Built from Scratch is the second studio album by New York City DJ group The X-Ecutioners. It was released on February 26, 2002 through Loud Records and Columbia Records. The album was produced by Beat Junkies, Chris Frantz, CJ Moore, Dan the Automator, DJ Apollo, DJ Premier, Kenny Muhammad The Human Orchestra, Knobody, Large Professor, Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Mike Shinoda of American rock band Linkin Park, Sean Cane, The X-Ecutioners, Tina Weymouth, and was executive produced by Peter Kang.
The X-Ecutioners - Built From Scratch [2002] | updated
In a reviewing article for Resident Advisor, it clearly describes The X-Ecutioners as a "four-man DJ battle group as a team that consists of Rob Swift, Mista Sinista, Total Eclipse and Roc Raida coming out with a new album, Built from Scratch, to take the music genre of turntablism from an underground phenomenon to a more accessible sound. The record is more than a P.Diddy record, as it is a straight up hip-hop record of 2002 using the techniques being more built up from the days when Grandmaster Flash had his own adventure behind the wheel."[4]
"No hip-hop record is complete nowadays without the usual intro," as described from the article via Resident Advisor, "and ever since producer Prince Paul (formerly De La) brought them out the Skit. A lot of albums really have skits that are wack and get way too played out. However, The X-Ecutioners pulled off decent skits and incorporated a lot of scratching routines into 'em, as well as being quite funny." The skit, entitled "You Can't Scratch" that appears on this album, is carefully described well.[4]
"Let It Bang", which features rap duo M.O.P., is a bit of a tribute to the classical track, entitled "Ante Up", getting the feeling to start any party with their hardcore rhyme delivery and production, which makes it almost sound like a rock song. "X-Ecutioners (Theme) Song)", which features Dan the Automator, has a signature Automator feel, making it a real head nodding hip-hop, which sounds like a track from a Handsome Boy Modeling School album, digging a juggling routine as they create their own drumming pattern while using battle records. Besides the "You Can't Scratch" skit appearing on the record as the tenth track, "It's Goin' Down", which features Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn (Mr. Hahn) of American rock band Linkin Park, has a rap rock style to expect from Linkin Park being taken into the X-Ecution chamber, ready to be finally cut up, getting a lot of the JJJ play already, and is quite a decent track with a pretty average and flawless rap from Shinoda. An instrumental version of "It's Goin' Down" on the 12" format is included in the single that was released in March 2002. The single samples "Dedicated (Demo 1999)" from the LP Underground 2.0 EP, "Step Up" from the Hybrid Theory EP, and "Year 2000" by Xzibit. "Premier's X-ecution", which features DJ Premier, who puts his signature as a smooth hip-hop production style on the track as the X-Men cut onto the top. "The X (Y'all Know the Name)", which features Pharoahe Monch, Xzibit, Inspectah Deck, and Skillz, picked a creme de le creme of emcees who can easily flow to the beat. After cutting up samples for "3 Boroughs", Pharoahe Monch makes an appearance on the track and kicks some real flows, as Xzibit never fails to flow with the impression on his usual gruff voice delivery, while Inspectah Deck shows his versatility Wu-Tanger style and kicks some decent lines from his raps, and Skillz delivers mad skills on the mic.[4]
"Genius of Love 2002", which is a partial cover of Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love", features Tom Tom Club and Biz Markie on the track with his usual comical rhyme delivery. "B-Boy Rock 2001", which features Everlast, has more piano sampling hip-hop beats, not making it as crazy as Busta Rhymes' "Woo-Hah", as Everlast flows gets pretty stocky as a standard House of Pain style that works pretty well on the record. Besides the "Who Wants to Be a Motherfuckin' Millionaire" skit, listed as "Who Wants to Be a M*****F*****' Millionaire" on the back cover of the audio compact disc, "Play That Beat", which features uncredited rap vocals from Fatman Scoop on the record, is the track that could follow the path, after hearing the sampling club anthem of "Be Faithful" by Faith Evans. It is another history lesson in hip-hop with a hip-hop classic sample, as Fatman Scoop goes nuts for the mic, teaching people how to dance with the shout to who the DJ's are on the record. However, a Lo-Fidelity All Stars Remix of "Play That Beat" has a bit more of a disco groove with Fatman Scoop getting on the less annoying side and the vocoder adds the extra bit of funk. "Dramacyde", which features Big Pun and Kool G Rap, has a thug style rap that flows from the hip-hop originator of gangsta rap and Big Pun, who died on February 7, 2000 from suffering a fatal heart attack and respiratory failure at a Crowne Plaza Hotel while staying with his family before the album's slated release in September 2001. Kool G Rap's flows sound similar of the contributed UNKLE release, but the song shows off more of X-Men instead of the emcees. "X-ecution of a Bum Rush", which features the Beat Junkies (consisting of DJ Babu and rapper J-Rocc), has more of the east coast against the west coast turntablism, and a great ending to the album with hip-hop samples from both coasts, such as Dilated Peoples, and Gangstarr among others.[4]
The record only spawned one hit single from the album, entitled "It's Goin' Down", which was released in March 2002. The single was heavily written, produced, and performed by Linkin Park members Shinoda and Hahn. They both appear in the official music video along with other Linkin Park members, including Rob Bourdon and Dave "Phoenix" Farrell on drums and bass respectively, with Wayne Static from American rock band Static-X on the guitars. However, Bourdon and Phoenix of Linkin Park, and Static of Static-X were all not involved with the recording session for the single in the studio.
