9th Wonder Says Without Phonte, There Is No Drake (Audio)

[OG Talk]

It makes sense why his music is garbage.

Who Drake or 9th?

 

[TheDarceKnight]

Also, whomever was in charge of picking their first single/s dropped the ball like shyt.

Explain why "The Get Up" was the debut single over "Whatever You Say"
"Lovin It" was dope but "Slow It Down" was the obvious choice IMO on The Minstrel Show.
I didn't love the song, but they had Lil Wayne at the height of his powers in 2007 for "Breakin My Heart", but "Good Clothes" was the lead single on Getback. shyt "Extra Hard", "Step It Up", "2 Step Blues" and "Dreams" made more sense but.....

Oh, and fukk NC radio for not playing the singles they dropped. shyt was disgraceful
"I ain't never heard a group that blew and went global, then come back home and still be called local"
-Tigallo

Dap and pos rep on the bold.

The first single from The Listening was Whatever You Say. Light It Up (not on the album, produced by Nicolay, first song they did with him) was the B-Side, with Altitudes (Flying High) was the bonus cut. The 2nd single was The Way You Do It, and Get Up was the B-Side, with On The Way as the bonus cut.

There might be some confusion because the first songs released online (I think) were Speed, Whatever You Say, and The Yo-Yo. The Listening was actually very successful IMO, considering that it was released on ABB with no video, basically no promo, no radio singles, etc. They just had the Whatever You Say 12" single.

As far as Minstrel Show, I think the label wanted it to be Say It Again. The Lovin' it single's B-Side is one of my favorite songs ever, and it was on the Japanese Import, and I hate they cut it from the album. It was Hold On (Tellin' Me). Amazing song, and a top 5-10 Phonte verse IMO.

The album dropped August 2005, but Slow It Down wasn't released as a single until 2006. I also think that would've been a great first single. I think Say It Again was the B-Side on there. In hindsight I think they both could've been bigger than Lovin It. I don't know. By that time, I don't think Atlantic had any interest in pushing the record. There's not really a true "single" on that album, and there was never meant to be. They just finished the album and turned it in.

All those would've been great singles for Get Back. I think it's their most radio-friendly album. A lot of that is because I think they picked a lot of beats that didn't sound like their typical style. Some people hated on that, but I think LB is one of the only groups to sound great even without their original producer. I don't like listening to Guru or CL Smooth without Preem or Pete. That's not the case with LB. Good Clothes was the first time I heard them get any radio spins here in NC.

 

[phonthought3000]

Between Phonte and Pooh? I have no idea man. If I did, I still wouldn't put it out there anyways, out of respect. But I have no idea. Honestly I'm not even that curious. I just wish as a fan that we could get a reunion one day. Even an Eo would be so refreshing right now.

About a year after the Minstrel Show I went back to finish college. Honestly one of the things I always admired about Pooh/Phonte/9th Wonder were that from what I saw, it seemed like they did a good job of keeping group issues private. They didn't put their business out there like that.

Even when they split they made sure that it was pretty quiet and no one really knew anything until the little exchange between 9th Wonder and Phonte when Leftback came out, and 9th was upset they used the song Star, and then Phonte made the video, etc.



I'll try to answer as best I can. Embassy was Chaundon and L.E.G.A.C.Y. I have no idea what Chaundon is up to. Leg was my best friend out of everyone, and I haven't talked to him in a while. Most of the music is pushing 10 years old. Khrysis produced the whole thing. Honestly you've probably gotten more than you think from it. Colors was changed to Seeing Is Believing, and got put on the Hall of Justus compilation. I think Happy Gilmore was released on something. Identity/Fight Club, The Shining, and The Stand I think all got released. I'll try to get you a list of everything from it that's out.

I just can't think of how they could get it released. I don't even think Leg is that interested in music anymore. A good half the album has been released elsewhere. A lot of the movie titles would be dated and need to be re-worked. Definitely though, Leg and Chaundon both have faults of great unreleased music both solo and together.

I think the chemistry might be there man. They did so much music. if there was legit no animosity or beef, I think they'd probably be able to make a great EP or LP.

