Music Class: Black Moon Enta Da Stage is 24 YEARS OLD!!!!! Undisputed CLASSIC!! HAPPY 50TH BUCKSHOT!
- Thread starter playahaitian
- Start date
Great classic underground album.
I bump Who Got The Props daily
see this is a a BIG debate in hip hop circles...
I wouldn't say it was too soft.
cause it was masterfully done and a departure (NEEDED) for the group
and REALLY helped expand their audience
HOWEVER
to me it is one of the most powerful musical transitions in hip hop
Buckshot had one of the most PERFECT flows/voices in that era
and he F*CKING CHANGED IT
I was PISSED
because after the success of that remix he NEVER rhymed the same again.
as you see
I STILL can;t talk about it.
ya from their standpoint I understand why he adopted the new flow/sound...I liked the grimy underground sound tho that most of the album had...but it didn’t have commercial appeal...I was pissed @ the buck em down remix too but the one that really lost me was wreckonize by smif n wessun smh
NO!
YES!
Damn that was 24 years ago!!!? I remember playing this all the time!! Classic. "Real niggas represent and don't die never dead like I said all we fuckin do is multiply."
ya from their standpoint I understand why he adopted the new flow/sound...I liked the grimy underground sound tho that most of the album had...but it didn’t have commercial appeal...I was pissed @ the buck em down remix too but the one that really lost me was wreckonize by smif n wessun smh
NO!
YES!
wreckognize remix was hot fiyah!!!
lol. fuck that. that was my shit.
what made it worse for me is I think they was calling themselves cocoa brovaz @ that point too smh
ya they didn’t have the $$$/time to fight it...straight bully move on their part
After The Source gave this 4 mics, I was done with them, could never take them serious again.
Awww man"Who Got Da Props" was one of my all time favorite joints, 93' was a fantastic year for hip hop in general, too many classics dropped that year.
hot fiyah! thanks for posting!
ya this track is crazy
Always respected MuchMusic being from Canada. Based out of Toronto ... they were never biased with their programming on Rapcity, DaMix, etc. Always played a good amount of content from everywhere ... east, west, south, up north (their local T-Dot artists & those back in Vancity like Choclair, Saukrates, Jully Black, Y-Look, Tara Chase, The Rascalz, Moka Only, etc). Just a whole variety of stuff. Played plenty of Black Moon, Boot Camp, Brand Nubian, Biggie, The Lox, Craig Mack, Lost Boyz ... alongwith late-80s and early-90s stuff from EPMD, NWA, Public Enemy, Ice Cube ... plenty of westcoast artists (and many indie/backpack acts too), lots of Outkast & Dungeon Fam' and affiliate records/singles in the 90s (Cool Breeze, Killer Mike, etc) ...
Shit ... some of the watercooler talk back in junior high were their weekly Top 5 video countdowns on Friday ... and of course their year-end wrap-ups when they would do the Top 25 or Top 30 hiphop vids for the year. That shit was nice ... it was either 5 - 6 vids per day during that 30-min' slot. Had us recording those joints on the VHS tapes and passing them off to friends who might have missed them.
Shit ... some of the watercooler talk back in junior high were their weekly Top 5 video countdowns on Friday ... and of course their year-end wrap-ups when they would do the Top 25 or Top 30 hiphop vids for the year. That shit was nice ... it was either 5 - 6 vids per day during that 30-min' slot. Had us recording those joints on the VHS tapes and passing them off to friends who might have missed them.
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That whole '93 - 1997 stretch was wild. So many gems from everyone. Time flies. Nearly a 1/4 century ago now.
The current generation of fans just don't know how good we had it back then.
track was tight but the album doesn’t officially start for me until this track comes on...
Black Moon - Enta Da Stage (October 19, 1993)
When I started up Hip Hop Isn't Dead, one of the first albums I reviewed was Originoo Gunn Clappaz's Da Storm. (If you don't remember that review, you're not alone; it's the one review that nobody left any comments for.) In that post, I mentioned that the members of O.G.C. were part of a larger collective known as the Boot Camp Clik; here now I present to you the rap group that started the supergroup: Black Moon.
