The Vault: Classic Music Reviews Podcast

B. Cox and Domo review Mary J. Blige's pivotal third album Share My World as it turns 25. After a three-year hiatus from her sophomore album My Life and a split from producer, manager and mentor Sean "Diddy" Combs, the annointed "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" reemerged on a new label and with a change in sound. After suffering from clinical depression and bouts with drugs alcohol, Blige made an effort to clean up her life and found a renewed focus on her music.Departing working with Diddy for the first time, she served as co-executive producer with Steve Stoute and worked with producers such as the Trackmasters, Rodney Jerkins, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Bryce Wilson. She also had features with the likes of Nas, Lil' Kim, the LOX, Kelly, George Benson and Roy Ayers. With a more optimistic outlook on life, she set out to prove that she had range beyond just hip-hop themed beats and tracks and that she could be a convential R&B songrtress as well.The album was her first to debut as #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart in the US and reached the Top 10 in several other countries. It has been certified triple platinum and is considered as the project that helped her cross over into mainstream success.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comLearn More About the "Podcast GPS" BootCamp Course!www.vaultclassicpod.com/podcastgpsSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesAlbumism: Mary J. Blige's "Share My World" Turns 25 | Anniversary Retrospectivehttps://albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-25-years-of-mary-j-blige-share-my-worldRated R&B: Revisting Mary J. Blige's Album "Share My World" 25 Years Later. https://ratedrnb.com/2022/04/revisiting-mary-j-blige-album-share-my-world/Essence: What Mary J. Blige's 'Share My World' Means To Me 25 Years Laterhttps://www.essence.com/entertainment/what-mary-j-bliges-share-my-world-still-means-to-me-25-years-later/Audacy: Run That Back: Mary J. Blige-Share My Worldhttps://www.audacy.com/music/hip-hop-r-b/run-that-back-mary-j-bliges-share-my-world-turns-25Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

B. Cox reviews R&B singer Adriana Evans self-titled debut album Adriana Evans as it turns 25. The daughter of jazz singer Mary Stallings, Evans emerged in the mid-90s featuring on her future collaborator and producer (and also future husband) Jonathan 'Dred' Scott's 1994 album Breakin' Combs. After starting with Capitol Records when she started recording her debut, she landed on hip-hop powerhouse label Loud Records to finish and release her album. Working with Scott and musician and arranger Rastine Calhoun III, the album featured 12 tracks of power packed music; featuring a blend of jazz and classic soul music with contemporary R&B and hip-hop serving as the soundtrack to her sweet yet powerful vocals. The album featured two singles: "Seeing Is Believing" and "Love Is All Around" which both charted on the Billboard R&B charts.Unfortunatey, due what seems to be a lack of substansial promotion and marketing from the label and a release that was timed during a explosively successful year in the R&B game, her debut went largely unnoticed from the masses, aside from a group of dedicated fans who praised the album's content her effortless vocal abilities. After taking a hiatus from the music industry following her debut, she emerged seven years later after a sabbatical in Brazil and released four more albums after fading from the public eye after 2012.In her absence in the public eye, her debut album has attracted a cult following in the years gone by. Fans continue to praise the album and even a quarter of century later, it is still being discovered by fans every day. Due to the album not being available on streaming services, physical copies are a commodity and widely sought after; making the album one of the rarest finds on the secondary market.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comLearn More About the "Podcast GPS" BootCamp Course!www.vaultclassicpod.com/podcastgpsSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesDiscogs: Adriana Evans-Adriana Evans (1997). Release Infohttps://www.discogs.com/release/1570592-Adriana-Evans-Adriana-EvansThe R&B Representers: Catch That! Episode 21: Dart Adams-Adriana Evans self titled debuthttps://youtu.be/gKlmSPzclvMSinematic06 Youtube Page: Adriana Evans Planet Groove BET Live in Washington D.C. 1997 Part 1 and Part 2 https://youtu.be/0ACD1tD5OUkhttps://youtu.be/9yaeYPQVN1QGFM Podcast Network: Adriana Evans Interview (2011)https://open.spotify.com/episode/5jUxyG0QSFybkYRGjQuS2eFacebook: Adriana Evans at the SF Jazz Center (circa 2017-One of her latest known taped live performances) https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1429905660386329Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

