Kurupt's Music from Against Tha Grain Era

[MOBNigga06]

This is a slept on period from Kurupt's career. He was going in on the tracks he recorded when he signed to Death Row for the second time, and the production quality is consistently good. The songs also have a coherent sound to them - they belong to the era when Tha Row still had lots of money, and was spending some of it well, and wasting lots of it on stuff that would never see the light of day. But the money invested in Against Tha Grain was money well spent.

Just bumped "Riot in the Club" - it's so obvious this is an ATG leftover when you compare the style of the song to the style of the others on Streetlights. The difference? The loss of a coherent style for Kurupt. He had good intensity and energy when he recorded ATG, but now his style is completely incoherent and random. Sometimes he still turns out a banger, though.

[GangstaBoogy]

Most slept on? Dude Kurupt is probably my all-time favorite rapper and that era was a big face-palm for me. I cringed just listening to him struggle to comprise 16 bars. Sure there was a handful of decent tracks but not very many. It was certainly an exciting / interesting time period, I just wish we had twitter and instagram and shit like that back then.

[HighEyeCue]

I think it was underrated as well...one of my favorite Kurupt tracks "I Didn't Change" was recorded during this era...another dope cut was "Microphone Fiend" with Kokane...the problem was his inconsistency on the mic which first started in the late 90's had grown even more...he still is my favorite all time artist though

[Fresh Bone]

You have to respect Kurupt's decision to go back to Death Row (2nd Dynasty and everything), but when Snoop and Daz dissed Suge when they left, after saying Death Row 4 Life in their songs (and Suge was in prison, after Dre left, 'Pac died, etc)? Ultimately, its one of two things, either Suge treated them right (fuck all the bullshit that came out since Oct '96) and Snoop and Tha Pound bitched out for a lot of reasons that people don't want to mention, or Suge punked them fair and square when they were on top, and they couldn't do nothing about it.

Which one is it?
 
Besides, on a simplified perspective, what have Snoop or Tha Dogg Pound done that was worth listening to WITHOUT their previous Death Row background...I'll wait.

[bigpimpin20]

kurupt mentioned that he had Quik production on ATG. wonder did they recorded anything

gail gotti, roscoe, kurupt, dj quik 2002

[Fresh Bone]

kurupt mentioned that he had Quik production on ATG. wonder did they recorded anything

gail gotti, roscoe, kurupt, dj quik 2002

Most likely the session was "Get Flipped" for Roscoe's - Young Roscoe Philaphornia. Would be great to hear Kurupt + DJ Quik from around that time as "Can't Go Wrong" is a classic.

[Remedy360]

I liked ATG more than a lot of people, but the guy was just in a rut. Still had plenty of passion and energy but a lot of his skills went down the drain.

[Okka]

"Against Tha Grain" had some great songs on it, the EP was better though.

[smp4life]

Like a lot of rappers, Kurupt brings heat when he's angry. ATG had that angry energy. I liked it.

[donfathaimmortal]

Still one my fav Kurupt album #underated 



01. Speak On It
(additonal vocals : Mark Sparks, Val C)
(produced by : Mark Sparks)
02. Anarchy '87
(produced by : Mark Sparks)
03. Throw Back Muzic '86
(additonal vocals : Mark Sparks)
(produced by : Mark Sparks)
04. Deep Dishes
(produced by : Ric Rude)
05. Stalkin
(produced by : Sir Jinx)
06. Can U Feel It
(additonal vocals : Potion)
(produced by : Doug Mayhem)
07. Slide N Slide Out
(featuring Bigg Tri, Eastwood & Tone)
(produced by : Blaqthoven)
08. Against Tha Grain
(featuring Eastwood, Bigg Tri & Tone)
(produced by : Mark Sparks)
09. Jealousy
(featuring Roscoe & M.O.P)
(produced by : Mark Sparks)
10. Tha Past
(featuring Dave Holister)
(produced by : Doug Mayhem)
11. My Homeboys
(featuring Eastwood & 2Pac)
(produced by : Mark Sparks)
12. Bullshit & Nonsense
(featuring Spider & Eastwood)
(produced by : Ambassador Cash)
13. No Vaseline Part.2
(produced by : Sir Jinx)
14. Hustlin
(featuring Bigg Tri & Tone)
(add vocs : Jah Mickey)
(produced by : Sir Jinx)
15. It's A Wrap
(additonal vocals : Potion)
(produced by : Mark Sparks)
16. One Thangs Fo Sho
(produced by : unknown)
17. One Thangs Fo Sho (Reprise)
(featuring Danny Boy)
(additonal vocals : Ms. Supa Bean)
(produced by : unknown)