Black Moon is made up of rapper Buckshot, producer DJ Evil Dee (of Da Beatminerz), and 5 Ft., who was the secondary rhymeslinger in the crew, but relinquished the mic to Buckshot the majority of the time. In 1993, they secured a deal with Nervous Records and released their debut, Enta Da Stage, which has sold almost four hundred copies worldwide to date. (I kid; I'm sure it's sold more than that.) Enta Da Stage is chock full of goodness; that is, if you consider hard-hitting drums, grim street tales, and boasts of sexual prowess and the possibility of violent acts a part of your nutritious breakfast. (Which I do.)
However, I fear the main thing Black Moon is known for today, other than being founding members of the Boot Camp Clik (whose other main members include Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, and the aforementioned O.G.C., among others), is for being the group whose record contract was so fucked up, they lost the rights to their own fucking name, and are now only able to use it if they pay a fee to Nervous Records, whom they severed ties with many years ago. One one hand, I have to ask, how fucked up do you have to be to sign away your own name? However, the problem here lies within the record industry itself, who has exploited young artistsfor literally gazillions of years, and will continue to do so in the future.
Enta Da Stage is considered to be a hip hop classic, and I'm about to find out if that title is justified. I haven't heard this album in a while, so this will be interesting.
1. POWAFUL IMPAK!
There's just something about the harsh drums and the Busta Rhymes vocal sample that is woven throughout that takes you back to a time when hip hop music actually sounded good. The "Get on my skateboard and do a motherfucking drive-by" line is the funniestthing I've heard all day.
2. N---Z TALK SHIT
The Blogger spellchecker is going to have a fucking field day with Enta Da Stage.
3. WHO GOT DA PROPS?
If your knowledge of the Boot Camp Clik is comprised of tidbits you picked up while reading other blogs, then you will probably be shocked as to how clean and polished Enta Da Stage sounds. True, the beats are grimy, and the drums are dirty, but it's obvious that this is the way they intended for it to sound. Which is to say, great.
4. ACK LIKE U WANT IT
Buckshot and 5 Ft. essentially rhyme over a simple drumbeat with very little melody to speak of. I'm not impressed.
5. BUCK EM DOWN
Uses the same sample that 2Pac utilized on his "Definition Of A Thug N---a", from the Poetic Justice soundtrack. But none of that matters, because this song still rocks today.
6. BLACK SMIF-N-WESSUN (FEAT TEK & STEELE)
Not a bad way to introduce the duo who would become Smif-N-Wessun, but as a song by itself, it's not great.
7. SON GET WREC
5 Ft.'s solo effort. I'm thankful that Buckshot is the primary rapper in Black Moon, and not 5 Ft., but this song isn't terrible.
8. MAKE MUNNE
From the Nicolas Cage movie of the same name.
9. SLAVE
A dark, sparse track, where Buckshot shines lyrically. Apparently this song was left off of the vinyl release, probably due to spatial reasons, but those who only have Enta Da Stage on vinyl should hunt this down.
10. I GOT CHA OPIN
Even if you've never heard any hip hop from the early nineties, when you hear this song, you will be taken back to 1993. Even if you weren't even born in 1993, the time machine that is "I Got Cha Opin" will open your eyes in ways you only thought possible by aDeLorean.
11. SHIT IZ REAL
Thankfully, shit iz real, which is a real load off of my mind, you know? I had been going through life believing that shit iz fake, and that line of thinking doesn't do much for your psyche. Thanks, Dr. Buckshot, PhD!
12. ENTA DA STAGE
The drums on this song (and on the majority of the CD, if you think about it) fucking bang. Listen to this in the ride with the volume and bass turned to the maximum; you will blow your windows out. Somewhere in that last sentence is a recommendation.
13. HOW MANY MCS...
Good, but not great. Will grow on you, if you give it a shot.
14. U DA MAN (FEAT TEK, STEELE, DRU HA, & HAVOC OF MOBB DEEP)
Don't get excited: this is the Havoc from the Juvenile Hell era, which means he was probably about twelve years old, outside running the streets with Black Moon when he probably should have been doing his homework, or at least, including poor Prodigy in his endeavors. Anyway, this song rocks.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Enta Da Stage is an album that would not sell very well in today's musical climate, since nobody checks for hard-hitting drums or melodies anymore. (This would be due to the South's dominance in the game, but that's not what I want to discuss today.) As such, listening to this album has been a very nostalgic experience, and kind of like when you watch an old but great film from the 1970's or 1960's, you appreciate it on a different level. Enta Da Stage may not play well in the top markets in 2007, but that doesn't mean it's bad. On the contrary, it sounds fucking great, for the most part. There are some missteps, but honestly,when was the last time you heard a perfect album?