But because strictly scratching won't fly with the masses, "Built From Scratch" bubbles over with guest spots. "Intro," which features the Bay Area's Triple Threat, starts the record off in traditional mix-tape style, praising the X-ecutioners by deftly piecing together egotistical vocal snippets from hard-core rhymers like Mobb Deep. The four-man crew follows a solid but unspectacular hip-hop cut from frequent Swift collaborator Large Professor ("XL"), with an update of influential producer/DJ Marley Marl's "Marley Marl Scratch" into its own "X-ecutioners Scratch." MC Shan's original vocals take on four times the meaning when he declares, "If you think you can beat him, you must be nuts," while Total Eclipse shows why up-and-comers rarely challenge these turntablists with cuts quicker than Allen Iverson's killer crossover.
X-Ecutioners :: Built From ScratchLabel: Loud RecordsAuthor: Steve 'Flash' JuonIf you're a fan of the turntablist arts - or put more simply, if you like talented DJ's who can mix and do tricks - then you already know these X-Men. True mutants of the music industry, the venerable vinyl wielders Rob Swift, Roc Raida, Total Eclipse and Mista Sinista due with dusty grooves what Picasso and Van Gogh did with paint - except the landscapes these maestros create is built on sound. As a matter of fact, it's "Built From Scratch."Five years ago, these technicians of Technics attempted to solidfy their already solid live reputation with the album "X-Pressions" on indie label Asphodel. Unfortunately the album was crippled by a lack of publicity and the fact no big-name MC's contributed to any of their tracks. While all veteran hip-hop fans love to hear a DJ get wicked on the 1200's, it's undeniable that a great DJ with a great rapper or group is even better. What would Run-D.M.C. be without Jam Master Jay? What's MC Shan without Marley Marl? Can you even imagine Public Enemy without Terminator X?This time around, the X-Ecutioners have taken the best elements of their musical wizardy on wax and broadened the horizons by bringing in an array of all-star performers. Starting it off right on "XL" is Large Professor, a legendary rapping producer in his own right. Roc Raida and Knobody provide a vicious Brookly banger of guitars and drums for M.O.P. to rap over on "Let it Bang," and crossover comes in the other direction too as members of Linkin Park produce and rap on "It's Goin' Down" with X-Ecutioners providing scratch. Lest you think the musical mayhem swing too far away from hip-hop though, you're in for a real rare treat: Kool G. Rap and the late great Big Pun rapping together on "Dramacyde."These four songs alone would be worth the price of admission (a surprisingly low $9.99, at least at Best Buy) but the X-Ecutioners do not dissapoint on the more strictly skills oriented tracks either. If you're the kind of hip-hop head who has DJ albums by T-Rock and Q*Bert in your collection you won't be dissapointed by tracks like "X-Ecutioners Scratch" or "A Journey Into Sound." Dan the Automator produces the x-cellent "X-Ecutioners (Theme) Song" and "Premier's X-ecution" features a guest beat and vinyl slice by who else but perennial hip-hop favorite DJ Premier. Hip-Hop's legendary mouth music vocalist turned DJ Biz Markie even gets into the act with the remake "Genius of Love 2002," a worthy tribute to the original song.Some people are probably going to hate on this album because the X-Ecutioners are reaching out to a broader audience than turntablist fans this time, but this reviewer is glad to see four such skilled DJ's bringing a still relatively uninformed public deeper into the world of hip-hop elements. The pinnacle of this achievment has to be the thumping track "The X (Y'all Know the Name)" featuring the rap talents of (who else) Pharoahe Monch and Xzibit, with the X-TRA bonus of Inspectah Deck and Mad Skillz getting wreck. The fact that this track can appeal to both vinyl junkies and hardcore mic-wrecking fans proves that these X-Men know X-ACTLY what the fuck they're doing. Can you pass on this album and still be a true head? Maybe, but be careful you don't get X-ecuted.Music Vibes: 9 of 10Lyric Vibes: 8 of 10TOTAL Vibes: 8.5 of 10Originally posted: February 26, 2002source: www.RapReviews.comif (typeof(gnm_ord)=='undefined') gnm_ord=Math.random()*10000000000000000; if (typeof(gnm_tile) == 'undefined') gnm_tile=1;document.write(''); 2ff7e9595c
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