Smart & Angry

Since I first heard Quik is the Name the spring of 1989, DJ Quik has stayed one of my  favoirte artist.  I remember almost nine years later when I saw a Circuit City ad for Rhytm-al-ism being released that the upcoming week and just smiling for like 3 minutes straight holding the ad. Some friends of mine a few months later even got me the promo poster for the album later that year(pause).

In celebration of his new album The Book of David being released today, I have selected for you 20 of my favorite tracks of his (which I been really debating over for the past few days). I left out any inclusions from his latest release  (although from the few listens I had already to the album, at least 7 of those tracks would of been on this list) to more showcase the greatness that was. I also didn't put on any of the Quiks Grooves series, because It would be unfair to single out one and not the others(since they were all so good).

Without further ado I give you my Top Twenty Quik Tracks

20)DJ Quik-Americas Most Complete Artist: One thing that I always liked about Quik, was the funk that he brought to Hip-Hop. This track embodies his music like none other. Oh and the cuts on it are insane as well. Love this track.

19)DJ Quik ft B-Real-Fandango(Trauma): Trauma is my least favorite of his albums(not a bad thing), I just didn't find it to be as musical as some of the stuff he had done before that point and after. Though there were a few cool jams. The single featuring the standout Cyrpress Hill member B-Real is stays on my playlist though. The beat knocks, and the horn stabs are stupid sick.

18)DJ Quik ft Nate Dogg-Black Mercedes: These two were amazing together. They also had turned  out the theme song as well from Chris Rock's Head of State movie(which was of course fresh) and seemed to be on a roll. Sad to think that they will never have the oppurtunity to work together again. R.I.P Nate Dogg

17) DJ Quik ft AMG, Mausberg & Sugafree-Down, Down, Down: Sugafree and Quik are like Snoop and Dre(if Dre was not so boring as a rapper), the two are untouchable together I could probably have easily put 10 tracks between the two alone.  This track is ridiculous though. That bass line? Stupid...

16)Toni Tony Tone Ft DJ Quik-Let's Get Down: Two of my favorites right here. When this track came out, I was like a kid in the candy store. It's one of those things looking back that you just never will fully appreciate fully. It's two of the greats coming together and turning out something better than anything you might of hoped for. 

15)Eightball & MJG ft DJ Quik- Jankey: I was always a fan of the Eightball and MJG. I remember my friend come over in college saying I needed to hear some tracks of the album. He intionally held this one out till the end, he knew I would go crazy on this. Jaw dropped, clean production on this one. One of the hidden production gems from his carreer.

15)Truth Hurts ft Rakim-Addictive:  I was in LA  for Spring Break in college and this song came on in the club I was at and I just had to find this who the arist was and who produced it. I searched for a month or two before it hit state-wide radio-rotation. I was even more ecstatic when I found out that Quik was behind it. Set the trend for Indian influenced production for sure.

14)DJ Quik-Pitch in On a Party: Was like a grown folks dance track right here. Some smooth uptempo type stuff to two-step too. This is the perfect theme song to describe my college weekends, and occasional party weekends to this dayl.

13)DJ Quik-I Don't Want To Party With You: The rhymes, beat, everything is so perfect. Funky, but fierce is the perfect way to describe this one.

12)DJ Quik ft 2^nd II None, & EL Debarge-Hand and Hand : Some more grown folks type dance music. I love the fact that it has latin rhythems on it too. When you add El Debarage to all thats already been mentioned...wrap city!

11)DJ Quik ft Wayan Morris-50 Ways: Quik is often underrated as a lyricist. Some of my favorite verses from him ever on this one.

10)2 Pac ft AMG, & DJ Quik-Late Night: Thinking about it now Quik needs to work with Rick Ross. This is some epic-type, flashy, mafia, granduer music right here. Exactly the type of beats that Officer Ricky likes to pick. I know Heartz of Men is the one that everyone knows (a great beat in itself), but this one takes you to whole side of the world. It just sounds rich, like a Gala type party held overseas with a bunch of powerful people and models in attendance, chandeliers galore, mansions the works.

09)DJ Quik-Summer Breeze: One of my favorite summer songs. Every time I driving down the freeway somewhere in coastal California, this is the song gets played eventually.

08)DJ Quik ft Digital Underground & AMG-Do Whatcha Want: One of the more fun tracks in his catalog. I really wish Quik would've done more work with The DU crew. The combination between the two is so perfect. Funky as funk can be. The spirit of Parliament/Funkadelics were channeled on this track for sure.

07)DJ Quik-Safe + Sound: I remember seeing this video and hearing the song. I wanted to own this tape so bad. I couldn't(mom was so strict and I was in Jr High)at the time though. Best believe I borrowed it many of times from friends, or it was the first tape that I would throw on if I was at a friend's house if they had it in their collection. The talk box, synths, and hook as well is just so evil. Like you it's a bad guy kind of anthem. Yet funky, like it should have been in a blaxplotation film or something.

06)DJ Quik & Kurupt -9x's Outta 10: One of the hardest beats made since Clipse Grindn track. Kurupt is ridiculous on this. I hadn't heard that man rap like this in years! My god! The combo is ridiculous! The effects that fade in and out are crazy! Classic knocker right here.

05)DJ Quik-Dollaz + Sense:One of the best diss tracks to ever be recorded . These mild-mannered rap disses today have nothing on this. Just came right at MC Eiht and let him know what was up. Favorite line “E-i-h-t should I continue, yeah I left out the G cause the G ain't in you” boom!

04)DJ Quik & Kurupt-Do You Know: This beat sounds like heaven. I honestly feel like I am above the clouds every time I hear this track. Don't know what got into the man on this one. The oh and the Soul II Soul sample as well? Flipped it crazy, I really do believe that “DJ Quik is more gifted than Santa” when I hear tracks like this.

03)DJ Quik ft AMG-Trouble: When the landscape was changing, Quik came through with one of the best sinlges(if not song) of all time. That indian sounding guitar part is sick. As well as that clap in the drum kit. I have never heard clap sound so crisp. This song never gets old even with the  mediocre  AMG lyrics.

02) DJ Quik-Tonite: When ever I hear that synth lead-in, I know what track is about to play. This is one of those tracks that will forever keep me in love with Hip-Hop music. To this day I remember where I was when I first heard this song even. There was a boombox downstairs at these apartments where I these teenage girls who were daughters of my moms friend watched me. We were close to the pool and some guy friend of theirs had a bunch of tapes and such, and when this song came on I just was hooked on the grooves. I had no idea what he was talking about back then. Years later though, I know all too well.

1)DJ Quik Ft Mausberg, & Raphael Saadiq-Well: Before even hearing this album, I remember reading the early reviews for Balance & Option's and every one of them kept hyping this track. On my Sony Discman that spring day the album came out,  I got to this song and ..I don't know what to say still. It's one of the most positive songs in Quik's catalog for one. Then you get the string arrangement assistance from Saadiq as well. Beautiful music right here. Anytime I listen to this song it's ike Frank Costanza would say “Serenity Now!”.