BUY OR BURN? I would recommend a purchase, and as an added bonus, you'll probably find it for five dollars or less. Some stores offer a set of promotional steak knives as well, so you'd do well to grab it as soon as humanly possible.
BEST TRACKS: "Powaful Impak!"; "Who Got The Props"; "I Got Cha Opin"; "Buck Em Down"
-Max
https://hiphopisntdead.blogspot.com/2007/09/black-moon-enta-da-stage-october-19.html
When I started up Hip Hop Isn't Dead, one of the first albums I reviewed was Originoo Gunn Clappaz's Da Storm. (If you don't remember that review, you're not alone; it's the one review that nobody left any comments for.) In that post, I mentioned that the members of O.G.C. were part of a larger collective known as the Boot Camp Clik; here now I present to you the rap group that started the supergroup: Black Moon.
Black Moon is made up of rapper Buckshot, producer DJ Evil Dee (of Da Beatminerz), and 5 Ft., who was the secondary rhymeslinger in the crew, but relinquished the mic to Buckshot the majority of the time. In 1993, they secured a deal with Nervous Records and released their debut, Enta Da Stage, which has sold almost four hundred copies worldwide to date. (I kid; I'm sure it's sold more than that.) Enta Da Stage is chock full of goodness; that is, if you consider hard-hitting drums, grim street tales, and boasts of sexual prowess and the possibility of violent acts a part of your nutritious breakfast. (Which I do.)
However, I fear the main thing Black Moon is known for today, other than being founding members of the Boot Camp Clik (whose other main members include Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, and the aforementioned O.G.C., among others), is for being the group whose record contract was so fucked up, they lost the rights to their own fucking name, and are now only able to use it if they pay a fee to Nervous Records, whom they severed ties with many years ago. One one hand, I have to ask, how fucked up do you have to be to sign away your own name? However, the problem here lies within the record industry itself, who has exploited young artistsfor literally gazillions of years, and will continue to do so in the future.
Enta Da Stage is considered to be a hip hop classic, and I'm about to find out if that title is justified. I haven't heard this album in a while, so this will be interesting.
1. POWAFUL IMPAK!
There's just something about the harsh drums and the Busta Rhymes vocal sample that is woven throughout that takes you back to a time when hip hop music actually sounded good. The "Get on my skateboard and do a motherfucking drive-by" line is the funniestthing I've heard all day.
2. N---Z TALK SHIT
The Blogger spellchecker is going to have a fucking field day with Enta Da Stage.
3. WHO GOT DA PROPS?
If your knowledge of the Boot Camp Clik is comprised of tidbits you picked up while reading other blogs, then you will probably be shocked as to how clean and polished Enta Da Stage sounds. True, the beats are grimy, and the drums are dirty, but it's obvious that this is the way they intended for it to sound. Which is to say, great.
4. ACK LIKE U WANT IT
Buckshot and 5 Ft. essentially rhyme over a simple drumbeat with very little melody to speak of. I'm not impressed.
5. BUCK EM DOWN
Uses the same sample that 2Pac utilized on his "Definition Of A Thug N---a", from the Poetic Justice soundtrack. But none of that matters, because this song still rocks today.
6. BLACK SMIF-N-WESSUN (FEAT TEK & STEELE)
Not a bad way to introduce the duo who would become Smif-N-Wessun, but as a song by itself, it's not great.
7. SON GET WREC
5 Ft.'s solo effort. I'm thankful that Buckshot is the primary rapper in Black Moon, and not 5 Ft., but this song isn't terrible.
8. MAKE MUNNE
From the Nicolas Cage movie of the same name.
9. SLAVE
A dark, sparse track, where Buckshot shines lyrically. Apparently this song was left off of the vinyl release, probably due to spatial reasons, but those who only have Enta Da Stage on vinyl should hunt this down.
10. I GOT CHA OPIN
Even if you've never heard any hip hop from the early nineties, when you hear this song, you will be taken back to 1993. Even if you weren't even born in 1993, the time machine that is "I Got Cha Opin" will open your eyes in ways you only thought possible by aDeLorean.
