Intense Records

Rhythm-al-ism

Back order

£27.49 (£32.99 incl. VAT)

2026 reissue, 140g double
vinyl, original picture sleeve
and insert.

DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With his fourth album Rhythm-Al-Ism he
created his masterpiece, a perfect hip-hop album. As Quik explains, the name
Rhythm-Al-Ism alone tells you what I was doing. I was mixing up rhythms. I was
meshing R&B with hip-hop and jazz. And a little bit of comedy. Its absolutely
sensational and as with a lot of mid-90s albums those original vinyl copies are now
rare so heres the Be With re-issue.
A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta
rap classics. Hes released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped
craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been
quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically.
An old-school funk producer at heart, hes also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps
often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his
trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from

age 14, Quiks tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and
George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Comptons
more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to
drift out over sun-soaked barbecues.
Released in 1998 on Profile, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the closest Quik ever got to making a
commercial splash. Youz A Ganxta and Hand in Hand made radio waves across
the country and the less radio-friendly tracks like Medley For A V were bumping
out of car stereos. Combining his soulful, jazzy P-Funk/G-Funk beats with his
effortlessly smooth flow, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the quintessential West Coast Party.
Squelchy synths, bouncy bass, monstrously knocking drums and freaky keys - this is
peaking acidic party-rap, straight out the gate. Music for gliding, for skating, for time
with your people and your poison. Sunshine. No cares. BBQs. Heavy smoke in the air.
Dripping with wit and good humour. A real swing to the vibe.
The album opens with Quik setting out his mission statement with Rhythm-Al-Ism
(Intro), telling us what this is all about before the self-explanatory We Still Party
rocks the spot. Its definitely all about the party here, complete with Quiks signature
head-nod/body-moving beat. Next up, the undeniable laidback funk and dripping
swing of groove-laden So Many Wayz. This positively slaps.
Then we get to the three huge singles. The R&B-tinged radio-friendly minor-hit
Hand In Hand closes the first side only for the flip to get straight into the rolling
and scratching of bleepy computer-funk banger Down, Down, Down (featuring a
particularly nice use of Howard Johnsons epochal So Fine). The effortlessly

smooth, flute and guitar-laced Youz A Ganxta completes the trio. Next up the fast-
paced, vocoder-enhanced, woulda-beena-global-hit I Useta Know Her. This coulda

(shoulda) been a single too. Head-nod funk workout No Doubt, with its ace sample
of Prince's Sexy Dancer, closes out the second side.
Speed races out the gate on the second disc, sampling Edwin Birdsongs Rapper
Dapper Snapper in a harder, better, faster, stronger way than those daft Parisian
punks. Amphetamine-swift raps over soaring, string-drenched b-boy beats. A total
anthem. Up next, the staggering, near 8-minute laconic, lounge-y sax-rap of
Whateva U Do cools things down and smooths things out with its flute wrapping

around a sample of Smokey Robinsons So In Love and some oh-so-classy lounge-
piano tinkling. And speaking of smooth, things dont get much smoother than the

blissfully melodic glider-anthem Thinkin Bout U riding that ace flip of SWVs Use
Your Heart. Exceptional.
The exquisite funky-flute-slapper Medley for a V (The P***Y Medley) opens the
fourth and final side, with star turns from Snoop Dogg and a typically suave Nate

Dogg. Its followed by the supremely skanked-out Bombudd II, a beautifully sweet
reggae-fuelled ode to the herb. Get 2Getha Again is slick funk. Stunning.
This 2022 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis,

cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Unusual for the time, Rhythm-
Al-Ism was originally pressed as a double and weve reproduced the original LA vibe

picture sleeve and insert to match.
As that original front cover says, this is over 70 minutes of commercial free music
and its absolutely perfect from start to finish. There are no stand-out tracks here. Its
all gold.

* Tracklist:
1 A1 : Rhythm-al-ism (Intro) (1:40)
2 A2 : We Still Party (5:13)
3 A3 : So Many Wayz (5:41)
4 A4 : Hand In Hand (4:18)
5 B1 : Down, Down, Down (4:43)
6 B2 : Youz a Ganxta (4:22)
7 B3 : I Useta Know Her (3:50)
8 B4 : No Doubt (4:12)
9 C1 : Speed (3:21)
10 C2 : Whateva U Do (7:47)
11 C3 : Thinkin Bout U (4:05)
12 C4 : ELs Interlude (4:05)
13 D1 : Medley For A V (The P***y Medley) (6:27)
14 D2 : Bombudd II (2:59)
15 D3 : Get 2Getha Again (4:41)
16 D4 : Reprise (Medley For A V) (2:39)