9th/Phonte/Median album? I don't know about a whole album. Median is signed to Foreign Exchange, so I think we'll keep getting collabs between Tay and Median, but I don't think a full album.

This beat sounds like it's from The Listening era, so I bet this is what an "original Little Brother" album might have sounded like

Good look on the list whenever you can get that to me.

That's funny u put up that track from wonder years I was listening to that this morning and when that song "piranhas" came on in the back of my head I was damn tay and Pooh would kill this... Its a shame what couldve been cause I listen to alot of stuff 9th and the soul council produce and think damn that'll be a sic LB track.....someone made a funny but true statement in that last Rapsody thread she has more 9th joints than LB. And then to hear 9th tell the story of what the third album would have been its like especially for day one LB fans.

Quick question when was Black Light Special. i know that was released round the time of ...And Justus For All when it was just Tay & Pooh. I also remember 9th did prob bout 2 or 3 joints on a couple of Pooh early projects (Rapper's Delight or one of the Fat Boy Fresh). I ask this cause part of me feel 9th and Pooh really never had any beef per say and Pooh just rode with Tay when that went down. I feel that when it comes to Pooh & Tay and that situation there is animosity and resentment at least from Pooh towards Tay. IDK to me it just feel like that cause we going on about the same amount of years wit them not speaking to each as the beef between 9th and Tay.

Sorry for all the questions (jus a die hard LB fan, I remember picking up the Listening, Philadelphia Freeway and The Headphone Masterpiece the same day). But I know you've been around the JL clique for a time period in your opinion what would you honestly say was the downfall of LB/JL. From the stories over the years it seems part of the reasoning would be attributed to Tay's stubborness cause he was the key player in them getting to that otherside. I feel they could've play the game and still maintained their integrity especially going off the stories 9th tell about their time at Atlantic. But I also notice that whenever you bring up that JL era its an uncomfortable feeling to talk about with them three (9th seems to be overcoming that but before he avoided talking bout it). Ialso feel FE getting that recognition they got put the nail in the coffin of LB at least from Tay perspective.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Foreign Exchange was the best thing to come out of Little Brother. We just have to see that for what it is.

Phonte is such a gem.

 

[phonthought3000]

So basically, the rift is now between Phonte and Pooh.

I've never seen Phonte as one of those "be the bigger man" types, so it all rests with Pooh

IDK its seems Pooh is just as stubborn when it comes to this situation. He's quick to kill any notation of a reunion when the question is brought up. Even made mention of it on "Don't Change" saying it will never happen he's moved on from that part of his life.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

Good look on the list whenever you can get that to me.

That's funny u put up that track from wonder years I was listening to that this morning and when that song "piranhas" came on in the back of my head I was damn tay and Pooh would kill this... Its a shame what couldve been cause I listen to alot of stuff 9th and the soul council produce and think damn that'll be a sic LB track.....someone made a funny but true statement in that last Rapsody thread she has more 9th joints than LB. And then to hear 9th tell the story of what the third album would have been its like especially for day one LB fans.

Quick question when was Black Light Special. i know that was released round the time of ...And Justus For All when it was just Tay & Pooh. I also remember 9th did prob bout 2 or 3 joints on a couple of Pooh early projects (Rapper's Delight or one of the Fat Boy Fresh). I ask this cause part of me feel 9th and Pooh really never had any beef per say and Pooh just rode with Tay when that went down. I feel that when it comes to Pooh & Tay and that situation there is animosity and resentment at least from Pooh towards Tay. IDK to me it just feel like that cause we going on about the same amount of years wit them not speaking to each as the beef between 9th and Tay.

Sorry for all the questions (jus a die hard LB fan, I remember picking up the Listening, Philadelphia Freeway and The Headphone Masterpiece the same day). But I know you've been around the JL clique for a time period in your opinion what would you honestly say was the downfall of LB/JL. From the stories over the years it seems part of the reasoning would be attributed to Tay's stubborness cause he was the key player in them getting to that otherside. I feel they could've play the game and still maintained their integrity especially going off the stories 9th tell about their time at Atlantic. But I also notice that whenever you bring up that JL era its an uncomfortable feeling to talk about with them three (9th seems to be overcoming that but before he avoided talking bout it). Ialso feel FE getting that recognition they got put the nail in the coffin of LB at least from Tay perspective.

