19 Naughty III - 30th Anniversary

90年代の東海岸ラップを象徴するニュージャージー産グループの93年作に30周年記念盤が登場! アイズレー・ブラザーズをネタ使いした一大ヒップホップ讃歌"Hip Hop Hooray"を筆頭に、ラフでロウな当時のヒップホップ感をよりポップな雰囲気で届けることに成功した名盤だ。ピート・ロックやQDIII、ビートナッツらのリミックスがボーナス収録されている。
bounce (C)出嶌孝次

1993年リリースの2ndアルバム『19 Naughty III』の30周年盤。先行シングルとして大ヒットした「Hip Hop Hooray」は、90年代前半の東海岸を象徴する曲の一つとして、ヒップホップの賛歌となっている。このシングルはチャートで1位を記録し、2Pac、Run DMCなどの出演者をフィーチャーしたスパイク・リー監督のビデオで、バンドに2度目のトップ10ヒットをもたらした。このアルバムには、ヒット曲「Written on Ya Kitten」と「It's On」も含まれており、Heavy DとQueen Latifahがゲスト出演している。

Despite an excellent debut album, Naughty by Nature was pegged as a one-hit wonder by some observers -- after all, they'd never duplicate the inescapably catchy "O.P.P.," would they? 19 Naughty III's lead single, "Hip Hop Hooray," proved that they could, and the album confirmed that Naughty by Nature were indeed highly underrated in terms of consistency. It's a shade less consistent than the debut, but has all the same strengths: head-nodding beats, Treach's bouncy flow, and a difficult balance between street attitude and accessibility. Naughty by Nature clearly comes from the streets, and have all the aggression of the streets, but they don't glamorize the streets; sure, they'll take care of themselves in a harsh environment, but ultimately they prefer to steer clear of trouble, cops, and jail. It's a refreshingly grounded and realistic perspective, best heard on "Daddy Was a Street Corner," "The Hood Comes First," and "The Only Ones." There are also energized guest appearances from Heavy D ("Ready for Dem") and Queen Latifah ("Sleeping on Jersey"). Kay Gee again shows himself a sorely underappreciated producer, with one foot in the clubs and the other one on the street corner, and that's true of the group as a whole. A few slower moments don't prevent 19 Naughty III from ranking as Naughty by Nature's second straight triumph. ~ Steve Huey