Skyzoo & 9th Wonder - Cloud 9: The 3 Day High (Super Review)
Skyzoo & 9th Wonder - Cloud 9: The 3 Day High
The first time I picked up this album I was a bit skeptical. Don’t get me wrong, I love 9th Wonder and his group Little Brother, and I’m even a fan of several 9th’s collaborative efforts (Jeanius, Murray’s Revenge, Chemistry). So where’s the problem you ask? One of 9th’s most recent collaborations, The Spirit of ’94 (with Kaze) was rather disappointing. I mean 9th’s production was notably on point, but I just didn’t feel like Kaze was really feeling the beat. It was as like he was hearing the music as he laid down 16s, but he wasn’t properly fusing his lyrics with the beat. He wasn’t immersing himself in the sounds around him… but that’s another review. All and all I came to the conclusion that I should still give the album a listen at least in support of P. Douthit. To tell the truth I wasn’t expecting much from Skyzoo, I’d never heard much of him except that he’d been beaten by Jin on 106th and Park, and I thought he was probably another NYC rip off of Jay-Z. I downloaded the album, and ordered a pay-per-view movie convinced I wouldn’t have to listen long before I could stop soaking up what was bound to be a half-assed LP and begin enjoying V for Vendetta.
I’m broke. I’m always broke and I hate to waste money, but I sure as hell wasted 5 dollars on V for Vendetta that night. I held my breath as I put the first track on, but to the relief of my already weak lungs, within the first 30 seconds of Bare Witness I knew I was catching a fresh breath of air by the name of Skyzoo. Out of all his collaborations I never thought 9th Wonder would be able to top anything he did as a member of Little Brother, but Sky is giving the cats from NC a run for their money. The first track on the album entitled Bare Witness begins with the introduction of a brolic-sounding man giving the orders “Just let this motherfucker come on… and be fresh” and that is exactly what Skyzoo does. On the same track Sky reveals the information that this exceptional album was put together in a mere three days. On the album’s first single, the melancholical Way to Go, Sky starts off describing his Brooklyn neighborhood but wakes up the sleep inducing 9th production with lines such as “They only hatin’ is ‘cause they wantin’ to be us / and the way I’m on the drum is like I’m fuckin’ the speakers.” The album’s seventh track Bodega helps to round out the albums already versatile subject matter. Over 9th’s haunting yet soulful production Skyzoo spits about the entire mindset of a kid standing on a street corner (in front of a bodega) as well as on goings that take place in the bodega’s midst. “God don’t bless this corner/ We the bottom of the bucket/ We lucky he protect this corner.” When most cats talk about hustling or life in their hood you don’t think twice to envision what they’re talking about, but with this track Sky makes you hear him out.
Other high points of the twelve-track album include You & Me as well as Live and Direct. “ I pour it out, I pour it out/ I unzip my heart and I pour it out.” I usually take a strong disliking to rap songs with love as a subject matter, not because I try to avoid the subject, but because the songs are often poorly done. At first listen once I heard the sensual crooning of the female sampled by 9th wonder I thought “Ah, shit. I hope this isn’t gonna to be a 50 type love song.” And thank goodness it wasn’t. That would have ruined the entire album, but instead the track helps to present Skyzoo as a versatile 3-dimensional figure. I’ll admit this song doesn’t have any particular punches, but it’s not all love and emotions either. It’s a love song but it’s not too soft. It’s with this that Sky shows he can let himself be vulnerable and still keep his swagger at the same time.
Live and Direct has to be one of the most radio-friendly tracks on the entire album.With it’s booming horns and Sky’s “One, two, one two” anybody would think this was a Swizz Beats produced track at first listen. This has to be the best (my favorite at least) track on the album. There’s not a person in their right mind who could listen to this song without feeling like getting and doing a little something. The hook is catchy as hell (“Live and direct/ Comin’ from the bottom of the curve/ S-K got ‘em on swerve/ Live and direct/ Tryna get this money together/ I’m good with it I could double whatever/ Live and direct/ 9th put the beat on blast/ So now we got the streets in the bag/ Live and direct / This shit is live and direct/ S-K, 9th wonder on deck/ We live and direct…”) and the production is musical crack. When I heard this for the first time, I came to the realization of exactly what Kaze & 9th’s Spirit of ’94 was missing. They don’t understand each other’s material like 9th & Sky do. It’s as if 9th and Sky were weaving melodies and lyrics together and this is the result. Undoubtedly the pinnacle of the album.
Overall there’s nothing bad to be said of Cloud 9: The 3 Day High other than that I wish I’d been a bit longer. 9th was at his best and although I’m not quite familiar with any of Skyzoo’s previous material he’s more than likely at his best on the album as well. As of May 2007 the album was certified gold (and this is likely to be the first time you've heard of dude).
Considering that the album was put together in only three days as well as the fact that the two weren’t even in the same state when the album was created there’s not way the album deserves anything less than a
8.5/10
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