From his days rolling with Marley Marl to his memorable work with his own group Real Live, K-Def has continued to stay ahead of the pack with his diverse range of beats. Most recently he laced some of the best cuts from Theodore Unit‘s 718, as well as contributing “It’s Over” and all of the skits with beats for The Pretty Toney Album, but a few months ago he released a full-length beat album called “Willie Boo Boo – The Fool”, which I’m pleased to report sets a new standard for “instrumental hip-hop”.
Instead of your standard “twelve five-minute beats” type of records, K laces it together like a mix tape, complete with cuts, drops from comedy albums, movies and all that good stuff to keep the story moving, but the thing that makes it stand out is that in the process he runs through a selection of around forty original tracks!
What really makes this thing win is the sheer variety of the styles and moods for the beats served-up on here, as both unused breaks and previously unearthed records get flipped correctly. Everything from uptempo joints to eerie creepers to laid-back lounging-type material is on here, so you know this isn’t one of those beat tapes that have you’ll snoozing behind the wheel. To cut to the chase, this the first album from 2006 that’s still getting play after two weeks, which is about as high as a recommendation as I can give these days.
Rating: 4 Becks.
Out now on CD and vinyl through Ghetto Man Beats / Red Line Music.
You can catch LP snippets at the MySpace page, so I thought I might hit you with one of my favourite old K-Def productions – “Ain’t No Love”. Much like the rest of The Turnaround album, the beat for this selection took the cinematic sound to new heights – no one was really killing strings like this in ’96. Sorry Jay, your version sucked.
Real Live – Ain’t No Love [The Turnaround, Big Beat, 1996]
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Thanks to Ghetto Man Beats, we’ve got a signed copy of the Willie Boo Boo “The Fool” vinyl to give-away to the first three people to correctly answer this question:
Name the broad who used to roll with Lords of The Underground who K-Def produced a solo song for?
Answers to: [email protected]
Man I still bump Ghost’s last album to this day, same goes for Dilla’s ‘Donuts’. Matter of fact there were more than a few decent releases this year. Altho I liked the beats on the Real Live album, the rhymes were just aiight to me. The joint with Ghost and Cap, together with ‘Time Is Money’ were about the only highlights to me.
A WORK OF A MASTER!! REAL BREAKS!!ABSOLUTELY INTOXICATING RECORD,NUFF SAID!!
K-DEF IS A GENIUS!
I have to second Funk Jones comment – I’m still bumpin’ J Dilla’s ‘Donuts’, along with Da Beat Konducta’s ‘Movie Scenes Vol 1 & 2’.
He needs to get this on iTunes. I’m not really into the ordering records thing anymore.
dope instrumentals! good to hear k-def is back
k def was very much slept on … besides lotug he laced da youngstas “mad props” and the unknown world reknown ” how nice i am” .. imma get dat new joint fo sure
the real live album is a personal favorite, k-def is without a doubt not getting enough recognition in general.. picking this up asap
K-Def still got that heat, I’m sure to check that new album out. I heard he’s working with Diddy on his new album, sure to be fire. Nice post.
nice review, robbie. I copped the album online, shit is sick. Every beat is diferent & fumky. why is this dude not working more, every fucking single is produced by the Neptunes. it just get real dumb. he should be working wit Jay-Z, Kanye, Luda, everyone that has an album slated, should work with this dude. he got that east coast sound it in spades. nice.
betta is k-def with rakim,kool g rap,nas,ll cool j,just ice,big daddy kane,ice dog from tuff crew…big bombs!!!
i heard he did songs with LL Cool J, when he was down with Marley. too much nostalgia in Hip-Hop today. The past is the past. The players have to keep it moving. k-Def is a player that keeps it moving, leaving anolog machines alone, keeping his beat making process fresh and relavant.
K-Def never left,he has heat for days. I read somewhere he has the opening track to Diddy’s new album, can’t wait to cop it. I think he also came up with a banger remic for Come To Me, I think that’s it @ his myspace page. Keep it up, Def.
Ive never knew of k def before but ths is easily the best shit ive heard in a long time. Thanks.
WILL THE EVER REISSUE THE REAL LIVE ALBUM