As far as album promotions are concerned, Matador know what the fuck they’re doin’. When the artist once known as Paul Juice finally released his solo album, the bonus free shit flew thick and fast. This should have tipped me off that Large Professor‘s 1st Class wasn’t going to be that great, so the label figured they could distract us with a bunch of extras. The point being, my $14 got me a t-shirt (with the now laughable Midnight Maurauders quote on the front: “Buy the album when I drop it” – Large Pro, 1992), a “Stay Chisel” promo 12″, a good quality CD copy of The LP and Large Pro 2002 Mix CD taken from a Mista Sinista and DJ Crossphader radio set!
By the time I figured out that the actual album only had a handful of good tracks on it, I didn’t really care since I was too busy listening to the other stuff. The 2002 mix serves as a career retrospective of just about every vocal, production and remix that Xtra P has put his name to in his many years of providing “dope for the folks”, and is really well put together, reminding me of just how good a well executed mix can be in these days of CD compliations posing as mixes. Having Joe Sinista on the decks doesn’t hurt either.
Mista Sinista & DJ Crossphader – Large Professor 2002 Mix (Matador promo, 2002)
For more LP action, here’s the live guy with glasses on UK radio in 1996.
Thanks! I know plenty of people who saw that deal as buying ‘The LP’ and getting ‘First Class’ for free, rather than vice versa.
first class has to be the most disappointing lp ever.
thanks for this robbie.
Thanks! I know plenty of people who saw that deal as buying ‘The LP’ and getting ‘First Class’ for free, rather than vice versa.
The bonus CD’s indeed were more interesting than the ‘First Class’ CD. :)
theres a great promo only tape matador did to help promote non phixion too…
Aside from the atrocious sequencing of tracks Large Pro’s 1st Class gets unjust critcism in the same way Black Moon’s second album got. Both have a lot of great songs but the public thought these guys owed them something different. That being said I don’t play 1st Class everyday but I wouldn’t trash it either…solid effort.
I agree with Big M Slick, while not everday rotation still a solid album, not too mention a needed break for all the hip-hop cloning (100 Jay Z’s)that is the norm these days.
The album was dope!! He just advanced his sound, but he still used samples along with some live instrumentation, and the drums were still dope. He didn’t just use a bunch of the break beat flava that everyone was expecting.
There were some good tracks on there, but stuff like “Brand New Sound” just doesn’t work, especially when compared to beats he did for Neek The Exotic and Non Phixion around the same time.
That “Green Tape” mixed by Eclipse was nice as well.
The Akinyele track >>>> the rest of the album.
‘stay chisel’ was hot- light a dumbell L!
I think matador put out an arsonists tape too, before ‘as the world burns’. anyone else remember it?
I still got a DJ Doo Wop mixtape Geffen put out with all their singles from 95-96 on there. Ijuswannachill and Mad Scientist are included along with some Gza and Roots joints…
cool post. Just passing through, cool blog by the way.
I remember when the LP dropped; I didn’t like it very much just it was just boring. The Nas -> Akinyele -> Q-Tip triplet of songs was nice, but the rest of the album couldn’t hold the weight from those three songs. “Stay Chisled” is an absolute *classic*, and the Akinyele song is hard enough to recall the glory days of Just Ice, but the rest was zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
it’s funny cos i just listened to this a couple days before this post because i hadn’t heard it in a minute…not bad. plus, i’d rather support extra p than most other cats out anyway.
what is the name of that joint that is playin 11:20 into the mix, i’ve forgot which joint that is…
^ “Da Funk Mode (Xtra P Mix)” Tragedy feat. Havoc.
ah thanks man! :D
For 3 years one song on the 2002 mix has been vexing me…
What is the track right after the Jaz-O one (“Hypocrite”), that comes in at 69:19. I used to hurt my finger fast forwarding the CD for an hour every time I wanted to hear it.
Someone PLEASE!!!! I’ve been trying to track this down forever!!!!
the tracklisting i got say it’s called “bbe.” hope that helps.
non phixion’s “the green tape” is one of the nicest mixtapes in existence…up there with dj jazzy jeff’s “the vibe i’m on”
Word ‘BBE’ is the Dwellas (formerly Cella Dwellas) joint featuring Xtra P. Takes Red Line years to drop that new Large Pro Instrumental album, ‘7 Train’ sounded promising tho. Just hope he’s gettin’ back to that good ol’ boom bap sound. 1