What's New In Dart's iPod #90 AKA The Rest In Peace Baatin Edition

This week began with the news that Baatin from the world famous group Slum Village passed away. That alone was some sad and depressing news. It's really hard to accept that an artist that you really respected will no longer be here, especially since the Slum Village album "Villa Manifesto" was due to drop in the near future. Baatin had a significant role in my evolution into a supreme underground Hip Hop fan during the Backpack Era (1997-2002). Dude had some many quotables lines and verses I'm at a loss of where to even begin.

I wrote a piece about Baatin but much better ones were written by those who knew him and loved him. There isn't anything I could really add besides saying that he'll be missed but his music and legacy will live on forever. Also, for those who don't know I've also become the newest associate of the brothers over @ Nerd With Swag so expect some of my posts to land over there for the forseeable future as well.

This week I'll be reviewing three new projects that recently hit the 'net/bloggerverse and/or will be landing on store shelves soon in the following order: Dam Funk "Toeachizown Vol. 2: Fly", J-Scrilla "Culture Of Honor" and the re-release of Large Professor's "The LP". For those of you new to this blog, I don’t rate albums on a scale or assign them a numerical value out of 5 or 10, instead I merely answer the all important question of “Is it worth buying or not?”. Here's how my recently revised "Cop It Or Not" ratings system breaks down below:


Opinions be damned. This particular project has no redeeming qualities whatsoever and should come with a Surgeon General's warning and/or a biohazard sticker. It should only be handled by hazmat teams or bomb/demolitions squads. To quote Common & Canibus, this album is your worst nightmare squared.


Oh No! This CD is a drink coaster/table balancer/doorstop/gerbil/hamster room divider/frisbee/discus/makeshift shield/last ditch choice for a visor/alternate shuriken choice. Sell this shit to whoever is dumb enough to buy it from you.

Maeby (Maybe)! Depending on your own set of personal preferences you might like this joint. Give it a listen first to see if it's in your lane or not.


Mos Def! Cop the album when it drops...'Nuff said.

Fuck Rap! I listen to Classical...© Baatin


Best Joints: Flying V Ride, Candy Dancin', Burn Straight Thru U, 10 West, I Wanna Know & Rollin'

Hot Garbage: N/A

Dart's Take: I don't know how it's possible you were sleeping before but if you ain't up on thangs...Dam Funk is THAT SHIT. It's like hearing the sounds of yesterday all resurrected right now. I already had Vol. 1 months ago and featured it in my Late Passes but after Vol. 2: Fly dropped and I heard it there was no way in Hell I could go without reviewing it. Cop this from iTunes or the Stones Throw digital store for less than $6 yesterday. I give Dam Funk "Toeachizown Vol. 2: Fly" a mos def. While you're at it cop Vol. 1, too.





Best Joints: Where's The Intro, Culture Of Honor, Energy & Power, Crazy, Chillin', 2 Much Posse, Guns N' Butter, Hardbody, My High, Look At Me Now, No Love Final, It's On, Drug Dealer Final & Peaceful

Hot Garbage: N/A

Dart's Take: J- Scrilla of Guns N' Butter employs a veritable cast of thousands from the DMV (D.C., MD & VA). underground Hip Hop scene and beyond such as Slaine (Special Teamz & La Coka Nostra), K-Beta, V Knuckles (NBS), Reef The Lost Cauze, Nickelus F, Chaundon, Wais P, Block McCloud, JR Writer, XO, Oddisee, Ra The MC, Judah, T.E.F.L.O.N., Wordsmith and many others. The production is on point and you get to a gang of heads on the this album. I give it a recommended maybe. Look for it when it drops on August 25th.





Best Joints: Intro, That Bullshit, Hungry, I Juswanna Chill, Funky 2 Listen 2, Mad Scientist, Hard, One Plus One, The LP, Dancin' Girl, Large Pro:verbs, Havin' Fun, Spacey, Amaman, Queens Lounge, Bowne, Big Willie & Outro


Hot Garbage: N/A

Dart's Take: This album was supposed to drop in 1996. It didn't. Pieces of the album leaked in poor audio quality overseas on vinyl then later on audio tape between the years of 1997-2000. When Large Professor dropped his album "1st Class" on indie label Matador Records he offered a low quality audio CD version of "The LP" for free when it was ordered on Sandbox Automatic back in 2002.

Since then, people have asked Large Pro whatever happened to "Queens Lounge" and the other tracks he mentioned he was gonna put on the album in previous interviews? Supposedly, he produced "Woo Haa" first but Rashad Smith & Q Tip gave the beat to Busta Rhymes so he changed his beat to "The Mad Scientist" to the single version we all know and love. LP went back and remastered the original tracks or versions then reordered them the way they should been on the original release.

If you want to hear some classic material from the last Hip Hop Golden Age then you should definitely cop it. for $8.99 from Amazon I give it a mos def.






Late Passes (For Doz Dat Slept):


Projects I'm Looking Forward To Reviewing Once They Leak...I Mean Drop in 2009:

Rhymefest-El Che
Fashawan-Boy Meets World
Jay Electronica-Act II: Patents Of Nobility
Jay Electronica-Abracadabra: Let There Be Light
Royce Da 5'9"-Street Hop
Big Boi-Sir Luscious Leftfoot, Son Of Chico Dusty
Pac Div-Grown Kid's Syndrome
Magnif & J Dilla-Detroit Royalty
Blu-God Is Good
Drake- Thank Me Later
Sean Price, Guilty Simpson & Black Milk-Random Axe
Alchemist & Oh No are Gangrene
Ghostface Killah-Wizard Of Poetry
Eternia & MoSS- At Last
B.O.B.-The Adventures Of B.O.B.
Billy Danze-Behind Gatez
AG & O.C.-Oasis: Together Brothers
Baatin-Titus
Phat Kat and Elzhi are Cold Steel
The Beatnuts-The Planet Of The Crates
Ski Beatz-Half Man, Half Amazing
Evidence-Cats & Dogs
Statik Selektah-The Hangover


R.I.P. Titus "Baatin" Glover. You will be sorely missed and never forgotten. Rest In Eternal Peace...

One.