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────┤ Info ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
└────────┘
Artist | MC Eiht Featuring CMW
Title | Death Threatz
Genre | Rap Format | Album
Source | CD Time | 71:51
Label | Epic Street Store | 1996
Catalog | EK 67139 Rip | 2020
Bitrate | 872 kbps Size | 471.62 MB
Freq | 44.1 kHz Encoder | FLAC 1.3.1
┌────────┐
────┤ Tracks ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
└────────┘
01. Def Wish IV (Tap That Azz) (Prod. Prodeje, Tomie Mundy & 5:34
Robert "Fonksta" Bacon)
02. Ain't Nuthin 2 It (Prod. MC Eiht & DJ Slip) 5:13
03. Killin Nigguz (Feat. N.O.T.R.) (Prod. MC Eiht & DJ Slip) 5:26
04. Run 4 Your Life (Prod. Prodeje, Tomie Mundy & Robert 4:38
"Fonksta" Bacon)
05. Endoness (Prod. Blackjack) 4:40
06. Thuggin It Up (Prod. MC Eiht) 4:06
07. Love 4 Tha Hood (Feat. Da Foe) (Prod. Prodeje, Tomie Mundy 4:53
& Robert "Fonksta" Bacon)
08. Fuc Em All (Feat. Havoc The Mouthpiece) (Prod. Blackjack) 4:31
09. Late Nite Hype Part 2 (Prod. DJ Slip) 4:34
10. Set Trippin (Feat. Boom Bam of N.O.T.R.) (Prod. MC Eiht & 5:11
DJ Slip)
11. Collect My Stripez (Feat. Young Prod) (Prod. Prodeje, 4:34
Tomie Mundy & Robert "Fonksta" Bacon)
12. Fuc Your Hood (Prod. MC Eiht & DJ Slip) 4:52
13. You Can't See Me (Feat. Tha Chill of N.O.T.R.) (Prod. DJ 4:20
Slip)
14. Drugs & Killin (Prod. MC Eiht & DJ Slip) 4:21
15. Killin Season (Prod. DJ Slip) 4:58
┌────────┐
────┤ Notes ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
└────────┘
What changed in Aaron TylerÆs world between 1994 and 1996? Well, judging by
ôDeath Threatz,ö not a whole lot. Sure, Æ94Æs ôWe Come Strappedö had been
his most successful record to date, reducing the shell of ComptonÆs Most
Wanted to a supporting role as a veteran MC Eiht took the listener back to
Compton aided by the masterful production of DJ Slip. Yeah, DJ Quik did
record one of the most vicious diss tracks of all time, 1995Æs ôDollaz +
Sense,ö in response to EihtÆs ôDef Wishö series, leaving fans on pins and
needles waiting to see how Eiht would respond. And indeed, the West Coast
spotlight remained largely focused on the g-funk phenomenon and the Death
Row inmates up the road. But for the purposes of EihtÆs second ôsoloö
record, none of this was enough to make the CMW frontman slow his roll or
break his stride, and ôDeath Threatzö picks up right where ôWe Come
Strappedö left off.
Where ôMusic to Drivebyö and ôWe Come Strappedö were celebrated for their
lusciously smooth, soulful production techniques positioned against EihtÆs
unapologetically violent rhymes, ôDeath Threatzö takes a moderately but
markedly harder approach. Produced largely by Eiht and Slip but also
featuring tracks from Austin Patterson, G. Reed, and others, the record
sports a meaner, funkier sound than its predecessors, with ominous synths
and more upbeat grooves added to the familiar swirling violins and sparkly
keys provided by the invaluable Willie Z. ôDeath Threatzö features
extensive contributions from the South Central Cartel crew and, perhaps
most surprisingly, revered guitarist and bassist Rob ôFonkstaö Bacon, a
primary studio musician on DJ QuikÆs LPs. From a musical standpoint ôDeath
Threatzö is a total triumph; by this point Eiht and Slip had honed their
craft to the extent that some experimentation produced resounding results,
and the rugged sound fits Eiht perfectly. The chilling, expertly-arranged
funk of ôAinÆt NuttinÆ 2 It,ö the bells-and-bass opus ôLove 4 Tha Hood,ö
the snarling, syncopated drums and wailing strings on ôSet TrippinÆ,ö and
the Willie Z showcase ôThugginÆ It Upö each provide more than flashes of
the musical genius listeners had grown to expect from Eiht and company.
ôDeath Threatzö contains a few absolute essentials of EihtÆs catalog, which
given his discography totaling upwards of a dozen albums should say
something. ôLate Night Hype, Pt. 2ö is an infectiously smooth, soothing
masterpiece and Eiht at his best. DJ Slip shines with a gem of a track
featuring breezy strings, an easygoing bassline, and a trademark Willie Z
piano performance, and Eiht responds in form. His fierce narrative of guns,
robbery, and escape tactics would normally be completely inappropriate for
such a musical backing, but this is classic Eiht---his light, joyful
delivery and exuberant adlibs make the track sound tailor-made for such
fare.
Late standouts ôFuc Your Hoodö and ôYou CanÆt See Meö are also phenomenal,
placing cautionary verses over gorgeous melodies layered with tranquil
strings and silky basslines. Nobody ever managed to make imminent death,
gang warfare, and drug trafficking sound nearly as good as MC Eiht did, and
these tracks are prime examples.
While the production more than carries the majority of ôDeath Threatz,ö
Eiht falters periodically with a batch of predictable material. Each track
is an essentially similar first-person account of armed street warfare, and
at times their impersonal nature and sheer redundancy can border on
ridiculous. Prior to ôDeath Threatzö listeners could speculate as to what
elements of EihtÆs tales were real and fabricated; here it became quite
clear that his accounts had to be somewhat embellished. On the whole they
lack the cinematic grip of ôTake 2 With Me,ö the desperation of ôHood Took
Me Under,ö and the hints of reservation of ôStreiht Up Menace.ö The
glimpses of awareness behind his murderous demeanor were often the most
compelling aspects of an MC Eiht track, and ôDeath Threatzö has the
propensity to lapse into autopilot, over-reliant on his punchy delivery and
constant exclamations of ôgyeahö and ôwessstside.ö ThereÆs also just too
much of it at 72 minutes, and with titles such as ôKillinÆ Nigguz,ö ôRun 4
Your Life,ö ôDrugs & KillinÆ,ö and ôKillinÆ Seasonö you pretty much know
what youÆre in for.
Looking back itÆs easy to point to ôDeath Threatzö as the dawn of EihtÆs
descent---his last album with the CMW moniker on the cover, it began a
schedule of annual and increasingly uninspired records into the new
millennium---but listening to it itÆs impossible to label this his fall
from grace. The production is among the best ever found on an MC Eiht LP,
and even though the subject matter can at times feel reheated Eiht still
entertains with his trademark style and energy. Had it not been preceded by
ôMusic to Drivebyö and ôWe Come Strapped,ö it might very well have been a
much more striking listen, but either way ôDeath Threatzö once again finds
pioneers of West Coast rap displaying their mastery of the genre on a
record that still sounds great.
┌────────┐
────┤░░░░░░░░├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
└────────┘