Kool & Deadly (Justicizms)

Just-Ice parted ways with Kurtis Mantronik after his debut album, teaming up with KRS-One for the follow-up. Thus, this album is a sonic companion to Boogie Down Productions’ Criminal Minded; it even carries a dedication to Scott La Rock, who was murdered in August 1987, before it was released. The beats are just that — simple, whomping drum patterns, whether coming from a Roland TR-808 or human beatbox DMX’s microphone, with maybe a single choppy sample to provide an accent every eight bars or so. It’s not all bare-bones boom-bap, though; on “Moshitup,” Just-Ice and KRS-One team up over a one-finger dancehall keyboard line, “Lyric Licking” is another dancehall track, with thick dub bass, and on “Booga Bandit Bitch,” the beat is composed of dripping water sounds.