Left: MC Lyte’s 5th solo album “Bad As I Wanna B” courtesy of Elektra/Asylum Records
Right: The very best of MC Lyte courtesy of Rhino Entertainment

My favorite female MC? The number one spot without a doubt goes to MC Lyte (with Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifa, Lady Bug Mecca, and Jean Grae to name a few below that list) I actually picked up these 2 releases at the same time and wanted to shed some light into Lyte’s incredible career.
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“Classics” is an understatement to some of the tracks featured in this compilation. Think of some of these tracks featured on “Wild Pitch Classics” to be instructions in creating dope Hip-Hop music. Before there was Rawkus Records or Stones Throw, Wild Pitch Records was reined supreme as a second-generation hip-hop indie label representing some of the finest within late 80’s/early 90’s Hip Hop talent. Their resume included The Coup, Gang Starr, Chill Rob G, Main Source, O.C., Ultramagnetic, U.M.C’s & Lord Finesse. But with bad business decisions and other issues, these problems plagued the label and had never reached it’s full potential.
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We all recall the 1st time we heard the classic Hip Hop posse-cut “The Symphony” with the “ Juice Crew ““that dropped in 1988. For me, I didn’t get a feel for the song till a few years later when I heard the single playing at a local record store. At the time, my homies were all bumping Hammer’s “Can’t touch this…” Though as time went on, my knowledge for Hip-Hop expanded as well. I started picking apart each member of the Juice crew, and If I could I tried to get as many tapes as I could of each artist. Master Ace’s debut Album “Take a look around” was one of those albums I had a real hard time finding. It wasn’t until 1995 I saw the cd for $3.95 at a local Wherehouse Music store I finally copped it… by that time I had a job and money wasn’t a thing for me and music!

For the first time ever, and similar to MC Shan and Kool G Rap’s debut releases, Cold Chillin’ Records and Traffic Entertainment Group proudly present Master Ace’s “Take A Look Around”, available for the first time as a double disc set, including the original album, and a plethora of substantial bonus material, from artwork to audio. With all the songs being digitally re-mastered, and all the additional photography being supplied by the man who took the photos (George DuBose), this project has been thought out, done right and handled with care, and we hope you enjoy it.
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“The Bridge was never over / we left our mark / The jam is dedicated to you and your boys / I brought my Queensbridge thugs to kill that noise!”
-MC Shan could battle anybody!

Big ups to Traffic Entertainment and Cold Chillin’ for making this reissued extended play CD possible! To any fan out there of the old school,- Down By Law is the debut album from MC Shan and it’s a must have for any Hip-Hop enthusiast.
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“The cover art and title of “Breaking Atoms” are about as accurate as one can find. Crude high school chemistry teaches us that a tremendous amount of energy is required to split an atom, but once that is achieved, the subsequent release of energy is even greater. No one who has enjoyed or engaged in hip hop since the 1991 release of this album has done so exempt from the wide-ranging influence of this album—knowingly or otherwise. Easily on par with production-revolutionizing releases like Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” or Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth’s “Mecca and The Soul Brother,” “Breaking Atoms” is owed a serious debt of gratitude by any and all who have felt the power of the art form.”

Dan Mennella of RapReviews
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It’s a Compton Thang! …and it was ¢50 cents at Fry’s Electronics! Above the Law was founded in 1989 by members Cold 187um, KMG the Illustrator, Go Mack, DJ Total K-Oss and Kokane, under the supervision of Eazy-E and Dr. Dre. Now, how could I pass up an album that’s the same vein as N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton?!? Growing up in the suburbs of San Jose, I was a cool kid. I listened to my parents, got descent grades. I liked the same things you probably liked as a kid. Hulk Hogan, Transformers, Shasta Cola. But when the headphones went on my ears and the tape deck started playing… my hustle below the image I portrayed was straight Gangsta’! I loved Gangsta’ Rap when I was growing up… It was so hard to get, Moms knew what was up, she never let me buy albums like CMW, ATL or NWA.Back than those days, those guys were tough as hell and so thugged out I forgot they were Emcee’s I just called them Gangsta’s! To this day I love that Compton old school. It’s the BEST thing to listen to in the office… submerged in a ton of projects? Listen to Above the Law, it’ll make time fly by and get you thinkin’ of other things than work… like busting a cap.
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