Grand Daddy I.U. – Smooth Assassin was an incredibly slept on classic album that hip hop heads overlooked. The fact that that people reminded him of Big Daddy Kane did not help. Grand Daddy I.U. has charisma with his smooth rhymes and cadence. His rhymes consist of consonants and vowels. It’s absolutely amazing how an album from 1990 can still sound fresh today. East Coast rap could not get any doper from Hempstead, New York. (That’s near NYC for those of you not from Long Island.)
The U Is Smooth is where Grand Daddy I.U. raps using his smooth cadence and intellect. His style is similar to a guest host from the Cotton Club in Harlem from the 1920s. The U never fails to disappoint his audience. The U’s in effect. Live and direct as he projects his intellect.
He calls out MC’s who copy others in these lyrics:
“I wrote another verse for imitators to copy-cat/You learn the words, reciting where you get sloppy at/You can’t kick it quite like the U can/Any fan in the stand can tell whose rhymes you ran/Man, the words the same, verses identical/Wanna be down, but you ain’t been a cool brother like the U, so my knob you’re slobbin/31 flavors like Baskin & Robbin/The U trains by draining brains/And the only remains is bloodstains/Havoc and homicide, rappers are mummified/You tried, but lost your pride, now you run and hide/You’re trapped in a maze, there’s no escape route/Guilty of theft, so you’re left as a deaf-mute/You floor at my feet, but when I step, you’re left there/With tears in your eyes, but I don’t care/Nothin you can do, now you’re down and desperate”
He ends Verse 1 smoothly with these lyrics.: “Next time you know I ain’t the one to mess with/So keep this in mind before you move/Yo, the U is smooth”
Grand Daddy I.U. is sitting in his dressing room in Verse 2. Notice the star on his door? The crowd is waiting for the show to be raw. Fans have been anticipating the moment for the longest amount of time. News reporters are hawking him. It’s almost show time. So keep waiting. Only 2 minutes left.
Now the spotlight shines, the curtains go up and like a volcano Grand Daddy I.U. will erupt. He jitter-bops on stage and grabs the mic with a tight grip. He carries a tool for any fool who might flip.Pandemonium breaks loose when he’s in effect. One thing’s for sure is that no other brother can touch the U. He’s too smooth. All raps he write are up to par.
Biz Markie and Grand Daddy I.U. are geniuses when it comes to choosing samples. The sample of Grover Washington Jr. – Hyrda was perfect to use due to the jazzy vibe and smooth nature.
Pick Up The Pace is where things start to speed up on the album. The tempo and pace are sped up much faster than the opening song. The cuts are crisp and clean. People don’t give Grand Daddy I.U. or his producers enough credit for their work.
All raps he write are up to par. Such as these lyrics for instance: “Bass till impact is unbearable/And I’ma do MC’s somethin terrible/Cause I like to start shit off with a bang/Cliches and slang that no man can hang/With, the one your girl shares her putang with/And Jimmy’s what a stick that thang with/You can’t stand the pressure and pain when you’re put in heat/You felt defeat, so you cheat and still couldn’t beat”
He gets smoother and smoother with each rhyme. It’s like magic the way the rhyme flows. This is poetry in the highest form.
Grand Daddy I.U. gives us something new and some new flava for ya ears on Something New. For those who didn’t know, Desiree Price, Toni Rolle, and Raezia Rolle are the 3 females who sung the hook.
Here it is. A world premiere! Crystal clear in your ear. So listen here.This song is something new but I.U. is not new to this. So don’t fool yourself with garbage that you normally listen to. Nothing changed. So don’t act strange. He’s calling shots as he makes his appearance. So get out of his range. No interruptions. No interference. Give him the mic and watch the whole place jump. So turn it up loud and let the bass thump. Because it’s something new from the Grand Daddy U.
Mass Destruction is his most versatile song with devastating lyrics. The song displays and showcases the best of his lyrical skill and ability.
Below are some examples of his devastating lyrics.
