UMC'S one to grow on
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- čas přidán 24. 09. 2007
- one of my favorite songs back in the day.
On their debut album, Fruits of Nature, the UMC's -- Hass G and Kool Kim -- are endlessly imaginative, witty, and effervescent by disposition and lyrical flow, and always intelligent. When it came to the music, co-producers Hass G and RNS decked it out in vintage soul and old Blue Note-styled tracks, with reams of obscure, idiosyncratic vocal samples tossed in as hooks, breaks, and bridges. The resulting effort is yet another vastly underrated rap album out of those banner years in hip-hop, 1991 and 1992, when commercial and economic instincts had yet to turn the music formulaic. The ironic thing is that nearly everything on Fruits of Nature is sing-along catchy and so ebullient that it would have sounded great bounding out of radios or from MTV. Unfortunately, it is also the sort of hip-hop that is too idiosyncratic and brainy to garner a widespread audience. Instead of alchemizing their jazz-tinged sensibility into a more earnest and reverent underground hip-hop extension of the jazz tradition, UMC's twist their jazzy inclinations into what are essentially pop songs that, even while generating a singular style all their own, cover the full range of the catchiness spectrum: ingratiating melodic tunes ("One to Grow On"), carbonated word play ("Blue Cheese"), cleverly disguised boasts and straight rhyming ("Kraftworks," "Swing It to the Area," "Any Way the Wind Blows"), loping urban anthems ("You Got My Back," "Jive Talk"), and more serious-minded cuts ("Morals"). There's even an urban take on storybook tales ("Never Never Land") and a sort of ballad ("Feelings"). The commercial failure of the UMC's and groups like them opened up hip-hop to the same sort of Top 40-ready and cookie-cutter artistry in the latter part of the decade that had previously swallowed rock and pop music. For a brief couple years, though, rap as uniquely excellent as Fruits of Nature could be found around every urban corner - Hudba
![Evolution of Hip - Hop [1979 - 2023]](/img/n.gif)
The UMC's came out in 1990. They were the first group from Staten Island to mention Wu-Tang (Any Way The Wind Blows - The B-Side of Blue Cheese) on record as well as the first group to score TWO # billboard singles with Blue Cheese and One to Grow One. They defintely would have had three in a row if they ever dropped Never Never Land...but they never did.
its bad thats kids of the day wont have this innocence to look back on. peace to the class of 89
Three planes of reality - universally, mystically, conceptually. Not only did he tie in UMC, but he is saying that he is living by a different code. Kool Kim has vision. Everytime I listen to this, hidden meanings are uncovered. I resist the urge to call these guys one hit wonders because they are not. Instead, the world missed out what these guys had to offer because our music isnt made for us anymore.
a euphoric era, this will always remain a classic in the hall of fame by the one and only umc's
Everything about this song is perfect, beat, flow, scratch patterns, even the video is amazing. Thanks for posting such a classic video.
sick song... of course old school is where my hearts at! long live old school and keep it alive!
still got this album fresh for 91 ,wanna go back to them times!
i miss the 90's so much hip hop was in a golden era =/ i love this song
yes the days when every week a new slammin tune came out. I too miss those great days.
That sample and scratch on this track is bonkers... thank you hip hop
Takes me back too. When I was in 7th grade stuck in the house doing my homework. This song came out during the winter of that year that I remember.
YES!!! Loved this song when it first came out and still lovin it! Thanks so much for posting this! We all seem to be on the same page about how much we miss hip-hop that was fun yet still droppin science!!
I still play this in my car today! Thanks for bringing back great memories :) Love it!
this is classic hip hop , the realist talent from back in the day.
Rest in Peace Mercury... Force MDs!!!
o how i wish i could go back to the day i first time i heard this song. this is my fav umc song.
Heavy heavy track from back in the day. I was bumping this and jive talkin hard in the UK!
I'm still banging this one on the reg! We need more real Hip Hop!
