Search - Kam :: Made in America

Top notch g-funk

ctrx | 'bout to show you how the EAST COAST rocks... | 07/13/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Two years after his acclaimed 1993 debut "Neva Again," L.A. rapper Kam returned with "Made in America." Kam avoided the sophomore slump with a twelve-track offering that was a departure from his debut, which was overseen and influenced by his cousin Ice Cube. Although the cover, title, and Louis Farrakhan sound bytes package "Made in America" as another militantly sociopolitical album, it isn't. Instead, Kam raps about living in the Watts projects of L.A. and the life of a young black urbanite in 1995. Listeners familiar with the g-funk genre will find his lyrics familiar, with tales of ghetto warfare and rolling whips, but nonetheless good. He is blunt and straightforward with a deep, commanding delivery somewhere between MC Ren and Mad CJ Mac (actually I find this album similar to his own 1995 LP True Game), and his performance is enticing with a strong and effective presence and great style.



"Made in America" is among the most well-produced West Coast albums of the mid-90s boom. In fact, the spectacular list of producers reads like a who's who of g-funk music: Battlecat, Warren G, DJ Quik, E-A Ski & CMT, and Cold 187um. The deep, melodic, woozy grooves make for a feel-good composition evoking California imagery of lowriders and palms. This is quintessential West Coast funk, with whiny synthesizers, funk instrumentation, rough percussion, and rolling head-nodding bass all cleverly arranged in a tight, catchy product. Although the tempo ranges from laidback to upbeat, the quality never varies from excellent. Noteworthy moments include the blend of Quik's signature talkbox and sunny Safe & Sound-era grooves with Kam's heavy verses on "Trust Nobody" and "Way'a Life." MC Ren and Dresta guest on the funk licks of "Down Fa Mine," and "Represent" features a crew of largely unknown L.A. rappers for a posse cut. However, my favorite track is "Keep tha Peace," a true classic that I find beautiful. Warren G's gorgeous midtempo harmonies are a perfect backdrop for Kam's anti-violence advocacy.



Although this isn't Kam's most memorable lyrical work, this album is an immaculate piece of g-funk and Kam's presence makes for a wonderful LP. The combination of genius producers and Kam's talent are a great match."

Some Political G-Funk Yo Ear

G Funkin | Land of Sunshine | 12/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kam can be best compared to Public Enemy and Paris, more so the latter because they're both reppin' the west. It's definitely substantive, which is unusual for a style that is generally thought of as minimalistic. Kam's 2nd effort, "In America" is a milestone in terms of gangsta funk beats alone, featuring some of the best and most complex beats to ever grace the subgenre...The subject-matter...unity, self-determination and political awareness is just as uplifting and fresh. DJ Battlecat, Warren G and DJ Quik give us the beats and Kam, with his clear articulate rap flow (one of the best in the business), provides plenty of food for thought. The album sports 1 classic and the rest (yes the other 11) are all near classics. This album is as consistent as anything that has ever come out in the west...All Eyez on Me, Regulate, Safe & Sound and Classic 220, are maybe the only exceptions.



The classic on this album is "Keep tha Peace" with Warren G on the boards. Beautiful laid-back beat along the lines of "This DJ" and "Transformers." The bass and synths are beautifully used and the implementation of a Snoop g-funk song on the hook is ingenious. Obviously Kam has something to say about his peers and even himself, but he doesn't preach. The song, simply, echoes what "Boyz n the Hood" called for a year earlier. Next we have "Down Fo Mine" featuring veterans MC Ren and Dresta. The beat is one of the funkiest on the album and really epitomizes what was so special about the g funk era. Kam hits us with "Trust Nobody" and "Way a Life" two great songs with Battlecat on the boards. I never appreciated his production skills until "In America" but this man has it. Bouncing beats, softs syths and a little vocoder here and there and DJ Battlecat has solidified himself among the legendary. With only a few exceptions, no one on the boards these days has created beats this good. "In Traffic" is a nice one with the excellent sample taken from "Pumpin it Up" by Parliament. Finally, "Pull Ya Ho Card," "Givin it Up," "That's My N---a" with Quik doing his p-funk thing and "Nut'n Nice" are also worth mentioning. They grow better with each listen, as does the whole album.



In a way, owning this album makes me feel sophisticated. Like a jazz fan playing a rare Miles Davis recording, whenever I play "In America," people take notice. Most rap fans don't know rap ever sounded like this, haters, that rap could EVER sound like this. Fans of Kam know what's really up, what's really true. With the exception of a little excessive militancy here and there, Brother Kam has a classic on his hands. He's supposed to be dropping a new album sometime this month so keep a look out!



4.5/5

"

No Doubt This Was Made In Amerikkka (Rating: 9 out of 10- -4

Chandler | Atlanta (College Park), Georgia | 11/15/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After a brilliant album back in '93 called Neva Again, Kam Craig returns and hits us with a new album two years later. Much has changed for Kam since his previous album, mainly him falling out with his cousin Ice Cube, so there is not much of that Lench Mob influence here on his album. At the same time, Kam still gives you more of gangsta style type lyrics.



The song "Trust Nobody" is a standout as Kam says to never trust no one who doesn't do anything for you. Another standout would be "Thats My *****" which was produced by DJ Quik. "Way'a Life" is another standout, as Kam expains what he has to do to get through life. Another great song on this album is "Keep Tha Peace" as he promotes stopping the violence in L.A. Some of the guests come in to help him out like MC Ren and Dresta on "Down Fa Mine", and Kam's crew consisting of K-Mack, D-Dope, and Solo on the last song "Represent".



Made In America is not too long of an album, as it gets right to the point. It doesn't hold the intensity that he showed on his previous album Neva Again, but at the same time, showcases that Kam is a brilliant lyricist with a whole lot to say. With it being out of print, this album is not easy to find, and I would say the max is about $25 you should pay for it. Peace!!



Lyrics: A

Production: A

Guest Appearances: A-

Musical Vibes: A-



Top 5 Tracks:

1. Thats My *****

2. Trust No One

3. Keep Tha Peace

4. Way'a Life

5. Pull Ya Ho Card



Honorable Mention:

1. Down Fa Mine (featuring MC Ren and Dresta)"