Analysing the highs and lows of an average day in the hood, it echoes Cube’s “It Was a Good Day”. On the uber-chilled “Somethin’ 4 Tha Mood”, Quik cooks up a breezy, feel good track of sparkly keyboards, syncopated claps, shuffling hi-hats, woozy synths and a floating two-minute flute solo courtesy of Robert “Fonksta” Bacon. The moody bass locks a laidback infectious groove, the hook is catchy and Quik’s delivery is in fine form. Title track “Safe + Sound” chronicles Quik’s formative years over a slick instrumental. On the horizontal “Diggin’ U Out”, the soulful electric piano of Warryn Campbell lays a relaxed groove for Quik to talk over about one of his favourite topics: sex. The first track proper, “Get At Me” samples Cameo whilst Quik takes aim at the Judases in his life, the horn-laced chorus providing a triumphant feel. Rich soundscapes and masterfully arranged orchestrations with dense layers of sounds, intricate rhythms, and well-balanced songwriting.
This is an album of full-blown masterpieces. This sound - the quick, winding basslines, tinny high hats, smooth instrumental solos, soulful pipes, and Roger Troutman’s talkbox - defined him. Less reliant on samples and more focused on live instruments, it elevated him from producer to fully-fledged composer. Released on Profile in 1995, Safe + Sound was certified gold. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.īy the time of his third album DJ Quik was a household name on the West Coast - California’s premier rapper/producer not named Andre Young. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik’s tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton’s more typical nihilistic hedonism. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. An old-school funk producer at heart, he’s also incredibly nice on the mic. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. He’s released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre.
A subtle cover for a wonderfully unsubtle record.Ī preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. The original vinyl release never got a picture sleeve, so we’ve recreated the original’s promo-style silver-sticker and plain black jacket. Unusual for the time, Safe + Sound was originally pressed as a double, so all that was missing was the CD’s hidden bonus track “Tanqueray”, so we’ve fixed that. This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Typical for mid-90s albums the original vinyl copies are now rare so here’s the Be With re-issue. A quintessential, sun-scorched LA album, this is pretty much essential. With 1995’s Safe + Sound, he scaled new levels of musical magnificence with his signature new age P-Funk/laconic G-Funk. 2022 re-issue, 140g double vinyl, includes the CD bonus track “Tanqueray”, reproduction of the original stickered sleeve.ĭJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop.
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