Saturday, July 28, 2007

YZ "The Return of the Holy One" (1992)

...so you've been a hip-hop DJ for a few years, and dropped a grip of sets at clubs and parties around your city. At this point, you're thinking about how this might turn out as a career. Try this technique: next gig, check your crates. Have you somehow convinced yourself that the possibility of dropping YZ's "The Return of the Holy One" may be a good idea? If so, the club game just probably isn't for you.


Finding YZ records has never been easy, although some of the Tuff City records have been repressed over the years. "Return of the Holy One" has always been of his most rugged cuts, and although the earlier shit is classic, this cut doesn't sound quite as dated as the pre-'92 material. "Return..." has all the definitive elements of what made '92 The Year Everyone Reminisces About: banging break loops, well-chosen horn samples, vocal samples, some chanting thrown in for flavor, all playing the back to YZ's distinctive delivery.

Lyrics on paper don't quite do YZ's flow justice, as he plays with intonation (particularly on this record) more than a lot of MC's...and admittedly, there are records where he shines a lot stronger (lyrically) than "Return..". All and all, though, another solid '92 banger.

Includes several variations of the title cut, which aren't necessarily obviously different: "Fonta Leaf Splif Mix" (vocal & instrumental), "Original Flavor" (vocal & instrumental), "Play it for Ya Mama" & "Buried in the Soil Clean".