As far as Black Light Special I don't know. it wasn't on the mixtape version of And Justus For All, and I wasn't around whenever it was recorded. I don't know the exact dynamics of who had issues with who and over what. The Independent (a local Raleigh/Durham newspaper) did a huge piece on it with a lot of interviews from people close to the source, and it shed light on some things I had never known. That was released when Leftback came out.

I just Googled and apparently there was a funny little exchange between ?uestlove and Phonte on twitter last November.

?uestlove said “BREAKING NEWS: The #Re-EnLISTment the new album by @9thWonderMusic @phontigallo & @RapperBigPooh in the works! #LittleBrother!!!” read the first of the tweets. Quest followed with, #SeeWhatIDidThere? #effYallSquabblin #HipHopAtStake #NoRootsBeefWasEverBiggerThanTheRoots #25YearSquabblinClassics.”

Phonte responded “N---a stop lying” and nearly left it at that. Quest kept at it, and Phonte said “I don’t know what to make of this “The Secret” meets Asperger’s sh-t @questlove is on right now, but there is no LB project. Thanks." “Please stay out of other people’s affairs, man. You don’t see me tweetin sh-t about you and @solangeknowles do you? Chill.”

9th responded with "Things fell ALL the way apart. #DoUSeeWhatIHadDoneThere" and Pooh said "I know nothing. I'm just enjoying the show like ya'll."

Source: http://hiphopwired.com/2013/11/25/questlove-tweets-little-brother-reunion-phonte-reacts/

Yeah man I don't know anything more than you, honestly. Some of that stuff you said may or may not have worked. Who knows. Hindsight is 20/20, right?

On Tigallo For Dolo he said "Rappin' Tay, 4 and a half mic honoree? or singing Tay first time Gammy nominee? You do the math. You add it up. That's on my mind when I press record. Lotta dudes probably mad at me, but I would rather be a lonely wolf than a sheep that's bored." That says a lot.

What was the downfall IMO? I don't know man. 3 incredibly talented and opinionated young men trying to hold together something really big, fast, with a lot of moving parts. I'm sure it wasn't easy. One of the best groups ever.

 

[Bishop_BP_Jakes]

Dap and pos rep on the bold.

The first single from The Listening was Whatever You Say. Light It Up (not on the album, produced by Nicolay, first song they did with him) was the B-Side, with Altitudes (Flying High) was the bonus cut. The 2nd single was The Way You Do It, and Get Up was the B-Side, with On The Way as the bonus cut.

There might be some confusion because the first songs released online (I think) were Speed, Whatever You Say, and The Yo-Yo. The Listening was actually very successful IMO, considering that it was released on ABB with no video, basically no promo, no radio singles, etc. They just had the Whatever You Say 12" single.

As far as Minstrel Show, I think the label wanted it to be Say It Again. The Lovin' it single's B-Side is one of my favorite songs ever, and it was on the Japanese Import, and I hate they cut it from the album. It was Hold On (Tellin' Me). Amazing song, and a top 5-10 Phonte verse IMO.

The album dropped August 2005, but Slow It Down wasn't released as a single until 2006. I also think that would've been a great first single. I think Say It Again was the B-Side on there. In hindsight I think they both could've been bigger than Lovin It. I don't know. By that time, I don't think Atlantic had any interest in pushing the record. There's not really a true "single" on that album, and there was never meant to be. They just finished the album and turned it in.

All those would've been great singles for Get Back. I think it's their most radio-friendly album. A lot of that is because I think they picked a lot of beats that didn't sound like their typical style. Some people hated on that, but I think LB is one of the only groups to sound great even without their original producer. I don't like listening to Guru or CL Smooth without Preem or Pete. That's not the case with LB. Good Clothes was the first time I heard them get any radio spins here in NC.

The beat on the Light It Up remix is.....

Anyway thanks for clearing up my confusion on The Listening first single.

