După blocuri
Encyclopedia
După blocuri is the fifth studio album
by Romanian hip hop group B.U.G. Mafia
, released on January 18, 2000, by Cat Music in Romania
. Recording sessions for the album took place throughout 1999 at the "Magic Sound" studios in Bucharest
. The album features a darker tone than its predecessor, with heavy beats being accompanied by an overall sobriety in the lyricism. It has been categorized by fans and critics alike as the group's darkest work. Production for the album was handled by group member Tataee
and some of his frequent collaborators at the time, keyboardist Camil Beldeanu and guitarist Cristi Andrei.
The album is notable for being the first in the group's history to have its tracks fade into one another and for including the hit single "După blocuri", for which B.U.G. Mafia shot their first official video directed by Bogdan Albu in January 2000.
had sold over 130,000 copies which was unprecedented for a Romanian hip hop
group, B.U.G. Mafia were catapulted to superstardom and with that, new problems occurred for them. The Romanian media started capitalizing off their success by publishing false stories and intentionally portraying the group in a demeaning light. The anger and frustration of being unable to publicly defend themselves was put into a large number of the songs recorded for the album thus producing what the critics have called "their darkest work since their debut album".
returned to work with studio musicians after in 1998, for De cartier
, he had been more hands on with the production, playing much of the album's music on the group's newly-bought keyboard. Camil Beldeanu makes a number of appearances, playing keys on 5 of the album's 19 tracks and Cristi Andrei returns to create a number of funk-influenced guitar riffs, most notably on the album's title track. Romanian
composer Viorel Sârbu was also heavily involved in the production of După blocuri, composing the album's bassline
s. The overall sound differs significantly from De cartier
, as all B.U.G. Mafia
and Tataee
's productions do from album to album. The heavy, "boom bap"-influenced drums and the haunting synthesizer
-keyboard elements account for much of the album's dark feel. The album relies more on live instrumentation rather than sampling. However, "A Fost Odata-n Cartiere" (Once Upon A Time In The Neighbourhoods) references a famous moment in the group's history through a sample of the audience at the 1998 "Ballantine's
Music Awards", who had felt that the B.U.G. Mafia deserved the "Song of the Year" award that went to Holograf, by chanting the group's name. Romanian
pop singers Roxana Andronescu and Nicoleta "Nico" Matei make guest appearances on four of the album's songs. Matei would later return to collaborate with B.U.G. Mafia for their 2002 single "Cine E Cu Noi" (Who's With Us?).
life in the poverty-ridden late 1990s post communist
Romania
. The group also addresses its long-standing feud with the Romanian media, who had retaliated a year earlier by capitalizing on slanderous articles suggesting that the B.U.G. Mafia had no respect for its fans or that they asked for ridiculous amounts of money to perform live. Songs such as "Carteru' Pantelimon
" (The Pantelimon
Neighbourhood), "Tine-o Tot Asa" (Keep It Up), "Anturaju'" (The Entourage) and "Mahoarcă" (Weed) depict the life of inner-city youths in Romania
and some of their views and opinions about the contemporary society
. "A Fost Odată-n Cartiere" ("Once Upon a Time in The Neighbourhood", named significantly after Ice Cube's song) serves as a short biography of the group, while "Cât A Trăit" (While He Lived) is a soulful ode to a personal friend of group member Uzzi who had died due to drug abuse
a year earlier.
The album's title track roughly translates to "In The Projects" and its lyrics depict the life in the inner city neighborhoods in Bucharest
and in Romania
in general. The group shot its first official music video for the song, which was released as a single in January, 2000. Even though they had already appeared in the "Lumea e a mea" (The World Is Mine) video two years earlier, the group regards "După blocuri" as their first video as "Lumea e a mea" (The World Is Mine) was a single released by Romanian
dance artist Loredana Groza
.
