Eric B & Rakim - Don't Sweat The Technique

[stype_ones]

I might be in the minority here, but I'm pretty sure this is my favorite album of theirs. Obviously their first 3 albums are straight classic status. Paid in Full is seminal, basically the reason why Rap is what it is, although the 12" versions are far superior in a few cases. Follow the Leader was incredible in terms of the best songs, as was Let The Rhythm Hit Em. But DSTT was just bananas start to finish. There are no songs (outside of Juice) that can compare on any individual level to many of their previous joints, but overall as a listening experience, I am taking this album over the others. What's on your Mind (even though was from House Party 2 a year before), Teach The Children, Pass The Hand Grenade, Casualties of War, The Punisher, Juice (kinda reaching to live off this some time later, but how could you not put arguably the best 90's song on the album?), DSWTT. Album is mad official.

How do heads feel?

[claaa7]

it is a good album no doubt, but to me i think it's the album of theirs i like the least. it's still a 4/5 album but the three others are closer to 5/5 LP:s for me, but theres plenty of bangers on there and it's a good front-to-back listen. i do agree that "Juice" is one of their absolute strongest cuts ever, the credits for the soundtrack gives the credits for the song to Bomb Squad and that beat and Ra's rhymes are out of this world.

personally i would rank the albums, 1. "Follow The Leader" (one of the best albums ever created)
2. "Let The Rhyhtm Hit 'Em" (produced by Rakim, Paul C and Large Professor)
3. Paid in Full" (produced by Rakim, Patrick Adams and Marley Marl) (revealed in Coleman's "Check The Technique)

who produced "Don't Sweat The Technique" is more of a mystery who produced it or who produced what... there's some production coordinators listed though including Large Professor and Kerwin Young who was down with the Bomb Squad - maybe he produced "Juice" and Bomb Squad qot the credit as they were a bigger name)


which 12" versions are different btw, i only know the "Eric B. is Preident" original 12" had different mixes. are there more?

[claaa7]

just checked the booklet, and the third production coordinator listed is a guy called Richard Simmons who really haven't done much - (http://www.discogs.com/artist/2057830-Richard-Simmons-3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
what he has done seems to be more of soul/R&B-hip-hop so possibly he produced tracks like "What's On Your Mind" and maybe some other (been a while, can't remember if there's another jam of this style on the LP).

but yeah there's so many classics on here - "Teach the Children", "Pass Teh Hand Grenade", the title track, "Casualties of War", "The Punisher", etc.
compaed to the other three albums - this is definitely underrated, unfortunately. Rakim's '93 single "Heat It Up" with Gary G-Wiz was phenomenal too:

"HEAT IT UP" @ YouTube

[stype_ones]

Yeah, Heat It Up is great.

Don't get me wrong, I love all their albums, and as I said, outside of Juice there is no individual track on the album that can mess head to head with the classic joints on the first three albums. I just feel like from start to finish the listening experience is better with DSTT. There's no Chinese Arithmetic, Eric B is On The Cut/Never Scared etc to skip over. I realize the importance of focusing on the DJ for a track at the time but at this point it's skipped right over. It's like you said, it's really semantics as all their albums are 4 mics and above depending on opinion, but i listened to the whole thing straight through twice in a row yesterday and really enjoyed it. I have no clue who produced this album lol.

BTW, original 12" versions are basically just Eric B Is President and My Melody. The Cold Cut Remix of Paid in Full is a remix, not really any original but I do prefer that version.

[stype_ones]

double post

[step one]

As great and influential as it Paid In Full is, its a bit patchy imo - take away the filler instrumental (Eric B Is On The Cut and Chinese Arithmetic) and the fact that the UK remixes of Paid In Full and I Know You Got Soul are better than the LP versions so there's room for improvement. That said, the best tracks on there are some of the best Rap songs ever released.
Dont Sweat has aged well and is the most consistent listen as a whole imo.

Here's a blend I did using the Dont Sweat The Technique acapella over the DJ Format remix inst of Frankensteez 'Mister Jason Has A Posse'

https://soundcloud.com/djstepone/dont-sweat-the-technique-dj

[bbatson1]

^ I remember that blend from a long time ago Step. Dope mix.

And i love the album as well. What's on your mind, don't sweat, etc are all dope. The Ra on Pain In Full with the higher pitch voice and slower flow is still my favorite.

The BPM's on the albums after got really high on some songs but came back down some for this one.

It's funny how just having some girls in his video got sooooooooo much criticism back then. I remember them killing the video.

[Thun]

This is my favorite Eric B and Rakim album. "Teach The Children" and "Casualties Of War" are his best "serious" songs, "The Punisher" and "Pass The Hand Grenade" are the ultimate realization of his "voice so cold it's terrifying" approach, "Relax With Pep" is crazy smooth, plus you got "Know the Ledge" which wasn't really all that old by the time the LP dropped. Honestly, the title cut was one of the weaker cuts and it is still an underrated party cut. Drums are perfect throughout.

[Philaflava]

No shame in loving...

I seen her in the subway, on my way to Brooklyn. Hello, good looking, is this seat tooken

I may prefer FTL a bit more but this is definitely one of his best albums.

[clark bent]

def their best....its the only album that has beats to stand up to ra's rhymes

with the exception of the title track the paid in full beats are pretty vanilla and have aged like a hunts point crack whore

follow the leader is a straight up emceeing masterpiece a how to book on rhyming but the beats only exist because you couldn't have put out an a capella album

let the rhythm hit em sounded more current and it started the progression to don't sweat but still had dated sounding beats even for the time

don't sweat the tech brought it all together