ON THE TURNTABLE: Schoolly D – Am I Black Enough For You?

ON THE TURNTABLE: Schoolly D - Am I Black Enough For You?

Short, sharp and frank reviews from a confessed vinyl junkie. I’ll be posting my most loved records and most recent purchases right here for your perusal every week.

Released in ‘89, ‘Am I Black Enough For You?’ was the fourth studio album from the Philadelphia based emcee. The title of the album (as well as the title track of the same name) was named after Billy Paul’s 1973 hit of the same name.

At the time of its release, the album bombed, which given how brilliant it is, is insane. Abel Ferrara’s superb, gritty gangster flick ‘King of New York’, released in ‘91, starring Christopher Walken and Laurence Fishburne, would later breathe life back into the album by using a selection of tracks for its soundtrack. ‘Am I Black Enough For You’ is Golden Age Hip Hop at its very best.

The beats are heavy; the rhymes have a classic feel with the effect used on Schoolly’s voice throughout; it almost sounds like he’s rapping in an empty warehouse, but it totally works. ‘Pussy Ain’t Nothin’ is about as sexist as you can get for a Rap song, but this was the 80s, and I’ve a feeling Schoolly must’ve been recently dumped at the time of writing it! ‘Gangster Boogie’ is a stone-cold classic, but the stand out tune for me is the title track, the sound of a black man, unapologetically telling the world, ‘Fuck you, this is me, if you don’t like it, fuck you’.

It’s a brave and exceptional album from one of Hip Hop’s old school legends who, of course, paved the way for so many others. Essential listening for any Hip Hop fan.

Listen to Schoolly D – Am I Black Enough For You? – BELOW:

Xsnoize Author
Sean Crossey 86 Articles
Seán is based in Manchester; his favourite artists include James Brown, MF Doom, The National, Bon Iver, Radiohead, Eric B & Rakim, Aretha Franklin, Serge Gainsbourg, John Lennon and Public Enemy. Sean has also been a promoter, DJ and a failed musician. Nowadays he resides in the Northern Quarter of Manchester and is a vinyl junkie, sneaker collector and MCFC fan.

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