Enta da Stage
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Enta Da Stage is the debut album from East Coast hip hop group Black Moon, released October 19, 1993 on Nervous Records. The album was produced entirely by DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz. Enta Da Stage features the debut of popular underground duo Smif-N-Wessun, as well as appearances from Havoc of Mobb Deep and Dru-Ha, the co-founder of Duck Down Records. Though critically acclaimed, the album sold relatively few copies, despite having two Billboard Hot 100 hits ("Who Got Da Props?", "I Got Cha Opin"). Furthermore, the album is often overlooked in the midst of subsequent East Coast albums, such as Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Illmatic, Ready to Die, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and The Infamous. Nonetheless, Enta Da Stage preceded the aforementioned releases —serving as a precursor to the resurgence of the New York hip hop scene in the mid-1990s .
Conception
The roots of Black Moon stem back to Brooklyn's Bushwick High School, where 5ft and DJ Evil Dee met and formed a group called Unique Image. The two later met Buckshot in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn and formed a friendship based on similar musical aspirations[1]. The newly formed group met up with Evil Dee's older brother Mr. Walt and began recording the pre-production of their debut album at the Dewgarde Crib of Hits, located at the brother's house. Their first release as a group was their 1992 single "Who Got Da Props?", which is now hailed as a classic hip hop single[2]. Black Moon inked a deal with Nervous Records in 1992, based on the strength of their debut single, which peaked at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1993. Buckshot soon formed a close relationship with Nervous employee Drew Friedman, later known as Dru-Ha. The two formed a management company named "Duck Down Management"[3], and oversaw the release of Enta Da Stage as co-executive producers. The group finished the recording of Enta Da Stage at New York City's famed D&D Studios between late 1992 and early 1993, and prepped it for a late 1993 release date.
The music
Much of the acclaim the album received was due to the performance of lead MC Buckshot, who originally went by the name Buckshot Shorty. Ten of the fourteen tracks on the album are Buckshot solo tracks, and he appears on every song but "Son Get Wrec". Buck, who was 18 at the time of the recording, was a young man struggling to maintain, and rabidly trying to establish himself and his crew in the hip hop world. In a 2005 interview with MVRemix.com, Buckshot described a day in his life while recording his debut:
Enta Da Stage was really rough for me. It was a really rough era. A lot of people don't know what I went through personally. I think I had just turned eighteen and I had the pressure of running a management company as an eighteen year old shorter than 5'6. I had that problem of people taking my company and my representation seriously. So a day in the life around the Enta Da Stage era was based on constant struggle and lettin' people know you respect Duck Down management as a real management company and not just as some little cute thing that Buckshot is doing. Nah, for real, we're management type deal. I was battling keeping Smif-N-Wessun in a good deal, I was battling trying to get Heltah Skeltah a good deal. I was battling trying to bring my record company into existence, so it was a really hard time.”
- —Buckshot [3]
Lyrical content
The mindstate described in the above interview rules the content on the album, as the lyrics are loaded with violent narratives and braggadocio and little else, as Buckshot and 5ft try to solidify their status in rap. All Music Guide's Chris Witt stated that "Emcees Buckshot and 5ft Accelerator (though Buckshot dominates) attack their verses with an aggressive nihilism not heard since Kool G Rap's peak."[4] 5ft, originally known as 5FT Accelerator, only appears on three tracks here, and his lyrical content does not differ from that of Buckshot's. Unlike later work by New York peers like Nas, the lyrical content found here does not peer deeply into social issues or provide much substance. All Music Guide's album review stated that "Their's is a grim reality, filled with guns, weed and violence. Buckshot displays none of the usual gangster remorse, he is a willful public menace."[4]
Buckshot was praised not only for his lyricism, but also for his lyrical delivery and breath control, with his flow and dramatic, conversational vocal tones being seen as original and entertaining[5]. In a 2005 interview with AllHipHop.com, hip hop producer 9th Wonder stated that Buckshot's style strongly influenced his current sound, and that the singles "Who Got Da Props"? and "How Many MC's..." changed his life[6].
The album features an original style of choruses, which are now known as "Black Moon hooks", in which they gather a large number of people in the booth to simultaneously scream the lyrics. These vocals were provided by a number of artists, including Smif-N-Wessun, Dru-Ha, Mr. Walt, Mobb Deep's Havoc and the trio themselves. "Niguz Talk Shit", "Who Got Da Props?", "Ack Like U Want It", "Buck Em Down", "Black Smif-N-Wessun", "Son Get Wrec", "Make Munne" and "U Da Man" all feature "Black Moon hooks".
Singles
Enta Da Stage featured four singles and music videos, including their debut "Who Got Da Props?". In mid 1993, the "How Many MC's..." single was released[7]., which became popular in the underground rap circuit, but was not able to reach into the mainstream audiences, barely breaking into the Top 50 on the Hot Rap Singles chart[8]. The third single from the album was a remix of "I Got Cha Opin", which utitlized a smooth Jazz sample, courtesy of Barry White's "Playing Your Game Baby"[9]. The remix featured a new chorus and all new verses to go along with the new production. The single became the group's second Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1994, peaking at #93[8]. The last single, "Buck Em Down", was released in mid 1994, with the music video featuring the remixed version. Both the original and remixed versions featured sampled portions from Donald Byrd's "Wind Parade"[9], and similar lyrics, with the remix featuring a different vocal delivery and edited lyrics.
