The P Army // Sincerely, The P / lyrics / store / instagram /

Hi

Is it me or i've noticed a change in the choice of samples, quality of sound and general vibe of the P since Stepfather.

I mean, the first 3 albums + the EP where filled with lo pass filter samples and the samples melodies where more funky, jazzy old time vinyl samples. You could hear more of that vinyl static.

Now the last albums the sound is more hi fi or commercial.

I find it too clean and the samples are less original.

For instance songs like: Pass the 40, The Wiz, California, Love's Theme, Down in LA, Reflections, Jamboree Part 1, Anotha BBQ...are too clean and commercial.

What's up with the raw beats like: The Cat, Blowin Wax, 43 Labels I Like, The Dig, July 3rd, San Francisco Knights, Mid-City Fiesta, Jappy Jap, Critical Condition, Fly Love Song, Keepin It Live....Those are the Bomb!!!

Please stick to the underground formula!


I know Thes aims for good quality music and gear and wants to be a proud engineer but at the same time, don't be afraid to keep it raw and crispy....like before.

Am i the only one thinking that?

Also what's up with some song titles:

Step Bacc
Step In
Step Off
Flex Off

this is the oldest conversation in the book. There's always gonna be fans who are like, "man, why didn't they stick to their original style, why change it up to do something different", and I'm as guilty as any for indulging in this train of thought. For example, with Shadow, RJD2, J5, UD, Heiro, a whole bunch of guys, i've thought, wtf are these guys doing... But then I matured enough as a music listener to have to ability to think about it from the artists perspective. Even if you do hit on a perfect formula for underground hip hop, would you, as an artist, want to do the same over and over again deli? Really? No, you develop, as my man Gambit said, and as you inevitably develop as all human beings do, so do your production techniques and your style and your content. And I disagree with you Deli, I think that the most recent album is definitely raw in style, and I also love the song tracks. I think if your a real fan of the P you'll appreciate the in joke of the song tracks all following on from eachother. That's my opinion anyways.

"Please stick to the underground formula! "

my fav. part.
tell em why you mad son!

anyways, absolute nonsense as far as im concerned. new tracks sound rich and mature. a jazzy loop with drums layered on toop gets a little tedious after 10 years.

dodo: "For example, with Shadow, RJD2, J5, UD, Heiro, a whole bunch of guys, i've thought, wtf are these guys doing..."

With UD and PUTS, I really enjoy hearing the changes, 'cause I can follow them. I didn't care for Blvme's guest spot or the sample on "California", and I wasn't too into the message of "I Want to Believe" from UD's Audacity (being an agnostic myself), but that's about it. That's just my particular taste.

I think that the "cleaning up" thing happens to everyone who comes along, and you have to decide where you can say "I can still dig it" or "I have to get off this train and recognize that it was a fun ride while it lasted". I think you can respect the artist and still not like every artistic period they went through.

Case in point from an alt-rock perspective: Smashing Pumpkins. I loved their early raw stuff (Gish), and I was surprised when they got über-commercial, BUT I DIDN'T CARE, 'cause I still enjoyed the music. But when they started up again recently with "Zeitgeist", I was like "Sorry, you went to far into the woods for me to follow you". I still respect what they did and still listen to what I liked, but I can't dig on something that I just know I won't appreciate.

DJ Shadow and J5 are similar. I respected the change, but couldn't listen to it. Hyphy (with Shadow) and losing Cut Chemist (J5) were things that I could respect, but I couldn't stay with them on. I'm sure in the proper setting, I could listen to Feedback or The Outsider, but with all the music I have, I'd choose something else.

Gift of Gab/Mighty Underdogs is sorta the same way; Gab's first solo album was awesome, but this newer Mighty Underdogs stuff and his new one about to drop are just not to my taste.

To use a food analogy: I respect the combination pizza, but those onions f*ck my stomach up, so gimme that slice of pesto mushroom.

Any musical act that sticks around long enough is going to evolve. Old school P is dope, but it is now old school P. You should be stoked that this new sh!t, the last 3 albums, are so damn good. The P is evolving for better, the beats and rhymes are more cohesive. Basically, over the years, the P took jazz and funk loops and loose rhymes as far as they could go. If the P had made these last few albums with the exact same formula as Next Step and Question, would they be better than Stepfather/Fun DMC/CA? No one knows, it is good enough to know they are still touring, recording, and keeping it real. The new music is unique from anything else, take it or leave it for what it is.

YoYoPo said: I think my analysis was a bit... minimal.

Delikatessence man, I understand where you're coming from and it's true, The P have had changed to their sound. A couple of the more recent tracks, maybe I'd agree with you. But I think any group will have an evolution and if they didn't, what's the point?

I think the word "commercial" isn't really appropriate, clean maybe but not commercial. And saying the samples are less original is a bit off - Stepfather had some crazy obscure samplage and it still blows me away with some of the production. It's all opinion though and I'd hate to think criticism couldn't happen on here... hater up!

Yeah, this really shouldn't be a big circle jerk.

On the real, I am sure Thes and K are capable of really doing some different sh!t, but I think they try to supply you guys - the fans - what you want to hear (sampled loops and drum beats). As you know those guys can play instruments and they could create a completely different sound that many of you - from the sounds of it - would not like. There lies the artist's dilemma. I think that is why the guys have side projects to explore those spaces while not alienating their bread and butter.

Honestly, I do not know if it gets any better than OST. I think that is when everything came to a head. It is the tipping point for PUTS and all you hear now is the streamlining of that record. In terms of ranking, Stepfather and Carried Away are strong showings in their catalogue. For some reason, I was not open to FUN DMC. I think it was due to where my head is now in terms of the proper way to market a record. I just didn't hear enough from Thes and Double K talking about it to get me jazzed. I don't know, I'm babbling.

But have a little compassion, people. Really, they're human. They grow and move onto other things.

GAMBIT THE MC said:

Delikatessence said: Hey thanks for sharing your opinions guys.

First of all sorry if i was a bit radical in my approach.

PUTS are still one of my all time favorite hip hop group.

I gave myself 3 albums before finaly reviewing those that way.

To me OST and Questions are hall of fame all time favorite hip hop masterpieces.

Also the lyrics of those two albums made me think PUTS would really the raw sound.

Just by their lyric you could've swear they would kept it raw:

"Stop wonderin' why being different doesn't mean better..." -Crazy Live
"We travellin the globe tryin to take it back to 92...." -Blowin Wax
"I'm a break your synthesizer and your drum patch....." -Blowin Wax

Dude, I don't know how old you are, but if you don't feel that PUTS sounds anything like stuff from the 90s, then you need to revisit your crates or get your hearing checked. There are many that hate PUTS because of the "dated sound" to their music. I don't think it sounds dated. To me, it's timeless, but that's besides the point.

Yes i'm actually saying OST & question really sound like 90 stuff.

Sorry my english.

I have to agree with gambit on his point too.
I was on rateyourmusic.com a couple of days ago, lookin for Carried Away.
And this cat commented about how seriously dated the P are, they're stuck in the past and how they just don't deliver
That's just such bullshizzle man, the P just make music, keeping in mind the music they heard back in the days, which they fell in love with.
Timeless, good music that just doesn't get old.