B. Cox and J. Owe review Das Efx's innovative debut album Dead Serious as it turns 30. After meeting as students as Virginia State University in the late 80s and being discovered by EPMD during a talent show, the duo of Dray and Skoob set out to make a splash in the industry with their unique stream of consciousness flow and their style of "sewage language" aka "the iggity flow". The album spawned the #1 rap chart and Top 100 hit "They Want Efx" and another #1 rap chart hit "Mic Checka".The project went platinum and Das Efx's style was considered influential and was co-opted by many of their contemporaries.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesAlbumism: Das Efx's debut album "Dead Serious" Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospectivehttps://albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-30-years-of-das-efx-dead-seriousRock The Bells: "Straight From The Sewers": The Grimy Verbal Virtuosity Of Das Efxhttps://rockthebells.com/articles/das-efx-dead-serious-anniversary/Rock The Bells: Classic Albums: 'Dead Serious' by Das Efx https://rockthebells.com/articles/das-efx-dead-serious/TV One: Celebrating 30 Years of Das Efx https://tvone.tv/106619/celebrating-das-efx-on-the-30th-anniversary-of-their-debut-album/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

B. Cox briefly looks back at En Vogue's second album 1992's Funky Divas. On the heels of their successful debut 1990s' Born To Sing, the Oakland based R&B quartet (Dawn Robinson, Maxine Jones, Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron) came out blazing with their 2nd album which eclipsed their debut. Teaming up once again with producers and songwriters Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, the group scored a commercial hit with the album, placing scoring two Billboard R&B and Soul #1 hits in "Never Gonna Get It" and "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" and selling 3.5 million copies in the U.S.Upon its release in 1992, the album recieved mixed reviews from the critics, but since then, it has garnered more widespread acclaim and praises for its vocal excellence and production depth. It is the group's best selling album to date.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comLearn More About the "Podcast GPS" BootCamp Course!www.vaultclassicpod.com/podcastgpsSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesAlbumism: Never Gonna Get It: Celebrating 30 Years of En Vogue's "Funky Divas" | Anniversary Retrospectivehttps://albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-30-years-of-en-vogue-funky-divasThis is Dig: En Vogue Celebrates 30 Years of Funky Divashttps://www.thisisdig.com/en-vogue-celebrate-30-years-of-funky-divas/Audacy: Run That Back: En Vogue's "Funky Divas" Turns 30https://www.audacy.com/music/hip-hop-r-b/run-that-back-en-vogues-funky-divas-turns-30Music Musings and Such: Free Your Mind: En Vogue's Funky Diva's at Thirtyhttps://www.musicmusingsandsuch.com/musicmusingsandsuch/2022/2/9/feature-free-you-mind-en-vogues-funky-divas-at-thirtySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