The album also spawned a number of additional remixes. Along with "Buck Em Down" and "I Got Cha Opin", the tracks "Ack Like U Want It", "Son Get Wrec", "Shit Iz Real", "How Many MC's..." and "U Da Man" all featured remixes, which were later included on Black Moon's Diggin' in Dah Vaults compilation[10].
Production
DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz, who produce the entirety of the album, put their samplers to use here, lacing the album with their signature basement sound, filled with hard drums, grimy horn arrangements and dark basslines. In the album's liner notes, DJ Evil Dee stated "This album was done on blunted terms. Anyone who is offended by the contents of the album, FUCK YOU. Nuff said.". All Music Guide describes the dark production, "The Beatminerz production crew craft subterranean beats to match Buckshot's mayhem. The tracks are dark, layered with muted jazz samples, and seemingly bottomless."[4] A few of the samples used here were later recreated by a number of hip hop artists in the 90s. The single "Buck Em Down" features a sample from Donald Byrd's "Wind Parade", a sample which was later re-used for Organized Konfusion's 1994 concept track "Stray Bullet". "How Many MC's..." features a sample from Grover Washington, Jr.'s "Hydra", which was used for earlier hip hop tracks like EPMD's "Underground". Instead of re-creating the same beat used on "Underground", Evil Dee and Walt take a portion of the sample and craft it into a different loop then that used by EPMD.
An Enta Da Stage review on OhWord.com praises the production work:
Though the album's success is largely attributable to Buckshot's performance, one cannot ignore the phenomenal production from the Beatminerz. They took the already dark sound of The Low End Theory and one-upped it, filtering out almost all treble and using spare, hardcore drum samples. The compositions of Mr. Walt and Evil Dee are also cleverly structured, propelling Buckshot's raps directly into the listener's psyche."..."The crackle of scratched vinyl pervades the album, contributing to the feel of warmth and timelessness. Thanks to the Beatminerz, there is something inviting about Enta Da Stage, despite its confrontational lyrics.”[5]
Significance
Template:Sample box start Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end Though not as widely heralded as similar groundbreaking New York albums of the mid-'90s like Nas' Illmatic, The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die, Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and Mobb Deep's The Infamous, Enta Da Stage was critically on a similar plateau.[11] Though all of the albums mentioned above were able to reach at least Gold status, Enta Da Stage, released before all these albums, has not sold nearly as well, reaching just over 350,000 copies in the US to date[12]. All Music Guide described the importance of the album, "It set the tone for much of the hip-hop to follow. Biggie Smalls suicidal thoughts and Noreaga's boisterous thuggery both have their roots here. The album marked a turning point in hip-hop."[4] Enta Da Stage has also been described as "Era defining"[13], and was one of the pioneering releases during the return of New York's street hip hop resurgence of the mid '90s, after the West Coast's reign of the early '90s.[14]
The album also served as the arrival of the Boot Camp Clik, Buckshot's rap crew. The Clik, also featuring Smif-N-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C., was a prominent underground rap crew in the '90s. Along with Enta Da Stage, Smif-N-Wessun's Dah Shinin', Heltah Skeltah's Nocturnal, and O.G.C.'s Da Storm were all hailed underground albums in the mid-'90s.
Another notable significance here was the debut of Da Beatminerz. After producing here, and on other Boot Camp albums Dah Shinin', Nocturnal and Da Storm, Mr. Walt and Evil Dee went on to expand their sounds, and produce for popular artists like Afu-Ra, Big Daddy Kane, Craig G, De La Soul, Dilated Peoples, Eminem, Flipmode Squad, Jean Grae, KRS One, M.O.P., Naughty by Nature, O.C. and Black Star.
Critical recognition
Enta Da Stage has received strong reviews by many sources. All Music Guide gave the album 4 1/2 stars (out of 5), while The Source gave a coveted 4 Mics. Customer ratings on the album usually range from 4 1/2 to 5 stars, based on major websites like Epinions, Rolling Stone, and Amazon. Former Source Magazine writer Cheo H. Coker stated in the November 1993 Source issue:
Enta Da Stage is a stunning debut that does not disappoint by any stretch of the imagination. The only term that adequately describes Black Moon's smooth combination of funky jazz rhythms and ferocious vocals is 'elegant madness.' It's nice to see that there are still shining spots of originality to be found in a genre that's becoming increasingly overrun by bogus bandwagon jumpers just out to make a quick buck. Make this jammie a priority.”
