A man of principled violence who cherishes omerta above all other things (See: Emeritus’ “Unexpected”).īut the Scarface I’ve come to appreciate the most (more than what many consider the legend of gangsta rap he was) is the world-weary husk of a man he’s become. His brand of hustler feels like something from another era: Don Corleone or even one of Kurosawa’s samurais. His warnings amount to the promise that he will defend himself at all, telling opponents to stay in their respective lanes or else. Even when he reverts to the snarling Scarface of his youth, there’s a dignity to the way he frames his threats. Still, sifting through Scarface’s prolific output of the last ten years, you might find a handful of bad beats (production is usually handled by Scarface and longtime collaborators Mike Dean, N.O. Aside from The Fix and possibly Emeritus, there is rarely a thematic cohesion to his records.
SCARFACE EMERITUS ALBUM DOWNLOAD ZIP FULL
There’s Brad Jordan, the weary veteran of the streets, morose and filled with regret - still full of the violence and menace that made him the proto-gangster on classics such as The Diary. It’s a stretch to call Scarface’s catalogue schizophrenic, but in his post-millennial albums there is a clear dichotomy. Yeton their best early work, the Geto Boys brought a twisted maniacal glee to Ice Cube’s politically-charged gangster rap. They were a thrown together collection of misfits rapping over production eerily reminiscent of N.W.A, fronted by a midget who sounded suspiciously like Eric Wright. Starting with the name, the group was the equivalent of a CB4-like boy band. When you take a cursory look at the Geto Boys’s body of work, it should theoretically be dismissible. Many contemporary Southern artists contain Scarface’s deranged fury or grizzled sadness, particularly Devin The Dude, (when he’s out of bud and has a reflective moment), Z-Ro and Trae (who have Scarface’s co-sign as well as his genetic makeup–I find Z-Ro’s cover of “Never Seen a Man Cry” particularly instructive). Before being a Corporate Rapper was cool, he ran Def Jam South.
Impact? Scarface was a rapper from Houston before rap existed in the South (relax, I know) and the idea of someone trying to rap outside of New York or California got you laughed at. There are no weak contributions to speak of.
Over 20 years, Brad Jordan has 11 solo albums to his name and one mixtape. Is Scarface the greatest rapper of all time? If we’re checking resumes and not just handing it to Biggie on raw ability, there are only a few who can compete. Few can rival Scarface’s anger and cruelty throughout his 90s work (and even occasionally now), but there are none who have reflected as thoughtfully on the consequences of their actions. Like rap’s Dennis Wise, Scarface has dialed back the nihilism he once gleefully promoted, to examine life in the afterglow of the money, sex and the violent hustle. Granted, its becoming increasingly relevant in contemporary hip-hop, with frequent hang-wringing over the perils of fame, but Scarface expresses an entirely different type of melancholy. Sadness is often overlooked in analysis’s of rap’s history. If so, this is the thin line Brad Jordan that has walked for over a decade. Slow and moving, "Like Someone in Love" reveals Lalama's and Hart's persuasive lyricism.It’s been said that sorrow is nothing but worn out joy. Hart's version of "Old Folks" gives it an undulating, New Orleans 2nd Line beat that's a grabber. Charlie Parker's blues "Buzzy" is thrown wide open, as Hart and Lalama musically mix tradition and experimentation, firing away over Petrone's and Corsello's just-so ferocious pulse.
In a characteristic solo, the leader melds luxuriant melodic lines with ideas that boast some edge. Other colors emanate from Corsello's amiable mallet taps and Hart's occasional guitar glimmers. Take the theme statement of Lalama's tuneful bolero, "Nonchalant." The composer plays it in his horn's mid-to-low range, the notes like luminescent globes floating by. The other musicians are also aces: guitarist John Hart, bassist Rick Petrone and drummer Joe Corsello. On this solid CD, the rich-toned, veteran tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama again celebrates his smart, alluring brand of swinging modern-minded jazz.
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