If you don’t know, Blu [click to read] has returned to release one of the sleeping beauties of 2008 with producer Mainframe in the form of Johnson & Jonson‘s self-titled debut [click to read] on Tres Records. HipHopDX digitally chopped it up with Blu and his broken keyboard to get the background on the album with the limited insert pages, in our new column: Lost Liner Notes. Peep the jointage.
01._”J&J”
“ThisIsTheBirth.
BustingOutTheWomb.
OriginallyTitled,”TheFinale”
VersesWereOriginallyLaidOver”KindaDusty”ProByMainframe
(WhichWillBeReleasedInJapanOn12Inch(ViaSubContact)
ButThisVersionIsAnotherOneOfMainFrame’sCrazyLoops
ItWasOneOfTheLastRecorded
ButHasTheOldestLyricsFromTheRecord
MainframeLovedThemFromBackWhenWeFirstMet,
WeCameAcrossTheOldRecording
AndMainframeAskedMeToReVampTheRhyme
WeChoppedThisBeastAndBoom!
AsUCanTellByTheOriginalTitled,ThisWasTheOutro
AndIThinkThisWasTheOnlySongThatDidntLeak,IBelieve
TheOutroSegmentOfThisSong,
WasThreeFreestylesChoppedIntoSomeRandomTangent,
TheFinale.“
02._”UpAllNight”
“theFavorite.
ThisSongIsWhatTheAlbumIs.
Labbin’,StraightUp&Down.
Blunts,Cloves,EuroSpliffs,
E&J&Blu(e)berryJuice,CharlesShawTJWine,
SourCream&CheddarRuffles&SourCandies
OccasionalVisitsFromEmcees,Musicians,Homies&Bitches
RemindsMeOfTheShitIBumpedRightOutOfHighSchool
BootCampShit.
ChppedItUpAtTheOXTank,
TookItToTheKMCrib&WroteToIt,
ThenBroughtItBackToTankForCutting,
LikeWeDoWithYaMoms.
WeDidSoManySongsThatNight
ThisWasTheFirstOfTheSession.”
03._”HalfAKnot”
“ThisIsThatGo!
ContainsALittleSwaggerJackFromPhife,
LoveMovementEra,MayNotCatchIt.
OnceThisWasLoopedUpIWasSoAmped,
IWroteToItImmediately.
ByThisTimeInMyLifeMyThroatWasSoFucked
FromTheClovesAndConstantDrinking,EuroSpliffs,SoOn,
IHadGottenReallySickAndThatWasWhenIBasicallyStoppedWorkingOnTheRecord
ThisOneIRememberIHadToKeepReRecordingItBecauseMyVoiceWouldFallOut.
ThisWasMyFavUntilAloeBlaccHeardIt.
RespectNoneTheLess.
ShoutsOutToTheBRIDGE,ThisIsForYallAnyways!
MigMoney,AWill,Basic,DonnieSmokes,
Radio,Definite,MyBrotherJoeCollins,TNasty,
LilJayDoediTheOGDoediToMeTho,
MyBrotherOreo,Ricky&Nickels,
theUntouchables,TiffanyBarnes,TiffanyCastillo,Peaches
BubbaWatts,,DeA,DNT,Scavs,Teon,
Charli,MykillMy’s,2000PedroVarsityStarters,
MilkBoxShoutsToAnteus,TriggaNigga,Wickedi&
IllFlavaRIP,PerryRIP,TheOtherBlueRIP.
GetYours.“
04._”MomaToldMe”
“TheFirstSongIEverPlayedForMyDad.
JonAnchMetHim&AskedImmediatelyHasHeHeardOurMusic.
HeSaidNo,JonPressedPlay.
ISeenTheHugestSmileAcrossHisFace,
DazingIntoSpace,ReflectingThroughMyEyes,
ThatWasTheMostRewardingShitForMe.
EspeciallyBecauseThisAlbumIsForTheChildren.
Jon’sSonEquinox,
AndMyDad(John)’sSon,Me.
ForTheChildInUsAll.
ThroughAllTheShitYouCanBeUnder,
NoMatterHowFarAway,
IAlwaysRemeber.“
05._”TheGustoRoom”
(FeaturingTheGreatBoboLamb)
“ThisHadToBeOneOfTheIllestSessionsOfAllTime.
ThoughItWasLongAfterWeRecordedOurVerses.
ItWasTheNightIMetTheGreat,BoboLizzamb,
This,AsISaidBefore,WasAroundTheTimeIWasSick,MindYou.
IDidNotWantToLeaveButJonInsistedOnMeSeeingBoboPerform.
HeSaidHeWasOnBET,BabBoysOfComedy,Etc,
SoIFiguredWeWereGoingToSome’BigBoomAllOutHollyWoodShow’,
ButItWasInThisLittleAssCafeByTheGayAreaInLongBeach.
