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Thread started 12/06/02 12:21pm

SupaFunkyOrgan
grinderSexy

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2 Nigs United 4 West Compton

What the hell inspired this song!?

This song could easily be the face off between Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther.

Was this a full band effort or was this song "2" people as the title suggests? Sheila E on percussion, Prince jamming on everything else? At 2:17 in you can hear Prince expell a small roar as he tears shit to the ground.

This song is mad genius pure and simple.
2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740
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Reply #1 posted 12/06/02 12:51pm

Jestyr

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

What the hell inspired this song!?

This song could easily be the face off between Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther.

Was this a full band effort or was this song "2" people as the title suggests? Sheila E on percussion, Prince jamming on everything else? At 2:17 in you can hear Prince expell a small roar as he tears shit to the ground.

This song is mad genius pure and simple.


Levi plays bass on this, and you can hear Cat and Miko at the beginning, so I'm willing to bet that some of the musicians are the Sign o' The Times/Lovesexy band members.

Wait - now that I think of it - UPTOWN said that this was one of the three tracks Prince prepared for Sheila's birthday in December 1986, so maybe it IS all Prince? But then that's Levi's bass style but then again why would Sheila play on a track Prince created for her surprise party? I'm totally confused...
[This message was edited Fri Dec 6 12:54:32 PST 2002 by Jestyr]
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Reply #2 posted 12/06/02 1:04pm

yamomma

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I thing the title was inspired by a lot of "compton this" and "yo! I'm from West Compton" in a lot of popluar rap music that was exploding at the time.

And just like "Dead on it" I think Prince was saying somthing like "Well if your so bad, pick up an instrument!" kind of address to the overwhelming boom in the popularity of hip hop.

I think a lot of musicians were dissapointed in the rise of electronic music and sampleing of music by R&B and Hip Hop acts replacing skilled musicians.

I think this song was dedicated to these people as a sort of "Yeah, but you can't do this!" and showin' how it's really done!


similar theme to "Dead on it" but without words. IMHO...
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Reply #3 posted 12/06/02 1:09pm

yamomma

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Don't forget the rise in all the new studio acts at this time. When they were on stage, they sounded horrible. There were fewer bands and more backing D.J.'s.


I think Prince envisioned more bands like the Time to define "Black Music" and not so much hip hop.

I'm sure he was dissapointed in the lack of competition as well. (real musician players that is)
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Reply #4 posted 12/06/02 2:25pm

SupaFunkyOrgan
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yamomma said:

I thing the title was inspired by a lot of "compton this" and "yo! I'm from West Compton" in a lot of popluar rap music that was exploding at the time.

And just like "Dead on it" I think Prince was saying somthing like "Well if your so bad, pick up an instrument!" kind of address to the overwhelming boom in the popularity of hip hop.

I think a lot of musicians were dissapointed in the rise of electronic music and sampleing of music by R&B and Hip Hop acts replacing skilled musicians.

I think this song was dedicated to these people as a sort of "Yeah, but you can't do this!" and showin' how it's really done!


similar theme to "Dead on it" but without words. IMHO...


What a call out! I have never really heard anything quite so ambitious from anybody else. This song right here shows Prince's genius.
2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740
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Reply #5 posted 12/06/02 2:31pm

BanishedBrian

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

What the hell inspired this song!?

This song could easily be the face off between Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther.

Was this a full band effort or was this song "2" people as the title suggests? Sheila E on percussion, Prince jamming on everything else? At 2:17 in you can hear Prince expell a small roar as he tears shit to the ground.

This song is mad genius pure and simple.


Interesting, I've always found the song a low point on the Black Album. Sounds like music for a playstation game.
No Candy 4 Me
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Reply #6 posted 12/06/02 2:35pm

SupaFunkyOrgan
grinderSexy

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BanishedBrian said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

What the hell inspired this song!?

This song could easily be the face off between Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther.

Was this a full band effort or was this song "2" people as the title suggests? Sheila E on percussion, Prince jamming on everything else? At 2:17 in you can hear Prince expell a small roar as he tears shit to the ground.

This song is mad genius pure and simple.


Interesting, I've always found the song a low point on the Black Album. Sounds like music for a playstation game.


Even if you cannot connect with it musically, you have to acknowlege the ferociousness of it. It is simply musicians jamming to the full extreme. I'd match that shit up against any musician(s) any damn day.

Low Point???...I cannot even fathom that.
2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740
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Reply #7 posted 12/06/02 4:02pm

paisleypark4

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I read in "DMSR" the title was inspired by a funny quote Sheila E used 2 say all the time, "Its just like 2 niggas united 4 west Compton".

I think they also said that it was a take from a Madhouse session.