- —Cheo H. Coker [15]
Though praised for its originality and production, Enta Da Stage has also seen criticism for its monotony and lack of lyrical substance. Rolling Stone magazine gave the album a humble 3 Star rating, and criticized the release for "ignorance", and claimed that the release failed to capitalize on its promise, stating that "They leave blank the ultimate canvas - the self."[11]
Track listing
Sample information is taken from The-Breaks.com.[9]
Tracklisting and producer information is taken from the CD.[16]
| # | Title | Songwriters | Producer(s) | Performer (s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Powaful Impak!" | Ewart Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake | DJ Evil Dee, Buckshot | Buckshot |
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| 2 | "Niguz Talk Shit" | Ewart Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake | DJ Evil Dee | Buckshot |
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| 3 | "Who Got Da Props?" | Ewart Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake | DJ Evil Dee | Buckshot |
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| 4 | "Ack Like U Want It" | Ewart Dewgarde, Walt Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake, K. Reid | DJ Evil Dee & Mr. Walt | Buckshot, 5ft |
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| 5 | "Buck Em Down" | Ewart Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake, Larry Mizell | DJ Evil Dee | Buckshot |
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| 6 | "Black Smif-N-Wessun" | Ewart Dewgarde, T. Williams, Kenyatta Blake, D. Yates | DJ Evil Dee | Tek, Buckshot, Steele |
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| 7 | "Son Get Wrec" | Ewart Dewgarde, K. Reid | DJ Evil Dee | 5ft |
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| 8 | "Make Munne" | Walt Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake | Mr. Walt | Buckshot | |
| 9 | "Slave" | Ewart Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake | DJ Evil Dee | Buckshot |
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| 10 | "I Got Cha Opin" | Walt Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake | Mr. Walt | Buckshot |
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| 11 | "Shit Iz Real" | Ewart Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake | DJ Evil Dee | Buckshot |
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| 12 | "Enta Da Stage" | Walt Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake, Ernie Watts, F. Scruggs, Kirk Jones, T. Taylor, C. Parker | Mr. Walt | Buckshot |
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| 13 | "How Many MC's..." | Ewart Dewgarde, Walt Dewgarde, Kenyatta Blake, Grover Washington Jr. | DJ Evil Dee & Mr. Walt | Buckshot |
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| 14 | "U Da Man" | Ewart Dewgarde, K. Reid, Dru Ha, Kejuan Muchita, T. Williams, D. Yates, Kenyatta Blake | DJ Evil Dee | 5ft, Dru-Ha, Havoc, Tek, Steele, Buckshot |
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Credits
All information is taken from the CD.[16]
- Buckshot - Vocals, Background Vocals, Producer, Executive Producer
- 5ft - Vocals, Background Vocals
- DJ Evil Dee - Producer, Background Vocals
- Mr. Walt - Producer, Background Vocals
- Tek - Vocals, Background Vocals
- Steele - Vocals, Background Vocals
- Havoc - Vocals, Background Vocals
- Dru-Ha - Vocals, Background Vocals, Executive Producer
- Everette Lawson - Background Vocals
- Lynn Blackwell - Background Vocals
- Leo "Swift" Morris - Main Engineer
- Eddie Sancho - Assistant Engineer
- Luke Allen - Assistant Engineer
- Luis Tineo - Assistant Engineer
- Dave Carpenter - Assistant Engineer
- Joe Quinde - Assistant Engineer
- Merge One - Art Direction
- C² - Art Direction, Photography
- Chi Modu - Photography
Chart and singles history
Album chart positions
All chart positions from Billboard magazine (North America).[17]
| Year | Album | Chart positions | ||
| Billboard 200 | Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | Top Heatseekers | ||
| 1993 | Enta Da Stage | - | #33 | #7 |
Singles chart positions
All chart positions from Billboard magazine (North America).[8]
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
| Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1993 | "Who Got Da Props?" | #86 | #60 | - | #28 |
| "How Many MC's..." | - | #97 | #48 | #17 | |
| 1994 | "I Got Cha Opin (Remix)" | #93 | #55 | #15 | #4 |
| "Buck Em Down" | - | #81 | #17 | #2 | |
References
- ^ "5ft interview with MVRemix.com". Retrieved June 20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Black Moon interview with Yahoo! Music". Retrieved June 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Buckshot interview with MVRemix.com". Retrieved June 20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d "All Music Guide's review on Enta Da Stage". Retrieved June 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Enta Da Stage review". Retrieved June 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "AllHipHop.com interview with Buckshot & 9th Wonder". Retrieved June 24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ ""How Many MC's..." single". Retrieved June 26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c "All Music Guide Singles Chart Positions". Retrieved June 26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c "TheBreaks.com album samples". Retrieved June 26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "All Music Guide "Diggin' In Dah Vaults" tracklisting". Retrieved June 26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Rolling Stone album review". Retrieved June 21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Duck Down Records History". Retrieved June 20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Soldiering on through Bucktown". Retrieved June 20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Sputnik Music's review of Enta Da Stage". Retrieved 2006-07-09.
- ^ "Black Moon "Enta Da Stage"" (Album Review by Cheo H. Coker). Retrieved April 20.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Enta Da Stage by Black Moon CD". CD Universe. 1996 - 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-28.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ "All Music Guide Album Chart Positions". Retrieved June 26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)
