RSSRequest Line: Chillin Villainz Posse
The Jammin’ Jay Be Nice – “Can U Love A Villain?“
Chillin’ Villainz – “Power To The Posse“
from Can U Love A Villain? 12″ (Yo Dog, 1988)
If Tuesday was Bay Day in SSYNH Week, then today is Blowed Day. For those just joining us, Project Blowed being shorthand for the loose collective of emcees that codified around the legendary LA open mic of the same name (before that it was the equally revered Good Life Cafe). The scene spawned Freestyle Fellowship, CVE, Medusa, Busdriver, Jurassic 5, The Shapeshifters, The Nonce, Volume 10, etc., all of whose styles were (once) rooted in jazz informed double time rap that paralleled (some might say was bitten by but I’ll leave such chronological battles to the artists themselves and other ravenous internet fanboys) the work of Twista and Bone Thugs but was often (but not always) more earthy. Most of you already know all this and I’m not sure why I’m restating it. But if you don’t, the recently released This Is The Life documentary might be a good place to start. Or check the archives, as I’ve written extensively about these guys, if you didn’t notice. But yeah, start there. Today’s posts are more footnotes for the initiated diehards.
First up, as requested in the comments, is this incredibly rare (it took me close to ten years to find a copy) pre-Good Life 12″ from group that would become CVE (Chillin’ Villain Empire). Then they were simply the Chillin Villainz and the lineup was Filet Of Soul (NGA Fish?), The Riddler (Riddlore) and Jay Be, who I don’t think recorded much after this. Jay rocks the solo cut on the A-side and it’s mostly light weight lover man rap that doesn’t bear much similarity to what the group would go on to do. Great scratching though. (CVE would also later make their own loose interpretation of the “Can You Love” theme.) But when Jay passes it to the homies on the flip, “Power To The Posse” you can hear some of those Blowdian styles starting to take form. The upbeat electroish number finds the trio throwing tag team bars, learning to rap fast in real time.
Hit the jump for an early history of the group via their site, Curbserver.com.
The group had its start in 1985 in the cities of Venice and Santa Monica. The Rhymin’ Riddler? (Now Riddlore?) and The Jammin’ Jay Be Nice hit the clubs (such as 321 in Santa Monica), the high schools they attended. house parties, streets and always the beaches letting all know to “beware ’cause there’s a villain in your neighborhood”. The term “Chillin Villainz” describe how the black male is considered to be villainous in Amerikkk/kan society before a crime is committed…just chillin at a bus stop when a car pulls up and the doors lock. The group name was Chillin Villain Posse (CVP) and was revised to C.V.E in the late 80’s. In those days the equipment was a drum machine and two DJ’s who went by the name of Treacherous Kid Chaos (TKC) and Very Vital. Several songs were recorded at studios such as Mad Dog (Venice, CA) and eventually a 12′ with “Can U Love A Villain” and “Power to the Posse” as the featured cuts.
15 Comments, Comment or Ping
nico
wow. never even heard of this and I consider myself an avid CVE fan.
Oct 15th, 2009
Aurich
CVE always seemed to me like the group that could never quite claw their way to the next level when it came to actual recordings. Not from lack of heart (GOTTA COME UP) but they just couldn’t put together solid releases. The Kaos Coup De Ta EP is probably the closest thing to a cohesive recording IMHO, otherwise it’s just killing the guest spots (a favorite being Hi-Style Takeover on Jizzm’s first solo).
Oct 15th, 2009
noz
I’ve always thought that a properly mixed and mastered Declassified could have been a classic. And not just in the context of the blowed. I mean a genuine street classic. They could have been LA’s Three 6 Mafia.
Oct 15th, 2009
nico
part of their brilliance, I think, comes from them not giving a fuck about breaking into any form of the mainstream… they do what they do and don’t trip on it, I think that’s essential to their aesthetic. God I love CVE. I’ve been playin the fuck outta that good life doc. for everyone I know lately and they walk away appreciating CVE (not to mention many of the other wonderfully talented artists).
Oct 15th, 2009
Emynd
HAHAH Ridd is rapping about biters on this song too? Amazing.
-e
Oct 15th, 2009
pip skid
this is amazing.
i never knew about this shit.
the beats even sound all haunted housey back then.
Oct 15th, 2009
Tray
So I was reading the Root and happened on your piece and was like, “what the fuck, something on The Root that’s intelligent, makes sense, and is actually more or less right about everything it says.” So naturally I clicked over to this “dynamite blog” that Mr. Nosnitsky runs, and surprise surprise, it was you.
Oct 15th, 2009
i'm in shambles?
wow, i didn’t know shapeshifters was a part of that whole scene. of course i know absolutely nothing about any of these project blowed cats except by seeing them mentioned on this site a bunch. shapeshifters i arrived at independently after hearing my local college radio rap show play, if i remember correctly, the entire circus ‘gawd bless the faceless cowards’ album when it came out. CLASSIC! that album has always blown my mind in its sheer innovation: a really funky and good rap album with almost NO rhyming!! anyway, i guess that’s my request, any circus/shapeshifters freestyles where circus just goes off for like 10 minutes without rhyming.
Oct 15th, 2009
nico
shambles -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q57P5KaFUqM
peep game
Oct 15th, 2009
nico
and of course
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2sfNeEDcOA
circus comes in with the monkey raps about halfway in
Oct 15th, 2009
david
lol @ paralleled
biters is biters …it took 20 years but people have the proof now….
Oct 15th, 2009
Nick
Thank you for posting this 12″. I was curious about it for years!
And not only DECLASSIFIED would have been a genuine street classic!!!!!…
Oct 16th, 2009
i'm in shambles?
nico…….WOW!!!!!
Oct 16th, 2009
nico
that’s what i said the first time i saw that shit homie!
Oct 16th, 2009
stoehner
Can you post the Remix to “power to the posse” shown in the picture?
Jan 5th, 2010
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