The Cactus Album is one of those tapes I had as a kid that should be part of anyone’s hip-hop collection. Yeah TAPES! In fact, I think the late 80′s and early 90′s was really a great time for hip-hop fans because they were offered a wide range of styles to choose from. I think MTV particularly gave more exposure to acts that were different and innovative. 3rd Bass were one of those acts.
A not so well-known fact, 3rd Bass was actually an interracial group, but almost into obscurity was their DJ Richie Rich on the first album. The group was overshadowed by the 2 front men, MC Serch and Prime Minister Pete Nice. At that time white rappers weren’t common, and they were the “street” answer to the showboating Vanilla Ice. Both Serch and Nice started off as solo artists but formed the duo out of request from the label.
Their first album The Cactus Album is very well-rounded lyrically and excellently produced by the hitmakers The Bomb Squad (Hank and Keith Shocklee being the forefront) and the majority of tracks produced by the underrated Sam Sever. The album gained the most fame with their comedic track “The Gas Face” which deals with rejecting those who aren’t true to themselves. Their first single “Steppin’ To The A.M.” shows of their talent lyrically, and the track itself still can bump in your system to this day. They also range from serious issues in “Triple Stage Darkness” to outright silliness on a track “Flippin’ Off The Wall Like Lucy Ball” which is basically Serch imitating an old blues singer and laughing half the time.
A note about the production of this album is Sam Sever’s ability to forge funky beats and utilize old samples from non-traditional sources tunes and old black and white movies. I think this style is what separates this album from many in my collection. Aside from the fun yet serious nature of the group, the production is also reflective of that. Kudos goes out to Sam Sever; in my opinion one of the most underrated producers in the industry.
For those of you too young to remember this album, I recommend picking up the CD or grabbing it from you brother’s collection. If you have it now, give it a listen again and enjoy. Definitely overall a fun album full of entertainment.