Lyrics by Tataee
, Caddy, Uzzi
, Mari, Co-G and Puya
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Romanian hip hop group B.U.G. Mafia
B.U.G. Mafia
B.U.G. Mafia is a Romanian hip hop group from Pantelimon, Bucharest, widely regarded as one of the seminal acts of gangsta rap in Romania. Founded in 1993, it was among the first Romanian hip hop acts.The original line-up consisted of Vlad "Tataee" Irimia, Dragoş "Caddillac" Vlad-Neagu and two...
, released on January 18, 2000, by Cat Music in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. Recording sessions for the album took place throughout 1999 at the "Magic Sound" studios in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. The album features a darker tone than its predecessor, with heavy beats being accompanied by an overall sobriety in the lyricism. It has been categorized by fans and critics alike as the group's darkest work. Production for the album was handled by group member Tataee
Tataee
Vlad Irimia , primarily known by his stage name Tataee, is a Romanian record producer, rapper, record executive, and music manager. He is one of the founders and the main producer of the well-known Romanian hip hop trio B.U.G...
and some of his frequent collaborators at the time, keyboardist Camil Beldeanu and guitarist Cristi Andrei.
The album is notable for being the first in the group's history to have its tracks fade into one another and for including the hit single "După blocuri", for which B.U.G. Mafia shot their first official video directed by Bogdan Albu in January 2000.
Background
The group started work on the album in late 1998 and recording sessions carried throughout 1999. As their previous album De cartierDe Cartier
De cartier is the fourth studio album by Romanian hip hop group B.U.G. Mafia, released September 20, 1998, by Cat Music in Romania...
had sold over 130,000 copies which was unprecedented for a Romanian hip hop
Romanian hip hop
Romanian hip hop is the hip hop music style that was developed in Romania around 1992. Most notable Romanian hip hop artists come from Bucharest, Romania's capital and largest city. The genre is currently growing in popularity in Europe...
group, B.U.G. Mafia were catapulted to superstardom and with that, new problems occurred for them. The Romanian media started capitalizing off their success by publishing false stories and intentionally portraying the group in a demeaning light. The anger and frustration of being unable to publicly defend themselves was put into a large number of the songs recorded for the album thus producing what the critics have called "their darkest work since their debut album".
Production
In composing the music for the album, TataeeTataee
Vlad Irimia , primarily known by his stage name Tataee, is a Romanian record producer, rapper, record executive, and music manager. He is one of the founders and the main producer of the well-known Romanian hip hop trio B.U.G...
returned to work with studio musicians after in 1998, for De cartier
De Cartier
De cartier is the fourth studio album by Romanian hip hop group B.U.G. Mafia, released September 20, 1998, by Cat Music in Romania...
, he had been more hands on with the production, playing much of the album's music on the group's newly-bought keyboard. Camil Beldeanu makes a number of appearances, playing keys on 5 of the album's 19 tracks and Cristi Andrei returns to create a number of funk-influenced guitar riffs, most notably on the album's title track. Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
composer Viorel Sârbu was also heavily involved in the production of După blocuri, composing the album's bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
s. The overall sound differs significantly from De cartier
De Cartier
De cartier is the fourth studio album by Romanian hip hop group B.U.G. Mafia, released September 20, 1998, by Cat Music in Romania...
, as all B.U.G. Mafia
B.U.G. Mafia
B.U.G. Mafia is a Romanian hip hop group from Pantelimon, Bucharest, widely regarded as one of the seminal acts of gangsta rap in Romania. Founded in 1993, it was among the first Romanian hip hop acts.The original line-up consisted of Vlad "Tataee" Irimia, Dragoş "Caddillac" Vlad-Neagu and two...
and Tataee
Tataee
Vlad Irimia , primarily known by his stage name Tataee, is a Romanian record producer, rapper, record executive, and music manager. He is one of the founders and the main producer of the well-known Romanian hip hop trio B.U.G...