Is that old men in the beginning? or was that just the band? I bet it was just them making their voices sound like that.
Straight Jacket Funk Affair
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Reply #8 posted 12/06/02 5:25pm

rdhull

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BanishedBrian said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

What the hell inspired this song!?

This song could easily be the face off between Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther.

Was this a full band effort or was this song "2" people as the title suggests? Sheila E on percussion, Prince jamming on everything else? At 2:17 in you can hear Prince expell a small roar as he tears shit to the ground.

This song is mad genius pure and simple.


Interesting, I've always found the song a low point on the Black Album. Sounds like music for a playstation game.


Man u must be high--Playstation came AFTER 2 Nigs did..plus that shit is jammin just like S said...they break it down on that one--check out the drummer!
"Climb in my fur."
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Reply #9 posted 12/06/02 5:34pm

Thecherryloon

Brilliant tune.Cannot be categorized, and if you didn't know what year it was made, you couldn't guess.
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Reply #10 posted 12/06/02 7:52pm

SupaFunkyOrgan
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Thecherryloon said:

Brilliant tune.Cannot be categorized, and if you didn't know what year it was made, you couldn't guess.


Summed up perfectly! smile I can't believe anyone could NOT love this song to fucking death.
[This message was edited Fri Dec 6 19:52:58 PST 2002 by SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy]
2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740
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Reply #11 posted 12/07/02 12:38am

IstenSzek

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When I first got a copy of the black album on tape back in
1991, I didn't like this song at all and thought it sucked
enormously. Too messy, Too loud etc.

I have always liked the intro though, that is a very funny
segue. I wish he'd do some more of those on a new album.
Those "Joy In Repetition", "Alphabet St." "Compton" segues
are so much cooler than just the telephone calls or studio
talking you hear on so many albums now as 'segues'.

The reason I didn't like the song itself, is simply because
I didn't know any other music in that vein.

Since I've begun picking up on jazz in the latter part of
the 90's and been enjoying albums like "Bitches Brew" and
"The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady", this song has started
to make more sense to me.

Or perhaps I'm just used to the frantic madness some music
can conjure.

Perhaps people whom really understand music will laugh their
ass off right now and go "what the hell is he talking about,
that's not jazz". But it's just the way I perceive it and
what I would say comes closest to this.

Anyway, I'm quite in love with the song now and I was sooo
surprised to see that it has ended up on One Nite Alone now
that I can hardly wait to hear it [FedEx hurry UP!].

So is this live take cool? I've read in the reviews that it
is very much different from the Black Album version.

?
[This message was edited Sat Dec 7 0:43:52 PST 2002 by IstenSzek]
and true love lives on lollipops and crisps
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Reply #12 posted 12/07/02 5:04am

andyf

Haven't heard the song for a while, so can't comment on the music. But the title always reminded me of a football score--you know, like Man United 2, West Lothian 4. biggrin

Do remember the darkness of the Black album tho'. A song like Bob George, tho' easy to criticise has a stark streak of genius to it.


andyf
--------
"Someone who makes you laugh when you wanna cry"
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Reply #13 posted 12/09/02 10:15am

SupaFunkyOrgan
grinderSexy

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IstenSzek said:

When I first got a copy of the black album on tape back in
1991, I didn't like this song at all and thought it sucked
enormously. Too messy, Too loud etc.

I have always liked the intro though, that is a very funny
segue. I wish he'd do some more of those on a new album.
Those "Joy In Repetition", "Alphabet St." "Compton" segues
are so much cooler than just the telephone calls or studio
talking you hear on so many albums now as 'segues'.

The reason I didn't like the song itself, is simply because
I didn't know any other music in that vein.

Since I've begun picking up on jazz in the latter part of
the 90's and been enjoying albums like "Bitches Brew" and
"The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady", this song has started
to make more sense to me.

Or perhaps I'm just used to the frantic madness some music
can conjure.

Perhaps people whom really understand music will laugh their
ass off right now and go "what the hell is he talking about,
that's not jazz". But it's just the way I perceive it and
what I would say comes closest to this.

Anyway, I'm quite in love with the song now and I was sooo
surprised to see that it has ended up on One Nite Alone now
that I can hardly wait to hear it [FedEx hurry UP!].

So is this live take cool? I've read in the reviews that it
is very much different from the Black Album version.

?
[This message was edited Sat Dec 7 0:43:52 PST 2002 by IstenSzek]


The version on ONA Live sound nothing like the original if you aske me. It's still a cool jam tho smile
2010: Healing the Wounds of the Past.... http://prince.org/msg/8/325740
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Reply #14 posted 12/09/02 1:25pm

chewymusic

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you are RIGHT ON OrganGrinder!
I always thought 2 nigs was The Shit!
The solos are WILD!
"Hyperactive when I was small, Hyperactive now I'm grown, Hyperactive 'till I'm dead and gone"
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ___

"Midnight is where the day begins"
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