Troop/Levert Featuring Queen Latifah ‎– For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) - US Promo CD Singles

Giant Records ‎– PRO-CD-4822

Kick the ballistics!

Keeping to our New Jack City theme and following on from the excellent Danny Madden - The Facts Of Life, we have another banger from the New Jack City soundtrack album, this time, two promo CD singles of Troop/Levert Featuring Queen Latifah ‎– For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley).

Troop (an acronym for "Total Respect Of Other People") is an American R&B group from Pasadena, California. The group has had three number-one singles and ten top-ten singles on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, as well as five albums, which include three certified gold and one certified platinum album. 

LeVert was an American R&B vocal group from Cleveland, Ohio, United States.[1] Formed in 1983, LeVert was composed of Sean and Gerald Levert (sons of Eddie Levert, founder and lead singer of R&B/Soul vocal group O'Jays) and Marc Gordon. Levert would go on to release seven albums betweem 1985 and 1997. 

I'm really saddened to read that Gerald died of a heart attack due to an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in November 2006. And Sean Levert died in March 2008, while serving time in the Cuyahoga County Jail, for failing to pay child support.

Soul Vendor salutes you, boys. Thanks for allo the amazing music. Rest in peace xxx

You all know this track, it's dope, and New Jack City opens to it, with that fabulous overhead shot looking down on the city as we focus on Nino Brown dangling one of his victim's off a rooftop. It's later sang acapella when we get that shot of Troop singing by a burning trash can keeping warm in the harsh grip of Nino Brown's crack winter.

I'm sure the drums are sampled from Teddy Riley's remix of Jane Child's 'Don't Wanna Fall in Love', although can't be entirely sure.

As cool as these mixes are, I'm sure they'll only be of interest to mixologists for the various breakdowns. I think on balance I prefer the original album cut.

Tracklist

1. For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) (Downtown Mix)
2. For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) (Uptown Mix)
3. For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) (Extended 12" Mix)

Discogs page

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Giant Records ‎– PRO-CD-4936

Mo' mixes here and I still think I just about prefer the original version on the album.

The Money Mix is quite different but lacks the original's punch to my ear, and not just because they've cut out Latifah's raps. The City Mix is essentially The Money Mix again but with Queen Latifah added back. The Cash Money Mix sounds the same again but is an extended/12" version.

Nino Brown's Mix is similar but different. It might be my pick of the mixes on this disc and yet I still prefer the other disc and the original album version above all else.

Still, they're worth having, if only to hear different takes on a classic.

Tracklist

1. For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) (Money Mix)
2. For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) (City Mix) (With Rap)
3. For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) (Cash Money Mix)
4. For The Love Of Money / Living For The City (Medley) (Nino Brown's Mix)

Discogs page

Download: TL+QL-FTLOM.7z | Filesize: 80.8MB

Danny Madden ‎– The Facts Of Life - UKCDS - (1991)

Eternal ‎– YZ576CD, Eternal ‎– YZ 576 CD, Eternal ‎– 9031-74339-2

With huge thanks to Soul Vendor's very own StreetSoul who has very kindly upgraded our trusty lower bit rate 12" rip with a shiny new High quality version. Caring is sharing. Thank you, Street! :)

Please note that I didn't have access to the artwork, so I have used what's on Discogs and run it through an AI image upscaler, with a little Photoshop to finish it off. Not perfect but probably as good as we're gonna get given the circumstances!

Mickey P did a great write up when he posted the 12" so check the link below for his write up. 

Produced with style by Carl McIntosh from the always classy Loose Ends with Danny Madden, and featured on the New Jack City OST, The facts of Life sounds wicked to this day. It's an awesome song from an awesome soundtrack album to an awesome film. That album is packed with so many quality tracks it's a big testament to this one when I say it was one of the better cuts.

Personally, I am not so into the Dancin' Danny D mixes, and prefer the vibe of the original. The Touchdown Mix, however, is another matter entirely and is the highlight here if you already own the original.

Tracklist

1. The Facts Of Life (7")
2. The Facts Of Life (Touchdown Mix)
3. The Facts Of Life (Dancin' Danny D's Edit)
4. The Facts Of Life (Dancin' Danny D's Mix)

Discogs page | Our original 12" Rip 

Download: DM-FOLCDS.7z | Filesize: 39.9MB

Danny Madden - Facts Of Life - 12" (Re-Up) - (1990)

WEA Records YZ473T

ReUp: Originally posted by Mickey P back in 22nd May 2008.
If anyone has the CD single I'd sure appreciate a 320 rip as I don't own this one!
- Kymba

Danny Madden has worked with the Basement Boys on Ultra Naté's early work, and he was the background singer and vocal arranger on many of the Def Mix productions.

This track was produced by Danny and Carl McIntosh (Loose Ends) with some Dancin' Danny D remix activity. Is it soulful I hear you ask. Look at the cover, see how it pays homage to Marvin, with this kind of pedigree you don't need to ask, just check the acappella and stop worrying.

There was also an album 'These Are The Facts Of Life' but I never got to hear it. This track was featured in the Mario Van Peebles' movie "New Jack City". It's a beautiful thing people!

Tracklist

1. Dancin' Danny D's Accapella Intro Edit
2. Instrumental
3. Dancin' Danny D's 12" Mix
4. Accapella

Download: DM-FOL.7z | Filesize: 26.7 MB