J Live - The Best Part LP by Jimmy Green
Right. A good way to start this is that when I first bought this (you can still get it from Mr. Bongos in London), I thought it was the best debut LP since Nas's Illmatic. However, since then I've calmed down a bit.
The main problem with this LP that separates it from Illmatic is that not all of the tunes are classics. OK, so it's a bootleg version that I've got (allegedly from Fat Beats) and it seems to be missing about seven tracks, but some of the ones that made it onto this no-credited-label double vinyl aren't all dat, to be honest. The (very) best parts then (excuse the pun), for those with the time to indulge me.
3) Don't Play - Fantastic. A brilliant latin sample powers this one, nice acoustic sounding TUNE with a kick-snare chugging it along. Excellent lyricism and rhythmic flow here, definitely one of the tunes of the LP. n.b. the instrumental of this turns up as the last tune on side 4.
4) Get The 3rd - a deceptively vicious song about the break up of a relationship, this is WELL mellow. A lovely groove powered by a nice synth bassline and electric piano chord. Low bpm, but concentrate on the lyrics. Excellent use of a Pharcyde sample, too.
5) Vampire Hunter J - Excellent. Very effective theme and haunting backing for J's flow.
7) Them That's Not - This is the tune that's getting the attention, and when you hear it you'll understand why. Imagine a tune that starts off at one speed, speeds up to doule time and then kicks back into half speed again. And then add a live MC over the top who speeds up at the same time as the backing. I'm not really doing it justice, am I? Just listen if you get it.
9) Timeless - fantastic. A lovely tune that you can get laid too quite easily. Something that ranks up there with 'In The House', 'In/Flux' or 'Jazz (We Got The)' as one of the best hip hop chill out tunes of all time. 13) The Best Part - a Premo production. Nuff said? It breaks down into an old school style cypher in the middle, and features all those classic Premo touches (scratching, orchestra stabs, kick drum) that you know and love so well.
14) Baggin' Writes - This is the SHIT. Anyone whose seen J in the flesh performing this will know what I'm on about. Steve and Steve from Switch Records in Ipswich (check the website!) had J as a guest at one of their nights, and he performed this as a one man show. He did scratching duties (the whole tune is from a double copy of an old school break) while rapping...at the same time. No Shit. This is true, as hard as it is to believe while listening.
Anyway, J's first LP (still languishing in official distribution hell, to the best of my knowledge) is worth buying for the above tracks, but expect it to tail off towards the end. Although the skills are mos' definitely there, it's not as strong a debut (sadly) as it could have been, given the obvious talent shining through the mediocre tracks.
7/10