The first time I heard “Hypnotize” on the radio, I knew it was gonna be huge. Biggie’s impeccable flow had seemingly improved in the two-plus years since he’d released his debut Ready To Die. Puff Daddy and his Hitmen sampled Herb Alpert’s 1979 disco hit “Rise” in a way that had equal appeal to the… Read More “Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)
Puffy didn’t invent the remix. Even the idea of reconstructing a song so it was almost completely different from the original and calling it a remix existed before Puffy. However, his re-rub of Bad Boy’s first hit set a couple of precedents and served several purposes. Oh, and it might also be the best hip-hop… Read More “Flava In Ya Ear (remix)” by Craig Mack feat. The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage the Last Boy Scout, LL Cool J & Busta Rhymes (1994)
There was Mariah Carey before the “Fantasy” remix and Mariah Carey after the “Fantasy” remix. Prior to this remix, Mariah seemed to be headed down a direction that could charitably be described as “middle of the road”. Inspirational ballads, soft-rock covers, and the occasional dance-informed tune to remind her fans that she was a) still… Read More “Fantasy (Bad Boy Remix)” by Mariah Carey feat. ODB (1995)
Bad Boy Records spun off a seemingly endless array of hit singles and albums from its 1994 kickoff through the early 2000s. Great. I think we can all agree that Puffy is a genius marketer. But how much of the music actually holds up fifteen-twenty years later? Opinions may vary, of course, but here’s what… Read More “Emotional” by Carl Thomas (2000)
Five Star Jamz 