Mad Grats to Queen Latifah for Hip-Hop Appreciation W/O

It's that time again. The annual madtheory Hip-Hop Appreciation Week Write-Off. Of course when the invite was sent to me, I first thought....

Like you have to ask!

This year the theme is Gratitude . There are so many things I am grateful for in Hip-Hop that it was hard to narrow the list so far down. I had trouble deciding if I wanted to Old Skool it, or choose a current artist. Of course I am no good at making decisions, but I did this time. My entry will be in two parts, something old, something new.

I submitted this at about 1, and now it's 6:30...I realize that I left the list of names off. Can you hear madtheory laughing at me? I can, for sure...ok...you can stop now mad...really....The participants happen to be writers I read FIRST hand when I log on!

LessThanNick1

ekidd911 (hey it's all madtheory's fault kidd....)

Roheblius

MagnumForce

cletta1201

tigger500

DVON

paulyoungotti

gamblinfamily (Yours truly)


An album that stands out right away for me back in the day, is All Hail The Queen , released by Queen Latifah who ranks high on my old skool list of artists who helped move Hip-Hop where it is. Most might not agree with my statement, but check it this way. Queen Latifah came on the scene when women were hoochies, hos, female dogs, and basically any derogatory name you could think of. She didn't respond to these sentiments by tipping her toe in the water of Hip-Hop. No, not Queen La!

She responded by jumping in the pool, creating such a splash that people were either thrown out the water, or left in the water stunned. I admit to liking music that does at times demean women, but it's nice to see a woman stand up for not just herself but women in general.

Women were not to be punching bags, grabbed on or insulted. If you brought that mess to Queen Latifah's table, you were dealt with. Lyrically of course! Got something to say, well just bring it. NO, leave the guns and the knives alone. The battles were settled with a mic, not a gun or a entourage. Gheez even back then the entourage was called a "posse."

There was no denying Queen Latifah's impact on "response" rap. This fueled many responses of course, but not many artists had the "nerve" to step up to Latifah and take credit for it.

Back it up...Back it up...Get back on track

All Hail The Queen - My Review

Track One - Dance For Me Opens up the CD, (my first copy was of course a tape) on a dance party side. This song so reminds me of Special Ed's I got it made , but that song it's not. Because, this one has a very confident Queen Latifah lyrically demanding you dance to her music. She rightly proclaims that MC stands for microphone commando.

Rhythm backed by words, all in my system

System by techniques, techniques I got my heart in

Heart into the music, music I take part in

One try, one God, and one destiny

Just dance for me

A background sample also suggests that you dance to the music. A very creative song that relies heavily on horns, and DJ Mark of course.

Track Two - Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children (ft De La Soul) Is a track that teams up Latifah with De La Soul who at the time was riding on the success of their first release. It's a wonderful alliance that has even the stiffest of feet drifting across the floor. Queen Latifah dubs Trugoy the Dove ~Dovey~ and Posdnuos ~Possy~, at the start of this track. Dove in reverse form keeps his lyrics lighthearted and silly, while Posdnuos keeps his food related. I chose that lyric to quote.

Next on the menu, we continue with the pasta

Dipped in chocolate, served with lotsa

Twizzlers and honey, yumm yumm yummy

Lyrics I'm flaunting is good for the tummy....


But, this isn't De La's album and it's Queen Latifah who both lyrically and attitude wise shines. I always thought this track didn't get enough love. Everyone was so quick to focus on other tracks. NOTE: the hook in this song, is my favorite.


Track Three - Come Into My House Is a track that most will recognize right away. From the opening that has Queen Latifah welcoming you to her dance house. House music always soothes she sings. The door is open, just come on in, don't wipe your feet that dirt will come off as you dance. This track proved that Latifah not only came with hard rhymes but with DJ Mark help they laid down some infectious dance beats. You will love the bass line that rocks this party.

Track Four - Latifah's Law Here comes Queen Latifah to lay her law down. She spares no stops on this track. It feels almost like a Public Enemy joint, also a sound that would later be borrowed by Wreckx-N-Effect for rump shaker.

Whip out a 45 caliber pen and begin

A funky message from beginning to end


Ah, again it goes back to a time when it was all about the pen and pad, not the clothing labels and gats. This is a simple get the party going track that doesn't hit the bullseye, but comes close.

Track Five - Wrath of My Madness Is a track that I really, really love. The beat is a simple backbeat and synth but somehow this seems to work. An added bonus is when Latifah does a little reggae thing.

You tremble for my treble, you're begging for the bass

The voice is too vicious, the same as the pace


The wrath of Latifah's madness is really more of a song showing her poetic, and rap ability moreso than her rage. Maybe a bit misleading, but demands a spin however.

Track Six - The Pros (ft Daddy-O) Is a track that deeply roots itself in reggae, rasta-type influence mixed with a bit of a slow rap style. Basically this is Latifah's song about stepping into a party where a female want her to right off prove her skills, of course she takes that challenge.

