Hey eastofla.com readers it’s The Dynamic Hamza 21 or just Hamza 21 here. Bringing you the first installment of “The Digger’s Vault”.

The Digger’s Vault is column I will be posting every Friday here @ eastofla.com. Every Friday you can expect me to be reviewing classic Hip Hop albums, Hip Hop related Albums and overlooked Hip Hop albums. No mixtapes though I do that on my own blog called Domeshots and Fat Laces

You never know what I’ll hit ya’ll each week with but you will know it will be worth listening to. It could a 70’s Soul album that was instrumental to forming a particular producer’s sound or an overlooked album from the late 90’s to 2004 and even a classic album from the 80’s. Whatever it will be it I’m sure you’ll love.

Now for the very first Digger’s Vault I will be bringing you a classic album from the late 80’s. 1989 to be exact from a overlooked group from the NY….3rd Bass

The Group
The trio of MC Serch,The Prime Minister Pete Nice and DJ Richie Rich was one of the first white rap groups coming into Hip Hop scene in the late 80’s.To be followed a little later by The Lordz of Brooklyn,House Of Pain and Young Black Teenagers.

A little known fact is this group didn’t exist until put together by Def Jam executives worried about the loss of revenue due the exit of The Beastie Boys leaving the Def Jam label.

Serch was around the way MC known to a few heads and Pete Nice had his own radio Hip Hop show while attending Columbia University. At the time Richie Rich was Battle DJ who was gaining fame from other Hip Hop dee jays around the US. In fact, Lumumba Carson aka Professor X of X Clan was a manager of the group until a falling out with Pete Nice and Serch ended their business relationship.

Even though 3rd Bass can be considered a manufactured group, one can also say the same about Gangstarr, they are still great Hip Hop crew. Whether this is due to blind luck or genius the fact is as an unit 3rd bass works. MC Serch’s upbeat raw energy and Pete Nice’s subdued analytical rhymes mesh well together. There’s no denying that.

The Album
“Wordz Of Wisdom” and “Triple Stage Darkness” are two standout tracks of this album. These joints even today standup to the test of time. Any decent DJ can easily mix these joints into a underground Hip Hop mixtape. To lesser extant “Product Of The Environment” holds up as well.

“Monte Hall” is a jazzy ,cool, laidback tune that heads into A Tribe Called Quest will enjoy. “Soul In The Hole”  people will recognize the beat used by Boogie Down Productions in their 1988 hit song “My Philosophy”.

Of course I can’t forget about the better known tunes off this album like “Step Into the A.M.”, “Brooklyn -Queens” and “The Gas face” featuring a young MF DOOM. Who was called Zev Love X at the time and a member of KMD. A group MF DOOM had with his brother Sub Roc, who was later killed.

The majority of the album was produced by Pete Nice and Sam Sever. Server who according to Ice Cube was the person he wanted to produce his first album “Amerikka’s Most Wanted” but ended being produced by the Bomb Squad, Public Enemy’s producers. I shiver at the thought of Ice Cube rhyming over Sam Sever beats. It’s crime that never took place. Kind of like not hearing any Dr. Dre produced Rakim songs.

Incidentally,The Bomb Squad minus Chuck D produced “Step Into The A.M.” and The funky fast paced “Oval Office”.

The title track , “The Cactus”, is an upbeat bouncy type song. The cactus is being used as euphemism for the…well, listen to the song and you’ll get it.

The only problems with this classic is the too many skits and interludes nine of them to be exact. It is a little over done but still doesn’t distract from the good music. Before 1988 skits weren’t on Hip hop albums like they are today. We indeed need to go back to those days.

All in all this is great album that every true Hip hop head should appreciate and hear. Check it for yourself you’ll be glad you did.

3rd Bass
The Cactus Album (1989)
[60 MB]

Stymie’s Theme
Sons Of 3rd Bass
Russell Rush
The Gas Face
Monte Hall
Oval Office
Hoods
Soul In The Hole
Triple Stage Darkness
M.C. Disagree
Wordz Of Wizdom
Product Of The Environment
Desert Boots
The Cactus
Jim Backus
Flippin Off The Wall Like Lucy Ball
Brooklyn-Queens
Steppin’ To The A.M.
Episode #3
Who’s On Third

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 Triple Stage Darkness [4:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 The Gas Face ft. Zev Love X (MF DOOM) [3:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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