Extra Prolific
Like It’s Supposed to Be
Ninety Now
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I was not really expecting a comeback by Extra Prolific in 2020. I had figured that Duane “Snupe” Lee had moved on from hip-hop, like so many of the rappers from his era. Well, color me pleasantly surprised, as his newest album Like It’s Supposed to Be is one of the year’s first pleasant surprises.
Extra Prolific originally made its name as part of the Bay Area-based Hieroglyphics crew in the mid 1990s. Originally made up of the Texas-born, Oakland resident Snupe and Mike “G” Gray, the duo released Like It Should Be (1994) as one of the last releases by the Hiero camp on Jive Records. The album was a unique entry in Hiero’s early discography, reflecting the pair’s Bay Area and southern fried influences.
Snupe remained with the crew as they struck out independently, recording 2 For 15 (1996), one of the first and strongest releases on their Hiero Imperium imprint. He eventually parted ways with the group over “creative differences” shortly before the release of Hiero’s Third Eye Vision (1997). He released more albums independently using the Extra Prolific name (sans Mike G), including Master Piece (1998). He eventually began to release more spiritually oriented hip-hop, focusing on his Christian faith, often under the name Lee Majors. Most recently, he released Beautiful Life (2017), a collaborative album with his wife, Regina Chavon.
Like It’s Supposed to Be is not Like It Should Be Part 2. Snupe is very much in grown-man mode here, and not trying to relive his teenage years. He’s older, wiser, and a little more jaded by the music industry and what’s consumed as popular hip-hop music by many. But truthfully, this album is a logical extension of his earlier work, honoring his roots while incorporating the development of his consciousness.
Snupe sets things off on Like It’s Supposed to Be with “Fresh Prince,” a throwback to his days of ciphers and freestyle sessions. “This ain’t my first rodeo,” he boasts, before coming off the head for two verses on a sinister, horn-heavy track produced by O-Love. “Lost And Found” serves as the functional re-introduction of Snupe and his brash, trash-talking persona, a lyrical bonanza after vintage melodic and jazzy samples. “I brought my backpack in because lyrics is back in,” he announces, celebrating his return to the realm of slaughtering fake emcees.
“Bang the Drums,” the album’s first single, is a definite highlight. As the title suggests, it’s Snupe rhyming over a pounding, almost tribal drum track, backed with heavy percussion. Over O-Love’s beat, he vents his frustration about the state of mainstream hip-hop, particularly the lack of innovation. However, the song isn’t a gripefest, as Snupe sets out to inspire some form of change. He utilizes a twisting, turning, complex flow as he raps, “If I hear another nominal anomaly then Imma know that my single is the finger that pushes the first domino.”
Snupe may be an older and wiser man, but he still knows the importance of making shit that knocks in the car. “Let’s Ride” is a jewel, as DJ Fresh laces Snupe with some “real ’80s” soul to get loose to, as he and homie Swelly Swell cruise throughout Northern California, or, more accurately, “through life without brakes, and we looking for time without breaks.”
“Likwit Nitrogen” is another deeply funky entry, pulsing out thick and heavy Zapp-influenced grooves. Again, as the title suggests, it serves as a salute to Tha Alkaholiks, famous West Coast-based contemporaries to Extra Prolific and the entire Hieroglyphics camp during the mid 1990s. Later, O-Love flexes a little more late ’80s/early ’90s funk on “Game Room,” where Snupe kicks a few Oakland-based tales of getting caught up in sticky situations, weaving in a healthy share of arcade-based imagery.
“What’s Goin’ On” shows the more introspective side of Snupe’s musical persona. Here he teams with Myka 9 of Freestyle Fellowship to ponder their personal growth. Snupe reflects on his days before achieving spiritual enlightenment, running the streets out of control, through his decision to reevaluate his life and make some necessary changes. Chavon and Myka both sing the hook, meshing well with the contemplative piano-based track provided by O-Love.
Snupe does an exceptional job at detailing the various personal journeys that he embarked on throughout his life. “DJs and MCs” centers on his love of hip-hop, describing how he first discovered the genre. He recounts the joy that came from buying his first rap tape and chronicles how he got involved as an artist. He understandably sounds pretty weary from his experiences with Jive, rapping, “I discovered how some of these companies don’t even love the music, they just love the money it brings.” Snupe then delves into his spiritual awakening on “Accurate.” Over a catchy string sample, he explains the importance of his faith and how it’s helped him grow as a person.
Like It’s Supposed to Be ends on an uplifting note, first with “Forgiven,” a startlingly powerful song. Joe Gamble crafts the best beat that Apollo Brown never produced for Snupe, as he speaks to the healing power of forgiveness in moving past psychological trauma. The album ends appropriately with “Last Sermon,” invoking Like It Should Be’s “First Sermon,” and sounding even more gospel-influenced. Snupe preaches optimism, encouraging others to live “illuminated” and strive to make the world a better place.
Being mature and pious on record without being overly preachy is a difficult needle to thread, but Snupe succeeds with Like It’s Supposed to Be. While I certainly hope that it isn’t the last album that he ever releases, it’s a solid bookend to a career that’s endured for over a quarter of a century. It’s a worthy entry to be remembered by, but also hopefully suggests more good things to come.
Notable Tracks: “Bang The Drum” | “Forgiven” | “Last Sermon” | “Let’s Ride”
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