Island Records – 422-854 538-2
Kimberly Leadbetter (born November 20, 1979), better known by her professional stage name Mona Lisa, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, actress, model and record producer. She had a few singles, but this was by far her biggest joint and featured on the Don't Be A Menace... OST.
While I love this track I have always had a problem with it - specifically how it lists Butnaked Tim Dawg (and Mr Sex - great name) as the sole producers but it's basically an instrumental of KRS 1's MC's Act Like They Don't Know, produced by my boy DJ Premier. That's without even getting to the original sample used by Preemo (Clifford Brown's Yesterday's in case you're acting like you don't know (see what I did there?)).
Buttnaked Tim Dawg did a lot of that - borrowing heavily from whatever Hip Hop tune was big at the time and making an R&B track from it. See the Dawghouse Remix of Christopher Williams' dope Every Little Thing You Do on this site for further evidence where he once again stole from DJ Premier. I ain't aganst sampling, hell, the music I love is built upon it, but credit where credit is due.
The production credits do not mention Premier or even Clifford Brown at all. Scandalous!
My production credit gripes aside, this is a great slice of forgotten mid 90s US R&B.
I only have the promo CD so don't have the extra mixes. This CD simply contains with and without rap versions, so take your pick as to what floats your boat. Having said that, the rap is by Mr Cheeks of the Lost Boyz so guess what I'm chosing? :D
Tracklist
- Can't Be Wasting My Time (One Dread One Ball Head Version) (With Rap)
- Can't Be Wasting My Time (One Dread One Ball Head Version) (Without Rap)
Download: ML-DBWMT.7z | Filesize: 19.9MB
MCA Records – MCSTD 48002
This is a great EP containing a selection of tracks, some R&B and some more Hip Hop in nature.
The thing kicks off with an at-the-time unforeseen Guy reunion in Tell Me What You Like, which predated their third LP. I was hyped to have the boys back as they had split acrimoniously a few years prior, with Teddy Riley forming BlackStreet in the wake of the fallout. Anyway, this is a seriously dope track and required listening for any Guy or New Jack Swing fan like me.
Next up is the Little Shawn track Dom Perignon and it is FIRE (no pun intended, sample spotters). Sampling Kool & The Gang's dope Too Hot track and Biggie Smalls aka The Notorious BIG from his break-out Party & Bullshit (I love that track) this one's a killer cut and was also great for the dancefloor. That Kool & The Gang loop always sounds so dope - so smooth and just begging for some nice flows, which Shawn capably provides.
(Speaking of, our very own DJ Filthy Rich served up a phatt blend of Dom Perignon and Party & bullshit which you can (and should) check out here. Thanks, Rich.)
Monifah is up next with an almost classic joint that never quite hit the heights of some of her contemporaries. I Miss You is nice enough and made a big enough splash at the time but she faded into relative obscurity. Please correct me if I am wrong. Still, Easy Moe Bee provides a dope remix here and is well worth having.
The Lost Boyz track is kinda nice for my Hip Hop heads. Mr Cheeks is always dope! A real head nodder. Parental advisory though lol
All in all it is a wicked slice of mid nineties R&B/Hip Hop - in fact, I'd forgotten just how good this was. A nice snapshot of a time when music seemed so much better.
Tracklist
- Guy - Tell Me What You Like
- Little Shawn - Dom Perignon
- Monifah - I Miss You (Da Street Mix)
- The Lost Boyz - Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz And Benz (Sparks Meets Dawg Mix)
Download: NYUEP.7z | Filesize: 36.7MB
