Dopeman
Encyclopedia
"Panic Zone" was the 1987 debut EP
by American
hip hop
group N.W.A, whose songs were later featured on the compilation N.W.A. and the Posse
, which was a reissue of 12" EPs and singles released by Macola Records, the then manufacturer and distributor of Ruthless Records, N.W.A's label.
Apart from the title track and "8-Ball", the record also included "Dopeman", a song about a local drug dealer who is waited on hand and foot by frequent clients whose lives have been ruined as a result of their consumption of his products.
This track was also the B-side
of a split single
release with Eazy-E's Boyz-n-the-Hood two years later, following the commercial success of Eazy-E's solo debut Eazy-Duz-It
and the group's first album proper, Straight Outta Compton
, on which a remix
of "Dopeman" was included.
The song later appeared on The Best of N.W.A. - The Strength of Street Knowledge. It contains a sample from Funky Worm
by the Ohio Players
.
Despite its notoriety and popularity, "Dopeman" was never released as a single proper.
At 0:58 the song contains a reference to Scarface
: "To be a dopeman, boy, you must qualify - don't get high off your own supply."
Featured MC Krazy Dee raps towards the end of the song:
"Yo, Mr Dopeman, you think you're slick, You sold crack to my sister, and now she's sick, But if she happens to die because of your drugs, I'm putting in your culo
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt a .38 slug
."
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group N.W.A, whose songs were later featured on the compilation N.W.A. and the Posse
N.W.A. and the Posse
N.W.A. and the Posse was a 1987 Macola Records release that compiled various Dr. Dre-produced tracks and was marketed as an album by N.W.A. It includes previously released tracks by N.W.A, Eazy-E, the Fila Fresh Crew, and Rappinstine. The cover photo is the same as N.W.A's "Panic Zone" single and...
, which was a reissue of 12" EPs and singles released by Macola Records, the then manufacturer and distributor of Ruthless Records, N.W.A's label.
Apart from the title track and "8-Ball", the record also included "Dopeman", a song about a local drug dealer who is waited on hand and foot by frequent clients whose lives have been ruined as a result of their consumption of his products.
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of a split single
Split album
A split album is a music album which includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There have been singles and EPs released in the same nature, which can be referred to as split singles and split EPs respectively...
release with Eazy-E's Boyz-n-the-Hood two years later, following the commercial success of Eazy-E's solo debut Eazy-Duz-It
Eazy-Duz-It
Eazy-Duz-It is the debut album of rapper Eazy-E, released on September 16, 1988, through both Ruthless and Priority Records. The production by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella was deemed dense and funky by critic Jason Birchmeier. The pieces were written primarily by MC Ren, Ice Cube, and The D.O.C.. The...
and the group's first album proper, Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton
The lyrics on the album were mainly written by Ice Cube and MC Ren. Critics of the album expressed their view that the record glamorized Black-on-Black crime, but the emcees stated that the group was simply showing the reality of living in the areas of Compton, California, and South Central Los...
, on which a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of "Dopeman" was included.
The song later appeared on The Best of N.W.A. - The Strength of Street Knowledge. It contains a sample from Funky Worm
Funky Worm
"Funky Worm" is a song by American funk group the Ohio Players, from their album Pleasure. It peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B charts in 1973 and also peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100.-Influence:...
by the Ohio Players
Ohio Players
The Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their double #1 hit songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster".- Biography :...
.
Despite its notoriety and popularity, "Dopeman" was never released as a single proper.
At 0:58 the song contains a reference to Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)
Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
: "To be a dopeman, boy, you must qualify - don't get high off your own supply."
Featured MC Krazy Dee raps towards the end of the song:
"Yo, Mr Dopeman, you think you're slick, You sold crack to my sister, and now she's sick, But if she happens to die because of your drugs, I'm putting in your culo
Ass
Ass may refer to:* The mammal Equus africanus asinus better known as the Donkey** Asinus subgenus* North American English informal term for buttocks* áss, one of the Æsir in Norse mythology* Ass , by Badfinger...
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt a .38 slug
Shotgun slug
A shotgun slug is a heavy lead projectile, that may have pre-cut rifling, intended for use in a shotgun and often used for hunting large game. The first effective shotgun slug was introduced by Wilhelm Brenneke in 1898, and his design remains in use today...
."
Track listing
- "Panic Zone" – 4:30
- "Dopeman (Radio Edit)" – 4:42
- "8-Ball (Radio Edit)" – 4:20
- "Dopeman" – 6:00
- "8-Ball" – 4:00
Personnel
- Eazy-E - Executive Producer
- Dr. Dre - Engineer, Producer
- Donovan Smith - Engineer
- Brian Gardner - Mastering Engineer
- Phil Bedel - Photography