B. Cox looks back and briefly reminisces about hip-hop group Arrested Development debut album 3 years, 5 Months and 2 Days In The Life Of... as it turns 30. In the midst of a shift in tone in hip-hop where gangster hip-hop and conscious hip-hop were delintating their lines in the sand, the Atlanta-based group emerged as an alternative to the gangster trend that was on the rise.Combining hip-hop, R&B, soul, funk, jazz and poetry, the group addressed issues such as crime, black unity, homelessness and more with Afrocentricity and a call for revolution as their linchpin. The collective scored three Top 10 hits in the iconic singles "Tennessee", "People Everyday" and "Mr. Wendall" on the way to 6 million copies sold and two Grammy awards in 1993.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comLearn More About the "Podcast GPS" BootCamp Course!www.vaultclassicpod.com/podcastgpsSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesAlbumism: Arrested Development's "3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days In The Life Of..." Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective. https://albumism.com/features/arrested-development-debut-album-3-years-5-months-and-2-days-in-the-life-of-turns-30-anniversary-retrospectiveMusic Musings and Such: People Everday: Arrested Development's "3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days In The Life Of..." At Thirtyhttps://www.musicmusingsandsuch.com/musicmusingsandsuch/2022/3/5/feature-people-everyday-arrested-developments-3-years-5-months-and-2-days-in-the-life-of-at-thirtyMedium: Arrested Development Celebrated Life. Hip-Hop Left The Party Early. https://medium.com/@mediamaven0103/backspin-arrested-development-3-years-5-months-and-2-days-in-the-life-of-1992-f73d210ad319Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The crew looks back on the Notorious B.I.G's final album Life After Death. Released as a double disc two weeks after his murder in Los Angeles, Biggie's final studio is a sobering triumph of one hip-hop's greatest emcees. Contining on the excellence from his iconic debut Ready to Die, the Brookylyn emcee put forth on the strongest efforts of the 90s with guest appearances by the likes of Jay-Z, the LOX, Ma$e, 112, BONE Thugs & Harmony, Too Short, Lil Kim and others. The album also featured production from some of the "who-whos" of the game: the Hitmen (Stevie J, Six July, Nashiem Myrick, D-Dot), DJ Premier, Rza, Easy Mo Bee, Clark Kent, Havoc and Buckwild.Already regarded as one of best emcess of all-time, he showed he was capable of emceeing at another level, showcasing deft lyrical ability and solidfying himself as one of the best hip-hop storytellers on multiple tracks. It enjoyed great success, becoming one of the best selling hip-hop albums of all time on way to a diamond platinum RIAA certification.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comLearn More About the "Podcast GPS" BootCamp Course!www.vaultclassicpod.com/podcastgpsSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesStereogum: Life After Death Turns 20https://www.stereogum.com/1931https://stillcrew.com/notorious-big-life-after-death-album-review-aae76daee379251/life-after-death-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/Albumism: The Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospectivehttps://albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-20-years-of-the-notorious-big-life-after-deathSPIN: Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death to be Reissued for 25th Anniversaryhttps://www.spin.com/2022/02/notorious-b-i-g-life-after-death-reissue/StillCrew: Run That Back: 20 Years Later, Biggie Small's "Life After Death" is still the illesthttps://stillcrew.com/notorious-big-life-after-death-album-review-aae76daee379Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