11. SHIT IZ REAL
Thankfully, shit iz real, which is a real load off of my mind, you know? I had been going through life believing that shit iz fake, and that line of thinking doesn't do much for your psyche. Thanks, Dr. Buckshot, PhD!
12. ENTA DA STAGE
The drums on this song (and on the majority of the CD, if you think about it) fucking bang. Listen to this in the ride with the volume and bass turned to the maximum; you will blow your windows out. Somewhere in that last sentence is a recommendation.
13. HOW MANY MCS...
Good, but not great. Will grow on you, if you give it a shot.
14. U DA MAN (FEAT TEK, STEELE, DRU HA, & HAVOC OF MOBB DEEP)
Don't get excited: this is the Havoc from the Juvenile Hell era, which means he was probably about twelve years old, outside running the streets with Black Moon when he probably should have been doing his homework, or at least, including poor Prodigy in his endeavors. Anyway, this song rocks.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Enta Da Stage is an album that would not sell very well in today's musical climate, since nobody checks for hard-hitting drums or melodies anymore. (This would be due to the South's dominance in the game, but that's not what I want to discuss today.) As such, listening to this album has been a very nostalgic experience, and kind of like when you watch an old but great film from the 1970's or 1960's, you appreciate it on a different level. Enta Da Stage may not play well in the top markets in 2007, but that doesn't mean it's bad. On the contrary, it sounds fucking great, for the most part. There are some missteps, but honestly,when was the last time you heard a perfect album?
BUY OR BURN? I would recommend a purchase, and as an added bonus, you'll probably find it for five dollars or less. Some stores offer a set of promotional steak knives as well, so you'd do well to grab it as soon as humanly possible.
BEST TRACKS: "Powaful Impak!"; "Who Got The Props"; "I Got Cha Opin"; "Buck Em Down"
-Max
https://hiphopisntdead.blogspot.com/2007/09/black-moon-enta-da-stage-october-19.html
Black Moon – Enta Da Stage Album Review
Posted On Jan 11 2014
By : Big D
Category: Reviews
Tags: black moon, buckshot
Black Moon – Enta Da Stage: Album Review
Title: Enta Da Stage
Artist: Black Moon
Label: Wreck
Released: November 15, 1993
Album #: Debut
Ahhh, how I long for the good ole days. Gritty Lyrical Hip-Hop in the East, and bounce-able G-Funk in the west; life was good. 1993 was an excellent year for hip-hop, and in most people’s eyes that’s due to the legendary release of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The “Silver Age” of Hip-Hop was at its end and 1993 is seen by ME as the transitional year where it seems like everybody in hip-hop stepped their game up, specially in the east.
This was only a precursor to 1994, the year when Common would be resurrected, and Nas would drop one of the greatest albums of all time, bar-none. It’s a bit unfortunate that 1993 is remember strictly for the Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album, when there was a handful of talent that was only beginning to make a rapture in hip-hop. Perhaps one of the most forgotten “cliks” in hip-hop made their debut in the same year, starting a dynasty.
Black Moon are the key members of the nefarious Boot Camp Clik, composed of Buckshot, 5 Ft. Accelerator, and DJ Evil Dee from Da Beatminerz. Buckshot acts as the group’s version of Professor Xavior, overseeing everything and being the lead emcee. 1993’s Enta Da Stage solidifies the fact that these guys are unbelievably talented, yet constantly slept-on, even by yours truly. Well at last I have opened my eyes to the legendary team of Black Moon, and I’m not going to resist in telling people about it.
Track List & Rating
1. Powerful Impak! (*****)
2. Niguz Talk Shit (****)
3. Who Got Da Props? (*****)
4. Ack Like U Want It (*****)
5. Buck Em Down (*****)
6. Black Smif-N-Wesson f/ Smif-N-Wesson (*****)
7. Son Get Wrec (****)
8. Make Munne (****)
9. Slave (****)
10. I Got’cha Opin (*****)
11. Shit Iz Real (*****)
12. Enta Da Stage (*****)
13. How Many Emcees? (Must Get Dissed) (******)
14. U Da Man f/ Smif-N-Wesson, Havoc & Big Dru Ha (*****)
Don’t expect anything super-cleanly produced with little jingles on Enta Da Stage. No sir, Da Beatminerz are gritty, gritty, and gritty. You will notice that their aggressive combination of distorted drum loops, grimy bass-kicks, and harsh samples pretty much liquify their production to set up a dark and morbid backdrop; almost identical of Rza’s work on Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
On the other side of the table, Buckshot and 5 Ft. Accelerator are angry, poignant emcees who spit relentless lyrics about anything and everything, and they perfectly mold this style so that it constantly remains fresh, innovative, and extremely replayable; which is the backbone of this album.
