The next album I'm posting is from a group called Freedom of Soul. The group consists of two members - Peace 586 and DJ Cartoon. This is their second album and honestly, while a lot of people in the scene really love the first one, I can't think of one song from it that I care about. I really wasn't into Christian rap at the time (I didn't need it yet - my parents were still okay with Yo! MTV Raps). I'm sure it's a fine album but this one really got me out of my chair.
There's a LOT of jazz samples and tons of breaks - classic '94, really. The production was handled by the group and Sup the Chemist. The rhyming on this album isn't something to brag about but the beats are just so dope. This album has a lot more of the gospel on it because '94 was still part of the early years where Christian rappers were required to put a lot of the message in - otherwise, Christian labels wouldn't put them on (they were already wary of rap music). Peace 586 handles most of the rhyming with a lot of special guests like T-Bone (who you might remember from the talent competition show that used to be on MTV years ago - KRS gave him a 7 because "that's God's number"), Brainwash Projects (B-Twice and Pigeon John), LPG and Sup the Chemist. Of course, all of these guys went on to do their own thing with LPG, Brainwash and Sup really shining. Peace even had his own solo album with some very MPC-ish beats (a lot of multi-level sampling). T-Bone was the only one to really go bad, resorting to writing songs about beating up demons - a sort of, fake gangster rap. He's still around, and I'm sure you can find his stuff on YouTube, but don't bother.Some fun trivia: later on, LPG and their crew, Tunnel Rats, actually had some beef, on record, with T-Bone, which is crazy to think of Christian artists doing (and I don't think it's happened since).
My favorite track on the album is Sonshyne. The beat is super funky and the way the vocals are recorded - the way all of the people who rap keep fading in and out with each other.. It's just a really groovy tune.*
Freedom of Soul - The 2nd Comin' - Download
*groovy tune? what the hell?
PS.. I just found an awful video from Freedom of Soul's first album.
In addition to music, I happen to be a huge comedy nerd and since Travis told me that I could post whatever I wanted I've decided to also include some of my favorite comedy videos with each post.
The first comedians I want to showcase are H. Jon Benjamin and Jon Glaser. These two guys have been doing stuff together for a long time and they have a show in NY that they do called Midnight Pajama Jam. They come up with some crazy characters and my favorites are probably The Fuggedabuddies. These videos are a little long but I just can't stop laughing at the stuff the come out with. I read an interview with Jon & Jon and they said that they usually just come up with the characters and then improvise on stage. Check out parts one and two here:
You can find this video and some solo work from each of the guys on the Invite Them Up compilation on Comedy Central Records.
15 comments:
Speaking Of Sup The Chemist, Do You Have Any Of His Material. Was He In Any Groups? I Have A Cassette Dub Of His Forget What It's Called, But It Was Some Aight Ish..
Awwww man, I was all over this shit in the early 90's...Freedom of Soul, SFC (Sup's group), LPG, Gospel Gangstaz (lol).
You hit one of the records in the "Christian hip-hop cannon", I'd say SFC's "Phase III" and LPG's "Earthworm" are the other members of the, uh, trinity.
I actually have Freedom of Soul's first record ("Lost in the Land of Time") on wax if anyone's interested...it somehow sneaked out on Epic. It's 1991, so there are some nice break-based beats, but "The Second Comin" is probably a better record.
Here's SFC's "Phase III"(1992). It's worth it for the "Warriors"-sampling intro alone - dope as fuck:
http://sharebee.com/bd0190c7
SFC's "Illumination" (1995) is also worth a listen. Sup is definitely a solid MC/producer who transcends the backwardness of most "Christian hip-hop" at the time.
Oh, yeah, almost forgot about the "Dynamic Twins"; their second album always seemed like Christian hip-hop's version of early Das EFX.
i like corey red and precise's stuff, seriously, heard a 2004 album, (need i add the caveat 'i'm not christian etc'), it turns out its one of my fav albums for discovering this year.
Yeah, Sup is always looked at as the KRS of Christian hip hop.