I've personally only heard Lovin It played on 97.5 on the way from Raleigh once in '05, 97.9 had a dj that used to play "Delusional" ft Oddisee and "Let It Go" ft Mos Def out the blue from Separate But Equal. But the PD's up here at 102 never seemed to fukk with LB. I'll never forget this. Tay, Cole and 9th dropped the same day in 2011. 102 interviewed Tay (from Gboro) and 9th (from Tre-4) and hyped the releases as #GreatestDayforNCHipHop or some shyt like that. Do you know these nikkas didn't play a single song off of either album that day. I was BLOWN. Ain't listened to 102 since. I swear NC radio has had a long standing identity crisis. It's like they assume since we're below the mason-dixon, that all the fans wanna hear is Trap shyt and Top 40. And if the artist is actually from NC, the shyt won't hit our stations unless it blows up nationally, ask Petey Pablo and J.Cole.

I saw somebody mentioned Tay's blog on Myspace about opening up for Crime Mob in Fayetteville. This nikka called it the "HotFoxy 99 Jamz Summerfest", shyt had me on the floor.

BTW, @stoplurkinho do you know why Tay stopped doing the Gordon Gartrell podcast?

 

[TheDarceKnight]

@stoplurkinho Yeah I figured it was the case with them keeping things quiet for the most part. I too as a fan have been waiting for a reunion for the longest while but I don't think the chemistry would be the same. Plus I figure that with as long as its been fans might have expectations that exceed whats realistic and another case of what happened with Cuban Linx 2 would happen.

I see what you mean. See I liked Linx 2, and I thought most people (at the time at least) really liked it.

The thing I think that gives LB an advantage is really that the formula isn't very complicated. I'm not even trying to argue but just to explain my position. So instead of trying to re-visit a classic concept album like Cuban Linx with drug tales and timeless RZA production, LB has always just been on the simple "dope beats, dope rhymes" formula. Phonte and Pooh are still great, and 9th always sticks to the a tried and true formula. I really do think it wouldn't be too tough to make a solid EP.

Now, if they tried to actually make that "proper" follow up concept album to Minstrel Show? Yeah, I wouldn't want them to try that. If they just said "hey, here's 7 songs we made" I think it would be received very well. Sadly, I truly don't believe it will ever happen.

 

[blackslash]

They should've tried to capitalize more on this.

YOOO THIS WASMYY SOOOOONG BACK IN DA DAY MAAAAN


This song was actually kinda hot(not super duper mainstream hot) but it got spins dog...

 

[iBrowse]

I see what you mean. See I liked Linx 2, and I thought most people (at the time at least) really liked it.

The thing I think that gives LB an advantage is really that the formula isn't very complicated. I'm not even trying to argue but just to explain my position. So instead of trying to re-visit a classic concept album like Cuban Linx with drug tales and timeless RZA production, LB has always just been on the simple "dope beats, dope rhymes" formula. Phonte and Pooh are still great, and 9th always sticks to the a tried and true formula. I really do think it wouldn't be too tough to make a solid EP.

Now, if they tried to actually make that "proper" follow up concept album to Minstrel Show? Yeah, I wouldn't want them to try that. If they just said "hey, here's 7 songs we made" I think it would be received very well. Sadly, I truly don't believe it will ever happen.

Couldn't have said it any better.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

IDK its seems Pooh is just as stubborn when it comes to this situation. He's quick to kill any notation of a reunion when the question is brought up. Even made mention of it on "Don't Change" saying it will never happen he's moved on from that part of his life.

Great song by the way.



Pooh had a great song that 9th produced looking back on Little Brother and everything.

BTW, @stoplurkinho do you know why Tay stopped doing the Gordon Gartrell podcast?

I don't know man. It was a funny ass podcast though.

I know he's gone back to doing some of his Movie In A Minute videos on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/user/taygravy/videos

 

[DaHNIC82]

Thought I was gonna come in to the fukkbowy 'he mad cuz he aint hot"or 'he aint relevant " bullshyt. Im surprised cats are giving 9th and LB so much phrase SALUTE

 

[FlyRy]

little brother was the truth

it's a shame people chose garbage (wayne/the south) over them.

 

[Monoblock]

Damn shame how Drake jacked his style. Phonte just isnt a simp like Drake is and can actually sing.

 

[wild100sboy]

Little Brother is in my top 5 groups. Think good thoughts is one of drakes best songs by the way. The way 9th flipped that anita baker track