After Universal Mind Control, I needed to be reminded that once upon a time the Neptunes actually served a purpose. Haven’t heard this track since Chad and Pharrell met Pusha and Malice, thus breaking the tender hearts of Philly’s Most Wanted, who were never heard from again. I was going to write an entire post about how this song provides the foundation for a sound immigration policy, but that seemed a bit over the top—even for me. Suffice to say, I’m willing to bet this is not the Minutemen’s favorite song (no D. Boon).
19 comments
clown says:
December 3, 2008 at 2:24 pm (UTC -7)
Never understood why they didn’t break out. “Please Don’t Mind” was pretty nice.
Passion of the Weiss says:
December 3, 2008 at 2:30 pm (UTC -7)
Agreed. They had a couple really good songs and knew how to write singles better than Clipse. Their “Street Tax” collaboration is pretty great too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyW6tk0j_Os&feature=related
fresh says:
December 3, 2008 at 2:51 pm (UTC -7)
I haven’t heard this song in a minute, one of my favorite Neptunes beats. I actually prefer the instrumental to the full version. But the Neptunes were down with the Clipse a few years before they produced anything for PMW –> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8NnDbfd4yc
Passion of the Weiss says:
December 3, 2008 at 3:16 pm (UTC -7)
I know, but it would’ve ruined the joke. Though, obviously, Lord Willin came out after this. That “Funeral” song is crazy–never heard that before.
Tray says:
December 3, 2008 at 4:28 pm (UTC -7)
You never heard Funeral?? Noz may murder you. His whole life used to be writing about the amazingness of their unreleased first album that never came out.
This is a great song, but probably not a good foundation for a sound immigration policy. There are, unfortunately, some costs to letting people cross the border willy-nilly. Although yeah, if we just let everyone in legally, then we wouldn’t have this icky problem where illegals get paid sub-minimum wages and fuck up the labor market for others.
Passion of the Weiss says:
December 3, 2008 at 4:42 pm (UTC -7)
I have Exclusive Audio Footage collecting dust on my hard-drive–I should probably listen to it.
I dunno about it really being a sound immigration policy, I’m just in favor of letting hot Spanish mamis cross the border as Boo-Bonic and Mr. Man seem to maintain would happen.
Scott T. Sterling says:
December 3, 2008 at 5:28 pm (UTC -7)
In terms of amazing Neptunes beats that go unheralded, I nominate the gorgeous track they cooked up for 702 a few years ago, “I Still Love You”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLVIlHdy0lI
And the weird thing is the more people hate on Pharrell, the more I like him. I mean, he’s completely ridiculous, but that’s kind of the appeal. Well, that and the fact that he’s so pretty (No Prop
Tray says:
December 3, 2008 at 5:35 pm (UTC -7)
See… right now under the current system, you’re only seeing the hot ones cross the border. They come over here to model, and of course they can afford to get their visas and crap in order. If we just let everyone over, we’d see a massive exodus of ugly Mexicans. I guess they couldn’t be any worse than your average American girl.
Sach says:
December 3, 2008 at 6:12 pm (UTC -7)
Aaaaaahhh, memories of getting high before my parents came home and straight chilling in front of Rap City.
How’s that Minutemen album for ya?
douglas martin says:
December 3, 2008 at 6:30 pm (UTC -7)
way to bring it back, weiss! i have their album in a CD book full of rap records i don’t listen to anymore; maybe i should bust it out. i can up this album for you over the weekend if you don’t have it. the “cross the border” remix (with the clipse– i think) is fire, too.
i’m on the board with this one: these guys should have blown up. i think they came around at the wrong point in the neptunes’ career; if they would have dropped after the clipse instead of before, they’d probably just as famous, if not more (due to the aforementioned ability to write singles).
Trey Stone says:
December 4, 2008 at 2:01 am (UTC -7)
at this point, the only thing i’m interested in about “UMC” is the writing credits, cuz while Common’s mentioned that Chad was involved in interviews most of the really shitty late-period Neptunes stuff has been written just by Pharrell. would be a bad look for the Neptune no one talks about
Tray says:
December 4, 2008 at 2:07 am (UTC -7)
So as an admitted Pharrell stan, are you hoping that Chad was involved, so as to spread the blame for this disaster?
Trey Stone says:
December 4, 2008 at 2:34 am (UTC -7)
nah, i’m just curious. besides, there’s been shitty full-length Neptunes efforts involving both before. see: Slim Thug album (though yeah, better than this.)
Tray says:
December 4, 2008 at 3:52 am (UTC -7)
Well Slim Thug’s wasn’t shitty, it was just the Neptunes beats that sucked. (Except for the title track and ‘Like A Boss.’ And maybe ‘I Ain’t Heard Of That’ on a good day.) Mr. Lee’s contributions were great.
Zilla Rocca says:
December 4, 2008 at 7:18 am (UTC -7)
PMW was WACK and most of this album was filler, cookie cutter Neptunes beats. You miss nothing if you’ve never heard it.
DocZeus says:
December 4, 2008 at 8:10 am (UTC -7)
I actually sort of like Slim Thug’s record.
Sach says:
December 4, 2008 at 8:23 am (UTC -7)
Slim Thug’s record had some jams. 3 Kings, Diamondz, Boys n Blue. Thing is none of those are Neptunes beats. Classic example of trying to switch up your sound for the mainstream and failing.
douglas martin says:
December 4, 2008 at 12:17 pm (UTC -7)
i sort of disagree, zilla. but i haven’t listened to it in a while, so maybe time hasn’t been good to it. alls i know is that it was my jam when it came out.
Tray says:
December 4, 2008 at 12:45 pm (UTC -7)
“3 Kings, Diamondz, Boys n Blue.”
AKA Mr. Lee’s contributions. I was surprised to see, though, how generic and average his beats on the ABN album were.