CLASSIC album! I STILL bump it in my car! Peace.
this was a huge tune back in the day from their killa album
thanks for posting
What a great beat and sound this song has!
Maaaaan. Used to play this song all the time
I still have this album. The UMCs messed up when they tried to go "gangsta" with their second album. They never should have listened to those who said they were too soft. It killed their career.
This was my joint, definitely. Too smart for today's audience.
I still jam to this! very catchy!
They are Five Percenters. The Nation of Gods and Earths consistently produces the most talented musicians that the world has ever known! Peace.
Hip Hop wos so good in the 80s and 90s , I miss the 90s so
I agree. It was so diverse then. We even had the 'corny" ones, but hell they were still tolerable and fun to listen too. HH was great in the 80s and 90s. remembr this video one the Video music Box.
Kool Kim's second verse is one of the best hip-hop verses EVER! Do yourself favor and listen to it about 10 times and really do the math. "The wizard of rhyme, my symbol is AU in lamans terms gold, so watch me shine through...as I disarm you I neutralize your weaponry to make you more appropriate to deal with me, then I give you one to grow on" Whaaaaaaaaat!!!
I always thought these dudes were 5%ers, but I never could confirm that. But this album ... love it! Creative, totally.
Three planes of reality- universally, mystically, conceptually. One word -Vision. So many hidden meanings in their lyrics. If these guys were allowed to do their thing (and hip hop was more art than image) then there was no limit to their talent. Instead, we are left wondering - what if? That is one to grow on...
They are making a comeback ya'll! NEW UMCs Tried to tell ya
Best believe. And to th cat that mentioned the Tunnel, i used to hit that, the Muse later on, the Octagon, Soundfactory, Red Zone, the Bank, The Building, Mr. Fugi's Tropicana, Arena, all them clubs. I promoted for Octagon and Soundfactory, and used to kick it behind Unique Boutique back in the days.
Love this track, love these dudes.
Early 90's hip-hop was nuthin to kcuf wit
it was a good time for hip hop back then.
LOVE IT !!!
This guys produced the best of hiphop and jazz..I think there should be more mixing of HipHop and Jazz together it's very intelligent black music.Another group like this is De La Soul.
i could bboy to this ALL DAY!
the rebirth of cool too. Love that album
This is from the dayz when people used to really dance. Just look at all the movement in this video. I luv the background dancers.
Feel me?
This beat makes u wanna dance...check the horns.
UNO
I'm spinnin 360 on a runway because of this song :D
Wow, the fact that Kool Kim is NYOIL only makes me want MORE of the music!
I agree. Good to see someone on here who knows their shit.
THIS is true hip hop. nice add.
DAMN. I MISS CLASSIC HIP-HOP.
oh my god this is the shit!!!
why isnt hip hop like this anymore :(
definetly one to grow on lol, dope.
incredible song
Crazy dope!
great stuff
back to da good ol' dayz
I jus luv' it ;)
UMC'n A New Way of Being! Man I been trying to find this since the day I lost my tape! Good looking out!!!
To all these folks saying, "Why isn't hip hop like this anymore?" I have to ask the following: WHERE are AT WHO are you looking? Kool Kim is STILL rocking the mic, now known as the deep, intellectual hip hop artist known as NYOIL. PE just celebrated 20 years with their new album, "How You Sell Soul To A Soulless People That Sold Their Soul?". KRS-ONE is still shattering mics to smithereens to this very day. Don't depend on the mainstream media to show you the real deal. PEACE!
Classic 🔥
I miss Hip Hop
stands for ultra magnetic mc's - classic track from way back in the days..
YEEEESSSS MY NIGGA! i was bumpin this shit a week back, and realized dude was talkin about chemistry! WHAAAT?! Chemistry on a hip hop song?! Good lord have mercy, they just dont make music like this anymore...their flow is fuckin ridiculous. And they didnt even need to cuss either! Come on yall...i doesnt get any better than that!
