Marley Marl: Re-Entry

Marley Marl re-enters the hip-hop atmosphere with skills intact. Bringing to fruition the potential of BBE’s Beat Generation series, Re-Entry is a reminder of why Marley Marl is considered a classic producer. While the other producers in the series carefully adhered to their already tried and true blueprints, Re-Entry demonstrates Marley Marl’s trademark versatility. He even displays evidence of matching particular beats with the appropriate MC; a factor few producers seem to give any thought to these days. On "Three’s Company," Big Daddy Kane proves that he’s still as nasty as he wants to be as he ruminates on the difficulties of trying to get some threesome action. Kyron of Screwball delivers some typically mindless 2001 ‘drunk up in the club’ lyrics (try “mami, you got buns for my salami” for a pick up line) on "Spazz Out." But other MCs like Grap Luva (Pete Rock’s lil’ brother) fare much better.

Marl’s tracks unfold like peanut butter being spread on bread; buttery smooth melodic stylings are enhanced by the crunch of crisp snares and hi-hats. He can also flip it from the darker-edged beats of "What U Hold Down," to jazz and funk inspired tracks like "Hummin" and "So Good" which feature Roy Ayers and Edwin Birdsong. For the younger hip-hop head who doesn’t remember Marley Marl from the first time around, Re-Entry will introduce him as a master beat maker, and for those in the know, it will serve as firm confirmation of Marley Marl’s continuing dominance.

Courtesy of BPM Magazine/ DJmixed.com