ALBUM SLEEVE NOTES
1) We live n Philly…I always loved the Roy Ayers jawn…I thought it would b phatt 2 do a remake…my man ?uestlove came in an laced the drums n percussion…he iz hands down the most incredible drummer Ive ever heard n hez from Philly…that guy can b a human drum machine…thank u dawg…P Smoovah laced the bass…old school style… no 1 has the bass feel he haz…Pete (white chocolate) Kuzma laid da keys Jus like dey did on the original joint…Chuck Treese laid guitarz lovely…Larry Gold did da stringz n da arrangement…hez da man 4 dat shit…thank you 4 the flava…then Jill Scott came n an laid the icing on the cake with a lovely journey through the dayz n Philly history…I love u babe…thank you…I held the record up till u came home from tour…it waz well worth the wait…
2) We are…this song moves me cause it has a purpose seeing that so many songz don t now a dayz…u can hear the emotion that Cy n Raheem give…I wish there were more songz like this…bangin wit a purpose
3) Charmed Life…I ve been a fan of J Live 4 a long time…he z a true mc…this iz 1 of my favorite trackz…when he picked this beat I waz like damn cause I loved it so much az an instrumental…when he laced it wit a small piece of hiz life it jus put the icing on the cake…thank u J Live for being what we need more of…true m.c.z
4) Shake It Off…wow…talk about last minute…the night b4 we finished all the mixing Kev Brown n Chef Word come up wit this shit…I m mixin "We Live n Philly," n go n the other room n hear this shit…I waz like letz finish n mix this shit…datz rite Chef Word…b that cat I know u can be…thanx
5) In Time…this iz the 1st of many collabz with Masters @ Work…my friendship with these guyz go back along way…me n Kenny met about 8 years ago n he z been like a brother 2 me ever since…I worked with them on the Nuyorican Soul…we always talked about a colab…this waz it…MAW comin wit tha dance side/ATOJ comin from da soul side…what a great combo…my man Vee haz been wit me 4 a long time…we been thru a lot of the industry shit 2getha…thank u 4 being 1 of the dopest vocalist n the world…history iz being made az we speak…thank u and 2 my brothaz from the 3rd member of MAW…thank u
6) 4 Da Love of the Game…Kenwood inspired this 1 by comin in while I waz messin around sayin datz phatt…P Smoovah grabbed the bass…Pete sat @ the Rhodes…Vee sang some shit…Paul walked in an said"4 the love of the game" Blak sat down wit Paul n wrote it…all this n about an hr…and it feelz so good…that s what I love about how we do what we do…itz never planned…datz ATOJ
7) Don t u Know ur Hood…wow…could this b a concept song…Pauly Yamz wanted 2 talk about catz n da hood that think dey know what z goin on…but really don t/Chef Word iz on all the shit dat u know about ur hood…were 2 eat, where 2 go or not 2 go…etc Jus another day n da hood…ya know
8) Scram…me n Freddie Foxxx aka Bumpy Knuckles have been cool 4 a while…Kev Brown really wanted 2 work wit him so he made a beat cd n we got it 2 him…he picked a beat n came down…now u know a veteran when u can come n and lay down a whole joint n 20 minz…and it phatt az shit…thanx 4 keepin it real dawg
9) Break it down…this iz a jem…j live laced me on da lyricz…P Smoovah (da golden child) laced da beat…p might b the most versatile musik cat I ever met…then I came up with a great idea…I m fanz of a whole lot of djz so y not have a tribute 2 all turntablist n get a bunch of the dopest cat I know 2 do cutz on it…I couldn t get all the 1z I really wanted…but I damn sure got enuff…djz…Spinbad, Kwestion, Obi Won, Avee, soul one, Jay Ski, Xcel, Sat One, Dirty Ice, Spin One, Babu, Qbert and Revolution…thank u all…I have the utmost respect 4 all of u
10) How I do…Shawn Stockman…u know from Boys II Men…we always talked about doin something 2gether…funny thing iz this happen from a drop by visit from him…thatz what I m talking bout…jus do it…he came wit some new different shit…great brotha 2 know…Cy Yeezy laced da rhymes as always…dat how we do…haha
11) Musik Lounge…Kev Brown iz the most unselfish producer I know…he hooked me up wit Kenwood and he introduced me 2 hiz man Amir…Amir came up n played me some beatz that were dope…but I waz tryin 2 get Kev Brown rollin so he went back 2 Maryland…he waz determine 2 get back 2 ATOJ n do some shit…8 monthz later he gave Kev a beat cd wit this song on it…writing and producing the song himself…the song feelz great n the topic fit right along wit what we are doing…I asked him if he wanted 2 b on the project…he said cool…all I can say iz dope…what the hell iz going on in Maryland…
12) My Peoples…I did this track n Vee sang some dope ass ooohhhs n aaaahhhs 2 add dat old flava…P Smoovah again on da bass n Pete on da keys…but I could not figure out where 2 go from there…do I want Vee 2 sing a song…or do I want Paul lace a rhyme…so I asked Raheem "what would u do 2 a jawn like this"…he said, "write some smooth shit"…I told him n Vee I wanted 2 talk about whatz goin on n the world 2day…15mins later he came up wit this…Vee added some more… these guyz r incredible…this iz not a lazy song…give a good listen…itz very uplifting
13) The Magnificent…Blak n Paul made me do this intro…I need 2 start of wit something…old school cutz, P Smoovah on da bass, Pete on da keyz, Vee wit da ooohhhz n aaahhhz…nice vibe 2 start off wit…a lil bit of what makes up The Magnificent
14) Worldwide…Blak n Paul have always had a chemistry 2gether…like 2 old school vets feeding off each other…this song iz hip hop wit a touch of Vee
15) Rock Wit U…1 of the best song writers n the world…Eric Roberson…from the heated NBA live battlez we ve had me n this brother have been cool from the day I met him…he bring jus as much energy 2 the studio as he does when he s losing n live (sike…he beats me sometimez)…he z a true fan of good musik…look out 4 this 1…he iz da shit…thank u man…whatever u need…holla…I m here
16) Travelz…this is my favorite Baby Blak song…he talkz about our journey overseaz…2 Canada and hiz trips 2 France…1 of the dopest mc s out…his time is now…get ready.
17) Love Savior…I ve been a fan of Flo Brown 4 a while…but never met her…1 of the dopest, deepest mc s…male or female…she blessed me with a jewel on this record…thank u Flo Brown 4 being true…letz keep it going…anytime u want
18) Mystery Man…Philly s own Last Emperor is the shit…I don t know what 2 say about him…its time 4 the world 2 know how dope he iz…through no fault of his…his records never came out…itz a shame that some1 this incredible hasn t had a chance 4 the world 2 know how dope he iz…yet….look out Here he comez…thanks Jamal…if u need me 4 anything…jus call