GoldN***a

When I got my hands on my copy of Gold N**** I was curious to see how much involvement Prince would have in this NPG recording. No matter who was playing on what, I always felt like an NPG recording would all be Prince penned tracks.

Putting the CD in my player, I sat back and let the laid back funk of the title track. With its cool groove and creeping horns GoldN***a pt. 1’s catchy chorus left this white Aussie boy in a dilemma. So here it is, though I never have used the “N” word in my life, when faced with it in so many places in the musical landscape should I or shouldn’t I sing it. I always opted not to and as stupid as it may sound, still to this day I never utter it in singalongs.

So if the title track was laid back Oil Can gave us a quick hit of jazz funk more reminiscent of MadHouse than NPG, The drumming, which I always notice, is sublime with quick timed rolls. This track packs a punch.

I’ve never been a fan of segues on albums, its become too commonplace and feels like an almost knee jerk reaction to trying to make the album seems more cohesive.

Deuce & a Quarter feels like true D&P/ era funk, tinged with a choral chorus a la Pavement. And there is a positive sense of P in the chorus. And whilst I like Tony’s timber, it’s the layers of music underneath that get me in, the smattering of a guitar solo throughout (wonder who’s playing that)

Black M.F. in the House, sounds like a reworked Jughead meets Partyman horns. Instantly hooked, the groove just bops along not letting go of you til the final note. Prince’s rap is typically tinged with humour as he adopts a “white” point of view. It always struck me as funny that they end with “stop racism now” yet play just as many stereotypes depicting “white folks”. I also love hearing that “Come on ya’ll” and am now conditioned to break into Get Wild, but that’s an album to come.

Gold N part 2 – much of the same.

Goldie’s Parade – for some reason this always reminded me of Calhoun Square, I think it’s just the intro and the drums. Layered with sweeping wah wah guitars and samples this is another example of where Madhouse would have been.

2Gether was the standout track. First heard on 1800 New Funk (for me – not sure if it preceded this release). With solemn verses and pleading choruses this song just builds in its brilliance.

Call the Law again was a song I had previously heard. It always felt like a bit of a throw away track. Not one of the finer moments on the cd.

Johnny with its live recording feel and P on vocals, always felt like it would have been a fun live track but no so much thrilling as a studio song. Too long and drawn out for my liking. Once prince fades off the main vocals I have to admit my interest fades too.

And once again we return to Gold N Part 3. by the end of the album though what sounded smooth and inviting now just seems uninspired and played out.

Listening to this album now, the first time in many years I’m still left with that feeling of disappointment. I had always hoped that the NPG albums would be the Funkadelic to Prince’s Parliament. A place for experimentation without the pressure of being a Prince “must shift units” album. Unfortunately this album failed in that offering, instead the tracks seem tired even before they make it out your speakers.

Thankfully by the time Exodus hit – the ratio of quality songs had increased.

This album has many annoying things about it, the main one being the mindfuckingly awful Tony M.

Despite this, i actually like the album. I prefer Exodus, but that is another story.

The original version of this album had a track called "Guess Who's Knockin'" as track 2. It bore a resemblance to a Paul Mcartney song and Paul and his big lawers threatened to sue if the track was not pulled. The album was altered and released as the version we know today. Copies of the original album were still sold however and it is this version with "Guess Who's Knockin'" that is mega rare.

I don't have the original, but i was lucky to pick up the other version in the NPG shop in London.

The original version with the withdrawn track is out there to download though, if you know where to look, i must say that the withdrawn track is a blatant rip off.....haha.

Anyway, highlight on this album must be Black MF In The House. Johnny is a fun track, as is Call The Law. Not the most played of my Prince/related collection, but a nice collectable item to have.

The segue's are annoying, but on the whole the album is ok.

The songs when they were played live are much better. GoldNigga tracks were often played at aftershows around that time.

the MUSIC on this album is very good. i could listen to an instrumental version of this

disc all day long. some top notch stuff on there, for sure.

IstenSzek said:

the MUSIC on this album is very good. i could listen to an instrumental version of this

disc all day long. some top notch stuff on there, for sure.