--->og tracklist

[MOBNigga06]

kurupt mentioned that he had Quik production on ATG. wonder did they recorded anything

gail gotti, roscoe, kurupt, dj quik 2002

Very interesting information! And thanks for that picture, never seen it before.

Some songs from the ATG era sound like Quik could have touched them. Can U Feel It has a DJ Quik vibe to it. Also, I noticed that "One Thang's Fo Sho" has no producer listed - perhaps Quik did that beat? That track is a banger.

But there's probably lots more in the vaults. Kurupt was on fire in the ATG era. I always dug that song "The Life I Live," which is to me one of the best ATG scraps.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Most slept on? Dude Kurupt is probably my all-time favorite rapper and that era was a big face-palm for me. I cringed just listening to him struggle to comprise 16 bars. Sure there was a handful of decent tracks but not very many. It was certainly an exciting / interesting time period, I just wish we had twitter and instagram and shit like that back then.

Agreed.

...But this "I Didn't Change" track is a surprisingly good song from that era that I never heard before. 

[Blood$]

ATG would have went so much harder if those tracks from the unreleased EP were there to replace some of the weaker songs

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

Most slept on? Dude Kurupt is probably my all-time favorite rapper and that era was a big face-palm for me. I cringed just listening to him struggle to comprise 16 bars. Sure there was a handful of decent tracks but not very many. It was certainly an exciting / interesting time period, I just wish we had twitter and instagram and shit like that back then.

Agreed.

...But this "I Didn't Change" track is a surprisingly good song from that era that I never heard before. 

Crazy you didn't hear before. Amazing track

In most of my posts about Daz and Kurupt I am alluding to their Death Row days.  Daz R.A.W. album had some bangers but was sloppy overall.  Then most of his other independent releases I didn't even bother checking out.

As for Kurupt, even though I was disappointed in KURUPTION I still bumped the hell out of that album when it was released, same with Streetz is a Mutha and Space Boogie.  But after Space Boogie Kurupt went from being a shadow of his former Death Row self, to being virtually un-listenable.

...not to take anything away from their legendary status though.  They are probably my #2 favorite group of all time after Bone, but in terms of influence they are #1 as far me actually looking up to those dudes when I was growing up.

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

They got some creative peaks post death row. Kuruption sessions (before the split with Foxy Brown). Everything they did with Mike Dean. Kurupts work with Fredwreck, DIllinger and Young Gotti 2 (when the pound reunited after the split). Daz's work with LT Hutton etc etc

You do have some dope stuff after Death Row.  But the only "peak" in their career was at Death Row.  Anything after that was second rate.  I mean, it's hard to beat perfection.  And Daz and Kurupt never released one wack verse or one weak track over at Death Row, they were on fire.

As for Kurupt...

Kurupt was better after his split with Foxy Brown.  Streetz Is A Mutha > Kuruption.   You could even blame Foxy for Kuruption flopping (although Kuruption had some decent cuts, the ones with Daz, Dre, Warren G, and even a few joints on the East Coast disc like "The Life").  Before Foxy, Kurupt's mantra was "fuck a bitch" and it felt real.  Foxy made him somehow kind of soft and less authentic although one could hardly blame him as Foxy was the baddest bitch in the game at the time.

Kurupt's work with Fred Wreck and Space Boogie was quality material and was probably the victory lap in his career.  He lost his gift and contact with whatever jinn had made him a force in hip-hop, he even said in an interview there was a point he didn't feel like rapping anymore and wanted to retire.