ThereWerePoetsInThereDoinThereThing,
ItWasSortOfAnOpenMicNight.
BoWalkedRightUpToUsBeforeHisSet
AndIntroduceHimselfWithTheHugestEyesAndWidestSmileEver.
HeWentStraightOnAndByTheTimeHeSaidHisSecoundLineIWasSold
WeWereDying.
Hard.
IWasSickAsADog,CoughingAndShit.
ButICouldNotStopLaughingNoMatterHowMuchIReallyDidntWantTo.
FunnyThingWasWeWereTheOnlyOnesLaughing
ProllyCauseHeGotIntoTheWholeHomoSectionOfHisJokesEarly.
NoOffense.
ButThatShitWasFunnyAsHell.
FromThereWeWentToTheTank.
BoSmashed,IMeanSmashedLike7SongsOutInOneNight,
AndAllOfThemWereTheFunniestShitsIHeardSinceIFirstSawDelirious.
Really,HeFreestyledThemAll.
IncludedTheSong”Lucy”FromTheOGJayLoveJapan.
ThisSongWasAboutTheFourthOneIn.
AllJonSaidWasTalkAboutGambling,
PressedPlayAndHeWentOff,
JonHadToStopHimLikeHoldUpYo,WeAintEvenRecordingYet.
HeSpitOverTheWholeSongAllTheWayTilItEnded.
WeJustChppedSomePartsAfter,
RealTalk
WeShouldLeakThatWholeSessionOnNiggas.
Anyways.
BoboIsTheShit.
Ps,
ThisWasMyLeastFavoriteSongOnTheRecord
UntilWePerformedItAtTheReleaseParty,
INeverHadSoMuchFunPerformingASongInMyLife.
ThatsGODYo,ThatsAllICanSayToThat.
BOOmBox,3rdTime,SmashBox08.
GetTheNamesStraight.“
06._”Wow”
“OneOfTheQuickestSongsEverMade.
ThatsWhenWeStartedCreatingTunesAndNotSongs.
UnderThreeMinsBro.
OriginallyOneLongVerse
HadToLetYaEarsBreatheForASec.
WaitForTheVidTho.“
07._”TheOnlyWay”
“PrettyMuchTheFirstSongWeDidForTheAlbum.
ThisIsWhereTheConceptCameFrom.
NoRules.
32BarLoop,ThenBackAt’em.
WeWantedToMakeAMixtape.
IWasntTrynaRapOverPeoples’Beats.
JonWasThinkingLikeADJAndStartedPullingRecordsToLoop
AndRembered,
“OhYea,
IWasSoWrappedupInPuttingOutRecords
AndRunningRecordLabels
ThatIForgotIHaveSomeOfTheIllestBreaksOnThePlanet”.
Whalla!
JizzyJay.
ThisSongIsMyPledge.
IsntMyBest
ButItsTheOnlySongThatRemindsMeOfMyPurpose,
ReallyTho,
TheOath.“
08._”InTheBuilding”
“ISwear,
EveryOneThatCameToASessionFeltTheVibe,
IRemeberJonWasSoOverThisChop,
MigsHeardIt,
TurnedOnTheMic,NoJoke,
TwoTakes,Freestyle
VerseOne,Boom
VerseTwo.
ThisIsWhatWePlayWhenWePlayAtTheParadesBitch
Johnson&Jonson
TellTheChildren
“LickTheLoveFromMyHeart”
ThanksAgainMiguelito
LookOutForTheOtherBangerHeDidThatNight
“MomaSaid”
AskDizzle
ThisIsTheOne
FreestyledToo
HeardItHearFirst.“
09._”BoutIt,BoutIt”
“TheBestSongOnTheRecordToMe.
Lyrically.
OneTheMostPersonal.
ThoughYouCouldNeverTell.
ThereWasSoMuchDramaInTheLBC
GoingOnBetweenTheTeam,AtTheTime
FoolsWereHatingHardOnEachOther
AndWeNeverLetItGetToUs
WeWouldjustGrind
ThisWasTheOnlyTimeWeDiscussedTheBeefOnTheEntireAlbum,
ThatWasALessonedLearnedFromMe.
ReallyTho,
ILoveHowDisguisedTheShitIsInTheLyrics,
SoPersonalYetSoAbstractYouCantRelate.
YetYouAllRelate.
WeCameUpWithTheVideoLongBeforeWeShotIt.