's productions do from album to album. The heavy, "boom bap"-influenced drums and the haunting synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-keyboard elements account for much of the album's dark feel. The album relies more on live instrumentation rather than sampling. However, "A Fost Odata-n Cartiere" (Once Upon A Time In The Neighbourhoods) references a famous moment in the group's history through a sample of the audience at the 1998 "Ballantine's
Ballantine's
Ballantine's is a range of blended scotch whiskies distilled by George Ballantine & Son Ltd in Dumbarton, Scotland.The Ballantine's flavour is dependent on 50 single malts, four single grains and in particular the fingerprint malts from Miltonduff and Glenburgie...
Music Awards", who had felt that the B.U.G. Mafia deserved the "Song of the Year" award that went to Holograf, by chanting the group's name. Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
pop singers Roxana Andronescu and Nicoleta "Nico" Matei make guest appearances on four of the album's songs. Matei would later return to collaborate with B.U.G. Mafia for their 2002 single "Cine E Cu Noi" (Who's With Us?).
Lyricism
The album's lyrics represent a complex and introspective look cast upon the working classWorking class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
life in the poverty-ridden late 1990s post communist
Post-Communism
Post-communism is a name sometimes given to the period of political and economic transformation or "transition" in former Communist states located in parts of Europe and Asia, in which new governments aimed to create free market-oriented capitalist economies with some form of parliamentary...
Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The group also addresses its long-standing feud with the Romanian media, who had retaliated a year earlier by capitalizing on slanderous articles suggesting that the B.U.G. Mafia had no respect for its fans or that they asked for ridiculous amounts of money to perform live. Songs such as "Carteru' Pantelimon
Pantelimon, Bucharest
Pantelimon is a working-class neighborhood located in south-eastern Bucharest, Romania, in Sector 2. Outside Bucharest, there is an adjacent town named Pantelimon, administered separately....
" (The Pantelimon
Pantelimon, Bucharest
Pantelimon is a working-class neighborhood located in south-eastern Bucharest, Romania, in Sector 2. Outside Bucharest, there is an adjacent town named Pantelimon, administered separately....
Neighbourhood), "Tine-o Tot Asa" (Keep It Up), "Anturaju'" (The Entourage) and "Mahoarcă" (Weed) depict the life of inner-city youths in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and some of their views and opinions about the contemporary society
Contemporary society
Contemporary society, according to social and political scientists, is characterised by at least three fundamental directions:* increasing human interconnection through a network of relationships that is progressively covering the whole planet;...
. "A Fost Odată-n Cartiere" ("Once Upon a Time in The Neighbourhood", named significantly after Ice Cube's song) serves as a short biography of the group, while "Cât A Trăit" (While He Lived) is a soulful ode to a personal friend of group member Uzzi who had died due to drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
a year earlier.
The album's title track roughly translates to "In The Projects" and its lyrics depict the life in the inner city neighborhoods in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
and in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in general. The group shot its first official music video for the song, which was released as a single in January, 2000. Even though they had already appeared in the "Lumea e a mea" (The World Is Mine) video two years earlier, the group regards "După blocuri" as their first video as "Lumea e a mea" (The World Is Mine) was a single released by Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
dance artist Loredana Groza
Loredana Groza
Loredana Groza is a Romanian pop singer. Singer, actress, TV hostess and mother, Loredana began her career in the city of Oneşti. She alternated music styles in order to show her wide talents...
.
Track listing
All song titles, notes, samples, writing and production credits are according to the album booklet.Lyrics by Tataee
Tataee
Vlad Irimia , primarily known by his stage name Tataee, is a Romanian record producer, rapper, record executive, and music manager. He is one of the founders and the main producer of the well-known Romanian hip hop trio B.U.G...
, Caddy, Uzzi
Uzzi
Uzzi is a biblical name meaning "the Lord is my strength".People with this name:biblical:* , the son of Bukki, a descendant of Aaron * , a grandson of Issachar...