Not only did they drop mad science on this joint, but the meta physical word play is astonishing and unbelieveable. The track is ill, it's ridiculois and has nothing but flavor. Crazy skills, this album out flows 99.9% of this nonsense we hear on the radio today
dopeness!!!!!!!!!
Both are great....although when I first head Wu-tang...I thought about the UMC'S......
This track be illin, son!!!
Time to bring this back....screw the radio stations who sell out for sex and the quick buck! Let's get some artists who really care about the youth and put this back together!
lol..as a kid I thot they said Roll on this!! aww man...
really clever song.
I this album on tape...!
i do. that beat was hot!
for those who appreciated the umc's kool kim goes by ny oil now, this is to the ones that don't know this and believe me youtube his material is on point....
peace
THis is my shit!! I bumps this to this day
UMC also had good voices on the mic, smooth
this is hot!
wowowow!! i remember the summer of 2010 i played this shit constantlyyyyyyy!!!! wow!!!! i used to lvoe this song! i was going to be a freshmen in high school then the next year! damn now look at me now. i mean i ripped this shit up! haha good times 4 real :)
this was list as a new jack swing beat. hell i still have the cd
officially wu's first single was "after laughter comes tears" it came out 91-92. I think Rza made reference to it in "World according to rza"
Also for what it's worth on "i love you rakeem" there is a wu tang mix
thumbs up :)
DOPE VIID! BTW, UMCs dropped Blue Cheese around the end of the summer of 91. Not sure if they necessarily dropped before RZA or GZA, but they def had more of an impact at that time. Force MDs put Staten on the map first though.
wow, a time when the young ladies wore clothes in videos, lol. Luv it!
1 love
I see this video alot on Much Vibe
Both UMCs albums are now back in print! Jay Faires, who now owns the Wild Pitch catalog, signed a deal with Fontana Distribution. Really cheesy, though, is the EMI Records Group logo that still graces the cover of "Unleashed." Why didn't they airbrush it off? Peace.
Well officially wu tang didn't come out with their first single (protect your neck) until 93 this joint came out in 91.
this shit it too sick man if only we can somehow revive this =/
This album was great man. Head bobbin jams, upbeat and positive. Their next album after this was a disaster. It seemed they tried to get hardcore, but it didn't work.
Yes it is.
The B-side for this song was the shit. "Any Way The Wind Blows"
I WAS DANCING ON THIS SHIT BACK THEM!!!
as I said
officially wu's first single was "after laughter comes tears" it came out 91-92
@171TITO So True. Growing up in Maine. I was hated for playing the likes of this when nobody realy knew what hiphop was. I was labeled "Wigger" by my classmates through most of my teenage years. & then some of those same kids became wannbe gangsta's when the likes of "The Chronic" & "Enter The 36 Chambers" came out. & I laughed @ them.
anyone know the samples? love this track
These guys made it cool to rock Asics. THis beat is crazy. Glad I stole the LP 6 years ago.
Check out Blue Cheese, Any Way The Wind Blows, Never Never LAnd..OMG so friggin hot...and anything from their FIRST album...the whole album was the shit. CLASSIC!
r.i.p guru from gangstarr
this was my shit! Used to battle cats on the dance floor with this!
word up HIP-HOP
you are exactly right about MF DOOM. Right now, in this space and time of garbage ass rap that polluting the world, MF DOOM is the Hip Hop Savior. I dare anyone to disagree. Beats, lyrics, etc. he's got it! All hail King Geedorah, the third rail!
yeah
i may be only 18, but this is my joint! lyrically kool kim was shitting on rappers...
"The wizard of rhyme,
my symbol is Au,
in lamens term gold,
so watch me shine through"
WTF?! dude was droppin chemistry on niggas!
30yrs. and over HIP HOP if you aint 30yrs. or over you have no idea................
Kool Kim is the shorter one (Hightop fade)0:46 , currently known as NY OIL..check him out
Watching this makes me sad because it would go waaay over the heads of today's music listener.