Happy 20th Anniversary to Blackalicious’ second studio album Blazing Arrow, originally released April 30, 2002.
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You ever hear about those times when an underground darling signs with a major label and it turns out to be a disaster? The label picks up an artist who has built a strong independent following, but they have no idea what to do with them? In order to become more “marketable,” the artist gives up much of what made them unique in the first place and shifts to the middle to play it safe? And in the process, they record an album that doesn’t satisfy the label, the artist, their core fanbase, or a broader audience?
Blackalicious’ Blazing Arrow is not one of those albums.
Twenty years ago, Timothy “Gift of Gab” Parker (R.I.P.) and Xavier “Chief Xcel” Mosley were in a good place. After moving 200,000 units of their debut long-player Nia (1999) independently through their own Quannum imprint and James Lavelle’s Mo’ Wax label in the UK, they were swooped up by MCA Records. After months of furious work, they released their second full length, Blazing Arrow. It’s the best project of the duo’s career.
The Bay Area-based crew had been together for a while by then. Gab, a rapper and Los Angeles native, and Xcel met while they were attending high school in Sacramento and formed the earliest iteration of the group. The two continued to collaborate while Xcel was attending UC Davis, where they connected with DJ Shadow, Lateef, and Lyrics Born (then Asia Born). Together, the crew created the Solesides label, which eventually morphed into Quannum. The collective were pioneers in independent hip-hop during the 1990s, being one of the first labels to release and distribute vinyl and CDs of their releases worldwide.
When I recently interviewed Lyrics Born, he recalled the era during which Blazing Arrow was recorded and released. “First of all, the album's a classic,” he said. “Find me an album that sounds like it … And I just remember it happened at a time when there was a real renaissance happening, particularly when you talk about West Coast underground hip hop. And there was this wave of major label signings and Blackalicious was fortunate enough to be a part of that wave. … I think it was like a real stamp of validation for them to get picked up by a major label. And it was such a celebratory event for all of us [at Quannum] because it was such a big deal.”
Lyrics Born recalled that MCA Records signed Blackalicious at the behest/insistence of Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the legendary Oscar and GRAMMY-winning drummer for The Roots. After finalizing the deal, MCA gave the group an advance to cover costs to record the project. Blackalicious promptly spent that money on recording and production costs, so MCA opened up another budget, which the group promptly spent on further recording and production costs.
This was not the case of a group blowing through tons of cash on missed studio sessions and assorted frivolities; you can hear where the money went on Blazing Arrow. It’s a beautiful, lush-sounding album. Chief Xcel was involved in most of the album’s production, and he pulls out all of the stops. The group used some sample-based material, but also incorporated extensive live instrumentation. They employed an impressive roster of guest emcees, DJs, vocalists, and musicians. They utilized legendary recording studios like MCJ, Electric Lady, and Greene St. The album’s mix is so clean that it practically sparkles through the speakers.
On the mic, Gift of Gab uses his complex cadences and styles to deliver his intellectual and philosophical content. He never compromises or simplifies his narratives and approach. Blazing Arrow succeeds at being a major label version of a Blackalicious album in the best sense. Listening to the album for the first time was like witnessing a major motion picture giving an indie filmmaker a big budget and watching them knock it out of the park.
In interviews about Blazing Arrow, Gift of Gab often talked about how he viewed it as the next logical progression from Nia. “Nia was about finding purpose,” he explained to Resident Advisor in 2002. “Blazing Arrow is about conviction and faith and being able to walk a path and make that purpose manifest itself, having the strength to endure that path. Blazing Arrow is action; it’s an arrow in flight.”
Given the group’s sense of conviction, it makes sense that much of the album is infused with optimism and positivity. “First In Flight” practically vibrates with energy, as Gab, assisted by none other than Gil Scott-Heron, encourages listeners to take initiative, improve themselves, and work towards accomplishing something life-affirming. “You got to work it though cause everyday ain’t Saturday, fool,” he raps. “Evolve into a better life and be happy with you.”
“Passion” echoes similar sentiments, as Gab tag teams with Rakaa Iriscience of Dilated Peoples to profess their zeal for creating music. Gab describes himself as “running through the jungle with a flare gun,” so fervent in his desire to achieve greatness that he finds himself engulfed in flames, “run[ning] into the burning sun yelling ‘Ride, n***a, ride, n***a, ride.”