, Mari, Co-G and Puya
| # | Title | Time | Songwriters | Producers | Additional performers | Additional credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Intro"' | 1:58 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter, D.Vlad-Neagu, V.Sârbu | Tataee | Laura Mesescu |
|
| 2 | "Cartieru' Pantelimon"' | 4:37 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter, D.Vlad-Neagu, C.Beldeanu, V.Sârbu | Tataee, co-produced by Caddy & Uzzi | Nico |
|
| 3 | "Interludiu" | 0:34 | A.Demeter, V.Irmia, D.Vlad-Neagu | Țeavă | ||
| 4 | "Ține-o Tot Așa"' | 4:02 | D.Vlad-Neagu, V.Irimia, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee, co-produced by Uzzi & Caddy |
|
|
| 5 | "...Rămâne așa" | 0:32 | V.Irimia, D.Vlad-Neagu, A.Demeter, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee, co-produced by Uzzi & Caddy |
|
|
| 6 | "La Greu"' | 4:26 | A.Demeter, D.Vlad-Neagu, V.Irimia, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee |
|
|
| 7 | "Capu' Sus"' | 4:52 | V.Irimia, D.Vlad-Neagu, A.Demeter, C.Beldeanu, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee | Roxana Andronescu |
|
| 8 | "Cât A Trăit"' | 3:22 | A.Demeter, V.Irimia, C.Beldeanu, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee, co-produced by Uzzi | Puya |
|
| 9 | "Combinații" | 0:38 | V.Irimia, D.Vlad-Neagu, A.Demeter | Greu' | ||
| 10 | "Anturaju'" | 4:32 | D.Vlad-Neagu, V.Irimia, A.Demeter | Tataee |
|
|
| 11 | "Interludiu"' | 0:22 | A.Demeter, V.Irimia, D.Vlad-Neagu | Pleșa | ||
| 12 | "Unii Sug Pula"' | 4:18 | D.Vlad-Neagu, A.Demeter, V.Irimia, C.Beldeanu, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee |
|
|
| 13 | "A Fost Odată-n Cartiere"' | 4:37 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter, C.Beldeanu, C.Andrei | Tataee, co-produced by Uzzi | Luchian, Nico |
|
| 14 | "Progres"' | 0:56 | Cătălin | |||
| 15 | "Două Dube"' | 2:38 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter | Tataee, co-produced by Uzzi |
|
|
| 16 | "Mafia și M&G"' | 4:42 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter, D.Vlad-Neagu, M.Codreanu, G.Codreanu, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee | M&G |
|
| 17 | "Mahoarcă"' | 4:35 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter, D.Vlad-Neagu, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei, R.Bloch | Tataee | Roxana Andronescu |
|
| 18 | "După Blocuri"' | 4:24 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter, D.Vlad-Neagu, C.Beldeanu, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee, co-produced by Uzzi & Caddy |
|
|
| 19 | "Outro"' | 1:34 | V.Irimia, A.Demeter, D.Vlad-Neagu, V.Sârbu, C.Andrei | Tataee, co-produced by Uzzi & Caddy | Greu' |
|
Personnel
- B.U.G. Mafia - executive producer
- Vlad "TataeeTataeeVlad Irimia , primarily known by his stage name Tataee, is a Romanian record producer, rapper, record executive, and music manager. He is one of the founders and the main producer of the well-known Romanian hip hop trio B.U.G...
" Irimia - performer/producer/mixer - Dragoş "Daddy Caddy" Vlad-Neagu - performer
- Alin "Uzzi" Demeter - performer
- Marian "Mari" Codreanu - performer
- Gabriel "Co-G" Codreanu - performer
- Dragoş "Puya" Gardescu - performer
- Luchian - performer
- Greu' - additional vocals
- Țeavă - performer and additional vocals
- Cătălin - performer and additional vocals
- Pleșa - performer and additional vocals
- Laura Mesescu - performer and additional vocals
- Roxana Andronescu - performer and additional vocals
- Nicoleta "Nico" Matei - performer
- Rudolf Bloch - flute
- Cristi Andrei - guitars
- Viorel Sârbu - keyboard bass
- Camil Beldeanu - keyboards
- Cristi Dobrică - mix engineer/masterer
- Cornel Lazia - photographer
- Alin Surdu - designer
External links
După blocuri at DiscogsDiscogs
Discogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...