A MUSICIAN/ARTIST/PRODUCER EXTRAVAGANZA FOR THE GEN X HISTORY PAGES.
PIC INFO: Resolution at 1280x1036 -- Spotlight on an absolutely massive group portrait featuring:
Golden Age hip-hop acts RUN-DMC and BEASTIE BOYS, L.A. thrash metallers SLAYER, BB's friend and one time musical collaborator Dave Scilken✝ (formerly of NY hardcore band THE YOUNG AND THE USELESS), record producer & co-founder of Def Jam, Rick Rubin, and last (but not least), fellow record producer George Drakoulias (blowing bubble gum), in the studio, NYC, c. 1986.
In memoriam -- Dave Scilken (1969-1991), Jam Master Jay (1965-2002), Adam "MCA" Yauch (1964-2012), & Jeff Hanneman (1963-2013), more legends lost.
"INSTEAD OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE PARTY, THOUGH, FUNKDOOBIEST REMAINS ON TOP THROUGHOUT..."
PIC INFO: Spotlight on a print advert and/or record advert for "The Troubleshooters," the third full-length album by L.A.-based Latin/alternative hip-hop group FUNKDOOBIEST, released under the RCA label in early 1998. The advert was featured in the January '98 issue of "Rap Pages" magazine.
ALBUM OVERVIEW: "There’s something very fresh sounding on “Troubleshooters,” the third album by L.A.’s FUNKDOOBIEST. It could be the relative lack of filler and the DJ Ralph M.’s original approach to samples. The mad, driving swing of the Squirrel Nut Zipper’s “Hell” drives the first single, “Papi Chulo.” They twist around some verses to suit their own purposes on oldies like Bill Withers’ “Just the Two of Us” (to “just Funkdoobiest”) and Diana Ross’ “Theme From Mahogany” (“Doobie knows where you’re going to”).
They bring back the catchy beat and sped-up vocals of Newcleus’ “Jam on It” on the remake “Act on It.” But instead of borrowing the familiar hook from the Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love,” they cop its central question: “Whatcha gonna do when you get out of jail?”
The delivery of rapper Sondoobie has a familiar ring — that high, whiny New York wiseacre squawk often associated with CYPRESS HILL. Yet he’s changing the voice a bit too, slowing it down with a deeper voice on a few tracks, yet still switching effortlessly from English to Spanish and back.
There are a lot of voices on “Troubleshooters” though, including Daz from Tha Dogg Pound on “Papi Chulo,” and Hitman, Hurricane G, Tony Touch, MC Fats, and a handful of others.
Instead of losing control of the party, though, Funkdoobiest remains on top throughout “Troubleshooters,” making it the sharpest rap release of the year yet."
-- HARTFORD COURANT, review for FUNKDOOBIEST's "Troubleshooters" (1998) album, published February 12, 1998