(Los Angeles)- Big Hutch a.k.a. Cold 187um, of the Legendary West Coast supergroup, Above The Law returns with his second solo release, “Live From The Ghetto.”
Hip-Hop heads especially those west-coast purists last heard from Hutch back in 1999. He released his first solo debut “Executive Decisions” on his independent label, WestWorld Records. A lot has went on in the past five years and just when people thought that he and Above The Law were finished, they creep back and re-invent themselves and the game.
After the release of “Executive Decisions” and ATL’s “Forever Rich Thugs”, Hutch received a call from then-incarcerated mogul Suge Knight to run the music production end at Death Row Records. Hutch’s signature G-Funk sound could be found on 2Pac’s “Until The End Of Time”, The Dogg Pound’s “The Dogg Pound 2002" Snoop Dogg’s “Dead Man Walkin’”, and the Death Row compilation “2 Gangsta For Radio.” Despite the success of Death Row’s post 2Pac era, the label and Hutch couldn’t see eye to eye about the direction or release of the Above The Law album, then called “Diary Of A Drug Dealer” says Hutch, “As the owner of WestWorld, I wanted to see ATL in the upper echelon of the business, not just caught up in the mill of things.”
“Live From The Ghetto” is not a mere title nor a misnomer, it is the mind state and environment that 187um has always been a part of and it’s evident throughout the album. This path has taken Hutch back to his gritty and grimy foundation as a premier emcee and producer. He had pulled back from his production duties for the past few years, by inviting new up-and-coming producers into the fold. Hutch always felt a need to help those burgeoning talent get immediate exposure. In fact the last two WestWorld releases featured affiliated producers who were inspired and hung around the group long enough to get bit by the G-Funk bug. In 2004, Cold 187um felt that it was time that he got behind the boards again and give the fans those patented gangsta-funk beats behind his well-known thugged out delivery. But never breaking the mold, well known west-coast producer Mark Sparks contributed 4 tracks to the album to add a slightly different, but certified west-coast rhythms that doesn’t stray away from the musical foundation Hutch has created for the album.
Cold 187um decided to remake a classic love song, “Give Me Your Love (Love Song)” performed by none other than the late great Curtis Mayfield. The formula for tackling a noted classic from a classic movie from the blaxploitation era of African American cinema? “Curtis Mayfield is one of my all-time favorite musicians” says Hutch. “The song is classic and you can’t top it, so all I could do is pay homage to him by adding my style to it and telling a similar story that the original is based on. Basically, “Give Me Your Love” is about a brother on the daily grind doing what he got to do, but knowing whatever happens, his woman got his back regardless of the outcome.”Above The Law, Kokane, and upstarts Young Madd, Geno, and Vietnam graces the album.
Hutch feels that “Live From The Ghetto” is very reminiscent of Uncle Sam’s Curse not necessarily in the way of political opinion, but the overall realness that was the at the core of that noted classic album. The overall subject matter may be a bit racy for the commercial radio format, but for those who are familiar with 187um and ATL know they always offer a positive and possible solution within the content of their music.
As an entrepreneur, Hutch has always envisioned himself as being the sole controller of his destiny even before he decides to retire. He would like to see his company, WestWorld Entertainment Group, become the independent powerhouse that rivals the legendary Ruthless and Death Row Records, both of whom he is very familiar with. Hutch is very comfortable with his current distribution deal, which he has a history with from the days Above The Law were recording for Tommy Boy Records.
“Live From The Ghetto” is WestWorld Record’s third major release. The first single is entitled “Lyrical Murda” WestWorld Records has already hit various markets around the country with their own mixtape hosted by none other than Big Hutch himself. “The mixtape basically re-introduces me to the community and lets them know what they can expect with this album. We’ve been receiving great feedback from the mixtape, the streets is definitely feeling it, especially here in Los Angeles.”
“Live From The Ghetto” will be released nation-wide on June 8th, 2004.
