West Coast Connection Forum
Elements => Tha Vault => Album Review => Topic started by: tnp on May 21, 2003, 07:03:46 PM
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Luniz - Operation Stackola
August 1995 issue
Noo Trybe/Virgin Records
Production: Shock G & DJ Fuse, E-A-Ski & CMT
3 1/2 mics
Whether you refer to it as the dope-fiend beat, that funk in the trunk, or plain ol' Bay Area funk, most hip-hop fans are hipped to the unique sound found in the Bay. Its origins, coming from the Streets of East Oakland and seeping its way to surrounding areas, have put the Bay on the hip-hop map to stay.
The Luniz, an Oakland duo consisting of emcees Yuckmouth and his sidekick Knumskull, take the typical Oakland sound to another level. Adding a combination of insane lyrics and street-core knowledge over hard, but smoothed out beats, these brothas from the O is out to bring the noise. On the album's first release, "I Got 5 On It," they sample Club Nouveau's hit "Why You Treat Me So Bad." The lyrics are tight while a simply sung statement is turned into somewhat of a street anthem.
When the Oakland funk was just starting, it was a must for the song to come with a dope track, which usually included a slammin' bassline over some P-Funk type keyboard licks, and in some cases, sheer dopeness on the synthesizers. However, without the emcee kickin' some game and spittin' some pimp shit, the product would be considered incomplete. Luniz go back to these roots and take you there on the cut "Pimps, Playas, Hustlas." They team up with Oakland homies Dru Down and Richie Rich to spit vintage game over a ringing '70s track. This is easily one of the phattest lyrical performances on the album. "Yellow Brick Road" is another cut that's sure to make you sit way back, and bob your head to some true Oakland funk. Kickin' tales about their roles as the neighborhood "ice cream men," they are strictly about making that scrilla. Other cuts that are worth checking out are "So Much Drama," "She's Just a Freak" and "Plead Guilty."
On the downside, there are a couple of cuts that don't move you as much. "Playa Hater" is a smooth cut with a catchy hook, but exceeds the limit of smoothness and takes away from the album's rugged appeal. "Broke Ass Niggaz" is a cut that has dope lyrics (like all of the other tracks on the album), but it's overshadowed by a sub-par track.
Luniz are two brothas from the Bay that are combining two things that make an artist click: tight lyrics and tight tracks, which are a must to compete in this diverse rap game. Operation Stackola is an album that shouldn't be slept on. If you can dig some Bay Area funk with a tight flow, then Luniz are a must when expanding your music collection.
review by Wesley K. Marshall
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Fair review. I never agreed that this album was a classic; I much preferred Lunatic Muzik, or whatever that second CD was called.
Gotta say, for all the talk about The Sauce hating on the West, it doesn't seem like it from these reviews tnp has posted (thanks by the way man - very entertaining reading). Sure, very few of them got four or five mics, which many here disagree with, but the reviews have always been written fairly with articulate arguments. The quality of the reviews was certainly better in that era than these days, as far as writing and making their point goes.
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Good points there Lord Funk. Also, 3 1/2 mics (the majority of the ones I posted) meant more back then than they do now. Nas' It Was Written rightly got 4 mics then...can't imagine that happening now. Oh yeah, glad you are enjoying them.
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I agree, I think this was a fair review.
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When did all these good reviewers leave the Source, cause the retards they have now just waffle on for ages about nothing in particular when they review albums.
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the reviewer gives a lot props but then the album only get 3.5?
i love this album a lot of tight tracks in it.
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I agree, I think this was a fair review.
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the reviewer gives a lot props but then the album only get 3.5?
i love this album a lot of tight tracks in it.