Buckshot by himself is one of the most underrated and overlooked emcees ever, even to this day, and if anybody doubts that this man isn’t absolutely dangerous on the mic, one quick listen to “Powerful Impak!” will immediately cause a disruption in the listener’s thinking. Buckshot gets on the mic and amazes us, but not with his on-point lyrics, but more with his charismatic microphone presence, trademark delivery and angry flow.
“Who Got Da Props” is one of the major singles from Enta Da Stage, and when listening, you can tell why it was loved so much. DJ Evil Dee provides an unbelievable taste of the genuine skill provided by Evil Dee, delivering one of his better beats ever. A thumping baseline and melodic piano loops with gritty, basement drums give the song a distorted, yet strangely clean sound which is made strictly for purists of this style.
This production style is echoed throughout the whole album, each time being reinvented and switched up to sound fresh, and backed by some excellent scratch sampling, well, you can’t go wrong. Buckshot and 5 do their part here, spitting more hardcore-esque street lyrics, reminiscent of Onyx’s All We Got Iz Us, an album that could conceivably be compared to this.
Evil Dee’s trademark jazz styles winds up being more clean and yes gritty on some songs, such as “Act Like You Want It”, which sounds like a DJ Premier beat in disguise. Distorted bass backed by a simple drum loop and metallic snare, with quick jazz trumpets and scratching for the chorus, act as the perfect dark atmosphere for Buckshot and 5 to deliver his morbid, vivid lyrics about violence on the streets:
The pressure starts to build, when I grab my steel, Giving ni**az the raw deal, with the mad appeal, This time around, I flex the tec with ease, And if you really want it, I give an extra squeeze
One might not notice it at first due to Buckshot’s main event-ing of the album, but he and 5 Ft. Accelerator have great chemistry. At times, the album sounds like a Buckshot solo album, and songs like “Buck Em Down” further prove that point. I love this song, plain and simple, and Buckshot definitely makes it worthwhile due to his illness.
Buckshot spits with a calmer delivery, providing a more relaxed atmosphere so that he can spit his retrospective lyrics about his experiences and how he became the man he is today. DJ Evil Dee really outdid himself with this beat, taking a sample from “Wind Parade” and adding a thumping baseline and perfectly placed scratching.
The beat provides a soft, airy charisma, where every note is perfect, that makes you want to listen to it repeatedly. I mean, the only people I can think of that can do a better job with these types of beats are Pete Rock and Primo, and with production like this, Evil Dee can easily cement himself as being one of the best beatmakers around with shit like this.
Just when you think it’ll be a solo Buckshot album, fellow Boot Camp Clik members Smif-n-Wessun (now known as the mediocre Cocoa Brovas) drop in on a song aptly titled “Black Smif-n-Wessun”, yet another classic. The team of Smif-N-Wessun, composed of Tek and Steele, are hardcore emcees who spit about thier own sick and violent fantasies or things they have experienced.
Production-wise, this is excellent yet again. Another thumping baseline, this time backed by an eerie elongated violin scratch effect which sounds psychotic, easily fittin the attempted mood they were going for. As for the rapping, while Tek and Steele are no slouches on the microphone, Buckshot completely rips it with one of the best verses on this entire album, and that’s saying something:
Real ni**az represent and don’t die, Never dead like I said all we fuckin do is multiply, I puff a mad bag of buddha, Ni**az be like “Yo who the shorty?”, I’m bustin ni**aaz with my six-shooter, I get so much pussy my dick be in stitches, Red-boned or even fucked-up black Zulu bitches
THAT IS AWESOME.
I think one of the more skillful trademarks of a good producer is to craft a beat which has simple elements, but manages to be complex and unique in its own way. For instance, DJ Evil Dee has this innate ability to make certain instruments sound better than they really are, and uses this technique on some of the best songs on the album. Perhaps that is why they are so good, at least to me. On “I Got Cha Opin”, Evil Dee manages to use the baseline, which is street and hard, and gives it a melody.
