Episodes

B. Cox reviews Main Source's classic debut album 1991's Breaking Atoms. It was a wildly creative and sonically pleasing debut combining the exploits of twin brother DJs K-Cut and Sir Scratch along with emcee and soon to be legendary producer Large Professor. Behind funky and soulful sample based beats teamed up with Large Professor's prolific rhymes, the album tackled issues such failed relationships, emcee double crossing, police brutality, violence in the community and even featured the now-fa...

B. Cox & Domo review Philly neo soul singer and Soulquarian member Bilal and his debut studio album 1st Born Second. After spending the latter part of the previous decade collaborating with various artists and linking up with his soon-to-be Soulqaurian counterparts, his debut album was a sprawling journey of funk, soul, jazz and hip-hop, an ambitous overtaking only matched by his unique and versatile voice. Over production from the likes of Megahertz, Aaron Comess, Dr. Dre, Dre & Vidal, Rapheal ...

B. Cox welcomes special guest 12Kyle of the 12Kyle Podcast to review De La Soul's seemingly prophetic fourth album Stakes Is High. It was their first album without the production prowress of Prine Paul, who helmed their first three projects. Faced both with the uncertainty of their recording career after a lukewarm public perception to their third album, Buhloone Mindstate, and with ever changing enviornment of hip-hop towards a more obscene, vulgar and commercial sound, the group charged thr...

B. Cox & J. Owe review Nas' second studio album It Was Written. It was his highly anticipated follow to his classic debut Illmatic. Upon release, the reviews were mostly mixed as most noticed the album had a more commecial feel and mixed with Mafioso and mob themes, and produced largely by the Trackmasters, which were seen by some as a departure from his debut. Despite some criticism, it became his best selling-album buoyed by a incredibly successful single with "If I Ruled The World" featuring ...

B. Cox and J. Owe discuss Jay-Z's now-classic debut Reasonable Doubt as it turns 25. The album released on his, Dame Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke label Roc-A-Fella Records, was the first building block on what would become a dynasty in the hip-hop industry. While initially hailed as a solid to dope project upon its release, the project's acclaim only grew as his standing as one of the greatest emcees was confirmed through increased critical and commercial success in the new millenium. As Jay-Z'...

B. Cox & J. Owe look back at Heltah Skeltah's debut album Nocturnal. It was the first offering by Rock and Ruck (bka the late Sean Price) and the 3rd album released by the hip-hop collective Boot Camp Clik (BCC). Following the success and acclaim of Enta Tha Stage and Dah Shinin by their labelmates, the duo cranked out a project narrated by rugged, yet skilled rhymes over dark and haunting production by the Beatminerz, Buckshot, Lord Jamar, Shawn J Period, E-Swift and others. While not commercia...

B. Cox and Domo look back at Toni Braxton's mega hit second album Secrets. Coming off her massively successful self-titled debut album released three years prior containing several charting singles, she avoided the dreaded sophomore slump by putting forth a phemenoal effort that was once again produced by Babyface. Featuring a all-star cast of musicians', engineers and background vocalist, she rode the wave of two No. 1 Billboard 100 hits to her best selling album with 15 million records sold wo...

B. Cox is joined by Kahlil Wonda and Agard of Reggae Lover Podcast to review dancehall reggae legend Shabba Ranks hit album As Raw As Ever as it turns 30. After a few releases that made him a dancehall star in his native Jamaica, Ranks burst onto the scene and emerged as the first dominant reggae superstar in the 1990s with a sound that would catipult dancehall as a genre in the world's consciousness. With his commanding presence, gruff voice and slack lyrics, he shot to the top of the charts an...

B. Cox looks back at NWA's 2nd and final album Niggaz4Life (stylized as Efil4Zaggin). Dubbed "The World's Most Dangerous Group" after their classic debut, the outfit entered their last LP minus their most prolific emcee Ice Cube and was poised to show the hip-hop world that they could do it without him. Led by the prolific pen and sinister rhymes of MC Ren, focused and hard hitting production by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella and the ever witty Eazy E, their 2nd effort stepped up the intensity in terms of...

The crew reviews Jodeci's smash debut album Forever My Lady as it turns 30. The group was quintessential to shaping a standard for male R&B groups in 1990s with their dinstictive melodies, sharp production and street style not seen by R&B acts at the time. Their style harkened more towards hip-hop as they became the standard bearers for R&B of that period and became a model thay many groups sought to duplicate though the 1990s and beyond. Show Notes: Medium: Jodeci's 'Forever My Lady': A 25th ...

B. Cox reviews De La Soul's classic second album De La Soul Is Dead, a project that saw the Native Tongues group rise after its classic debut 3 Feet High & Rising to fight back against the duel battles of their images as "hippies" and against the changing hip-hop landscape that was favoring more towards gangster rap and more negative vibes. The album was once again produced by the group and Prince Paul that utilized inventive samples and unique wordplay with creativity and storytelling. Show No...

B. Cox is joined by special guest Nathan "The Professor" Rideaux (Playerz From The South & Food Dope podcasts) to look back at Master P's seismic 1996 album Ice Cream Man. After spending years in California running his record store and label, the hustler turned rapper soon to be mogul returned home to New Orlenas and released his fifth studio album which broke down the door for his label. Combining hard hiting production with reality raps, it would become the springboard that would have his labe...

