The Listening (Little Brother album)
Encyclopedia
The Listening is the debut album of North Carolina
trio Little Brother. It was released in early 2003 on ABB Records. The album became a surprise word-of-mouth sensation among underground rap fans, despite its lack of promotion, guest appearances, or extensive distribution.
's instrumentals consist of chopped and manipulated samples of old soul records, somewhat reminiscent of Pete Rock
and DJ Premier
. Complimenting the backdrops are MC's Phonte
and Rapper Big Pooh
with their tag-team wordplay and raps. On "Speed", they talk about the pressures of working a regular job while trying to survive in the rat race
, while on "Make Me Hot", they make fun of people who hassle them for beats and studio time. They also do some uncanny impressions of old school
era MC's on "So Fabulous".
The underlying theme of The Listening concerns the group's effort to engage their listeners on a deeper level, and their frustation at casual listeners who pay little attention to lyrics and content and simply want to hear a "hot song". The interludes are performed by the members of a fictional radio station called WJLR (Justus League Radio). On the last song called "The Listening", the group address the album's main theme head on, at one point abruptly stopping the song, exchanging dialogue concerning said song, and then restarting again, which in effect creates a song within a song.
figures.
Famous drummer and producer Questlove of The Roots
said:
Another legendary producer, Pete Rock
said:
Legendary DJ, DJ Jazzy Jeff
said:
DJ Spinna
, an underground hip hop producer said:
Nole
said:
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
trio Little Brother. It was released in early 2003 on ABB Records. The album became a surprise word-of-mouth sensation among underground rap fans, despite its lack of promotion, guest appearances, or extensive distribution.
Overview
As the main producer for the group, 9th Wonder9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
's instrumentals consist of chopped and manipulated samples of old soul records, somewhat reminiscent of Pete Rock
Pete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
and DJ Premier
DJ Premier
Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
. Complimenting the backdrops are MC's Phonte
Phonte
Phonte Coleman, better known as Phonte, is a Grammy nominated American rapper, formerly of the now defunct North Carolina trio Little Brother and one-half of the duo The Foreign Exchange. He has also recorded R&B-flavored output as a singer...
and Rapper Big Pooh
Rapper Big Pooh
Big Pooh is an American rapper, who, along with fellow rap artist Phonte, was a member of the acclaimed North Carolina hip hop group Little Brother. In addition to numerous records and EP's by Little Brother, Pooh released a solo album in 2005 entitled Sleepers to positive critical review...
with their tag-team wordplay and raps. On "Speed", they talk about the pressures of working a regular job while trying to survive in the rat race
Rat Race
A rat race is a term used for an endless, self-defeating or pointless pursuit. It conjures up the image of the futile efforts of a lab rat trying to escape while running around a maze or in a wheel...
, while on "Make Me Hot", they make fun of people who hassle them for beats and studio time. They also do some uncanny impressions of old school
Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
era MC's on "So Fabulous".
The underlying theme of The Listening concerns the group's effort to engage their listeners on a deeper level, and their frustation at casual listeners who pay little attention to lyrics and content and simply want to hear a "hot song". The interludes are performed by the members of a fictional radio station called WJLR (Justus League Radio). On the last song called "The Listening", the group address the album's main theme head on, at one point abruptly stopping the song, exchanging dialogue concerning said song, and then restarting again, which in effect creates a song within a song.
Acclaim
Little Brother received approval from notable hip hopHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
figures.
Famous drummer and producer Questlove of The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
said:
Another legendary producer, Pete Rock
Pete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
said:
Legendary DJ, DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
said:
DJ Spinna
DJ Spinna
DJ Spinna is an American hip hop music artist and producer, who, according to Allmusic.com, has "remained strictly an underground artist despite his astonishing talent."-Biography:...
, an underground hip hop producer said:
Nole
Nole
Nole is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 25 km northwest of Turin in the lower Canavese, at the feet of the Valli di Lanzo....
said:
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer(s) | Time | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Morning" | 9th Wonder | Chaundon Chaundon Chaundon is an American hip hop artist from, South Bronx, New York City, who is part of Little Brother's Justus League collective. In 2008 he released his debut album "Carnage" and since has become an internet sensation with his website and his independent music show , as well as his internet blog... |
0:45 | |
| 2 | "Groupie, Pt. 2" | 9th Wonder | Rapper Big Pooh | 2:58 | |
| 3 | "For You" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh | 3:03 | |
| 4 | "Speed" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh | 3:57 | |
| 5 | "Whatever You Say" | 9th Wonder | Rapper Big Pooh, Phonte | 5:27 | |
| 6 | "Make Me Hot" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh | 1:36 | |
| 7 | "The Yo-Yo" | 9th Wonder | Rapper Big Pooh, Phonte | 3:35 | |
| 8 | "Shorty on the Lookout" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh, Median | 5:24 | |
| 9 | "Love Joint Revisited" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh | 4:25 | |
| 10 | "So Fabulous" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh | 4:43 | |
| 11 | "The Way You Do It" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh | 4:32 | |
| 12 | "Roy Lee, Producer Extraordinaire" | 9th Wonder | Phonte, 9th Wonder | 0:58 | |
| 13 | "The Get-Up" | Eccentric, 9th Wonder | Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh | 3:17 | |
| 14 | "Away from Me" | 9th Wonder | Rapper Big Pooh, Phonte | 5:23 | |
| 15 | "Nobody But You" | 9th Wonder | Rapper Big Pooh, Phonte, Keisha Shontelle | 3:01 | |
| 16 | "Home" | 9th Wonder | 9th Wonder | 2:49 | |
| 17 | "Nighttime Maneuvers" | 9th Wonder | Phonte | 3:03 | |
| 18 | "The Listening" | 9th Wonder | Rapper Big Pooh, Phonte | 6:07 | |