Little Brother - May the Lord Watch (Discussion Thread)

[TheDarceKnight]

Man... I remember this from one of the NBA 2K games (I think)

Or was it one of the NBA Live's?

2K6

 

[Piff Perkins]

Real talk it might be their best album. From a bars perspective it's absolutely their best album. Cats are gonna like the first 2 albums off the strength of nostalgia, and I get that. They're both underground classics, and The Listening holds an especially special place in a lot of hearts. And Minstrel Show sees Phonte and Pooh both improved over even better 9th production.

But this new album? If you can set aside the 9th Wonder thing I think it's clearly their best album. The skits not being fully appreciated is the only reason at this point I might tell someone not to start with May the Lord Watch. And even then I still might tell them to start there.

Interesting argument, I'll have to revisit the previous albums. Off top I wanna say The Listening is the best but like you said, that could be nostalgia because I vividly remember the first time I heard that album and being blown away.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

The stories about making this record on this Instagram 1-year anniversary video are fire! I'll drop cliff notes after I finish for the fellow LB/JL heads.

So far they've played the sample for The Feel, and Phonte was saying it was gonna be the intro for his last solo album, No News Is Good News. They're saying it was the 2nd record they recorded for the album. Pooh said he had to step it up when he heard the Ray Carruth line.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Has 9th said anything about the album or group since it came out?

 

[TheDarceKnight]

Has 9th said anything about the album or group since it came out?

Not that I know of. Nothing besides the one tweet the night it came out

 

[TheDarceKnight]

Cliff notes for 1-year anniversary special. They broke down each song in order.

• The Feel (prod. Khrysis): they played the sample for this, and Phonte was saying it was gonna be the intro for his last solo album, No News Is Good News. They're saying it was the 2nd record they recorded for the album. Pooh said he had to step it up when he heard the Ray Carruth line. They said it's become their go-to song to kick off live performances. Phonte said Pooh's vocal range is much bigger than his. Phonte said Pooh has a talking voice AND a rap voice, where as he just has a regular speaking voice that happens to get louder when he raps. Phonte said Pooh always finishes his verses first.
  
• Everything (prod. Khrysis): Phonte said clearing samples on this album was a pain in the ass, and was the last sample to get cleared for the album (they played the sample), but the 1st song they recorded for the 1st time after reuniting. They were days away from having Focus replay the sample and/or make a new beat, but it got cleared at the last minute. he "HAH" ad-libs were a nod from Phonte to Busta Rhymes. The M.O.P. vocal samples were the finishing touch, on some Make 'Em Envy by Dilla shyt.
  
• Right on Time (prod. Nottz): They played an alternate intro by Chaundon as well as an extended/alternate hook by Darien Brockington. Nicolay and Zo played keys to help fill out the track. So I guess technically this is co-produced by Nicolay and Zo.
  
• Black Magic (prod. Focus): Pooh and Phonte cal him the "Little Brother whisperer." They said Focus is perfect at nailing perfect beats for them as soon as they explain what they're looking for. The sample is actually Anderson .Paak. Phonte and Pooh might think this is the best single they've ever made.
  
• Life After Blackface (Joe Scudda skit): Phonte asked for Joe to do a VH1 Behind The Music type skit without telling Joe what it was going to be used for, and Joe apparently took forever to get it done. They also played an extended version of the skit. Phonte said "If we behaved as black men the way Joe behaves as a white man, we'd be homeless."
  
• Good Morning Sunshine (prod. Focus): Phonte's hook were originally reference vocals for Raphael Sasdiq or Bilal to sing the hook. He said this was the Speed of this album. Phonte did reference vocals for the hook, but they just ended up using them. Phonte thinks this is a top 5 LB song, and Pooh said he doesn't listen to their music after the albums come out, but that he listens to this anytime he hears it.
  