So the beat echoes along with the lyrics and still contains those illuminary jazz samples. Lyrically, Buckshot hits us with more of the same. Honestly, if I can think of one draw-back with this album its the fact that the subject matter doesn’t change. Black Moon continues to be hardcore and rugged and rap about the same thing over and over, and it does get a little tiring. Let’s thank Evil Dee’s production for that.
“Enta Da Stage” is another one of my favorites. Buckshot comes on here by himself, completely rippin it up with his use of powerful lyrics, aggressive delivery, rugged flow, and scathing rhymes. The special quality that makes it stand out is the chemistry between the emcee and the producer, as DJ Evil Dee provides a beat nothing short of masterful. Pounding bass and hard drums mix with samples and scratching, and even has that familiar screetch from Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Part II”, but you probably won’t recognize it unless you listen closer.
The huge single that everybody remembers from here is the legendary “How Many Emcees? (Must Get Dissed)”, which actually finds Buckshot not talking about violence, and going more into a braggadocio and is quite good at it. Buckshot starts to destroy his imaginary opponents, which happen to be emcees who talk a lot of noise but can’t back it, and Buckshot holds nothing back. Buckshot delivers some scathing rhymes, with that simple old-school flavor.
DJ Evil Dee provides a jazzy yet funky assorted melody and is backed with a familiar KRS-One sample from back in the day. This is essential hip-hop listening. “U Da Man” is the albums curtain closer, as Black Moon is joined by Smif-N-Wessun again, along with a very young Havoc from Mobb Deep (pre Infamous) and Big Dru Ha. Evil Dee laces a powerful, war-like beat setting up the battle-ready atmosphere that the track expresses. This easily stands out as more than just any old posse cut.
Their rugged, fast-paced flow strikes fear in whack emcees, and my goodness, Havoc is unbelievably hungry. So hungry, that he steals the show: “Ni**az regret it when they get wetted with the automatic weapons, When I walk the streets I pack a Teck for protection, You know the deal, nowadays shit is real, Kid, I had it up to here, muthafuckas better chill, Cause on the block, yes, kid, we get busy, Front on my crew and get bust open like a fuckin Philly, Punk muthafuckas on the mic get violated, A rhyme ain’t a rhyme if it ain’t crime-related”
Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage is the type of hip-hop made for hardcore hip-hop heads, old-schoolers, and backpackers. Don’t expect anything catchy on here at all. No flashy hooks, or overproduced melodies; just raw, gritty hip-hop from 1993. Buckshot and 5th are great on here, and although Buck is the star, everybody does their part. DJ Evil Dee, as I’ve said, proves he is an often overlooked producer, and has now even made me want to look into Da Beatminerz body of work to see if I find something ill like this.
This album is everything great about old-school hip-hop, and although it can be simple and repetitive at times, few albums can match this beat for beat, rhyme for rhyme. This stands a couple numbers under Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) as being 1993’s best album, pretty much only because of the fact that the Wu-Tang are catchy as hell. However, this is an excellent album in a day in age where being yourself, and not selling out, was the fight way to go.
5 Stars
http://www.hiphopcertified.com/hhc/2014/01/black-moon-enta-da-stage-album-review/
Posted On Jan 11 2014
By : Big D
Category: Reviews
Tags: black moon, buckshot
Black Moon – Enta Da Stage: Album Review
Title: Enta Da Stage
Artist: Black Moon
Label: Wreck
Released: November 15, 1993
Album #: Debut
Ahhh, how I long for the good ole days. Gritty Lyrical Hip-Hop in the East, and bounce-able G-Funk in the west; life was good. 1993 was an excellent year for hip-hop, and in most people’s eyes that’s due to the legendary release of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The “Silver Age” of Hip-Hop was at its end and 1993 is seen by ME as the transitional year where it seems like everybody in hip-hop stepped their game up, specially in the east.
This was only a precursor to 1994, the year when Common would be resurrected, and Nas would drop one of the greatest albums of all time, bar-none. It’s a bit unfortunate that 1993 is remember strictly for the Wu-Tang Clan’s debut album, when there was a handful of talent that was only beginning to make a rapture in hip-hop. Perhaps one of the most forgotten “cliks” in hip-hop made their debut in the same year, starting a dynasty.