B. Cox and Domo review Brandy's 2002 classic third album album Full Moon. After two wildly successful albums and taking a break after her second album which was followed by a nervous breakdown, a relationship breakup and before what was soon to be the birth of her daughter, the vocal prodigy was ready to get back in the saddle. Teaming back up with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins yet again after their collaboration with her sophomore album Never Say Never, Brandy explored all of the themes that emerged in the shadow of that success; love, romance, heartbreak, trust and misfortune. The album featured a blend of ballad and slow tempo songs and upbeat and catchy songs.With Darkchild's intuitive production, which fit her like a glove, and her exploration in amazing vocal arrangements and stacking, she emerged from this album with another platinum certification and a new nickname: "The Vocal Bible. The album has since been credited as a work that influenced many of her contemporaries and her successors as a watershed album for R&B in the new millenium.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comLearn More About the "Podcast GPS" BootCamp Course!www.vaultclassicpod.com/podcastgpsSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesAlbumism: Brandy's 'Full Moon Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospectivehttps://albumism.com/features/brandy-full-moon-turns-20-anniversary-retrospectiveRated R&B: Brandy's Groundbreaking Album 'Full Moon' Turns 20: A Retrospectivehttps://ratedrnb.com/2022/03/brandy-full-moon-album-in-retrospect/Music Xclusives: Brandy's 'Full Moon': Twenty Years Laterhttps://musicxclusives.com/index.php/2022/03/05/brandy-full-moon-twenty-years-later/The Odyssey: How Brandy's 'Full Moon' Made Me Fall In Love With Musichttps://www.theodysseyonline.com/brandy-full-moonSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The crew recalls a truly unforgettable and tragic event: the murder of Christopher Wallace bka The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie aka Biggie Smalls 25 years ago. His murder sent shockwaves throughout the hip-hop and music industry, only six months after the death of his former friend and rival Tupac Shakur. The crew examines the many theories surrounding Biggie's murder, the events of the night in question, where they were when they head the news and the personal impact that the loss of one of the greatest emcees to touch the mic had on them.Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comLearn More About the "Podcast GPS" BootCamp Course!www.vaultclassicpod.com/podcastgpsSupport The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesNew York Post: How the Notorious B.I.G. Lives On 25 Years After His Murderhttps://nypost.com/2022/03/07/how-the-notorious-b-i-g-lives-on-25-years-after-his-murder/HoneySuckleMag: Biggie Smalls: Honoring the Notorious One On The 25th Anniversary Of His Deathhttps://honeysucklemag.com/biggie-smalls-25th-anniversary-music-ready/Rock The Bells: 25 Years Ago: Remembering Biggie's Final Public Appearanceshttps://rockthebells.com/articles/biggies-final-public-apperance/Biography: Inside Biggie Smalls Final Days and Drive-By Murder In Los Angeleshttps://www.biography.com/news/notorious-big-murder-final-daysSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

B. Cox is joined by Charlee D. of the Word To The Mutha Podcast as they review TLC's debut album, 1992's Ooooooohhh...On The TLC Tip. After forming as a group in Atlanta in the early 90s under the tutelage of writer and producer Dallas Austin, TLC burst on to the scene as a combination of R&B and rap, similar to their contemporaries of Bell Biv Devoe. With three big singles, the group made up of T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili quickly found commercial and critical success. With their inventive fashion and quirky style supplemented by funky and hard hitting hip-hop beats with R&B tunes, they found a supportive audience that crossed over demographics.With songs that touched on topics such as independence, female empowerment and safe sex, they laid the foundation for a career that would make not only the most successful American female R&B group of the 1990s, but the most successful American female group of all-time -- period.Visit Charlee D and the Word To The Mutha Podcast!https://wordtothemutha.podbean.com/Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comJoin our Private Facebook Listener Group!https://www.facebook.com/groups/600256077743122Support The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesAlbumism: TLC's Debut Album "Ooooooooh...On the TLC Tip" Turns 30 | Anniversary Retrospective https://albumism.com/features/tribute-celebrating-25-years-of-tlc-ooooooohhh-on-the-tlc-tipEssence: TLC Talks The Making of Their Debut Albumhttps://www.essence.com/entertainment/tlc-debut-album/The Quiet Us: Duplicitous Pop: Ooooooh On The TLC Tip 25 Years Onhttps://thequietus.com/articles/21771-ooooooohhh-on-the-tlc-tip-review-anniversaryPeauxetic Expressions: Oooooh...25 Years On The TLC Tip https://www.peauxeticexpressions.com/oooohhh-25-years-tlc-tip/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In another bonus segment of Relics Of The Past, B. Cox examines briefly yet another staple of the golden era-the freestyle cypher in high school. He recalls how the cypher played a important part in developing different tastes in hip-hop and also how it moved forward the acceptance of the culture in a school where the demographics changed in the mid-to-late 90s. Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comJoin our Private Facebook Listener Group!https://www.facebook.com/groups/600256077743122Support The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodShow NotesDallas Observer: Before We Tell You About A Release, Let Us Explain What A Cypher Is In Hip-Hophttps://www.dallasobserver.com/music/we-looked-into-the-origin-of-the-word-cypher-in-hip-hop-11670485Critical Improv: Cyphers: Hip-Hop and Improvisationhttps://www.criticalimprov.com/index.php/csieci/article/view/3518/3588Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy