Funk Upon a Rhyme

Track Listings

1. Ridin' on the Funk

2. From the Funk to the Back

3. Mo' Water

4. Slow Burnin' 22.5 Degrees Fahrenheit

5. I Need Representation

6. My Day Is Coming

7. All Bark No Bite

8. Bakin' Soda Free

9. Aftermath

10. No Pain, No Gain

11. Funkinmuffin

12. Shots Out

13. Shit, Goddamm

14. Don't Bite the Phunk

Average customer rating:

Unlike Anything I Have Ever Heard!
Too weird...hard to get into
kokane
I have this on cassette in near mint condition.
Don't Bite The Phunk!

Funk Upon a Rhyme
Kokane
Manufacturer: Relativity
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

They Call Me Mr. Kane
Havin's It My Way
Time Will Reveal
Tha Triflin' Album
The Big Badass

ASIN: B000008HF0
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

Ridin' on the Funk
From the Funk to the Back
Mo' Water
Slow Burnin' 22.5 Degrees Fahrenheit
I Need Representation
My Day Is Coming
All Bark No Bite
Bakin' Soda Free
Aftermath
No Pain, No Gain
Funkinmuffin
Shots Out
Shit, Goddamm
Don't Bite the Phunk

Customer Reviews:

Unlike Anything I Have Ever Heard!.......2007-05-09

Kokane comes out in 1994 with what I believe is his 2nd album: Funk Upon A Rhyme. Many heads nowdays recognize him as cat who does the hook on many West Coast rappers' songs. He has that moany whiny but likeable voice you hear 100 times on Snoop Dogg's Tha Last Meal and on some of Above The Law's works. His 1994 Ruthless release is very unique. Some of it is hard to define as to whether if it is rap or just funk. Overall, there is a heavy P-Funk inflected G-Funk flava to it. Cold 187um from Above The Law definitely produces some interesting beats. A couple beats are hard to get into such as "From The Funk To The Back" and The Rasta inflected "Funkinmuffin," but there are some beats that are simply unbelievable!! My fav is "Aftermath" where Above The Law steps in and spits some gangsta game over a bumpin lowrider beat. "S--- G--d--m" is a hot party jam with a bouncy beat. Kokane lights a spliff on the "Slow Burnin 22.5 Degrees Farenheit" with a semi disco-funk beat. Now, there are some weird songs here where he does too much whining, which takes away from the listenability of a couple like on "I Need Representation," even though the lyrics take on subjects like brothas deserving some help dealing with issues in their lives and how the system can be unfair and biased. Despite the drawn out vocals, the beat is some nice slow funk perfect for the ride. This album has taken some time to grow on me, but I am starting to get into the groove with it though. Not flawless by a long shot, but definitely interesting and different. Definitely off the beaten path. The thing is, this album is hella rare now selling for as much as 60-80 bucks. I like the ambition and efort Kokane put into this album, and eventhough it does not work all the time, it is a neat endeavor throught the space boogie of tripped out funk. This album will continue to grow on me as I listen to it more and more.

Too weird...hard to get into.......2007-01-03

Over the years, I have heard nothing but the highest praise for Kokane's 1994 album "Funk Upon a Rhyme," and always assumed it must be the classic its reputation suggest based on the fact that it routinely sells for hundreds of dollars today. I have really enjoyed a lot of Kane's collaborations in the past, especially his extended work on Above the Law's album "Uncle Sam's Curse" and Snoop Dogg's album "Tha Last Meal," as well as more recent collabos like "Suga Cain" with Suga Free. I finally got around to checking out "Funk Upon a Rhyme" and was severely disappointed. This album is in a word weird. Other reviewers have tagged this as one of the west coast's greatest masterpieces, and I can't believe I'm listening to the same record. I know you'd expect Kane's solo material to be as lovably odd as his guest appearances, but it's not just the singing that's so odd, it's the entire product. There are a lot of decent grooves in the production department, courtesy of Cold 187um, DJ Yella, and even Kokane himself, but there aren't really any great ones. The production kind of walks the line between g-funk and George Clinton type of funk but isn't an especially satisfying mix of either. With upbeat bass, whiny synthesizers, and funky beats, these tracks could be great but for the most part are too repetitive and go on for much too long. But it's Kokane's singing that is the most disappointing part of this album. Rather than show his vocal talent and creativity with his funky singing, most of the time Kane sounds like he's whining or wailing. Lyrically, I have always enjoyed Kane, because he has the ability to be totally fun like on Above the Law's "Kalifornia" or deep like on "Gangsta Madness." Here, it's hard to follow most of his lyrics, which at times seem to just be there in order to have something over the beats. His attempted disses towards the Dogg Pound and others fall flat, and most of the time listening to his lyrics is like watching a movie where you can't follow the plot. I think "Slow Burnin' 22.5 Degrees Farenheit" and "Funkinmuffin" are meant to be sort of nonsensical, but they're not funny either. I can't follow the musically decent "I Need Representation" for the life of me, and the singing doesn't enhance the song at all. And while the woozy beat of "No Pain, No Gain" is very good, Kane's screeching is ironically, well, painful. Basically, this music is just too weird, it's not rap music and it's not any other definable genre either, it's just an odd mix of strange vocals and electronic hip hop beats that didn't appeal to me. I will continue to love his other music, but I find that in the same way many believe hookmen such as Nate Dogg cannot carry a solo album, Kane falls into the same boat. I respect Kokane for making such a unique work of music, and I guess today it's a collector's item, but I don't recommend it towards other listeners. The cover of "Funk Upon a Rhyme" warns that "listening may cause addiction," but for me it did no such thing and I was disappointed with the album.

kokane.......2006-02-12

My reasons to tag this album the Best Kokane album is done with little hesitation. Perhaps MC Eiht's We Come Strapped comes a close to Funk Upon A Rhyme . In this album we see the artist weave a tapestry of intricate tight sound and odd yet melodic vocals. The lyrics are solid, and outside the fact that kokane is consumed by the anger towards Dre, still enjoy this album. This album is G-funk, but with a George Clintonesque P-funk twist. Over all I still listen to this album frequently, and is a stunning coup de'teatre that is second to none in terms of west coast rap. The first 5 or 6 songs serve as an apparatus to get you to "My Day is Coming" and after that every song is absolutely excellent or perfect. The second half of this album interweaves the eloquence of philosophy (lyrics and socio-economic circumstance) and the precision of mathematics (intricate sound and beats). This is an album that bespeaks greatness in what I call the renaissance of rap. On the Death Row diss track "Don't Bite the Phunk", locc'd out Pimp'sta Kokane & the 187-Master Cold 187um have to take on punks Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg & Kurupt, which Mr.Kane & Big Hutch go Insane in the Brain! Death Row acts that it was the only gangsta rap label, but hey, yo Dre! Stick to producing because, Mr.Kane likes his Chronic mixed with some PCP! Snoop Doggy Doggy Dogg has been getting it up his a$$ by his CEO Suge Knight, which Big Dogg Blue has no clue what Mr.Kane & Big Hutch gonna do! Kurupt the Dogg Pound Crip, can't take the likes of G's from Compton, Long Beach, South Central, Watts, Carson and even Pomona, CA! So wut would that wannabe locc do if Mr.Kane is gonna do, so call Big Hutch "Kurupt"! Funk Upon A Rhyme is a G-funk classic which features artists Tha Alkaholics, Dirty Red, KMG & Cold 187um, the production is done by DJ Yella

I have this on cassette in near mint condition........2006-01-03

In the next few weeks i'm selling my tape collection on
Ebay. I will be selling this tape and more. Underground
Mcs like Steffon,EZSD,The Coup,K-dee,Celly Cel,and lots more.
Tapes have the original writing on them. You know after awhile
the letters dissapear after being touched. Have been kept as
collectables. Rarely played.
id is Nuso. Thanks

Don't Bite The Phunk!.......2005-12-26