That's EXACTLY how I feel about this album. Music = great. Tony M and most of the lyrics = absolutely awful!

Definitely prefer Exodus as well.

Cerebus said:

IstenSzek said:

the MUSIC on this album is very good. i could listen to an instrumental version of this

disc all day long. some top notch stuff on there, for sure.

That's EXACTLY how I feel about this album. Music = great. Tony M and most of the lyrics = absolutely awful!

Definitely prefer Exodus as well.

Yup, i often think, maybe i am being too harsh on Tony M, then i hear him.................and cringe.

MikeyB71 said:

Cerebus said:

That's EXACTLY how I feel about this album. Music = great. Tony M and most of the lyrics = absolutely awful!

Definitely prefer Exodus as well.

Yup, i often think, maybe i am being too harsh on Tony M, then i hear him.................and cringe.

This, This and This.

The most annoying thing about Tony M's rapping... 'scuse me... ONE OF THE MANY annoying things about Tony M's rapping is the "HUH" he puts in between every line.

And why was Mr. Hayes in a wheelchair in the inside picture?

If this is TRULY a celebration then why are you referring to the title that Prince gave it: Goldnigga?

sro100 said:

If this is TRULY a celebration then why are you referring to the title that Prince gave it: Goldnigga?

If you read the intro paragraph you would see why.

The Best NPG album IMO! Consistent and cohesive...

Swa said:

sro100 said:

If this is TRULY a celebration then why are you referring to the title that Prince gave it: Goldnigga?

If you read the intro paragraph you would see why.

If he didn't want the album called Goldnigga he should have named it something else. It's called Goldnigga, I call it Goldnigga. Simple.

djThunderfunk said:

Swa said:

If you read the intro paragraph you would see why.

If he didn't want the album called Goldnigga he should have named it something else. It's called Goldnigga, I call it Goldnigga. Simple.

I see your point - and maybe it's different elsewhere. But I just didn't want it to be a discussion over a term many see as racist. So I did what I did so as not to offend anyone.

Now onto the discussion of the music....

Cerebus said:

IstenSzek said:

the MUSIC on this album is very good. i could listen to an instrumental version of this

disc all day long. some top notch stuff on there, for sure.

That's EXACTLY how I feel about this album. Music = great. Tony M and most of the lyrics = absolutely awful!

Definitely prefer Exodus as well.

even "New Power Soul" is better

Swa said:

djThunderfunk said:

If he didn't want the album called Goldnigga he should have named it something else. It's called Goldnigga, I call it Goldnigga. Simple.

I see your point - and maybe it's different elsewhere. But I just didn't want it to be a discussion over a term many see as racist. So I did what I did so as not to offend anyone.

Now onto the discussion of the music....

oh... yeah, the music's kickin', LOVE IT!

Especially "Johnny", one of Prince's funkiest, IMNSHO (in my not-so-humble opinion)

Still, if anybody thinks the album title is racist, they should have a problem with Prince, not you!

Prince, changed song titles to be less offensive a lot in the early 90's:

P Control, Sexy MF, and even Black MF In The House on Goldnigga

But, he didn't change Goldnigga to GN or GoldN, so, to me, it's Goldnigga.

You should ignore my opinion, though, because I call P Control, Pussy Control, so, yeah, guess that's hypocritcal of me, huh? Maybe, I'm full of crap, I just hate political correctness in all it's forms.

BombSquad said:

Cerebus said:

That's EXACTLY how I feel about this album. Music = great. Tony M and most of the lyrics = absolutely awful!

Definitely prefer Exodus as well.

even "New Power Soul" is better

....and I don't really care for NPS either!

4 star album, the music and concept was great ...

I look at this as the Tony M solo record. He was no Rakim but he was not as bad as people make him out to be. I just heard this CD for the first time about 3 months ago and I liked it. Not a classic but worth listening to though

DecaturStone said:

(Tony M.) he was not as bad as people make him out to be.

Yes he is.

therat said:

DecaturStone said:

(Tony M.) he was not as bad as people make him out to be.

Yes he is.

Compare him to Carmen, Cat or TC, he is damn near Jay Z level. For the time this was recorded he was on par with other commerical rappers not emcees but rappers