Black Moon are the key members of the nefarious Boot Camp Clik, composed of Buckshot, 5 Ft. Accelerator, and DJ Evil Dee from Da Beatminerz. Buckshot acts as the group’s version of Professor Xavior, overseeing everything and being the lead emcee. 1993’s Enta Da Stage solidifies the fact that these guys are unbelievably talented, yet constantly slept-on, even by yours truly. Well at last I have opened my eyes to the legendary team of Black Moon, and I’m not going to resist in telling people about it.
Track List & Rating
1. Powerful Impak! (*****)
2. Niguz Talk Shit (****)
3. Who Got Da Props? (*****)
4. Ack Like U Want It (*****)
5. Buck Em Down (*****)
6. Black Smif-N-Wesson f/ Smif-N-Wesson (*****)
7. Son Get Wrec (****)
8. Make Munne (****)
9. Slave (****)
10. I Got’cha Opin (*****)
11. Shit Iz Real (*****)
12. Enta Da Stage (*****)
13. How Many Emcees? (Must Get Dissed) (******)
14. U Da Man f/ Smif-N-Wesson, Havoc & Big Dru Ha (*****)
Don’t expect anything super-cleanly produced with little jingles on Enta Da Stage. No sir, Da Beatminerz are gritty, gritty, and gritty. You will notice that their aggressive combination of distorted drum loops, grimy bass-kicks, and harsh samples pretty much liquify their production to set up a dark and morbid backdrop; almost identical of Rza’s work on Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
On the other side of the table, Buckshot and 5 Ft. Accelerator are angry, poignant emcees who spit relentless lyrics about anything and everything, and they perfectly mold this style so that it constantly remains fresh, innovative, and extremely replayable; which is the backbone of this album.
Buckshot by himself is one of the most underrated and overlooked emcees ever, even to this day, and if anybody doubts that this man isn’t absolutely dangerous on the mic, one quick listen to “Powerful Impak!” will immediately cause a disruption in the listener’s thinking. Buckshot gets on the mic and amazes us, but not with his on-point lyrics, but more with his charismatic microphone presence, trademark delivery and angry flow.
“Who Got Da Props” is one of the major singles from Enta Da Stage, and when listening, you can tell why it was loved so much. DJ Evil Dee provides an unbelievable taste of the genuine skill provided by Evil Dee, delivering one of his better beats ever. A thumping baseline and melodic piano loops with gritty, basement drums give the song a distorted, yet strangely clean sound which is made strictly for purists of this style.
This production style is echoed throughout the whole album, each time being reinvented and switched up to sound fresh, and backed by some excellent scratch sampling, well, you can’t go wrong. Buckshot and 5 do their part here, spitting more hardcore-esque street lyrics, reminiscent of Onyx’s All We Got Iz Us, an album that could conceivably be compared to this.
Evil Dee’s trademark jazz styles winds up being more clean and yes gritty on some songs, such as “Act Like You Want It”, which sounds like a DJ Premier beat in disguise. Distorted bass backed by a simple drum loop and metallic snare, with quick jazz trumpets and scratching for the chorus, act as the perfect dark atmosphere for Buckshot and 5 to deliver his morbid, vivid lyrics about violence on the streets:
The pressure starts to build, when I grab my steel, Giving ni**az the raw deal, with the mad appeal, This time around, I flex the tec with ease, And if you really want it, I give an extra squeeze
One might not notice it at first due to Buckshot’s main event-ing of the album, but he and 5 Ft. Accelerator have great chemistry. At times, the album sounds like a Buckshot solo album, and songs like “Buck Em Down” further prove that point. I love this song, plain and simple, and Buckshot definitely makes it worthwhile due to his illness.
Buckshot spits with a calmer delivery, providing a more relaxed atmosphere so that he can spit his retrospective lyrics about his experiences and how he became the man he is today. DJ Evil Dee really outdid himself with this beat, taking a sample from “Wind Parade” and adding a thumping baseline and perfectly placed scratching.
The beat provides a soft, airy charisma, where every note is perfect, that makes you want to listen to it repeatedly. I mean, the only people I can think of that can do a better job with these types of beats are Pete Rock and Primo, and with production like this, Evil Dee can easily cement himself as being one of the best beatmakers around with shit like this.
Just when you think it’ll be a solo Buckshot album, fellow Boot Camp Clik members Smif-n-Wessun (now known as the mediocre Cocoa Brovas) drop in on a song aptly titled “Black Smif-n-Wessun”, yet another classic. The team of Smif-N-Wessun, composed of Tek and Steele, are hardcore emcees who spit about thier own sick and violent fantasies or things they have experienced.
