Customer Reviews

Lyfe N Tyme

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just picked this album up and I can't beleive I slept on it for so long. this is what hip hop is supposed to sound like. Kind of like a West Coast 'Artifacts' in their prime. Where did they go though? If their little sister reads the reviews again, let me know if they are still putting out material 'cos this is the type of music hip hop is missing at the moment! Anyone has any info on any other releases or how to get in touch with them for bookings...paulalborough@yahoo.co.uk

this is my favorite album that no one knows about. Inexplicably this album went double lead somehow. i don't freakin get it at all. Punch lines are a mile a minute, mixed in with streetwise social commentary, undergirded by smoldering intelligence. These cats are sick and one of my favorite pasttimes of the past 10-11 years has been playin this album and watchin people go oh sheeeit! No disappointment here!

The BUMS emergered in 95 as a unique and different style to all the typical west coast beats that dominated the air waves during the time. The group indeed has some replayable hits like " Elevation (Free my mind)" and "Take a look around" as well as other nice tracks. I think this group was ahead of its time and is a nice escape from all the cookie cutter acts that dominate the air waves.
This CD, from top to bottom, was well produced, with tight lyrics and clean beats. It is true the group went the way of the dinosaur, but just because they are extinct dosen't mean its not worth a trip back in time to appreciate thier skill.

Coming from the west, D'Wyze & E-Vocalist came HARD in 1995 for their "Lyfe N Tyme" debut. Teaming up with producers; King Tech, Joe Quixx, The Baka boys & others the Brothas Unda Madness were out to make noise, and effectively re-establish the Bay's mark on the map.
Although hailing from the west, both MC's do not carry that distinct far-west twang, nor does any of their production give anything away. Infact E-Vocalist, at times, is VERY reminiscent of a more nassty "AZ". Being a BK native, AZ is as New York as it gets.

Now, Lyfe N Tyme is an extremely consistent album, in reality there is not one bad track on the album. Hell, every track is sick! E-Vocalist & Wyze RIP every track there handed, with a hard yet not-too "ruff" steez. Fantastic flows!
And Yes, even more impressive, is the production on here...hardcore, refreshing hiphop. Tracks like "Non - stopping the groove", "Wreck your ears", "Flex Uv A Finga" & "for my brothas" all have very hard, moody & most importantly bass-heavy beats. Protect ya neck! On the other hand, "Take A Look around", "Let the music take your mind", "Elevation", "Lyfe N Tyme" & "Can You Do Without" give off that soulful/jazzy/funk vibe that was always a timeless quality found in the majority of the underground during the early-mid 90's. Similarly, you then have "Westcoast Smack" which uses a very different "cartoony" sample for a very uptempo & hard-hittin track, and then the fantastic Skits that only add to the album's flow & consistency (Peep SUCK MY D*ck - Where D Wyze makes their opinions very clear...) In addition to all this, one of the album's highlights has to be the extremely poetic & thought-provoking "Who Gives you the right". Where the issue of the white man's supremacy in America, Black history, Racist views etc are all touched upon in just over 3:00 over an inspiringly jazzy/laid back beat.

"What special right do you have to block my people's path,
with your un-wanted & un-appreciated racist views,
we've played your games, we've gone to your schools,
we;ve studied your acheivements, your wars, struggles, hertiage & culture,
Now who gives you the right not to know ours,
for my opressors i can only pray,
because as sure as the sun rises in the east, and sets in the west,
what goes around comes around twice as hard on judgement day...
But then who gives me the right to say?"

Lyfe N Tyme is a STRICT westcoast masterpiece, which D Wyze & E-Vocalist are still yet to receive praise from. Stop Sleepin' & peep Brothas Unda Madness. PEACE!

Lyrics - 9.5/10
Beats - 9.5/10
Replay Value - 10/10
Originality - 9/10

If you found this helpful, check my other reviews

Wow... Its been ages since I last heard this album. I'm from Calgary, Alberta, something like a texas of Canada. Anyways, I was 13 years old and picked up this album because I read their interview in the Source magazine. Man, it was so great stuff. Whenever other rappers got too hard for my ears or too boring, I would put the Brothas unda Madness on, and man, let me tell you it was a helluva stress reliever.... Problem now is, I can't find this album anywhere. Shiet. But for sure, underrated, and most definately a jewel. And thats coming from a classical musician.

lyricism., awesome punchlines, and soulful & jazzy beats make for a consistently great and varied sound
loved this when it came out in 95 and still sounds current and better than most stuff out today

Damn it's good to see at least some people heard of these guys. They came out with "Lyfe N Tyme" just as the east coast vs. west coast beef was taking shape so it doesn't surprise me that this was the second reason they didn't get their proper moment to shine ([...]) But these guys came through with an excellent debut album.

Lyrics, production and subject matter were on point and I remembered bumping this CD when I was in college and people asked me if they were from the east coast (shows you how unique The BUMS were.) It sucks that they aren't a group anymore but I'm fortunate to have picked this up when it came out.

I know that it's a hard to find CD but it's worth it so if anyone remembered GREAT hip hop from 1995, east or west, or you are tired of the watered down hip hop that is polluting radio stations, you NEED to grab this right away and take a trip back in time where hip hop was cherished. Peace out.

