Big Shots (album)

Big Shots is a studio album by American hip hop duo Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf.[1] Recorded between 1991 and 1993 for Hollywood BASIC, it was released on Stones Throw Records in 2003, 10 years after Charizma's death.[2] It peaked at number 2 on CMJ's Hip-Hop chart,[3] as well as number 27 on the CMJ Radio 200 chart.[4] The first single from the album, titled "My World Premiere", was originally released in 1996.[5]

Big Shots
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 18, 2003 (2003-11-18)
Recorded1991–1993
StudioStudio Apogee, San Jose, California
GenreWest Coast hip hop
Length46:24
LabelStones Throw Records
ProducerPeanut Butter Wolf
Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf chronology
Big Shots
(2003)
Big Shots Bonus EP
(2004)
Singles from Big Shots
  1. "My World Premiere"
    Released: 1996
  2. "Devotion"
    Released: 2000
  3. "Here's a Smirk"
    Released: 2003
  4. "Jack the Mack"
    Released: 2003

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
The A.V. Clubfavorable[7]
CMJ New Music Monthlyfavorable[8]
Dusted Magazinefavorable[5]
East Bay Expressfavorable[9]
HipHopDX4.0/5[2]
Metro Silicon Valleyfavorable[10]
RapReviews.com6/10[11]
Spinfavorable[12]
XLR8Rfavorable[13]

Sam Samuelson of AllMusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5, calling it "a treasure that should be cherished by hip-hop fans the world over."[6] Todd Inoue of Metro Silicon Valley said, "Charizma sounds like MC Shan blessed with youthful lung capacity while PB Wolf makes like Marley Marl programming beats in DJ Premier's lab."[10] Ross Hogg of XLR8R said, "Charizma's voice brims with eagerness, enthusiasm and earnestness; Wolf's textured, jazzy beats epitomize boom bap and are a sign of great things to come."[13]

Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club said, "while Big Shots is one of those charmed debuts where nearly every song sounds like a terrific single, it wouldn't be without Wolf, whose gorgeously constructed tracks, flawless ear for melody, and extensive sonic quotations anticipate Madlib."[7] Rachel Swan of East Bay Express said, "had Charizma not been shot and killed in '93, he might've turned into another Pharoahe Monch or J-Live."[9]

In 2003, East Bay Express included it on the "Best Music of the East Bay" list.[14] In 2007, The A.V. Club included it on the "10 Unjustly Overlooked Hip-Hop Classics" list.[15]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Here's a Smirk"3:31
2."Methods"4:07
3."Jack the Mack"3:10
4."Talk About a Girl"1:24
5."Red Light Green Light"2:40
6."Tell You Something"3:38
7."Gatha Round"3:00
8."Devotion"3:59
9."Apple Juice Break"0:38
10."My World Premiere"2:07
11."Ice Cream Truck"3:37
12."Charizma What"3:47
13."Fair Weathered Friend"4:04
14."Soon to Be Large"3:15
15."Pacin' the Floor"3:27
European edition CD bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Gatha Round (Original Version)"4:42
2."Devotion (Harp Version)"4:13
3."High School Love"4:05
4."Take It Easy"0:37
5."Just Like a Test"2:47
6."Bless You"3:25
7."Red Light Green Light (Remix)"3:02
8."Vapors"4:42

Personnel

Credits adapted from the CD liner notes.

  • Charizma – vocals
  • Peanut Butter Wolf – production, executive production
  • Peter Stanley – recording
  • Dave Cooley – mastering
  • Jeff Jank – design, photography
  • Theresa Castro – photography
  • Egon – label management

References

  1. Li, Christina (May 19, 2011). "Peanut Butter Wolf on His History with 45s and Why the Vinyl Comeback Is Overhyped". SF Weekly. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  2. J-23 (November 30, 2003). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  3. "Hip-Hop (Period Ending 2/3/2004)". CMJ New Music Report (852): 15. February 16, 2004.
  4. "CMJ Radio 200 (Period Ending 2/3/2004)". CMJ New Music Report (852): 8. February 16, 2004.
  5. Huffman, Emily (March 7, 2004). "Dusted Reviews: Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". Dusted Magazine. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  6. Samuelson, Sam. "Big Shots - Charizma, Peanut Butter Wolf". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  7. Rabin, Nathan (January 12, 2004). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf: Big Shots". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  8. Gladstone, Neil (January 2004). "Best New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly (120): 45.
  9. Swan, Rachel (December 31, 2003). "Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". East Bay Express. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  10. Inoue, Todd (February 12, 2004). "Charizma Comes Alive". Metro Silicon Valley. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  11. Juon, Steve (October 28, 2003). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf :: Big Shots :: Stones Throw Records". RapReviews.com. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  12. Hermes, Will (February 2004). "Reissues". Spin. 20 (2): 100.
  13. Hogg, Ross (February 24, 2004). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". XLR8R. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  14. Swan, Rachel (November 26, 2003). "Best Music of the East Bay". East Bay Express. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  15. Rabin, Nathan (January 5, 2007). "Inventory: 10 Unjustly Overlooked Hip-Hop Classics". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 30, 2017.

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.