I want to say something that I think you all should know. Take the information and do with it what you will, and then you won't have to hear from me on this topic again.
X-Raided didn't want to make ANY more albums because of the quality of the vocals. He refused for a long time for that very reason, even though he had all the songs written and ready to go. I literally bothered him over and over and over, and, as a FAN, argued with him to make his albums regardless of the quality of the vocals. I told him that his fans wouldn't give a shit WHAT kind of quality his albums were because we all know he's in prison. I told him that I always felt that the quality of the vocals on Xorcist made it feel authentic anyway, and that it made it more unique than anything I'd ever heard before. Also, reading his lyrics, listening to him spit his rhymes on visits, I knew he had to make these albums. Hip-hop is X's life, literally, and I've never come across anyone who loves and respects hip-hop as much as X does. He finally agreed to make the albums just based on his love for the music... he did what he had to do and took the measures to get the vocals recorded. Like Rich said, different prison, different situations, different opportunities... he got them done using other methods, but the process was just as painstaking as the previous method.
Nobody has loved ones in prison I guess because nobody understands that you can't even bring chap stick into a visiting room, you can't send hardly anything but books and paper TO the prison, and every time he goes from one building to another he is strip searched. So like he wrote in his Authentic Article, it is literally a miracle any time he puts an album out.
The songs on his previous albums that sound clear were all recorded at the same time, and most of us know how it happened. The equipment/method used this time around was different, and it came out how it came out. So although it's not going to change your opinion, I just wanted to let you know that these albums almost never happened. And if you need someone to blame, I'm the one responsible for the quality of the vocals... although it was this or nothing, and I chose this with no hesitation. I, for one, feel honored to be up on Raided and if anyone sees me in traffic you gon' likely hear X bumpin in my ride. I think it's kinda dope to be part of something like that, and me n' X always gon' keep it on a gangsta level to get this music out.
I'm sorry for the people that don't like the album, I wish EVERYONE loved it, but I think their beef is the same thing that's gonna make other people love it even more. X-Raided in a dungeon makin' fuckin' music... it DON'T get more underground than that. So to those who don't like it, of course we're sorry it didn't live up to your expectations, and to everybody who supports X... you asked for it and you got it! Jeah! FREE X-RAIDED LOC!