As soon as she attempted to make a sound

I ate her up with the verb, broke her down with the noun

Cause I hate it when someone challenges me

but cannot balance with me

Daddy-O mixes it up to adding his own assault to the mix, lyrically! He speaks of busting some people up for disrespecting his skills. This is a very catchy song, what stands out most is Latifah's reggae flow.

Track Seven - Ladies First (ft Monie Love) Now here is the song you waited most the show (YO! MTV Raps) to see. When it come on you saw a large, strong, scowling woman with a smaller but equally scowling female Monie Love. Together they delivered a song that let men know. Latifah rapped:

A woman can bear you, break you, take you

Now it's time to rhyme, can you relate to

A sister dope enough to make you holla and scream

While in the background was a ready to bite the mic Monie Love. When she cuts in she spits in the face of those who just don't know.

Strong, stepping, strutting, moving on

Rhyming, cutting, and not forgetting

We are the ones that give birth

To the new generation of prophets because it's Ladies First

Together both women let men know that without a woman to give birth to them, they wouldn't be here to spit those derogatory remarks. Queen Latifah goes on in her second appearance to ask that the stereotypes and negativity have to go. Here are two women making a song that stands up not only for themselves, but other women making way in the industry at the time.

Track Eight - A King and Queen Creation (DJ Mark the 45 King remix) Opens with horns and The King in this track Mark the 45 King gets this track started with a little ditty of his own. Basically he says that he brings the beats, while Queen Latifah rocks the rhymes. When Queen Latifah breaks in she is in fine form spitting out line after line of tight rhymes. Then she turns the song over to DJ Mark and lets him rap and turn his way till the end. I don't much care for the backdrop in this track but enjoy Queen Latifah and DJ Mark.

Track Nine - Queen of Royal Badness Opens with a medley of different sounds, and gets your imagination working. Queen Latifah breaks out her fast tempo and sets out to prove that she owns the mic.

Ambidextrous

skilled with both hands


I love that line, any way you slice it she can hold the mic in right or left, and still come correct. All hail the queen of royal badness!

Track Ten - Evil That Men Do Is a immediate foot mover. KRS-One adds his production and mic skills to this track. The end result of these two mixed together is quite appealing. The song speaks of political corruption, struggling, and how we react to people. My favorite line that makes you think:


Tell me, don't you think it's a shame?

When someone can put a quarter in a video game

But when a homeless person approaches you on the street

You can't treat him the same

Now before you think this is a track against MEN, no it's a track against the inhumanities of mankind. I think it is something to think about. Queen Latifah and KRS-One truly bring it on the knowledge tip.

Track Eleven - Princess of the Posse Has a backbeat that also grabs your attention right off. Queen Latifah on this track again lets everyone know who runs this show.

So I lock up the door with the keys to my crib

The call me the high priestess of this hasta

Although I'm not a dread and not a rasta

There's never been a word I can't master


Latifah mixes some rasta, rap, and talk delivery of her rhymes. I really like this track. Queen Latifah wasn't saying anything that she couldn't back up. This beat will get the heads nodding, and the feet moving. Spin.

Track Twelve - Inside Out Quite simply annoys me. I couldn't back then, and still can't put my finger on it. The lyrical assault is perfect. I can only think of the backbeat. A mixture of piano and horns that just didn't mix well together. The hook though is completely tight, but it lasts for only a few seconds.

Track Thirteen - Dance For Me (Ultimatum Remix) Should be deemed the you are going to dance, cause this track gives you no choice! Look at track one for the review lyrically, all thats different here is a clean-up of the backbeat, and a hardening of the bass, and some scratching.

Track Fourteen - Wrath Of My Madness (Soulshock remix) Also adds a faster get them on the dance floor version of Track 5. You will be hard pressed to deny this harder bass version of the song.

Track Fifteen - Princess of the Posse (DJ Mark the 45 King remix) DJ Mark adds to the track 11 version of this track a sort of slowed and throwed vibe. Gone is all the background noise, and one steady beat, followed by a repeated bass line that is speaker happy.

In Closing....

My gratitude seed was planted back in 1989, it has since blossomed into a tree of knowledge, respect and mad love for an artist that brought it. Queen Latifah has had her hands in everything that has seemed to occur, or hurt me. From domestic violence, to respecting myself. Her spots on west coast television speaking out against domestic violence were sincere, firm and right on. Gone was the rage filled persona offered on this album. What replaced her was a WOMAN who had over the years learned how to use her anger and grief (her brothers death, being car-jacked) in a way that helped women. Seemingly living up to her names meaning of delicate, and sensitive. She proved to me that her words in her music were more than just words. They transformed into actions, and dedication.

I thank Queen Latifah real name Dana Owens for stepping up, and speaking out FOR and TO women.

As far as this release. I recommend it to either serious old skool fans, or newer fans tired of all the money pays the bills, but they ain't got no skills rap that so stops up the sewer we call radio.

Reading Epinions specs on this release brought back yet another memory. Yo! MTV Raps before MTV commercials were long and draining, and back when Queen La sported not sagging pants but gear that showed her pride. Man, do I wish for the days when it was all beginning. Gheez, can you believe this was 1989? That made me not quite 13. I was young and innocent once! Memories, are a another thing I'm grateful for.

-Out