2 Hype [Original recording reissued, Import]

From January to April 2000, I hosted and produced a radio show called 'New Jack City' on 91.9 KCSB-FM, UC Santa Barbara's campus/community station. My playlist consisted of music which was mostly from my own collection, and it was during this time that I purchased this album and listened to it for the first time during a road trip to San Diego. I was *very* impressed with this album, and the rest of this review will be a summary of my listening experience. '2 Hype' opens up with "Rollin With Kid 'N Play", a go-go influenced jam that still sounds good to this day (go-go is a Washington D.C. style of urban music -- E.U.'s "Da Butt" is the most famous example). The call & response chorus (Oh la, Oh la, Ay) along with the beat is very memorable, and takes you back to a time when hip-hop had more of a sense of upward mobility, pride, optimism, and self-respect.

"Brother Man Get Hip" is a decent album cut which is basically an exercise in lyrical self-promotion -- musically, the production is solidly late 80s hip-hop. "Gittin Funky" skillfully employs funk and soul samples to make an interesting collage of sonic elements not unlike what the Beastie Boys were able to achieve with their landmark 'Paul's Boutique' album. But it's "Soul Man" that proves both thematically and melodically uplifting to those who can appreciate it's implicit message. On "Damn That DJ", Kid 'N Play continue to flow over another decent 80s hip-hop beat before we're led into "Last Night", one of the albums highlights. Featuring a well structured sample of "Ain't Nobody" by Rufus, the song follows the duo on a night out, and makes for a lighthearted and entertaining listen.

I remember seeing the video for '2 Hype' back in 1988, which featured the two rappers trying to babysit a cute child for one of their friends. Featuring the chorus of Stevie Wonder's "Uptight" (baby, everything is alright) '2 Hype' is *actually* about hooking up with someone. Then we're off into "Can You Dig It" which cleverly samples Paul Simon's "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" (the drum section). When I first heard "Undercover" I was floored -- the song samples Grace Jones' "Jamaican Guy" the very same way a certain Def Jam rapper used it in 1995 for the now classic "Doin' It". Even more interesting, "Undercover" (like 1995's "Doin' It") is a steamy *duet* between Kid and The Real Roxanne, much like LL's duet with Lashaun. Because of the 'ahead-of-it's-time' vibe it now communicates, "Undercover" is my favorite song on the album.

"Do The Kid 'N Play Kick Step" pays sonic homage to James Brown in this frantic explanation of Kid 'N Play's signature dance move. Listening to this song makes my mind replay historical black & white footage of the many classic dance styles invented and enjoyed by African Americans throughout the 20th century. We close the '2 Hype' album with what is probably the best song, (and coolest video from this album) "Do This My Way" featuring a great beat, confident lyrics, and a nostalgic feel. In closing, I must say that I am surprised at how easily this group seems to have been forgotten. I'm hoping that one day, acts like Kid 'N Play, New Edition, Troop, and Karyn White receive the "props" their efforts truly deserved.