Against Da Grain (EXPLICIT) (CD)

• Category:  Music  »  Rap & Hip Hop  »  Rap & Hip Hop/General
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: October 12, 1999
• Label: LaFace (USA)
• UPC: 730082605427
• WAPI (Tower ID): 105794914
• Average Customer Review: There are no customer reviews yet. Be the first to write a review!
• Tower.com Sales Rank: #20477 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #616 in Rap & Hip Hop (See Top 100 Rap & Hip Hop Bestsellers)
• #315 in Rap & Hip Hop/General (See Top 100 Rap & Hip Hop/General Bestsellers)

Vibe (10/99, p.183) - "...Their delectable debut...is not only full of bright promise, but it breaks the monotony of some of the same ol' sounds we're hearing today....At a time when a little excitement is needed in hip hop, these two young bucks provide an escape from the boredom..."
The Source (10/99, pp.224-6) - 3.5 mics out of 5 - "...a turbo-charged debut, continuing the [South's] steep tradition of thick, dusty beats and clever wordplay....offers a barrage of adrenaline-laced up-tempo cuts that show the Youngbloodz are more interested in moving hips than ghetto theater..."
Rap Pages (12/99, p.156) - "...enjoyable music to ride to....Listeners get a true taste of what YBz are all about....[They] have established a strong foundation for themselves built on dope original beats and banging lyrics..." - Rating: B

Youngbloodz: Sean Paul, J-Bo.

Additional personnel includes: Harold "Mark Twain" Willis (vocals, various instruments); Lil Wayne, Kevin "Big Floaty" Burton (vocals); P.A. (various instruments); Randall Rivers (guitar); Robert "Rob" McDowell (keyboards, bass); Josh Butler (keyboards); Michael Hardnett, Patrick "Sleepy" Brown (bass); Pretty Ken Stokes (programming, background vocals); Montez Harris (programming); Trina Taylor, Attic Fools, Bone Crusher, Villius "Oddball" Hose, Willian "Shawty Putt" Holmes, Erica Bryant, David "Leroo Wilyams" Flemming, Impulss, Cutty Cartel, Dana Lewis (background vocals).

Producers include: Organized Noize, PA, The Attic Crew, Robert "Rob" McDowell, Mark Twain.

Engineers include: Bernasky Wall, Mike Wilson, Josh Butler.

Recorded at Dungeon Studio, Doppler Studios & Patchwork Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.

Sean Paul and J-Bo, otherwise known as the hip-hop duo Youngbloodz, don't rely on flash, image, or a half-dozen big-name guest stars to make AGAINST DA GRAIN work. They get over the old fashioned way, with verbal skills and thoughtful, imaginative production. Instead of utilizing a batch of electronically derived sounds, Youngbloodz make use of what sounds like pizzicato string samples and arpeggiated electric guitar, in addition to thick, analog-sounding synths.

The stage is set by a dramatized spoken intro featuring kids who are implied to be the young Sean Paul and J-Bo, receiving words of wisdom from a neighborhood shopkeeper. Youngbloodz commence to play off each other's impressive rapping styles like a pair of skilled sparring partners. Throughout the album, the tracks remain relatively uncluttered, leaving plenty of room for Youngbloodz to wax lyrical. "Down Heya (in the South) employs a looped wah-wah guitar, a dub-like bass line, syncopated percussion and little else. "It's the Money" is based around a loop of an electric piano playing a semi-classical riff. "Get It How We Get It" is driven by a SHAFT-style whacka-whacka guitar rhythm. As appealing as the sonic settings are, it's the two men's gift of gab that runs the show.

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