It took me a minute to get a hold of this album here, due to the fact that it is out of print. This group The BUMS were comming out of Oakland and had a up-hill battle making the names for themselves, due to the fact that other groups such as The Dangerous Crew, The Hieroglyphics, Digital Underground, and others have already set the bar. Not many people speak of The BUMS when it comes to west coast rap (let alone The Bay Area), because they style was far from the west coast (their choice of production didn't have those whiny synths or popular Parlament samples that helped built the west coast). In my opinion, it was more like the east. And probably with so much drama that was cooking between both coasts at the time this album was released (Summer '95), the majority of the people on the east coast didn't want to hear this album either.

This album here is pretty great. D-Wyse and E-Vocalist are two great emcees, and their flow is pretty dope. I believe their single was "Elevation (Free My Mind)", and if that was the case, their flow was real strong. "Wreck Your Ears (Can Do)" is another great track that has a nice Rakim sample (not many rappers on the west relied on vocal samples, so that was unique for them to do that). Times the production switches up to a sort of jazzy flavor like "Let The Music Take Your Mind" and the heavy bass line sound "6 Figures And Up". The only guest I know on this album is Mystic (dope female artist, check her solo Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom). The last two tracks are great closers. "Can You Do Without?" shows an east coast style, and "Who Gives You The Right?" is a nice spoken word poem by E-Vocalist.

When you really look at it, Lyfe 'N' Tyme probably had came out at the wrong time when no one was listening. If anyone was expecting any west coast style, don't look for it here, because you won't be able to find it. It's still underrated and hard to access due to it being out of print. If you can, check it out. Peace.

Lyrics: B+
Production: B+
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: B+

Top 5 Tracks:
1. Lyfe 'N' Tyme (featuring Mystic)
2. Elevation (Free My Mind)
3. Can You Do Without?
4. Wreck Your Ears (Can Do)
5. West Coast Smack

This is an album that really grew on me. I remember hearing so many good things about it, and I finally purchased it and after one listen, wasn't blown away. A few months later, I put it back in the player and after a few more listens really got into the tight grooves and rhymes. The B.U.M.S. (Brothas Unda Madness) released one album, this 1995 LP "Lyfe 'N' Tyme." Coming from Oakland, the duo of D-Wyze and E-Vocalist actually have what might be described as a more East Coast sound. Their music contains a constant soulful, midtempo groove with dense instrumentation, usually including horns or saxophone. They might take some cues from like-minded East Coast artists of this time period, but their sound is very unique. There are frequent short musical interludes scattered throughout the tracklist. E-Vocalist sounds almost exactly like AZ on the mic, so much that one might confuse the two. His structure, flow, voice, and style is nearly identical. D-Wyze sounds like Sadat X to my ears much of the time. The duo raps with a regular mid-90s B-boy style, but attempts to maintain social relevance in most of their songs. They frequently address issues pressing the black and urban communities. "Lyfe 'N' Tyme" is a unique and very fulfilling album that has a creative sound and approach that will appeal to many, and I recommend it.

After the intro, the album opens with "Non-Stoppin' the Groove," a loopy and relaxed groove with a great sax sample. D-Wyze and E-Vocalist introduce themselves on this track, setting the scene for the album. "Wreck Your Ears (Can Do)" is anchored by another catchy bass loop and features a good hook and performances from both parties. "Take a Look Around" is excellent, with a great jazzy musical backing, and it's followed by the simple and straightforward "6 Figures and Up." The short "Flex Uv a Finga" takes the listener to the B.U.M.S.' Oakland neighborhood over a smooth beat. I also like the slow and thoughtful "Let the Music Take Your Mind," which is followed by perhaps the LP's highlight, "Elevation (Free My Mind)." This song is musically light and breezy and the lyricism is among the best. The bouncy and upbeat "West Coast Smack" happily represents their home coast, and the title track is a collaboration that drops raw philosophy over dope production. "For My Brothas" is okay but forgettable, while "Can You Do Without" is catchy, clean, and enjoyable. The album closes with a powerful spoken-word track by E-Vocalist, "Who Gives You the Right," which addresses issues involving racism and discrimination.

Many of the other reviewers have called "Lyfe 'N' Tyme" a classic or one of the all-time greats, and while it's not on that level in my opinion, it's a very satisfying album of mid-90s hip hop. The B.U.M.S. are enticing and relevant on the microphone, and their jazzy, soulful, and laidback production will appeal to fans of that sound. The album grows a little cliched at points and certainly isn't perfect, but I think it's still underrated and slept-on. Unfortunately, this was the B.U.M.S.' only album, they were never heard from again, and like so many other acts from the 90s, their only LP is long out of print. Pick it up if it comes your way.

Remember the video for Elevation (Free My Mind)! Dope video with a little cameo by Ras Kass...This album is soo HipHop Krs One's Nose should be on the cover! Dope Dope beats and Rhymes. Authentic HipHop. Pure 95 Flavor. Don't Sleep! This is one album you should own. You'll thank me homie.