In a special bonus episode, the crew takes time out to memorialize a fallen legend. Earl Simmons bka DMX, who passed away at the age of 50 after being in a vegatative state after a heart attack.He was a transcendent emcee and artist that ushered hip-hop back into the streets who became the first artist in history to have his first five albums all reach No.1 on the Billboard 200. He would later craft a countless number of hits for the club and the streets with a unique personality and live perfo...

B. Cox and Domo review Maxwell's groundbreaking and culture-shifting debut album Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite. It was an album that signalled a paradigm shift from R&B music of the day that featured a more hip-hop sound back to a traditional feel that combined soul, jazz and funk in a way that changed the game. It was one of trinity of albums (along with D'Angelo's Brown Sugar and Erykah Badu's Baduizm) that made neo soul a critical and commercially successful phenomenom in the mid to late 1990s. ...

The crew reviews Busta Rhymes' 1996 debut solo album The Coming. It was a ceremonious debut tafter a successful career with the Leaders of The New School, unleashing a power packed assault filled with energy packed bars and punchlines with legendary cast of producers and guest spots, setting in motion a decorated career for the next quarter century. Show Notes: Albumism: Busta Rhymes Debut Solo Album 'The Coming; Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospective https://www.albumism.com/features/busta-rhy...

B. Cox once again welcomes special guests D & T of The Perfectly Imperfect Couple Podcast to help him review the India Arie's debut classic album, the incredibly majestic Acoustic Soul. It was an album that projected the best that neo-soul had to offer, combining jazz, blues, hip-hop and folk music to express themes of self-love, black love, women's empowerment and redemption. It was the start of a splendid career that led the album to 7 Grammy nominations, albeit without a win. Show Notes...

In this edition of The Guest Lounge, B. Cox sits down with Uchay & QD (Q. Deezy) of The Ill-Advised Wise Guys Podcast. The fellas talk about their podcast journey, what keeps them motivated, their take on what makes classic hip-hop albums and their ideal and dream interviewees. Show Notes: Follow The Ill-Advised Wise Guys Podcast Twitter: @illadvisedwiseguys IG: @illadvisedwiseguys Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illadvisedwiseguys Dream Vizions Network on Youtube: https://www.you...

The crew reviews Memphis rapper and Hypnotize Minds Camp Posse member Project Pat's second album Mista Don't Play, a hard hitting, fast moving and steel charged project filled with tales from the dark corners, strip clubs and streets of North Memphis, complimented by a unique flow over menacing and dark production. Show Notes: Still Work: The Wayback Machine: Project Pat’s ‘Mista Don’t Play’ Was The Soundtrack To My Summer Mourning https://stillcrew.com/project-pat-mista-dont-play-album-revisi...

B. Cox & J. Owe look back at Houston's own Geto Boys third album, We Can't Be Stopped; an offering that sprung the hardcore rap group into the national spotlight with tracks that combined gangster rap, horrorcore, political commentary and a classic single that would cement their legacy for years to come. Show Notes: The Undefeated: The Geto Boys' gruesome 'We Can't Be Stopped ' https://theundefeated.com/features/cover-stories-1991-geto-boys-we-cant-be-stopped/ Houston Chronicle: Unapologetic ...

B. Cox welcomes special guests D & T of The Perfectly Imperfect Couple Podcast to help him review the Fugees second and final album, the magnum opus The Score. It was a once in a lifetime occurrence in hip-hop in 1996 with a unforgettable story: How a $135,000 advance after a disappointing debut with full creative control led to a legendary bounce back and one of most influential albums of the 90s; a project that fused hip-hop with multiple genres while tackling politics, social issues and hards...

B. Cox and J. Owe take a look back at 2Pac's acclaimed fourth studio album, 1996's All Eyez On Me. It was a double-disc of classic singles and historic album cuts fueled by Shakur's emotions surrounding his recent incarceration and perceived betrayal of those closest to him. He used this classic to take Death Row Records from a top rap label to a pop cultural brand that shot to the top of the industry's consciousness. Show Notes Stereogum: All Eye On Me Turns 20 https://www.stereogum.com/18577...

B. Cox & Domo look back at 90's R&B girl group Total's 1996 debut album the self-titled Total. It was an stellar effort with an all-star cast of producers who helped to craft a sound for one of the most recognizable groups of 90s. Show Notes: You Know I Got Soul: Top 10 Best Songs by R&B Group Total https://youknowigotsoul.com/the-top-10-best-songs-by-rb-group-total Essence: Total Opens Up About Their Hiatus https://www.essence.com/news/total-bad-boy-hiatus/ Support this podcast at — https:/...

In a bonus segment of Cards, Dominoes, Drinks & Smoke, the crew looks back at year of 2001, a year that held tragedies and game-changing moments that would resonate for the next two years: the beginning of "The Fast and The Furious" franchise, the tragic death of R&B superstar Aaliyah, the devastating catastrophe of the 9/11 terror attacks, the War in Afghanistan and the now legendary beef between two all-time greats, Nas & Jay-Z. The crew also talks their most surprising, anticipated and disapp...

In a bonus segment of Cards, Dominoes, Drinks & Smoke B. Cox and Domo reminisce on the phenomenon that was the year of 1996 in music and pop culture. They talk about the amazing array of classic and high quality albums released, the moments that shaped the music and their personal takes on most anticipated, surprising and disappointing albums of 1996. Show Notes: Complex-The 1996 Project Looking Back On The Year That Hip-Hop Embraced Success https://www.complex.com/music/2016/02/the-1996-proje...