K7 ''Come Baby Come'' [1993]
K7's debut album Swing Batta Swing breaks loose with a rare style of rap verging on club or dance music, along with a bit of swing, before Gap commercials made it "hip" again. Everything in the album involves high-speed vocals, usually with high-speed backing beats to accompany. K7 adds in a tiny touch of a Latin flavor with some of the lyrics as well, which can aid in the speed factor that he seems to enjoy. To boot, he throws in some call and response working in absolutely every track. The final component of the album is sexuality, coming forth on "Body Rock," "I'll Make You Feel Good," "Hotel Motel," and "Beep Me." A pair of commercial hits are also on the album, "Come Baby Come" and "Move It Like This," both of which involve a good deal of those call and response patterns, but at a higher speed than most of the tracks, very danceworthy for a club (at least in 1994). Finally, there are a few reworkings of songs from other genres, infused with K7's vision. "Hi De Ho" is an overhaul of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" made into a street-tough rap ballad. "Zunga Zeng" is presumably some sort of evolutionary step for Yellowman's "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng." Finally, "A Little Help From My Friends" takes a tiny bit away from the Beatles, again with K7's personal infusion. Overall, the album is noteworthy for the quality of the rap. The only gripe with the album is the similarity of the songs, though that's part of what makes it a good dance album. Though another album never came from K7, this one is probably all that's needed for any given listener or collector. ~ Adam Greenberg
Recorded at Mirror Image, Dix Hill, New York and Unique Recording, New York.
Producers: Joey Gardner, K7, Frankie Cutlass, Tony Moran.
Personnel: K7 (rap); Mike Lorello, Andy Marvel (keyboards, programming); Sterling Campbell (drums)
Background vocals: Simple Pleasure, Derek McCleary, Kashu Myles, John Raimundi, Arif St. Michael, Craig Derry, Camille Shea, Ladies Only, Joey Gardner, Tre Duece, Daddy L.O.S., Prophet, Charlie Pena, Mario Nieves, Vic 13, Malik Taylor, Troy Hightower, Mike Lorello, Tommy Uzzo, Joe Korsch, Lou Cruz, Woodsie, Virgil, Clyde Bone.
