SOHH LEFT COAST
Remembering a West Coast Classic: 21 & Over by Tha Alkaholiks
Posted on January 29, 2007 2:36 AM
The year was 1993, the beginning of an era that many would later refer to as “The Golden Era.” A year after Steve Rifkind started up Loud Records, emcees Tash and J-Ro, accompanied by their producer/DJ/sometimes emcee E-Swift, released a classic party abum that defied the sound that was predominant in the Los Angeles region at that time. That album was 21 & Over.
After making guest appearances on the tracks “Got It Bad Y’all” and “Bus Dat Ass” from King Tee’s criminally underrated opus Tha Triflin’ Album, Tha Alkaholiks showed they were ready to step out on their own, and they did so with a vengeance. From Tash’s opening verse on “Likwit,” the group made a mission statement that they would stick with for the majority career. They would release lyrically potent party jams that largely focused on the finer things in life- which was, in their case, blunts, bitches and brew.
5 years after EPMD sampled “Seven Minutes of Funk” by Tyrone Thomas and the Whole Darn Family, Tha Liks followed suit with “Only When I’m Drunk.” The beat was used three years later by Jay-Z and Foxy for “Ain’t No Nigga,” which definitely caught some more shine than Tha Liks’ version, but it’s debatable which song was better; although they’re completely different songs, they’re still of equal quality in my mind. The remaining 8 songs of the album (yes, this was back in the days when artists would release albums with 10 great songs, instead of 5 good songs, and 17 filler tracks) were all of equally high quality... although my faves are still “Last Call,” Turn Tha Party Out,” “Make Room” and “Who Dem Niggas.”
While Tha Alkaholiks made it a point to include their mentor on several tracks (something they later accused former Likwit Crew member Xzibit of not doing), they also introduced the world to The Lootpack on “Turn Tha Party Out.” Although that group would go on to release Soundpieces: Da Antidote in 1999, it was group member Madlib who would go on to gain the most recognition in the hip hop world, especially due to his work with Jay Dilla on the Jaylib album and with MF Doom and the Madvillain album. There’s word that Lib is also currently working on a collabo album with E-Swift. Over the years, other Liks albums would also introduce us to Strong Arm Steady’s Phil Da Agony and the biggest star to come out of the Likwit Crew, Xzibit.
Although Tha Alkaholiks ended on a sour note with 2006’s shameful final effort, Firewater, they did leave us with with 2 fantastic albums other than this one (Coast 2 Coast and Likwidation) and one other album that was decent (The XO Experience). But still, their debut showed a hunger that wasn’t seen in their later work, and in my opinion, it still stands out as their best album.
Comments
I remember I was hella young when make room came on the local radio show rap count down. I bought the tape, and ended up getting the cd, which is on my shelf now.
This is One of my favorite albums of all time. It was raw and the lyrics and the beats are on point.
what's the 411 on the Alkaholiks now, are they still rapping?
Tha Likwit Crew
Likwidation is my favorite, that
song with OBD is the shit, Coast 2 Coast
was dope to,
I still bang tha Liks
They was Hot cuz Tash was from East and had killa flow, J had an old school flow in 93 and the DJ was average. X ain't let them N8ggaz shine cuz bsides Tash they spit trash rap, Tash had a solo album but most of his beats were whack.
I neevr knew the liks used this track, a nigga was like 6 when this song came out........
white tee, baggies and scales, house shoes, grimey hood music..................................that LA shit........
white tee, baggies and scales, house shoes, grimey hood music..................................that LA shit........
white tee, baggies and scales, house shoes, grimey hood music..................................that LA shit........
white tee, baggies and scales, house shoes, grimey hood music..................................that LA shit........
myspace.com/polohiphop
"It's the Liks baby, It's the Liks"
I still haven't been sober since 21 and over. The Liks is the shit,or at least was. My homie kicks it with Tash. Tash was sick, he murdered X on every track they were ever on. I gotta go get Rap Life again, that was pretty dope, dude said the beats wasn't all that, but oh well, Tash did his part. J-Ro was cool. I heard him on somebodies album recently, I think X's last one, he was aight actually, better than I remember him from before. The few times E-swift decided to spit, I think he was better than J-ro. Together as a whole though, they were dope.
It's The Liks baby, It's the Liks. I always liked the Alkoholiks. Never a fan but they got my respect becuz they can spit. I put them in the same group as Del the Funky Homosapien, Souls of Mischief, The Pharcyde(Othafish, off A Bizarre Ride is my shit), and the other West Coast group that did Worst come to worst with Alchemist, sorry forgot their name. Can any "true" West Coast hip-hop head put me on to some real West Coast emcees? Being in the East it's hard to find them like that.
On the real, they were one of the only dudes from the west coast I respected as real lyricist and real hip hop. They get much respect.
Some real dopeness from out west, any east coast cat, looking for the real west.....
Dilated Peoples (they did worst comes to worst)
Murs
Hieroglyphics
go get that old Souls of Mischief
Planet Asia
Strong Arm Steady
Xzibit
some old Jayo Felony
Chino XL
we gotta lot of other shit, that's just off the top of my head.
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