Even the more serious-minded entries on Blazing Arrow provide glimmers of hope. The apocalyptic “Sky Is Falling” does describe a society on the brink of collapse, as governments act in their own self-interests and local communities are ravaged by crime and despair. However, Gab’s call to action for artists to take responsibility for their communities resonates. “Brain Washers,” featuring appropriately solemn vocals from Ben Harper, as Gab counsels against those who try to lead the population towards negativity, similarly encouraging those to lead through action.
Blackalicious add emotional pathos to the more substantive material. “Nowhere Fast” is a wistful warning against complacency, where Gab cautions against the ease of living in the past and procrastinating. “It is an honor, don't become a mental prisoner,” he raps. “Just listen to the now and keep your mind from drifting off.” Chief Xcel gets a production assist from Questlove, who brings in frequent collaborator James Poyser to give a masterful performance on the keys.
Not everything on Blazing Arrow is achievement oriented, as the project’s other underlying theme is the transformative potency of music, particularly the joy it can engender. Gab describes the satisfaction he receives through creation on “Aural Pleasure.” “Make You Feel That Way” is similarly simple in its execution, with Gab musing about the types of things that can make one happy, and recognizing how dealing with the bad makes it easier to appreciate what’s good.
“4,000 Miles” is a fun romp, as Gab, Lateef the Truthspeaker, and Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na all cut loose about the physical and metaphorical journeys they’ve taken through hip-hop. Chief Xcel’s track is one of the best on the album, with studio musicians providing funky guitar licks and a rolling piano groove. Gab muses about the meaning of achieving success through music, rapping, “The final destination used to be my main question / But then I looked and all that I was searching for was present.”
Blazing Arrow features a few songs that have the sole purpose to spotlight Gab’s lyrical gifts. His breath control is staggering on the album’s title track, twisting words and syllables into a rapid-fire barrage or stanzas. The joyous “Paragraph President” is a reimaging/update of a 4-track demo that the duo had recorded back 1991. Gab was ahead of his time over 30 years ago, and his wordplay and mastery of style is even more impressive. “A ram and, uh, feel the goats horns slamming ya,” he raps. “Ham it up every single time that I stand in a / Crowd of emcees backing up when I'm acting up / On a frenzy after ya yelling ‘That’s enough!’”
“Chemical Calisthenics” is the sequel to the popular “Alphabet Aerobics,” which was itself a remix to “A to G” from Nia. “Aerobics,” produced by Cut Chemist, features Gab going through the letters of the alphabet as the beat and his rhymes steadily increased in speed. “Calisthenics” features Gab doing lyrical lab-work, while exploring the Periodic Table of Elements and combining elements into compounds through his rhymes.
Rather than incrementally increasing, the tempo of Cut Chemist’s track fluctuates, as Gab shifts effortlessly from breakneck speeds to a more deliberate pace. His flows are dizzyingly complex, as he raps, “Energy heat gas waved all your mats / Chemical change, ice point, melt all your raps / Atomic weight, hold shocks, when I call you last / Refillable gas keep going way beyond, bee-otch.”
“Release Pt. 1, 2, & 3” serves as Blazing Arrow’s climax, a mammoth endeavor that features three separate movements and performances. Gift of Gab, Lyrics Born, and spoken-word artist Saul Williams each give their interpretations of the power of “release.” Each of its three components is distinct, with the sound tailored to highlight the strengths of each emcee.
Still, amongst all of the calls for self-improvement and displays of verbal wizardry, Blazing Arrow’s emotional center can be found on “Purest Love.” Gab relates the details of his upbringing, particularly how the loss of his parents set him on a downward path, only to be “saved” by the love of his brothers and sisters. Transforming difficult experiences into a chance to inspire others is very much at the heart of Blazing Arrow, and “Purest Love” poignantly expresses this purpose. “The purest love is how I'm driven, sent, and reach for my goals,” Gab raps. “If nothing else I’ll leave the world some songs that speak from the soul.”
Unfortunately, for all of its critical and artistic accolades, Blazing Arrow was not a commercial success. The album didn’t reach a broader audience, though it’s still highly regarded by its core fanbase. As boisterous as Gab and Xcel were on records, they were reserved personalities who were more interested in letting their music speak for itself rather than play the shameless self-promotion game. Blazing Arrow ended up being the group’s sole project for MCA.
But heads that are in the know recognize Blazing Arrow’s genius. Gab may have left us far too soon, but this album resonates as his crowning musical achievement. The duo walked the proverbial path armed with their faith and their conviction. Ever since they put this arrow in flight two decades ago, it consistently hits its targets.
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