It’s not entirely accurate to say that DJ Quik is underrated. Ask any hip-hop head who are the best producers off the West Coast, and Quik usually occupies the second slot (behind the good Doctor, of course). But the Compton producer had the misfortune of emerging before the era of the superstar producer, and thus he’s not exactly a household name outside hip-hop circles, though he's not without his commercial accomplishments. He produced for Pac, Snoop, Dre and Jay-Z. And his own '91 debut, Quik Is the Name, is a seminal G-funk album and went platinum.
Quik’s latest collection, Blaqkout, is a collaboration with Dogg Pound's emcee Kurupt. Kurupt may have been born in Philly, but he became a West Coast staple in the early '90s when he and Daz played a major role on Death Row classics The Chronic and Doggystyle. He has a loose baritone flow that matches well with Quik’s juicy post-millennium G-funk. I’ve always thought that Kurupt needed a counterpoint, and Quik's helium vocals (he has the knack of sounding constantly astounded) help take the edge off.
There are many highlights. “Whatcha Wan Do” is an upbeat party jam with some pretty sick percussion courtesy of Quik and a great guest spot by the great West Coast femcee Yo-Yo. With its screeching harmonics and laconic funk, “Cream” is luxurious in the funkiest way possible. Kurupt and Quik generally rhyme about sex, drink, haters and weed, and, on an album like this, that’s not that big of a liability. But some of the beats do call out for a degree of lyricism that the pair can’t seem to muster. “Do You Know” is a nice and perhaps even beautiful track, but Kurupt and Quik don’t entirely do the production justice. Personally, I’d like an emcee who could match the sense of disenchantment and melancholy hiding behind those lush strings and falsetto squeals. But for the most part, these are minor quibbles, and this is a fun, summery album (check out the 808, ET bounce of “Jupiter’s Critic and the Mind of Mars”). It comes highly recommended.
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.
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