"caught in a land of time" was one of my favorite christian hip hop records, helped get me through freshman year. djespionage, i'm definatly interested in that vinyl, if you still have it.
I love this Old School talk does anybody have a copy of SFC Phase 1 Listen Up and Phase 2 A Saved Man that I can download. BTW Manyones if you like that Mark of the East album with Corey Red & Precise you'll love Remnant Militia their an Indie group need i say more...
Word, Freedom of Soul is a group very dear to my heart.
Loads of dope hip-hop out from people who follow Jesus. Click Sphere of Hip-Hop for more. peace!
This is DJ Max in here, I was a radio DJ in the late 80's/early 90's...what a great time, not just for Christian rap, but christian rock, metal (and we're not talking Petra, either)! Quality acts, huge talent like The Crucified, Guardian, Holy Soldier, D-Boy Rodriguez RIP, yeah SFC-The Bomb from 'A Saved Man' was just incredible! You guys, I'm looking for that CD, SFC-A Saved Man (In The Jungle)...please help me! Freedom of Soul, great first album! I could go on and on...it was a great time! Great website guys!
LOL @ "awful video"! (really, that was funny.) Man, the budget was only $10,000! Can't even get a film treatment and plan for that. LOL. Shoots, couldn't even get the entire film crew to L.A. 'cause Epic records wouldn't pay to fly the director out from Atlanta. We used an A.D. and the director cut it in GA. Good times though.
Good move putting "2nd Comin" up. Needed a digital copy. Haven't heard this in so long. It's a trip to hear Gene Eugene (RIP) playing the Moog keyboard at the end of "the 2nd Comin'. Still miss him.
Anyway, thanks for throwing this up.
Signed,
The-Guy-Who-Used-To-Be-D.J.-Cartoon
what are you up to now Toon?
email me! nathansmart [at] gmail [dot] com
Will do. Hey, bit of trivia here: You mentioned liking "Tha 2nd Comin" over "Caught In A Land of Time," but "Tha 2nd Comin" is NOTHING like Peace and me wanted it to be. On a scale of 10, the record is actually about a 4 in terms of the original recording.
We had completed the record (wow, did I just say 'record?'), and turned it into Brainstorm records but they wouldn't pay to clear any of the samples. They wouldn't even acknowledge that there WERE samples on the project. The wording in our contracts was such that me and Peace would be financially responsible for any lawsuits or problems that arose, since we were acting as "producers" in regards to the project.
Me and Peace talked about this and decided to protect ourselves from having the whole thing fall into our laps, so I shot a registered letter out to the company, officially informing them of the samples used, and requesting that they take the appropriate steps to lawfully clear all pre-recorded music. Next thing I know, people at the company are scrambling. They ended up BUTCHERING the album!
They pulled every bit of material they could. LOL. Only thing they left alone was "Never Changes," one of the songs I produced which featured Crystal Lewis (is she still around?). The main sample was an old Rufus and Chaka Khan song called "Hollywood," and Brainstorm contacted Warner Bros. Records about clearing that ONE sample. It cost them $500 to clear it. ONLY FIVE HUNDRED BUCKS! They could've negotiated the entire album, but the label was so tight-fisted.
Anyway, I have a copy of the original "2nd Comin" somewhere. It's the only copy that survived actually. If I ever find it, I'll upload it. See if you can tell the difference.
Yo for real that sonshyne track with how they faded from one artist to the next is too ill the track just flows, it's always been one of my favorites.
Does anyone still have a copy of caught in a land of time that they could post? I had a cassette and that thing was worn unplayable a long time ago.
SFC - A Saved Man in the Jungle on Ebay now!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=140269201617
Toon, if you are still reading this - hit me up - I was wondering if you ever found that copy of the original 2nd coming...
nathansmart [at] gmail [dot] com
I still have a copy of the 2nd comin' i uploaded it if anybody wants it... http://blog.benspera.com/2009/05/26/freedom-of-soul-part-2/
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