Customer Reviews

Loc-Ed After Dark

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 1988, Tone-Loc took the pop music world by storm with his immensely popular track Wild Thing and its even spicier follow-up Funky Cold Medina. While this is not gangsta rap or what many listeners might even call serious rap, it did help introduce rap and hip hop to young people such as myself mired in the sputtering realms of generic Top 40 and classic rock music during the late 1980s. I'm not sure that Tone-Loc's throat is the perfect vehicle for rapping, as he sounds like he has a permanent frog in his throat, yet his laid-back style actually works well with his unique sound. Tone-Loc rapped about things almost all young people have in common, thereby making his music much more accessible than the hardcore rap that has never appealed to me. He did lay down a few lines about how talented and cool he was, but he never carried this to excess, nor did he spend any time tearing down other people in the music industry. There is enough profanity on here to merit the Explicit Lyrics tagline, but the language is really pretty tame over all. In one song, he actually uses the words "One, two, buckle my shoe." Any rapper than can say that and still be both tough and successful is a rare talent indeed.

This album is actually filled with good tracks, achieving success outside of its two main hits. On Fire, Loc'ed After Dark, I Got It Goin' On, and Next Episode all share a similar sound, but each of them is a track you wouldn't want to skip over. Cheeba-Cheeba is a lot of fun to listen to, and the fact that it can be seen as glorifying the smoking of a certain type of plant is not important as long as you don't take the song too seriously. Loc'in on the Shaw is a track I could do without, but the album closes strongly, in my opinion, with Homies. While it is a strange track quite unlike anything preceding it on the album, you can't help but laugh and enjoy it.

Basically, Loc'ed After Dark qualifies as mainstream rap music, and the immense popularity Tone-Loc enjoyed in 1988 and 1989 did have a profound effect on the rap and pop music industry, preparing the way for more serious rappers to reach a wider audience in the years following this album's release. If you were a youth during the 1980s, you almost surely have fond memories of Wild Thing and Funky Cold Medina; for me the album qualifies as yet another memory-laden memento of the late, great 1980s.

I grew up on the beginnings of rap. Ice-T, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, UTFO... these groups laid the foundations for what was to come. Approximately 10 years later Ton-Loc comes on the scene when rap was at an all-time low (in my opinion) and dance-music ruled the airwaves. Ton-Loc was different and that's what made him unique amongst all other rap artists. I first heard Ton-Loc's Wild Thing and Funky Cold Medina in '89, my senior year in high school. It wasn't until after I graduated that I heard his whole album. A friend of mine had the tape and I practically wore it out when he left it in my car. A lot of reviewers say they dislike Track 10. Me and a friend of mine were building bass systems in our cars before the car audio market started to take hold. Track 10 was and still is THE song we use to test our systems. It's the benchmark we use to this day. Track 10 was perfect for showing up at a friend's house and "announcing" yourself. In later years I ran it through a bass boost filter and made it even more powerful. Move forward 15 years and I'm still listening to this album. I like most every song except for Cheeba and Homies. You just can't find rap like this anymore because it's all been reduced to cussing and demoralization of others. This whole album is so fleshed out, something you don't find in a lot of debut albums. It's timeless in my opinion. I give this one 5 stars because I never get tired of the songs. The music is clean and crisp and sounds great on a decent system. I'm not a big rap fan anymore since most of the music on the radio nowadays is saturated with different incarnations of it, but albums like this take me back to a simpler time when rap was worth listening to.

This is a very good album period.Great beats to all the songs and tone loc has a very original and good voice.The lyrics are pretty good to and it just makes you relax.I wish modern hip hop would be more like this.I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in quality rap.

Tone Loc was a toy rapper best known for the irresistible party anthem `Wild Thing' (the rap tune, not the Garage chesnut). This album includes that track as well as `Funky Cold Medina' another kitchy hip-hop classic in the wild party boy style that was popular with rappers before the gansta explosion. Nothing wrong with it, if that's what you into. Fine for you big dance parties but not the sort of music that stays in your disc player forever.

Very good 1989 classic for sure.The best songs on this album in my opinion are Wild Thing,Funky Cold Medina,and The Homies.Wild Thing was a very big hit I don't know who hasen't heard it.Funky Cold Medina was the same way very popular.A great old school rap buy for anybody.

I remember chillin to Tone Loc way before Dr Dre hit it big with the Chronic stuff. I mean, come on, either you're a cheebah believer or you're not. I admit that this disc isn't solid all the way through, but let's give Tone his props. Wild Thing and Funky Cold Medina are classics, ... buy it! ...

I don't care who don't likes him and/or never like his style. 'Cause he's my favorite old-school rapper alongside Young MC, MC Hammer, EPMD, Whodini, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, Public Enemy, just to name a few artists from that genre.

You see Tone-Loc always keep it real w/o ever negating the positive images that's behind hip-hop. I consider this an album that shows real sides of whats happening in the world of hip-hop right now, one that shows people that kind of rap music is worth listening to.

Now ya'll think he's the worst rapper 'cause he can't rhyme or sing? Are you saying that this s**t is wack? Hell haw, if this is not 4 you, you shouldn't buy it.

That's why a lot of people are hatin on rap right now b/c it's lost its message and/or its voice. I pray we keep our soul alive in the industry w/o ever falling apart.

Every music or must-have fan should have this 'cause they missin' a lot of real stuff that it's happening 'round our culture.

Long story short, my 1st favorites from the album are Funky Cold Medina, Wild Thing and Loc'ed After Dark. I know I love every song I download off this album.

This is highly recommend 4 those who wants to hear real hip-hop. For instance, if u see BROWN SUGAR or ever listen to Kanye West's classic album THE COLLEGE DROPOUT you would know there's a difference between them making a new direction in the hip-hop culture.

I would love for Tone-Loc to come back with a new album in the near future. No rap fan or non-rap lover should hate on this.

This CD features Tone Loc's two smash hits from the late 80s, "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina". These songs are both undeniable rap classics. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is not as good as those two songs. Most of the other songs are pretty forgetable, although "On Fire" is pretty good. The album reaches a definite low point with the five minute long instrumental "Loc'in on the Shaw", which Loc doesn't even appear on. Fans of old school rap may want to get this CD, if only for the two hits.

Great music. This hip-hop CD contains all his hits. One can really shake his/her booty to this music.

Two songs for you old skoolers..."Wild Thing" & "Funky Cold Medina" Now I thought these two songs in that time & era was straight forward. I was wrong. The music in todays society. (2009) Imagine the future music in about 50 years from now. Great c.d. for the older generation music junkies. Buy it before C.D. albums are the thing of the past. When iTunes & MP3 files are the only way we can purcahse music. I want the hard copy!!! (Compact Disc) Not a MP3 or music file that can be deleted that I'll probably end up paying twice for. Get it while it's still a C.D. world!!!