World Famous Comics: New Jack City: Music From The Motion Picture
New Jack City: Music From The Motion Picture
By: Christopher Williams, Guy Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Explicit Lyrics, Soundtrack Label: Giant Records / Wea Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: March 05, 1991
Still holds up well despite dated tracks! New Jack City is one of the first CD's that really got me into Hip-Hop when I was in high school. Its funky, soulful, yet thought provoking and powerful songs was not only music to dance too but it had meaning and message that is often lost on todays Hip-Hop scene.
Every song from Ice-T's "New Jack Hustler" to Christopher Williams' "Dreamin'" to Keith Sweat's "There You Go" to Troop/Levert's combination version of The O'Jay's "For The Love Of Money" and Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City" with Queen Latifah adding her rapping style (before she turned into a very accomplished jazz/stage singer), they all had a meaning and a message. If you want the true essence of what hip-hop/rap is, what it was and what it should be about, then you need to peep this soundtrack. Highly recommended.
Another one of those "ya had to have been there" albums! Though the movie from whence comes the music on the album is a classic in its own right, the soundtrack is more a time capsule of what we listened to and danced to in 1991. Most of the artists/groups found on the release have either moved on to bigger and better things (Ice-T, Gerald Levert, and multi-talented Queen Latifah), are still recording with lesser success (Johnny Gill with "New Edition" and Keith Sweat), or have faded into relative obscurity (Color Me Badd, Troop, Guy, and 2 Live Crew).
But, in their day, they ruled the airwaves.
Ironically, the song that is the most dated is the sole remake: "For the Love of Money/Living For the City (Medley)". While the two in their respective original forms are just as thrilling today as they were three decades ago, the "new jack swing" version found on the soundtrack pales in comparison, which bears evidence to the fact that some songs cannot be remade.
But, honestly, the album is a good companion to a great film and that's all that can be asked of it.
H-U-S-T-L-E-R hustler. This is a soundtrack I've had for years but really rarely play. The truth is it's pretty good all the way through, but only 3-4 tracks stand-out to me. Obviously the Ice-T "New Jack Hustler (Nino's Theme)" is awesome, and was kind of the unofficial theme of the movie. "I Wanna Sex You Up" by Color Me Badd may seem cheesy now, but was huge at the time, and I actually still like it. Then there's "For The Love Of Money/Living For The City" with that unmistakeable opening, a good track for the film and greed in general. The rest is a mix of R&B/Soul and light rap, all decent, but nothing too amazing. Overall I guess this serves as a good time-capsule for 1991 if nothing else, in the genres anyway. Well worth the 94 cents it's currently going for used.
New Jack City is still going on? New Jack City is one of the movies that really made me realize what was going on out there in the streets. Another reality is that these things are still going on today as I am typing this review. There will always be a Nino Brown with a fly girlfriend on his side. All of this is simply life period and what more can I say besides the movie is great. I look at all the people who are now older and doing their thing. We really don't see Wesly Snipes like we used to. Ice T is doing his thing with "Law & Order", Vanessa Williams has finished her work on the "Soul Food Series", Christopher Williams is missing in action for whatever reason, but he is still a nice looking man, Allen Payne was really good in "Blue Hill", Michael Michelle is doing her thing. The movie has really shined the light on life in America along with how neighborhoods do in fact change. There will always be the "Pookies" too. Great movie, outstanding cast and script.
Still a slammin' soundtrack! I still talk about this soundtrack album a good 13 years later. I've already worn out the original CD I bought in '91 and I'm trying to get another one. This one was loaded with funky new jack swing numbers like Christopher Williams,F.S. Effect, Guy (too funky), Color Me Badd's bass heavy track, underrated Danny Madden's Facts of Love, Ice-T's aggressive New Jack Hustler and others! The ballads are nice--Johnny Gill's ballad gives Keith Sweat's some stiff competition! 2 Live Crew's somber, message-driven In The Dust is a smart alternative to their sex-driven songs. And the surprise here was the Troop/Levert/Queen Latifah song For the Love Of Money, a strong mix of soulful R&B and the Queen's no-nonsense hip-hop style. This really was a hot song using the rap/R&B collaboration style that Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Ja Rule, Ashanti and a number of artists use today! Phenomenal soundtrack with some gritty,urban, hard hitting beats and rhythms!
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