IRemeberRollingToOxnardWithJon
WeJustSmokedAndCameUpWithTheConcept
JonWasLikeWriteItDownYo
AndIWasFeelingTheTabaccoInThatJayLike,NawImStraight
HeWasLikeYoManWriteDownEveryOneWeShouldHaveSayTheLines
SoWeDid
NextThingUknow
MikeDComesThroughLikeWeGotAStudioWithAnAllWhiteBackDrop
AndTheCameraTheyShotTheNewestSupermanWith,TheGenesis.
wewasLikeYo,
WeGotTheTreatmentRightHere
Bongo.
ShoutsToEveryOneWhoMadeItOutToThatOne.
WasOneOfTheyIllestMomentsOfMyLife
ThankYallForThat.
EveryOneOfU.”
10._”SpellCheck”
“LovedTheChops
CutTheRaps,
ItWasAWrap.
BigShoutsOutToDMenaceAndTheLongBeachSquads,
FamRep,SirJosephHoldYaHeadUp,
StuddaBox,BadHabit,CottonKing,Andy,
AllYall
MoreLucyToCome.“
11._”LongTimeGone”
“ThisThe2ndTimeIAlmostMadeADumbDecisionOnThisRecord.
Bout4MonthsAgo,
JonPlayedMeTheFirstVersionOfTheMixes
ItWasAlreadyAGoodYearAfterWeRecordedTheAlbum
IToldHimIThinkWeShouldTakeOff”LongTimeGone”
HeSaidHeThinksItAddsSomethingToTheAlbum.
FastForwardToLastMonth
IOpenedUpMyFirstCopyOfTheAlbum
AndLongTimeGoneWasMyFavSongOnIt
FunnyRight
IDontGetMeSometimes
AndPeopleAskWhyILikeDoinRecordsWithOtherPeopleSoMuch.“
12._”StillUpAllNight”
(ByTheKing,CashUsKingAkaCo$$Dollars)
“FinallyGotThisNiggaOnOneOfMyAlbums.
IHadToTakeMyVerseOffThisSong’
HeKilledItWayToHard
StraightUp
StillUp
ThanksDollars
HeDidThatSameShitToMeOn”WorldGoneBlind”
WishYouWereOn”BTH”
ButThatsHistory
LetsMakeSomeMore
OhYea,
AndToTheListener,
ThisNiggasAlbumIsAboutToBeBig
LookOutWestCoats
WeBack
AsLongAsWeOnTheKing’sBack.”
13._”APerfectPicture”
“Yups
ILoveTheEnd
AndThe2ndverseIsMyJoints
ManTheseSongsWereFunAsHell
IMeanThisSongIsAboutNOTHING,
AndILoveIt
IWouldHaveNeverTakenThisOneOff.
“LetsOperateMan!“
14._”AnythingIsPossible”
(FeaturingGonjaSufi&MainframeOnTheRaps)
“IWillNotBeGettingAnyPublishingFromThisSong
ThisWasAlSufiAndJon
IWalkedInASession
AfterWalkingFarAsHellFromSomeWhere
AndTheyWereCutting
ThanksForGivingMeTheIllestBar,
“1980-84”
SouthSideSouthSide!!
MajorInspirationHomie
YouShouldReallySmashFoolsWithYoRapAlbumDog
ThatShitIsTheTruth,
AndTheTruthShallSetYouFree.”
15._”TheOath”
“MyFavRapsOnThisAlbum.
AsFarAsRapsGo.
AndProduction,Pssss
ThisIsMyFavBeatOnHereToo,
CallLucy,AskHerDoSheNeedALiftOff
ShoutsToAliceInNY
IWillDoThisNextTimeIPromise
IJustGotTheInstro.”
16._Bonus”HoldOn”
“IWantedToMakeAPersonalRecordWithOutPuttingMyBizOutThere
LikeIHadDoneOnAFewSongsfrom”BTH”&”DirtyScience”
IDidntWantItToBeSoMuch”Me”&”i”.
PlusItAlreadySaidMyNameInTheHook
OneOfMyFavoriteSongsThatIHaveEverWritten
IReallyFeltGoodHearingThatOneOnThePlayBack
FoundMyVoice
AndEveryLine
IsVeryVeryVeryPersonalToMe.”
17._”LaLaLand”(JapanBonus)
(FeaturingBeYoung)
“AsPromised,
AlmostBrokeIt,IfItWasntForJapan.
HadToPickAJamFromOneOfTheManyPacSessionsWeHad
PlusIJustFoundOutThisNiggaIsMyCousin
Whoooooo!
ShitRunsInTheBlood,
ThemBoysGotFlow!
AndTheSameTasteIHeardToo,
BigUpBe,
LetsDoAnAlumCuzzo,
Holl@!
shoutsToMona,
FamFamFamFamRockingEvryWhere
WeGotJointsWithMibbs&LikeToo
FretNot.”
ThankYallForListening
ForThoseWhoWantedIt,
LongJohnJohnson
ManifestingTextIntoTheFlesh
Bless