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DJ Quik

theShipment [Edit] [Delete] 42 replies 17:31 April 29th, 2010

The man deserves some more recognition.

He IS my favorite rap producer and in '98, he created what might be my favorite rap album of all time, Rhythm-al-ism.

Lyrically; I don't know, I don't really judge his lyrics, I just soak up the whole experience. He can flow, don't get me wrong, but he rarely uses metaphors/similes/crazy rhyme patterns. He generally just rhymes about his life; which mostly consists of partying, slangin', bangin', getting older and gettin' blazed. You know, the usual stuff, but he delivers it with a tinge of humanity, and you always get the sense he is having fun on the mic. Quik's greatness lies in his production skills though, and its really where he shines.

His first three albums are more straight up melodic gangsta rap albums, which are all fantastic in their own right, and for me, right up there with anything NWA put out. After a few year hiatus and the deaths of Big and Pac, he decided he didn't want to get killed over some BS, as he had been 'beefin' with MC Eiht ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HHa3Hak3lA ). So he chose to put the gangsta-isms aside and make laid back party music (Rhythm-al-ism) from then on.

As soon as I saw the cover of the album I knew it would be something special: http://images.uulyrics.com/cover/d/dj-quik/album-rhythm-al-ism.jpg . Quite a different statement from: http://images.uulyrics.com/cover/d/dj-quik/album-quik-is-the-name.jpg . In fact, the first single off the album, You'z A Ganxta, addresses his thoughts and new direction perfectly: ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjPPAiIMD3E ) He left samples off the record for the most part and hired a bunch of jazz and funk musicians to play the music out live in the studio. As a result, the album is slathered with texture, check the track We Still Party for evidence; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud9_TC-ynXA theres at least 3 guitars swirling around in the background, some scratching, some random noises, some keyboard runs, who knows what else. The beats crack and the drums snap, the sound quality throughout is unparalleled in hip-hop imo, the only album that can compete is Too $hort's 'Cocktails' but its not as addictive and freewheeling as Rhythm-al-ism. I really cant say enough good things about the record, it played out my Junior and Senior years of high school and whenever the homies and and I get back together (about once a year), that album is the first thing to go in the player. Maybe you wont have the same affection for it that I do, but its damn good music regardless.

He has done 3 more solo albums since Rhythm-al-ism which are all great as well, and a collabo album with Kurupt from 2009 that actually got some good press coverage. Name any big-name west coast rapper and he's probably laid a track for him, he actually produced my favorite 2pac song, Heartz of Men: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3FNwaJPF9.

If you like rap, if you like funk, if you're not easily offended, then you need to be knowin' the Quikster.

Most hip-hop producers make beats, Quik makes music.

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