• What I Came For (prod. Khrysis): Last song recorded for the album, and they were burned out and ready to be done with the album. J. Cole was almost a feature on this song, but they decided at the 11th hour they didn't want any rap features. They started it and thought the energy wasn't right, and started fresh the next day, and then the iMac died. Someone (Zo I think) played keys and then Khrysis chopped them up to make the beat. Pooh said the song was a "chore." But Phonte also said a lot of their best records are right at the end.
  
• Sitting Alone (prod. Nottz): Phonte said this clearing this sample was so difficult. Phonte ended up talking with him directly on the phone about it. Phonte heard Nottz play the beat on IG, Phonte sent it to Pooh, and Pooh immediately said they need it. The Scarface voice is not a Scarface sample, but Phonte doing a Scarface impersonation.
  
• Picture This (prod. Black Milk): One of the quickest and easiest Little Brother songs ever done, from concept to final product. This is Phonte's favorite Pooh verse on the album. In Los Angeles. Phonte got the beat from Black Milk while Pooh was out with Blakk Soul (the singer on the hook), and they played it in the hotel with Blakk Soul, who started singing "picture this" in the hotel at they beat played and they knew it was it. They had wanted a Black Milk record for years and years for Little Brother.
  
• All In a Day (prod. King Michael Coy): This is Pooh's favorite Phonte verse on the album. They said to keep a look out for the producer (who was in Dr. Dre's camp for awhile), King Michael Coy. This was another song that Phonte started making for No News is Good News as the closer for that album, but ended up getting scrapped. Pooh said he got the feeling hearing this when he heard When Everything is New off Getback.
  
• Work Through Me Lord (prod. Focus & Blaaq Gold): Phonte played an original version of this song with an entirely different beat by Blaaq Gold. The sample was I'm a Witness by Solange and it couldn't get cleared. It sounds more somber. Focus remade the beat (besides the drums) that you hear on the album now. This song was recorded the night that Nipsey was murdered. Originally, All in a Day was going to end the album, but Phonte said it didn't feel right to end the album with him doing a 30-bar verse. At the end of the day, they preferred them closing the album as a true team going back and forth.

 

[steadyrighteous]

• Black Magic (prod. Focus): Pooh and Phonte cal him the "Little Brother whisperer." They said Focus is perfect at nailing perfect beats for them as soon as they explain what they're looking for. The sample is actually Anderson .Paak. Phonte and Pooh might think this is the best single they've ever made.

It's an Anderson .Paak song, but that's Kadhja Bonet's voice on the sample. She's dope as fukk and her music is really unique so if you get a chance, check her out.

Timestamped:

 

[TheDarceKnight]

It's an Anderson .Paak song, but that's Kadhja Bonet's voice on the sample. She's dope as fukk and her music is really unique so if you get a chance, check her out.

Timestamped:

Thanks breh! Will do! I always love when modern stuff is sampled. I wish they could’ve got that original sample of Work Through Me Lord cleared. It was a Solange sample. That shyt sounded so fire.

 

[wordsbymj]

At the end of the Instagram video Phonte says he’s producing or executive producing an album by somebody called Lyric Jones. Any of you guys heard any of her stuff? Is it good?

 

[TheDarceKnight]

Forgot Pooh did a dope joint with Madlib and was bumping this earlier

At the end of the Instagram video Phonte says he’s producing or executive producing an album by somebody called Lyric Jones. Any of you guys heard any of her stuff? Is it good?

I haven't heard of her before, but I'm definitely checking for it if Phonte's involved.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

Anyone hear that new Phonte verse on Droog’s album?

 

[Mastamimd]

Anyone hear that new Phonte verse on Droog’s album?

He snapped bro

 

[Ziggiy]

JESUS he snapped

 

[TheDarceKnight]

LB just put Chittlin Circuit 1.5 back on streaming platforms with 3 bonus tracks from the Chittlin Circuit 1.

 

[Bryan Danielson]

LB just put Chittlin Circuit 1.5 back on streaming platforms with 3 bonus tracks from the Chittlin Circuit 1.

oh that’s what it was?

I been seeing them basically promote it but didn’t know it had extra tracks