For additional information on Above The Law visit: www.abvdlaw.com
Hip-Hop heads especially those west-coast purists last heard from Hutch back in 1999. He released his first solo debut “Executive Decisions” on his independent label, WestWorld Records. A lot has went on in the past five years and just when people thought that he and Above The Law were finished, they creep back and re-invent themselves and the game.
After the release of “Executive Decisions” and ATL’s “Forever Rich Thugs”, Hutch received a call from then-incarcerated mogul Suge Knight to run the music production end at Death Row Records. Hutch’s signature G-Funk sound could be found on 2Pac’s “Until The End Of Time”, The Dogg Pound’s “The Dogg Pound 2002" Snoop Dogg’s “Dead Man Walkin’”, and the Death Row compilation “2 Gangsta For Radio.” Despite the success of Death Row’s post 2Pac era, the label and Hutch couldn’t see eye to eye about the direction or release of the Above The Law album, then called “Diary Of A Drug Dealer” says Hutch, “As the owner of WestWorld, I wanted to see ATL in the upper echelon of the business, not just caught up in the mill of things.”
“Live From The Ghetto” is not a mere title nor a misnomer, it is the mind state and environment that 187um has always been a part of and it’s evident throughout the album. This path has taken Hutch back to his gritty and grimy foundation as a premier emcee and producer. He had pulled back from his production duties for the past few years, by inviting new up-and-coming producers into the fold. Hutch always felt a need to help those burgeoning talent get immediate exposure. In fact the last two WestWorld releases featured affiliated producers who were inspired and hung around the group long enough to get bit by the G-Funk bug. In 2004, Cold 187um felt that it was time that he got behind the boards again and give the fans those patented gangsta-funk beats behind his well-known thugged out delivery. But never breaking the mold, well known west-coast producer Mark Sparks contributed 4 tracks to the album to add a slightly different, but certified west-coast rhythms that doesn’t stray away from the musical foundation Hutch has created for the album.
Cold 187um decided to remake a classic love song, “Give Me Your Love (Love Song)” performed by none other than the late great Curtis Mayfield. The formula for tackling a noted classic from a classic movie from the blaxploitation era of African American cinema? “Curtis Mayfield is one of my all-time favorite musicians” says Hutch. “The song is classic and you can’t top it, so all I could do is pay homage to him by adding my style to it and telling a similar story that the original is based on. Basically, “Give Me Your Love” is about a brother on the daily grind doing what he got to do, but knowing whatever happens, his woman got his back regardless of the outcome.”Above The Law, Kokane, and upstarts Young Madd, Geno, and Vietnam graces the album.
Hutch feels that “Live From The Ghetto” is very reminiscent of Uncle Sam’s Curse not necessarily in the way of political opinion, but the overall realness that was the at the core of that noted classic album. The overall subject matter may be a bit racy for the commercial radio format, but for those who are familiar with 187um and ATL know they always offer a positive and possible solution within the content of their music.
As an entrepreneur, Hutch has always envisioned himself as being the sole controller of his destiny even before he decides to retire. He would like to see his company, WestWorld Entertainment Group, become the independent powerhouse that rivals the legendary Ruthless and Death Row Records, both of whom he is very familiar with. Hutch is very comfortable with his current distribution deal, which he has a history with from the days Above The Law were recording for Tommy Boy Records.
“Live From The Ghetto” is WestWorld Record’s third major release. The first single is entitled “Lyrical Murda” WestWorld Records has already hit various markets around the country with their own mixtape hosted by none other than Big Hutch himself. “The mixtape basically re-introduces me to the community and lets them know what they can expect with this album. We’ve been receiving great feedback from the mixtape, the streets is definitely feeling it, especially here in Los Angeles.”
“Live From The Ghetto” will be released nation-wide on June 8th, 2004.
For additional information on Above The Law visit: www.abvdlaw.com