“Destruction/whenever I come/There ain’t nothin’ left when I’m done/The only thing that remains is ashes and dust/Blood Stains and veins from brains that I bust/Cities and towns burned down to the ground/Blows and echoes/screams in the background/All feel the wrath of a psychopathic/Death scenes are graphic/stopping all traffic/As I demolish MC’s/When I’m gone, ain’t nothin’ standing/Not even the trees”
“All in my path just shatters and breaks/When I step the whole earth shakes/The sun, moon and stars’ll fall from the sky/Seas, lakes and oceans all run dry/The aftermath is epitaph after my warpath/And those who laugh feel the wrath of a bloodbath/Bodies dismembered, chopped into shreds/Big chunks of meat, arms, legs and heads/No man can stand my plan of deduction/Cause whenever I come it’s mass destruction”
“Cards are dealt, now my wrath is felt/So witness the holocaust, then as you fall you’re lost/Thrown off course, too late for remorse/Damage renegs, all controversy/Face your doom, now you scream for mercy/Erase your thoughts, you can’t be reborn/It’s no turnin back, when you’re dead you’re gone/And now your soul belongs to me/Sentenced to dwell in hell to eternity/Streets overflow in oceans of blood/And all disbelief is nipped in a bud”
Nobody Move is about a smooth assassin and bank robber named U. As usual, Grand Daddy I.U.’s smooth rhymes consist of consonants and vowels. The song is laced thick beats and thick bass which both stand out.
It’s midnight. U and Kay sit in a beige Cadillac dressed in all black. They creep through the block. There’s not a cop to be seen. Armed and dangerous, lookin’ for somethin’ to stick. The pistol’s loaded, prepared to click. The stars are bright and tonight’s a full moon.
They hit the gambling spot at 2:13. Number book runners, thieves, and drug chiefs are all inside gambling. Both of them kick in the door and yell, “Bank stop! Nobody move.” “Hands in the air. Get against the wall. Empty your pockets.” They’re takin’ it all. Cash, jewelry and drugs, even the keys to peoples rides. It’s just a stick up. Don’t make it a homicide. This is serious biz. Give up the money.
The two hit the backdoor and made a clean getaway. Whoever said that crime don’t pay? No cops in sight. No sirens to be heard. Not a word on what had just occurred. Next they count the money they had stolen. $42,000 dollars was the mount stolen.
Next they both go to the bar. The girls was very hot. They picked the baddest two girls and got a room at the Marriott. The scene was fine. Bubble bath and wine. Champagne and caviar in jacuzzi. The whole nine. All that good shit. Both had stunted them out and played them both like trash. Left them stranded and then we cut out with the stash.
Now time for the next hit. The two grab some ammunition to prepare for another mission. (Now in this case a mission is a robbery.) They went to the bank to make a big withdrawal.
During Verse 3 is when and where things take a turn for the worst. Despite having this robbery mapped out, they end up getting caught.
The security was gagged. The crowd froze as the robbery was in progress. I.U. grabbed a teller, stuck a .9 millimeter in her nose. Her told the teller, ”Fill up the bags quick, this ain’t a joke. One false move and everybody smell gun smoke.” They hurried up and grabbed the dough. Outside is surrounded by police. 3 cops were shot. Bullets flew like rain. The scene was hectic with all the mass hysteria going on. People are screaming. Puddles of blood.
They soon found an escape route and left the area. However police were closing in. Then in an instant Kay went down. He was shot in the head with no chance of survival. He hit the concrete, dead on arrival. Police called I.U.’s name as he fell to the ground.
He is scared to death. Of course he will be facing life in jail. There is not one bullet left in his gun. What good is a pistol without no slugs? So he accepts the fact he is caught.
The rest of his life will be spent in either Comstock, Attica, Fishkill, or Clinton. No dough, no hoe(s), no cars or gold.Just hard time and no chance for parole. But that’s the price he gots to pay for all the times when he used to say, “Nobody move.” .
I.U. puts a soulful touch on Soul Touch with his smooth flow and cadence. Him, Biz Markie, and DJ Kay Cee incorporate the sounds of rap and soul.
Here we go. So pull up a chair and gather close. Check out the man that has the most. Soul is the music’s basic foundation. You’ll feel a sensation as soon as it’s heard. Only soul is allowed here. From letters to words and words to a sentence, he turn out shows for the hoes in attendance. Crystal clear, smooth and impeccable. Everything that I.U. touches just turns to soul.
I rate this album 5/5*****!!
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