time, there is one character in the film who seems to make absolutely everyone uncomfortable, regardless of race. Enjoy.

Johnnie Wilder, Jr. - "My Goal" (1990)

Johnnie Wilder, Jr. (1949-2006) was once the lead vocalist of the great Funk/Soul group Heatwave. They were famous for hits such as "Boogie Nights" and "Always and Forever." They also claimed the great Rod Temperton as a member, who is famous for writing every good song ever, including most of Michael Jackson's Off The Wall and Thriller albums. 

In 1979, tragedy struck in the form of a dump truck, which hit Johnnie's car, paralyzing him from the neck down. He continued recording with Heatwave for a while, and eventually went solo and recorded this excellent A Capella Gospel album, along with another called One More Day a few years later.

The songs on My Goal are poppy and soulful, demonstrating Johnnie Wilder, Jr.'s history in secular music. The vocal arrangements sound almost like a funkier version of The Beach Boys, with bouncing vocal bass lines and Johnnie's smooth falsetto floating gracefully above every composition.

Unfortunately, my 50 cent bargain copy is plagued with all those tell-tale vinyl hisses and crackles, which I did my best to clean up. I couldn't use a noise cancelling tool without effecting the wide range of frequencies in these arrangements, and therefore destroying what makes the music so great. I did my best to get rid of most of the big pops and clicks, but otherwise, the audio is presented as-is. Hey, there's always Amazon.

HERE.