Production-wise, this is excellent yet again. Another thumping baseline, this time backed by an eerie elongated violin scratch effect which sounds psychotic, easily fittin the attempted mood they were going for. As for the rapping, while Tek and Steele are no slouches on the microphone, Buckshot completely rips it with one of the best verses on this entire album, and that’s saying something:
Real ni**az represent and don’t die, Never dead like I said all we fuckin do is multiply, I puff a mad bag of buddha, Ni**az be like “Yo who the shorty?”, I’m bustin ni**aaz with my six-shooter, I get so much pussy my dick be in stitches, Red-boned or even fucked-up black Zulu bitches
THAT IS AWESOME.
I think one of the more skillful trademarks of a good producer is to craft a beat which has simple elements, but manages to be complex and unique in its own way. For instance, DJ Evil Dee has this innate ability to make certain instruments sound better than they really are, and uses this technique on some of the best songs on the album. Perhaps that is why they are so good, at least to me. On “I Got Cha Opin”, Evil Dee manages to use the baseline, which is street and hard, and gives it a melody.
So the beat echoes along with the lyrics and still contains those illuminary jazz samples. Lyrically, Buckshot hits us with more of the same. Honestly, if I can think of one draw-back with this album its the fact that the subject matter doesn’t change. Black Moon continues to be hardcore and rugged and rap about the same thing over and over, and it does get a little tiring. Let’s thank Evil Dee’s production for that.
“Enta Da Stage” is another one of my favorites. Buckshot comes on here by himself, completely rippin it up with his use of powerful lyrics, aggressive delivery, rugged flow, and scathing rhymes. The special quality that makes it stand out is the chemistry between the emcee and the producer, as DJ Evil Dee provides a beat nothing short of masterful. Pounding bass and hard drums mix with samples and scratching, and even has that familiar screetch from Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Part II”, but you probably won’t recognize it unless you listen closer.
The huge single that everybody remembers from here is the legendary “How Many Emcees? (Must Get Dissed)”, which actually finds Buckshot not talking about violence, and going more into a braggadocio and is quite good at it. Buckshot starts to destroy his imaginary opponents, which happen to be emcees who talk a lot of noise but can’t back it, and Buckshot holds nothing back. Buckshot delivers some scathing rhymes, with that simple old-school flavor.
DJ Evil Dee provides a jazzy yet funky assorted melody and is backed with a familiar KRS-One sample from back in the day. This is essential hip-hop listening. “U Da Man” is the albums curtain closer, as Black Moon is joined by Smif-N-Wessun again, along with a very young Havoc from Mobb Deep (pre Infamous) and Big Dru Ha. Evil Dee laces a powerful, war-like beat setting up the battle-ready atmosphere that the track expresses. This easily stands out as more than just any old posse cut.
Their rugged, fast-paced flow strikes fear in whack emcees, and my goodness, Havoc is unbelievably hungry. So hungry, that he steals the show: “Ni**az regret it when they get wetted with the automatic weapons, When I walk the streets I pack a Teck for protection, You know the deal, nowadays shit is real, Kid, I had it up to here, muthafuckas better chill, Cause on the block, yes, kid, we get busy, Front on my crew and get bust open like a fuckin Philly, Punk muthafuckas on the mic get violated, A rhyme ain’t a rhyme if it ain’t crime-related”
Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage is the type of hip-hop made for hardcore hip-hop heads, old-schoolers, and backpackers. Don’t expect anything catchy on here at all. No flashy hooks, or overproduced melodies; just raw, gritty hip-hop from 1993. Buckshot and 5th are great on here, and although Buck is the star, everybody does their part. DJ Evil Dee, as I’ve said, proves he is an often overlooked producer, and has now even made me want to look into Da Beatminerz body of work to see if I find something ill like this.
This album is everything great about old-school hip-hop, and although it can be simple and repetitive at times, few albums can match this beat for beat, rhyme for rhyme. This stands a couple numbers under Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) as being 1993’s best album, pretty much only because of the fact that the Wu-Tang are catchy as hell. However, this is an excellent album in a day in age where being yourself, and not selling out, was the fight way to go.
5 Stars
http://www.hiphopcertified.com/hhc/2014/01/black-moon-enta-da-stage-album-review/