Brand Nubian - One For All (30th Anniversary, 2LP Colored Vinyl, 7inch)

Official double vinyl reissue for Brand Nubian's first LP, another very tough one to find from the Elektra catalogue. One For All is an amazing record from start to finish, sporting top notch production from the crew mixed with their party slash 5 Percenter lyrics. The big cuts remain "All For One," and "Slow Down," but seriously my brethren and cave dwelling devils, this is worth all investigation. More importantly than their positive (if sometimes contradictory) morals, Brand Nubian had beats for days and led by the fearlessly melodic Grand Puba, the emcees eat em up with punch-clock clarity. Excessive amounts of style. They sound so supremely cool on the cut, that you absolutely have to find out what the hell they are saying. I wore the shit out of my walkman doing the no-stop-button rewind on this tape, spending a whole summer getting these lyrics down just so I could have a shell of an idea what it's like to let such a finely tuned flow fall from my lips. 15 year old bliss I tell you! Deserving of mention: both versions of "Wake Up," Sadat X's solo "Concerto In X Minor," the pre-Jade pots and pans beat on "Drop The Bomb," the self-titled "Brand Nubian," the JB sampling/ Major Worries interpreting "Who Can Get Busy Like This Man" and damn near every other track on here. An essential piece in the golden years album puzzle. Recommended.

A1 All For One
A2 Feels So Good
A3 Concerto In X Minor
A4 Ragtime
B1 To The Right
B2 Dance To My Ministry
B3 Drop The Bomb
B4 Wake Up (Stimulated Dummies Mix)
C1 Step To The Rear
C2 Slow Down
C3 Try To Do Me
C4 Who Can Get Busy Like This Man...
D1 Grand Puba, Positive And L.G.
D2 Brand Nubian
D3 Wake Up (Reprise In The Sunshine)
D4 Dedication
E1 All For One (Radio Version - 7" Edit)
E2 All For One (Radio Instrumental - 7" Edit)